Dark Summer

by Lizzy Ford

  He’d never asked his parents what it’d been like when they met. But he could easily imagine Summer becoming a counterbalance to any darkness he encountered. His mind was calm and quiet with her and nothing else.

  He dozed for a short time. A tingle of warning woke him. His magick was churning the way it did whenever Beck was about to hit him. Decker blinked away sleep and left the bed, covering Summer with the blankets before he pulled on his jeans and left the room.

  He didn’t recognize what it was his magick tried to tell him. It was there, just out of his reach, like the secrets Sam kept for after his transition. Decker stood in the middle of the hallway on the bottom floor, listening. After a long moment, he heard the muffled sound of voices. They came from outside the house.

  Burglars? In Priest Lake? The village-sized town had virtually no crime, especially during summer months. Most tourists came for the winter skiing, not the relatively weak summer sun. He went to the coatroom and pulled on a sweatshirt and boots. He’d heard the sounds from the front of the house.

  Decker strode through the kitchen and garage, exiting into the night. His magick unfurled protectively around him. The sense of danger grew as he moved silently through the forest towards the front of the house. When he reached a vantage point looking out onto the front of the house, he paused in the shadows. The cabin faced the lake. Moonlight reflected off the water in waves and ripples.

  A form darted across the patio into the forest that sloped towards the lake. He heard the voices again, this time more clearly. He could pinpoint where they came from, even if he couldn’t quite make out the words. His gaze lingered on the patio. The patio door was locked from the inside. It didn’t look open or the windows along the front of the house broken. Reassured no one was in the house, Decker moved towards the sounds of the men talking.

  There were three. He neared, but they were retreating towards the lake. He hesitated, his magick warning him still of a threat. Decker retreated to the patio and climbed over the railing. He heard the low sizzle a moment before fire exploded on one end of the house and flew down the logs lining the bottom of the windows.

  His instincts took over. His magick surged, roaring towards the fire before it could spread. The patio flamed with brightness as he wrapped the living flames up in his magick. Feeding off their energy, Decker closed his eyes and spread his arms, letting them swirl around him before his darkness sucked them into his body, extinguishing them.

  The world fell quiet and dark again. He faced the lake.

  Someone tried to hurt Summer. Maybe they were after him or his family, but he began shaking at the thought Summer might’ve been hurt instead.

  Without her near him, the black rage returned, this time agitated by fire. He vaulted over the patio railing and tore into the forest. His magick grew with his fury, and it pushed aside any branches that might block him and bushes that would trip him. Breathing hard, he reached the lake just as a small boat pushed off from the private dock. His father’s fishing boat was on one side, the small dinghy on the other. The three men within were paddling to keep from using the loud motor.

  Adrenaline and magick took hold. Decker dived into the cold water and swam towards the boat with powerful strokes. The water elemental’s distant trickle grew to the roar of a waterfall as the magick engaged and thrust him forward even faster.

  One hand smacked into the boat. Decker bobbed a moment to catch his breath before the water lifted him. Off balance, he all but fell into the boat.

  “What the f—”

  “Don’t,” Decker said, the water warning him of the gun one reached for. He stood opposite the three men in black. The man with the gun had frozen, and the other two looked equally shocked. “Just tell me why you were burning my house, and I won’t hurt you.”

  One broke the silence with a surprised laugh. He pulled out the gun. Before he could point it, his wrist was grabbed by a tendril of water that snaked over the side of the boat. The other two men moved away, staring.

  “It’s a simple question,” Decker said. His breathing calmed, and so did the fury within him. It focused on the three. “Why were you trying to burn down my house?”

  “Look, kid, it’s nothing personal. Just swim home and we’ll leave you alone,” one replied.

  The idea they’d meant to hurt Summer without caring what they did made him snap. Decker pointed at the man with the gun. The water grabbed him and pulled him into its depths. The man barely got off a cry of surprise before he was submerged. For the first time since his mother killed a man in front of him, he understood why she had neither remorse nor pity.

  “Answer the question. He’s dying now, but he doesn’t have to,” he told them.

  “What are you?”

  “In about five minutes, it won’t matter.”

  Release him, son.

  He cocked his head to the side, not certain he heard his mother’s voice.

  Decker, now.

  He ordered the water to return the man to the surface. The wave flung him into the boat at the feet of the other two men.

  “You’re not above the Laws, yet, son.”

  He turned at the soft voice of his mother. Decker’s anger faded. She was dressed in a white ski suit, as if they’d been skiing when she decided to appear on the boat.

  “Go,” she said and tossed her head to the side.

  “Mother, I—”

  “I’ll take care of it. Wait for me on the patio.”

  Decker stared at his mother. He wanted to object, but something in her dark gaze and even darker aura warned him against it. He stepped onto the edge of the boat and dove into the water. Surfacing a few feet away, he glanced back at his mother. She was talking to the men in her quiet, deadly tone.

  He swam back to the dock and hauled himself out. He did what she said and made his way up the hill towards the patio. When he got there, she was waiting. Decker twisted to see the dinghy on fire in the middle of the lake a moment before the dark water swallowed it whole. The night was chilly, and he shivered.

