by J. L. Weil
“I’m just getting started,” she hissed, and then she let it pour.
Sophie was quick on the draw, deflecting what she tossed our way, but when I felt the air tremble with combined power of dickhead one and dickhead two, I realized I was going to have to do something.
Maybe they didn’t think of Sophie as much as a threat and would be able to take me down without a fight. I was more than a little surprised myself, knowing that it was her brothers that were the fighters. Still, she wouldn’t be able to ward off three witches alone.
My gaze zeroed in on rocker-wannabe-witch. I did what I did best. I weaved a mother of all storms, letting the fear of my friends feed my rage. “Why don’t you give me a shot? I’m what you really want.”
“With pleasure,” she snarled.
The winds picked up, howling. Lightning slashed across the black night. Thunder crashed above me, in a deafening roar. And my hair thrashed around my face from the strength of the gusts. It was all a very impressive display, until a rainbow laser beam smacked me, rocking my head back in what felt like the perfect execution of an invisible bitch slap. The storm I just started to create died.
Hell bells.
I saw stars.
Blood dribbled down from my lip. I swiped it with the back of my hand, glaring at the skank responsible for my soon to be swollen mouth. She was smirking as if my pain gave her pleasure. To my right I heard the cracking of spells colliding.
Before I was able to get my bearings and throw the counterstrike I was building, she hit me again—a lash across my cheek. It stung like a muther trucker, bringing tears to my eyes.
“You’re not nearly as dangerous as I anticipated, Brianna.”
She knew my name. That could not be good.
Tori and Austin had gone into shellshock, frozen with their mouths hanging open, dragging on the ground. Suddenly the pink-haired crazy was in my face, light blue eyes blazing. She reminded me of an anime with an attitude problem. I resisted the urge to back away. What in my right mind had made me think I could take on a seasoned witch?
This was turning into a travesty, and I’d had enough.
Power surged to the surface, humming though my entire body. I felt like I was electrified from head to toe. Blankets of rain fell from the dark purple sky, assaulting the witches who wished me dead, while my friends and I stood in a pocket of dry ground. Isolating the storm, I let the fierce winds keep the two lackeys at bay. There was no turning back now. Blinded by fury, fear, and protectiveness, I unfurled the darkness I promised I would never let loose again.
I latched onto the source of the girl not more than a few years my senior. “I’ll show you just how dangerous I can be.” A sliver of her magic trickled into me, and I closed my eyes. The arousal of such supreme power was vivid and potent in my blood.
“Your kind deserves to die,” she wheezed, pain slicing across her face as she dropped to her knees, drenched.
Tight-lipped, I towered over her. “Are those your final words?”
The voice that yelled over the pounding rain wasn’t hers. “Bri! Don’t!”
Chapter 15
I didn’t immediately stop ripping the magic from her soul. It took more effort than I wanted to admit, but knowing that Gavin was here, reminded me of what I had done to him—what I was doing to this witch.
Around me a small monsoon still poured. I took a few long, deep breaths and quieted the elements that answered my summons. Slowly the downpour became a light drizzle. The lightning disappeared behind the dark clouds. And winds died down.
Lifting my gaze, sapphire eyes met mine.
Where the hell did he come from?
“What are you doing here?” I croaked.
Dark hair was plastered to his face, curling at the ends. His ripped jeans and dark shirt clung to his formidable form. He hadn’t faired the rainstorm as well as we had. “Sophie texted me that you were in trouble. I was a couple blocks away with Jared.”
I frowned, feeling disorientated. “How did you find me?”
He stepped in front of me, eyes glued to mine. “I followed the storm.”
My face tensed. “Oh.” Later, when I wasn’t shaken up, I was going to ask just what exactly he and Jared had been up to. No good, I am sure and probably dangerous.
“I got here as soon as I could,” he said, an unspoken apology in his eyes.
