“Sorry, Jace, um what were you saying?”
“I said we need to get serious, but I’m starting to think that if I show you how to defend yourself, it might not work.” He grimaced.
“Why?” I squeaked.
“Because, Charlie, all I want to do when I touch you is just that: touch you. I know you don’t feel the same.”
All I wanted to tell him was that he was wrong. I wanted to say I did feel something for him. And I thought if he could read minds, Jace would know how I felt. So then maybe he couldn’t’ read minds, or maybe Jace was doing that on purpose. God, didn’t I just tell myself mindreading was silly. As I thought this, a whole lot of emotions crossed Jace’s face. But his exasperation landed on confused. I knew I was on to something. I just knew it.
I said, “I would like you to teach me, please. We can do it without messing our friendship up. At least we need to try. I truly want to learn.” And I want to find out what you’re hiding, Jace.
“Fine, Charlie, we’ll try. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I sighed, “Jace?”
He looked at me, “Huh?”
“Umm, you can still call me Fox.” I hopped out of the car and quickly added. “I like it. Bye.”
Jace smiled at me as he pulled away. All the while I was thinking: I did it. Now I did it and I can’t take it back, even if I wanted to. Really, though, did I want to take it back? If I did, then I wouldn’t have asked Jace to train me, especially when he was giving me an out. Plus, knowing that I really, truly wanted to hang out with him was more proof that I messed up big time. Alternatively, I didn’t really know. This was so confusing. I mean, I wanted Jace to stay away from me, right? I probably had him thinking that I wanted him. But, maybe he should have thought it, right? Because I did want him! Suddenly, I fell to the ground, clutching my stomach in regret over this whole situation. Why, why did it have to be so hard? And that night as I lay in bed, my last thought was of the two guys in my life. How was I going to act around them now, and how exactly was I going to keep the knowledge that I liked them both my secret?
Chapter Fifteen
I Assure You, I Am Not a Dream
I shot straight up in bed wondering, what had awakened me. Was it time for school? No, Mom wasn’t in here yet, so then what? I recall setting my alarm. I wanted to be up way before my mom was. I didn’t want her freaking out yet again because I wasn’t responding fast enough. Lately it seems harder to wake me up, and that was scary. My sleep had been so crazy these past few days. Therefore, I didn’t want to take any more risks when I had my mother to consider. And hell, if I keep on dreaming the nightmares I had been dreaming one more time, then that would be it. My mom might truly need to take me to see a doctor. So now you see why I wanted to be up before her. However, when I looked over at the clock, I was shocked to see that it was only three in the morning. So there was no way I should be up right now. I didn’t have to pee! I wasn’t thirsty! So, why was I up? What startled me awake? As all things go, when I asked myself that question, I heard a sound outside, so naturally I had to find out what it was. And that’s how I knew my thinking was way out there: When you’re intrigued at three in the morning, then you know something’s up. It was crazy, but lately that had been my life—full of craziness.
I got off the bed and walked over to my balcony door. Slowly and as soundlessly as I could— not really want to wake my parents—I opened the glass door. And for the first time since moving here, I stepped out onto my balcony. It was breathtaking. I inhaled the fresh air the gentle breeze blew my way. A heady lavender fragrance filled my head full of sweet tangy scents and soothing smells. Overlooking the balcony was like looking out underwater. The impression was hazy. However, it strengthened with every blink. I realized then, that maybe I wasn’t fully awake, or maybe this was a dream, but not a nightmare. Because if it was one of my usual nightmares, then why was I at my house and not at the meadow? Shaking my head to lift the fog from my vision, I leaned over the edge, peering down at the ground. Soft grass was sweeping and twirling like waves lapping quietly against a shore, kinda like slow water moving over a sandy beach. It was amazing how my imagination could visualize grass as water, huh?
