by J. L. Weil
I shot to my feet, open-armed, with the waters turning in front of me, and I thought I should be struck with lightning. The sky opened up with a crack of angry light and ground-shaking thunder. The air and water around me were vulnerable to my feelings and I often inadvertently lashed out with them. It was just so.
All my anger and pain splashed across the dark sky and over the almost-black waters. Tingles ran through my veins, and I threw my head back. It felt amazing to let my anger flow into the elements around me. They took away the emotions that spread through every muscle, every bone, and every pore in my body.
I sensed the connection from within me, spreading out to the world around me. Wind. Water. Lightning. A different link for each piece of Mother Nature. I realized then that this energy I was extending to the elements could help heal the wounds breaking inside me.
Walking to the shoreline, I waded ankle-deep into the freezing water. It burned through me, cutting off my magic. As I stared down at my reflection in the water, I saw that I didn’t look like the girl I’d imagined I would have been when I grew up. Large, blazing, purple eyes stared back at me, and my lip trembled. On the brink of eighteen, I had wanted to be a strong, independent woman who knew what she wanted in life, not a frightened girl unsure of her future, unsure of herself. That was not who my mom would have raised me to be, and it wasn’t the girl my aunt had taught me to be.
I was acting like a whiny child.
I wanted to be someone my aunt and my parents could be proud of. So why wasn’t I? Why was I sitting here feeling dejected and sorry for myself?
In the end, hiding away—from the world, from my friends, and from myself— wasn’t going to accomplish anything. It wasn’t going to make my life all peachy and rosy again. The only person who could change the path I was headed down was me.
This was who I was. Nothing I could do or say would change it. No amount of begging, pleading, or wishing otherwise would make me normal. Did I really want normal if I couldn’t have Gavin?
I knew what I was going to do, what I was born to do: wield magic.
I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin. Waving my hand out in front of me, I felt the stirrings of magic pulse to life in my blood. The roaring waves stilled, the howling winds quieted, and the sky was once again clear and filled with stars, just as I commanded them.
I could almost hear Morgana laughing down at me. That’s my girl. About damn time, too.
Chapter 2
By the time I resurfaced as one of the living again, Christmas break was over and I was getting ready for Monday morning classes. Glancing through the sheer white curtain covering the window, I was glad to see the sun shining, a reflection of the hopefulness I felt inside.
I snickered. Of course the sun was shining; I wasn’t stuck with my head under the covers, bawling like a blubbering woe-is-me sap—hence, no rain. Kicking the covers to the end of the bed, I jumped up. The cold wooden floors chilled my toes as I ran to the adjoining bathroom with Lunar on my heels, meowing. If I didn’t pick him up and show him some kind of attention each morning, he wouldn’t stop the persistent crying. It only got longer and louder if I ignored him.
“Hey, you pest,” I murmured, nuzzling his soft downy head under my chin. He started purring rapidly. “You’re going to make me late for school.” Two minutes later his blue eyes got that wild look in them, and he was zipping through my room at mach ten, bouncing off of anything his paws could touch. Why couldn’t I wake up with that much energy? It took at least two cups of coffee before I could even function like a human.
I took the longest shower possible, steaming up the entire bathroom. I think it had even started to pour out from under the door. But I needed it just like I needed a little pampering to make myself feel alive and encouraged. It was the little things that made a difference. Like…my favorite foods, strawberry flavored lip-gloss, crisp, cool sheets on a winter’s night, and most of all, Gavin’s kisses.
Oh, yeah. I could really use one of those.
I missed them immensely. I was having withdrawals from no longer kissing Gavin’s lips.
To my dismay, there hadn’t been any heavy make-out sessions, none of the backseat groping, or whisperings of sweet nothings that I had envisioned during winter break. I only had myself to blame for this loss.
