"I still have no idea why it did work. But I shouldn't have even messed around. And what happened after…"
"You always had good intentions. What was it that you said to me the other night when I told you my story? That I had some errors in judgment—"
"That's different! You were trying to provide your family with food and shelter! I was trying to outdo my own sister."
He shook his head. "Okay, but nobody's perfect. The important thing is that you learned from it. You didn't realize what was important at the time, but now you do. There are many people much older than you that still haven't figured that out."
Brianna turned around, leaned forward, and pressed her lips hard against his. She felt like her heart might explode from happiness. Not only had he listened to every word, he also understood her.
"I'll talk to Brent, and you should tell Renee. We're going to need some help, especially if Licinia is involved."
Although Brianna was terrified that Brent and Renee wouldn't be as understanding as Jared, she nodded. A girl's life was at stake. Maybe many lives. She would do whatever it took to prevent any more harm.
They both decided to put their problems aside for the night and just enjoy the Kismet, the view, the weather, and each other. Every moment they spent together, Brianna felt closer to Jared. Hours flew by while Brianna was wrapped up in his comforting arms. When he kissed her neck, shivers of pleasure raced across her skin.
"This boat is amazing, but I want to take you somewhere else tonight, too. I want to be the one you experience it with for the first time. Would you go with me to paradise?"
Brianna rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Are you serious? That was the lamest line I've ever heard. Cool out, buddy. Just because you took me out on a yacht doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with you."
Her date held his hands up. "Whoa, you got the wrong idea. I was talking about a real place. We call it Supertopia."
"A real place? Where?"
"It's another dimension, another world. It was created for all of the supernatural to have a safe place to go. A place for peace. A place to practice magic and develop our skills."
Brianna's eyes felt as big as saucers. "What's it like?"
Jared took a deep breath. "It's like…magic. I'd rather show you than tell you."
She hesitated. "I don't know."
"Do you trust me?" Brianna searched his eyes and was captured by his gaze.
"Yes." She meant it.
"Then come with me."
The air beside her began to glimmer, every shade of every color emerging in the black of the night. An immense oval of colorful lights were suspended in midair, as if thousands of glowing gems had been melded together. Jared took her hand. "Come inside," he said.
Brianna took a deep breath and then stepped into the sparkles.
Chapter Forty-Two
The sparkles surrounded her, swirling like a blanket of shooting stars embracing her. Comets raced past, blue moons eclipsed before her eyes, and purple planets spun in their orbits. It was like being wrapped inside the walls of a planetarium while its computer simulated every astrological phenomenon at once. In her wildest dreams she couldn't have imagined anything more incredible.
When the stars dissipated, Brianna felt her heels sinking into the ground. She surveyed below her and became aware that she was standing on sand. Not the ordinary kind. The most beautiful sand she had ever seen. Pink, silver, and gold particles twinkled beneath her sandals. Brianna realized she was on a beach. It was daytime. The sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky, surrounded by puffy pink-and-yellow clouds that looked like cotton candy. Waves crashed on the sand, the water like shiny turquoise with pearl-white foam.
"What is this place?" Brianna asked.
"You like?" Jared's lips curled upward.
"I love," she said, taking a step forward.
"Brianna, don't—"
She slammed into an invisible wall, solid as a block of steel. "What on earth?"
Jared laughed. "Sorry. I tried to warn you."
Her eyes narrowed, and she playfully punched his upper arm. "What's going on?"
"We have to wait for them to let us in."
Straight ahead, a man headed in their direction. Standing at least seven-feet tall, his loose fitting white pants fluttered in the breeze. His tan chest was bare, revealing the most bronzed and defined pectorals and abs that Brianna had ever seen. Silky platinum blond hair fell to his shoulders. He glared at them through icy blue eyes as he passed through the invisible barrier.
"Hello, Arthur," Jared said, offering a weak smile.
"Who is this one you bring? Another disgusting vermin to our land of peace?" Arthur's piercing eyes stared daggers. "Supertopia is not for dating, Mr. Fannin. This is serious business."
