by Kasi Blake
“Hunter?”
Zach’s smile deserted his lips. In his glee at the thought of destroying the Noah sisters, he’d forgotten about Morgan’s fear of hunters. In order to keep her from wandering off or getting into trouble using her powers, their mother had told her awful stories about hunters. Instead of Snow White, Morgan had listened to bedtime stories about evil witches hunting down other witches. It had been an awful thing to do to a little girl, but it had worked. It was still working. Morgan stayed inside the house unless he was with her.
He wanted to recall the word, but it was too late. Morgan was already racing from the room as if the devil were chasing her. She knocked over a vase on her way to the stairs and didn’t even stop to look at what she’d done.
“Morgan?” He dashed after her. “Morgan, it’s okay. I’m sorry. Come back.”
She ran up the stairs, went straight to her bedroom, and tried to slam the door shut, but he caught it. Curling up at the top of her bed, she drew her knees close to her chest and held her pillow in front of her like a shield. Her eyes darted around the room as if she expected a hunter to be hiding behind the gold drapes or under the heavy, antique desk. Zach wanted to comfort her, but Morgan didn’t like to be touched.
Instead, he stayed close enough to talk to her, yet far enough away not to upset her further. Holding his hands out, he said, “I’m sorry for scaring you. It’s okay. There are no hunters in this area. I checked before we moved here, remember? I double-checked. Then I triple checked. There are no hunters anywhere nearby. I swear to you. No hunters.”
“No hunters.” Her lips barely moved as she repeated the phrase.
“You don’t have to worry about hunters, Morgan. Hunters kill vampires, and we don’t like vampires. Hunters are good.” Perhaps if he changed the subject he could get her to calm down. “What happened to Bear? I thought he was going to keep you company while I was at school.”
Bear was the ratty teddy bear she’d had since she was a baby. She carried it with her more often than not, using the thing as a security blanket. It was kind of cute and kind of sad at the same time.
Her lifeless eyes drifted to his. “Bear is in the kitchen. I was going to have a snack of peanut butter and graham crackers. Then the house started to shake. I thought it was an earthquake. You were mad, and you made me forget what I was doing.”
Zach took the same care in approaching her as he would in approaching a frightened rabbit. He slowly lowered himself onto the bed next to her, careful not to touch her. “I’m sorry for all the drama. It’s over now. Promise. You can go get Bear, and I’ll go back to school.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “I can’t have my snack now. It was peanut butter and graham crackers, but I can’t eat it now.”
“I have an idea.” He smiled as he took the pillow from her. “You can eat it with your lunch.”
Morgan crawled off the bed, went to the desk in the corner of her room, and picked up a physics textbook. It was his. She handed it to him and said, “I read it.”
“The whole thing? Already?”
“Yes. I finished it last night.”
“Okay. I have about thirty questions to fill out this weekend. Do you think you’ll feel like helping me with it?”
Morgan nodded. She got up and walked away as if he had already left. She didn’t look back, didn’t say goodbye.
As soon as she vanished from his sight, his thoughts returned to the witches at school. What was he going to do about them? Those ignorant girls had no idea the damage they could cause. For over a year he had let them get away with it because interfering could cause problems for him and Morgan. He wished he could permanently stop them.
More than anything, he wanted to publicly accuse Kristen and take away her powers, but it wasn’t worth the risk to Morgan. He couldn’t afford to draw attention to himself. Not yet. Maybe he could accuse the sisters at the end of the school year. Until then, he would have to be careful to extract vengeance slowly.
If he wanted to keep Morgan safe, he had to pretend to be under Kristen’s spell. Hopefully she wouldn’t ask him to do anything too humiliating. It was going to be a long, hard year for both of them. If he was going to suffer, so was she, one way or another.
At lunchtime, Kristen reclined on the hood of Jake’s crappy, lime green car, waiting for the jerk to show his cheating face. Titan High had an open campus, allowing students to eat lunch in town provided they returned to school on time, and Jake always took advantage of it. No reason today should be any different.
