Original Witch (Dreamshifters Book 1)

by Cameron Drake

  I had left quickly, afraid to disturb the older woman. Nan needed her sleep, which was harder to come by at her age. Instead I wound up at the beach again, somewhere on the East Coast.

  Not just any beach. It was his beach. Dean’s.

  But he wasn’t here. As far I knew, he didn’t travel in his dreams. Not without me.

  A seal was lounging on the sand, and I stopped to pet it. It rolled its neck, pressing its silky head into my palm. Seals were one of my favorite animals, friendly and sociable. They were kind of like the puppies of the sea.

  As usual, the animals I encountered seemed to see me, even though people did not. Every once in a while, I might encounter someone who could see me but it was rare. Usually a young child, and even then, it was only for an instant. Never anything like Dean.

  I sighed, hurrying even though I was technically early for my shift. Something strange was going on between us whether I liked it or not. I wasn't sure what it was yet, but I had little doubt that I’d find out.

  Whether I wanted to or not. Destiny was funny that way. Or at least, that was one of the things Nan always said.

  For the moment at least, I was stuck with Dean.

  I hid a smile. There were worse things than being stuck with someone who looked like Dean. And he wasn't just handsome. He was intrinsically a good person. Inside and out.

  True, we hadn’t talked all that much but I could tell when I looked into his eyes.

  Either way, it was clear that I wasn't going to be able to just blow him off at this point. He knew where to find me, even in my sleep apparently.

  That had been a first.

  Last night, right before waking, he’d shown up. It had been three days since I laid eyes on him, but I still hadn’t been scared.

  Somehow, it had made me feel even more secure. He knew where to find me. He would look after me. He really did want to be with me.

  And now I was on my way back to the field house, where he'd be in the flesh. He'd give me that crooked grin and try to get me to see him after my shift.

  I wasn't using precognition to guess that. It was just his style to be direct and persistent. Just like it was my style to hide and protect.

  Hunter and prey.

  I pushed open the door to the service entrance and slipped the dirty apron into a laundry bin unnoticed. My manager was a warm older woman named Pam. After a stilted explanation, Pam stared at me for a brief moment before breaking out in a big smile.

  "Think nothing of it, sweetheart."

  "Thanks, Pam. And sorry.”

  I’d been tempted to ask her if I could stay in the back, working the blazing hot dishwasher instead of the service line. But I held my tongue for some reason. Besides, this time I wouldn’t be caught off guard.

  This time, I wanted to see Dean.

  There. I’d finally said it.

  I wanted to see him.

  Chapter 15

  Dean

  “Goodnight, man.”

  I nodded at my teammates as I walked out of the dining hall. I’d sat there long enough, watching Krista serve and slowly eating my food. I stayed to the end of the shift making sure no one hassled her, halfheartedly thumbing through one of my assignments.

  I headed to the back when they started closing up, standing under a tree near the exit. I sniffed the air, and moved further away. The trash was out here and it was overpowering, even from twenty feet away,

  It seemed like I could smell everything lately and it wasn't always pleasant. It was getting worse too. I’d been noticing it all day.

  Right now, the dumpster felt like it was right next to me. Actually, it felt like it was inside my damn nose. I rubbed it and winced.

  I felt a breeze coming from the North and lifted my chin to sniff at the air. I looked up, realizing the air was cleaner above. In two minutes I was in the air, staring down from my perch in the tree.

  It had been years since I’d climbed a tree. Nearly a decade. And now I was fifteen feet up, without even breaking a sweat.

  Somehow, climbing came as naturally as breathing to me. Just like today at practice. Everything felt simpler to me today.

  Easy.

  Well, everything except Krista.

  She was complicated as hell.

  I’d spent the entire meal watching her. Waiting in line. Accepting my food from her. Sitting and eating.

  She'd smiled shyly at me. But I hadn't smiled. I’d been too intent on watching her. Keeping her safe and close.

  I had a crazy urge to stick to her like glue. Almost like I wanted lock her away forever. I’d never felt this way before, or anything like it. The feeling was overpowering.

  Every time I looked at her I thought one word: mine.

  I didn't try to stop my possessive thoughts. I knew it was pointless to fight it.

  So I sat. I ate. I watched.

  And I bided my time.

  Now I was outside, waiting patiently again. I didn't know exactly when her shift was over but I would be there, waiting. I wanted to be alone with her. To talk, if nothing else. To arrange for our date, when we could finally be alone together.

  Uninterrupted.

  This was more than just hormones.

  I didn’t just want anyone. It had to be her.

  A startled, high-pitched sound caught my attention. I stared down at the mewling creature in my hand. A squirrel. I’d caught it without realizing what I was doing. Without even looking at it.

  I tilted my head, pity and revulsion twisting in my gut.

  It's squirmed frantically, desperate to get away. I felt the fragile bones in its body already breaking. I’d already killed it without meaning to. It might take hours but I knew it would not recover.

  It would be kinder to kill it. Put it out of its misery. But I’d never killed anything bigger than a fly. I didn't even like to fish.

