Blood Rush (The Lost Witch Trilogy #2) (2 page)

“I’ve never heard of a boyfriend, a girlfriend
and
their friend moving out of state to the same town before. All together. All at the same time. I’m not buying it. And no way is Zane your boyfriend. No offense, but you’re not exactly in his league,” Charlie said, sitting back and looking her up and down with a critical frown.

Sarah felt a sizzle of anger zip down her nerve endings and pulse in her fingertips. Charlie blinked and sat up, looking at her strangely and narrowing her eyes.

Sarah smiled brightly at Charlie and stood up with her tray. “Looks like you just blew our cover. We’re under cover vice-cops and we’re here to investigate a serial killer. He’s been targeting tall blond annoying girls. I’d watch out if I were you,” she said and then turned to walk away.

“You’re the one who needs to watch out Sarah,” Charlie said in a low, dangerous voice.

Sarah knew if she turned around, she’d zap Charlie into a pile of dust, so she gritted her teeth and kept walking. She dumped her trash and made her way to her fourth period class. She now knew three things for sure. She hated P.E., she hated school, but most of all, she hated Charlie Prescott.

Chapter 3 - Lessons

After school was finally over, Sarah met Zane in the parking lot and was pulled into a long, hard hug. Sarah leaned her head against Zane’s shoulder and sighed from the bottom of her toes. Zane wrapped her in warm energy and kissed the top of her head before pulling back.

“Are we giving Lash a ride home?” she asked, scanning the crowded parking lot.

Zane shook his head. “Some girl offered him a ride and he jumped at the offer. It’s just you and me.”

Sarah smiled and kept her arms wrapped around Zane’s waist as she looked up into his handsome, strong face. “I wish.”

Zane’s smile faded a couple notches as he pushed her hair behind her ear. “I say we forget Maine. It’s too cold and the girls here are psychos. I say we hop in the jeep and head to Colorado. We can enroll in my old high school and I can introduce you to all my friends. You’ll love it there. We’ll be half way there before anyone figures out we’re gone,” he said wistfully as he opened the door for her.

Sarah smiled tiredly. “If only. I wish we had a choice,” she said when Zane joined her in the jeep.

Zane frowned and started the engine. “I didn’t realize it at first, but we’re kind of prisoners in this town. It’s a big prison, but still a prison.”

Sarah glanced out the window and closed her eyes, wishing she didn’t have to see Monroe High School tomorrow morning.

“You just nailed it. How long will we have to stay here? Will we ever get to leave?” she wondered out loud.

Zane pulled into a McDonald’s drive through before answering. “I say we have a chat with everyone and get some answers. Because one more day with Charlie Prescott and I’m opting for being homeschooled.”

Sarah laughed and shook her head at Zane. “You know, you’re getting a little bit of your own medicine, don’t you? That’s exactly how you acted with me.”

Zane turned his head quickly and stared at her, looking offended. “I was
not
a psycho. It was love at first sight. I might have been a little aggressive sure, but I just saw what I wanted and went after it. I had a completely normal reaction to seeing you for the first time.”

Sarah shook her head again. “And what if I had a big, gorgeous boyfriend already? Would you have acted like Charlie? Be honest.”

Zane pulled up in line and glared at his steering wheel. “There’s a small chance I might have found some way to break you up so I could steal you away.”

Sarah grinned and waited while Zane ordered enough food for three people. “I guess eating half of my taco at lunch just didn’t cut it.”

Zane grabbed the two bags and the drinks, thanked the thin Hispanic woman and grimaced as he rolled up his window. “I was trying to hide out from Charlie and ended up starving to death.”

Sarah frowned as she rooted through the bags until she found the French fries. “You know, you went after me because you could tell I was a witch, or at least that I had some kind of power, like say
psychokinesis
.”

Zane frowned and finished chewing his bite before answering. “Are you kidding me? You really think I fell for you
just
because you’re a witch? Come on Sarah, you know there’s more to you and me than that. I took one look at you and fell head over heels. I was connected to you on a cellular level before I even saw you. I could feel you walking towards me before I’d even met you. Even if you weren’t a witch, we’d be together.”

