by Ford, Lizzy
Alexa hurried towards them, and Morgan pushed Summer and Biji to start them moving. They went, running down the path that Summer’s magick had cleared. Morgan started to follow when lightening shot through her. She uttered a strangled curse and dropped to the ground.
The currents stopped, and she lay on the ground, steaming and panting.
Summer and Biji were staring at Alexa, surprised, while the Dark teens moved closer.
Morgan pushed herself to her knees and waved for them to continue. She’d been Taser-ed once before in self-defense training. It sucked, though her fire magick absorbed much of the electricity and took the edge off. It left her disoriented, but it wouldn’t incapacitate her the way it did someone else.
“Crank it higher,” one of the Dark teens called.
“Use both of them,” another advised. “Fire witchlings have an immunity to being shocked.”
Morgan wobbled to her feet. She started to turn to knock off Alexa’s head.
This time, the currents paralyzed her in a mix of pain and shock. Alexa took the others’ advice, using two Tasers on their highest settings. Morgan wasn’t able to absorb the power darting through her fast enough, and she dropped into unconsciousness.
Chapter Sixteen
With the soul stone, we can wipe out Light. Permanently.
Dawn half-listened. It was harder than she expected to juggle Bartholomew’s thoughts with her own. Lately, she wasn’t always able to tell which was which. Not that it mattered. They had the same goal: make Beck suffer.
“Maybe then Beck will finally understand what it’s like to lose something he loves,” she replied.
The barista behind the counter of the café looked at her blankly.
Dawn shook her head and forced a smile. She lifted her coffee from the counter and left the café for her car. It was a chilly early afternoon. The sky was clear, but the weather was expected to get worse. Hopefully, it prevented people from venturing out once the sun set. She’d picked tonight for that reason: she didn’t need anyone interfering in her plans.
She glanced at her watch, anxious to hear how the first phase had gone, then slid into her car.
“Alexa can’t be trusted.”
She jerked and glanced at the passenger seat.
Sometimes, she saw him. In the mirror after a shower, in the reflection of a dark window. He was almost fully formed in her car, not quite taking shape but definitely there, as if she were dreaming. But she wasn’t. She was awake, and the large, foggy form of Bartholomew-the-Terrible was in her car. She looked away.
His aura was shadowed like Decker’s and his eyes were the same shade of blue-green as Beck’s. With bronze skin and dark hair, Bartholomew’s features were otherwise obscured by the haziness of his vision.
It was an air memory. She’d seen them before, like when Tanya came to visit her after the girl had been killed. Dawn recalled seeing Tanya in her room, standing by her bed, watching her. A strange cold filled Dawn then, the same one fluttering through her now.
She shuddered. She didn’t like seeing dead people.
“She’ll betray you,” Bartholomew said.
“I know. She’s already gotten soft about things,” Dawn replied curtly.
“If you want this to go right, you can’t have a weak link.”
“She’s fine for now.” Dawn gripped the steering wheel. She guided the car out of the parking lot.
“It’s a risk.”
She sighed. “Really? Are you going to tell me what to do every minute of my life?”
He said nothing.
“I’ll deal with it when it’s an issue,” she added firmly.
“No, I’ll deal with it when it’s an issue,” he replied. “You won’t do what it takes.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “Fine. You deal with her.”
He disappeared. She wasn’t certain what that meant or even if he was really gone. She had a feeling his intention was not to let Alexa go her own way when this was over, which was what Dawn intended to do. Alexa served her purpose, but Dawn had never actually killed anyone. She debated with herself.
“She lacks conviction,” Dawn muttered, echoing the words she hated to hear from Bartholomew.
In Alexa’s case, it was true. Alexa was the reason they failed to kill Summer or get revenge on Beck. The girl was in love with Decker; she’d even apologized to him weeks ago for hurting Summer, before Summer re-emerged into the picture. Lately, Alexa was surly and slow to respond to Dawn’s texts. She began to think Bartholomew was right; Alexa was a weak link.
