“You’re going to attack them with knives?”
“We’re going to fight them the only way we can,” Aric shot back. “Now go!”
“You can’t just kill them,” I protested.
“We can’t just let them live either,” he replied stoically. “You’re done here. Go.” Aric turned to the dark circle, motioning to his brethren with his right hand and silently instructing them to surround the witches. He didn’t glance back at me. He’d dismissed me – and he expected me to follow orders. He had a rude awakening coming.
“Jessica,” Aric said, his voice loud. “Stop what you’re doing now.”
Jessica glanced up, the power cloud never diminishing, and smiled evilly at Aric. “I’ll be with you soon, love. I have a few things to finish up here.”
“You’re done here,” Aric said. “One way or another.”
“Oh, don’t say that,” Jessica cooed. “You know we’ve got a lot of unfinished business to attend to. Both personal and professional. I’m just a little busy with other things now.”
“The only unfinished business we have is whether you stop this on your own or I do it for you.” Aric’s voice was chilling. “Either way, this is over.”
“Oh, that’s not true, sweetie,” Jessica laughed. “Now that I’ve stolen your girlfriend’s power, you’re not going to be able to stay away from me.”
Aric glanced at me. “She stole your power?”
I didn’t want to tip my hand. Not yet. “That’s what she says.”
“It’s been in the works for months,” Jessica laughed, sucking in a tendril of smoke excitedly. “Matilda and Laura were working against her in her own room and she didn’t even know it.”
Aric furrowed his brow. “We’ve known what you’ve been up to for months,” he countered. “Why do you think we’re here?”
“It’s too late to stop it,” Jessica cackled. “I’m too powerful now.” She took a step away from the circle, unlinking her hands from Matilda and Laura, and facing Aric head on. “I am the power here.”
“I don’t want to kill you, Jessica,” Aric replied grimly. “If I have no other choice, though, I will. You still have a choice here. Make the right one.”
Jessica let loose a loopy laugh. She was drunk on power. “I have your girlfriend’s power. You can’t stop me.” Jessica raised her hand, pointing a finger in Aric’s direction. “I think you need me to kill her to prove exactly how powerful I am now.”
“If you take a step toward her, I’ll cut you down right now,” Aric said, brandishing his knife threateningly. Under the glittering candlelight and still wafting power circle, I could see that it was adorned with intricate drawings. It looked ceremonial, which I guessed made sense.
“Why don’t you take your best shot and see what happens?” Jessica suggested. I didn’t like the look in her eyes.
Aric shook his head almost imperceptibly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I really am. You’ve given me no choice. I can’t let you finish this.”
Aric stepped forward and drove the knife into Jessica’s chest. The second before it happened, Jessica still looked confident, as though the magic would somehow stop the knife from ripping through her torso. When the knife made contact, her eyes widened in surprise.
She dropped to her knees in abject shock, Aric’s knife still jutting from her chest.
“How?” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as they found me in the crowd. “You ... how?”
Jessica finished her drop to the ground and when her body hit, the other witches looked up in unison. If they had been unaware of what was transpiring before – slaves to the magic coursing through the yard and them – that wasn’t the case now.
They broke contact and, for a second, the magic continued to swirl before dissipating. It was over. Relief washed over me. It was short-lived, though. I saw Laura move to the forefront of the witches, her eyes as black as the night. She reached up to the sky, as though trying to draw the remnants of fleeing magic back to her. The magic cloud started to pool again, charging back toward the Earth.
Instead of going into everyone, though, the plume of smoke barreled into Laura with such force it lifted her a few feet off the ground.
Aric’s eyes widened in surprise. “Laura stop! It’s done! Let it go!”
When Laura landed on the ground, her attention was focused on me. “She doesn’t have Zoe’s power,” she said, her voice had gone low and guttural. “She never had Zoe’s power. She didn’t have the right potion.”
Uh-oh.
“I gave her the ingredients,” Laura laughed. “But I switched out the potions. I took Zoe’s power an hour before Jessica put on her little show. ”
“You knew,” I said, dread filling the previously empty pit of my stomach. “You knew what she was planning all along.”
“I did,” Laura agreed, although it sounded like a chorus of voices was singing out from inside of her. “I knew what Jessica was from the beginning – a pretender, a usurper to the throne.”
“You’re not a pretender, though, are you?” Paris piped up from behind me. “You know how to handle that much power. Your mom showed you.”
“She did.”
“How long have you had this planned?” I asked.
“This exact plan? Only a few months,” Laura replied, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I’ve known for a long time that I would take what was yours eventually, though.”
I remained rooted to the spot where I was standing.
“I started thinking about it the day I met you,” Laura said chillingly. “I knew what you were the moment I saw you. I could smell it on you. All that power. It was emanating from your very pores. It was just sitting there and you weren’t doing a thing with it.”
“I don’t believe you,” I challenged.
“What? You don’t believe that poor little Laura, poor little innocent Laura, with her big eyes and unending social awkwardness, could outthink you? That’s exactly what I wanted you to believe, you imbecile.”
