by Jordan Deen
“Yeah.” I couldn’t tell her I jumped ahead. “I just got to your union with Josef.”
“Wow.” She glared at me under her lashes. “That didn’t take as long as I thought it would. At least… not with all the distractions you’ve had.”
“Well, I’m actually a quick reader.” Then, I realized she changed the subject. “So, Alaina?”
“Yes, Alaina. She was my best friend in the world. But that was ages ago…” Her voice faded as she stared out the window. “I think we should start with a reading first.”
“A reading?”
“Yes, readings are usually part of ceremonies. And now, since you know that my best friend was a witch, you know that much of what I do has a basis in that realm.”
Nicole was right… at least about one thing.
“Okay.” I hesitantly shifted in my chair.
“Do you want to talk about how you feel about that?” she asked.
Great, it’s a Dr. Phil double-feature.
“No. Not really.” I said.
“Are you sure? Ask now or forever hold your peace.”
“Are fairies real too?” I laughed sarcastically. “I mean, if werewolves and witches are…”
“No,” she hesitated, “I can’t say with all certainty. I can only say I’ve never met one.” That didn’t really evoke too much confidence. Maybe Brandon was telling the truth; maybe he wasn’t the only monster lurking in the woods.
The rest of the afternoon we recited from another book she dug from behind all the others. Most of the words I couldn’t understand, nor really wanted to. The potions she concocted were oils of flowers, seeds, and a few nuts. When she put shavings from a gnarled root into one, my stomach flipped. I knew she expected me to drink it, and while Jillian talked me into a lemon grass shake at the health food store once, this seemed completely different. How did I know that root was food grade after all? It could still have some icky parasite on it that would make me sick or it could taste like dirt. When she finally had me drink the mixture, I thought of worms twisting their way through my stomach and intestines. The mixture did taste like dirt—dirt covered in flower petals. Yuck.
I helped her put all the supplies away when it got seriously close to dinner, although eating was not a priority. “So, Galena and Alaina were these really powerful witches?”
“Yes, both of them were really powerful and knowledgeable,” she said, putting away more books from the table, “they were both wonderful women.”
“If they’re so powerful, why can’t we call them to strengthen my bond with Brandon?”
“It doesn’t really work that way. You can only control so much. Some things you must give over to the Goddess.”
“The Goddess?” I asked as she pushed my hair back from my shoulder.
“Yes, you have much to learn still. But you’re getting there.”
c h a p t e r
TEN
The men hammered around the clock for the next two weeks. Every day, our camp grew with more people, most of whom I didn’t bother getting to know because none of them would come within ten feet of me. Alex hadn’t come to my dreams since Brea showed up, but I barely noticed, considering all the other commotion in camp. At least the talk of mating and transforming finally subsided. Serena even left for a few days to get supplies and it felt like a mini-vacation. It was wonderful to have a break from the icky drinks, and being forced to confront my strange feelings for Brandon. Plus, with Brea permanently attached to my side, I was allowed out of camp and into the surrounding woods more often to explore. Brea and I melded to each other perfectly. We hung out by the stream for hours sharing stories, and contraband candy. When the stories ran out, she’d open one of her novels, and I’d crack open my mother’s book—after I made up a story that it was one I borrowed from Serena.
I soaked up every word, every symbol, and marking in my mother’s delicate penmanship. The journal started when she was about seventeen-years-old, and focused on her courtship and engagement to Gregory. The middle described their union, how Gregory built their home in the woods, and crafted my crib when she announced her pregnancy. I hadn’t finished the last part of the journal yet, but it started to focus on preparations for my arrival, and experimentation with herbs and potions with her mother to safeguard the pack from our enemies. Even though they were careful in selecting the location of camp, she was still greatly concerned for her unborn child. Regardless of how some of the pack members treated her, she worried for their safety, and the outcome of the war none of them were truly prepared for. I was anxious to get further into her exploration since I had her vials in the bathroom. Even though I hadn’t been so great at channeling my inner she-wolf, maybe I’d be good at potions like she was. Somehow, it felt like I could share a deeper connection with her if I could do the same things she did.
“So,” Brea flung herself down on the blanket next to me, “what do you want to do this afternoon?” I closed the book, leaving more questions than answers floating in my head.
“I don’t know.” I rolled onto my stomach to match her. “What did you have in mind?”
“I thought since you’ve been studying so much, that maybe we could go into town. Maybe bowling?” We hadn’t been back to town since she took me to the old camp. I highly doubted Michael would allow us out alone again.
“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”
She bumps her shoulder to mine, “No, silly. I was talking about the guys taking us.”
“You mean, like a date?” A date. A romantic evening…with Brandon.
“Yeah, doesn’t that sound fun? Catch hasn’t even given me flowers since we’ve been here, so he owes me big time. Back in Baja, we used to go to the movies every weekend.”
Brea headed to her cabin to get ready for our double date, and I headed to mine. She decided to let Catch talk Brandon into it, with the theory that the two of them could take Michael on together.
Five minutes into my much needed shower, Lily bounded into the bathroom to tell me Brandon and Michael were arguing at the construction site. Thankfully, I hadn’t allowed myself to get hyped up over the outing.