But it hadn’t been soon enough. I lowered my eyes and turned around, needing a few minutes to collect myself. Frenzy was swimming in my veins.
“Holy Fuck!” Austin exclaimed, his eyes as large as an owl. “That. Was. Sick.”
He didn’t even know what ‘that’ was, I thought to myself.
“You really think so?” I heard Sophie ask, sounding surprised.
Excitement laced Austin’s voice. “Hell yes. What did you guys get bit by a radioactive spider or something?” Just like Austin to think we were from a comic book.
“Or something,” Gavin muttered. I could sense his eyes on me. “Bri,” he called my name.
I shook my head vigorously, keeping my back to him as I tried to fight the power that consumed me. There was this bad after taste from stealing a witch’s power. It left me feeling frazzled and hungry for more. I didn’t trust myself. “Don’t touch me,” I warned, dark and raspy.
He didn’t listen. His hand touched my shoulder.
I spun around so fast, colors swirled. “I said. Don’t touch me,” I growled, eyes blazing in the darkness.
Didn’t he get it? I just needed a few minutes to absorb this huge amount of energy I had stolen. Stolen. The word rolled around in my head. I had never stolen anything in my life. I could feel the witch’s essence inside me, flowing through my veins. It was a high like no other. Euphoric. Supreme.
I was afraid that if anyone got too close, I might lose control. It was a valid worry. A growing darkness fluttered inside me, inciting me to take more. Devour them all. Once I had a taste, I felt starved. I needed time to get the craving under control. Problem was…I just didn’t know how.
Damn it.
Brow arched. “You won’t hurt me,” he said. Reaching out, his hand brushed alongside my cheek. A spark ignited.
His touch changed everything. I sighed. The building of power evaporated into wisps of smoke, no longer enchanting me. Clear eyed, I shifted my gaze to the figure still lying on the ground. Wet pink hair splayed on the blacktop. A heavy weight settled inside me, knowing that I had done the unthinkable.
“What did you do to her?” Tori asked, stepping forward. “Is she dead?”
I had almost forgotten about my friends.
Gavin never took his eyes off me, but shook his head. “No. She’s not dead. Bri stripped her soul of magic. Every last drop. She was a witch.”
Every last drop. Those words ricocheted in my head. I thought I had stopped in time, that I hadn’t taken her to the cleaners, but looking down at her pale face, I could no longer sense the tingles of magic. Her two cronies had bolted at Gavin’s arrival and seeing me suck their friend dry. Lucky for them…but not for me.
They had seen my face. They knew my name. It was only a matter of time before they or others came looking for me. And that was really bad. My aunt. What if they stumbled upon her instead of me? What if they hurt her to get to me?
I couldn’t let that happen, but what was I supposed to do?
Slurp the magic from every witch?
That was the exact thing I was trying to avoid. Using those powers were going to destroy me, but if I didn’t…I was toast anyway.
Talk about being stuffed between a rock and a hard place. I was too drained to think, let alone plan. The magical high was dropping fast.
“A witch?” I heard both Tori and Austin echoed, bringing me back to the present.
Right. One disaster at a time.
First I had to get through this night and the explanation of what the hell they had just witnessed. By telling them, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would be putting them smack dab in
the middle of danger, but what other choice did I have, except tell them the truth.
The truth sets you free.
Well, I was about to find out if that was the case.
“Sweet,” Austin added.
Only Austin would think seeing the unexplainable was cool.
Tori’s eyes bounced between Gavin, Sophie, and me. “I-Is Brianna going to be okay?” she stammered, hugging her arms around herself.
Gavin raked a hand through his messy hair. “I hope so.”
I couldn’t help but notice that Tori stuck close to Austin side, and it made me wonder if she was afraid of me. I wouldn’t have blamed her. Hell. I scared myself.
“What just happened? I don’t understand. What is going on?” Tori demanded.
Gavin took my hand, threading our fingers together. “We’ll explain, but first we need to get Bri off the streets.”