The wind lifted my thick mane of hair from my neck and shoulders. The sensation alone sent shivers up and down my spine. My hair felt so soft floating against my skin. I looked down at my hand and noticed a faint glow from the moonlight. I smiled and laughed a little at myself, surprised at how beautiful my skin looked underneath the moonlit sky. I glanced at the silver light spilling out from the moon, casting shadows on the ground and over the tree tops beautifully. I smiled and turned away, heading back to my room. Although as I was turning around, someone or something appeared out in the lavender garden! I stopped dead as this dark feeling passed through my body like the one I’d felt in the cafeteria that day. My blood heated, and I was afraid.
My voice was shaky, but I had to know who or what was out there. “Hello, is someone out there?” I asked shakily, but whatever or whoever it was didn’t make a sound. “I’m guessing that was the wrong question then?” I smiled, of all the times to joke. Still nothing from the shadowy form. All I heard was the soft breeze traveling across the leaves. I felt brave at that moment. “Well fine, tell me what you’re doing here?” Silence! “You know what; just go back to where you came from.” I couldn’t really see what I was looking at and trying to see what it looked like wasn’t getting me far. However, when I was sure it would leave, the shadow spoke up and then I knew absolutely that the shadow was a guy.
“You asked me here . . . yes?” His low melodic voice sent chills up my spine. I knew that voice! “And the question is not who I am, but who you are. And why, pray tell, did you bring me here? Do you know what you are to me that you could so easily bring me here?”
“Um listen, mister,” I squeaked. That voice, I knew that voice. I seemed to be chanting that in my head over and over. “I didn’t bring you here. I don’t want you here. So I’m going inside and you’re going back to wherever you came from . . . OK?” I turned back to my room, hoping now for sure that this was a dream, nothing but a figment of my imagination. I opened the glass door, but his voice and mocking laughter stopped me cold. It came out like a whisper drifting through the leaves of the trees right into my ears. His voice was a soft, gentle touch. Mesmerizing and so compelling, wonderful enough that I felt immobile.
“Why do you insist on thinking I am a dream? I assure you, I am not a dream.” I turned around and peered out into the darkened sky trying desperately to see what this person looked like, but still there was nothing. The shadow continued to speak. “And why do you leave me when I have only just come to be here?” The sound of his voice sent a shiver of fear and a little pleasure through my body. I didn’t know which one and I sure as hell didn’t want to find out.
“Look,” I all but breathed the words. “Like I told you, it wasn’t me that asked you here. I don’t know how you got here. Sorry, but please leave.”
“Very interesting,” he crooned. “Why then am I here, if by your own volition? So one would wonder how it is possible for me to be here.” He sighed and I somehow knew he was playing with me. “Furthermore, please accept my apologies if I have frightened you. However, if I give you pleasure . . . well then there is no apologizing for my actions of pleasure.”
Oh, my God—was he? Uh, he was—but . . .
“No!”
Why? He was reading my mind! How was that possible? Why was he here? OK, I needed to clear all my thoughts and run. Run fast, tell Mom and Dad to get out of the house right now and go somewhere safe. God help me, but if this was a nightmare then I needed to wake up. Wake up! And I did. I awoke breathing heavy with sweat rolling down my forehead and my legs sprawled out in an odd position. I slowly sighed in relief. I was hoping that this wasn’t one of those worst case scenarios where I repeated my dream over and over. Betting on the latter, thankful for the first time in a long time I was wrong. I glanced over at the clock. It was no
longer flashing the green light three in the morning. Now it was right at six o’clock. I leaned over and tapped the alarm, shutting it off before it started. I sat there a while afraid to move—afraid to speak—afraid to even look outside.
I had to have had this nightmare because of Jace. The whole mind-reading thing had to have brought this on. Yeah, but what about the voice? I fell back into my bed thinking how my life had gotten so out of hand. I’d been coasting through existence. However, now I seemed to be right in the middle of everything chaotic and nothing slow like coasting. Why now? I thought I might like to go back to how it was before this city, before we moved here.
“There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”
Yeah, right! If only it was that simple. If only I had a real home so I could click my heels like good old Dorothy.