To the untrained eye, Kristen looked calm and relaxed, with one leg draped over the other and her back resting against the windshield. However, on the inside she was an erupting volcano. She tore the wrapper off a bar of chocolate with a vicious yank and bit off a huge chunk. Chewing it slowly, she thought about all the terrible things she wanted to do to Jake Petrie.
She spotted the cheating couple before they saw her. Jake and Gina headed her way, hand in hand. Faces close, as if they were going to kiss, they giggled without a thought or a shred of remorse over what this was going to do to poor Cyndi. They looked up at the same time. His smile froze, but Gina’s mouth twisted into a knowing smirk.
“What do you want?” Jake asked as he neared the driver’s side door while Gina went to the other side.
Kristen slid off the hood to confront him. She reached into her purse, scooped up as much green dust as she possibly could, and blew it into his face without saying a word. Fortunately, no one without powers could see the dust. To them it would look like she’d blown him a simple kiss.
Jake’s expression went blank. His jaw went slack, and his eyes stared into space for a couple seconds. Slowly, a blissful smile formed. With both hands, he grabbed Kristen by the shoulders and asked, “Where is Cyndi? I have to see her.”
“She’s in the cafeteria.”
“I have to see her. I have to tell her how much I love her.”
He began to run back to school, but Gina’s voice stopped him cold. “Where are you going?” She stood next to the car, hands on hips. “I thought you were taking me out to lunch.”
Jake turned, and a light of recognition dawned in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I forgot about you.” He scratched the back of his head. “I love Cyndi. You were a mistake. I don’t even like you. Your hair is stringy, you need to lose a few pounds, and you smell bad. Cyndi is an angel. I need her. I have to tell her before it’s too late.”
Kristen bit back the laughter threatening to explode from her chest. She turned away as Jake sprinted off to find his true love. Of course, this was only to save Cyndi from public humiliation. Kristen knew she was going to have to tell Cyndi the truth sooner or later. No getting around that. The girl couldn’t marry a brainwashed boy under the Crushed spell. She needed to find someone who would treat her like a queen.
“What did you say to him?” Gina rounded the car, chest heaving and fists clenched.
“I didn’t say anything. You were here. I guess he just came to his senses.” She leaned forward and took an exaggerated sniff. “He was right, by the way. You do smell. Cheap perfume and desperation.”
“That’s it!” Gina shoved her backwards, and a crowd of spectators began to form. “I am going to kick your stupid butt all over this parking lot!”
Kristen shook her head, remaining calm. Smile in place, she said, “I’ll fight you anytime, anywhere. Name it. But I won’t fight you here. I’m not getting kicked out of school on the first day.”
“I think you’re chicken.”
Gina began to cluck while Kristen stood her ground. In the third grade, this maneuver might have worked on her. Kristen would have thrown the first punch and gotten into big trouble, but she’d grown up since then, unlike some people. Her main concern was what the other students were going to think. Would they understand she was doing the smart thing? Or would they think she was afraid of the brown-haired loser?
A low chant rumbled through the crowd. Fight! Fight! Fight! It brought her
nightmare back like a screaming jet roaring through her mind. The students in her dream had been chanting a different word. Kristen shook off the unhealthy residue of negative emotion. She had to be extra careful to keep her temper in check and not cause something unexplainable to happen, not in front of this many witnesses.
Gina reached out a finger and purposely flicked the hat off Kristen’s head with a nasty twist on her big lips.
A round of “Ooooohs” passed through the crowd.
“Uh-uh. She cannot get away with that,” said Lori, one of Kristen’s oldest friends.
“Get her, Kristen,” another girl said.
“Kick her butt,” yet another student said.
“Not here,” Kristen repeated in a louder, firmer voice. “You want to fight? I’ll meet you after school in the park.”
