Channie’s voice wavered as her heart hammered in her chest. The lump in her throat made it difficult to speak, but Josh deserved to know the truth. So, she told him everything she knew about the book, including how it was created. “I thought it would show us how to break Chastity’s curse. I should have known better.” She’d known it was evil before she ever touched the damn thing. The book had seduced her by promising to break Chastity’s curse. But at what cost? “If we aren’t careful, this book will kill us.”
Josh shifted his hips and used his free hand to guide Channie’s head into the hollow of his shoulder. “Don’t cry, baby. We’ll just do what ever the book says, no matter what. Okay? I’ll do everything in my power to protect you. I promise.”
His strength filled Channie’s heart with courage. She dried her eyes on his robe and said, “I love you, Joshua Abrim.”
The book began to glow. And smoke. Except this time, the smoke was pale yellow instead of black, and smelled like Josh instead of tar.
Channie lifted her chin and gazed into his eyes.
He stared back at her with such intensity, she felt as if he could see her very soul. “And I love you, Enchantment Belks.” Not Channie, not Chastity, but Enchantment.
The book released a burst of silvery green smoke that smelled of lavender and sage. Enchantment’s smokey essence mingled with Josh’s and cocooned them both within a tapestry of love and magic.
Their unique incense cleansed and purified the room as well as Channie’s eyes, nose, throat and lungs. A warm tingle of magic caressed her hand as it slid free from the book.
Flames danced across the blank page. An image appeared. It was a detailed drawing of a boy and girl that looked a lot like Channie and Josh. But this was no ordinary sketch, not even by magical standards.
Channie watched, mesmerized, as the drawing portrayed her most desperate wish.
The couple raced across the page towards each other. The boy wrapped his arms around the girl and picked her up off her feet. There was something desperate in their embrace, as if one of them had just returned from a long journey, or war. The boy lowered the girl to the ground and cupped her face in his hands.
Channie could almost feel the texture of Josh’s skin as the couple on the page leaned in and pressed their lips together in a passionate, but tender kiss. It wasn’t chaste, but it wasn’t lustful either. It was the perfect fairytale kiss of true love. The image faded and Channie wanted to cry. The flames appeared again but this time they scorched the page with a written message.
Tender hearts full of hope and courage
Heed the warnings, but be not discouraged.
A love pure and true is yours if you dare
To open your hearts and lay your souls bare.
For every choice there is a cost
And the things you lose are forever lost.
You have until the full moon sets
To bind your hearts with no regrets.
But first remove the crimson stain
Though it burns your flesh with unbearable pain.
With your touch, ignite the fire
And cleanse the one you most desire.
You have until the dawn doth break
To suffer for each other’s sake.
But if you leave a single spot,
Eternal pain will be your lot.
Then wait until the moon is new
Lest this tome be sealed to you.
You have one chance to learn the spell
And break the curse. Use it well.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Josh scowled and started to turn the page. Channie grabbed his bare wrist. Agony seared her palm. She jerked away from him and cried out in pain.
Josh swore, then immediately asked Channie if she were all right.
“I don’t know.” Channie didn’t remember closing her eyes or flinging her hand away from her body. But her eyelids were squeezed shut and her arm was out to the side and slightly behind her back. “My hand. It hurts so much.” Please, please, please. Make it quit.
“Let me see.” Josh’s voice was kind, but sharp around the edges. Channie gathered her courage then brought her hand to the front of her body and forced her eyes open. She expected to see charred flesh clinging to bare bones. But all she saw was healthy, pink skin. Pink...not scarlet...not stained. The pain faded to a dull ache and then disappeared completely.
“Josh, show me your arm.”
He pulled back his sleeve. The pale imprint of her fingers nearly circled his wrist. The skin-to-skin contact had burned away the stain of Momma’s red-handed curse.
The words magically burned into the page of the book were also burned into Channie’s mind...But first remove the crimson stain, though it burns your flesh with unbearable pain.
Her heart fell past her stomach and hit the floor. “No. I can’t do it.”
Josh stroked Channie’s hair, from the top of her head to the middle of her back. “It’s alright, baby. You don't have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“If we don’t burn the stains off each other before sunrise, the pain will come back and never go away.”
Josh extended his arm towards Channie. “Touch me with one of your fingers that’s not stained anymore.”
He held his arm completely still and closed his eyes. Channie’s teeth chattered as she extended her hand. The anticipation of the pain was too much. She pulled her hand back and balled it into a fist, holding it against her heart as she rocked back and forth.
Josh opened one eye, then the other and locked his gaze on Channie’s. “It’s okay, baby. Something’s telling me that once the stain is gone, it won’t hurt anymore.”
Quick as lightning, Channie tapped the back of Josh’s hand with her index finger. He yelped and jerked his hand back. The only thing Channie felt was guilt.
Josh blew on the small oval mark as they watched it fade to its normal color.
He rubbed the back of his hand and said, “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Liar.”
“Did it burn your finger?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Good. How badly are you stained?”
