White Witch

by Trish Milburn

  “This is new to me, too.” I caress his jaw, my heart expanding. “But I’m willing to try.”

  “There’s really nothing with Egan?”

  “We’re just friends. I think our fathers had other ideas, but there was never anything other than friendship between us.”

  “I don’t understand. I thought you didn’t approve of the other witches.”

  “They’re like human criminals. Some are worse than others. Egan’s what you’d call a white-collar criminal. He made himself useful to his coven by computer hacking.” I pause. “I never even considered it was because he didn’t want to have to do the worse things.”

  “You believe him, then.”

  “That he’s left his coven? Yes. I was suspicious at first, but he brought something with him that proves to me he’s really left them, that he wants to live his life differently, too.”

  “What’d he bring?”

  I hesitate for a moment, my own suspicion flickering. But if I expect Keller to give me a chance, to not look for ulterior motives, I have to do the same with him. I consider that telling him will put him in more danger, but something tells me it’s worth the risk. I hope that flicker of instinct is right.

  “The Beginning Book, a book supposedly forged from the same black magic that gave the covens their power. It was thought to be destroyed. At least that’s what we’ve always been told. But then we’ve discovered that the covens are not immune to lying to their own children.”

  “What about?”

  I step back then walk toward the fence. I stare off across the sloping field, see a tiny light in a window far down the hill. Inside there are normal people living normal lives—something I fear Keller and I will never have. I shake off that thought and refocus on the present. Will what I’m about to say change Keller’s opinion of me? Make me too dangerous for his world?

  “What is it?”

  I turn back toward him. “It seems I already have my full powers. So does Egan. The whole line about us not receiving them until we’re seventeen, until we’ve gone through the rite of passage, was a lie. One no doubt told to ensure we obeyed our elders until we believed in the coven’s code fully.”

  “What can you do?”

  “I’m not sure yet, and I’m not going to test it.”

  “Are you afraid to?”

  “Afraid it might change me, lure me back to the darkness? Yeah, that’s a bit on the scary side. But that kind of magic also would be like lighting up the night with the Bat Signal, luring my entire coven here. I won’t risk that. I won’t risk hurting my friends, or you.”

  “I’m not your friend?” He walks slowly toward me.

  “You know you’re more than a friend.”

  “What exactly?” His warm breath caresses my face.

  “I don’t know. An extremely good kisser for one.” I stand on my tiptoes and capture his mouth with my own. Right now, I want to forget all about covens and dark magic. I just want to be held and kissed by the guy I like. I can’t shake a sudden fear that our time together is limited.

  But isn’t every couple’s, if that’s what we are? No one lives forever, not even witches. We might call non-witches “mortals”, but that doesn’t mean we’re immortal. Far from it.

  The cellphone on Keller’s belt buzzes. He glances at his watch. “Man, it’s late. That’ll be Dad.” He touches the screen and raises the phone to his ear. “Hey, Dad.” He pauses while he listens to his father. “Yeah, just now took care of it. I’m heading home.” He ends the call and returns the phone to his belt.

  An almost-hidden expression of concern drifts across his face, and for a moment I worry about how much his dad knows. Has he told him anything in the days he was avoiding me? But I don’t voice my fear. I want to trust him. I do trust him.

  “I gotta go,” he says.

  “It’s okay.” I stop, considering my words before speaking again. “Can you come out tomorrow? Maybe you could look through the book, see if you notice anything Egan and I are missing?”

  “Okay.” He walks me back to my car. “So, is Egan going to be staying with you?”

  “Yes, and you have nothing to worry about.”

  He grabs me and kisses me so deeply, so completely that my head threatens to spin off my neck. “That,” he says when he lifts his mouth from mine, “is to make sure it’s me you dream about.”

  I smile up at him, so giddy I nearly giggle. “I’d say that’s a certainty.”

  After one final kiss, he hurries to his truck. We skirt the worst of the ruts and pull out onto the main road. I smile so wide that I’m positive I’m going to pull a face muscle. But I don’t care. This is what pure happiness must feel like. If anything or anyone threatens this feeling, I fully intend to blast them into the netherworld like I did that spirit.

  Chapter Eleven

  I leave the RV the next morning to take a walk along the creek. Egan’s still sprawled across my floor in his sleeping bag, snoozing away, and I need to talk to Toni. When I pass the final RV in the line, the one that belongs to an older couple who wave at me every time they see me, I pull out my cell and dial Toni’s number.

  “Please tell me you’re calling to say you and Keller made up,” Toni says as soon as she picks up the phone.

  “We made up.”

  “Yes! I’d ask for details, but he’s my cousin and I really don’t want to know him that well.”

  “There was some very excellent kissing.” I ignore the niggle of worry that has plagued me since I returned home last night to the sights of Egan and the Beginning Book, tangible evidence that fleeing who I am isn’t as simple as merely driving away from Miami.

  “Ew, stop. My ears, my ears.”

  I laugh. “What are you doing today?”

  “Trying to wipe my memory of this conversation.”

  “Hey, you’re the one who was pushing us together.”

