Caged in Darkness

by J. D. Stroube

Sucking in my breath, I stepped out of the bathroom. Willow giggled on the floor pointing at Izzy, who did not look happy. Considering her outfit, I had a difficult time containing my own laughter.

  “Oh. My. God!” I was trying to be nice. I really was, but I couldn’t contain my laughter. Izzy, the queen of fashion or at least, gothic fashion was wearing an outfit that a clown wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

  Izzy’s mom had this irritating, but funny way of adjusting Izzy’s clothing. She thought she was encouraging her daughter’s unique sense of style, but really her creations were ridiculous. Izzy, couldn’t bring herself to tell her mom that she hated the adjustments, and instead wore them. Talk about unconditional love.

  “Hm. Yeah, I am pretty sure that is the worst one yet!” I shouted.

  Izzy had a pained expression on her face. Her dress, which was originally beautiful, now looked like an 80’s prom dress designed for a corpse. It combined gray lace, bright pink tulle, and a tie die torso.

  “Please tell me, I can wear something of yours!” Izzy begged.

  I immediately felt guilty when I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t wait for my answer, but took the dress off and threw it into the backpack she brought it in.

  “Yeah, but you might want to spill some paint on that dress. That way you have a future excuse not to wear it.”

  “Paint would be an improvement.” Willow said. She then jumped up and started combing through my closet. She pulled out a pair of black shorts with suspenders attached, and a cropped top sewed to the suspenders. It was a cute outfit, which was the only reason why I had made an exception to my midriff rule.

  Izzy grabbed it, shrugged, and climbed right into the outfit. The suspenders rested on the outer edges of her breasts and the shorts ended at mid thigh. The fit was entirely different on her than it was on me. The midriff looked cuter; because she had her naval pierced with a filigree black rose hanging from a small white gold chain. She looked adorable, and I knew there was no way I could wear that outfit after seeing her in it. She was made for it. Willow wore a black satin pencil skirt with a white blouse and a black vest. In short, we all looked vastly different than normal.

  “You should wear a different necklace. I don’t think the blue stones look right with the dress you’re wearing.” Willow lifted the pentacle hanging from my neck. I flinched; worried that it would burn her. It didn’t really burn the winged man because he was a figment of my imagination that had been produced by massive amounts of stress.

  “I like it.” The truth was that even though I realized my encounter at my parents’ estate was a hallucination, I couldn’t bring myself to take off the necklace. In my hallucination, the necklace had protected me, hadn’t it?

  Ash

  I spent the day avoiding Savannah at all costs. I could hear her through the walls and it was tearing me up inside to not be with her. I couldn’t risk being alone with her again after I almost kissed her. What if I lost my will and gave in? It could result in the greatest sacrifice of my life, because she is the one person I could not live without. Savannah saw me as a brother, and if I wanted to keep her I would have to treat her as a brother would.

  It was a relief to go to the bonfire. The group of people who went to these types of parties didn’t appeal to Savannah, which made it more appealing to me.

  “Hey, Ash!” Griffin piled out of a jeep with three other guys from the coven and Isis.

  Most of the people at the bonfire were from school, but sometimes the older coven members came out of boredom. I sat alone by the fire. My irritability turned everyone else away. Griffin left the others and took the seat on the log next to me.

  “Hey.” I spoke in a monotone and looked to the side to see Griffin shift uncomfortably.

  Griffin and I were raised together. We had been through some extreme circumstances, and when my parents died he understood in a way no one could expect a four year old to. Most people didn’t understand our friendship and why I would want to be friends with someone so crude. However, he was different when we were alone. Savannah thought he was a jerk. I couldn’t blame her, but until she came along, he was my only family besides Maye. Now Savannah superseded that relationship.

  Griffin cleared his throat. “Sorry, about yesterday. I shouldn’t have egged Isis on. You still mad?”

  “No, not mad. It was a stupid thing to do though. It could have had some serious consequences.” I looked across the fire to see Savannah climbing out of Izzy’s car and was dumbstruck.

