A Love of Magic
Chosen Saga
Book 1.5
By Author J. L. Clayton
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Cover Artist: Rebecca Weeks
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
A Love of Magic © Copyright 2016
All rights reserved.
Poem
Falling under
Getting pulled apart
That's how it feels within my heart
There’s this wild thrashing beneath my skin
As my core learns to breath again
It’s intoxicating, making me beg for more
Insanity, we call it love
By J.L. Clayton
The burning need to be around you is overwhelming. The fire that runs through my blood is like nothing I have ever experienced before.
The light that surround my soul is so bright, it's hard to believe No one can see it glowing through my skin.
The electricity that sparks just by your touch is so thrilling, I crave it more and more every day.
All these feeling I have when I'm with you, has me begging and craving you to be near me all the time, I feel hollow when you are not around to fill me with your love.
By Karen DuBose
Prologue
Eli
I watched as the three of them walked into the council hall. I smiled as I overheard their conversations.
“Charlie, sit down here and be a good girl,” Janet ordered.
“Okay, Mommy, but how long do I have to sit here and be a good girl?” Charlie asked.
“She sounds like Jace,” Vonnie said.
“She is a stubborn child,” Janet replied.
“I don’t want to sit here, Aunt Vonnie,” Jace moaned.
“Jace, Charlie looks like she needs a friend,” Vonnie told him.
“But I don’t want to be her friend. She’s a girl,” Jace protested.
I cleared my throat. “Young man, you may change your mind when you get older.”
Jace scuffed his shoes on the floor. “I don’t think so.”
“Eli, I’m sorry. You know little boys can be a handful,” Vonnie whispered to me.
I laughed. “How old is he…six?”
She nodded.
“And Charlie is five?” I asked.
Janet nodded.
“Yes, they are too young. Nevertheless, I have a feeling about these two.”
I clapped my hands to start the meeting. I wondered in the back of my mind if I didn’t just have a premonition.
Chapter One
Jace
I was feeling anxious as I stood in front of Charlie’s door. It’s been three years since the last time I saw her. Glimpses of long ago memories started to bombard my mind.
Eight years earlier-
I looked up at the bright blue sky, watching as the dragons playfully flew in the air. I was standing around the grownups, barely listening to what they were talking about, while wondering who the brown-headed girl was.
“Vonnie, I know you don’t think it’s good to wipe her mind, but it has to be done.”
“Eli, maybe if we wait things will clear up.”
“Janet, what do you and Sam think?”
“Unfortunately, we talked it over, and we think it’s for the best.”
“Remember, if you do this, every time you come back she must have her memories erased until the day she comes into her powers.”
“Jace, why don’t you go say hi to Charlie?” My aunt Vonnie told me, pointing at the brown-haired girl.
I crossed my arms, “But Aunt Vonnie, she’s a girl,” I huffed, kicking the dirt.
She laughed. “Yes, but she’s a beautiful little girl that looks very lonely.” Aunt Vonnie ruffled my hair. “I remember having a conversation like this when you were six years old. I believe you didn’t want to talk to her then either. Two years and you still haven’t changed your mind?”
I shrugged. “Fine.”
Slowly, I walked up to the girl. She had her back to me as she gazed at something up in the trees.
“What are you looking at?” I asked.
She turned and smiled at me, and from that moment on, I was lost. Her eyes were a rich brown with golden undertones. I swallowed, thinking she was so beautiful.
“I’m watching the dragons. Don’t you think they are amazing?” She inquired.
“If you say so,” I shrugged. I thought she was more amazing than a fire-breather.
Seven years earlier-
“Hey, Jace! Come on! There’s something I have to show you.” Charlie grabbed my hand.
I looked down at our hands intertwined and never wanted to let go.
Six years earlier-
“Oz pushed me down and told me I was ugly,” Charlie started to cry.
I wrapped my arms around her. “No. Charlie, you are beautiful. Did he hurt you?”
“Only my feelings,” she sniffed.
Five years earlier-
“I’m going to kill you, Oz.” I punched him in the face.
“Why?” Oz snarled. “Because I was talking about your girlfriend?” He laughed as he took another blow to the face.
“You dragons are all the same,” I said, forming a water orb in my hand. “Aqua,” I shouted, ready to put him out.
Four years earlier-
“Charlie, I have to tell you something.”
She smiled. “What’s that?”
“I think I love you,” I told her, my heart pounded in my chest as I waited to see what she had to say.
“Oh, Jace, I love you too.” She hugged me.
I wanted to ask her how she loved me—as a friend or as her soulmate—unfortunately I stayed silent.
Three years earlier-
“Mom, I’m in love.”
