 
# Coven

### Of Witches and Demons 1

## Lacey Weatherford

**Coven**

**Of Witches and Demons 1**

**Copyright © 2014 Moonstruck Media**

**and Lacey Weatherford**

Edited by Weathergirls Editing & Proofreading

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published by **Moonstruck Media** , Arizona

Smashwords Edition

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. 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.

This book is available in both ebook and print formats.

### Contents

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Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

###

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Books by Lacey Weatherford

Acknowledgments

About the Author

# Free eBooks

He's the bad boy partier with a really BIG secret. She's the talented girl with BIG dreams for the future. Neither of them wants a relationship. But sometimes fate has a different plan.

Full of teen angst, love, humor, drama, jealousy, drug dealers, even a murder . . . a lot more is going on in the halls of this high school than meets the eye.

* * *

**The Crush series** is a #1 International and _USA Today_ bestseller, published in multiple languages. Join our mailing list to get your FREE copies of the first two books in the series today!

LaceyWeatherford.com
_For my best #ManFan, Kyle Peck. If everyone had your heart of gold and zest for life the world would be nearly perfect! Keep surviving! The happiness and friendship you bring to so many is a gift!_

# Prologue

**_Vance Mangum-_**

* * *

Staring at my wife, Portia, compassionately, my heart twisted with every moan that escaped her lips. Sweat beaded on her forehead, plastering stray strands of thick black hair against it.

"I can't do it anymore," she said, panting, her eyes staring at me, mournfully.

"Yes, you can," I encouraged her. "You're doing great. It won't be long now."

Portia's mother, Stacey, continued to wipe Portia's face with a damp cloth in an attempt to help cool her. "You're so close now, sweetheart. Just a few more pushes, and you get to meet your new baby."

"Let us know when you feel the next contraction," Krista, my mom, whispered with a smile. "We'll help you."

Gratitude infused me. I was so grateful to have both of them here. Yes, my medical training included childbirth; but it was one thing to practice on a dummy and another to actually deliver your own baby. Adrenaline coursed through me.

"The next one's starting." Portia grimaced.

Stacey and my mom each grabbed one of her legs, lifting.

"Okay. Pull your knees to your chest and push," I instructed, watching carefully. I couldn't help the wide smile that creased my face. "I can see the head, baby. She's got lots of dark hair."

Anticipation built inside me. I knew my daughter was about to be delivered at any second.

"Ahhhh!" Portia cried out. "It burns."

"That's normal, honey," Stacey said. "Just keep pushing through it."

With a pop and a gush, the head came out.

"That's good!" I said, swiftly rotating the small infant and helping to guide her shoulders out. In one whoosh, she suddenly slipped into my waiting hands. Tears filled my eyes as I quickly suctioned her mouth and nose and began cutting and clamping the cord, making sure to note the time. It was 9:42 PM on April 2nd. My birthday.

Rubbing the baby briskly with a towel, I did my best to stimulate her into crying and opening up those lungs. I couldn't help grinning as a loud wail filled the room. Lifting her for Portia to see, I said, "Mommy, meet Kenna." Tears continued to leak from my eyes.

"Oh my gosh! She's so beautiful!" Portia replied with a sob. "I can't believe she's finally here."

Stacey and my mom were both beaming, with tears streaming down their faces.

"You want to hold her?" I asked Portia, and she nodded, reaching out.

Suddenly, an old, almost foreign, sensation hit me hard, and I gasped.

"What is it?" Mom asked, staring at me quizzically; but I was already lost.

The scent of a fresh-blooded witch wafted into my nostrils—a scent surprisingly like Portia's. Immediately, my teeth lengthened in anticipation of a drink long denied. Unable to help myself, I felt the demon warlock take over, and all I could think of was having a sip of my baby's blood.

"No!" My mom screamed, lunging for me; but I was too swift, yanking the infant away.

Breathing heavily, I fought to control the raging desire to feed. The long-dormant monster inside me lifted the small child nearer, unable to deny the heady aroma. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably.

Giving in, I leaned closer, shielding the baby from the grandmothers who were beating on my back. I was so close, just a hairsbreadth away from something so delicious.

I opened my mouth.

Suddenly, the baby burst into flames.

Shocked, I yanked back, the surprise knocking me from my bloodlust as I stared at her in wonder.

"Oh my gosh!" My mom gasped, taking a step back from the roaring inferno in my arms. "She's manifesting!"

"I thought children weren't born with unleashed powers," Stacey said, eyes wide.

"They aren't," my mom replied. "I've never heard of this happening."

"Vance?" Portia's questioning voice caused me to turn and look at her.

"She's a fire witch—like me," I said in awe. "She's protecting herself. I can hear what she's thinking." Laughing, I stared at the flaming bundle, drawing her to my chest and holding her close. "She felt the bloodlust in me and knew she was in danger."

Portia stared at us both, her eyes showing a mixture of wonder and worry. It was at that moment I realized I could no longer hear Portia's thoughts. Apparently, the baby was the one who'd formed the connection between us. Now that she was delivered, the mental connection with my human wife had been severed, and I immediately mourned the loss. I loved being linked with Portia in that way.

Holding the infant out in front of me, I stared down at her flaming body. "I won't hurt you," I promised. "Daddy loves you. You just took me by surprise."

Instantly, the flames went out, and I laughed, realizing she believed me—trusted me. It made my heart soar.

Slowly, I extended her toward Portia.

"Wait! What if she bursts into flames?" Stacey asked in alarm. "Portia isn't magical anymore. She could be greatly harmed."

Smiling, I shook my head. "No. Portia is her mommy. She won't hurt her." Confidently, I placed the baby in my wife's arms.

More tears fell from her eyes as she happily held her child for the first time. "Hello, sweet Kenna. Momma loves you."

An overwhelming abundance of love suddenly burst through me, and I realized it was coming from Kenna.

"She loves you, too," I said. "So much that I'm not even sure how to describe it."

My mom and Stacey kept glancing back and forth between my wife and me, looking as wholly bewildered, as I felt.

"I think we're going to need to raise her somewhere else," I said with a slight laugh. "Somewhere away from society."

My mom nodded. "I agree. It'd be tough to explain away her spontaneously combusting in the middle of an outing or something."

"Very hard." I didn't care what I needed to do to protect my family. As long as we were together, that was all that mattered.

Leaning over, I brushed my lips against Portia's head. "You're a beautiful mother," I whispered.

She eyed me with concern. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

I nodded. "I will be. It just caught me unaware. I wasn't prepared for it. From now on, I will be. I give you both my word."

Sighing, she visibly relaxed. "I simply want us all to be happy."

"We will be, baby," I replied, kissing her head, again, and reaching out to pat my tiny daughter in her arms. "We will be."

# 1

**_Kenna Mangum-_**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, Kenna?" My dad stared at me from the driver's seat, worry and concern clearly etched on his face. "It's not too late to change your mind, you know. I can turn the car around, and we can drive home right now."

Laughing, I shook my head. "You just moved our entire family across the United States to give me this opportunity, and now you're trying to talk me out of it?"

He smiled slightly, but it didn't erase the worry from his eyes. "I'm just nervous. You've never been out in public on your own before. If there were a problem, it would take time to reach you. That makes me uncomfortable."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Dad, I can easily kick the ass of every person in that building, and you know it. You trained me well."

Eyes softening, he smiled a bit wider. "Watch your language, young lady. I know you can, but you can never be too careful." Reaching out, he stroked my dark hair. "You're the most important person in the world to your mother and me. I promised her I'd protect you from all the evil out there, and I intend to keep my word."

Leaning over, I briefly kissed him on the cheek. "And you've done a fantastic job, so far. Now it's time to trust me and let me grow up a little. I want to live this—experience this—for myself. It's the only senior year I'll have, and it's my last chance to experience public high school. I'm tired of homeschooling, and I want to meet people my own age."

"I know. And I don't mean to push my own insecurities off on you, but I'm of the opinion 'better safe than sorry.'"

"Dad." I dragged the word out. "How many times have we had this conversation? I'm not going to change my mind. You know that, or you wouldn't have moved here. And honestly, how much more can we blend in? We live in frickin' Salem, Massachusetts. I could stand on the corner and scream at the top of my lungs that I'm a witch, and no one would even blink twice. The school mascot is the Salem Witches for crying out loud—I'm fairly sure you picked the absolute best location on the planet for a family of witches to blend in."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "When did you become so logical?"

"The day I was born," I teased. "And I'm pretty sure I got it from you."

"No, I think your mom is the more logical one in our relationship."

"Which is why I think I got it from you . . . she still has hers." I couldn't help my grin, and he laughed even more.

"Get out of the car, smartass."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "Watch your language," I mimicked, reaching for the door handle. "I love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, Firecracker. Have a good day, and be safe. I'll be here to pick you up afterward. Maybe we can work on your motorcycle later if you don't have too much homework."

"I'd like that," I said, meaning every word. My dad was one of the most sought-after custom motorcycle designers around—and he'd taught me everything he knew about them. I loved bikes! Working on them together was always something I looked forward to; so, when he asked if I'd like to build a custom bike for myself with him, I jumped at the chance. I couldn't wait to finish it and start riding it to school.

Shutting the door behind me, I waved as he drove away before turning to face the reddish-orange brick school. Except for briefly meeting the principal and a secretary, who helped me register, I didn't know a soul here. The principal, Mr. Walters, had given me special permission to try out late for the cheer squad, and I was super excited about that.

I may have been homeschooled up to this point, but my parents were . . . well, they were loaded when it came to money; so no expense had been spared in my education. Learning how to dance was a big deal to me when I was younger, so my dad found a witch qualified to give me lessons. Since this school didn't have any dance classes, I really wanted a shot at the cheer line/dance team, so I could keep doing the thing I loved.

Straightening, I made my way toward the front doors, not really making eye contact with anyone as I surveyed the other students going the same direction. I clutched my spiral notebooks, the paper bag holding my lunch, and my schedule as if they were life preservers that would protect me in this sea of newness.

Reaching the door, I was surprised when a short, but cute, guy paused, holding it open for me. "Thanks," I muttered, as I stepped through.

"The pleasure was all mine," he replied, continuing to eye me like I was fresh meat. Then again, I guess I was.

Choosing to ignore Captain-Way-Too-Obvious, I continued into the building, glancing down at the sheet of paper in my hand, which had my locker number and combination. I didn't really need it since I already had it memorized. Still, I carried it around mainly for security, in case anyone needed proof that I was in the right place. Plus, it was something to hold on to.

There was no sense in lying to myself, I was nervous, but I wasn't afraid. I hadn't really had the chance to interact with anyone my own age for like—ever. Not that I regretted my childhood. I understood why my parents felt it necessary to raise me in the middle of an ancient Oregon forest—in a house so warded by magic no one could see it. They did it because they loved me and wanted to protect me, and I loved them for it. But, in spite of everything I'd learned over the years, social interaction was something I never really got to practice. Yes, I'd been to public places with my family, once I'd grown older and understood the consequences of what showing magic to others could do. I just wanted this experience—to make friends, be part of clubs and other activities. I wanted to be social and have a reason for a cell phone and be a part of all the other great things people were into.

Smiling slightly, I thought of the new phone in my bag. I'd even set up a Facebook and Instagram account already, in the hopes of meeting new people. It was funny how I never needed a phone before. I was always with one of my parents, if not both of them. And, on the rare occasions I'd been home alone, I had direct access to my dad through the mental connection we shared. There was never any need for a phone unless I was calling one of my grandmas, and then I just used one of my parents' phones.

Recalling my extrasensory mental abilities, I used them to quickly scan the crowded hall in front of me. I wondered if I could read anyone's thoughts the way my dad had been able to read my mom's when they first met.

However, only silence greeted me. Oh well, it was probably unrealistic to hope that I'd get to go to a real school _and_ meet my soul mate on the very first day. Better to stick with one thing at a time—friends first.

With that thought in mind, I began paying attention to the auras surrounding the people I passed. Seeing auras would greatly aid me in finding nice people to hang around with. I could easily see who the bitchy people were by their dark brown characteristics, which were usually flecked with red. The friendly people stood out with their multi-colored ones, but I looked specifically for purples, whites, and pinks. Those would be people who had a lot in common with me. They would have natural intuition or psychic abilities—even if they didn't know it. People of those colors would be more apt to believe things about my life if there were ever a need for them to know. According to my mom, there were definitely advantages to being a witch with friends who understood you. Not that she was actually encouraging me to tell anyone our secret.

I located my locker and pretended not to notice the glances cast in my direction. It didn't offend me since I knew being the new girl would pique people's interest. As long as they didn't mind me staring back on occasion, everything should be fine. All of this was so different and fascinating to me.

Twirling out the combination, I quickly had the locker open and was able to store some of my things inside. I was pretty sure Mom and I had gone slightly overboard on the school shopping. I had notebooks in every color, along with coordinating pens and pencils organized into multicolored containers, plus a cute, magnetic locker mirror, so I could check my makeup.

"That's quite a supply you've got in there," a male voice said over my shoulder. "Now I know who to come to if I ever forget to bring a pen or pencil."

Turning, I stared at the tall, sandy blond-haired guy beside me. _Hot damn_. He was really good looking, and he had incredible green eyes. Despite imagining a moment like this forever, I suddenly found myself completely tongue-tied and scrambling for something to say. Thankfully he started talking once more, sparing me the embarrassment of not replying.

"I'm Seth Masterson, by the way—your new neighbor."

_Neighbor?_ I quickly tried to picture the houses that were nearest to our new place, wondering which one he belonged to. I suddenly realized I still wasn't speaking.

Shifting my bag back up on my shoulder, I extended my hand. "Kenna Mangum. It's nice to meet you. Which house is yours? I'm still trying to get familiar with our street."

Seth chuckled and nodded toward the lockers. "I meant I was your new locker neighbor."

"Oh!" I felt stupid. So much for making a good first impression, I guess.

Seth slipped his hand into mine, shaking it. Immediately, trails of warmth traveled up my arm, something I'd not been expecting. It was almost magical. Unable to help myself, I began studying his aura, noticing lots of pink and purple in it, but there were flecks of dark spots that confused me. Maybe he had a temper? Or perhaps he struggled with something? I couldn't figure out what was going on with him.

"Are you all right?" Seth asked; and I snapped out of my musings, heat flushing my skin as I realized how hard I'd been staring at him. We were still holding hands.

Immediately I dropped mine, flustered. "I, uh, sorry." He was going to think I was a nut job. I quickly tried to think of something to explain my behavior, but then decided to go with the truth. Laughing, I shook my head. "No, I'm not all right, actually. I'm on sensory overload, a little. I've been homeschooled my whole life because my family used to live in a very remote area." Okay, so it wasn't the complete truth, but it was still valid. "This is my first year at public school, and I've never really had the opportunity to hang out with kids my own age before. I don't know anyone here. I didn't mean to be rude. You just caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting anyone to talk to me."

Turning, Seth opened his locker and tossed some things inside. "That makes total sense, and you didn't offend me. I thought maybe my natural charisma made you dumbfounded." Shutting his locker, he turned and leaned against it, staring at me with a slight smile. "Guess I was wrong."

Sighing, I smiled back and shook my head slightly. "You're not wrong _." Oh my gosh! Did I actually say that?_ The guy was a complete stranger. If he didn't think I was crazy before, he definitely would now.

Instead of running for the hills, Seth flashed me a full-on, broad smile. Dear heaven above, I could feel my heart doing this weird flip-floppy thing inside me. If I thought he was good looking before, his smile made him even a thousand times more. Briefly, I wondered how many other unsuspecting females had fallen prey to that perfect grin.

"I think I like you," Seth said with a chuckle. "You're so straightforward. It's kind of refreshing." Some of those dark flecks in his aura grew, giving a hint to the fact that something about less-than-straightforward people bugged him. "What's your first class?"

"English," I replied. "Creative writing, actually." I'd chosen that class because I loved writing. It didn't matter if it was spells, magical lessons I'd learned and copied into my Book of Shadows, or simply writing in general. I couldn't get enough of it. I had notebooks filled with short romance stories I'd written over the years in my spare time. They were mostly fan fiction based on movies and television shows I'd seen, or favorite characters from books I'd read. There was only so much a person could do out in the middle of the woods. I got creative with how I spent my time.

"With Mrs. Parker or Mrs. Thompson?" he asked, bringing me back to the present.

Glancing at my schedule, I looked for the teacher's name. "Um, Parker." I turned the paper so he could see.

"Well, now I have a reason to enjoy that class. I hate writing, but all the other English classes were full." He continued to study my paper. "Looks like we have some other classes together, too. I'm in this math class and biology."

I smiled. "That's cool. I'll at least know one person now."

Seth continued to smile, his eyes drifting not so subtly over me before returning to my face. "I'd be happy to introduce you to more people if you'd like. Come on. I'll walk you to class."

Shutting my locker, I fell into step beside him, casting a quick glance over at him when he wasn't paying attention. So far, today was looking pretty good.

# 2

"Hey, neighbor. How'd the rest of your morning classes go? Did you survive?" Seth spoke as he stepped beside me and began twirling out his locker combination.

Smiling, I nodded. "I think it went okay. Everyone I've met seems pretty nice, so far. I have a ton of homework already, though. I'm not too thrilled about that."

Seth tossed his belongings inside and slammed his locker shut before turning to look at me. "Damn those teachers. I swear every single one loves to pile on the homework. I guess they think we don't have better things to do."

"I really don't have anything better to do," I admitted, sounding like a complete loser. "I mean, since I don't really know anyone, or what there is to do around here, that is."

Glancing over me, Seth smiled. "I can help change some of that. Do you have lunch plans?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I was going to find the cafeteria and see if the food looks any good. I brought lunch for today, though, in case it was unappealing."

Giving a disgusted sounding snort, Seth shook his head. "You don't want to waste your time in that place. Why don't you come with me and I'll introduce you to some of my friends? We hang out at lunch together every day."

A secret burst of joy shot through me at the invitation, and I couldn't help my wide smile. "I'd really like that. Thank you." I shifted my purse strap higher onto my shoulder.

Seth grinned wider, too, his eyes never leaving my face, zeroing in on my mouth.

"What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious and wondering if perhaps there was some of my breakfast still stuck in my teeth.

"Nothing," he replied, still grinning. "You're just really pretty."

I didn't want to blush, but his remark caught me off guard, and I quickly tried to stutter out an appropriate reply. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

He laughed. "Did you just call me pretty?"

"I . . . I, uh, didn't mean to. That's not what I meant." Dang it. Social bantering was so not my thing.

Leaning closer, he nudged my shoulder with his and winked. "I know. I'm just enjoying giving you a hard time." Having no clue what to say to that, I simply continued to grin like an idiot, feeling way out of my element. Thankfully, he didn't seem too intent on continuing the torture. "Come on, let's go."

"What kind of car do you have?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going so it wouldn't feel awkward.

Seth's eyes lit up as he turned to look at me. "A black 1966 Plymouth Barracuda with gray racing stripes. I love old-school muscle cars."

"Did you restore it?"

"No. My dad bought it off a guy when I was about thirteen, and he restored it. He gave it to me when I got my license."

"Nice dad."

"He has his moments," Seth agreed, but immediately I noticed a change in his aura. "What about you? What do you drive?"

"Actually, I'm more of a motorcycle girl," I replied, enjoying the look of surprise on his face.

"Seriously? Like to ride or drive?" He seemed completely interested.

"Both. My dad restores and designs them. We've been building a custom one for me, together."

"For real?" he asked again, and I could tell he was seeing me in a new light. Maybe most girls weren't into mechanics like I was. Smiling at his incredulous look, I nodded. "That's awesome," he continued. "I'd love to see it sometime, if that's okay with you."

It was so much more than okay. "I'd like that," I replied, feeling all warm and fuzzy over our bonding moment. My first impressions of Seth were all good ones, so far.

Seth held the door open for me, adding "gentleman" to his repertoire, and we exited outside. Immediately, I knew which car on the lot was his. The black paint and chrome glistened in the light of high noon, showcasing the car beautifully.

"What do you think?" he asked, nodding in the direction of the vehicle.

"Looks pretty cherry to me."

"Cherry." Seth chuckled. "I think you and I are going to get along fine."

_Gosh, I hope so,_ I thought to myself, wisely choosing to keep my mouth shut while continuing to stare at the car as we walked toward it.

Arriving, Seth led me around to the passenger side and opened the door. I'd seen my dad do the same for my mom and me at least a million times, but having a guy, who was definitely not my dad, do it for me made my heart flutter a little. I wondered if Seth was always this polite.

As soon as he joined me inside, he fired up the engine, and it purred smoothly as he backed out of the parking spot.

"So, what other things might I find surprising about you?" he asked casually, causing my heart to race for an entirely different reason. I wondered what he'd say if he knew I was a witch, as in a real witch that actually did extraordinary magic.

"I'm a pretty kick-ass fighter." I volunteered instead.

"Fighter?" He sounded confused. "Like karate or something?"

"Like put me in front of any opponent, and I will kick their ass."

Brow furrowing, he glanced over at me. "I don't know you well enough to know if you're teasing me or not."

I laughed. "I'm not teasing. My dad is . . . Well, let's just say life hasn't always thrown the best of things at him. He had to learn to be tough. Because of his experiences, he wanted me to be tough, too, and to know how to take care of myself."

"So, you've had defense classes then?" Seth asked, still not getting at all what I meant.

"Yeah, something like that," I agreed, deciding not to press the issue. Hopefully, there would never be a need to use those skills, anyway. "What about you? Do you ever do any fighting?"

"Only if you count tackling guys on a football field fighting."

"You play? Offense or defense?" I loved football—at least I thought I did after watching games on television with my dad, occasionally.

"Defensive tackle, when I play both ways, that is. Normally I'm the quarterback. You like football?"

"I do. Well, I've only actually ever watched it on television. But I have permission to do a special tryout for the cheer team after school today. I've taken dance lessons most of my life, but your cheer line is the closest thing your school has to a dance class. If I make it, I'll get to cheer and do the half-time routines at the games."

"Well, I hope you do. It would be awesome to have you there."

Instantly, I felt the strange feeling of heat creep back into my face. I didn't know why I was blushing, but I was absurdly pleased that Seth wanted me at his sporting events.

"So, where are we going to eat?" My random subject change was totally obvious, but I really did want to know where we were going. In all honesty, Seth had put me so completely at ease I hadn't even thought twice about jumping into a car with someone I'd just barely met. For all I knew, he could be taking me somewhere to accost me. I could practically hear my dad berating me for not being cautious enough. I needed to pay better attention to my surroundings and be aware like he taught me.

"To a great Italian restaurant my best friend's family owns down on the Waterfront called Nicolazzo's. It's a pretty awesome place—mostly Italian food, but they do offer some Irish dishes, too."

"That's an interesting combination. Is that your friend's last name? Nicolazzo?"

"No. Blackstone is their last name, actually. My friend's name is Jett. He'll be there, and I'll introduce you. He goes to school with us, too." Seth turned the car down another street, and I could see flashes of the water between the buildings. "His dad is Irish, and his mom is Italian. Nicolazzo is her maiden name. I guess her father has a family restaurant with the same name back in Italy, where she was raised. Her dad let her bring all his recipes to start her own place, here, after she got married. The restaurant is divided in two—the downstairs is more of the fine dining side, and the upstairs is more casual, kind of a pizza parlor, fun, hang-out place. They have pool tables, a few arcade games, darts, and a jukebox. They do pizza-by-the-slice for the high school lunch crowd."

"Sounds awesome." My stomach chose that moment to rumble, quietly enough that Seth didn't seem to notice, thank goodness. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until right now. "Does your friend play football with you, too?"

Seth nodded. "Yep. You'll meet him and his girlfriend, Megan. Don't let her get under your skin. She can be slightly bitchy. That's just her personality."

_Wonderful,_ I thought to myself. Hopefully, I'd find some common ground with her. I didn't want to make enemies on my first day.

"There'll be some other guys from the team, too, and some of the cheerleaders. I'll introduce you to them, so you know some of the girls before this afternoon."

"Thanks. I'd like that."

Seth maneuvered his car into a parking spot on the street that was clearly marked "reserved." I glanced at him in question, and he grinned.

"One of the perks of knowing the owners." He smiled and turned off the engine. "You ready?"

I nodded and reached for the door handle.

"Wait! I got that." Quickly jumping out, he ran around to my side and opened the door.

"Thanks." I felt flustered again. "You're really polite." Groaning inwardly, I began cussing myself out. _Way to point out the obvious, Kenna._ I stared up at the two-story dark gray building with its many windows encased in white trim. A large red sign hung on the front with gold lettering that read "Nicolazzo's" on it. All sorts of delicious aromas floated in the air, and the hum of voices and clattering silverware tinkled from inside.

"They have patio seating out back, so you can eat and enjoy watching the boats on the waterfront."

"That sounds wonderful. I bet it's beautiful at night."

"It is. All the tables are lit with glass lanterns—it's actually kind of romantic if you like that sort of thing. I'll have to bring you back some time to try their pasta. You'll love it."

I was pretty sure that was a not-so-subtle invitation for real date; and to be honest, I really didn't hate the idea at all. Seth seemed like a pretty awesome guy. "I think that would be fun."

"Then it's a date," he replied, grinning. "If you give me your phone number, I'll text you later, and we can set it up."

"I'm on Facebook and Instagram, also," I added, wondering if I sounded too eager. "I don't really have any friends on it. I'm new."

"Perfect. I'll send you a friend request, and we can message back and forth." He held the door to the restaurant open for me, and I stepped inside, immediately seeing a hostess at a stand inside the door. "We're just going up for lunch, Carrie," Seth added, pointing toward the stairs, and the young woman smiled and nodded.

Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guided me across the room, and we began to climb. I couldn't help sucking in a deep breath of anticipation. I was about to meet a whole bunch of new people.

I hoped they liked me.

# 3

Eyes darting around, I resisted the desire to bounce to the rhythm of the music playing from a jukebox in the corner, instead taking in the ambiance of the place. I loved the polished wood paneling on the walls, sporting more of a seaside motif vs. an Italian one. Artfully strung fishing nets were hung here and there with other seafaring items tacked onto them—everything from starfish and seashells to the steering wheels from the helms of ships. At least I assumed they were off actual boats. They looked old.

At the far end of the room were pool tables with several people crowded around one, watching a couple of guys play. From where I stood, it looked as if the room continued on around the corner, but I couldn't see what else was back there.

Red, vinyl-covered booths outlined two of the interior walls, and wooden tables were randomly placed throughout the middle of the room. There was a long counter with warmers, displaying several different kinds of pizza. They smelled heavenly, and my mouth immediately watered.

"Hungry?" Seth asked, smiling.

I nodded. "Even if I weren't before, I would be after smelling this food."

"Wait until you taste it."

Following him, I grabbed a plate and stepped up to the buffet, finally deciding on a piece with pepperoni and olives. I also grabbed one of the small Caesar salads from a chilling rack and a bottle of water. Joining Seth at the register, I dug in my bag for some cash.

"Both of these," Seth said, gesturing to my food, too, as he retrieved his wallet from his pocket.

"You don't need to do that. I can pay," I protested.

"So can I." Handing the woman some money, he grinned at me. "It's the least I can do after capturing you and making you change your plans."

"It wasn't a big deal, really. I was happy to come." My heart was doing this crazy flip-flop thing every time he smiled at me. I liked it—or him. I enjoyed the way I felt around him. It was kind of like this crazy adrenaline rush. I'd never had a chance to get close to anyone my own age before. Except for the son of my parents' best friends, Brad and Shelly. But he was a couple years younger than me, so that really didn't count. Besides, we didn't get to see them very often.

"This way." Seth nodded toward the corner. Gathering my plate, I quickly followed. "We'll need to come here on the weekend sometime. They have live bands on that small stage over there, and everyone comes to dance."

"I'd love that." I really meant it, too. It was funny how easy I felt with him. For some reason, it seemed perfectly fine for me to follow him around and let him show me things. I quickly spotted a rowdy group of students gathered around two booths that were closest to the stage. They were next to the full windows that looked out over the beautiful harbor and near two French doors that were flung wide open, letting the fresh sea breeze into the establishment. There were more kids outside on the deck.

Seth led me over to the group at the two tables, and several people shifted, moving so there would be a spot for us.

"Who's this?"

Attention immediately riveted on me, but I couldn't drag my eyes away from the guy sitting in the middle of the booth with his arm draped around a stunning brunette. I hardly noticed her as I stared into his piercing blue eyes. My whole posture went rigid under his perusal—and not just because he was extremely good looking, in a sexy, bad-boy type of way. His dark, chin-length hair and scruffy beard growth made him look way too old to be in high school, but none of that mattered to me. What caught my interest was his blazing red aura with a black vein twisting through it, much like the snake tattoo on his arm.

Those were not good colors to get mixed up with. This guy had some serious issues that both intrigued and scared me.

"This is Kenna Mangum," Seth said, obviously unaware of what I could see. "She's new, and I invited her to come and meet all of you. She doesn't know anyone at school, yet."

His words filtered through my subconscious as I continued to stare at this guy, noting how flecks of purple popped up, here and there, in his aura. Purple was an intense color and had several redeeming qualities. Not that reds didn't have some, but red was very dominating and combined with the black, it put me on edge. Black was anger, hate, depression, and basically all negative emotions.

"Kenna, this is my best friend, Jett Blackstone. His parents are the ones who own this place. This is his girlfriend, Megan Cordova. This guy here is Billy Nash . . ." He continued on, naming all the people gathered around.

I didn't hear any of it, still staring at Jett.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," a snotty voice distracted me and finally managed to knock me from my rude behavior. I glanced at the girl sitting beside Jett, taking in her sneer of disdain as she glared at me.

"Sorry." Grasping at straws, I tried to offer an explanation. "I was just trying to remember if I'd forgotten to take my medication today."

"Medication?" Seth asked, immediately resting a hand on my shoulder. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's my daily . . ." Rapidly searching for any kind of medical condition, all I could come up with was the fact that I was the daughter of a demon warlock who was a blood drinker. _Blood! I could have a blood disease._ "Pills for my blood thing . . . My . . . anemia."

"You mean iron pills?" Jett drawled out, still looking relaxed as ever.

_Iron pills. That's what they're called. Damn, I'm an idiot._ "Um, yeah, those." Thankful, when Seth slid into the booth, I quickly moved in right beside him, avoiding any more eye contact. If I were smart, I'd spend the rest of the lunch hour stuffing my mouth full of food so I couldn't speak anymore.

Taking a bite of pizza, I tried to stare anywhere but at this Jett character. I couldn't help it, though. He was intriguing—a puzzle—a mystery I wanted to solve. I was curious to know what kind of secrets he was keeping. I'd never met anyone so closed off.

Thankfully, Jett seemed to be ignoring me, choosing instead to whisper with his girlfriend, interspersing a few kisses here and there.

_Get a room,_ I thought, wondering if everyone here was so relaxed with public displays of affection. It didn't seem to be bothering anyone else. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't think I should know what someone's tongue looked like barely a minute after meeting them. Megan seemed to be enjoying whatever he was doing with it, though. _Hmmm. More power to them, I guess._

"Are you the new girl who's trying out for the cheer squad this afternoon?" an adorable, all-American, blonde girl asked me. I knew Seth had told me her name, but I couldn't recall it.

"Yeah, I am. Are you on the team?" I smiled, hoping I appeared friendly.

"We all are," she replied, gesturing to the girls present—including Ms. Diva, who was hanging on Jett's every gesture. _Wonderful._ "Megan is the team captain. Since tryouts have already happened, the entire team had to give permission for you to try out. We also get to judge you, along with our coach, and a few of the faculty. It has to be a unanimous vote for you to get on."

Well, there went my chances. I was pretty sure Megan had already made up her mind to hate me from the scowling looks she kept sending my direction. I felt like I was in the remake of a bad high school movie. She was so cliché, hanging onto Jett like he was her lifeline. I wanted to jump up and say, "I get it. He belongs to you." _And you can keep him,_ I added as an afterthought.

Instead, I responded to Blondie. "Well, then, I hope you'll all see something you like. What was your name again? I'm sorry. I've met so many people today, it's hard to remember all the names."

"Stephanie Peyton," she said sweetly, extending her hand across the table. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same here." I shook her hand, really meaning what I said. She seemed very easygoing. Her aura was mostly a beautiful orange color, signaling to me her honesty and good heartedness was something that made others comfortable. Oranges were often social creatures, sometimes impatient and a bit quick-tempered, but didn't linger in anger and were quick to extend forgiveness, as well. If Stephanie was anything like her color, she wasn't one to hold grudges. I felt like she was someone I might enjoy getting to know better.

Unlike Megan, who was a muddle of colors that was so muted it mostly resembled dark brown—a hue I religiously tried to avoid, due to the nature of these people. Brown auras suggested deception and selfishness. They were people continually finding fault with others, and I didn't need any more drama in my life.

My family had enough of that to last a lifetime. I wanted—no, I _needed_ this to be a good move for all of us.

"So, why don't you tell us all a bit about yourself?" Seth suggested. "Like how you can fight."

"You fight?" Another guy asked, glancing at me from an adjoining table that had been moved closer.

"Yeah. My dad trained me, starting when I was four."

"What kind of fighting?" another girl asked, interested.

I shrugged, not sure how to explain it. It wasn't like I'd gone to a gym and learned a specific style. My dad had taught me all kinds of safety techniques and ways to protect myself—mostly geared to the magical side of things—like fighting off a demon hell-bent on drinking my blood. Namely him. "I've learned all sorts of styles from all over the world. My dad has traveled a lot."

"That's cool." He turned back to his own table before taking another bite of pizza. That's when I noticed Jett staring at me.

"If you're so good at fighting, how about a challenge?"

Did this guy seriously want to test me? Or was he just trying to get under my skin? "What kind of challenge?"

"I do some fighting, myself. I say you meet me down at the ring, and we have a sparring match."

"The ring?" I asked, confused.

"Are you crazy, man?" Seth piped up. "You can't kick a girl's ass. It's rude."

Jett shrugged. "She says she can fight, so it shouldn't be an issue." His eyes turned back to me. "Unless you're too scared."

"I'm not scared. I just don't want to hurt you," I replied, not backing down.

"Oh, ho!" Several of the guys called out.

"Burn!" someone else shouted.

Jett smiled for the first time since I'd arrived. I didn't think it was possible, but it made him seem even hotter somehow. "It's on then."

"When and where?" I asked, feeling a confident bravado wash over me.

"After football practice this evening. Come to The Ring—it's an actual fitness place. Seth knows where it is. He can get you there since he seems inclined to be your tour guide."

"I don't like this," Seth practically growled.

"Why not?" Jett replied.

"Because I brought her here to make friends with everyone, not so you could beat her up!"

Standing, I gathered my leftovers. "Don't worry, Seth. Nobody is going to beat me up." Turning, I left the group, not even looking to see if he was following.

# 4

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, salty sea air. I concentrated only on my breathing, refusing to let some jackass get me riled up on my first day of school. There was no way I was telling my dad about this. He'd package me up and have me on the next flight to the middle of nowhere. I couldn't go back. It wasn't an option.

No. I simply was going to have to prove myself worthy, it seemed.

The sound of a door closing caused me to open my eyes. Seth was standing there with an apologetic look on his face. I knew he hadn't expected things to go down this way.

"You don't have to do this, you know? There's no reason."

"If I don't, then Jett will always be looking down at me, and so will all his friends."

"I would never look down on you," he replied quietly. "Never."

For some reason, I believed him. "It really is going to be okay. I'm confident I will win."

"He didn't tell you the whole truth."

Uh oh. That didn't sound good. "What do you mean?"

Sighing heavily, Seth glanced around before moving closer and lowering his voice. "Jett fights in underground cage matches. A lot of the kids attend them and place bets. The whole thing is very illegal."

I smiled. "So, you're saying he's good?"

"I'm saying he's really good. He hasn't lost, yet, and he's fought guys a lot more muscular and older than he is."

"Bigger isn't always necessarily better."

"True, but I feel you're way out-matched in this case."

Shrugging, I began walking toward his car. "I guess we will find out tonight."

Those words must have convinced him I wasn't going to back out because he didn't argue. "Well then, I guess you should at least give me your address so I can pick you up."

Reaching around me, he opened the car door, and I started laughing. "So, is this our first 'official date,' then? That's what my parents are going to ask."

"Call it whatever you want, but I know for damn sure I can show you a better time than this."

I patted him on the arm and flashed a smile at him before sliding into the seat. "Don't worry, Seth. You just might have the time of your life tonight."

"Psst."

Ignoring the sound coming from behind me, I continued to study the glossary terms that had been passed out by my history professor. I didn't know anyone in this class, so I was pretty sure no one was talking to me.

"Psst." The sound came again. "New girl."

Slowly, I lifted my head and cast a glance at the teacher, who appeared to have his nose buried in some sort of thriller-ish looking novel. Casually turning, I looked behind me, finding a smiling, slightly flamboyant guy with thick, perfectly spiked dark hair. He was wearing a bright, fuchsia-colored shirt with a black vest over it. A necktie hung, loosely knotted, well below his collar, and his shirtsleeves were loosely rolled up to the three-quarter length. From his slouched position, I could see dark jeans and flat tennis shoes completing the ensemble.

"Yes?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he wanted.

Leaning closer, across the top of his desk, he whispered. "Is it true you're gonna fight Jett Blackstone at The Ring tonight?"

_Seriously? How'd this guy know?_ "Who told you that?" I asked, curious.

Giving a small snort, he waved his hand with an air of dismissal. "Girl, the whole school is talking about it. I'd wager most will be attending."

Something between a strangled laugh and a cry of despair escaped me, catching the attention of the teacher. Lowering his book, Mr. Parson flashed a disapproving stare in my direction, and I immediately dropped my gaze back to the terms in front of me. I couldn't afford to make teachers mad at me on my first day, too.

"Psst," the voice came, again.

Lifting my paper, I turned sideways in the desk and continued staring at my assignment as if I was studying. "What?"

"I think you've got balls, girl."

I had to fight to hold in my laughter. "Thanks. I think."

"It was definitely a compliment."

Smiling, I nodded, continuing to stare at the sheet I was holding.

"My name is Franco Vera, but everyone calls me Frankie."

A quick glance at the teacher told me he was stuck back in his book. "Nice to meet you, Frankie. I'm Kenna Mangum."

"So, who do I put my money on? The hot guy or the new girl?" His eyes positively glittered with excitement.

"I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be putting money on anyone."

"But I am." He glanced over me, measuring me up. "He's got a major size advantage over you."

"Bigger doesn't mean better."

Grinning, he pushed my shoulder and winked. "It does with the important things! Am I right?"

Biting at the grin on my lips, I blushed and shook my head. "I wouldn't know."

"Oh, honey." Staring, he made a tsking sound. "We need to get you a man. Have you met anyone who looks promising, yet?"

Struggling not to burst out laughing, I wondered how the conversation had taken such a crazy turn. "I, um . . . Well, Seth Masterson has been pretty nice to me."

Closing his eyes, Frankie sighed, dreamily, before popping them back open to stare at me. "That is one seriously hunky piece of man-flesh. You have good taste, girlfriend. You know he's Jett's bestie, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm aware."

Rubbing his hands together gleefully, he grinned. "It's all so dreadfully juicy. I can't wait to see how it all unfolds."

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and everyone quickly began exiting the room.

"So, I can count on seeing you there?" I asked him.

"Definitely."

"Then, if you know what's good for you, put your money on me." Turning, I grabbed my books and stood, finding Frankie still sitting there staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied with a slight shake of his head. "Just admiring your confidence."

I laughed. "That confidence is backed with years of training."

"Good luck tonight."

"Who will you be cheering for?" I smiled.

"Why my girl, Kenna, of course. I don't know if you can fight, but you can sure put an outfit together." He waved his finger in a zigzag through the air over me. "Besides, everyone knows it's 'hos before bros.'"

"Are you volunteering to be my ho?" I couldn't help my laughter.

"It's a done deal, sweetheart. I've already decided I like you."

"Awesome. I like you, too." I glanced at the door. "I've got to go."

"Where's your next class? I'll walk with you."

"Gym."

"Hey, me too. It's just two doors down. We can run together if you want."

I shrugged and followed him out of the room. "Sounds good to me."