  “Yeah.” Griffin saw me staring across the fire and followed my line of vision to see Savannah.

  “What’s she doing here?” He sounded tired.

  “No clue.”

  “Whatever. See ya.” He stood suddenly and walked over to the others from the coven.

  Savannah neared the bonfire and I was completely transfixed. Ordinarily, she preferred to be invisible in a gathering. It looked like she intended something entirely different tonight. She walked with her head held high and a determined gleam to her eyes.

  I groaned. It was difficult enough being around her, but now every guy in the vicinity would be tempted. How could I play the over protective brother, when I was one of the hormonal guys she needed protection from?

  Savannah stopped at the bonfire and waved when she saw me. That was when I began to feel the pressure in the air. My ears popped the way they do on an airplane, and my skin prickled. Aggression built until I saw what was causing my dominant nature to heighten. The feeling steadied to an even platform.

  Someone stood against the dark section of the woods behind clustered groups of teens. I couldn’t see his face, but he was watching Savannah. When she walked his head turned to follow. I didn’t like that his eyes were stalking her. My territorial instincts were kicking into high gear, and Savannah was definitely mine.

  Liam

  I hadn’t seen the Cross girl before, but my mother gave me a sock she owned as an infant. It allowed me to sense her when she was near. She had a distinct aura that was nearly as tempting as her appearance.

  I came to the bonfire expecting to be bored, feigning interest in a teenage girl, who possessed gifts she didn’t understand. Instead, I saw a natural beauty whose power bent around her as she moved. It was doubtful she was aware of using her gift, but I could see it.

  Her gift met mine in a dance of wills. My power spun around her curling through the air. It was a game of seduction I would dominate.

  Savannah’s head twitched to the side and looked around. It seemed that she could sense me when I felt her push back. She did not even flinch at the use of power. It was as though her power had a mind of its own. Mine embraced her’s in a waltz. I was strong and possessive. Her dance was one of grace and sensuality.

  She walked towards her friends, but her body began to sway. She could feel it too, but didn’t yet understand what it was.

  Savannah

  The feeling I experienced earlier in the kitchen was back, and making me dizzy. Did other witches feel this when they approached their ascension?

  It began as a fluttering in my stomach, tingled down my spine, then warmth that built in my chest and spread to the rest of my body.

  The feeling was slightly different that it had been earlier. It came in waves like the flowing of the sea over sand. If I was the sand, what was the sea?

  I noticed him. He was hidden behind people and trees. His eyes were invasive and didn’t flinch at my gaze. Willow and Izzy misted from my mind as I walked towards him. He had blond hair and dark eyes. He was taller than me and toned.

  I walked and stopped in confusion. The feeling was stronger now and my body began to answer its call. Lips parted and my body swayed in a secret rhythm. He moved away from the trees, planting himself directly in front of me. He had met me halfway, but looked confused by his actions.

  He didn’t seem in control, as his hand reached out to trail along my neck towards the neckline of my dress. I didn’t stop him; couldn’t stop him. I ye
arned for him and when he touched me I craved him. My eyes felt weighted, while my body was magnetized.

  “Who are you?” I whispered, softly. Energy pulsed between us, but halted at my voice.

  The energy pulled away. Silently, I called to it. I begged it to stay and when it refused, I tried to capture it. It was an internal match that I lost.

  His eyes were wide and somewhat frightened. Why was he afraid?

  The expression disappeared. “Liam.”

  “Huh?” I couldn’t process what he was saying, but I was fairly sure I just made an idiot of myself.

  Smiling, he repeated his name. Then cleared his voice and said “You’re from the Meadow Falls coven, right?”

  He knew about witches? “How?”

  His eyes lit upon the area behind me and a domineering smile gained ground on his face.

  Air movement halted, sound stopped, and time stood still. A low growl filled the air behind me and I spun to see Ash’s teeth barred. He took an offensive stance and pulled me behind him. His fangs showed, but I didn’t think anyone besides us could see.

