by Weil, J. L.
“Great,” I muttered and pasted on a smile. I was horrible at lying and keeping secrets. The deception was already getting out of hand. Fast. And this was only the first day.
I was doomed.
Usually having Gavin in my room was exactly what I longed for. Now, being alone with him was taxing. And that much longer I had to keep up a pretense I sucked at.
The bell ran through the halls.
I swear he pouted. He wasn’t a fan of school. We were so ying and yang. “Guess that means we have to get to class. See you in chem,” he said squeezing my hand.
I nodded, my hand still tingling from his touch. Since the afternoon we met, any contact we had always brought this incredible zing. It was supposed to be from our magic, because we were witches but with him, everything was always…more.
Austin grinned at me when I took my seat and Mrs. Schwab immediately began to lecture, yet my mind was anywhere but on congruent verbs. It was worrying about getting through the rest of the day. After class Austin walked out with me.
“Hey babygirl. Missed you.” He looked so cute in his Guess jeans and gel styled hair. Plus he smelled like a girl’s wet dream. Austin swung for the same team, and he took a ton of slack from other kids at Holly Ridge High, Rianne being the absolute worst. I might have had a slight altercation with her last year and sort of used magic, leaving some nasty cherry welts on her. In my defense, I didn’t know at the time I was a witch or that I was doing magic. So Rianne was still a bitch in my book.
“Believe it or not, I actually missed you too. Anything happen?” I asked as we walked side-by-side down the hall, pretty much in our own little bubble.
We bumped shoulders. “Nah, just the same crap every day. I do think I heard that Rianne was dropped from the top of the pyramid during practice yesterday. Would have paid to have seen that.”
“No kidding. Maybe it knocked some sense into her,” I added sarcastically. She was definitely not one of my favorite people. Lucky for me, the feeling was mutual.
“You sure you’re feeling better?” he asked, lines of concern ceasing his manicured brows.
Leave it to one of my best friends to see through my ruse. Neither Tori nor Austin knew that I was a witch, or that they even existed. For now, I thought it best that it stayed hidden, even if it was killing me to keep something this huge from them. They were, after all, the only friends I had besides Sophie and Gavin…and I guess Lukas? I wasn’t yet sure where I stood with him. Looked like I was going to find out this weekend.
I nodded. “Yeah. Just stressed.” That was an understatement, but at least the truth.
“You got this,” he encouraged, thinking I meant catching up in my classes. If he only knew. His confidence was bittersweet.
“Thanks,” I mumbled. “Catch you at lunch,” I replied before we split off in different directions.
Our high school was like a giant octopus. All the halls stemmed off from a circular hub like tentacles. The approach of third period disintegrated any confidence I might have gained from the comforts of routine. My peace from knowledge was shorted lived.
Lost in my own my head and my looming chem class, I never heard him sneak up behind me. His hands spanned my waist, and I jumped like a fool in front of half my class.
“You scared me!” I shrieked, smacking him on the chest.
He laughed in my ear behind me. “Wasn’t hard. You were a million miles away.” I wasn’t just a million miles away, I was in another galaxy. “What’s on your mind beautiful?”
I was always embarrassed when he gave me compliments, especially ones that weren’t true. “Nothing,” I shrugged. “Just the usual.” And in his eyes the usually meant witchcraft and all the baggage that came with it. Or in my case, the strange and unexplainable happenings that only occurred to me. Any other witch my age doesn’t have to deal with half the crap I do.
Fabulous.
His sapphire eyes were sparkling like stars, and the corners of his lips smirked. Lips I was well familiar with. He was a good kind of distraction. And boy did I need to be distracted. My heart constricted as I thought about what I knew, what I had to tell him. With Gavin, I didn’t want there to be anything between us.
No lies.
No hiding.
No secrets.
I have had enough of being left in the dark. It was past time I knew what the hell was going on and took charge of my life. How else was I going to protect those I loved? And Gavin was at the very top of the list.