Chapter Sixteen
Crispin
He gasped sucking in deep gulps of air as he franticly looked for the young girl with the beautiful doe eyes and body of a goddess. He smiled closing, his eyes remembering her: her hair, her eyes, her body and how she looked in the moon light. The light of the moon casted shadows around her of silver and gray that caused her skin to shine beautifully. And the deep golden brown of her hair looked as if it was spun from the finest silk. Crispin trembled as he pictured his hands fisting a handful of her hair and pulling her body against his. He knew if he got his hands on her, she would either moan in pleasure or fear. It did not matter to him one way or the other.
He groaned remembering the smell and taste of her fear. His body hardened with longing, a primal need to have her body pressed to his. He had found her essence in a handful of her dreams, but now he saw the real flesh and blood standing before him in one of her own dream-platforms. It was a very rare skill to pull a platform from the dreamscape realm. And she had done it on her own, before her powers had even been freed.
“There is only one person that can call me to them. Only one person could have the power to banish me with a thought, a person that has the magic such as I—a person that is foretold to be my downfall. She might not have her abilities as of yet, but it is there under her skin churning in her veins and it calls to me,” He murmured to himself still looking for her, for his other half.
However, it was useless. Crispin was back in his reality—his realm of bleakness and dark souls. He had found her body and soul this time. He smiled wickedly with triumph. The Hags were right. She was real and soon he would know her power, her soul and soon he would consume her life essence taking his other half and making him whole.
“Finally, I will have the other half of my soul and the earth will tremble before me.” Crispin chanted a spell that weaved itself into the stars, proclaiming the fates of them both. As he spoke his followers bowed their heads in reverence, watching as his magic drifted from his hands and up to the sky, sealing it with his final words.
“The sky will cry crimson tears, as I take what is rightfully mine.”
He finished the spell, unsatisfied. The spell and the knowledge that he would be whole soon did nothing to stop the longing to see her face just one more time.
Chapter Seventeen
Charlie
After shaking off that dream, coaching myself into moving off the bed and a few more minutes later, I was ready for school. I headed downstairs and surprisingly Tru was already here. And woo, that was weird. It looked like Mom and Tru were having a pleasant conversation. What? I almost laughed. Wow, now this was big news: Mom and Tru talking. I couldn’t help but smile a little. Who would have thought, after she saw us hugging (uh, that’s what she thinks she saw), but you and I know better. Anyhow, this wasn’t at all what I assumed would be happening. Instead of a heated verbal exchange, it looked like they were genuinely getting along. And what was that . . . was Mom laughing? Oh, my God, she was! Something was not right, something was a little fishy. This wasn’t like her at all, so I had to wonder what was going on. What did he say that would make my mom look all giddy, and way too happy? And why did I not like it?
Gosh, I thought Mom would go off and tell him all about how he should and shouldn’t act with me. I was officially freaked out. In addition to being freaked, where was my dad? He should be here to witness this incredible exchange. Maybe I had stepped into some kind of warped reality, no longer here and no longer there. Just in a thick, crazy massive dream-state, still unable to wake up. Yet that wasn’t it at all. I was awake and this was my reality. My crazy complex reality! Sighing softly, I observed Mom and Tru. This has to be monumental and my dad was missing it. Plus I was still so freaked out from all that had been happening lately, what with my bazaar dreams and now to top it off, Mom was getting along with Tru, the one who was named “that boy” in her eyes! And normally this would be a good thing - hello, my mom is getting along with the guy I liked. But that was just it. That was not Mom at all, and I was stupid for feeling like this. Was Tru really that charming that my mom could totally dismiss what she saw yesterday? No. No one could be that charming!
“Hello. Tru. Mom.” I nodded at them. “I’m glad you’re here, Tru. Mom, you could have told me Tru was here.” There was a little ire in my voice. “I would have been down sooner.”
Tru looked me up and down, and I saw his eyes light up with interest. The golden specks in his eyes sparked to life in the deep pools of green as his eyes momentarily lingered on my body. I blushed. I could say right then that my body was on fire. I hastily looked away. I mean, come on we were in the living room with my mom. I noticed that she was watching us with distaste.
