

Enchantment

By Charlotte Abel
Enchantment

Copyright Charlotte Abel 2013

Published at Smashwords

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is fictitious. All references to ancient, historical events, persons living or dead, locations and places are used in a fictitious manner. Any other names, characters, incidents and places are derived from the author's own imagination. Similarities to persons living or dead, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

Second Printing, April 2013

ISBN 9781458118073

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Chapter One

CHASTITY'S CURSE

Channie squinted against the glare of the August sun. A southerly breeze, heavy with dust, tugged at her frizzy, white-blonde hair. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand and inched forward until she could peek over the edge of the cliff. It was at least ninety-eight degrees in the shade, but a chill ran down her spine.

Hunter pointed at an outcropping of granite twenty feet below. "An Empty died there two years ago."

"An Empty?" Channie blinked and shifted her attention from the deadly rock to Hunter. He'd grown another two inches since the last time she'd seen him. But that wasn't the only thing that'd changed. The angles of his jaw and chin were sharper. The peach fuzz was gone, replaced by reddish-blond stubble. A splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose was the only remnant of boyishness that remained.

She lifted her chin to look him in the eyes. It was the only way to tell if he were lying—but when his gaze captured hers, she forgot what she was doing. Had his eyes always been that shade of forest green?

Hunter looked away first. He leaned over and picked a small chunk of rose quartz off the ground then tossed it over the edge of the cliff. It bounced and pinged against the jagged rocks six times before splashing into the water. His sandy blond hair, bleached two shades lighter by the sun, fell forward, framing his tanned face.

Channie tucked her fingers in her back pockets to keep from brushing the tousled waves of gold out of his eyes. During the winter, Hunter was just as pasty white as she was, but the summer sun gave his skin a deep honey glow. All she did was burn, blister and peel. She spent a good amount of energy maintaining the protection spells on her skin to keep from getting fried.

"Magically disabled, MD, whatever."

"Huh?" Channie'd forgotten what they'd been talking about.

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"Oh, that. I don't care what you call 'em." Channie used the derogatory slang for magically disabled people herself. "I'm just surprised an Empty wandered this far away from town."

Hunter shrugged. "He paid for it with his life."

Channie stretched and leaned forward, just a bit, to get a better look at the water. It'd feel like slamming into concrete from this distance. But only if she managed to miss the outcropping on the way down. She was strong and shouldn't have any trouble jumping out far enough to keep from smearing her brains on the rocks, unless she slipped or leaped too soon. She'd need to take off right at the edge. "You've jumped from here before, right?"

"Lots of times." Hunter puffed out his chest, straining the fabric of his hand-me-down t-shirt. "But we can hike down to the quarry if you're too scared to jump."

Channie narrowed her eyes. "I'm not scared."

Hunter grinned and nudged her shoulder with his. "Atta girl."

He backed away from the edge, peeling his shirt off over his head in slow motion, flexing his muscles like some movie star in a love scene. Channie rolled her eyes for his benefit but enjoyed the show nonetheless.

Hunter's grin turned into a smirk. "Your turn."

"Uh-uh. No way." Channie folded her arms over her chest and shook her head.

"Why not?" Hunter hooked his thumbs in his belt loops, tugging his cutoffs dangerously low on his narrow hips. The bright red fabric of his boxers peeked out over the top of his waistband. "Your bra and underpants will cover up the interesting bits."

"I'm not showing you my skivvies!" Channie was proud of her new curves, but she wasn't taking her shirt off just because Hunter did. Jumping off a cliff was one thing, swimming half naked was something else entirely.

"Then turn around." Hunter made a circular motion with his hand. "I ain't showing you mine if you don't show me yours."

"I don't want to see your underwear!"

"Fine. I'll take 'em off." Hunter dropped his hands to the button on his waistband.

Channie's eyes widened. "Don't you dare!"

Hunter placed his calloused palms on her shoulders and turned her around. The heat of his hands soaked through the thin fabric of her t-shirt, raising goosebumps on her arms.

"The water's murky after last night's storm. You ain't gonna see nothing." He gathered her hair into a loose ponytail then draped it over her right shoulder. His breath tickled the back of her neck. "But if you want to sneak a peek before I jump, I won't tell."

Channie spun around and lifted a hand to smack him.

Hunter laughed and caught her wrist before she landed the blow. His grip was firm, but gentle. "Calm down. I was just teasing. I put a couple of towels down by the base of the cliff before you got here. I'll cover up when we get out."

Channie jerked away from him and turned her back. She tried not to imagine Hunter naked, but the sound of him unzipping his cutoffs didn't help.

His feet slapped the ground with dull thuds as he ran.

Channie waited until she heard his whoop of delight before turning around. She spotted his cutoffs and shirt draped over a fallen log but there was no sign of his bright red boxers. Hopefully, they were still on his body.

Hunter's voice echoed off the rocks. "Your turn."

This was crazy. She was crazy. But there was no way Channie was gonna chicken out after he'd already jumped.

She stuffed the hem of her t-shirt into her waistband, dug her toes into the dirt then took off like a beagle after a rabbit. Her stomach flipped as she hung weightless for a split second, then lurched into her throat as she fell. The deadly outcropping zipped past on her right, a near miss that shot adrenaline into her bloodstream. She tucked her knees to her chest, wrapped one arm around her shins and pinched her nose shut.

The force of impact needled the small of her back and yanked her shirt out of her cutoffs. But the look on Hunter's face just before she cannonballed him was worth the pain.

She came up laughing, sucked in a quick breath of air and grabbed Hunter's wrists, expecting him to dunk her.

Instead, he guided her hands to his broad shoulders. "Has anyone ever told you that your eyes sparkle like emeralds?"

"No." It was a cheesy line. But it wasn't what he said, as much as how he said it, that sent a full body shiver from the top of Channie's head to the tips of her toes.

Hunter arched his eyebrows then slid his fingers around the bare skin of her waist. "Are you cold?"

"No." A rush of heat flushed every inch of Channie's skin as another tremor shook her body. Her heart pounded against her ribs.

Hunter smiled then let go of her waist and crawled onto a ledge at the base of the cliff. He kept his back to her as he wrapped a towel around his hips then turned around and offered Channie his hand. "Come on, let's go get warmed up."

Hunter locked his gaze on Channie's chest when he handed her his extra towel. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

She glanced down to see what had captured his attention, praying it wasn't a leech. Heat flooded her cheeks when she realized he could see through the thin fabric of her wet t-shirt. She yanked the towel out of his hand and wrapped it around her body. "What are you waiting for? Let's go."

Hunter grinned but didn't say anything.

When they got to the top of the trail, he grabbed a faded quilt out of a picnic basket, scooped his clothes up off the log and headed towards an old shack.

A mixture of nerves and excitement tightened Channie's belly.

Hunter retrieved a key from a hollow stump and unlocked the door. "This used to be the foreman's office before they closed the quarry."

The door creaked as it swung inward. Hunter stepped aside and grinned at Channie. "Ladies first."

Sunlight poured through holes in the corrugated tin roof, dappling the warped plywood floor. The boards groaned as Channie crept inside. She threaded her way amongst crushed beer cans, broken glass and litter.

Hunter's bare chest grazed the back of Channie's arm as he slid past her, making her shiver yet again. He spread his quilt over a stained mattress in the corner then sat down and patted the spot next to him.

What exactly did he have in mind when he suggested they get warmed up? She arched an eyebrow at him.

Hunter rolled his eyes. "I just wanna talk."

"Is that what you told Lovie Schmidt at Spring Gathering when you lured her into the barn?" Channie had tried all summer to get the image of Hunter and Lovie out of her head.

"I didn't lure her anywhere." Hunter's eyes widened. "Wait...you know about me and Lovie?"

"Everybody knows about you and Lovie."

"Dang. No wonder I can't get a date with a nice girl."

Channie gasped as her mouth fell open. "You don't think I'm a nice girl?"

"No! I mean...yes." A pink flush spread across Hunter's cheeks. "I mean...I didn't realize this was a date. I thought we were just having fun."

"Fun?" Channie narrowed her eyes.

"Whoa." Hunter held his hands up, palms out. "I wasn't implying nothing."

"You told me at Spring Gathering that there were two kinds of girls. The kind you have fun with and the kind you marry." He'd also told her she was the marrying kind. He hadn't elaborated, but Channie'd thought he was declaring himself—until he snuck off for a roll in the hay with Lovie Schmidt that very same night. "I know what 'fun' means to boys like you."

Hunter furrowed his brow and blinked. "Boys like me?"

"The kind that tom cats around with any girl stupid enough to let him; but expects his bride to be pure as the driven snow."

Hunter's voice dropped. "I ain't like that."

Channie wasn't falling for his sad puppy act. "I'm not having fun until there's a ring on my finger."

"I ain't got a dime to my name. I cain't ask you to marry me. But, I'm willing to give up all them other girls if you—"

"How many girls have you been with?"

Hunter ducked his chin and scratched the back of his head. He peeked at Channie from under his lashes. "I ain't actually been with anyone yet. Not like that. I was hoping that...never mind."

Channie'd known Hunter all her life, and she'd had a crush on him for as long as she could remember, but he was a boy. And boys couldn't be trusted.

Hunter tugged his cutoffs on over his wet boxers but didn't bother with the zipper. "Why'd you even agree to meet me out here?"

"I was hoping you'd kiss me." Channie slapped her palm over her mouth. She had a bad habit of spurting out whatever was on her mind before thinking about it.

A slow grin spread across Hunter's face. "You've never been kissed, have you?"

Channie wasn't about to admit it. She was sixteen for heaven's sake. It was high time somebody kissed her. But from the amount of lust leaking out of Hunter's energy field, he wanted a lot more than a simple kiss.

"Come here." He dropped his voice to a sexy growl and patted the mattress again. "I'd be honored to give you your first kiss."

Channie's heart skipped a beat. You didn't need a mattress for kissing. She raised her shield and backed up a step.

"Channie?" Hunter's smile disappeared. "What's wrong?"

Hunter hadn't even offered her any moonshine so it wasn't likely that he'd stoop so low as to try to use a Come-hither spell on her. Channie didn't want to insult him. But they were alone, miles from the nearest cabin. She kept her shield in place, even though it was an affront to his honor.

"I don't believe this!" Hunter yanked his t-shirt on over his head then jammed his arms through the sleeves as if he wanted to punch someone. "You've been using your power name on me for the past three years. I'm the one that needs a shield."

"I have not!" At least, not on purpose. Channie was just a nick name. Her real name, her power name, was Enchantment.

It made her more likable and most folks responded favorably to that. She might tap into her powers during an argument to help someone see things her way, but it was good magic, persuasive magic, not dark, not a curse like a come-hither spell. "You're the one that invited me to go swimming. Not the other way around."

Hunter stood up and adjusted his cutoffs, tucking a stray bit of red fabric into the fly. He yanked his zipper up then paused with his hands on the button. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing!" Channie dropped her gaze to the ground and took another step back.

"I swear girl, you are such a tease."

"And you're a royal pain in the ass." Channie's eyes stung with unshed tears. She'd dreamed about her first kiss for years. And every dream had starred Hunter Feenie. But he was ruining everything.

She grabbed her willow-twig basket off the ground then hopped on her bike and raced down the mountain towards home.

Momma and Daddy were always warning her about how even the nicest boys were ruled by their carnal desires. They'd neglected to mention that girls could feel lust too.

A first kiss was supposed to be special. You were supposed to feel it in your heart, mind, body and soul. It was supposed to be magic.

Channie was attracted to Hunter, but she didn't love him. What she felt was lust, not love. And it wasn't enough.

~***~

When Channie was about two miles from home, she ducked behind an outcropping of granite and changed into dry clothes. She wrapped her wet things in Hunter's towel and shoved them to the bottom of her basket then hid everything under a layer of Elderberry leaves.

She propped her bike against the north side of the cabin then cracked the screen door open to find Momma crushed against Daddy's chest. Channie cast a bug-be-gone spell at the blowfly buzzing around her head then stepped inside. The screen door slammed shut with a resounding thwack.

Momma and Daddy sprang apart like startled deer.

Channie cringed and said, "sorry," then set her willow basket on the pine bench under the front window. As her vision adjusted to the dimmer light inside the cabin, she noticed that Momma had tears in her eyes. "What's going on?"

Daddy wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. "I got some real bad folks looking for me, baby girl."

"Again?" The word popped out of Channie's mouth before she could stop herself. Everyone knew about Daddy's gambling addiction, unpaid debts and tendency to cheat at cards, but nobody was supposed to acknowledge it. Besides, it wasn't really his fault. His power name was Money and Daddy was obsessed with it. He invested what little cash he got his hands on in get-rich-quick schemes or gambled it away as fast as he got it.

Daddy smiled, but he also cast a spell to neutralize Enchantment's power. He could have just raised his shield, that was insulting enough. He didn't need to make her feel like a criminal by actively shutting her down.

She couldn't help influencing people to see things her way any more than Daddy could keep from lusting after money. It wasn't as if she were enchanting him on purpose—he'd neutralize more than just her name if she tried.

"You can take what ever you can stuff into a pillow case, but hurry it up. I wanna skedaddle on outta here before moon-rise."

"You want me to go with you?"

Daddy was always running from trouble, but he'd never taken anyone with him before. He shook his head. "We're all goin' this time."

"Aunt Wisdom only gave me a week off. My apprenticeship starts up again in three days."

"I ain't in the mood for none of your backtalk. Now git on up there and git packed."

Channie scampered up the ladder to the loft she shared with her older sister and three rowdy nephews who were, praise the lord, still napping. Once down, the triplets could sleep through anything, even the sweltering heat of a late August afternoon and Abby's snoring.

Savvy whined and rolled over, kicking Zeal. Channie pushed his sweaty curls off his forehead and shushed him back to sleep. The trips were ornery as the dickens but so darn cute they could get away with anything. Their carmel colored skin, big brown eyes and curly black hair added to the mystery of their daddy's identity. There were plenty of mages in the Ozark region with dark eyes and hair, but they were all fair-skinned.

Channie stalled as long as she could to give Daddy's neutralizing spell a chance to fade. She only packed a few items of clothing, leaving room in her pillowcase for more important things, like her text books and journal. Hopefully they wouldn't be gone too long. She didn't want to get behind with her school work. Aunt Wisdom insisted all her students, especially her apprentices, excel in science, math, history and literature as well as magic.

The back door slammed, startling Channie. It also woke up Abby. She mumbled a nasty word under her breath and sat up. Channie peeked out the window and saw Momma stomping down the path towards the family burial plot—with a shovel.

~***~

Channie imagined several different scenarios of what had happened as she helped load their old hand-me-down Volkswagen bus. The more stuff they packed the darker her suspicions became. When Daddy dragged the sofa out of the cabin and tied it to the top of the bus, Channie realized they were going to be gone for a very long time. Daddy must have killed someone this time. Why else would he send Momma off with a shovel if not to bury the body?

Momma came back two hours later—sweaty, grimy and in complete disarray. She always wore her hair pulled into a tight knot at the nape of her neck, but most of it had come undone. Grey wisps floated around her shoulders like ghosts and her eyes had that vacant, glassy look you see on the front row at funerals.

Channie held her breath as she wondered who Daddy had killed. She hoped it was no one she knew.

Momma stabbed the ground with her shovel, burying half the spade with one angry thrust. "Well, I got it."

Channie's heart skipped a beat. "Got what?" Maybe Momma had gone to dig up her secret stash of egg money. She wasn't distraught because Daddy had murdered someone, but because she didn't want him to get his hands on her money. The wave of relief that washed the burden of worry off Channie's shoulders left her weak-kneed and shaky. "Where'd you go, Momma?"

Momma raised her shield and glared at Channie. "None of your gall-darned business. Now, go help your sister wake up them babies and get 'em loaded in the bus."

"We're ready to go?" Channie's bike was still leaning against the side of the cabin. "What about my bike?"

"We don't have room to take everything we own."

"I'll leave something else behind. I want to take my bike."

"And I want a million dollars. Now do as you're told before I take a switch to your bee-hind."

"But...my bike." Aunt Wisdom had given it to Channie for her fourteenth birthday two years ago. It was her most prized possession. As soon as the keep-away spells around the cabin wore off, someone was bound to steal it.

Daddy grabbed the bike with one hand and tossed it on top of the pile of furniture bound to the roof of the bus. "Get me another rope out of the shed, baby girl. There's no reason we can't take your bike."

As soon as Daddy finished securing Channie's bike, he turned towards Momma and said, "It's time."

Momma nodded and went back inside the cabin.

Daddy jiggled the side door, testing the baling wire holding it shut. "You stay here and don't come inside no matter what happens. I'll send Abby and the trips out."

Channie knew she was treading on thin ice, but since Daddy wasn't shielding himself she also knew she could push her luck. "Why? What's going on?"

He got a pinched look around his eyes as he stared over the top of the bus and all the color drained from his face. "On second thought, if something happens, get your bike and ride as fast as you can to your Aunt Wisdom's place and tell her what's going on."

"What is going on?"

Daddy scrubbed his face with calloused palms then said, "Just promise me you won't go inside that cabin."

"You're scaring me, Daddy."

"Good." Daddy squeezed Channie's arm then patted her cheek. "Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

He nodded once then joined Momma in the cabin. Abby and three very cranky trips stumbled out the door.

~***~

Daddy's 1956 panel-van Volkswagen bus was useful for avoiding prying eyes when running moonshine. But with no windows or rear seats it wasn't very comfortable—even when it wasn't packed floor to ceiling with half their earthly belongings. Channie helped Abby clear a space for the triplets in the back then wriggled between Momma's cedar trunk and Daddy's tool chest like a snake.

Abby grabbed Channie's left foot and said, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Daddy told me to go get help if something goes wrong. How am I supposed to do that if I'm stuck in here?"

"Well, Daddy told me to keep ever-body in the bus."

Channie pushed a little persuasive magic at Abby.

She sighed and let go of Channie's foot. "I wish you wouldn't do that, lil' sis. You're gonna get me in all sorts of trouble."

Channie rolled onto her back and grabbed the steering wheel to pull herself between the front seats.

When she sat up and saw the cabin, her jaw dropped. Black, oily smoke seeped through the cracks between the logs and poured out around the door jamb and window sills.

She ran to the cabin and pressed her palms against the front window glass. The interior of the cabin glowed but Channie couldn't see anything through the smoke. There were no flames and no heat. The cabin wasn't on fire, it was bewitched. Energy pulsed all around her. Channie had been healed, blessed, bound and even cursed, but this magic was different, unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. Her vision tunneled, going grey around the edges. She stumbled back to the bus and yanked on the rope holding her bike. "Abby! Get out here and help me get my bike!"

"No need, baby girl. We're all done."

Channie whirled around. Daddy was sitting on the top porch step, fanning smoke away from his face. Momma stood to the side, clinging to the porch post.

Channie slid her hand from the base of her throat to her hip. "Good lord, Daddy, you scared the bejeebies outta me."

Daddy rocked forward and launched his massive body off the step. "Let's get outta here."

~***~

Fifty miles west of the Oklahoma state line, Daddy pulled over and switched places with Momma, letting her drive. As soon as the trips fell asleep, he did something he'd never done before. He confessed.

"I was on a winning streak, sold all my moonshine the first night and tripled my money playing poker with the boys. Me and Lucky Feenie decided to head on down to Hot Springs and play the ponies."

Momma shot Daddy a sideways glance, but didn't say anything. She didn't have to. They all knew Momma didn't approve of moonshine or the Feenie clan. According to her, moonshine was a tool of the devil and Lucky Feenie was a traitor for marrying Triumph Veyjivik, a Cumberland mage.

Twenty years ago, Triumph denounced her own clan, swore a death pledge of loyalty to the Feenie's and married Lucky, but that wasn't good enough for Momma. As far as she was concerned, "that woman" was still a Veyjivik, still a traitor and not to be trusted. But her worst offense was contaminating the Feenie line with her Veyjivik blood. Just one more reason it was a bad idea for Hunter to court Channie. Momma would never accept him or his children.

Daddy sighed and wiped the sweat off his brow with a red shop towel. "Usually, the tracks, stables, horses and jockeys are shielded from magic, but there was some sort of hullabaloo going on that day with visiting celebrities so the track's mages were a little distracted. Lucky found a hole in the shield and kept watch while I cast a weakening spell on Dark Magic, the colt favored to win in the fifth race. It would have been okay, except the horse belonged to...a very powerful mage."

Channie couldn't believe Daddy had been so stupid. "How could you not know that a horse named 'Dark Magic' belonged to a mage?"

"Lots of Empties name their horses Magic something-or-other. It don't mean nothing."

Abby said, "Just because a magically disabled person don't have no powers, don't mean they's empty."

Channie rolled her eyes and muttered, "Here we go again."

"Don't interrupt." Momma glared at Abby in the rearview mirror then nodded at Daddy. "Go on. Tell 'em what happened."

Daddy dropped his chin a couple of inches and exhaled loudly, pursing his lips. "Dominance had already cast a spell to increase the colt's heart rate and lung capacity before I got to him."

"Wait." Channie paused, but no one scolded her for interrupting. "Are you saying the mage that owns the horse you cursed is...Dominance Veyjivik? The Queen?"

"The one and only."

Channie's throat tightened around her heart. All the Cumberland Mages were wealthy, powerful, and violent. But the queen, was pure evil. She'd murdered her own family, including her parents, her siblings and even her own son, to seize the throne. She was the reason Hunter's momma had run away.

"Oh Daddy."

"I know. Talk about bad luck. The horse probably would have died anyway, but since I cast the weakening spell, I got blamed for it."

"He died?"

"Collapsed on the track going into the final stretch. Killed his jockey too—who just happened to be the old bitch's grandson."

Channie's mouth went completely dry.

Daddy sighed again. "And to top it all off, the horse I was betting on got tangled up in the mess when Dark Magic went down. I lost everything."

Momma's breath came slow and steady, but shallow. She was tight-lipped, stiff-spined and royally pissed. "The point is...since we can't raise the money to pay off the blood debt, the Veyjivik clan has sworn to exact vengeance."

Abby blinked and put her hand over her heart. "They want to even the score by killing Daddy?"

Momma cast a be-calm spell on everyone then said, "The Veyjivik's don't get even. They get revenge. They plan to make your daddy watch while they torture and kill the rest of us."

Daddy shot Momma a look then twisted sideways in his seat and draped his arm over the back. "I don't want you girls to worry about it. Your Momma used some powerful magic to bewitch the cabin and redirect any tracking spells. We're going to Colorado, but everyone, including the Veyjivik clan, will think we headed east to seek sanctuary with some of my kin in Appalachia."

Channie's legs were starting to tingle so she nudged Savvy off her lap, careful not to wake him. "But, we don't have any kin west of Arkansas. And I've never heard of any mage organizations based in Colorado."

"Which is exactly why we're going there. No one will ever suspect a family as magically gifted and deeply rooted as ours would go so far away from home, cut all ties with our clan, and live amongst nothing but Empties."

"What do you mean...cut all ties?" Channie's voice trembled, even though she was still under the influence of Momma's be-calm spell. "What about Aunt Wisdom?" Truth be told, Channie was closer to Aunt Wisdom than anyone, even her own momma. "She knows I'd never leave without saying good bye."

Daddy frowned and shook his head. "No one can ever know where we went. It's as much for their safety as ours. The Veyjivik's are ruthless, but they ain't stupid. When they discover how hurt and angry everybody is on account of us just up and leaving without a word, they'll know our kinfolk had nothing to do with it. Their ignorance will protect them as well as us."

"How much is the blood debt? If the whole clan pitched in, maybe we could raise enough to satisfy the Veyjivik's while we earn the rest of it. We could all get jobs." Even as she suggested it, Channie knew it was futile. The Veyjivik's wouldn't care whether or not mage law demanded they accept gold in lieu of blood for payment. They'd still want revenge.

"That's right kind of you, baby girl, but there's no way we could earn that kind of money. In addition to the blood debt, Dominance is demanding I reimburse her for the horse. That's why I was gone so long. I had to find a safe place for us to start over and get new documents." Daddy patted a large brown envelope on his lap. "I changed our last name to Belks."

"Belks? Seriously?"

"I wanted to change it to Belts, but Lucky convinced me that Money Belts was a little too obvious, especially since we'll be living amongst Empties. They have no sense of humor when it comes to names. In fact, I'll be going by Monroe. The rest of y'all can use your first names or nicknames, but Money is too unusual for a man on the run."

~***~

The be-calm spell wore off a few miles west of Tulsa. Savvy, Courage and Zeal woke up cranky and fought all the way across Kansas. The little monsters didn't fall asleep again until just before sunrise outside of Denver. Channie closed her eyes for the first time in what felt like forever. She was almost asleep when Momma turned off the engine and said, "Well, we're here."

Daddy said, "Welcome to Louisville, Colorado," and opened his door.

The trips burrowed through the clutter like gophers and crawled over Momma and Daddy to escape the confines of the bus. Channie was right behind them but waited for Momma and Daddy to get out first. All three boys dropped their pants and peed on the back wheel next to the curb.

Channie stretched and looked around. Aunt Wisdom had shown her pictures of places like this, but no photograph could capture the magnificence that surrounded her. The houses were ginormous. And well kept. They were freshly painted in muted colors that complimented the scenery. There were no sagging porches, no rusting vehicles on cement blocks, no chickens, goats or pigs either. She counted eight windows on the front of a single house. There wasn't so much as a dandelion in anyone's yard. But the yards were tiny, smaller than Momma's kitchen garden back home. Did these folks buy all their groceries in town? If you could afford one of these houses, you'd probably be rich enough to buy just about anything you wanted.

The trips finished peeing, but no one told them to get back in the bus. Channie noticed a "For Rent" sign in the yard of a two-story house next to a large park with a well equipped playground. Her jaw dropped. "Are we gonna live here?"

"That's the plan, baby girl." Daddy chuckled and gave Channie's shoulder a squeeze. "Why don't you and Abby take the boys to the park for some fresh air while your momma and me see if we cain't find us a payphone. We need to call these good people and set up a meeting face to face."

Channie was thrilled with the prospect of living in a mansion, but she felt sorry for these 'good people.' Even though you couldn't force a person to do something against their will, you could push them a long ways down a path they'd already chosen. Especially if they were Empties with no defense against magic. These folks already wanted to rent their house, so it wouldn't be hard for Momma and Daddy to steal it out from under them. They'd still have to pay rent, but it wouldn't be anything close to what the house was actually worth.

They'd been at the park for less than an hour when Daddy's shrill whistle called them back.

Momma opened the combination lock on a brass box hanging from the doorknob and pulled out a key. Her eyes shone as she unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Daddy flipped off the porch light. "I couldn't convince the owners to keep paying the utility bills on this here place, so don't nobody turn on any lights or other appliances or I'll lay into your backsides with a switch. See that tree out front? They don't call it a weeping willow for nothing."

Everyone nodded.

"It's just as easy to light a candle or a kerosene lamp as it is to flip a switch and a whole lot less expensive. Money don't grow on trees."

Where was the money coming from? Back home, Momma and Abby drove the bus into town once a week to sell eggs and herbal remedies. They earned enough cash to buy the things they couldn't make, shoot or grow, like gas, kerosene and shoes. Daddy's moonshine brought in a fair amount of cash, but he gambled it away as fast as he got it. Even if he found a place to hide his still, Channie doubted it'd bring in enough money to pay the bills.

~***~

Channie and Abby took the trips back to the park while Momma and Daddy settled in. They sat on picnic tables under the pavilion while the boys played, fought and scared off all the other kids.

Abby had been in a foul mood ever since they left and Channie was sick of it.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Enchantment's magic grew warm inside Channie's belly, instinctively rising to the challenge. It softened both her demeanor and tone of voice as it flowed out of her. "I might, if you told me what's wrong."

Abby raised her shield before Enchantment's magic touched her and stared straight ahead.

"Whatever." Channie hopped off the table, dusted the back of her jeans with her palms and walked towards the baseball field. Five minutes later, she was surrounded by boys. She was flattered, even though she knew it was only because of her name. She probably should have pulled Enchantment's magic back into her power-well, but it took a considerable amount of energy to restrain it once it was active. Besides, she didn't want to.

"Enchantment?" Daddy's voice startled Channie. She'd been so distracted by the boys' devotion and lustful energy, she hadn't felt Daddy sneak up on her.

He narrowed his eyes and glared at each of the boys. Not a single one of them paid him any attention. They only had eyes for Channie. Daddy leveled his gaze at her and said, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Talking?"

"Go home."

"Yes, sir."

Daddy kept his shield up and didn't say a word as he followed her back to the house. "Get on upstairs. I need to talk to your Momma."

"We were just talking. I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Them boys was Empties."

"This whole state is nothing but Empties. We can't avoid them forever. I start school tomorrow. Half the students will be boys." Channie meant it as a joke, but Daddy didn't laugh.

He rubbed his forehead with his fingers and groaned out loud, as if he were in physical pain. "Go to your room, and don't come out until I call for you."

There wasn't so much as a stick of furniture in Channie's room. All she had was her pillow case full of books, a couple of blankets and a quilt. She made a little nest for herself and curled up on the floor. She considered casting a listen-up spell on herself, but if Daddy called for her before the lavender scent of Enchantment's magic dissipated, she'd be in even more trouble for eavesdropping.

"Channie?" Abby's voice woke her up. "Momma and Daddy wanna see you downstairs."

Channie yawned and opened her eyes. Abby was standing in the doorway, a candle in one hand, her flashlight—a birthday gift from Aunt Wisdom—in the other. How long had she been asleep? "Am I in trouble?"

"I don't know. They was holed up in their room when me and the trips got back from the park. I ain't heard no hollering." Abby tucked her flashlight under her arm to light the candle then squatted down and handed it to Channie. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything! Except talk to a few boys."

"Oh."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You want some advice, lil sis?"

Channie nodded.

"Don't argue or interrupt, no matter what they say. Just let 'em get it out of their systems. All you can do is pretend to repent, beg their forgiveness and hope they don't beat you."

Channie rolled her eyes. "Thanks a lot. That makes me feel so much better."

Abby smiled and said, "You're welcome," without the least bit of sarcasm.

~***~

Momma and Daddy were in the parlor, sitting together on the sofa, holding hands in a rare display of unity.

Daddy said, "We got something to tell you, baby girl, and we want you to stay calm."

His words were ominous enough, but when Momma and Daddy both raised their shields, Channie's heart leapt into her throat. "Your momma and me—"

"Momma and I."

Daddy usually laughed when Channie reflexively corrected his grammar—it was sort of a running joke between them—but this time he just sighed and said, "Your momma and I...we decided...oh, hell, there ain't no easy way to do this."

Momma snorted through her nose and took charge. "We're changing your name."

"What?" Channie's mouth popped open. Folks took up to a year deciding on a baby's name to be sure they found one that matched the child's personality. Once given, a name wasn't changed. Not even when it caused severe problems like...say...a gambling addiction that forced you to uproot your entire family and move them halfway across the country to keep 'em from being murdered.

"You heard me. We're changing your power name. Enchantment's magic is too seductive."

"You want to change my name on account of them boys in the park? That ain't fair." When she got upset, Channie had a tendency to forget her schooling and regress to her native dialect. "Ever single one of them Empties come up to me and started talking. I didn't do a dang thing to encourage 'em."

Channie's heart thundered against her ribs. Enchantment's magic surged and poured out of her, but with Momma and Daddy already shielded all it did was drain Channie's energy.

"Look, all I did was talk to a couple of boys. Abby's the one that went and got herself knocked up. If you want to change someone's power name, change hers. It ain't fair to punish me for something she did!"

Daddy nodded towards the stairs, where Abby sat shoveling the last of Momma's homemade cottage cheese into her mouth—straight out of the crock. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "We made the mistake of naming your sister Abundance, and look what happened to her."

"She got fat. So what?"

"Why do you think she had triplets?"

"I don't know. Maybe the boys' daddy has a multiplier power name of some sort."