Dawn parked and got out of her car. Her gaze swept around the parking lot and settled on Noah, who seemed to be waiting for her. As usual, the sight of him eased some of her tension. Her brother was her only real ally. Alexa and the Light and Dark witchlings she bribed or slept with rotated through the revolving door of her life. Noah was her blood; he had to be loyal.
“Hey,” she said, waving.
He approached. His blue eyes were troubled, his brow low. He appeared to be brooding.
“Hi. Caffeine free, I hope,” he said, glancing at the coffee in her hand.
“Of course,” she lied. She hadn’t given up caffeine or alcohol despite the doctor’s warnings about birth defects. Her mother spent both pregnancies on drugs and alcohol, and she and Noah turned out fine. Beck’s kid wasn’t going to cramp her lifestyle.
“I did something I think I should tell you about, in case it comes back around to you,” Noah said. “I hope you’re not too mad.”
“What?” she asked uneasily.
“I asked Beck if he’d settle out of court with you for custody.”
She gave an annoyed sigh and started towards the dorms.
“Dawn, Dad’s broke.”
“I’m sure he’ll find money for his grandchild if he can for the whore whose apartment he’s paying for,” she snapped. “Why would you do that, Noah? I told you not to talk to him!”
“I know. You’re right,” Noah admitted. “He wasn’t willing to consider it.”
The news stung.
“I even asked him if he’d wait until we’re solvent again, but he said –”
“You told him that we’re broke?” she demanded, whirling. “What do you think he did? Turned around and told his father, whose lawyers now know how to win the case!”
“I’m sorry, Dawn,” Noah said, hushed. “He won’t tell anyone.”
“You don’t know him, Noah!”
Dawn wanted to scream. She drew a deep breath instead. Thank god she already had a new plan! If Beck was too busy with the Light or out of the picture entirely, she’d have no need for a legal team. She’d win by default.
“I can’t believe you told him,” she said and spun, marching to her room. “Do you want me to lose my baby?”
“No Dawn, of course not.”
“You’re acting like you do.”
“What?” Noah’s tone turned from embarrassed to frustrated. “I just wanted to help. We can’t afford to go to court. I’m trying to find a way to make this better for everyone.”
“You should be concerned about making things better for me,” she said, flinging open the door to her room.
“You’re right.” He sighed. “I should’ve at least talked to you before I went to see him.”
Someone was in her room. Isaac. Dawn gave him a warning look. His eyes went to Noah.
“Hey, man. I didn’t know you were back in town,” Isaac said with a smile.
“Yeah. Just got here,” Noah said. He looked from Isaac to Dawn.
“Isaac and I are … studying,” Dawn said. “Give me a minute to change.” She didn’t wait for either of them to respond before closing the door to the bathroom.
Noah suspects too much. Bartholomew whispered.
“He’s fine. I’m not worried about him,” she said dismissively.
I am. Alexa will abandon you. Noah will turn you in.
Noah was a good brother, a loyal one. He went Dark a full year before her. Whe
n he left, he was quiet to the point of meek. He never spoke out against her and had been the first to defend her. It struck her that he had changed during the time they were a part, perhaps because of the added responsibility their father gave him. Before he left, he never would’ve spoken to Beck without her knowledge or permission. He had always been a dutiful brother.
“He’s grown up. He had to. He had to deal with Daddy’s board,” she said. “He’s not as quiet, but that doesn’t mean he’ll betray me.”
Then invite him to the resort tonight. He can…help us.
She halted in her movements. “That’s a little different. We don’t need too many people knowing about it.”
You didn’t hesitate to tell Isaac, a Light witchling. He’s even less trustworthy than Alexa.
“Noah isn’t getting involved.”
You know he’s weak.
“He’s not weak!” she snapped. “He’s my little brother. He doesn’t need to be involved in something like this.”
Conviction.
