Twisted Magic (5 page)

This girl was grating on my nerves. It was one thing to have magical capabilities, but to
barge in
on other people’s privacy that was going
too
far. She
officially rubbed
me the wrong way. I spun around and glared at her. “
Wouldn’t you know that already? Seeing you seem to think you know everything else about me now?”

“We haven’t talked about the rules.”

I shrugged. “I don’t care. I no longer care
for
the rules. I don’t want to hear the rules from some nosy girl with boundary issues. Slade can tell me the rules.”
There I told her.

I headed down the boardwalk to my house. I shoved
my
ear buds
back
in my ears and turned my
iPod up
to the highest volume. Blocking out my
frustration
for Audrey as I walked home, suddenly I was falling forward before I knew what the cause could be. I threw
my hands
out to
take the brunt of the impact, my knees scraping across the concrete.

She yanked my
ear buds
from my ears with one swift pull and returned her hands to her hips.

My mind was reeling with a million insults. I stared down at my bleeding knees, the pain continuous.

“You’re a part of a coven now. It would do you good to treat your equals with more respect.
You’re
not a girl
anymore. You're
a witch. And no matter how you came to be one you now are responsible for acting like one.”

“
Did you get the
memo, b
ecause
you’re acting more like a
bitch.
” I glared at her, understanding that I just hurled a big insult at the catty wench. She had skills that I could only dream to possess one day. I made pudding
cups. She
set fires and saw people’s lives—even the parts they kept hidden. I now regretted the insult.

“Sticks and stones, Hope.”

***

I tied my hair up in a messy bun, exhausted with having to deal with Audrey for the majority of the afternoon.

“Did any of that make sense?” She snapped.

I leaned back on my porch steps.
“Respect.
I am to respect
all the members of the coven. Always have their backs and respect the powers I have.”

“Right,” Audrey said with a nod. “You never talk about the coven with anyone either.”

“Kind of like fight club?”
I asked, smirking. “First rule of fight club, never talk about fight club?”

Her baffled expression told me she had no idea what I was talking about.
“You never want the outsiders knowing who you are. Nobody will understand and this always ends
causing
major problems for all of us.”

“Outsiders,” I repeated. She talked as if we were aliens from another planet. I was still
Hope
.

“Yes. Outsiders, people unlike
us, you're different.
You’re not
like everyone else anymore. You should be happy about that.” She shot me a look. “I saw your life it was pathetic.”

I opened my mouth to hurl an insult in her direction, but was stopped by Slade as he took a seat between the two of us.

“She gets your rules, Audrey. So get out of here and leave her alone,” he said, he wasn’t beating around the bush with Audrey. It was nice to see someone not backing down to
her
. I got the feeling she was use
d
to getting her way.

“She needs to know these things. A lot is at stake if your girlfriend gossips around town about what she is.” Audrey glared at me, even more
bitterly
then before now that Slade was here.

“Hope isn’t an idiot. She will keep her mouth shut. She’ll act like none of this ever happened. She isn’t looking to be part of this.” Slade informed her.

However,
I
was
part of this. I had no choice. What was Slade saying?

“She is part of this. Just like you, Oz, Kidd, Lucy, Erica and that bum Lucy
runs
around with.” Audrey stood up. “
Everybody
doesn’t live in denial about what they are like you, Slade.”

Slade smirked
amused. I
looked between the two of them listening intently. She thought he was in denial.

“I don’t let
the power
go to my head. If
you’re
upset about
that,
take it up with someone who cares. Your
father knows where I stand. H
e knows I am grateful for his help. If not for
your
father I would be dead,” Slade said, standing firm with his refusal to give in to Audrey.

She turned her nose up, walking down the porch steps. “My father isn’t always going to be so patient with you.
”

“Your father and I are none of your business. So daddy told you to run down to Cherry and pick on the new girl.
You’re
forgetting one important thing. The new girl is
my
problem.”

I raised an eyebrow.
Problem?
I was a problem. My feelings were hurt. I crossed my arms and let out a sigh. Audrey finally was gone and now an uncomfortable silence was all around us.

Slade turned to me. He stroked my cheek with his hand and sighed. “I don’t think you’re a problem.”

As if that was
supposed to
make me feel better.
“Good to know.
Nevertheless,
those were your words.”

His fingers slipped into my hair. He stroked the back of my head with his hand. His
eye's
dark, his lip ring glowing in the sunlight. He licked his lips
,
moving in and stealing a kiss from my lips.

My stomach flipped with excitement. I was glad to be thinking about something else rather than Audrey. He bit my lip, our kiss intensifying to a dizzying level. I gripped his shirt, the sexual tension making my body ache. His tongue slipped past my teeth dancing with mine.