The only thing Abby ever said about her babies' daddy was that he was magically disabled, but no one in their right mind believed Savvy, Courage, and Zeal were sired by an Empty. Those boys were already too powerful to be Halfies. They couldn't cast spells yet, but the way they instinctively tapped into their power names proved they were gifted.

Daddy shook his head. "It was Abby's magic that took what should'a been one baby and made three. That's why them boys are identical."

"I still don't see what that has to do with—"

Daddy slammed the side of his fist into the threadbare armrest of the sofa, sending a puff of dust into the air. "We are living smack dab in the middle of nothing but magically disabled, immoral parasites."

It wasn't at all unusual for Daddy to get riled up when he started talking about the carnal nature of teen-aged boys. But Channie knew she was losing the argument when the vein on his forehead began to pulse and his voice climbed in pitch as well as volume.

"Every young man back home had to raise his shield around you if he didn't want to fall under your spell. Empty boys don't have the ability to shield themselves from your magic. Hell, they don't even believe in magic. They ain't gonna worry about what sort of curse I'll slap on 'em if they don't keep their nasty hands to themselves!"

Daddy closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose. He lowered his voice and said, "Come here, baby girl," then reached for Channie's hands and pulled her closer, until her knees bumped his shins. The old sofa groaned as he shifted his weight from one hip to the other. Most people were considerably less intimidating when they were sitting down. Not Daddy.

He said, "You don't have complete control over Enchantment's power and we can't afford to wait until you do. I know it's not your fault and it's not fair, but if we don't change your name, you'll draw those sex-crazed Empties to you like flies to honey."

Channie couldn't help feeling a bit of pleasure as she remembered how she'd charmed that entire crowd of boys. She bit the inside of her cheeks in an effort to keep from smiling, but that didn't fool Daddy. Not one bit. He tightened his grip on Channie's hands, squeezing the blood out of her fingers.

"That is not a good thing! I don't want you to attract their attention. I don't want you to enchant them. And I sure as hell don't want you to wind up like your sister!"

Channie jerked her hands free and stumbled backwards, out of Daddy's reach. "My power name is not going to get me pregnant!"

Sometime during the argument, Abby had gotten up off the stairs. She was leaning against the arched opening that divided the entryway from the parlor with the crock of cottage cheese cradled in one arm like a baby. She licked both sides of her spoon then said, "Channie's right. Her power name ain't the problem..."

Abby wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but Channie was desperate. She'd take all the help she could get.

"...It's her firm, perky breasts, tiny waist and soft round hips you need to worry about. Y'all should try to find a way to fatten her up. I ain't had so much as one fella pinch my fannie since I put on so much weight."

Channie glared at Abby, then shifted her gaze to Daddy. He stared right back at her—calm, focused and unblinking—like a bobcat stalking a robin. Channie trembled, but refused to break eye-contact. "I have a brain. I'm not going to let some pretty-boy sweet-talk his way into my pants!"

Abby scraped the bottom of the ceramic crock with her spoon, setting Channie's teeth on edge. "Oh, believe me, 'lil sis. They don't do it by talking. It's their hands you need to watch out for. Well, that and their—"

Abby's mouth slammed shut, her face turned purple and her eyes looked like they were about to pop clean out of her head. Momma's no-speak spell wouldn't last much longer, but it might be Channie's only opportunity to get out of this mess. She took advantage of the distraction and used every bit of energy in her power-well in a desperate attempt to enchant Momma while her shield was down.

Daddy repelled Channie's magic with so much force it knocked her on her butt. He patted Momma's knee then spoke as if Channie were no longer in the room. "That girl's too smart for her own good. If we're not careful, she'll twist our good intentions into something else entirely. Her new name has to be specific so it'll work exactly the way we want it to. We need to think of something better than Purity."

Purity? That's what they'd planned to name her? Purity? Losing Enchantment was bad enough, but if they saddled her with a name like Purity and sent her off to public school with a bunch of Empties that didn't understand the purpose of a power name, they might as well just put a bullet through her brain right now and end her misery.

Momma said, "If you have any better ideas, let's hear 'em."

"Well...how about Ugly. Or Repulsive?"

Momma brushed Daddy's hand off her knee. "Do you want her to be an outcast?"

Daddy leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. "Better an outcast than an unwed mother."

"We agreed on Purity. There's no better name to keep her chaste."

"What about Chastity?"

Channie cringed, waiting for Momma to curse Daddy for cracking a dirty joke.

But Momma just nodded her head and said, "Perfect."

"What? No! You can't name me Chastity—not when our last name is Belks!"

~***~

Daddy stood up and wrapped his arms around Channie. "We know this is hard for you, baby girl. But you'll thank us someday when you're happily married to a powerful mage."

With no warning at all, Daddy trapped Channie inside his circle of power. Tears spilled out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks. "Please, Daddy. I'll be good. I promise. I won't flirt with boys no more. I won't even talk to 'em. Just...please...don't do this. Don't change my name."

Momma added her energy to the spell, put her hands on Channie's shoulders and began to chant...

"Child of power, child of light,

We now assert a parent's right.

The name of power once bestowed,

We now revoke 'till you're betrothed."

Adding the power of words to a spell's energy was serious business, especially words that rhymed. It was ancient magic reserved for bindings like marriages, treaties between clans, death pledges and...namings. An intense buzz assaulted Channie's ears as power sparked and crackled all around her. This was no ordinary magic.

The stench of burnt onions filled Channie's nose and throat. Momma and Daddy weren't just changing her name—they were cursing her.

Channie squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, "My name is Enchantment. My name is Enchantment." She didn't know what good it would do against the dark magic Momma and Daddy were wielding—especially since she couldn't think of an appropriate word that rhymed with Enchantment to empower the counter-spell—but she had to try.

Channie sobbed as Chastity's raw, ugly power forced its way into her soul—digging, tearing and ripping apart everything that resisted. It shoved what remained of Enchantment's magic out of Channie's power-well and took control.

Beneath the grief and the pain, a new emotion emerged. Channie had been upset before, annoyed, hurt, irritated...even angry—but she'd never felt rage. Not until this moment. Her blood boiled and scorched her veins as it purged the illusions of happiness from her mind. All her life Channie had been drifting...floating in a dream of quiet contentment...sedated and seduced by Enchantment's gentle magic. But she was awake now. With each beat of her pounding heart, she became more enraged, more determined and more aware of her own free will.

A part of Enchantment's power survived and fled into Channie's heart-of-hearts where even she couldn't find it.

The ancient magic released Channie the moment Momma stopped chanting. Her fury dissipated, leaving her drained and weak. Chastity was now centered behind her navel in her power-well, quiet, dormant and waiting.

Without the distraction of rage, the pain of Enchantment's loss overwhelmed Channie, leaving her bereft...as if someone she dearly loved had just died.

~***~

As soon as everyone else was asleep, Channie crawled out from under her quilt and opened her window. A blast of cold air made her eyes water. She tried to cast a warmth spell on herself, but her new power name was still dormant. What kind of parents destroyed a perfectly good power name like Enchantment and replaced it with Chastity?

She removed the window screen and shoved it in her closet then crawled onto the roof.

The sound of male voices drew her attention to the park next door. She couldn't understand what they were saying, but they sounded friendly enough. Hmm... Her new power name, her curse, was designed with one purpose in mind, so to activate it—she needed a dirty-minded boy.

Channie tossed her blanket back in her room then scampered down the fake, but convenient, rocks on the front of the house. She followed the crushed gravel path that led from her front yard into Heritage Park.

The three-quarter moon peeked out from behind a cloud and revealed two masculine silhouettes. The boys were inside the pavilion, sitting on top of a picnic table. One of them was smoking a cigarette. When Channie stepped out of the shadows, he elbowed the other boy. They both stopped talking and stared at her.

She froze, unsure of how to proceed without Enchantment's natural charm.

A prickly sensation, like cockleburs, ran under Channie's skin. She didn't need magic to read the boy's energy fields—curiosity mixed with a fair amount of lust—nothing unusual about that.

Channie had assumed that her new power name would repel boys, or make them repulsive to her. Instead, Chastity's magic was attracted to their lustful energy and grew stronger as it fed off their carnal desires. Momma and Daddy must have messed up the spell when they changed her name.

Channie coughed and fanned the air, frowning at Cigarette Boy. He tossed the nasty thing onto the ground and snuffed it out with the toe of his canvas shoe.

The skinny, non-smoking boy leaned forward and smiled at her. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?"

Channie licked her dry lips and nodded. What was wrong with her? She wasn't shy. Or was she? She didn't know who she was without Enchantment's magic.

Cigarette Boy ran his gaze up and down her body. The level of lust in the air doubled and flowed into Chastity's power-well, awakening its potential.

He smirked at her. "What's the matter, can't you talk?"

Channie started to take a step back, but didn't want him to think she was easily intimidated. She straightened her spine and held her ground. "I can talk just fine. When I have something to say."

Cigarette Boy elbowed his friend in the ribs. "Dude, did you hear that accent?" He hugged his chest, copying Channie, and pitched his voice up high to mock her. "Aw kin tawk juz fiiiine whin ah have sumthin' to say."

"Jeeze, Eric. You're such an ass." The skinny boy shoved Eric's shoulder then looked at Channie and smiled. "I apologize for this idiot. He has no social skills whatsoever. That's why we only let him out at night."

"It's okay. I can handle it. But thanks." Channie pulled a small amount of Chastity's power to the surface and tried to send the obnoxious Eric away using persuasive magic instead of an actual spell. Nothing happened.

She narrowed her eyes and pushed a little more magic at him. Instead of flowing out of her power-well in a gentle stream the way Enchantment's energy would have, it shot out of her with a sudden burst of power.

Folks rarely noticed when Channie used persuasive magic on them, and even when they did, they didn't usually care. Enchantment's energy was positive and soothing. Chastity's was not.

Eric yelped and hopped off the metal table. He looked at his friend and said, "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Something shocked me. There must be a short in the wiring."

"What wiring? The table's not wired."

"Well, something sure as hell zapped me."

Channie stepped into the shadows to hide her grin. This was fun. She zapped him again.

Eric twitched and swore. "Come on! You had to feel it that time."

"I don't know what you're talking about. What the hell have you been smoking?"

Eric suggested his friend do some inappropriate things to himself then trotted down the path towards the parking lot. Channie waited for him to drive away then took a small step towards the skinny boy on the picnic table. He watched her but didn't say a word. She read his energy field again and was surprised to find anxiety.

She could try to encourage him by flirting, but that could take all night. Come-hither spells were illegal, but this boy was an Empty and didn't know that. Besides, who was he going to tell?

Channie held her breath and used a small amount of Chastity's power to cast what she hoped was a weak spell.

The boy hopped off the picnic table and closed the distance between them in two strides. He was tall—much taller than she'd thought. He was also stronger than he looked. He grabbed Channie with one hand, digging his fingers into her side, then slid his other hand to the middle of her back. He pulled her close and crushed his mouth against hers—taking her completely by surprise.

Her first instinct was to curse him and run away, but she wanted to know what Chastity's magic would do on its own. So, she kissed him back. He tasted like spearmint and honey. Magic pulsed out of her without warning.

The boy jerked his head up and shoved her away from his body. He pushed his hair off his forehead with both hands and gaped at her. "What the hell?"

Tears pricked the back of Channie's eyelids. This was not how she'd imagined her first kiss. She knew it was selfish to focus on her own disappointment when the poor boy was so obviously confused and frightened—but how could she reassure him with Chastity's magic buzzing like a swarm of hornets?

She blinked in an effort to hide her tears, but they leaked out of the corner of her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

The boy opened his mouth as if to speak, but then slammed it shut and shook his head. He held his elbows close to his body, lifted his hands, palms up, and shrugged his shoulders as he backed away from her. He leaned over, grabbed a bicycle off the ground then raced away, disappearing into the shadows.

~***~

Channie couldn't believe how deeply the boy's rejection wounded her. She kept herself under control until she climbed back onto the roof, then gave in to her tears.

Her bedroom window slid open with a gritty squeak. Channie whirled around and was instantly blinded by a shaft of light. She would have tumbled off the roof if Abby hadn't grabbed her arm.

"Good grief, Channie, what the hell are you doing out there in the dead of night?"

"None of your damn business!" Channie jerked her arm out of Abby's clutches, climbed inside and shut the window. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I came to see if you were okay. How are you adjusting to your new power name?"

"Get that damn flashlight out of my face." Channie wasn't usually so short tempered. Was this just another manifestation of her new name?

Abby redirected the beam to the floor and sat down on Channie's bedroll. "What Momma and Daddy did to you was dangerous. I was just worried, that's all."

It was risky to confide in Abby, but who else was she gonna talk to? Channie grabbed an extra blanket out of the closet and tucked it into the crack between the bottom of her bedroom door and the carpet then turned on the ceiling light. For some reason, the small act of rebellion against Daddy's orders to not use electricity made her feel better. "What Momma and Daddy did to me was wrong, but what makes you think it's dangerous?" Channie already knew her name was dangerous, but she wanted to find out what Abby knew about it. Maybe Momma and Daddy had let something slip in front of her.

"I'm afraid it's going to change you."

"Probably." Channie already felt like a different person. "It's nothing like Enchantment. It's all prickly, like a curse. It even smells like one. And it's hard to control."

"So, it's fully active now?"

Channie crossed her ankles and sat down in front of Abby, resting her elbows on her knees. She lowered her voice and said, "Promise not to tell on me?"

"Of course."

Channie leaned closer. "I kissed a boy in the park and Chastity's power-well sort of exploded on him."

Abby's eyes widened. "Is he okay?"

"I think so. But, he took off before I got a chance to scan him."

Abby smiled and said, "Did you enjoy kissing him?"

Channie grinned in spite of herself. "I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it hadn't of scared the living daylights out of him."

Abby giggled then slapped her hands over her mouth.

Channie held her breath until she was certain Momma and Daddy were still asleep.

Abby said, "Just wait 'till you fall in love. You won't believe how much you'll enjoy kissing then."

"Have you ever been in love?"

Abby's shoulders dropped three inches. "I still am."

This was news. "Who are you in love with?"

"The boys' daddy."

Channie had always assumed the rascal was nothing but a passing fling since Abby didn't even try to get him to marry her.

"Why didn't you name the fella? Daddy would have made darn sure he stepped up and did you right by you."

"Are you serious? Daddy would'a killed him."

"Not if he agreed to marry you."

"He's magically disabled, Channie. How many times do I have to say it before somebody believes me?"

"The trips don't act like Halfies."

"You ever met any Halfies?" Abby narrowed her eyes when she repeated the derogatory term for mixed-blood people.

"No, but everybody says—"

"Magically disabled blood does not dilute power. My babies are proof enough of that. Besides, I got no reason to lie about it. You know how folks look down on mixed-blood people. Why would I want to burden the boys with that kind of prejudice if it weren't the truth?"

"Well then, how come you didn't lie about it the other way. You could have said their daddy was a mage instead of an Empty."

"If I would'a done that, Daddy never would have stopped tormenting me about who it was until I told him another lie and named some poor mage. And then I would've had to marry him. And please quit calling the trip's daddy an Empty. If you're too lazy to say 'magically disabled,' call him an MD."

"Sorry, it's just a habit. I meant no offense. How did you meet him?"

"Me and Momma had gone into town. I smarted off about something and pissed her off. You know how she is. She made me sit in the bus while she went in to Wal-Mart. It got so damn hot, even with the doors open, I thought I was gonna die. I knew better than to go inside where it was air-conditioned after Momma told me to wait in the bus, so I went around to the north side of the building to get out of the sun and found a couple of boys leaning against the wall."

Abby got a faraway, dreamy look in her eyes. "They worked at the McDonald's next to Walmart and were on their lunch break. We started talking and one thing led to another and Diego...I mean...oh crap..."

Abby pressed her fist to her mouth and closed her eyes.

Channie reached out and touched her elbow.

"It's okay, Abby. I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"I can't believe I said his name. Five years and I ain't never said his name in front of nobody. What the hell's wrong with me?"

Channie waited a few minutes for Abby to calm down then said, "It's an interesting name."

"It's Spanish."

That explained the trips' exotic good looks and dark coloring.

Abby picked a loose thread off the blanket. "Not much chance of you forgetting a name like that, huh?"

"No, but I already promised I wouldn't tell anyone so quit worrying about it. What happened next?"

"He bought me a Coke-a-Cola."

"Come on, Abby. You know what I mean. How'd you and Diego fall in love?"

Abby smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I went back to the bus as soon as I finished my drink, even though it was hotter than the gates of hell, and waited for Momma. I didn't think I'd ever see Diego again, but the very next time we went to Walmart—there he was. I intentionally pissed Momma off so she'd send me back to the bus. As soon as I walked outside, Diego invited me to go to McDonald's."

"Wow. What'd he say when you told him you didn't have any money?"

"He acted all insulted and said he'd never ask a girl out on a date and then expect her to pay."

"So, what'd you get?" Channie had never eaten at a restaurant before.

"Cheeseburger, french-fried potatoes and a chocolate milkshake."

"Was it good?"

"Oh man, Channie, you have no idea. If you ever get the chance to eat at McDonald's, be sure you order those fried potatoes. You ain't never tasted nothing so good in all your life."

"So...How'd you get pregnant?"

Abby shrugged her shoulders. "Same as anybody else."

"No, I mean you didn't just...you know...do it right there in the parking lot. Did you?"

Abby laughed and shook her head. "No, silly. Of course not, and we didn't do much more than kiss for the first couple of months anyway. But when the weather cooled off enough that the heat wouldn't roast us like Thanksgiving turkeys, Diego borrowed his cousin's pick-up and camper. Oh lordy, but we had fun in the back of that old truck."

"In broad daylight?"

"We taped newspapers over the windows. Nobody knew what we were doing in there."

Channie was willing to bet that Diego's friends knew exactly what they were doing in there.

"What's it like?" Heat spread from the base of Channie's neck all the way to the top of her head. She dropped her gaze to the floor and watched a granddaddy longlegs slow progress as it crawled across the top of her left shoe.

Abby shrugged. "It's not much fun the first couple of times, and the very first time hurts like a son-of-a-bitch. But it gets better with practice—a whole lot better."

"Do you ever wish you would have waited? Until you were married?"

"Every day of my life. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys and I can't imagine life without 'em. But it's hard being somebody's Momma when you're only fifteen. Hell, it's still hard, even at nineteen—especially with three of 'em—but even if I hadn't of gotten pregnant, I'd still regret it."

"Because of the shame?"

"No. I ain't ashamed of lovin' Diego. But when you lie with a man, especially if you're in love and it's the first time for both of you, it creates a bond strong as any binding spell. It links your hearts together so tight that any separation feels like you're being torn in half." Abby folded her arms under her breasts and rocked forward.

Channie said, "Do you think you'll ever get married?"

Abby sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with the edge of a blanket. "I don't know. I don't want to marry nobody but Diego."

"But, you're such a flirt."

"It's just an act. If everybody thinks I'm a good-for-nothing, boy-crazy whore, it protects Diego. But if I moped around all the time and acted like a love-sick innocent kid they'd never stop trying to find out who ruined me."

Abby was a lot smarter than she acted.

"How come you and Diego didn't just run off together?" That's what Channie would have done.

"Diego's daddy ran off with another woman two months before we met. The lazy skunk left his family high and dry with no way to support themselves. Diego dropped out of school and started working two jobs just to make ends meet. He can't desert his momma and little brothers and sisters. They depend on him."

"That sucks."

"It sure does. Diego ain't never gonna get to hold his babies or tell 'em he's their daddy or nothing. I wish to high heaven I would have had the courage to tell Momma and Daddy to just go to hell and stayed with Diego."

"You're an adult. Why didn't you?"

"On account of the boys. Diego and I can't support ourselves and three kids. Not while he's also taking care of his Momma and little brothers and sisters." Abby swiped the tears off her cheeks. "Everyone says listen to your heart, but that's easy. You can't help but listen to your heart—the damn thing won't shut up until you do. I had to choose between the only man I'll ever love and my babies. It was a hard choice, Channie. A damned hard choice."

Chapter Two

JOSHUA

After Abby left, Channie couldn't fall asleep. It had nothing to do with sleeping on the floor or worrying about Abby's sad situation, or even the trauma of a new power name...and everything to do with kissing that tall, skinny boy in the park. She didn't even know his name.

Her heart raced just thinking about that damn kiss. She tried to convince herself she was just worried about him telling the other kids at school. It was a legitimate concern. The past ten years at Wisdom Academy of Magic and Modern Living had taught her just how fast a juicy rumor could spread. The Academy was a private school for mages but there was nothing private about it. She doubted the gossip mill at a public school would be any less efficient.

So, Channie began her first day at Monarch High School with her heart in her throat and her stomach tied in knots. She did not want to start school with a bad reputation on top of everything else. Maybe he didn't even go to this school. It would simplify her life if she never saw him again, but she couldn't deny the disappointment she felt when she considered that possibility.

The bike rack near the back door of the school was nearly empty. Two obviously expensive bicycles were stripped of front wheels and seats and locked up tight with metal bars that secured the frames to the rack. The only other bicycle looked like it was made out of scavenged parts from Pappy's junk yard. Nothing matched and it was so small it looked like it belonged to a fourth-grader. It was also locked. Not that it mattered. No one was going to steal that piece of crap.

Channie didn't have a lock for her bicycle. She considered pushing it into the bushes and casting a hands-off spell on the living plants to guard it, but Momma and Daddy had told her not to use magic at school. The chances of discovery were so low it was ridiculous. They had moved here specifically because there were no other mages in the area. Even if there were, they would have to discover Channie's spell, trace it back to her, figure out Daddy was a wanted mage, and even then, they'd have to be an extraordinarily despicable character to rat him out.

A more likely scenario was for some stupid Empty to get zapped and think her bike was touching an exposed electrical wire or something and call the fire department. Not only would Momma and Daddy sell her bike, they'd curse her and take a belt to her backside for such blatant disobedience.

Channie removed the seat and put it in her backpack then went inside.

Channie noticed several cute boys in the halls, but most of them already had girls hanging all over them. Daddy was right about one thing. If it weren't for loose morals, Empties wouldn't have any morals at all. One couple even walked by with their hands in each other's back pockets.

The first bell rang just as the woman behind the counter in the administration office handed Channie an admissions packet along with a map of the school and a yellow strip of paper with "Locker number A-27 Combination 35-17-32" typed at a slight angle along the top edge.

Channie peeked inside her packet and bit back a groan. She was dismayed, but not surprised, to see her name listed as Chastity Belks. The spell Momma and Daddy used to change her name, magically changed it on every one of their new documents as well.

The woman said, "Hang on a sec. I'll write you a pass," then pulled a small pad of blue paper out of a drawer, signed the top sheet and handed it to Channie. It was an excuse for tardiness. The only good thing about her family's move was that it had happened before the fall semester started. Channie didn't want to be late on the first day and wind up sitting on the front row for the whole year. She wanted to sit in the back where she could keep an eye on everyone else.

So—she used an itty-bitty little seeking spell to find her classroom. The spell was so weak all traces of it would be gone before lunch.

Channie tried smiling at a couple of girls on her way to class, but they were too busy talking to each other to notice her. She had a little better luck with the boys, but when they did notice her, it activated Chastity's energy. She didn't want to curse anyone so she avoided eye-contact and hugged the wall on her way to class.

The teacher was already seated behind her desk when Channie walked in. The woman looked to be about a hundred years old. Channie handed the enrollment packet to her, tossed the pass into the trash and took a seat near the back of the room just as the second bell rang. The teacher pursed her lips, pushed her half-moon granny glasses higher up the bridge of her nose and opened the attendance book.

Oh lordy, here it comes. Channie took a deep breath and stared at an ink stain on top of her desk, tracing it with a fingertip.

"Abrim, Joshua?" The teacher spit out each syllable as if the boy's name left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Yo."

Channie glanced over her left shoulder and nearly fell out of her chair. Her eyes felt as if they were going to pop out of her head. Joshua Abrim was none other than the boy she'd kissed last night in the park.

He looked up and caught Channie staring at him. She whipped her head around so fast it shot a needle of pain down the side of her neck.

She didn't need magic to know that Joshua was still staring at her. She read his energy field to find out how angry he was, but all she found was lust, anxiety and guilt. She was not surprised by the lust, he was a boy after all. She'd cursed him when they kissed so she understood his anxiety. But why on earth was he so full of guilt and remorse?

The teacher cleared her throat and said, "I expect my students to respond to roll call with 'present,' but if any of you find the pronunciation of more than one syllable at a time beyond your capabilities, you may simply say, 'here.' This is an advanced placement English Literature course. Surely, you have a basic grasp of the language or you wouldn't be in my classroom."

Channie was willing to bet her miserable life that this dried up old prune would insist on calling her by the name printed on her records every day for the rest of the year.

Sure enough. The teacher looked right at her. The wrinkled corners of her mouth twitched as she stabbed Channie's enrollment papers with the tip of her fountain pen. She sniffed twice, wrinkling her nose like a nervous rabbit. "Belks, Chastity?"

The old biddy completely ignored the snorts, giggles and fake coughs that filled the room. She didn't even flinch when some jackass shouted, "No way!"

Channie gritted her teeth. "Please, ma'am, just call me Channie."

"I'm sorry, Chastity, but I do not allow slang of any type in my classroom and that includes nicknames."

Humiliation and anger raised Chastity's energy to dangerous levels. Channie focused all her attention on controlling her powers. If she let anything slip, there was no telling what might happen to the old crone. But once she calmed down to a safe level, she zinged her tormentor with a tiny little curse. She didn't give Old Prune Face hemorrhoids. She just inflamed the ones she already had.

~***~

Channie's day went downhill from there. She spent the entire first period trying to think of something she could say to Joshua, but all she came up with was... Sorry kissing me was such a horrible experience, but I needed a guinea pig to test out my new power name.

She'd just decided to avoid him altogether when she found her locker.

Were the fates aligned against her? Had someone cursed her? What were the odds that Joshua Abrim's locker would be right next to hers? At least he hadn't spotted her yet.

Channie took two steps back, then spun around and ducked into the girls' bathroom. She fled into one of the stalls when she heard someone come in. They were talking about her. She flinched when the door swung open and hit the wall with a bang.

"She has the most hickified, red-necked, southern accent I've ever heard."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now stop interrupting."

"Sorry."

"Her name..." Channie squeezed her eyes shut. "...is Chastity!"

"No way!"

"Yes, way. But you are not going to believe this...Her last name is Belks!"

Channie waited for the girl to burst into laughter, but there was only silence.

"I don't get it."

"Ug! You are so dense. Chastity Belks...?" More silence. "Come on! You have to know what a chastity belt is!"

"Sorry, Kassie, I never heard of it."

"You are so naive! A chastity belt is an old-fashioned device men used to put on their wives to be sure they didn't cheat on them when they went off to war."

"Well, why didn't the women just take them off after the men left?"

"Because they couldn't. The belts were made out of iron and had locks on them."

"That's horrible!"

"Ya think?"

"And this new girl? You're not just making this up? Her name, really-truly, is Chastity Belks?"

"Yeah, but she goes by Channie. She even asked Old Lady Windsor to call her that. I wish you could have heard her. She sounded like Oliver Twist, only instead of 'Please sir, may I have some more?' She said, 'Please ma'am, just call me Channie.' And instead of a cute English accent, she sounded like an inbred hillbilly."

Chastity's magic clawed at Channie's stomach, desperately wanting to curse both girls. She wanted to crawl out a window and run all the way home to Arkansas, or at least to her new house by the park, but there were no windows and the girls weren't done talking about her.

"So, did Old Lady Windsor agree to use her nick-name?"

"Ha! You know better than that. I thought Chastity was going to break down and cry when she refused."

"I would have!"

Kassie said, "Of course you would have. You're such a baby. But Chastity seems pretty tough. She's probably used to people making fun of her by now."

"Who in their right mind would name their own kid something like that?"

"Inbred hillbillies."

The girls left, but Channie could still hear their laughter echoing through the halls, even after the door swung shut behind them.

She spent all of second period locked inside the tiny stall; crying silently and wishing with all her heart she was back home with her friends and family where everybody talked the same way she did and nobody made fun of her or talked about her behind her back.

The only half-way nice thing Kassie had said about Channie was a lie. She wasn't tough, not at all, but if she wanted to get through the rest of the day, much less the rest of the year—she'd better change. Enchantment wasn't tough, but Chastity sure as hell would be.

She blotted her tears with toilet paper then splashed cold water on her face until all traces of her emotional breakdown were gone. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, dropped the pretentious speech patterns drilled into her at Wisdom Academy and said, "Screw 'em. They ain't nothing but ignorant Empties anyways," then stomped out of the bathroom with her spine straight, shoulders back and her head held high.

Her newfound confidence didn't last five seconds in the crowded hall. Whispered comments and low murmuring voices followed her everywhere.

"Hey. There's that new girl, Chastity Belt."

"Is that her real name?"

"It sounds like a name for a porn star, huh?"

"I wonder if she puts out?"

"With a name like that? She has to."

Power buzzed and crackled under Channie's skin. It was the same sensation she'd felt last night right before the curse struck Joshua—minus the pleasure of kissing. She hadn't consciously called any power to the surface then and she sure as heck hadn't called any up now. But there it was, a breath away from exploding and cursing everyone in sight. Trying to control Chastity's magic was a lot like trying to rein in wild horses. The more she tried to restrain it, the harder it became.

When the final bell rang and signaled the end of classes, Channie fled the building and jerked her bicycle out of the rack. She dug the seat out of her backpack and jammed it on the post. It was a little crooked, but she'd work on it when she got home. Right now, all she wanted was to get as far away from Monarch High as fast as possible.

"Hey, Channie, wait up a minute."

She instinctively bristled at the sound of a male voice behind her, but he'd called her Channie—not Chastity. So she fought the urge to curse him and turned around.

Joshua Abrim extended his hand and offered her a piece of paper folded into a triangle. Channie pinched a corner between her finger and thumb, carefully avoiding any skin-to-skin contact since Chastity's energy was so volatile. She looked into his eyes to gauge his reaction to her strange behavior then couldn't look away. She was mesmerized. From a distance, his eyes looked black. They weren't. They were the deepest shade of blue Channie had ever seen.

He finally blinked and released her from his hypnotic gaze. Channie withdrew her hand and focused on the note he'd given her to keep from staring into his eyes again. She slid a finger under one flap, but before she could unfold it, he said, "Don't read it now," and tried to snatch it out of her hands.

Channie didn't dare let him touch her. She thrust her hands, and the note, into her pocket.

Joshua blinked and stepped back, lowering his hand.

Channie didn't need to read his energy field to sense his anxiety. His whole body was shaking. Beads of sweat formed on his upper lip and across his brow. He cleared his throat. "Call me...if you need any help with homework or anything...unless you still hate me."

"I don't hate you. Why would you say that?"

He must have been holding his breath. His chest deflated as he exhaled, curling his shoulders forward. He took another breath and said, "So...um...my friends call me Josh."

"Okay...Josh."

They stood there and grinned at each other for a few seconds, until Channie giggled.

Josh laughed, held his thumb to his ear and his pinkie finger below his chin. "Call me."

He backed away from her, not looking where he was going, and tripped over the bike rack. He swore, then apologized for swearing.

Channie smiled. "It's okay. My daddy swears all the time."

Josh grinned at her as he yanked the child-sized, junk-yard bike out of the rack. He was out of sight before Channie had even managed to buckle her helmet. She waited until most of the other kids were gone, then unfolded and read his note...

Hey Channie,

I was hoping I'd see you at school today so I could apologize, but when I saw you in class, I chickened out. I know it's real middle-school to communicate by note, but since I don't know your number, it's all I could come up with.

Okay, so first things first. I'm so so so so sorry for coming on to you last night. I don't know what came over me. I'm not usually so pushy with girls. In fact, I'm never pushy with girls, you can ask anyone, they'll all tell you I'm a total tard around girls (which is why I'm writing this stupid note instead of talking to you face to face.)