“What do we do with her?” Sophie gestured with her eyes to the body.
His jaw worked. “I’ll come back and make sure she is…okay.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure that is wise?”
Staring at his shoulder, I bit my lip. I didn’t really believe that Gavin was going to just let her walk away into the sunset. I’ve seen another darker side of him, and I think Sophie and I both wondered just how far he would go to keep me safe.
Wordlessly, I walked to the car.
I was afraid to look at my friends—scared to see the condemnation and fear in their eyes. Not everyone would be so willing to accept what I was—a witch. It had taken me more than a minute to accept, so I could expect nothing less of them. As much as it would hurt me, I would give them space and time to come to terms with everything they were going to learn about me.
Tori’s hand shook as she fumbled with keys, trying to unlock her car.
“You’ve had quite a shock, Tori. Let me drive,” Sophie offered, holding out her hand.
Tori chewed on her lip before dropping the keys in Sophie’s palm.
Gavin pulled me into his embrace and whispered in my ear, “Don’t stress. I’ll take care of it.”
I nodded and tucked myself into the backseat of Tori’s beetle with Austin beside me. I got one last glimpse of Gavin before he disappeared into the shadows.
We barely glided out of the parking space and Austin’s mouth started flapping. “That was flipping awesome,” he raved like he just had a caffeine rush. “Don’t get me wrong. It was some seriously messed up voodoo shit, but babygirl…that was badass.”
I couldn’t believe. I just couldn’t believe. Austin didn’t hang me on the spot with a noose or burn me at the stake. “Thanks…I think.”
He shifted excitedly in his seat. “So you are like a witch?”
“She isn’t like anything. She is a witch,” Sophie replied, peeking at us from the rearview mirror.
Tori turned around in her seat, her light brown ponytail swished through the air. “Did you always know that you were...?”
“A witch,” I supplied, sensing her disbelief.
Tori fidgeted with the strap of her seatbelt. I couldn’t fault her for being uncomfortable, because I was feeling pretty awkward right about now.
“No. I just found out this year. Gavin told me.”
“So hot and smexy is a witch too?” Austin asked.
I could only assume he was talking about Gavin. Austin looked to be rolling the idea around in his head, testing it out. I nodded. “Yup.”
“Christ. That explains why he is so piping hot.”
Only Austin. “I guess, but I don’t really think being a witch automatically means you are guaranteed to be swoony-worthy.”
He leaned forward. “I beg to differ. You. Lukas. Gavin. Sophie. I haven’t met Jared, but yeah…so far everyone on that list is categorized as smokin’ hot.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I have so many questions. You caused that wicked storm back there, didn’t you?”
Ding. Ding. Ding. Give that man a gold star. “Just one of my many talents.”
He angled in his seat toward me. “Just how many more do you have?”
The list seemed to be growing. I shrugged, eyeballing a piece of fuzz on the back of Tori’s seat. “I can summon dreams.”
“I always knew you were a badass,” he said, grinning.
I stared. He was giving me a brain freeze, and my lip was starting to throb. I tried to answer the gazillion questions Austin kept throwing at me, while Tori stay silent, just listening. It worried me. I glanced at the dash, checking out the time. My body was screaming to lie down.
“I can’t believe you never told us.” Hurt laced Tori’s voice, and it tugged at my heart. She had been quiet most of the drive.
My eyes begged her to understand from my perspective. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how to tell you without sounding like a total whack job.”
Tori looked away, chewing on her lip. “Nothing is ever going to be the same.”
Nope. Divinely normal ended the moment I exposed myself. I struggled for something to say, but nothing would erase what she had seen, what she now knew. At least Austin had handled the truth with more vigor than I deserved.
The little car slipped lower into gear as we approached Holly Ridge. I stared out the window, losing myself in the blurring trees that crowded the sides of the road. There was lightness in my chest. Even though my friends had found out my dark secret, I still wished it had been on my terms, when I had been ready, instead forced upon. Yet now that they knew, I was relieved.