"I know, and I'm sorry about last time. This is Brianna McKinney, a powerful witch. This time you won't find any problems. I'm sure."
"Mr. Fannin, you are aware that you are only allowed to bring one individual into Supertopia—for life. If she passes, you can never bring another."
"I'm aware. That's fine."
"That's what you said last time." Arthur shook his head as if to say silly young boy. “You're lucky tonight. We are almost to capacity." His gaze fell upon Brianna. "Do you mean any harm to the world of Supertopia?"
"N-no, sir," Brianna stammered. "I'm sorry. If I shouldn't be here, I'll go."
Jared shook his head and grasped Brianna's hand. "Search her heart. I promise you will find only goodness there."
Arthur faced Jared. "You, first."
"Again?"
"Hearts can change, Mr. Fannin."
Jared nodded. He clenched his fists and tensed his muscles. "Go ahead." In seconds, Jared’s mouth twisted and his forehead bunched up. His knees gave out under him, and he dropped to the sand, his palms pressed against either side of his head.
"Stop it, you're hurting him!" Brianna's heart pumped so hard that she felt like it might go into cardiac arrest.
Jared got to his feet. "It's okay, Bri. It hurts a little bit, but it's over in a second."
"Are you ready, Miss McKinney? It's the only way to gain entry," Arthur said.
Brianna hesitated. "I don't know." She linked eyes with her date and got lost in his eyes.
"Trust me," Jared mouthed.
Brianna nodded. "Okay."
The next moment she felt hands enter her body. They crawled underneath her skin, through her stomach, and inside her heart. The fingers wrapped around her heart and squeezed. Brianna lost her breath as she fell onto sand that was soft as a pillow.
The fist released her heart, then the fingers climbed up her throat and lingered in her brain. Brianna's head was suddenly filled with noise. She heard her sister's laughter, her mother singing a lullaby, wind, rain, an electric guitar, drums, a kitten's soft purr. Blurs of color flashed in front of her eyes. Millions of memories rushed by so fast that she couldn't make out any shapes or images. Just a strange familiarity that let her know that they were hers and hers alone.
Then, it all stopped. Jared grasped Brianna's hand and pulled her to her feet. She found her breath as Arthur bent over into a deep bow.
"Does that mean I pass?" Brianna asked.
"I don't know. He never did that for me," Jared said.
Arthur straightened his spine. "You passed with flying colors. You have one of the purest hearts and souls I have encountered. Of course your youth and innocence play some part in that. But still, I am quite impressed. And there's something you might not know. You come from royal blood."
"What does that mean?"
"Ah, I've said too much already. You will find out when the time comes. For now, please enjoy your time in paradise." With that, Arthur vanished.
Jared squeezed her hand, his expression revealing his pride. "I knew you were amazing."
"I'm guessing that Arthur didn't take a liking to Licinia."
Jared sucked in a breath and shook his head. "Not at all. She wasn't allowed in. H
er soul is filthy. Let's not talk about her."
Hand in hand, they walked across the magical beach, the sun's rays dancing on their skin.
"Watch out!" Brianna's heart dropped, and she prepared for her demise as four Siberian tigers raced across the beach toward them.
Jared laughed and pulled her close. "There is no danger here, Bri. Those are shape-shifters. They are free here to be themselves."
The orange-and-black-striped beasts raced past them, their golden eyes glowing. Her heartbeat returned to normal and she released the breath she had been holding. "Shape-shifters?"
"Oh, yes. This is our sanctuary. This is where we come to be free. See over there?" Jared pointed down the beach. A group of women stood in a circle around a bonfire, holding hands. "A coven, free to practice their craft and learn new skills without any fear of discovery. Look over there.” He nodded in the other direction. Two men sparred while three others watched carefully. "They are honing their skills for battle."
"What is this battle? You have mentioned it before."
"The prophecy says that evil entities will find their way into Supertopia. If they ever gained control over the bricks, they could potentially take over all of Supertopia, Earth, and the universe."