Sarah smiled sadly and knew he wouldn’t like her so much if she were just a normal powerless girl. She remembered clearly his thoughts on porch lights and moths. Witches were porch lights and regular people were moths, drawn to them. He had stated quite emphatically that he’d never be attracted to a mere moth. But facts were facts. She was a witch and a powerful one.

“Anyways, my point is, maybe Charlie is having this over the top, annoying reaction to you, because she senses
you’re
a witch. I felt something today when she was sitting with us Zane. It’s not like the feeling I get with you or our relatives. It’s not a warm humming. It’s more like a cold buzzing. And when she made me mad after you guys took off and a little energy slipped out and down my hands, I think she could tell. I think we just met another witch.”

Zane’s mouth fell open as he turned to head towards the ocean and the Livingston house. “Shut the front door,” he said.

Sarah grinned. “Okay, where the heck did you get that saying?”

Zane smiled and took a sip of his Coke. “These Maine kids have some interesting lingo. I like that one. But seriously? You really think Charlie could be a witch?”

Sarah frowned and grabbed a few more fries. “The more I think about it, the more I’m almost positive she is. I think she’s a witch, but she’s just different somehow. Take the way she talked to me, like I was nothing, a nobody. She told me I wasn’t in the same league as you. I thought she was talking about the way I look, but now I think she was talking about power.”

Zane snorted and took a large bite of his hamburger. His mouth was busy, so he spoke into her mind.
If she even had a clue how powerful you were, she would have never said that. But looks? Honey, you’re in a league all your own. My league. And it’s very exclusive. Only gorgeous, smart, kind and warm red heads are allowed.

Sarah laughed and threw a fry at him. “That was such a line, but I’ll take it. I can’t believe this Zane, but it looks like I’m going to have to fight another witch for your affections.”

Zane raised an eyebrow at her as he pulled into her grandmother’s driveway. “Just make sure you win, because spending time with that little icicle is not something I want to even think about.”

Sarah grimaced and got out of the jeep, walking around to the front porch. “I don’t think we should underestimate her Zane. I got this strange vibe off her, like she was used to getting whatever she wanted and how dare I stand in her way. If she is a witch, we better start watching our backs.”

Zane threw his arm over her shoulders as they walked up to the front door. “Will do. And I better keep a better watch over you too. I heard a rumor in fifth period that there was a hot new red head at school. Seems like she could climb a rope like a monkey and look good doing it. That wouldn’t happen to be you would it?”

Sarah laughed and pushed through the door. She paused and looked around at the large entry way, still trying to get used to the fact that she now lived in a centuries old sea side mansion. The wood and marble were stunning, but it was the pictures of the ocean and people that always made her look for a few minutes in quiet wonder.

“Come on, let’s find my mom,” Zane said, dragging her down the hallway towards the kitchen.

They walked into the bright sunny room to find Gretchen and Agnes laughing together as they rolled out dough for cinnamon rolls.

“There you two are. Lash has been back for fifteen minutes.”

Sarah turned and saw Lash sitting at the table by the window, munching on a sandwich. She smiled at Gretchen and Agnes but they were focused on Zane so she wandered over and sat down next to Lash.

“So what did you think of your first day of school?” Sarah said, stealing a couple Doritos from his plate.

Lash smiled at her and pushed his plate closer to her so they could share. “It was all right. I don’t care where I am, as long as you’re there,” he said softly, reaching out to touch her hand with his finger.

Sarah looked away and took another chip to break the contact. “Lash, come on.”

Lash licked his lips and took a drink of his soda. “You’re the only reason I’m here Sarah. I could disappear anywhere and my father would never find me. But I like it here. I like your dad and Gretchen and Agnes. This old house is cool too and I love the ocean. But none of that matters to me.”

Sarah swallowed and pushed her hair over her ears. “
Please
Lash,” she whispered sadly.

Lash’s eyes turned hard and he shook his head. “Please what? Pretend I don’t love you?
Give up?
I can pretend that seeing you with Zane doesn’t kill me but let’s not play games.”

Sarah felt Zane walk up behind her chair and sighed unhappily. “What games?” Zane asked looking hard at Lash’s intense face and Sarah’s bowed head.