  Liam stood straight. He didn’t give ground or attempt to take it. He stared Ash in the eyes without a single flinch, but when he looked at me something exploded from Ash.

  To the naked eye, they looked like two guys fighting over a girl. However, as a witch I saw something different. Ash’s aura heightened to red flames and consumed Liam. In response, Liam threw up a shield of gold. While their gifts silently battled their bodies clashed.

  Ash snapped his fangs at Liam, and Liam landed a blow to Ash’s gut. I cried out at the sight of blood splattering to the ground. Punches flew at such a fast pace that I lost track of who threw them. Liam moved backwards and crouched defensively. I don’t think they were aware of my presence any longer. Eventually, the battle moved towards the woods; away from the others.

  “What’s going on?” Willow whispered in my ear.

  I had been so focused on the fight between Ash and Liam that I wasn’t aware of Izzy and Willow’s approach.

  “I don’t know. One minute I am talking to Liam and the next Ash is here attacking him. What should I do?” My worried stare reached for Willow’s.

  Izzy tugged on my arm to pull me into the woods. “One thing I know for certain, you don’t get between two dogs fighting over the same piece of meat.”

  “Huh? First off, that comparison is unfair; they are not dogs. Secondly, they’re not fighting over a piece of meat!”

  I could see the fight taking place deeper in the woods, but couldn’t tell if either of them was badly injured. Panic started to build in my chest and I ran forward with Izzy and Willow following. We stopped at the edge of the clearing where the battle continued.

  “You’re the meat.” Izzy said, out of the corner of her mouth.

  I turned to face Izzy’s assessing stare and turned to look at Willow. Her hand covered her mouth in horror, but the look in her eyes told me that she agreed with Izzy.

  “Just stay away from her!” Ash spoke before Liam kicked the back of his knee. Ash’s knee buckled and he reciprocated with a flare of magic that caught Liam’s shoulder in a fiery smolder.

  Liam held his shoulder with a grimace, while panting from exhaustion.

  “Do you have a claim to her?” Liam spoke from the opposing side of the clearing, while Ash stood. “I think she’s a big girl and is smart enough to make her own decisions about who to be around. Why don’t you ask her what she wants?”

  Ash’s face was twisted in anger until he heard the last of what Liam said. He had the wisdom to look ashamed when he stared me in the eyes.

  “Ash, I was just talking to him. I’ve never met him before and he’s right, you should trust me to make my own decisions.” I felt a strong urge to wrap my arms around Ash to comfort him. The light bruising across his jaw and the blood trickling down the side of his mouth made me queasy. I couldn’t bear for him to be in pain, but I didn’t want him to think that I supported his actions.

  “I trust you. I just…” Ash made a sound of irritation with a pained expression. He lowered his voice and said, “I didn’t like it, okay? I’m sorry. I don’t know why I acted so strongly. It was like I couldn’t fight off the anger and it overwhelmed me. I couldn’t help but give in to it.”

  Ash slowly approached me and reached out his hand to hold my cheek. I turned my head away at the cold touch of his fingers.

  I looked up to see Liam leaning against a tree. He was bent forward slightly, as though he couldn’t bear to stand straight. His right hand held his stomach and he stared directly into my eyes.

  “I don’t know about you guys, but I think we should get out of here. Someone might have called the cops when the saw you fighting.” Willow glanced back at the trail we came through.

  It made sense that we should leave. It didn’t matter if the cops showed up or not. The guys looked terrible and needed to be cleaned up.

  “Can one of you drive Ash home?” I ignored Ash and looked to Willow and Izzy for their agreement.

  “I can drive myself.” Ash’s eyes blazed in anger. It was one of his most telling traits. I always knew what he was feeling by looking into his eyes.

  “No, you can’t. After what you did, I don’t trust your judgment. You are not driving and that’s final!” I crossed my arms and dared him to argue. I watched as he swallowed back his anger.

  “Why don’t you drive me then? You can drive my car. Besides we live in the same house.”