"Bricks?"
"I'll take you there. It's miraculous."
Brianna took off her shoes and let her toes sink into the sand. They walked along the water's edge, the cool waves splashing on her bare feet.
"Hey, guys! What's up?" Brianna recognized the brunette beauty lounging on a dark red beach towel.
"Hey, Charlotte, what are you up to?" Jared greeted his vampiress friend.
"Oh, just soaking up some rays. Wishing I could get a tan." Charlotte's red lips curved downward as she examined her pale skin.
"Wait a second," Brianna said. "You're a vampire, and you're out in the sun."
Charlotte gave Brianna a no-duh look. "That's right, and I'm drinking a Shirley Temple, too." She pointedly picked up her red drink, dressed with a festive paper umbrella, and took a sip. "They don't call this place paradise for nothing."
"This is an alternate dimension. Vampires come here to enjoy the sun. It doesn't hurt them like it would on Earth," Jared said.
Charlotte pressed the bottom of her glass into the sand and stretched her arms overhead. "It's magic. Too bad it doesn't provide any sustenance. If I didn't need to feed daily, I would probably spend a lot more time here."
"We're headed to the wall. Nice running into you."
"Bye," Brianna said. Charlotte waved and then indulged in a long gulp of her beverage.
Jared and Brianna traipsed over two sand dunes, passing a wolf and a dragon along the way. Brianna tightened her grip on Jared’s hand.
"Shape-shifters," He assured her.
As they walked, Brianna could sense great power ahead. It floated in the air, becoming stronger with every step, seeping into her skin, clinging to her pores. It was intoxicating.
And then there it was—the most amazing structure she had ever seen. It was a wall so tall that it seemed to never end. It just continued up and up, until it disappeared amongst the pink clouds and into the heavens. Created from millions of brick-shaped stones, each piece was vastly different and individual. Some of the building blocks sparkled and shone. Some were multicolored, with swirls of pastel shades throughout. Others were splashes of vibrant color. Some had beautiful patterns that appeared to be etched on or engraved within. The only common denominator was that each brick seemed to emanate great power.
"What are they?" Brianna asked.
"Since the beginning of time, power has been infused into these special stone bricks by millions of witches, shape-shifters, reborns, and vampires. Many have passed on, but their power will linger here forever. A piece of each of them was left behind to create, maintain and enlarge this magical world."
Brianna took a deep breath and felt her lungs expand with the power of generations and generations of pure, good witches. "Do you want to be a part of it?" Jared asked.
"Yes," She said. "How?"
"The same way you transferred some of your power to Valerie." Jared led her to the front of the wall where a tall, voluptuous woman stood guard. She brushed a strand of thick black hair out of her eyes.
"Hello, Mr. Fannin." The woman spoke in a thick accent. Her eyes were deep and dark with wisdom and serenity.
"Hey, Salma. How have you been? Maybe one day we can meet in the real world. I've always wanted to check out the pyramids. Salma lives in Egypt," Jared explained.
"Are there portals in Egypt?" Brianna asked.
Salma nodded. "There are portals everywhere. Have you come for a brick?"
"Yes," Brianna said. As if from nowhere, a solid piece of stone appeared in her hands. It was hard, heavy, and plain, clear as glass. "Mine isn't as pretty as the others," she complained.
"It will be more beautiful than any other. You will see. Thanks, Salma." Jared led the way. Hand in hand, they walked alongside the wall. Closer now, Brianna could clearly see the individual patterns and intricacies of each block. She ran her fingers along the wall, her hand tingling with the power. Brianna noticed that there were no spaces between each block, no cement binding them together. The blocks had all become one, a solid mass of pure energy.
"So what now?" She asked, shivers and tingles shooting up and down her spine as her fingers trailed along the wall.
"We go to the top."
Brianna examined the seemingly endless structure. "But how?"
"We jump."
She laughed. "Be serious."
"I am. This place is magic. The impossible is possible here. Anything is possible here."