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” I added. Like how in blazes I was going to get through this class. Every moment we were together, the guilt magnified. And that frightened me, maybe more than my wacked out dreams.
We took our seats at our table, and he scooted his chair closer to me. Warm tingles skated across the nape of my neck. Our legs brushed under the table, and I felt the flash of energy. It made my insides sing.
“I can’t wait to see you tonight.” His words hinted that there would be way more than just talking going on.
Lord help me. My pulse jumped. All too well I could feel his lips on mine, the cool steel of his hoop on my burning mouth.
As if he could read my mind, his eyes darkened to midnight, and I watched him twirl the ring at his lip. The class around me disappeared, and I leaned forward bringing our lips even closer. He was like the most addictive drug. The closer we were, the more I needed him.
All I could think was how incredible his lips felt against mine. How much I wanted to sink into him. How much I wanted him to make me forget my problems.
He wiggled his brow at me. “It’s probably best if you wait until after class to devour me.” Even his smirk was becoming irresistible.
His words were like a splash of cold water and did the trick. I shook my head from the trance only to be infused by his dark and deadly scent; just being in his proximity caused me to lose my head. My emotions felt like they were being beat in a blender.
I gave him a look of exasperation, putting some needed distance between us. His grin only widened.
And I rolled my eyes.
By lunch, the haze that Gavin’s presence always left me in had mostly dissolved. We had some crazy-out-of-this-world chemistry and not just in class.
Approaching our table, I was bombarded with squeals and hugs from both Tori and Sophie.
“Eeee! I’m so glad you are back.” Tori’s high-pitched voice was over-exaggerated, drawing way too much attention.
You think I had just come back from a year abroad. I had only been gone a few days for goodness sake, but I appreciated their concern nonetheless. What were friends for?
“You look better.” Sophie whispered as she gave me a quick hug. “How are you feeling?” We both knew there was an underlying question.
I nodded. “Fine. It feels great to be out of the house. I was literally going stir crazy at home.”
“Where is that reckless brother of mine? I am surprised he isn’t glued to your side.” Sophie asked.
Now that she said something, it was bizarre that he wasn’t here. I shrugged. “I don’t know actually. He was here for third period.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he vacated all other classes. The only reason he shows for third is because you’re there.” Sophie grinned.
“Speaking of smexy and gorgeous, have you guys made it official?” Austin asked with a sly grin.
Everyone at the table was staring my way, waiting for me to dish some dirt on our relationship status. “I hate to disappoint you but…”
Tori snorted. “You guys just need to get it on already.” Sex – her answer to everything.
Sophie snickered beside me.
“I second that,” Austin commented adding his two-cents.
If I had any food in front of me, I would have tossed it at the three of them. As it was I didn’t have an appetite. Instead of giving into the urge, I sucked on a straw full of my chocolate shake, ignoring them.
Chocolate cured everything.
&nb
sp; Well it used to.
“Should I give that bonehead brother of mine a nudge?” Sophie asked with just a little too much enthusiasm.
I choked on the smooth shake. “Christ Sophie. Don’t you dare.”
She smiled in response, and I wasn’t reassured.
“Sophie I am serious,” I warned.
“Fine. I won’t do anything but seriously, one of you needs to make the first move. Honestly, I’m a little floored he hasn’t. Gavin isn’t usually so cautious with girls. You must be different.”
It was like twisting a knife in an open wound. Her intentions were good. It was my guilt that was panging me.
After lunch Sophie caught up with me in the hall while everyone else headed to class. “Hey. I noticed your aura is off. It’s a weird mixture of brown and pink. You know you can talk to me if something is bothering you.”
I could feel beads of sweat lining my brow. There wasn’t much you could hide from magic. “I know.” I was almost afraid to ask. What I really needed was an aura reference guide or something. “What does that mean?”
