Moondust

by J. L. Weil

  Angling his head to the side, he looked me in the eye. “I could say the same about you.”

  Okay, I deserved that because I hadn’t been myself, but what was his excuse? Maybe I should have lain off the coffee this morning; I was jittery. “If you only knew,” I muttered.

  His eyes sharpened, his demeanor losing some of its carefreeness. “I would if you told me instead of pretending everything is fine when it is clearly not.”

  Touché. I tensed up. “Well then, you might want to brace yourself. I still haven’t gotten over the shock.”

  He crossed his arms over his grey t-shirt, legs kicked out in front of him, and a hint of a smile on his lips. “You forget. I already know.”

  I hadn’t forgotten—not by a long shot, but I wanted to hear him say it. “How is that? I’ve told no one.”

  He didn’t bat an eye. “Not even your boyfriend?”

  Silence.

  My protective instincts flared.

  “That’s what I thought.” There was smugness in his voice.

  I rushed into defensive mode. “It’s not like you think. I didn’t give him a choice.” I took a deep breath and admitted what was hard for me to say. “I’m a clàr silte.” After the words flew from my mouth, I waited for him to express outrage or to scramble for the door.

  Emerald eyes held steady on mine, he said, “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  Wow. Not the reaction I had been expecting, but he had warned me. I guess deep down, I didn’t believe that he really knew what I was because, if he did, I didn’t understand how he could continue to be my friend. It didn’t make sense to me.

  My eyes narrowed. “How do you know what I only just found out?”

  “It’s simple really. Our bloodlines have crossed before,” he said as if he weren’t dropping another atomic bomb.

  At first I thought he was kidding, but as I stared at him, I came to realize he was being serious—dead serious.

  Will everything that comes out of his mouth shock me?

  I gaped at him.

  Upon seeing my open mouth, he continued. “Don’t tell me you are that surprised. We have a connection, and I know you’ve felt it.”

  There was no denial from my lips. For as long as I could remember, I’d felt a kinship with Lukas. It was the main reason I had been so relaxed with him and so open about my life. I tried to connect the dots that were swimming around in my head. What did he mean, connection? He mentioned bloodlines… “You’re related to Morgana too?” I asked. What other kind of connection could he be talking about? I know that it had to do with our similar powers.

  He made a yuck face. “Ew. That would be awkward considering I’ve kissed you. No. Not to Morgana, but to her lover.”

  I felt like I had just been sucker punched.

  Less than 24 hours ago I had just learned that Morgana had practiced the dark arts, and that it was the guy she loved who had pushed her further and further to the darker side of magic. “How is this possible?” I demanded. Annoyance stirred inside me. I was tired of Lukas’s keeping things from me. I understood why he might not blurt out that I was a witch during a dream. Anyone would have dismissed it as wacky subconscious, but everything after that… If I was supposed to trust him, why keep so many secrets? Why hadn’t he just sat me down and told me the truth?

  His shoulders squared. “They had a blood bond, linking their bloodlines. It is how I was able to find you.”

  I thrust my fingers into my hair. “This is crazy.”

  That hint of a smirk appeared on his lips again. “Maybe, but I think crazy is our style.”

  Why hadn’t Morgana told me about the relation between Lukas and… I realized I didn’t know who he was. “Explain,” I insisted.

  Drawing in a breath, he leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “Enrec was a witch who shared many of Morgana’s gifts, just as we do, but not all of them. They forged a bond of magic and blood until she ripped the magic from his soul, but the link they created lived on through the generations. Their joined blood flows through our veins.”

  It sounded like he was reciting from a fairytale—unbelievable. “Are you trying to tell me that our lives are entwined together?” I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t. Not that I didn’t care for Lukas. I did. But what about my feelings for Gavin? Those were very real… and very intense—an intensity that I didn’t feel with Lukas.

  Confusion clouded my head.

  I knew that I had wavered between the two for months now, but deep down in my heart, I was positive that Gavin was the one. If what Lukas said was true, then how could my heart be so very wrong? How could I not love Lukas in the same way I loved Gavin?