My blood thrummed with the beat of the music, adrenaline coursing through me as I twirled across the floor in a series of backflips before landing in my final pose. Smiling, I held the position for several seconds before straightening. The sound of applause filled the air. I was excited to see it came from both the judges and the girls on the squad. A quick glance showed me that even Megan was clapping, although it may have been a bit begrudgingly.

"Great job, Kenna," Mrs. Nixon, the cheer advisor, said. "If you wouldn't mind stepping outside while the judges and the girls speak, we will call you back shortly."

Nodding, I smiled and turned toward the door. As soon as I stepped outside, I concentrated my energies and dropped the privacy wall in my head. _"Dad? Are you there?"_

Immediately, the security of my father's emotions washed over me. _"I'm here. Are you ready for me to come pick you up?"_

_"I will be soon. I'm finished with my audition. I'm just waiting for them to deliberate."_

_"How'd it go?"_

_"I nailed it. If they don't put me on, it's because someone doesn't like me."_

_"Well, then, you'll make it for sure; because there isn't a soul on earth that wouldn't like you."_

I could think of a couple. _"You have to say that. You're my dad."_

_"It doesn't make it any less true."_

_"I love you."_

_"Love you too, Firecracker. So, if you do make it, will you need to stay for practice afterward?"_

_"No, they don't have one today, since it's the first day of school. They wanted everyone to get all their classes started, and homework schedules figured out. It will start up tomorrow."_

_"Sounds like a good idea. How was your first day, by the way?"_

_"It was . . . eventful."_

His laughter filled my head. _"Not what you thought it would be?"_

I shook my head and smiled. _"No. I'm pretty sure I had a very romanticized version of what it would be like in my head. I'll tell you about it on the way home."_

_"All right. I'll be on my way shortly. Good luck with your tryout."_

_"Thanks. I'll meet you out on the front sidewalk."_

"Kenna?" Mrs. Nixon stuck her head out the door and smiled. "You can come back in."

Placing my carefully maintained mental barriers back into place, I followed her inside. Standing in front of the judges' table, I waited for her to be seated.

Even though I was pretty sure I was about to receive good news from all the smiles, I still had butterflies in my stomach.

"Well, Kenna," Mrs. Nixon began. "You received very high marks from the judges. Overall, they liked the technical execution of the cheers and routine, as well as your jumps and kicks. Many commented on your nice, bright smile and think that the crowds will enjoy watching you." Setting the stack of papers down, she laced her fingers over the top of them and stared pointedly. "Because this is a late tryout, the existing team members had to vote unanimously in favor of you to join." My butterflies grew stronger as she glanced at the girls sitting cross-legged on the floor in two rows. "After conferring with them, we'd like to welcome you to the team."

A breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding escaped me in a rush, followed quickly by a wide smile. Nodding to the judges, I turned to the girls. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how excited I am to be a part of this."

Mrs. Nixon came to join us. "As you already know, practice resumes tomorrow. Stephanie volunteered to help you get caught up on all our current routines," she added, pointing out the girl I'd met at lunch. "

If you don't mind putting in some extra practice time with her, I think we can get you caught up before the first game in two weeks."

"Sounds good to me. I promise I'll be ready. Again, thank you so much!"

The girls crowded around, shaking my hand, congratulating and introducing themselves. So many names were being thrown at me, I was hopeless to remember them all. I did notice that Megan hung back from the rest of the group, staring at me a bit disdainfully, but I flashed her a smile anyway. I had no problem with her, so there didn't seem to be a reason why she should have one with me. I was grateful she'd voted for me.

As we dispersed, I grabbed my things and began making my way toward the door.

"Wait up, Kenna!" I turned to see Stephanie running toward me. "I'll walk out with you. I wanted to get your number so we can set up practices."

"Awesome," I replied, and we continued on together.

"What's your number and I'll text mine to you."

I quickly rattled it off, glancing around for my dad as we stepped outside, but I didn't see him. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I checked it. "Got it," I said, staring down at the text with her name and number. "Thanks."

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" Stephanie asked.

"No, I've got one. I thought he'd be here already, but he must be running behind." Even as I spoke the words, the sound of a loud motorcycle engine filled the air, and I smiled. He brought the bike.

Coming into view, my dad pulled up at the curb a few feet away and removed his helmet, smiling at me. "You ready?" he called out over the idling engine.

Stephanie leaned in closer, cupping her mouth. "Holy shit! Is that your boyfriend? He is H-O-T!" she said, spelling out hot.

"Ewww!" I groaned. "That's my Dad!"

"Your dad? No freaking way! He doesn't look old enough to be your dad. Are you adopted or something?"

"No." I sighed. "He and my mom both look really young. I guess they age well."

"Dude. They must've had you when they were like twelve. I swear, I'd date that."

My dad laughed, covering it badly with a cough. I knew that despite the distance, he could hear us perfectly. It was one of his abilities.

"Can you please stop drooling over my dad? Hello? Awkward."

"Oh, sorry."

Shaking my head, I started moving toward the bike.

"Call me later," she yelled after me.

"I will." Pausing only to slide my belongings into one of the saddlebags, I climbed on and strapped the extra helmet on before wrapping my arms around Dad's waist. He gunned the engine, pulling quickly away from the curb.

_"Cute girl,"_ he said into my mind.

_"Don't you even start,"_ I warned.

_"She thinks I am H-O-T,"_ he mimicked, and I groaned loudly. _"Yep, I've still got it."_

_"As if mom's affections for you weren't proof enough. You two are like animals constantly in heat."_ I rolled my eyes as his laughter burst through my head.

_"What can I say? I find your mother hard to resist."_

_"I know. Anyone who's ever seen you two together knows."_

_"Is that a bad thing?"_

_"No. I'm glad you're both so happy. I just don't necessarily want to see it."_

More laughter. _"Too bad."_

_"I'd already resigned myself to that after eighteen years of life with you."_

_"I'm assuming you made the team?"_ he asked, mercifully sparing both of us from this conversation and changing the subject.

_"I did."_

_"I knew you would. I look forward to coming to watch you."_

We continued on in silence until we turned into the driveway of the old Federal-style brick mansion with its giant white pillars. The seven thousand square foot house was built in the 1800s but had been beautifully maintained, both inside and out.

I loved the feel of the place. It seemed rich with history, but still somehow modern enough to be convenient with its newer upgrades. I'd spent my first few days here unpacking and trying to explore all the different rooms. I had one place left to check out—the attic.

Climbing off the bike, I removed my helmet and stared up at the small window I could see, my breath catching when I thought I saw the curtain flutter. Was someone staring at me through the window? Maybe my mom was up there.

Continuing to stare at the curtain, I didn't see it move, again. "What's Mom doing?" I absently asked Dad, wondering if my eyes had been playing tricks on me.

"Right now? She was starting to make some bread to go with dinner when I left to come get you. Why?"

"No reason," I mumbled, casting another glance toward the attic window. "Bread sounds delicious." Gathering my books from the saddlebag, I followed him into the house.

# 5

"Hey, cutie pie! How was your first day of school?" My mother's sweet voice filled the kitchen, mingling with delicious aromas coming from both the oven and the stovetop.

Placing my books down on the counter, I went over to where she was stirring a large pot and gave her hug and a kiss on the cheek. "It was interesting. Not really what I was expecting, but I met some nice people and . . ." I glanced between my dad and her, "I sort of have a date tonight."

"A date?" My dad asked, not looking very pleased, at all. "Already? It's the first day of school."

I shrugged. "Well, I met a really nice guy, and he asked me out to dinner." It wasn't a lie. Seth _had_ asked me out to dinner, just not for tonight.

"Wow." Dad sank down on one of the barstools. "I don't think I'm ready for this."

Snorting, I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I'm eighteen, and I've never been on a date before. Most girls have been dating for at least a couple of years, by now."

"She has a point, Vance," my mom said, smiling at him. "You really have no room to complain."

"I guess I just tricked myself into believing she really would wait until she was thirty." He winked at me.

"Because we all know you and Mom waited that long. Do you realize, if I were like Mom, I'd have already been married for two years?"

He groaned. "Don't even start talking about marriage. You're too young."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," I replied.

"I always knew that choice was going to come back to bite us in the butt," my mom said with a laugh.

"Besides," Dad added. "There were extenuating circumstances that led to us getting married so young. Otherwise, we would have waited, not that I would've enjoyed that very much."

"Save it, Dad," I said, raising my hand. "I really don't need or want an explanation. I've heard the stories a thousand times. Basically, all your evil family had disastrous plots to take over the world, and it was up to you to stop them. I'm thrilled you were successful, and very happy I don't have to know any of those people—well, except for Grandpa Sean. I would've liked to know him and the others who died trying to help you, like your guardian, Marsha."

I wasn't a complete jerk. I felt very sympathetic to my parents' story of their past together. I couldn't imagine what it must've been like for my dad to have constantly been on the run, hiding from his own father, who was trying to kill him and steal his powers. Nor could I imagine what it must've been like for him to be kidnapped and have people drinking his blood while turning him into a dark and dangerous creature like them.

Yet, through it all, my mother stood valiantly beside him, at considerable risk to her own safety. She protected him, and eventually helped lead him to a place of stability as he overcame the demon attributes that controlled him. Even when her family had begged her to leave him, my mom had never given up hope for the man she loved. In the end, those choices led her to her own forced demon conversion—something that almost destroyed her. To save her life, my dad had to suck all the magic from her, leaving her mortal.

In all the years I'd heard this story, I never once saw regret in my mother's eyes. She seemed happy and content with how things had worked out. It seemed that all she needed or wanted in her life was my dad and me. Our family was everything to her.

But when I looked at my dad, his eyes were haunted and filled with regret. I knew he blamed himself for everything that had happened. I also knew he missed the magical connection he used to share with my mom. My great-grandma, Milly, said it was a connection so strong that it was like nothing she'd ever seen before.

"They were good people, your Grandpa Sean and Aunt Marsha," my dad said, drawing me back into the conversation. "Wherever they are now, I'm sure they watch over us with love."

"I think so, too," my mom said softly, a bit of pain etched on her face. "My dad would've loved you so much, Kenna. One of my greatest regrets is that he never got a chance to know you."

A sad, strained silence filled the air between us for several moments.

"What time is this supposed date taking place?" Dad asked, changing the subject with a heavy sigh.

"Seth is coming to pick me up after football practice. I'm sure he'll run home to shower and change, first. I'm not exactly sure what time since it depends on when practice gets over."

"Okay. But you need to have any homework done before you leave."

"I'll do it right now," I replied, grabbing my books and leaving the room.

"Crazy kid." My dad's voice floated after me, and I paused to listen to what he had to say. "Gets asked out on the first day of school. That does not bode well for my blood pressure in the future."

Mom laughed. "She's a beautiful girl. What did you expect?"

"It's because she looks too dang much like her mother." A tiny squeal from my mom pierced the air, followed by a growl from my dad. "I got hit on by one of her new cheerleading companions at the school."

"I imagine that was a huge boost to your confidence level," my mom replied with a laugh, not sounding upset about it at all.

"The girl called me H-O-T, she spelled it out just like that, and said she'd totally date me—even after knowing I was Kenna's dad."

Mom laughed harder. "I might have to go talk to this girl. I can see all this has gone straight to your head."

"Just nice to know I still got it."

"I tell you that all the time."

"True, but I've had you duped from the moment I met you." He chuckled.

"Whatever. You forget I used to be able to see into that crazy head of yours. I know you better than anyone."

"I haven't forgotten." Dad hesitated, and I listened in avid interest, waiting to see if he'd continue.

_"Tell her."_ I prompted mentally. _"This is the perfect opening for you."_

Dad didn't give any indication he'd heard me, but I knew he had by his next words. "I have a confession to make, but I don't want it to upset you."

"That doesn't sound good. Are you trying to tell me you accepted the offer of this teenager?" I knew Mom was teasing, but there was a hint of worry in her voice.

"You know that would never happen. You're the only one for me. If I live to be a thousand, there will never be another woman. Only you."

"You've been saying that since we were teenagers. Are you sure you mean it still?" Again, the humor was laced through her voice.

"My love for you grows stronger with every breath I take. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Nothing."

"Yet, you've been keeping secrets from me."

"Only because I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, and I didn't want to risk upsetting you. Ever since you lost your powers, it's been so much harder for me to read you. All these years, and I still feel like I'm guessing most of the time."

"Welcome to the real world for most men."

"I don't like it."

There was a small clattering sound as if Mom had set her spoon down. "I think I know what your secret is from the direction of this conversation."

"Just hear me out, okay?"

"Vance, we've been over this a thousand times. I'm good with how things are. I don't need you trying to figure out a way to give me back my powers. I've made my peace and learned to deal with it."

"Well, I haven't!" My dad snapped, his frustration showing. "Every time I look at you, Portia, I just feel so blessed to have you in my life. But I can't help thinking of how different your life might have been if you'd never met me. I'm the one who screwed everything up for you. I can't take it anymore!"

"Vance, listen to me. You did not screw my life up. I love my life! I have you and my beautiful daughter. I have my family back in Sedona, and I'm not some blood-crazed demon witch, hell-bent on killing everyone around me. You saved me from that life, don't you see? You didn't take my life away! You gave it back! I wouldn't have any of this if it weren't for you."

"But the fact remains, none of it would've even been necessary had you not known me in the first place."

"You can't know that. I could've been attacked by any demon anywhere. One could've found me walking down the street and changed or even killed me. You wouldn't have been there to stop it from happening."

"You didn't even know about demon witches and warlocks, or the dark side of magic until you met me. I brought that into your life. I'm the one who seduced you—who repeatedly drank blood from you until you were forced to make the change, as well."

I seriously wondered if there was a magical therapist, somewhere, that I could call for an intervention. In spite of the intense love my parents had for each other, they sure had plenty of unresolved issues they managed to sweep under the rug instead of dealing with them. I knew my dad needed to work this out, though. It was a heavy burden I'd sensed inside him on many occasions. This was something he couldn't move past despite all the years he'd been trying.

"And you did that because your father had you changed into a demon. If he'd not discovered you and been so greedy about the things he wanted for himself, then neither of us would've had to change. Lay the blame where it's deserved, squarely in front of your dad. I swear the world has never known a more sick and evil bastard than Damien Cummings."

There were several moments of silence, and I began to wonder if they were going to talk anymore.

"Is it bad that I thank the Universe every day that he was destroyed? Even though my dad had to die, so the rest of us could live?" The sound of a slight sob entered my mom's voice. This wasn't good. Dad couldn't stand to see Mom cry about anything.

"Baby, stop," my dad crooned. "This is why I'm always hesitant to bring this stuff up. I know it's touchy for you, and I don't want to cause you pain."

"I know." More muffled sniffles. I was sure she was wrapped in my dad's arms by now. He'd never let her cry without comforting her.

"Don't you miss the connection we had?" Dad asked softly.

"I still feel like we have a connection."

"We do! Of course, we do. I'm not trying to belittle that." He sighed heavily. "I don't know how to say this without sounding like a jerk."

"Just say it, Vance. You know you can tell me anything."

Another long pause stretched on before his words came quietly. "I miss my witch, Portia. Damn, I sound like such an ass. I know I still have all the important things with you, but I'm lying to both of us. That magical connection between us—I want it back. I want to feel your thoughts and emotions swirling around inside my head, again. I want to be with you physically and have that connection wide open between us. I want to feel the tug of our binding spell, tying us together so tightly that it hurts to be apart. When I sucked the magic out of you, I lost such a huge part of what I love about you." Another pause. "Shit. I sound like a first-class idiot. Just forget I said any of this. You're enough for me the way you are right now. None of this is coming out right."

"Don't walk away from me," my mom said. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You're speaking from your heart. And if it makes you feel any better, then yes, I miss all those things with you, too. But if the choice is to have my magic or have my family, for me, the choice is clear."

"And I understand that. All I'm saying is that I want your blessing to keep looking for a way to get that back. Kyle has been helping me do some research, and we've come up with some ideas. But I need some of your blood to test first. If your blood overreacts to the magic, we will know we can't reintroduce it to you."

Again, there were several moments of silence.

"Fine. I'll give you some of my blood, but only if you've told me everything I need to know. Are you keeping any other secrets from me?"

"Just one, and it's in the same vein."

"Tell me."

"Your step-grandpa, Hex, is also working on a new jinn serum to reintroduce to you. He thinks because it was separate from your regular magic, that it might not cause such a violent reaction in you."

"My jinn powers were much stronger than his, don't you remember?"

"Yes, but he still believes he can do this."

"So, you're saying you want blood to send to him in Sedona, too?"

"I am. Are you sure you're okay with all this?"

A wry laugh escaped her. "Not even a little. What if you figure it out? What if you're successful? You can't have forgotten that you crave my blood above all else. If you reinstate my powers, I'm a sitting duck. If you drink from me, you'll be reestablishing that blood lust connection. Is that what you really want? To constantly be tempting yourself with the very thing you've worked all these years to avoid completely? Synthetic blood or not, the fact remains that you're still a demon warlock, and you thrive on the blood of fresh-blooded witches."

"I've been living with a fresh-blooded witch—one that smells surprisingly like you—for the last eighteen years. I haven't bitten her once."

"Tell me the truth, Vance. How many times have you fantasized about drinking from our daughter?"

"Don't be sick!" Disgust radiated through his voice. "I have never thought about hurting her—ever. Not since that moment of surprise and weakness right after she was born."

"You trained her awfully hard, and I know it was to protect her from you. That suggests you fantasized about her."

"I fantasize about you, dammit! Are you happy now? Her smell reminds me of you. If anything, it makes me remember drinking from you and how that made me feel. I'd never hurt Kenna. Never!"

A defeated sigh escaped my mom. "I believe you. But you just proved my point. Are you really sure you can survive with two fresh-blooded witches in the house?"

"Let's ask your grandma's coven—who, I might remind you, I've been living around for years and have yet to drink from, except for blood they've supplied during emergencies. I can do this, Portia. Trust me. Things are much better for me, now, than they were back then, and I still managed to keep it under control. Please just let me try this. Can you imagine what it would be like to do actual magic with your daughter? Not just tell or show her what to do, but actually participate in it with her? She's incredible, baby. You'd love feeling how strong her powers are."

"I've seen how talented she is."

"She gets it from you, you know."

"How do you figure?"

"Because I still have mine." He teased, and I heard a playful slap against his arm.

"There's that spousal abuse making an appearance, again."

"Whatever! I know that didn't even hurt you. It probably felt like a fly landing on this big ole bicep."

Something between a growl and chuckle escaped my dad. "If you like that big muscle, I have others I'd be happy to show you."

This was my cue to leave and to avoid the kitchen area for as long as possible. I was headed for the grand staircase when the doorbell rang, so I altered my course to answer it.

"Oh. Hi, Kyle," I said, swinging the door open wider so the handsome, dark-haired doctor could step inside. Dr. Kyle Peck, who was also a fresh-blooded warlock, was like family. Dad met him while doing his internship in medical school, and the two had formed a fast friendship. Once Kyle found out about my dad's condition, he wanted to help him find an easier way of life that wouldn't require him to drink blood from other witches. Together they invented synthetic blood that kept my dad from having to drink real blood.

When I asked my parents to let me go to high school, Kyle had encouraged them to let me try it. He even helped dad pick the location and then decided to join us, as well, settling for a job at the same nearby Boston research facility as my Dad. In addition to their blood research, they'd worked together on many different types of serums for multiple diseases. I knew their work had been very influential in helping many sick people. Kyle was also helping on Dad's "secret" project—looking for ways to reintroduce my mom's magic back to her.

"Is your dad home?" he asked.

"He's in the kitchen. Uh . . . with my mom."

Kyle raised his hand in a gesture for me to stop. "Say no more. I understand. I'll be sure to call out before entering."

Giggling, I rolled my eyes, and he nodded with a smile. He knew the drill. If my parents were alone together, one should always announce themselves before entering a room, just to make sure the coast was clear.

Going up the giant staircase, I entered my bedroom and placed the stack of schoolbooks I'd acquired on the desk and sat down. Sighing, I stared at myself in the mirror behind it. What an intense day. And now I was going to fight a guy. What could be weirder?

Glancing at the clock, I decided I better dive into my homework, or I wasn't going to get to go anywhere.

# 6

I was pacing by the time the doorbell rang and practically vaulted down the stairs to get it. Yet, my dad still managed to beat me to the punch. Grinning wickedly, he grabbed the knob and swung it open, revealing Seth standing there looking very fine in a t-shirt that showed off the muscles in his arms and chest. His hands were shoved in his jeans, and he looked a little nervous.

Immediately, I felt my dad's hackles rise, and a strange force enveloped him.

"Dad, this is Seth Masterson," I said, trying to break up the energy in the air. "Seth, this is my dad, Vance."

"You can call me Mr. Mangum," my dad said in a no-nonsense tone, and I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. What was the deal with him?

"Mr. Mangum. Pleased to meet you." Seth extended his hand, which my dad simply stared at for several moments. It wasn't until Seth started to pull his hand back that Dad suddenly reached out and grabbed it. Shaking it slowly, he maintained contact as he heavily scrutinized my new friend.

"What are your plans with my daughter?" he asked; and I could tell his grip was growing tighter. I suddenly had a vision of my dad melting Seth with his powers as he stood right there in the doorway.

"Dad. Enough." I broke in, shoving myself between them, so it interrupted their handshake. "I already told you he asked me to dinner. What time do you want me home by?"

_"You're ruining my fun."_ His voice entered my head.

_"Be nice,"_ I replied in the same fashion.

"It's a school night, so I think ten o'clock is plenty late. Midnight on weekends."

"Thanks. I'll be home by ten, then." Moving back inside, I grabbed my bag from the table in the entryway and skipped out the door, hooking my arm through Seth's and dragging him out of the line of fire, literally.

"Take care of her, Seth. Bring her home in the same condition you found her."

"Uh, yes sir," Seth responded as I continued dragging him down the sidewalk to his car. He had enough presence of mind to open the door for me, something I was sure would earn him brownie points. My dad was very old school that way.

_"Kenna."_ My dad's voice filtered into my head.

_"Yes?"_ I replied with a sigh, feeling a mental lecture coming on.

_"I see you left out some crucial details about your new friend."_

_"Really? And what's that? That he's a nice guy? Or that he's extremely good looking? I didn't really think that would interest you."_

_"You don't know, do you?"_

_"Know what?"_ I was starting to get frustrated.

_"He's a warlock."_

_"Excuse me?"_ I practically shouted through my link, stiffening as Seth slid into the car beside me.

_"Fresh-blooded, not demonic. I didn't get the feeling that he means you any harm. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed you to go."_

_"You're sure about this?"_ I asked, still feeling incredulous.

_"I'm a demon, sweetheart. A hunter. I could smell him coming up the sidewalk before he even rang the bell."_

_"Dad, I'm just putting this out there in case it's necessary. You cannot eat my friends."_

Loud laughter filled my head. _"I promise to be on my best behavior."_

Seth started the car and pulled away from the curb. I was still in shock from my dad's revelation and couldn't think of one thing to say to him.

_"Do you think he knows about us?"_ I asked my dad.

_"Well, seeing how you didn't know about him, I think he probably doesn't know about you. I wouldn't have known except I have the added advantage of being able to smell the fresh blood. Just be careful and remember the things you've been taught. Don't let your guard down. If you need anything, you know how to reach me."_

_"Thanks, Dad. I'm sure I'll be fine. See you later."_ I didn't wait for him to reply before raising the privacy wall between us. I did not want him eavesdropping on tonight's event.

"So, you told your dad I asked you to dinner?" Seth asked, breaking the silence between us.

"Well, technically, you did. Just not for tonight. But he doesn't need to know that."

"If you survive, I will totally take you to dinner." He didn't sound like he was joking.

"Sounds great," I replied, meaning it. I was starving.

"Don't do this," he blurted out suddenly, staring at me. To be honest, he looked a bit washed out, like he might be sick. "I don't have a good feeling about this. I'm afraid you've underestimated just how good Jett really is. And Jett . . . Well, he's just different. He's strong, with abilities and . . . stuff."

I laughed. "Seriously, Seth. There's no reason to be worried. I know what I'm doing. You're going to have to trust that I can take care of myself."

"I want to. I've just seen what he can do to grown men. He's not a guy to trifle with."

"Which is exactly why I need to do this. I can't let him brand me as something I'm not. There's no coward here, and I won't back down. He wants me to prove something, so I'm going to, even if it's at his expense. He's the one who challenged. So, he deserves whatever he gets."

"You really believe you can beat him, don't you?" Seth stared at me, skeptically.

"I do."

He sighed heavily. "Well, do you think you could possibly do it without getting any bruises?"

"Huh?" I was bewildered.

"Your dad said to bring you home in the same condition I found you. I'm pretty certain I don't want to be doing anything that might incur his wrath—you know, like taking his daughter to fight in a cage match."

Laughing, I stared out the window. "Relax, Seth. It's going to be fine. Besides, if something bad happens, which it won't, I'll be sure to make you sound completely blameless."

"Still don't like it."

"I know, and I appreciate you coming to get me—even if you do think I'm going to lose."

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate that, too."

"Are you going to be able to fight in those clothes?" Seth asked, gesturing to my t-shirt and jeans.

"I have a tank top and leggings on underneath." Glancing at him, I watched as he nodded; but I could tell he still wasn't happy. He was latching onto any reason he could think of to convince me not to do this. And while I appreciated his concern, I wondered why it was so difficult for him to believe I was capable of doing this. I also wondered if he was ever planning on telling me he was a warlock.

That thought, however, disappeared, and the first butterflies popped into my stomach as soon as I saw the words "The Ring" painted on the side of a square brick building. It wasn't the building that made me nervous, but the dozens and dozens of cars parked everywhere.

"Word spreads fast around here, I see," I commented dryly as he slid into a narrow parking space.

"You have no idea." Turning off the car, he stared at the building. "Looks like Jett is already here." He gestured over to a very sporty white Dodge Charger SRT8, with black racing stripes up the middle and equally black tinted windows, sitting next to the curb.

My attention drifted away from the vehicle to watch several more groups of teens entering the building. "I guess we should go get this over with. I'm ready to eat that dinner you promised me. I didn't eat at home since I was supposed to be going out with you. So, let's hurry and kick Jett's ass and get some food, shall we?"

A wry laugh escaped him. "I don't know whether to cheer you on or cart you off to the asylum."

"I'll take the cheering," I replied, reaching for the door handle.

"I've never met anyone like you."

I smiled. "That's because I'm one of a kind." Before he could say anything else, I jumped out of the car and made my way into the building.

The air inside felt stuffy from the crush of bodies crammed into the small place, raising the temperature even more. Not that it really bothered me. Fire was a natural magic of mine, and it always made me warmer.

Slipping the plastic safety guard into my mouth, I knocked my gloved hands against my protective headgear, making sure it was tight. I glanced toward the big burly guy standing between Jett and me.

"The only rule is that there are no rules. You can fight however you wish. The first person to fall the other and pin them for eight seconds wins. All or nothing. Are you ready?"

I nodded, and Jett growled, the two of us immediately circling one another.

"Take her to the mat, Jett!" some guy yelled. "Give it to her hard, like a real man!"

Laughter joined in with the taunting, and I had to tune them out. Centering my sights on my opponent, I listened only to my own breathing and the blood pounding in my ears.

Jett led with a jab, and I dodged. The first thing my dad had taught me was that the best way to avoid being beaten was to not be there when the punch comes. I had trained my eyes to be quick about calculating the muscle movements of my opponent and to anticipate the hit before it was ever thrown.

Jett and I circled, and he continued to jab at me while I dodged and studied his movements, watching for a possible opening. Then he lunged forward, jabbing first left, then right. I avoided the first punch, but rolled right into the second, allowing him to knock me to the floor as a collective gasp went up from the crowd. As soon as I was on the floor, I kicked my leg out, swiping his out from underneath him. The moment his body hit the mat, I was on top of him, straddling, as I pounded my padded fists against the arms that were covering his face. I managed to land a hit hard enough to the side of his head that it knocked his mouthpiece out. I hesitated, glancing at the referee, wondering if he would call time so Jett could replace it.

Jett took advantage of my pause, bucking hard beneath me, throwing me off balance and I slipped to the side. As fast as lightning, he grabbed my arms and rolled me over, pinning me beneath him.

"I'm impressed," he said. "No one's ever knocked me off my feet that fast."

Arching my back, I struggled to get away, but his heavier weight kept me adequately pinned. All around us, the crowd was cheering wildly.

Jett leaned in closer. "Date me," he whispered in my ear, and I froze, staring up at him with wide eyes. What the hell was going on with this guy?

"What? No!" I replied in a muffled, nearly indiscernible sound due to the bite guard in my mouth.

"No?" He honestly seemed surprised, which caused him to loosen his hold enough that I was able to yank one of my arms free. Swinging, I punched him in the head, sending him lolling to the side.

Quickly, I pushed him hard, climbing back on top of him and going for his shielded face, once more. What a jerk! He had a girlfriend, even, and he wanted me to date him? I didn't care how hot he was. If he thought I'd do that, then he was an idiot.

Anger infused me from his suggestion, and I punched him even harder, wishing briefly that I could add my magic to it, but wanting to keep the fight clean.

"Pin him, girlfriend!" A shrill male voice screeched from somewhere in the chaos beside me, and I was sure it was Frankie. "Get his shoulders down!"

Attempting to break apart the arms covering his face, I slid my gloved hands between his elbows and leaned forward, trying to force them to the side. The gap between his forearms allowed me to see his face, and he grinned. His eyes drifted to the scooped neckline of my tank top, where I was probably flashing him quite the show at the moment. I couldn't afford to look away or try to adjust my clothing.

"Having fun?" he asked breathlessly. I didn't reply. "Because I am. The view is great, and I've never been so turned on in my life!"

As if to emphasize his point, he bucked underneath me. Our hips connected immediately, clearly showing the truth of his words, and I gasped as he rocked into me.

Rolling away, I stood—indignant over his sexual display right there in front of everyone. I spit out my mouthpiece as he rose to face me. "You're a jackass. You know that, right?"

"I've been called a lot worse," he replied, swinging for me and connecting with my shoulder. I used the momentum to strike with my opposite fist and clocked him upside the head, knocking him straight into the mat.

"He's out!" Someone shouted. Sure enough, it looked like he wasn't going to get up. Just to be safe, I went over, and, lying across him, I pressed his shoulders into the mat as the ref counted down. As soon as he hit eight, the crowd cheered wildly, and Jett's eyes popped open, staring straight into mine.

"I had to fake it—just so you'd press that hot body against me one more time."

"You're a sick bastard," I replied, shocked.

"I'm serious. Date me. You're the hottest, sexiest, girl I've ever met."

"Too bad. Guess you're just going to have to fake it with your girlfriend. I have a date with Seth now." Pushing away from him, I got up and crawled out of the ring, only to be mauled by Frankie, who was there with another guy.

"You did it! You did it!" he shouted, throwing his arms around me. "You just made me a couple hundred bucks."

"Glad you got something out of it," I said, forcing a smile. I couldn't feel good about the win now that I knew Jett had thrown the match. Glancing around, I saw Seth approaching.

"You wanna get out of here?" There was a grim set to his features. He knew what Jett had done. I could see it on his face.

I nodded. "I have a date," I said to Frankie. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure thing. Have fun, and I want to hear all the deets."

Smiling, I turned and followed Seth through the crowd of congratulatory people as we pushed our way outside.

"He threw the match," Seth said, once we were safely inside his vehicle.

"Yep," I confirmed, annoyed.

"What was he saying to you in there?"

I hesitated. I knew Seth and Jett were best friends and didn't think it was fair for me to say anything that I knew would drive a wedge in between them. But I also wanted to be honest with Seth.

"Maybe it would be better if I just kept that to myself." I picked at imaginary lint on my clothes.

"Did he threaten you?" he asked sharply, his eyes narrowing, shining hard and glittering like ice.

I sighed heavily. "No, nothing like that. He asked me out, actually."

"Excuse me?"

"It's true. He said he'd never been so turned on his life. That was right before he proceeded to hump me in front of everyone."

"I'm going to kill him," Seth said menacingly, his jaw set hard.

"No, you aren't. Regardless of how it happened, I still technically won. You're going to take me to dinner now because I'm starving."

"Sorry." He started the engine. "It gets under my skin, though. He knows damn well that I want to date you." Gulping, he stared at me as if he hadn't meant to say that part out loud. "I mean, I have no claim to you. We just met, but I was hoping that maybe . . . you know since we were hitting it off so well . . ."

"Relax, Seth. I get it. Just please take me to eat some yummy food. That's all that matters. Afterward, you can get your "revenge" by dating me. Of course, I'd also enjoy going out with you minus the whole revenge thing."

He chuckled. "I just want to date you."

"Then keep asking."

"I will. He'll keep asking, too, though."

"And I'll keep saying no."

"What about other guys? After tonight, they'll start asking you out, I'm sure."

I laughed. "You're the only one I see beating down my door at the moment. I say let's just take things one at a time, and we'll address those other things when, and if, they come up."

He shook his head and stared at me, admiration written clearly on his face. "I've never met anyone like you."

"Good. I like being original."

Laughing, he turned the car, heading away from downtown Salem. "I think we'll drive into Boston to eat. We have plenty of time before you need to be home, and I'm pretty sure all the places around here will be crowded with people who were at The Ring."

"Do with me what you will. As long as there is food, I'm all yours." _Wow. That came out sounding a lot sexier than I'd intended._

Wisely, he didn't comment; but I did notice how tightly his fingers were wrapped around his vintage steering wheel. While I wasn't sure exactly what was going on, something was clearly eating him.

# 7

"You know, you're pretty nice after you've been fed," Seth said with a laugh, bumping one of his shoulders into mine. His hands were stuffed back into his pockets as we walked through the park together.

"Yeah, my family teases me about it all the time. They say I get "hangry."

"Hangry?"

"Hungry and angry because I'm hungry." I laughed. "What can I say? I like food. If I don't get to eat on a regular schedule, I get cranky."

"Does your anemia cause you to be that way? Maybe you have low blood sugar, or something, too. I hear that can make people feel bad."

I shrugged. "I'm pretty sure that isn't it. I just like food. I'm healthy as a horse."

"How can you be sure?" he asked, staring at me with concern.

Glancing around the park, I checked to make sure we were alone; but I still pulled Seth closer to a thick stand of trees and shrubbery.

"Taking me back here to seduce me?" Seth teased, and I couldn't help my blush.

"Well, that wasn't my original intention." I smiled.

"Damn. That would've been awesome." He returned my smile, his eyes twinkling brightly in the soft glow of the streetlights.

Staring at his lips, I bet he was right. I had to remind myself of what I'd been about to do. "Actually, I was going to prove that I'm healthy as a horse."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"By telling you I know your secret."

A guarded expression crossed his features. "What secret?"

"The same one I have," I replied. Raising my hand, I cupped it in front of me and commanded the flame inside me to appear there. "I'm a witch."

Seth took a step backward, staring at me. "How . . ." He glanced around warily, and I distinguished the flame, not needing it now that my point had been made. "How'd you know that I am?"

_Oh, shoot._ This part was going to be more complicated. "You want to go back and sit in your car, where we can talk more privately?"

"That's probably wise." Offering me his arm, without removing his hands from his pockets, I slipped mine near his elbow and allowed him to guide me toward the vehicle. "I have to say, this is something I didn't expect."

"Me, neither. My dad moved us here, hoping we would blend in with the history and culture in Salem. We knew there were many different sects of witches here, and felt like we wouldn't stick out so much."

"There are several witch families, meaning those who are like us, living in the area."

"Really? Anyone else I know?"

Seth grunted. "Maybe two or three."

"Really? Who?"

"Let's get in the car first."

I had to admit, I was more than excited to find out there were others like us here. It made me feel more normal, somehow, and normal was rare in my life.

Seth led me to the car and opened it. Once I was seated, he closed the door and joined me on the other side. "Tell me how you knew about me." He pushed again.

"Okay. But I need you to keep an open mind and hear me out, all the way, before you jump to any conclusions. All right?"

"I'll do my best if you do the same for me."

"Deal," I replied, wiping my suddenly sweaty hands on my jeans. "Here goes." I stared into his eyes. "My dad . . . Well, he's a demon. But he's not a bad one." I continued in a rush before he could speak. "He was turned against his will, and he's been fighting the conversion ever since. He hates it. He's been working with a doctor friend of his. They've even invented synthetic blood, so he doesn't have to drink from a live source."

Surprisingly, Seth didn't seem too shocked. "Well, I think it's safe to say that your dad just became even more frightening to any guy who wants to date you. The fact that he could literally tear my head off and drink my blood is slightly intimidating."

Laughter escaped me. I couldn't help it. "I'm pretty sure he has no desire to do anything like that, ever."

"Oh, I bet he'd reconsider if I brought you home . . . how'd he put it . . . 'different from how I found you.'"

"That was a very special kind of threat—pertaining specifically to . . ." I trailed off, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Oh, I think I'm pretty sure I know exactly what he's referring to. So, he knows, for a fact, that you're still a virgin?"

"Only because I've never been around anyone who could change that status."

"Got it. So, he's training his sights in on me?"

"Most definitely, at least he will if you have plans to stick around." I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. I wished I could hear what he was thinking.

Seth glanced at me. "I was planning to stick around—at least for longer than this. I just wasn't aware that if you and I became an item that sex with you might get me killed."

"Is that a deal-breaker for you then?"

"I don't know." I could see the truth of his statement in his eyes and was surprised it wounded me as deeply as it did.

"So, I'm guessing you're not a virgin then if no sex is a deal-breaker for you. It's just as well that I found out now, huh? My dad has always warned me about guys who are simply after one thing." I knew I was lashing out at him, but I couldn't seem to help myself. Obviously, I'd misjudged his character.

"Kenna, you've misunderstood what I meant."

"Then please, enlighten me."

"In answer to the first part of your question, no, I'm not a virgin. I haven't been in quite a while. I've had several steady girlfriends I've slept with, and even a few one-night stands on occasion since I was fourteen."

_Wow. He'd been sexually active for four years already._ I really didn't want to hear about his conquests.

"The reason I don't know if this is a deal-breaker for me is because I'm not used to holding myself back when I have a girlfriend. I'm not going to lie. I like you a lot. I find you extremely attractive, and I'd love to keep dating you and see where this would go." He grinned slightly. "Plus, I've never dated another witch before. It could be fun. I just don't want to die doing it."

"So, let's stick to our previous plan. We can date. Let's take it slow and see where it goes. Besides, after tonight, you may decide that you want nothing to do with me."

"I highly doubt that. In fact, since I met you, all I seem able to think about is you."

"That's because you've only known me for one day. I'm still the new shiny plaything. It'll wear off," I teased.

Smiling softly, he shook his head; and slowly reaching out, he gently brushed my cheek with his thumb. "I don't think this kind of attraction will wear off that easily."

Leaning into his embrace, I savored his touch, closing my eyes.

"Go out with me. Tomorrow." It wasn't really a question, more of a command.

I opened my eyes. "My parents would probably die if I went out on a date two nights in a row. I think they'd rather visit with you and get to know you better before they'll agree to let me go out with you, again. Plus, they might like to hear about the other witches in the area. How about you come to my house for dinner tomorrow night, instead? Then they can get to know you better, and it will help my dad ease up on you a bit."

Dropping his hand away, Seth sighed. "I'd love to come to dinner, but I honestly advise against telling your dad about any other witches, besides me, for the moment, at least."

"Why not?"

"Because the other witches I said you might know are the Blackstone's. Jett is a warlock, but his parents are demon witches. And in spite of the popular business they run, they aren't exactly the best sort of people."

Immediately, my mind snapped straight to Jett's aura, and suddenly all the nasty, muddy colors I'd seen there made perfect sense. "They drink from him, don't they?" I asked, sorrow washing through me. Seth nodded.

"They also use his uncontaminated blood for the rituals in their coven."

"Coven?" I squeaked the word out. "There is a full demonic coven in Salem?"

Seth slowly nodded. "I only know about it because they've been trying to recruit me."

_Well, shit. That explained the funky flecks on Seth's aura, too._ "And you want to join?"

He shrugged. "I've considered it. Jett makes it sound so . . . enticing."

"So, he wants to be converted?"

"Desperately. He's been begging his parents for years, but they refuse because they need him in his current state. Is it true what he says? That demons are much more powerful than their counterparts?"

