Luminescence (Luminescence Trilogy)

by J. L. Weil

  Okay that all made sense. Good and evil always existed. I kind of expected that. What I didn’t except is for Lukas to know so much about it.

  He must have seen the emotions flickering in my eyes. “Brianna I’m not trying to hurt you, just the opposite. I’m trying to look out for you,” he argued.

  I sunk into the sand next to him. “I just don’t know about anything anymore. I feel like I’ve lost grip on reality,” I admitted, shifting gains of sand through my fingers.

  “You haven’t,” he assured, bumping his shoulder with mine. “This is just beginning.”

  Crap. That’s what I was afraid of.

  Chapter 17

  I SAT BEHIND THE COUNTER at Mystic’s. My aunt was changing the display for the next season in the front window. Organizing a list of stock that threatened to make me cross-eyed, I took a break sipping on some sweet tea. My aunt had her sleeves rolled up as she worked. Kicking back in my stool I watched her drape a bronze fabric over the sill. She caught me watching her and grinned.

  “How was Morris Landing last night? Did you guys have a good time?” she asked.

  “It was defiantly filled with terror,” I said thinking about my near death experience. Eliminating that tidbit sounded like a good idea. The last think I needed was her worrying about me every time I left the house.

  “I don’t know how you guys find that trail fun. It still gives me the heebie-jeebies and I haven’t been there in years.”

  She had me there. That was going to be the last time I stepped into Morris Landing voluntarily.

  “Though with Gavin there, I doubt you had much to be frightened of,” she commented, smiling at me mischievously.

  “You have no idea,” I muttered under my breath. Her insinuation hit so close to home.

  “You know I haven’t seen Tori or Austin in here for a while. How are they?” she asked.

  Tori and Austin would occasionally stop into the store when I worked on Saturday’s to keep me company and bug the hell out of me all at once. The guilt that we were drifting somehow made me sick and for my aunt to notice, made it worse.

  “Ummm, they’re good. You are never going to guess what the two of them dressed up as last night.” My aunt was very fond of them both and found them humorously entertaining.

  “I can only imagine,” she said as she started to stack some items on the display.

  My aunt wasn’t the biggest fan of musicals but I was, so she suffered through them more times than I could count. “Brad and Janet,” I told her and aimlessly played with the straw in my sweet tea.

  She was shaking her head smirking. “I should have known it was going to be from Rocky Horror Picture Show. The three of you watched it every Halloween.”

  True we had, except this one, again with the guilt.

  I picked back up my inventory list and started reconciling the items, trying to not think about what a horrible friend I was.

  ***

  The bell never rang above the door, but it didn’t matter. Where he was concerned, I had an internal alarm. I knew he was there the moment he opened the door. His reckless scent fanned my senses and made my slightly dizzy. He wore jeans and white tee that hugged his chest.

  “Did you use magic?” I whispered when he reached me.

  He smirked. All the answer I needed.

  “Are you trying to sneak up on me?” I asked. “You aren’t afraid someone will see you?”

  “Most people are too preoccupied to notice something so small,” he replied, excitement was brewing in his face. He was up to something.

  I guess that meant I didn’t count as most people. “Oh, I forgot. I have your hoodie. If I’d known you were coming I would have brought it in.”

  “Keep it,” he replied grinning. “I brought you something,” he said watching me.

  I narrowed my gaze.

  “Hold out your hand,” he prompted.

  I laid my hand palm open on the glass counter and looked into his smiling eyes.

  “Now close your eyes.”

  I glared at him.

  “Close them,” he laughed.

  Closing my eyes, I waited for whatever surprise he had in store. A cool metal touched my palm, followed by the weight of something more. I didn’t need to open my eyes to see what it was. Just like I knew he had stepped into the shop I knew he had found my necklace. Closing my palm around the stones, the smoothness was reassuring.

  “You found it,” I said grinning and opened my eyes to be swallowed by pools of shimmering sapphire.

  “I told you I would,” he reminded me.

  “And I told you not to…” I scolded. “Thank you. I’m really glad you did.”

  He took the necklace from my grasp. “Turn around.”

  Doing as I was told, I lifted the hair off the back of my neck. He unclasped the necklace and settled it around my throat. His fingers grazed the sides, spearing alertness in every tingling nerve. I shuddered involuntarily and silently mourned the loss of contact. Turning back around, I touched the stones at my throat.

  “They’ll help you sleep,” he said, reminding me of the peculiar lady from the shop. It just occurred to me that she could have very well been a witch. I made a mental note to ask Sophie next time I saw her.

  “Do they really have properties like that?” I asked curiously. “The place I bought this said the same thing,” I admitted.

  He came around the counter, moved the other stool closer to me and sat down. The fireflies started buzzing. “They do. Crystal and stones each have their own function. Some work stronger than others, depending on how well they are received. These two together, the moonstone and amethyst,” he paused and fingered the stones at my neck, causing an all new set of thrills to swirl in my belly. “Work harmoniously together – especially for you. If I had to pick, these are the ones I would have choose for you,” he informed, letting the stones fall back on my throat. Our knees bumped casually.

