Luminescence (Luminescence Trilogy) (17 page)

Just as I was about to voice something stupid, my aunt came through the back door. “Hi Gavin. I didn’t hear y
ou come in.
”
S
he smiled at him.

“Funny either did I,” I muttered.

“I should probably let you get back to work,” he said as he got up from his seat. “It was nice seeing you again Clara.” My aunt had insisted that he call her by her first name. He paused as he got around the glass counter and looked back at me. “You want to hang
out
after work tonight
?
” he asked catching me off guard.

“Sure, pick me at my house?” I wanted to
go
home and freshen up.

Watching him walk out the door, I sighed.

Chapter 18

RACING HOME AFTER WORK I
quickly jumped in the shower. I had less than an hour before he showed up at my door. My aunt was downstairs catching up on some reading.
Washing my hair in my favorite scented shampoo, I made a last minute decision to shave my legs. The nights were still warm and since I didn’t have a clue what we were doing I figured it was best
to be
prepared for any scenario.

Slathering on some lotion, I went to my closet to find something to wear. His hoodie lay on the back of the chair and made me smile. The scent of him
still
lingered on the material
– teasing me
.
Turning back to my closet I slipped on a thigh-length simple white dress, deciding to go with something between dressy and casual.
Sitting in front of my vanity, I misted my favorite scent and fussed with my hair. Adding a quick layer of mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss, I finished as the roar of his engine sounded outside my opened window. T
he fireflies began to prance in my belly. Swiping the wristlet off my dresser, I ran down the stairs.
It was a wonder I didn’t break my neck.

The doorbell rang before I hit the bottom stair.
I heard my aunt’s voice as I rounded the corner
, slowing my haste
.
He was standing in the entryway with my aunt looking dark and dashing. I found it hard to believe that out of all the girls at school, he wanted to go out with me.

“You ready?” he asked me.

Nodding my head, I
said good-night to my aunt and followed him out to his car.

“Where are we going?”
He had started
to pull out of the driveway
.

The engine thundered as he punched the gas speeding ridiculous away from town.
“You’ll see,” he responded
smirking
secretly
.

I sat back in my seat and waited impatiently for our destination to be known.

The lights of
Wilmington
lit the nigh
t as we approved the riverwalk.
A tint of blood orange hit the coastline, spreading shadows over the quaint shops. Trees twinkled with decorated strands of lights along the plaza. This little coastal place was like a slice of history with its canopy vendors, planked walkways and charming historical buildings.

“I love the riverwalk. How did you hear about this place?”
I asked.

“Your aunt told m
e how much you like coming here.
”

“It’s so pretty at night.” I couldn’t help but be flattered
by his thoughtfulness.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Sure. There is a really great place right on the water,” I volunteered.
“They have the best chicken scampi.”

“Sounds perfect.”

The restaurant was situation facing the ocean and back-dropped by the lights of downtown
Wilmington
.
For this time of night the restaurant will filled with plenty of night-goers. We only had to wait a few minutes to
b
e seated at our table.
The view of our booth gazed out over the oceanic boardwalk.
There was a cozy, warm atmosphere with th
e laughter and decadent scents.

The waiter took our drink orders
and Gavin fumbled with his fork
.
”So I’ve been meaning to ask you…
we haven’t had a chance to talk. A
re you really okay with me being a
witch?
I haven’t scared you off have I?
”

Shaking my head I smiled encouraging at him. I don’t think it was possible for him scare off the insane feelings I had towards him. “No
t
hardly.”

“Good.” He returned my smile.

The waiter
came back
with our drinks and
we gave him
our dinner orders
, w
e both ended up getting the chicken scampi. M
y mouth watered in anticipation, t
he food h
ere was out of this world good.

I took a sip through the straw of my coke. “
So I wanted to ask you if
there any other witches in
Holly
Ridge
?”

“No not really. Only one or two that I have seen.”
He appeared a little uncomfortable and it made me wonder if maybe I knew them.

“Do they go to our school?” I asked.

He shrugged divulging nothing.

“So they do go to our school.” He had my attention now. I wracked through my brain trying to figure out who in the world it could be and came up blank. Looking at Gavin across the booth, I realized he wasn’t going to give anyway and details. So frustrating. There
was
nothing worse than someone teasing you with a secret and then not sharing the secret.

Sighing, I went back to sipping my soda as our food arrived. The smell of garlic and pasta was
enough to take my mind off it and remind my stomach how hungry
I
was.

After dinner we stepped out i
nto the glittering balmy night.

“Do you want to go down the riverwalk?” Gavin asked, as we were lea
ving the restaurant
.

“I would love too.”