"My dad is the most powerful warlock I've ever heard of. Mom says he was extremely powerful before his conversion, but even more so after. So yeah, it's true."

"I can't even imagine what that would be like."

"Then, don't imagine it. It's dangerous. Both of my parents have had terrible, terrible things happen to them because of it. Things you couldn't believe." I was feeling desperate. "Promise you'll get to know my dad, and even talk to him about being a demon before you decide to do anything."

"You aren't going to tell him?"

I shook my head. "No. You trusted me with a secret. I will keep it as long as I don't believe you're a danger to yourself."

"So, you wouldn't want to be a demon?"

"Never!" I replied vehemently. "Even though my dad has learned control, it has come at a very great price. I'd never risk my family that way."

Silence filled the car as Seth stared out the window for several long moments.

"Are you part of a coven?" he finally asked.

"No. My parents were initially part of my family's coven in my mom's hometown. When everything went down with my dad, he left the coven and joined with a demon one."

"Really?" Seth sounded surprised, and I nodded.

"My mom said it was awful. The coven brainwashed him and tried to get him to kill her on several occasions. They wanted to steal this special power called The Awakening, which had been bound to the cells of my parents during an earlier ritual. As long as both of my parents were alive, no one else could use that power."

"And your dad actually wanted to kill your mom?"

I sighed. "It was much more complicated than that. My dad actually died during his demonic conversion—killed by his grandmother during a ritual. She used his blood to try and steal The Awakening for herself. But it didn't work because my mom and her coven killed the demonic coven before the ritual was finished. The Awakening split—half of it going into my dad, and the other half of it went into my mom. Because The Awakening strengthens power and gives longevity, it brought my dad back to life. But it restored all the demonic cells inside him as it did so, completing his conversion in the process. So, when he rose again, he was a demon, with no memory of my mom."

"That's crazy! I can't even imagine what that's been like for her."

"It wasn't easy. He eventually regained his memories and joined her in the fight against other demons. There were several close calls for them, and they lost many of their coven and loved ones in the process."

"So, it's pretty safe to say that even though your dad is demonic, he hates all demons."

"That is the complete and total truth. If he found out about Jett's family, he'd move us out of here so fast we wouldn't know what hit us."

"I think you're right."

"I'd seriously be a prisoner in a cabin in the woods for the rest of my life. My dad is terrified of his family being exposed to any more of those creatures."

"Jett's family keeps things pretty low key. I know that most people around here have no clue there even _is_ a demonic coven in Salem. They're pretty refined and in control."

I gave a wry laugh. "According to my mom, those are the worst kind. The ones who can actually think through the bloodlust—and figure out how to rule it—are usually the most cunning and dangerous."

"That bastard," Seth said suddenly, catching me completely off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"Jett. He knows, doesn't he? That son of a bitch already knows." Seth dragged a hand through his sandy blond hair before slamming his fist against the steering wheel.

"Sorry. I'm not following."

"Don't you get it? He knows what you are. Somehow, he already knows. I wonder if his parents scented you when I took you there for lunch? Or if there is some way he can tell himself? I knew there was a reason he threw the fight. He's trying to pull you closer."

Honestly, this revelation frightened me. Knowing that a demonic coven might have their sights set on me made my heart flutter like a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Would they try to come after me? Would they try to convince me to join them like they were doing to Seth? Or would they leave me alone if they knew my dad was like them?

At least I knew how to fight. If I was ever cornered, all it would take is one quick mental call to my dad, and I'd simply need to keep up a fight long enough for him to get there. I could do that easily. Jett was the one I was most concerned with since he was who I'd see all the time.

"I have no idea why Jett would want anything to do with me," I said.

Seth let his gaze travel slowly over me. "I do."

More silence.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I think I'll take you up on that dinner invitation."

"How will that help?"

"If your dad can get to know me better, he will trust me more. The more he trusts me, the more I can be with you. The more I'm with you, the more I can help to protect you."

"I don't need protection," I replied irritated. "I'm not some damsel in distress—which I would've proved tonight, had Jett not thrown the fight."

Seth held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, now. Back down a bit. I'm not calling you weak, I'm simply saying there's safety in numbers."

"Sorry. I just don't like it when people think I can't hold my own because I'm a girl. It's such a crazy stereotype."

Seth laughed heartily at my comment. "Don't worry, Kenna. I've only known you one day, and I can already attest to the fact that there is nothing that is even remotely stereotypical about you."

"And that's a good thing?" I asked grinning.

Mirth disappearing, his expression softened. "That's a very good thing."

# 8

Anxiety levels shooting through the roof, I tapped the eraser of my pencil against the books on my lap, beating out a staccato sounding rhythm in time with the radio.

"Are you okay?" my mom asked, glancing over. "You seem a bit on the nervous side."

Nervous didn't even begin to cover what I was feeling this morning. I had no idea how people might react after the fight I'd had with Jett. But mainly, it was Seth's revelation about Jett's family that had me in overdrive.

How was I supposed to act around Jett? Was it true? Did he know I was a witch? Was my family in danger because of him?

I mean, my dad was one of the most powerful warlocks anywhere, so we did have that advantage. My mom wasn't magical anymore, so there was absolutely zero risk where she was concerned. As far as I could see, that left me as the only vulnerable one. I knew I could physically take care of myself, and I also had my own magical powers I could add to the mix—but then, again, so did they.

Stopping my pencil movements, I rested my hands in my lap and sighed. "I'm all right. I'm just nervous about dinner. I'm afraid Dad will drill Seth all night long." That may not be the complete truth, but it was one of the many reasons I was feeling antsy today.

Mom laughed. "Don't worry. I'll do my best to keep your father under control. Don't be upset with him, though. We love you more than anything, Kenna. He just wants to make sure you're safe."

"I know. I just hate that everything makes him so on edge. It's like every decision made about our family is a huge discussion, even if it's over the simplest of things. He sees danger everywhere."

She nodded. "And had you lived the life he has you'd see danger everywhere, too. It's practically been bred into him. He's been conditioned over the years to not trust anyone. That mistrust is why he's still alive today."

"Barely," I muttered. "If it hadn't been for your family and The Awakening, he'd most likely be dead."

"And you would've never been born." She reminded me. "You just have to remember, despite what he's been through, his love for you outshines all of that. You are the joy in his life."

A crazy sounding giggle burst from my lips. "I get what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure you're the joy in his life. He worships you every waking moment."

Smiling, she continued to stare at the window. "It's true, we are very much in love with each other, but you . . . You are the best parts of the two of us—made up into one beautiful person. Trust me when I say that you are the joy in his life—the one thing he's constantly proud of."

"No pressure there," I grumbled under my breath as I stared out the window. "Just promise me he'll be nice to Seth tonight. I get the feeling from Dad that he'd like to mess with him a little. I'd like it if Seth was still into me after dinner with you two."

Laughing heartily, she nodded. "I give you my word. If your dad gets out of control, I'm sure I can find a way to distract him."

"I'm sure you can—just make sure it's in a different room and preferably one out of hearing distance, as well. Otherwise, Seth may be scarred for life if you two start going at it on the kitchen counter. The kitchen terrifies me these days."

Snorting, my mom tossed her long black hair over her shoulder and fixed her stare on me. "Would you stop? We are not that bad!"

"My eyeballs beg to differ. And I can't count the times I've been traumatized by the two of you, mentally, before I could slam that door closed. I've taken to adding alarms to certain key phrases dad says, in an effort to keep the unwanted stuff out."

"I'm sorry about that. I know the mental connection between the two of you must make it difficult. But we also want you to know that sex is natural and healthy. Once you find the right person, it can be a beautiful thing."

_Yay! A sex talk—I'm dying right now._ "I'm pretty sure if I ever find the right person that Dad will kill him before the guy ever gets the chance to touch me. I'm afraid to even kiss a guy. And you know how old-fashioned Dad is. He made the two of you wait until you were married."

"I know. And that was a hard thing for us to do; which is why we ended up married so young. But we were already bound together magically, also. Marriage was inevitable. There was no way it wouldn't have happened."

"So, if I go out and bind myself to someone, Dad will be okay with him sneaking into my room to sleep with me every night? And I can marry him right away since I'm already two years older than you were when you and dad got married? Dad will be okay with all of this?"

"I think it's quite safe to say that your Dad will castrate any guy he ever finds in your room. I don't think he will be nearly as generous as my parents were."

"But why? I'm eighteen already. That's so not fair. Legally, I could live on my own right now, you know."

"He knows what guys are thinking, sweetheart. He's been in that place."

"He's still in that place," I reminded, and she actually blushed.

"Do you want to move out and live on your own?" An ever so slight wrinkle of concern appeared between her brows, showing my comment made her nervous; but her question gave me pause.

_Did I want to live on my own?_

My thoughts immediately drifted to the local demon coven. It would be stupid for me to do anything of the sort with them in the area. I'd be a sitting duck and all for what? So some guy could sleep with me? I hadn't even kissed a guy, yet, so that seemed like it would be jumping the gun a bit.

"No. Regardless of how irritated I might get about Dad and his extreme overprotectiveness, I do love him. I have no desire to watch his head explode if I gave him news like that."

"Just give him time, Kenna. He'll warm up and come around eventually. Don't forget he's been living in the middle of a forest for almost two decades with you. He'll get the hang of normal life after a while, and he won't seem so 'out there.'"

"I'm just happy we were able to convince him to move. That was a feat several years in the making. I didn't think he was ever going to agree."

"See? You've already won one big battle. Just give him time."

Yeah, one battle that I'd immediately lose if he had any clue of demons around. I had to prove that they weren't a threat, somehow. I mean, yes, Seth said they'd been trying to recruit him for their coven, but they could've just attacked him and forced him to comply; so maybe there was hope. The family had a respected business in the community, too. It wasn't like they could go around killing people whenever they wanted. That would draw too much attention. Maybe they were even more refined and in control than the Cummings family had been.

Vance Cummings, not Mangum, was the name my dad was born with. His mom, Krista, discovered her husband, Damien, had been drinking my dad's blood. He was also using him to perform dark magic. Krista had grabbed her child and run, changing their last name to Mangum to avoid detection. After they thought Damien was defeated, his parents—my grandparents—stepped in, trying to use my dad's then uncontaminated blood to steal The Awakening for themselves. After they failed, one of my dad's cousins, Catriona, had tried to kill both of my parents so she could claim The Awakening that was inside them. Fortunately, Cat met her own demise, as well. Still, the celebration was short-lived when Damien reappeared, touting that he had regenerative capabilities, and he'd genetically passed them on to my dad. He even killed my dad, just to prove that he'd come back to life.

To say I was the direct descendent of demonic lunatics would be an understatement. And even though my dad had eventually completed his forced demonic conversion, somehow he'd managed to keep hold of some thread of sanity inside himself. According to the stories my mom had told me, it had been very touch-and-go with him on several occasions. So, while he sometimes irritated me with his choices, I knew, without a doubt, he always had his family's best interest at heart.

In fact, he'd researched the Salem area so thoroughly, I was surprised he hadn't turned up the demon coven, himself. Dad was loaded, as in crazy-rich loaded. He'd inherited a lot of it from his father's estate after Damien was destroyed—for real this time. But there was still plenty my dad had made on his own, both working as a research doctor, building and selling custom motorcycles, and investing. He had plenty of resources at his disposal, not to mention how his years on the run had taught him to be good with money.

Dad wasn't flashy at all. Other than liking a decent size house and excellent machinery to drive, he didn't flaunt his assets. He was very down to earth, even in what he wore—the bulk of his wardrobe consisting of jeans, t-shirts, and two or three favorite leather jackets that he liked to go riding in. The only time I'd ever seen him dressed up fancy, like in a suit or a tuxedo, was for work-related charity balls.

As far as powers and abilities, he had many. Some he'd been born with. Others he'd assimilated from sucking the magic from his father and my mother. But his primary, natural, magic was fire—something I'd inherited from him.

While Dad liked the convenience of magic, he taught me the importance of doing things the "real" way. Feeling that witches often got in trouble by using their magic too much, he had me do things the same way anyone else would. While there was nothing wrong with using my abilities, he simply felt that the magical community had too much free time on their hands. They used their powers to take care of everyday, mundane things. All that extra time allowed minds to wander; and often witches found themselves caught up in playing with, or messing around with, things they had no business being involved in.

Dad warned me, repeatedly, to be careful about experiments I tried with magic, telling me it should never be used to bring harm. It was there to help defend and protect—to do good for us and for the world. True, he was always teaching me how to strengthen my powers and how to manipulate things. It was all for my own protection and for the greater good, however.

The words he was constantly drilling into me suddenly popped into my head. _"The world should be a better place because you are in it."_

Those were the words I measured everything by. Was I making the world a better place now? Or was I contributing to the delinquency of it __ by not informing him of this other coven? It was driving me mad.

Last night, I'd finally fallen asleep after deciding that I'd do my best to find out everything I could about this coven before I took the information to him. If they were able to nicely co-exist with others, then there was no reason for me to raise the red flag, right?

"Well, I hope you have a nice day. Your dad is working late at the lab today, so give me a call, and I'll come pick you up after cheer."

"Do you think there is any chance I can convince him to let me have a car? I know we've been working on the motorcycle, but I won't always be able to drive it once the weather turns worse," I blurted out as we pulled up to the curb. "Not that I don't appreciate the rides, I just think it would be more convenient for all of us. I'm willing to get a job and make the payments and everything."

Leaning over, she placed a kiss on my cheek. "We'll discuss it tonight. I'm sure we can work something out."

Excitement infused me at her words, giving me the exact pick-me-up I needed. "Thanks, Mom. Love you. See you later."

Bounding out of the vehicle, I closed the door and waved as she drove off before turning and searching the masses of kids strolling toward the building, looking for Seth.

"Well, look who it is? Kick-Ass Girl."

Turning, I found Jett staring at me. His eyes traveled slowly over me as my mind scrambled for something—anything—to say to him that might diffuse the awkward situation. "Where's your sidekick?" I finally said, referring to Megan as I started walking in the direction of the school; but he followed me, shrugging.

"Who knows? Maybe casting her wiles over some other poor unsuspecting fool."

Narrowing my gaze, I stared at him. "The two of you aren't exclusive?" That would explain his proposition last night.

He chuckled. "We are. There's no way in hell I'd let some other guy be all over my girl. I'd have to mess a dude up."

"Oh, so she's exclusive, and you can do whatever you want then? I get it." This guy made me sick. I had no idea how someone as kind and caring as Seth had become best friends with this punk.

"I've never cheated on her."

"Not yet."

"When you say yes to me, I'll dump her. See? No cheating."

Stopping, I turned to face him full on. "You really are an ass, you know that?"

"Why? Because I like you?"

"No, because you're the kind of guy who treats girls like playthings made strictly for your amusement. Use one and toss her aside once you find something new. Girls have feelings, you know, and I happen to be on the cheer team with _your_ girlfriend; so please stop trying to cause me any more drama. I don't need it." I resumed my irritated march toward the school.

Jett matched my pace. "What can I say? You've already made up your mind about me."

"There's nothing you can say to change my opinion of you. I see what you are—it's written all over your aura." I waved my hand over him.

"My aura?"

"Oh, quit playing dumb. I know you're a warlock. I know your parents are demons, too."

A low growl escaped him. "I see Seth hasn't been able to keep his mouth shut around you. Damn it. He's known you all of twenty-four hours, and he's already spilling secrets."

"He had to tell me. My dad knew he was a warlock as soon as he showed up." _Damn it, damn it, damn it. I didn't mean to tell him that._

"Interesting," he replied. "In fact, it's fascinating. I wonder if that means your dad knew he was a warlock the same way my parents knew you were a witch?"

Wisely, albeit too late, I kept my mouth shut, refusing to acknowledge my dad was a demon like his parents.

"Is your mom demonic, too?" he asked in a low voice.

I swung on him, wagging my finger in his face. "You stay away from me, and you stay away from my family. Do you hear me?"

Laughing, his stunning blue eyes sparkled excitedly. "I like that you have fire inside you. It's sexy."

"I have more fire than you can handle," I replied, irritated even more that he didn't seem to be bothered at all.

"I'd love to take a shot at handling it."

"And I'd love to blow you into kingdom come."

"Hey, now. You barely know me."

"I know enough." Turning, I resumed my path into the school, but he caught me by the arm and dragged me off several paces to the side.

"I think the two of us have gotten off on the wrong foot. Let's call a truce, shall we?"

Fuming, I didn't answer him.

"Did I hurt your pride by asking you to fight me?"

"No, you hurt my pride by throwing the fight. And who asks to fight someone the first day they start school? You didn't exactly put out the welcome mat, did you?"

"I was just measuring you up. I had to make sure you were what you claimed to be. I couldn't have my boy, Seth, getting all enamored with a fake, now could I?" He stroked his hand briefly over his ever-present five o'clock shadow.

"If anyone is a fake here, it most certainly isn't me. I didn't fight someone just so I could rub up against them."

"Not gonna lie, that felt super nice. It got me excited for more." His eyes drifted over me again.

"Are you deaf? There isn't going to be any 'more.' I've only known you one day, and already I'm tired of playing your games."

His grip tightened on my arm as he pulled me closer. "You don't know what you're missing. There's a reason none of the girls ever turn me down."

"Really? None? Well, please, then, allow me to be the first." Yanking my arm out of his grasp, I started to walk away.

"I'm not gonna stop, you know?" he called after me, apparently not caring who could hear him. "I always get what I want."

_Like hell,_ I thought, refusing to acknowledge him. Quickly making my way inside the school, I was thankful when he didn't accost me any further. Hopefully, luck would be on my side, and I wouldn't have to deal with him in the future.

# 9

My hope was short-lived.

"Hey, Kenna. How are things today?" Judging by the confused semi-scowl on Seth's face, it was easy to deduce that Jett was still following me.

"I've been better," I replied honestly, refusing to acknowledge Jett. "How are you? I enjoyed hanging out with you last night." For some reason, I couldn't seem to resist rubbing my time spent with Seth in Jett's face.

Seth's expression brightened a bit. "It was nice. I'm looking forward to dinner tonight at your house."

"Wow. You're already meeting the parents? Isn't this only day two?" Jett asked, casually leaning against the lockers as he stared at Seth and then me. "What happens tomorrow? Picking out diamonds together? Buying a house? And before you know it, someone's gonna have a little bun in the oven."

I couldn't help it, I blushed. Though, I was unsure if it was because Jett was talking about me being intimate with Seth or because he was just talking about intimate things, period. Keen eyes immediately noticed my flush, and Jett smiled.

"My dad is a very suspicious individual," I explained, though I wasn't sure why I felt the need to do so. "I thought it best for him to meet Seth and get to know him right away. It will make him feel easier about us being friends."

"Is that all it takes to get on the 'friends' list? Then maybe I should come, too?"

"You're not my friend, remember?" I replied snarkily. "You're the jerk who wanted to kick my ass on the first day of school. I'm pretty sure that qualifies you as more of a bully than a friend."

"That's the way it used to be," Jett interjected. "You kicked my ass, remember? And showed me the error of my ways? I've spent the whole night reforming—becoming true, best friend material."

Gosh, he grated on my nerves. I slammed my locker shut and faced him head-on. "And exactly how did you spend the night repenting?"

He chuckled, his gaze skimming my body, pausing to rest at certain areas before traveling all the way down and back up again. It was apparent he didn't care that his best friend was standing right there, watching all of this absurdness go down. "I don't think you'd want to hear about that, but let's just say it made a world of difference in the way I think about you."

Releasing a sound like a low growl, Seth shoved passed Jett. "You're a dick, man. I can't believe you sometimes." Hooking his hand around my elbow, he steered me away. "Come on. We're gonna be late for class."

"Dude, I thought you were _my_ best friend?" Jett followed after us. "Besides, you should withhold the judgment. We both know what you'd do with my ability since we've discussed it so many times."

"Shut the hell up," Seth snarled.

"Are you seriously going to let a girl come between our friendship?"

Spinning around, Seth faced him. "I haven't done anything to come between our friendship, and neither has she. It's been all you, dude. _All you._ So, if you're trying to start something here, then you better go take a long hard look in the mirror. You're the only one causing problems."

Watching the two of them glare at each other had me suddenly worried over whether they were going to come to blows. Jett's hands were balled into fists, and Seth's jaw was clenched and twitching. It appeared my arrival had definitely caused some discord between the two.

"What's going on here guys, really?" The animosity between them suggested something more was going on, and it was starting to make me uncomfortable.

Neither answered, but their stare-down was starting to catch the attention of others steadily drawing closer.

"Let's go, Seth. There's a crowd gathering."

"You want to know what's wrong?" Jett asked, glancing only briefly at me before turning his gaze back to Seth. "He's mad because he knows I want to ask you out."

"Are you kidding me?" I stepped closer. "You already have a girlfriend. Besides, it should be pretty obvious to anyone with eyes and common sense that I'm already dating Seth."

"You've been out with him once," Jett said, annoyed. "It's not like you're a couple or anything. That makes you fair game, and he knows it."

Moving between them, I stared at Seth. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Looking slightly confused, he shook his head.

"Would you like one?" I asked, feeling like an idiot.

Seth smiled. "You offering?"

"I am." I couldn't resist smiling back at him. He was so damn hot.

"Then, not only yes, but hell, yes."

"Congratulations. You may now kiss the bride," Jett sneered from behind me.

"I think I will," Seth replied, snatching me around the waist and bending to press his lips against mine.

Confusion and fireworks hit me at the same time. Books clattering to the floor, my arms went willingly around Seth's neck, my senses on complete overload.

_How could lips feel so soft, yet so powerful at the same time?_ A gasp escaped me as Seth's tongue invaded my mouth, causing goosebumps to erupt over my entire body. Fingers sliding into his hair, I pulled him closer. I was thankful his arms were around me. I would've fallen, my knees were shaking so badly.

Whistles, catcalls, and some applause brought me crashing back to reality. I released my hold on Seth, but he didn't let me go just yet, staring down at me with a huge smile.

"Good for you?" He winked, and my skin heated even more.

"Very good." I smiled back.

"Your books are all over the floor," Jett said in an annoyed tone. I'd almost forgotten he was there.

Releasing me, Seth bent and gathered my books before offering me his hand. A shot of giddiness raced through me as I slipped mine into his much larger one, and he laced our fingers together.

Without a backward glance at Jett, the two of us walked away, heading toward class.

"You still coming to lunch?" Jett called after us.

"Yeah," Seth replied as if nothing had gone down between the two, surprising me.

"See you then."

"You really want to eat with him?" I asked, confused.

He shrugged. "Jett and I have our arguments, but they never seem to stick long. I guess it's because he feels more like a brother to me than a friend. If we have a disagreement, we get over it and move on, for the most part."

"The most part?"

"Every now and then he pisses me off, and it just sits and eats at me."

"So, what had you upset with him this morning?" We entered the classroom and slid into our seats, right next to each other at a table.

Seth hesitated, staring at me for a moment, and I noticed the ticking jaw was back. "Forget about it."

"Tell me," I pushed. "It's obviously bothering you."

"I don't want to upset you."

"You won't, I promise."

Leaning back in his chair, Seth picked up a pencil and began absently rolling it between his fingers. He glanced around before he shifted closer. "Jett has the power of illusion, meaning he can change things, so they look different."

"Okay . . ." I replied, not sure where he was going with this.

Seth sighed and continued. "If he likes a girl and he can't have her—it could be anyone, mind you, even a celebrity—Jett can make someone else look like that to him. So, when he's with his girlfriend, he'll shift her appearance, so she looks like whoever his latest fantasy is."

_Uh, gag!_ I flopped back in my chair, sickened. "Does Megan know?"

Seth shook his head. "She doesn't know anything about the magic or witches. It's a glamour that he sees, not her."

"And she has no idea that he's not actually _with_ her when he's _with_ her?"

"None."

"So gross! Wait. You're not saying that he imagines me, are you?"

He stared at me, head bent so close I could see the darker green flecks around the pupils of his eyes. "That's exactly what I wish I weren't saying."

Speechless and unable to even process that thought, I just sat there in dumb silence.

"You okay?" He sounded concerned.

"I guess so. It's weird, and I don't know what to think. You two seem so different, it's hard for me to grasp your friendship."

"I've known him for a long time. In all fairness, there is a semi-decent guy under all the bullshit. He's a victim of his circumstance, really. He wasn't always like this."

"Do you think his parents drinking from him is changing him?"

"I'm positive it is. I've seen it happening. He craves the power now. He wants to be made a demon."

"But why?" I couldn't comprehend it. "I've watched my dad my whole life. All he's ever wanted is to escape it. He hates being beholden to blood. It can greatly affect someone's personality. I just don't see how added magical strength is worth the risk."

"I don't really get it either, but he wants it. He even talked about the two of us finding a third and binding our powers together—like creating our own small coven—if we could find the right fit."

"Hmmm. Our family has worked with small numbers my whole life—just the three of us. Occasionally we would join in with my parents' old coven for big events and holiday celebrations, like Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"Are you Christian witches?" Seth asked, looking surprised.

I nodded. "Yeah, though we pretty much believe there is truth in all religions, magic, and legends. I've never really attended any religious services outside of our personal worship, though. My dad is more of a 'commune with nature' versus a 'sit in a pew' kind of guy."

"I get that. My family has always leaned more to the Pagan side of things, and the ancient old ways. There are many different sects of witchcraft, especially around here, those who worship the Goddess, and those who don't. Jett's family worships the God and Goddess and all the lesser deities. His dad is also the leader of their coven. My family has always been more matriarchal, with my mom being the high priestess."

"Speaking of your family . . . Since you did just agree to be my boyfriend, I should probably get to know more about them, don't you think? We kind of did this all backward."

Laughing, Seth nodded. "We did, didn't we? What do you want to know? I'm an open book."

Grinning, I stared at him. "Sounds like a book I really want to read."

"Back atcha, hottie. Maybe you can keep me on your bedside table, in case you get bored at night."

The teacher chose that moment to walk in, and I had to swallow back a burst of laughter. "I should give you fair warning. If my dad ever caught you in my room, you'd spend the rest of your life missing a certain appendage."

I wasn't sure if it was intentional or merely a gut reaction, but his hand dropped to cover himself there. "Well then, let's abort that plan. You can be the book on _my_ nightstand."

Giggling softly, I shook my head. "That would probably land you in the same boat. What about your parents? Wouldn't they be upset if you had a girl in your room?"

"No. My dad would probably high five me, actually. He likes seeing his son do "manly" things like playing sports and dragging females around by the hair."

I snorted. "By the hair?"

"Yes. We're very caveman-like at our house. Hey, since we're having dinner at your place, tonight, you should come over and eat with us tomorrow night. You can meet my family, too, and I'll even show you my nightstand. You can try it on for size."

Bumping my shoulder into his, I laughed. "That sounds fun. We can totally do that. If you survive tonight, that is."

"Is it going to be that bad? Does your dad honestly hate me already?"

"I don't think he hates you at all. I think he simply is distrustful of guys, in general. My parents are very . . . close . . . physically."

"I should hope so," Seth replied with a laugh.

"No, I mean like, all the time. It's like they're on their own island and forget that other people are around. They're really into each other, literally."

"Okay, and what does that have to do with me?"

"Well, putting it bluntly, my dad thinks all guys just want to get in my pants, because that's how he always thinks about my mom."

Seth glanced down at my jeans. "Sounds like he's a smart guy; and I agree, your pants are awesome. Designer? I have to say they look a bit too feminine for my taste and definitely too small. Yeah, I think your pants are safe from me."

Rolling my eyes, I giggled and leaned closer. "I'll be sure to tell my dad that. He'll rest so much easier."

Seth stared at my lips, suddenly cupping my chin and pulling me closer, briefly pressing his lips against mine, and I sighed as the tiny sparks fluttered through me.

"What was that for?" I asked, our lips still merely a breath apart.

"Because I like you." He kissed me again. "A lot," he added afterward.

"I like that you like me 'a lot,'" I replied, leaning in to capture his lips this time.

"Mr. Masterson and Ms. Mangum, please save it for later. Class, open your books to chapter two, and let's discuss proper sentence structure."

Seth and I broke apart. As soon as our books were open, he slipped his hand into mine under the table.

I couldn't help smiling. Things between us were off to a good start, and I was anxious to get to know him better.

# 10

Lunch and practice weren't too brutal, actually. Jett invited me to sit by him at the restaurant, earning me a hateful stare from Megan. Seth made a big show of scooting into the booth before me, so he was next to Jett. Since everyone else was around, the conversation never got awkward. Mostly everyone was teasing Jett about my kicking his butt. I wanted to tell them that he'd thrown the fight, but I knew that could cause problems for people who'd bet on him, so I kept my mouth shut.

Cheer practice went well after school, and I'd even stayed after an extra hour to work with Stephanie. Apparently, my years of dance lessons were paying off because I seemed to be grasping everything fairly quickly.

Glancing at the clock, I wrapped my towel tighter. I made my way to the closet, hoping to find something that looked incredibly amazing without seeming too fancy or like I was trying too hard. My parents would catch onto that immediately, and I'd never hear the end of it.

The "incredible" outfit ended up being a pair of designer jeans and a form-fitted pink tee that showed off my curves. Next, I carefully did my makeup and styled my hair in loose waves before bounding down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Don't you look nice?" my mom said, smiling.

"Thanks. What can I help with?"

"I'm just finishing up with the food. If you'd like to set the table, that would be great.

Feeling pretty awesome, I snapped my fingers, and the silverware drawer popped open. Quirking my index finger at the eating utensils they raised from the drawer.

"Magic to set the table? I haven't seen you do that in a while," Mom said.

"Do you think Seth would still want to date me if he knew I had a whole _Beauty and the Beast_ magical plate and utensil routine like the Disney movie? I could be the floor show for dinner."

"I think the routine is cute. I loved it when you reenacted it for me when you were younger."

"Sadly, I don't think he'd be that impressed, seeing how he's a warlock and all. He could probably do the same thing himself."

"Maybe he already does!" my mom said in a shocked sounding whisper, and we both laughed.

"Actually, I think we'd be more likely to catch my new friend, Frankie, doing it than Seth. Frankie is much more flamboyant, although I'd pay to see Seth do something like it."

"You really like him, don't you?" There was a knowing look in Mom's eyes.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I barely know him; but what I do know, I really like. He's considerate and funny." I glanced at her. "And an excellent kisser—but don't tell Dad!"

"He's kissed you already?" I couldn't tell if she was horrified or excited.

"Yeah, but it wasn't really a planned thing. He was kind of having a disagreement with his friend who sort of likes me, too. I think he did it just to piss him off, initially; but then it was just like, I don't know, perfect. "

"No wonder you've been beaming. That's your first kiss, isn't it?"

"Well, unlike _Sleeping Beauty_ , I never happened to come across a handsome prince while I was being hidden in a cabin in the woods. So, yes."

"Oh, my goodness." Mom's hand fluttered to her chest. "My little girl is growing up."

"Little, my eye. I'm taller than you are, Shorty."

Mom laughed. "Barely, by like half an inch. People probably don't even notice."

"They don't," I agreed. "All they see is how gorgeous you are—and how young you look. Everyone thinks you're my sister. It's the same with dad. And can I just say how gross it is to have girls my age tell me how hot my dad is? Ew."

Mom laughed. "Your dad is extremely good looking. It's hard for women not to notice. From the time I first met your father, I was amazed at how women constantly ogled him. He doesn't even notice it, but I do."

"I get it. I just don't like it."

"Well you should, because so many of your wonderful traits come from him."

"Yes, I will forever be the queen of the barbecue." I briefly let a fireball dance in my hand before extinguishing it.

Laughing, Mom shook her head. "Such high ambitions."

"Don't you know it? So, how are you enjoying your new job at the clinic?"

"I actually like it a lot. It's different than working shifts at a hospital, but I do like the hours much better. It's nice to be off work by the time you're done with cheer and whatnot. Plus, it's fun to work in a pediatric office."

"You've always enjoyed children."

"Yes, I have."

"How come you and Dad never had more?"

Moving to rinse her hands in the sink, she shrugged as she dried them on a towel. "I think we spent so much time worrying about exposure after you—it concerned us that we might have another baby who could potentially manifest powers at such a young age. It's hard to be out in public with a child who keeps spontaneously bursting into flames. After you were in control of your powers, then your dad became obsessed about teaching you how to protect yourself. I guess no time seemed like a good time. Why? Did you want a sibling?"

"I don't know. Sometimes I think it would've been nice to have someone closer to my age to hang around with. But I love being with you and Dad. At least I do when you aren't plastered all over each other, which is all the time." I rolled my eyes.

"What can I say? When it comes to sex, your dad—"

"You can just stop right there," I replied, holding my palm out. "If you continue on with that sentence, I may have to kill myself to cleanse my mind."

Coming beside me, she laughed and put her arms around my shoulders, squeezing me to her. "I wasn't going to say anything that would scar you. Just that he's really good."

"Ugh, Mom. That's plenty of scarring right there and definitely more than I need to know." I hugged her back.

"You should be happy about that. All that love created you."

"By accident," I added, knowing I was an unplanned pregnancy.

"By accident or not, it doesn't mean any less love was used in your creation."

Pulling away, I stared at her. "What was it like to fall in love so young?"

Mom smiled. "It was both wonderful and scary, and most certainly difficult at times. So many things were going on."

"If you had to do it all over again, would you?"

"In a heartbeat. That's what your dad doesn't understand. He feels he failed me somehow, that he took away my life. He doesn't realize that it's because of him I have a life worth living. He's everything to me—my world—both of you. I will always be perfectly happy as long as I have the two of you. Vance mistakenly believes he owes me something—that he still needs to atone for past sins. I disagree. Yes, we had some really tough times, but we stood by each other and made it through. That's all that matters. In spite of everything thrown at us, our love for each other never died. I don't get how he doesn't see that."

"Mom, I know you used to have a mental connection with him like he does with me. You should know, there are times he lets his guard down, and I hear what he thinks about you."

"And what do you hear?" she asked, staring softly into my eyes.

"Let me put it this way. Someday, I hope a man will love me like that. He misses you, Mom—the whole you, I mean. Guilt eats at him to the core. He hates that he led you down a road that eventually resulted in the loss of your magic. The feeling that was between you—that bond, both magical and mental—healed something inside him. When he lost that connection with you, he felt like he lost his stability."

"Why has he never shared this with me?"

"Because he doesn't know how to repair it, and he doesn't want you to think you're somehow "less" in his eyes. He still loves you as much as ever, but this wound inside him has never healed, and the pain of it only grows stronger. He loves you, Mom. All of you. And wants you back, just the way you were. I don't think he can rest until he finds a way to make that happen."

Tears welled in her eyes. "I don't want him to hurt, Kenna. I want him to be at peace. The poor man has hardly known a moment of calm in his life since he went on the run with your grandma, Krista. I just want him to be happy—truly happy."

"Then encourage him in finding a way to reintroduce your magic to you. You know he would never risk anything that would bring your demonic attributes back to the surface. Plus, I think it would be fun to get to know my mother, the witch."

"I've always been a witch, just not one with powers."

"I know, but I want to actually practice with you. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Smiling, she hugged me again. "I think it would be."

"Dinner was delicious, Mrs. Mangum. Thank you," Seth said politely, folding his napkin and dropping it beside his plate.

"Please, Seth, call us both by our first names, Vance and Portia. We aren't very formal around here."

Seth cast a semi-nervous glance at my dad, who was shooting daggers at my mom. She was obviously unaware that Dad had insisted on being called Mr. Mangum. It was hard not to laugh.

"Yes, thank you, Mom. It was awesome." Glancing between both my parents, I smiled. "I promised Seth I'd show him around the house. Is that okay with both of you?"

"Fine by me." Mom encouraged. "Your dad can help me clean up in here."

"Keep the doors open, "Dad said gruffly, and I laughed, standing and moving to kiss him on the head.

"Yes, Daddy." Leaning closer to his ear, I whispered. "I promise not to let him molest me."

Something akin to a groan escaped him, and I laughed even harder before grabbing Seth by the hand and dragging him from the room.

_"That kid is gonna be the death of me, you know that?"_ I heard my dad speak to my mom through our mental connection.

_"Aw, Vance. Come on. Can't you see how happy she is?"_

_"I didn't notice. All I could see was the way he kept looking at my baby girl."_

_"She's not a baby anymore. She's a young woman. You're going to have to let her grow up."_

_"I don't want to,"_ Dad grumbled. _"I'm not ready for all this stuff."_

_"What stuff?"_

_"The boys—them wanting her, and especially not her wanting them."_

_"You need to trust her, hun. She has a good head on her shoulders. Guess what she told me before dinner?"_

_"What?"_

_"That she hopes someday a man will love her the way you love me."_

_"She said that?"_ I could hear the wonder in his voice.

_"She did. She's watching you—both of us—and she's a smart kid."_

_"I know all that, but it only makes me more nervous. That guy here tonight? He's gonna fall in love with her. How can he not? She's so much like you. I can already see the light in his eyes when he looks at her. I recognize it from my own."_

_"Don't go borrowing trouble, honey. Just let things play out naturally and try to embrace whatever does happen. Let your daughter find her happiness. And if this is the guy for her, then nothing either of us does is going to stop it."_

_"I know, I know."_ He muttered and then gave a wry laugh. _"Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"_

_"It is,"_ Mom agreed, laughing. " _But I bet we will survive."_

_"I hope so."_

Easing out of my parents' conversation, I glanced at Seth, wanting to see this light my dad was talking about. Was it true? Were his feelings already growing so strong so quickly?

For some reason, that excited me instead of creeping me out. There was just something about Seth that continued to draw me to him. I found myself looking forward to the next time I'd get to see him, and my heart rate would pick up every time he drifted through my thoughts. There was this constant flutter going on in the pit of my stomach. I spent half of the day absently daydreaming about the way his lips felt on mine and wondering if I'd get a repeat performance tonight.

I hoped so.

"Are you feeling okay? Happy that you survived dinner?" I asked in a teasing tone.

"Honestly? It went a lot easier than I expected."

"You can thank my mom for that. She forbade my dad from drilling you."

"Oh, he was still drilling me—with that glare." He chuckled.

"Maybe I should've mentioned that I'm Daddy's little girl, and he doesn't share well."

"I think I already got that message from him. But hey, he didn't eat me, so I'm calling it a success."

"But he wanted to eat you, I think that's the point, isn't it?"

Seth's face paled a bit. "He did?"

I laughed. "No, you silly dork. I'm just messing with you." I bumped against him.

"That wasn't nice," he said, glancing behind us before lowering his voice and looking at me. "I think you need to be punished."

"Do you now?" I asked as we entered the foyer and moved toward the grand staircase.

"Yes, I do." Pulling me around the corner into the formal living room, he pressed me against the wall. "And I'm going to do that punishing right now." Lowering his head, his lips captured mine, and I welcomed them eagerly, fisting my hands in the front of his shirt and dragging him closer.

Before today, I knew nothing about kissing. Now, I only knew I wanted as much as I could get. It was like a drug I craved. I wasn't even sure if I was any good—only that Seth was a master at it, so it made me good, by default.

Tongue delving heavily into my mouth, he tasted me. His hands traveled down my back before resting against my butt and hauling my body flush against his. A groan escaped him as he ground against me.

"You're driving me crazy, Kenna," he whispered against my lips before hungrily recapturing them.

The magic in my blood heated under his touch, making me feel even warmer. Something inside me ached—I wanted him closer—but I didn't know how to achieve it. "Seth," I whispered, longing for something, but I didn't know what. I could only hear the need in my voice.

Wrenching away, Seth moved several paces backward. I sagged against the wall, staring at him heatedly.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked breathlessly.

"Because I was about to do something right here in your living room that would have, at the very least, ended with me killed." Releasing a shaky sigh, he stared at me. "I don't know what it is about you, but I'm pretty sure I've never liked a girl this much before, nor felt the need to move so quickly."

"So this . . ." I pushed away from the wall and gestured between us as I closed the distance, "isn't normal?"

He shook his head. "Not in my experience. I've never dated another witch before either, so I don't know if that's what's different. All I know is there is something here that's unusual. I don't know how to explain it."

"You don't need to. I feel it, too." Glancing around the corner, I could see the coast was clear. "Come on. I want to do something with you." I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs.

"As much as I want to do whatever it is we are about to do, tell me first, is it safe? Or is this going to be a life-ending experience for me? I'd like to know so I can enjoy myself to the fullest."

