I had a thought.
“What about Elizabeth? And Lily? How will they be protected? The dogs are wonderful,” All four of them barked in response and I petted them, “but I only count four of them. How will we protect Elizabeth and Lily when they leave the houses? I’m guessing they’re not as powerful as any of you.” I gestured to the magnitude of collective talent currently seated in my den.
Raven was ready for the question. She pointed to the entrance of the hallway and in strode two of the most beautiful Persian cats I had ever seen. They moved languidly and with a feline grace. The white one with glittering emerald eyes leapt from the floor to a credenza, then to the back of the sofa where my sister sat. It stepped down into my sister’s lap, padded around in a circle looking for a comfortable position, then settled down, fluffing its tail as it did. Immediately, it began to purr. The second cat, with satiny gray long hair, curled around the legs of a side table and pounced high in the air and landed soundlessly on the cushion next to Lily. It too, kneaded the pillow looking for a resting spot and then curled up happily next to Logan’s mom.
“Meet Astrid and Sheba. Unlike dogs, cats name themselves.
Please don’t try to rename them. Trust me, it won’t take. Despite their size, these protectors will fight just as fiercely as their more muscular counterparts for their masters.
Raven stood. “So, these animals will be with you at all times.
Logan, Serena, Tabitha, Jade, even when you are in school, your furry protectors will be close by. You can be assured that even if you don’t spot them, they will be there. Girls,” she addressed me, Jade and Tabby, “you can summon your animal with just a thought. Logan, you will work at learning how to do that. Raven will work with you on that.” Raven nodded.
Eden stood and joined Raven.
“I think we’ve all had enough excitement tonight, don’t you think. At least for a school night.” Everyone agreed and began gathering themselves to end the evening. Lily stood up holding her new cat and they gave the impression they had been together forever. Sheba slept in her arms and purred peacefully. Jade and Sage had bonded quickly and as Jade left the room, Sage trotted obediently after her. Logan whispered sweetly to Charlie, who gazed back at him with her large, brown trusting eyes. Eden’s coven sisters thanked Lily for coming over and Lily embraced each one in turn, still holding a sleeping Sheba in her arms.
Elizabeth played quietly with Astrid, who turned out to be a happy, playful cat, and Tabitha seemed overjoyed with her new protector, River. Everyone had a warm, wonderful feeling and clearly, they had enjoyed themselves. If I had any idea it would be the last time we would all be together like this, I would have paid more attention. I could not have known it would be the last time we would be this happy.
Chapter Eighteen
JADE
We said our goodbyes and hurried across the street to our own house. It had been a weird and wild night over at Serena’s, like they all were, but I felt glad to be home. I loved my new dog!
Sage just became the best present in the world! Logan’s dog Charlie made for an awesome protector too, but I knew my dog won out as best. She just seemed sweeter. And I hadn’t seen Mom this happy since Dad died. She hadn’t put her cat down since she jumped into her lap at Serena’s house over an hour ago. So great to see her laugh and smile so much!
I feigned sleepiness and headed straight up to my room with Sage. I had some anxiety being on my own. Mom thought I might be tired from being over-‐‑stimulated, but that wasn’t it. Tabitha knew the truth, but I had sworn her to secrecy and we had pinky-‐‑
promised and everything. I couldn’t wait to get home because Sully would be calling.
So far we had been careful because Sully thought my brother would kill him dead if he ever found out. He had a million reasons why. First, he said, my being only fifteen mattered. Even though I argued I’d be sixteen in two weeks which meant I could be called this close to being sixteen and therefore only a year and a half younger than him, he said it didn’t count. Second, he said, he hadn’t asked permission to date me. This apparently, became a HUGE deal. Third, as a sophomore, this technically qualified me as a Squeaker, and he and Dave and Sully had a pact or something about not dating Squeakers. He had, like, a million more reasons, but I didn’t care. I was crazy about Sully and had been since the third grade. So when he started noticing me I thought I had to be imagining it. The first time he called my cell phone, I thought it must have been a mistake, because Logan and I had numbers that were one digit off from one another’s. But it happened again. And again. And pretty soon, long as it took me to catch on, I realized that Sully liked me. He liked me as much as I liked him. So we started meeting at the deserted drive-‐‑in at the edge of town. He always acted like a perfect gentleman. Mostly, we just held hands and kissed. But I went crazy, mad, insane, losing my mind over him.