For some odd reason, I thought you wanted me to kiss you last night. I was obviously wrong, but next time a guy misreads your signals, consider telling him instead of using a taser.

Anyway, if you want to call me for whatever reason...To yell at me and tell me what a jerk I am, or for help with Eng. Lit. My number is 303-555-4680. Or you can email me joshabrim@yahoo.com

Josh

Channie felt guilty for distressing the poor boy, but she couldn't exactly tell him it was all her fault. All she could do was assure him that she wasn't upset about the kiss. She'd have to be careful though, she didn't want to give him the impression that she was the kind of girl that enjoyed kissing strangers. She didn't know what a taser was, but since it provided Josh with a logical explanation for getting cursed, she wasn't about to ask him. She refolded the note, shoved it in her pocket and headed for home.

~***~

Channie's second day at Monarch was worse than her first. Every single kid seemed to know her full name and enjoyed using it. The only one that was nice to her was Josh Abrim and he was so shy, all he did was grin and wave at her from a distance—and stare at her during English Lit. when he thought she wasn't looking. In the interest of keeping her life as uncomplicated as possible, Channie decided to avoid him. Unfortunately, she couldn't stop thinking about him...or that kiss.

By Friday, the note Josh had given her was as soft and wrinkled as crushed velvet. Channie read it at least a dozen times a day even though she'd memorized every word of it. She wanted to call him, but even if they'd had a telephone, and even if she pretended it was only to ask for help with homework, Daddy would never allow it. What was the big deal? It wasn't like she was going to marry him.

Halfway through Biology, Channie decided to quit letting Momma and Daddy control every aspect of her life. The Chastity curse was bad enough, she'd be damned if she'd let them choose her friends too. She ran to the cafeteria as soon as the bell rang, but Josh wasn't there. She looked outside, but gave up after fifteen minutes of searching. Oh well, there was always tomorrow.

Channie climbed to the top row of the bleachers by the baseball field and sat down to enjoy her lunch. The sun felt wonderful, but she didn't want more freckles so she cast a protective spell on her bare skin before pulling her lunch sack out of her backpack.

She was disappointed but not surprised when her peanut butter and jelly sandwich was missing the jelly. Abby had already eaten all the pickled okra and bottled peaches they'd brought from home. If Channie had been smart she would have hidden at least one jelly-jar of Momma's blackberry jam in her closet.

An obnoxious clanging sound interrupted Channie's sandwich inspection. She jerked her head around towards the source of the commotion and groaned as she watched Eric charge up the bleachers.

He flopped down next to her and leaned back against the rails. "Hey Chastity Belt, what're you doing out here all by yourself? Pretending to watch an invisible baseball game?"

Channie wanted to zap him. "It's Belks, you moron. B-E-L-K-S." She jammed her sandwich back in the bag and stood up to leave. Eric jumped to his feet and stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

The brown paper sack rustled in her fisted hands. "Stay away from me."

Eric frowned and made a huffing sound in the back of his throat. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Sorry. I can't make the same promise. Now get out of my way."

Channie was debating the pros and cons of cursing Eric when Josh came out of nowhere and ran up the steps, taking them three at a time. "Leave her alone, asshat."

Channie pulled her bristling magic in tight and held on. Josh was too close.

Eric kept his gaze locked on Channie's chest as he smarted off to Josh. "Get lost, beanpole."

"I don't think Kassie would like it very much if she found out you were hitting on Channie."

Eric's girlfriend, Kassie, was the same girl that had called Channie an inbred hillbilly in the bathroom on the first day of school. In addition to being a shameless gossip, Kassie was insanely jealous. "I don't think Kassie would mind one bit if Eric hit me. He's a jerk, but I don't think he's the kind of jerk that beats up on women."

Eric's jaw dropped. He grabbed his belly and laughed out loud. "You gotta be kidding me!"

Channie wanted to shove him off the bleachers.

Josh had a puzzled expression on his face, but at least he wasn't laughing at her.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Come on, Chastity. No one is that dumb."

Josh glared at Eric. "Don't call her Chastity."

"Why not? It's her name. Even Old Lady Windsor calls her Chastity. Isn't that right, Chastity Belt?"

Josh fisted his hands. The air crackled with anger. "Cut it out, Eric."

"Well, if she doesn't want to be called Chastity—I could give her a nickname."

"She already has one. It's Channie."

"Oh, I know, but I think we can come up with something better than that."

Channie could tell from Eric's tone of voice that she wasn't going to like it.

"Let's see. We could call her 'Chaz' but that's too masculine."

Josh leaned toward Eric. "I'm warning you..."

"I've got it!" Eric snapped his fingers and pointed at Channie. "We can use the second half of her name. Drop the Chass and that leaves you with—"

Josh launched himself at Eric, knocking him over backwards, but in less time than a single heartbeat, Eric reversed positions, straddled Josh's hips and punched him in the nose. He cocked his arm back but before he could land another punch, Channie blasted him with a bolt of pure energy.

He flew backwards and tumbled down the bleachers as if he'd been hit by an invisible train.

"Oh, no." Channie had only been trying to protect Josh. She wasn't trying to hurt Eric. She kept forgetting that Chastity's magic was exponentially more powerful than Enchantment's.

Josh jumped to his feet, ignoring the blood gushing out of his nose and ran down the steps towards Eric. He had every right to retaliate for the cheap shot, but Channie didn't know how badly Eric was injured. If he had a concussion, and Josh hit him. It could cause irreparable brain damage. She was drained from the expenditure of so much power. All magic had its costs, even Enchantment's, but the way Chastity consumed energy, all at once and without reservation, left her reeling. She couldn't even stand, much less protect Eric with magic.

"Josh, please don't—"

Instead of attacking Eric, Josh knelt beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Eric, are you okay?"

Josh's energy field radiated with pure compassion. Channie was immediately drawn to it.

It was wrong to take someone's energy without their permission, but Josh was magically disabled and even if he knew he was generating positive energy, he wouldn't know what to do with it. And Channie desperately needed it. So—she took it.

The energy unexpectedly bypassed her power-well and flowed straight into her heart-of-hearts. Channie wanted to shout with joy when she felt Enchantment stir. It's magic was weak and inaccessible, but it was still a part of her, still able to attract and use positive energy. Maybe someday she could restore Enchantment to its proper place—if she still wanted to.

There was no doubt that Chastity's magic was far superior to Enchantment's when it came to raw power. But Channie missed the positive energy of everyone's adoration—whether she deserved it or not. You didn't make many friends by cursing them.

A quiet groan interrupted Channie's brooding. She used the energy she'd taken from Josh and directed it into her power-well so Chastity would have enough magic to scan both boys for injuries.

Eric had a mild concussion, but Channie knew better than to mess with a person's brain. Without the proper training, she'd likely do more harm than good.

Josh's nose was broken and gushing blood like a faucet, but she was pretty sure she could fix it. After all, she'd healed a robin's wing just last summer, and a nose wasn't nearly as complicated or fragile as a broken wing. Even if she messed up, it's not like it was gonna kill him.

Channie pressed her fingers against her own nose, focusing on the form and function of bone and cartilage then scanned Josh's nose, comparing the differences. She focused her mind and cast the healing spell.

There was a loud "pop," followed by an even louder yelp of pain. Josh ran a finger over the bridge of his nose and swore. "Damn it!"

Eric sat up and said, "What's wrong?"

"You broke my effing nose."

"Yeah, but that was five minutes ago. What just happened? I heard something crack."

"I don't know, but it hurts worse now than it did when you hit me."

Channie cringed. She should have cast a pain-away spell first. Or no spell at all. She needed more practice with Chastity's magic before she used it to fuel a healing spell. It was a lot harder to heal someone with negative energy.

Josh sneezed twice, swearing and spraying blood clots everywhere. But at least his nose quit bleeding. Unfortunately, it was still swelling and the skin under both eyes was turning purple. He helped Eric to his feet, then looked at Channie. "If anyone asks, tell them we were tossing a football around. I missed and got smacked in the face. Okay?"

Channie nodded her head. She read Josh's energy field, expecting to find anger and fear since he was focused on her, but all she found was affection, a desire to protect her...and lust.

Eric was a different story. He radiated nothing but fear and anger. "If you ever come near me again—"

"Dude, you started it." Josh cut him off.

"But she hit me with some kind of power beam."

"Power beam? Seriously?" Josh glanced at Channie with a questioning look then turned back to Eric. "How hard did you hit your head?"

"I don't know how she did it, but I'm telling you—that girl's dangerous."

~***~

Channie decided she'd caused enough trouble for one day and skipped the rest of her classes. She rode her bicycle to Heritage Park and sat in the shade of the pavilion until school was over. She would have enjoyed soaking up some sunshine, but hid in the shadows. She didn't want Momma to see her if she happened to look out one of the east windows.

Three hours later, Channie still had the burnt onion stench of a curse clinging to her, but unless she wanted to answer questions about why she was late coming home from school, she had to go. She got up and rubbed against a pine bough to see if that would hide the smell. It didn't. All it did was gum up her hands and clothes with sticky, yellow sap.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Momma wrinkled her nose when Channie walked in, but she didn't scold her. Daddy actually smiled. And why shouldn't he? The smell of Chastity's curse was proof their little plot to ruin her life was working.

Channie went to bed right after supper and slept until noon the next day. Too many sleepless nights and the expenditure of so much magic had finally taken its toll. But she didn't want to miss her afternoon classes two days in a row, so she persuaded Momma to write her an excuse and rode her bike to school.

Josh's fight with Eric must have boosted his confidence. Instead of sitting on his bike and watching Channie ride away after school—he followed her.

She'd fantasized about talking to Josh for days, but maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Even though he'd defended her at the time, he knew she'd zapped Eric. He was bound to ask questions she wasn't supposed to answer. If he lasered her with those deep blue eyes of his, she was afraid she'd tell him the truth.

Channie pedaled as fast as she could, but it wasn't fast enough. Her legs were on fire and she had a stitch in her side when Josh caught up with her on his child-sized-junk-yard bicycle. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Hey, Channie. Did you read my note?"

She stopped pedaling and let the bicycle coast. There was no point killing herself trying to outrun him since it was obviously impossible. Still gasping for breath, she nodded her head.

Josh pressed his mouth into a thin, hard line and said, "Oh. Okay, then." He nodded his head once and took off, jumping ahead of her as if she'd been standing still.

Channie knew she should just let him go, but the way his body slumped with disappointment tugged at her heart. "Josh, wait a minute. I want to talk to you."

He veered off the path and wheeled his bike around. Channie thought he was going to shoot right past her. But at the last minute, he hit the front brake. Hard. Gravel scattered across the path as the back end of his bike popped up off the ground.

Channie gasped, but instead of tumbling over the handlebars, Josh caught the front tire with one foot and kicked the back end of his bicycle around with the other. He bounced his way back onto the concrete path without touching his feet to the ground.

Channie sniffed the air but didn't detect even a trace of magic. Josh did all that trickery without a balance spell. "How'd you do that?"

Josh grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I just like goofing off." He bit his lower lip then pulled it through his teeth again. It was obviously a nervous habit, but it brought back the memory of kissing him. Channie's cheeks flushed hot when she realized she was licking her lips as she stared at his.

He bounced in place on his bike as if it were a pogo stick. "So...Why didn't you call me?" He stopped bouncing, but kept his feet on the pedals, perfectly balanced.

"We don't have a phone."

His eyebrows shot up and disappeared under the curls that fringed the edges of his bike helmet. "You don't have a phone?"

"Didn't I just say that?" Channie didn't mean to be so snippy, but this high-altitude was killing her. She pushed her hand against the stitch in her side and took a deep breath. "Momma and Daddy are still fighting over whether or not to spend money on a telephone. So no, we don't have one. But even if we did. I couldn't call you."

Josh's Adam's apple bobbed twice before he spoke. "Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"Huh?"

"Is there some reason you can't call me? Even if you had a phone?"

"Yeah. My daddy would kill you."

He blinked and jerked his head back, ducking his chin. "Why?"

"He doesn't want me to have a boyfriend."

"I don't want to be your boyfriend! Unless you want me...I mean...I just want to be your friend."

"I'd love to be your friend, but Daddy doesn't know the difference between a boy that's a friend and a boyfriend."

"I'd be happy to explain it to him."

"Look, Josh, it was nice talking to you, but I gotta go. If I'm late getting home, Momma and Daddy will lay into me."

"You live close to Heritage Park, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll ride with you to the park and we can talk on the way."

"Okay, but if I tell you to leave, you have to do it immediately. I don't want Momma or Daddy to see us together."

"Can I give you some friendly advice? You know, since we're friends now."

Channie lifted her eyebrows.

"Other kids might tease you if they hear you call your parents Momma and Daddy."

"Well, they can just kiss my lily white ass. I don't care what they think." The sudden tightness in her chest and flush of heat creeping up her neck did not support her vehement declaration.

"Good for you." Josh yanked the front wheel of his bicycle off the ground and grinned at Channie as he rode beside her. "I think we're going to be great friends."

Channie thought so too. She couldn't keep from grinning back at him. "Now, can I ask you something? You know, since we're friends."

Josh laughed and nodded his head. "Sure, ask me anything."

"Why are you friends with Eric?"

"I've known Eric Rickmond since grade school. We're more friends out of habit than any thing else. He's a jock and I'm...not. "

Josh slammed the front tire of his bicycle back down onto the concrete path. "BMX racing may be an Olympic event, but it doesn't count as a sport at Monarch. I can't even get P.E. Credit for it...so racers aren't jocks." Josh laughed, but without humor. "Not even if you're nationally ranked and sponsored."

Channie had no idea what BMX racing was, but she wasn't about to ask the only kid at school that didn't already think she was nothing but a stupid, inbred hillbilly to explain it.

"Eric and I only hang out together as a last resort. When there's no one else available. Now, can I ask you something else?"

"Of course."

"Why did your parents name you Chastity?"

Channie's heart skipped a beat, then jumped into double time. Telling an Empty about magic was an unforgivable sin. But so was changing her name. She was tired of feeling isolated and unloveable. She and Josh would never be more than casual acquaintances if he didn't know who and what she really was. Even if they never progressed past friendship, she didn't want to hide behind a lie. She took a deep breath and said, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"I mean it. You can't tell a single soul."

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

Channie gasped before she remembered that Josh didn't have the ability bind himself with a death-pledge. She looked around to be sure no one could overhear her confession. They were completely alone, but she lowered her voice anyway.

"I'm a mage."

"A mage? Like in World of Warcraft?"

"Like a witch, but we prefer the term 'mage,' it's less offensive."

Josh snickered and rolled his eyes. "I suppose you transferred here from Hogwarts."

"I transferred here from Arkansas. My name used to be Enchantment, but Daddy caught me talking to some easily influenced, magically disabled boys the day before school started and decided my virtue was in danger. He and Momma changed my name to Chastity. It's a curse. If I get too close to a boy that's thinking impure thoughts, I can't help it, I zap him."

Josh laughed. "You should be in my creative writing class. With an imagination like that, it'd be an easy A."

Channie glared at him and said, "I am not making this up."

"Come on, Channie. You don't expect me to believe that."

"I most certainly do!"

Josh's smile disappeared.

Channie said, "You remember when you kissed me?"

Josh bit his lip and nodded.

"In your note, you said that you didn't know what came over you. Well, I do. You kissed me because I wanted you to. I cast a come-hither spell on you and it wouldn't have mattered if I were the ugliest girl in the world. You would have kissed me anyway."

Josh's eyes widened. "You wanted me to kiss you?"

Channie had just confessed to using illegal magic on him and all Josh got out of it was that she'd wanted him to kiss her. This was so frustrating. "It was a test. I needed to activate Chastity's power and see what would happen before I started school."

Josh looked at his feet and nudged a pebble off the concrete path with the side of his shoe. "Yeah, right. Whatever. If you want to blow me off, just say so. I'll leave you alone."

"I'm not blowing you off. My parents changed my name to Chastity so I couldn't...you know...mess around with boys."

Josh's smile crept back into place. He leaned over his handle bars and inched forward, mischief sparkling in his eyes. Channie knew she was staring again, but she couldn't help it.

"So. How close can I get?" The flirtatious tone of Josh's voice snapped Channie out of her trance.

She laughed and said, "It depends. How dirty are your thoughts?"

Josh stopped and jerked his shoulders back, locking his elbows. "My thoughts are not dirty!"

The crimson blush on his cheeks and ears indicated otherwise, but it was the prickly rush of magic under Channie's skin that proved he was lying and warned her to back off. She wanted him to believe her, but she didn't want to convince him by cursing him.

"It's getting late. I gotta go. I'll see you at school, tomorrow." She kicked off and headed for the house with Josh's gaze boring into her back, right between her shoulder blades.

~***~

Channie opened the front door and dropped her backpack on the linoleum floor in the entryway. Momma and Daddy must have hit the flea-market—or the local junkyard—while she was at school. The ratty old sofa they'd brought from home was the nicest thing in the room. Momma's homemade incense, smoldering in every corner of the parlor could not mask the foreign smell of other people's lives.

Channie gripped the wall and leaned around the corner to get a peek at the dining room and cringed. Centered under the crystal chandelier that came with the house was a picnic table, just like the ones at Heritage Park next door. She'd been so distracted by Josh that she wouldn't have noticed whether or not one was missing.

Momma fanned smoke out the window while Daddy sat behind a stained formica table on a decrepit old chair with bent chrome legs. Tufts of off-white batting peeked out along the edges of the cracked vinyl. He was busy fiddling with some sort of electronic gadgetry and didn't even look up when Channie pulled out a chair and sat down beside him.

"Hey baby girl, how was school?"

"Fine. Where'd the new dining room table come from?"

Daddy didn't answer, but Channie hadn't really expected him to admit he'd stolen it. He held the gadget up and lifted his gaze to Channie's face. "You didn't happen to learn anything about these little thing-a-m'bobs at that fancy-pants school of yours, did you?"

Channie sighed. Daddy had never gone to a regular school. Everything he knew, he'd either learned on his own, or picked up from other mages. He didn't have much use for schools. She said, "If you want, I can take it with me tomorrow and ask one of my teachers. I'm sure at least one of them will know what it is and how to fix it."

"Nah, that's okay. I'll get 'er figured out—one way or another."

Momma snorted and quit fanning the smoke long enough to turn around and yell at Daddy. "Next time maybe you'll stop and think before you go and yank something plum out of the ceiling before you even know what it is."

"Well, if you'd pay attention to what you're doing, maybe you wouldn't set the kitchen on fire every blamed time you turn on the stove."

Abby leaned over the railing and shouted, "Can y'all keep it down? We're trying to sleep up here!"

Momma and Daddy kept arguing, but they dropped their voices to a whisper. Channie decided to leave before Momma and Daddy started throwing curses at each other. She slipped out of the kitchen, grabbed her backpack off the entryway floor and crept upstairs.

As soon as she opened the door to her room, Channie's heart sank. Her bedroom furniture all matched—which was a miracle—but it was hideous. She might have liked the ornately carved white furniture with its metallic gold trim five years ago. But even then, she would have hated the frilly pink canopy over the bed. She'd never been a lace and ruffles sort of girl.

Momma and Daddy were still whisper-yelling at each other when Channie snuck back downstairs to get a screwdriver out of Daddy's tool chest in the garage.

It took her less than fifteen minutes to remove and disassemble the wire frame that held the canopy. She piled everything in the back of her closet and shut the door. The whole room looked better. Maybe she could talk Momma into buying a small can of blue paint with some of her grocery money. If Channie could paint over the gold trim with a nice dark blue, she'd actually like her new furniture. Her favorite color was red, why did she want blue paint? Channie tried, and failed, to convince herself it had nothing to do with the color of Joshua Abrim's eyes.

~***~

A little past midnight, the sound of weeping woke Channie from a deep sleep.

She crept downstairs and found everyone—except Abby—gathered in the parlor. And everyone—except Courage—in tears.

Daddy sat in the green wingback chair between the front windows. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy.

Momma was on the sofa with Savvy and Zeal clinging to her neck and wailing at the top of their lungs. Momma's sobs were almost as loud as the boys'.

Courage stood in the middle of the room by himself with his spine ram-rod straight and his shoulders pulled back like a little soldier. He was definitely the calmest person in the room and the one most likely to tell her what was going on.

"CoCo, what happened?"

"Savvy had a bad dream. He went to crawl in bed with Momma, but she was gone." As soon as the words left his mouth, his whole body trembled, but he did not cry. Courage never cried.

"But, she'll be back soon, right?" Channie already knew in her heart that Abby was gone for good. She also knew exactly where she'd gone. And who she was with...Diego.

Daddy shoved a wrinkled piece of paper at Channie and said. "That thieving little whore ain't welcome in this house. And she sure as hell ain't getting these boys."

Channie read the letter silently...

Dear Momma and Daddy,

First of all, I ain't mad at neither one of you, but I can't stay here no more. I borrowed some money outta Daddy's chest. I'll pay it back as soon as I can. I am going to make a home for myself and the boys and once I get settled in I'm coming back for my babies. Tell them I love them and that I already miss them and I wish I could have taken them with me. I don't know how long it will take, but I will come for them someday.

Tell Channie I'm sorry and to remember everything we talked about.

Love,

Abundance

Chapter Three

FRIENDS

Momma and Daddy put a be-calm spell on the boys and each other then went to bed. Channie declined their offer to do the same for her. She had school tomorrow and didn't want to be drowsy all day. After tossing and turning for forty-five minutes, she regretted her decision, but it was too late to change her mind. Momma and Daddy were already asleep.

She could put a be-calm spell on herself, but it wasn't a good idea. Casting mood-altering spells on yourself was tricky and rarely worked the way you wanted.

Channie couldn't bear the weight of her blankets and kicked them off, but the air in her room still felt thick and heavy. She got out of bed, raised her window and leaned outside. The air was cold but dry, so it wasn't uncomfortable. The light of the waning moon fell softly across her head and shoulders, soothing her. Channie knew she'd never be able to fall back asleep so she got dressed and climbed out onto the roof. She sat there for about five minutes, then climbed down.

She was so absorbed in her own thoughts she was halfway to the pavilion in the park before she realized where she was going. The picnic table was hidden in the shadows so when a familiar voice quietly greeted her, she jumped.

"Josh! What are you doing out here?"

"Stalking you."

"Really?" Channie knew she should be concerned, but she was more flattered than anything.

"No, not really."

Josh leaned forward into a silver-blue pool of moonlight. His mouth quirked sideways into a crooked grin and his eyes sparkled with mischief. He was flirting with her. Channie wasn't in the mood for playful banter, but she was glad Josh was here. She didn't want to be alone.

He said, "I'm a chronic insomniac and I hate taking sleeping pills. Riding my bike helps me relax and Heritage Park is one of my favorite places to hang out so I'm not really stalking you, it just looks that way."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Ouch."

"Sorry."

"At least you didn't run away screaming."

"I'm not the screaming type."

"That doesn't surprise me. But finding you outside on a school night at three o'clock in the morning does. What's up with that?"

"I couldn't sleep either. My sister ..." To Channie's utter and complete humiliation, all the emotion she'd kept bottled up inside burst free in a single but desperate sob.

Josh flew off the picnic table and wrapped his arms around Channie so fast she didn't have a chance to warn him, much less stop him.

The first thing she felt was a warm, gentle pulse of energy. It was identical to the energy she'd stolen from Josh after his fight with Eric, only more potent. It flowed into Channie and filled her heart-of-hearts till it overflowed. Enchantment was fully charged for the first time since her name change.

Unfortunately, even fully charged, Enchantment's magic was no match for Chastity's curse. The strength of Josh's arms surprised her. But it was his scent—a subtle mixture of sandalwood and lemons—that caught her off guard.

Chastity's prickly magic sprang to life. Channie stiffened—inadvertently pulling Josh closer—as she tried to control the negative energy that wanted to attack him.

Josh was radiating nothing but pure compassion. What was generating so much lust? Channie's face burned when she realized it was coming from her. She had to get away from Josh before she cursed him.

He let go the instant she began to struggle and stepped back—holding his hands away from his body, palms out.

He said, "I'm Sorry."

"Me too." Channie did her best to stop the curse—draining every bit of Enchantment's power in the process. She squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed fistfuls of her hair—tugging until it made her eyes water in an effort to stop thinking about the feel of Josh's arms around her and the sound of his heart as she pressed her cheek against his rock-hard chest.

But there was nothing she could do about his scent. She had to breathe.

When Chastity's magic blasted out of her, Channie opened her eyes—just in time to see Josh collapse onto the picnic bench.

Channie didn't know which was more humiliating, breaking down and crying over Abby in front of Josh, or cursing him because she couldn't control her own lust.

She wanted to run for home, but she needed to be sure Josh was alright first.

He gripped the edge of the table, blinked twice, then left his eyes wide open. A rim of white completely encircled his irises. "Why did you do that?"

"I didn't mean to, it just happened. I told you I was cursed."

"Whatever." Josh got on his bike and rode away without looking back. Channie watched until he disappeared into the tunnel that crossed under Cherry Street then went home and stared at the ceiling above her bed until the sun came up.

~***~

When Channie got to school the next morning, Josh wouldn't even look at her. He kept his gaze locked onto his textbook all during first period and bolted from the room the second the bell rang. Channie looked for him at lunch, but he was sitting with that jackass, Eric and his bitch of a girlfriend, Kassie.

She stared at the back of Josh's head, debating whether or not to approach him when he stiffened and looked over his shoulder. It was as if he sensed her presence. A momentary flicker of pain slid across his face when his gaze first met hers. It lasted less than a second. Channie took a single step forward and lifted her hand involuntarily. It hung in the air, level with her waist. Josh pressed his mouth into a thin, hard line and glared at her, then turned away.

Channie was surprised by how much his hostility hurt—she hardly knew the boy. They'd shared one kiss and one comforting embrace—and a couple of accidental curses. That didn't mean he was her soulmate. But he was her only friend.

She decided to catch up with him after school and try to explain what happened, but he was already gone by the time she got to the bike racks. A mixture of emotions—all of them negative—poured into Chastity's power-well. By the time Channie got home from school, she was ready to explode.

The garage door was open. Daddy was lying on his back, under the VW bus, his tools spread out next to him. This was all his fault. Well, his and Momma's.

Channie twisted her hair into a rope and held onto it so it wouldn't fall into the pool of oil spreading across the garage floor. She leaned over and stuck her head under the bus. "I'm inviting a friend over for supper tomorrow night and I expect you to be nice to him."

Daddy shot out from under the bus, his eyes hard and dangerous.

Channie should have been terrified. She wasn't. Chastity's magic feasted on Daddy's rage.

He took three long deep breaths and wiped his hands on a red shop towel—calming himself. "I don't like your tone of voice, young lady."

"And I don't like what you and Momma did to me. So either give me my name back or deal with it."

Daddy's face turned scarlet. He stood up and unbuckled his belt.

Normally, Channie would have apologized and begged Daddy to forgive her—or run for her life. Of course, if things were normal, Channie never would have antagonized Daddy in the first place. But things weren't normal. Not anymore.

Channie hadn't meant to curse Eric or Josh. Each time had been an accident, but it was no accident when she cursed Daddy. She waited until he grabbed her wrist and jerked her around to lay his belt across her back, then released Chastity's power. He got his shield up before her curse hit him, but it was about as effective as a window pane against a brick.

Daddy flew back against the far wall of the garage then slid to the floor, landing on his butt, legs stiff and spread-eagled in front of him. He blinked a couple of times, then fell over sideways.

Channie waited and watched. But Daddy didn't move. His lips turned blue. Just how much power had she used on him? "Daddy? Are you okay?"

She knelt down beside him and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back with cold fingers, but his grip was weak. Channie said, "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go get Momma."

~***~

It took Daddy a full hour before he could stand on his own without support. Channie felt guilty for hurting him, but she also felt ... empowered. Chastity's magic still thrummed under her skin, it still felt prickly, but instead of irritating Channie, it energized her. For the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid of Daddy or Momma or anyone...not even the Veyjiviks.

Channie was drunk with power. She held onto the wall and leaned into the parlor where Momma and Daddy had their heads pressed together, whispering. They both looked up, fear and anxiety radiating off their bodies. Daddy forced a smile and said, "What do you need, baby girl?"

She needed her old name back. She needed Abby to come home. She needed to patch things up with Josh. She said, "I need a phone."

Momma leaned back against the sofa, folded her arms across her chest and smiled. Daddy sighed and nodded his head. "Alright. I'll call the phone company tomorrow and set up an appointment."

Channie said, "Good. We need a house phone. But that isn't what I meant. I want my own phone; a cell phone that I can take with me to school."

Daddy's face wasn't the only one that turned crimson.

Momma narrowed her eyes and said, "You got some nerve coming in here after attacking your Daddy, making demands like that."

"Everybody at school has their own phone. I'm not being unreasonable. And you didn't seem to mind my demands when you thought it was for something you wanted."

Momma cast a stinging spell at Channie but she was ready for it and deflected it without raising her shield. Momma leapt off the sofa and slapped Channie's face so hard it jerked her head to the side. The stinging spell would have been less painful, and a whole lot less humiliating.

Channie pressed her palm against her cheek to soothe the hurt and said, "If you ever raise a hand to me again, I'll—"

"You'll what? Try to curse me like you did your Daddy?"

Momma came from a long line of Master Mages. Even though Channie came from that same line, she wasn't an adult and her powers weren't fully developed. Still, if she could best Momma, right now, she could force her to remove this horrible curse and restore Enchantment's power. She didn't want to hurt Momma, but if she didn't stand up to her now, she'd never get her name back.

Daddy's shield was like a sheet of glass against a brick. Momma's was industrial grade steel. But even a skyscraper yields to a wrecking ball.

Channie didn't even use the full force of Chastity's power, but it knocked Momma off her feet. Daddy caught her before she hit the floor.

He glared at Channie and brushed a lock of Momma's hair off her face with his thick fingers. "You all right, Prudence?"

Momma nodded without opening her eyes.

Guilt squeezed the air out of Channie's lungs. She stepped towards Momma with an outstretched hand, her unspoken apology bitter on her tongue.

Momma's eyes flew open. This time, when she cast the stinging spell, it found its mark.

Without quite meaning to, Channie retaliated with the remainder of Chastity's power. It shattered Momma's shield and tore her out of Daddy's arms. She slammed onto the sofa with a sudden whoosh of expelled breath. This time, Channie did not feel guilty. All she felt was rage and raw power. The curse drained Channie, but there was so much negative energy in the air, her power-well was completely full again within seconds.

Daddy joined Momma on the sofa and stared at Channie, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"If I don't have a cell phone by the end of the week, you'll wish you'd never even thought about changing my name."

"I already regret it, baby girl."

"Your regrets don't change a damn thing." Channie pointed at Momma. "And the next time you try to curse me, I'll double the power behind my retaliation."

Daddy said, "I ain't got no money, baby girl. You know that. How you expect me to buy you one of them fancy telli-phones?"

It was a good question and one that Channie had wondered about for years. No one dared question Daddy about money. Until now. "Where's the rent money coming from?"

Momma gasped, but Daddy just sighed and said, "Your Aunt Wisdom puts money in a bank account for your momma every month."

Channie's heart leapt into her throat. "Aunt Wisdom knows where we are?" Not only was Aunt Wisdom Channie's most favorite person in the world, she was the most powerful. She could help Channie get her old power name back.

Momma said, "Wizzie opened an account for me with First Bank in Whistler's Gulch the day she named you."

Channie's heart tumbled into her stomach, but she refused to give up hope. "If you make a withdrawal, won't Aunt Wisdom be able to trace it?"

"That's why I use the bank in Littleton, south of Denver."

Momma's smirk made Chastity's power buzz, but Channie held on to it and didn't let it take over.

"If you've got all this money, how come you grovel at Daddy's feet every time you want to buy groceries?"

Daddy puffed his chest up like a bullfrog and said, "I am the head of this family and as such all financial matters fall under my jury's diction."

"It's 'jurisdiction' and that's bull crap. If the money belongs to Momma, she should be the one in control of it."

