Everyone was so caught up in the crisis and chaos that nobody noticed one member of the Panthers standing back and watching, trying ineffectually to disguise a maniacal grin. Nobody except for one irate teen witch.
Blood boiling, Brianna stormed onto the field and grabbed Valerie by the throat. "Come with me. Now!"
Valerie pushed Brianna, green eyes blazing. "Get your hands off of me. I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Okay, then we're fighting. Right here. Right now. Are you ready for that? I might mess up your face, and then you won't be such a pretty Spring Queen, will you?"
Valerie glanced around. "Leave me alone, Bri. Don't cause a scene." As usual, her greatest concern was her social appearance.
"Then talk to me," Brianna said through gritted teeth.
The two girls walked off the field and into the woods. Once Brianna was certain they were out of earshot, she began. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill Giselle? Or just incapacitate her so she's out of the competition?" Brianna screamed one inch from Valerie's face. A burning sensation afflicted her chest as her anger exploded from within. "What is wrong with you? You're sick!"
Valerie stepped back and practiced her most innocent look, sweet and demure. "I don't know what you're talking about. Giselle is a good friend of mine, and I'm worried about her."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, you evil witch! Don't lie to me! You can't just go around using powers to hurt innocent people."
"Innocent people? That’s crap! Giselle is not innocent. She thinks she's better than everyone and treats everyone like garbage. She deserves everything she gets! Just like your sister Mandy. She thought she was so wonderful, and now look at her. I enjoy watching her suffer every single day, although it's still not adequate punishment for what she put me through. Now she's powerless, and oh so vulnerable. I could easily kill her. Once I bore of watching her decline, I will take her life. This time, I won't fail."
Brianna couldn't believe her ears. "This time?"
Valerie's laugh was diabolical. "Oh yeah, I pushed her right off Rocky Ridge Mountain. Boy, was I surprised when she flew right back up! And then you fell for everything, Brianna. When I told you I read Mandy's diary, that she wouldn't do spells with me, it was all lies. You were so gullible, so easy to manipulate. Maybe if you were a little bit smarter, then none of this would have happened, hmm? But you just kept doing exactly what I asked, transferring power to me at the snap of my fingers. I controlled you like a pawn, because that's what you were. Now I'm done with you. I don't need you anymore. Thank you so much for all your help."
Brianna heart throbbed with fury. Adrenaline and power boiled in her veins. She felt like a fool for falling for Valerie's guile. For aiding and abetting this monster who'd dared to inflict harm upon her twin. Her clenched fist thrust forward, aiming to punch Valerie squarely in the jaw. Valerie caught Brianna's hand before it could make contact. The two powerhouses stood, eyes locked, both ready for war.
"I'm just as strong as you. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Brianna tried to move her fist, but Valerie's grip was unyielding. Although both girls contained equal supernatural power, Valerie was in better athletic condition. This led Brianna to the conclusion that she likely couldn't win a one-on-one fight.
"You'd better stop this right now, Val. No more hurting people. Leave Giselle and Mandy alone. Or you will regret the day you met me. I will make you pay."
"Oh?" Valerie was unblinking. "And just how are you going to do that? You certainly can't call the police. Are you and your little friends going to try to hurt me? I wouldn't recommend that. I have a new friend that is much stronger than you and all of your friends combined. And she doesn't like you too much to begin with. If I were you, I wouldn't want to tick me off. So how about this—just stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Deal?"
"You don't want to do this." Brianna tried a different approach. "Think about what you're doing. I've known you my whole life. You're not this angry, violent person."
"You don't know anything about me or who I am! You have no idea what my life has been like!"
"I know your mom was tough on you…" Brianna tried to be empathetic.
"You know nothing!" For a moment, Valerie's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Val." Brianna reached out to touch Valerie's shoulder. "I understand. But it doesn't have to be this way. There are people you can talk to. People that can help you."