I snorted. "Are you expecting to die in my bed?"

"If that's where we are headed, then yes. I'm pretty sure that's where I'm gonna die. But damn girl, I promised to enjoy it first."

Pretty sure I was blushing a thousand shades of red, I couldn't help my response. "I think I would enjoy it, too—not the dead part. I mean the other thingy, you know . . . what you said. I'm just going to stop talking now."

He laughed. "I think that may be the sexiest thing I've ever heard in my life—you know, my very short life—that will be over soon."

"I didn't actually say I was taking you to my bed, you know?"

Reaching the top of the stairs, he glanced down them before dragging me into a nearby alcove. "I know you didn't, but I also know how you make me feel. And if you feel even a percentage of what I do right now, then I think it won't be too long before the two of us end up there, anyway. So, either way you look at it, I'm most likely gonna die soon because of you."

I giggled. "But I don't want you to die."

Sliding his hands on either side of my head, he pressed his full length against me, pinning me to the wall. His eyes were full of hunger. "Don't feel bad. I'm pretty sure it will be worth it."

Again, his lips captured mine, sending my blood careening through me in an enthusiastic response. Once more, the overwhelming need to be closer to him consumed me. Without even thinking about it, I raised one of my legs, hooking it around him and he groaned a little too loudly.

Immediately, we both glanced down into the foyer below us, thankful to find it empty. He wasn't aware of my dad's excellent hearing, but I was. Hopefully, my mom was keeping my dad otherwise occupied.

"Is there somewhere else we can go?" he whispered, and I nodded, remembering my original intention.

Taking him by the hand once more, I guided him to a single door at the end of a long hall.

"What's this?" he asked quietly.

"It leads to the attic. I've meant to explore it since we moved in, but I haven't had the chance. When I came home from school, yesterday, I thought I saw someone staring at me through the window, but no one else should be here."

"Sounds positively spooky and just the distraction I need. Let's go."

Carefully, I turned the knob and opened the door, revealing the tall narrow staircase that ascended up into the darkness. I slid my hand over the walls, searching, but found nothing. "No light switch."

Seth glanced behind us. "I think I just heard horror music starting to play somewhere."

I laughed and nudged him. "So, you're chicken? Is that what you're saying? I don't know if I can date a guy who's chicken."

Squaring his shoulders, Seth straightened, making his well-over six-foot height seem even taller. "Hell no, I'm not chicken. Dude, I'm like a friggin' slayer."

"A slayer of what? Pizza?" I teased with a giggle.

"Definitely pizza, and any other wickedly delicious foods."

"I'm so happy to know I'm safe with you. At least I am if there's a pizza haunting the attic."

Seth snorted and tiptoed quietly on the stairs, keeping me safely tucked behind him. I wasn't really scared, of course. Still, something about knowing he was placing himself between me and any danger was heartwarming.

Reaching the top, I blinked several times, trying to let my eyes adjust to the dimness. The only light was from the moon filtering through the small dormer windows covered with lace curtains. The attic space spanned the entire length of the house. Other than a small bench, an old rocking chair, and a couple of ancient-looking trunks in the corner, nothing else cluttered up the wood-planked floor.

"Looks pretty empty from what I can see." Immediately a ball of bluish-white light appeared in the center of Seth's free hand. Waving it around, he illuminated the dark areas before nodding toward the items in the corner. "Looks like that's it."

"What do you call that?" I asked, gesturing toward his hand. "I've never seen anything like it before."

He chuckled, staring at it. "I've always referred to it as 'witch light.' That's what my parents call it. They can both do the same. If you're not familiar with this, then what does your family use?"

Raising my hand, I called a ball of flame. "Fire is the natural magic of both my dad and me. My dad has also assimilated an electrical force. Mom always jokingly calls it the Electric Storm Ball Effect, but he can generate light that way, too."

"What else can you do?" Seth extinguished his witch light at the same time I put out my fireball, plunging us back into darkness.

"Now all I can see are spots!" I said with a laugh.

"Then we should do something that doesn't require sight." He scooped me off my feet, and I squealed.

"You caught me off guard."

"Good. I like catching you off guard."

Surprising me, he knelt down and gently laid me on the floor and leaned over me. I blinked several times, wishing I could see him better, but not wanting to break the mood.

"I want to kiss you, Kenna, for a long, long time—until I don't know where I end and you begin."

Heat infused me at his words, and I honestly couldn't think of anything that sounded better. Reaching for him, I pulled him down, capturing his mouth as he leaned beside me.

Tongues tangling, he shifted to straddle me, resting with his elbows by my head and his hands tangled into my hair.

What was it with kissing him? I'd never expected anything like this—this feeling of wanting to be consumed by something, of wanting to give in. It didn't matter that I was inexperienced or that I barely knew Seth—it was like my body knew, recognized, and craved him like a needed drug.

"Kenna." My name, whispered as he brushed his lips over my skin, moving toward my neck, caused a flush of delicious prickles to race over me. He murmured it so sweetly, but it sounded so full of need and wonder.

Leaning on one elbow, he trailed his other hand down the side of my body. He lightly slid over my neck, and collarbone, grazing the edge of my breast as he passed toward my waist before anchoring his hand on my hip.

"Even in the dark, you're beautiful."

"I . . . I don't know what to say," I admitted, feeling things I'd never experienced before swirling around inside me.

"You don't need to say anything. Just keep being perfect like you already are." A soft kiss was pressed against my forehead.

"I'm not perfect." His words made me feel like I was, though.

"You are to me." Giving a wry chuckle, he stroked my cheek with his thumb. "Excuse the analogy, but right now, I'm feeling like the Titanic, and you're my iceberg. I've been hit, and I'm going down fast."

"You make it sound like I'm going to destroy you," I replied, closing my eyes as he feathered more kisses on my face.

"You just might," he breathed out against my skin. "Especially if your dad catches onto this."

"Kenna? Are you guys up there?" As if on cue, my dad's voice floated up the stairs, and it was as if someone threw a bucket of cold water on us.

"To the trunks," Seth urged, quickly. We moved as noiselessly as possible.

"Yeah, come on up!" I called to my dad, as Seth used magic to pop the lid open and summon some witch light. "Oh, my goodness!" I exclaimed when all the fancy old dresses in the trunk were revealed. "Look how beautiful they are!" The sound of my dad's boots ascended the stairs, and I quickly glanced over my shoulder. "Dad, come see what we found in this old trunk!"

"I've seen some of them already," he said, his features partially disguised by the darkness of the room, but he appeared to be staring between us. "I peeked inside when your mom and I toured the house before we bought it."

"Who do you think they belong to?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea. We should research some history on the place. Are you two doing okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine. I've just been giving Seth the tour." _Sorta,_ I added in my head, but not where he could hear it. No, those walls were firmly up. I didn't need my dad having a heart attack and moving us all away from here.

"Okay. Your mom and I will be in the family room watching television if you need us."

"We'll be down soon," I said, though I was eager to go through the rest of the trunk and look in the other one, too. I knew my dad well enough to realize he seemed nervous and uncomfortable.

"All right. Don't be long."

Seth stared at me, waiting for the sound of his footsteps to retreat before he spoke. "That was close."

I nodded. "Yeah, it was."

"It was worth it."

"I think so, too." Scooting closer, he kissed me briefly. "I'd better go before we really get into trouble."

"But you haven't seen my room yet."

"Then I definitely need to go before that happens. If you take me there right now, I won't be leaving any time soon. I don't want this to be my last night with you. I want to spend a lot more with you."

"How can you be so sure? You barely know me."

"I know enough. I know you're honorable, kind, and strong. I see the love you have for your family. You're talented, both magically and normally. You've told me of things your family has gone through and survived, and I see how you support them. Not to mention that every time I'm around you, it's like you light my match with that flame of yours. You and I—we fit. I don't care if it's weird to say it. I want to see where this is going."

"It's not weird, just unexpected." My heart was racing, fluttering, stuttering with every word he spoke. "I want to find out where we're headed, too."

Chuckling, he kissed me again. "We're headed for trouble, I'm afraid. Lots of it."

"Fine by me," I whispered, and he laughed.

"Strangely, I'm fine with it, too."

# 11

Stepping away from the water fountain, I dragged the back of my hand briefly across my mouth to remove any excess water. Making my way back to cheer practice, I was immediately brought up short when I noticed Jett leaning against one of the open double doors. Football practice must've ended early today. I glanced around, hoping Seth might be in the vicinity, too; but didn't see him.

Sighing, I resigned myself to another confrontation as I moved closer toward Jett, his eyes never leaving me.

"Hey, Sugar."

"Sugar?" I replied, wondering when I'd acquired a nickname.

"Yeah. I like my girls sweet."

I cast a glance across the room to where Megan was ordering a group of cheerleaders about. "I certainly wouldn't call that sweet. And last time I checked I wasn't your girl."

Flashing a half-grin, Jett looked at Megan. "She's a piece of work, isn't she? I was in the mood for something tart when I hooked up with her." His gaze swung back to me and traveled down my body hungrily. "But suddenly, I seem to be sporting a sweet tooth again."

Heat filled my cheeks at his blatant perusal, but I lifted my chin a bit higher. "I hate to disappoint you, Mr. Blackstone, but I'm neither sweet nor tart."

His eyes brightened. "So that leaves you somewhere in the middle, doesn't it?"

I could feel a trap coming on. "Maybe," I replied hesitantly.

He licked his lips and smiled wider. "The perfect blend, then. I always wanted a good girl who could be a little bit bad."

Sighing heavily, I rolled my eyes. "Maybe I should also remind you that this "perfect blend" is unavailable."

"You don't need to remind me. I think about it almost every minute of every day."

"Then why do you keep trying to pursue me?"

Pausing, the humor faded from his expression, and he grabbed me by the elbow, dragging me out of sight of the others at practice. "I keep pursuing you because you and I belong together, and I'm hoping you'll realize it sooner rather than later."

Anger infused me, and I crossed my arms, staring at him pointedly. "And why would I ever want to date a guy who would try to steal his best friend's girlfriend? For that matter, why would I date a guy who is hitting on me while he's with someone else? If you're cheating on her, you could just as easily cheat on me. I'd never be able to trust you."

Jett stepped closer. "Because I've never wanted a girl as badly as I want you. Trust me when I say if you were mine, there's no way I'd be looking at anyone else."

"For how long?" I asked, staring into his incredible eyes. If I were completely truthful with myself, I wasn't entirely immune to him. There was something about him that piqued my interest—it had since the beginning. The state of his aura had immediately raised red flags for me, but Seth seemed determined to stand by him. "Until you get another sweet or tart tooth? I will never be anyone's temporary plaything." I started to walk away, but he grabbed me, pulling me against him.

Leaning in close to my ear, he whispered. "Trust me, when you become mine, it won't be temporary. I intend to keep you all to myself. But you can count on the fact that I will definitely play with you, and it will feel so good you'll be begging for more."

"You're a pompous jerk." I yanked my arm free and walked away, annoyed, as Jett's laughter trailed after me. He was such a butthead, so damn full of himself. I hated people that felt like they were entitled to whatever they wanted, no matter how much it damaged those around them. Jett was so selfish; all he could see was his own wants and needs.

"You okay?" Stephanie asked as I rejoined the group, and I nodded.

"Yeah, sorry I took so long. What did I miss?" Casting a glance at the doorway, I noticed Jett was still standing there watching. Megan finally saw him and went running over, and he greeted her with a pretty hot kiss.

I turned away, unable to stomach anymore.

"Who the hell is that?" Jett's voice caused me to jump since I hadn't realized he was there. Turning, I found him sitting against the wall just beyond the doors to the school, an angry expression on his face, his mouth set in a hard line as he glared at me.

Glancing back to where my dad was taking off his motorcycle helmet, I watched as he smiled and waved at me. "You ready?" he shouted, and I nodded.

"Be right there. Give me one sec." I glanced at Jett, deciding this was just too good to pass up. "What's it to you?"

"Well, for one, I thought you were dating Seth. You just gave me your big old high and mighty speech about two-timers, and then this guy shows up."

I shifted my books to one side as I stared at him. "Weren't you the one who was trying to convince me that Seth and I didn't need to be exclusive? So, which is it? Am I to be loyal to Seth, or only loyal if you are the one who wants a piece of me?"

"Who is this guy to you?" he practically growled.

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

Jett's eyes glittered like ice. "Because I want to know who my competition is."

"You have no competition because you're not even in the running." He was so dang irritating.

"Give me time. I'll grow on you, and then you'll change your mind."

"Don't hold your breath."

"I don't need to. I'm confident in my ability to sway you."

"Get lost, Jett." I turned toward the motorcycle, tired of the conversation. It was like beating my head against a brick wall.

"With you? Happily."

Glancing behind me, I saw him rising to follow, and my pulse rate shot up. I needed to keep him away, just in case Dad could sense anything about Jett; but I didn't know how to distract him. Before I could contemplate anything, Jett moved right past me, heading for my dad. I ran after him.

"Wait!" I called, but it was too late.

"How do you know Kenna?" Jett asked his posture entirely on the defensive.

My dad arched an eyebrow and glanced between the two of us. _"What's going on here?"_ he asked through our mental link.

_"This guy is a friend of Seth's, but he thinks I made the wrong choice. He wants me to date him instead. Now he thinks you're competition, as well."_ I groaned. This was so embarrassing.

_"I got this, Firecracker. Just play along."_ Dad winked at me before turning back to Jett. "I'm her boyfriend. What's it to you?"

Oh, dear sweet heaven above! _"What are you doing?_ I practically screamed into my dad's head. _"Don't stir the pot!"_

He didn't answer, merely staring at Jett, who now had some sort of pained grin on his face as he turned to look at me. "You're such a damn liar, you know that? A two-faced, two-timing liar."

"Don't you talk to her that way," Dad said, swinging his leg off the still running bike, and I groaned. I knew my dad. If he felt I was being threatened in any way, he'd go ballistic.

"I'll talk to the little cheat any way I want."

"Stop it! Both of you!" I yelled, stepping between them. I stared at Jett. "He's not my boyfriend, you idiot. He's my dad, and he was testing you. I'm pretty sure you failed."

Jett's expression changed from anger to horror as he realized his mistake, immediately trying to recover. Holding out his hand, he spoke. "I'm Jett Blackstone. Nice to meet you, sir."

Dad merely stared at Jett's hand. "Sorry, kid. Too little, too late." He glanced at me. "Are you ready? I have a surprise planned for you."

"You do?" Smiling, I slipped my belongings into one of the saddlebags. "Then let's go." The two of us climbed onto the motorcycle while Jett sat there and watched.

"See you tomorrow, Kenna," he shouted when my dad revved the engine.

"Stay away from my daughter!" Dad yelled back, pulling away from the curb and quickly putting a lot of distance between Jett and us. I breathed a sigh of relief.

_"Thanks, Dad,"_ I muttered into his head.

_"I'm serious. Stay away from that one. He's not right for you."_

_"That's my plan."_

_"Good, you're a smart girl. You said he's friends with Seth, though?"_

_"He is. They play football together. Seth has known Jett for many years. He said he used to be a lot nicer, but things have happened in his life that has kind of hardened him."_

_"Hmmm. You know he's a warlock, too, right?"_

_"Yes, I know. Seth told me. I understand there are a few families similar to ours in the area."_ That was the complete truth—families with mixed fresh-blooded witches and contaminated demons.

_"Well, I'm not kidding. I want you to stay away from this guy."_

_"Why? What's wrong?"_

_"There's bad energy around him. I can sense it."_

I knew he would. That's why I'd hoped to keep them apart. _"I know. I do, too. Seth seems to think he's redeemable, though."_

Dad grunted. _"That's not exactly a glowing endorsement, you know."_

_"What do you mean? I thought you liked Seth. We all had a great time at dinner."_

_"That was before he made out with my daughter all over my house."_

I blushed. _"How did you know?"_

_"I didn't,"_ he replied with a laugh, and I groaned, realizing I'd fallen right into his trap.

Several seconds passed, and I waited for him to continue with his conversation. When he didn't, I did. _"Are you mad at me?"_

_"Not at all. I know guys are going to like you and I know that you will like them, too. It's natural. I'm just not too happy about it since you're still my little girl. I don't think I'll ever be comfortable with seeing the way these guys look at you."_

_"How do they look at me?"_ I asked, suddenly curious.

_"Well, Seth, he looks at you like the sun rises and sets with your every movement. His eyes are constantly on your lips like he might die if he doesn't get to kiss you. The chemistry practically radiates off the two of you when you're together. But that Jett kid? He looks at you like . . ."_ He trailed off.

_"Go on."_ I encouraged, wanting to know what he'd been about to say.

_"Jett looks at you like he'd like to kidnap you, haul you off to a cave, and teach you everything he knows about sex over a month of Sundays."_

_"Oh."_ I didn't know what else to say. I was pretty sure my dad had never been this blunt with me before. Blushing furiously, I flipped up the visor on my helmet, trying to cool my face.

_"Be careful around him, Kenna."_

_"I will, Dad. I promise. I want nothing to do with him."_

_"Don't lie to yourself, either."_

Wait. What? _"How am I lying to myself?"_ I asked, ready to argue.

_"I can tell you're attracted to both of them."_

_"Really? And how'd you manage that?"_

He chuckled. _"Have you forgotten I'm a demon warlock? I can smell the magic in your blood. I know when it races faster, and I can smell the pheromones that dump into your bloodstream whenever you've been near Seth and now Jett. Attraction is easy for me to spot."_

Wonderful _. "You're wrong, Dad. I'm not attracted to Jett—I mean, he's super hot, but he's a jerk. You must've sensed my irritation with him."_

_"And I will tell you, again, what I said a minute ago. Stop lying to yourself. Just because you find him attractive doesn't mean your feelings for Seth are any less real."_

_"I thought you didn't want me to date anyone. Now you're pushing me toward Seth?"_

_"I've seen the competition, and I'm touting the lesser of two evils,"_ he replied with a wry chuckle. _"Speaking of Seth, I was surprised he wasn't with you."_

_"He left before the end of school. The football team had some passing league today with a neighboring school."_ A text from Seth was waiting for me after practice and had filled me in on the details.

_"Then why wasn't Jett with him?"_

I shrugged. _"I think Jett plays defense. Seth is the quarterback."_

_"I hope both those guys play fair and don't use their powers to give them an athletic advantage."_

_"I guess we'll find out when the season officially starts, won't we?"_

Pulling into an unfamiliar parking lot, he shut off the bike. _"You're probably right. I just don't care for cheaters."_

"Where are we?" I asked, removing my helmet.

"Essex Street," he replied. "Remember, I said I had a surprise for you? Well, this is part of it. I want to introduce you to someone."

Draping his arm around my shoulders, he gave me a squeeze. He guided me toward the street of shops that were closed off to vehicle traffic and only open to pedestrians.

"So, what is this surprise?"

"You're gonna have to wait a few minutes. Patience."

"Yeah. I get my patience from you."

Laughing, he squeezed me again. "I know, and I'm sorry. I promise it will be worth the wait." Leading me to a metaphysical store called Bell's Book and Candle, he held the door open, and I went inside, looking around the welcoming, well-maintained space.

"Vance!" I heard a shriek, and suddenly a pretty dark-haired woman practically launched herself across the space between us. Grabbing him, she hugged him tightly, laughing and smiling as he did the same. Pulling back, she placed both hands on either side of his face and kissed him full on the lips.

Who the hell was this lady, and why was she kissing my dad? More importantly, why was he letting her?

As if they sensed my discomfort, they broke apart, and both looked at me.

"Please forgive me," the woman spoke, and I noticed she had an accent, but it seemed a bit muddled to me—maybe British? Or Australian? I wasn't really sure. "You must be Kenna. Your mum and dad have told me so much about you."

"Portia wanted to come see you, too, but there was a minor emergency she had to help take care of at work," my dad said. Their conversation caused my hackles to lower. Obviously, Mom knew of and liked this woman. "Kenna, this is Belinda Bell."

"Bels," she corrected with a smile as she warmly shook my hand. "Everyone calls me Bels." She glanced back at my dad. "You have no idea how much I love your father." Um, I was pretty sure I did after her enthusiastic greeting. There was definitely something going on between them.

"He's a great guy," I agreed, still feeling displaced and awkward. I was sure I'd never seen my dad kiss anyone besides my mom—other than family. That was usually a hug and maybe a kiss on the cheek for his mom.

"Your dad saved my life, once, and the life of my mother, too." She explained.

"Not really her mom," Dad interjected. "She wasn't actually in any danger."

"True, but we didn't know that at the time."

I gave up on trying to guess what was happening. "Can someone please explain? I'm so confused."

"Your grandpa, Damien, came here and stole Hecate's Box from Bels, then kidnapped her to use her blood in the ritual to claim possession of the souls in the underworld. He intended to kill her."

"And I would've died in that hellish circle had your dad not been able to pull me out of it. As far as I'm concerned, he has my devotion for the rest of my life. So, when he called and asked if I'd be willing to give you a job, I was ecstatic."

"I'm going to work here?" I glanced back and forth between them, and my dad nodded.

"Your mom said that you want a car, and you're willing to work to pay for it. I thought that was a great idea. So, if you're good with this, Bels is offering you a job to help you make the payments."

"Seriously?" Now I was the one bounding over to hug my dad in a much similar fashion to Bels. "Oh my gosh! I'm so excited! Thank you!"

"You'll have to keep your grades up, though, or you lose it."

"Not a problem. I can do this." Releasing my dad, I turned to Bels. "Thank you so much. When do you want me to start?"

"How about tomorrow? I'll train you for a couple weeks, and if you feel okay with everything after that, you can run things by yourself on occasion."

"That sounds awesome!" I was so thrilled at this opportunity.

"Well, then, this is all working out just fine. I'm so happy your family has moved here. It will be great to see you all the time."

"We're glad to be here. You should join us for dinner this week at our new place."

"I'd love that, Vance. I really would." Bels was practically beaming at his suggestion, and I wondered if my dad realized she was completely and totally infatuated with him. Her aura positively sparkled with attraction.

"Perfect. I'll let Portia know, and she will be in touch with you."

"Sounds great! I look forward to hearing from her. It was so nice to meet you, Kenna."

"Nice to meet you, too. See you tomorrow."

Dad and I left the store together, and I couldn't resist a quick glance backward. Bels was still standing at the window, smiling and waving. I waved back.

"You know she likes you, right? As in, _likes you_ , likes you."

Dad just laughed. "She's fine, I promise. Just grateful."

"Dad, I can see her aura. That woman would throw you into bed faster than you'd know what hit you."

"No, she wouldn't. She loves and respects your mom too much."

"I'm serious, Dad. She's into you—in a big way."

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more from its already messy style. "I'm aware of her attraction, but I also know she will never act on it. And even if she did, I wouldn't. Your mom is everything to me."

"What if something happened to Mom? Would you be into this lady then?"

He shook his head and stared at me. "Maybe if I'd met her before I met your mom. But your mom . . . She's it for me, Kenna. There will never be another. Only her."

"Does Mom know how Bels feels about you?"

"I'm sure she does, but she doesn't find her to be a threat either."

"Obviously, since you both agreed to let me work here. I just don't want to be caught in the middle of some sordid love triangle."

Dad laughed heartily, slipping his arm around my shoulders. "The only love triangle happening around here is the one you're already caught up in yourself. Trust me when I say nothing—and I mean nothing—will ever sway me from your mom. Ever."

"Even if she's dead?"

"Even if she's dead."

"Good enough for me," I replied, smiling now that I was sure my parents' relationship was still stable. Not that I'd been overly worried. "Now, when do I get to pick out my car?"

Laughing, Dad handed me a helmet when we reached the bike. "I was wondering how long it would take you to ask."

# 12

Stirring in my sleep, hairs rose on my skin, and I suddenly felt as if I were being watched. Eyes popping open, I blinked several times, trying to get used to the darkness of my bedroom. Gaze darting, I saw nothing; but still couldn't shake the creepy feeling.

I tossed my covers off and placed my feet on the cool, wood floor. Maybe it was just a dream, and I simply needed to wake up and get a drink or something before trying to go back to sleep.

Leaving my room, I stepped out into the hallway, looking both ways before stopping to stare at the open attic door. Shivers flared through me. I distinctly remembered closing the door after Seth and I had explored it, and I was pretty sure no one had been up there since.

As if manipulated, my feet moved toward the dark staircase, my heart pounding with every step. I should call my parents and have them come check with me; but when I tried to stop and open my mouth, it was as if I had no control over myself.

Treading lightly, I made my way soundlessly up the wooden stairs, pausing at the top and looking around.

Moonlight filtered dimly from the lace-covered windows, showing everything to look exactly as before, except the lid on the trunk I'd gone through was still open. I couldn't remember if I closed it or not, so I went to do it.

Kneeling beside it, I brushed my hand lovingly over the elegant, beautiful fabric of the dresses near the top. Again, I wondered to whom they might have belonged.

Skin prickling, I immediately knew I was not alone. To my left was a soft stirring of light above my head, and I gasped, shrinking away from it.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" A musical female voice, with what I thought might be an Irish lilt, filled the air. "When I saw them, I wished I could try them on."

I was shaking. "Who's there?" I called out in a harsh whisper, my mouth feeling dry.

Slowly, the light beside me began to grow brighter. As it lengthened, the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen appeared before me—or rather, her ghost was standing before me. Looking her over, I noted that she dissolved away into nothingness near her feet, and she was clearly see-through. But none of that did anything to diminish her looks.

"Who are you?" Even as I took in her white-blonde hair, porcelain features, and pale full lips, I was shaking. I'd never seen a ghost before; and to be honest, I hadn't even really known if they actually existed. If there was one thing being a witch had taught me, it was to always have an open mind when it came to all things magical or otherworldly.

"You may call me, Dee or Dee Dee," the apparition spoke, staring directly at me and smiling. A wave of comfort moved through me, calming and soothing my nerves, as well as removing my fear of this gorgeous creature. All I wanted was to get to know her better.

"Why are you here, Dee Dee?" I asked, curling my arms around my knees and leaning against the trunk. Staring, I waited for her to speak.

"I . . . I live here. I have for a very long time."

"It's my understanding that this house is one hundred and fifty years old. Have you been here all that time? Do these clothes belong to you?" I gestured to the trunks behind me. Maybe her spirit was attached to them.

"No, they are not mine. I am from a time much older." Bending, she waved her hand airily over the clothing, but it sank right through them, and she sighed wistfully. "I'd love to be able to change my apparel."

For the first time, I paid particular attention to her clothing and noted that they did appear very old and plain. The white dress was a shift of some sort, and there was a ring of faded flowers in her hair.

"Why are you here, if this isn't your home?"

She turned and stared at me, shrugging. "I am attached to something here, in the area. I'm not necessarily imprisoned here. I choose to stay." Glancing toward the window, she sighed.

"But why stay here? Why not move on—go toward the light, or whatever?" I wasn't exactly an expert on how death worked.

"I am . . . I am in mourning for my lost love."

I thought I saw a tear run down her face. "What happened?"

She didn't speak for several long moments. "I wasn't allowed to be with him. Instead, I was forced to marry a monster, an awful man who terrorized me until I died."

Heart hurting for her, I looked at her in a new light. "You hardly seem old enough to be married, let alone to have died. Do you know what happened to your lost love?"

"He wed another." Burying her face in her hands, she wept.

Instinctively, I reached out, wanting to comfort her, but as soon as my hand passed through her shoulder, she disappeared. Instantly, my fear returned, and a wave of cold prickled through me. Standing, I shut the trunk and rubbed my bare arms, trying to get rid of the sensation.

"Dee Dee?" I called, looking around for her, but saw nothing.

I shook my head, wondering if I'd imagined it all. Tiptoeing back down the stairs, I quietly made my way through the large house, checking every room except my parent's. There was no way in hell I was opening that door without an invitation from them. The whole house seemed perfectly normal. Pausing in the kitchen, I got a drink of water and headed back to my room.

As I crawled into bed, I saw my phone charging on the nightstand. Immediately, I gestured for it, and it detached from the cord and floated through the air toward me. I smiled when I saw the text from Seth.

**I missed u 2day.**

Glancing at the clock, it was well after two A.M., but I didn't care. **Sorry. I didn't see your text. I missed u 2. Hope u r sleeping well.** I wasn't expecting a reply, so I was surprised when the phone vibrated in my hand before I could set it down.

**I'm awake.**

**Why? Don't u know what time it is????**

**Ha! Yeah, but I keep thinking about this girl . . .**

**Oh? Did u meet someone today on your trip?** I was kidding, but the thought still made me feel slightly ill.

**U know I'm talking about u.**

**LOL! Just checking.**

**I wish u were here.**

**I will be tonight for dinner.** My thoughts drifted back to the make-out we'd shared in the attic, and heat flooded my body, drifting to wholly unfamiliar places for me. Everything felt so tingly, and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to be in his arms.

**That's too far away.**

**I agree.**

**Can I come over?**

**Right now?** I wasn't sure what to say. Did he really want to come here to visit in the middle of the night?

**Yeah. Can u sneak out?**

I'd never attempted any such thing before—never even had the desire to do it. Still, a desire of a different sort seemed to be controlling me, now. **I can try. I know where the wards my dad set up are and how to not trip them.**

**We can stay on your property if u want—maybe the backyard?**

**Okay, but don't try to cross the wards w/o my help.** My heart was racing, both with excitement and more than a tiny bit of fear. It was imperative that we not get caught.

**Got it. C u in a few. Wait outside for me.**

**Ok.**

Quickly getting up, I went to one of the windows and opened the drapes a bit so I could see better without turning on the lights. Calling my magic with ease, a small flame appeared on the end of my finger, and I lit the pillar candle on my desk before sitting down and running a brush through my hair. My face was clear of any makeup since I'd washed it before bed, so I dabbed on a bit of mascara, some Chapstick, and a slight spritz of perfume. Standing, I wondered if I should change out of my white tank top and bootie shorts that said "Dance" on the back. I decided against it but did opt to slip my bra back on and apply some deodorant—just to be on the safe side—before popping a couple breath mints in my mouth.

Facing my bed, I stared at it for a moment before hurrying over to arrange the pillows and blankets to look like I was still in it. There was no point in deluding myself. I wasn't stupid. Kids didn't sneak out so they could be on the up and up, they snuck out so they could do things without their parents' knowing about it. I'd obviously been corrupted, somehow, because I was greatly looking forward to spending forbidden time with Seth.

Glancing toward the window, I considered exiting that way. But knowing my dad, and his history of sneaking into my mom's bedroom window before they were married, I was wary. I was pretty sure that would be the first place he would set an alarm, trying to catch any would-be visitors from climbing into my room. Guess it was time for some magic. Snapping my fingers, I extinguished the candle.

Concentrating, I slowed my heart rate, taking deep breaths as I tried to calm my senses. It wouldn't do me any good to walk past my parents' bedroom and have my dad hear my blood racing like a wild woman. As soon as I felt calm enough, I centered my thoughts and called my powers of levitation.

While most witches had a power similar to this, I was slightly different from those I'd heard about. Usually, levitation magic was still bound by the laws of gravity. A witch could rise into the air, but every step or movement would take them back toward the earth until they hit the ground and pushed off again.

Mine wasn't like that. True, I was still bound by gravity, but my magic allowed me to walk a couple inches above the ground without sinking to the earth beneath. It was almost like a force field under my feet, a new substance for me to walk on. By doing this, I alleviated the chances of anyone hearing my footfalls as I moved. It had been a great trick for me as a child, one I'd used on many occasions to sneak up on my parents and scare them to death—or try to at least.

Moving silently, I slipped from my room and boldly headed downstairs to the front door.

Waving my hand through the air, I saw the red shimmer reveal itself around the doorway, a signature of my dad's magic. Since I lived here, the magic wasn't made to keep me in, but to keep others, who weren't part of our household, out. However, I wouldn't put it past my dad to create something that would trigger an alarm if I left, so I inspected the ward closer, surprised to find nothing that would suggest that.

Taking a deep breath, I placed my hand in the spectral signature. "Release," I whispered. The red color swirled around, obviously recognizing my command, and disappeared completely. Opening the door, I slipped through as small a crack as I could before shutting it softly behind me. Placing my hand back on the door, I spoke again. "Reinstate." Instantly, the red barrier of magic appeared. Smiling, I stepped away, and it faded back into invisibility.

Turning, I didn't move forward, instead waving my arm and searching for more protection wards. Most of them appeared to be around the fence surrounding the house and the gate, in front. I approached the gate, searching for Seth. I didn't want to remove the barriers for too long.

Car lights appeared down the street, disappearing when the engine turned off. I waited, watching as he climbed out and walked the remaining distance in the moonlight toward my house.

Damn, he was good looking. I swear he got more attractive every time I saw him. It was a crime—or it should have been. I felt frumpy by comparison; but it didn't matter, because he obviously liked me. Still, it should be illegal for a guy to look so good in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in the middle of the night.

Moving like he was an apparition himself, it made me recall my moments tonight in the attic. I wondered if I should tell him about it; but seeing how it was so bizarre, I decided to keep it to myself until I found out more about Dee Dee.

"Hey," he whispered as he approached, and I dissolved the wards, holding the gate open as he stepped inside. I quickly reinstated them and then turned, popping on my tiptoes to hug him. Burying his face into my hair, he wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Mmm, you smell so good."

"So do you." I let him hug me for several more moments, before pulling away and slipping my hand into his. "Come on."

Leading him around to the side of the house, we had to clear one more gate before we were safely in the backyard. Since my dad had yet to appear and drag me off, I thought this had been a success.

"Now, where we going?"

"To the gazebo at the far end of the yard." Thankfully, the house sat on a pretty sizeable piece of property. That would allow us to get some reasonable distance between it and us—and hopefully, no one would see or hear us.

When we reached the round, glassed-in structure, I quickly checked the door and found it unshielded. I led him inside. "Will this do?" I asked, drawing the door closed and gesturing around to the soft padded benches with throw pillows that hugged the exterior walls.

"It's perfect." In the next second, Seth grabbed me, sweeping me off my feet and carrying me to one of the long benches. Laying me gently on it, he stared briefly, pushing my hair away from my face. "You are so effin gorgeous," he said, his voice sounding low and hot. "I missed you so much today."

Smiling softly, I didn't say anything as I simply grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer so his mouth could capture mine.

# 13

Sparks exploded between us as soon as our lips touched. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before—somehow even more intense, though I wasn't sure why. Something inside me awakened strong and feral, and all I wanted was to consume him, to be part of him and him a part of me.

Feelings of desire flooded me, drowning my senses in everything that was Seth. Running my hands down his arms, my fingers traced out the sinewy muscles that flexed as he held himself above me.

Every place his body was in contact with mine felt as if it were on fire, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to feel him everywhere. Lifting my hands to his back, I ran them over his t-shirt, down to his waist, and grabbing the hem, I pulled up.

Pushing away from me, he stared down, heat and desire written plainly in his eyes; but there was a question there, as well. "Are you—?"

"Shh," I commanded, and he shifted, sitting up and removing his shirt.

My breath left me in a giant whoosh as I stared at the incredible physique he'd just revealed. I'd known he was fit by the way his clothes looked on him, but I never imagined this hidden under all those clothes.

His pecs were well defined above a set of very defined abdominal muscles. His jeans were slung low, highlighting the sexy v-cut that drifted into the waistband, and the huge biceps on his killer arms drove me wild. Apparently, football did a body good, and I briefly wondered if everyone who played looked this way. Unbidden, an image of a shirtless Jett popped into my mind, and I immediately swiped it away, focusing only on Seth.

Grinning wickedly, he didn't move, staring down at me, instead. "Like what you see?"

"As if you can't tell." Sighing, I let my hand drift over his bare skin, and his muscles twitched beneath my touch, a slight groan escaping him.

"So, how do you feel about fair trade?" he asked.

"Fair trade?" I had no idea what he was talking about.

Still grinning, his eyes drifted to my shirt, and he gave a slight gesture with his head.

"You want me to take off my shirt?" My pulse rate picked up about a thousand percent.

"Actually, I'd like to be the one who takes it off. Fair is fair, after all."

Unmoving, until I gave what was surely a barely perceptible nod, he guided me into a sitting position. Staring at me, his hands went to the bottom of my tank top, and he slowly bunched it in his fingers as he gently slid it upward.

Suddenly I was very happy I'd thought to put my bra back on because I felt extremely exposed. I'd never been this naked in front of a guy before. At least I wasn't self-conscious about my body, though. I'd inherited the perfect genes of both my gorgeous parents.

Seth clenched my shirt in his hands, gazing briefly at my chest, before returning to my eyes. "You're beautiful," he said, awe in his voice.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," I demurred; embarrassed, even though I didn't want to be.

"No. I don't believe I've ever said that to anyone." Leaning forward, he kissed my forehead and slid an arm around behind me, pressing me backward to the cushion once more. His lips moved, slipping to my cheek and then near my ear. "I want to keep your shirt," he whispered.

"Why?" I replied breathlessly. Was he like some card-carrying trophy collector who gathered pieces from all his conquests? Because if he was . . . Who was I kidding? He was hot, and I'd probably still give him my shirt—just because it was damn sexy when he said that, and I was swooning hardcore at the moment.

"Because it will remind me of this—of you—every time I look at it. And, well, it smells like you, all fresh and sweet." He placed a kiss against my neck, causing an explosion of tingles across my skin.

"Body spray," I said in a short quick breath. "Caramel apple."

"Keep wearing it—it makes me want to . . ." he dwindled off.

"Eat me?" I supplied with a laugh that obviously caught him off guard because he snorted and pushed up on his elbow to look at me.

"I didn't think you'd go there." He laughed, brushing the back of his hand over my cheek.

"It's a good thing you aren't a demon, or I'd be in a whole lot of trouble right now."

He looked perplexed for a minute and then burst out laughing hard.

"What?" I was baffled.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I get what you mean now. My mind, uh, went somewhere else entirely."

"Oh," I said, my brow furrowing as I tried to figure out what the heck he was talking about. Then it dawned on me. "Oh!" Heat flooded me, and I knew I was blushing furiously. "Is that what . . . I . . . Wait. Is that what you want to do to me?"

Holy Hell! I sounded like a damn idiot.

Seth grinned even wider and nodded. "When and if you're ever ready."

Biting my lip, my heart raced even more. "I . . . I'm pretty sure I want to . . . try new things, but I'm still . . . Well, I wouldn't want my dad to freak out and kill you or something equally bad."

This gave Seth pause, and he stared through the glass toward the large dark house. "I understand, but your dad really doesn't have to know, does he? I mean, I'm pretty sure it isn't going to come up in casual conversation."

I groaned. "You don't know my dad. He's fearless. Uh, can we not talk about him and resume whatever it was we were doing?"

"You mean this?" Seth asked, trailing lower and placing a kiss against my collarbone.

"Yes, please." Hands sliding behind his neck, I moaned when his hot breath passed through the fabric of my bra, causing everything inside me to tighten.

Placing a light kiss against the material, he moved even lower, and I was slightly disappointed until I felt his lips brush my bare stomach. His tongue darted out, leaving a thin wet trail as he moved toward the waistband of my shorts. "You taste good everywhere."

Finger dipping slightly, he rubbed the flat skin of my low belly, just on the inside of my dance shorts. Glancing at me, I could see the question in his eyes, but my whole body was trembling in anticipation of what he might do, and I couldn't answer.

When I didn't reply, he shifted upward, his mouth recapturing mine and he kissed me deeply. My fingers tangled into his hair, and I wrapped my legs around him intimately, and he groaned, pushing himself against me.

Gasping, I couldn't believe I had the capacity to even remotely control the reaction of Seth's body to mine. Knowing what I was doing to him was somehow powerful. Of course, he was making me feel exactly the same way.

A light flicking on caught my attention, and I glanced toward the house, noting that it was my parents' bathroom window. "Someone's up!" I said, pushing frantically at Seth. "You've got to go! Go! Go!" Spying his shirt, I tossed it at him, and he shrugged into it.

"Do I need to leave through the front again, or can I just jump the back fence?"

Glancing toward the rear of the heavily treed lot, I stared at a large bolder in a flowerbed by the back corner. "I'll come with you and remove the ward."

Panic seized me as I grabbed his hand, glancing briefly at the house before we scurried to the area I'd just been eyeing. Searching for the ward, I located and deactivated it.

