Blood Rush (The Lost Witch Trilogy #2) (5 page)

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she whispered quietly.

Zane sat back contentedly with a satisfied smile on his face. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

Sarah glared at him and felt mortified that not only did her grandmother have such a blunt and nosy conversation with her boyfriend, but that she’d then heard the whole thing in her mind. Zane’s obvious enjoyment in her discomfort made her want to pick up his glass of milk and pour it over his head. She glanced around the room and met her dad’s eyes. He looked at her worriedly, so she smiled quickly. He relaxed and went back to talking to Gretchen. She turned and was caught in Lash’s gaze. He stared at her intensely for another moment before looking away.

Agnes walked over to stand in front of her and Zane and looked back and forth between the two of them with a twinkle and a smile. “What are you two hatching over here? Sarah looks like she’s just had the shock of her life and you look like a fox that just got free access to the chicken coop. What’s going on Zane?”

Zane laughed and reached over and stood up to hug his grandma. “You are one brilliant woman Grandma, you know that,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.

Agnes frowned suspiciously up at him. “Alright then, off with you. Beatrice has put a suitcase in your room. Go pack up and grab your things and meet Race downstairs. It’s moving day for this fox.”

Zane’s face fell in disappointment. “But I’ll miss you too much Grandma. Who will cook me breakfast in the morning? I can’t move away from my mom.”

Agnes snorted and pointed to the hallway. “
Mm, hmmm
. It’s not my cooking you’re worried about young man. Besides, Race has promised to feed you as best he can in the mornings. You’ll still be eating dinner here. Everything will be the same except you won’t be sleeping here at night.”

Zane grumbled and looked darkly at Race before walking out the door. Agnes sat down in his vacated seat and grabbed Sarah’s hand, patting it comfortingly.

“Whatever that boy of ours has said to put that look of fear on your face and the look of a proud new ownership on his, you just ignore it. You’re a strong young woman Sarah. You don’t let anyone push you down a path you don’t want to go on. And even if it is a path you want, you don’t need to go until you’re darn well ready.”

Sarah felt an easing in her chest and smiled gratefully at Agnes and then surprised them both by putting her arms around the older woman and hugging her.

“Thank you for that,” she whispered before letting go.

Agnes smiled warmly at her and ran a hand down Sarah’s red waves. “You’re very welcome. You’re going to be pulled this way and that way by everyone here in this room. But not by me. I’m firmly in your corner Sarah and I’ll support you no matter what direction you choose to go. As long as the direction you choose is the one you want.”

Sarah felt warmth surround her heart and smiled back at Agnes. Agnes stood up and walked back to Gretchen and Beatrice who were arguing about the right way to make caramel. Agnes held up her hand for peace and winked at Sarah before diving in the conversation

Lash came and sat down next to her and put an arm on the back of her chair. His arm wasn’t around her, necessarily, but she could feel the power of it regardless.

“So what put that look of terror on your face and now the look of happiness? You’ve got me curious,” Lash said quietly.

Sarah ignored the first part of his question for obvious reasons but turned to look at him. “I was really young when I lost my mom, like you. So I don’t even remember what it feels like, you know. But just now, when Agnes came over here and told me that she was in my corner no matter what, I felt it. I felt for a moment what it might feel like to have that kind of love. It’s pretty amazing.”

Lash blinked in surprise and smiled across the room at Agnes. “She’s pretty great. She told me today that she knows I’m going to turn into an amazing man, full of courage, kindness and honor. I kind of blew her off, but she didn’t back down. She waved her finger in my face and told me off for not believing her. And then she hugged me,” he said, sounding surprised.

Sarah grinned at Lash and grabbed his hand in hers. “She’s absolutely right Lash. And I second that.”

Lash grinned at her, his blue eyes glowing brightly at her. “You always did see something in me that no one else could. But I get what you mean about feeling that kind of unconditional support. It’s nice. I like it.”

Sarah sighed happily and looked at the doorway as Lash sat up suddenly. Zane stood in the entrance of the kitchen with a suitcase in one hand and a back pack over his shoulder. He was glaring hotly at her and Lash. Lash’s hand tightened on hers and she glanced down realizing that she was still holding Lash’s hand in hers. Zane set the suitcase down and walked towards them with a scowl on his face as Sarah tried to let go, but Lash kept a tight grip on her. Race chose that moment to intercept Zane.