  My stomach dropped.

  Did I make a grave mistake? Or was this a sign not to repeat history—not to follow in Morgana’s footsteps.

  Lukas stood up upon seeing the bewilderment scroll through my eyes and walked to where I was. He propped a hip on the arm of the chair. “Yes,” he said directly. “Would that be so horrible?” There was a soft vulnerability in his eyes I’d never seen before, like I had the power to hurt him.

  I sat back against the cushions, feeling as if the ground were slipping out from underneath me. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. This is all just—” my voice broke.

  There was a shadow of something—pain, sadness, or anger? I couldn’t decipher which, but it didn’t matter. He masked it quickly. He caressed my cheek, lifted my face, and I let him. “Take as much time as you need; I’ll be waiting for you.”

  His head dipped, and I thought he was going to kiss me. I held my breath, but he stopped short. I couldn’t tell whether I was relieved or disappointed. Either way, it would have just complicated matters, and I was pretty sure I couldn’t handle any more layers of complexity. I watched him stride across the room and slip out the door.

  Overwhelmed, I sat there, unmoving, processing what I had learned. My feelings were all over the place, and I felt pressured now more than ever. Was it wrong that I didn’t want to hurt anyone? Did I follow my heart? After my impromptu visit with Morgana, I’d had a renewed sense of confidence in my choices, but now, Lukas’s little revelation knocked that assurance down a few pegs, leaving me once again confused—and vulnerable.

  It sucked.

  Gavin found me in the same spot a few hours later. I looked up, startled to see him. In a daze, I studied the lines of his face, the sharp angles of his cheeks. His eyes were incredibly blue. Fireflies warmed my tummy.

  “Why do you look like your world is collapsing all around you?” he asked, concern lacing his dark voice.

  “Because that is exactly how I feel,” I grumbled, hugging one of the couch’s decorative pillows.

  His brow shot up, the silver hoop in it glinting off the soft glow of lamplight. He must have flipped on the lights because the darkness was gone. Taking the empty spot next to me, he lifted me into his lap.

  Instantly, I rested my head on his shoulder. “There have been some new developments in my totally screwed-up life.” Being in his arms felt so natural, so right. He felt right.

  Brushing the hair off my neck, he produced tingles all over me with his touch. “Why do I get the feeling that I am not going to like what you are about to tell me?”

  I swallowed. “I saw Lukas today,” I blurted. It almost sounded painful.

  He groaned, his arms tightening around me. “I really want to kick that piss-ant’s ass.”

  My lips twitched. “He told me that our bloodlines are linked.” Just as I was afraid, the muscles in his body tightened. I tilted my head back so I could look into his face.

  “And you believe him?” Doubt was carved into every line of his expression.

  I nodded. “I had a visit from Morgana. She told me how she gave in to the darkness, and how a guy was responsible for her downfall.”

  Fierce determination set in his jaw. “That won’t be you. I won’t let it be.”

  I placed my hand on his chest. “I’m counting on it, bu
t that doesn’t change that I might have some kind of link with Lukas.”

  Jealousy leapt into his eyes, lighting them like twin blue flames. “I don’t like it. Something feels wrong. I know it in my gut. You can’t trust what he says, Bri.”

  I envied that he was so confident about his instincts. Clarification. That is what I need. “And if I do have some predestined connection to Lukas, what does that mean for us?” The words felt like acid in my mouth. I hated that we were even having this discussion, and I realized that I didn’t want to be linked to Lukas. If I had to be fated to end up with someone, I wanted it to be Gavin.

  His hand touched my cheek. “It doesn’t have to change anything. The future is still yours to decide. Don’t let him get inside your head. You and I, we make sense. I won’t let you go, not without a fight.”

  That was what I was afraid of. And if I had to let him go, what then?

  I shuddered.

  Anguish flickered in his darkened eyes. “Unless, of course, you don’t feel—” he added.

