by J. L. Weil
He thoughtfully regarded me and said, “I can’t tell you want to believe, but I have always thought there was something unique about you.”
“And if I don’t want it?” I argued.
“Do you really have a choice if it is who you are? Do you really want to deny such a powerful gift?”
“I don’t know,” I sighed more discouraged than before.
“I think you owe it to yourself to find out if that is who you are,” he advised.
Maybe he had a point. What would it hurt to try? Maybe I owed it to myself and to Gavin. “You might be right,” I conceded.
He put his arm around me in comfort and I rested my head on his arm. “It doesn’t have to change you as a person, if that is what you are worried about.”
“How can it not?”
He brushed a piece of hair from my face. “Don’t let it defined you. You need to take control of the power if it is yours. It doesn’t control you,” his honey voice had softened.
Easier said than done, but I knew he was right. “Okay,” I agreed. “It’s worth a shot.”
His dark green eyes smiled at me, highlighted by the blond of his hair. “Brianna the witch – has a nice ring to it.”
Reaching behind me I smacked him in the back of the head with my pillow, not missing this time. His laughed resounded off my bedroom walls.
“You’ll regret that Lukas Devine. Just wait…” I playfully threatened him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he replied.
Laying my head back on his shoulder I closed my eyes and was cloaked by his radiance. He brushed a light kiss on my forehead. When I opened them again, I was alone.
Chapter 24
BY THE THIRD DAY, I knew that I had to get up and face the truth. I couldn’t hibernate in my room forever. My aunt was already worried sick about my state and I didn’t want to upset her further. Picking up my phone off the nightstand, I dismissed the gazillion text messages and missed calls. Tori, Austin, Sophie and Gavin had appeared to alternately contact me in some form. I figured it was only a matter of time before one of them thrust their presence upon me. And just because I may decide to resume my life in the real world, didn’t mean I was exactly ready to talk with Gavin. I knew I couldn’t avoid him indefinitely but tomorrow at school would be soon enough – if I was that lucky.
I think I had finally come to terms with my decision – not that I really had a choice. If I did indeed have magic, it wasn’t just going to get up and walk away because I decided I didn’t want it. From what I have already experienced it didn’t work that way. It had already found ways to weave into my life without my knowledge. Accepting it and learning to control it seemed like the better solution.
What I planned on telling my aunt was another story. Right now when I wasn’t even comfortable with the idea, probably wasn’t the best time. For me it was better if I didn’t tell her what I was or what I could possible do. When the time came, if the time came, I would tackle it then.
My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my phone and I was tempted to throw it across the room or flush it down the toilet. School must have gotten out and for three days I had been absent from class and from my friends.
Walking down the hall, I headed for the stairs to grab something substantial to eat. My appetite returned in a vengeance. Rounding the corner to the kitchen a voice startled me from behind. Pitching a scream worthy of breaking glass, a hand wrapped around my mouth stifling the shout of terror. His scent hit me all at once – wild woods. I stopped struggling and relaxed in his arms. I seriously have had enough of people sneaking around in my house for one day.
“What are you doing here?” I screeched. My mind told me I should be mad at him for scaring the life out of me, but it had been too long since I had seen him. Turning to face him, my eyes ate him up. He was wearing all black and looked like he stepped out of an edgier Hollister ad. Hmmm and smelled just as good. My heart jumped out of my chest for entirely different reasons than being frightened to death. I could be as angry or upset as I wanted to be, but it never changed the way my body reacted to him.
“I was worried about you. You haven’t been to school in three days. You don’t answer your phone. You don’t text back. What am I suppose think?”
I don’t know maybe that I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone. “I needed some time.” I opened the fridge and grabbed us something to drink, trying to be still my over zealous heart. “How did you get in here?”
He raised his eyebrow. “You really think a locked door is going to keep me out? I was afraid you wouldn’t see me,” he answered taking a seat across from at the table.
“You were probably right,” I said popping the top on my coke.
“Bri I truly never meant to hurt you,” his eyes were filled with regret and pain and the sight tore at my heart. I had indirectly hurt him. “I only wanted to help. I know this is scary for you. When I saw you struggling with your control I knew I had to do something. If you let me and Sophie we will help you any way that we can. I promise.”
I propped my head on my hand. “I know. I was going to talk to you after school tomorrow. This whole witch thing is still… unreal to me,” I confessed, letting the exasperation show.
“Let us show you what to do. We can figure it out together. I know Sophie would love to find out what you can do. She has been very difficult in your absence – not the easiest witch to deal with,” he confessed.
I could only imagine. She was stubborn when she wanted to be.
“She’s quite mad at me also, if that makes you feel any better,” he added, leaning back against his chair, looking out of sorts.
“I’m not mad at you anymore. The shock has more or less worn off,” I admitted. “To be honest I am still not hundred percent convinced I’m a witch, but I am willing to try. I need to know for sure one way or the other.”
“Good, now I can tell Sophie to stop trying to hex me.”
I gave him a half smile. “Not on my account.”