“All right boys, let’s get a move on. Zane, just turn right around and head back the way you came. You two need to get unpacked tonight so we better head out right now,” he said firmly, with a large hand on Zane’s shoulder.

Zane stared almost angrily over her father’s shoulder at her as she finally pulled her hand free from Lash. She stood up with Lash and frowned up at him as he bent down to kiss her innocently on the cheek. “Good night Sarah. See you at school tomorrow.”

Sarah glared at him and shook her head. She glanced back at Zane but he was already gone. She sighed in frustration and then realized that all four women were looking at her with different degrees of compassion on their faces.

“I wouldn’t be young again for the world,” Francis said with a sniff and turned to walk slowly out of the kitchen.

Beatrice smiled at her and waved good night. “Ignore her. I’d give anything to be young again. Give me two gorgeous men fighting over me and I’d be in heaven. Good night all,” she said and hurried after Francis.

Sarah looked at Gretchen who looked at her quietly. “It’s best to put someone out of their misery quickly. It’s the only humane thing to do.”

Sarah blushed and stood up, walking towards the counter and her forgotten cinnamon roll. “Do you think I haven’t tried? I’ve told him we’re only friends more times than I can remember. Just today in this very kitchen after school too. He won’t accept that I want to be with Zane. He says he loves me and that we’re going to be together.”

Gretchen frowned and licked some icing off her fingertip. “He’s not like a possessive stalker is he?” she asked with narrowing eyes.

Agnes snorted and wiped the counter off. “Oh Gretchen, simmer down. You just don’t want anyone upsetting Zane or stealing his girl.”

Gretchen frowned at her mother as she put plastic wrap over the few remaining cinnamon rolls. “Well, and who can blame me? Zane’s been uprooted and moved here and moved there and he’s taken it so well. And if he’s fallen for Sarah, of course I don’t want some good looking guy stealing her right out from under him.”

Agnes cackled and flipped her daughter on the rear with her towel. Gretchen laughed and grabbed the towel out of her mother’s hands.

“You listen to me Gretchen, you leave these young people alone. They’ll figure things out on their own. And that boy is no stalker. He’s cared for Sarah since they were children. In his mind, Zane’s the one who came in right under his nose and stole the girl of his dreams right out from under him. So let’s stay neutral on this one,” Agnes insisted as she backed around the counter as Gretchen walked toward her swinging the towel threateningly.

Sarah laughed at the teasing fun the two women were having with each other, delighted to see the fun relationship they had with one another. Sarah used her energy to whip the towel out of Gretchen’s hands, sending it flying up towards the ceiling and letting it fall gracefully down into her open hands.

“Sorry, but I can’t let you hurt Agnes. She’s mine,” she said with a smile.

Agnes grinned at her and put her arm around her shoulders as Gretchen shook her head with a big smile.

“Fine you two. You win. I’ll be good.”

The three women, young, older and oldest stayed up late drinking hot chocolate and playing cards until midnight.

Sarah went to bed feeling happier, more secure and more at peace than she ever had before.

Chapter 5 - Other Plans

The next day was cold, rainy, gray and dreary. Gretchen gave her a ride to school and waved her off with a smile. Sarah groaned as the icy cold rain found its way down her neck and trickled down her back. She rushed up the stairs of the high school and through the doors, sighing in relief as she made it out of the rain.

She immediately scanned the crowded commons area for Zane but knew she probably wouldn’t see him until lunch. She had to dig her schedule out of her back pack to remember which locker was hers and made her way to the correct hallway. She stared curiously at the teenagers and found that she actually missed her old high school. She had been an outcast in Pennsylvania, but it had all been so familiar. None of this was familiar to her. None of the kids, none of the teachers, nothing. Of course, it was a new chance to start over too. Nobody here looked at her like she was strange or weird. She was now able to control her power field and people were able to actually get near her without a wall of static shock smacking them around.