  “Do you have any stones or crystals?” I was utterly caught in the tone of his voice and his words. He might as well have spellbound me; I was so enamored by him.

  He pulled two crystals from his pocket. “Mine are black onyx and obsidian. Protection against black magic,” he stated seriously, losing a little of the glint in his eyes.

  “Is there a lot of that – black magic?” My thoughts turned to my dream last night – the warning.

  “More than I want to admit. I don’t want to scare you Bri,” he said. “Magic can be wonderful and exuberating, but with everything there is a price. It isn’t meant to be misused. And there are plenty people out there willing to do just that. Just as there is light in this world, there is dark.”

  This conversation was beginning to eerily mirror my dream.

  “Have you ever done dark magic,” I hesitantly asked, afraid just what the answer might be. Lukas had to be wrong. Gavin wouldn’t hurt me.

  His eyes roamed to the tile floor in the shop and for just a second I held my breath with the possibility I might be wrong. “No, I’ve never given myself over to darkness…but I knew some who did.” His express was filled with pain and hurt as he spoke. “And lost them because of it,” he finally said with and edgy torment.

  “I’m so sorry Gavin,” I replied, enclosing his hand with mine, offering him comfort. He stared down at our joined hands.

  Toying with a ring I wore on my right finger, he twirled the knotted silver band. “I like hearing you say my name,” he softly spoke.

  Gravitating towards him, I wanted to close the distance between us. It didn’t matter that I was working or that anyone could come strolling through the door. The only thing that matter was him. I was absurdly disappointed when he pulled back and it showed all over my face. I had to suppress the groan that formed at my lips. What I should have been was thankful that someone was thinking clearly, instead I pouted. Why coul
dn’t he loose all his control, his focus like me? Why was I the only one suffering?

  Just as I was about to voice something stupid, my aunt came through the back door. “Hi Gavin. I didn’t hear you come in.” She smiled at him.

  “Funny either did I,” I muttered.

  “I should probably let you get back to work,” he said as he got up from his seat. “It was nice seeing you again Clara.” My aunt had insisted that he call her by her first name. He paused as he got around the glass counter and looked back at me. “You want to hang out after work tonight?” he asked catching me off guard.

  “Sure, pick me at my house?” I wanted to go home and freshen up.

  Watching him walk out the door, I sighed.

  Chapter 18

  RACING HOME AFTER WORK I quickly jumped in the shower. I had less than an hour before he showed up at my door. My aunt was downstairs catching up on some reading. Washing my hair in my favorite scented shampoo, I made a last minute decision to shave my legs. The nights were still warm and since I didn’t have a clue what we were doing I figured it was best to be prepared for any scenario.

  Slathering on some lotion, I went to my closet to find something to wear. His hoodie lay on the back of the chair and made me smile. The scent of him still lingered on the material – teasing me. Turning back to my closet I slipped on a thigh-length simple white dress, deciding to go with something between dressy and casual. Sitting in front of my vanity, I misted my favorite scent and fussed with my hair. Adding a quick layer of mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss, I finished as the roar of his engine sounded outside my opened window. The fireflies began to prance in my belly. Swiping the wristlet off my dresser, I ran down the stairs. It was a wonder I didn’t break my neck.

  The doorbell rang before I hit the bottom stair. I heard my aunt’s voice as I rounded the corner, slowing my haste. He was standing in the entryway with my aunt looking dark and dashing. I found it hard to believe that out of all the girls at school, he wanted to go out with me.

  “You ready?” he asked me.

  Nodding my head, I said good-night to my aunt and followed him out to his car.

  “Where are we going?” He had started to pull out of the driveway.

  The engine thundered as he punched the gas speeding ridiculous away from town. “You’ll see,” he responded smirking secretly.

  I sat back in my seat and waited impatiently for our destination to be known.

  The lights of Wilmington lit the night as we approved the riverwalk. A tint of blood orange hit the coastline, spreading shadows over the quaint shops. Trees twinkled with decorated strands of lights along the plaza. This little coastal place was like a slice of history with its canopy vendors, planked walkways and charming historical buildings.

  “I love the riverwalk. How did you hear about this place?” I asked.

  “Your aunt told me how much you like coming here.”

  “It’s so pretty at night.” I couldn’t help but be flattered by his thoughtfulness.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “Sure. There is a really great place right on the water,” I volunteered. “They have the best chicken scampi.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  The restaurant was situation facing the ocean and back-dropped by the lights of downtown Wilmington. For this time of night the restaurant will filled with plenty of night-goers. We only had to wait a few minutes to be seated at our table. The view of our booth gazed out over the oceanic boardwalk. There was a cozy, warm atmosphere with the laughter and decadent scents.

  The waiter took our drink orders and Gavin fumbled with his fork. ”So I’ve been meaning to ask you…we haven’t had a chance to talk. Are you really okay with me being a witch? I haven’t scared you off have I?”

  Shaking my head I smiled encouraging at him. I don’t think it was possible for him scare off the insane feelings I had towards him. “Not hardly.”

  “Good.” He returned my smile.