Brianna squinted in the sunlight as she looked at the glimmer of the magic wall that rose taller than any of the skyscrapers in New York's vista. How could they possibly jump that high?
"You ready?" Jared had a firm grip on Brianna's hand. "This is better than an amusement park ride. One, two, three, blast off!"
She jumped, a jump that ordinarily would have taken her a few feet in the air before gravity snapped her back to earth. But she wasn't on Earth; she was in Supertopia, where physics and gravity seemed to hold no bounds. They catapulted into the air, propelled as if they had jumped from the world's largest trampoline. The wind blew her hair, the lights of the wall passed by in a blur as miles and miles—maybe millions of miles—of distance rushed past. By the time they reached the top Brianna burst into a fit of laughter, her uncontrollable giggles revealing her delight. Jared laughed with her.
"Pretty sweet, right?"
As soon as she regained her composure, she almost lost it again. Her eyes widened as she realized both her toes and heels hung over the sides of the narrow wall. Fluffy pink, purple, and turquoise clouds surrounded her, obstructing her view of the long fall to the ground below. She wasn't sure she had enough power to fly that kind of distance.
"It's okay, babe." Jared's arm was steady around her waist. "Remember, anything is possible here."
Brianna took a deep breath and nodded. "So what now?"
"Remember how you transferred some of your power into Valerie. Use that same method to send some of your energy into that block. It's made of a special kind of stone that can retain magical energy. Most materials can't."
Brianna observed the clear, solid block in her hand. She closed her eyes and focused on the energy stirring in the seat of her core. The power moved from her core, through her veins, and coursed into her fingertips. Her hands burned as the power seeped from her palms into the heavy rock.
"That's enough," Jared said.
Brianna opened her eyes, and her jaw dropped open. The block in her hand had been transformed. Instead of being clear, the majority of the block was royal blue, with streaks of gold like shooting stars swirling through. Small, shiny black specks, like pieces of onyx, were embedded within.
"It's beautiful," she said, suddenly reluctant to leave it behind. It was a piece of her.
"I'll show you where
to put it," Jared said. Brianna followed him along the skinny wall, stepping up and down over areas where the wall was uneven. She felt as balanced as a seasoned tightrope walker. The length of the wall seemed as infinite as its height.
"Here." He knelt down and placed his hand on a block comprised of shades of gray and sky blue, with bolts of black, silver, and navy strewn throughout. "This is my block. I want you to put ours together."
Joy emanated from every pore in her body. Tears of happiness actually formed behind her eyes. "Thank you."
Brianna placed her block on top of his. Within moments, the two blocks melded together. A few strands of gold from Brianna's block stretched into Jared's, mingling with the navy lightning bolts. They were together. Solid. Part of each other, part of every other supernatural being that had contributed a piece of themselves, part of the energy that maintained and allowed the expansion of Supertopia.
"Wow," Brianna said. "Thank you. That was amazing."
"You're amazing," Jared said.
She beamed. "Now what?"
"We jump." Jared took her hand. They stepped over the edge together. As she dropped through the sky, moving at three hundred miles an hour without a parachute, Brianna was not afraid. She was part of this place now, and she somehow knew that as long as she was here, she was protected. The freefall was exhilarating—the wind rushing through her ears, her hair standing straight up on end. They landed on their feet, hands still intertwined.
"Thank you for your contribution." Salma waved as they headed back down the beach.
"So where did this place come from?" Brianna asked. "Was it always here?"
"There's a whole story behind the origin of this world. It's only a legend, but many believe that it's the truth. Years and years ago, close to the beginning of time, a vampire fell in love with a vampiress. They were happy together, so in love, until evil infected her soul. She changed—went over to the dark side, so to speak. Well, this man, he refused to believe she was inherently evil. He felt it was the bad influences on Earth that led her to her malevolent ways. And so he used all of his power to create this place, this utopia where evil could not exist, could not affect her, so they could be together again."
In Shadows of Magic Page 18