Lash’s expression smoothed out immediately and he stood up. “I believe we were talking about chess. I’ve got homework,” he said and walked over to put his plate in the sink.

Zane took Lash’s chair and stared into Sarah’s sad eyes. “I don’t want to know, do I?”

Sarah shook her head. “Nope, you really don’t.”

Zane stared after Lash and looked furious for a moment before his face relaxed. “How can I blame him? I’d be the same way.”

Sarah sighed and looked out the window at the gray ocean. “I wonder what I would do if Charlie really did steal you away? Would I wait patiently for you to come back to me like Lash is doing or would I fight for you?”

Zane laughed. “Like that would ever happen. But if it did, I’d expect you to fight like crazy.”

Sarah smiled and reached her toe across the tile to touch Zane’s foot and sent a warm glide of energy up his leg to wrap around his chest. Zane grinned and reached under the table to grab her hand. He glanced at his mom and grandma to make sure they were busy and then pulled her towards him. He tilted his head and kissed her softly for a moment before pulling away.

“Zane, you better watch yourself boy. Have you met her grandmother? She could pick you up and throw you in the ocean,” Agnes called from across the kitchen.

Zane grinned happily and sat back. “I’ve met her. Some things are worth the risk.”

Sarah blushed but squeezed his hand before letting go and then stood up to walk over to stand by Agnes. “So what’s the schedule today? Are we all having dinner together here? Is my dad going to show up?”

Gretchen wiped her hands on a dish towel and then turned the oven on. “Beatrice is with your grandmother at a doctor’s appointment right now, but they’ll be back soon. Your dad called me just a little while ago and said he’ll be here for dinner. I’m making cream of tomato soup with homemade croutons. You’ll love it. Cinnamon rolls for dessert.”

Agnes patted her on the shoulder. “What’s wrong honey? You feel all tense to me. I know it must be hard to leave the only home you’ve even known and start over in a new place but I know if you give it time everything will work out for the best. Protecting ourselves from Charles Langford is worth whatever sacrifice we have to make right now. You know that.”

Sarah shivered uncontrollably at the man’s name. She could still remember sensing him in the car as he tried to follow her. She’d never felt so cold in her life.

“Nah, it’s nothing to do with him or Pennsylvania or anything. It just wasn’t a very good first day of school,” she said, glancing at Zane quickly.

“Bad day, huh? Tell me about it,” Agnes urged.

Sarah looked back and forth between the two women and sighed. She wasn’t used to coming home from school and opening up to some caring concerned adult. This was new for her, not having to hold everything inside. She leaned against the counter and let her head fall.

Zane spoke into her mind,
Sarah,
what’s wrong?

Gretchen smiled sympathetically at Sarah. “Homesick for your old school?”

Sarah shook her head and realized she would have to spill. They’d just keep guessing for the next hour if she didn’t.

“Today was just hideous. I don’t have any classes with Zane or Lash. I don’t know anyone. And when I do get twenty minutes at lunch with Zane, he’s got some crazed witch girl after him that already wants to take me out. So yeah, not the best day.”

Agnes and Gretchen shared surprised looks and then turned and looked at Zane who had come to stand behind Sarah. He grimaced as he massaged Sarah’s shoulders.

“Sarah thinks this girl at school is a witch. She lets off this weird cold vibe and she’s pretty aggressive. She kind of took one look at me and turned into a barnacle.”

Agnes looked away, frowning, before turning back to Sarah. “A cold vibe, huh? Describe it for me,” she ordered.

Sarah shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s just kind of the opposite of what I feel when I’m around you guys. You all have this warm hum that I can connect to. This girl has a frazzled feeling. Bristly, cold and jumpy. It repels me and makes me feel anxious. And when she said something that made me mad, a little energy slipped out and ran down my arm. She got this shocked look on her face and stared at me like I had just sprouted horns or something. She recognized me and only another witch could recognize me, right?”

“Right,” said a brisk voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned around to see Francis and Beatrice standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Francis walked towards the island and waved her hand in the air.

“I heard everything you said. You think there’s a witch at your school? What’s her name?” she asked in a quiet commanding tone that had Sarah standing up straighter and Zane putting his hands on her waist as if to steady her.