Well, then. I was going to have to put my fears aside and take that bold step I’d been afraid to take, because if there was one thing I was certain about, it was that I didn’t want to push away the one guy who mattered most. He had made it clear to me that his feelings hadn’t changed, that he wasn’t afraid of me. But he should have been, because I was very much afraid; nonetheless, I wasn’t going to live the rest of my life in a constant state of fear.
I wanted to live.
And that included kissing my very luscious boyfriend.
Sitting in front of my vanity, I spent more time working on my looks in that one sitting than I previously had throughout my whole life. I smeared on a sheer coat of strawberry lip-gloss and smacked my lips before applying layer after layer of mascara until my eyelashes were goopy and starting to stick together. Great. Well I never claimed to be a fashionista.
I zipped up my boots and headed downstairs for a breakfast of champions. Rummaging through the cabinet, I found what I was looking for: Strawberry Pop Tarts. Thank God. My good mood might have gone sour if there hadn’t been any frosted Pop Tarts. I ate them like crack. Pouring a cup of coffee from the pot my aunt had left on the warmer for me, I broke off a corner of the Pop Tart and dunked it into the sugary black brew. Someone was going to be running on a sugar high. This was just the way I liked my mornings—until I crashed before lunch.
After a quick scratch behind Lunar’s ears, I snatched my keys off the counter. No sooner had I put a foot outside than my blood started humming. I didn’t have to look up to know who was there, yet it was a temptation I couldn’t resist. He was leaning against the hood of his car, a sight I would gladly wake up at 6:30 a.m. every day of the week for. Talk about jump-starting my engine; I was afraid I might overheat and need to be hosed down. My cheeks turned pink and my steps faltered.
Gavin met me halfway on the driveway with a greeting that would leave any girl lightheaded. He pressed his lips to mine in a sweet and soft kiss. Just like that, all my worries, my fears, all the crap that was dogging my mind, simply faded to nothing. He had that effect on me.
Under thick, sooty lashes he stared down at me. “Hmm. It should be mandatory for us to start our mornings like this every day.”
I grinned. “Deal.”
He had an impish glee in his sapphire eyes. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I hope so.” Either he did a bang-up job covering his feelings, or he really wasn’t scared or upset with me. It was almost too good to be true. How did I deserve such a boyfriend?
He arched a brow. “Well, someone ate their Wheaties this morning. ‘Bout damn time too. I thought I was going to have to drag your butt down the stairs. It’s so nice to be wrong.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s go, Romeo. I’ve got classes to attend.” I started to wiggle out of his embrace to no avail. Looking up, I returned his raised brow with one of my own.
“I have a better idea. Since you are feeling so…feisty, how about we skip classes and do something more… fun?”
I was getting a clear picture from what kind of fun he was implying. The darkening of his blue eyes and his voice going all kinds of silky were dead giveaways. “Oh, yeah. Like what?” I asked, teasingly.
Was I actually flirting?
Holy crap. Maybe I should have gone to the beach earlier and had some kind of life-changing revelation. It was like suddenly everything was clear after living for years in a foggy haze. Plus, I had sass. I was digging it.
The corners of his mouth tilted upward and his hands slipped into the back pockets of my jeans. “I am sure we could think of a few ways to pass the time.” And just to play unfair, he brushed his lips over my chin.
I shivered. “You suck,” I pouted, seriously considering his offer. How could I not when I was staring into eyes the color of starlight? Sighing, I replied, “I can’t. It’s the first day back.”
He wasn’t deterred. “Precisely why it’s the perfect day. We never do anything important on the first day after holiday break.”
“Important to whom?” I countered.
He rocked back on his heels with a slight frown. “We’re going to school, aren’t we?”
A corner of my mouth curled. “Yep,” I replied.
He looped his fingers with mine, leading us to his muscle car. Its black paint gleamed under the sunlight. Slipping behind the steering wheel, he rubbed the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip. “How do your lips always taste like strawberries?” he asked.
“It’s called lip gloss, genius.”
He grinned. “You should buy it in bulk.”
