The anger bubbling in my blood threatened to spill out. A powerful darkness surged under my skin. For a moment, I feared what I would do.
Jenny’s face changed. Understanding reflected in the blackness of her eyes. She glanced at Cody and then back at me.
“I don’t know what you mean?” Jenny lied.
The shadow crossed her face again. The true features of the being possessing Jenny’s body.
I smiled without emotion, hoping I looked as cold as I felt. “Of course you do.”
Magic hissed and snarled, kneading my arm with his claws.
Keith tugged at me and Jenny/thing lifted her hand towards him. A surge traveled through me.
“Don’t you dare,” I shouted as I stepped in front of Keith, shielding him from the spark and blue dust.
Magic jumped hissing nastily and accidentally swiping my skin as he soared to the ground. I lifted my arm grabbing the scratch. Warmth vibrated from the wound.
Jenny/thing took a step back, her eyes. I looked down. The scratch healed and then disappeared.
“You’re even more powerful than I thought,” he said.
“Sydney, your necklace is glowing,” Stevie shrieked, peeking out from underneath Cody’s arm.
My hands fingered the purple jewels. Energy swelled beneath them. On my shoulder my tattoo beat with each thump of my heart. It strengthened me. The branding of the Witch.
Jenny/thing growled and swiveled, leveling a hypnotic, angry gaze on Stevie and lifting her hand. The flash and blue dust flew and Stevie crumpled to the ground. Cody bellowed in anger as Stevie fell.
Jenny glanced towards him. “I’m sorry, Cody.” Her arm lifted again and Cody folded onto the ground beside Stevie.
I reached for Keith’s hand. I dug nonexistent nails into his palm.
“It’s okay. They’re not hurt,” I told him. “He wouldn’t hurt Cody. They’ll be okay. He’s focused on me.”
“Who is he?” Keith asked.
I looked straight at Jenny/thing.
“That is my Dad.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sirens wailed. My dad’s eyes widened. “So, you guessed.” He grinned. “You’re smart. Like your old man.”
I tugged on Keith’s hand trying to drag him away but didn’t move, looking back and forth between the two of us. “Your father?”
I pointed at Jenny. “In there. He’s possessed her or something. Poor Jenny. I hope she’s okay.”
“You’re wasting your sentiments on this girl,” Daddy interrupted, sweeping a hand in front of Jenny’s body. Which, let’s review, oh yes, he happened to be inside of at that moment.
“She has nothing but dislike for you. It’s roaming inside of her. Festering. That’s why I got in.”
“Jenny Truman thinks I stole her boyfriend, of course she’s pissed off. Otherwise, she wouldn’t waste her time on me.” I realized her lack of interest didn’t bother me at all.
I squinted at him. “Anyways. Where’s your own body? Why are you using hers? Is she going to be all right?”
Dad glared at me through Jenny’s eyes. “You actually so feel sorry for her?” He sneered. Jenny sneered. My brain hurt.
“Obviously you don’t quite get me, do you Dad?” I spat out the parental term with lots of sarcasm.
My brain re-focused. The sirens got closer.
“Uh. Sydney.” Keith’s voice quivered and for the first time I heard him sound a little scared. “The police seem to be heading this way.”
“The police are looking for Mike. They think I did something to him. And I did! He disappeared after I wished he would go away when he came to my house. I did it. I wished him away. With my stupid wish.”
“Not so stupid,” Keith mumbled.
I bit back a nervous giggle. Then I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated. “I wish Mike Cameron would go home. Right now. To his house. Now. I wish he were at home.”
“Sydney?” Keith asked.
I staggered a little from the force of my thoughts.
Dad made a loud snorting sound, which didn’t suit Jenny’s body at all. A lion’s roar coming out of a kitten’s mouth. “So, that was cute and all kids, but we need to get to business. Now. Hand the necklace to Keith, Sydney.”
Keith and I looked at each other, surprised. My hand went up to protect the jewels and I took a step away from Keith. “I’m not handing over the necklace to anyone.”
