Silent Circle

by Cassandra Larsen

  I’m getting louder and more worked up, throwing my hands out in anger.

  “There’s nothing wrong with being a mechanic! Do you honestly think I’d rather be with someone like my father, who makes a lot of money but is never around! Who works nights and weekends – who I only see a few hours a week? What have I ever done that would make you think that about me?”

  He actually takes a step back, stunned by my vehemence. But then he gathers himself back up and puffs out his chest.

  “So it wouldn’t bother you to be married to a mechanic who only makes $40K a year? That’s why you were so excited about the promise ring I got you, right?”

  “The amount of money you make doesn’t matter to me! The way you treat me, however, does. And the way you’ve acted lately...”

  “And what about the way you’ve been acting, Em? Disappearing for hours at a time? Not even telling Olivia where you’re going! Getting cozy with another guy at Kayla’s party? And today. Where’ve you been all day, Emerson? It’s eleven o’clock, and I saw you leave school right after lunch. Where have you been?”

  I glare at him to cover up my guilty flush. A breeze comes up behind me, blowing my hair into my face. Sebastian lifts his head to the wind, his nostrils flaring. The action seems familiar, but I can’t place it. Then he squares his shoulders and his back goes rigid.

  “Tell me you weren’t with Caiden all night.” His eyes are begging me to deny it, but the grim set of his mouth says he already knows the answer.

  “It’s not what you think...”

  He smashes his hand through the railing with a loud snap.

  “Were you with Caiden? It’s a yes or no question, Em.”

  “Yes, but–”

  “That’s all I needed to hear.” He moves past me and down the porch steps, every movement precise, restrained. It reminds me of how I move when I’m afraid of losing control.

  “Sebastian! Wait! You don’t understand what’s going on!”

  I run after him and grip his wrist. He yanks his arm out of my grasp and gives me such a vicious snarl I flinch away.

  “Sebastian, damnit! Would you just listen?”

  “No. We’re done. Don’t call me. Don’t come near me in school. And tell your boyfriend to watch out. I’m coming for him.”

  He throws himself into his car and takes off, his tires squealing on the pavement.

  Read on for a sneak peek at

  Deceitful Circle

  Chapter 1

  I stare in the mirror at my puffy eyes. There’s not enough concealer in the world to cover up how bad I look this morning. I try anyway, going heavier than normal on the eyeliner and mascara to make up for my lackluster appearance. I leave my black hair down around my shoulders, pull on my favorite pair of skinny jeans and a tight blue sweater and study my reflection again. Nope, it’s not working. I still look like crap.

  My stomach roils at the thought of facing Sebastian after our explosive break up yesterday. I grab my keys and hesitate. I could just stay home today; it’s not like my dad would notice... I reject the idea with a sharp shake of my head. I’m not going to hide in my room like a coward.

  I drive into school, dreading every minute of it. I walk into the building, keeping my eyes straight ahead, hoping to run into Olivia. I called her last night after Sebastian took off, but she didn’t answer.

  Someone slams into me from behind, making me jump. I turn and catch a glimpse of Josh’s broad grin before he disappears into the crowd. I take a deep breath and count to five.

  It’s only been a week since I found out I’m a witch and already I've almost killed a girl for insulting my dead mother, completely alienated my now ex-boyfriend, and single-handedly exposed the coven to a pack of murderous werewolves whose sole purpose now will be to hunt us down.

  It has not been a good week. Grabbing my books from the locker, I walk into homeroom.

  * * *

  Olivia isn’t in class. I text her a few more times throughout the day, but don’t get any response, which is weird. She always answers her texts. By now she has to have heard about me and Seb. I hear whispers about it between classes. Based on the gossip, it seems Sebastian wasted no time in alerting the student body to what a whore I am.

  In addition to all the other craziness going on this week, I’ve also had to attend the witch’s equivalent of anger management classes after I nearly killed Sarah. I didn’t mean to hurt her- I just got angry. Really angry. And as I’ve discovered, an untrained witch with a temper can be extremely dangerous to those around them. But thanks to Caiden and his training, I think I have that part of my nature under control for now. Unfortunately, all the time we’ve had to spend together for these training sessions has caused Sebastian and the rest of the school to assume the worst.