“It can mean multiple feelings. Auras aren’t always clear. Brown can be confusion or deception and pink could be guilt or love. Not always the most reliable. So what’s going on in the pretty head of yours?”
“More than I think I can handle.”
“Brianna you are not alone.”
I didn’t have it in me to tell her this time it was more than self-esteem issues with being a witch. This time it went outside my own personal demons.
Chapter 3
DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK I was filled with an extreme concoction of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. There was nothing I wanted more than to be alone with Gavin, doing all the wicked things my mind imagined, but I knew the moment he found about the secret, we would lose something. The longer I stalled, the bigger the damage to our relationship, and I so wanted a relationship with Gavin.
Didn’t I?
Then there was that, the purple elephant in the room. What were my feelings about Lukas? Did I want something more than friendship from him?
I was so frustrated with myself.
How can I possibly be so sure that I loved Gavin, then turn around and doubt those feelings?
I was a mess.
Opening the door to my bedroom, my heart sighed like a sappy love song. Gavin was spread out on my bed with a purring Lunar curled against his side. He looked like he should be on the cover of Rolling Stones. Dark. Edgy. Killer eyes. The two of them together looked like trouble and more trouble. His grin aimed my way was downright sinister, like he could see the naughty images conjuring in my head. They would have made the devil himself blush.
I was drawn to him. Not just drawn, compelled might be a better word.
Just staring at him, I was suddenly filled with a boost of confidence. When it came to boys I was more than a little inexperienced. I was downright clueless. It was not like there was a step-by-step manual on dating, or a guide to teenage love. If there was, I probably would have memorized it.
As it was, I felt empowered.
Maybe some part of me was tapping into my magic, or maybe it was because Gavin made me feel beautiful. Wherever my new found confidence stemmed from, I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers. I was going to take full advantage of it while it lasted. Meaning, I was going to take full advantage of Gavin.
Setting aside my keys, I crawled into bed alongside him, propping my head on my hand. His eyes hadn’t left mine since I entered the room. Neither of us said a word. Words weren’t needed for what I had in mind.
We had at least an hour before my aunt came home, and I wasn’t about to waste any more time. Without a second thought, I started what I had wanted more than anything in chem class.
Our lips met in one quick fluid motion. The spark of our magic ignited as soon as our mouths touched. It was a fine line between pleasure and pain. For some insane reason it felt like we hadn’t kissed in years. I felt starved for him. For his touch.
He fisted a hand into my hair, tugging me closer to him. I could feel the waves of heat coming off of him as our bodies collided. This was… Crazy. Wonderful.
As if he wasn’t satisfied with our closeness, I abruptly found myself lying on my back and Gavin’s glorious weight sinking into me. Our lips never lost contact. That took skill. Deepening the kiss, he tasted of summer nights.
Smoldering.
Heady.
Magical.
I slipped my hand under his shirt, running my fingers over the planes of his back. Right now I was beyond thinking rationally. Beyond thinking at all. It was all need. Lust. Hormones gone wild.
Holy hot moonbeams.
Bunching my fingers at the hem of his shirt, I pushed it up and in a swift movement it landed on the bedroom floor. My fingers couldn’t have been happier. I traced patterns on his back and his eyes locked onto mine, dark and steaming. They captivated me, holding me prisoner.
A strangled groan escaped before he took possession of my lips again, more potent than before. The hotness radar just blew off the scale. My fingers dug into his already messy hair, and my lips greedily ravished his. I loved the texture and feel of him.
His knee shifted between my legs as I soared to yet another dimension. Nuzzling my neck, his lip ring left a cool trail behind the scorching heat. His body contoured to mine in all the right places. Inside me, there was a feeling I couldn’t yet identify. Magic-y, I guess, a strand of energy that pulled us together. Being with him like this was beyond words.
It was unworldly.
I never wanted it to end.
When had I become such a hussy?
