by Holly Hood
I bit my lip in anger. He knew nothing about my style. Or who was right for me. And it wasn’t his job to tell me what to do next. “I saw everything. I know who the real Slade is. He’s the guy who puts everyone else first before himself.” I hurried to push the last word out before Audrey was close enough to overhear.
“Just like the night the coven changed all of you. I don’t need to be saved. All I need is for you to be honest and tell me what you want.”
Slade whirled around in an instant. He grabbed me by the shoulders; his finger's digging into my flesh. His lips close to mine, but his eyes were frantic. “I’ll always want you,” he said. He shoved me, sending me backwards into the sand.
Audrey giggled in pleasure at Slade’s behavior. She brought her hand to her hip. “We need to get our hands on the mayor’s kid.”
My mouth dropped. “There’s no way.”
She stared down at me, giving me a pathetic grin. “There’s always a way.”
Slade grabbed me by the arm lifting me back up off the ground. He shoved me toward the party. I was confused.
“What are you doing?” I asked, begging Slade to stop tugging me toward the mess about to take place.
“You’re going to lure him away from the party, let him know you are ready to come clean.” Slade explained. “He’s dying to hear it. They are all dying to hear someone say so.”
Audrey nodded. “And we will do the rest.”
The plan
There was no way I would convince Tucker to go anywhere with me. However, nobody else understood but me.
I kept my arms hugged tight to my body as I made my way through the crowd. I never felt so uninvited in my life. But knowing Slade and Audrey were right there watching me I knew not to try anything funny.
I bumped into a strange man and apologized. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone I never expected to be there. Nona. She was dressed in a silk white gown and sipping on the fancy champagne.
Before I could get past her, she grabbed hold of my arm.
“I thought you went out for pizza after your party?” she said.
“We…we were…I need to talk to Tucker. Do you know where he is?”
Nona took another sip. She wasn’t buying it. “You hate Tucker. What is really going on? And why are those two hanging out down there?”
I racked my brain. “I’m being honest.”
“And I’m sober seven days a week. Remember, sweet pea, Nona hears and sees everything that goes on in Cherry. And trust me this party is not where you want to be.” She covered her mouth and whispered. “These nut jobs think we have a witch on our hands.”
I made a face. “So I heard. That’s just crazy.”
Nona nodded in agreement. “I think I saw Tucker by the boardwalk with his buddies. Promise me you won’t cause any trouble.”
I agreed. I kissed Nona’s cheek and hurried off to find Tucker. And as I slipped passed the dancing guest he was exactly where Nona said he was.
His friends quickly dispersed as I approached. Apparently, the rumors were enough to keep people away from me.
“What do you want?” He asked, stumbling. He was drunk, and this was getting more and more perfect every minute.
“Could we talk somewhere private? I have something I think you want to hear.” I asked.
Tucker studied me. “Whatever you want to say, say it right here. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
I dropped my gaze to the sands. A sudden flash of inspiration coursing my veins, I scanned my memory for any spells that would put Tucker under my control, even if only long enough to get him to the water.
I moved closer. Raising a hand, my fingers trembled. I uttered a spell I remembered from Hutch’s family spell book. “Go to the water now.”
Tucker was still. Not even blinking, I held my breath hoping it was enough to work. Suddenly, he was moving as if it was his idea not magic.
I followed behind him, looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody suspected anything.
Tucker stumbled across the sand, his fancy sandals kicking debris. I held my breath we made without being caught. After that the rest was up to Audrey.
The waves became louder. A cool chill blew from the water slipping over my skin as I walked. Suddenly, Tucker stopped. He shook his head.
My muscles tensed. He spun around on his heels. “What did you do to me?” His eyes transformed from alive to dull right before my eyes. The spell wore off. And I wasn’t sure what else to do.
“Nothing. I just need to talk to you that’s all. I swear it.” I said.
“What is there to say?” Tucker kicked the sand under his feet sending it in my direction. I ignored his annoying behavior. “Are you going to admit Slade and his gang are into black magic?”
My mouth went dry. I opened my mouth and prepared to be honest when Slade yanked me backwards, and Audrey stepped in my way ending my confession. Slade kept his grip on my wrist keeping me in my place.
Audrey muttered something under her breath and I screamed at the sounds coming out of Tucker’s mouth. He was in pain. He dropped to his knees, falling forward into the sand. He used his hands to keep himself from face planting.
“What is she doing to him? Is she going to kill him?” I asked Slade. He ignored me. Sure, I didn’t like Tucker, but I didn’t want to see someone hurt him.
Audrey pushed into him with her fancy heel, “That would be too simple. We are going to use him.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Tucker seemed to be fading right there in front of us. And I was the only one who cared. I tried again to break Slade’s hold. “Please, just let him go. Do you know how much trouble we could get into?”
Audrey whipped her head in our direction annoyed with me. “Get her out of here. We will meet up later.”
Slade didn’t hesitate. He pulled me toward the party, but he soon stopped when several men wandered across the sands towards us. It was obvious they were looking for Tucker.