  “You can’t kill until you’re eighteen, Decker,” his mother reminded him. She crossed her arms. “Killing humans is a tough line to cross.”

  “But you just did it.”

  “There were compelling reasons.”

  “Like trying to burn our house down?”

  “No. They failed at that but weren’t exactly innocent souls.”

  Her casual tone made him shiver again, this time in unease. He’d never feared his mother before he went to the Dark. Even after, he’d never thought her capable of what she did until he saw her do it firsthand. She’d turned from loving mother into feared mentor.

  “Want to tell me what exactly happened?” she asked.

  “Nothing, Mother,” he said. “Thanks.” He started towards the house.

  “Who’s the girl in your bed?”

  He froze in midstride, his chest seizing at the thought his mother could do something—anything—she wanted to Summer. It took him a moment before he could breathe again. Summer had done nothing wrong; his mother couldn’t touch an innocent soul.

  “I can play hardball, too, son.”

  “I woke up in the middle of the night. I don’t know why, but my magick was disturbed. I came outside and saw the three guys. There’s lighter fluid or gasoline or something all over the back of the house,” he said and looked up, smelling it. “The fire started. I put it out and chased them down.”

  His mother turned to look at the house. The bases of the logs looked black in the moonlight.

  “It wasn’t an accident,” he added. “Did they say who they were or why they did this?”

  “They were hired by an anonymous woman who paid cash.”

  Decker’s thoughts went to Alexa then Dawn. Either of them could’ve done this, though it seemed far-fetched. Alexa had sworn vengeance, but she came from a poor family. She wouldn’t have the cash to pay anyone. Dawn’s family, on the other hand, was well off. He didn’t see any reason for her to d
o this, though. She had Beck, and she’d humiliated Summer at the dance.

  “You know who it was?” she asked.

  “No, I don’t,” he replied, puzzled.

  “You suspect someone?”

  “A couple of people, but it doesn’t make sense.” His gaze went upwards, towards his room, where Summer slept.

  “And the girl?” his mother prodded.

  “What does it look like, Mother?” he returned.

  “It looks like my son is hiding something from me.”

  “So I brought a girl home. Beck does it all the time.”

  “Maybe. But you don’t.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said.

  “Very well, Decker.” Her voice softened. “I’m worried about you.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “I just … I just want to go inside.” Back to Summer, he added silently.

  His mother made no response. Decker walked away. He’d wanted to ask her about his father and when they met. He couldn’t find the words. All he could think about was silencing the noise in his head. He half-expected his mother to follow him. She didn’t, and he returned to his room. He showered to get the lake smell off him then slid into bed beside Summer, grateful she still slept.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Summer awoke to the scents of burnt cinnamon and bacon. She rolled over, not recognizing where she was for a moment. The passionate night returned to her, and she sighed. Her whole body still hummed like it did when Decker touched her, even if he wasn’t in the bed. She rose and dressed in his T-shirt, loving his scent on it.

  She followed the rose petals towards the stairs and down, finding her way to the kitchen. Decker had made a mess of the kitchen in his quest to make the burnt French toast and crispy bacon sitting on a plate on the counter. Summer sat at the breakfast bar and watched him, smiling. The tenderness and sensitivity he’d shone in bed was nowhere in sight as he tried to juggle a toaster, frying pan, and microwave.

  When he dropped French toast on the floor with a curse, she laughed. He turned, startled.

  “Hey,” he said, a smile drawing across his face.

  “Hey.”

  Both blushed at the long look, and he returned to the stove. Summer approached him and wrapped her arms around him. He turned and hugged her.

  “I ruined breakfast,” he said. “I hope you like cereal.”

  “I love it!” she said, chuckling.

  He nuzzled her hair and sighed. “How do you feel?”

  “A little sore,” she admitted.

  “Me, too. I wasn’t expecting that. Your magick?”

  Her magick. She’d been too lost in happiness to notice. Summer stepped away until she broke contact with him.

  It was free. It moved through her as Decker’s had.

  “I think it worked,” she said.

  “I was hoping it hadn’t so we could try again.”

  She grinned. “We can.”

  “Sounds like we have a date tonight.”

  She wanted to scream out of joy but twirled in the middle of his kitchen instead. She was sore, but the happiness and magick within her drowned out the discomfort of her first time. The air swirled around her, lifting her hair up. It hugged her and pulled her off the floor a foot.

  Summer yelped and reached for Decker. He laughed and took her hand, pulling her back down.

  “You’ll have to learn to talk to them, soon, or they’ll drive you crazy,” he advised. “I can show you some things today.”

  True to his word, they went to the patio after breakfast and showers. On the patio were two circles with pentagrams in their centers. One circle was black on white stone, the other white on black stone.

  “This is my mother’s and mine,” Decker said, motioning to the black circle. “That one is for Father and Beck. You can use it. This point is north.” He indicated the arm of the pentagram pointing towards the lake.

  Summer stepped into the center of the pentagram. Nothing happened. She looked around. Decker was pulling candles out of a stone trunk that doubled as a bench lining the other side of the patio. He placed one at each point of both pentagrams then lit them. The scent of the candles was pungent, like a room full of herbs.

