A Spark Of Magic: Chosen Saga Book One

by J. L. Clayton

  (Oh, yeah, and when I told her I wanted the party, my mom had this disgustingly satisfied look. If she could have rubbed it in my face, I swear she would have).

  So there I was getting ready and nervous . . . very—very nervous. I was also happy and willing myself not to think about my dream invader and just have fun.

  “Charlie, Jace is here,” Mom called from down the hall.

  “Okay,” I called back. “Send him up.”

  I was brushing my hair when I heard a: Tap, tap on my door. I felt a sharp pain in my gut. For two whole weeks things have been strange between Jace and me. He knows about Tru, however, Jace has acted like everything was cool. Jace still flirts with me and tries to get me to kiss him.

  What can I say: I did think about it!

  And he kept asking me if I’d told Tru everything about the night of the dance. When I said no, Jace got the biggest grin on his face. Like if I didn’t tell Tru, then there was still hope. What was bad, though, was I told Jace everything. I even told him about Tru being a wolf shifter. He swore he wouldn’t breathe a word of it, and I trusted him. I trusted him more than anyone, and since I felt like he and I had known each other forever, well that trust seemed to come naturally. Yeah, I know it sucked—my first boyfriend ever and I was telling another guy his secrets. What a good girlfriend I made.

  Jace was standing in my doorway looking gorgeous.

  Damn him. I looked at him in my mirror and it felt good. It felt right seeing him. He still made my stomach do little flip flops. I wanted to run up to him and hug him. Smile big and give him a kiss and say, “hello there, good looking.” But that was wrong to him and Tru.

  Jace’s soft blond hair framed his face. I looked at his bright-blue eyes always compelling, and his lips so full. He was handsome, I’ll give him that. He wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, but still looked every inch the sexy guy I knew.

  “Hello, Fox,” Jace’s voice came out in a low raspy purr.

  “Hi, Jace, you look nice. Is that what you’re wearing to the party?”

  Jace put both hands in the front of his pockets and shuffled his feet back and forth in a nervous way.

  “And you look good enough to eat.”

  Jace raised both eyebrows and wiggled them smiling slyly. I glanced down, noticing that all I had on was my silky black robe. I felt myself blushing. That sucks because my white-as- ghost skin looked like a beet, so not cool.

  Jace chuckled, “Wow, you’re blushing.”

  “Yeah, don’t rub it in, Jace. It’s too embarrassing.”

  “No it’s not, Fox. It’s not embarrassing to me at all.”

  “Why do you say that? And—FYI—no this is not what I am wearing, thank you very much.”

  Jace spread his fingers out in mock surrender and said, “Hold up there, Fox. I just thought, well this is the first time we’ve been alone together in two weeks. I was starting to think we’d never be alone again after my flower therapy.” Jace stopped and gave me his most boyish grin continuing. “Well, I thought we were on a new level, but then you became distant . . . And Tru.” I scowled. “Sorry. Anyway, seeing you blush gives me hope.”

  “Jace?”

  “Please, please just hear me out.”

  “What?” I asked. “Jace?” I smiled at him tentatively and then walked over and gave him a big hug feeling like a bad person.

  Jace put his hands on my forearms pushing me away. Looking down at me he said, “Don’t get mad, Charlie, but I can’t come to your party.”

  I pulled my arms out of his hands. I stepped back looking up at him, feeling crushed. “Why, Jace? Why won’t you be here? I mean, I would love it if you came.”

  “I know but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “Why?” I demanded.

  He sighed, “Because Tru and his family are coming.”

  “What?” I looked at him a little outraged. “That doesn’t make any sense, Jace. Why would Tru and his family be the reason for you not coming to my party? You’re jealous, is that it? But what does Tru’s family have to do with your jealousy?”

  “Look,” he said in a sharp-as-nails tone. “I’m sorry. Soon you will understand why, but I just cannot come. Please, Charlie. Please don’t be mad at me. Besides, you’re with him now. And you sure as hell have no right to ask me to come to your party and stand on the sidelines while you play kissy face with Tru. I already do that enough at school. Do you think I like feeling this way?” I looked down. “However much I hate seeing you with him, that’s not why I’m not coming and you will understand why. And other then the fact that I care for you, there is more to the story, Charlie.”