“What are we going to do?” I asked him.
Slade didn’t speak. He lowered his head. I gasped; part of the decorations went up in flames falling on the dance floor. The crowd screamed, running toward the sands.
“Are you kidding me?” I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The men heading towards us quickly turned around running back to take care of the fire.
We slipped through the crowd. Nobody cared anymore we were there.
“Nona is here.” I told Slade. “What if something happens to her?”
Slade’s eyes softened. He scanned the crowd. “I don’t see her, do you?”
I searched myself not laying eyes on her. Even so, it didn’t make me feel any better. “We need to make sure she is okay. Do you have a phone on you?”
“We are right here. We don’t see her. She’s okay.” As the words left his lips the church sign crashed onto the ground, knocking the table of refreshment over.
I couldn’t believe what was happening all around us, because of Slade and Audrey.
“I didn’t think this was you.” I told Slade as we headed back down the beach.
“Relax, it’s not like I killed anybody,” Slade said.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t care if Audrey killed Tucker.”
Slade let his grip on my arm go. I settled into a slow pace next to him.
“Whatever you want to believe,” Slade said. We stopped in front of my house. Dad was gone. Which gave me a bit of relief; I didn’t want him involved in any of my newest issues.
I unlocked the door, and Slade walked in before I could. I scrunched my nose in disgust at his forcefulness and shut the door behind me. He leaned against the kitchen counter. I picked up the phone.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Calling Nona, making sure she hasn’t burned alive in your shenanigans.”
Slade smirked. Was he really amused by me in a time like this?
As soon as I knew Nona was alright nothing else mattered. Whatever I was going to have
to do was fine by me. I wasn’t going to go down without a fight against Audrey.
“Now what?” I asked. I put my hands on my hips waiting for an answer.
“Now we wait,” Slade studied me closely. He pushed off the counter and grabbed a seat, as if it wasn’t a big deal he was in my house.
“Maybe you could wait outside,” I suggested, I crossed my arms. My idea of waiting didn’t involve staring at the boy I once was so into. A boy who at one time stirred things inside of me I didn’t know was there.
I felt weak. I didn’t have it in me to treat him bad, even if he was doing that to me.
“What,” Slade asked, noticing my expression.
I took two waters out of the refrigerator and handed one to Slade before I sat across from him. He let it rest on the table in front of him.
“I just realized no matter how awful you make me feel. I can’t do the same to you.” I blinked back the tears and looked away. I sounded foolish. “And that makes no sense to me.”
Slade cleared his throat. “That’s news to me.”
I looked at him astonished, was it me causing the unneeded stress in our flaky relationship? Maybe I’d fallen and knocked the sense out of me and just didn’t remember.
“You think any of this has been easy for me?” Slade asked. His eyebrows lifted as he waited for me to gather my wits.
“It sure seems like it.”
“Well obviously you’re not the person I thought you were.” He unscrewed the cap to his water and took a swig leaving me speechless.
I stood, shaking my head walking across the kitchen, there needed to be some space between Slade and I before I did something I regretted later.
“You did not just say that to me.”
Slade stood up. “I think I just did.” He stepped in front of me. I backed up into the counter and crossed my arms. He stared at me like I was a pathetic gnat. His teeth grazed at his bottom lip. I looked away from his stare down. He wasn’t going to get the best of me.
“You do a lot of things.” I muttered. The heat from his body reminded me he was inches from being pressed against me if he wanted it that way.
“Just tell me you wish you never met me that night at the concert.” Slade inched closer, his body pressing into mine. He cupped my chin with his fingers forcing me to look at him.
My heart pounded against my chest. “You are the best part of Cherry. And always will be,” I said. His lips smashed into mine, giving me the most powerfully charged kiss I ever experienced.
I grabbed the back of his black T-shirt before I fell over the counter, but there was no denying what both of us wanted. His tongue toyed with mine, sending chills across my body. I breathed him in, savoring all we once were, all I wanted to hold onto.
I moaned, he lifted me onto the counter, knocking over Dad’s creamer and sugar. His hands dug into my skin, dragging me closer until my legs wrapped around him begging for more.
I fisted his hair, dragging my lips down his tense neck, wanting more of him.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Slade and I broke apart laying eyes on Hutch who obviously knew he interrupted something. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away, waiting for me on the porch.
I dropped off the counter and headed outside out of breath and warm from our lip lock.
“What’s going on?” I asked. I looked through the door. Slade stood in the doorway arms crossed looking menacing. I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t give us a few minutes alone.
And I couldn’t figure out what happened between us. Why Slade suddenly wanted to jump my bones.
Hutch leaned against the railing which ended my daydream. “I wanted to check on you.” He left it at that. With Slade nearby it was hard to say much more.
“So far, everything is okay.” I bit my lip frustrated. “The mayor is really trying to change this town.”
Hutch raised an eyebrow, “the mayor?”
I nodded. “It’s sad someone would want to use somebody else to gain anything.” I hoped this was enough to get Hutch’s attention.