  “Yes, but did I ask you for a play by play?”

  “No, that’s free with purchase.”

  “Ha ha.”

  “Seriously, can you come out today?” I ask.

  “To your place?”

  “Yeah. I have a friend visiting, and Keller’s coming out. We’ve got a bit of, uh, research to do.”

  “Research?”

  “About our families.”

  “Oh, your friend is . . .” Toni lowers her voice. “She’s like you?”

  “Yes, and it’s a he.”

  “A guy? Oh.” She pauses. “Is he the male equivalent of Jax beautiful?”

  “He is a rather good-looking guy.”

  “I’m so there.”

  I laugh again and stare at the phone when Toni hangs up. I sink to the ground and lean against a tree. I really do like it here. The cool, thick forest with its endless waves of green is beginning to have touches of fall color here and there. I’ve lived near water all my life, but the trickle and flow of the creek below me are so different than the ocean’s constant waves and immense power. I prefer the soothing sound of the creek finding its way over the rounded stones and impressive boulders.

  I sit, soaking up the atmosphere, for a few more minutes before retracing my route to the RV. Inside, I nudge Egan in the side with my foot. “Come on, lazy. We’re going to have company soon.”

  Egan rolls over and shades his eyes as he looks up at me. “Don’t want your boyfriend to see me all sprawled out on your floor, huh?”

  I throw a towel at him. “He’s not the only one coming.”

  Egan smiles. “How many of the local boys you got chasing after you?”

  I cross my arms. “You know, not everyone is like you with a girl in every ZIP code.” Maybe I shouldn’t have invited Toni over. I’ve already mixed her up in the witch world enough. The last thing she needs is to go gaga over Egan.

  “You only live once, chica. Might as well enjoy it.”

  “Will you just get your stinky self up and in the shower?”

  He salutes me. “Yes, ma’am.” He gets to his feet.
/>   “Egan, I told Keller about the Beginning Book.”

  “You think that’s wise?”

  “He probably has access to information we don’t. He might be able to help us.”

  “But does he want to?”

  “Yes, I believe so.”

  “I hope you’re right. Now turn around like a good little girl. Don’t want to make you blush.”

  I snort but turn my back to him. I slide onto the padded bench surrounding the kitchen table, open the Beginning Book and start reading the first page. I read the entire thing the night before, but I’m hoping to find something I missed on the first, frantic reading. I’m several pages in, with the sound of the shower running behind me, when I hear Keller’s truck pull up outside. A wide smile blossoms on my face.

  He meets me at the door when I open it. “Good morning.” His eyes shift past me, scanning the interior of the RV.

  “Egan’s in the shower.”

  “Oh?”

  “And eww on what you’re thinking. That would be like peeking at my brother if I had one.”

  He smiles. “That makes me feel safer.” He covers my smile with his as he pulls my lips down to his.

  When a couple of little boys staying with their parents a few RVs down ride by on their bikes, they whistle and hoot at the blatant display of affection.

  Keller and I pull apart. “I think you better step inside,” I say. I take his hand and lead him into the RV, making the interior a lot smaller. With what I’m feeling at the moment, it’s probably a good thing Egan is just on the other side of the very thin bathroom wall. Keller gives me one more kiss before stepping toward the table.

  “This your family history, huh?”

  “Along with all the other covens.” I sit opposite him, watching his face as he reads a few pages, trying to imagine what he must be thinking. At least he isn’t coming to this with no prior knowledge of the paranormal world.

  “So the power was drawn from several different places. Does it say where?”

  “No, not exactly. It gives vague references. They’re probably places that even today have a certain darkness to them, perhaps even heightened levels of supernatural activity. Egan thinks one of the places is near here.”

  “Baker Gap?”

  “Ever wonder why your family settled here, of all places?”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  I place my hands, one on top of the other, on the table in front of me. “Hunting tends to run in families. Your father’s father was a hunter, too?”

  Keller nods.

  “It’s likely, then, that your family’s hunting goes back pretty far, maybe even to when the covens were formed. I’m guessing your family came to this area because word traveled, even way back then. And if there was word of a place filled with strange occurrences, a hunter would head straight for it.”

  Keller looks down at the book. “I guess. I’ve never really asked Dad about any of that.”

  The gravel outside crunches, quickly followed by a door slam. A knock on the door heralds Toni’s arrival, and she opens the door and springs inside as if launched off a trampoline. She looks around the interior, which considering the RV’s size takes about half a second.

  “So, where’s the hot witch dude?”

  “That would be me.” Egan steps out of the bathroom, his hair wet and wearing nothing but a red towel around his waist.

  When Toni doesn’t say anything, I glance at her. She appears as if she’s received a good, 120-volt jolt. And then she backs toward the door.

  “I, uh, forgot I have to run some errands for Mom. Talk to you later.” She runs for her car, is inside the Sentra and backing away before I can reach the door. What is with their family and the quick getaways?

  “Your friend’s a bit of a spaz,” Egan says as he grabs some clean clothes and returns to the bathroom.

  I turn toward Keller. “What just happened?”

  He looks as confused as I feel. “I have no idea.”