Momma rubbed her temples then folded her hands in her lap. "When I married your daddy, I promised to love, honor and obey him. Since it was said during a binding spell, I have to submit my will to his when he chooses to exercise his authority."

"Well, that explains a lot." Channie decided right then and there that the word "obey" would not pass her lips during her wedding. No way was she ever going to submit to anybody ever again—not even a husband. Which reminded her...

"Are you two gonna be able to change my name before my wedding night?" No man in his right mind would marry Channie in her present condition.

Momma and Daddy looked at each other and then at their shoes.

"Oh that's just great. What the hell did you do to me? This is no ordinary spell is it?"

Momma sighed and said, "No, it's not."

"Well what is it?"

Momma and Daddy grabbed each other's hands and raised their shields.

Channie rolled her eyes. "You know that's not going stop me from cursing you. Now tell me the truth."

Daddy patted Momma's knee and said, "Better just go get the book and show her."

Neither Daddy nor Channie said a word as they waited for Momma to come back downstairs.

She returned with a small bundle wrapped in coppery-brown silk and sat down next to Daddy. Her hands shook as she unwound the stained fabric and revealed an ancient, hand-bound book.

It was small for a spell book, about five and a half inches tall, four inches wide and an inch and a half thick. The wraparound leather cover was cracked and flaking. A tarnished silver chain—looped around a bone button, carved into the shape of a heart—held the book closed.

Channie stepped closer and leaned over to get a better look. Momma said, "Be careful. This is ancient magic and extremely dangerous. I'd advise you not to touch it."

"What is it?"

"It's a Book of the Dead."

Channie arched an eyebrow and waited.

Momma sighed. Her breath skimmed the surface of the book and stirred up a cloud of reddish brown powder that smelled like rust. "About six hundred years ago, a powerful master-mage created this book. She spent years pouring magic into the animals that would provide the leather and parchment. And for ink..." Momma's voice dropped to a whisper, "... she used her own blood."

There was nothing more powerful than blood. A few drops was all any spell ever required. Why would anyone write an entire book with blood? Unless they were using dark magic.

Momma said, "Before she died, her daughter cut out her beating heart and replaced it with the book."

The room spun. Channie sank to the floor and put her head between her knees. Human sacrifice—even of voluntary victims—was forbidden and punishable by death.

"Momma? Please tell me you didn't ..."

"Dig up the body and retrieve the book?" Momma's smile sent a shiver up Channie's spine. "There wasn't much left besides bones...and of course the book."

Channie's stomach lurched. She clamped both hands over her mouth. When she was certain she could speak without gagging, she said, "How is this possible?"

She knew that leather and parchment came from the skins of animals, but these were so long dead that any ability the book had to hold magic should have faded away over a hundred years ago. Unless it had something to do with the blood sacrifice.

Momma nodded as if she'd read Channie's mind. "Every person that retrieves the book, must repeat the ritual. If I can't find Abby, it will fall to you to perform the sacrifice, but we'll wait until my death is near—"

"No! I won't do it." The edges of Channie's vision turned grey. A high-pitched hum rang in her ears, but it didn't block out the sound of Momma's words.

"Then the power of our line will die with me. You, Abby, Courage, Zeal, Savvy and all your posterity will lose the ability to use magic."

"Did you know this when you dug up that...thing?" Channie's hand shook as she pointed at the evil book on Momma's lap.

"Of course not."

"Then how do you know what's required, or what will happen?"

"It was written in the book."

Channie closed her eyes and repeated the words of the spell. "Child of power, child of light, we now assert a parent's right. The name of power we once bestowed, we now revoke 'till you're betrothed." She opened her eyes and said, "Why did you need that evil book for such a simple spell?"

Daddy said, "It might be simple, but you have to admit it was powerful, and that was only the first part."

Channie had been so busy trying to save Enchantment that she never heard the second half.

"What's the rest of it?"

Daddy said, "I don't rightly understand it, but it goes like this...To keep you chaste and set you free. The name we give is Purity." Daddy shrugged his shoulders. "We changed it around a bit—'To keep you pure and set you free, the name we give is Chastity.' We probably shouldn't have done that."

Ya think? Sometimes Momma and Daddy's arrogance was downright astonishing. "How is one spell supposed to keep me pure and set me free at the same time?"

Momma said, "Your new name has given you powers beyond your years. We cain't control you no more. I just hope we done a good enough job of raising you to keep you outta serious trouble. So far, I ain't too encouraged."

Channie ignored the insult and said, "Did the book tell you how to break the curse before I get married?"

Daddy said, "Nope. I think that part's up to you."

"Oh that's just great. How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

Momma bristled but she didn't even try to cast a clean-speech spell. She said, "Unless you're planning on getting married anytime soon, I wouldn't worry about it."

"I don't want to wait until the last minute. Maybe you better look inside that book and find a way to fix this."

Daddy said, "We already tried. The book is sealed to us now."

"How could you do this to me?" Channie's eyes stung, but she refused to let them see her cry. She turned her back and said, "Don't forget about my phone," then ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door.

Channie cried herself to sleep, then woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat and a fever. She crept down the hall to Momma and Daddy's room to ask for some magically enhanced chamomile to make a cup of healing tea. She didn't think it would be a good idea to ask Momma to heal her outright since she was probably still mad at her. She'd just wind up cursing her, whether she meant to or not.

She wouldn't bother Momma at all, except she kept her potted herbs in her room and the medicine kit in the hall was out of chamomile. Channie was surprised to hear murmuring voices behind Momma and Daddy's bedroom door. They should have been sound asleep. They weren't. They were talking about her.

Daddy said, "I want my sweet baby girl back. I don't like what this power name is doing to her."

Momma huffed so loudly Channie had no problem hearing it through the closed door. "You can blame her name if it makes you feel better, but your sweet baby girl has been a snot-nosed brat from day one. Her old power name just blinded us to it. She's always put on airs and acted like she's better'n everybody else."

"Yeah, well you can thank your sister for that. Wisdom's the one what went and filled Channie's head with all that book learning, convincing the girl she needed an Empty edge-you-ma-cation."

Channie whispered "education" under her breath then bit her tongue when Momma said, "Ever-time that girl corrects someone's grammar, I want to slap her face."

It was an automatic response, but Channie vowed to resist the urge in the future.

Daddy said, "I don't recommend slapping her, no matter what the offense. I've never been hit with a curse so powerful in my entire life—not even when your daddy caught me sneaking into your bedroom through the window."

Channie did not want to hear any more of that particular story and went back to bed without getting any chamomile. She'd just heal her throat without it. It was always best to let someone else cast a healing spell, but Channie didn't have anyone else.

She'd made a mess of Josh's nose after his fight with Eric, but she'd used Chastity's negative energy to fuel the spell. This was a perfect opportunity to try to reconnect with Enchantment.

Channie focused on finding Enchantment's energy inside her heart-of-hearts. It wasn't easy, it took her over an hour to find and activate Enchantment and another hour until she felt confident Chastity's magic wouldn't interfere. But once she was ready, it took less than a second to cast the healing spell that cured her sore throat. It worked like...well, like magic.

~***~

The next morning, Daddy came into Channie's room and sat down on the edge of her bed. He put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Your Momma and I had a nice long talk last night and decided we'd like to meet this boyfriend of yours. Go ahead and invite him over for supper."

Channie blinked her eyes open and yawned. She sat up and leaned back against the headboard. "His name's Joshua Abrim but he's not my boyfriend. He might not even be my friend. I sort of zapped him the other day."

"Zapped him?"

"It's what the Empties call it when I curse one of them. They think I'm using some sort of weapon."

Daddy chuckled until Channie narrowed her eyes.

He coughed and cleared his throat but he couldn't hide the tone of satisfaction in his voice. "Is the boy okay?"

"He's fine. Except he thinks I did it on purpose, even though I explained how you and Momma cursed me and it's not my fault."

"You told him about magic?"

Channie lifted her chin, daring Daddy to reprimand her.

"Oh, baby girl, I hope you ain't too attached to this fella."

Not quite the reaction she was expecting. "What do you mean?"

Daddy took a deep breath and shifted his weight, making the bed springs creak. "If one of the clans finds out, they'll most likely execute him."

"What!" Channie's heart stopped, then pounded against the base of her throat. "You're making that up."

"I wish I was. If he starts blabbing about magic, it could lead the Veyjivik's right to our front door."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"It never come up. Besides, I had no way of knowing you was planning on breaking the oldest and most important mage law."

Channie drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins. "It'll be okay. He didn't believe me."

"We'd all be better off iffen he did. That boy needs to know what's at stake before he goes and blabs what you told him."

"Can't we just put a no-speak spell on him?"

"We can try, but it takes a considerable amount of energy to maintain a spell like that. And all it takes is one slip up when the spell's weak. It'd be safer to just go ahead and kill him."

Channie exploded out of the fetal position and jumped to her feet. "No!"

Daddy raised his shield and shrank away from her.

"You can't kill him! I won't let you. I'll—"

"Alright, baby girl. Let me talk to him. We'll get it figured out, I promise." Daddy was treating her like a dangerous animal, talking softly and patting her arm. "No need to get upset." Channie didn't even try to hide her smile as she felt the balance of power shift. Things were going to be much different around here.

Chapter Four

A NEW BELIEVER

Instead of going to her first class, Channie sat outside and wrote a letter to Josh, stating again that magic was real, that she was cursed and that she hadn't meant to hurt him. She also invited him to supper. She pricked her finger with a rose thorn and squeezed three fat drops of blood onto the page, over her signature. No one, not even an Empty, could deny the truthfulness of her words now. She waited for her blood to dry then rolled the paper into a narrow tube. She bound three rose petals to the scroll with a strand of her hair then tied it to the crossbar of Josh's bike. There was enough life in the rose petals to hold magic for months so she had to be careful to confine her touch-me-not spell to everyone but Josh. It might convince him magic was real if the rose petals zapped him, but she wanted him to read the message.

Josh still refused to talk to her, but Channie caught him stealing glances at her during lunch. She didn't want to be around when he found her note on his bike, so she cut her last class and went to Heritage Park.

She bypassed the pavilion and sat down in one of the black rubber swings. She rocked back and forth with the toes of her shoes buried in the soft pea-sized gravel as the afternoon sun warmed her shoulders and made her drowsy. Colorado weather was strange. Channie had gotten so cold last night, she'd crawled into bed with the trips, but it was at least eighty degrees now.

Someone grabbed the sides of Channie's hips from behind and shoved her so hard she nearly fell out of the swing. She clenched the chains in her fists as Chastity's magic flew out of her body and zapped her attacker. He yelped in pain and ducked under the swing. It was a good thing Channie recognized Josh before she had a chance to kick him—or intentionally curse him.

Josh frowned and shook his hands as if she'd burned him. Channie drug her feet through the gravel then jumped out of the swing, landing about three feet away from him. "I'm so sorry."

He blew on his palms and said, "I still don't get how you do that."

"Did you read the note I left for you?"

He chewed on the corner of his lower lip and nodded his head.

"And?" He had to know she was telling the truth. The blood-spell was undeniable.

His voice was soft and gentle. "I think...that you honestly believe in magic."

"But you don't?"

Josh ran his hand through his hair without answering her question.

Maybe a little demonstration would help. Channie didn't want to scare him or risk hurting him, so she directed a mild wave of energy over his scalp and filled his hair with static electricity. He tried to smooth it down with both hands but of course that didn't work. He shook his head and laughed. "Worst case of helmet hair ever. I guess I need to change conditioners."

Stubborn, Magically Disabled boy. Channie cut off the flow of magic and smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging manner. "So, do you want to eat supper with my family?"

"Isn't your Dad going to try to kill me?"

"Not if he knows what's good for him."

~***~

Channie opened the front door and led Josh into the parlor. "Make yourself comfortable while I go tell Momma and Daddy you're here."

They were both in the kitchen so they already knew. Channie lowered her voice and said, "Josh is in the parlor and he's already nervous about meeting you, so be nice." She narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at Daddy's chest. "And don't make a fuss when I turn on the electrical lights. Nobody around here uses kerosene lanterns."

Daddy's face turned red. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but changed his mind and slammed it shut, locking his jaw.

Channie said, "Alright?"

Daddy closed his eyes and nodded.

As soon as they walked into the parlor, Josh stood up and wiped his palms on his thighs.

Momma nodded at him then went back into the kitchen without a word—rude, but not openly hostile.

Daddy stepped forward and extended his hand, Josh did likewise and said, "Hello, Mr. Belks. I'm Joshua Abrim. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Joshua." Daddy's energy field buzzed with annoyance but Channie didn't know if was because she'd turned on the lights...or because he had to play host to an Empty. When he finally released Josh's hand, the poor boy's fingers were white. He extended them, balled them into a fist then stretched them out again.

Channie shot Daddy a warning glance.

He stuck his thumbs in his belt and smirked at her.

If Daddy thought she wouldn't curse him in front of Josh, he had another think coming. She cast an itching spell at him but since it wasn't a particularly strong spell, he was able to deflect it onto Josh. It hit him in the center of his chest. He nearly ripped his clothes off before Channie was able to reverse the spell.

Josh's face turned bright red. He smoothed the front of his shirt with his palms and cleared his throat. "Do you guys have a cat? I'm allergic to cats."

Channie sighed and said, "Come on, let's go to my room."

Daddy stepped in front of Josh and said, "Over my dead body."

Josh stiffened and glanced at the front door.

Channie almost fell for it. Daddy wanted her to attack him with a debilitating curse. If she scared Josh away for good, she'd have no one to blame but herself. Maybe it would better serve her purposes to reassure Daddy that her stupid power name was more of a chaperone than he'd ever be.

She took Josh's hand, said, "I'm so sorry," and gazed into his dark blue eyes.

Josh jerked away from Channie with a yelp and backed towards the door.

Daddy laughed and for some reason that stopped Josh in his tracks. He stared at Daddy then shifted his gaze to Channie. "What's going on here?"

Channie rubbed her temples then dropped her hands when she realized she was mimicking Momma. "I already told you."

Daddy chuckled again and shook his head.

Channie pointed her finger at him and said, "You behave or I'll deal with you later."

Daddy's face turned red and the vein in his forehead pulsed but he just gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Come on, Josh, let's go upstairs."

Josh's gaze flicked between Daddy and the front door. Channie didn't have to be a mind-reader to know he was weighing his options. He squared his shoulders and headed for the stairs. Yes! Channie grinned and led the way to her room.

~***~

Josh inspected her room with a dazed expression on his face. Channie was glad she'd removed that stupid canopy before he had a chance to see it. He shoved his hands in his front pockets and said, "Do you have a docking station? I've got some decent tunes on my iPod."

"Sorry, no." Channie had no idea what he was talking about. Josh stared at his feet as the silence between them sucked the air out of her room. She opened her window then groaned in frustration when she saw Courage crawling across the roof.

She leaned out, grabbed him by the back of his overalls and pulled him inside.

"I ought to paddle your ornery little butt for pulling a stunt like that! You could have fallen and broken your neck!"

He said, "Sorry, Channie," but his devilish grin said, 'what you gonna do about it?' He cocked his head to the side and glared at Josh. "Who are you and what are you doing in Channie's room?"

Josh put his hands on his knees and squatted down till he was almost eye-level with the little monster. "My name's Josh, and I'm a friend of your sister's. How did you get on the roof?"

"She ain't my sister and I climbed up the rocks on the front of the house. It was easy."

Josh crossed the room to look out the window and gasped. Channie didn't need to look outside to know what had startled him. Courage and Zeal were usually partners in crime. Josh practically dove out the window. He pulled Zeal inside and set him on the floor. "Holy freakin' cow. There's two of them."

"Actually, there's three. But Savvy's too smart to try a stunt like that...although he's probably the master-mind behind it." Channie leaned out the window and sure enough, Savvy was standing on the ground, grinning up at her and waving his chubby little hand.

"Hi Channie!"

"Savvy Belks!" Did you talk Zeal and CoCo into climbing the house?"

"Nope."

Of course not. Little liar.

Josh peered over Channie's shoulder to look out the window then turned around and stared at Zeal and Courage. "How old are you guys anyway?"

"Four." They answered simultaneously.

Josh said, "No shi—" He didn't even get the whole word out before he started gagging.

Zeal, Courage and Channie all cringed. There was no way Momma could have heard him. She must have slipped a precautionary clean-speech spell on Josh when she met him. Since he was an Empty, he wouldn't have noticed—until now of course. And even now, he'd probably come up with some weird explanation as to why his mouth suddenly tasted like soap.

Josh wiped his tongue with the hem of his shirt and Channie couldn't help but notice the muscular definition of his stomach. Dang! How did such a skinny kid get a washboard belly like that?

Josh caught Channie in the act of checking him out and jerked his t-shirt back down past his hips. His cheeks and ears flamed bright red but he had a smirk on his face. "See something you like?"

Channie's hand flew to her mouth as she shook her head back and forth. Too late. She tried to hang onto her power, but enough slipped past her to make Josh's back arch and his hair stand on end.

Zeal said, "That's not nice, Channie. I'm gonna tell Grandaddy you used magic to curse your friend."

Josh rubbed his chest and stared at her, wrinkling his brow.

Channie rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, "Now, do you believe me?"

~***~

The picnic table in the dining room was covered with the linen cloth Momma only used on holidays and set with mostly matching dishes. Daddy had pulled the wingback chair into the dining room and was already sitting at the head of the table.

Josh offered to help carry the rest of the food in from the kitchen, but Momma shooed him away with her apron. "Get on in there and sit yourself down next to Channie's daddy. Zeal, you sit on the other side of Grandaddy. Savvy, you sit right there where I can keep an eye on you. CoCo, you sit over there by Channie's boyfriend—"

"Momma!" Channie wanted to crawl under the table. Her ears felt like they were on fire. Josh was blushing too, but he was also grinning.

About half-way through the meal, Daddy twisted sideways in his chair and leaned towards Josh. "What exactly are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Josh's grin faded to a tight-lipped smile.

Channie spoke through gritted teeth. "Daddy..."

Daddy said, "The boy's got nothing to fear, so long as his intentions are honorable."

Yeah, right.

Josh stuttered a bit then said, "I would like to be her friend."

"Is that all?"

"We only met a few days ago."

"Alright, son, but before this night is over, you and me are gonna have a nice long talk."

This had gone far enough. "Daddy, leave him alone."

Momma patted her mouth with her napkin and shot Daddy a warning glance. "Joshua, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and your family."

Josh set his fork down and put his hands in his lap, but he maintained eye contact with Momma. "My mom and dad got divorced two years ago. I live with my mom and little brother, Elijah. We go to Dad's every other weekend when I'm not racing—"

"Racing? What kind of racing? Horses? Automobiles? Dogs?" Daddy loved racing of any kind. Especially if he thought he had insider information that might increase his odds of betting on a long shot.

"BMX."

"BMX? What's that?"

"Bicycles on a motor cross track."

"Bicycles? Folks around here race bicycles?"

"Yes, sir. I'm racing next weekend in Dacono. Admission is free, if you and your family want to come watch."

Daddy pushed his plate to the side, put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his fists. "You any good?"

Josh looked at Channie and blushed. "The best in my age group."

Daddy thumped him on the back and said, "Good for you, my boy. Good for you! Do you like peach cobbler?"

"Yes, sir."

Daddy dumped half of Momma's peach cobbler onto Josh's plate then grilled him about bicycle racing between bites.

Damn it to hell and back. Channie could see the wheels of greed spinning in Daddy's mind. She'd set him straight after Josh left. No way was she going to let him sabotage Josh's race just so he could bet on his rivals.

Channie watched in amazement as the cobbler disappeared. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him, but Josh could sure put away the food.

Daddy pushed back from the table and said, "Prudence, take the boys to the park for a while. I'd like to talk to Channie and Joshua."

Oh crap. What now?

The boys whooped and shrieked with delight then bolted for the front door before Momma could override Daddy's decision and order them to get upstairs and into the bathtub. She threw her napkin on the picnic bench and slammed the front door on her way out—leaving Channie and Josh all alone with Daddy.

Daddy patted the bench to his left. "Come on over here, baby girl."

Channie narrowed her eyes, but did what he asked.

Daddy folded his arms across his barrel-sized chest and leaned back in his chair. "Alright, son, how much has Channie told you about us?"

Josh's gaze switched from Daddy to Channie for the briefest of moments, but Daddy noticed.

"It's alright, son. Just tell me the truth."

"I'm sorry, sir. You'll have to ask Channie."

Daddy slammed his fist down on the table, making the dishes as well as Channie and Josh jump. "I'm asking you!"

"Stop it, Daddy." Chastity's energy buzzed, prickling Channie's skin. "I told him what we are and what you and Momma did to me. I also told him how I don't have very good control of my powers and how easy it is to trigger a curse. Something you might want to keep in mind."

Daddy took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "I wanted to hear it from the boy, Channie. That way I could judge his understanding and know what to do about it." He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead then put both hands flat on the table and leaned towards Josh.

"Do you believe her?"

"I think...maybe...I do."

~***~

After supper, Josh insisted on helping Channie clear the table. Daddy's face turned red when Josh put the dishes in the automatic dishwasher instead of the sink. He glared at Channie, but didn't say anything.

Josh was a regular chatterbox and talked non-stop. "This is so cool. I can't believe you can really do magic! Can you levitate stuff?" He held a plate by the edges and grinned at her.

Channie grabbed it before he dropped it. "No. Only the most powerful mages can manipulate non-living matter."

"Can you fly?" He widened his eyes and lowered his voice. "Or cast a spell on me...so I can fly?"

"There's a cost to every spell. It takes so much power to make something fly it's rarely worth it."

"But you could do it, if you needed to."

"Yes. For instance, if CoCo had slipped when I was trying to haul him in off the roof, I could have cast a spell to lower him safely to the ground. But I would have to be fairly close to him to make it work. And I'd be so drained, I'd have to go to bed for a week."

A spell like that would most likely kill her, but Josh was taking things much better than expected. He'd even let Daddy put a no-speak spell on him so he couldn't tell anyone else about magic. Channie didn't want to freak him out with too much information.

Josh put the last plate in the dishwasher and opened the cabinet under the sink. "Where's your dishwashing detergent?"

"It's right there in front of your nose. In the white bottle."

"Nope, that's only for hand washing dishes. You don't want to use that stuff in a dishwasher. Believe me, I found out the hard way."

"What happens if you do?"

"It overflows and spills soapsuds all over the place." Josh kept digging around under the sink as he talked. "A couple of years ago, we were getting packed up to go to a race in Pueblo. It was my turn to do the dishes but we were out of dish detergent so I just filled the dispenser with Dawn. We were only gone for two days, but when we got back, the hardwood floors in the kitchen were so warped they looked like a BMX track."

"Did you get a whipping?"

"What? No! Of course not. They knew I didn't do it on purpose. And even if I had, they might ground me for a month or make me miss a race, but my parents would never hit me."

"Never?"

Josh closed the cabinet door and turned around, but instead of standing up, he knelt on the floor and sat back on his heels. "Channie, do your parents beat you?"

"No."

"Have they ever beaten you? Or the boys?"

"We've all been spanked, but those boys have never been switched, much less given a beating." She didn't mention the beating Daddy had given Abby when he found out she was pregnant.

"Switched? What's that?"

"You know, whipped with a willow switch?"

"Jeeze! Your parents hit you with a stick?"

"A switch is not a stick and I haven't been switched since I was about twelve-years-old. Are you telling me you've never been switched? Not once in your whole life?"

"No. I've never been spanked either. Not even with a bare hand."

"Then how come you aren't spoiled rotten?"

"What makes you think I'm not?"

"Are you?"

"Most definitely." Josh grinned at Channie and said, "We have two choices. We can either unload the dishwasher and wash all these dishes by hand, or we can ride our bikes down to the 7-Eleven and buy a box of Cascade."

Channie would have loved to use the fancy appliance, but since Daddy was trying to cooperate, she decided not to push any more of his buttons. "Let's just do them by hand."

Josh washed and rinsed the dishes and stacked them in the drain rack. Channie dried them with a dishcloth and put them away. She had to keep reminding Josh to keep his distance. Even though he wasn't generating any lustful energy and Channie's power-well was still pretty low from zapping him earlier, there was enough leftover magic in Chastity to zap him again if he got too close.

Josh asked, "So what sort of things can you do?"

"You mean other than curse boys?"

"Can you do any cool stuff like mind control?"

"When I still had my old power name, Enchantment, I could influence people to get what I wanted because they had such a strong desire to please me. But I could never make someone do anything they were dead set against. Magic can't prevail over free will. I can't make an honest person lie, or steal something for me. And I can't make a liar tell the truth."

"Can you...make someone fall in love with you?"

"No. Magic is powerful, but nothing is more powerful than love." Channie lowered her voice. She didn't want Momma or Daddy to hear what she was going to say. "The spell I used to make you kiss me is called a come-hither spell. It's powerful magic, but it's temporary—and it's only lust, not love."

Josh's ears flamed red. He turned around and leaned against the counter. "What did you do to make your parent's feel like they needed to change your name?"

"I didn't do anything!" Josh didn't know anything about Channie, but it still offended her. "They wanted to protect me from my sister's fate."

He pulled his eyebrows together. "To keep you from running away?"

Channie rolled her eyes. "To keep me from getting pregnant."

"Jeeze, haven't they ever heard of birth control?"

Channie nearly dropped the plate she was drying. "It's not just that. They don't want me to...you know..."

"Have sex?"

"Josh!"

"What? Sex isn't a dirty word."

"It is in this house!"

~***~

Josh was washing the last fork when music started pouring out of his pocket. He held the soapy fork in one hand, wiped the other on the side of his pants leg and pulled out a cell phone. He rolled his eyes as he flipped it open. Channie couldn't understand what the person on the other end was saying, but who ever it was, they weren't happy.

"I'm at a friend's house. They invited me to stay for dinner ...

"You don't know her ...

"Yeah, mom. It's a girl. And you're kind of embarrassing me. I'll talk to you when I get home."

Josh rolled his eyes again and turned his back as if that would keep Channie from hearing what he said. "I'll come home as soon as I finish helping out in the kitchen, okay?"

There was a long pause while Josh listened to his momma give him a scolding.

"Whatever. I'll see you when I get home."

Channie asked, "Are you in trouble?"

"Nah. She's just pissed off because—"

Josh gagged and started spitting in the trash can under the sink. Channie couldn't help but hope that he'd wipe his tongue with his shirt again so she could get another glimpse of his belly. No such luck. He just leaned over the sink, turned the water on and rinsed his mouth out straight from the faucet.

"Yuck! What is that nasty taste?"

"It's a clean-speech spell. Momma doesn't like bad words."

"I said a bad word?"

"You sure did."

"What was it?"

Channie lowered her voice until it was barely a whisper and said, "P. I. S. S."

Josh made a few more sour-lemon faces then finished explaining why his momma was upset.

"My little brother, Elijah, threw a huge fit when Mom got home from work because I didn't rescue him from Mrs. Guffy in time for Sponge Bob."

"Rescue?"

"Mrs. Guffy is a sweet little old lady that lives next door. She takes care of Lijah after school, until Mom or I pick him up. She feeds him homemade cookies and lemonade, but she makes him do his homework. I let him play video games and watch TV."

Josh rinsed the fork and handed it to Channie instead of putting it in the drain rack. His hand barely grazed hers, but it sent a tingle up her arm. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm fine. That one didn't hurt much." Josh bumped her with his hip. He jerked and twitched when Chastity's magic zinged him again—but he also laughed. "Maybe if I trigger the curse often enough, I can get used to it."

Daddy's voice drifted into the kitchen from the parlor. "Don't count on it."

Chapter Five

THE RACE

Channie left for school fifteen minutes early the next morning. Josh was already there, waiting for her, sitting on the floor in front of his locker. He stood up as soon as he noticed her and grinned.

"Hey, Channie. What's up?"

She couldn't keep from grinning back at him. His smile was contagious. "Nothing much. How about you?"

"I'm great. Except for one little problem."

"Oh? What's wrong?"

"I'm grounded."

"What's grounded?"

"It's a punishment. I can't leave the house except to go to school, to practice, or to a race for the next two weeks. It really sucks."

"Does this mean you can't come over to my house?"

"I could sneak out tonight—if you want to meet me in the park, sometime around midnight?" Josh's voice was deeper, seductive. Chastity's magic buzzed. Channie frowned and took a step back.

Josh drew his eyebrows together. "What's wrong?"

"You know ..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "My curse."

"No way. I swear I wasn't thinking anything...inappropriate."

"Really? What were you thinking?"

A faint blush crept into Josh's cheeks and across the tops of his ears. "I was thinking that I would really like to talk to you again, without worrying about anyone overhearing us."

"That's all?"

"Pretty much."

"That wouldn't trigger the curse."

Josh's ears and cheeks went from pink to cherry red. "Well, I might have...sort of...maybe...been thinking that you look really nice today."

"So do you. Your eyes are so beautiful." Heat flooded Channie's face and neck. Josh was an Empty, with no magical abilities whatsoever, so why did she feel compelled to blurt out the first thing that flitted across her mind every single time she looked into his eyes?

Josh's grin widened. "Uh...thanks. So are yours. They're really...green." His energy field buzzed with power. There was plenty of lust but it was mixed with...affection? It was hard to get a clear read on Josh's energy when her own was so active.

Magic percolated under Channie's skin. She took another step back. Apparently, Josh couldn't take a hint. He stepped closer and pulled a folded red triangle of paper out of his back pocket. He tried to hand it to Channie. "Your dad mentioned that he might like to come see me race on Saturday. This flyer has all the info."

Josh was too close, but with her back against the wall of metal lockers, and two couples making out on either side of her, Channie had no room to maneuver. She was trapped.

Chastity's magic pulsed and surged, feeding off the lust in the now crowded hall. Sparks of power shot across Channie's skin. She shook her head and said, "Josh, don't."

"Don't what?"

Channie held on with all her strength but it didn't do any good. Power shot out of her with a blue-white flash and hit Josh in the middle of his chest. He flew backwards and slammed into the opposite wall of lockers with a metallic crash. Everyone stopped what they were doing, even the couples making out, and stared at Josh. He swore and shoved the paper through the vents of Channie's locker then spun around and took off, pushing and weaving his way through the curious onlookers.

Channie wanted to cry. Even though Josh believed in magic and understood that the curse was hard for her to control, that didn't mean he'd be willing to put up with it just to be her friend. She blinked back the tears that threatened to undermine her tough-girl persona and read the note Josh had shoved inside her locker...

Help us kick off the fall season with the nationally sanctioned BIG AIR Series.

Come support the Redman/Rockstar National Factory Team and nationally ranked number one and two in their age-groups...

Josh "The Jet" Abrim and Wesley "The Weasel" Wickam.

Below the text was a map with detailed directions to the race track. Channie hoped with all her heart that she hadn't hurt Josh bad enough to cost him the race.

She was disappointed but not surprised when Josh failed to show up for their first period class. Channie's concern turned to anxiety when she went to get her bicycle at the end of the day and Josh wasn't there. She'd zapped him pretty hard, but he should have been fully recovered by now. His funny little bike was still chained to the rack so he had to be around here somewhere. She waited as long as she dared, but when it was obvious Josh wasn't coming, she went home.

As soon as everyone else was asleep, Channie snuck out through her bedroom window. Momma and Daddy couldn't keep her from leaving any old time she felt like it, but she couldn't keep them from cursing Josh if she made them mad enough. She sat on the picnic table under the pavilion in Heritage Park where she'd kissed Josh and waited. He never showed up.

~***~

Josh wasn't at school the next day either.

When Channie saw Eric fiddling with the combination on his locker and talking on his phone, she got an idea.

"Hey Eric, I need to borrow your phone."

He barely glanced at her then turned his back and strode off down the hall without opening his locker. Channie felt her power build as she ran after him. She put a hand on Eric's shoulder and let a little magic trickle out to reinforce her request. "I said, I need to borrow your phone."