  “I’m going to take Liam home. I don’t think he’s in shape to drive either and I certainly don’t trust you to take him home. Considering your behavior tonight, he’s more likely to end up in a hospital somewhere than home.”

  “I don’t want you alone with him.” Ash whispered in my ear. “He feels wrong. I can’t pinpoint it, but he’s off. Please, don’t go with him.”

  Ash gave me a pleading look that almost made me give in, but then I saw Liam and felt responsible for the pain Ash caused him. I steeled myself against the softening that Ash invoked in me and refused to give in.

  After a few moments of silence, we could hear branches splinter. I had a flash of cops rushing into the clearing and handcuffing Liam and Ash.

  Instead of cops, it was Griffin. He took in our group and the injuries that Ash and Liam had sustained. I watched as his eyes fixated on the bruise spreading across Ash’s cheek. His teeth ground and he looked at me with an accusing stare. He blamed me for the fight. Did he think I had some mind control over Ash’s actions?

  “I don’t mind taking him home, if that’s what he wants.” Izzy turned to Ash with a questioning look.

  “Yes. It’s what he wants.” I spoke to Izzy, but stared at Ash. His eyes flared for a moment before dying down. He stared me down and finally looked at Izzy and nodded.

  Willow breathed a sigh of relief, looked at me in pity, and followed to the car. Ash paused before following. When he reached the edge of the clearing, he turned to look at Liam.

  “Hurt her and I will hunt you down. Got it?”

  “I would never dream of it. Though it’s tempting just to see you try.” His bruised lip quirked in a half smile.

  When Ash moved forward, Griffin grabbed his arm to pull him back.

  “It’s not worth it man. He’s just egging you on. Let it go.” Ash allowed Griffin to pull him away, but shouted back to me. “Make sure you’re home at a decent hour. I don’t want to have to bail him out of jail when he makes good on his promise!”

  I rolled my eyes towards Liam. He remained silent as I looked him over. I wasn’t particularly sure I wanted to be alone with him, but I felt that I was responsible for the situation he found himself in.

  “I take it you want to drive?” He remained across the clearing.

  “Do you think I just told Ash those things to sound pretty? If I let you drive then there is really no point to me seeing you home safely.” I crossed my arms and attempted the stare Maye used on me whenever she thought I wasn’t using co
mmon sense.

  “Well princess, how do you plan to get home once you take me to my apartment? Have you thought that far?”

  “Of course I have!” I turned in anger to walk quickly towards the cars. I didn’t have the faintest clue how I was going to get home from his place. I still had some money left over from the shopping spree, but I had no idea if it would cover a taxi. I couldn’t take his car, because then I would need to return it. Obviously, calling Ash to pick me up would be a bad idea and Izzy needed to be home before curfew.

  “No clue, huh?” Liam startled me when he spoke at my shoulder.

  “No clue about what?” Play dumb…just play dumb and he will let it go. That’s what other teenage girls did, right?

  “I’m not going to make it that easy, princess.” He smiled, and jangled his keys in front of my eyes. I grabbed them and decided I was not going to point out that I only had my driver’s permit.

  “Stop calling me princess. Where’s your car?” I stopped at the edge of the woods and looked over the assorted cars in front of me. I looked at him and back at the cars. I knew which one was his the moment I set eyes on it. Figures, that he would drive something black and sleek.

  “It’s the mustang.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from snorting at the ridiculous car. Okay, not so ridiculous, because I was dying to drive it, but it was kind of cliché that he would own a car like that.

  “Did you just snort at my car?” His brows raised in mock surprise.

  “Just get in the damn car.” The interior was just as divine as the exterior. Sleek with buttons I was afraid to touch, since I didn’t know what they would do.

  “You see that little metal thing dangling from the chain? That’s the key. It’s what you use to start the car…”

  He was really starting to tick me off. I looked over at him and waited for him to make his next remark. I had the keys and there was no way I was going to drive home a pompous jerk. He could just drive himself!