  I want to go after Toni, but questioning my friend’s odd behavior will have to wait. Right now, the guys and I have work to do.

  When Egan comes out of the bathroom, dressed in jeans and a tight black Apocalyptica T-shirt, he slides into the booth beside me, extending his arm along the back of it. Keller eyes him like a ram about to butt heads with another.

  Egan barks a laugh. “Dude, you should see your face.” He removes his arm from behind me. “Truce, man. I have no designs on your gal. She’s like my little sister.”

  “Little?” I say. “If I remember correctly, I’m twenty-seven days older than you.”

  “Little, like in shorter, smaller.”

  “I’m still big enough to have you singing ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ way before Christmas.”

  “Let’s just leave it at sister with no qualifiers.”

  “You always were the smartest in your family.”

  Egan eyes the Beginning Book. “Let’s hope it stays that way.” He lifts his gaze to Keller. “I’m not sure telling you about this is the wisest thing, but the cat’s out of the bag now. But if I feel like you’re using it against us, well, that wouldn’t be good for you.”

  “Egan,” I say. “That’s not necessary.”

  “No, it’s okay,” Keller says. “I get what he’s saying.” He meets Egan’s gaze. “You don’t give me a reason to use it, and I won’t.”

  Egan nods.

  “Any ideas what’s on the missing page?” Keller asks.

  “We were hoping you could help with that,” I reply. “I’m assuming your father has a lot of research he’s collected. Toni said he has old texts. Could be there’s some sort of reference in there.”

  “I can check, but I’ve been reading everything he has on witchcraft and none of it matches up with anything you’ve told me.”

  I sigh and lean back against the booth. “I can’t believe we’ve got the actual Beginning Book in front of us, and one missing page is driving us crazy. We don’t even know if there’s anything useful on it. It might be stuff we already know.”

  “And it might not be.” Egan walks to the fridge and pulls out an individual orange juice. “My gut tells me that page holds something that could save our asses if we’re found. Why else get rid of it and not the rest of the book?”

  “Considering the likelihood of finding that page is virtually zero, we’ve got to try to find the answer elsewhere,” I say. “Or figure it out on our own.”

  “Just pull a guess out of the air?”

  “You have a better idea?”

  Egan holds up his hands in surrender.

  “My dad’s in Asheville today visiting church members in the hospital.” Keller pauses, seems to consider his next words carefully. “With three of us, we could go through his library a lot quicker, see if I missed something.”

  My heart stutters a moment before slipping back into its normal rhythm. Keller is offering a new level of trust to us, and something about that frightens me. Like he might live to regret that decision.

  Egan takes the last drink of his orange juice. “Sounds like a plan. Let’s fly.”

  Outside, Egan heads straight for his Ducati.

  “You can ride with us,” I offer. “Keller’s truck is a twin cab.”

  “Ride in the lust-mobile? Yeah, not happening. Besides, I might want to look up that little blonde from earlier.”

  “She’s not your type,” Keller says.

  “Dude, they’re all my type.”

  “She’s way more interested in her music than guys.” Keller takes a threatening step toward Egan. “Really, it’s a waste of your time.”

  Egan doesn’t appear the least bit threatened, not that he ever would. “What’s your deal?”

  “Toni’s his cousin,” I say. “He’s protective.”

  “Noted.”

  Keller stares down Egan a moment more before he breaks eye contact and walks away. He angles into the driver’s seat of his truck and shuts the door.
>
  I face Egan and lower my voice. “She’s not a number, not a fun diversion. She’s my best friend. If you hurt her, I’ll hurt you so much you’ll be begging for your coven to find you.”

  “Also noted.” He pulls on his helmet and swings his long leg over the bike’s seat.

  Toni’s reaction that morning replays in my memory. My friend had joked and teased about hooking up with a hot male witch, but had the reality of it been too much? Did it scare her when she was staring it in the face? Deep down, do I scare Toni?

  Egan and Keller seem to call an unspoken truce while we spend the afternoon poring over the reverend’s rather extensive collection of books on the supernatural. On occasion, Egan and I snort at some of the references to witchcraft.

  “Dad knows some of this stuff is bogus, but he likes to be aware of everything that’s been written on the subjects,” Keller says when we find one story about witches that has Egan and I nearly rolling in the floor.

  “Good, because I’d be tempted to set him straight otherwise,” Egan says, “and that would kind of defeat our purpose of not drawing attention to ourselves.”

  Once we exhaust the books dedicated to witchcraft that are most likely to contain useful information, we delve into the ones on other subjects, hoping there might be some snippet of useful information.

  Keller sinks into the big leather chair in the corner. “I can’t believe there’s no reference to the covens in any of these books.”

  “They’re very good at getting rid of anyone or anything that threatens their existence.” That thought makes my stomach turn as I glance at Keller. Has my desire to have a normal life, surrounded by non-witches, endangered him? Toni? Everyone in Baker Gap? A chill settles on me, and I can’t shake it.

  I close the book I’ve been skimming, satisfied there’s nothing remotely useful within its pages.

  “Except the Beginning Book,” Egan says.