He twitched and jerked away from her. "Stay away from me, freak."

Channie wanted to hit him with everything she had, but she maintained control and only used a tiny bit of power to zap Eric. He yelped and dropped his phone. What a wuss. Channie picked his phone up off the floor and said, "Thanks, Eric." But he was already gone.

However, the person he'd been talking to, was still on the line.

"Eric? Baby? What happened? Are you there?"

Channie said, "Sorry, Eric's not available."

"Who is this?"

"Channie Belks." She didn't need to ask who she was talking to, she recognized Kassie's nasally-rich-girl voice.

"What the hell are you doing with Eric's phone?"

"I'm borrowing it." It gave her a great deal of pleasure to antagonize the girl that had called her an inbred hillbilly. "I don't have time to chat. Bye-bye." Channie closed the phone and waited a few seconds. When she reopened it, Kassie was gone.

Channie had been watching the other kids use their phones since Daddy had agreed to buy her one so it didn't take her long to figure out how to use Eric's. Josh answered on the first ring.

"What do you want, jackass?"

"Josh?"

"Uh...Channie?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing with Eric's phone?"

"I borrowed it." Channie leaned against her locker. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"How come you didn't come back to school?"

"I'm in the hospital."

"The hospital! What are you doing in the hospital?"

"I'm fine. I just made the mistake of going to the nurse after you...after I started feeling bad. When the school called my mom to come get me, they told her my heart beat was a little erratic. She panicked and took me straight to the hospital. Hang on a minute." Josh muffled his phone, but Channie could still hear him. "Come on, Mom. Give me a little privacy. Go grab a cup of coffee or something...okay, Channie, I'm back."

"Are you sure you're okay? An erratic heartbeat could be serious."

"I'm fine. I promise. They did a bunch of tests—I feel like a damned pincushion—but they didn't find anything wrong with me. I guess there isn't a lab test for magical curses."

Josh laughed, but Channie didn't. "If it's not serious, why are you still in the hospital?"

"Probably because my mom was so freaked out. They gave me an IV and insisted on keeping me overnight for observation. A pediatric cardiologist just checked me out an hour ago. He said the school nurse must have made a mistake because my heart is in excellent condition and there's no reason I can't race tomorrow."

"That's fantastic."

Josh said, "I sort of miss you."

Channie grinned and wondered what a pediatric cardiologist would say about her irregular heartbeat if he could hear it now. "I sort of miss you too."

"So...are you going to come see me race?"

"The whole family's coming. I showed Daddy that paper you gave me." After he promised not to curse Josh. "He's so excited, he can hardly stand it."

"What about you?"

Channie spoke without thinking.

"I can't wait to see you again." She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against her locker. She'd better learn to keep her mouth shut. If Daddy ever heard her say something that forward to a boy—he'd kill her in her sleep.

Josh laughed and said, "Guess what I just figured out? Your curse can't touch me when we're this far apart."

"Of course not, silly. I'm a mage, not a super-hero." Channie giggled then realized she was being rude. She'd never explained the law of distance to Josh. "How did you figure it out on your own?"

"I...Uh...think I hear my mom talking to the nurses in the hall. I need to go. But, tell Eric I appreciate him letting you borrow his phone."

"He didn't exactly let me. I sort of coerced him."

"How?"

"He was talking to his girlfriend, so I just tapped into his lustful energy and zinged him a little then picked his phone up off the floor when he dropped it."

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine. I swear I didn't hurt him. It wasn't anything like what I did to you—which was an accident. You know that, right? You know I'd never hurt you on purpose."

"I sure hope not."

Channie had a hard time returning Eric's phone. Every time he saw her, he ran away. She finally caught up with Kassie between classes and gave it to her. Pissing her off was a huge bonus.

~***~

Daddy waited until bedtime to give Channie her new cell phone. She was too excited to be mad at him for not giving it to her sooner and stayed up till eleven-thirty studying the instruction book.

She couldn't wait to tell Josh about her new phone, but she didn't want to wake him if he was already asleep. His ringtone for phone calls was a song called "Next Go Round" and it was loud enough to wake his whole family. His text message alert was a high-pitched noise that most adults couldn't even hear, but it would still wake him if his phone was turned on and Channie didn't want to disturb his sleep the night before his big race.

~***~

They got to the race track at about ten o'clock the next day. Daddy pulled Channie aside in the parking lot and said, "Joshua didn't happen to mention who he thought his closest competition was did he?"

"Why?"

"Just wondering, that's all."

"You promised you wouldn't curse Josh."

"Why baby girl, I have no intention of cursing the boy. Not when you'll do it for me."

Daddy patted her cheek and strode off after Momma and the trips, leaving Channie in the parking lot with her mouth hanging open and Chastity's energy boiling in her power-well. She took a deep breath to calm herself and choked on a cloud of red dust that cast a cinnamon haze over the sun and leached the turquoise glow out of the Colorado sky.

Channie continued to cough as she trotted off towards the crowd. It wasn't hard to find her family—she didn't even need a seeking spell—all she had to do was follow the sound of the trips' raucous laughter.

"Hey, there you are." Josh ran towards Channie with a wide grin on his face, but stopped when she lifted a hand in warning.

"Josh, you have to be careful."

"I know, I know, come on, I want you to meet my family."

Josh's momma and daddy may have been divorced, but they sure didn't act like it. Josh's daddy had even brought his new wife to the race but they were all sitting around in lawn chairs under a tarp, laughing and talking like one big, happy family.

Channie's momma and daddy had been married forever and they couldn't go for more than an hour without a fight.

Mrs. Abrim didn't look like she was old enough to be eight-year-old Elijah's momma much less Josh's. She hardly had any wrinkles at all, and not so much as a wisp of grey in her dark brown hair. Josh's step-momma was even prettier—and a whole lot younger.

Daddy didn't even wait until the introductions were done before he started pushing Channie at Josh—obviously trying to trigger Chastity's curse. She pulled him aside and said, "Cut it out, or I'll curse you right here in front of everybody."

Daddy pulled the paper advertising the race out of his pocket. "Has he talked about any of the other races? What about this kid, Wesley Wickam? I'll bet he's favored to win."

"Why don't you forget about betting on the races and just enjoy them like everyone else?"

Daddy laughed and said, "What's the point of a race without a wager?" and went back to the Abrim's tarp. He clasped Josh's shoulder and said, "We sure enjoyed your visit last week and were hoping you could join us for supper again this coming Wednesday." Yeah, right. Daddy just wanted to pick Josh's brain so he could figure out how to manipulate the next race.

Josh said, "I'm sorry Mr. Belks. I'd love to, but I can't. I'm grounded."

"Grounded?"

Channie said, "It means he can't leave his house except to go to school, to practice, or to a race for two weeks."

"It's my punishment for hanging out with Channie instead of picking Elijah up from the neighbors." Josh put his helmet on his head and bent over to grab his bicycle. "I need to go get ready." He winked at Channie and said, "Wish me luck," then rolled his bike towards the starting gate at the top of a huge dirt hill.

Daddy waited until Josh was out of hearing range then looked at Mrs. Abrim and said, "Keeping an active boy cooped up in a house for two weeks seems down right cruel. Why not just whip him and be done with it?"

Mrs. Abrim arched her unnaturally thin eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

Momma elbowed Daddy in the ribs and forced a laugh past her gritted teeth. "Oh, don't pay him no mind. He's just joking around."

Mrs. Abrim said, "Child abuse is nothing to joke about."

Channie had warned Momma and Daddy about how the law in Colorado didn't allow folks to whip their kids, but Daddy hadn't believed her. Thank goodness, Momma had. She slapped a no-speak spell on Daddy so fast he didn't know what hit him.

Mrs. Abrim jumped out of her lawn chair and said, "Monroe? Are you alright?"

Daddy opened his mouth, but of course he couldn't talk with Momma's spell on him. He couldn't breathe either.

"Are you choking?"

By now, Daddy's face was purple and his eyes were bulging. If Momma didn't let up soon, she was gonna make him pass out or give him a stroke or something.

Mrs. Abrim ran behind Daddy, wrapped her arms around his chest, as far as she could reach, and started squeezing on him.

What the hell?

Momma's mouth fell open, but only for a moment. She pressed her lips into a thin line and glared at Mrs. Abrim. Daddy took advantage of Momma's brief loss of focus, raised his shield and took a deep raspy breath.

Mrs. Abrim let go and quit hugging on Daddy, but then she started patting and rubbing his back. What was wrong with her? Was she crazy? Even if she couldn't feel the air crackle with angry energy, surely she could tell by the look on Momma's face that she wouldn't tolerate another woman's hands on her man.

Mrs. Abrim froze mid-pat then started hollering and jumping around like she was on fire. She swatted at her blouse and yelled, "Ow, ow, ow. Something's stinging me!"

"Momma! Stop it!"

Momma whipped her head around and glared at Channie, but at least she stopped cursing Mrs. Abrim.

Mrs. Abrim quit carrying on, but she was still upset, and rightly so—that stinging spell was painful. She pulled her collar away from her neck and gasped when she looked down the front of her blouse and saw the bumps and welts caused by Momma's curse.

Daddy grinned then looked down the front of Mrs. Abrim's blouse and offered to help her find the bitey-bug that was stinging her. He still had his shield up, so Momma's curse bounced right off him.

Chastity's power-well was almost full but it continued to gorge on Momma's rage. Damn it to hell and back, Daddy was doing it on purpose. He was still hoping Channie would accidentally curse Josh.

Elijah grabbed a couple of cans of soda out of the cooler and handed one to Channie. "Josh will be racing in the next moto. If we hurry, we can get a spot close to where most of the crashes happen on the other side of the track." He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the continuing drama.

Channie said, "What's a moto?"

"It's just what everybody calls the races."

As they walked around the edge of the dirt track, Channie noticed several older racers with bags of ice on their shoulders, elbows and knees. One poor man had ice on just about every joint of his body, but his overall energy was still positive in spite of his pain. Channie admired his courage and cast a pain-away spell on him. He shook the ice bags off his body and stood up.

The woman sitting next to him said, "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking myself off the injured list."

"The hell you are. Sit your butt back down and ice those arthritic joints of yours or I'm selling your bike on Craig's List."

When they got to the spot Elijah had in mind, he stopped, but didn't let go of Channie's hand until the race started.

As soon as the starting gate dropped, Josh leapt out ahead of everybody. He looked like he was flying when he went over the first jump. Channie had watched some of the earlier races but no one had gone as high or as fast as Josh. And those guys had all been older. Some of them were professional racers.

When he crossed the finish line, Josh was so far ahead of everybody else, it didn't even look like he was in the same race. Channie lost sight of him when he coasted off the track and disappeared into the middle of a cheering crowd. But the race wasn't over.

The sound of crumpling metal and a cry of pain caused Channie to jerk her gaze back to the track. She didn't see the first guy go down, but she witnessed the rest of the crashes as the bikes and bodies piled up in front of her. Elijah had been right about finding the best spot to see all the accidents.

Channie looked at him and said, "Your brother was amazing!"

"Yeah, I know." Elijah didn't sound amazed. He popped the tab on his can and slurped the foam off the top then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Josh is ranked number one in his age group."

"Out of all these kids?"

"Out of the whole country."

The starting gate hit the dirt with a thud. Another race had started. Josh was on the other side of the track, near his family's tarp, waving his hands over his head, motioning for Channie to join him.

She stood up, brushed the dirt off the seat of her pants and offered her hand to Elijah. He took it and held her hand all the way back.

When they got to the tarp, Daddy said, "So, Joshua, how much time do you have before your next race?"

"When I won my first moto, it automatically advanced me to the final. So I have a lot of time to kill." Josh grinned at Channie. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Channie, needs to take the trips to the privy. I wanna talk to you about the next set of races."

"Daddy! Leave him alone."

Josh wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve, smearing a streak of red dirt across his brow. "Actually, I need to go to the john too. But I'll be happy to talk to you when we get back."

Courage wrapped himself around Josh's right leg, Zeal jumped on his back and Savvy stood in front of him with his arms outstretched, begging to be carried.

Channie said, "Stop climbing all over Josh! He's not a playground. Besides, only babies need to be carried.

Courage and Zeal let go immediately, but Savvy didn't back down. "I don't care. I want Josh to carry me."

Josh laughed and threw Savvy into the air. He giggled and squirmed when Josh caught him and tickled his ribs, but as soon as he stopped, Savvy wrapped his legs around Josh's waist, his arms around his neck and buried his face in his shoulder. Courage and Zeal stared at him, their eyes wide and filled with longing.

Channie immediately regretted her mean comment about babies. These little boys were still reeling from the loss of their momma. They didn't want to be carried because they were too lazy to walk. They needed to be held and cuddled.

Channie said, "Come on you two, I'll carry you to the privy."

Courage put his hands on his hips and said, "We ain't babies."

"CoCo, I'm sorry for saying only babies get carried. It's not true. Grandaddy was still carrying me on his back when I was twice your age. I just didn't want you three wearing Josh out. He's not done racing."

"I'll carry one of them." Elijah squatted down but CoCo and Zeal just looked at each other and then at Channie.

Josh craned his neck around Savvy, who was clinging to him like a baby gorilla and said, "Come on guys. I need to go pee."

Courage climbed onto Elijah's back. Zeal jumped into the air, and nearly tackled Channie.

There was a long line to use the privies. But Channie didn't mind. It would probably be the only chance she'd get to talk to Josh without Momma and Daddy listening in. At least until they were able to sneak out and meet in the park like they'd planned.

Josh must have been reading Channie's mind. He said, "So, do you remember what we talked about right before I got sick on Thursday?"

"You mean about meeting you at the park after midnight?"

Josh closed his eyes and groaned.

Elijah's grin spread across his entire face. He said, "You guys are going to sneak out and meet at the park in the middle of the night? Sweet! Can I come?"

~***~

Savvy kept his hands linked behind Josh's neck but leaned back to look him in the eye. "It's too cold in the park after dark. But if you want to play with Channie at night, you can climb up the front of the house and go in through her bedroom window."

Several people standing in line for the privies snickered. Josh's ears turned red and Chastity's magic boiled over. It wasn't as bad as last Thursday, but it was bad enough. Channie tried to redirect the curse at the young man waiting in line behind Josh, but Chastity's magic was attracted to the source of the lustful energy and that source was Josh. He turned his back and tried to set Savvy down, before the curse hit him, but there wasn't enough time. The curse was selective. Not only did it ignore the target she'd chosen, it didn't so much as ruffle a hair on Savvy's head. But there was no way to hide a curse like that from a mage, no matter how young they were.

Savvy wiggled out of Josh's arms and glared at Channie. "That was mean!"

"Josh! Are you okay?"

He nodded his head but since he didn't answer her, Channie knew he was lying.

She said, "Elijah, when the trips are done in the privy, take them back to my momma. I need to...talk to Josh."

Channie wanted to help Josh but she couldn't even hold his hand without the risk of triggering another curse. He led her to a travel trailer and walked in without knocking.

He said, "It's not much, but it's convenient. Although, it would be a lot more convenient if they'd fix the damn toilet." He opened the toy-sized refrigerator a crack then slammed it shut. "Jeeze that's nasty. Dad never remembers to clean it out after a race."

Josh waited until Channie sat down then slid behind the formica table bolted to the floor and flopped onto a fake leather bench across from her. "If this keeps up, I don't think I'm going to be able to race in my next moto."

His face was still chalky but his cheeks were pink. "Isn't there some way you could turn off the magic? Just for a few hours?"

"I wish. I've tried everything to control it. But Momma and Daddy used some kind of ancient magic they didn't understand, and had no business messing with, to change my power name. They have no idea how to undo the damage they've caused."

"They want to change your name back?"

"I'm more powerful than both of them put together. Their shields are useless against Chastity's magic, so yeah, they want to give me my old name back."

"Mages have shields?"

"It's the only defense we have against each other's spells." Channie's mouth dropped open. She fell back against the cushions, letting her hands flop to the side. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Think of what?"

"I've been going at this the wrong way. I can't change what my parent's did to me. I can't keep from cursing you every time you feel a little...frisky. But maybe I can build a shield for you that would protect you from all magic—including Chastity's."

"What are you waiting for? Do it!"

Josh's excitement was contagious, but Channie needed to curb her enthusiasm so she could concentrate on the process. She'd never tried to create a shield for someone else, but it was probably a lot like raising her own.

"Come on, Channie."

"Calm down. I can't do anything while you're radiating so much lust. You're about two seconds away from triggering Chastity's curse again."

Josh closed his eyes and started muttering. Channie had to enhance her hearing to figure out what he was saying. "... Maggots, dead fish, fried liver—"

"What are you doing?"

Josh opened one eye and grinned. "Thinking of gross stuff."

"Does that help?"

"Almost as much as a cold shower."

Channie raised her own shield several times and studied the interplay of willpower, magic and energy. She focused on calming Chastity's energy then tapped into her heart-of-hearts and Enchantment's magic. If she used even a tiny bit of Chastity's energy to build Josh's shield, it wouldn't be able to repel the curse.

"Okay. I think I've got it figured out. You sure you want me to do this?"

"What's the worst that can happen?"

"It's just a shield. The worst that can happen, is that it won't work."

"Okay, go ahead."

Channie closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could on Enchantment's magic while she constructed Josh's shield. It was by far the most powerful and difficult spell she'd ever attempted. The shield looked like a giant soap bubble as it floated across the room. It encompassed Josh completely then imploded with a loud pop—fitting itself to his form like a second skin.

"Holy freakin' cow." Josh stood up and ran his hands over his body. "That feels amazing!"

Channie collapsed against the cushions and smiled. "You can feel it?"

"Hell, yeah, I can feel it."

"Can you see it?"

Josh held his arms in front of his body and rotated his hands. "No. Can you?"

"Yes, but it's fading. It should be invisible in a few minutes." Which was a very good thing. If Daddy learned that Josh was immune to magic, there was no telling what he'd do to him. Josh's shield wouldn't protect him from physical violence.

"What's it feel like?"

"Like you gave me some sort of super-hero suit. I feel like I can do anything. It's how I feel when I'm in the starting gate before a race. I don't want to sound like a stuck-up jerk—but, I feel invincible. Only, it's not just about racing. I feel that way about...everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, take you for instance." Josh ran his hands over his chest again.

Dang it! Channie wished he'd quit doing that. She squeezed her eyes shut then blinked them open.

Josh said, "Before you gave me this shield, I felt nervous around you all the time. I never knew what to say or do and I was so afraid you'd think I was a dork that it turned me into one—like some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. Now, I don't care what you think of me."

"You don't?"

"That didn't come out right. What I should have said, is that I'm not worried about what you think of me. It's obvious you like me."

"It is?"

"Yeah." Josh grinned at her. "You like me a lot."

"I do?"

"Come here." His voice was seductive.

"No."

Josh's smile faded. A flicker of doubt passed behind his eyes. Apparently—thankfully—his shield was only skin deep. "Don't you want to test it? That's why you kissed me in the park wasn't it? To test your power name before school started."

"Yes."

Josh dropped all pretense of seduction. "And all this time I thought it was because of my bean-pole body and awkward personality."

Channie giggled in spite of herself. The relief that washed over her when the old Josh resurfaced was a revelation. She did like him—a lot.

He said, "So, do you want to test this thing or not?"

Hell, yeah, she wanted to test his shield, but for once she managed to keep her impulsive thoughts to herself. She said, "Maybe we should wait until after your last race, in case it doesn't work."

Josh frowned, pouting like a child that didn't get his way.

Channie fought the urge to laugh. "We can test it as soon as you're done racing. I promise."

~***~

When Channie and Josh got back to the Abrim's tarp, Momma and Daddy both shot her looks full of meaning, but neither of them said a word. Momma's narrow-eyed glare didn't bother Channie in the least, but Daddy looked like he'd just won the lottery. He grinned at her and said, "It smells like someone burned a skillet full of onions."

Channie just smiled. At least the stench masked the scent of Enchantment's magic. But it didn't mask the new and improved Josh. When she examined him analytically, Channie didn't find any physical differences, but something had changed. Instead of a skinny, awkward kid, she now saw a beautiful young man with a lean, powerful body. His eyes had always mesmerized her—now, they held her prisoner. She could not look away.

Was the shield making him more attractive? She'd used Enchantment's magic, so it was a definite possibility. Or maybe it was just his newfound self-confidence. He was chatting Momma up like she was his favorite aunt or something.

Channie was still trying to figure it out when a couple of girls walked by and stopped to talk to him. Josh flirted with them shamelessly, as if Channie weren't even there.

She was already mad, but when Josh introduced her as, "Channie Belks, a friend of mine from school," Channie's stomach twisted itself into a knot. She tried to smile at the two girls, Amanda and Lauren, but her facial muscles refused to cooperate.

She couldn't fool herself any longer. She was falling hard for Josh and the last thing she wanted was competition.

Channie nearly lost control when Amanda tousled Josh's hair. She wanted to curse them both. Instead, she said, "Josh, What are you doing? They're going to start the race without you."

He grabbed his bike and ran up the hill.

The starting gate hit the dirt with a thud. Channie didn't even blink. She saw the flash of sunlight on metal and the brightly colored uniforms of the racers as they flew down the track. She heard the cheering crowd and the announcer's frenzied report of the race. She smelled the dust in the air and the sweaty bodies all around her. She registered every detail. But she couldn't process it. All she could think about was Josh. And testing the strength of his shield...by kissing him.

If the crowd weren't chanting, "Jet, Jet, Jet," Channie wouldn't have realized he'd won the race. Even Momma and Daddy were cheering for him. Channie clapped her hands, but her mouth was so dry she couldn't talk, much less cheer.

When Josh showed up, he was surrounded by a crowd of rowdy kids. Amanda had both her hands wrapped around Josh's upper arm. She was bouncing on her toes and squealing like a stuck pig.

"Oh my god Jet, you are so amazing!"

It took every bit of Channie's self-control to keep from cursing the stupid girl.

"Channie? Did you see my race?"

"Yes." Stay calm. Amanda doesn't matter. Josh is not interested in her. Channie read his energy just to be sure. The little slut was annoying him. Good.

"Well? What did you think?"

Channie could barely think, much less follow the conversation with Chastity's energy boiling inside her power-well. If she did not want to test his shield right here in front everyone, she needed to get control of herself. "It was nice."

"Nice?"

Josh tried to squirm out of Amanda's clutches, but she refused to let go. She sneered at Channie then turned to Josh and said, "Well, I thought you were fan-freaking-tastic. I can't wait to see you race again next week."

Josh said, "Thanks," but his gaze never left Channie's face.

Amanda tugged on his arm until his ear was level with her mouth. She glared at Channie and said, "My parents will be at the track for at least an hour watching my brothers' races. Come with me to our camper and I'll show you how amazing I can be."

Josh peeled Amanda's fingers off his arm and said, "Not interested."

Amanda tossed her hair over her shoulder, said, "Your loss," and grabbed the arm of one of the other boys. She swung her hips as she sauntered off with the crowd of noisy kids towards the track.

Josh said, "Don't let Amanda get to you. She makes a game out of seeing how many winners she can bag at each race. Just ignore her. I do."

"Okay."

Josh cocked his head to the side and studied Channie's face.

"Channie? What's going on? Do you feel alright?"

"I'm fine." She knew she wasn't very convincing, but she had to stay focused on controlling Chastity's power.

Josh grabbed Channie's elbows and steadied her while leading her back to their parents. She hadn't even realized she was swaying on her feet.

He said, "Mrs. Belks, I think Channie's sick."

Momma had her hands full breaking up a fight between Zeal and Courage. Both boys had scratches on their faces and Zeal had a bite mark on his hand. Momma didn't even look at Channie while she scanned her. "She's fine."

Mrs. Abrim seemed to float as she rose from her chair. She was as graceful as she was pretty. She felt Channie's forehead with the back of her hand, then both cheeks with her palms. "You feel a little warm to me and your cheeks are flushed. Do you feel sick?"

Channie closed her eyes and shook her head. "No Ma'am."

"Well, maybe you're just tired. These races can wear you out if you're not used to them. Why don't you go take a nap in the trailer."

Josh said, "Come on, I'll take you."

Momma grabbed Josh's elbow and said, "And while you're at it, take these three with you. If they don't get a nap soon, we're all gonna regret it."

~***~

The boys fell asleep in Daddy's arms on the way to the Abrim's trailer. He'd obviously cast a be-calm spell on the little devils. Daddy's magic smelled like paper money and there was more than a hint of it clinging to the boys.

Josh said, "Do you want me to stay and keep you company."

Everything after that happened all at once. Daddy cast a violent bolt of energy at Josh. It bounced off his shield and went straight back to Daddy. He deflected his own curse, glared at Channie, grabbed a fistful of Josh's racing jersey and cocked his left arm back. His fisted hand looked like a sledge hammer.

Channie grabbed Daddy's wrist with both hands, lifting her feet off the floor. His arm barely moved, but he turned his head to the side and glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye.

Josh should have taken advantage of the distraction and tried to slide out of his shirt and run away. Instead, he puffed out his chest, narrowed his eyes and raised his chin. "Get your hands off me."

Channie didn't want to curse Daddy if she could keep from it. He was strong as a bull and twice as dangerous, but his heart wasn't as young and strong as Josh's. Chastity's magic was more potent than it had been when she'd cursed Daddy before. If she wasn't careful, she might kill him.

She put her feet back on the floor but held onto Daddy's wrist. "What do you think we're gonna do in here with the trips in the bed and your damn curse knocking Josh on his butt every time he looks at me?"

"I don't like it—"

"You don't have to. Now let go of Josh and get out of here before I lose control."

Josh's aggressive body language wasn't helping. Daddy was so mad the whole trailer shook from his barely contained rage.

Chastity's magic churned inside her. "At least raise your shield!"

Daddy's anger drained away along with all the blood from his face. He let go of Josh's shirt, leaving behind a spider web of wrinkled fabric, and lowered his still fisted hand. "You and I are going to have a talk before this day is over, baby girl."

"Don't make me curse you."

Daddy hunched over and turned sideways to squeeze out of the trailer. He gave Josh a parting glance that would have made most boys wet their pants—but not the new and magically enhanced Josh. He just smiled and waved good-bye. What an idiot.

When Daddy disappeared from view, Josh said, "I don't think it's a good idea for you to piss him off like that. He looked like he wanted to kill you."

"Me? What about the way you puffed out your chest and glared at him? You were practically daring him to hit you."

"I was?"

"You ordered him to get his hands off you."

"Huh. I did, didn't I." Josh scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "I guess your old man isn't so scary after all."

"Don't be a fool. Daddy's still dangerous. He obviously believed that I protected you with my own shield. If he finds out that Chastity's curse can't hurt you, he'll kill you with his bare hands."

Josh shut the door...and locked it.

"Did you hear a word I just said?"

He grinned and leaned against the door. "Are you ready to test my shield?"

"You're incorrigible!"

"I know. Come here."

Channie's feet refused to move but all thoughts of Daddy and the outside world grew a little more distant with each beat of her heart.

Josh crossed the room and put his hands on her shoulders. Channie lifted her hands to his chest.

He leaned forward, lips softly parted and eyes half-closed. His breath warmed her cheek. Blood surged behind her ears, drowning out all other sounds. He's going to kiss me.

"Wait!" Channie arched her back and pushed away from Josh. Her whole body trembled. "I'm not ready."

Josh frowned, "What's wrong? This isn't the first time we've kissed."

Channie closed her eyes and nodded her head. "I know. But that didn't count."

"Why not?"

"Because I made you kiss me. It was just a test. This is real."

"Is it?"

Channie cringed. Heat flooded her cheeks. She knew Josh wanted her body, but that didn't mean he also wanted her heart.

The right side of Josh's mouth curved upwards into a crooked smile. "It's real for me, too."

He slid his hands down Channie's arms. She shivered under his touch—until he reached the bare skin of her wrist. Pain flashed up her arm, across her shoulder and into her jaw. She jerked away from him and gasped. Josh swore and shook his hand, then popped his fingers into his mouth.

Channie rubbed her arm, tracing the path of the pain. "You...zapped me."

"Oh man, I'm so sorry. Is that the first time you've felt it?"

"Yes." Channie's arm still ached. Josh must like her an awful lot to put up with this kind of pain on a regular basis.

"If it makes you feel any better, you zapped me too. I'm sorry the shield didn't work, but thanks for trying."

"With the amount of lust you're generating, Chastity's curse should have knocked you unconscious. Your shield protected us until you touched my bare skin. I guess it can only do so much."

"So, what's your curse doing now? Is it trying to zap me?"

"Yes, but since I already emptied my power-well, I can control it."

"Come here, you." Josh grabbed Channie's wrist, above the cuff, and pulled her into his arms.

Her belly tightened involuntarily, shooting a wave of heat over her skin, until even her toes felt hot. Chastity's magic protested, but it wasn't back to full power yet, it was still manageable. Her mind screamed, 'get away,' but her body insisted she get closer—until Josh's stomach growled.

Channie giggled and leaned back against his arms. "You're hungry."

"Yeah, but not for food." His voice was deep, animalistic, with just a hint of aggression.

She squirmed out of his embrace, but kept her hands on his chest. She didn't want him to think she was rejecting him. "I got a new phone. Can you show me how to use it?"

Josh moved his hands to her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze, sighing as he exhaled. "Sure. Let's go outside for awhile. I need some fresh air."

Channie nodded. Fresh air and a little less privacy was exactly what they needed.

Josh sat on the end of a folding lounge chair and pulled Channie onto his lap. She'd seen lots of boys with girls on their laps at school and here, today at the race. No one seemed to care, not even the girls' parents. But back home, you didn't sit on a boy's lap if you cared about your reputation.

When she leaned forward to get up, Josh grabbed her hips and said, "Where do you think you're going?" But then he sighed and let go, holding his hands out to the side, palms up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Channie settled back onto his lap, but slid closer to his knees. "It's okay, I'm just a little nervous. I've never sat on a boy's lap before."

Josh said, "I'm sort of new at this, too. If I ever do anything you don't like—just tell me and I'll stop." He sounded sincere...but then he slid his hand from her back around to the side, curling his fingers over her ribs. "If I do something you especially like—be sure to tell me that too."

Damn it! Channie liked it alright. And he wasn't touching anything he shouldn't. But her eyes were almost level with his. If she fell into those sapphire depths, who knew what might happen. All he had to do was slide his fingers up a few inches...

Channie arched sideways and pressed her arm against her body, nudging his hand lower with her elbow. "I'd especially like it if you showed me how to use my phone."

Josh sort of growled, but he got the hint. "Fine, hand it over." He didn't even need the instruction book. He grinned and took a picture of himself then programmed Channie's phone so his face appeared on the screen whenever he called her.

He said, "Do you like Nickelback?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of them."

"I have just the song for my ringtone."

She didn't want to read too much into it, but when Josh dialed her number and "Gotta Be Somebody" started playing, Channie's heart skipped more than a couple of beats.

He handed her phone back to her and said, "When you want to call me, just press and hold the number two button."

"You should be number one."

"That's really sweet, but I programmed that number to call nine-one-one, which is the first thing you should do in an emergency. It's not unusual for people to panic during a crisis but even if your mind goes blank, you can remember to press the number one because it's..."

"The first thing to do in an emergency. Got it."

Josh took a picture of Channie with his phone and reprogrammed it with her number stored in the number two spot. He used the same song for her ringtone and said, "This is our song now, so you can't ever use it for anyone else's ringtone."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

~***~

Josh plugged a set of earbuds into his phone and handed one of them to Channie then played their song all the way through. When it ended, he said, "Channie, I need to know if my shield can protect me from the full force of your curse. We need to test it."

"Now?"

"I need to allow time to recover before the award ceremony if it doesn't work."

"Alright." Channie's whole body trembled as she relinquished control of Chastity's power. It rushed out of her like water through a broken dam. But this time it was different. This time, there was no horrifying jolt as the curse shot out of her like a bolt of lightening. This time, there was no sudden, debilitating weakness. And this time, there was no writhing victim on the ground, clutching his chest on the verge of a heart attack.