Dad growled. “See that’s where you’re wrong. You need to hand him necklace. Sydney. Because if you won’t give the necklace to Keith then he can’t give it to me. And I need it. Otherwise, your mother, your friends, even your brother. Well you’re putting them all in danger.”
“I’m not taking her necklace,” Keith said.
Dad glared at him with Jenny’s blackened eyes. “You have no idea what you’re getting into, kids. You’re playing a game you can’t win.”
I ignored Jenny’s face and focused on the black eyes. I thought about the person inside her. My dad. A guy who abandoned my family. He’d hurt my mom. Cody too.
“Give the necklace to Keith and no one will get hurt,” he said. “I promise Keith will take it.”
“I think you’re bluffing. And guess what? I don’t like people who bluff. But you wouldn’t know that about me, would you, Dad? You see, the thing is, I can’t stand to lose.”
“It’s true,” Keith said. “She can’t. She cheats at monopoly all the time.”
I glared at Keith and then back at my dad. “You can’t take the necklace from me yourself.” I wracked my brain trying to figure things out, but I was winging it. “If you could, you would have taken it already.” I crossed my arms, proud of myself for guessing that much.
“You have to give up, Sydney. The powers. They’ll only cause you trouble.” He lowered his voice, trying to sound sympathetic. “You’re not strong enough. You can’t handle it. Your mom couldn’t handle it. Give it to Keith. He’ll know what to do.”
I glanced at Keith. He shook his head on one side as if he had water trapped in his ear.
“Keith gave me the necklace. He’s not going to take it from me.”
“Keith will take it. Trust me.”
Keith shook his head on the other side, but looked as confused as I felt.
“Keith,” Dad said. “Take the jewels. You know you want them. She’ll forgive you. A Witch never really gets over her Sentry. Remember that, Keith. It will serve you well.”
My eyes stayed on Keith.
“I would never let down Sydney. Never.” His face showed the conflicting emotions swirling inside him.
“Don’t be so sure, my son. Imagine. Anything you want. Just wish. Of course, there are limitations. But almost everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Materials. People. You name it.”
“He can’t have my powers.” I didn’t know why, but I knew I could never, ever turn my powers over to Keith, no matter how much I trusted him.
“I don’t want them, Sydney, I swear,” Keith said. He glared at my dad. “I would never take something from her that doesn’t belong to me.”
“Don’t be so sure.” Dad smiled at me, contorting Jenny’s face into an evil mask. “Sentries give, take and borrow powers amongst each other all the time once we get a taste. But first we must get them from our witch. Keith will take your powers. He’s one of us. Mark my words.”
“You’re wrong, Sir.” Keith looked up Jenny’s body and then down. “Or should I say ma’am, since you couldn’t even bother to show up in your own body.” He shifted from foot to foot.
Dad grinned. ”I didn’t want to alarm Sydney. I’ve been protecting her, just as I protected your mother. I loved her, you know. I did what was best for her.”
“Don’t you dare say that.” The rage inside me boiled up as if a switch had flicked it back on. The sirens sounded even closer, racing towards us. My mind threatened to overload. I suspected my Dad was doing this on purpose, distracting us to keep us from running, but I couldn’t help defending my mom. “St
ealing her powers and deserting her with two children was best for her?”
“You don’t understand,” my father said with a wave of Jenny’s hand.
“No. I guess I don’t. I would never do something like that to my family. Neither would Mom.”
I stared at the direction the police sirens approached us from. If only they could help. God I wanted this Dad thing to go away and never come back. I could have gone for the next sixteen years not seeing the father I never knew, wearing a skirt.
“No? So why did she leave you alone for the last year?”
Boom. I winced as his words hit the target. “She abandoned you, Sydney. Lied to you. She wanted to keep your powers from you, just like me. We want the same thing. We’re your parents. We want the same thing.”
I shook my head. Confused. I remembered times when I’d really wished for my father. Before I had the ability to make my wishes come true. A normal kid, who just wanted a daddy.
“He’s lying. He’s never been around for you,” Keith said and then he gasped as if he’d been punched. “Only when you got your powers, Sydney.” He said with gritted teeth. “That’s all he cares about. Your powers. He didn’t bother to come around any time before that.” Keith’s hand went to his forehead and he groaned again.