“Okay,” I said to Lily and turned off the water; no sense in washing my hair and wasting more water.
“Did you guys really think they’d let you go to town?” she asked.
“Can you get out of here?” I said, annoyed that she stopped me from getting out and into the warmth of a towel.
“Do you want to play cards with me tonight? We haven’t hung out since Brea got here.” We didn’t hang out before she got here either. Lily just didn’t have to be with me at all hours anymore. Brea replaced her. Micah and Taylor hadn’t done much to distract her, and there was no word on Trish yet.
“Not particularly,” I said and waved her out of the room holding the shower curtain around my body with my other hand. “Go, so I can get dressed.” If going into town wasn’t happening, then I planned on locking her out of the room and delving further into the end of Emma’s journal. Maybe not going could be to my benefit after all. I glanced up at the top of the cabinet that housed my precious possessions; that night would be perfect to start my own experimenting.
I slid into one of the band t-shirts we bought at the thrift store, one of the new pairs of pants, and my old tennis shoes. I pulled the brush through my tangled hair and yanked it into a high ponytail. I reached for the door just as Emile started to knock on it.
“I brought you some things,” she said with a pile of clothes in her outstretched arms. “Brea sent you some new clothes for your date.” Emile smoothed back some of my hair, “Would you like me to curl your hair? It’s your first date after all.” She was right. Brandon and I hadn’t gone out on an actual date the entire time we’d known each other, but we weren’t going anywhere, anyway. “Well?”
Looking at myself in the mirror, I decided it would be best if I looked like I was excited to go on a date—and I guess I really was, if we were allowed to go. “Yeah,” I answered, an
d sat on the edge of the tub while she pulled a curling iron from the drawer and plugged it in.
“Are you nervous for tonight?” she asked and pulled the rubber band out of my hair.
“A little,” I said then added, “Do you really think Michael is going to let us go?”
Emile ran her long, pointed fingers through my hair and tousled the ends, “You deserve a night out. Michael and I haven’t had one in over a year.”
“Maybe he’d be okay with us going if you guys went too?” I tried anyway I could to get the hell out of camp for the night. The more I thought about it, the more a being back in civilization sounded appealing—even if it was going to be for an awkward first date.
“No, honey, you kids need some time. This is a wonderful idea. Don’t worry about Michael,” she said and twisted part of my hair around the curling iron, “you’ll walk out there, ready to go, and you’ll tell him it’s what you want. He won’t argue with you.”
“Why not?” I watched as she released a long bouncy curl. The warmth of the end of my hair sent chills down my spine as it swung back and forth against my neck.
“Michael can be sensible when he needs to be. When he hears it’s what you want, he’ll fold. He knows his previous approach wasn’t working.” She smiled and pulled another piece of my hair away from my face.
“Ready for make up?” Brea asked standing in the doorway of the bathroom.
“Almost, just a few more curls and she’ll be ready.” Emile pulled another section off my neck and Brea started to set out eyeliners, brushes and lipsticks all over the bathroom counter like she was ready to do a complete remodel.
“Do you like the top I picked out for you?” Brea held up the shirt Emile brought in earlier. “I think the green will bring out your eyes.”
“I think I’m pressing my luck asking to go out tonight, let alone going without my contacts.”
“Just put your sunglasses on before we leave. Michael will never notice.”
Emile finished one last curl and excused herself when Lily came in and said Michael was still fighting with Brandon over our planned outing. “You better hurry,” she said before slipping out of the room.
Brea was a make-up veteran and had my face looking flawless in less than five minutes. Between the new clothes, make up, and curled hair, it didn’t look like me in the mirror. But, this is what a girl should look like when they’re getting ready for their first date… with their soul mate no less. Eat your heart out Bailey.
“I don’t think you’ll need that,” Brea said and pointed to my iPod. I completely forgotten it was clipped to my pocket. I took it off, wound my earphones around it and tossed it onto my bed. Travis wouldn’t be able to save me from my impending embarrassment anyway. First dates were never my strong point.
“So, what movie do you want to see?” Catch asked when we finally got down the mountain road in Brandon’s truck.
“I don’t even know what’s playing,” Brandon replied and eased onto the main road heading through town towards the freeway. Brea bounced her feet and knees next to me in the backseat. Neither of us were really disappointed that Michael didn’t want us going to a packed bowling alley. We saw it as a victory he was letting us more than a hundred feet from camp.
“What time’s curfew?” Catch asked playing with the radio to find a station. Two large trucks pulled onto the road behind us, their headlights illuminated the backseat and blinded me from the reflection in the rearview mirror. Brandon flicked the mirror away.
“Should we go back?” I asked, nervously looking at the trucks tailing us.
“No, they’re with us. It’s Dad, Will, Thomas, Dillon, and Trevor. Dad promised they’d keep their distance.” Somehow, I didn’t believe that. They weren’t going to watch anyone else, just me. So I knew I’d feel their eyes on me the whole night. Talk about pressure, even a blind date would have been better than this.