Would everything he said make my heart do cartwheels?
January in Holly Ridge was mild, at least when I wasn’t messing up the weather forecast. No one put any stock into their predications any more, which was entirely my fault. Occasionally I felt remorse, but today was not one of those days.
It was impossible to feel guilty when the sun was beating down on my face. Pine trees in a multitude of greens lined the road, littering the shoulder with needles. The ride to school was short—too short because I wanted more time alone with Gavin.
Leaning my head back on the seat, I studied his silhouette. Dark messy hair. High cheekbones. Deep blue eyes. Full lips with a silver hoop in the center. There was nothing but yummy goodness carved into his face.
Zipping into the school parking lot, he parked the car and then, with one last roar, the engine quieted. He dangled his keys on a finger, turning to face me. “We need to talk after school. I found out some stuff.”
He sure knew how to drop a bomb. “Stuff? What kind of stuff?” I was both interested and panicky.
Twirling the hoop at his lip, he said, “We don’t have time for me to divulge all the details. We have classes remember? You insisted.”
I scowled. “Funny.” Damn him for reminding me of what we could be doing right about now. I gazed at his lips, and then I damned myself for being such a stick in the mud.
His eyes flickered. “If you have plans with—”
“I don’t,” I quickly cut in.
“Still avoiding him?”
Lukas was still a touchy subject. “Maybe.”
The muscle in his jaw locked up. “Well, you won’t hear me complaining. He’s trouble.”
I socked him on the arm. It felt like connecting with steel. “Whatever.” But I knew that he was serious. The two guys in my life couldn’t stand each other.
It was kind of a big deal.
Getting out of the car, we walked through the front doors hand in hand, and it was like I lived a double life. There was Brianna, the average student, and then there was Brianna, the secret witch assassin. Rounding the corner to my locker, I was bombarded by a ball of energy that could rival the energizer bunny.
Tori.
A piece of her hair got caught in my mouth as she hugged me. “Miss me?” she asked, grinning.
Wow. Someone had more coffee than I did this morning.
Gavin shook his head behind her, wisps of hair partially obscuring his eyes. I don’t know how he did it, but he had gotten out of the way before the Tasmanian Devil attacked. See you later, he mouthed and disappeared in the crowd.
I felt a tinge of disappointment at his departure. “If I miss you any more, people will think I am dating you and not Gavin,” I grumbled.
She looped her arm through mine, ignoring my other-than-pleased attitude. “Where is that piece of hot ass? I swore you came in together.”
I grinned. “We did. You scared him off.”
Tori snorted. “Hardly. I doubt anything scares Gavin.” Today, her light brown hair today was woven into a knot at the nape of her neck. She had on at least three-inch heels, which made me feel shorter than usual. Despite her girly clothing choices, I had missed her.
“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite biotches,” Austin said, coming up between us and swinging his arms over our shoulders. He encompassed us in a sad excuse for a group hug. “What scandalous affairs did my two besties get mixed up in over break? You know you can tell me. Actually, I demand you tell me.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. If there were any kind of scandals in Holly Ridge, I would bet my pink panties that Austin was at the heart of it. Just when I felt like I was drowning in magic with my arms flailing in the waters and my oxygen cut off, Tori and Austin would always pull me back to the surface, reminding me that I wasn’t just a clueless witch struggling in a world I barely understood.
I slipped out of our threesome and started down the hall. “Sorry to disappoint. I studied.” Magic that was. I snuck a glance over my shoulder, catching Austin making an L with his hand and holding it to his forehead. Jeesh. What a pair they were. Austin in his skinny jeans, styled hair, and wired frames, and Tori in her plaid school skirt and laughing chocolate eyes. We were misfits, but I wouldn’t change them for the world.
Austin’s grin faded. “Are you telling me that Tori’s maid was getting more tail than the three of us? We are so pathetic.”