Valerie pushed Brianna's hand off her shoulder. Any vulnerability in her expression had been replaced by sheer madness. "I don't need any help. I don't need anyone. I'm going to run this place. Everyone is going to grovel at my feet. No one will dare call me a loser ever again." Her tone was calm and even.
"Val, I know you. You don't want to hurt people."
"You don't know anything." Valerie's green eyes were vacant. Years of emotional abuse had destroyed the girl that Brianna had once known. All that remained was a jealous and vindictive psychopath. "I will do whatever it takes to be the best. Because if you're not the best, you're just a big loser."
Brianna was speechless as Valerie whirled around and stalked away. She had transferred power to this monster. Now she was equally responsible for any harm or deaths that could be caused by her sociopathic behavior. There has to be a way to stop her.
The sky was turning dark and gray. Jared would be on his way soon. Brianna hoped the heavy sinking feeling in her stomach would pass before he arrived.
Chapter Forty-One
Brianna clasped the eight silver buckles that held together the front of her black dress. The doorbell rang. Cracking open her bedroom door, she could hear her parents interrogating Jared, who stood in the entryway.
"Hi, I'm Sabrina, Brianna's mom." Sabrina's voice was pleasant.
"And I'm her father." Mr. McKinney stepped into foyer.
"Hello, I'm Jared. It's nice to meet you."
"I hear you're in college studying medicine. I'm an ER nurse. What kind of medicine are you interested in practicing?" Sabrina asked.
"I'm undecided right now. I think I would like the intensity and fast pace of being an ER doctor. I'm also fascinated by research. There're so many mysteries science hasn't been able to explain. I'd love to uncover ways to enhance human life, or cure diseases."
"Where are you from?" Mr. McKinney asked.
Brianna rushed downstairs to rescue her date from the barrage of questions. "Hi," she cut in.
Jared's big steel-blue eyes twinkled at Brianna. It took all of her strength to resist jumping into his arms.
"Hey," he said.
"Mom and Dad, I'm so excited! Jared has a surprise planned for tonight."
"Have fun!" Sabrina's smile revealed her approval.
"Bye. It was nice meeting you." Jared followed Brianna through the front door. "Whew!" He breathed the outside air. "Did I pass?"
Brianna laughed. "You were phenomenal."
Jared held open the passenger side door of his sedan.
"Thank you," Brianna said as she sat inside the vehicle.
Her handsome date slid into the driver's side and then leaned toward her. "You look beautiful." He greeted her with a kiss. Brianna felt like she might burst from happiness.
A few minutes later, they were miles outside of Montmorrow. "Where are we going?” Brianna asked.
"To the city."
"But you just came from the city!"
He shrugged. "It's cool. I wanted to see you." Jared reached over to the passenger side. His hand found hers. "I wish I could instantly transport wherever I wanted, like the vampires. Reborns don't have that ability."
"Vampires can teleport anywhere? That's cool."
"Over the years, the distance that a vampire can teleport increases along with his strength. The farthest Brent can teleport is a hundred miles. He has older friends who can teleport across the world."
Thirty minutes later, Jared parked in an underground lot next to an uptown marina.
"What are we do
ing?” Brianna asked, as they exited the parking garage and walked toward a long line of boats docked on the Hudson.
"See that boat down there?" He pointed to an enormous, shiny white vessel at the end of the line.
Brianna gasped. "How could I miss it? What is it? A mini cruise ship?"
"It's Brent's party yacht. He's letting us borrow it for the evening. We can enjoy the view and take a little cruise. How does that sound?"
"That sounds amazing! Letting us borrow it? Just us two?"
"Yep. I told him we could have taken one of his smaller boats, but he insisted."
"Wow!" Brianna stared in awe at the majestic craft as they strode down the narrow wooden platform. "Do you know how to drive that thing?"
"Nope. But don't worry, the crew is efficient."
"The crew?" She was flabbergasted.
Jared laughed and nodded.
"Brent hired a crew just for us?" Brianna couldn't believe it.