Ironically, once we got into Sandy, the trucks were gone. Michael turned on his super-stealth mode or something. I never saw them again, the rest of the night. It made me doubt they actually followed us. Maybe Brandon just told me they were coming to calm my nerves. Either way, it didn’t matter. Brandon and I had a bigger challenge—how were we supposed to get to know each other with so much responsibility looming over us?
“Do you have a preference?” Brandon asked, standing side by side in front of the movie theater—bugs bounced against the lights and the marquee in time to the pounding in my ears.
“I’ve never heard of any of these.” I stare at the words; none of the movies were an obvious choice. Brea had her arms draped around Catch’s waist and she swayed back and forth playing with him just a few feet in front of us. They were in their own little world, while Brandon and I were trapped in first date purgatory. Being soul mates should have counted for something, but since the gap between us only got bigger and bigger, it obviously meant nothing.
“Should I just pick one?” he asked when it was clear I wouldn’t give him the answer he craved.
“Ready?” Brea asked and threaded her fingers into mine. “We are going to the snack bar.” she announced to Brandon and pulled me away before anyone could disagree.
“What is up with you? I mean, seriously? You are on a date with the love of your life! You finally get some time alone with him to do whatever and you’re acting like a prude?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Oh sure you’re not, but you haven’t even held his hand yet.”
“I’m not just going to throw myself all over him.” I pulled my hand away from hers. “You know the whole music and magic stuff you and Catch have? Hello? I don’t have that with Brandon.”
“That just means you have to work harder for it and you’ll appreciate it more.”
“I am working on it,” I started to say defensively. What did she think—the last six months were just a vacation?
“I’m not saying you aren’t working on it!” She grabbed my hand again and squeezed. “Look, I’m just saying you don’t know when this opportunity will come again. Enjoy it. Take advantage of tonight to get to know him and find that spark that you need to get your bond back. You don’t like how Serena was trying to force you, now’s your chance to figure out what is there on your own.”
She had a point—a very important one. One that made me realize the outside pressure only hindered my feelings, and now without that pressure, I still wasn’t looking at him in that light. I still looked at him as… an obligation.
“You’re right. I’ll try harder.” I looked over my shoulder at our handsome dates breezing through the door with movie tickets in hand. There were worse fates to be straddled with than having him love me for the rest of our lives. The second his brooding green eyes met mine, they softened; the corner of his lip pulled up in a smirk. That look gave me butterflies.
“We are seeing some kind of romantic comedy. The ticket clerk said it’s a good date movie.” Catch pulled Brea back into his side with a smile the size of Texas. “It’s been a while since we’ve gone on a date.”
“Yeah, and don’t think I haven’t noticed either. I just told Lacey you hadn’t brought me flowers in a long time either.” She faked a pout and folded into his side.
I turned away when he started kissing her; Brandon turned away too. The gap between us now rivaled the size of the Grand Canyon. The first day I met him in the school’s office came to mind; the way his eyes glowed under the fluorescent lights and how every dream I’d had about him felt like the stars aligning. Although, no matter how hard I stared at him, those dreams and that life seemed worlds away.
“This is odd,” he said.
“Yeah, a little,” I answered and followed Catch and Brea into the movie theater.
“I’m sorry I’m not better at this. I’ve never been on a date before.”
“What?” I said, although, I knew the truth of it all. He’d told me girls like Bailey never mattered to him.
“Yeah, I guess you can say this is my firs
t date—ever.”
“So, you’ve never had any crushes or anything like that?”
He let out a small laugh and shoved his hands deep into his pockets to look at Catch and Brea. “Not really. I mean, I don’t think my best friend’s sister in kindergarten really counts. Does it?”
I laughed and imagined Brandon at five being a heartbreaker with his imposing eyes and angular jaw line. Not to mention, even in kindergarten, the entire pack hoped he’d mate with their daughters since he would be the pack leader. “I don’t think that counts. I don’t count boyfriends until they came after the age of thirteen.” And I don’t add that the only real boyfriend I had was Alex. He didn’t need to be brought into our first date. If Brandon was my destiny, then I’d have to give him at least one night of my undivided attention before I counted him out all together.
“How many is there then?” he leaned in and asked as we walked down the rows of chairs in the theater. There were only a handful of people scattered in the theater, so we could sit pretty much anywhere. Catch and Brea claimed two seats almost dead center of the rows, not my ideal spot, but if Brandon wanted to sit there, I’d be okay with it.
“Do you want to sit further back?” He looked at the distance between the row of chairs and the screen.
“I’m okay with wherever you want to sit.” I smiled and hoped he wouldn’t bring up the boyfriend question again, because he was where I needed to be—not living in the past. In the grander scheme of things, a seat in a discount movie theater wasn’t really my main focus. The silence between us gave me the chance to search his eyes, to find those golden yellow flecks, and hopefully, let him see them in mine.
“Let’s go back a few rows,” he said and then told Catch we weren’t going to sit with them. We’d be in the back of the dark movie theater together… alone.
Brandon walked to the back row of the theater and claimed one of the high backed seats towards the middle. “I forgot to tell you,” he said barely above a whisper, “you look beautiful tonight.”