  “The first few times will be hard,” he said, standing outside her circle. “You can sit down or lie down or stand. You want to be relaxed, until you can learn to mold the magick.”

  Summer sat cross-legged, facing the lake.

  Decker sat outside the circle. “Okay, now close your eyes and take five deep breaths.”

  She obeyed, filling her lungs with the earthy scents. Her body began to relax.

  “The first thing you have to learn is how to find your magick. Then you can focus it.”

  The churning power within her felt both like it was within her grasp and slipping through her fingers. It seemed more interested in exploring her body. She concentrated hard on finding out where it hid inside her. It seemed to be densest in her upper abdomen.

  “I think I found it,” she said. “But it’s like trying to grab fog.”

  “Relax. If you’re tense, it’ll push back. Remember, it’s a part of you.”

  She didn’t tell him it wasn’t natural to have magick swimming in her body. Sam had compared it to a wild creature, one that seemed more interested in its own actions than hers.

  “Deep breaths,” Decker urged. “The pentagram helps you focus your elements, but you have to focus the internal magick.”

  She drew another deep breath and felt her shoulders relax. The magick didn’t seem to want to be focused. She tried for several more minutes.

  “It’s being stubborn,” Decker said, thoughtful. “Focus outwards instead on the air and earth.”

  She felt a difference instantly as she became more aware of her surroundings. The air sounded as if it was laughing, the sound like the distant tinkling of wind chimes. It didn’t speak words she could understand, but it chattered around her and flicked her hair. The stone beneath her grew warm.

  “Good,” Decker whispered. “Pull them to you.”

  Summer focused on the wind first and hearing the laughter. It grew louder, the wind stronger around her until it formed a little cyclone around the circle. She opened her eyes, surprised to see the wind, like glitter caught in glue. It circled her with its cheerful chatter, whipping her clothes and hair. Grinning, Decker had moved away to give it room.

  “Close your eyes again and focus on your magick.”

  She stared at the glittery wind for a moment longer then closed her eyes. The magick had stopped roaming her body and pooled in her abdomen. She tried to push it mentally, but it didn’t budge. Just sat, as if mesmerized by the wind like she had been.

  “No, no,” Decker called over the tinkling sounds. “Don’t push the magick. Pull it.”

  Perplexed, Summer did nothing for a moment, not at all certain how to pull something out of her that didn’t want to come. She couldn’t even grab it and try.

  “It’s okay,” Decker said at last. “We’ll try it again later. Can you send the wind away?”

  Summer focused outwards again and imagined herself pushing the wind away. The sounds and sensations faded until she heard only the distant tinkling again.

  “You did awesome,” Decker said when she opened her eyes.

  “I didn’t do it, though,” she said, disappointed.

  “It takes awhile. I promise, by the time we leave here, you’ll be able to do it.”

  “Did you hear the sounds the wind made?”

  “No. Only you can. You’ll hear it everywhere you go. You can call it to you whenever you want. Did the earth respond, too?”

  “The stone got hot,” she said, placing her hand on the stone. “But it didn’t make any sounds.”

  “It will. Your dominant element is talking to you. The secondary will follow.”

  “You have three elements?”

  “Yeah. It’s like noise in my head at all times
.”

  “What do they sound like?” she asked.

  “Fire sounds like the crackling of a bonfire and water like a creek. Spirit …” He grew pensive. “It changes. Sometimes, it’s like laughter and sometimes, it’s like someone crying. When I met you, it cried. But now, it laughs. Sam says Spirit reads the souls of those around me.”

  “That’s incredible.”

  “It’s overwhelming. I go insane being in a crowd. The mandatory dinners are painful for me. I get headaches almost every day.”

  She frowned at the look of pain that crossed his face. The tinkling in the back of her mind was cheerful and light. She couldn’t imagine the bombardment Decker went through if each person he crossed gave off a sound.

  “I’m so sorry, Decker,” she said.

  “It’s okay. My burden,” he said with a tight smile. “We’re a complete set of elements.”

  “A perfect match.”

  “Agreed.” He held out his hand and pulled her up. “We’ll take a break and try again a little later.”

  They spent the rest of the day alternately testing her ability and relaxing in the media or game rooms. By sunset, she heard the tinkling of air and distant hum of the earth, like the low grumble of a bass guitar. Even so, the magick within her resisted her attempts to focus it. When she was tired of trying, Decker pulled her to her feet, and they retreated for a dinner prepared by the house chef, who left with a smile as they sat down to eat.

  She gazed at Decker over dinner, noticing the shadow that crossed his features more than once. Touching his foot with hers under the table, she smiled when he looked at her, and the darkness receded. After dinner, they walked hand-in-hand to the media room to watch another movie.

  As they sat down, the door between the kitchen and garage slammed closed. Decker sprang to his feet, his magick rippling in the air around them. He was halfway to the door of the media room when Beck’s voice rang out.

  “Hey, guys! Where you at?”

  Decker relaxed visibly, and Summer gazed at him with a frown. He’d reacted as if threatened, like someone was trying to break in.

  “Media room!” he answered and flipped on the overhead lights.