"Hurry!" I said in a loud whisper.

"Kenna, I . . ." He hesitated.

"Text me!" I suggested, encouraging him to hurry, but he still grabbed me and kissed me, making my knees go weak.

"See you soon." Watching, I made sure he was clear of the fence and on the run before reinstating the ward.

Turning, I gasped, realizing I was missing my shirt. Had Seth still been holding it? I raced to the gazebo, checking under the pillows, but found nothing.

Damn it! I needed to do something fast.

Racing toward the house, I paused at the back door, removing the barrier and slipping inside, reinstating it.

_"Kenna?"_ My dad's voice filtered into my head as I ran into the laundry room, digging through the clean clothes and grabbing the first tank top I saw. _"Where are you?"_

Dragging the shirt on, I raced into the large kitchen, near the open space by the table _. "Dining room,"_ I replied to him in like fashion, knowing he would instantly be able to detect my heart rate.

Cheer coming to the rescue, I began going through the movements of the latest routine we'd been learning. The steps came effortlessly to me, but dad didn't need to know that.

Pausing in the doorway, he stared at me for a few moments before going to the fridge and opening the drawer that held his synthetic blood serum. He seemed on guard and stiff. That made me nervous.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I promised the girls I'd be ready and know all the routines by the first game. I have limited time between practice, homework, and now adding a job, too. I just wanted to make sure I kept my word." Okay, it wasn't really an answer to his question, but that was the point, wasn't it? Saying, "Oh, I've been in the gazebo making out with Seth. He wanted to eat me," probably wasn't going to do any good for anyone.

"At four A.M.?" Raising the vial to his lips, he downed the contents, and I noticed he instantly calmed, as did I. It was a blood thing, not a "mad dad" thing.

"Couldn't sleep." I continued moving through the routine, counting it out in my head. "How about you?"

"Time for my . . . medication."

"At four A.M.?" I echoed.

Grunting, he disposed of the container. "I try to do it before you wake up, so there won't be any temptation."

Eyeing him closely, I paused, my attention riveted. "Seriously? Are you tempted around me?"

"Do you not remember anything I said to you in training when you were a child?"

Dropping my arms, I walked over to the large, granite island counter, slouching against it. "Yeah, but that was years ago. I've never noticed you suffering with it, so I thought maybe it was a thing of the past."

"You don't see me suffer because I plan it that way. I do it to keep you from seeing things you shouldn't have to. I don't want you to be afraid of me."

Moving beside him, I threw my arms around his neck, hoping it showed how much I believed in him. Immediately it made me feel guilty because I knew I was being dishonest about Seth. "I trust you, Dad. I'd trust you even if you didn't have the synthetic stuff. You're my dad. You love me, and I love you. Nothing will change that. I know you won't hurt me."

A wry chuckle escaped him, and he hugged me back. "I'd rather die than hurt you, Firecracker. Now, what do you think? Shall we make your mom an early breakfast in bed before she has to leave for work, or are you going to try and catch some more sleep?"

"I'd love to help make breakfast," I said, excited to do something nice for my mom.

Man, I was going to be tired today.

# 14

"What's the matter with you today?" Jett asked from his private booth at his parents' restaurant. Megan was apparently out sick, and Seth had vacated the table to go refill his drink. Even though there were still several other students milling around, it was just the two of us sitting together—if you could count across the table from each other as "together."

Glancing up from my barely touched pizza and salad, I stared at him, giving a slight shrug. "I was up most of the night."

"Is something wrong?" he asked, actually sounding concerned.

"No." I didn't want to say anything to anyone about the ghost, which I guessed was an accurate term. I still wasn't convinced I hadn't dreamed it all up. "Seth and I snuck out last night." I wasn't sure why the idea of shocking Jett brought me such inane pleasure. For some reason, seeing the alarmed look on his face, followed by a thunderous scowl, was rewarding.

"Really? And how did that turn out—the G rated version, please. I don't think my heart could handle hearing the X rated one."

His words surprised me but still managed to bring out my inner bitch. "I wasn't aware you had a heart," I replied nastily, immediately regretting it when I saw his pained expression.

"Well, I do. And right now, you aren't being very nice to it."

"It's not my job to be nice to your heart. It's Megan's."

"Did you do him?" Jett asked point-blank.

"Excuse me?"

Leaning in closer, his eyes flashed as he enunciated every word. "Did. You. Do. Him? I don't know how much plainer I can say it."

I was completely offended. "That's none of your business." Heat flooded my body, and not in a good way. Anger streaked through me. How dare he ask me something like this? The dude seriously had no boundaries whatsoever.

"I'm thinking no," Jett said, still staring. "Otherwise, Seth would've called to tell me about it."

"Maybe he didn't want you to know." Gosh, I hope Seth didn't tell him these things.

"He tells me everything." So much for that idea.

"Somehow, I doubt that." Rolling my eyes, I wondered where Seth was. I quickly glanced around, looking for him.

Jett read me perfectly. "Loverboy is taking a phone call on the deck. I saw him answer it and step out."

Instead of replying, I took a big bite of pizza. I couldn't talk to him with my mouth full, right?

Wrong.

"You didn't answer my question." It was obvious he wasn't going to let this go.

"What's it to you?" I spoke rudely over my mouthful of food, just to gross him out, but he seemed unmoved.

Frustration crossed his features. "What's it to me? Well, let's see. Seth is my very best bud in the world—and he's trying to bang the girl I want more than anything."

Choking, I coughed hard, spraying pieces of pizza onto my plate like an idiot. Jett reached across the table and politely pushed my bottle of water closer to me. Taking it, I chugged for several seconds before lowering it and coughing some more.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked, appearing next to me, but all I could manage at the moment was a nod as the coughing continued.

"She just swallowed wrong," Jett added casually as if he weren't at all responsible for my current state of distress.

Seth nodded. "Hey, I hate to bail, but my dad just called from work, and he forgot some of his drafting paper and blueprints at home. He needs me to bring them to him and help him out with something really quick. Do you mind catching a ride back to school with Jett, and I will meet you there?"

I tried to protest but was still coughing too hard. Seth absently reached out and began pounding on my back.

"I can totally take her," Jett volunteered before I could get a word out. "Not a problem at all."

"Thanks, man," Seth said, obviously relieved. "I'll catch up with you both in a bit. It shouldn't take too long."

With one last pat on my back, he leaned over and bumped fists with Jett and was gone before I could even speak the word, "Bye." Great. This was just great.

"Well, that worked out nicely, didn't it?" Jett smirked, leaning back against the booth, spreading his arms out along the seat. "Now we can have a little more alone time."

"So help me, if you lay one finger on me, I swear I'll kick your ass."

Laughing heartily, he shook his head. "I'd like to see you try."

"Why?" I glanced up as one of the football players walked by, headed toward another table. Lowering my voice, I continued. "So you can throw the fight again?"

"No. This time I'd let loose and give it to you good."

"Then you have my permission to touch me."

"Excuse me?" It was his turn to look surprised. "Did I hear you correctly? Was I just given permission to touch the Holy Grail of Witchiness?"

Gathering my plate, I nodded and stood. "Yep, but only because I've been dying to kick your ass."

Laughter erupted from him once more. "I should've known you're only interested in fondling my body parts. You know I'd let you do that without fighting, right?"

"I give up," I muttered under my breath. Turning away, I didn't wait to see if he was following. I disposed of my items in the trash and headed downstairs to wait by his car. I couldn't sit in there a moment longer.

Heading across the lot to where the sexy white Charger, with its masculine black racing stripes, was parked, I leaned against it. I didn't want to like the car because it was Jett's, but I'd inherited my dad's extreme love for all machinery that could be driven. I couldn't hate this car any more than I could hate myself.

"Hey, watch the paint job!" Jett called out, pointing to where my butt rested.

"Whatever. You do realize the paint is actually dry, don't you? It doesn't stay wet all the time." It was like a need with me—a _need_ to annoy him to the highest level possible. For some reason, he just got under my skin.

Coming around to my side, he paused to stare at me, casually glancing between my butt and the car. "The way I see it, either you move of your own free will, or I will happily come drag you against something else I'd love to have you lean against."

Instantly I was off the car.

"See now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him as he popped the lock and opened the door for me. "Gee, what a gentleman you are." I batted my eyelashes furiously as if I were stupidly twitterpated over him.

"Hey, uh, you've got something in your eye," he replied snarkily, not even slightly put off by my act.

I gave a huff and slid into the car, leaning away as he closed the door behind me. Reaching into my bag, I grabbed my cellphone and pretended to read it. Other than a handful of old texts from Seth, there wasn't really much else to do on my phone. My Facebook, while getting many friend requests after the fight, was full of a bunch of people I didn't know. It's kind of weird to comment on a complete stranger's status when I'd never even spoken to them.

"Uh, oh. No phones," Jett said as he slid into the driver's seat and neatly picked it from my fingers.

"Hey, give that back." Lunging toward the phone, I was stunned into silence when it disappeared.

Sighing, I stared at him. "That's not fair to use magic."

"Why not? You're just as magical as I am." Without pause, he started the engine. That was promising, at least. Maybe he was finally sick enough of me that he was ready to ditch me as quickly as possible.

"Can I please have my phone back?" Holding my hand out expectantly, I waited.

Jett pulled from the parking place and out onto the street, heading in the direction of the school. "So, you're polite when you want something?"

"I'm polite all the time, except for when it comes to you, for some reason."

"Why do you think that is?" he asked.

"What is this? Therapy? You're an ass, that's why. Now give me my damn phone!"

"No. I want to talk to you. If you'll just pipe down and be decent, you'll get your phone back when we get to the school."

"You're going to blackmail me into talking to you?" He really was an exhausting piece of work.

"If that's the only way I can get you to, yes."

"Why? I don't understand why you feel the need to annoy me all the time."

"I _annoy_ you?" He sounded frustrated.

Looking over at him, I stared. "This can't be news to you."

"It is, actually. I haven't been trying to _annoy_ you."

"Really? Because you're damn good at it."

Sighing heavily, he stared out the windshield, and I noticed his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel. I could tell he was upset, and for some reason, I felt terrible about it.

"What's wrong?" I asked, fearing I would long regret encouraging him to continue.

"Nothing," he replied shortly.

"Obviously something is because now you've turned into some dang moody girl." It really was an insult to girls everywhere, but I couldn't think of anything better.

"Why don't you like me?" he asked, moving straight to the point.

"Hmm. Let's see. You have been a jerk since we first met. You challenged me in front of everybody. When I showed up to accept your challenge, you proceeded to humiliate me by throwing the fight. It's not like you threw the welcome mat out for me."

"That's exactly what I did."

"What?" I was confused about which thing he was referring to.

"I threw the welcome mat out for you."

_Seriously? Oh, this ought to be good_. "Please enlighten me then, because I missed it."

"By challenging you to a fight, I basically got every single person in this school to pay attention to you and want to know who you are. By throwing the fight, I pretty much raised you to celebrity status here at school—all at the expense of my own reputation, I might add. How many friend requests have you gotten since then?"

A lot. It had been a lot. My jaw was gaping, and I couldn't seem to close it or find any words to say.

"What's the matter, darlin'?" he drawled out. "Cat got your tongue?"

I was pretty sure I looked like a fish, making that ever constant "O" shape with my mouth. "And what about all the times you've spoken out against Seth?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I never talk bad about Seth. He's my bro."

"You're constantly trying to convince me not to be with him." Glancing out the window, I grew puzzled. "Wait! Where the hell are you going? This isn't the way to the school!"

"You and I need to clear the air between us, so I figured a field trip was in order."

"Excuse me, but I have class. I can't afford to be pissing off all my teachers at the beginning of the year. You may not care about school, but I do."

Immediately his phone appeared in his hand, and he hit a number on speed dial. I heard a woman's voice pick up on the other end but couldn't understand what she was saying.

"Yes, this is Vance Mangum," Jett said, his voice matching the sound of my dad's exactly. It was uncanny. "My daughter, Kenna, has a doctor's appointment after lunch and will be late back to school."

The woman on the other end responded, and Jett smiled. "Thank you so much!" he added in my dad's voice, glancing over at me as he slid his phone back into his pocket. "There you go. It's all taken care of."

"You sounded exactly like my dad," I said, completely in awe.

He shrugged. "It's one of my abilities. I can mimic anyone I want."

Unable to help it, I smiled. "Show me someone else."

"Like who, little lady?" he said, similar to John Wayne.

I couldn't help laughing. "Do me," I said excitedly, and his eyes instantly grew heated and roved over me before returning to the road.

"I'd do you in a heartbeat," he replied, sounding precisely like me, and I blushed, hearing words that sounded so sexy and seductive.

"I should've known you'd twist my words all around. You're the master of deception."

Laughing, he winked at me. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You would. When did you realize you could do that?" I asked, silently kicking myself for keeping the conversation rolling between us.

"What? The voice thing?"

I nodded.

He shrugged. "Maybe a couple years ago. It was right after my powers manifested."

"When did yours manifest?" I asked, curious, knowing most witches came into their power around their sixteenth birthday. That's the way it had been for my mom. My dad had manifested at the age of five, though. I had at birth, something my relatives had never heard of before.

"Same as everyone, when I turned sixteen," he answered.

"Hmmm." I hesitated to tell him my story.

"Why?"

"No reason. I just know others who've manifested at different ages."

"Really? Like who?" He seemed genuinely interested.

"My dad for one. He came into his powers when he was five. My grandma cut herself badly with a knife while she was washing dishes. My dad saw all the blood and covered her hands and healed her."

"So, he's a healer witch, too? That's amazing. I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting their powers that early."

"I did, too," I added, deciding to just spill the beans.

"You got them when you were five?" He sounded surprised.

"No. I mean, I manifested early. I had my powers before I was born."

He looked at me skeptically. "And how could you possibly know that?"

"My dad and I—we have a mental connection—we can communicate through thoughts, without speaking. While my mom was pregnant with me, my dad could hear her thoughts, too. They were channeling through me. When I was born, I burst into flames while my dad was holding me. He says the smell of my blood caught him off guard, and I was protecting myself from him. I don't actually remember any of that."

"Wow. That must've been strange to have a magical infant."

Sighing, I nodded. "Hence the reason I've been raised basically alone out in the middle of an ancient forest. And it's also the reason I begged to move here. I wanted to meet people and interact with kids my own age. So, thanks for making that transition really nice and easy for me."

"Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a complete dick," he muttered.

"You are, so that's okay," I teased.

Jett turned onto a dirt road that led who knew where. For some reason, though, I didn't feel threatened—merely curious.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, admiring the beautiful foliage as we drove. The trees, a mixture of leafy green sycamores, elm, and red oak, indigenous to this area, were absolutely gorgeous this time of year. I imagined it would look fairly bleak during the winter, once all the trees had lost their leaves.

"Out to a place where some of us like to go party on occasion."

"Are we having a party? I don't drink. Well, I don't know if I don't actually drink, or if I've just never had the occasion to." Might as well be honest.

"Oh, you and I are definitely going to party; but we don't need alcohol."

"Do I need a Taser to protect myself from you?" A girl could never be too prepared. I may not have an actual Taser, but I had magic that could do far worse if needed.

"You never need to protect yourself from me."

"Says the guy constantly antagonizing me in one form or another—not to mention a secret desire to be a demon. That, right there, is enough to give me pause."

Visibly stiffening, his white-knuckled grip was evident on the steering wheel. "I'm going to have to remember to shut Seth's mouth for him."

"Why? It's not like I have no clue about demons. Hello? Live with one, remember?"

He didn't respond, but I could see the tic in his jaw. I'd definitely hit a touchy subject.

"Can I ask why you want them to change you? What about it appeals to you? I ask because my dad hates it with a passion. He'd give anything to get rid of it."

"My family comes from a line of demons. It's what I know. Do you have any idea what it's like to be the only different one?"

"I do. My dad's a demon, and my mom is a witch turned demon, turned human. I am the only one like me in my immediate family."

"What about the rest of your family? Are any of them demons?"

"No, none that are living anymore, anyway. My dad's family was primarily demonic, as far as we know. His dad started his conversion, and his grandparents finished it. Most of my parents' early relationship was spent trying to get away from those people. They were evil, Jett. Evil to the core."

"And is your dad that way?" he countered.

"He's not, but he's the exception to the rule. Did you know that some witches and warlocks get turned and they can't survive the change? They go crazy—like over the top insane. They can't tolerate the switch, and they have to be put down. It happened to my mom. If my dad hadn't performed a demon kiss on her and sucked her magic away, she would've never survived. What's so wonderful about demons that it's worth risking all that?"

"I see a completely different side. For as far back as we have kept track, the majority of my family has been demonic." Pulling off the road into a clearing, he parked the car and turned it off. "Their powers are much stronger than mine, more enhanced, and they have the ability to assimilate more."

"Yeah, if they kill or steal the powers of another witch. Is that really what you want to do? Prey on the innocent?"

"No one is ever innocent," Jett grumbled, opening his door and signaling the end of this conversation. "Come on."

Reluctantly, I followed him from the vehicle, crossing the meadow until we were standing in the middle with the high natural grasses up to our knees. "Now what?" I asked, wondering why he brought me here.

"Now you're going to kick my ass," he replied with a laugh.

"Excuse me?" I couldn't have heard that right.

Stepping closer, he lifted a strand of my long dark hair, rubbing it lightly between his fingers. "You seem to be hung up on the fact that I threw that fight, so here's your chance to get even with me. Show me what you got."

I sighed heavily. "What if I'm not in the mood to fight you anymore?"

"That's okay, too. I can think of several things I'd rather do besides fighting." Before his words could even register, he closed the distance between us and pressed his lips to mine.

# 15

"What the hell?" I asked, pressing my hands against his chest and shoving him backward. "If I'd known you were just bringing me out here to molest me, I would've thrown myself out of the car!" Turning, I walked away in a huff, trying desperately to ignore the fact that my lips were tingling where his had touched mine. Tingling in a really good way—in a way they shouldn't be tingling.

"Kenna, don't be like this." Coming up behind me, he slipped his hand over my shoulders and turned me back to face him. "I like you. What else do I need to do to prove it?"

I gave a half-laugh. "Is there no sense of loyalty in your body whatsoever? I'm dating the guy you claim is your best friend on the planet. Your 'bro.' Do you really want to stab him in the back this way? He trusted my care to you, and this is how you repay him?"

"He trusted me because he already knows I feel the same way about you. He knows I'd never let anything happen to you."

"You _are_ what is happening to me, though. You _are_ the danger. I don't think he realizes that. I can't imagine he'd agree to you giving me a ride if he knew you were going to kidnap me and try to seduce me in the wilderness!"

Jett laughed. "So dramatic. I like it."

"Stop it."

"Come on. Admit it. You like me."

"I like _him_ ," I stressed.

Amusement still etched on his face, he continued to goad me. "Liar, liar, pants on fire," he chanted, eyes drifting wantonly over me. "You know it's true. Just admit it."

Glaring, I centered my attention on the bottom of his jeans and set them on fire. "Now whose pants are on fire?" I asked, feeling a bit of wicked glee shoot through me.

"Shit!" he hollered, quickly bending to slap out the flames on his pants before they could do any real damage. Straightening, he frowned. "What the hell was that for?"

"You aren't listening to me, so I had to do something to get your attention."

"I _am_ listening. I just want you to admit the truth. Is that too much to ask?" He sounded frustrated.

"Do you realize how nice he's been to me?" Ignoring his comment, I continued to spout Seth's accolades. "From the first moment he saw me, he bent over backward to help me out and tried to introduce me to new people."

"I've done the same." Jett held my gaze, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. It boggled my mind that he actually believed what he was saying.

"Whether or not that comment is accurate, it's beside the point."

"Which is what?"

"Which is the fact that Seth and I already had a camaraderie going before you even met me. He was first. And because of that, he deserves my loyalty."

"Oh, so you have no problem being attracted to me? You simply believe because fate introduced the two of you first, that you belong with him. Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?"

It did sound kind of stupid when he said it that way. "I never said I was attracted to you."

"Then give me five minutes."

"Five minutes for what?"

"Five minutes to prove what is happening between us."

"Again, there is no 'us,' remember?"

He stepped toward me, and I felt my heart rate increase. I was totally hovering between fight or flight mode.

"Kenna," he said, his voice low and calming as he moved, eyes never leaving mine. "All I'm asking for is five minutes of your time. Five minutes. That's it. If you still feel the same way afterward, I'll walk away and never bother you again."

Sighing, I considered his words carefully, the appeal of him disappearing for good being almost too much for me to handle. "Fine—five minutes, and not a second longer. Set a timer or something."

Something changed in his eyes, and in the way he looked at me, that made me a little scared. It was like he knew what I looked like without my clothes on. Of course, after Seth had described his particular power earlier, I realized he probably did.

I had to know right now. "Be honest. Have you ever placed a glamour on Megan, so she looked like me?"

He paused, clearly caught off guard by the change in conversation. Clearing his throat, he finally spoke. "Not ever. Seth was wrong to tell you about that."

"Why haven't you?" I wasn't sure if I was relieved or hurt by his confession.

Laughing, he shook his head. "Did you want me to?"

"No." I hesitated. "Seth just made it out like you do this kind of thing all the time. I was just wondering why I didn't fit the criteria for your delusions, I guess."

Moving closer, he was merely a hairsbreadth away. "Every now and then, perfection comes along, and there is no way something like a glamour could ever hope to mirror the real thing. For me, Kenna, you are that perfection."

I couldn't speak, even if I wanted to. His words filled something sweet in my heart and made me feel so . . . special. A mere second later, his lips were pressed to mine, once more. Heat flooded me, but I resisted him, standing stock-still as he tenderly explored my mouth.

"Five minutes, Kenna." he growled against my skin. "You promised me."

"You're getting it," I answered, trying desperately not to be drawn into the web of seduction he was painting around me.

"I want you as a willing participant," he whispered in between light kisses.

"I . . . I don't know if I can do that." My knees were trembling.

"Try." It was the last word he said before dragging my body flush against his. Even with the difference in our height, he managed not to break the kiss, instead letting his tongue trace the crease of my lips.

As if under a spell, I opened my mouth and gave him entrance. Groaning, he squeezed me tighter as his tongue plunged into my mouth, sweeping all thoughts about everything else right out of my head.

My hands slid up of their own volition, traveling over his lean muscled arms. Wrapping mine around his neck, I kissed him back. Moaning as extraordinary heat flooded through me, I thought I might combust. It was as if his kiss activated the magic inside me, making it burn hotter and stronger. I simply wanted to melt into him and let him have his way with me.

"Enough!" I said, breaking the kiss and shoving away.

Breathing heavily, he stared at me. "That wasn't even one minute. You promised me five."

Every part of me was shaking, and certain places on my body were begging to continue, but I couldn't. "All you asked for was time to adequately make your point. You've already done that. You don't need any more time. Besides, five more minutes of that would land us both in hot water."

Staring at him as he flashed that dazzling movie star smile of his, I felt my heart flutter. "So, if you liked it, will you go out with me?"

There was so much turmoil going on inside me at this moment. "I . . . I can't do this to Seth." Tears filled my eyes. "I like him, Jett. A lot. I want to get to know him better. Yes, you proved there is something between us, but I don't know what, and I'm not at liberty to find out."

Growling, he turned away. A second later, an invisible energy burst shattered a tree across the clearing. Great. Now he was pissed.

"I don't want things to be weird between us, though. I'm willing to just forget this and move on. But since we both are friends with Seth, I suggest neither of us tells him about this. I don't want to hurt him and mess up his life over something that meant nothing."

"Damn it, Kenna!" Spinning around, he pressed his mouth to mine again, and once more sparks flooded me. Desperate hunger filled his kiss, and I was powerless to resist him. It was like two halves of the same whole coming together as if yin and yang were happily, and wantonly, united.

Unrelenting, his assault on my mouth continued as his hands roved over me, taking liberties I'd never agreed to, but somehow couldn't bring myself to stop. Everything about him felt good, so good—no, not good—incredible!

A soft moan escaped me as he kneaded my skin. He pulled me lower, taking the two of us to our knees before laying me gently back into the tall grasses. Hiding from the view of the rest of the world, we melted into our own cocoon.

"Jett," I whispered, both longing for more and feeling terrified at the same time. "Jett," I repeated, more forcefully, trying to get his attention. Slowly, he lifted his head, staring at me with hunger in his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked, searching my features.

"I'm sorry; well, I'm not really sorry because it's just the way things are, but I've never . . . Well, you know. I'm not ready for any of this. And I can't be the other girl, either." I hoped he would understand and not be offended.

Unmoving, he stared down at me, desire written clearly on his features, reflected in his amazing blue eyes. "I must've failed to mention that Megan isn't really out sick today. We broke up yesterday. You're right. It's not fair for me to be with her when I have feelings for you—feelings you obviously reciprocate, I might add."

Guilt flooded me. "But they can't. You might be free now, but I'm not."

"Which of us do you want more?" Jett demanded, drawing that line.

"Why do I need to choose? Can't I just like you both? Why do we need to rush anything?"

Sighing heavily, he moved lower, resting his head against my chest, and I ran my fingers through his thick hair that was so long on top but buzzed close to his head underneath. His bright blue eyes never left my face. "Can I tell you something?"

"Yes," I said, not really wanting to rush this since I was pretty sure it was the last time we would ever be together.

"One of my powers is premonition. I don't have it all the time, though. It's like fate, or the universe or whatever, reveals bits and pieces to me."

"Cool ability." I wondered if I'd want to know things about the future or not. It seemed scary.

"It is when it happens. I haven't tapped in on how to control it—not that I've really tried. But that's not the point."

"So, what's the point?" I continued to run my fingers through his silky hair, watching as it fell through my hand and back against his head. It was crazy how life was continually delivering unexpected things. If anyone had told me I'd be kissing Jett in a field today, while he lay on top of me, I'd have told them they were delusional.

Maybe I was the delusional one.

"Sometimes it happens to me in the form of a dream, other times it happens in a vision, but this particular one was a dream."

"What happened in it?"

"I dreamt of this girl."

Of course he did. That's probably all he ever dreamed about, vision or not.

"She was beautiful," he continued. "I couldn't take my eyes off her, or the sheer white dress she was wearing that hid nothing about her beautiful body from me. She crawled into my bed—"

"Hold it right there!" I ordered. "This is not going to be some gross recounting of a wet dream, is it? Because, trust me, you don't want to go there."

"Kenna, you're not listening. This wasn't some sordid wet dream. It was you in my dream. _You._ " Rising up, he brushed my lips. "We were together on our honeymoon."

My breath caught, full stop.

He gently brushed my hair back from my face. "Don't you see? You're meant for me. You even told me in the dream that it wouldn't always be easy, but to please trust you."

My mind was reeling with this information. "How can you be sure that it wasn't just some random dream? Maybe you saw me at school, and it triggered something for you. Things like that happen all the time."

"That's not what this was."

"How do you know?" I sounded panicked, and I was shaking.

"Because it happened a few weeks before you moved here. I had no idea who you were."

Pushing at his chest, I tried to calm the anxiety welling inside me, but couldn't seem to do it. "If you knew I was coming, then why were you so mean to me?"

"I already explained I wasn't necessarily trying to be a jerk, but I admit I was upset. You were hanging all over Seth, and you're supposed to be mine."

I couldn't listen to more—it was too much. "Get off!" I ordered, and thankfully he didn't argue. Besides, I was pretty sure he was well over the initial five minutes I'd granted him.

Standing, I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to process the things he'd just told me; but all I could feel was chaos moving inside. "I need to go back to school now."

"Fine," he said, moving behind me and turning me to face him once more. "I know you're probably really conflicted right now, and that's okay. I have no problem waiting until you're feeling ready to pursue things. I simply want to be part of your life—even if that's in friendship. I want to get to know you better—much better. Is that okay with you?"

I considered this for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, as long as you don't try to interfere with Seth and me."

"I'll leave you alone to make your choices if you promise me one thing. That's all I'm asking."

"What?" I searched his face, seeing pain there, and it didn't sit well with me.

"Promise me you won't sleep with Seth. It will kill me if you two have sex. I don't think I could handle it."

Raising my chin, I stared at him defiantly. "That's so not fair. You're asking me to put restraints on my relationship with him so it will benefit you."

His hand slid to my cheek, and his thumb brushed across it. "No, I'm not. I just want you to make sure you have absolutely zero feelings for me before you go any further with him, physically." He stared intently.

"All of this is just so bizarre," I said, turning away and walking back toward where he'd parked the car. Jett didn't say anything more, but I could hear him moving through the meadow behind me.

"Kenna, please," he whispered once we'd reached the vehicle. "Just let me have a little hope—any hope, please?" Pressing me against his car, he kissed me hotly, a kiss to end all kisses—a kiss that said he worried he may never get to do this again.

My body was flushed and singing with pulsating desire by the time he pulled away, leaving me feeling a bit like Jell-O, not able to properly move. Arm slipping around behind me, he opened the door, never breaking his gaze. "I hope you'll give me a chance."

"I'll think about it," I replied, sliding into the seat, my body still singing.

Guilt washed over me as I thought about Seth. He'd be heartbroken when I confessed this.

Glancing at Jett, I tuned in to his aura, almost gasping at the change I saw in it. Gone was the angry red, replaced almost entirely by bright glowing pink. Even the black that snaked through was changed, more muddied, and brown looking.

I'd changed his aura—changed him. This was even more proof of the truth in his words. He was excited and hopeful. I was terrified.

What the hell had just happened?

# 16

"What's your opinion on divination?" I asked, my mind wandering as I moved the small cart through the different aisles, adding merchandise to the displays. Glancing at the book in my hand, I made a mental note of the title, _Seeing the Future: Fact or Fiction_ , before placing it on the shelf.

Despite desperately trying to forget my moment of "infidelity," I couldn't seem to think of anything else. Thankfully, Seth's dad ended up needing his help longer than planned, so I hadn't seen him before football practice.

After cheer, my mom picked me up and dropped me off at Bell's Book and Candle, so I could start my training with Bels.

Giving me the tour of the front and back of the store, she briefly explained some of the duties I'd have. I mentioned my previously scheduled dinner date, so I was only doing a couple hours of training before meeting Seth.

"Divination . . . You mean like forecasting?" Bels replied from where she was working on the store records near the register.

"Yeah or seeing the future. I saw this book and wondered if you think it's real? I've never known anyone with that power except for my mom's friend, Shelly. She's not a witch, though. I guess she's a psychic, but I've never actually seen her do it, or maybe it doesn't happen anymore or something."

"I do believe it is real, but I also think it is to be used with caution because it's very subjective."

Leaving the cart behind, I moved around the end of the aisle so I could see her. "Subjective how?"

"Well, let's ponder on this for a moment. Say you and I divine that a certain patron is going to arrive at our store at six, this evening. At that moment—that particular second—everything is perfectly aligned to bring that outcome. But what if something changes during the execution of it?"

"Like what?" I asked, totally fascinated with what she was saying.

She shrugged. "Maybe in the moments after we divined the person's arrival, he or she forgot their wallet somewhere and had to go back for it. That would change the timing and the course of events. The patron could still end up at the store sometime later or become completely distracted by something else in the process and never make it at all."

"So, you're saying outside forces can constantly be changing the outcome of what was originally perceived?"

"Yes, and the only way to divine that perfectly would be to continue to foretell and follow the event clear up until it actually happens."

"That seems kind of useless."

"It all depends. Some are masters at it. They understand how the intricacies work."

"I'm afraid I'm not one of those people." Despite my training, sometimes, I still felt inadequate. There was so much to know about the Craft. I wondered if anyone actually "knew it all," so to speak.

Bels laughed, tossing some of her long dark hair over her shoulder. "Me, neither. Is there a particular reason you asked about this?" Her eyes practically bore through me, missing nothing.

"There's a guy at school," I replied, seeing no reason to hide the truth from her. "He claims to have the power of premonition. Today he told me that he dreamed I was coming before I arrived."

"And you didn't know him before this?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Is he a witch?"

"He is." I conveniently left out the part about him wanting to be turned into a demon.

"Hmmm. Interesting."

"Interesting good? Or interesting bad?"

She stared at me for a moment. "Do you like this guy?"

Immediately, my traitorous body reacted, sending a flash of heat zipping over my skin at the memory of being with Jett this afternoon. "I, uh, it's complicated."

Bels laughed and leaned forward against the counter. "It's only complicated if you make it that way. It really is an easy answer. Do you like him? Yes or no?"

It wasn't nearly as simple as she made it out to be. Teeth clenched, it was almost as if I was afraid the word would jump right out of my mouth. "Maybe. Is maybe okay?" It was the best I could do at the moment.

Thankfully, Bels decided to ease up on me. "I think 'maybe' will work."

"So, is it good or bad?"

"It depends on your view of the situation. If you like the guy, then it could be terrific. Usually, dreams of people before you meet them are referred to as Soulmate dreams."

_Shoot. Me. Now._ She had to be kidding. Right? "Uh, maybe I heard him wrong or something." I knew I was grasping at straws, but there was no way in hell Jett could be my soulmate. Could he?

"Remember what I said earlier. Fate is fickle and subjective. One dream doesn't necessarily shape a future."

Feeling thankful for her words, I took a deep breath. Fate must not have seen Seth before my arrival. Surely everything that had happened after I moved here had shifted the balance. Suddenly I could breathe easier—I didn't feel so panicked.

Except that there was that one niggling voice in the back of my head that kept trying to ask the question I refused to answer.

Would it be so bad to be crawling into that bed with Jett, as his dream suggested?

"Shut it, Kenna," I whispered under my breath as I hurried back to my task. There were still several books to shelve before I could leave to get ready for my dinner at Seth's house. Until then, I needed to find something else to occupy my mind.

"I thought now was never going to get here," Seth said with a smile when he answered the door. Turning, I gave a wave to my Dad, and he pulled away.

_"Be safe,"_ he whispered in my head.

_"I will. Have fun working with Kyle tonight. I hope you find a cure for Mom,"_ I quickly replied.

He chuckled. _"I hope so, too. I feel like we're getting closer. I'll do my best."_

_"Good, love you."_

_"Love you, too. See you later."_

Clicking out of our mental link, I reinstated all the defensive walls in my head and gave Seth my complete attention. "I didn't think so, either."

"Come in." He smiled and opened the front door wider so I could step inside. "Are you feeling okay? You look kind of beat—but in a drop-dead, completely gorgeous way," he added quickly.

"I am exhausted."

"I'm sorry you didn't get any more sleep after I left." Regret filled his eyes.

"It was worth it." I grinned. "Totally worth it."

He laughed. "I have to agree. I say we pick right up where we left off." Dragging me into his arms, he kissed me full on the lips. Immediately, I wanted to sink into him and just keep doing this. Still, concern over his parents seeing us caused me to hesitate and push away.

"What's the matter?" he asked, observing me carefully as I glanced around the very nicely decorated room with its restful ocean-colored themes.

"Nothing. I was just worried about your parents walking in."

He pulled me closer. "They aren't here, yet. It's only you and me at the moment."

"Oh. I assumed you'd all be here cooking."

"Actually, there have been a few bumps in the road. My mom forgot about a previous appointment she had, so she's actually ordering dinner from Nicolazzo's. I hope that's okay."

Just the mere mention of Jett's parents' restaurant brought all my guilt over this afternoon flooding back to the surface. "That's fine." I restlessly toyed with the purse hanging from my shoulder.

"You can leave your things in my room if you'd like."

I couldn't help my grin. "Sure, thanks. And that was really subtle, by the way."

Laughing, he grabbed my hand and pulled me after him. "What can I say? I like the idea of you in my room."

I did, too; but the guilt flaring inside me had me all tangled in knots. "Your house is beautiful," I said as we moved throughout the Cape Cod-style home. While the two-story house wasn't overly huge, it was tastefully decorated in soft pastel blues and yellows that gave a very cheerful ambience.

"Nothing like your house," he replied, leading me up the stairs. "It's impressive."

"Yeah, well, I think this place is pretty perfect."

"Good. I'm glad you like it. Maybe it means you'll spend a lot of time here."

"I'd like that." I really meant it. My feelings for Seth seemed to grow so quickly. I wasn't sure why, but every time I was around him, there was just something inside me that seemed eager to be with him. I honestly couldn't get enough. Considering the short amount of time we'd known each other, it was a bit frightening. And now there was this whole thing with Jett. I wasn't sure what normal high school relationships were supposed to be like, but I was pretty sure this wasn't it.

Pausing in the hallway, Seth opened a door and ushered me inside. I glanced around his personal space, decorated mostly in a blue and white sailing theme that I was sure his mom had chosen for him. Here and there, red and black items from school were showcased. Namely, a "Salem Witches" banner, several trophies, and pictures of Seth in various uniforms.

Drifting closer, I leaned in to observed them. "Wow. You play a lot of sports."

"It's kind of my thing." Lifting my bag off my shoulder, he set it on his desk next to a stack of textbooks. I liked the way our things looked mixed together.

"So, how was the rest of your day?" he asked, dropping languidly on the bed and patting the space beside him.

Sitting, I noticed my skin was already tingling in anticipation of being next to him. I couldn't figure out why I always had such a strong, instant reaction to him, but I liked it. It reminded me of the stories my parents had told me about falling for each other and how they knew they were each other's soulmate.

Instantly, my mind reverted back to what Jett had to say, and I took a deep breath. Time for honesty. "It was eventful."

"Eventful, how?" he asked, completely at ease. I, on the other hand, was as tense as humanly possible. My insides were in knots and trembling.

"Well, after you left, Jett kind of kidnapped me instead of taking me back to school." Seth's eyes widened in alarm. "I mean, he did take me back, just not right away," I rushed to add.

Sighing, he stood, moving to lean against the dresser across from me. Folding his arms casually, he stared. "Continue." The tightness of that one word belied his relatively calm exterior.

"He said he wanted to talk and clear the air between us. Actually, he invited me to kick his ass."

Seth gave a half-smile at that comment. "That sounds like Jett."

Studying the slight improvement in his expression, I decided to lead in a different direction. "He told me the reason you trust me with him is that you know he feels the same way about me that you do. Is that true?"

Some sort of strangled sound escaped him. "He made a play for you, didn't he? How? Did he beg you? Kiss you? Force himself on you?"

I was the biggest jerk ever. "He didn't force me to do anything. He simply asked for five minutes to state his case."

Laughing, but not in a good way, I could tell he was trying to hold it together. "If you gave him five minutes, I should probably be asking if you might need a pregnancy test in a few weeks."

"Wow, you're obviously more confident in his seduction skills than my ability to resist them. That makes me feel wonderful."

"Did you resist?" he asked pointedly.

"I'm afraid I failed," I answered honestly, not missing the pain that shot through his eyes. "But it was just kissing, nothing more," I hurried to add.

Dragging a hand through his hair, he shook his head. "That doesn't help much." Turning away, he hunched over the dresser, leaning on his clenched fists before picking one up and slamming it against the wood. "Damn it!" Several items bounced precariously with the strength of his hit, and I was sure there was some magical force behind it.

"I'm so sorry, Seth. I don't know what to say. It wasn't planned, and I wanted to call you, but he made my phone disappear."

With his back still to me, he sighed heavily. Slowly turning, he faced me, his features crestfallen. "Answer me one thing."

"Anything." I simply wanted to make this better, to stop hurting him.

"Are you attracted to him at all?"

Swallowing hard, I was pretty sure he knew the answer before I spoke it. "I am."

"Shit." Grabbing his keys off the desk, he headed toward the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Jumping up, I grabbed my purse off the desk and ran after him.

"To do what you should've done. I'm kicking someone's ass."

"Seth, please. You don't need to do this. He had a good reason for approaching me."

Spinning on me, Seth glared. "Seriously? And what reason might that be?"

"He said premonition is one of his powers and that he dreamed of me before I moved here. He dreamed we were married and that I was his soulmate."

Releasing a hard laugh, Seth moved closer. "Did he now?"

I nodded. Despite my feelings for him, I was discovering he was more than a little scary when he was upset.

"Did he happen to mention that I had the exact same dream about you?"

"Wha . . ." I couldn't even finish the word, his statement shocked me so.

"That's right. Jett knows about my dream. I told him all about it since it's not every day that I dream about my future wife. Imagine my surprise when he was able to give detail after detail of his dream—verbatim to my own. The dreams even happened on the same night. We thought it was just some weird coincidence, and then you showed up."