Just then my cell phone rang. I snatched it up before it even finished the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“Just get back?”
“Yeah. Guess what? I have a dog!”
“No foolin’? What kind?”
I hope the kind that can’t read my mind, I suddenly thought.
I leaned over the end of the bed, but Sage snored softly on the rug.
Doesn’t look magic, I thought. I’ll have to remember to ask.
“I think it’s a Lab-‐‑Shepherd mix,” I answered Sully. “I named her Sage. She’s asleep on the floor right now.”
“That’s great, Jade. I can’t wait to meet her. I miss having a dog. I miss you too.”
“Me too.” I still couldn’t get over the fact that this big, jock friend of my brother’s could be a big ole’ softy.
“I better let you go now. Don’t want to keep you on the phone too long.” He always worried my brother would walk in on me while we were on the phone and figure out who I might be talking to and blow his cover. How, I didn’t know. But he had serious paranoia about it.
“It’s okay, Sully. He’s not even up here. He’s downstairs with my mom.”
“Nope. Better let you go.” Then his voice became sheepish.
“Will I, ah, be able to, steal you away tomorrow?” Sometimes I would tell my brother I took the bus and then, I would hang around and wait for Sully. Logan would be usually so wrapped up with Serena, he wouldn’t even notice that the buses had already left. Tabitha helped me out by covering for me if he started asking questions. I had only told her about Sully. It freaked Sully out when I told him about it, but when Tabs covered for us a couple of times he calmed down a little bit. I explained that I had to have at least one confidante or I would go insane with the deliciousness of my secret. I don’t know if he understood, but he at least pretended to.
He had kissed my forehead and cautioned me to not tell anyone else. I promised him I wouldn’t.
“You know it, stud.”
Sully sounded relieved. I didn’t know what happened at the warehouse, but ever since that night, he wanted to get together with me more frequently.
“Okay, honey. I’ll catch you after school, okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Sully.”
“G’night, Jade.”
When Sully hung up, I carefully made sure to erase the incoming log on my cell phone. Just in case. Then I called Tabitha so I could rehash the whole conversation with her.
“Did you tell him yet?” Tabitha wanted to know.
“No. And I’m not going to tell him. How in the world do you work that into the conversation? ‘I know we’re just getting to know each other, but by the way, I’m a witch?’ No way am I telling him. I only just learned it for a fact myself. Why? Would you tell if it were you?”
Tabitha seemed to be deciding. “I don’t know. There are good reasons to tell and good reasons not to. I guess I should figure it out. Maybe someday I’ll have to decide.” She added wistfully.
The longing tone in her voice was hard to miss. “
Tabs, I’m sure there’s someone out there for you. I’ve been crazy for Sully since I was eight years old, watching him play hoops with my brother in the backyard. How’s that for pathetic? Aarggh. Let’s talk about something else before this turns into a pity party.” We both laughed. “How’s River adapting?” And with that we launched into a lively discussion of our dogs. We talked for so long that this time my mom did catch me and yelled at me for being on my cell phone so late. I went to bed excited. I would be with Sully again tomorrow. I called Sage up to my bed with me and I fell asleep with my arms around her, dreaming of my big, strong Sully.