“Only my arms, up to my elbows...Oh, Josh ...“
His stains were much worse.
“It’s okay. I can handle it.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I don’t want to feel like I’m on fire for the rest my life either. Just ... do it.”
“I can’t.” Channie shook her head and scooted away from Josh.
He struck faster than a rattlesnake and grabbed her arm. But it didn’t burn. Her sleeve protected her from his touch.
“Please, Channie. I can’t do it without you. I need your help.”
You have until the dawn doth break to suffer for each other’s sake. She closed her eyes and nodded. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
Josh exhaled and extended his arm, but before Channie could touch him he grabbed her wrist again and said, “Wait! Do that spell you used on my scalp. The one that stops pain.”
“Pain-away spells don’t work against magic.”
“You’re sure?”
Channie nodded.
Josh’s shoulders slumped, but only for a moment. His eyes widened as a soft smile parted his lips. “I’ve got it! Let’s fill the bathtub and remove the stains under cold water. It will quench the fire.”
“What if it doesn’t work? The pain would be so intense, it could make us pass out. We’d drown.”
Josh closed his eyes and nodded then sat on the edge of her bed and pulled his arms out of the robe. He was trying so hard to be brave, but he couldn’t hide the fear that pulsated beyond the boundaries of his energy field. His sense of dread increased with every beat of his heart.
Tears flowed down Channie’s cheeks as she stared at the red stain that started at Josh’s collarbone and covered his entire torso.
He rolled onto his back and pulled a pillow over his face, muffling his voice. “Make it quick.”
/> Channie balanced on her toes, in a runner’s stance, so she could move fast, and said, “I’m so sorry,” then grabbed his arm with both hands—knowing it would burn her stained palm.
Josh arched his back and screamed into the pillow. Her hand felt as if it were on fire, but it was nothing compared to the anguish of knowing she was responsible for Josh’s agony.
He tried to yank his arm out of Channie’s grasp, but she tightened her grip and pulled her hands from his armpit to his fingers as fast as she could. He whimpered once then went completely limp.
Channie took the pillow from his face and without thinking what she was doing, brushed the tears off his cheeks.
Josh’s eyes flew open. They were almost completely black. There was nothing but a rim of sapphire around the edges of his irises. Beads of sweat ran from his brow to his temples. His chest twitched with each shallow breath.
Channie bit the back of her hand but couldn’t bite back the sob that rushed out of her throat.
Josh struggled to sit up. “I’m okay, babe.” His face was chalky white. He was still trembling and panting...far from okay. “The pain doesn’t last long.”
His valiant attempt to comfort Channie only added to her guilt. “All I’ve done since the day we met, is hurt you.”
“Channie. It’s not your fault. Let’s just get through this so we can be together. It’s gonna hurt, but it’ll be worth it. The book promised us a love pure and true—”
“The book!”
Channie grabbed the open book off the floor, heedless of the consequences. The message was fading. She fisted her hand and banged her forehead three times. She tried to cast a memory spell on herself. But of course it didn’t work.
Josh crawled out of bed and held his phone over Channie’s right shoulder. It made a “chk-chk” sound in her ear and flashed a light just before the message disappeared.
Josh grinned and turned the phone towards Channie. “How’s that for magic?” The entire spell was captured on the screen. It was faint and barely legible, but it was there.
Channie smiled back at him. “Since it actually worked, it’s better than magic. But just in case, I better write it down.”
She fetched her journal from under her bed while Josh slipped his arms back into his robe. He moved to the floor and sat down beside her then dictated the message.
Balancing the pencil between her thumb and index finger, Channie tapped her bottom lip with the eraser and studied the words she’d written. “We need to be sure we understand everything perfectly.”
Josh nodded and squinted his eyes as he read from his phone. “Tender hearts full of hope and courage, heed the warnings, but be not discouraged.”
Channie said, “That’s just the greeting. It sets the tone for what’s to come.”
“At least it’s encouraging.”
“Encouraging? Are you joking? We still have to torture each other before sunrise. How is that encouraging?”
Josh’s smile slid off his face. He read the next phrase without any inflection in his voice. “A love pure and true is yours if you dare to open your hearts and lay your souls bare.” The slight tightening at the corners of his eyes and mouth was the only indication that she’d hurt his feelings.
Josh had tried his best to comfort her. And all Channie had done was whine and complain about it.
She softened her tone and said, “I think that means we just need to be honest and brave enough to show each other our true selves...to lay our souls bare is to trust each other enough to be completely vulnerable.”
“Can you do that?”
Channie wanted to say yes, of course she could, but that wouldn’t be honest. “I’ll do my best.”
There was no need to ask Josh if he could do the same. From the first day she’d met him, Josh had been nothing but open-hearted and honest.
He said, “That’s all anyone can ask,” and continued to read.
“… For every choice there is a cost and the things you lose are forever lost.” He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “That sounds a little more ominous.”