  I silenced him with a kiss. “My love for you is not in question. I wish it was you,” I whispered. It was the honest-to-God truth. I loved Gavin. I was head-over-heels-crazy in love with him. No one else made me feel like he did. And if I was going to start trusting in myself, I needed to trust in my instincts, which were screaming for me to kiss him again. So I did.

  I might be linked to Lukas, but that didn’t mean my heart belonged him. It was still mine to give to whomever I chose. And I picked Gavin.

  Fate be damned.

  Chapter 11

  The big V-day had arrived.

  Joy.

  If Aunt Clara even suggested I wear red, I was going to quit, so when I strolled down the stairs dressed from head to toe in black, I waited. She glanced up from her cup of coffee and lifted her brow, but didn’t say a word.

  I grinned to myself and poured my own cup of caffeine and sugar. Taking the stool beside her, I let the brisk aroma rouse my senses.

  “Are you ready for chaos?” she asked, sipping from her white mug. Her caramel hair was in a messy bun similar to mine, but much more stylish.

  “Ask me after my third cup of coffee,” I grumbled.

  “Boycotting as usual?” she asked, finally commented on my funereal appearance. She knew me well.

  I cast her a sideways glance. “I just don’t want to clash with the flowers.”

  She tried not to be amused by me. “I thought since you had a boyfriend, you might have different feelings about heart-shaped candies and candlelit dinners.”

  I scrunched my nose. “So where is Chad taking you tonight?” I asked, changing the subject from me to her—a much safer topic.

  This time there was no disguising the smile that spread across her lips. “Bella Donna’s.”

  “Ooo. Chad the Stud Muffin is pulling out all the stops.” Bella’s was a fancy Italian restaurant right on the harbor. They had twinkling strands of lights, outdoor seating, and overpriced, but to-die-for food. I couldn’t afford half a meal from that place. Someone was looking to get lucky.

  She tapped a nail against her mug and I could see she had something on her mind beneath her excitement. “Are you sure you are okay with closing up by yourself? I can always have Chad change the reservation to later, or better yet, you could come with us?”

  I had to stifle a groan. As appealing as Bella Donna’s was, being a third wheel on my aunt’s date was pathetic. “I will be fine. Promise.” I crossed my heart with my finger. “You deserve a night off. Bring me a doggie bag?”

  She smiled warmly. “Always.”

  Finishing our coffee, I grabbed a granola bar as Aunt Clara snatched the keys. Normally we drove separately, but today we rode together. Chad was picking her up from Mystic Floral for their romantic excursion. I tried to contain the need to gag.

  As expected, the shop was a madhouse. I didn’t get two seconds to myself since the doors opened, but it was good for business, or so I kept telling myself. I forced a bright smile for the next customer. My face muscles were in agony and there was a good chance that I would have a permanent creepy smile like the Joker by the time this puking pink holiday was over.

  We had just made it through the lunch-hour rush when Aunt Clara’s cellphone vibrated. Her face lit up as she glanced at the number flashing on her phone: Chad. She always got that goofy look when he called.

  I rolled my eyes and started to restock the cases for the next rush. The entire shop smelled of roses and baby’s breath. Beats coming home reeking of greasy burgers and salty fries, I guess. In the background I heard her bubbly whispers, and it was a reassuring sound that let me know she was happy.

  I, on the other hand, was a bundle of turmoil ever since the other night, when I had come to the realization that no matter what kind of connection Lukas and I might have, it was Gavin I was in love with. That wouldn’t change. Now I just had to find the words to tell that to Lukas. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt either of them, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that that was exactly what I was going to end up doing: hurting people close to me.

  Shooing Aunt Clara out the door with a dewy-eyed Chad, I took a quick look around the shop and saw that I had a moment just to myself. I knew it wouldn’t last, so I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head. I felt the gentle hum of magic swirling inside me for just a moment before the door chimed and I kissed my solitude goodbye.

  I huffed, watching the gazillionth guy scramble last-minute to get his wife or girlfriend a gift. If the bells dinged one more time before we closed, I was going to rip them from the above threshold and toss them out the door.