He eyed me across the table with just a hint of a smirk. “She was so mad at me for what I done, she refused to talk to me the rest of the day and then when she was speaking to me, she was yelling at me about what an idiot I was.”
“She such a good friend,” I said taking a sip of my coke.
He snorted. “Lately I’d say your taste in friends is questionable. Look what you got yourself into.” He smiled dangerously at me over the table.
“You’re telling me,” I agreed with him.
“Come over tomorrow after school?” he asked.
“I can’t. I have work,” I said, remembering that I needed to resume my responsibilities which included my shift at the shop.
“Fine, the day after that,” he suggested, slightly annoyed that I had to work.
“Alright,” I agreed.
“I’ll pick you up after school.”
I nodded my head. Witchcraft 101 here I come.
Chapter 25
WHEN GAVIN AND I ARRIVED at his house the following day Sophie and Jared were waiting for us outside around back.
“This is going to fun,” Jared said all geared up. His dimples winked on either side of his cheeks mischievously. “Don’t worry I’ll go easy on you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You didn’t think we were going to miss out your first day of boot camp, did you?” Sophie asked smiling innocently.
Seeing Jared suddenly reminded me that I still didn’t know what magic he could do. “Jared,” I called bringing his attention to me instead of what ever joke he planned to prank. “Gavin promised me you would tell me what you can do,” I informed him.
Jared’s eyes twinkled, but it was Gavin’s voice behind me who answered. “Not tell Jared, show her,” he told him coming to stand next to me and taking my hand.
“I’d be delighted to,” he w
as gleaming in roguery. His dimples winked on either side of his cheeks.
Right before my eyes Jared effortlessly began to change. His form shifted so quick to the eye that I almost didn’t believe – or see it. A gray and white coated wolf stood where Jared had moments before, his eyes the same piecing blue as Gavin’s. In a blink of an eye Jared had transformed into was a beautiful fierce looking wolf.
I walked up to the wolf, needed to see for myself that he was real indeed. Kneeling to his level, I scratched the sides of his fluffy neck. His fur was much softer than I expected. Jared the wolf closed his eyes in appreciation at the neck rub.
At this point I was becoming good at weird. “Wow,” I exclaimed. “You’re a shiftshaper. That is seriously wicked. Any chance I’ll be able to do that?” I asked standing back up.
Just as smoothly as before Jared returned to his human form. The three of them looked at me like I had grown horns. I think they had expected me to freak out or faint.
“You never fail to surprise me,” Gavin commented. “Just when I think I understand you, you blindside me again. Why is it you don’t bat an eye when Jared shifts, but you lock yourself away for days when I said you were witch?”
I eyed him levelly and shrugged. Even I don’t understand how my mind works, why would I expect anyone else to. “Maybe I’m getting use to the unusual. I should since I am one.”
“At least you’re started to believe,” Sophie replied. “Common on let’s see what you can do,” she said excite brewing in her eyes.
“Where do we start?” I asked, having no idea what in the world I was supposed to doing. This wasn’t exactly like learning how to play battleship.
I sat across from Sophie on the grass. Jared and Gavin were behind us.
Sophie’s started in a no BS voice, “Well, now that you are aware of the energy inside you it should be a little easier for you to focus on it. We need to get you to feel the energy so that you will be able to command it.”
Okay sounded simple enough.
“Close your eyes,” she instructed. I did as she said. “Now relax your breathing. Gavin says that your power is at its strongest when you are angry. I want you to find that energy source that feeds your anger. That is where we are going to pull your powers from. You need to be able to access it at your whim, not just when your emotions are out of control.”
No longer did this sound simple as pie. “I don’t know what I am looking for,” I admitted feeling a little defeated.
“Just like your heart beats, magic has its own sound so to speak. For some it’s a vibration, for others it’s a humming, but its there in your blood pumping alongside your heart. Once you recognize the source you can begin to tap into it,” she explained. “I want you to listen, find the energy within you.”
Listening I heard the rolling waves of the ocean, the evenness of my breathing, in and out. Focusing deeper on myself I picked up the stable rhythm of my heartbeats, pumping strong against my chest. And there keeping time with my heart was a steady hum, traveling throughout my body. I could follow its movements extending from one side to the other.
“I can feel it,” I whispered to Sophie.
“Good,” she said with a smile in her tone. “Now let’s use it. Your powers seem to have an affinity with the elements according to what Gavin has seen. Concentrate on something from nature.”
Something from nature. The first thing that came to mind was butterflies. I pictured the little soft pale yellow butterfly I sometimes saw hovering in the large tree outside my house. How its tiny wings sunbathed on the tree limps during the summer. There was a little tingle at the base of my spine.
Biting my lip, I opened my eyes and saw nothing. “It didn’t work,” I said deflated. She could see the disappointment in my violet eyes.
“There won’t always be so much preparation. Just like anything new the more you practice, the more in tune you will be with your powers.” She looked above my head at Gavin and Jared. “You guys need to leave, you’re distracting her. Especially you,” she said pointedly to Gavin.