When Gina shook her head, Kristen realized what the girl’s game plan was, and it was worse than fighting on school grounds. This wasn’t about hitting her. Gina wanted to make Kristen look bad. The girl wasn’t as stupid as Kristen had originally believed. Now how was Kristen supposed to get out of this one without being expelled or losing her hard-earned reputation?
Before Kristen could think of something, Gina renewed her verbal attack. She spoke as loud as she could to the other students. “Isn’t it funny how Kristen never has a boyfriend? Guys talk, you know. Lots of boys ask her out, but she turns them down every time. She wants you to think it’s because she’s picky, but we all know the truth deep down, don’t we?”
Kristen stood frozen to the ground, unable to breathe. Her mind raced in violent circles, trying desperately to find a way out of this mess. Gina was about to start a nasty rumor. Rumors could kill an otherwise-perfect image and plunge a person into a sea of unpopularity. She had to think fast, had to act fast, before Gina said something they’d both regret.
“Kristen doesn’t like boys.” Gina folded arms over her chest, looking more pleased than a cat with a bowl of fresh cream. “She prefers girls.”
A murmur of surprise floated through the growing crowd. Some students shook their heads in disbelief, but others frowned as they considered the possibility. Several took their cell phones out and started calling contacts to spread the news. Kristen knew she had to squash this rumor like a bug before it got out of control.
It was then she noticed Zach Bevian. Like an answer to her unspoken prayer, he stood in front of the crowd, a grim twist to his mouth. It was his usual expression, and that worried her. Shouldn’t he be wearing a dopey grin by now?
Of course, the other victims of her spell had been weak and easily manipulated. Maybe Zach was acting normal for someone with a strong personality under the Crushed spell. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a manual to consult, and she definitely wasn’t asking her grandmother about it. Grandma Noah would totally freak if she found out her granddaughters were using their powers to play games.
Kristen mentally crossed her fingers, hoping her powers were strong enough to make Zach comply. If this didn’t work, she was going to have to change schools.
“For your information,” she said just as loud, “I do have a boyfriend. I’ve been seeing him in secret for a long time.”
Gina snorted. “Right. Who is this secret boyfriend, then?”
“That’s really none of your business, but I’ll tell you just to shut your big, fat mouth.” Kristen stood taller and announced, “I’m dating Zach Bevian.”
An explosion of excited gasps and shouts came out of the crowd this time. Fingers worked faster on cell phones. Happy voices filled in friends who weren’t there to witness the event. She heard a couple people say they were putting it on Facebook.
Gina held a hand up. “She’s lying. The girl is desperate for you to think she’s a boy magnet. Everyone here knows Bevian only dates women in their twenties.”
“Zach.” Kristen went to him, praying with every step that the spell had worked and her power was strong enough to make him do what she asked. Usually, she would build up slowly to something this big by asking him to carry her books or pay for her lunch or do her homework. What she was about to ask him for would take a lot of power. Hopefully, her spell was stronger than usual, and Zach was weaker than he seemed.
His eyes held a flood of contempt, and every ounce was directed at her. The two of them faced off like opposing soldiers from different camps. They sized each other up in silence. The hatred in his gaze seemed to grow brighter by the second.
Kristen’s confidence took a nosedive. The spell hadn’t worked. He was going to rip her life apart and make her the joke of the entire school. Her world was about to collapse, and she couldn’t stop it.
There was no turning back now. Like it or not, she had to push this to the bitter end. In the next few seconds, her future would be decided. Either she would continue on the path to success, or she’d lose everything she’d worked her butt off for. She would keep her place at the top of the social food chain or fall into a pit of unpopularity.
She took a deep breath and lowered her voice just a tad, even though she wanted to demand that Zach obey her. If she was going to convince these people Zach was her boyfriend, then she needed to speak to him like he was one.
“We don’t have to hide our love anymore.” She could barely breathe and dug her fingernails into the fleshy palms of her hands. The pain helped her focus. “You can give me your jacket now.”
###
She wanted his jacket?