  But right now… right now, it didn't really bother me.

  I twisted its neck and dropped it, staring at the faint smudge of blood on my hand.

  Then I heard her. My head snapped up, staring into the darkness. I let go of the branch, landing in a crouch ten feet below.

  She jumped as I stood slowly, walking towards her.

  "Krista."

  Chapter 16

  Krista

  I let out a tiny scream when I saw him, then immediately relaxed. It was just Dean, not some mugger. But what was he doing out here in the middle of nowhere?

  And where had he come from?

  I stared upwards, realizing he’d just dropped almost twenty feet from a tree. A jump like that would have broken the legs of a lesser man. Anybody really.

  Jeez, was he on ‘roids or something?

  I tugged on my baseball cap, suddenly feeling self-conscious. I was tired and dirty. Smelly probably. I was definitely not at my best after a six-hour shift. But the boy standing in front of me was looking at me like I was a queen.

  His queen.

  "Dean. Hi. What are you doing here?"

  My voice squeaked like a cartoon mouse. I expected him to laugh at me for being silly but he didn't. He didn't even smile. He just stood there, staring at me.

  "Waiting for you."

  I laughed nervously.

  "You are persistent, I'll give you that."

  Again, he didn't joke along with me. I was used to him being lighthearted and teasing. But he was as still as a statue, staring at me with the same intense look on his face.

  "I know what I want."

  I was almost afraid to ask. But my Nan hadn't raised me to be a coward. I lifted my chin and asked.

  "And what is that exactly?"

  His eyes seemed to burn into me as the same thought pulsed through my veins over and over again. Something was strange. Dean was acting like he was souped-up on fifty cups of coffee or something.

  He was different today.

  Time seemed to stop as we stared at each other. I had that same strange thought again… it wasn’t a good one either. For the second time, it occurred to me
that we were predator and prey. But that didn’t make sense.

  Dean wouldn’t hurt me, would he?

  Then he smiled, and I was immediately at ease.

  "Dinner with a beautiful lady."

  I found myself nodding. Something about him… he was exuding power and something else… persuasion maybe. I had a strange feeling I would have said yes to anything.

  Well, almost anything.

  “You mean me?”

  “Yes, I mean you.”

  I blushed and looked away.

  “Okay.”

  He grinned in that lopsided way of his. The one that made my heart go pitter patter. The one that was half adorable boy and half strong young man.

  This was the old Dean. Sweet and charming. A jock, for sure, but also sensitive. I felt all the tension leave my body in relief.

  "Alright then. Let me walk you home.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  He was quiet on the way back to my dorm. I wanted to ask him what he meant but I had lost my nerve. I was still worried that I smelled like fried food when we got to the far side of campus.

  “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven."

  He stepped closer and I froze, sure that I reeked of fries and dish soap. He didn't try and kiss me again though. His lips barely brushed my cheek.

  But I felt the impact in my entire body.

  He looked down at me, his eyes knowing. Like he knew that I had goosebumps all over my arms from one tiny kiss. He smiled and brushed my hair away from my face.

  “Sleep well, Krista.”

  I watched him walk away, rooted to the spot.

  I hadn’t been imagining things.

  Dean was different.

  Chapter 17

  Dean

  I pulled on a freshly pressed blue button down shirt and tucked it into my crisp khakis. My laundry had been delivered that morning, another one of the services provided free of charge for athletes.

  I shook my head. They made things so easy for us it was ridiculous.

  It was almost as good as home, though it lacked the familiar laundry scent. My mom had used some fancy organic stuff that smelled like lemons. But not having to do your own laundry was hard to complain about.

  The players had a laundry service that included dry cleaning. It was stupefying, how easy the school made life for their athletes. They even had on-call tutors to help with homework. Some of them even did your homework for you, if you wanted them to.

  I did not.

  Unlike half of the guys who were here for sports and partying, I was in college to actually earn a degree. My worst nightmare was being just another stupid, rich white jerks.

  Lord knows, my parents knew enough of them.

  Hell, they were borderline jerks themselves. They were already rich and white. Of course, my parents were kind and loving for the most part. And smart. But still, they had moments of snobbery. They definitely weren't too far from joining the club.

  There were enough RWA's back home to fill a country club with. Actually, I decided that's what they should rename the golf and beach club. I grabbed my wallet, walking through the empty townhouse.

  It was blissfully quiet.

  I’d somehow managed to get the nightly party to switch to another suite, just with a few pointed looks. I didn't even have to say anything. I didn't want to alienate the guys I’d be playing with for the next four years.

  Thankfully, my skills on the field seemed to be enough to earn me little more than the mostly affectionate nickname of 'Rich Boy.'

  I didn't mind as much as I might have a few weeks ago. The truth was, I was rich. It didn't really bother me one way or the other.

  All I really cared about at the moment was getting close to Krista. Tonight was the first step. I’d had to ask her out three times, but three was apparently the magic number.