  Crazy rumors are still circulating, each one more ludicrous than the last – that Caiden and I have been secretly hooking up for years; that I’m pregnant and I don’t know who the father is; that I’m addicted to cocaine and Caiden is my supplier. I even heard someone whisper that not only have I been cheating with Caiden, but I’ve been screwing Josh as well. That one pissed me off the most.

  I do my best to ignore it all, but by the time lunch rolls around, I’m ready to snap. I consider eating lunch in my car, but I won’t give Sebastian the satisfaction. I walk into the cafeteria like I don’t have a care in the world and go straight to a table in the back that is usually empty. I keep my attention on my pizza and pretend I can’t hear the people around me whispering. I know sitting by myself is just going to start up more gossip, but I can’t stomach the thought of sitting at my normal table and seeing Josh’s gloating face.

  I’m concentrating on ignoring everything around me, so when someone sits down next to me, I jump.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask blankly.

  Caiden examines my face, taking in my red-rimmed eyes and colorless cheeks. “Thought I could use a change of scenery.”

  “Aren’t you afraid I’ll ruin your reputation?” I ask with a hint of a smile.

  Caiden nudges me with his shoulder playfully. “As long as I’m not being chased out of town by strange werewolves, I’ll take my chances.”

  While Caiden’s been training me, he’s also been helping me find answers about my mother’s past. According to Caroline, the coven’s High Priestess, my mom had been running from the Silver Lake Pack since before I was born, and three years ago, they finally found her. Caroline tells me that my mom killed herself to keep the pack from finding out about me, but thanks to my ill-fated road trip to Ashwood Creek, my mother’s hometown, the pack now knows I’m alive, and they’ll be coming for me.

  We eat for a few minutes, not talking. I hear a high pitched giggle and look up. Olivia is sitting at our normal table. I didn’t think she was in school, since she wasn’t in class and didn’t answer any of my calls or texts, but the way she’s staring daggers at me explains why she’s been ignoring me: she’s obviously pissed, though I don’t know why. I almost march over there to see what her problem is, but stop when I see Kayla.

  She’s sitting across from Olivia, grinning from ear to ear, the source of the giggling. Sebastian has his arm around her, nuzzling her neck, her arms twined around him, hands fisted in his golden hair.

  My stomach gives a sickening lurch and I push my pizza away.

  “So, I guess you two broke up?”

  “Yup.”

  “Was it because of me?” He sounds upset at the thought.

  “It was for a lot of reasons. But, basically, yeah. He found out I was with you last night. I can’t blame him for assuming the worst.”

  “Can’t you?” He asks quietly. After a few heartbeats, he changes the subject. “Are you ready for the circle tonight?”

  “Not really, but it’s not like I have much of a choice...”

  “You always have a choice. If you’re not up for it, I’ll explain it to Caroline. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

  I give him my first genuine s
mile today, small though it is.

  “Thanks, Caid, but I’d rather not sit in my room and brood all night. But would you be able to give me a lift to Caroline’s? My car is in the shop.” My mouth twists in annoyance. “That friggin’ werewolf dented the entire front fender.”

  Caiden looks like he wants to laugh at this. “Well Em, you can always go back and demand that he fix it. I mean, he’s only a werewolf and all. I’m sure you’ll be able to scare him into paying up.”

  “It’s not funny – that asshole ruined my car,” I grumble.

  His face straightens a bit, but his eyes still dance with amusement. “You’re right. We should go back and tell him. I’m sure you can take him on. No contest.”

  “Oh, shut up. You’re not helping.” He has the strangest sense of humor. “Can you drive me or not?”

  “Sure, I’ll pick you up after school.”

  I purse my lips in thought, trying to find something else to talk about besides my mangled car. “So why don’t you tell me who else will be there tonight? I’m assuming Lydia, Ethan and Arianna.” I nod my head toward the table Caiden normally sits at.