"Brent is generous. It took a while to get used to it, especially for me. I'm not used to anyone being so giving."
"That's an understatement. This is unbelievable!"
As soon as they stepped onto the yacht, a chubby girl greeted them. "Mr. Fannin, Miss McKinney, it is lovely to see you. Welcome to the Kismet. Dinner will be served in the main dining room as soon as you're ready."
"Thank you, Miss Driscoll. We will be there shortly."
"Wonderful. We will be departing right away." Miss Driscoll curtsied, and then she walked away.
On the edge of the deck, Jared put his arm around his date’s shoulders. As the vessel pulled out of the dock, the bright lights of New York illuminated the river.
"This is beautiful," Brianna mused, admiring the impressive cityscape.
"Not as beautiful as you." Jared whispered. Then, he kissed her. His soft lips delivered sweet, sensual caresses. Kissing him could become addictive. The pleasure of his touch transcended her wildest dreams.
Sometime later, they released from their embrace. "I want to take a picture of this." Brianna's eyes scanned the magnificent skyline. She retrieved her cell phone from her pocketbook and snapped a few shots.
"It is an incredible view, but I'm ready to go inside for dinner. Are you hungry?" Jared asked.
"Yes. Starving." Holding hands, they walked through a cherry paneled hallway into a large, elegant dining room. "Wow. I don't know how many times I've said this, but it still wouldn't be enough. This is so amazing."
Jared appeared pleased. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. Pick a table."
Brianna chose a circular table towards the back of the dining area. A large painting of a beautiful woman dressed in a long, black gown hung on the wall beside them. The entire portrait was painted in blacks and grays except for her light turquoise eyes and a golden key hung from a delicate chain around her neck. There was something familiar about the woman, the contours of her face, the curve of her chin. Aha!
"Jared, the woman in the painting reminds me of the golden statue in Brent's building. Who is she?"
"The only woman he ever loved. She broke his heart. Irreparably, it seems."
A brunette wearing a crisp white tuxedo shirt, a black bow tie, and black slacks approached their table. "Hello, Mr. Fannin, Miss McKinney. I'm Nelly, and I'll be your server this evening. I have a letter for the two of you from Mr. Brent." The waitress handed Jared a beige envelope. "Can I start you out with anything to drink?"
"I'll have a lemonade," Jared said.
"Hi, Nelly. You can call me Bri. I'll have an unsweetened iced tea."
The server nodded. "Certainly, Bri. I'll be right back."
Jared pulled his chair so close that his leg brushed against hers. "It's addressed to both of us. Let's read it together."
Jared reached into the envelope and retrieved a piece of off-white stationery that had been folded three times. As he unfolded it, two rectangular pieces of paper fell onto the silk tablecloth.
"What's that?" Brianna asked, picking up the displaced items. What she saw brought a huge smile to her face. She was holding two general admission tickets to tomorrow's Red Rapture concert in Hammerstein Ballroom.
Her excitement was uncontainable. She held up the tickets. "Look! Do you see this? Red Rapture!"
"Brent came through! I knew he would. Let’s see what he wrote to us."
Dear Mr. Fannin and Ms. McKinney,
I regret that I could not accompany the two of you this evening. I am in Barcelona visiting some old friends. I do hope that you enjoy your evening on the Kismet. Jared, I have enclosed the tickets you requested. I have spoken to Adam, and he will be expecting you both.
Sincerely,
Brent
"Spoken to Adam?" Brianna choked out. "Does he mean Adam Payne? Red Rapture's front man?"
"Yes. Adam is a good friend of Brent's. They have known each other for a few hundred years."
"Is Adam vampire or a reborn? Have you met him?"
"He's a vampire. I met him once. He came by Brent's and the three of us hung out, just shooting the breeze all night."
"But I thought vampires don't photograph? I've seen Adam in videos and magazines."