  Shifting my weight restlessly, I watched the hands on the clock. When at last nine o’clock struck, I already had the drawer counted, the shelves cleaned, and the flowers stocked. I was out the door. With the keys jingling in my hand, I turned the lock and set the security system to “active.”

  As I walked around the building to the back parking lot, something cold and prickly opened up inside me. I peeked over my shoulder, unable to shake the chill on my spine.

  Someone was watching me; I was sure of it.

  Before I had a chance to process that I was in danger, it was already upon me. Out of the shadows, a figure immerged. Cloaked in black, with a hood shielding his face, the man stood between my car and me. Panic skyrocketed in my chest. The vibrations in the air were undeniable. He was a witch, and by the ominous sneer on his mouth, the only part of his face I could really see, he wasn’t here to buy flowers; He was here to kill me.

  For the love of God.

  I knew that my life was in danger, but it didn’t really hit me until I was staring it in the face. The mystery witch faced me and a shudder rolled through me. I took a step backward, away from the parking lot. If I could just get back into the shop…

  A really stupid plan. He would catch me before I had the chance to put the key in the door, let alone unlock it. I was cornered, and the feeling sucked big time. My eyes darted around the area, looking for any means of escape. There were two lampposts buzzing above us, flicking light across the parking lot.

  I sensed a tremor of power, and the parking lot went black.

  Crap on a cracker.

  “I have to say, you don’t look like much of a threat.” The sound of his voice was strained and sinister. That seemed to be a running theme.

  Silence soaked up the night. I was at a loss for words as I tried to figure how I was going to get myself out of this sticky situation—alive, hopefully.

  “I’m not a threat,” I stated, my voice quivering. I prayed he was a reasonable witch, but I wasn’t holding my breath. If it weren’t for his glowing eyes, I wouldn’t have been able to track his movements, or so I thought; it blows to be wrong.

  Whipping a hand out to his side, sparks of magic danced along his fingertips. Cool trick. Fear aside, I was kind of envious of how quickly he conjured his power. “There have been murmurings of your rise in command.” He cocked his head, the b
lack hood falling low over his eyes. “Now that I see you, I think the forewarnings were over exaggerated.”

  I couldn’t have agreed more. It was unnerving knowing that there were witches out there talking about me, organizing my demise.

  I attempted to sidestep around him, but he blocked my escape with his body. I guess the time for pleasantries had come to an end. A whitish-red light erupted from his fingers and shot straight toward me. The impact knocked me flat on my ass.

  Wrong move, dude.

  My fear swiftly turned to anger. I don’t do well with bullies. Bad things happen when I get mad. Blowing my hair out of my face, magic trembled in the air, mine. It gathered inside me. Pushing to my feet, a single spear of lightning broke the darkness with a blinding white light.

  “You don’t want to mess with me,” I warned him in a tone I barely recognized as mine. I knew that my eyes were radiant.

  A pair of boots came into my vision, and I lifted my head, prepared to protect myself. I stopped thinking and began running on pure adrenaline and reflex. Ignoring the throbbing from having been tossed across the parking lot, I centered myself, wishing I could fully see my assassin rather than a shadow with eerie eyes.

  He hovered over me. “Power like yours should not exist. It’s unnatural, and you have to be stopped.”

  I realized that he was out of his freaking gourd.

  No sooner had the thought occurred to me than he struck. A green ball of energy whizzed toward me, slamming into my chest. I hit the ground—again— the air flying from my lungs. Shit, that stung like a bitch.

  Stars exploded behind my eyes, and I drew in a breath, scrambling to get to my feet before he released another ball of neon ectoplasm at me. “Look, I just recently found out what I am, and I’m not out to take over the world.” I kept babbling, hoping that I could somehow reach him emotionally because I was afraid I would hurt him physically. “I swear. I’m just a high school senior getting ready for college.”

  Static charged in his hands, radiating in a blinding green light. “It is only a matter of time before the temptation becomes too much for you. There is no stopping it.”