She threw her shoes. “I have conviction!”
You’ve failed twice. What if Noah gets in your way this time?
“He won’t.”
If he does?
“God, I wish you would shut up!” she said, squeezing her head. “You can have Alexa and Isaac. You can’t have my brother!”
If you want to succeed, you can’t have roots anywhere. You must be able to strike and move on.
“Look, let’s just get through tonight. After that, we’re home free.”
Bartholomew was quiet. Pleased that she shut him up, Dawn finished changing and left her room.
“Noah said he had to take a call from your dad’s board or something,” Isaac said as soon as she appeared. “It’s just us.” The beefy blond witchling smiled and sidled up to her.
Dawn pushed him away coyly and went to the kitchenette, feeling moody after her talk with Bartholomew.
“Tell me about the fire,” she directed him.
“It went just as planned,” Isaac said. “Troy set the fire last night. I made sure to start the rumor it was Morgan. She did us both a favor and wasn’t in her room this morning. It was too easy.” He shrugged.
“And … what?”
He smiled and approached her again. “No kiss?”
“When you’re done telling me what happened,” she said sweetly. “Then I’ll do that thing you like so much.”
“Deal.” Desire flared in his eyes.
“Good. Tell me.”
“She was with Beck last night. No one knows where, but he showed up a few minutes after she did this morning.”
Dawn’s smile faded. Anger moved through her. She waited.
“Everyone believes she did it, but get this,” he continued, excited. “She did something to Beck. They took him out of her room on a stretcher.”
“What?” Dawn demanded, startled. “What happened? Is he okay?”
“From what I heard, yes. Amber said he fell and hit his head, but a couple of the other girls said they saw Morgan run out of the schoolhouse and Amber was screaming for help.”
Dawn listened intently. The idea of Morgan hurting Beck enraged her. If anyone deserved revenge, it was her, not some carrot-top whore!
“No one knows what happened, really,” Isaac continued. “Anyway, it gave Alexa the opening she needed. We intended to grab Morgan tonight, but they ran into the forest. Alexa grabbed all three.”
“All three.”
“Morgan, Summer, and Biji.”
Alexa’s weak. She didn’t stick to our plan, Bartholomew said.
“Yeah, I know. It’s because she’s still in love with Decker,” Dawn said, frowning. “We can still work with this, right?”
Maybe. It won’t be clean like we intended.
“I can’t not deal with Morgan! You heard Noah. Beck now knows we -”
“Um, are you talking to me?” Isaac asked, confused.
“Sorry. Thinking out loud,” she replied. “So Morgan did something to take out Beck. Any idea what?”
Soul stone.
“What?”
Isaac eyed her. “I didn’t say anything.”
Dawn waved him away and crossed to the window in the living area, concentrating on Bartholomew.
“So you think maybe she used it on him?” she asked.
Or he found it by accident. There’s no way to know.
“It really works.”
As promised.
“This is really going to happen,” she said, a mix of excitement and fear in her gut. “He’ll feel what I do. Finally.”
And more.
“Dawn?” Isaac called.
“One sec. We’re talking about the soul stone.”
“The what?”
Dawn gasped. She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about it. She faced Isaac, who appeared baffled.
“Never mind,” she said, smiling.
Too late. Bartholomew laughed. You’ve got to take care of him.
“It’s okay,” she said quickly.
Her hand moved outside her control. She glanced own, surprised. She involuntarily gripped a heavy crystal vase. Dawn ordered her hand to put the vase down. It didn’t listen. She was dizzy suddenly, and unconsciousness crept around the edges of her mind. She felt like she was getting ready to sky dive or bungee jump.
Fighting it, she focused on retrieving the vase with her other hand.
Suddenly, her world went completely dark. She was awake but unaware, sitting in the corner of her mind. It was like a cozy closet and she found the place surprisingly peaceful.
But not normal.