Strolling along the boardwalk, the gentle evening breeze teased the ends of my dress. I imagined this
was
what
a
perfect date felt like. For all his dark and brooding qualities deep down there was an extremely great guy, nothing about him didn’t make me feel safe
. Happily content to walk by his side, I was sure I was the luckiest girl in the
universe
. The other girls at school could
keep their homecoming and proms – I had a witch.

Walking to the end of the dock I leaned up against the railing, inhaling the
fresh
, crisp
ocean
mist
. Looking out at the still waters I watched the moons reflection glistening. His elbow brushed up against mine
as he came to stand next to me.

“It’s so peaceful. I can’t imagine not leaving near the ocean.” I’ve grown up with it practically in my backyard. It would be like not having a park or a
playground.

We sat there enjoying the music of the splashing waves and the company of each other. Lost in the moment, I looked at Gavin when I felt the air shift with a tingling of magic. I don’t know how I knew he was using his gift. Something awoke a sense in me and wondered what he was up to.

He stared into my violet eyes.
“Your name is written in the stars,” he said, pointing to the night sky over the midnight tranquil waters.

Looking in the direction he indicated
I expected some cheesy gesture. Yet what I saw was impressive.
T
he sight he created
struck a cord in my romantic heart
. M
illions of twilight stars dotting above formed the letters of my name.

“Incredible.” There was no down playing the awe in my voice.

With a wave of his hand the
twinkling stars scattered. I watched memorized as they reshaped into
a perfect single stemmed rose.

Laughing I met his eyes. “I guess
being a witch
has its high points. That was… magically.” I didn’t have
any other words to describe it.

“I wanted to show you the fun part of being a witch.
We’re not finished yet.”

The ocean sky before us broke out into a spectacular firework display worthy of Fourth of July. Colors exploded against the black night and
his hand closed around mine
as we watched
the booming spectacle
.

“What is everyone going to think?”

He shrugged. “That the
city put on an impromptu show.
”

Hanging out with a witch was
proving to be
pretty memorable.

When the fireworks ended we headed down the riverwalk towards his car. Hand in hand he lead me though
the
downtown lights. Most of the shops were closed and only a few bars remained open for patrons. Turning down the alley his car was parked, I couldn’t help
but
grin at the night we had. Never in my wildes
t expectations had I imagined a night like this
. I felt I could ride on the emotion
al
high for months.

Lost in blissful happiness
I
was shocked when I
felt Gavin stiffen beside
.
B
efore I realized what has caused him to become alarmed
, I heard
t
he extra
shoes cla
nking behind us along with the sporadic laughter. Not a pleasing laughter either, it was the kind that made my skin crawl and my stomach lurch in fear. Taking a quick glance over my shoulders, I saw the three shado
wy figures trailing us.

“Keep walking,” Gavin whispered in my ear, drawing me closer to him.

Their footsteps echoing throughout the alley started to pickup speed as they realized we made them. I snuck another peek over my shoulder. An instinctual action I couldn’t stop. Like in the horror movies Tori, Austin and I were always watching, the girl who got sliced was always checking over her shoulder at her attacker. We would yell at the gi
rl on the screen who never failed to get sliced and diced
.

They had covered more ground than I had imagined. If we didn’t start running they were going to catch us.
I started to pant from fear and trying to keep up with Gavin’s long strides.

“Hey waitu
up
p,” one of the guys called out from behind us, slurring his words. “We only want
ss
to talk.”

They had obviously been drinking if their inability to
speak
was any indicator.

“Stay behind
me
,” Gavin or
dered as be pushed me behind his back
.

My hand grasped his forearm and his muscled bunched under my fingers. “Gavin
don’t,” I pleaded when I realized his intent. I got that he was a witch, but three on one were not very good odds – witch or not, I didn’t want him getting hurt.

“Bri. I am serious.” His voice was one I’d never heard before – hard and unyielding. “Stay out of the way. You got that?” He looked quickly over at me
to make sure I got his point
. His eyes were pools of blazing blue fire. They radiated with danger, anger and something darker.

I gulped and nodded.

“Hmmm what do we have hear
.
”
T
he one with light hair said as the
y
stopped in front of us. “Isn’t she something.”

I shivered at the
hunger
in his tone, like a starved stray. He hadn’t even so much as finished his sentence when he was thrown up against the brick wall by
what appeared to be nothing but
air and knocked unconscious to the concrete ground.
I flinched at the sound of
his body cracking from impact
.

“What the hell.
”
O
ne of the other two
said confused at his unmoving friend.
A moment later the two of them charged at Gavin.

A scream ripped from my throat at the antici
pation of them attacking
him
. The sound bounced off the narrow brick walls.
Before either of them had their hands on him, they were withering on the floor gasping for air. Their hands went to their necks, eyes bulging and fear of death imminent in their eyes.
Gavin stood over them, the
space
surrounding him crackled with power.