Josh said, "It's working. I can feel your magic pouring into me, but it doesn't hurt." He slid both of his hands to Channie's waist and lifted her off his lap. "In fact, it feels so good it should probably be illegal—I'm sure it's addicting." He stood up and ran his hands through his hair. "I've never felt anything like this before. It's amazing. It's—"

Josh opened his mouth and gasped as his shield pulled the last of Chastity's energy out of her power-well. He didn't grab his heart or cry out in pain. He closed his eyes and ran his hands over his chest, across his belly and down his thighs.

Channie had to sit back down to keep from falling over. Or charging Josh like an angry bull. Except...she wasn't angry. She was...she was wanting to tackle that boy, wrestle him to the ground and rip all his clothes off.

Where did that come from?

Channie shook her head to clear the lust from her mind, but it didn't do much good. She'd felt attracted to boys before, but not like this. She sniffed the air looking for traces of magic. Had somebody cast a come-hither spell on her?

Josh paced back and forth in front of the trailer. "I feel...super-charged. Like I could win a dozen races, one after the other. Like I could—"

Josh stopped—mid-stride, mid-sentence, mid-breath—and stood perfectly still, all expression wiped clean from his face.

"Josh? What's wrong?"

He blinked and said a very bad word. But he said it without emotion, without raising his voice. "I have to go tell my coach to forfeit my races before the award ceremony." His voice was flat, monotone.

"Why?"

Channie's question seemed to resurrect all Josh's emotions. He pointed his index finger at her like a gun and yelled at her. "Because there is no way this isn't cheating!"

"Josh, calm down. Let's go back inside the trailer and talk—"

He swore again and kicked the trash can next to the trailer. "I'm going to lose all my effing sponsors."

Chastity's magic thrived on rage almost as much as lust. It latched onto Josh's fury, pulled it into Channie's power-well, then poured it right back into him. If he weren't already shielded—if this amount of power had been delivered in the form of a focused curse instead of an energy infusion—it would have killed him.

"Josh, please calm down. You're scaring me."

Josh dropped his chin to his chest. He ran his hands through his hair then looked at Channie. He said, "I'm sorry. But this is about as calm as I'm going to get."

Channie closed her eyes, but Josh's image was burned on the inside of her eyelids. She knew he was mad at her, furious even. But all she could think about was how strong and powerful he looked. She wanted him in the worst way. She wanted ... She wanted to have sex with him.

No. No. no no no noooooooo. Stop it. Focus. Channie got up and forced herself to walk—then turn and run—away from Josh. She caught a whiff of rotting garbage and remembered what he'd said about controlling his lust by thinking of disgusting things. By the time she got downwind of the privies, Channie had herself back under control. Now, what was Josh so angry about? Oh, yeah...

She walked back to the trailer, but stopped when she felt her attraction to Josh intensify. He was sitting on the ground, his head in his hands.

"Josh, you didn't cheat. You weren't..." what was the word he'd used...? Oh, yeah..."You weren't super-charged until your shield absorbed the energy from Chastity's curse. We didn't test the shield until after you won your races fair and square."

He looked up at her, as if she had the power to deliver him from the gates of hell. "Really?"

"Yes. Really."

She sat down on the lawn chair and put her hands on his shoulders, kneading his muscles without even stopping to think about what she was doing, or asking Josh if it were okay for her to touch him like this. Her desire for his body was still there, but as long as she focused on what Josh was feeling, she could keep it under control.

He said, "Oh, man, that feels good."

The radiant heat from Josh's shoulders soaked into her fingers through the fabric of his shirt. She stood up and readjusted the lawn chair so it was level like a cot. "Lay down. I'll rub your back." Channie knew she was acting like a common whore, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

Josh laid down on his stomach and said, "You're the best girlfriend ever."

Channie's heart didn't just skip a beat. It stopped. A warm tingling sensation spread from her chest outward all the way to her fingers and toes. It was better than magic. "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah. I figure since you're so hot for me, I better make an honest woman out of you."

"What are you talking about?"

"This shield you made for me seems to work like a mirror. It shows me what you're feeling when you're energizing me."

"You know what I'm feeling?" Channie's hands froze and hovered about six inches above Josh's back.

He looked over his shoulder and smirked at her. "It's about all you can do to keep from jumping me right now."

A flash of horror tore through Channie's gut like a wild animal—followed by a bolt of white-hot rage. It flowed straight into Josh's shield and converted her anger to lust. Her desire for him increased tenfold. Channie closed her eyes and thought of rotting garbage and overflowing privies.

Josh chuckled, but at least he didn't say anything. It was bad enough he knew what she was feeling, she couldn't stand it if he started gloating about it.

Channie's hands drifted to Josh's back without her permission. "You said I was the best girlfriend ever. Just how many girlfriends have you had?"

"Ow. Not quite so deep. You're my first. If I don't count Nadia Hensen."

Channie had no idea who Nadia Hensen was, but she wanted to kill her. She gave herself a couple of minutes to calm down then said, "Tell me about Nadia."

Josh chuckled. "She was my girlfriend for two weeks when we were in the fifth grade."

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

Joshua rolled over onto his side and squinted his eyes at Channie. "Are you kidding me?"

The rational part of Channie's brain kicked in and she realized just how crazy that sounded.

"Of course I'm kidding you." Her laugh was forced, but Josh seemed to accept it. He rolled back over onto his stomach and Channie started rubbing his back again, carefully keeping at least one layer of fabric between them.

She was in a lust-filled haze when the pliable muscle she was massaging turned to stone.

"Um...Channie?"

"Yes."

"That feels a little bit too good, if you know what I mean."

She didn't realize she'd closed her eyes until they flew open. She was shocked to find her hands firmly planted on Josh's butt.

She jerked her hands from his body and balled them up into fists.

"I'm so sorry."

Josh propped himself up on his elbows and looked over his shoulder at her. She expected more gloating, but his smile was sympathetic. His considerable lust was tempered by an even stronger flow of compassion.

"Don't be sorry. I'm not. But maybe we better stop for now."

"Okay."

"Would you mind grabbing a blanket out of the trailer?"

Channie tossed him the blanket from the door. He wrapped it around his shoulders, moved to the foot of the stairs and stared into her eyes. "I'd like a do-over."

"A what?"

"A do-over." Josh's shoulders twitched as he studied the ground and stirred up a cloud of dust with the toe of his shoe. "I screwed up—the way I just announced that you're my girlfriend—as if you didn't even get a vote." He lifted his chin and met her gaze. "Will you be my girlfriend, Channie?"

She nodded.

Josh's grin spread across his face. He pulled the blanket over his head and said, "Kiss me."

Standing on the top step, Channie was almost as tall as Josh. She traced his hidden features with her fingertips and kissed the general area of his lips.

It was not the least bit satisfying.

Josh yanked the blanket off his head, stuck out his tongue and plucked a piece of lint out of his mouth.

He grinned at her and said, "Was it as horrible for you as it was for me?"

"Probably."

Josh's mischievous grin widened. The sparkle in his eyes intensified igniting sparks under Channie's skin.

He said, "I wonder just how much of a barrier we really need? Do you think a sheet would be enough?"

Channie was ashamed of the impure thoughts his innocent comment inspired. Josh was producing plenty of lust too, but it was a flickering candle compared to her own raging inferno.

Josh smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I can't believe how stupid we are."

Even though he included himself in the insult, Channie didn't appreciate being called stupid. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

He said, "You have a shield, too. Use it."

"It won't work."

"Why not?"

"Because my shield is powered by a mixture of Chastity and Enchantment's magic. It won't repel either of them."

"So how come my shield works?"

"Because I was very careful to only use Enchantment's magic when I created it. If your shield had even a trace of Chastity's magic, it wouldn't protect you from the curse. If I want to use magic on you again, I'll have to use Enchantment."

"How about you just not use magic on me at all?" Josh smiled, but his words still stung.

One of the boys whimpered inside the trailer. Grateful for the distraction, Channie stepped back inside.

Savvy started crying the minute he saw her and said, "Where am I?"

~***~

Thank goodness the Abrim's had a waterproof mattress pad. All three boys had wet the bed—a side effect of Daddy's be-calm spell.

Josh called his momma and told her what happened. She cleaned up the bedding while Channie and Momma cleaned up the boys as best they could.

Momma said, "We should have left hours ago. Joshua, go find Channie's daddy and tell him to meet us at the bus."

Channie bristled at the way Momma ordered Josh around, but since he didn't seem to mind, she let it go.

While Momma was busy buckling the boys into their car seats, Josh tapped Channie on the shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "If you want to stay for the award ceremony, we can give you a ride home."

"I'd like that very much. Thank you." Channie waited until the boys were all buckled up and said, "Momma, I'm going to stay and watch Josh get his award. His family will bring me home afterwards."

Momma froze. Her voice was dangerously quiet. "Chastity, get in the bus."

Channie shook her head. "You misunderstood me. I wasn't asking for your permission. I was just letting you know my plans."

Momma backed out of the bus like a spooked horse—nostrils flared, eyes wide and rimmed all around in white—she even stomped her foot.

Chastity's energy buzzed with the same prickly sensation but instead of irritating Channie, it invigorated her.

Momma said, "You willing to curse me to get your way?"

"I will if I have to."

"I see."

It was fun to butt heads with Momma when she was angry, but when her eyes filled with tears, Channie felt mean. Her resolve weakened—until she stole a sideways glance at Josh. The corners of his eyes tightened just a bit as he pulled his lower lip through his teeth. Channie licked her own lips then forced her gaze away from Josh's mouth back to Momma. "Don't wait up for me."

"I won't sleep a wink till you're home safe and sound."

Channie wrapped her arms around Momma and hugged her. She did not hug back.

On the way to the Abrim's trailer, Channie discovered that as long as she didn't look at Josh, touch him, or get close enough to smell him, she could keep her lust—and herself—under control.

It was a lot harder inside the trailer. Josh sat down and patted the cushion next to him. Channie pressed her lips together and shook her head. She sat on the bench against the opposite wall, as far from Josh as she could get.

He said, "Did I do or say something to upset you?"

"No."

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"This is so embarrassing."

"You should be able to tell me anything. I'm your boyfriend, remember?"

Channie smiled. The warm glow in her chest helped keep Chastity's prickly energy under control. Josh was right. Maybe if he understood what was happening, he would stop tempting her.

"Something happened when my curse super-charged your shield." Channie's cheeks felt like they were on fire. "It made you super-attractive. Irresistibly attractive."

"Seriously? That's awesome!"

"No, Joshua it isn't. I'm having a very hard time keeping my thoughts pure."

"You're having sexual fantasies. About me? Wow."

Channie hugged her knees to her chest and hid her face behind her folded arms.

"Channie?" Josh's voice was deep but gentle. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I'm flattered."

"I'm just so embarrassed."

"I have fantasies about you too. I have ever since that first night in the park."

"Please. Don't." Channie's control was too fragile. She couldn't afford to think about that kiss.

Josh said, "I'm sorry. What can I do to help?"

Channie lifted her head and rested her chin on her knees. "Well, to start with, can you try to control your own lust a little better?"

"I thought I was."

"Try harder."

"Why do you think my shield made me attractive? I thought it was only supposed to protect me from magic. Not create it."

"I don't know. Unless..."

Channie untucked her knees and turned sideways to face Josh. "When Momma and Daddy changed my name, I fought back and was able to save Enchantment, by hiding it inside my heart-of-hearts. I can tap into it, but I don't really know what I'm doing. It's like when I first learned to cast spells."

"What do you mean?"

"At first, everything was pretty much trial and error...with lots of unexpected results."

"You made mistakes with magic?"

"Oh, yeah. Lots of them. It's one of the reasons mages live in such isolated communities. It takes about four years for a kid to learn to control their powers."

"Did you make a mistake when you made my shield?"

"Obviously." Channie pushed the hair off her forehead with both hands. "The more energy I pour into your shield, the harder it is to control myself."

"Then quit energizing me."

"I'm trying, but your shield seems to want my lustful energy as much as Chastity wants yours. It's practically pulling it out of me."

"Have you thought about discharging some of it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you could zap a few guys."

Channie giggled and said, "That's really mean."

"You do it at school."

"I have to. If I let it build up, I could hurt someone."

"I'm someone."

"You're right." Channie stepped out of the trailer and said, "Help me find a group of people without any children." If the group was large enough and she cast the spell from a distance, it should dilute the power. Channie refused to curse a child, no matter how weak the spell.

Josh pointed to a group of a dozen teenagers hunkered down in the bed of an old red pickup truck about thirty yards from the Abrim's trailer. The ones that weren't coupled up and writhing under blankets were passing a joint around. "Are they friends of yours?"

"Not really. I know most of them, but since I don't smoke pot or drink, and they don't take racing seriously, we don't have anything in common. Hey, there's Amanda."

"Where?"

"She just poked her head back under the blanket. I told you she wasn't interested in me."

Channie grinned and said, "Sorry guys," then broke up the party.

~***~

With Chastity's power-well empty and Josh sitting on the opposite side of the trailer, Channie was finally able to relax a little. She was still attracted to him, but it was a warm pleasant feeling instead of the ravening need she'd felt earlier.

Josh said, "Are you getting hungry?"

"Yeah, but not for food." Crap. She didn't mean to say that out loud.

Josh's jaw dropped, but his widening grin pulled it back into place.

Channie covered her lips with three fingers. "I'm so sorry. That jumped out of my mouth without my permission."

"I don't mind." His grin softened to a smile that did funny things to Channie's stomach.

She squished her eyes shut. "Please, don't encourage me."

"This is really bugging you, isn't it?"

Channie nodded her head.

"Why don't I go get you a hotdog or something? You should eat."

"That sounds good. Thank you."

As soon as the trailer door shut, Channie's phone started playing "Gotta Be Somebody."

"Hello?"

"Do you miss me?"

Channie giggled and said, "You just left."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yes, I miss you."

"There's a huge crowd around the concession stand. This might take awhile."

The phone went quiet and Channie was afraid the battery might have died, until she heard Josh say, "What are you doing?"

His voice was agitated but muffled. Channie cast a simple listen-up spell on herself. She could hear Josh a little better, but not who he was talking to ...

"... I'm on the phone."

"... Cut it out! I already have a girlfriend."

Channie didn't like the sound of that.

"... Back off, or I'm calling security."

She really didn't like the sound of that.

"Josh?"

No answer.

She flew out of the trailer and took off at a dead run towards the concession stand.

About half way there, she spotted some sort of a disturbance and knew instinctively that Josh was in the middle of it. Two men in black shirts were scuffling with a small crowd of girls, but as soon as they'd pull one out of the fray, another one took her place. What the hell?

Channie shoved her phone in her pocket and headed for the ruckus.

~***~

There was so much raw lust in the air it overwhelmed Chastity's power-well within seconds. And it was all directed at Josh. Those girls wanted her man!

Channie punched, kicked, clawed and bit her way through the crowd, yelling, "Get away from him, he's mine!"

The blood rushing behind her ears was deafening. Someone wrapped his big, hairy arms around her chest while someone else grabbed her feet. Channie hit them both with stinging spells that would leave them in pain for days. And came to her senses.

What was she doing fighting with her teeth and nails like a rabid animal? She used every last bit of Chastity's energy and cast a broad, gender-specific, moon-curse at the crowd of girls still trying to get to Josh. They scattered like a henhouse full of chickens with a fox in the coop.

Channie hoped the concession stand was well stocked with feminine hygiene products. Actually—she didn't. It would serve those little hussies right if they had to fight over something other than Josh.

With all the girls gone, it was easy to spot him. His shirt was torn and hanging off one shoulder and he was shaking. Channie didn't have enough energy left to check his body for injuries, but after the last time she tried to fix his nose, decided that was probably a good thing.

Before she could get close enough to touch him one of the black-shirted men grabbed her roughly and said, "You need to stay back."

Josh looked up, his eyes wide until he recognized her. His expression instantly softened.

"Let her go. She's my girlfriend."

Channie wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him against her chest, but she didn't dare. Her motives were pure, but they wouldn't stay that way if she touched him.

She kept her hands clasped in front of her mouth and chewed on her knuckles as she followed Josh and the men to the first-aide station. There were already a couple of girls there, but they were in too much pain to notice Josh.

"I've never had cramps this bad before. Please, I need something stronger than Advil."

"I'm sorry miss, but we don't dispense anything but ibuprofin for menstrual cramps."

Channie could have eased the girl's suffering, but she wasn't particularly inclined to do so. Magic was no excuse for assault. If she could control herself then those girls should have been able to do so as well.

Josh's Daddy said, "What happened, son?"

"I don't know. I was talking to Channie on the phone and Lisa Manchester comes up to me and starts tugging on my arm. She asked me if I wanted to..."

Josh's voice faded. He glanced at Channie and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"I told her I had a girlfriend and that I wasn't interested, but she wouldn't leave me alone. Then, Amanda, Lauren, and a whole bunch of other girls I don't even know start grabbing at me."

A Black-shirt said, "It was a classic female feeding frenzy but I've never seen one at a BMX race before. We have a few race groupies we keep our eyes on, but most of these girls have never been a problem. This was rock-star madness."

Josh said, "It was scary."

"No offense kid, but I don't get it."

"None taken. I don't get it either."

"Have any of these girls ever attacked you before tonight?"

"I've been...propositioned by the groupies you mentioned. But never attacked. They've always been nice to me, even after I turn them down."

Josh grimaced when the healer working on him blotted the cut on his face with antiseptic smelling gauze. "Sorry. This might sting a little."

Josh rolled his eyes and smiled at Channie. "Are you okay? These brutes didn't hurt you, did they?"

One of the brutes said, "We're just doing our job kid."

Channie said, "I'm fine, Josh, and you should thank these men for protecting you," even though she was the one that actually rescued him. She knew these men took their jobs seriously, but they had no idea what they were up against. She'd created this problem, so as far as Channie was concerned, Josh's protection was her job now.

The first order of business was to get him someplace safe—away from any girls that missed out on the first go-round of her curse. Josh could rest in his daddy's trailer, but she wasn't about to leave him alone in there, in case one of those little sluts decided to pay him a visit.

~***~

The Abrim's trailer was just big enough—if Josh stayed at one end and Channie at the other—to maintain a safe distance. Josh climbed onto the bed and collapsed with a groan. Channie sat on the bench behind the table and flopped back against the wall. She put her forearm over her eyes.

Don't think about sex, don't think about sex, Don't think about sex...

"Channie?"

"Mm-hum?"

"Are you okay?"

She kept her eyes hidden, but couldn't hide the tremor in her voice.

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"I know."

"Want to talk about it?'

She heard the sheets rustle and groaned.

"Please, Josh. You can't come any closer."

"But, I want to hold you."

"If you think what those girls did to you was bad—"

"Channie, you're nothing like those girls."

"I am exactly like those girls."

"No. You're not. Most of them have never been the least bit interested in me until today. You liked me before this crazy magic changed me from a beanpole into a sex god." He quirked his mouth to the side. "Am I the first boy you've liked?"

"You're my first boyfriend." Channie couldn't believe she'd ever been attracted to Hunter freaking Feenie.

Josh said, "You're too damn hot to not have boys crawling all over you."

"Have you seen the way everyone avoids me at school? You'd think I was a leper."

"That's only because they all think you carry a taser. What about back in Arkansas? Did you have any magical boyfriends."

"No." Daddy made damn sure of that. "What's a taser?"

"It's a non-lethal weapon that uses a high voltage electrical shock to disable an attacker for up to fifteen minutes."

"You sound like an expert."

Josh grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I googled it after you zapped me."

"So everybody at school thinks I go around zapping boys with a taser?"

"Pretty much. I'm surprised you haven't been called into the principal's office yet."

"I'm not. Most boys are too proud to admit that a girl got the better of them. Did you tell anyone I zapped you?"

"Huh, I see your point." Josh leaned back and draped his arms across the back of the bench. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, but I reserve the right not to answer it."

Josh leaned forward and put his elbows on the table, clasping his hands. He rested his chin on his thumbs and hid his mouth behind his knuckles. "Why did you avoid me at first?"

"Other than fearing for your life if Daddy found out about you, I didn't want to get too attached."

"Why?"

"Because you're an Emp—" Channie's hand flew to her mouth. "I'm sorry."

Josh pulled his eyebrows together. "What's an Imp?"

"Empty. It's slang for...MD, which stands for Magically Disabled."

"So that means...I'm what? Not good enough for you?"

"I don't see it that way."

"But your parents do, don't they." It wasn't a question so Channie didn't bother to answer.

Josh said, "Why did you agree to be my girlfriend?"

"Because I like you! I don't care what my parents think!" Tears pricked the back of Channie's eyes and she was powerless to stop them.

Josh's phone blared. He opened it and said, "What?...Since when have I ever been late for the awards?...Fine, I'll change my shirt. Happy?"

Josh grabbed the back of his jersey with both hands, pulled it off over his head and tossed it on the floor.

Damn!

Channie's heart slammed against her ribs so hard she thought it was going to bust right out of her chest. She nearly bit through her lip when Josh's belly contracted, exaggerating the definition of his abdominal muscles.

She knew she was staring at him like a drooling dog at raw meat, but she couldn't help it.

Josh said, "Channie? What's wrong? Your face is all red."

Of course her face was all red, he'd just caught her staring at his perfect abs. She was still staring, but couldn't force herself to avert her gaze.

Josh's lips parted as he blushed. He said, "Sorry," then jumped up and dug a clean racing jersey out of a drawer under the bench he'd been sitting on. He yanked it on over his head so fast she thought he was going to tear it—but even if he didn't—she was on the verge of ripping it off herself.

"I need to get out of here. Now." Channie bolted outside and filled her lungs with the Joshua-free scent of dust, rotting garbage, and chemically treated sewage.

The lust was gone, but for how long?

Josh joined her outside, but he kept his distance.

Channie said, "Promise me you'll do what your momma said and wait in the trailer for the security men to come fetch you."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to clear my mind."

"I'll go with you—"

"And start another stampede? I don't think so. Besides, I need to get away from you for a while."

Josh frowned and shoved his hands in his front pockets.

Channie sighed and shook her head. "I don't want to leave, but I can't be this close to you right now." Josh still looked hurt, so she loosened her grip on Chastity's magic and let a little of it flow into his shield to make her point.

Josh's eyes widened as a smile spread across his face. "Wow. Call me if you get lonely."

~***~

Channie went to the Abrim's tarp and played card games with the rest of his family. She didn't know how to play Bridge or Spades and the Abrim's didn't know how to play Pinochle, but everyone, including Elijah, knew how to play Poker. Channie was just glad that Daddy had already left. Even though they were only betting with candy, he'd still cheat.

When the awards ceremony began, it gave Channie a chance to appreciate Josh without the influence of magic. She was definitely still attracted to him. About five minutes into the ceremony, it became obvious that Josh was looking for her.

Channie used someone's ice chest as a step stool to make herself visible and waved at him.

The instant his gaze locked onto hers, a thread of golden energy spiraled out of Channie's heart-of-hearts and burrowed past Josh's shield, into his heart, opening a conduit of magic between them. Power flowed both ways through that magical connection—from her heart to his and back again. Channie had never felt anything like it before.

The announcer called Josh's name. Their magical connection dissolved in a shower of sparks, but a part of Joshua remained inside Channie's heart-of-hearts. How was this possible? It took years of training to create a heart-bond connection. Josh wasn't even a mage and yet there he stood, with his eyes on fire and his hands over his heart, staring at Channie in wonder.

The announcer laughed and said, "It's good to see you never lose that feeling of awe no matter how many races you win. Abrim, get over here and claim your trophy."

The crowd laughed and cheered as Josh stepped forward and shook hands with several people then took hold of his award—a small gold statue of a boy on a bicycle perched on top of a huge gold and marble pedestal. He lifted it over his head to the sound of even more applause and cheering, but his gaze remained locked on Channie.

~***~

There were only a few girls still hanging around after the award ceremony, but Channie had already cursed them so they weren't a problem. She thought about using the moon-curse on herself as she walked to the privy, but she didn't have any feminine supplies with her and she was too embarrassed to ask Josh's momma.

On her way back to the Abrim's tarp, Channie overheard Josh arguing with his daddy inside the trailer. She knew she shouldn't spy on them, but it sounded like they were arguing about her.

Josh said, "I don't need these."

"I'm glad. Take them anyway."

"No."

"I saw the way those girls acted today. You need to be prepared."

"I'm not interested in those girls!"

"What about Channie? You can't tell me you aren't interested in her. And she's obviously interested in you."

Channie gasped then slapped her hands over her mouth. She'd tried so hard to behave in front of Josh's parents, but apparently not hard enough.

"Channie just agreed to be my girlfriend a few hours ago. I do not need these."

"Humor me."

"Fine."

"Put one in your wallet right now."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"What if Channie sees it? Or...Mom?"

"Being safe is nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure Channie will appreciate knowing you're a responsible young man. And I've already had a talk with your mother."

Josh groaned. It started out soft and low but crescendoed into a roar that ended with a very bad word. It was quiet for a few seconds, then Josh said, "Are you kidding me?"

Channie didn't want to get caught eavesdropping so she hurried back to the Abrim's tarp—except it wasn't there anymore. She had an excellent sense of direction, but she had been so preoccupied trying to figure out what Josh and his daddy were arguing about, it was possible she'd gotten lost in the dark.

"Boo!" Elijah jumped out of the shadows and nearly made Channie jump out of her skin.

"Good grief! You scared me to death."

He laughed and grabbed her hand. "I was waiting for you. Come on, I'll show you where we're parked. The car's already loaded."

Mrs. Abrim had a real nice vehicle with leather seats and clean carpets and not a single hole in the floorboard. Channie crawled into the back seat, but Elijah took off when his Daddy called his name. A few minutes later, Josh opened the hatch in back. Channie twisted around and smiled at him. His lips parted into an oval as his ears and cheeks flamed. He shoved a brown paper bag under the front of his shirt and stuttered when he said, "When did you get back?"

"Just a few minutes ago. What have you got under your shirt?"

"Nothing." His blush deepened and spread across the base of his throat.

Channie raised her eyebrows.

Josh changed the subject. "Can I sit back there with you, or would you rather I ride up front with Mom?"

"Up front." It wasn't what she wanted at all, but Channie knew she wouldn't be able to control herself if she were sitting next to Josh all the way home.

Josh pressed his lips together and nodded his head once. "Okay."

"I'm sorry, Josh."

"Nah, its alright. I understand. I just hope Lijah doesn't bug you to death."

"I can handle one eight-year-old little boy. He can't be half as bad as four-year-old triplets."

Josh laughed and shut the hatch then called out to Elijah, "Hey, squirt. Channie wants you to sit by her on the way home."

"Sweet!"

"Yeah, but just remember, she's my girlfriend."

It was after midnight when Mrs. Abrim pulled into Channie's driveway. Josh walked her to the front door and said, "Thanks for coming to watch me race and for agreeing to be my girl. I hope your parents aren't too pissed about you staying to watch the awards. Do you want me to come in with you?"

"No. I don't think that would be a very good idea. Besides, I can handle Momma and Daddy."

Chapter Six

FALLING IN LOVE

Channie was surprised that Momma hadn't peeked through the curtains to spy on her and Josh, especially when she opened the door and heard Momma and Daddy talking in the kitchen.

Momma said, "Channie, get in here," then softened her tone of voice and added, "if you please."

Daddy sat at the table, dressed in his best suit. Momma's red and white striped dress made her look like a candy cane, but it was her flushed cheeks and open-mouthed smile that caught Channie off guard. Momma rarely smiled, but when she did, she looked ten years younger. "Your daddy and I are going away for a few days. There's plenty of food in the pantry and icebox, the boys are plum wore out so they'll probably sleep late—"

"Hold on a minute. What do you mean you and Daddy are going away? Where are you going?"

Daddy said, "I tried to place a few friendly bets on some of the races today but nobody would wager with me. Joshua's daddy, Ezra, told me that betting on them bike races was illegal but that if I liked to gamble there's high-stakes gaming up in the mountains."

"Momma?" Channie couldn't believe that Momma was okay with the direction this conversation was going.

Momma said, "I don't usually approve of gambling, but your Daddy's convinced that he can win enough to pay off his blood debt to the Veyjivik clan. And since there's nothing but Empties around here. I think maybe this time he's right. We have a better chance of winning if we work together, so I'm going with him."

"You're going to gamble?"

"Betting on a sure thing ain't exactly gambling."

"It's not exactly honest either."

Daddy smacked his hands together and rubbed them like he was getting ready to role a pair of dice. "It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel."

Momma shot a warning glance at Daddy then turned to Channie and said, "They's nothing but Empties. It ain't like we're cheatin' other mages."

"You're fooling yourselves if you think the Veyjivik clan is going to accept money. They want blood."

Daddy laughed. "Of course they'll take the money. It's the law. Gold for blood, ounce for ounce."

It was pointless to argue against Momma's bigotry or Daddy's blind trust in money. It was bred into them. Channie hoped she could come up with a plan before their arrogance killed the whole family. Or tore her away from Josh.

"How long you gonna be gone?"

"I don't know, but I'll try to call you in a few days to check up on you and the boys. There's enough money to buy groceries for at least a week, if you're smart about it."

"A week! What about school?"

"You ain't learnin' nothing of use in that Empty school anyways. If your daddy and I can earn enough to pay off his debts, we can all go home and you can resume your studies with your Aunt Wisdom."

Channie's heart felt like it was being ripped in two. On one hand she was horribly homesick. She missed her friends, aunts, uncles and cousins. She missed her grandparents. And she especially missed Aunt Wisdom. But even if she weren't certain the Veyjiviks would murder them all, she couldn't stand the thought of leaving Josh.

Momma's voice snapped Channie out of her brooding. "I put a powerful be-calm spell on the babies so they'll sleep late, but they'll be hungry and cranky when they wake up tomorrow. I'd say I'm sorry to put this burden on you, but after the way you been acting, I ain't sorry at all. Maybe after a few days of fending for yourself, you'll appreciate what your daddy and I do for you on a daily basis—"

"Prudence, stop antagonizing her and get in the bus." Daddy's chair groaned as he got up. He took a step towards Channie and opened his arms, but before she could step into his embrace, he turned sideways and scratched the back of his head.

Tears filled Channie's eyes when she realized Daddy was afraid to hug her.

He picked up the suitcase by the door and said, "Behave yourself, baby girl."

Channie pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. What the hell just happened? Momma and Daddy had never left her unsupervised before, and now all of a sudden they put her in charge of the trips? Either they had a lot more faith in her than she thought—or Momma had caught Daddy's gambling addiction.

Channie went upstairs and checked on the boys. They were all cuddled up together like a litter of pups, snoring softly. With a little luck they should sleep past sunrise tomorrow.

Channie put on her nightgown, crawled into bed and texted Josh. She wasn't familiar with the short-hand code the other kids used so it took her awhile to type it all out.

Call me if you are awake

When Josh texted her back, his nickname appeared in front of his message.

<DirtJet>...r u ok

my parents left

<DirtJet>...???

just call me

Even though she was expecting it, when "Gotta Be Somebody" blared out of Channie's phone, she jumped and nearly dropped it before she fumbled it open. "Hello?"

"Hey, Channie, What's up?"

"My parents took off to go gamble as soon as I walked in the door."

"They go to Blackhawk?"

"I have no idea. They just said it was someplace up in the mountains."

"How long they gonna be gone?"

"I don't know. Momma said she'd call in a couple of days to check up on us."

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Will your Momma let you?"

"She already went to bed, besides, she's used to me slipping off during the night when I can't sleep."

"Alright. Come on over."

"Sweet! I'll be right there."

Holy cow, what was she thinking?

~***~

Josh knocked on Channie's front door seventeen minutes later. She'd barely had time to throw her clothes back on. She led him into the parlor and told him about Momma and Daddy's plan to win enough money to pay off Daddy's gambling debts so they could move back to Arkansas without going into specifics. He didn't need to know about Dominance Veyjivik or her vow to torture and kill Channie's family.