"So, you both have been talking about me behind my back, comparing notes?"

"Kind of. You make that sound bad."

"It is bad! I'm going nuts here with the two of you constantly trying to pull me in two different directions. Now you're just confirming what he said, that you know how he feels."

"I do. And I'm sorry if we've been placing undue pressure on you. I was hoping that . . ." He didn't finish the sentence.

"You were hoping he'd back off, weren't you? How come I've only known him all of four days now, and even I know that isn't a possibility? Come on, Seth! He's not going to let this go; and if we don't figure out what is going on between the three of us, then you will both lose me because I'm going nuts!"

"Come on," he said, slipping his hand into mine and practically dragging me down the stairs behind him. "We're going to get this straightened out right now, once and for all."

"What about dinner with your parents?" I protested, not wanting to offend them.

"I'll call them and tell them something came up, and we had to reschedule. This is more important."

# 17

It may have been the same meadow Jett had brought me to earlier, but it certainly felt a lot more sinister at night. Suddenly it was easy to imagine the bad history that had taken place on this land, bathing it in the blood of the innocent. I wondered if people had hidden in these very woods, frightened and trying to escape those accusers who had named them as witches.

There were many theories about what had happened during the Salem Witch Trials, from demonic possession to the possibility that moldy food may have made the settlers go mad. Much speculation had occurred since the time of the horrific events, though I was pretty sure no one but the citizens that lived it knew the answers.

It was ironic to me that the very witches the law sought so hard to destroy were now the people who flocked to and even populated, the Salem area. Witches were everywhere you looked, both real and imagined, and Salem had become the mecca for all things related to the Craft.

Only a sliver of a moon occasionally peeked from behind a thick set of clouds. The smell in the air promised rain at some point soon.

Seth leaned against the hood of his car, unspeaking, as we waited for Jett to arrive. It wasn't long before the rumble of an engine could be heard making its way down the dirt road. A few moments later, the sports car came into view, parking beside Seth's Barracuda, and the engine turned off.

Jett climbed out of the car but leaned casually against it. "Wasn't I just here earlier today? What's the matter, Kenna? Back for more?"

Seth bounded away from his vehicle heading straight for Jett, who slammed his door and faced him.

"You lied to her," Seth hollered. "All so you could seduce her."

"I didn't lie," Jett responded casually. "I simply didn't tell her the whole truth."

"Why not? To trick her into being with you?"

"I'm not trying to trick her into anything. Why didn't you tell her?"

"Because I didn't want to scare her away. All of this is new to her."

"Quit talking about me like I'm not here. I'm a big girl and totally capable of making a decision on my own without being bamboozled into it," I interjected, moving closer. "If we're going to discuss what's happening, then let's actually discuss it instead of sitting around throwing accusations at one another."

"At least someone is thinking," Jett said, walking past Seth and coming up beside me. "Close to that stand of trees, on the far side of the meadow, are some trunks around a fire pit where kids like to party. Let's go over there. You can light a fire, and we can talk."

Glancing at Seth, he nodded, producing some witch light to help us see better as we crossed the meadow. Neither of them touched me or offered to guide me. Instead, both fell into step on either side of me.

In a matter of a couple minutes, we reached the place Jett had suggested, and he glanced expectantly at me before nodding to the fire pit. There wasn't any wood in the ring; but I was a witch, so that didn't matter.

Blasting the pit with a reasonably massive fireball, the ringed area immediately burst into flame and kept burning when I moved away to sit on one of the tree trunks. I couldn't help tensing when both guys moved to either side of me and sat down, Jett on my right and Seth to my left.

"That's pretty cool that you can make it burn without fuel," Jett said, obviously feeling less tense about this conversation than I did.

I shrugged. "I never really thought about it, I guess. It's always worked that way for me."

"Well, just to be safe—in case anyone else was to show up out here." Jett cast his hand toward the flames, and immediately the pit was filled with burning wood.

"How'd you do that?" I asked, wondering where he'd gotten the wood.

"It's just an illusion," Seth commented. "Remember I told you he can put a glamour on things? This is part of that."

"Incredible," I said, enjoying the chance to get to see powers that others had. While my dad was very gifted, with both natural and acquired magic, no two witches ever had the exact same abilities as another. And just like evolution everywhere, some witches were better than others—either more powerful, more knowledgeable, or both. While I regularly practiced magic with my dad, and occasionally my great-grandma, Milly, I really hadn't been exposed to the gifts of many others. Except for Dr. Peck.

His powers were pretty awesome and led him directly to the field of medical research. With the ability to see things down to the molecular level with his normal vision, he was the perfect person to try to unravel medical mysteries. I'd spent many hours with Kyle in my dad's lab, listening to him explain things that I had no hope of ever really understanding. Still, it was fascinating. I could listen to him go on for hours.

"So, what do we do about all this?" Seth asked, clearly ready to move on with the rest of the conversation.

"First, we need to figure out what is happening here, before we can decide what to do about it," Jett replied.

"And how do we do that?" I asked, feeling more confused than ever.

"We need to line up the facts. Fact number one, Seth and I both had the same dream implying that you belonged to each of us."

"What if the dream is merely a metaphor for something else? Things like dreams and premonitions can often be left open to interpretation. I don't think whatever you both saw was meant to be taken literally."

"That's what I'm thinking," Seth agreed. "So, if we both aren't meant to literally marry you and take you on a honeymoon—which I have to say would be incredibly awkward—what are we supposed to be uniting?"

Just the idea of being married to and physically uniting with both of them had me flushing from head to toe. I was happy for the blazing heat of the fire to help mask my reaction to such an intimate suggestion. In the grand scope of things, I was pretty sure I could find myself tangled up in a lot less pleasant trauma. At least I assumed it would be pleasant, just from the experiences I'd had with each of them, so far. There was no doubt they made my hormones fire from all cylinders.

"I can think of only one other thing the three of us have in common," Jett said. "And that's magic. But I have no idea what that would have to do with anything."

Seth sighed heavily. "Which leaves us where we started."

"So, let's talk about what we do know," Jett suggested.

"Which is what?" I asked, not following.

"The relationship thing."

"Oh." That was precisely where I didn't want to go. Just sitting there, between them, was making my insides quiver with desire. But in all honesty, I wasn't sure which one I wanted to be with.

"How do you feel about it, Kenna?" Seth asked, staring at me. He was so close we were almost touching, but he made no move to further our contact.

"You're asking the wrong person. I'm so confused at the moment, I'm not sure which way to go."

"I think we should both date you," Jett piped up, and I was pretty sure he heard the low growl Seth released at the suggestion.

I laughed. "How would that even work?"

"It's easy. You simply wouldn't be exclusive—at least not with either of us. I'd like you to be exclusive with the two of us."

"Are you effing serious?" Seth asked, obviously upset.

"I am. Think about it, dude. She's new here. Everything that's happened up to this point has been a crazy mess."

"Only because you've made it that way," Seth pointed out. "We were doing fine without you."

"But that's just it—you weren't. She's obviously attracted to both of us. So, let's date her. We can all get to know each other really well, and then, as things progress, maybe a clear choice or path will stand out."

"The only way I'm remotely agreeing to this is if we set hard boundaries," Seth replied after a few moments. "For instance, there will be no sex. I know you, and I don't want you sneaking in for the kill while my back is turned."

"As if you wouldn't do the same. You've already proven you're capable of exactly that."

Jumping into the fire was starting to sound like a pretty good option to me at the moment. Too bad it wouldn't kill me. "Please stop fighting. I can't take it." Getting up, I turned to face them both. "If we are going to do this ludicrous dating thing, then we will do it on _my_ terms, not yours." There was no way I'd be able to handle the constant bickering between these two, but I couldn't choose either of them at this point, either. Even thinking about trying made me feel sick.

"What do you suggest then?" Seth asked.

"I agree to date you both, but I want it to happen naturally. If one of you wants to kiss me, then do it. If you want to hold my hand, then do it, but no more fighting about it. If we have all these rules, then we are always risking crossing lines and hurting someone. So, my rule is no rules. I want us to be able to relax around each other—whether I'm out with one or both of you. I don't want to continually worry about how something I do might be crossing someone else's line. Time will tell if this is going to help or not. Let's work on building the friendship and see where things go from there.

"And try not to make it awkward for me—in public, at least. I don't need to be walking down the sidewalk and trying to beat you both off with a stick. I just want to find a way to happily exist here. If my dad thinks things aren't going well or that there is some sort of threat, he will yank me out of here so fast that neither of you will know what happened to me. Trust me when I say he's an expert at laying false trails and hiding his family. I can't go back to that, so you're both going to have to keep your cool in public around me. I can't have gossip getting back to him that will cause alarm, and I'm pretty sure finding out his daughter is dating two different guys isn't going to help his nerves at all. My dad is jumpy—constantly ready to flee. I can't hide anymore. I need a life—even if it's this crazy one."

I quit speaking, and silence ensued between us, with Jett and Seth glancing at each other as if they were trying to gage the other one's reaction.

"Why don't I give you two a minute to discuss my, uh, terms," I said, still feeling flushed over the idea of even trying to agree to something like this. I'd never even had one boyfriend in my life, and now, suddenly, it looked like I had two.

Walking toward the tree line, I turned to observe them once I entered the cover of darkness. I'd never felt so strangely conflicted or euphoric in my life. I wasn't sure what the intense pull I felt for these two meant. I only knew I wanted—no, _I needed_ —them both in my life right now. It made no sense, but it was something I felt deep inside me. It irritated me because it wasn't fair to any of us, but none of us seemed able to walk away.

From my hidden spot, I watched as the two of them spoke to each other. Unable to hear what they were saying, I was still able to clearly read their body language. Slowly it changed from stiff postures to more relaxed the longer they spoke.

Gaze drifting between the two, I pondered over their similarities and their differences. Both were around the same height, six foot two inches would be my guess. While they were both reasonably tan, Jett was all dark good looks. There was something hidden and mysterious about him, like he had secrets I needed to find out. Sex appeal practically oozed from every pore, and that killer body of his was enough to bring a girl to her knees. I was sure many a girl had lost her heart to him in the past. He looked like a heartbreaker—that hot playboy who could have any girl he wanted and did, frequently.

Seth, on the other hand, was like this golden Greek god or something. While he didn't have that air of mystery around him that Jett did, he had a different kind of sex appeal that was just as consuming. I liked that I always knew where I stood with Seth. He went out of his way to make things pleasant for me. And when we were together, something happened that sent sparks flying like mad.

Of course, all of my past experience with guys basically boiled down to books, television, and whatever bits and pieces of their relationship my parents had chosen to share with me.

Even though Seth and Jett appeared to have come to some sort of an agreement, my breath still caught, and my heart rate picked up when they sought me out. Watching as they approached, I tried to gauge their moods by reading their auras and found them both surrounded by colors suggesting nervous excitement.

Immediately, that put me on my guard. "Well?" I asked as they got closer, my eyes drifting from one handsome face to another.

"We agree to your terms," Jett said, staring at me heatedly.

Glancing at Seth for confirmation, he nodded. I could hardly believe it. There was no way I thought they'd actually follow through with this ludicrous suggestion. I figured they'd be duking it out, for real, about right now.

"No rules?" I asked, not wanting to be backed into a corner by either of them.

"No rules," Jett said, moving closer and capturing me by the hand. He dragged me against him, and his mouth descended in a crushing, needy kiss. I was stiff in his grasp as I felt Seth move behind me, his hand brushing my hair away from my neck as he bent to kiss me there, sucking lightly.

Heat exploded through me, and I went weak in the knees, feeling like I was going to pass out.

_Holy hell, what have I done?_ The weight of my decision settled heavily on me. Had I somehow just agreed to be part of a threesome, of sorts? Who did stuff like that? I started to tremble, both from fear and from what they were doing to me with their lips.

Oh, if my dad could see me now, I'd never see the light of day, again.

# 18

"You are the biggest, two-timing, effin' bitch I've ever met!" Megan shoved her finger in my face. "I know he did it because of you. How could you? I even voted you on the squad—against my better judgment, I might add." Sneering, she cast a disgusted look over me. "I should've never listened to Jett when he convinced me that he wanted nothing to do with you and that this was all for Seth's benefit. And what about Seth? Did you just dump him for Jett?"

"Do you always jump straight to assumptions, or do you ever try to find out the actual facts first?" I asked, not even the tiniest bit intimidated by her snotty girl persona. "There was nothing between Jett and me before you broke up."

"But you admit there is now?" she asked, folding her arms and glaring at me.

"I admit nothing," I replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my _boyfriend_ is waiting." Glancing behind her, I smiled at Seth, who was briskly coming toward me with a wide grin on his face. That was probably a pretty big indicator that he was feeling okay with how things worked out, something I still wasn't quite sure about.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said, brushing right past Megan and leaning in to kiss me briefly on the cheek. "How are you this morning?"

"Great, now that you're here." Last night, the three of us decided that since everyone was pretty much aware of the relationship between Seth and me, we would keep that up at school and in other public places. I'd be dating Jett after hours, so to speak. It wasn't exactly the ideal situation, and Jett was less than thrilled over being the guy hidden in the closet, but he still agreed. That spoke volumes about his feelings for me. He was willing to sacrifice public time just to see me in private—not that we didn't plan to go out in public together, we'd just be more discreet when we did.

Man, this was all so confusing.

"Ready for class?" Seth pretty much ignored Megan completely, taking my books from me.

"I am."

It felt good when he laced his fingers through mine and steered me past her and down the hall.

"This isn't finished," Megan called after me, haughtily.

"Oh, I think it is," I replied, not even glancing back as we disappeared around the corner.

"Is everything all right?" Seth asked once we were out of sight.

"She seems to think Jett broke up with her because he wants to date me."

"Hmm. Smart girl, that one. What did you tell her?"

"I didn't tell her anything. It's none of her business."

"Well, it's my business, and I'm feeling pretty weird about it."

"Weird? Did you change your mind?" My heart rate picked up, and I was surprised to recognize panic. I couldn't lose him.

He shook his head. "No, it's weird because I feel strangely okay with it; but I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm confident that you'll choose me in the end." Squeezing my hand tighter, he smiled.

"You know I never wanted this, right? I never wanted to do anything to hurt you."

"I do know. And that's why I agreed to this arrangement. I don't want to hurt you, either. Forcing you to be with me before you're sure of your feelings will do precisely that. At least this way I still get to be with you in some capacity while you decide."

"You were always my choice," I replied. "I was perfectly content."

"Content, but not sure. And when you do finally come to me, I want you sure—beyond the shadow of a doubt."

A movement caught my eye, and I saw Jett strolling down the hall toward us. Seth didn't release my hand but pulled me out of the way of most of the traffic.

"And how are we all this morning?" Jett spoke cheerfully as he approached. "No regrets?" he added in a lower voice.

"I'm all good," Seth said, tightening his grip, and I wondered if he realized he'd done it.

"Great. Me, too." Staring pointedly at me, Jett moved closer, leaning against the wall beside me. One of his fingers lightly brushed my pinky, linking with it, but he blocked the view with his body, so no one else could see. "You look beautiful today."

Both of them were touching me. I couldn't even remember what I was wearing as desire streaked hotly through me. I'd noticed it last night, too. Whenever both of them touched me at the same time, it was like rocket boosters were being set off inside me.

"Thanks," I managed to mutter as a flush raced through me. It was so hot I feared breaking into a sweat.

Leaning closer, Jett whispered. "Did Seth tell you what happened to us?"

"I haven't had a chance, yet," he replied. "Megan was all up in her face when I got here. You need to put a stop to that."

"I will. Are you all right?" His concerned gaze penetrated me.

"What happened?" I asked, impatient, glancing between the two of them.

"We both dreamed about you, again," Seth said, watching me closely.

"The same dream?"

"Mostly. This time all three of us were in it."

"Please tell me we weren't all married because that's just a bit too weird. I'm already way over the line of comfortable as it is."

Seth and Jett exchanged glances, clearly giving me an answer.

"Seriously? We were all married?" What the heck was up with these dreams? I had the sudden urge to skip school and go talk with Bels. I needed to figure out what the crap was happening. It was obviously something magic-related, but what? I was getting a more than a tiny bit creeped out with this whole dream scenario, to be honest.

Jett nodded. "We all were. And that's why it's so strange."

"What do you mean?"

"We were all married. As in _all_ . . . Seth and I weren't just married to you, but we were married to each other."

"Excuse me?" My eyes went wide, and full panic exploded in my chest. What the hell was I involved in? "Are you two trying to tell me that there is something between the two of you?" I was pretty sure my pulse rate was at heart attack level now.

"Oh, hell, no!" Seth groaned out, before sticking Jett with a glare. "I told you she wouldn't get it."

Jett shook his head. "There is nothing sexual, on any level, between Seth and me. Our mutual attraction for you is the only thing going on. But knowing that makes me think that maybe you're right about the dream symbolizing something else. I don't necessarily think it's about actual marriage, but maybe magic."

"He thinks maybe we're supposed to bind our powers together, that perhaps it's the magic between us that's melding . . . sort of like a trifecta."

"So, we'd be like our own coven or something?" I asked, trying to follow along. Actually, this made sense to me and did a whole lot to calm my over-anxious nerves.

"Yes, exactly like that," Jett said.

"I'm not really in a coven since I've mainly just practiced with my dad. There weren't really any other witches around except my adopted uncle, Earl, but he died when I was pretty young. But wouldn't that mess up your magic with the covens you belong to? I thought your powers were bound to them, making it where you can't join another coven?"

"I don't think so. Think of it as something separate from your regular group. Sort of a nexus of power that is always at your fingertips, except from a different source."

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure I totally understood. "Will it make your covens mad, though?"

"Actually, I'm the only one tied to a coven," Jett said, surprising me.

"Yeah, my family practices mostly as solitary witches, unless my mom is leading us during festival rituals," Seth added. I felt like this was something I should've already known about him. "Jett has been given the task by his parents to recruit me to their coven."

"Actually, you aren't the only one they want me to recruit." Jett stared at me, making his point clear.

"Me?" Now my pulse was skyrocketing for a different reason. "A demon coven is targeting me?" I could taste the fear in my mouth, despite all my training.

"Don't worry. Seth and I will protect you. That's another reason why we think it would be good to bind our powers. It will give the three of us a stronger defense against anyone who might try to attack us."

"So, you've changed your mind about becoming a demon?" I asked.

His heated gaze never left me. "Let's just say I've found something that interests me more."

"We want to know if you'll meet us after the scrimmage tonight?" Seth spoke before I could respond to Jett's comment. "Maybe we can try testing some things out and see how it goes. It might shed some light on what's going on."

I nodded. "That's fine with me. I'll have to ask my parents first, but I don't think they'll have an issue with it. I don't work on Fridays since they're game days."

"Are the cheerleaders going to be there, tonight?" Jett asked, changing the subject entirely.

"Yeah, just in our practice uniforms, though. Why?"

"No reason. Simply looking forward to watching you." He squeezed my finger a bit tighter before glancing around the quickly thinning hall. Leaning down, he brushed his lips ever so briefly against my cheek. "See you at lunch, darlin'."

Watching him for a moment as he walked away, I immediately realized that Seth watched that exchange. I glanced up at him. "You okay?" I asked, still worried about all of this.

"I'm perfect," he said, raising my hand to his lips and kissing the back of it. "Let's get to class."

"Hey," I said, leaning in the doorway of my dad's home lab, watching as he bent over a microscope, studying carefully. Kyle was seated beside him in a swiveling chair and turned to glance at me.

"Hey, kiddo! How are you today?" he asked.

"I'm good." Okay, that might not have been the most honest answer, because I was truly confused at the moment. "I love Fridays because we have early release." I continued on with a smile, not wanting to dwell on my current predicament. "How's the research going?"

"It's looking promising. Your dad and I think we may have finally isolated the gene that is causing your mom's blood to overreact to magic. We have several more tests we need to do on it, but we're closer than we've ever been."

"That's exciting! Congratulations." I really hoped they found a way to make it work. Reintroducing my mom's magic would go a long way toward healing my dad's broken heart.

"Thank you. We're feeling pretty pumped about it, too. Vance tells me you have your first game tonight?"

"We do, but it's just a scrimmage. The first real game is next weekend."

"Is it at home?" Dad asked straightening.

"Yeah, both games are."

"Then, I will definitely be coming to watch." Crossing the room, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged tightly. "How was your day?"

"It was good," I replied, going for vague and hugging him back just as firmly.

"Are you hungry? Your mom is still working, but Kyle and I can stop, and we can all go get something to eat."

"Actually, I ate lunch at Nicolazzo's, with Seth, before he dropped me home."

"You never said how dinner went with his parents last night."

"I didn't get to meet them. Something came up, and we had to reschedule. Seth ended up taking me to hang out with a friend of his until he brought me home. You were out doing a late bike delivery to someone, Mom said. Sorry I fell asleep before you got back. I haven't been getting much rest and was feeling pretty dead."

"I understand. You were up early the night before." Releasing me, he took a step back. "How do you feel about making Kyle and me some lunch so we can keep working just a bit longer? And then, after we eat, I'll take you to buy your new car?"

"Seriously?" A girlish squeal escaped me as I threw my arms around his neck, once more. "I'd love that!"

Dad laughed. "I never knew you liked making food so much."

Giggling, I pushed away from him. "The excitement was for the car."

"Well, damn. I just thought you really enjoyed doing nice things for your old dad."

"You're not old, and I do love doing things for you—and Kyle." Casting a glance over to him, I found him watching our interaction with a smile.

"You have a good girl there, Vance," he said. "If I knew I could have a kid like this one, I might look harder for a wife." He winked at me.

"Be careful what you wish for," Dad warned. "Portia has already met someone she wants to set you up with."

"Really?" Kyle asked a surprised grin appearing. "Tell me about her."

"I don't know much—just that someone recommended a hairdresser to her, and after the appointment, Portia said she'd found your soulmate."

"Soulmate? She actually said that?"

I could understand his surprise since that was a term not casually thrown around in the magical community.

"Is she a witch?"

"I didn't ask. All I know is her name is Julie or something like that."

"Come on. You've got to give me something better than that. Is she good looking?"

Dad chuckled and shook his head. "Again, I didn't see her. You're going to have to take it up with Portia if you want to know more."

"Oh, I definitely want to know more."

"What do you guys want to eat?" I interrupted, anxious to get on with the car part of this day.

"It doesn't need to be anything special. Sandwiches are okay," Dad said, going back to the workstation and peering into the microscope again.

"On it. Be back shortly."

Making my way into the massive custom kitchen, I let my thoughts wander over things with Jett and Seth. I collected the items to make ham sandwiches—getting out some chips and a lemonade mix to go with them.

Summoning magic to make the lemonade, I used my hands to put the sandwiches together at the same time. It was just a few short minutes before lunch was prepared, and I carried it to them.

"I wish we could speed the process up," Dad was saying.

"I know you do; but in this case, better safe than sorry," Kyle responded. "How's the serum that Hex has been working on?"

"Good. He says it shouldn't be too much longer. When he gets it just right, he and Milly are planning on flying out here."

Hearing that tidbit of news excited me. I loved my great grandparents, Hex and Milly. Even though Hex was my step-grandpa, he was the only one I'd ever known. All of the others were dead, so, he was very important to me. He had married my grandma after everything that happened with my parents. In fact, he was the reason my mom was still alive. My dad hadn't been in his right mind after The Awakening was removed from him, restoring him to his full demonic state. His bloodlust for her had nearly driven him mad.

Hex found my mom when she was running for her life. He hid her, teaching her to fight and introducing his jinn powers to her. He was the one responsible for turning her into a fighter strong enough to survive, and I loved him for it. If he hadn't interfered, I might never have been born.

"Here's your food," I said, interrupting and placing two plates on the large mahogany desk seated at one end of the lab. "I'll be right back with your drinks, and then I'm getting on my laptop to look at cars until you're ready to go."

Dad smiled and nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Thanks for lunch."

"Yes, thank you," Kyle added.

"Not a problem," I replied, practically skipping from the room. Today was shaping up to be awesome.

# 19

"What are you doing?"

I couldn't help myself—I jumped, clasping my hand over my heart as I stared at the shimmering figure materializing in my room. "Dee Dee, you can't just pop out of nowhere like that. I swear you almost scared me to death."

"Sorry," she said, her brogue sounding more pronounced than the last time. "I see you haven't told your parents about me."

Sighing, I glanced at the list of cars on my screen before closing my computer. "That's because I wasn't entirely sure I didn't dream you up. One second you were there, and then you were just gone."

"That happens sometimes. I sort of blank out."

"How weird that must be for you." Crossing my legs, I stared at her. "So, tell me about death. Is it the same for everyone? Did you see a white light?"

Shaking her head, she looked sorrowful as she drifted soundlessly toward the window. "For me, there was no light. I don't know about other people. I haven't seen any others like me."

"Really?" How terribly lonely. I felt sorry for her. "How long have you been like this?"

Shrugging slightly, she glanced at me. "Time is irrelevant to me, but a long time." Coming closer, her stare uncomfortably pierced me. "That first night in the attic—before I revealed myself to you—you were with a young man. Who was he?"

Apparently, she'd seen Seth and me. That wasn't embarrassing at all since we practically made out like fiends that night. "He's a good friend of mine—my boyfriend, I guess you would say."

"Your beau reminds me of mine, the one that I lost so long ago. I have never stopped pining for him, even though he eventually found solace in the arms of another."

I wasn't sure what to say. "Seth is a good guy. I'm glad I met him."

Again, her intense stare made me uncomfortable, and I thought I saw a spark of anger light her eyes. "Be careful, young one. It's been my experience that men are rarely what they seem. They like to entice women, seduce them even. It seems so romantic, but then they will destroy everything about you and use you to further their own sadistic games."

_Angry much?_ I thought, and compassion flooded me. "How terrible things must've been for you. I wish there were some way I could help you set them right."

"Kenna?" My dad's voice floated in from the hallway, and Dee Dee immediately disappeared, just as my dad entered the doorway. "You ready?"

"I am!" I said excitedly, jumping up from the bed and quickly slipping my shoes on.

"Who were you talking to?" Dad asked, glancing around. "I swear I heard two voices."

_Shoot._ I needed to remember my dad's fabulous hearing abilities. Mind scrambling, my gaze landed on my laptop. "I was on FaceTime with Stephanie, going over things for tonight," I lied, but hated doing so. I didn't like being dishonest, but I couldn't risk him freaking out over strange happenings in our house. "Did Kyle leave, or is he coming with us?"

"He left. He said he still had some things to take care of at the office. Let's go get you a car."

Following him into the hall, I pressed for more information. "So, is there like a spending limit on this car, or can I get whatever I want?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Well, I wasn't really planning on getting you a Maserati or anything."

"I wasn't going to ask for a Maserati." I smiled. "Besides, I'm pretty sure no one around here even carries those things."

"You're probably right. I figured we would just play it by ear. I thought we could go into Boston and check out several dealers."

"Sounds good to me. Thanks, Dad."

"Anything for my girl!" he replied, draping his arm around my shoulder and hugging me tightly. "I love you. Thanks for being such a good kid. You make life so much easier for your mom and me."

Instantly, guilt assaulted me. I wasn't the "good kid" he thought I was. When did that happen? When had my own needs and desires begun to supersede the things my parents had taught me?

Yes, I was a legal adult, capable of making my own choices. Technically, if my dad ever decided to run or go into hiding, I could legally say no. But just because the law said it was okay, didn't mean that it was "Vance Mangum" okay. And in my world, Vance Mangum was the law. I wasn't sure if I was ready to stand up to that—or if I even really wanted to. All I knew was that I wanted the chance to stay here and see how my life would develop. Maybe that was selfish, but in my own defense, I had been living as a hermit for most of my life to please them and make them feel more comfortable. The way I saw it, they owed me my turn at a real life.

"I love you both too, Dad," I replied, meaning every word. Regardless of our differences in opinion, I knew my parents only wanted the best for me. They had sacrificed a lot for me, too. Hopefully, everything would work out just fine. Now, if I could sort out my feelings for Seth and Jett, life would be perfect.

"We aren't going to the meadow?" I asked in surprise as Jett blasted past the turnoff.

"No. It's the weekend and after the game. Everyone is going to be out there tonight. We need to go somewhere we won't be disturbed."

"And where is that exactly?"

Seth leaned forward from the back seat. "My family has a piece of property out here that has been passed down from generation to generation. There's an old one-room cabin on it. It's still in pretty good shape. The area around it has lots of woods, and there are no nearby neighbors."

"Making it the perfect place to practice magic," I added, realizing at that moment how excited I actually was for this outing.

"Exactly," Jett said, casting a sly sidelong glance at me. "We can do whatever we want out here, and no one will be the wiser."

Unbidden, an image of the three of us dancing naked under the full moon popped into my head. I almost gasped aloud. Then the thought turned humorous as I imagined me trying to dance while having both the guys hanging all over me, groping me as I attempted to beat them off. Yeah, that would be more realistic.

"As long as whatever we are doing allows me to be fully clothed, I'm all for it."

"You'd be surprised what you can do while being fully clothed," Jett quipped, sending me from my safe place right back into the abyss of nerves.

"I . . . I'll take your word for it." He chuckled, and so did Seth, his voice floating forward from behind me.

For some reason merely the sound of their voices mingling together around me made me feel . . . Something. Safe? Secure? Maybe it was just a sense of belonging.

That was it, I realized. This felt right. I belonged here with them. Peace flowed through me, heating me with a languid relaxed feeling. I was where I was supposed to be. I was home.

Turning off the main road, we made our way onto a narrow dirt lane. I eagerly watched as the headlights drifted over grass and trees, highlighting patches of the beautiful scenery.

Having been raised in a picturesque forest my whole life, I had a deep love and respect for nature. I'd learned to watch and listen to the animals as they signaled to each other if there was danger. I could feel the life force in the vegetation. There was a living spirit in everything, and I could feel it humming there.

I didn't notice those vibrations as much in more populated areas. They were still there, but somehow harder to notice. Nature just seemed to have a way of amplifying everything and making it feel more real. Or maybe it simply made _me_ feel more real. Whatever it was, I loved it.

Jett slowed as we approached a narrow dirt lane to the right. Turning, he slowly maneuvered the vehicle over the uneven road.

"Not exactly built for off-roading, is it?" Seth joked with a laugh.

"Not even close." Jett agreed. "But she looks good no matter what she's doing."

"Truth," Seth replied.

"Why do guys always refer to their cars as 'she?'" I asked. "My dad does that, too, with all his motorcycles."

"Have you seen his bike?" Seth asked, leaning forward, again, and looking at Jett. "He custom-built it, and it's amazing."

It was as if I hadn't even spoken.

"Yeah, I've seen it. It's nice. I'm thinking I may need to look into getting myself one."

I wasn't sure how my dad would feel about that at all. "One in general, or one from my dad?" I needed clarification.

"From your dad. I like getting custom-made things, and it looks like he does great work."

"Well, not to be rude, but you didn't exactly make a good first impression on my dad, remember? He actually warned me to stay away from you."

"He did? I knew he was upset, but not that much."

"So, if you decide to ever really pursue this motorcycle thing, you need to let me warm him up to you and get him thinking of you in a different light."

"Motorcycle or not, I think you should begin doing that immediately."

I laughed. "Okay."

A small cabin appeared in the dark before us, almost as if it had been conjured by magic. It wasn't there one second and then the next it was. Its weather-roughened thick wooden beams had been squared off and stacked with mudding in between them. There was no porch—only the main structure, and beside the closed door, a shuttered window appeared to be the only other opening, from my vantage point, at least.

Jett parked the car, and I jumped out, staring at the house as I spoke to Seth. "Can we go inside?" A slight breeze whipped up the air, causing my hair to blow across my face, and I quickly swiped it away.

"The key is hidden somewhere, but . . ." As he exited the back seat, he waved his hand toward the door, and it opened with a loud pop, swinging slightly inward on squeaky hinges. "Lead the way.

Moving closer, I gently pushed the door open further. Darkness was all that greeted me, and I hesitated.

"What's the matter? Are you chicken?" Jett teased, brushing past me to step inside. "There's nothing in here that's gonna jump out and bite you." Glancing in my direction, I could see the outline of his white grin, and it looked slightly evil. "Well, unless you count me."

"And we're back. If there's one thing I can count on from you, Jett, it's that you're reliable."

"Thank you. It _is_ a noble trait, isn't it?"

"On you? I wouldn't know. I was referring to your personal brand of sarcasm. I can always count on it to show up."

"Who said I was being sarcastic?" he asked, moving closer, his face still deep in the shadows. "I meant every single word."

"Oh." It was all I could grasp onto in my flustered brain. I was still way too new at this to even remotely know how to respond to this kind of flirting. It was painfully evident that I was out of my league, and equally obvious that Jett seemed to enjoy taking advantage of that.

"You gonna stand out there all night, darlin', or are you coming in?"

Seth slipped his fingers into mine, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Come on. This will be fun."

Calming, I felt relief move through me, warm and comforting. Suddenly, I was in the mood to explore. Glancing at Seth, I frowned.

"What?" he asked, appearing confused.

"You're using magic on me, aren't you—some kind of mood enhancer to get me to do what you want? Oh my gosh!" Wrenching my hand free, I stepped away, glancing between them. "Is that what you've both been doing to me all this time? Have you been using magic to coerce me into doing things against my will?"

Jett sighed and folded his arms, leaning against the doorjamb. "Now, why would you even say something like that?"

I shook my head and threw my hands in the air. "I don't know, except for the fact that I seem to be agreeing to things I never dreamed of doing before. Everything is just so—not normal." _Gee, I was so eloquent._

"Did you ever stop to consider it isn't normal for us, either? What guy wakes up in the morning and thinks about the girl he likes and then adds, "Hmmm. She's so awesome, I think I'll share her with my best friend." It's not even in the realm of normal. Not for us, at least."

Seth stepped closer. "Kenna, if this is making you uncomfortable, we can stop. Both of us can back away completely and give you the space you need."

"Speak for yourself," Jett mumbled, pushing away from the door and grabbing my hand. "You'll find Seth is the nice one. He's always considerate of others' feelings. If you wanted to walk away, he would let you. He'd hate every second, but he'd do it because you asked.

"I'm not that nice. I don't want you to leave, and I'm willing to use magic or whatever needed to convince you that right here is where you belong—with me. To answer your question, no, we have not been using magic to persuade you to do anything. You can rest assured that you agreed to this crazy arrangement all on your own."

Seth reclaimed my attention. "And as far as what happened just now? Yes, I did use calming magic on you. You seemed nervous, and I wanted you to feel better."

Staring at his aura, I could see his colors dancing around, vibrant and pure. There was no malice whatsoever. All his vibes signaled how important I was. Protection and safety were vital to him, and it made me feel good to know that he cherished me so much.

Glancing at Jett, I had to school my features so I wouldn't laugh. His aura represented that of a young girl with the biggest crush she'd ever had. Attraction positively sparked off him, one hundred percent directed at me. It was so intense his aura practically reached out for mine as if it wished to meld with its other half. It was hard for me to resist his pull. While I was incredibly attracted to him, he scared me, as well. In truth, they both did.

It was time for honesty. "Everything has happened so quickly. Doesn't it feel that way to either of you? I barely know you. This is still my first week here, yet I've done more in this one week than I ever expected to do in a month—especially when it comes to relationships. Sometimes I feel like things are flying at me like bricks, and all I'm doing is trying to dodge being hit." I sighed. "I don't know if that makes any sense. I guess I'm just trying to say, none of this feels ordinary."

"If you'll stop freaking out and listen to us, I think we can maybe explain some of the connection the three of us are having. But Kenna, darlin', you gotta come inside for that to happen."

Maybe I really was losing my mind, standing here in the middle of nowhere arguing with both of them. I trusted them. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here.

Jett held his hand out, and I slipped mine inside, embracing the fiery sparks that raced up my arm at the contact. I liked it when he touched me. It made me feel beautiful, as if his feelings concerning me traveled through him, to me, on a cellular level upon contact.

Wouldn't my dad love testing _that_ out that in his lab? I could see it now. "Hey, Dad, can you please explain the chemical reaction between my boyfriends and me?" He'd probably die of a heart attack on the spot. No, he'd kill the boys first, then die.

My thoughts were interrupted as we stepped inside the dark space with its earthen floor. A ball of witch light appeared beside me as Seth lit the area for us in a bluish glow, revealing bare wooden walls. In one corner was a rock fireplace, big enough to have been used for both heating and cooking. Other than that, there were tangles of cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and corners.

"Wait. What's that?" I asked, pointing to a ladder against the wall.

"There's a small loft up there, just big enough for a bed. I imagine it used to be the sleeping quarters.

"I can't even imagine living like this," I replied, turning around in a circle.

"Were you expecting something plusher?" A chilly air swept through the cabin, removing all the cobwebs. Immediately, the room was bathed in warm light as fire burst to life inside the fireplace, though it gave no warmth. A very cushy looking couch, loaded with bright throw pillows in blue and purple hues, was pushed in front of it. End tables were at each end, with warm light glowing from the lamps there. Pictures of ocean scenes dotted the walls, along with nautical décor that reminded me of his parents' restaurant.

"This looks incredible!" I said, completely amazed. "I could stare at this forever. Shoot, I could live out here."

Jett beamed at me, obviously pleased with my reaction.

"There's only one problem," Seth announced.

"Really? What's that?"

He waved his hand. "All of this is just an illusion. If you tried to sit on that couch, your butt is going to hit the dirt floor. If you want to actually be able to use things, then you need me."

Immediately the room Jett had created disappeared, replaced item-by-item with furniture and accessories in warm earthy tones. The fireplace, however, remained dark.

Glancing at me, he nodded. "Fire is _your_ specialty."

Raising my arm, I let a fireball dance in my hand for a moment before dramatically throwing it into the rocky hearth. It exploded into a ball of continuously burning flame, taking the slight night nip out of the air.

"Well, aren't you just all fancy?" Jett sneered at Seth before going over and plopping down on the couch.

Seth laughed. "Jett has the power of illusion—he can make people see things that aren't really there. I have the power of manifestation, meaning I can actually make things materialize. Both have their uses."

Guiding me to the sofa, I sat next to Jett, while Seth settled in on the other side of me. It still amazed me that he could make things appear like this. "What else can you guys do?"

Seth shrugged. "We both can move objects, as I'm sure you can, too. That seems to be pretty standard witch magic." I nodded, agreeing with his assessment. I'd never met a witch who couldn't do that. "Jett's main powers stem from the air. He can move it, use it, bend it to his will."

I snickered, thinking of old cartoons from my youth. "Does this mean you're one of the last Air Benders?"

Jett stared at me and shrugged. "Where do you think they got the idea for the show?"

Full out laughter escaped me. "Not from you, I'm sure."

"No, but it would've been awesome if they did." He smiled and winked, letting me know he was okay with my teasing. That gesture warmed my heart more than anything. It made him seem less uptight, somehow.

"Seth is an Earth witch," Jett announced.

"Really? Like you can make things grow and stuff like that?"

He nodded. "I can, if necessary."

"Wow! That's so amazing! I want to see."

"When we go outside in a bit, I promise." Resting his hand lightly on my leg, he stroked it. It was such a casual, gentle move; but it set my body on fire—as if flames were licking me up from the inside out. I'd never experience such a physical reaction like this before. It was both heady and terrifying.

"What else can you do?" I asked, forcing the words out of my suddenly dry mouth.

"Well, you already know Jett gets premonitions," Seth said. "And I can animate objects and make them levitate."

"Wait, but you do too, right? Have premonitions, I mean. You both had that weird dream about me—twice. That's got to be something magical."

Seth shrugged. "I'd never experienced it before I dreamt of you."

"Which is why I think we all need to test our magic together," Jett piped up. "There is obviously something else going on between the three of us, and I want to find what it is. Kenna, tell us about your abilities."

Sighing, I focused on the magic running through me. "Well, as you know, fire is my main natural gift. It tends to be my go-to ability—the thing I'm most comfortable with. It's something I inherited from my dad. I think, based on his past, that I can say he's probably one of the most powerful fire demons in existence." Looking back and forth between them, I hedged on telling them this next part; but then decided if we were going to trust each other, I might as well take the plunge. "I also have a certain rare ability. I'm mentally connected to my dad, and depending on the distance, I can speak to him through that link whenever I want."