“Do you still think I think you’re a problem?” He pressed his forehead against mine, breathing heavy. He too was just as turned on by our kiss. I squeezed his fingers, shaking my head no.

I cut the shower off, grabbing the towel from the rack and stepped out
. I
dried
myself off and threw on my shorts and purple t-shirt
. I
swiped
the mirror to clear the
haze
,
suddenly
I felt compelled to try magic. If I ever was going to feel less small around Audrey or anyone with powers I would have to learn
how to control my own powers
.

I shook my hands, turning my head from side to side, whatever witches did before they cast a
spell,
I
wasn’t sure. For
me,
there
weren't
any spells involved. I thought about what it was I wanted to
do,
and sometimes it happened.

I took a deep breath,
and
exhal
ed,
envision
ing
the mirror clear. I gave it a look and was
saddened
to see the condensation still clinging.

“Okay, clear the mirror,” I said. I squinted my eyes, as if that was
supposed
to
throw
magic all over the
bathroom, s
nothing. “Clear the mirror.” This time I said it loud and with a lot of
enthusiasm
. The mirror shattered
,
spilling shards of glass all
over the place
.

I shook my head
,
irritated. There was a knock on the door.

“I’m fine,” I told whoever was on the other side.

“Shattered glass is never fine,” Karsen said from the other side.

I unlocked the door.
She
stepped inside staring at the mess. She
dramatically
whistle
d
. “Your dad is going to kill you.”

I ignored her
assumption
heading to the kitchen for a broom and dustpan.

“Well
,
now that I know you weren’t in there wreaking havoc, are you going to the bonfire?” She asked. She took an apple from the fruit basket on the counter. Dad never liked fruit, it was
just
another
indication
that Lynette was still around. I pushed that aside and dealt with the now.

“I didn’t know about a
ny
bonfire.” I started down the hall. Was I out of the loop about everything
happening
anymore?

“
T
hey are having a bonfire on the beach. Even Erica is going to be there.” Karsen told me. “Although
,
I am
not sure about Lucy,
did I tell you
I like
her.
S
he’s a really great lady.”

I nodded
, agreeing with her
.
I used to enjoy Lucy too.
But,
now I didn’t see her
since
Slade was hanging solo in the tour bus.
This was a
nother thing I wanted to talk to him about as soon as we had a moment alone—without our lips connected together.

“Lucy is great.” I admitted. “Did Kidd say anyone else was going to be there?”

Karsen raised an eyebrow confused.
“
Such as who…
Slade?”

I shook my head. “Audrey.”

“Audrey…that doesn’t
ring a bell, w
ho is
that
?”
Karsen
grabbed
the dustpan
, holding her apple in her free hand
,
helping me
gather
the glass. “Is this the reason
you’re
in such a foul mood?”

I glared at her. “Why do you say that?”
Why did she always assume I was in a bad mood? I reminded myself I was glaring at her and realized it was easy for her to assume.

Karsen concentrated on the glass
trying to avoid talking about it anymore
. “I didn’t say anything. You seem
different
is
all.
”

“I
just
broke the
mirror. I
am hearing from you about a bonfire that my
so-
called boyfriend
didn’t tell me about. What
should
I act like?” I frowned.

Karsen left, walking the dustpan to the trash can in the kitchen. Seconds later I heard the rattle of glass falling into the
trash can.

She returned.
“Is there something you want to talk to me about? Is there anything on your mind?” Karsen rested the dustpan on the sink
giving me her full attention
. “You don’t seem yourself.”

If you only knew.
When Karsen
left,
and my life took a turn for the fatal I never told her what happened that night. Nobody knew besides
Slade,
and his family
knew
what actually happened. And I wanted to keep it that way. I didn’t want Karsen scared of me or
anything,
for that matter
. So the secret of who I was would stay just that—a secret.

I
gave
my trademark Hope smile. “I’
m fine, p
robably just about to start my period or something.” I laughed, and that was enough to make Karsen forget my mood.

“Do you think I should wear a dress tonight?” Karsen said, wagging her eyebrows wildly. “Kidd loves me in a dress.”

I swept the last of the glass up. “How are things with you and Kidd?”
She was my best friend. I still cared about her love life even if mine sucked.

A dreamy smile swept across her face. Proving things were just as great as she was about to tell me. “He’s the greatest guy I ever met. And I’m not being sarcastic.”

I leaned against the counter. “I believe you. I can tell.”

Karsen grabbed my hand pulling me into my bedroom. “I don’t think
a
break is
going to be long enough. I’m thinking of transferring
schools,
so we can see each other all the time.”