Josh grabbed Channie and pulled her hard against his chest."I don't want you to move. We just found each other."

She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with his unique scent of sandalwood and lemons. "I don't want to move either."

"Maybe you can stay with us."

"Momma and Daddy would never agree to that."

"Your parents are scared to death of you. You can do anything you want."

Channie leaned back and tilted her head to look into his eyes. "I'd still have to live with the consequences."

If Momma and Daddy were foolish enough to come out of hiding and offer the Veyjivik's gold instead of blood, it would start a clan war—They would probably all die anyway, but Channie couldn't live with herself knowing she'd deserted her clan when they needed her most.

She didn't want to worry Josh, so she offered a less truthful explanation. "When Abby ran away, Daddy disowned her. He said that even if she came home and begged his forgiveness, she'd never be welcome under his roof again."

"I won't ask you choose between your family and me." Josh loosened his grip and slid his hands to her waist. "Long distance relationships are hard, but we can stay in touch and I'll come visit you every chance I get. How long do you think it will take your parents to win enough money to pay off your dad's debts?"

The lump in Channie's throat made it hard to swallow. She would never allow Josh to visit her in the midst of a mage war. "I don't even know how much he owes."

Josh said, "I hope it's a lot," and kissed the top of her head. They both froze, then leaned away from each other. "I just kissed you...and it didn't hurt."

He smiled and reached up to brush a tear off Channie's cheek, but when he touched her face, it sent a jolt of pain through her head so intense she nearly passed out.

Josh shook his hand and swore then blew on his fingertips. "What happened? How come I can kiss your head, but I can't touch your face?"

"Maybe my hair works as a barrier, like clothes."

He raised his hand then slowly lowered it onto Channie's head. His touch was as soft and light as a butterfly, but it triggered a full-body shiver. "Your hair is so beautiful."

"Thank you. So is yours."

Josh pushed the hood of his sweatshirt off his head. His hair was curlier than usual and slightly damp. He must have showered before she called. He blushed and said, "Do you want to touch it?"

Thoughts of home, mage wars and the Veyjiviks receded as Channie extended her hand. His hair felt like silk, baby-soft like the trips and so different from her own frizzy mass. Josh sighed and leaned closer as she combed her fingers through his curls. But when she accidentally touched his ear they both yelped and sprang apart.

"I'm so sorry."

Josh rubbed his ear and said, "No, it's okay. The pain only lasts for a second."

"I don't like hurting you."

"I don't like hurting you either. We need to figure out some way to protect ourselves." He laughed and said, "We need cuddle clothes."

"Cuddle clothes?"

"Turtlenecks, hoodies, sweatpants, socks...whatever covers the most amount of skin."

Josh and Channie searched all the closets for cuddle clothes. Not surprisingly, the most modest clothing came out of Momma's closet. Channie sent Josh back to her room and changed into a lightweight, green turtleneck. It was too long and more than a little bit tight, especially across the bust, but it was made out of stretchy fabric so it wasn't uncomfortable.

Channie opened her bedroom door to find Josh sitting on her bed. His gaze drifted over her body. She felt naked, as he bombarded her with waves of lust. Channie folded her arms over her chest. "Cut it out!"

Josh shook his head and blinked as if coming out of a trance, then ducked his chin. "Sorry."

"You're going to have to learn to control yourself."

"I said I was sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. "I can't believe I'm saying this—it goes against my male nature—but maybe you could put a shirt on over that sweater?"

Channie grabbed a t-shirt out of her middle drawer and yanked it on over her head. "Is this better?"

"It depends on how you define better, but anything that hides your curves is going to make it easier for me to keep my thoughts off your body."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Josh sighed and said, "Why do you think my shield protects us from everything except skin-to-skin contact?"

"Probably because I've never made a shield before and don't know what I'm doing."

"Can you fix it? Make it stronger so we can touch? I'd really like to kiss you."

"I'd like that too." Just the thought of his mouth on hers made Channie lightheaded. If they could kiss, they could do other things too. If she strengthened his shield, it would be too easy to get carried away. Why complicate things? "I don't want to risk losing what we have."

Josh stood up and ran his hands down the length of Channie's arms then hugged her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. "This is...amazing. I've never felt so...connected to anyone before. I shouldn't be so greedy."

Channie thought about the magical connection they'd shared earlier and said, "Did you notice anything...unusual at the award ceremony?"

"I didn't just imagine that?"

"No. It was real."

"What was it?"

Channie turned her head and rested her chin on Josh's breastbone so she could look into his eyes. She didn't know how to explain their magically bound hearts without the risk of Josh thinking she'd forced him into it. He'd specifically asked her about controlling someone's emotions with magic the night he came over for dinner. She didn't understand it herself, but she knew that it required two people with willing hearts to create a bond like theirs. Josh was just as much a part of this as she was. Channie decided to start with the basics. "It was heart-magic."

"There's more than one kind of magic?"

"Yes...and no. Magic exists in everything...water, air, rocks, plants, animals, people. A mage just learns how to manipulate it."

"So it's a skill you can learn?"

"If you're a mage. Basic magic is instinctive. It's all most folks ever use. Once we learn to focus our minds, all we have to do is think of the spell we want and tap into the energy stored in our power-wells to create it. The more powerful mages learn to manipulate magic in a more discreet and finite way."

Josh slid his hands to Channie's waist, leaned back and arched his eyebrows. "Huh?"

"Okay, it's like biology and physics. It's easier to work with magic flowing through a whole organism—which is what most of us do using energy from our power-well— than manipulate it on a cellular level, with heart-magic, which is what master-healers do."

"And physics?"

"The only way to manipulate non-living matter is on a molecular or atomic level. It's theoretically possible, but I've never met anyone that could do it."

"So magic is like the force...in Star Wars."

"What?"

Josh laughed. "It's a movie. Actually it's six movies. Come over sometime and we'll have a Star Wars marathon." His smile softened as he tilted his head to the side. "Do you think you'll ever learn to control your new power-thing so you won't go around zapping guys all the time?"

Channie said, "Not completely, my parents used an ancient binding-spell. The only way to control it, is to break it."

"Binding spell?"

"You don't want to know." Channie shivered thinking about the Book of the Dead.

"Sure I do. I want to know everything about you."

She shook her head, wiggling her chin into the hollow spot between Josh's pectoral muscles.

He twitched and chuckled softly. "That tickles."

"Sorry."

"I don't mind." Josh kissed the top of her head. "So, tell me more about heart-magic. How long have you been using it?"

"I didn't even know where my heart-of-hearts was until Enchantment chose it as a hiding place when my parents changed my name."

"Where is your heart-of-hearts?"

"Inside my regular heart."

"Do I have one?"

"Before the award ceremony, I would have said no, but I don't know how we could have experienced what we did if you didn't have a heart-of-hearts. Your shield must be more powerful than I thought if it's giving you the ability to use magic."

"I used magic?"

"Not just any magic—heart-magic. Are you sure you don't have any mages in your family tree?"

Josh frowned and pulled his eyebrows together, then parted his lips. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "The only thing I'm sure of is that I want to hold you like this forever...but I'm really tired. I'm about to pass out on my feet."

"Do you want to sleep with me?"

Josh's arms tightened around Channie. She clamped down on Chastity's energy as soon as she realized what she'd said, but Josh's lust very nearly overpowered her. Channie doubted she'd be able to control herself if Chastity's magic supercharged Josh's shield when they were this close.

She disentangled herself from his arms and said, "I meant real sleep...not...you know."

"I would love to fall asleep with you in my arms and hold you all night long. I'll behave, I promise."

~***~

The next morning, as Channie drifted into wakefulness, yesterday's events distilled into coherency like dew out of a warm mist.

She reached for Josh, but he wasn't there. She peeked over the side of her bed and found him, asleep on the floor. He was lying pigeon-toed on his stomach with his hands tucked under his thighs. Shadows cast by the yellowed lace of her window curtains floated across his back like fallen leaves on water, shifting with the ebb and flow of his breath.

Josh hunched his shoulders and shivered then blinked his eyes open. He yawned and said, "Morning."

Channie propped herself up on her elbows. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Behaving."

"You were behaving last night."

"Yeah, but you weren't."

Channie sat up and even though she was fully clothed, pulled the covers up under her chin. "What do you mean?"

"You were having some pretty good dreams."

Abby used to complain about the way Channie talked in her sleep. "What did I say?"

Josh wiggled around to face her, but remained on his belly. He folded his arms and rested his chin on the back of his wrist. "It wasn't what you said, so much as what you did."

Holy crap. "Wh... what did I do?"

"Nothing I didn't enjoy." The corners of his mouth curved into a lopsided grin as his cheeks reddened. "But when I realized you were asleep, I felt like a perv, so I just moved to the floor."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I didn't want to interrupt what was obviously a very good dream."

Channie resisted the urge to pull the covers over her head and changed the subject.

"Do you mind keeping an eye on the trips while I take a quick shower? They'll wake up any minute and I don't dare leave those little monsters unsupervised."

Josh yawned again and sat up. "Sure, anything in particular I should do if they wake up?"

"No, just don't let them kill each other or tear the house apart."

When Channie opened the door after her shower, the aroma of pancakes led her to the kitchen. Josh was standing in the middle of the room—a crocheted pot holder and cast-iron skillet in one hand, a spatula in the other. The triplets were staring at a large pancake clinging to the ceiling.

Josh said, "I barely tossed it. There's no way that thing should have gone that high."

The smug look on Savvy's face was all the explanation Channie needed. Most mages weren't able to cast spells until they were at least eight-years-old. But then again, she'd never heard of a sixteen-year-old mage and an Empty binding themselves with heart-magic either. The power that flowed through Momma's line was extraordinary. Channie couldn't help but wonder how much of that was due to the dark magic practiced by her ancestors.

When the pancake fell from the ceiling, Josh caught it in the skillet then opened the cabinet under the sink.

Channie put a hand on his shoulder before he could throw it in the trash and said, "We don't waste food. That one's Savvy's." She pretended not to notice when the little devil slid it onto Zeal's plate.

After breakfast, Channie sat the boys down and said, "Granny and Grandaddy left on a little vacation. They left me in charge so you better behave." They took the news a lot better than she thought they would.

Savvy said, "How long they gonna be gone?"

"I don't know. But Granny said she'd call us in a few days to check on us."

Josh's phone whooped like a tornado alert siren. He rolled his eyes and said, "It's my mom," then flipped it open. "Yeah."

"Fine...I'll be home before noon."

Josh grimaced and held the phone away from his ear, even the triplets stopped fighting over the syrup to listen to Josh's momma yell at him.

"I am sick and tired of you running off without so much as leaving a note to let me know where you are—"

"If you were so worried, why didn't you call last night?"

"If you don't get your ass home in the next twenty minutes, consider yourself grounded for the next week."

"Fine!" Josh slammed his phone shut and said, "I gotta go."

Channie glanced sideways at the trips and said, "Thanks for coming over this morning to fix breakfast for us."

Josh quirked an eyebrow, but he went along with Channie's plan to keep his overnight visit a secret. "Anytime. Call me if you need anything."

Channie ducked her chin as she stacked the breakfast dishes on the table. "Don't tell anyone, okay? Especially not your momma."

Josh kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm not stupid."

~***~

Channie spent most of the morning at the park with the trips. It was a warm day so she sat at the new picnic table in the pavilion—the city didn't waste any time replacing the one Daddy had stolen—and did her homework while the boys played and fought with each other.

When her phone started playing "Gotta Be Somebody," Channie's heart flip-flopped into her throat.

"Hi, Josh."

"Hey, Channie. I just called to let you know that I can't call you today."

"Why?" Her heart stopped mid-flip and slid to the floor.

"Mom's punishing me and taking my phone after this call."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Me too, I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you, but she's standing here listening to every word I say and timing this call. For every minute we talk, she's grounding me an extra day...so I guess I'll see you at school."

Ten minutes after they hung up, Josh started texting Channie—from Elijah's phone.

She fed the trips peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch and supper both, but no one complained. She didn't give them baths or try to put them to bed on time, but just let them play until they fell asleep on the floor, then carried them to bed.

Channie's phone woke her up a little after midnight. It was just an ordinary ring tone so Channie assumed it was either Momma or Daddy calling from a pay phone to check on her and the boys.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Channie, you awake?"

"Josh? Did your momma give you your phone back?"

"No, I'm still using Elijah's."

"That's awful nice of him."

"Not really. I'm paying the little twerp five bucks to use his phone and another five to not tell on me."

Channie had no idea how long they talked before she fell asleep, but the last time she checked her alarm clock, it was after two in the morning.

Her phone was open and stuck to her cheek when Momma shook her awake and said, "Rise and shine sleepy-head, you're gonna be late for school."

Channie yawned and stretched then forced her eyes open. "When did you get back?"

"About an hour ago." Momma was grinning so wide Channie could see her back teeth.

"Did you and Daddy win any money?"

"You would not believe how much money we won."

Channie's mouth was instantly dry. "Did you get enough to pay off Daddy's debts."

"Not quite. We're going to go again next weekend."

~***~

Channie was about half-way to school when her phone played Josh's ring-tone.

"Hey, you got your phone back."

"Where are you?" Josh's voice was slightly higher pitched than normal, tense.

"What's wrong?"

"It's my shield. The girls are going nuts."

How could she have forgotten about the aphrodisiacal effect of Josh's shield? There were a lot more girls at school than there had been at the races. At least she hadn't super-charged it with her own lust recently.

"Are you safe?"

"For now. I'm in the boy's bathroom next to the gym."

"Stay put until I get there."

Channie didn't even bother to lock her bike when she got to school. She raced to the gym and cast a moon-curse at the crowd of girls gathered outside the boy's bathroom. They all clutched their bellies and scampered into the girl's bathroom. Channie knocked on the door and said, "Josh? Are you in there?"

The door creaked open and Josh peeked his head out. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, but we better get you somewhere safe and figure out a way to fix this."

Josh looked both ways like he was getting ready to cross a busy street, then slipped his arm around Channie's waist and made a mad dash for the south door. They made it outside without incident, but there were too many girls hanging around in the court yard and they honed in on Josh like heat-seeking missiles. Channie cast curse after curse, but the girls kept coming.

"Josh, I'm running out of power. Can you give me a little boost?"

He seemed to know exactly what she was hinting at and slid his hand from Channie's waist to her back-side and gave it a little squeeze.

Chastity's power-well went from nearly empty to overflowing in an instant. Channie took care of all the girls and still had power left over. If she didn't dump the excess soon, she was going to light Josh's shield up with so much energy, she wouldn't be able to resist him either.

The marching band was still practicing on the football field. It was a large group and far enough away that no one in their right mind would believe she'd tasered the entire bunch. But when she released Chastity's excess energy, every single musician hit a sour note. One of the color guard tripped and fell against the drummer standing next to her. The entire front row, and half of the second, stumbled into each other like falling dominoes.

Josh snickered and said, "Sweet! Did you do that?"

"Actually, I blame you for that one."

"Me?"

"I said a little boost. Grabbing my butt was not a good idea."

He said, "Sorry," but the grin on his face proved he wasn't the least bit remorseful. "You want to go to my house? My mom's at work."

"I thought you were grounded."

"I am, but you're not."

"Your momma's not going to be happy to see me."

"She doesn't even get off work till five."

Channie knew better than to go to a boy's house without a chaperone, but she trusted Josh. Besides, they had to do something about that shield.

~***~

Josh opened the door and said, "Mom and Dad sold our house after the divorce so now we have to live in this crappy little townhouse. But Dad and Liz have a huge place in Boulder." There was a slight trace of bitterness in his voice. "They even have an indoor pool and hot tub. I'll take you there sometime."

Channie didn't know what he was talking about. The place wasn't any smaller than the house she was living in and a heck of a lot bigger than the cabin back home. Everything was new and clean. "All your furniture matches."

Josh looked around as if he'd never seen the place, then glanced sideways at Channie and blushed.

If he was feeling sorry for her, Channie was going to turn around right now and go home. She scanned his energy field but all she found was embarrassment and humility. No pity. Good.

She followed Josh into the kitchen. The first thing that caught her attention was the fancy refrigerator. It had an ice and water dispenser in the door. Josh followed her gaze and said, "Are you hungry?"

"No, but I'm a little thirsty."

He dug around inside the refrigerator then handed her a diet Pepsi and shut the door.

The drink Josh had gotten for himself was not sugar-free. She narrowed her eyes and said, "You think I'm getting fat or something?"

"No. Of course not, but most girls I know won't drink any kind of soda unless it's diet."

Channie handed it back to him and said, "I'm not like most girls."

Josh laughed and said, "Sorry, you can say that again. What would you like to drink?"

"You got Dr. Pepper?"

"Hell no, that stuff's nasty. It tastes like carbonated prune juice. We've got regular Pepsi, root beer, ginger ale, Sprite and Mountain Dew."

"I'll take a ginger ale, please."

Josh twisted the top off the glass bottle and stuck a straw in it. "Come on, I'll give you the tour."

They wound up in the basement in a dark room with a huge flatscreen television on the wall and sound speakers in every corner. Josh called it an entertainment room and made a point of demonstrating the fact that with the door shut, it was completely soundproof.

Josh flopped into the middle of the sofa and draped his arms over the back. He obviously wanted Channie to sit next to him, but he was practically lying down. She sank into a black leather chair across the room.

Josh pushed his lower lip out a bit. "So, do you have any idea how we can keep the girls at school from attacking me?"

~***~

There was no way Channie could cast a moon-curse on every girl at school that wanted to get her hands on Josh. Even if she had the energy, they only had one class together. She couldn't protect him if she wasn't there.

She attached an itching spell to Josh's shield and used her own lust to create a trigger. Neither of them wanted an accidental bump in the halls or a friendly touch to curse an innocent bystander.

Josh rubbed his arms and said, "I don't feel any different. You sure this will work?"

"If any girl lays hands on you with less than pure intent, she'll feel as if a thousand fleas have infested her sorry hide."

"Ha! Itches for bitches. I like it. Call it IFB for short."

Channie rolled her eyes and said, "Are you ready to go back to school?"

Josh smirked at her. "I've got a better idea."

Channie clamped down on Chastity's energy. "That IFB spell affects me too."

Josh made his sad puppy face. "Even through cuddle clothes?"

"Afraid so." Channie had made damn sure that clothing would not interfere with the curse. She didn't want anyone touching Josh but her, no matter how many layers of fabric were between them. "But it should only last a few hours. Long enough to protect you until we get home from school."

"You want to go get something to eat? My mom carpools on Mondays. We can drive her Toyota."

"Aren't you supposed to babysit Elijah when he gets home from school?"

"We'll be back way before then."

Josh tried to talk Channie into eating at a fancy restaurant, but she insisted on McDonald's. "Abby told me that if I ever got the chance, I had to try their fried potatoes. Please? I gotta try 'em, at least once."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather eat at The Waterloo Ice House on Main Street? They have french fries there too."

"I'm not dressed up enough for a fancy restaurant."

Josh laughed and shook his head. "Alright, McDonald's it is. But the one on West Dillon Road is going to be too crowded. We'll go to the food court at the mall."

Channie had never been to a mall before. It was even better than Walmart. And a lot less crowded. But the few teenaged girls that were there definitely noticed Josh. It was hard to keep Chastity's energy in check, but Channie needed to see how well the IFB spell worked on its own.

The first girl that touched Josh thought she was having an allergic reaction and used an epi-pen on herself. Her friends were loyal and managed to conquer their lust long enough to whisk her away and that was the end of that.

Josh accidentally-on-purpose brushed against a mom dragging a couple of squalling toddlers behind her. She said, "Hey, watch where you're going," but didn't so much as twitch.

He apologized to the woman then leaned closer to Channie and whispered in her ear, making her heart race. "I'd say the experiment's a success. Let's go get something to eat."

When they got to the food court, a medley of exotic spices tickled Channie's nose.

Josh walked right past the McDonald's counter and got in line for The Mediterranean Grill. "I'll still get you an order of fries from Micky D's but I want you to eat something healthy first. Besides, I can't eat too much junk food. I have to stay in shape."

Channie used Josh's comment as an excuse to let her gaze travel over his lean, hard-muscled body. "You're not gonna get fat no matter what you eat."

"I'm not worried about getting fat." Even without the self-satisfied smirk spreading across Josh's face, Channie knew he felt her lustful energy pouring into his shield. "I'm worried about getting enough protein to maintain the small amount of muscle mass I've managed to build over the last year. I need to bulk up before Grands."

"What's Grands? It sounds important."

"It's sort of the Superbowl of BMX racing, so yeah, it's really important. It determines your ranking for the next year. If I want to race in the 2012 Olympics I need to do well at Grands from here on out."

"I'd like to see you race at Grands. When is it?"

"Thanksgiving, but since it's in Tulsa, we leave as soon as school's out on Wednesday afternoon."

Thanksgiving was a big deal in Channie's family, at least it had been, before they moved. It wouldn't be the same without all the aunts, uncles, and cousins—or Abby. Channie tried not to think about her sister. She and Abby hadn't been close for years—not since she'd gotten pregnant and shut everyone out of her life—but that one conversation after Channie had kissed Josh had given her hope that they could be friends and confidants again. False hope was worse than no hope at all. Channie pushed all thoughts of Abby into the back of her mind. "What about Thanksgiving dinner?"

"My family's eaten Thanksgiving dinner at Mimi's cafe for the past four years. Before that, Mom tried to cook it in the trailer. Mimi's is better. We don't even take the trailer anymore. We just stay in a hotel. If you want to come, I'll rent you a separate room."

"That sounds expensive."

"You're worth it." Josh laced his fingers behind his head and tipped his chair back, balancing on two legs. "But if you're worried about the expense, you could always share a room with me."

Channie's mouth fell open, but she was speechless.

Josh slammed the front legs of his chair onto the floor, grabbed the edge of the table and laughed."I'm sorry, but you should have seen the look on your face." He continued to chuckle as he stacked their trays together and gathered up their trash. "Why don't you let me make it up to you? I'll buy you dessert."

Chocolate raspberry crepes had to be the most delicious thing Channie had ever tasted in her entire life. They were better than Momma's oatmeal cookies. Better than Nana's blueberry pancakes. Better than McDonald's fried potatoes.

A middle-aged woman moaned and said, "I swear, these crepes are better than sex."

Channie choked, snorting a piece of raspberry up her nose.

Josh chuckled and said, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, but her eyes were still watering and she couldn't stop coughing. Josh started to pat her back, but Channie twisted out of reach and shook her head. If she got hit with his IFB spell on top of everything else, she'd probably choke to death. Josh waited until she quit coughing then offered her a sip of water. "We gotta get home before Elijah."

Neither of them spoke as they threaded their way through the parking lot. Every third car was a dark blue SUV identical to Mrs. Abrim's. How Josh managed to find it without a seeking spell amazed Channie. He opened the door for her then slid in behind the wheel and filled the car with lustful energy. He bit his lip and pulled it, ever so slowly, through his teeth. Didn't he know what that did to her? Of course he did. He's doing it on purpose.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?" He smirked at her and did it again. Licking his lips afterwards and letting his eyelids drift to a half-closed-come-hither expression.

Even though Channie knew he was teasing her, she couldn't stop the whole-body shiver his little display inspired. Apparently, he needed a taste of his own medicine. She mimicked him—exaggerating everything, from the slow drag of teeth across her bottom lip to the low sigh as she exhaled. She decided to improvise a little and ran her hands through her hair, lifting it off her back then letting it slide through her fingers and drift back into place.

When she finished her little demonstration, Channie tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned sideways to gaze at Josh.

He stared back at her with dilated pupils and gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Seeing the effect she had on him, gave Channie a rush of pleasure. "It's not so much fun when you're the one being teased, is it?"

"Do it again."

~***~

When Mrs. Abrim got home from work at a quarter 'till six, she seemed genuinely pleased to see Channie...although she made a point of leaving the media room's door open. Josh rolled his eyes and shut it as soon as she went back upstairs.

Channie worked on Josh's shield every day. By the end of the week she could fine tune the spell so it lasted exactly as long as she wanted. A three hour spell before school—so she could sit on his lap during lunch without breaking out in hives—and another spell afterwards that lasted until they got home from school.

Channie and Josh were watching "Shrek" with Elijah after school on Friday when Channie's phone rang. It was Daddy.

"Hey, baby girl, I hate to bother you, but your momma and I are ready to head back on up into the mountains. We need you to come home and keep an eye on the boys." Daddy always shouted into the phone, as if he didn't believe in the technology and it was all up to him.

Channie held the phone away from her ear to keep from going deaf. "I'm going to watch Josh race all day tomorrow. You and Momma can go gamble after I get back."

"We need you to come home now."

It sounded like Daddy needed another demonstration of Chastity's power. "No."

"How about if I pay you to babysit?"

"Seriously?" Daddy had never given Channie so much as a dime. She leaned forward and said, "How much?"

Josh slid his hand off her back and folded his arms across his chest.

"How much would it take to get you to come home right now?"

"A hundred dollars." Channie smirked. She might as well ask for a million.

"Done. Now get your butt home."

"What? Really? You're gonna give me a hundred dollars?"

"If you're here within the next thirty minutes I'll give you an extra fifty."

Channie closed her phone and stared at it for a few seconds. She was so stunned by Daddy's generosity she didn't notice Josh's resentment until it seeped into her power-well.

"Josh...I really want to go to your race tomorrow, but—"

"I understand." The tone of his voice was anything but understanding.

What was his problem? "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Whatever." He shrugged his shoulders then walked her to the door.

Usually, Josh tossed Channie's bike in the back of his momma's Four-Runner and drove her home around ten o'clock, but it was only three-thirty and his momma wasn't home from work yet. He couldn't leave Elijah alone, but he didn't even kiss her head or say good-bye or anything.

By the time Channie got home she was in a foul mood. She hadn't even gotten off her bike before Momma started up the bus—filling the garage with an oily cloud of black fumes.

Channie banged on the passenger side window and said, "Hey, Don't you dare leave without giving me my money!"

There wasn't enough room to open the door, so Daddy removed the folded cardboard that held his window up and said, "I'll give you your money when we get back."

"I ain't in no mood to mess with you, Daddy. You promised me a hundred and fifty dollars and I want it now."

"Alright, alright, don't get your drawers in a bind." Daddy shifted his weight to his left hip and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He handed Channie three fifty-dollar bills and said, "There you go, baby girl. We'll see you in a few days."

"Hold on just a dang minute. I want you to leave the boy's car seats."

"What for? You don't even know how to drive."

"In case there's an emergency and I have to ask one of the neighbors to drive us to the hospital." Or in case Josh talked his momma into taking her and the boys to his race tomorrow.

Channie waited until Momma pulled the bus out of the garage, then called Josh.

He answered on the first ring. "Did you make it home in time to get your fifty-dollar bonus?"

"Yes, I did."

"Good for you."

"Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you."

Liar.

"I'm just disappointed that your dad bought you off so easily."

"Bought me off?" Channie'd never had more than ten dollars to her name. A hundred and fifty dollars was a fortune to her. "How dare you?"

"Channie, I'm sorry—"

She slammed the phone shut. "Gotta Be Somebody" started playing almost immediately. Channie turned it off without answering, then went inside.

Courage met her at the door. "We're hungry."

"Are you kidding me? Granny left without feeding you guys?"

"She said you'd fix us mac and cheese."

"Well, she lied. You get peanut butter and jelly."

Courage scrunched his face into a scowl and crossed his arms over his chest. "You ain't no fun no more."

Channie didn't want to admit it, but Coco was right. She was less patient and more aggressive than she'd been when Enchantment was in charge. The littlest things pissed her off. Chastity's influence was changing her personality—but how she acted and how she treated others was up to her. She'd learned to control her lust around Josh, she could control her bitchiness too. It was her choice.

She looked at the money that had caused her first real fight with Josh. It didn't seem like such a blessing anymore. She fisted her hands, crumpling the three fifty dollar bills and decided she would not be a stingy, money grubbing, tightwad like Daddy. "I'm sorry, CoCo. Let's go inside. I have an idea for something way better than mac and cheese."

~***~

When the bell rang, all three trips stampeded the front door screaming, "Pizza's here! Pizza's here!"

Channie couldn't help laughing. They'd never even seen a pizza before much less tasted one, but when she described it to them, and explained how all she had to do was call in their order and the pizza man would deliver it right to their door, the little monkeys went berserk.

Zeal threw open the door and said, "Ah, damn it to hell and back, it ain't a pizza man, it's just plain old Josh."

"Hey, nice to see you too, kiddo."

"Zeal Belks, watch your mouth!" Channie was going to have to be more careful about her own language in front of the boys. "What are you doing here?"

Josh looked at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. "I came to apologize."

Not only did Josh apologize, he paid for the pizza when it was delivered ten minutes later, even though he didn't stay to eat it.

He said, "I have to get back home, Mom's really pissed that I left and since I'm still officially grounded...this sounds so rude...but she said that you and the boys can't come with us tomorrow."

"I see."

"It's nothing personal against you...she just wants to punish me."

Channie didn't want Josh to see the rush of blood that was reddening her face so she turned away from him and said, "Wash your hands boys."

Zeal scrambled onto the counter top while CoCo drug a chair across the floor. Savvy was the only one that would still let anyone baby him without a fuss so Channie picked him up and carried him to the sink. She balanced him on one hip and kept her back turned to Josh as she supervised the hand washing. When Zeal started to climb down, Channie grabbed the back of his neck and said, "Use more soap."

Josh moved behind Channie and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you decide you want to go to the race, my dad said he could pick you and the boys up around eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

Channie shut off the water and handed a dish towel to Savvy. "Dry your hands and get some pizza before your brothers scarf it all up." She turned to face Josh and said, "That'd be real nice, as long as it's no bother to your Daddy."

Josh said, "Dad's pretty laid back about stuff. Besides, he likes you and thinks the trips are entertaining." He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was wondering...if you put that itch spell on my shield tonight, will it last until you get to the race tomorrow?"

"Oh, crap. I forgot about that."

"Yeah, I don't want a repeat performance of last week."

"How long do you want the spell to last?"

"You guys should get to the track no later than ten, but let's say noon, just to be sure."

~***~

Josh won both of his races by a huge margin, but Channie was so busy trying to keep up with the trips, she didn't get to see either one of them. She was tempted to put a be-calm spell on the little monkeys, but Josh's Daddy didn't bring his trailer this time so there was no good place for them to nap.

She'd thought that a hundred and fifty dollars was a small fortune. By the time Channie got home, fed and bathed the boys and put them to bed, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she'd earned every penny.

She was sound asleep when Josh's ring tone woke her up. It took her a few seconds to find her phone and fumble it open. "Hey, Josh."

"Can I come over?"

"It's late. Aren't you tired?"

"I can't stop thinking about you...all alone in that house with no parental supervision."

"I'm not alone. The trips are here."

"You know what I mean. Do you want me to come over or not?"

"Sure, come on over."

Channie took off her gown and put on a hoodie and sweatpants. She added a pair of knee socks just to be safe and waited for Josh by the front door. He was also wearing cuddle clothes.

They sat on her bed and talked about trivial things like movies they wanted to see, books they'd read and what Josh wanted for his birthday.

"I should have gotten a car two years ago when I turned sixteen, but my parents have this crazy idea that I'll live longer if I don't have my own car."

"What do you want from me?" Channie had her babysitting money but no idea what sort of gift to buy for him.

Josh rolled onto his stomach, resting the side of his head on his folded arms, and grinned at her. "All I want from you is an honest-to-god, real, mouth-to-mouth kiss."

Channie scooted down and turned onto her side. She ran her fingertips down the center of Josh's back, making him shiver. She loved knowing her touch affected him as much as his did her. "Well...since your birthday falls on winter solstice, maybe I can use the extra power to enhance your shield."

As soon as Channie had learned that Josh was born on December 21, 1991, she'd looked it up. There'd been a partial eclipse of the moon during winter solstice that year. Even though Josh wasn't a mage, it was still a good omen to have been born on such a special night.