“But you were considering joining Blake’s monster hunters!” I was grasping at straws now, every moment I had spent with Laura over the past two years running through my mind. Had she been scamming me all along?
“I was curious exactly how much they knew,” Laura said. “It wasn’t much, though. They’re such simpletons. Just like the members of this sorority. I was looking for information, and the best way to get information is to pretend you believe in a cause.”
Things were starting to click into place – and I didn’t like the picture that was starting to form.
“Delta Omicron didn’t recruit you, did they?” Paris asked knowingly. “You recruited them?”
“Let’s just say I pointed them in the right direction,” Laura said. “I knew the minute I met Jessica that she would give me what I needed. You wouldn’t believe the crap I had to put up with, though. I almost killed her several times. She was so annoying.
Thinking she was in control when I was in control. You have no idea how many times I dreamed of slitting her throat just to shut her up.”
“She’s always been the true power behind the sorority, Zoe,” Aric said, his voice low.
“She’s always been the real threat.”
“You knew?” I glanced at him incredulously. “You knew?”
Aric clenched his jaw. “I didn’t know. Not for sure.”
“But you suspected?” I could feel my heart hammering in my chest.
Aric’s eyes filled with worry. “I can explain everything.”
“For how long? How long have you suspected?”
“I told you, I wasn’t sure,” Aric said meekly.
“How long?”
“Since this fall,” Aric said grimly.
“How did you know?”
“I read the signs,” Aric said. “She was giving off too much power. Our spies told us that Laura was the one actually directing everyone in the sorority. That she was the one who seemed to know what she was doi
ng while Jessica was taking credit for it. That’s when I realized that Jessica was just a pawn in all of this – even though she was dangerous in her own right.”
I could feel my heart breaking. “And you used me as bait?”
Aric looked crushed. “I did what I had to do. I told you to stay away from the sorority. I told you to try to extricate Laura and Matilda. I did what I could.”
“Except tell the truth,” I replied bitterly.
“Zoe ... I ... now isn’t the time for this.”
“He’s right,” Laura laughed. “He’s so right. I don’t have time to watch your heart break while you realize you put your faith in the wrong person. Again. It’s just all so sad.”
I pulled myself together as best I could, even though it was taking all the energy I had not to crumble to the ground in a ball of tears and rage. “It must be frustrating,”
I said finally, turning back to Laura.
“What’s that?” Laura was enjoying herself now.
“To have set all of this up only to have it fail.”
Laura looked surprised. “In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t failed. I befriended you. I manipulated you into taking my side in that whole Paris debacle. I stole your power. I’m the one who’s won here.”
“You can’t talk sense into her,” Paris whispered. “She’s too far gone. You can’t reach her. I don’t think you ever could.”
“Yes, Zoe, I’m too far gone – and I’m sick to death of listening to the two of you! This is my party and you’re ruining it. You’re all ruining it!”
Laura raised her hand quickly, sending a wave of black magic in our direction. It was too late to move out of the way. It was too late to run and hide. I braced myself instead, expecting death to claim me at any second – wondering briefly whether death wouldn’t be better than the pain ripping through my chest. I was surprised when the magic didn’t hit me straight on, though. Instead, that pain, the anguish that had been building since I realized Aric had betrayed me, exploded out of my chest.
The pain was unbearable. I heard a rushing sound, like a waterfall of regret, washing over me. Someone was screaming. I didn’t realize that it was me until the force that had been building inside of my chest ripped loose and rushed out of me in the form of a white cloud of furious magic.
The white cloud met the black cloud in a crashing explosion, brushing Laura’s magic aside and tearing toward Laura. Laura’s eyes widened. “But how?”
“You didn’t have the right ingredients either,” Paris said. “We switched some of them out weeks ago.”
Laura’s face didn’t have time to register anything – not even the rage she was surely feeling. When the white cloud hit her, Laura opened her mouth to scream, her back tightening into a straight line and her head snapping back toward the sky. The white cloud engulfed Laura, forcing a torrent of black smoke to pour out of her mouth and dissipate under the sheer strength of the white magic.
I dropped to my knees, exhaustion washing over me. Paris was at my side, concern etched on her face. She helped me back to my feet, not letting go of my arm, and offering her support as I struggled to remain standing.
When I glanced back to where Laura had been standing I found nothing remaining. Well, that’s not exactly true. There was a charred patch on the ground. Nothing else, though. Laura was gone.
The wolves growled uneasily as they looked around the yard. They had been spoiling for a fight, but that fight was already over.
I felt another set of hands on my left arm. I glanced over to find Aric there, trying to pull me toward him. I ripped away from him angrily. “Don’t touch me!”
Hurt resonated across Aric’s face. “Zoe, you can barely stand. Let me help you. I told you, I can explain all of this.”
“Help me? Help me?” My voice sounded shrill even to my own ears. “You lied to me. You used me as bait. I just killed Laura.” I turned to Paris worriedly. “Did that just really happen?”
“She’s in shock,” Paris said in a low voice.
