"What happened?"
Brianna shrugged. "Just a little falling out, but I'm going to find a way to make it right. I want to know about you, too. What are you into?"
"Football. I've played since freshman year of high school. My plan since I was fourteen was to go pro one day. I had several offers from Division 1 colleges for full football scholarships." He paused for a second, pain and disappointment evident on his face. "But at the end of my senior year, I had to quit the team."
"Why? What happened?"
"After I was reborn, I was too strong for my own good. I started hurting people. After I put a third kid in the hospital, I decided to leave the team. My coaches couldn't understand. They said I was headed toward being a star football player. I would have had my choice of teams to play for professionally."
"Wow. I'm sorry."
"I had worked so hard to get to where I was that I would never want to become rich and famous from abilities that weren't natural. I do miss playing. I'm looking to join a supernatural football league next season."
"They have those?" Brianna was learning all kinds of things tonight.
Jared laughed. "In New York, they have everything. There are some rules. No flying or freezing opponents during the game."
“So you can fly?” she asked.
“Yeah, and I love it. Sometimes I just glide over the city at night to feel the rush of wind and take in the sights. It’s incredible.” He reached for Brianna's hand. Their fingers interlaced. At his touch, her lips curved upward.
Her gaze traveled up his arm. "What's that tattoo?" This close, Brianna could see all the nuances of color that twisted and curved around his wrist and forearm, then meandered up his sleeve. The tattoo, a conglomerate of irregular patterns and shapes, was composed of shades of blue and green.
"It's a sea serpent." Jared lifted the sleeve of his black T-shirt, revealing a toned bicep and a head attached to the long snake-like designs that swirled around his arm. The face, triangular in shape, was framed by a mane of tentacles. Its expression was grim and its silver eyes looked wise.
"A sea serpent?"
Jared nodded. "Do you believe in mythical creatures?"
"A few days ago I would have said no, but I'm guessing the correct answer is yes. I'm probably the only one in the room that's out of the loop. Half the people here probably own mythical pets."
"There is no correct answer, Bri. I was asking if you believed. Most people in here would laugh in my face if I told them about my sea serpent. They would say I was crazy."
"Your sea serpent?"
"Well, not mine. He lives in the ocean. I only met him once."
Brianna raised her eyebrows. "I'd love to hear this story."
"I was twelve when I went surfing for the first time down at the Jersey shore. A riptide pulled me under. I was powerless, suffocating beneath the sea. That's when my sea serpent came." Jared pointed to his arm. "He saved my life. He spoke to me—not out loud, but I heard his voice in my head. He told me I was special, and I needed to live. You probably think I'm out of my mind now, right? No one believes that story. Everyone thinks I was knocked out and dreaming. Only one person other than me believes that story, and that's my little sister, Laura."
Brianna laughed. "Well, you can make that two people."
"You believe in sea serpents?"
"I believe your story. When you told it…it was almost like I was there. I saw your sea serpent swim toward you, wrap his endless tail around your waist a dozen times, and then lift you into the sky. I could taste the salt and feel your relief as the oxygen filled up in your lungs."
Jared stared at her like he had seen a ghost. "That's exactly how it happened. You saw my memory snippet."
"What does that mean?"
"Reborns can share their memories—usually only with each other. This is so weird. Before, I thought I had a vision, but I didn't mention it. Since you're not a reborn, I assumed it was just my imagination. When you were talking about the falling out with your band, I saw a girl with tan skin and purple hair."
"Shut up! That's Eva. She's my best friend. Well, was… Can you see my thoughts?" Brianna's eyes felt like they might pop out of her head.
"No, reborns only share memory snippets if they intend to, or sometimes by accident if the memory is emotionally charged. I've heard of this happening between a reborn and another kind of supernatural, but it's rare. I've never heard of it happening between strangers. It usually only happens when a reborn and another supernatural are close."
But I do feel close to you, Brianna thought, but she felt stupid saying it. She had only known the guy for a few short hours.