Chapter Nineteen
LOGAN
We got to school early in the morning, Serena and I and the girls. Jade and Tabby acted like Cheshire cats, bursting with a secret, but they were clearly not sharing anything with us. I silently questioned Serena, but she only shook her head. She had tried mindjumping, but couldn’t get anything, and gave up. We figured they were just being silly girls and left it at that. I had concerns about Charlie and River, but I needn’t have. We fed and walked them early in the morning and they went to the door as we left for school. As we were driving, I had a notion they were nearby and noticed them on the sidewalks as we stopped at stoplights and stop signs. When we entered the driveway for the high school, I again noticed them, joined by Sage and Zena, running in a pack behind the school, almost invisible to anyone but us, and disappearing into the baseball field and bleachers. So, they were there. And the girls and Serena confirmed to me that they not only could visualize them physically, they could pick them up in their minds, comforting them, reminding them on a psychic level that they were present and that we were guarded. It relaxed the girls more than any other day in recent memory. We joined our friends in the parking lot.
The talk, not surprisingly, comprised mostly of Dave and Tamera’s engagement. Dave appeared to have tired of the subject already, but Tamera and Patty were just getting warmed up. They spouted non-‐‑stop about showers and engagement parties, bridal colors and dresses and poor Dave seemed like he might throw-‐‑up. I glanced around to confirm if maybe Sully and I could step in and save him, but Sully appeared conspicuously absent from our tight little group. Where could he be? I scanned the parking lot searching for his tall, athletic figure, sure I could at least spot the baseball jacket he always wore. Sure enough, I did. I found him huddled in a corner by the lockers talking to, wait for it, oh yeah; it appeared he had ratholed a sophomore girl. He had one arm stretched out against the wall next to her in the classic pose I’d seen him use a thousand times. He’d commenced to talking her up and she seemed to be digging it. Then he moved slightly, shifting his weight from one foot to another and I got a good eyeful of the lucky girl. Who happened to be my sister! I watched in amazement as she reached up and touched the side of his face, gently, sweetly.
The same way Serena touched mine. Holy crap! What gives around here!
As if she’d radioed into my thoughts, which knowing her, likely she did, Serena flashed over to my side.
“Logan. Logan.” Serena tried to reach me. I turned to her and she read everything on my face. “He has only good in him, Logan. And for your sister, he holds only good intentions. He doesn’t know it yet, but he loves her. And she loves him.”
“He does? She does? She’s so young. Are you sure? Because I might have to kill him.”
“I am sure. And more than that, she is sure. You’ll have to trust her. She wants to tell you and she will, soon. Be ready, okay.”
“Okay. If you say so.” I wasn’t sure I could be ready for this, but I had asked everyone to trust me and they did. If she wanted me to trust her, well, I guess I had to show the trust now. And Sully was a good guy. I had known him forever and he didn’t have a bad bone in his whole body. Come to that, she could do a lot worse. In spite of myself, I warmed to the idea. I’d wait for her to tell me and give her my blessing, I guess. Serena gave me her sweet, composed smile. She always had the ability to calm me down. Man, how I hoped that would always be the case.
****
The school day seemed to drag on longer than usual. We were getting to the end of the semester and with all that going on, it became harder for me to tune in and easier for me to tune out.
Understandably, I wanted to get in Sully’s face. Now that I knew, or at least suspected something going on with him and my sister, I thought it would be right there on my face, and he would feel it the next time he spoke to me. I knew that our years of friendship would win out over any new loyalty he thought he had to my sister. Or at least I hoped it would.
When the last bell in my final class rang I ran a fifty-‐‑yard dash out to the parking lot, intending to be the first person there.
Unfortunately for me, my last class couldn’t be farther from the parking lot, so I wasn’t the first person there, but I made it close. I positioned myself so that I could watch every single person who came out of the school. Just a trickle at first, then a few clumps of kids started as a steady flow, then became a surge. Sully always stood out in a crowd. I figured the best place to catch him would be by his car, but I couldn’t find it anywhere in the lot. I thought I knew where he parked it, but it wasn’t there.
Dave and Tamera came out together in the flood of kids and shortly after that I spotted Serena with Tabitha, then Patty, then some of my baseball friends, some more guys from gym, some of Jade’s sophomore girl friends, but no Jade, and no Sully. And where the heck did he park, anyway?
Everyone came up to where I stood scanning the crowd.