"Are you saying he can read your mind?" Jett asked, and I was pretty sure his face paled slightly.

I nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Both boys groaned.

"What?" I asked, confused as to why this might be upsetting to them.

"So, your dad knows about everything that's going on with the three of us?"

I laughed. "If my dad had any clue of that, both of you would be dead, and I'd be sitting back in my old house in the middle of Opal Creek National Forest."

"But you just said—"

I cut Jett off. "I said he could read my mind—if I let him. My dad likes having his privacy—thank goodness—and taught me, from childhood, how to place mental barriers so that no one has access to my mind without permission. Privacy is very important to him."

"Thank heaven for small miracles." Jett breathed out, visibly relaxing. "So, what else have you inherited from your dad?"

"I'm not really sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, my dad has powers he doesn't even know about. His dad, Damien Cummings, was a very evil man, a demon, who sacrificed many witches and warlocks to build his strength. He would kidnap those with the most power, drink their blood, and then suck their magic from them using a Demon Kiss."

"I'm familiar with the magic you're speaking of," Jett said, letting me know immediately that his coven was involved in the same kind of behavior. That scared me.

I brushed that thought aside and continued on with my story. "When my dad finally had the chance to fight my grandpa, my dad did the same to him, absorbing all the magic of those witches—and I'm talking hundreds, maybe even thousands. He was extremely powerful before, but scary-powerful afterward. Then things went wrong with my mom when The Awakening was taken from her, and she became a demon. She couldn't take it and went completely crazy in the head. She couldn't comprehend anything. My dad had two choices—kill her or take her magic. There was only one choice, really."

"So, he's currently the vessel for your mom's magic, too?" Jett sounded surprised, and I nodded.

"My magical traits come from many places, including both my parents. But anything actually passed down to me came strictly from my dad. Now that my mom is completely human, that makes me a "mud blood," I guess." I couldn't help my slight giggle at the reference.

"A mud blood?" Seth looked just as confused as Jett.

"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you've never read or seen Harry Potter? I lived completely away from society, and even I've read the books and seen the movies."

"Never seen it," Jett said.

"Me, neither," Seth added.

"Well, that's it. This relationship must end immediately." Standing, I brushed my hands over my clothes and headed toward the door.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Jett asked, zipping around to block my path.

"I'm going to find some real witches to hang out with, now that I know you two are impostors."

Grinning, he stepped closer, sliding his hand against my cheek and rubbing his thumb there. "We'll watch the damn movies if that's what you want."

Smiling, I nodded. "That's what I want. And I want you to watch them with me so I can see your reactions."

"Works for me." Seth nodded. "I can easily add that equipment out here."

"Can we leave it like this?" I asked, glancing at him. "I mean, will it stay this way when you aren't here?"

"Sure. It's here until we tell it to go."

"I like it here; and I can see that you're both fond of it, too. I think it should be our own special place we can come to and escape it all."

"Wait a second," Jett said, halting me. "What do you mean when you say you can see we are fond of it, too?"

I laughed. "In your auras. It's plain as day that something about this place relaxes you both."

"You can see auras?"

"Yeah, it comes in really handy when trying to avoid certain kinds of people." I eyed him, waiting to see if he'd catch my meaning.

"Hang on now. That's why you kept staring at me that first day we met, isn't it? You were trying to read my aura."

"I was. And it was messy, messy, messy—all angry red with this black streak that snaked through it. I thought it looked exactly like this." Reaching out, I pushed his sleeve up slightly, to reveal the coiled snake wrapped around his bicep. "I was worried about you. And then you were so mean to me."

Sighing, he dropped his hand away, linking fingers with me. "I'm sorry. I was angry, and more than a little jealous. I'd dreamed about you. That dream said you were coming and would be mine. Then you showed up and not with just any guy, but with my best friend, who was obviously taken with you—and you with him. And even though he had a dream, as well, I'm afraid I tend to lash out irrationally on occasion. And though I still feel like I was helping you out when you first got here, you're right. I could've gone about it better. If you let me, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

He leaned in closer, but I placed my hands over his lips. "Jett, I know I agreed to all this, but can we please take things slow? I'm not used to it, and it's all so overwhelming."

"You set the pace, darlin'. We will follow your lead. In fact . . ." His sentence dwindled off as he left my side and pulled Seth away for a private chat. Laughing at whatever he said, Seth twirled his hand in the air, conjuring something and then placed it in Jett's hand. Jett was grinning as he rejoined me.

"I figured since you can see our auras and use it to gauge our emotions, it's only fair that we get to do the same with you. Turn around."

I had no idea what he was talking about but dutifully did as he asked, surprised when he fastened a necklace around my throat. Glancing down, I noted the plain black cord decorated with a few beads and findings. In the middle of the beads was a teardrop-shaped silver filigree pendant with a blue-green stone in the center.

"What's this?" I fingered the pretty stone. To my surprise, it began changing colors. "Oh my gosh! Is this a mood necklace?" I couldn't help my laughter.

"It is," Jett said. "This way, Seth and I will know what mood you're in, too; which I think will give us a much-needed advantage—especially during certain times of the month. We will know when to avoid you."

Seth chuckled, and I shook my head.

"I can't believe you just went there."

Grinning, Jett replied. "I'm willing to go anywhere with you." His eyes drifted over me. "Someday, I hope to get to go on the whole ride." I blushed heavily.

"Look, her necklace is changing. What was pink again, Seth?"

"Pink symbolizes love, I believe."

My breath caught in my throat. There was no way I was in love with Jett Blackstone. I'd barely known him for a week. "I think I need to go outside and get some cool air. It's getting warm in here, don't you think? It's probably messing with this necklace."

Neither of them stopped me as I made my way outside.

"Dude, that girl wants you bad," Seth said, sounding sorrowful, and it made my heart hurt.

"Not any worse than I want her. I swear I can't get her out of my head. It's like I'm under a damn spell."

"I know exactly what you mean. It kills me every time she looks at you that way."

Jett snorted. "Then you know how I feel every time she looks at you."

I had to put some distance between us. I needed to run—to just be free from everything. Glancing toward the dark forest, I sprinted away.

# 20

Magic pulsated through me, racing through every single pore. Pushing faster, I ran harder. Despite being late August, it was nice and cool, and I relished the feel of it across my over-heated skin.

Breaths short and quick, I bounded across the meadow surrounding the small cabin, heading toward the thickly treed woods beyond.

"Kenna!" Seth's worried voice called. "What are you doing?"

"Wait for us!" Jett hollered immediately after, and I pushed myself even harder, knowing they would give chase. Adrenaline coursed through me, and I was determined to beat them, even though I wasn't sure where I was going.

The solitude of the woods wasn't frightening; instead, it filled me with some sort of calm focus—almost as if I were back home in the ancient Oregon forest. Dodging about amongst the trees and vegetation, I jumped around, hopping over fallen trees and shrubs.

All of a sudden, I could hear them both, the sound of their heavy breathing growing ever closer. Spurred on, I ran faster.

A large clump of vegetation loomed in front of me, and I instantly knew there was no way I could clear it naturally. Shoving my arms down so that my palms were facing the ground, I sent a burst of flaming magic out of my hands and feet, which acted like jet propulsion, rocketing me off the ground. I flew over easily before tumbling back to the earth. Angling my feet, I descended back to the ground, using my levitation to hover just above it. I continued on, desperately trying to "escape."

Laughter filled the air around me—both my own and whoops and hollers from Jett and Seth, who still remained unseen.

"I'm gonna get you, darlin'," Jett yelled from somewhere close by. Suddenly a blast of air hit me full force in the side, knocking me off my feet and sending me sprawling across the ground.

Vision spinning, my eyes caught Seth several yards away, his blond hair glistening in the moonlight. Smiling, he shoved his hand into the dirt, and immediately everything around me started rippling and quivering. Vines appeared, multiplying out of the surface and twisting rapidly toward my position. Finding my feet, I squealed loudly and took off again.

I didn't make it far before something wrapped around my ankles, yanking me off my feet. Before I hit the ground, more vines twisted around me, breaking my fall and gently lowering the rest of my body to the earth with care.

Instantly Seth was standing over me, hands on his hips, staring down at me. "You seem to be caught in my web," he said, sounding triumphant as his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "I think I like that."

"It was totally my push that knocked her off balance. I think I should get the credit for the win." Jett smiled as he joined us. "Although that thing you did with the fire back there was pretty amazing."

I couldn't help my gasps and giggles. "That was so much fun. I swear I haven't done anything like that in ages. We should come out here and do stuff like this all the time."

"I think that would be a great idea." Seth agreed. "It was part of the reason I suggested this spot. It's completely private and the perfect location for us to have some solitude and practice magic."

"I agree," Jett added. "Not to mention, we can get to know each other better while we are at it."

"I thought you two already knew each other, "I teased.

"You know what I mean. Seth, release her from this mess."

Slowly the vines that gripped me so tightly began to loosen. Before I could rise, they disappeared, replaced by beautiful, scented flowers.

Jett glanced at Seth. "Show off," he muttered, and Seth grinned wider.

"We should set this up to be our special place," I suggested. I loved the feel of the forest. The sliver of moonlight filtered down through all the trees casting dark shadows that should've been terrifying but weren't. It was like we were together in our own secret world.

"We can totally do that if you want. What are you thinking?" Seth asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe we could set up an altar and some large stones to mark the four elements and the spirit."

"So, lay it out, so any circle we cast is in the middle of a pentagram?" Jett asked.

"Yes! I think that would be awesome." I turned to Seth. "Do you think it would be discovered or disturbed? I just thought it would be nice to have a peaceful place that's ours, so to speak."

"I think I can easily do some things to help camouflage it." He studied the small clearing we were in. "I'll add some thick vines and foliage around the perimeter, here, that will discourage any wandering people from trying to get through."

"Perfect. We can also put wards around it, too. That will redirect any trespassers. We did that in the Opal Creek Forest. I can totally do that."

"Sounds great," Jett said, seeming at ease. "Would you like to go help me look for suitable stones, or would you rather stay here and work on wards while Seth builds the vegetation?"

"I can come with you," I said, glancing at Seth. "If it's okay with Seth."

"Fine by me," he said, casting a penetrating stare at Jett. "Just watch those hands. I don't need them all over my girl."

"Your girl?" Jett raised an eyebrow.

"That's right. I had her first, and I still have her. I'm just letting you come along for the ride."

"Oh, I see how it is. You want her all for yourself."

Something flared in Seth's eyes. "Yes, I do."

"So do I."

"But your wants don't really matter in my universe."

While I knew they were simply doing some friendly ribbing, it was starting to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. "Um, how about I'm my own girl, and we continue doing the tasks we had planned? All this testosterone may kill me otherwise."

"Your wish is my command," Jett said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along.

"Funny you should say that."

"Why?"

"My dad's a jinn. Well, sorta."

"Excuse me? Did you say your dad is a jinn? I didn't even think they really existed."

"Actually, my step-grandpa, Hex, is the real jinn—or half jinn, rather. His mom always claimed that something had possessed his father when he'd gotten her pregnant. I guess she was right. Unfortunately for Hex, he fell in with some of the wrong people, and his coven disowned him, so he spent a lot of time living alone. During that, he began trying to isolate the jinn cells inside him, until he finally manufactured one dose to try on someone else."

"And he gave it to your dad?" Jett guessed.

"No, my mom, actually. But for some reason, in her blood, the chemistry caused the magic to amplify greatly. Hex, a "natural born" son of a jinn, can only disappear and reappear for a few feet at a time. But my mom could easily skip halfway around the world."

"Are you serious?" His eyes widened in amazement.

"I am. But when my dad saved my mom after her demon conversion, he sucked the jinn out of her, too. Strangely enough, even though he assimilated her power, he can't blink any farther than Hex can."

"Blink?" Jett questioned.

"Disappear and then reappear."

"Gotcha. That's interesting. You'd think it would be the same for both."

"I agree, but it isn't. My dad wants to try and reintroduce my mom's powers back to her. Hex reportedly has a new serum almost ready to go. He and great-grandma, Milly, are supposed to come to visit when it is ready and try it on my mom."

"So, you don't have these jinn powers?"

I shook my head. "No. They didn't pass to me. My dad has speculated about whether or not it is something that would ever pass from a parent to child. I guess we'll never know unless Kyle comes up with some sort of amazing discovery."

"Kyle?"

"He's a research doctor that works with my dad. He's more like family than an associate, though. I used to call him Uncle Kyle when I was younger. Sometimes I still do."

"Well, I wish them the best in their research. I'm sure it must've been hard for your mom to not have her magic."

"I don't think she misses it at all. I think she's mostly humoring my dad. He's the one who has struggled the most with it . . . at least he's the one I'm aware of, due to our link."

"Do you think if your mom got her magic back that she'd be able to hear you, too?"

"I don't know, but I'd like to think so."

"Here's a nice rock," Jett said, releasing me and going over to examine the waist-high boulder. Leaning forward, he placed his hands on the rock and whispered Seth's name. Almost immediately, the stone disappeared. Glancing at me, he smiled. "I figured Seth could manifest it more easily to our new location than to try and levitate it and haul it there ourselves."

"Good idea," I replied. "We have the magic, might as well use it."

"I have all the vines up and just transferred your massive stone," Seth said, appearing beside us. "How's the search going?"

"That's the only one we've found. I've just been filling Jett in on some family details." I quickly did the same for Seth, catching him up to speed. "So now, you should tell me about your families. Is there anything special I should know about them? Neither of you has been very forthcoming on that subject."

"Do you plan on being here all night?" Jett teased.

"I figure we'll be back pretty often. We might as well use those times to get to know everything about each other, too, right?"

"I think so," Seth agreed, slipping one of his hands into mine. "And if we haven't been very forthcoming, it's because we aren't used to talking about them and magic so openly."

"I understand that. But I still want to know about them."

"Ask away," Jett said. "We'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Together the three of us continued on, searching out the perfect stones for our new ritual location, all the while sharing and swapping stories with one another. Before long, we found several more rocks and even a long rectangular one that was relatively flat on one side, to serve as a natural altar.

Once all the items were transferred back to the circle and set up, we stood aside and surveyed everything with deep appreciation—well, at least I did. I assumed the others were doing the same.

"I like it," I said, feeling the same peaceful ambiance that initially drew me to the place.

"I do, too," Jett said from my left, casually draping his arm around my shoulders. "This was a good idea."

"I can't wait to use it." Immediately my head began filling with supplies and things we would need for this place. I hoped it would be all right to store them in the cabin.

"Tomorrow," Seth said with a laugh. "It's getting late, and I promised your dad I'd have you home on time."

Reluctantly, I cast my gaze around the secluded space once more, before looking up at the moon. "You're right. I guess we should probably go."

Walking toward the car, Jett kept his arm draped loosely around me. Seth held my hand, all the while rubbing the back of it in a lazy circle, first three times in one direction and then three times in the other.

"Why are you doing that?" I asked, nodding toward our clasped hands.

"No reason. I just like feeling your silky, smooth skin under mine."

"Oh." I like that he wanted to touch me.

"Yeah, I like feeling you up, too," Jett added, and I almost choked.

Reaching the car, he held the door open, and Seth climbed into the rear, pulling the seat into place after him so I could sit in the passenger side. Glancing at the cabin, I realized it was all dark and closed up, once again, looking as if it had never been disturbed.

"Thanks for bringing me here," I said to both guys, once Jett slid into the driver seat. "I had a really great time."

Leaning forward, Seth wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind the seat, his face briefly appearing as he kissed my cheek.

"Hopefully, this is just the first night of many."

# 21

"Are you kidding me? This place looks like a zoo!" Standing in the middle of historic Salem, I couldn't believe everything I was seeing. It was like Halloween had thrown up all over the town and population.

Wild decorations covered the streets and alleyways. Businesses and residential homes alike were completely decked out with spooky décor—all meant to entice those who made a pilgrimage to the place of the historical Salem Witch Trials.

I wondered if those who lived during the famous trials realized what would happen to this area as a result of their judgment? In their effort to destroy witches, they simply succeeded in turning the town into one of the most well-known witch meccas of the world. Travelers came from all over—some were actual witches, mixing with tourists who wanted to celebrate the magical beings. I'd never seen so many costumes in my life. It didn't matter that it wasn't actually October 31st, yet.

"Shoot, this is nothing," Seth said, holding my hand as we walked down the sidewalk. "Wait until you see it in a couple of weeks, on Halloween day. You can hardly walk through the streets because of all the tourists."

"I guess I didn't realize it was such a big deal. I mean, I've seen it in movies and stuff, but it's not like there's a lot of places to trick-or-treat when you live in the middle of nowhere. Our closest neighbor was at least thirty miles away."

"Then we need to make sure you get the whole experience," Jett interjected. His elbow casually brushed against mine as we walked, sending sparks every time we touched. "What do you want to dress up as?"

I didn't hesitate. "Definitely a princess. Maybe Cinderella?"

"Seriously?" Jett sounded disappointed. "I thought for sure you'd want to be a witch. I mean, this is Salem, after all."

Laughing, I shook my head. "I'm a witch in Salem every day. I want to be something else for Halloween."

"Hmm. I didn't think of it that way."

"If you're serious about getting a costume, there's a masquerade ball coming up at school," Seth said. "Do you want to go?"

Feeling uncomfortable, I shrugged. "I don't know."

"What's wrong?" Jett asked, sounding concerned.

"Well, I figured I wouldn't go because I didn't want to hurt either of your feelings. I want to go with both of you."

"If that's what you want, then we will make it happen," Seth added, not sounding upset in the least.

"You don't think it would be weird for Cinderella to show up with two Prince Charming's?"

"I think it sounds like a twisted fairytale if you ask me. Twisted could be fun." Leave it to Jett to put the naughty spin on everything.

I'd spent nearly every free spare moment I had with these two guys over the last month and a half, and it had done nothing to clear up my feelings. If anything, it made them even more muddled. The closer we grew together, the more our lives intertwined, like vines swirling, tangling and knotting until I wasn't even sure how we'd ever operated as individuals. It never seemed precisely right unless both of them were with me. Something about each of them filled a special kind of need within.

I'd done as Jett suggested, casually bringing him up to my parents as I tried to find a way to introduce them. Being a cheerleader helped because they came to watch the games. My dad had been impressed with the way both Jett and Seth played. Still, that didn't mean he was ready for Jett to date me—not to mention I was pretty sure he'd freak if he knew I was dating them both.

"Hey, check this out," Seth said, dragging me closer to a vendor table with several jewelry pieces spread out on display. The artistry and craftsmanship were fabulous on several of the pieces, and so was the price.

"How beautiful! Did you make these?" I politely asked the woman at the table, peering closer as I looked at several different colored pendants.

"Oh, no. These are pieces I've collected from all over. Some of them are quite rare."

A beautiful purple pendant caught my attention. Scrolling silver filigree surrounded the stone. My hand moved as if it had a mind of its own. "How much for this one?" I asked, running my fingers over the tarnished silver chain.

"You have good taste," the woman said. "That's the most expensive one in the bunch. It's one hundred and fifty dollars."

I didn't have that much with me. "I only have one hundred. Will you take that?" Staring hopefully, I wanted this necklace so badly.

"I'm afraid one twenty is as low as I'm willing to go."

"Will you hold it, then, while I go get more money?"

"Here's a twenty," Jett said, dragging his wallet out and retrieving some cash.

Relief flooded through me, and I flashed a grateful smile at him. "Thank you so much. We can go to the ATM, and I'll pay you right back."

"You don't have to pay me back." He smiled. "I don't mind helping to buy you something pretty."

"It's not for me," I rushed to explain. "It's for my mom. As soon as I saw it, I knew she needed to have it." I paid the woman, feeling a strange excitement rush through me. She wrapped it up and handed it to me in a small plastic bag.

"Thank you for your purchase," she said with a smile. "Feel free to drop by again. I'll be out here every weekend this month.

"Thanks. Have a nice day."

"Where to now, boss?" Seth glanced at me.

I shrugged. "I'm following both of you. You know all the good places to go. Of course, if there is somewhere we can get cash so I can pay Jett back, that would be great."

"Seriously, Kenna. Don't worry about the money." I loved the way my name sounded on his lips. It was just so yummy. I wanted to ask him to repeat it. Whenever either of them spoke my name, it did funny things to me. I wasn't sure if it was because of the attraction, or because of the way our magical abilities heightened around one another.

Ever since we'd been practicing together in the woods, it was undeniable that something powerful was going on between us. Our magic was off-the-charts strong when we acted together, much more so than when we did feats separately.

"Oh, look!" I pointed, already distracted, drawing their attention to a large sign that read: Madame Palmeroy Tells Your Fortune. "A fortune-teller. I've always wanted to get my fortune told."

"I could try and tell it," Jett offered, and I snickered.

"What?" he asked frowning. "Are you doubting my premonition abilities?"

"No. I just imagined you in a gypsy costume."

His laughter joined mine. "I'd be the hottest damn gypsy you've ever seen." He was probably right. His long hair and dark, sultry looks combined with that perfect trimmed facial scruff—he'd be a heartbreaker, for sure. I'd probably need to beat the women off him with a stick.

"I want to go see this Madame Palmeroy—see if she's legit." Moving toward the tent, I practically dragged Seth behind me.

A flap was open, folded back, and the three of us stepped inside—almost immediately into a wall of red fabric that draped the length of the space. A couple of folding chairs were shoved against a wall, and the soft music playing from somewhere barely covered the murmur of voices still evident from behind the curtain.

"I guess we just sit down and wait for our turn?" I asked, glancing between the boys.

"Works for me. Pick a seat." Seth gestured to one of the two.

"I've got a better idea." Jett slid into one of the chairs and pulled me onto his lap. "Now, we can all sit down."

I giggled, and Seth smiled as he sat in the vacant one beside us, not seeming the least bit upset over the fact the Jett had just snatched me away from him.

"You need to be careful," Jett whispered into my ear, loud enough for Seth to hear. "Don't offer any information to the woman. The fakes try to lead you, and they are trained to look for tells. A real seer, or fortune-teller, won't need those things."

"Okay, but you're coming in with me, right?"

He shrugged. "If you want."

"I want," I replied, glancing at Seth. "You, too. It'll make me feel less antsy."

"What're you antsy about?" Seth asked, rubbing his hand in a comforting gesture against my thigh—only I was pretty sure comfort wasn't what he was causing inside me with his action. Having Jett's arms around me wasn't helping matters, either.

The curtain parted suddenly, revealing a costumed woman. I'd guess she was around sixty, wearing a heavily patterned gown of reds, yellows, and purples. Her red hair, which was clearly not natural judging from the shade, was peeking out from beneath a turban containing a large fake jewel and a feather. Her loosely draped clothing made a swishing sound as she gestured toward the three of us. "Next?" she said, arching an eyebrow as she stared us down. I wondered if she was trying to appear intimidating.

"I'd like a reading," I replied, standing. "But I want my friends to join me."

"Come along," she replied. With a dramatic twirl of her fingers, she disappeared behind the fabric, once more.

Seth stood and parted the curtain, allowing me to enter the darkened space, lit only by three pillar candles on a small table. Instantly I was overpowered by the smell of burning incense—so much so that I felt utterly robbed of oxygen.

Sitting down across the round table from the woman, I began coughing. At that moment, a cool breeze swirled through the tent, causing some of the thick claustrophobic air to diminish. Casting a grateful glance toward Jett, I knew he was the one responsible, and I wished I could thank him.

"I'm Madame Palmeroy. Thank you for coming to see me today. Do you have the payment for your session?"

_Nothing like jumping straight to the chase,_ I thought. I dug into my pocket and then remembered I still owed Jett for the necklace, and I was out of money. Apparently, he remembered, as well, because he retrieved another twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and plopped it down in front of her.

She made quick work of gathering it up and disposing it into a padlocked strongbox with a slit on the top. Then she turned her attention back to me. "If it's all right, I'd like to take a moment to ask you a few questions before we begin, just to ascertain your energy, of course."

Jett and Seth each took up a position behind my chair, almost as if they were standing guard. I felt Jett lightly squeeze one of my shoulders, warning me, again, to be mindful of revealing too much.

"What would you like to know?" I responded with a smile.

"Let's start with your name."

"Kenna," I replied, seeing no harm in her knowing. She had introduced herself to me, after all. It was the polite thing to do.

"And how old are you, Kenna?"

"Aren't you supposed to be able to tell things like that?" Jett asked, obviously a skeptic in spite of his own slight ability toward premonition.

Madame Palmeroy stared at him pointedly. "Very well, then. May I see your hand, Kenna?" She didn't take her eyes off Jett until I slid my hand across the table.

Glancing down, she took it and ran her long, wildly painted fake nails across my palm, giving me goosebumps, but not in a pleasant way. Unable to help myself, I leaned forward, as if trying to discern what she might be seeing.

"Interesting," she said mostly to herself. "Very interesting."

"What?" I asked, eager to hear her assessment.

"I see a tall, dark, handsome man in your future. He will be your soul mate in every way." Seth immediately stiffened beside me.

"Who is he?" I wasn't sure that she was actually hitting on anything, so I needed her to clarify more.

"His name begins with an M."

"An M?" Confusion swirled through me as I tried to remember if I'd met any guys with an "M" name, recently.

"It could perhaps be an inverted W," she continued on. "It's hard to see."

Sighing, I immediately lost faith in her ability. She couldn't possibly be reading me if she was already guessing. "What else is there?"

"I see happiness in your future. Education, marriage, and children."

"How many children?" I asked, having never really considered the possibility for myself.

"Hard to see. It's very cloudy. Maybe two, or even five."

"Which is it? Two or five," Jett said in an irritated tone. "That's kind of a big difference."

"The spirits are often hedgy. A lot of fortune-telling is left up to interpretation."

"So, in other words, you don't have the gift. Is that what you're saying?" I could practically feel the disgust oozing off him. His fingers dug into my shoulder, and I winced. He was getting angry.

"How dare you speak to me that way? Don't you know who I am? I come from a long line of respected psychics."

"You just don't happen to be one of them," Jett lashed back. "That's why you're sitting here on a street corner trying to sucker honest people out of their money."

"There's nothing wrong with me giving people a bit of fun during the festivities."

"There is if you don't state that this is for entertainment purposes only," Seth spoke up. "That's false advertising."

Jumping from her seat, Madame Palmeroy stared between them both, her eyes glittering like ice. "Get out before I throw you out." I was pretty sure she'd forgotten she was still holding my hand. "Get out now!" she yelled again, lunging toward Jett and grabbing him by the sleeve.

"Back off, bitch!" he yelled, sending a slight burst of magic that made her tumble into her seat. I grabbed at her in an attempt to keep her from falling to the ground.

Immediately she stiffened, her face draining of color.

"Madame Palmeroy?" I questioned, sounding slightly hysterical. "Are you okay?"

Woodenly staring, her eyes appeared to look right through me. "You need to run," she spoke, her voice too strong and deep to be that of the woman we'd just been talking with. This was one hundred percent real. I could feel it. "Danger is coming," she droned on. "Big danger, in fact." She paused, and her grip tightened painfully on me. "It's too late, the danger is already here."

"What danger?" I asked, noting for the first time that everything around us was shaking violently as if we were caught in an earthquake. Fear shot through me.

Instantly, her gaze snapped to Seth. "She's coming for you—the death bringer. She makes monsters of men."

"Who?" I asked again, trying to get more information.

Eyes settling back on me, she snarled. "You."

"Enough!" Jett yelled, jumping in between us and severing the connection. Grabbing my hand, he dragged me from the table and toward the exit. I reached behind me, connecting with Seth's arm and hooking onto it and pulling him along with us.

Stepping outside of the tent, we were greeted with the same cool, but sunny October air. Patrons still roamed around freely, laughing, eating, and gawking at each other without a care in the world. It was plainly evident that no one had just experienced what we had.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, rubbing my hands as if that would remove the feel of her. It was like she was still clinging to me, branding me.

"I have no idea, but she was definitely tapped into some bad mojo," Jett said. He checked me over as if he expected to find my hands slashed open or something. I thought it was sweet of him.

"I wish I could've found out more. If something bad is coming, I need to know how to stop it." Glancing at the tent, I wondered if I was brave enough to go back in.

"She said you were the evil that was coming. We all know that's impossible. I think she was pissed and was simply grandstanding. Don't pay any attention to the things she said."

"I don't know, man. With the energy she was putting out, there's no way she could've faked that. I think she was tapped into something else," Seth disagreed.

"Well, then, it was actually evil. Kenna could never be associated with something bad. We both know her well enough to know that. Come on. Let's get out of here."

Madame Palmeroy chose that moment to step out of the tent, smiling when she saw us. "Good afternoon, young people!" she called out cheerfully. "Would you like your fortune told today?"

"Whaat?" I managed to spit out in disbelief. Was she serious?

"It's a beautiful day! Come see what's in store for your future." She beckoned us to follow her inside.

"Shit. She doesn't even remember us," Jett said, clearly as puzzled as I was.

"We're good. Thanks," Seth said, slipping his hand into mine and hauling me off in the opposite direction down the street.

"What the heck is going on?" I muttered, mostly to myself, my mind scrambling to try and keep up.

"I don't know, but we are going to find out," Seth said in a determined voice. "Let's go somewhere that we can talk privately."

# 22

"What's going on here?" my dad asked, clearly unhappy at finding not one, but two, guys sitting next to me on the couch. His eyes drifted suspiciously between them.

"Hey, Dad." I got up and went to hug him. "The guys were just hanging out and watching some television with me until we needed to leave for the game. Care to join us?"

In truth, I knew both of my parents were working, today, and weren't supposed to be home until close to game time. This wasn't the first Friday afternoon I'd brought them over, but my parents had been none the wiser. I was surprised to see dad here, early.

"I came home to see if you were okay. I was at work when suddenly I felt this huge shift in power, a bad shift, like something awful was happening to you. I tried calling out to you, but you had your mental barriers up so tight, I couldn't reach you. I couldn't even get you by phone. That's not like you. What's going on?"

Puzzled, I pulled my phone from my pocket. There were several missed calls from him. "Sorry. I usually have it muted for class. I guess I didn't ever feel it vibrate. I didn't mean to ignore you."

"What are you hiding from me?" he asked point-blank, not allowing me to stray from the discussion.

I decided to go with the truth—mostly. "Nothing, really. Jett and Seth took me to see some of the Halloween festivities that are going on downtown. We had the silly idea to visit a psychic and see if she was legit. Jett encouraged me to keep everything about myself locked up tight so she couldn't try to read clues from me. I guess I took that literally and shut everything down."

Dad visibly relaxed. "And was she legit?"

"That's debatable. Most of it seemed like TV drivel, though she seemed to have one moment of clarity. We ended up hightailing it out of there. She was kind of weird. Would you like me to fix you something to eat?" I hoped the question sounded casual enough. "We were just feeling kind of hungry."

Dad wasn't so easily dissuaded. "Kenna, is that all that happened? You know you can tell me anything." Again, his eyes roamed over the three of us, and I felt like all my secrets were exposed.

"It's all right, Dad. Look. I'm totally fine. The lady was just a little strange, and it made me nervous. Seth and Jett got me out of there as soon as they saw that."

"Hmm," was all he said, still staring them both down.

"Actually, I've been hoping to speak with you, sir," Jett spoke up. "Kenna told me about your custom motorcycles, and I'm interested in possibly buying one."

"They aren't cheap," Dad replied, clearly not sold on the idea of Jett being here. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know he remembered their first encounter.

"That's okay. I don't mind paying for quality."

"Is that your Charger outside?" Dad asked, and I realized this was probably the first time he'd ever seen it. Seth was always the one to pick me up whenever the three of us did anything together.

"Yes, it is. My dad got it for me for my sixteenth birthday."

"Somehow, I think I have the two of you to blame for Kenna's sudden love of sports cars, then, and the new Mustang sitting in my driveway."

"Actually, I advised her against the Mustang," Jett replied. "They're a bitch to drive in the snow."

I cleared my throat, wanting to derail this conversation as quickly as possible. It had taken me a couple of weeks of begging and pleading to finally talk my dad into buying that car. I wasn't about to lose it after just barely getting it. "Dad, why don't you let the guys go out to the garage and see the bikes you're working on?"

He stared at me for several long moments, and I thought he was going to say no, but then he pulled a key ring from his pocket and tossed it to Seth. "Here you go. Go ahead and take a look. I'll be out shortly. I need to have a minute with Kenna—alone."

Wisely, Seth and Jett didn't argue; and instead got up and headed for the door.

"Oh, and he doesn't mean the detached, house garage; it's the long shop building behind it," I added, so they wouldn't get lost trying to figure out where to go.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Dad spoke. "Seriously, Kenna? You're dating both of them?"

Cringing, I moved back to the couch and plopped down. "Is that bad?" I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it from him, forever—especially if he saw us all together. He was too observant.

He shrugged. "It's not exactly normal. I'm surprised they both agreed to it, to be honest."

"Me, too; but they both wanted a shot."

"And how long has this been going on?"

"Pretty much the whole time we've been here."

Sighing, he sat down in one of the leather wingback chairs, rubbing his hand across his brow. "You aren't sleeping with both of them, are you?"

"Dad!" I practically shouted. "You can't ask me things like that!"

"I can, and I just did. Now answer me." His voice had that no-nonsense tone to it.

"I haven't crossed that line with anybody," I answered, truthfully, and a giant whoosh of air escaped him.

"That's the best news I've heard in ages."

"It may not seem like it, but I'm trying to be responsible about this relationship. I like them both; and as of right now, I'm not sure who I like better. Instead of being with one and sneaking around to cheat with the other, I just decided to date them both. They agreed, and so far, it seems to be working out just fine for us."

"Until you fall in love with both of them, or they fall in love with you—which has probably already happened. You're just delaying the inevitable, and someone—maybe even you—is going to end up really hurt in the end."

I knew he was right, but I didn't want to think about that. If I didn't cross any big lines, then we could simply keep existing in this perfect bubble we were in. At least that was what I hoped.

"It's not right for you to lead them both on."

"I'm not leading them on!" I snapped, feeling frustrated. I didn't know how to make him understand. "I honestly have feelings for both of them. You know I would never willingly hurt anyone. Besides, I'm new to all this stuff. I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm muddling along the best I can."

Sighing heavily, Dad shook his head. "Maybe I was wrong to keep you so heavily secluded as you grew up. You certainly didn't get very much opportunity for social interaction, did you? I guess if you're bombing it, it's most likely my fault."

"Dad, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. I don't feel like I'm bombing things. I feel like I'm having fun getting to know two awesome guys."

"When did that Jett guy become so awesome? I'm pretty sure I told you to steer clear of that one."

"You did, but he and Seth are best friends. It was kind of hard to stay away from him when he was always around."

"I'm still not sure he can be trusted. Something about him just feels . . . off . . . to me."

"He's just been raised differently. His family isn't as close and tight-knit as ours is. Trust me when I tell you, he's a good guy. I like him a lot. You might, too, if you get to know him better."

Standing, his only answer was a grunt as he headed toward the door. I quickly jumped up and followed after him, anxious to see what he'd say to the guys and hoping it wouldn't be anything embarrassing.

Upon entering the workshop, we found them both leaning over one bike, in particular, mine.

"This is incredible!" Jett exclaimed, glancing at us. "Why'd you even get a car? I'd be riding this baby everywhere."

"Would you now?" I replied with a giggle as I stared at the pink and black motorcycle. "I never pictured you as a pink guy."

"I meant you," he replied with an eye roll.

"It gets cold in Salem, I hear. I'm pretty sure I don't want to be driving that thing around through piles of snow. Besides, it's not finished yet; we are still waiting on some parts for the engine."

"Well, it looks amazing!" Seth said, running his hand over the seat.

"Thank you." I glanced at Dad. "I enjoy working with my dad. He's all kinds of awesome."

Dad winked. "Glad I got you fooled, Firecracker."

"Fooled. Whatever." Slipping my arm around his waist, I leaned my head against him. "I have the best father in the whole world."

"Now you're just a kiss-up," he replied with a laugh, squeezing my shoulders and then placing a light peck against the top of my head.

"You like it when I kiss up, remember?" I glanced at him, and he chuckled. I loved the sound of my dad's laughter. It was one of my favorite sounds ever. He'd suffered through so many hardships in his life that it made me feel good when he was happy.

"I kind of do," he agreed, squeezing me, again. Gazing at Jett, he released me and moved next to the bike. "What kind of bike are you interested in?"

My thoughts drifted away from their conversation and back to Madame Palmeroy and her wild freak-out session. Unease settled in the pit of my stomach as I thought of her warnings. Were they true? Was danger really coming, and was I that danger, somehow?

I couldn't even fathom what she might mean. I only knew I didn't want to be responsible for doing anything that would disrupt the current peace of my parents' lives. They'd been through enough. I needed to figure out what this prophecy meant on my own, without including them. And no matter what happened, I was making a vow right in this instance to do everything in my power to see that nothing evil would harm them again.

"I have a present for you," I said with a smile as my mom walked into the house looking tired, but beautiful, in a pair of pink scrubs. The color was amazing on her, making her black hair glisten like a raven and giving her pale skin a pretty blush.

"A present for me?" She laughed as she set her things down on the counter. "And to what do I owe this surprise?"

"Nothing. You're just an amazing mom, and I wanted to get something for you." I handed her the bag with the wrapped item inside.

"Oh, sweetie. You don't have to give me presents. You're the only gift I need."

"Too bad. You're getting something anyway." I smiled as she took the sack and glanced inside. "What's this?" Pulling out the wrapped paper, she slowly unrolled it, revealing the beautiful pendant with its glowing purple stone and tarnished silver filigree. Her face paled, and her gaze shot to mine. "Oh my gosh!"

"What is it?" I asked, a feeling a trepidation passing through me at her odd reaction.

"Oh my gosh!" she said louder. Flipping the necklace over, she ran her hand over the letter "P" stamped on the back.

"That was already there," I explained, wondering if she thought I had it made for her.

"Vance! Come look at this!" she shouted, her eyes starting to tear up. "Where did you get this, Kenna?"

"I found it downtown at one of the vendor tables when Jett and Seth took me out to see all the Halloween stuff going on. I thought it was pretty and that you might like it."

"What's going on?" my dad asked, coming into the kitchen.

"Kenna found my amulet!" She held it out for him to see, and his eyes widened in amazement.

"Your amulet?" I asked, totally confused.

"This is mine. Your Grandma Milly gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday—on the day I found out I was a witch. Someone later stole it from me—someone who wanted to kill me and didn't want the magic wards protecting me. I haven't seen it since." She clutched the stone to her chest, the tears falling in earnest. "This amulet saved my life in the explosion that killed all my classmates. I can't believe you found it!"

My dad was immediately at her side, wrapping her up in his embrace. "This is a good sign, baby. A really good sign."

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely surprised by this turn of events.

"Well, to quote your great-grandma, you don't choose the jewelry, the jewelry chooses you—at least in the case of a magical amulet. The fact that this has made its way back to your mom after all these years, and just when we are getting ready to try reintroducing her powers back to her, I think this means we are on the right track."

"I still can't believe you found this." My mom was clearly overwhelmed.

"I can show you where I bought it if you'd like to go try and find out more about it."

She nodded. "I'd like that."

"Why don't we go into the ritual room?" Dad suggested. "We can do a purification spell and clear the stone for you to wear again. Would you like that?"

Mom nodded, tears still streaming down her face. "I'd like that. I'd like it a lot." Moving away from him, she hugged me tightly. "Thank you, Kenna. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"I didn't know what I was doing. I just saw it and knew you had to have it."

"It shows you're sensitive to your mother and her needs," Dad said. "I couldn't be more proud of you right now."

I didn't feel deserving of their praise, but I was thrilled they were happy. "I'm glad I could help."

"Come on," Dad said, slipping an arm around each of us. "Let's go do this."

**Meet me in the gazebo?**

I stared at the text from Seth before glancing at the clock. It was after one in the morning. However, I was still wide-awake—the randomness of finding my mom's pendant still puzzling me, plus the excitement of winning our first playoff game. And then there was the constant bewilderment over what had happened with the psychic, although I was doing my best to avoid thinking about it because it made me uncomfortable. Instead, I let my thoughts drift over the game and the events afterward.