Dad turned a furious gaze on Keith. Keith stepped backwards and stumbled, rubbing at his eyes.
“Too bad,” I said, willing Keith to fight. “He can’t have them.
“You don’t want the same thing as my Mom. Oh My God. You are such a liar. You’ve done nothing to protect my family. You’re not a Sentry. You’re a vampire. A power sucking vampire.”
“Vampire is such an ugly word. And not appropriate in this case. I didn’t suck out your mother’s life force. Just her powers.” He waved a hand in the air. “She didn’t even want them anyhow. I practically did her a favor.”
Dad glanced at Keith and winked. Keith massaged his forehead.
“I’m a Sentry. I did my job. I sheltered my witch from herself. Your mom is better off. A better mother. Look at you all. You’ve led a normal life. You and Cody. No witchcraft. No complications.”
“No father,” I snapped, before I could stop myself.
“Yes. Well. No plan is perfect. That couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t very well stay after I took over her powers, could I? There were other things I needed. Wanted. I told Tara, your Mom I mean, to find a mortal when I left. Someone to love, settle down with.” He looked at Jenny’s hands, smiling. “I guess I’m hard to replace.”
I gasped. How could he even say that? He may have supplied the sperm, but he wasn’t a part of me. I wouldn’t let him hurt my Mom again.
“We have to go to her,” Keith said, as if reading my mind. His voice weakened, as if in pain.
I peered down at Cody and Stevie lying on the ground.
“Use your powers, Sydney,” Keith gasped. “Make your dad go away.”
I wanted to cry. “I can’t,” I whined. “I tried, but I can’t. I’m too close to the Institute to use them properly.” I repeated my Dad’s own words.
“He’s wrong. You can. You’re strong enough now.” Keith sucked in a breath of air and stood straighter, fighting whatever caused his anguish. “Sydney. You’re stronger than you think.”
I grabbed on to his words, needing to believe them. No one was going to appear to make this go away It had to be me. I had to be strong. Do something. I inhaled and grabbed onto the jewels around my neck. My tattoo vibrated under my shirt so lively I suspected my shirt lifted and danced.
A vibration came not from the necklace, but from my own fingers. I grinned, sensing my own mental muscle. “You know, Keith. You might be right.”
“You can’t,” my dad taunted. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You have no idea what you’re up against.” He sounded desperate, and angry. “I’m your father,” he shouted. “You’ll listen to me. You’ll be sorry. It will get worse.”
“Hmm. Let me think. My father. Hmm. Missed seeing you at my school Christmas concerts. Oh. That’s right. Cause you weren’t there!” I shook my head at his audacity, trying to use parental authority over me now. “I owe you nothing. You missed my whole life and I’m truly seeing that as a very good thing.” I closed my eyes tight. “I wish my father would leave Jenny’s body. Now. Go away.”
Instantly, Jenny slumped to the ground. Her head collided with the dirt with a thud. A cloud of dust rose up and drifted in the air before settling on her face.
“Oh no,” I shouted and ran to make sure Jenny was still breathing.
She opened her eyes. As soon as she looked at me, I knew my father was gone. He’d left her body. Her eyes were all queen girl-like appalled, and they grew wider as she looked around her.
“Oh my God.” She sat up and touched her dirt clumped hair. “My hair,” she wailed. “What have you done to me? You freak. You’re a witch!” Jenny screamed in horrified gasps and hurried to get up. “There was a man. Inside me.” She screamed again.
Sirens intensified in volume, not far now.
“Help me, help me,” Jenny screeched scrambling to get up, her eyes madly scanning the scene around her. “Oh my God. Did you kill them?” she yelled looking at Cody and Stevie. “Your weird friend and your brother? Your cute brother? So not his fault he has you for a sister. Oh my God. You killed your brother and your best friend. Don’t kill me!” She opened her mouth and screamed again.
I lifted my hand to calm her. “Be quiet. Quiet,” I yelled.
“My phone, my phone,” she screamed searching pockets on her outfit for her lifeline. “I knew you did something to him. He’d never break up with me. His parents even tried to ground him for breaking up with me.”