She struggled, reaching out to her air magick. Her lungs swam with cold magick that fluttered through the rest of her body. Finally, she yanked free of her mind.
Gasping, Dawn looked around wildly.
I took care of it.
She looked down and almost screamed. At her feet were the remains of Isaac. His head was bashed in beyond recognition. With horror, she saw the vase in her hands still. The clear crystal was bathed in pink and red, like her skin and clothes and the furniture. The couch. Even the ceiling and walls.
“What have you done?” she demanded.
What have you done?
“I didn’t do this!”
Do you see anyone else here?
“Hey, Dawn!” Noah’s voice came through the door.
Her eyes flew up. Dawn felt Bartholomew reclaim her arm. She fought him, unwilling to hurt her brother. The door opened, and she froze.
Noah stood in the doorway, shock on his face.
Bartholomew seized her but only for a second. Dawn threw the vase across the room. The sound of it smashing into the wall jarred her from her mind.
“Stop!” she shouted.
Bartholomew retreated.
“Dawn, what did you do?” Noah managed at last.
“What did I do?” she retorted. Her eyes went to the mess that was Isaac then away quickly. She started crying and hyperventilating, disgusted by what she saw. “He … he came at me. I don’t know … I snapped … N…Noah, I … he was going to … hurt me!” she stammered.
At first, she didn’t think Noah was going to believe her. Dawn cried harder, terrified that her brother, too, might turn on her.
“It’s okay, Dawn,” he said finally. “Go take a shower. I’ll … I’ll figure out what to do about … this.”
Dawn’s heart soared. She was right! Bartholomew was wrong!
“Just … go,” Noah whispered. He was pale and he looked sick. He closed the door behind him. “I’ll take care of this.”
Dawn never loved her brother like she did in that moment. She nodded and stumbled through her tears to her room. The scent and warmth of blood made her vomit. She heaved for a few minutes then tore off the clothing and flung it into a corner. Starting a shower, she hurried into it. Blood turned the water at her feet pink.
Your first kill, Bartholomew said. You got away with it.
Dawn paused mid-scrub, consi
dering. She felt sick and shaky. But he was right. She’d done it. It wasn’t as hard as she expected. She experienced no remorse, and Bartholomew had taken mercy on her by overcoming her body to shield her from the worst of it.
I can do the same for Alexa. Morgan. Noah.
“No,” she whispered. “Not Noah. Never Noah.”
Bartholomew said nothing. Dawn scrubbed herself clean, mind turning in a new direction. Alexa had grabbed Morgan and Summer, both bitches who deserved what Isaac got. Biji had crossed Dawn one time too many as well. Dealing with her would silence another pain.
Soul stone first. We cannot destroy Beck without it.
“You can make it so no one ever knows, right?”
Trust me, he replied.
Chapter Seventeen
Morgan awoke on a cold floor. Her body ached, and she felt bruised. The metal of handcuffs surrounded her wrists. The room was cold and dark, except for the light of a hallway lining a door. She listened, recalling what happened to bring her here.
Beck.
She swallowed a sob. Whatever the Dark kids did to her, she deserved it. The rock in her pocket was cold, and she roused her fire magick to warm her body. Tears trickled down her face. She swiped at them.
Movement came from nearby. Morgan squinted but couldn’t see into the darkness. She pushed herself into a seated position and held out her hands, summoning a flame.
“Summer?” she asked.
The two Light girls were huddled together in a corner for warmth. Their breath hung suspended in the air, and Morgan looked around what appeared to be a basement. They, too, were tied. Biji’s cheek was bruised and Summer’s lip busted.
“Why didn’t you just go back?” Morgan asked, dismayed. She scooted towards them on her knees and held out flames to keep them warm.
Summer took one while Biji hesitated, until she saw it didn’t burn Summer.
“Are you okay?” Summer asked her.
“Yeah.”
“They shocked you for like an hour,” Biji added.
“I beat up Alexa twice already,” Morgan explained. “It’s a good sign.”