  All three of them are watching us, but I can’t get a read on their expressions. Are they annoyed that Caiden’s over here with me? Worried? I don’t know. They must have taken lessons from Caiden in honing their poker face.

  “Yeah, they’ll be there, as will Mirowski–”

  Kayla giggles again and I can’t stop myself from glancing up. Now Sebastian is full on making out with her, one hand groping her ass, the other sneaking up her shirt. He moves his head to the side and looks me straight in the eye as he begins to nibble on her ear.

  My stomach drops and the pizza threatens to come back up. This is so much worse than I would’ve imagined. Despite the stuff we’ve been going through, I still care about him. Watching him do this with someone else, someone who I thought was my friend, is unbelievably painful.

  My blood roars in my ears, the frantic whooshing sound drowning out the rest of the room. Then Caiden’s steady, warm hand begins rubbing circles on my back. I try to breath, but my chest hurts too much.

  “Em, look at me.”

  I want to drag my gaze away from Sebastian and Kayla, but I can’t. It’s like a car wreck; you can’t look away.

  “Em.” Caiden places his other hand on my cheek and gently turns my face away. “It’s alright,” he soothes.

  I look into Caiden’s deep green eyes, my own brimming with tears I try to fight. I will never forgive myself if I cry in front of everyone.

  “I can help you,” he whispers so only I can hear. “I can calm you down, take away the pain, but I’ll need to use my gift on you.”

  I vaguely remember him telling me that his talent deals with the mental and emotional, but he never said exactly what he’s able to do besides healing and memory alteration.

  “It’s not dangerous or anything – it’ll wear off by the end of the school day – but it’ll calm you down,” he continues. “Do you want me to do it?”

  If he can keep me from breaking down in front of everyone, then I’ll try anything. “Please...”

  “Alright, then look into my eyes. It’ll be okay. You’ll feel better in a minute.”

  As I stare into Caiden’s eyes, warmth begins flowing into me from where his hands rest on my collar bone and cheek. My muscles start to relax, inch by inch. There seems to be endless layers behind the crystalline depths of his eyes.

  A buzz of commotion sounds somewhere off to my right, but I ignore it as I lose myself in Caiden’s gaze.

  The leaden feeling oppressing me moments before begins to lighten. I feel a smile form on my lips. I’ve never paid much attention to how handsome Caiden really is. I’ve know he was good looking, but right now, with his messy, dark chocolate hair forming a halo around his head and his serious eyes focused entirely on me, he’s beautiful.

  I’m dimly aware that my thoughts are a little loopy. Caiden’s face shifts slightly his gaze becoming hooded and more intense. I wonder if he knows what I’m thinking.

  A shadow falls across us and Caiden’s warmth is ripped away. As my thoughts clear, I try to make sense of what I’m seeing.

  Sebastian has Caiden by the throat, pinning him down to the table. He’s growling incoherently, punching him, keeping his other hand wrapped tight around Caiden’s neck. Sebastian’s blue eyes flashing gold, his face a mask of rage.

  He’s going to kill him, I think. I move toward them, but before I can figure out what to do, Caiden throws Sebastian through the air, slamming him into the windows behind. The glass rattles, but thankfully nothing breaks. Sebastian growls again and lowers his head, about to charge, but Josh jumps into his path, blocking him.

  “Forget about them Seb. The slut’s not worth it,” he says, wrapping his thick arms around Sebastian’s chest to hold him back.

  At the word slut, Caiden’s demeanor changes and he leaps forward at Josh. I can’t let this happen. I remember Caiden’s guilt from the last time he lost control. I can’t let him do something he’ll regret later. Not for me.

  I jump the few feet separating me from Caiden and wrap my arms around him tightly from behind, my chest pressing into his back.

  “No, Caiden! Stop! It’s okay. Stop.”

  At my first touch, Caiden freezes, even though he could easily break my hold.

  “It’s okay,” I say soothingly. “Come on. Let’s just go.”

  I take a few steps backward, still keeping my arms locked tight around him. He lets me pull him away as teachers start swarming in.

