White Witch

by Trish Milburn

  “Yeah.” I look around the room. “This is everything?”

  “Unless there’s something in the attic. I haven’t been up there in forever.”

  Egan pushes away from the wall where he’s leaning. “Point the way and I’ll check it out.”

  When Keller leads Egan from the room, I scan the spines of the books on the shelves again, as if they’ll reveal some long-hidden answer. I notice a framed photo at the end of one of the shelves. By the ages of the two men and the dated look of their clothes, I guess it’s Keller’s dad and uncle. They’re laughing in the shot, unaware that a supernatural being would one day crash into their lives with devastating consequences. I swallow against a lump forming in my throat, at the thought of how much more damage a witch coven can do than a solitary poltergeist.

  Keller returns at the moment I hear Egan walking around in the attic above us. The feel of Keller massaging my shoulders eases some of the tension that’s been building without my realizing it. But it doesn’t erase my mounting fears.

  “We’ll find the answers you need,” he says.

  “How? It seems impossible.”

  “Nothing’s impossible. Come on, we’ve gone through the books, but there’s a trunk of newspaper clippings and research documents.”

  A half-hour into reading the assorted material, I feel as if I’ve never sneezed so much in my life.

  “Sorry,” Keller says. “Old stuff’s dusty.”

  I wave off his concern. “It’s okay.” I examine the old newspaper clippings detailing odd occurrences and strange deaths. One from the 1880s talks about how a respected member of the community drove his wagon right off the side of the mountain. The thought of the horses squealing on the way down makes me shiver.

  “What is it?”

  I hand him the clipping.

  “Hmm, this happened at Shiprock Curve. People wreck there all the time.”

  “You think it might be a spirit or something?”

  “Doubt it. The curve’s real sharp. People misjudge how fast they’re going and slip off the side of the pavement. The state probably spends more on that guardrail than any other in the state. We actually passed it the other night on the way back from The Barn, right before we turned off at the Kwik Stop.”

  “Why is it called Shiprock?”

  “There’s a rock face sticking out from the hillside above the curve. It looks like the bow of a ship.” Keller closes the trunk then helps me to my feet. When we’re facing each other, he doesn’t let go. Instead, he slides his fingertips around the edge of my face until they cup my chin, raising it so he can meet my lips with his.

  Part of me insists I should pull away, to begin distancing myself for Keller’s protection, but the part that enjoys being held like this trumps wisdom. I press myself against him and let go of inhibition, kiss him like there will be no time later for kissing. Considering my situation, at any moment that assumption could be true. I run my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer. Inside, I feel a delicious buzz rising up to make me tingle all over.

  The door bangs open. We pull away from each other and gasp. A man who must be Reverend Dawes stands there with a gun in one hand and a bloodstone in the other.

  Oh, God. That buzzing inside me was my power, some light golden side of it I’ve never experienced. But it sends out detectable waves all the same.

  “Dad.”

  Reverend Dawes looks shocked, confused. Seeming to regain his presence of mind, he lowers the gun and slips the bloodstone into his pants pocket. “I, uh, didn’t know you were home. I heard something and thought it was an intruder.” He gives Keller a meaningful look, one I know means he thought the intruder wasn’t human—at least not anymore.

  “Just us. Uh, Dad, this is Jax. We’re, uh . . . we’ve been going out.”

  “Oh.” Reverend Dawes’ eyebrows rise, and so does my heart rate. “It’s nice to meet you.” He takes a few steps forward, but he doesn’t put away his gun.

  I will my frantic heartbeat to slow as I shake the older man’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” I can’t maintain eye contact. It feels as if his questions are burning tunnels into my brain. As if being caught kissing Keller isn’t bad enough, I have the feeling suspicions are building in the reverend’s mind. After all, with Keller’s truck and Egan’s bike outside, the reverend had to know Keller was home and that he wasn’t alone. He simply hadn’t expected to see someone with his son who looked human.

  “Would you mind excusing us for a minute? I need to talk to Keller,” his father says.