  I felt aggravated, betrayed, and I felt stupid forever caring and stupid for hurting him. I snapped. “Whatever. Jace, just go please. It’s fine. I don’t understand because you won’t tell me the whole truth. But, whatever! Please just go.” I was a selfish, selfish person and I knew it.

  “See, now you’re mad! I didn’t come here to hurt you.” Jace frowned. “Fuck. I would never intentionally hurt you. You know that, right?”

  As he spoke, the first threat of tears filled my eyes. How could he say he would never hurt me, when he was doing it then? I turned my back so he wouldn’t see the hurt. In a whisper I said, “Jace, please leave. I’ll be fine. I’m not mad,” I lied. “I just need you to leave because you say you would never hurt me, but you are. If you leave now, then I won’t be mad, but you have to leave now.”

  He sighed deeply. “Charlie, I’m sorry,” Jace said.

  I heard the door open and close. I turned around as the tears fell out of my eyes. I gazed around trying to see if he was still here, but it was just wishful thinking. Jace was gone. I never knew I could hurt someone that much while I hurt in return. I glanced over at my bed and saw a small box sitting on one of my pillows. It was wrapped in pink and blue construction paper. I knew it was from Jace. And it looked like Jace did it himself. In spite of what just happened, I smiled. Affection for him flooded my body. I wiped my tears away and noticed that attached to the top of the gift was a note. I walked over and sat down beside the gift.

  I picked up the note and read:

  Fox, I am truly sorry. If you are reading this, then things didn’t go too well. But I promise you, you will understand. Here is your gift, I hope you like it. When I see you again, I hope you’ll be wearing it.

  Jace!

  I picked up the small box and opened it, surprised at how thrilled and somewhat enthused I was about my gift. Yeah, Jace was not coming to my party and that sucked eggs, but I wasn’t going to let that get me down. Dammit, it hurt enough already. I didn’t want my emotions messing with the party. So I was hurt, yet I felt happy that Jace got me a gift. Was that bad that I was happy, or just messed up? I thought the latter, because it did feel messed up in an epic proportion. I opened my gift eagerly. Inside the tiny box was thin white rough paper, the kind that when you touched it made a scratchy sound. I pulled the paper back and looked at a silver chain with a beautiful round black and blue stone. My breath hitched at how amazing it was. I’d never seen something that nice before. The black-as-night color of the stone started at the top, and then faded down into a light-blue color. It went from black as night, to a crayon black, dark, dark blue, than a lighter sky blue. The colors were extraordinary. How it started from one and ended up into another was simply wonderful.

  Holding it in my hand, I felt some kind of pulse thrumming inside it. That was strange. Then the hurt when Jace and I argued faded. I felt a peaceful power creep over my skin. Power, why did I think power? I shook my head and glanced down at the stone. It was as big as a half dollar coin. Written on the stone was something strange, I didn’t understand.

  It read:

  Meus pectus pectoris of vox meus animus of mos ego tribuo thee sic mote is exsisto.

  I wonder why Jace would buy me something I didn’t understand. I glanced back down into the box. There was another card with Jace’s elegant handwriting. I wish I had elegant handwriting. I got st
uck with chicken scratch handwriting. Oh yeah, if I signed my name to something, you would think a doctor had signed it. That’s how bad it was. I shook the thought away and glanced at what Jace wrote.

  It read:

  Fox, you didn’t believe I would give you something you couldn’t read, did you?

  I smiled and read onward.

  Well, I wouldn’t do that to you, so here is the translation: My heart of power, my soul of will, I give to thee, so mote it be!

  The words were beautiful. I grinned and then finished reading the note:

  Yeah, I know it’s confusing, but I swear to you, in due time you will understand.

  I put the necklace on and thought: What’s with the old talking? In due time! Who says that anymore? Well apparently Jace. The inscription on the stone was so lovely and romantic. And I also understood partly why Jace was not coming to my party. I would be the same way.

  “Kiddo?”

  I looked up to see my dad standing in the doorway. I smiled sadly at him and said, “Hi, Daddy.”

  “Are you OK there, Kiddo?”

  “Yes, I’ll be fine, just looking at the gift Jace got me. See?” I held up the gift to show him.