Tru smiled. He gave me a wink and cleared his throat. “Uh, you look very nice, C. It’s about time to hit the road.” He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “Yeah, if we stay much longer, we’ll be late. Plus, I promised I would drive safe, and if we don’t head out soon I might have to break my promise. I don’t think your mom would like that too much.” Tru looked over at Mom, giving her a big smile and to my surprise, she smiled back.
It felt like my jaw had hit the floor. I looked from Mom to Tru, from Tru to Mom. Where had my Mom gone? What was going on? It was kinda like saying, “where’s Waldo?” But instead, I was saying, “where’s Mom?” I grinned at her with curiosity, wondering if she liked Tru, or if she was just being polite. I did want her to like him after all. So then why was I annoyed? It didn’t make sense! I also expected Dad to jump out at any time and start giving Tru the third-degree. I’d never had a boyfriend in the literal sense, just boys who were my friends. And when I would bring one of my boy/friends to my house, Dad would grill the poor kid to the point that I would eventually lose them as a friend. So just wondered why Dad isn’t here, trying the same thing on Tru. I got so furious all the sudden that I started to glare at my mom. I was willing her to fess up, willing her to tell me why she was not mad at Tru. Willing her to just tell the truth! Why did we move so much? Were we running from someone? Those were just some of the questions that plagued me. However, no truth came.
“Charlie,” Mom nodded at Tru, “He’s right. Tru did promise me he would drive safe. So you two should scoot along.”
Gasp. Did I hear right? Mom just called Tru by his first name and not that “boy”— this was unbelievable. Yeah, I know he introduced himself, but the thing is I also know my mom. She wouldn’t have easily dropped something that fast. To Mom, if you don’t have good manners, then you don’t deserve them back. When Tru didn’t come in yesterday, he was put in that category of bad manners. Sure, Mom wouldn’t be rude to Tru’s face and call him that “boy.” But, she also wouldn’t call him by name, either.
“Mom, is there something you need to say to me?”
She shook her head. “Have a good day. I know you’re in good hands.”
I was seething. “Anything else?”
“No, nothing that comes to mind. Oh, wait.” She snapped her fingers. “There is something, but we can talk about it after you get out of school.”
Uh huh! I see. When I get home.
&nbs
p; “Uh, Mom . . . what’s going on here?” I asked.
“What do you mean, Charlie?” Mom frowned.
“Don’t give me that, Mom.” Man my bitchiness was out in full force. “You know what I’m talking about.”
“Clearly, clearly I don’t, Sweetie. Please enlighten me.”
“If you need to talk to me, then do it now. Please,” I gritted out. “If it’s bad, just tell me already that way I won’t worry about it at school.”
I looked over at Tru, embarrassed. I totally forgot he was standing there. Tru’s eyes were flicking back and forth between me and Mom. He was probably wondering what the heck was going on. I could see from his point of view, there was no reason for me to fight with my mom. So, yeah, he had all the right to look at me the way he was then. It still hurt. He probably thought he should not waste his time on a psycho.
“Charlie,” Mom frowned, “If you would tell me what you’re talking, about then maybe I could possibly tell you what is going on.”
Forgetting totally about Tru, I decided to come clean. “Where should I start? Oh, yeah, how about why you’re being so nice to Tru? And why Dad’s not here?” And when we will be moving and why you won’t tell me the truth. That last bit said in my head. I looked over at Tru and said, “No offense, Tru, but I know my mom, and there has to be something going on in order for her to be this nice to you!” I shrugged. “Besides, when she saw us in the truck . . . uh, hugging and then yesterday morning you didn’t come in to introduce yourself . . . Well, Mom was pissed.”
“Charlie, watch your language please.” Mom frowned.
I cringed and turned to her. “Sorry, Mom, but what gives?”
Tru looked intently at us. Now he was curious, too. I must have hit a chord or something, but I didn’t care what was going through Tru’s head. I just wanted to hear what my mom had to say. I just wanted to see if she would tell the truth this time. I looked at her, bracing myself for the worst. However, to my utter shock and embarrassment, it never came.
A Spark Of Magic: Chosen Saga Book One Page 13