  “Uh, sure.” I hurry from the room and start whenever Reverend Dawes nearly shuts the door on my heels. Oh, no. The Beginning Book—where is it? I pace to the kitchen, then into the living room and back again. I can’t exactly march back into the study and grab it. My teeth sink into my bottom lip. What is Keller’s dad telling him? Is he grilling him about me? Oh, crap, what about Egan? Do I dare heading to the attack to warn him? What if Rev. Dawes comes out and finds me missing or, worse, in his attack?

  Why can’t I learn to control my power?

  I pace some more, watching each tick of the clock’s second hand as if it marks hours passing instead. I spin to walk the other direction and nearly yelp. Egan stands in the hallway outside the living room. I grab him by the arm and pull him toward the front door. When he starts to speak, I clap my hand over his mouth. “I’ll tell you in a minute,” I whisper.

  Once we’re safely outside, I release him. “Keller’s dad came home, a gun in one hand and a bloodstone in the other.”

  “The stone shouldn’t indicate our presence unless we’re actively utilizing our power.”

  I shift on my feet. “Well, evidently, we stir our power if we’re really happy, too.”

  A huge, knowing smile spreads across his face. “Got a little revved up, huh?”

  “It was stupid. We shouldn’t even be here.” I shake my head.

  “You’re probably right.”

  That wasn’t what I’d wanted to hear. “You need to leave,” I say. “There’s a park at the end of the street. Wait for me there.”

  His expression grows serious. “Jax, if you’re setting off the guy’s bloodstone, you’re the one who needs to get away from here now.”

  “I’m okay. It’s under control.”

  Egan crosses his arms. “What if he decides to whack you?”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “Yeah, I can see that. You’ve lived here how long, and you’ve already had altercations with two guys carrying guns.”

  “Damn, how long have you been spying on me?”

  “Reconnaissance, babe, not spying.”

  “Well, you and your recon need to get the heck out of here.”

  “If you’re not there in thirty minutes, I’m coming back.”

  I meet his gaze, realize that despite his teasing and studly attitude, he really does care about me. And I care about him. No one else can understand what I’m facing more than Egan.

  I nod.

  After Egan leaves, I turn and stare at the parsonage. Who would have ever thought I’d step foot in a parsonage? I wonder if I ever will again.

  Chapter Twelve

  I could safely be called a Jax-in-the-box considering how fast I jump up when Keller comes out the front door.

  “Where’s Egan?” he asks.

  “Down the street at the park.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Not now.”

  “Where’s the—?”

  “Not now.” He takes my hand and leads me toward his truck like everything is perfectly fine, as if we are going out on a date like any normal teenage couple. Could we be any more abnormal?

  When we’re in the truck and safely out of earshot, I turn toward him. “The book?”

  “I shoved it under Dad’s desk with my foot. I couldn’t get it because he’s still in the room working on tomorrow’s sermon, which he’d like you to be at, by the way. I thi
nk he expects you to go up in flames or melt into a puddle or something. Oh, and just for kicks, he wants to meet your mom.”

  I stare at him as he drives the short distance to the park. Of all the things whirling through my mind, what pops out of my mouth is, “I can go in a church.”

  “Oh, good. At least I can mark my girlfriend disintegrating at the altar off my list of worries.”

  Despite all the current potential disasters, one word stands out and lightens my heart. “I’m your girlfriend?”

  Keller pulls the truck into a parking spot at the park and shuts off the engine. He looks across the console at me. “If you want to be.”

  I stare at him, desperate to say yes, but an image of what my coven will do to him if they ever find me, find out about us, prevents me from speaking. If my coven arrives, the danger his father poses to me will be nothing in comparison.

  Keller leans across the console and kisses me tenderly. I fear I’m falling in love with him. How else can I explain the storm of feelings swirling inside me?

  “Come on, you two,” Egan says from outside Keller’s open window. “That’s what got us caught in the first place.”

  I move back to the passenger side of the truck.