The band returned to the stage and started to play one of Brianna's favorite songs. "This is a great song. Do you want to dance?" Jared asked.
"Did you know that's what I was just thinking?"
Jared laughed. "No, I had a vision of us dancing nice and close in the center of that dance floor, but I'm pretty sure that was all my own. Besides, I can share memory snippets, not future snippets. That's a whole different talent I don't possess."
On the dance floor, they were joined by the rest of their friends. Gavin and Jared were excellent dancers. The girls clapped as the boys challenged each other to a friendly dance-off, each showcasing their best moves.
Brianna was having one of the greatest nights of her life. The unsettling feeling she was being watched put a slight damper on her mood, but she wasn't going to let some silly ex-girlfriend ruin her night.
Renee tugged on Brianna's arm. “We need to talk in private." Her pretty brown eyes were serious. After telling their friends they would be right back, Brianna and Renee exited the ballroom.
"I'm having so much fun!" Brianna gushed as they walked down the red carpet of a long hallway. She stopped and leaned against the taupe wall. "Thank you so much for inviting me."
"Bri," Renee's tone was soft, but somber. "Jared is a great guy, but there might be some baggage that comes along with him."
"You have got to be kidding me," Brianna grumbled. Just her luck.
"He has an ex-girlfriend. She's here tonight, and she's not looking too happy."
Brianna laughed. "Oh, that's what you're talking about? I already knew that. She's been staring me down all night. I don't care."
"Well, you should. She's powerful. I'm worried about you."
"Pffft! I'm not letting some crazy ruin my time. Jared doesn't want to be with her, obviously. She needs to move on and stop obsessing. I'm not letting her affect my life."
Renee's big eyes were as wide as saucers. "Please consider what I'm saying."
“I'm having an amazing time tonight! And I like Jared."
Renee hesitated, but lightened up a bit. "It looks like he's totally into you."
Brianna was so into Jared that she didn't consider Renee’s warning. She spent the rest of the night with him and her new friends, talking, laughing, and dancing.
The group partied until dawn approached and the vampires needed to retreat for their day's rest. In a blink of an eye the night had flown by, and Brianna didn't want it to end. When Jared pulled her in for a tight goodbye hug, she felt tingles in her hands and feet.
"I had a great time." Jared's eyes sparkled like the sun shining behind a storm cloud. "We should hang out again. Can I have your number?"
"Absolutely." Brianna shared her contact information.
"I'll call you tomorrow." He kissed her cheek before he left the ballroom.
"I'm glad you ladies had a great time." Brent said his goodbyes as the girls departed. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss McKinney."
Renee, Maeve, and Valerie rode the elevator down with Brianna.
"Tonight was amazing!" Brianna couldn't take the smile off her face.
The girls walked through the palatial lobby and onto the sidewalk. Fluffy pink clouds floated in the brightening sky above the tall buildings.
"We're heading in opposite directions. It was great hanging out tonight. Want to meet for lunch tomorrow?" Re
nee asked.
"Sure!" Brianna beamed.
"I'll come out to Jersey. I want to see where you're from."
"Great! How about Burger Bop at two? It's right on the main strip in Montmorrow."
"Sound perfect," Renee said and wrapped Brianna in a tight hug. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Great meeting you!" Maeve briefly hugged Brianna and Valerie goodbye.
"You too!" Brianna skipped down the city street toward the garage. After the parking attendant retrieved the gold car, Brianna climbed into the passenger side. As they passed Brent's building, Brianna thought of her new crush and felt giddy inside.
"What a great party! Did you know vampires are even more powerful than witches? I heard their power increases over time," Valerie said.
"Hmm." Brianna was still lost in thoughts of stormy blue eyes. It suddenly occurred to her that that she had barely seen Valerie all night. "Did you have a good time?"
"Yes, excellent! I made some new friends. So what's going on with you and that Jared guy? You two were looking pretty cozy."