Keith ignored her, staring beyond the clearing. Sirens approached. “The police are almost here. We have to go, Sydney. We have to get to the forest before they stop us.”
Jenny pumped her scream to a higher volume that would have made cheerleaders proud.
I put my hands on both ears, closing my eyes.
“I wish Jenny Truman would shut up and go to sleep.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, Jenny slumped to the ground. Silent.
“Oh my God, Keith.” I looked down at the three bodies spread out on the ground. All of them oblivious. “What have I done?”
The police sirens got louder and louder.
“Come on. They’re sleeping. They’ll be okay, right? Let’s go. We have to go now, before the police get here. They’re going after your Mom.”
“Are you my Sentry?” I demanded. “Is that why you’ve been getting all these stupid feelings about forests and my Mom? You do have a part in this whole thing.”
Keith’s shoulder lifted. “I don’t know.” He pushed me gently to get me moving but I glared at him to stop.
“Does that mean you’re going to betray me?” I demanded.
Keith looked back towards the screeching sounds of the police sirens. “For God sakes. Do you even have to ask?” He nodded his head towards the trees. The green and black blur waiting to suck the life out of me again.
“I would never betray you,” Keith said. “Let’s go. We need to get to your Mom before your Dad does.”
With his words, I didn’t hesitate going into the woods. We ran inside the forest and the plant life sucked the breath right out of my lungs again. I stopped to catch my breath. Keith tugged on my arm. “Come on. We have to get a head start on police. We have to find your Mom.”
I followed close behind him as he pushed back branches and plowed forward.
“You can’t win, Sydney,” a male voice said behind me.
I swiveled around. No one was there. I swallowed, positive the voice belonged to the man who’d supplied the sperm for my life. So Ew. But I didn’t see him anywhere.
“Did you hear that?” I asked Keith. “My dad?”
He nodded. “Yeah.” He grabbed my hand and kept running. “Ignore him. Come on,” he said.
“It’s no us
e, Sydney. There’s too many of us,” the creepy disembodied voice taunted us. “We’ll take the hundredth powers. One way or another.”
I squeezed Keith’s hand so tight his fingers must have lost circulation. “You’re wrong. I am the hundredth. And I am strong,” I said. Chanting like a mantra. “Strong.” The beads around my neck pulsed as if to back up my statement. Thank goodness. Frankly, I was bluffing.
“Don’t let go of my hand. I don’t want to lose you again.” Keith yelled back as we tore through the forest. “We can’t afford any more mistakes.”
All this freaking urgency already. Keith pulled me along, running faster as he plunged past leaves and branches, holding them back as we passed, but they scratched me any way. Fortunately as soon as they hurt, a soothing sensation replaced it. Until the next branch struck. My skin was having a healing party. A witchy festival.
“My skin keeps healing itself, I am so weird,” I said.
“Well. Don’t lose it now. You still have bigger things to face.”
“You know, Keith. A little less honesty might be appreciated at about this point. My brain is pretty full.” I held on. “Are we there yet?” I giggled and feared my insanity loomed. I’d remembered being in the car with Cody and driving Mom and Nana bonkers with our continual question. Are we there yet?
“Keep it together. We’re close. I can sense her.” Keith stopped and I plowed right into his back.
“Whoa,” he said.
He turned to me and I glanced around him. The trees seemed to have grown all together, branches tangled into each other, leaving no room, impossible to pass. I ignored my temptation to shrug and go back in the opposite direction.
Against my better judgment I pushed Keith aside, stepped in front of him, and instinctively waved my hand in the air in some ancient but familiar pattern and concentrated. A breeze wafted lifting up dead leaves and swirling them in circles.
Creaking and crunching echoed in the air and then the trees began parting, untangling the branches until a path was visible in front of me.
“Okay. I am so a witch.” Pumped by my newfound power I scrambled ahead, down the path.
Keith shuffled behind me, moving fast to catch up. The air changed as soon as we darted into the pathway. It felt lighter and cheerier. Almost vibrating with energy. Breathing was easier in the dryer air, different from the moist, musky oxygen in the deep forest.
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