She might even be a contender for prom queen this year
, she thought with a grin on her face. She grabbed a couple books and put the two in her backpack in the locker before shutting it. She pulled her schedule out again, double checking the room number and teacher and then walked down the hallway. She glanced once more down at the paper in her hand and didn’t notice a bright pink boot flick out in front of her.

Before she knew it, Sarah was flying fast towards the hard linoleum, gasping in surprise. Her power went on instinct and she stopped herself from hitting the floor hard. If anyone was looking closely, it looked as if she was taking a moment to do a push up. Sarah straightened up slowly, pulling her back pack firmly over her shoulder and turned to see who owned the bright pink boot. She wasn’t surprised to see Charlie leaning up against a locker, chewing gum and grinning at her.

“Good reflexes Sarah.”

Sarah tilted her head and stared expressionlessly at the girl, hearing her father just the night before making her promise to not get into a fight. Of course, he did give her permission to protect herself. She glanced around the crowded hallway and knew she shouldn’t make a scene. She wasn’t hurt. She could let this go. Sarah rolled her eyes at Charlie, still not saying a word and walked off, throwing her protection shield up around herself just in case Charlie felt like throwing more than a foot at her. She grimaced as a few people turned their head to stare at her as she walked too close to them and they felt the shock.

Sarah didn’t look back, but she could feel Charlie staring a hole in her back. Charlie had wanted a confrontation with her and she hadn’t given it to her. Now she was really irritated with Sarah. Sarah smiled and walked in her first period class and sat down in an empty chair, pulling her energy inward now that she was away from Charlie.

The second day of school was slightly better than the first Sarah had to admit. Ms. Franks ignored her and she found out that she and Carter had similar taste in music and movies. No on Kesha, yes on all things Avengers. They walked together to the cafeteria and Sarah felt her spirits lighten. She was making friends and she was about to see Zane. Life was looking up.

“Come sit with me and my friends Sarah. I can introduce you around,” Carter offered, motioning towards a table in the center. Sarah glanced at Carter’s friends and smiled as some of them noticed Carter and waved him over.

“Thanks Carter, but I already agreed to have lunch with someone. Maybe another time?”

Carter smiled, nodded and walked off, leaving her to scan the crowded cafeteria for Zane or Lash. She smiled as she spotted Lash first. He was sitting at a different table than yesterday and he was surrounded by four girls, smiling and laughing at everything he said. He looked up right then, their eyes catching and he smiled slowly at her. He waved her over to his table, but she shook her head. He shrugged and went back to his conversation with a cute girl with short black hair.

Sarah walked towards the table they had all sat at yesterday, but it was empty so she got in line to get her lunch. When she was through the line, she stared with a frown across the large room and knew instinctively that Zane was not there. She sighed miserably and realized that she was going to be eating lunch by herself. She glanced at Carter’s table, but it was packed now and there was no room for her. So she found a table with a few empty chairs and asked the few kids sitting there if she could join them. One of the girls was in her gym class and she smiled and pointed to a chair beside her.

Sarah relaxed and joined the conversation, but continually scanned the crowds for Zane. She wished for a cell phone so she could text him, but Race had insisted that they throw all their phones away when they got to Maine. He was convinced that Charles Langford would be able to track them through the phones and even listen to their conversations as well. It was like living in the dark ages.

She threw away her trash and put her tray back before walking slowly down the hallway toward her fourth period. She had to walk through the commons area and made a detour to the front glass doors to peek out at the parking lot. Sarah glanced through the cars and couldn’t see Zane’s silver jeep anywhere. She frowned and wondered if she should borrow the office phone to call Gretchen. Maybe Zane was sick? She glanced one more time to make sure and then blinked in surprise as the silver jeep she was searching for drove into the parking lot right as the bell rang signaling lunch was over.

She almost pushed through the front doors to run to Zane but held back as she realized he wasn’t alone. Zane hopped out of the jeep and rushed around to the other side to open the door for someone. Sarah’s mouth dropped open as she watched Zane and Charlie walk slowly through the parking lot towards the front of the school. They were both holding McDonald’s drink cups in their hands. Charlie turned and looked up into Zane’s face, laughing at something he had said.