I could feel him smirking behind me, but neither protested as I heard them walk back inside the house. My cheeks bloomed in color at her insinuation. Groaning in frustration, I complained, “Why was it so simple before with Gavin?”
“Because you are fighting it. Before you didn’t know what you could do. You opened yourself up on faith and trust, but you are unwilling to trust in yourself. It is holding you back. Believe,” she told me.
Believe that I was a witch – believe in myself. Take a leap of faith on myself. That was asking a lot. With a deep breath I closed my eyes again. Harboring all my determination and attention, I imaged the butterfly, except this time I multiplied by a dozen. Maybe if I envisioned more it would help boost my magic. Whenever I thought of spelling before I thought of hocus pocus rhythms. I couldn’t decide if this was harder or easier harnessing the power this way.
The tingling I’d felt before tripled and expounded throughout my body, filling me with a heady feeling that I craved more of. My mind wanted to get swept away in the sensation.
“Brianna,” I heard Sophie call my name. “Brianna!” It wasn’t till the third or fourth time that her voice penetrated through my thickening concentration.
This time when I opened my eyes a whole new sight greeted me. Hundreds of butterflies in vibrant colors danced in the air around me. Purples, blues, turquoise, pinks – I’ve never seen such beautiful species before. Their delicate wings fluttering against my cheeks like tissue paper. Holding out my hand, a lilac one with black spots landed on the tip of my finger. Laughing I realized that magic didn’t have to be scary, dark or unnatural – it could be wonderful.
I looked to the large picture window and saw Gavin grinning at me through the glass. His dark poetic features reflecting the excitement I felt. Turning to Sophie, she was staring at me.
“Holy crap. I didn’t think I was going to be able to reach you,” she said with butterflies in her hair.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked, as they started to spread out.
“Are you kidding me?” she said smiling. “You just blew the roof off that spell. There must be two hundred butterflies. Very impressive. He was right,” she commented. “I’ve never felt so much energy before and you weren’t even at full potential.”
My smile faded a little from my lips. It worried my each time one of them mentioned on how theoretically strong my magic could be. I didn’t want all that responsibility and I didn’t want to be different. Once in my life I wanted to be like everyone else, or in this case like other witches.
Gavin and Jared came back outside swatting at my butterflies.
“You’re a natural,” Jared stated, his dimples making an appearance.
“Great,” I muttered.
Gavin must have noticed my change in spirit. He came to my side. “Let’s go to my room. I think we’ve had enough witchery for one day.”
“Thanks Sophie,” I called over my shoulder as we headed for the house. Most of the butterflies had taken off in flight.
“What’s wrong?” he asked the moment we stepped into his room. It was just as I remembered it and smelled just like him.
I sighed. “Everyone keeps telling me how much power I have. I don’t want it all. I don’t want to be some super witch.”
“I don’t see how you have much choice in the matter.”
“That’s just it. I’m scared of it. What if I can’t control it? You’ve told me that I’ve used it before and I never even knew.”
“You used magic on me the first time we kissed,” he revealed taking a step closer to me. The air suddenly charged with my aggravation and his aggression.
I don’t know how that was supposed to make me feel better, because it didn’t. If anything I felt worse. “What are you talking about?”
“I felt it that night, unde
r the moon. You demanded me to kiss you. Your eyes lit with this incredible dark violet. The moon reflected in your sultry eyes.”
“Are you saying I made you kiss me?” Dread wove in my belly at the anticipation of his answer.
“No… It wouldn’t have worked if I hadn’t wanted too. You just nudged what I was already thinking,” he said backing me into a corner.
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. Would everything in my life me so complicated? “I can’t believe that I used magic to make you kiss me,” I said in mortification, completely unaware that he had me cornered.
“You didn’t make me Bri,” he said, but I wasn’t listening anymore.
“I’m sorry,” I uttered and turned to leave.
He blocked my exit, grabbing onto my arm his fingers melted into my skin he was so hot. “I’m not,” he said and then the world rocked on its axis.
He cupped the back of my head and brought his mouth down on mine. My back hit the wall of his bedroom as he deepened the kiss and I relished in his taste – dark and sinful. The scent of him heightened every tiny blissful tingle. My world shattered. Ravenously my fingers curled into his dark hair and yanked him closer. Too much space sat between us, and I couldn’t get close enough. Even as the contours of his body molded against mine, it didn’t satisfy the craving for him. I sank into his lips, basking on the feel of his silver hoop teasing mine. The undeniable urge to tug on it was almost too much to resist. Moaning on an explosion of hunger, his hands roamed, skimming the sides of my breast. A shiver raced down my spine at the contact.
His mouth was just a breath away. “Tell me I didn’t make you do that,” I whispered.
“No, you didn’t,” he sighed. “I don’t want to let you go,” he confessed.
“Don’t,” I pleaded.
“I don’t know that I have a choice,” he admitted struggling with his emotions. “There is so much you don’t understand… I don’t understand.”
“What more do you need to know? I thought me being a witch was what you wanted. Now you’re telling me that you don’t know what you want?” The mood was blown and I was tired of feeling misplaced and disconcerted. I wasn’t a yoyo.