  She’d finally said yes when I cornered her in the smelly service alley behind the field house. I was taking her to dinner tonight at the fanciest place I could find. It might be overkill, but it was important to show her that I was taking this seriously.

  That I took her seriously.

  I hadn't brought my car with me to college, thinking it was going to be a hassle. But now I was planning to pick it up the next time I went back home. If you had a girlfriend, it made sense, especially when the cold weather came.

  Or maybe I’d ask my parents to bring it up for the big opening game next weekend. Then I could drive Krista wherever she wanted to go.

  I grinned. That was something to look forward to, for sure.

  I knocked on the door to her room and smiled when she opened it. She looked beautiful, with pale pink lip gloss enhancing her already stunning good looks. She was wearing jeans and a cardigan over an old t-shirt.

  She looked horrified when she realized how dressed up I was.

  "Hey."

  "Hey."

  "Um, so where are we going exactly?" she asked, sounding nervous.

  "La Poutiserie."

  "That sounds fancy…"

  "It's okay, I can wait downstairs while you change."

  She stared at me looking supremely uncomfortable. "I don't really… have anything fancy.”

  “I don’t mind. Maybe just a dress?”

  “I don’t have one.”

  I felt like such an ass. I had picked up that she wasn’t privileged. She had a scholarship and did work study to afford college, especially a top tier school like this one.

  It had never occurred to me that she wouldn't have something to wear.

  Chapter 18

  Krista

  Well, this is soul crushing.

  For the first time since arriving at school, I was thankful for the necessity of having roommates. Mine in particular.

  I was standing there like an idiot, wearing my same old grubby clothes. Dean stood there looking like a model in a beautiful, pressed shirt and tie. He was taking me out. Not just out but out.

  Some fancy place where you can’t wear jeans.

  I wanted to slide onto the floor. I had managed to ruin the date before it even started. It hit me then: I was so far out of my league it wasn’t even funny.

  I almost fainted with relief when Charisse piped up from across the room.

  "I got this. She'll be down in five."

  Dean looked both relieved and embarrassed as he turned and headed outside. Not nearly as embarrassed as me though. I felt like a natural-born moron.

  "How'd you score that guy? He's ridic hot."

  "I met him at work study."

  "He does work study?"

  I had stood stock still as Charisse held up various dresses in front of me. I was dazed. Thankfully, she was in her element.

  Char loved fashion. I knew she was just playing dress up, and treating me like a doll. But at the moment, I didn’t much care.

  "No, he's on the football team. I work in the kitchen at the athletic department."

  Charisse had stopped and lowered her arms. She stared at me in awe.

  "You met him serving food in the caf?"

  "Yes."

  "You're joking."

  I just shook my head. It was mostly the truth. That was where we met for the first time.

  In person, anyway.

  "You do realize that you sound like freaking Cinderella, right?"

  I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. Charisse did kind of have a point… Dean was pretty much the Prince Charming type to a T. And I was definitely not prepared to go to the ball.

  Not without help anyway.

  I stepped into the purple and pink cocktail dress that Charisse held open for me. Then I sat still while my fairy godmother/roommate applied a thin layer of eyeshadow and powdered my nose. She handed me a pair of kitten heel pumps.

  I slid them on and stood while Charisse looked me over, surveying her handiwork.

  "Well, I have to admit you do clean up nice. Prince Charming won't know what hit him."

  "He's not—"<
br />
  "I know, I know. Just go — and be home before midnight."

  Charisse winked knowingly. I giggled, rolling my eyes. But I hadn't left without hugging my friend.

  "Thanks Charisse. I owe you one."

  "Ain't that the truth. Now get!"

  I walked uncertainly down the hallway in the heels as people stopped and stared at me. Thankfully the heels were relatively low, because otherwise I would have fallen on my behind.

  I’d never worn anything higher than a sneaker in my life.

  It was all worth it for the look on Dean's face though.

  He looked awestruck for at least thirty seconds. Maybe longer. And then something shifted in his eyes. After that he'd looked hungry. Like he wanted to devour me.

  "Wow, Krista… you look beautiful."

  I swallowed nervously and lifted my chin. Fake it till you make it. That's what Nan always said.

  So I did.

  "Let's go."

  Chapter 19

  Dean

  I blinked, staring at the vision in front of me.

  I still couldn't believe that she was the same girl. A dress, a little makeup, heels and KAPOW — she was gorgeous. Hotter than hot. A woman who could stop traffic.

  To be honest, I felt almost like I’d been tricked. But I was 100% okay with it.

  Krista wasn't just a sweet and pretty little thing as I’d previously thought she was.

  She was stunning.

  Movie star stunning.

  In fact, I was having a little bit of trouble focusing on what she was saying. Something about being raised by her Grandmother, something about being here on scholarship, something about wanting to work in a museum restoring art. That's why she was majoring in art history and minoring in fine art.

  She was fascinating. I cared about all those things. Of course I did. Her mind. Her soul. Her lips.

  Especially her lips.

  All I really wanted to do at the moment was kiss her.

  "What about you?"