I loved the tingling sensation his hands left on my skin. It made me wonder if these were normal teenage reactions or if our touch and feelings were heightened because of what we were – witches. I had to believe the latter. Being a witch changed the rules.
More than ever, I wanted to tap into my magic. Usually I used it subconsciously, but right now I felt the urge at my fingertips. Launching from the center of my chest, it splintered everywhere – building.
If I could ever think intelligently again, I wanted to ask him about it. Right now, all I could think about was how sizzling Gavin’s lips were. He made me feel like I was floating, soaring on some mystical cloud.
Neither of us was prepared for the abrupt interruption.
The hissing off a very pissed of Lunar broke through the haze of our passionate make-out session. Something had gotten Lunar’s back-up. Literally. He stood on all fours with spiked hair and was arched like a bow. From the back of his throat he spat like a tiny lion. Then he scattered under the bed with his ears low.
It was just the interruption we needed before either of us got caught in a very awkward position if my aunt had walked in.
Hovering above me, I watched as indecision ran through the depth of his ocean eyes. I could see the choice swimming in them. Does he kiss me again as he clearly wanted to, or do the sensible thing? And then he closed his eyes, and I knew which answer had broken through the surface, to my utter dismay.
My body was still humming like a live wire.
Sitting up on the side of the bed, he reached down and grabbed his discarded shirt. I took a deep breath, steadying my racing heart. He tugged his shirt back on, and I internally groaned. Fighting the urge to have his shirt back on the floor, I bit my lip.
“Well that was intense.” His voice was slightly gruff.
Boy was it ever. Intense might even be an understatement. “I’ll say,” I muttered under my breath, trying to brush my hair back into place.
I wasn’t sure how we were going to just talk, when my body was thinking about anything but talking. “So…” I said lamely, breaking the sexual tension still vibrating in the air.
He scooted back against the bed beside me leaving just enough space so our bodies didn’t touch. A wise choice. “So…” he echoed, making me grin.
I turned my head toward him. “I missed you at lunch
. Where were you?”
“I had some stuff to take care of,” he replied nonchalantly.
“What kind of stuff?” I hated that I was being so nosey. It was not like I expected him to never leave my side.
“The magical kind of stuff,” he said evasively.
Smooth.
I let it go. He obviously didn’t want to talk about it. Plus, it was draining me. There was enough bouncing around inside my head without worrying about what kind of trouble Gavin was getting into. And I am sure it was plenty.
“How have you been sleeping?” he asked studying me, looking for any physical indication that I was having trouble.
What he really meant was, have you had any of those crazy dreams? You know, the ones where you summon other people. “I haven’t had any of those kind of dreams if that’s what you are wondering.”
“What kind of dreams are you having?” he murmured, and I felt myself getting sucked in again.
Grabbing the nearest pillow, I tossed it at his head. Mid-air, before the pillow had a chance to reach the target, it met an unfortunate demise. Gavin, having read my devious intentions, he knew me well, shredded the poor pillow into a million pieces. Fabric and stuffing snowed all over the bed.
Lunar was going to go bonkers over the mess, if he ever came out of hiding. I glared at Gavin in annoyance. “Was that necessary?”
He held up both hands smirking. “Hey, you attacked me.”
Resting my head on the headboard, I chewed on my lip. Bringing up dreamscaping had flooded back all the emotional anxiety about Lukas.
Shifting on the bed, he angled his body toward me, sapphire eyes examining me. “I can see a gazillion questions running around in that head of yours.”
Boy did I have questions. Let’s start with the one that seemed to be the cause of all my trepidation lately. Dreamscaping. What exactly was it, and how the hell did it work? “You said I dreamscape. What does that mean?”
“Dreamscaping is a merger of dreams. Mostly just two people but in some cases, if the witch is powerful enough, they would be able to summon more.”
I gulped. One time I had both Gavin and Lukas in a dream together. Worse, I didn’t even know I was doing it.