“So B, have you heard from Lukas?” Tori asked, trying to sound nonchalant and failing, the glint of hopefulness in her gaze giving her up.
I cringed at the mention of his name. “Not really. Not since your party.” I could have kicked myself for not being a little more delicate.
Her expression fell before she could mask it behind a forced smile of I-don’t-care. She was bummed that the d-bag hadn’t called her, which made me mad at Lukas all over again. He never should have flirted with her and given her false hope if he had no intention of following through.
What a tease.
And now that she brought up Lukas, I knew that I needed to talk to him—even if I wasn’t quite ready. He was undeniably part of what I was going through. Morgana had pretty much told me that in her last cryptic message. Two boys. One destined to be your true love, bound by more than just magic and love. The other… well, he isn’t so lucky. He will destroy all the good you possess, squash your pureness, which is also your strength. He will poison you with darkness—blacken your soul, make you turn from all you love. The choice is yours Great-Granddaughter. Choose wisely, for it can’t be undone.
Grams was a freaking a poet. And now her words loomed in my head, day in and day out.
Lukas of all people knew more about my… I couldn’t bring myself to call it a gift. Not after what I had done to Gavin, but it was a piece of me I still had to come to terms with, control, and maybe even embrace.
And that scared the ever-loving crap out of me, which in a roundabout way brought me back to what Gavin wanted to talk about after school. The unknown had me chewing away at my lip all day.
Chapter 3
I met Mister Mysterious at his car after the final bell. Nibbling on my already destroyed nails, my gaze flickered upward at the tingles dancing down my spine. Gavin was sauntering through the parking lot, dodging between cars as he made his way toward me. His black, half-laced boots clopped on the blacktop.
Our eyes clashed.
There was something about this guy that made my cells go banana-nuts. Fireflies rocked inside my belly, coating over my nerves. I bit my lip, blushing.
When he reached me, he leaned his hip on his car beside me and arched a brow as I continued to stare. “You ready to blow this dump or are you too busy enjoying the view?”
Yes, to both counts.
“Shut up,” I said, giving his shoulder a nudge.
His lips twitched. “I love it when you go all sassy-pants on me.”
“You’re beyond redemption.”
“I hope so,” he replied, reaching over me and opening my door. Our bodies brushed, separated by a hairsbreadth. I swear he did it on purpose.
I gasped. An electric current ran through my blood, and I felt my eyes darken. There was something going on between us that was more than just attraction. I did not get shocked with a bolt of lightning every time I came in contact with a witch—just Gavin.
And that was a puzzle for another day.
I had too many loose pieces, and no real picture of the final product.
I went to slide into the car, but he was still in my way, so I looked up under my lashes, trying to remember how to breathe. I could see the same pull I felt in the deep blue of his eyes. He ran a thumb over my jaw. “We should leave,” he said in a raspy voice, staring at my lips.
I leaned in, placing a hand on his chest. If he expected me to oblige and get in the car, he was sorely mistaken. I did not have the kind of self-discipline that he did. And I very much wanted to kiss him.
His lips curled. “Hurry. Get in.”
I cleared my throat and slipped into the seat before we gave the whole school a lesson in tonsil hockey, which I decided right then wasn’t a bad thing—not if I were kissing those lips.
I heard him exhale as he shut the door. It gave me warm fireflies inside, knowing that I wasn’t the only one struggling here. “Buckle up; you’re in for a ride,” he said at the same time the engine jumped to life.
I really hoped that was a metaphor for something else—something more enticing.
We made it to his house in record time, and I managed to stay in my seat and keep my hands to myself, not that it hadn’t been without effort. My hands were still clenched together in my lap. Gravel crunched under the tires, sticking to the tread. I was always struck with the wonder and lure of this house. Its beauty was mesmerizing, which might have more to do with its inhabitants than the house itself. The ground trembled in magic as I stepped out of the car, a feat that was a power all on its own. I recognized it for what it was now, unlike the first time when I had been confused and more than a little in awe.