  The waiter came back with our drinks and we gave him our dinner orders, we both ended up getting the chicken scampi. My mouth watered in anticipation, the food here was out of this world good.

  I took a sip through the straw of my coke. “So I wanted to ask you if there any other witches in Holly Ridge?”

  “No not really. Only one or two that I have seen.” He appeared a little uncomfortable and it made me wonder if maybe I knew them.

  “Do they go to our school?” I asked.

  He shrugged divulging nothing.

  “So they do go to our school.” He had my attention now. I wracked through my brain trying to figure out who in the world it could be and came up blank. Looking at Gavin across the booth, I realized he wasn’t going to give anyway and details. So frustrating. There was nothing worse than someone teasing you with a secret and then not sharing the secret.

  Sighing, I went back to sipping my soda as our food arrived. The smell of garlic and pasta was enough to take my mind off it and remind my stomach how hungry I was.

  After dinner we stepped out into the glittering balmy night.

  “Do you want to go down the riverwalk?” Gavin asked, as we were leaving the restaurant.

  “I would love too.”

  Strolling along the boardwalk, the gentle evening breeze teased the ends of my dress. I imagined this was what a perfect date felt like. For all his dark and brooding qualities deep down there was an extremely great guy, nothing about him didn’t make me feel safe. Happily content to walk by his side, I was sure I was the luckiest girl in the universe. The other girls at school could keep their homecoming and proms – I had a witch.

  Walking to the end of the dock I leaned up against the railing, inhaling the fresh, crisp ocean mist. Looking out at the still waters I watched the moons reflection glistening. His elbow brushed up against mine as he came to stand next to me.

  “It’s so peaceful. I can’t imagine not leaving near the ocean.” I’ve grown up with it practically in my backyard. It would be like not having a park or a playground.

  We sat there enjoying the music of the splashing waves and the company of each other. Lost in the moment, I looked at Gavin when I felt the air shift with a tingling of magic. I don’t know how I knew he was using his gift. Something awoke a sense in me and wondered what he was up to.

  He stared into my violet eyes. “Your name is written in the stars,” he said, pointing to the night sky over the midnight tranquil waters.

  Looking in the direction he indicated I expected some cheesy gesture. Yet what I saw was impressive. The sight he created struck a cord in my romantic heart. Millions of twilight stars dotting above formed the letters of my name.

  “Incredible.” There was no down playing the awe in my voice.

  With a wave of his hand the twinkling stars scattered. I watched memorized as they reshaped into a perfect single stemmed rose.

  Laughing I met his eyes. “I guess being a witch has its high points. That was… magically.” I didn’t have any other words to describe it.

  “I wanted to show you the fun part of being a witch. We’re not finished yet.”

  The ocean sky before us broke out into a spectacular firework display worthy of Fourth of July. Colors exploded against the black night and his hand closed around mine as we watched the booming spectacle.

  “What is everyone going to think?”

  He shrugged. “That the city put on an impromptu show.”

  Hanging out with a witch was proving to be pretty memorable.

  When the fireworks ended we headed down the riverwalk towards his car. Hand in hand he lead me though the downtown lights. Most of the shops were closed and only a few bars remained open for patrons. Turning down the alley his car was parked, I couldn’t help but grin at the night we had. Never in my wildest expectations had I imagined a night like this. I felt I could ride on the emotio
nal high for months.

  Lost in blissful happiness I was shocked when I felt Gavin stiffen beside. Before I realized what has caused him to become alarmed, I heard the extra shoes clanking behind us along with the sporadic laughter. Not a pleasing laughter either, it was the kind that made my skin crawl and my stomach lurch in fear. Taking a quick glance over my shoulders, I saw the three shadowy figures trailing us.

  “Keep walking,” Gavin whispered in my ear, drawing me closer to him.

  Their footsteps echoing throughout the alley started to pickup speed as they realized we made them. I snuck another peek over my shoulder. An instinctual action I couldn’t stop. Like in the horror movies Tori, Austin and I were always watching, the girl who got sliced was always checking over her shoulder at her attacker. We would yell at the girl on the screen who never failed to get sliced and diced.

  They had covered more ground than I had imagined. If we didn’t start running they were going to catch us. I started to pant from fear and trying to keep up with Gavin’s long strides.

  “Hey waituupp,” one of the guys called out from behind us, slurring his words. “We only wantssto talk.”

  They had obviously been drinking if their inability to speak was any indicator.

  “Stay behind me,” Gavin ordered as be pushed me behind his back.

  My hand grasped his forearm and his muscled bunched under my fingers. “Gavin don’t,” I pleaded when I realized his intent. I got that he was a witch, but three on one were not very good odds – witch or not, I didn’t want him getting hurt.

  “Bri. I am serious.” His voice was one I’d never heard before – hard and unyielding. “Stay out of the way. You got that?” He looked quickly over at me to make sure I got his point. His eyes were pools of blazing blue fire. They radiated with danger, anger and something darker.

  I gulped and nodded.

  “Hmmm what do we have hear.” The one with light hair said as they stopped in front of us. “Isn’t she something.”