  “So, I hope one of you got the book.”

  Keller and I don’t reply.

  “You are kidding me, right?”

  “It’s under Dad’s desk. I’ll get it later tonight when he’s sleeping.”

  Egan eyes me. “I hope you aren’t too attached to this town, because if the good reverend finds that book, we are witch toast. Either he guns for us and we fight back, or we beat it out of here.”

  I stare down at my hands clasped in my lap. “I know.” My heart sinks in my chest like a rock to the bottom of the sea.

  “No one’s going anywhere,” Keller says. “I’ll get the book.”

  “It might not be as easy as you think,” Egan says. “Pops is suspicious now. He’ll be watching you a lot closer.

  Keller slams his palm against the steering wheel, making me jump. “I can’t believe he grilled me after all these years, after everything I’ve done.”

  “Families don’t always act like we want them to,” Egan says.

  “What else did he say?” I ask.

  “He suspects something isn’t right because the bloodstone activated. They don’t do that unless something supernatural is nearby.”

  “And he thinks it’s me?”

  “Yeah, though I denied it.”

  I look over at the guys. “So what now?”

  Silence stretches for a few seconds.

  “Well, I don’t know about you two,” Egan says, “but I’m starving. How about we chow down at that place where Jax about lost her cool the other day?”

  Keller gives me a questioning look.

  “He means Squeaky’s.”

  Keller nods. “That’s a good idea. We act normal, and maybe Dad will back off.”

  “Dude, I just want a big, greasy burger. Meet you there.”

  Keller starts the truck and heads toward Squeaky’s, following way behind Egan’s speeding Ducati.

  “I don’t think that’s keeping a low profile.” Keller points at the motorcycle as it grows smaller and smaller.

  “He needs to remember we’re witches, not immortal.”

  When we park at Squeaky’s, I place my hand over Keller’s on the ignition before he can shut off the engine. “Can I borrow your truck? I want to go check on Toni.”

  “I can take you.”

  “No, I think this might be a girl conversation.”

  Keller glances out the window toward where Egan is already in line to order. “How long will you be gone?”

  I laugh. “You two could use the time to get over this testosterone bout.” I want to lean over and kiss him, but I just squeeze his hand instead before slipping out the door to walk around to the driver’s side. “I hope this doesn’t take long, but if you guys get finished and want to leave, call me. Egan can drop you off at your house.”

  Keller gives me a resigned face that makes me laugh again. “Talk fast.”

  Saturday is “go into town and do your weekly shopping” day in Baker Gap, but even with the extra cars on the streets, I still make it to Toni’s in five minutes. Mrs. Dawes is on her way out the front door to weed her flowerbeds so she lets me in. I wave at Toni’s younger sisters, twins I can’t tell apart, as I run up the stairs.

  I knock on Toni’s door before gently pushing it open. She’s curled up on her bed watching a Buffy DVD. Season three, the prom episode. I wander across the room and sit on the edge of the bed.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “Angel just showed up at the prom. This scene always makes me cry.”

  “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. What was that stare-and-run at the RV park this morning?”

  Toni remains silent, watching the TV screen as “Wild Horses” plays in the background.

  “Toni, talk to me.”

  She sighs and clicks off the TV. “I froze. My brain completely froze, and I forgot how to speak.”

  “Because Egan was wearing a towel? He’s cute, but . . .”

  “Cute? He’s drop-dead gorgeous. So gorgeous I couldn’t breathe when I looked at him. Frozen brain, no speech, no breathing. So not a good first impression.”

  I decide not to tell Toni about Egan’s “spaz” comment.

  “Hon, you’re not the first girl he’s had that effect on.”

  Toni leaps from the bed and paces across the room. “But they were probably just as stunning as he is. They were like you.”

  “You’re pretty.” What am I doing? I should be warning her about Egan. He’s dangerous for her, in more ways than one.

  “Please.” Toni stops in front of the mirror on the back of her closet door. “My mom’s right. I’m not the type of girl guys notice.”