“Oh, Sweetheart, I know you are. You’ve known Charlie a long time, and I know you think you love her unconditionally, but Sweetie, you are too young to fall in love. Take your time. You have your entire life ahead of you, and you might meet another girl,” she said, sadly.
I shook my head, “No, you’re wrong Mom. To me, there will never be anyone that I could love more than my little Fox.”
Chapter Two
Jace
Charlie opened the door, she smiled shyly. I was mesmerized. My body screamed with elation. Charlie was back in my life. All I wanted to do was hold her in my arms and never let go. It didn’t help that she was more beautiful than I remembered. I blinked, putting my hands behind my back, anxiously waiting for her to notice me. She turned, watching as my family headed into her house.
“Uh, thank you,” she murmured under her breath.
I smiled and shook my head and softly, let my breath caress the back of her neck. “Yeah, I’m sure they didn’t hear you. Saying it louder, I’m told, usua
lly gets the desired effect.”
“What?” she asked, spinning around to face me.
Charlie flushed as she stared at my chest. Her gaze trailed up my body, landing on my eyes.
I smirked.
She swallowed, “I guess you’re right, but I only get loud with my parents.”
I chuckled. “You’re cute, Charlie.”
I peered into her eyes, trying to project my thoughts to her. Surprisingly, Charlie blocked my efforts.
“Thanks… I think?” She bit her lip.
I reached up and touched the tip of her nose. “I don’t think anyone could be as cute as you, Charlie,” I said, pushing a little magic into her mind.
I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. I knew that if I could just make her remember, everything could go back to the way it was. I sent a little compulsion into her body, but it was almost too hard to penetrate her mind. I would only get bits and pieces of her thoughts.
Charlie: I need to touch him. Why? Jace makes me nervous.
I didn’t like that I was making her nervous, so I took a little step back and pulled out of her mind.
“Um,” I began. “Are you ready for school Monday? You know, I think you will fit right in with my friends.” I grinned at her, but I felt like a fool. Why was I babbling suddenly? “I don’t know if your mom told you already, but I’ll be giving you a ride.” I clenched my fist, nearly closing my eyes in frustration.
Damn, I could have phrased my words a little better.
Quickly, I reiterated, “To school I mean.”
I gave her a tentative smile. I wanted to know what she was thinking, so again, I pushed my magic into her body, but I still only got snippets of her thoughts.
Charlie: Hot! Something? Have we met? Missed him? What? I don’t know him.
“I hope that’s fine with you?” I asked, hating that her thoughts were broken and I had to try and piece them together.
She stammered, “Jace…err, that’s nice of you to offer me a ride, but apparently, my mom didn’t have a chance to tell you that earlier today I met someone that goes to your, um, I mean our school. They asked if I needed a ride. I said yes.”
I frowned.
“Look, I didn’t know you were going to give me a ride to school until I already told this other person yes. I’m sorry. Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think it would be right to go back on my word. I hope that's okay?”
I shrugged, not liking it, but what could I do? “I totally understand, Charlie. It’s not a problem.” I ran a hand through my blond hair. “Too bad I didn’t ask you first instead of your mom. Hey, it’s my loss. So, who are you riding with?”
“This guy named Tru. He’s cool. He told me that he lives right down the road from us, so it’s pretty convenient.”
Fucking Tru?
I narrowed my eyes and clenched my teeth.
“Hey, Jace,” she whispered, touching my arm. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged her off. “I’m fine. It’s just that Tru and I aren't friends. I don’t think you should be hanging out with him, Charlie. You don’t know Tru like I do. You just met him, and honestly, I can’t believe your mom is allowing this. I can’t believe she is letting you ride with Tru." I spat his name, feeling like a little boy.
“Whoa! Hold up. What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, throwing her hands up. “I don’t know you, but it’s okay for you to give me a ride and not him? Just because you're not friends with Tru, doesn’t mean I can’t be.”
She was furious; I could read that much in her body language. I didn't want her mad at me. She started to back away, but with every step she took backwards, I made sure to come a little closer.
I don’t know what possessed me, but as I looked down at her lips, all I thought about was kissing her, taking her, and finally knowing what it would feel like to taste her. I quickly wrapped my arms around her body, pulling her as close as I could. I bent my head down and claimed her lips, they felt so soft. I found myself lost within the kiss. Lost within her.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last.
Charlie pulled away. “What do you think you're doing?”
I smirked. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
She flushed, sputtering, “Um, kissing me?”
I winked and moved forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Slowly, I lowered my mouth toward hers once more.
She shoved me. “What the hell!”
"I'm sorry," I said, glancing down, but I wasn't. That kiss was amazing. How could I be sorry for getting what I’ve always longed for? "I…"
Damn, what was I going to say?