Zach blinked at her, completely thrown by her softly spoken command. She had obviously lost her mind. He didn’t like anyone touching his jacket, let alone wearing it. It had been the last gift his mother had given him before she’d died. Kristen Noah could pry it out of his cold, lifeless fingers if she wanted it. He certainly wasn’t handing it over to her like a lovesick idiot.
He’d planned to play along with her silly game, but now he didn’t think he could. He wasn’t going to pretend to date her. She was taking things too far. If she continued to push, he was going to push back.
Gina spoke in a loud, cutting voice. “You are not dating Bevian, you total loser. What a joke! He wouldn’t touch something like you with gloves on.”
“He is my boyfriend!” She looked directly at Zach, locked eyes with him, and repeated the command. She seemed to be trying her best to keep it from sounding like an order, but that’s exactly what it was, and they both knew it. “We can let everyone know we’re together now and be a real couple, just like we talked about. Give me your jacket.”
There was a quiet desperation in her wide eyes along with a heavy fear that made him think of Morgan. That was the only thing about this girl that reminded him of his sister. For the first time, he noticed Kristen Noah—really noticed her. She wasn’t his type, but there was something extraordinary about her.
Her golden hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves, and it shimmered in the sun, producing a halo effect around her head. She had wide, generous lips that seemed to curve at the ends in a secretive smile even when she wasn’t happy, and her eyes seemed to change color with her mood. At the moment, they were a stormy gray, dark like a thundercloud.
Then there was her body.
Her sisters were too skinny for his taste, but Kristen had nice curves exactly where they should be. He wondered what it would feel like to hold her close and kiss her. She had a reputation for being tough as leather when it came to the opposite sex. The girl could take care of herself. Would she want to dominate the kiss, or would she melt like ice cream on a hot day?
What was he thinking? Kristen Noah was the most selfish, heartless witch he’d ever stumbled over. There was no way he was attracted to her. She played games with people’s emotions. He was a firm believer in “what goes around comes around.” The universe should be ready to take her down a notch, and if not, then he would be glad to help the universe out.
Everyone stared at him, obviously waiting for him to confirm or deny Kristen’s claim. All eyes were on him, forcing him to make a quick decision.
Zach shrugged out of the jacket, resigned to play along for now. He walked around Kristen Noah and placed the jacket on her shoulders. Then he continued around until he was standing in front of her. Taking both sides of the jacket in his hands, he pulled them together.
She stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes. The distrust in them was like a neon sign. She had expected him to blow her dreams apart. In fact, she still seemed to be waiting for him to pull the proverbial rug out from under her and tell them all the truth.
She’s waiting for me to smack her down, he thought with a tinge of satisfaction. He wished he could do it, flatten her on the spot, but Morgan’s face floated through his mind. No matter what it cost, he had to protect his sister.
“It looks good on you.” He almost choked on the words. “Beautiful as always.”
Relief stole over her features. “Thank you.”
“No way,” Gina said, shaking her head. “I don’t believe it. This is a setup or a prank or something. No way have you been dating him without everyone in the school knowing about it.”
Kristen shrugged as she snuggled close to him, arm around his waist. She relaxed against his side and played her part to the hilt. A smug smile parted her lips. “I guess we’re better at hiding our feelings than most.”
Left without a choice, Zach draped an arm around her shoulders as if he’d done it a million times. He hated giving in to her. The arm around her showed they were together, but his hand dangled on the other side rather than touching her. It was a small display of rebellion, one he was sure no one would notice.
The crowd had grown to about a quarter of the school. Several students began to text the juicy news to their friends. Others blatantly started calling people. A few used their camera phones to take pictures of Kristen in Zach’s arms. She smiled for the photos.
Zach didn’t smile. His jaw tightened instead. There were grenades exploding inside his stomach. If he didn’t squelch his temper fast, a massive quake would turn the parking lot into a giant sinkhole that no one could explain. He took a few deep, slow breaths. His hands itched to rip the little witch’s head off. She was going to be very sorry she’d picked him to mess with.