"I like him. I hope he calls." This wasn't like her. Brianna's fear of rejection didn't usually allow for lowering her carefully constructed walls. It made her much too vulnerable to sit and wonder if she would ever hear from him again. She just couldn't control liking Jared. The girls were quiet for the majority of the ride back to Montmorrow, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Do you think we could do another power transfer? Just a little bit more?" Valerie asked as they drove over the town line. "
"Right now?"
"Yes. I want to be the Spring Queen. With Mandy out of the picture, my only real competition is Giselle. Unless, of course, you were planning on running."
Brianna shook her head. The title of Spring Queen held no appeal for her.
"Okay. So then if I have some more magical ability, I'll have it in the bag. It just takes a few minutes. Please. Just a little."
Brianna couldn't say no to Valerie. After all, if it hadn't been for Valerie, she wouldn't have met Renee or Jared. A little bit more power wouldn't hurt anyone.
The girls tiptoed up the cherry wood stairs and into Valerie's bedroom. After locking the door, they moved to the bed. On the gold satin sheets, arms outstretched, palms pressed to Valerie's, Brianna recited the spell.
The power traveled to the surface of her palm. As before, Brianna controlled the release. The magical essence slowly trickled out. Then, it was different. Brianna was taken off guard as large quantities of energy flowed out at lightning speed. What's going on? Then it occurred to her. She was not the only participant with supernatural ability.
Using her own powers, Valerie drew Brianna's energy into her. When Brianna tried to pull away, Valerie grasped her hands, her green eyes gleaming. Blindingly bright light surrounded their fingers. Closing her eyes, Brianna mustered all her strength and pulled back. The girls sprang apart. Brianna's back slammed against the gold wall before she dropped to the floor.
"What did you do that for?" Brianna yelled, forgetting that other people in the house were sleeping. When she sat up, black dots clouded her vision for a few moments. Dizzy and tired, she crawled toward Valerie. The auburn-haired power-thief was sprawled supine across the black carpet. When Brianna shook her, Valerie opened drowsy green eyes. Her lids fluttered dramatically. Seconds later, Valerie’s irises rolled back as her eyes shut.
"You idiot! What were you thinking?"
Loud rapping on the door startled Brianna. "Open up!" a harsh voice shouted.
Brianna unlocked the bedroom door. Mrs. Baron wore crumpled black pajamas and an irate expression.
"What's going on here?" She brushed past Brianna and eyed her daughter on the floor. "What's wrong with you? Get up, you slob!"
"I'm just tired, Mom," Valerie mumbled.
"You're not tired! I heard Brianna call you an idiot. She's absolutely right! You're so drunk you can’t even make it to your bed! You're pathetic. I'm ashamed to call you my daughter."
Brianna was stunned by Mrs. Baron's incisive words.
Valerie struggled to stand. Her legs shook severely before they gave out under her.
"What a loser!" Mrs. Baron's voice revealed her disgust.
Valerie's face was bright red as she rose up. Feet on the ground, her knees wobbled, threatening to give out again. Brianna put an arm around her waist to steady her. With assistance, Valerie walked to bed, each step a sluggish movement.
"Pathetic. Who drove home?"
"I did," Brianna lied.
"Well, thank goodness you had some sense. I know my daughter doesn't have any."
Valerie said something low and incomprehensible before rolling the other way. At least she was mobile. Brianna remembered the days when she'd been too weak to lift her pinky finger.
"I'm going to throw on some shoes and take you home, Brianna. I'm so sorry about my daughter's atrocious behavior. By the way, how's your sister Mandy?" Mrs. Baron asked. "She was always such a wonderful girl. Your mother must be so proud."
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Anxious to spend time with Renee, Brianna arrived at Burger Bop fifteen minutes early. Sliding into a corner booth, she thought about the events of the early morning. Valerie had stolen a lot of power. Instead of boiling underneath her skin, the supernatural force simmered deep in her core. Brianna estimated that her power had been cut in half.
A college-aged waiter approached her table and asked, "Can I get you something to drink?"
"A chocolate milkshake, please."