The door snapped open. Slade grabbed for my arm, but Hutch stepped in front of me. He didn't understand my message. I imagined the words in my mind and pressed my palm into Hutch’s back to gain a connection to him.
Tucker needs help. Audrey wants to get rid of me. I don’t know how, but I need your help, Hutch.
The connection broke, Slade shoved Hutch backwards. I jumped out of the way before I was smashed by Hutch.
Hutch caught himself on the railing before Slade took him down.
“Get out of here if you know what’s good for you. None of this concerns you.” Slade warned him.
Hutch ran a hand down the back of his neck. “I don’t want to see anything bad happening to Hope. I thought you would feel the same way.”
Slade shoved him again.
“Slade, stop it now.” I yelled.
“You don’t know anything about me.” Slade watched Hutch gain his footing yet again. He still wouldn't hit him.
Slade’s fist clenched, “you don’t know the first thing about my coven.”
“I broke away from my own. I did the wrong things. I made a lot of mistakes, but here I am. It’s possible. You don’t have to sacrifice the one thing you care about to get what you want.” Hutch nodded in my direction in case Slade wasn’t catching on.
Slade shot me a quick glance and returned his angry scowl to Hutch, “stay the hell away from Hope. This is the last time I’m nice about it.”
Hutch shook his head in disbelief. “You don’t get it. You’re a pawn just like Hope. Let her go. I'll keep her safe.”
I held my breath watching everything take place. Hutch was doing his best to talk Slade into letting me go. However, Slade didn’t seem to be budging. Slade let out an aggravated sigh and hauled off clipping Hutch in the face with his fist.
Hutch recoiled in shock. His face red with anger, anger I never seen before from him. “You’re lucky.”
“I promise you if you come around again that will be it for you,” Slade warned Hutch.
Hutch shook his head giving Slade what he wanted. And he left.
I wasn’t sure if I would see him again. Hutch promised he wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I prayed Hutch was as powerful as he seemed and Slade's threats didn't work.
I looked at Slade. “Is he right? Am I just a pawn?”
“You really need to learn not to trust so easily. Don’t believe anything coming from someone with a lot of power.” Slade opened the door and motioned for me to go in first.
“He might have a lot of power, but at least he is doing good with it,” I countered taking a seat. I was starting to feel like a hostage.
“Who says I was talking about him?” Slade asked me, shooting me a mysterious stare.
Sense
It seemed like hours passed. Dad still was nowhere to be found, and my brothers were gone like usual. I was starting to wonder if there was any hope for me.
I tried sending cerebral messages to Hutch to Karsen to anyone who could help me. But it was beyond me if it even worked.
Slade stood bringing me back to life. “It’s time, let’s go.”
I stared at him confused but stood. “How do you know?”
He took me by the elbow and led me to the door. “Just call it a feeling.”
***
It was dark. The moon followed reflecting on the ocean. We headed down the beach into Henry park.
There was a soft lull of mosquitos, in the distance, and a cool chill to the air.
I started to regret not leaving Dad a note. Something saying good-bye, or that I loved him, maybe just enough to give him peace if I didn’t come back.
I knew Karsen was going to be busy with Kidd. He wouldn’t let her get hurt even if it meant trying to help me. I didn't know if Kidd would help me if it meant going against the coven or Slade. I wasn’t sure of anything.
Slade headed past his Rv, and through the empty field of trample
d grass where at one time was the stomping ground for their concerts. The stage was gone; it was all vacant and eerie. He stopped in front of the fence. The fence where I first realized just how desperate Slade was to be free of his problems.
He pulled the chain, and we entered, I gasped. There stood Audrey in the middle of a stone circle. Along with Tucker bound at the ankles and his hands behind his back. His mouth was covered with tape, so he couldn’t scream for help. And he looked frightened and miserable.
Audrey clapped her hands at the sight of us heading toward her. Slade stepped over the circle, his hand still on my arm.
Audrey took me by the other arm; she pushed me down beside Tucker. His sweaty body touched mine; I pulled away. “What are you going to do?”
I looked at Slade. Slade looked at Audrey for an answer. He never said much when she was around creating chaos.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head,” she told me, she raised her palms to the sky and ignited the circle. Tucker’s muffled pleas were audible beside me.
I watched in fear. Unsure if I wanted to try to object any further. Audrey wanted me dead and gone, so Slade could be hers, even if he didn’t want her. They all wanted him, but nobody understood him like I did. Nobody saw the real Slade; they saw a useful tool.
And I wondered if ever in Slade’s life he felt accepted, or human, or loved. As I sat there, my skin starting to heat, the sweat starting to build with each flick of the fire, I realized I was the only one who showed Slade love. I cared about him, and I wished he seen that.
I wished he didn’t see me as a pawn like Hutch thought he did. I wished I talked to my mom. I wished a lot of things, but one thing I would never wish was that I never met Slade.
We locked eyes for a brief moment. His expression changed.
Audrey drew a silver dagger from behind her back revealing its elegant carved blade. She extended her hand to Slade offering him the knife. I swallowed my fear, my heart in my throat and fear coursing my veins, sickening my gut.