“It is. We need to think through the consequences of every decision before we commit to anything.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Josh nudged her shoulder with his elbow. “Look before you leap? Think before you act?”
He was only trying to lighten the mood. But his words still stung. Channie had acted impulsively, without considering the consequences and now Josh had to pay for her stupidity.
“Hey. I was just kidding. You know that, right?”
Channie didn’t want to make him feel guilty on top of everything else so she forced a smile and nodded.
Josh cleared his throat. “You have until the full moon sets to bind your hearts with no regrets...What’s that mean?”
“That’s the time limit. We have to complete every spell before the full moon sets on December second.”
“You know when the next full moon is?”
“Of course I do. And so should you. How many times do I have to explain how important the moon is before you believe me?”
“I wasn’t raised with all this mumbo-jumbo-hokus-pokus bullshit so excuse me if I’m not all gaga over the moon.”
Channie felt as if Josh had punched her in the gut. Her mouth fell open, but the only sound that escaped was a quiet “huh” as her breath fled her lungs.
Josh stumbled over his words in an effort to apologize. “Oh, god...Channie. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you...or your religion. I’m just so tired and...stressed out...but that’s no excuse.”
“Magic is not my religion. It’s my heritage. I don’t worship the moon or believe it’s sacred or anything. But since it governs and regulates all magic, it should be respected.”
“I’m still sorry I insulted you.”
“And I’m sorry I snapped at you. You’re right about being exhausted and stressed out. We both are, but I think it’s more than that. I think this book is testing us.”
Josh nodded and said, “I think you’re right. I guess we better figure out this last stanza.
Channie dropped her gaze to her journal. “Then wait until the moon is new lest this tome be sealed to you. You’ve but one chance to learn the spell and break the curse. Use it well.”
Josh traced the imprint of Channie’s fingers on his wrist. “That sounds like another time limit.”
“More of a time restraint. We have to wait until the new moon, on the sixteenth, to get the next spell. If we try to do it before then, the book won’t work anymore. We’ll lose our chance to break the curse.”
Break the curse...Channie could barely contain her excitement. Not only would she be free from the curse, she would have her real name back. She would be Enchantment and everyone would love her again.
But Josh already loved her. And it had cost him dearly. Was she willing to risk even more suffering to be rid of Chastity’s curse? If she was acting alone then, yes, she would risk anything, even her life. But not Josh’s.
She said, “Maybe we should just get rid of the stains and call it quits.”
“Do we have a choice?”
“We always have a choice. We just have to consider the consequences. Which reminds me...You have until the dawn doth break to suffer for each other’s sake. But if you leave a single spot, eternal pain will be your lot.” Channie rubbed the stain on her arm and shuddered. “If we don’t want to be on fire for the rest of our lives, we need to take care of this.”
Josh’s gaze traveled the length of Channie’s body then focused on her eyes. “Let’s take a break first.” He stroked her face with his unstained fingertips. “Your skin is so soft.” His voice was deep and raspy. His eyes smoldered under half-closed lids as he traced her lower lip with his thumb.
Channie’s breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat then started pounding. Her whole body was on fire. But in a good way. Chastity’s power-well was full, but the energy was calm.
Could she really be free from the
curse?
Josh pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “If I remember correctly, kissing me was at the top of your list. Do you still want that kiss?”
Channie wove her fingers through Josh’s hair and said, “Yes, I want that kiss. And a thousand more. But I think we better wait until we finish removing the stains. I don’t want to get distracted and miss the deadline. Besides, it can be our reward for enduring our ordeal.”
Josh took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You’re right, and the anticipation of kissing you will distract me from the pain. Let’s get back to work.”
Channie cut the legs off a pair of Daddy’s sweatpants for Josh so she could remove the stains from his legs as well as his chest and belly. He cinched them up as tight as he could with the drawstring, but they were still too big. They hung low on his hips but not low enough.
“Josh, I need you to pull the waistband down so I can get rid of the rest of this stain.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“There’s no way to expose the rest of the stain without exposing...the rest of me.”
“I see.”
“No. You don’t.” Josh grinned at her. But it was a forced smile that did not reach his eyes. “And I intend to keep it that way.”
“Do you want to feel like you’re on fire for the rest of your life?”
“No. Of course not. But I can’t ask you to do this.”
“You aren’t asking. And neither am I. Now drop your pants.”
Josh pushed his hair off his forehead with both hands and stared at the ceiling. He took a deep breath then dropped his head and his hands at the same time, expelling the air from his lungs with a whoosh. “Turn around. And close your eyes. I’ll try to cover myself with a sheet or something.”
Channie tried to ignore the sound of rustling sheets as Josh crawled under the covers.
The Book of the Dead had neutralized all the other spells. Without Josh’s shield making her crazy and her own moon-curse holding her back, Channie was left with the natural urges, fears and confusion of a sixteen-year-old girl.
Part of her wanted to lock herself in the bathroom and hide. Another part of her wanted to get naked and crawl into bed with Josh.
Believe: The Complete Channie Series Page 20