No more lies.
No more hiding.
No more secrets.
There was only one more person left. I could just imagine that conversation.
Hey, Aunt Clara, Gavin is a witch. And so am I. Except I stripe other witches of their magic, absorbing their powers. Just one small hitch, it damages my soul. No biggie. Any questions?
Yeah, that so wasn’t going to go well.
I knew that I had to tell her the truth…eventually.
The sight of my house and the little glowing light in the kitchen window warmed my heart. Sophie assured me that she would see to it that my friends got home safe. I sent her a quick text when I dragged my butt through my bedroom door, thanking her again for everything. Then I tossed my phone on the dresser and collapsed.
Alone, tears climbed up my throat. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d done tonight. How could I look at myself in the mirror and not see a monster? The power I had, the enjoyment it gave me, and the thirst for more all filled me with guilt.
Sleep eluded me and probably would for many nights to come. Lying on the bed, staring at nothing, I thought about evading Lukas’s dreams, but I realized I wanted someone else. It wasn’t that I didn’t think Lukas could distract me. I just wanted a different kind of distraction; because I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing the girl with her pink hair sprawled on the ground. It was an image I wanted burned from my memory, and maybe if I knew that she was alive, it would lesson my guilt.
Hey, if I wasn’t going to get any beauty rest, than I might as well do something productive. I should have been all out of juice, but I was guessing the magic I stole rejuvenated my energy.
Just handy-dandy.
Letting my eyes drift shut, tingles mingled as I guide them into the realm of dreams. At first I stumbled around in the dark before I find the star-like lights that led to millions and millions of dreams. I pictured Gavin’s masculine beauty and whispered his name, waiting…
Chapter 16
I refused to force my will upon him. It would be his choice to let me in…if he was asleep. By now it was well after midnight and the rest of the world was fast asleep with sugarplums dancing in their heads. Not me.
Why hadn’t I done this more?
My heart skipped when I felt our dreams merge, two pieces that finally clicked.
The blackness around me was swept away in a tunnel of blurring speed. I blinked a few times, adjusting to my new surroundings.
&n
bsp; Just like a guy to dream about being a rock star. Not that I expected unicorns and rainbows, but this…it made my lips twitch. I guess those little kid dreams still live in us all, and I could picture Gavin as a little boy rockin’ out in a make believe stadium just like this. Although I imagined it would have been packed with screaming, adoring fans instead of empty.
Thank God he wasn’t wearing tight leather pants. I might not have been able to keep it together.
The click of my heels echoed as I walked down the aisle toward center stage.
Wait. Heels?
WTF.
I glanced down at my feet, seeing silvery cage-like high heels—emphasis on high. I’d be lucky I didn’t break my neck before I got there. But that wasn’t the only thing that caught my attention. I was dressed in a skintight dress that clung to my every curve.
Oh. He was funny.
I heard a chuckle, and my head snapped up. There he was, alone with just a stool and a guitar. Fireflies jetted into my belly, and I missed a step when he flashed me a sexy smirk.
Now he’s done it.
Even my heart sighed at the sight of him in ripped jeans and a black t-shirt. It wasn’t fair how just a glimpse could send me into cardiac arrest. And just like that my mind when blank and I forgot what I’d been running from. Mission accomplished. I got my distraction.
He had one leg propped up on the stool crossbar with the acoustic guitar resting in his lap. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” His voice carried through the stadium.
I regained my composure and made my way up the stage. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Understanding crept into his eyes. “You had quite an undertaking tonight. Only makes sense that your mind would be racing.”
Racing? It was running a bloody marathon. “So this is what you dream about? Classic.”
He strummed a cord on the guitar with his thumb. “There is nothing classic about me.”
I kicked off the strappy shoes. “Thanks for the duds by the way. They really make a statement.”
His blue eyes sparkled. “It suits you.”