  Dad walked over and looked at it closely. He read the inscription and nodded. “It’s lovely.”

  “Yeah. I know, right? Um, Daddy, he’s not coming to the party, you know!”

  “Yeah, that’s what I heard, sweetie. Sorry, Kiddo.” Dad lifted me up off the bed.

  Surprisingly, he gave me a big, much-needed hug and a peck on the cheek. Smiling, he said, “Cheer up, Kiddo. It’s your party. You’re the birthday girl. You are supposed to be happy. So smile. We have a gift for you. Come down and let us give it to you, OK?”

  I smiled, nodded playfully bumping my head against his shoulder. I was happy really now that I was getting another gift. In the living room, Mom was sitting in our black rocker. When she saw, us Mom jumped up smiling. “Close your eyes. Close your eyes, Charlie. We don’t want you peeking.” Mom beamed at me.

  I laughed, “OK, Mom, closing my eyes now.”

  I shut my eyes. Mom grabbed one hand and Dad grabbed the other. This was starting to feel like gym class. You know the game where you have to put all trust into the leader and pray that you’re gym partner doesn’t walk you right off a cliff. Thankfully, the people leading me were my parents. I trusted them. Well, as much as I could, that is. They were world-class liars. And I could only trust them so much, but I didn’t think they would lead me off a cliff. Well, I hoped not.

  “OK, Kiddo,” Dad said. “Open your eyes and see your gift.”

  I opened my eyes and looked out the wide window in our—what my mom calls parlor. Whatever, it was just another living room. Taking up space!

  “I’m confused. What am I supposed to be looking at?” I scratched my head sarcastically saying, “How nice the yard is?” I flung my hand at the window.

  “No, look over there.” Mom pointed at our car. Now I was starting to get aggravated. I’ve seen the M3. I know what it looks like. Whoop-dee–friggin’’ doo!

  “Yeah, Mom . . . uh all I see is our car. Sorry, maybe you should move it. You know. The car! It might be blocking whatever you got me,” I replied sarcastically.

  Mom slapped Dad’s arm. “See, I told you, Sam. She never thinks or talks about any car, let alone this one. All she sees is our car . . . not her car.”

  I turned my head. My mouth dropped. Was she saying what I thought she was saying? The M3 was mine. All mine. Hells yeah! Hells friggin’ yeah! “Mom . . . Dad?”

  They nodded vigorously, smiling at me. Happy to know that I figured it out, I guess.

  Dad handed over the keys to . . . my new car! Well, my sorta new car since it was my parents’ first, but still to me it was new. Ah-hum this just in . . . I have a freaking car! That’s so cool saying it. My car-My car-My carrrr! Woo-hoo!

  I started doing a happy dance—M-C-Hammer-style—breaking it down old school. Mom and Dad laughed. I smiled and then frowned. “Wait! Hold up a second. What will ya’ll be driving?” I asked. “Because you did say the car was mine now. You didn’t say the car was ours . . . Um just mine.” I know. I know. It was selfish, but I was feeling a tad selfish today. Hey it was my birthday, you know.

  “Kiddo, yes it’s your car, and don’t worry. Your Mom is going to get her a new one soon. Besides, you have to have a licensed driver with you. So until she has a car, you can drive her to where she needs to be.” Dad grinned. “That is, if you don’t want her to drive it. And until you have a valid license, your mother or someone with one will ride with you.”

  Rats!

  “Oh, OK.” I raised my eyebrows. “So this is just . . . wow. Mom, Dad, thanks. It’s perfect. You know I love the car, although the tinted windows have to go.” I put up my hands stopping any protest Dad was about to make, saying it with my puppy dog eyes. “Can that be part of my gift?”

  Dad smiled, wrapping me tightly in his arms. Mom came in and wrapped her arms around us both. I was embraced by two wonderful people. We had our issues, but didn’t everyone? In that moment, all the love I felt wiped away all the doubts and lies I’d had in the past. All that I’d felt in the past was evaporating into their arms, their hearts, and their love. Just as waves wash footprints off a shore, my mom and dad’s love seemed to do the same for me then.

  Abruptly Mom asked, “Charlie, do you remember that dress you got for the dance?” Tentatively she smiled at me.