“I was just trying to comfort you. Charlie, this is going to sound stupid, but I thought that's what you needed." She wasn’t buying my bull. "Hey, don't be angry. This isn't how I wanted our friendship to start." After I had said it, I knew it was the wrong choice of words.
Good thing this isn't a baseball game because, right now, I am batting zero.
“Friendship? What friendship? It looks like you jumped from being acquaintance to something more. Jace, you’re sweet. I like you, but we just met. I don’t know how you handle things when you meet someone, but I’m not like that.”
I was starting to get pissed off. If she could only remember me, everything would be the way it should be. “Charlie, this isn't how I handle things." I breathed running a hand over my hair in pure exasperation.
I swallowed hard and explained. “We have a connection. You can’t tell me you didn't feel it." I gazed deep into her eyes, hoping she would remember, but I was getting nothing and feeling a little irritated. “Besides,” I continued, “I saw the way you looked at me. I know it wasn’t my imagination. Hell, it’s still written all over your face.”
Her beautiful brown eyes searched my face for answers, and in a moment of weakness, I relented. “I apologize. I didn’t plan for this, it just happened. I could have stopped myself, but I didn’t want to. Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do, so I’m sorry. Charlie, can we start over? Just forget it ever happened?”
This was going against everything within me. I was telling her to forget this ever happened while wanting her to remember everything.
“Jace, I’m not mad at you. You’re right. I did and do feel something. I don’t know what it is. This is going to sound crazy, but it’s like I have known you my whole life.” Her voice sounded a little shaky. She shook her head looking lost.
I felt triumphant, like I was making a little progress.
“But, just because I feel something for you and you feel something for me, it doesn't give you permission to kiss me.”
I wanted to laugh. I knew she was full of it, and she was just so damn cute.
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “I know, and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” I knew I had to back off a little. I didn’t want to lose her all over again, not when she just walked back into my life. “I want us to be friends. If that’s all we can be right now, then that’s fine… for now."
I just couldn’t help myself, she shot me a glare.
I chuckled. “Sorry… too soon?”
She shook her head, looking annoyed. “Jace, I don’t see why we can’t be friends, but that’s all—just friends.” Her eyes closed, but she opened them and sighed, murmuring, “You don’t have to apologize anymore, Jace. I forgive you, but don’t pull a stunt like that again, okay?”
I heard what she was saying, but I wanted to know what she was thinking. I peered at her, allowing my magic to flow in her direction.
Charlie: On the other hand, Jace could pull a stunt like that again. I could go for another hot kiss.
I smiled mischievously, “I promise.” I dragged my index finger over my heart, making a cross. I considered her beautiful brown eyes and teased, “But if you want me to kiss you, please just ask.”
Her mouth opened, and her eyes rounded. She shook her head. "Jace, you’re not going to make this easy, are
you?”
“Now what’s the fun in that?" I cocked my head and grinned. “Just wait. You’re going to fall in love with me.” I gave her a cheeky wink.
“Charlie, it’s time for dinner,” Janet called.
“Let’s go eat,” I told her. “I’m starving.” I blew her a kiss and turned, walking toward the dining room.
It was incredible watching her interact with my family. I loved all the expressions that crossed her face. It seemed like dinner was over way too soon, and it was time for us to leave. Leaving her was difficult, but I knew I couldn't show how much I wanted to stay. Smiling slightly, I touched her shoulder and whispered into her ear, “I can’t wait to see you at school, and don't replace me with your best friend, Tru." With a wink, I turned and headed towards the door.
I heard her call out, “Don’t worry, Jace. I’ll never forget you.”
I smirked, feeling like I just won something…like I’d just won her.
“What’s with the cheesy grin?” My sister, Rose asked, nudging my shoulder.
“Why, don’t you know, Rose?” Kate teased. “Jace is in love. He has been from the moment he met her.”
“Really? Jace, are you in love with Charlie?” Rose enquired, giving me a big, toothy smile.
I sighed. “It’s complicated.”
"Well, then make it uncomplicated," Rose suggested.
"I'm trying," I said with a shrug.
“Good. I like her.” Rose beamed.
"You like everyone, Rose," Jerold chimed in.
I blocked their conversation the rest of the ride home. All I could think about was Charlie.
Chapter Three
Jace
The next day, I was excited to see her again. Hurrying through my morning routine, I rushed to school without even saying goodbye.
"Well, this is a first," I mumbled, shoving my books into my locker.
“What’s that?” Laci asked, leaning a shoulder against the wall.
I smiled. “Being on time for school is one thing, but being early is on a whole other level.”
A Love of Magic: Jace's story: Chosen Saga Book 1.5 Page 1