“I’m not in shock.”
“Let me help you get her back to the dorms,” Aric pleaded. “I can make this right.”
“No,” Paris said forcefully. “She may be in shock, but she’s right. You betrayed her. You betrayed us both. You put her in danger. She’s been in imminent danger for months. You knew that and you did nothing.”
A thought occurred to me. “If you knew Laura was the threat, why did you kill Jessica?”
“I told you,” Aric replied quietly. “I couldn’t be sure. I suspected that Laura was responsible for things, but Jessica was a willing participant and she wouldn’t have stopped.”
“So you killed her? You didn’t even think twice about it.”
“I was hoping that if Jessica fell Laura would let it go. I was hoping that she would realize she was wrong – or at least retreat and regroup. I didn’t know ... I didn’t know what would happen. I certainly didn’t think that you would ... I didn’t think that would happen.”
“You knew there was a chance, though,” I shot back bitterly. “You could have told me. We could have made a different plan. She didn’t have to die. We could have saved her. You made all of this happen with your silence.”
“I had no choice,” Aric argued. “I can’t go against pack law.”
“Well, your pack law just cost you a girlfriend,” Paris said shortly, anger practically radiating from her body. “I hope it was worth it.”
“So you’re doing Zoe’s talking for her now?” Aric snapped.
“No,” Paris shook her head. “But I know what she’s going to say. You know what she’s going to say. You know what you did was wrong. That’s why you’re so worried.
You’re not doing anyone any favors by pretending otherwise. Let her go.”
“No.” Aric shook his head vehemently. “I love her. I love you.” He reached for me again. His fingers felt desperate on my arm.
I laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t use someone you love as bait.”
“Zoe, just let me explain ... .”
“There’s nothing to explain,” I shot back hollowly, leaning on Paris for support.
“Paris is right. You made your choice. You chose your pack.”
“I didn’t choose the pack!”
“That’s exactly what you did,” I said, letting Paris lead me toward the gate as I shuffled along wearily. “That’s exactly what you did.”
“Zoe, this isn’t over.” Aric’s voice was low and his eyes were filled with tears. “We need to talk about this. You just need some time.”
I kept walking.
“I’ll call you tomorrow. You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.”
“Yeah,” I barked out harshly. “Eight hours of sleep and I’ll forget that I just burned my roommate to a crisp – and that if you had just told the truth, none of this might have happened.”
“I’ll give you a few days.” Aric’s voice cracked.
We were at the gate now, but I didn’t turn to face him. I couldn’t. “Let me go, Aric,” I murmured. “Just let me go.”
And he did.
Epilogue
“Did you know?”
It was a week later, but the memory of the Delta Omicron party was still haunting me. Rafael had agreed to meet me outside of the dorm one night about a week before the semester’s end. I hadn’t ventured outside of its walls except for classes in more than seven days. I was starting to feel like a shut-in.
“Which part?” Rafael asked, his eyes full of worry. He needn’t have felt so fearful. I had looked in a mirror. I knew how bad I looked. Gaunt. Drawn. Tired. Oh, so very tired.
“The part about Laura being the real threat?”
“No,” Rafael said. “That took me by surprise. Had I known, I would have told you. I wasn’t close enough to the situation to know all the intricacies.”
“You told me to ask Aric, though,” I pressed. “You told me he had answers.”
“And I thought those
answers revolved around Jessica. I had no idea that he knew about Laura and her real agenda.”
I remained silent, staring up at the night sky. I wanted to believe him, but I wasn’t sure I could.
“How are things in your room?” Rafael changed the subject.
“It’s just me and Kelsey now,” I said. “Matilda has been staying at the sorority house.
She snuck in while we were at class one day and moved out all of her stuff. We haven’t seen her since.”
“What about Laura’s stuff?”
“I don’t know what to do with it,” I said. “It’s not like I can report her missing. Paris said she told her mom what happened and she told Laura’s mom. I guess I’m expecting her to show up and pack up her stuff. I’m just not dealing with it.”
“It’s not your problem,” Rafael agreed. “Just leave it when you move out.”
“That’s what I plan to do.”
We lapsed into an uncomfortable silence again. Rafael shuffled his feet awkwardly.
“You’re returning home for the summer?”
“I’m working at the resort again,” I replied. “I’m looking forward to it. Sun. Water. No supernaturals to muck up my life.”
“Isn’t your town full of werewolves?”
“Okay, no supernaturals from here to muck up my life,” I corrected myself.
“And what about Winters?”
“What about him? We’re done.” Those words had become easier to say – even to myself – over the past week. My heart didn’t feel as though it was cracking in half when I uttered the words now. It felt more as though it was squeezed in a vise. Progress is progress, though.
“And he just let that go?”
“He doesn’t have a choice.”
“He hasn’t tried to call you?”
“He has,” I nodded. “I don’t answer his calls.”
“Has he tried to see you?”
I shook my head.
“I’m surprised. I thought he would try to force the issue.”
I was a little surprised, too. “I think he knows that things can’t be fixed and he has to move on.”
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