  “Well, what do we have here?” I slowly let my arms drop as Caiden and I turn around to face Mr. Davidson, his wire-rim glasses slightly askew. “Causing more trouble, Miss Greenwood?”

  “She didn’t do anything,” Caiden says, seething.

  From behind me, Sebastian snarls something unintelligible. I hear Josh murmur to him, trying to calm him down.

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” Davidson says sharply. “You both go straight to my office.” He walks away from us to deal with the others.

  I take in Caiden’s appearance. His lip is split, blood dripping down onto his chin. One eye is beginning to swell shut and there are dark purple bruises already forming on his throat.

  “Come on,” I say. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” I take his hand and lead him to the girl’s bathroom.

  I position Caiden in front of the sink and wet some paper towels. “I’m so sorry, Caid. I didn’t think. I should've known that Sebastian would go off the deep end if he saw you with me.” I dab the towel at his lip. I expect him to pull away, but he doesn’t. “This is pretty deep. Can you heal it?”

  “Can’t. It’d be too obvious if I suddenly showed up without a scratch. It’ll heal on its own.”

  His voice is slightly garbled due to his fat lip. I gently wipe the blood away. Caiden’s hands come up to rest on my hips, but other than that he stays perfectly still. I try to concentrate on what I’m doing, but the heat of his hands is distracting.

  When I press the damp towel to his bloody mouth, my index finger slips and grazes his lower lip. It’s surprisingly soft. I lean in closer, imagining what those lips would feel like pressed up against mine...

  I pull back at the last second, embarrassed. He just got attacked by my ex, when all he was trying to do was help me. What am I doing? I back up slightly, putting some distance between us. Caiden’s hands fall away, eyes locked on mine, but he doesn’t say anything. He just stands there, watching me.

  His lip isn’t bleeding too badly anymore, so I throw away the towels and scrutinize the rest of his injuries. The bruising on his throat looks painful.

  “I know that you have to leave a few marks, but you don’t have to leave all of them, do you?”

  I gently touch his throat, tracing the purplish marks with my fingertips. His breathing gets heavier as he stares at me, but he doesn't stop me from touching him.

  “Do you want to try to heal it?” His voice i
s rough and gravelly.

  “Do you think I can?” I ask, surprised.

  “One way to find out.” He reaches up to my elbow, sliding it softly up my arm and wrapping around my hand, keeping it pressed against the strong column of his throat. My heart pounds in my ears.

  “I want you to close your eyes. Imagine a bright white light inside you, here.”

  He places his other hand on my upper chest, just skimming the top of my breasts, the warmth from his hands making me catch my breath.

  “Focus on this light, imagine it spinning and growing, getting brighter and brighter.”

  His voice takes on a hypnotic tone. I lean into his touch. I can see what he’s describing, feel it burning inside me.

  “Let this light travel up your arm.”

  The hand at my wrist drops to my shoulder, and slowly slides all the way back up to my forearm. The light flows along the same path as his caress.

  “Bring it up here.” His palm moves to cover my hand again. It feels hot and tingly. “And then let it flow out of you, gently, a little at a time.”

  I do he says and am rewarded with a sharp gasp. Caiden’s breathing becomes unsteady, his pulse racing. I move in closer, my upper thighs lightly pressing into his.

  Strange images form behind my eyes. It looks like a faceted emerald glowing with the light I created. I reach in further and I feel my own hand on my neck, a warmth seeping into my skin, easing the pain of my throat. Trust and desire and longing wrap around me.

  Then like a splash of cold water, I’m back in my own head. I open my eyes and find myself pierced by Caiden’s intense gaze.

  “Good. That’s enough. Anymore and you’ll fix all the visible marks.” His voice is still gruff, his breathing ragged and uneven.

  I look down to where my hand is joined with Caiden’s. He moves them away from his throat and I stare in awe. The bruises are completely gone.

  “I did that?”

  He smiles a little, but looks troubled. “Yeah, you did.”

  I survey the rest of him. “Your eye is a little less swollen too. It might not even bruise. You’re lip’s still cut, but not as badly.”