  “Don’t believe everything your mom says. A guy would be lucky to have you. Just . . .”

  Toni turns toward me. “Just what?”

  “Be careful around Egan.”

  “I assumed he was one of the good guys.”

  “He is, as far as the covens go.” I stare across the room at her window. “It’s just not a good idea to get attached to him.”

  “Were you two . . . involved?”

  I jerk my attention back to her. “No. Why does everyone keep thinking that?”

  Toni shrugs. “You’re being all weird about him.”

  “I’d warn you about him even if he wasn’t a witch. He’s not exactly the sticking-to-one-girl type.”

  Toni looks back at the mirror. After a few seconds, she walks away from it as if it’s betrayed her. “I think you’re worrying where there’s no need to.” She flops down on the bed beside me. “So, Egan, huh? It fits him.”

  “How do you know? You saw him for maybe ten seconds.”

  “It just does. It sounds like what he looks like, a fallen angel.”

  I snort. “Egan Byrne is no angel, fallen or otherwise.”

  Despite my warning, I can tell Toni’s already crushing hard on Egan. Maybe I’ll have better luck convincing Egan not to encourage Toni’s feelings. Egan bringing the Beginning Book to me proves that he’s a good guy. But he also has a track record of only staying with a girl until the next one catches his eye.

  Toni rolls onto her side to face me and props her head on her palm. “Did he say anything about me after I left? Did he think I was a total flake?”

  I sigh. “Actually, he just stepped back into the bathroom to change. Then the three of us did research all day.”

  “About what?”

  “The history of the covens.” Thankful to have a different topic to discuss, I tell Toni about the Beginning Book, our search through Reverend Dawes’ library, and his suspicions after he barged in on Keller and me kissing.”

  “So the book’s still under his desk?”

  “Yeah, Keller’s going to try to get it tonight after his dad goes to bed.”<
br />
  Toni slumps into her desk chair. “I can’t believe I missed the excitement, all because I freaked out.”

  “Trust me, this was not the good kind of excitement.” After a couple more minutes of chatting, I stand. “I better get Keller’s truck back to him and save Squeaky’s from Clash of the Testosterone. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  “Lame, but I’ll live.”

  “Toni Dawes, you listen to me. You are not lame. You’re freakin’ awesome. You’re pretty, you rock, and you’re a great friend. I better not hear another self-derogatory comment come out of your mouth. There, I’ve spoken my mind. I’m going now.” I head for the bedroom door.

  “Jax?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  I smile at her and wish I could play matchmaker for her. I’d do it in a heartbeat if I didn’t know Egan’s dating history. Granted, he can’t play the witch field now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t simply switch his routine to non-witch hotties. I won’t let Toni be one of them.

  When I pull back in at Squeaky’s, I’m glad to see that not only have the boys not ripped each other to shreds, they’re actually talking and laughing. Good, I have enough to worry about.

  “Hey,” Keller says when he sees me. “How’s Toni?”

  “Oh, fine. Just up to her ears in homework.”

  “And you two aren’t?” Egan asks, way too astute for my peace of mind.

  “Her mom is a teacher, so she’s got a lot of pressure.”

  Suddenly famished, I order a cheeseburger and fries.

  “What, no chocolate milkshake?” Keller asks with a mischievous smile.

  “I’ve tempted fate one too many times today, thanks.”

  I’m nearly done with my meal when a familiar car rolls into the lot and parks next to Keller’s truck.

  Keller sees her, too. “Did Toni say she was coming here?”

  “No.” Damn, I haven’t had time to reiterate my warning to Egan not to toy with Toni.

  Keller wads up his used napkin. “Why is she just sitting there?”

  “Maybe she’s on her cell.” Or maybe my friend wants to sit with us but is petrified of facing Egan again. I get up and head across the parking lot. But before I can reach Toni’s car, she steps out and takes a visible deep breath before walking toward me, a large quilted bag over her shoulder. What has she done, literally packed a bag of self-confidence to bring with her?