Serena came up and surveyed the situation and quickly figured out my plan. Deftly, she moved us away from our friends, assessing my distress level perfectly.
“Logan, I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”
“Well, somebody better start reasonably explaining it to me right now.” I glared pointedly at Tabitha. I now had a good idea what all the secrecy and whispering had been about lately. Tabitha, to her credit, did her best to feign shock and surprise, but Serena was not buying any of it. Probably mindjumped her and got way ahead of me, like usual.
“Tabitha.” Just one word Serena spoke, but in a warning voice never uttered from her before. And it did the trick. The confession came out in a whoosh of words.
“I’m sorry, Logan. I’m sorry, Serena. Jade made me swear not to tell anyone and I didn’t think it would get to be such a big deal and Sully is such a nice guy and they weren’t going far and she promised to tell you she said she would and she told me she would tell me all about it when she got home and she said she loves him and she has since the third grade and that he loves her too and they don’t do anything they just talk and….” Serena silenced her little sister with one withering glare. Tabitha appeared to shrink inside herself.
“Tabitha, it has nothing to do with Sully not being a nice guy. We all have to know where each other is at all times. We have to be protected. Now, where’s Sage?”
At the mention of the dog’s names, we could suddenly make out insistent barking. At that moment, Zena. River and Charlie made their presence known. We could tell right away that they were alone. I hoped that meant that Sage knew where Jade might be right now, doing what she had been bred to do, protect my sister. “And,” I said, “Do you know where they went?”
“Oh!” exclaimed Tabitha. “I do! It’s the same place they always go. Let me try to remember the name. Something like Sky Lights, or Night Lights. Oh, what is the name, um, some kind of abandoned or closed for the winter drive-‐‑in place.”
“Northern Lights Drive-‐‑In!” I hollered. “I know exactly where that is! Off Route 3 on the Causeway. Come on, get in the car.”
“Logan, wait!” Did Serena just ask me to wait? How could she? I needed to get there and kill Sully and my sister both, at least a hundred different ways and time wasn’t on my side. I started to give her my best are you crazy? face, but I noticed she had a look of fear on her face. I stopped with the sarcasm.
“Serena.”
I tried to keep my voice level. “What am I missing here?” “I’m mindjumping her, Logan. She’s calling to me. They’re letting her.”
“What do you mean ‘they’re letting her’?” Suddenly my blood ran cold. I found myself unaware of the people in the parking lot, the sounds of the cars, and the noise of people talking. I only took in the sound of Serena’s voice and my own heart beating, increasing in speed, until I thought it would leap out of my chest and bounce around the pavement of the lot.
Serena reached out for my hand, her eyes filling with tears, her lips trembling, words leaving her mouth, but I wasn’t sure I understood them. I couldn’t have heard them right. Two weeks ago I was a normal teenager. I went to high school and played baseball.
I had a beautiful mother and a pretty, crazy little sister. But our little family equaled ordinary. I could count on that. It screamed predictable. It screamed dependable. Then I met a beautiful, extraordinary girl and my life got yanked upside down. Then nothing meant ordinary anymore. No one asked me if I allowed this to happen. It just did. And now my lovely, accomplished mother called herself a witch and my talented, sweet sister became a witch and my mysterious, unbelievable girlfriend ruled witches and people I had never met before wanted to kill them or me or both. And now something had happened to my sister and it could be my fault. I grabbed Serena and asked her to repeat what she just said. “They took them, Logan. The Council has taken Jade and Sully.”
PART TWO
Chapter Twenty
LOGAN
It had been a week since Jade and Sully were snatched and we hadn’t received a word from them. My mom turned into a nervous wreck. She couldn’t eat or sleep and she just prowled the house with Sheba either in her arms, or following behind, winding around her legs and purring loudly. Every movie I’d ever seen, the ransom call came within twenty-‐‑four hours. Serena tried to explain to me that it wasn’t going to work like anything I’d ever seen in a movie. Yeah, I kind of guessed that one already.
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