The boy hung around a little too long and stared a little too much, but he didn't get that zombie-like look in his eyes. Maybe now that her powers had decreased, she would have more control. Closing her eyes, Brianna focused on the seat of energy in her torso. It was like a pot of golden energy simmering softly above a low flame. Brianna shut the fire off. And just like that, she was normal again. Back to her old self.
She felt like jumping for joy. If it hadn't been for this whole experience, Brianna would have never appreciated herself, her own friends, and her own life the way she was able to right now. Her gratitude was profound. The waiter returned and placed the milkshake in front of her. He spun around and walked away without a second glance. Being ignored had never felt so good.
Now she wanted to see if she could turn it back on. She focused inwardly and found her magic with ease. Quiet, still, and serene, like a placid pond. Brianna pushed with her mind, transforming the pond into a trickling creek. As she pushed harder, it became a flowing river. When she exerted all her effort, the glowing energy metamorphosed into rushing, white water rapids that moved swiftly and created cresting waves.
Brianna waved her waiter over. In an instant, she knew it had worked. Her entire body felt hot. Tingles danced all over her skin. Smiling at the waiter, she could feel power emanating from her pores. The boy was spellbound as he approached her booth.
"Can I help you?" His eyes clouded over. A stupid grin spread across his face.
"I'd like a glass of water."
The boy ran to fill her order. He returned within seconds with a pitcher of tap water and two brands of bottled water. "I wasn't sure which you would like best." He lined up the options on the table.
"Thank you." Brianna shut off her powers, elated by her new ability.
A beautiful brunette wearing a yellow crochet sundress and white flip-flops opened the door to Burger Bop. Brianna waved excitedly to Renee. "Great to see you!"
"You too!"
The girls ordered cheeseburgers and French fries and then resumed conversation.
"I totally like Jared. We had so much fun. We like the same music. And did I mention he's unbelievably gorgeous?"
"Only eighteen times." Renee toyed with the blue lapis pendant hanging from a silver chain around her neck. "I don't want to seem like I'm trying to ruin this for you. I think Jared is a great guy, and I'm happy for you. It's just that I'm also worried about you. Licinia was ticked off last night."
Brianna
shrugged her shoulders. She was tired of Renee going on about this. "I'm sorry she's upset, but I like Jared. She needs to get over it."
Renee shook her head. "I don't think you understand. Licinia is a wampire. She's powerful."
"A wampire? What is that?"
"It's just a term we use in our community for a natural-born witch, like you or I, who has been transformed into a vampire. Wampires are more powerful than witches, vampires, or reborns. On top of that, she's over three-thousand years old. Vampires gain power over time. Licinia is a dangerous force to be reckoned with."
"I'm confused. I thought energy could not be created or destroyed. How do the vampires gain power over time?"
"There's a lot about vampires that isn't understood. One of the most plausible explanations is that vampires drink blood, which is a life force. They may acquire additional power that way. But even supernatural scientists are not completely sure. All that is known is it's a truth. Vampires certainly gain power with their years, while witches do not."
Brianna nodded. "I see. I also noticed last night that everyone in the room seemed immune to my powers. Why is that?"
"Supernatural beings' minds are not susceptible to being influenced. Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I talked to my aunt about your problem. She's going to look into it for you."
"I certainly don't mind. Thank you! But I have great news! I can control it now! I'm so happy."
"That's great to hear. How did you do it?"
"Actually, I transferred about half of my energy to Valerie. Now that my power has been lessened so dramatically, I have complete control."
Renee's mouth fell open. "Why would you do that?"
"I kind of owe her. It's a long story. I didn't intend to transfer that much, but now I'm glad I did."
Renee shook her head. "I don't think it's a good idea for Valerie to have that much power. I don't think she can be trusted."
In secret, Brianna agreed. But it was too late now. "What makes you think that?"
"Last night, she was getting a little too cozy with Licinia. I saw them exchange phone numbers at the end of the night. You were talking with Jared when it happened."
In Shadows of Magic Page 14