"That's just a silly myth that developed because vampires generally avoid being photographed. It provides proof of their unchanging appearance over the years and could arouse suspicion. There are vampire hunters out there seeking to eradicate their race. Adam always dreamed of becoming a rock star, but was afraid of putting himself in the public eye. Now he will have to disappear before people notice that he doesn't age."
"Where will he go?" Brianna asked. Red Rapture had already achieved worldwide fame.
"Some isolated place. Maybe a cave. Maybe a deserted island. I hope he finds a woman to bring with him, or it will get pretty lonely. A lot of vampires are angry with him, but I'm not. What's the point of eternity if you never get to live your dreams?"
Looking out the window at the big city, Brianna was awestruck. All those tall buildings and skyscrapers glowing in the darkness. Millions of windows inside millions of rooms that contained millions of people, each life individual and unique. For a moment, Brianna wondered how many other people were falling in love tonight.
Thinking over all that had occurred during the past few weeks and all she had discovered, she wondered how much more there was to learn. Gazing at the picturesque panorama made her long for more, to acquire knowledge endlessly, to love completely, to explore the world, and relish every moment. Reborns, vampires, teleporting, evulsion of powers…and tomorrow night, I'm meeting my favorite musician. Who could have ever predicted any of this? Brianna's was truly a world of infinite possibilities.
"What's on your mind? I see something going on behind those eyes."
"I'm just enjoying the view. It inspires me."
Jared nodded. "Me too, but I also sense something is bothering you. Who's the girl with reddish hair and evil eyes? It seems like she could be dangerous."
Brianna shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it right now." How can I tell him all of this? I just found out that a wacko used me to get power to advance her own popularity. She tried to throw my sister off a mountain, and now she's attempting to murder the most beautiful girl in school. Who knows what else she's capable of or what her next move will be? And it's all my fault…
"Bri." Genuine concern clouded his blue-gray eyes. "I want to know. If something is wrong, I want to help. Tell me."
Nelly returned and placed a glass of iced tea on the table. "Would you like to hear your choices for this evening?"
Brianna nodded as her stomach growled.
"We have roasted duck with rice, shrimp risotto, or pan-seared trout served with mashed potatoes."
Jared ordered shrimp, and Brianna opted for the duck.
"Who's the girl? I swear, if someone tries to hurt you…" Jared cut off. "You have to tell me what's going on."
"After we eat. I don't want to spoil the meal."
****
After dinner, the couple
returned to the front deck. The stars and moon were bright in clear night sky. Brianna stood against the railing, facing the soft cool breeze, lost in thought. Jared came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned his head on her shoulder.
"Tell me," he whispered, his lips soft against her ear. "Now."
Her mind raced through the events of the past month—the first meeting with Valerie, the evulsion, the fight with Mandy, all the attention, Mandy's breakdown and realization, Brianna's own epiphany, rebuilding her relationship with Mandy, meeting Jared and Renee, and finally the confrontation with Valerie. Brianna had grown so much that she could barely recognize her old self. She'd been so jealous, insecure, and covetous of meaningless attention. Although she was proud of the person she had become, she couldn't enjoy the future until she confronted and fixed her past mistakes.
Jared might think differently of her. He might not like her. He could even hate her once he found out the truth. But if there was one thing that she had learned, it was that she wanted people to love her for her. And what she'd done and who she had been was part of her. No lies, no faking, no stretching the facts to try to absolve herself of guilt. Just the truth.
Brianna took a deep breath, looked Jared in his stormy blue eyes, and began to speak. She told him the entire story from beginning to end. He remained quiet, face neutral throughout. Brianna didn't leave out any details. She told him everything. When she'd finished, she braced herself for his response. If he despises me, well…fine, then, she told herself. At least I'm being real.
After a moment, he spoke. "I'll help you. We will find a way to stop Valerie."
Brianna breathed a sigh of relief. "So you still like me?"
Jared nodded. "Yes, I think I like you even more. You didn't think the evulsion was going to work. That wasn't your fault."
In Shadows of Magic Page 17