  I smiled a reassuring smile, “Yes, Mom, why?”

  “Because I think your secret admirer got you something else.”

  Mom picked up a small square box with a card on top written in that same handwriting that was attached to my dress. For that reason alone, it had to be from him, or her. It could be from a girl, you never know now days. I grinned. “I’m going to take it to my room.” Without letting my parents get in another word, I grabbed the box and charged up the stairs like someone on a mission.

  I plopped down on my bed, and I opened the little box before reading the card. Inside was a gorgeous ring. The stone was shaped into a crescent moon. Gray, blue, and white were the colors of this wonderful stone. It was about half an inch wide and around about one inches long. It was strange, beautiful, but strange. Strange because the gray would swirl and fade into blue leaving a white metallic haze. Mood ring? Maybe! I found myself captivated with this mysterious ring. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the swirling haze of wonderment. I’d never seen anything like it before in my life. I basically had to shake myself so I would stop staring. I had a strong feeling all of a sudden. This ring had power . . . A powerful power that could possibly trap my soul inside it. Yeah, right. I had so lost it. A mood ring, this was just a new kind of mood ring. Not some kind of cage to trap your soul in.

  I lifted the card and read: My Love, this is a gift for thee on your most special day.

  Now I was freaking out. I didn’t know if I should wear the ring. I was too afraid after reading the card. That was crazy. Who ever got me this, called me Love, and my dream invader calls me that as well. God, I hoped he was just my imagination and nothing more. But I had this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that it was from him. No matter how much I tried to deny that he was real, or that he was the one to buy me the dress, all the evidence pointed to him. Even when he said he gave me the dress, I still had my misgivings. But now there was just too much proving me wrong. Oh, crap. Still I had to be certain. I hopped up and ran over to my dresser and pulled it open. I slowly picked up the card with shaky hands.

  My mouth opened and I dropped the card. No. This was so not right. It could not be the nightmare dream invader dude. However, I knew it was.

  “Charlie, can I come in?” Mom asked.

  “Yeah, sure, Mom, come on in.” Really I just wanted to scream. Welcome to my nightmare. I was so freaked. And, no, I was not going to let mom see me trip out just before my party.

  “Well, what did you get?” Mom asked with a hint of exciteme
nt in her eyes.

  “This,” I held up the ring.

  Mom walked over and snatched the ring out of my hands with a scowl on her face. She looked at it strangely. Several seconds went by. Mom was still staring intently at the ring. Was she feeling some kind of pull like I felt when I looked at the ring? “Mom?” I said her name, but Mom just looked at the ring like she was entranced. “Mom?” I was now panicking! Why wasn’t my mom answering me? “Momma?” I ran over and shook her. “Are you OK, Mom? What is it, the ring?” Mom shook her head and kissed me on the cheek.

  Smiling, she handed me the ring back. “This is a very good gift. Whoever your mystery guy is, he sure knows good jewelry.” Mom said it reverently. Weird. “Come now, Charlie, finish getting ready. Not much longer and everyone will be here.”

  Before I had a chance to protest, Mom turned on her heels and left the room. That was freaking bizarre. Mom was acting crazy. I knew I was definitely not going to wear this ring. I shrugged off a yucky feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was not going to think about my dream invader. I was not going to let this bother me. With a set mind, I picked out a very racy dress. It was light pink with a scooped neck. It showed off a lot of skin, sloping all the way down in the back revealing almost everything and stopping only at my waist. The scoop neck complemented my breasts, I have to say. The dress flared out at the knees. When I twirled, it swayed with me. Woo-hoo, Tru was gonna like it. So yeah, you could see my total package. Besides, this was my party! Might as well show off the goods! The dress was so rocking. Topping off the dress, I put on hot-pink tights that ended at my ankles and some Converse for my feet. Hey, I had to be a little tomboyish or I just wouldn’t be me. I fixed my makeup and put my hair up in a ponytail. I was ready to party.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Crying Fest

  I headed down to the living room where all my friends were gathered. Mom had refreshments set up on one end of the room, a DJ on the other, and streamers hung down in and around the living room in several multicolor shades. Strobe lights flashed silver and blue. It looked like a fairy world set high on acid.