I loved cheering and dancing at the games. Even though I didn't spend a lot of extra time with the girls on the squad, except for lunch at Nicolazzo's, we all seemed to get along well—except for Megan, of course. I was pretty sure she outright hated me, but she'd kept her mouth shut for the most part. I was a good cheerleader, and she couldn't deny that I was an asset to the team. It didn't stop her from sending me glaring looks, though. If looks could kill, I'd be dead, dead, dead.

**Is everything okay?** I texted back, wondering why he wanted to meet when we'd just spent the evening together with Jett celebrating with late-night pizza at the restaurant and listening to the jukebox.

**Yeah. Just want 2 talk.** That sounded ominous.

**All right. Let me go deactivate the back fence 4 u** , I replied. Sitting up, I threw the covers off, only to jump in surprise when there was a flash of light in the darkness, and Dee Dee appeared.

I clutched my chest and smothered my scream. I couldn't afford to wake my parents. "Dee Dee. As far as ghost go, I have to say you're pretty likable; but you've got to stop popping out at me like that. I swear you've taken years off my life in the last few weeks."

Smiling, she sat on the end of my bed. "Sorry. I am simply watching out for you. I did not know you were awake."

"It's okay," I whispered, not wanting her to feel bad. I liked this mournful ghost and her sad countenance. Something about her story captured my heart, and I wanted to help her find peace and happiness—even if all I could offer her was my friendship.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked as I slipped on a pair of shoes.

"Just out back. Seth needs to talk to me about something."

"I like him. He is a very handsome young man."

Smiling, I nodded. "I would have to agree."

"Why do you waste your time with the other one?"

Glancing at her, my brow creased. "You don't approve of Jett?" This surprised me. She'd never spoken derogatorily of him in our past conversations.

She shrugged one shoulder casually. "He's fine, but I do not believe he is the right one for you, my friend."

"Why?" I was truly curious, but suddenly her attention was averted.

"Your young man is here."

"That was fast. He must've already been on his way when he texted."

"We will speak later," she replied, resting her hand on my shoulder and then disappearing, as was often her fashion.

Using my magic, I quietly snuck out of the house, making my way to the fence and deactivating the barrier. "It's safe," I whispered in the darkness, and immediately Seth scaled the wall and dropped to his feet in front of me.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said softly, smiling with that million-dollar smile of his.

"What's going on?" I asked, still worried about what might be wrong.

Instead of answering, he simply grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the gazebo. Once we were safely inside, he turned to face me.

My nerves ratcheted up when the smile slid off his face, and he stared at me intently. "I apologize for the surprise visit, but I really need to talk to you—to tell you something." He wasn't helping my racing heart at all.

"Okay?"

Stepping closer, he slid his palm against my face, cupping it. "I don't want you to give any credence to that crazy psychic lady. I have no idea what she was talking about, but I'm positive you will never hurt me."

Relief poured through me at his words. "Thank you." I leaned into his embrace. "That means so much to me. I could never hurt you."

"Pick me, Kenna."

I didn't need him to clarify his meaning. I knew exactly what he meant. "I know you're attracted to Jett, too, but I want you to know . . . No, I _need_ you to know . . . I'm in love with you." His eyes searched mine, and I could see the hope and fear in them.

It didn't matter. I knew what I needed to say. "Seth, I love you, too," I replied.

A sigh of relief escaped him, and he crushed me against his body, his lips meeting mine with almost desperate need. The moment they touched me, everything inside me felt like it combusted. My whole form was quivering as his hand drifted lower, pressing me so tightly I thought I might melt inside him.

Winding my arms around his neck, I hung on tightly and kissed him back. Because the three of us spent so much time together, I didn't kiss them often, either. While there were occasions when they'd both kissed me at the same time, it just seemed awkward to me. I didn't want to make one or the other uncomfortable with massive displays of affection, so our relationship had been reduced to a lot of hand-holding and snuggling. Not that I minded that, but I missed this—the way my body ignited when Seth kissed me—the way he made me feel like we were the only two people on the planet.

"I want you so badly I can't stand it," he said against my mouth. "It almost consumes me every time I think of you. I can't sleep, I barely eat, all I can think about are the many ways I can make you mine."

Something akin to liquid fire raced through my veins at his words, and I pressed my mouth back to his, allowing him to devour me. I wanted to do as he asked. I wanted to give in and let him cross whatever lines he wished.

Kissing until we had to stop to catch our breath, he scooped me off my feet and carried me to one of the padded benches. Déjà vu washed over me as I remembered the first time we'd done this and how hot it had been, even then. It was nothing compared to now, though. Our short time together had strengthened our bond even more. I'd never felt so incredibly out of my element before, yet I loved every sensation he caused inside me.

Raising my hand, I lightly traced over his features, thinking that fate had indeed been smiling on me when it brought him into my life. I wasn't sure how I lived without him before this.

Kissing my fingers as they passed over his lips, he continued to gaze lovingly at me. "Be with me. Please. Just say it's me, and I'll never leave your side. Ever."

A groan escaped him as he lowered himself on top of me, pressing his mouth to mine, once more, before I had a chance to respond.

Again, passion flared hotly, begging for me to agree, begging for me to release whatever all these pent-up emotions were inside. I wanted nothing more than to please and give him everything he wanted.

Pushing away, my breath was coming in short gasps as I stared at him. "I love you so much."

He sighed and leaned his forehead against mine. "But?"

"I promised you both I wouldn't cross any lines."

Sighing, he sat up and shakily dragged a hand through his hair. "You're in love with him, too, aren't you?"

Silence filtered between us, and my heart hurt for him—for me, for us. "I am," I answered honestly.

He gave a wry chuckle and stood, walking over to the glass and staring blankly out. "I should've never agreed to this. I knew the whole thing could backfire."

"You weren't in love with me then. Otherwise, you wouldn't have agreed."

Giving an exasperated laugh, he turned to face me. "So, what do I do about it now?"

I twisted my hands in my lap nervously. "You walk away and let him have me—or you stay and fight for what you want. I'll respect whatever your choice is. I just need more time. I'm so sorry."

Striding toward me, he pulled me into his embrace, tilting my chin up sharply with his thumb. Heat flared in his gaze as he stared into my eyes. "Listen to me, Kenna Mangum. I will never walk away from you. _Never_. I intend to keep fighting until you belong to me completely. You are mine. I can wait until you see it."

He placed another hard kiss against my mouth, and then he was gone out the door, and I watched as he quickly scaled the wall and disappeared.

I had no idea how long I stood there rubbing my lips before I finally went and reactivated the wards. Sleep wasn't going to come easily tonight.

# 23

"Are you having a good time?" Seth asked, squeezing my hand affectionately as we lagged behind the rest of the group, trying to find their way through the Willis Farm Haunted Corn Maze in the dark. I was pretty sure the entire football team and cheer line had shown up for this excursion.

Jett seemed to be having most of his time occupied by a pouty Megan, who still seemed determined to win him back, somehow. It didn't bother me. I knew they needed to work things out between themselves and come to some kind of resolution. Every now and then I'd catch him glancing at me apologetically, but I smiled back, wanting him to know I wasn't upset.

"Yeah, I'm having a great time. This is an awesome tradition you have."

"We've all been doing this for years. October can't leave without a trip to the Corn Maze."

"I have no idea how they even cut the corn so it looks like a big picture from above. That's incredible to me. I wouldn't even know where to start cutting."

"Pretty impressive thing to say," he leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "for a witch. You could probably make this corn maze blindfolded."

"That's beside the point. Magic is all well and good, but you have to admire the artistry of people who don't have it. Think of all the wonderful things that have been built or sculpted throughout the ages without the use of magic—simply created by awe-inspired human hands."

"You're right. There are some cool things."

"Hey, Seth! Check this out!" Billy Nash called, gesturing for Seth to join them at the head of the group.

Seth smiled and briefly squeezed my hand before releasing it. "Be right back."

Strolling leisurely behind, I smiled as I watched him shuffle forward through the people. All of a sudden, the sound of a chainsaw roared through the air, and everyone began shrieking and scattering in different directions, caught completely by surprise.

"Gotcha." Jett's hot breath filtered through my hair as he wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me backward. He carted me off the path, several feet into a row of corn until we were completely out of sight.

Squealing, I batted at his hands. "Put me down!" I said with a laugh. "What are you doing?"

Releasing me, he turned me to face him, but in the dark, I could barely make out his outline. "I thought you might want to be kissed by a real man."

Before I could respond, he gathered me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. As always, the explosion between us was immediate, and I sighed dreamily, leaning into him even more. He masterfully swept his tongue inside my mouth, tasting me deeply and causing every part of my being to clamor for more. I wanted to wrap myself around him and make a cocoon for the two of us to hide in.

Groaning, he held me even tighter, and I knew he felt exactly the same way as I did. Breaking away, he kissed my forehead, leaning his head against the top of mine. "Is it bad that I want to forget all our bargains?" he asked softly. "I want you so badly I'd lay you down right here in the dirt if you'd let me." His lips slid tenderly down the side of my face and then recaptured mine, once more.

I was grateful he kissed me again. I didn't know how to respond to his comments because my heart was literally being torn in two. Mentally I kicked myself for even agreeing to such a silly arrangement, and my dad's words of warning suddenly seemed to hit way too close to home. I was caught in a trap with no way of getting out without hurting someone—not to mention that choosing one of them over the other would be like letting half of my soul die.

Jett's hands grew bolder, slipping under my jacket and finding their way against the bare skin at my waist. His kiss became more intense as his hand slid higher, his fingers inching up my back, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I felt like he was branding me as his with his touch.

"Jett," I said, breaking away breathlessly.

"I know, dammit," he replied. "I know. We all promised." Leaning his forehead against mine, I could feel the strain in his posture. "I don't know how much longer I can take this."

"I'm sorry." I really meant it, not that it helped.

"How long is this going to go on?" His fingers still moved against my skin, making it difficult to think. "I need you, Kenna. I _need_ you."

It wasn't exactly a declaration of love like Seth had done, but it still conveyed the same feeling. It was Jett's way.

"I don't know what to say," I replied honestly.

He hugged me tighter, keeping that full-body contact. "Say you love me. Say that I'm all you need."

Bravely, I placed my hand on the side of his face, feeling the rough stubble on his face underneath. "I do love you, Jett. And I do need you."

Sighing, he gave a wry laugh. "So close, yet so far."

Guilt flooded through me. I hated making both of them feel this way. I wanted more than anything to be able to choose, but I didn't know how to give one of them up for good.

"I'm sorry," I said, again, not knowing what else I could say.

"Don't be sorry." He kissed my forehead lightly. "As long as we have moments like this, there's still a chance I'll be the one you pick. As long as I have that, it's enough—for now."

"Thank you." I sounded like an imbecile, but I was at a complete loss for words. "I know it's hard. It is for me, too."

"It doesn't matter how hard it is. I'll wait as long as you need. I just want you to be sure of your heart."

"What if my heart doesn't choose you?" I wasn't sure why, but I always seemed to be able to ask him the hard questions. Maybe it was because of our rocky start, but sometimes I felt like we'd been through the rough stuff, and I could speak to him more openly and freely than I could with Seth.

A half-strangled laugh escaped him. "I guess I'll just have to be settled with the fact that my girl is happy—even if it's with my best friend."

"Your girl?" I loved how those words sounded.

"Yeah, mine. Regardless of whose bed you're in, I'll always think of you as mine. I just want you to be happy."

"Why?"

He snorted. "Because we always want the best for the people we really love."

And there it was. My breath caught. "You love me?"

Laughter escaped him now. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I don't know. I mean, you never said."

"I just did. And in case you didn't understand, then listen. I love you, Kenna. I will always love you. Ever since you came here, you've been the reason I get up every day. It's like you opened up a whole new way to live. You showed me I have other options and that the path I was on wasn't necessarily the best way to go. You've given me hope for a better future than the one that's planned for me."

"You don't want to be converted anymore?" I asked, surprised at this revelation.

"Not if that is going to keep me from you. I always want to be wherever you are."

"Oh, Jett. I want that, too." This time I pressed my mouth to his, my heart swelling with his words. I couldn't believe how close we'd grown so quickly and now I couldn't imagine a world that he wasn't a part of. I wouldn't want to live in a world without him.

"Jett? Kenna?" Seth's voice floated through the air. "Where are you guys?"

Giving a slight growl, Jett broke away from me. "We are so not finished with this conversation," he whispered. "You hear me?"

I nodded and then wondered if he could see me. "Yes."

He briefly pressed his lips to mine again before releasing me and moving away, raising his voice. "We're over here, dude."

A ball of witch light appeared between the rows illuminating us in our hiding place, and Seth glanced between the two of us. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing, man," Jett replied.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Seth was clearly upset, and I could feel the animosity growing between them.

"Says the guy who tried to convince her to ditch me last night," Jett replied, and I couldn't help my gasp.

"You know about that?" I asked, turning to Seth. "You told him about last night?"

"I haven't said a word," Seth said, staring straight at Jett. "Somebody has been keeping tabs on us."

Jett shrugged. "The first rule of competition is to always know what your competitor is doing. I'm just playing the game."

"This isn't a game," I said hotly, infuriated.

Leaning closer, he pointed at me. "Oh, trust me, darlin', this is a game, and you've set yourself up as the prize. It's too late to change it now. One of us has to win."

"And it will be me," Seth said assuredly. "So, let's just end all of this now."

"Like hell. There is no way I'm giving up until I win."

"Would the two of you stop arguing over me like I'm some damn trophy? There's an easy way for me to fix this." Shouldering past both of them, I moved back out onto the path. "I won't have anything to do with either of you." I knew it was a total lie as soon as it left my mouth, but I was angry. "Don't follow me. You two need to work things out between yourselves."

The sound of the cars pulling up outside didn't surprise me. I didn't even look when the door opened, continuing to stare into the flames dancing in the stone fireplace.

"We thought we might find you here," Seth said.

I didn't reply. The two of them came over by the couch, but wisely, neither of them sat; instead, Seth chose the hearth, and Jett decided to sit on the floor, leaning against the wall.

This tiny abandoned cabin had almost become like our home away from home in the last few weeks. Glancing around, I noted the shelves filled with magical herbs and items, all brought here for working and exploring our magic, together.

Glancing between them, I felt tears rim my eyes. "I've been unfair to you both. I can't choose. I can't. I don't know if I'll ever be able to. Maybe it would be best if we all walked away from this. The more we are together, the more invested I become with each of you. I just don't see this decision ever becoming clearer with time. I only see it getting worse. If we dissolve this now, then maybe we will still have a chance to recover and move on—to have some semblance of a ordinary life." The words sounded hollow to me even as I spoke them.

"Bullshit." Jett stared hard at me, his blue eyes glittering like ice. "We're already too invested for that to work." He sighed heavily. "Either way, it's gonna be screwed up. There's no way around it."

"Then, I don't know what to do."

"We'll do whatever we have to," Seth said. "There's no way around this, and there's no obvious solution; so why do we keep trying to force an outcome?"

"Honestly? It's because I'm feeling pressure from you both to take the relationship to the next level, and I just can't do that, don't you see? That physical barrier is the only thing I have left—it's the only thing keeping my heart from being a complete mess. I can't sleep with both of you. Could you imagine what a disaster that would be? What if doing that made me realize that I did want one of you more than the other? What then? I make my choice, and the two of you have to continue looking at each other, knowing you both had me. What would that do to your friendship? Your future? It would eat at each of you—it would eat at me.

"This thing," I continued, pointing around at all of us, "isn't just physical or emotional, it's magical. I think we've more than proven there is something about the three of us that makes us stronger together. Jett, you even talked about binding our powers to make a trifecta. That means the three of us would be tied together for life— _for life_! Does either of you really want to be bound to that, knowing you weren't the one who was chosen? Knowing that for one moment in time, you got to have me in your bed, and you will never have me again?"

"I'd live on the memory of it forever," Jett mumbled.

I was sure disbelief was etched on my face. "You're telling me you'd rather live with that kind of pain for the rest of your life? You'd be willing to stare at me every single day knowing you could never have me, and that I went willingly with him?" I pointed at Seth.

Jett's eyes never left mine. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Eyes wide, I glanced at Seth, and he nodded slightly. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Well, I'm not!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "I will not sleep with both of you and then spend the rest of my life with that memory constantly etched in my mind every time I look at you. How can I be solely committed to one of you while carrying that around?" I gave a frustrated grunt and moved toward the door. "I can't do this anymore."

"Kenna, wait!" Jett's voice called after me, and I halted but didn't turn.

"What?"

Both boys appeared beside me.

"You can't leave like this," Jett said, slipping his hand into mine. "We need to figure out a way to work this out."

"He's right," Seth agreed, taking my other hand. "There has to be a way."

"There is," Jett said firmly.

"What do you mean?"

A sharp wind swirled around us, whipping my hair around my face, and I briefly saw Jett grab Seth's free hand, and he started chanting.

* * *

"Unite us three in power,

"Mind, body, and spirit together,

"Enlighten us in knowledge and strength."

* * *

"What are you doing?" I shouted, recognizing he was working a spell. Still, for some reason, I was unable to break the circle as he continued on.

* * *

"Focus and bring the magic within,

"So mote it be and let it begin."

* * *

Instantly, a white light formed in the middle of us, crackling as it grew larger and larger until it became so bright, I felt consumed by it. Enveloping us, the wind grew even stronger, and strange sensations, along with unfamiliar powers, began dancing through my body.

"What's happening?" I yelled, feeling like I was coming apart at the seams.

A thunderous explosion ripped through the air, and suddenly, I was catapulted backward, slamming heavily into the log wall and slumping to the floor. Gasping for breath, I glanced around the now quiet space, finding Seth looking dazed, too, as he and Jett struggled back to their feet.

"What the hell was that?" I shouted, feeling more than a tiny bit freaked out.

Jett locked gazes with me. "I just bound all our powers. No matter what happens now, the three of us are in it together—for the rest of our lives."

"Why? Why would you do this?" I was horrified.

"Because you can't decide, and I can't let you leave like this."

"That wasn't your choice to make, Jett!" Anger infused me. "How dare you! How dare you!" Getting up, I ran out the door, slamming it behind me.

Everything was a complete mess now.

# 24

Lying on my bed, staring at my ceiling, I felt pouty. I couldn't sleep because the power thrumming inside me wouldn't be disregarded. I couldn't ignore Jett or Seth. They were part of me; and I could feel their powers enhancing mine, making me feel both stronger and scared at the same time.

The ceiling in my room changed, gradually fading away until only the starry night sky was revealed.

"Jett," I breathed out, knowing he was the one sending the illusion. "You can't do this kind of stuff." I couldn't really speak with him so much as feel an impression of him. He was sorry I was upset, but not sorry for what he had done to us.

Seth was strangely quiet, brooding somewhere in the background, and I knew he was just as irritated with Jett as I was, but I didn't reach out to him. I wanted my space from both of them; and yet, space was probably something I'd never have again.

Practicing using my defenses, I focused on those mental walls my dad had worked so hard to teach me to build. I forcefully shoved them up, blocking out Jett so well that the vision faded from my ceiling. Finally, I felt at peace—alone.

But I wasn't. A white apparition slowly appeared, getting brighter and brighter until Dee Dee was clearly visible.

"This room is full of all kinds of strange energy tonight," she said softly.

Sighing, I nodded. "Yes, it is."

"What is happening here?" She floated closer and appeared to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I don't want to talk about it," I replied, still feeling moody.

"It is those two boys, is it not?" Her sympathetic expression caused some of my ire to melt away.

I nodded.

"Forget the dark one."

Gaze narrowing in on her, I spoke. "You don't like Jett. Why not?"

She shrugged. "It is not a matter of me liking him, only that I feel the other is more your match."

"Why? What makes Seth better?" Could she really see something I couldn't?

"His soul is more gentle. The other is filled with negative energy."

"He's getting better," I replied, not sure why I suddenly felt so defensive about Jett. _Well, he was,_ I added wryly to myself, but that was before he bound us all together by force. I wondered if there was any way to reverse the spell. Maybe I could ask Bels.

It wasn't even that I hated the idea of binding our powers. I ultimately agreed with the fact that there was something special between the three of us. I just didn't feel that an imposed binding was the right way to keep us together to fix our problem.

Jett, however, was a force to be reckoned with. He was rash and didn't think things through before he did them. Although, the fact that he knew exactly how to bind our powers without our consent did suggest that he'd planned this for a while. A fresh onslaught of anger burned through me, fizzing and popping like a bag of Pop Rocks candy dumped into my bloodstream.

"Regardless, the other is the better option."

I'd almost forgotten Dee Dee was sitting there.

"He loves you."

I sighed. "They both do. And I love both of them, even if I'm hating on them a bit right now."

"What has happened?" Again, she pressed for answers.

I wasn't falling for it. "I really don't want to talk about it." I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. I simply wanted to sleep, and my eyes were finally growing heavy. "Sorry Dee Dee, I'm just so worn out."

Her light started to fade away, but I was pretty sure I was gone before she even completely disappeared.

A full night's sleep and a hot steaming shower did a lot to improve my mood. The next morning, I practically bounded down the stairs to get some breakfast, the smells wafting up from the kitchen making my mouth water.

"Well, look who finally decided to get up?" my mom teased, and my attention immediately focused on the pretty purple pendant hanging around her neck.

"Yeah, last night kind of wore me out."

"Too much scary at the Corn Maze?" she asked with a laugh.

"Truthfully, yeah." Only it wasn't the haunted corn maze that was terrifying me, but two boy's hell-bent on claiming me.

"I have to say, I'm glad you're home. It seems like you're gone all the time these days—with all the games and activities, not to mention those two young men who seem determined to occupy your every waking moment."

"Well, you don't have to worry about them today. I have no plans other than spending time with you and dad." I glanced through the window toward the shop. "Speaking of dad, where is he?"

Mom smiled as she dished a plate of eggs, sausage, and toast and slid it across the giant granite bar toward me. "He's getting a surprise."

"A surprise?" I asked, my interest piqued.

She glanced toward the giant grandfather clock gracing the nook of one wall. "Just eat. He should be back any moment."

I took a bite, considering her words, and pointed my fork at her. "You're being awful sneaky this morning."

"I thought you liked sneaky people."

I sat up straighter. "Hey now, what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you are always sneaking in and out of here. One second you're here and the next you're gone. I'm glad you're enjoying your new life, but it sure makes me miss getting to see you all the time."

Oddly, I felt guilty. This was the woman who'd spent most of her life meticulously homeschooling and teaching me about real life. "I'm sorry if I'm gone too much," I apologized. "I don't mean to be."

"I'm not upset about it. I just miss you. It was nice having you home all the time and doing things together."

"Well, like I said, today I'm all yours. My homework is done for school tomorrow, and I don't have anything else pressing."

That wasn't entirely true. In all reality, I probably should go speak to Jett and Seth, but for some reason, I didn't want to. I was content to let them suffer for a while longer.

"As much as I will enjoy having you around today, I'm afraid I won't have you all to myself."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

The sound of car doors slamming, and the hum of voices filled the air. "I think your dad is back with your surprise," Mom said with a smile, wiping her hands on a towel and gesturing for me to join her.

Standing, I glanced toward the back door just as it flew open. Grandma Milly entered the kitchen, followed by my Grandpa Hex and my dad, both carrying luggage.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" I cried, rushing to hug them.

"Aw! There's my Firecracker!" my great-grandma said, holding out her arms as I flung myself into them. "How's my girl?"

"Great, now that you're here," I replied, smiling as I hugged her tightly.

"I've missed you. Now stand back and let me take a look at you."

I did as she asked, and she glanced at my mom, clucking woefully. "You're every bit as pretty as your momma. Better watch out for this one, Portia. The boys will be running after her."

Mom laughed. "You're too late. They already are."

"Come give me a hug, Lollipop," Grandma said, calling my mom by the nickname she'd given her.

"Hey there pretty thing," a deep voice said, and I turned to stare at my Haitian step-grandpa, who was smiling widely at me.

Moving toward him, he dropped the suitcase he was carrying, catching me in a huge bear hug. "How you doing, sweetheart?"

"I'm just so happy you're both here." A thought suddenly struck me, and I pulled away, glancing at my dad. "Wait! Does this mean you're going to try to introduce mom's magic back to her?"

Dad shook his head. "We aren't quite ready for that yet, but we are going to try reintroducing the jinn powers. Those particular tests with your mom's blood went much better than the others."

I glanced at Mom, who looked like a mixture of anticipation and worry. "I'm so excited for you," I said, going over and linking my arm through hers. "I've listened to Dad talk about how amazing you are for all these years, and now I will finally get to see it in action."

Mom snickered and shook her head. "Your dad has always exaggerated my abilities. Don't get your hopes up. I'm positive I will be a little rusty."

"I don't even care. I'm excited to get to share this with you. Are we doing it right now?"

Dad chuckled. "How about we get our guests settled in and let them eat some breakfast and get a nap first? They have been on a plane most of the night."

"Sorry," I said. "I'm pumped."

"No need to be sorry. We all are—even me." Mom smiled.

"Everything looks good to go," Grandpa Hex said, taking a turn looking at a slide with Dad and Kyle.

"I agree," Kyle said, glancing at my mom. "I think we're ready to try this if you are."

"I have one request," Grandma spoke.

"What's that?"

"I'd prefer if she was reintroduced in a circle of protection, just to be on the safe side."

"I think that sounds smart," Dad replied, glancing around at the others. "Does anyone else have a problem with that?"

No one answered.

"All right. Let's move this party to the ritual room."

"How long will it take?" I asked, totally caught up in the excitement.

"It shouldn't be long," Grandpa answered. "Last time we did this, your mom evaporated in the middle of the night, before I even had a chance to run any tests on her."

"Yeah, she told me that my dad tried to eat her that night."

Dad grimaced. "In my defense, I wasn't exactly myself at the time."

"I know you would never hurt Mom."

"Do you?" he asked pointedly.

I held my arms out wide. "I'm still alive, aren't I? I'd say you have a pretty good track record going."

"I agree," Grandma said, smiling at her grandson-in-law. "We've all mistakenly judged you in the past, Vance, and you consistently proved us all wrong. I think it's safe to say you've earned our respect and trust."

Dad seemed surprised by her words. "Well, thank you, Milly. That means a lot."

The doorbell rang, interrupting our procession to the ritual room.

"I've got it." Jaunting into the large entry hall, I made my way to the massive door, opened it, and found Jett and Seth on the other side. "You've got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath as I stepped outside, shutting the door behind me. "Now is not a good time."

"Come on, Kenna. You can't stay mad at me forever," Jett said.

"You wanna bet?"

"He's right. We need to figure out how to work around this," Seth piped up.

"Well, we wouldn't have to be working around this had someone bothered to ask for our consent before he stuck the three of us together for eternity, now would we?" I was beyond irritated.

The door opened quickly behind me, and I turned to find my dad scowling at the three of us. "What's going on here?"

"Sorry, Dad. Jett and Seth came over to try and smooth over a disagreement we are having."

"Vance," Grandma's voice floated through the house. "Hex says we need to get this serum going—now that it's out of the cooler."

"Be right there," he called over his shoulder, his gaze never leaving mine. "Now tell me what is going on right this minute."

"What did you hear?" I asked, knowing that he had to have heard us talking.

"Something about the three of you being stuck together for eternity?" His gaze narrowed as he stared at the guys.

"Well, you see, there was this argument last night, and the three of us were fighting, sorta. I'm not exactly sure if we were fighting or more like just having a disagreement, anyway—."

"Oh, hell. I so don't have time for this. All of you get inside. We can discuss this after the ritual with your mother." He pushed the door open, and everyone entered. He turned and stared at the boys. "I'm letting you both join my family for this, but I don't want any interruptions. Afterward, we will sit down, and the three of you are going to tell me exactly what is going on. Do you understand?"

They both nodded. "Yes, sir," they replied, almost in unison, and dad looked at me. I nodded as well.

"Okay. Follow me."

Entering the ritual room, I realized that with the eight of us here, it was more like we were practicing with a real coven. The solitude we'd lived in for so long hadn't afforded us that opportunity in the past; so, to me, it seemed weird to do magic rituals with more than one or two people present.

"Your house, your ceremony," Grandma said, smiling at my dad, and he took his place at the head of the round table covered with the purple cloth. A pentagram made out of crystals was formed in the middle of it, and a white pillar candle lay in the center.

In each of the corners, more candles were set on large candelabras, each one representing a different element, earth, air, fire, and water, as well as North, South, East, and West.

"I call on the Watchers of the North," Dad said, raising his voice as he beckoned each of the elements. As he did so, each corresponding candelabra burst into flame.

Raising his athame, he walked around everything and everyone in the circle three times, chanting out a cleansing ritual.

"Our powers unite for protection,

"Our powers unite for peace,

"Our powers unite for purification,

"So mote it be."

When he was finished, the energy in the room hummed strongly between us, and it was easy to feel the heavy influence of magic in the air. For this moment in time, we were all bound together. I couldn't help glancing at Jett and Seth, wondering if this was my future—to see them ever-present across the ritual circle from me for the rest of my life.

"Are you ready?" My dad asked my mom gently, resting a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Just remember, there's nothing to be afraid of. If you have a bad reaction to it, then I'll simply suck the power from you. You're safe here. Nothing can hurt you."

She nodded. "I know. I trust you."

"Have a seat, then," Hex said, pointing to the chair that had been brought inside the circle, and my mom did as he asked. Hex quickly gathered his medical supplies and began preparing her for the IV he was going to use to administer the jinn cells.

"What's happening?" Seth asked, scooting closer.

"They're going to try to reintroduce my mom's jinn powers to her," I explained softly. "If this works, they may be able to try giving back her other abilities, as well."

"And if it doesn't?" Jett asked, joining us.

"Then, it's back to the drawing board."

"You're Grandpa is the one with the jinn powers, right?" Seth asked. "Sorry, I'm trying to keep all the facts together that you told me about your family."

I nodded. "Yes, he is."

"How'd he get a name like Hex?" Jett added.

I laughed. "Actually, his name is Hezekiah. When he was younger, he fell in with some demons, and his family ostracized him when they found out. That was when everyone started calling him Hex. It sort of stuck."

"Bummer," Jett said. "It must suck to have people brand you that way."

"I can't even imagine what he's been through."

If anyone was paying attention to what the three of us were saying, they didn't comment. Instead, all eyes were on my mom, monitoring her every reaction.

"Are you okay, Lollipop?" Grandma asked her when she winced as the large needle and catheter went into her arm.

"I'm fine. Just used to giving IV's, not getting them," she added with a smile.

Before long, the bluish fluid was dripping rapidly into her arm. Everyone relaxed and visited while we waited in the safety of the circle.

Mom gestured for me, and I moved to her side. "Is everything okay?" she asked, taking my hand and glancing briefly toward Jett and Seth.

"I hope so. We need to do some talking, but it can wait until we see how things go with you."

At that moment, a white light suddenly appeared, growing ever stronger as Dee Dee took on full form staring straight at Mom. The others in the room gasped in shock.

"Dee Dee?" I asked in surprise, wondering what she was doing here.

Her face appeared determined, and in one swift move, she dove straight toward my mom. A brilliant purple light shattered through the air as my mom's pendant activated, repelling the entity trying to reach her. Immediately, Dee Dee refocused her attention on me, rushing toward me at full speed. I gasped as she entered my body, feeling her zip through my arm and into my mom.

A swirling vortex developed in the center of the circle, sucking the table entirely out of the room.

"What's happening?" I yelled as I struggled to hang on to my mom.

"She's going to jump!" Hex yelled, grabbing my mom's other hand.

"Dad!" I screamed in desperation, reaching out for him.

"Kenna!" he shouted.

The next moment everything around me disappeared. Tumbling through the air, I screamed, my hands clawing at the emptiness around me, searching for anything to grasp onto.

Hitting something hard, the air whooshed out of my lungs as I rolled several feet before coming to a complete stop. Glancing up, I saw my mom standing over me, smiling, the IV still hanging from her arm.

Terror filled me. "Mom? What happened?" I asked, climbing to my feet.

Her smile grew wider. "I am not your mom," she stated, causing fear to race through me.

"Dee Dee?" I asked in a choked whisper. "Is that you?"

"I have waited a long time to return home," she replied. Instantly she dematerialized, disappearing and taking the body she had possessed with her.

Several loud grunts sounded behind me, and I whirled around to find everyone else, rolling on the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Dad asked, standing and glancing around. "Kenna, where's your mom?"

"It's not Mom," I rushed to explain. "She's been possessed by a ghost that was in the house."

"We had a ghost, and you didn't deem it something important I should know about?" he growled.

"I didn't want you to freak out."

"Well, I'm freaking out now! Where's my wife?"

"She said she's waited a long time to come home, and then she disappeared."

"Where is home, exactly, Kenna? We need to know everything you can tell us about this spirit," Grandma spoke as she stepped toward me.

"She was never very specific." I wracked my brain, trying to come up with anything. "All she said was that she was in love with a boy who married someone else after she was forced to marry a madman. She never gave me a time frame to her existence—only that she was tied to something in Salem. That's all I know. I swear."

"What about clothing? What was she wearing?"

"She was the same as she looked like now. Just in a long white shift with a ring of flowers around her head."

"None of this is helping."

"How'd we all end up here anyway?" Jett asked.

"I have no idea," Hex said, scratching his head. "I've never seen anything like it."

"I wonder if the entity somehow magnified the jinn powers and opened a portal of sorts. Because we were all contained in the circle, we all took the jump," Grandma suggested.

"So, where are we?" Seth asked, his hands still pressed to the earth. "The ground doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not following.

"It's . . . cleaner? Not as full of pollutants."

"So, we're really far out in the middle of a forest somewhere?" Glancing around, all I could see was lush greenery.

"No, you don't understand. When I feel the earth, I can sense all of it—as a whole."

"So, you're saying the whole earth doesn't feel right?" My brain struggled to wrap around this.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. It feels almost . . . younger."

Grandma glanced at Dad. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this."

"I've had a bad feeling since we arrived." He stalked away, running a hand through his hair. "Kenna, think harder. There has to be something else we can go on."

I felt totally helpless, knowing I didn't have any more information to give them.

"Wait! Look!" Jett pointed, and we all followed his gaze to a small road that no one had previously noticed. In the distance, there appeared to be a man approaching with a wagon.

"Is it possible that we've gone back in time?" I asked, unable to believe my eyes. "Or maybe we've landed in the middle of some sort of reenactment?"

"Follow my lead," Jett said, stepping forward. Immediately all our clothing changed, and we looked as if we were a group of peasants standing on the side of the road. I realized, then, we'd been made to match the clothing style of the man walking in front of the cart.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" my dad asked under his breath.

"We have no idea where we are, and I can cast illusions and interpret languages. Do you have a better suggestion?"

"No. Go for it," Dad continued. "Just try not to get us killed, if at all possible."

"That is the plan," Jett whispered.

We all watched as the man approached, and Jett raised his hand in greeting. The man paused but didn't say anything, as if waiting for one of us to speak. I knew Jett had no idea what language to use.

Suddenly he doubled over and began coughing. The man rushed to his side, speaking rapidly in a foreign tongue as he pounded him on the back heartily.

"Gaelic." Jett managed to spit out before being pounded again. Raising his hands in submission, he thanked the man and continued speaking with him.

"Gaelic." I breathed out in surprise.

"Ask him what year it is," my dad prodded.

"Working on it," Jett spoke, exasperation filtering through his voice. He continued conversing with the man, but the man looked confused.

Finally, Jett turned and motioned for us all to gather closer around him. "Near as I can tell, we are in Ireland, but there is no supreme ruler. The land appears to be ruled by five primary kings, who reign over lesser kingdoms that are governed by different leaders. If I understood him correctly, he said he came to Ireland recently with the Celts."

"The Celts?" Irritation filled my dad's voice. "Like as in somewhere in the neighborhood of five hundred to one hundred B.C.?" His voice crescendoed as he spoke.

"Well, it's not like I can ask him that! He doesn't exactly have a calendar or even a clue about what B.C. and A.D. stand for since they haven't happened yet. This is the best I can pin it down for you."

"B.C. Ireland," Hex said in amazement, staring around.

My dad seemed utterly frustrated. "Aw, shit. We are so screwed!"

# ###

Stay Tuned for more excitement in Of Witches and Demons book 2, CRAFT! Available now!

# Free eBooks

He's the bad boy partier with a really BIG secret. She's the talented girl with BIG dreams for the future. Neither of them wants a relationship. But sometimes fate has a different plan.

Full of teen angst, love, humor, drama, jealousy, drug dealers, even a murder . . . a lot more is going on in the halls of this high school than meets the eye.

* * *

**The Crush series** is a #1 International and _USA Today_ bestseller, published in multiple languages. Join our mailing list to get your FREE copies of the first two books in the series today!

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# Books by Lacey Weatherford

Young love is threatened by evil in this multi-time #1 Bestselling Young Adult Paranormal Romance series. Get the first ebook for free!

**_Of Witches and Warlocks series:_**

The Trouble with Spells

The Demon Kiss

Blood of the White Witch

The Dark Rising

Possession of Souls

The Of Witches and Warlocks story continues in this sequel series that follows the Mangum family into the next generation.

**_Of Witches and Demons series:_**

Coven

Craft

Fall in love all over again in this much requested version of the original Of Witches and Warlocks series told strictly from Vance Mangum's perspective. Full of never before seen chapters, dialogue, and scenes, readers will never know the whole story until reading this exciting companion series!

**_Book of Shadows series:_**

Fire & Ice

Demon Within

White Magick

Darkest Night

Blood Bound

Chase Walker's story will tug at reader's heartstrings like no other! Dealing with issues like drugs and grief, be sure to grab this former Amazon Top 100 Best Teen Book of the Year, Chasing Nikki, for free, as well as #1 International Bestseller, Chased Dreams!

**_The Chase Walker series:_**

Chasing Nikki

Finding Chase

Chased Dreams

#1 International and USA Today Bestseller, The Crush Series is sure to delight any reader's heart. Full of teen angst, love, humor, drama, jealousy, drug dealers, even a murder . . . a lot more is going on in the halls of this high school than meets the eye.

**_The Crush series:_**

Crush

Smitten

Love

Smolder

Step into the sexy world of Leathers Exotic Dance Club with multi-chart topper Allure! Some characters crossover in these steamy novels, but all in this series can be read as standalone too!

**_The Leathers Novels:_**

Allure

Persuade

Women want him. Men want to be him. But sometimes things aren't always what they seem, especially in this sexy novel, Mr. Hollywood!

**_A Celebrity Novel:_**

Mr. Hollywood

Join up with sexy rockstar, Caleb, and his lead singer Anna, as they try to tackle heartache and loss as well as their off the charts attraction for each other. A big secret threatens this happy ending, however. Can they survive in this steamy new adult novel, Suicide Notes?

**_A Fringe Novel:_**

Suicide Notes

Bran has always wanted to see the ever elusive Fae and hatches a plan to make it happen. Be careful what you wish for in this fantasy romance novella!

**_Novellas:_**

Faery Kissed

Over the River and Through the Woods

What happens when two exes, who can't stand each other, end up stranded alone in a cabin on Christmas Eve? Sometimes what begins as a disaster can turn into a holiday miracle! Cuddle up with the novella reviewers are calling "Hallmark Worthy!" In Over the River and Through the Woods.

# Acknowledgments

Over the last few years, I have received message after message from readers who have read the Of Witches and Warlocks series, begging for more. Much to their dismay, I constantly hedged on the idea, never feeling like I had quite the right story to tell, until now. I hope that everyone will enjoy this continuation as much as I have. However, there are still so many exciting things left to come in this adventure!

* * *

I want to thank my husband, James, for letting me bounce ideas off him for months. I'm sure he's totally sick of the story by now. I also thank my children, Brady and Kysee, for helping to give their input when I needed opinions. A special thank you goes out to Raquel Auriemma, for her help in answering any questions I had about the Salem area during my research for the story. I couldn't have done this without any of you!

* * *

Lots of Love,

_Lacey_

# About the Author

Lacey Weatherford has always had a love of books. She wanted to become a writer after reading her first novel at the age of eight.

Lacey resides in Arizona, where she lives with her husband, children, and beloved pets. When she's not supporting her kids at their music/sporting events, she spends her time writing, reading, watching her favorite shows, and cuddling with her husband, James.

To visit Lacey's official website, or sign up for the mailing list and get free books, go to:

<http://www.laceyweatherford.com>

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