Josh yawned and said, "Explain it to me again." Either he had no aptitude for astrology or the subject bored him so badly he couldn't retain any information. At least the promise of a kiss, perked him up enough to keep his eyes open.

"You remember how the moon's power fluctuates—growing stronger and weaker as it waxes and wanes?"

"It's strongest during the full moon, right?"

Channie groaned and rolled her eyes. "Come on Josh. I've explained this to you before."

Josh quirked an eyebrow and yawned again. Maybe if she used food as an analogy, he'd pay attention long enough to grasp the concept.

"Think of it as a bottle of soda pop. The new moon is full of Dr. Pepper while the full moon is full of ginger-ale. A half-moon, only holds half as much, whether the moon is waxing or waning."

"I hate Dr. Pepper."

"Okay, fine. Pepsi."

"Which is better? Pepsi moon, or ginger-ale moon?"

"Neither. They're just different. But that's only part of it. The moon is extremely powerful during the summer and winter solstices no matter what phase it's in. And anytime there's an astronomical event like an eclipse it multiplies the power exponentially, like shaking the bottle before you open it."

"I think my brain is going to explode."

Channie rolled her eyes. "You have no idea how amazing this is. I can guarantee you that pregnant mages all over the world were casting spells to deliver their babies the night you were born."

"It's that big of a deal?"

"If you'd been born a mage, your entire clan would have watched you grow up, waiting to see how powerful you would become. They would expect great things of you."

"Then, I'm glad I'm not a mage. Talk about pressure."

"The bidding war to broker your marriage would have begun the night you were born. It would have been fierce and probably bloody."

"What can I say? I was destined to be a sex god."

Channie hit him over the head with her pillow.

Josh pinned her to the bed, straddled her belly and tickled her ribs until she was gasping for breath with tears streaming down her cheeks.

As soon as she said, "I give up," he flopped onto his back and pulled Channie onto his chest stroking her hair until her hiccups subsided.

They talked about their hopes and dreams for hours and shared their deepest secrets. Channie knew that Josh wanted to race in the Olympics, but she had no idea that he wanted to go to college and become a psychologist.

She told him how she wanted to become a Master Healer like her Aunt Wisdom, but there was no way for that to happen unless she moved back to Arkansas—and that was something neither of them wanted.

He told her that his biological father disappeared before he was born and that Mr. Abrim adopted him at the age of five, when he married Josh's momma.

"When Elijah was born, I was afraid Dad wouldn't love me as much, but he's always made me feel as if I were just as much his as Elijah. Even after the divorce." Josh wound a strand of Channie's hair around his finger and studied it as if it held the answer to his dilemma. "He wants me to come live with him, but I can't desert Mom. Two years later, and it still hurts when I see him with Liz, even though I really like her. I just wish Mom and Dad could have stayed together."

She told him how awful it was when Momma and Daddy found out Abby was pregnant. And confessed how much she missed her, even though she was a horrible mother and a pain in the butt.

He said, "I remember. You found me in the park the night she left. I was such a jerk to run off and leave you when you were so upset."

"You thought I tasered you, remember?"

"That's no excuse. I should have stayed and tried to figure out why you zapped me instead of running off like a coward." Josh kissed the top of her head and said, "What's your dad really running from? I mean, if he can cheat the casinos, why would he even have gambling debts?"

Maybe it was because they'd already shared so many secrets or maybe it was because Channie felt so safe in his arms that it lowered her guard. But whatever the reason, she told Josh her family's darkest secret.

"Daddy was responsible for killing the grandson of a powerful mage. She's sworn a blood oath to kill my entire family. We left without saying goodbye to anyone. No one knows where we are—and we have to keep it that way. Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I would die before I let anyone hurt you or the trips. Why didn't you tell me sooner? We need to call the police."

"If you involve the police, it will lead the...Cumberland Mountain Mages to our door!" She'd almost said 'the Veyjivik clan' but caught herself just in time. Josh already knew too much and she didn't want to put him, or his family, in even more danger. "Promise me that you won't tell a soul. Not even your Momma."

"I promise." Josh's eyes darkened and darted back and forth as he gazed at Channie. "But I also promise to defend you with my life."

Josh didn't have the ability to protect Channie from any mage, much less one of the Veyjiviks. Panic clawed up her spine. She never should have told him. What was she thinking? If the Veyjiviks ever caught up with her, she wanted Josh to be far, far away.

He pulled her onto his chest and rubbed her back. "Breathe, Channie. Just breathe. I've got you, baby." His voice grew softer...deeper...slower...

~***~

The next morning, Channie woke up with Josh spooned against her back, his chin on her hooded head and one arm draped over her waist. She didn't want the trips to tell Momma and Daddy that Josh had come over for breakfast again—or, worse, that he'd spent the night—so she woke him up and sent him home. He promised to call her later, kissed the top of her head and snuck out the back door.

As Channie's life settled into a wonderful, Josh-centered routine the Veyjiviks drifted further into the recesses of her mind. Life was almost normal. She went to Josh's house on Mondays and Wednesdays. They tried to do homework and pretended to watch movies but mostly they talked and cuddled and fell a little more in love each day.

Josh had to go to practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sometimes Channie would go with him, but they didn't get to spend much time together and practice wasn't nearly as exciting as the races. Most of the time she stayed home and tried to catch up on schoolwork.

Momma and Daddy gave Channie three fifty dollar bills and took off for Blackhawk every Friday as soon as Channie got home from school. Josh waited for them to leave, then came over for an hour or so to hang out. Channie activated the "itches for bitches" spell on his shield before he left so he'd be protected from any BMX groupies that got to the track before she did the next morning.

Mr. Abrim picked Channie and the trips up every Saturday morning and took them to Josh's races. Josh snuck out every Saturday night to sleep with Channie then went home on Sunday mornings.

Momma and Daddy came home early Monday morning before school and the whole thing started over again.

Channie suspected that Momma and Daddy were both addicted to gambling now and had no desire to leave Colorado. Everybody's closets grew crowded with new clothes. Daddy bought the trips brand new bicycles. The second hand furniture went to the dump, the picnic table went back to the park, and soon the house looked like something out of a magazine.

But when Channie came home from school one Friday and found a sleek, black Lexus LX 11 sitting in the driveway instead of the old VW bus, she felt as if the weight of the entire Ozark Mountain range had been lifted from her shoulders. Momma and Daddy had no intention of ever going back to Arkansas.

As time passed, Channie learned to moderate Chastity's energy with Enchantment's magic. She still cursed at least three boys a day, but it was only a mild shock compared to what it could have been.

Channie even learned to fight the attraction of Josh's shield— but Josh himself became much more difficult to resist. Even without being able to touch bare skin, things still had a way of getting out of control. Channie wished she had someone to talk to, but she didn't have any friends—except Josh—and his opinion wasn't exactly unbiased.

It all came to a head on the twelfth day of November.

~***~

Josh claimed it would help Channie make friends with the girls at school if she could intelligently debate whether Bella should be with Edward or Jacob. So they were curled up together watching "New Moon" when Elijah burst in without knocking.

Josh swore at him and said, "How many times do I have to tell you? This room is off limits when the door's shut!"

Except...it wasn't Elijah. It was Josh's momma. And she was not happy.

"Joshua Vincent Abrim get upstairs right now."

He groaned and said, "I'll come upstairs when the movie is over."

"You'll come upstairs right now if you know what's good for you."

"Fine." He threw the blanket off and sprang off the sofa then turned around and tried to tuck the blanket in around Channie's body.

She squirmed away from his busy hands and said, "Mind your momma." The back of the sofa faced the door, but it still made Channie nervous for Josh to have his hands on her when his momma was in the room.

He said, "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back."

He wasn't.

Channie waited for fifteen minutes then decided to go look for him.

As soon as she opened the door to the soundproof room, she heard Josh and his momma arguing—about her.

"This year is crucial if you want to qualify for the London Olympics. Grands are in three weeks. You can't afford to let that girl distract you."

"Channie doesn't distract me. She inspires me."

"Did she inspire you to skip practice today?"

"My rotator cuff inspired me to skip practice today. What is your problem?"

"So why aren't you icing your shoulder?"

"I was going to ice it after Channie left."

"Then you better tell her to go home."

"I'll ice my shoulder while we watch the movie, if it'll make you feel better."

"I think Channie better go home anyway.

"Why?"

"So you won't be tempted to let every little ache and pain turn into a reason to stay home and make out with your girlfriend instead of going to practice."

Something banged the wall and echoed down the stairwell where Channie was lurking—followed by even louder swearing—then total silence.

Heat flooded Channie's entire body—not just her cheeks—from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Mrs. Abrim must have caught them pawing at each other. Channie wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But even more than that, she wanted to escape.

She crept back into the media room and fumbled around in the dim light looking for her backpack and shoes. Her hands shook as she tied her laces. She slung her backpack over one shoulder. It felt as if someone had replaced all her books with cement blocks.

The door squeaked when Channie cracked it open and peeked into the hall. Josh and his momma were still arguing but at least they weren't yelling at each other anymore.

"This isn't like you, Josh. It's like you aren't even the same boy anymore. You never would have punched a hole through a door before you met Channie."

"I said I was sorry and I'll pay for the freaking door...cheap piece of crap."

"What if she gets pregnant?"

"Is that what this is all about?"

"Do you think I don't know where you sneak off to every Saturday night?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's no secret that her parents spend every weekend in Blackhawk. What do you think they'd do if they found out their sixteen-year-old daughter was spending the night with an eighteen-year-old boy."

"Seventeen."

"Your birthday is next month."

"So? We'll still be legal and I'm not going to get her pregnant."

"I've seen the way you two look at each other."

"From what I hear, you have to do more than just look."

"This isn't a joke. At least tell me you're using protection."

"I'm not stupid. And we're done with this conversation. Forever."

Channie ran to the exercise room at the end of the hall and crawled out the window just as the basement door creaked open.

~***~

It was past ten o'clock, so it was dark and cold as Channie rode home. Heavy clouds, pregnant with snow, obscured the waxing moon.

Josh caught up with Channie just before she entered the Cherry Street underpass. The tunnel stank of wet concrete, magnesium chloride, and urine, but at least the darkness would hide her tear-streaked face. She stopped and put her feet down. Freezing water sloshed over the top of her right shoe. The mag chloride kept the water from turning to ice, but it didn't make it any warmer.

Josh's voice sounded hollow with a slight echo inside the tunnel. "Channie?"

She wiped her nose on her sleeve and said, "Over here."

She was glad Josh couldn't see her face, but she wished she could see his. Negative energy pulsated all around him. He was furious—with Channie.

"Why did you run out on me?"

"I heard what your momma said. She doesn't like me."

"And your parents wanted to kill me, but I didn't run away and leave you behind."

A single sob escaped Channie's throat. She cut the next one off with a choking gasp and said, "She thinks I'm a whore."

Josh's keys jingled as a tiny beam of light shot out of his hand and bounced off the oily puddle of water at his feet. He guided the light to Channie's face and said, "Oh, baby, come here."

Channie soaked the front of Josh's hoodie with her tears and clung to him for several minutes. She was still crying, so her voice hitched when she asked, "Why didn't you tell your momma that we weren't...you know..."

"Having sex?" Josh kissed the top of her head and said, "Because she wouldn't have believed me. She'd ground me for lying."

"But she won't ground you for...you know."

"She hasn't yet."

When she quit sniffling, Josh let go of her and pulled his cotton gloves out of his pocket.

"Josh, don't."

"What? I can't even hold your hands, now?"

"You know you're going to want to hold more than just my hands."

"Come on, Channie. Eric was half-way to third base before he and Kassie had been dating a week. We've been together for two months, and you haven't even let me unhook your bra."

"You talk about...that...with Eric?" She pictured the two of them comparing notes and laughing about what a prude she was.

"No! Of course not. I never talk about our relationship with anyone. Especially not Eric. But it's no secret that he and Kassie are having sex. Hell, everyone's having sex...except us."

Channie stepped away from Josh and tripped over her bike.

He grabbed her arm and said, "Channie, I'm sorry. I'm just a little frustrated, that's all."

She jerked her arm out of his grasp and jumped on her bike. She couldn't outrace Josh, but she'd zap him into next week if he tried to follow her.

He didn't.

~***~

Channie was so upset she didn't even realize where she was until she got home. Momma and Daddy were already in bed so at least she didn't have to endure their questioning stares. She launched herself onto her bed and dove, face first, into her pillow.

Twenty minutes later, Channie's window opened with a screech. A blast of cold air took her breath away. Josh crossed the room and knelt on the floor beside her bed. "I'm so sorry, Channie. Please forgive me. I promise, I'll never pressure you to do anything you don't want to do again...please...don't break up with me."

Channie pressed the back of her hand against her mouth and stifled a sob. Josh climbed onto her bed and pulled her onto his lap. His whole body trembled.

She said, "I'm sorry too. I wish I weren't such a prude. I wish I could be a better girlfriend. I wish—"

"Shush. You're the best girlfriend in the world."

"I wish I could kiss you."

"That would be nice." Josh kissed the top of her head. "But for now, I'll settle for this."

Channie pressed her head against Josh's chest and let the rhythm of his heart calm her. She snaked her hand up his shoulder and behind his neck. She wished they didn't need to wear hooded sweatshirts all the time. "Do you want me to work on your shield? Try to fix it so we can kiss?"

"I thought you needed to wait until winter solstice."

"It would be easier then, but it's not necessary."

"What if it doesn't work? I don't want to lose what we have."

Right now Channie was more afraid of losing Josh. How long would he be willing to court a girl he couldn't touch, much less kiss?

"I have better control of Chastity's magic now and Enchantment grows stronger every time I use it."

"Are you sure? I don't want to go back to getting zapped every time I look at you."

"If I mess up your shield, I'll just make you a new one."

Josh nuzzled Channie's head with his chin. "Do you want to do it now?"

"I need to refill my heart-of-hearts first."

"How do you do that?"

"By absorbing positive energy." Channie blushed. "Usually from you."

"I have positive energy?"

"And negative."

Josh leaned to the side and twisted Channie's shoulders around. He gazed into her eyes and said, "Explain."

"When you feel positive emotions like compassion, joy and love—you produce positive energy. If I'm close enough, Enchantment takes it and stores it in my heart-of-hearts."

"What if I'm angry?"

"Then you produce negative energy and that goes straight to my power-well which fuels Chastity's curses."

"What about sexual energy?"

Channie licked her lips and said, "Most of the time it's negative, but sometimes— it's positive. I don't understand it."

"I think I do."

"You do?"

Josh put his hands on Channie's hips and slid her off his lap. She sat beside him and snuggled under his lifted arm. He said, "I think it's the difference between love and lust," then closed his eyes. "What kind of energy am I generating now?"

"Positive. You're feeling...happy."

He blinked his eyes open and smiled, then closed them again. "Okay. What am I feeling now?"

A golden glow reached out from Josh's heart to Channie's. It was just like the magical conduit they'd shared at the award ceremony two months ago. Except this time, instead of an announcer's voice severing their connection, it was a blast of lust.

It had only lasted for a few seconds, but the positive energy produced by their brief exchange of heart-magic was far more potent than the lust that Josh was still struggling to control. Channie crawled off the bed to make it easier for both of them.

He said, "Did you feel it? The first part, before I sort of lost it?"

"Yes. I felt it."

"Do you know what that was?"

"It was heart-magic."

"It was love, Channie. I love you. And I want to be with you. I admit that there's nothing chaste about the way I want you, but it isn't just lust. I want to be as close to you as I can possibly be. I know you don't feel the same way. I know it's only my shield making you want me—"

"You're wrong. It's not your shield that makes me want you. You make me want you. Your shield just makes it harder for me to resist."

"Why do you want to resist?"

"I've always been taught that good girls wait until they're married."

"You don't have any problem breaking the rest of your parents' rules."

Channie's muscles involuntarily stiffened. Josh kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm not trying to talk you into anything, I just want to understand what's holding you back."

"Momma says that...s.e.x. is something that women have to put up with to get and keep a husband, and to have babies. Daddy says that adolescent boys only want one thing from a girl and once she gives it to them, they don't want her anymore."

"Is that what you believe?"

"I used to." Channie leaned back and twisted around to gaze into Josh's eyes. "But, I don't think I do anymore."

"What changed your mind?"

"You."

"Channie." Josh breathed her name like a prayer. "I love you so much."

He pulled her back onto his lap and said, "Is this okay?"

She nodded and said, "As long as it doesn't make things too hard for you."

Josh chuckled and kissed the top of Channie's head. "You are so naive. You have no idea what you just said, do you."

"All I said was that I didn't want to tempt you."

"Ah, but you do tempt me. There's no help for it. You're so beautiful." Josh ran his hand down Channie's arm. "When you said that I changed your mind about sex, what did you mean...exactly?"

"Well, I don't think it's dirty anymore or that it should be used like bait to catch a husband."

"So...does that mean that if you fixed my shield so we could touch, that maybe...we could take our relationship to the next level?"

"What next level?" Channie was pretty sure she knew what Josh meant.

He wrapped his arms around her and said, "What's the matter? Are you cold?"

"I'm fine."

"You're shaking so much you're practically vibrating."

"I'm just a little scared that's all."

"Of me?"

"I feel a little...out of control."

"Channie, look at me." Josh waited until she met his gaze. "I would love for you to fix my shield so we could at least kiss—and I promise I won't pressure you for more—but if you feel safer leaving it the way it is, that's fine too."

"No. I want to fix your shield."

"And then?"

"And then I want to kiss you." Channie buried her face in Josh's shoulder. "I'm just not sure I want to do much more than that. At least not right away."

"Okay. I promise, we won't do anything except kiss—until you're absolutely sure you're ready for the next step."

She said, "I know you were hoping for more, but—"

"Not until you're ready."

"But, you're a boy."

"That doesn't mean all I care about is sex."

"But you do care about it?"

"Well, yeah. It ranks right up there with winning the Olympics. But it doesn't have to be tonight."

A high-pitched wail from the trip's room sent a chill down Channie's back. Savvy cried out for his momma.

Channie scrambled off Josh's lap, grabbed his arm and drug him to the window. "You gotta get out of here before Momma and Daddy wake up. They'll sense your energy field."

Josh scurried out the window, hung from the porch roof and dropped to the ground instead of climbing down the fake-rock siding. His bike was chained to a bench in plain sight of the house. Channie watched until he disappeared into the shadows, then went into the boys' room to comfort them.

Momma and Daddy never even opened their door.

Chapter Seven

BLOOD, SWEAT AND MAGIC

They waited until Saturday to work on Josh's shield. It was after midnight when he texted Channie to let her know he was on his way. When she opened the door, he handed her a bouquet of a dozen red roses and said, "Happy anniversary."

"Our anniversary was last Thursday and I thought we agreed we weren't going to exchange gifts every month."

"Fixing my shield will be the best present anyone has ever given me. Besides, I don't need an excuse to bring you flowers." He kissed the top of her head. "I can't wait to kiss you."

Channie buried her face in the velvety fragrance of the roses and smiled. "You just did."

"You know what I mean."

Channie nearly lost control of Chastity's energy as she imagined Josh's mouth on hers. She wasn't the only one struggling with self-control. She didn't need magic to feel Josh's gaze wandering over her body as he followed her into the kitchen.

She pointed to the cabinet over the icebox. "Can you hand me that glass pitcher. I want to take care of these flowers before we go upstairs and get started on your shield." Channie knew that once the last barrier between them was gone, they wouldn't be able to think of anything else.

Josh towered over her as he retrieved the pitcher. He was so close she could feel his body heat. His pupils dilated as he stared down at her.

She put her palms on his chest and pushed him away from her. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"You are positively glowing with lust. It makes it hard to control Chastity's energy."

"Sorry."

Channie shoved the roses into the pitcher and pricked her finger on a thorn. She popped it into her mouth and sucked to ease the sting.

Josh licked his lips and hit her with another blast of lust.

"Josh! I'm serious. If even the tiniest bit of Chastity's magic gets into your shield it will contaminate the whole thing."

Josh blushed and started reciting his litany of disgusting thoughts as he followed her upstairs and into her room.

Channie pointed at her bed. "Sit down and cool off while I go put a be-calm spell on the trips. The last thing we need is for one of them to wake up and catch you in my bedroom."

Josh was still muttering about maggots and fried liver when Channie got back, but at least he wasn't generating any lust. She said, "I need you to be quiet so I can concentrate."

His lips twitched occasionally, but he didn't utter another sound.

Enchantment's magic stirred to life and spread its warmth throughout her body as Channie gazed at Josh, but Chastity's energy buzzed, just below the surface. She focused on how much she loved him to conquer her baser instincts.

She poured Enchantment's energy into Josh's shield and marveled at it's beauty as it grew stronger, brighter, more powerful.

When she finished, Josh ran his hands over his chest, across his belly...

Chastity's magic erupted out of Channie's power-well and slammed into Josh's shield with so much raw power it should have knocked him flat on his back. It didn't.

"Channie, are you okay?"

She swayed on her feet as the room spun. Josh sprang off the bed and grabbed her arms, steadying her. Her fingers floated towards his face as if in a dream. His cheek was clean-shaved and baby-soft.

They could touch.

He smiled and lifted his own hand, inch by inch, and cupped her cheek with his palm.

His touch released a monster inside Channie's body—a fire-breathing dragon that devoured her will-power, her morals and all her inhibitions. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Even with Josh's support she could barely stand up. But she didn't want to stand up. She wanted to lie down. With Josh. On the bed.

She skimmed her hands over his washboard belly and kissed a trail across his chest, inhaling his intoxicating sandalwood and lemon scent through the barrier of his turtleneck sweater. She ran her fingertips along the waist of his jeans from the center of his back to his hip bones.

Josh grabbed her wrists and stepped sideways away from the bed. "What are you doing?" His voice was rough as pine bark.

"I want to make love with you."

"You said all you wanted to do was kiss."

"I was scared when I said that. I'm not scared now." Channie tried to wiggle her wrists out of his vice-like grip. She needed her hands on his body the way she needed air to breathe. But he refused to let her touch him.

He was generating every bit as much lust as she was. Why was he fighting her?

He said, "Let's just cuddle...okay?" and loosened his grip enough for her to slide her hands up his forearms.

Cuddle first. Get him on the bed. Then rip his clothes off. "Okay."

Channie took a backwards step towards her bed.

Josh followed. His chest rose and fell faster with each shallow breath.

Channie's heart skipped a beat. She tightened her grip on his arms and took another step back.

He froze.

She tugged a little more insistently—then a lot more insistently. He was as immovable as a mountain. Fine. If he wouldn't come to her, she would go to him.

He grabbed her shoulders and held her at arms length. "Channie. Slow down."

Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. "I thought you loved me."

"I do. That's why I'm stopping this." Josh was still generating plenty of lust, but now it was tempered by compassion. He pulled Channie against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Guilt twisted Channie's stomach, but her need for Josh overpowered it. Besides, he needed her too. He was only resisting out of some misguided sense of duty to her.

Josh ran his hands lightly over the back of her sweatshirt. She knew he was only trying to comfort her, but his touch left behind a trail of fire. Chastity's magic pulsed from Channie's body like blood from a severed artery. Josh's shield soaked it up and glowed red, converting Chastity's energy into his own seductive magic.

Fever-hot and suffocating, Channie arched her back and lifted her chin to get a breath of air.

Josh's lust resurfaced—more intense than ever.

His breath, hot and sweet on her cheek, sent a delicious tingle over Channie's skin. She felt his agony as he teetered on a razor's edge of indecision.

All he needed was a little push. Channie wiggled out of his arms and grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt, but before she could peel it off over her head, Josh grabbed her wrists again. Damn it to hell and back, this was getting old.

"What are you doing?"

"I already told you. I want you to make love to me."

"No. You. Don't." He released her from his embrace and stepped back. "It's just magic making you feel this way."

"You want me, too. I can feel it. Why are you being so stubborn?"

"I promised I wouldn't take advantage of you."

"I release you from your promise."

"No."

"Please, Josh. I'm begging you. I want you so much it hurts."

Josh pointed at the bed but it was obvious he had no intention of joining her there. "Just sit down for a second and give us both a chance to cool off. I'll open the window."

He pushed the window open with so much force it rattled the glass. The sound of drunken laughter echoed through Heritage Park next door.

Since Channie's awkward attempts at seduction had failed so miserably, maybe it was time to change tactics. "If you don't make love to me right now, I'll go find someone who will."

Josh spun around. Emotions flickered across his face too quickly to decipher them all. But Channie recognized shock, fear and anger before his features settled into a look of betrayal so poignant it forced her to look away.

"You don't mean that." Josh's voice cracked.

"I've never felt this...aroused before." The thought of anyone but Josh touching her made Channie nauseous, but Josh didn't know that. If she could make him jealous, maybe he'd give in. "I'll bet at least one of those boys in the park will give me what I need."

Josh's eyes widened then narrowed into slits. His nostrils flared as he clenched his fists. "Those are Eric's friends. They aren't rapists, but they are stoned out of their minds. If you come on to them while they're loaded, they won't stop."

Channie bolted for the window but Josh grabbed her around the waist and drug her across the hall into the bathroom. She writhed in his arms, but she was not trying to escape.

He said, "If I let go of you, are you going to try to run away?"

"No."

He sat on the edge of the bathtub and let her hands wander while he turned on the shower and removed first her shoes and then his own. She slid her hands under his shirt, lifting it to reveal the glorious sight of smooth skin stretched over sculpted muscle. He didn't try to stop her from touching him, but he refused to let her remove his shirt.

Josh took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds then let it out with a whoosh. He did it again then picked Channie up and carried her into the shower. The spray chilled her to the very marrow of her bones. She'd never been so cold in her life. The town of Louisville must get its water supply from a glacier.

Josh's teeth chattered. "Is this better?"

"Yes." She felt as if she were freezing to death, but at least she would die happy with Josh pressed intimately against her.

He slid his hands between their bodies then grabbed Channie's hips and pushed her away from him. She struggled to regain the lost contact. But he was too strong.

"Please, Josh, don't reject me. I can't stand it."

"I'm not rejecting—"

Channie lunged forward and grabbed the waistband of Josh's jeans. He slipped and fell backwards—dreamlike and in slow motion. She tried to catch him, but she was part of the same nightmare, moving at the same torturously slow speed. She watched in horror as his arms windmilled, trying to find purchase on the slick yellow tiles. She cast a suspension spell. It slowed his descent, but it didn't have time to take full effect. The back of his skull smacked the edge of the bathtub with a horrifying crack.

Fear and shame accomplished what the cold water could not. The last ember of lust expired when Josh's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Channie shut off the shower then slid behind him and cradled his bleeding head against her shoulder. She examined his injuries as blood circled the drain.

Her magical scan revealed a mild concussion but no broken bones. Her visual scan revealed a four-inch gash in his scalp. When she turned his head to the side to get a better look, the edges of the wound parted in a grotesque smile.

He continued to bleed profusely but it was his convulsive shaking and the blue tint of his lips and fingernails that worried her the most. Channie knew she needed to get him warm, but she was too weak from casting the suspension spell to move him, much less lift him from the tub.

"Channie?"

"I'm here, Josh."

"What happened?"

"You slipped and hit your head." That wasn't exactly the whole story, but if Josh didn't remember her trying to tackle him, she didn't see any reason to remind him...except he deserved to know the truth and she deserved to suffer the consequences. "It was my fault. I got carried away and—"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Why wasn't he mad at her? Josh had felt just as lusty as she had. It wasn't just tonight either, Josh felt this way a lot, but he never let it control him. He tested the boundaries every chance he got, but he'd never tried to force her.

Channie vowed to never let magic control her again. "We need to get you warmed up and take care of this cut on the back of your head. Can you sit up?"

"I think so." Josh gripped the built-in soap-dish with one hand and the side of the bathtub with the other. He struggled to pull himself into a sitting position then probed the cut on the back of his head with trembling fingers.

"How bad is it? Do I need stitches?"

"I can fix it. If you don't mind a scar."

"Will it hurt?"

"Not if I cast a pain-away spell first."

"You can stop pain?"

"Sometimes."

"It feels like someone is pounding my skull with a sledge-hammer."

"I'm not a healer. I won't mess with your brain."

"Too late. What was that all about anyway?"

"When I made your shield stronger, I guess it also made it's power over me stronger too. I've never felt so out of control in my life."

~***~

As soon as he was strong enough to stand, Channie helped Josh back to her room, wrapped a blanket around him and sat him down on her bed. He twisted his body sideways, so his shoulders were perpendicular to hers.

"It's okay, Josh. I'm not going to assault you. At least, not while you're injured."

He lifted a corner of his mouth into a half-grin then lowered his gaze to the floor.

She said, "I'm just going to go get the medicine kit and a couple of towels out of the hall closet. I'll be right back."

When she returned to her room, Josh was sitting on the floor instead of her bed. She didn't blame him for not trusting her. Not after the way she'd practically tried to rape him. She knelt down in front of him and opened the box containing Momma's tinctures, salves and dried herbs—all of them magically enhanced.

Josh wrinkled his nose and furrowed his brow. "What is that stuff?"

"Medicine."

"It looks like dead weeds mixed with Vaseline, and it stinks."

"It also works." Channie cast a pain-away spell to numb Josh's scalp, cleaned his wound and then sealed it with magic.

"Wow." Josh poked at the back of his head. "That's amazing."

Channie gently slapped his hand away. "Leave it alone until it's done healing."

"Sorry." A violent shiver racked Josh's body.

Channie said, "We need to get you out of those wet clothes."

Josh's eyes went wide. He wrapped the blanket more tightly around his body and hugged his knees to his chest.

"I'm okay."

Channie wanted to assure him that she wasn't trying to seduce him, but she wasn't a hundred percent sure it was the truth.

She got Daddy's robe, Momma's wedding quilt, and a couple more clean towels then went back to her room. She set everything down next to Josh and said, "I'll be in the hall if you need anything."

Channie pulled the door closed behind her then leaned against it and slid to the floor. She buried her face in her hands but couldn't hide from the glare of her shame that probed the darkest corners of her soul like a searchlight.

~***~

When Josh opened the door, Channie fell backwards against his bare legs and had to claw the carpet to keep from tackling him. The heat of her lust dried her tears, but Channie refused to give in to her carnal desires. If Josh could control himself, well then, so could she.

He said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Are you...okay?"

The sight of Josh standing there in nothing but a robe was too much temptation. Channie closed her eyes and turned away from him, trying to rein in Chastity's energy.

He put his hand on her shoulder, making her tremble, and said, "You must be freezing. We better get you out of these wet clothes."

She slid away from his touch and said, "Don't say things like that unless you...unless...just don't."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Channie yanked her two middle drawers open, grabbed the first things she touched and bolted for the bathroom.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and groaned—she looked like a cave-woman. Wet strands of tangled hair clung to her face and blood-stained sweatshirt. Her red-rimmed eyes had a wild, desperate look to them. No wonder Josh was afraid of her.

Channie used a little magic to detangle her hair and changed into dry clothes. She cleaned the bloody mess in the tub and on the floor as tears continued to stream down her face.

She still wanted to make love to Josh, but it was different now. She wanted to hold him in her arms and feel his heart beating next to hers. She wanted to comfort him the way he comforted her. She wanted to be as close as two people could be.

She rinsed the bloody cleaning rag under the bath tap and wrung it out over the drain.

Maybe it wasn't too late...if she could convince Josh that she'd changed her mind without being under the influence of magic. But the second she got close to him, his shield would turn her into a selfish, sex-crazed whore that didn't care how much she upset him as long as she got her way.

Channie gave the rag an angry twist then slammed it against the side of the bathtub. It made a loud, but unsatisfying, splat when it hit the porcelain. She turned around and slid to the floor, slumping against the side of the tub.

Any attempt at intimacy would unleash the monster inside her as long as she was under this evil curse. Unless...

Channie looked in the cabinet under the sink to be sure she had plenty of sanitary supplies then cast a moon-curse on herself.

Within minutes she was on the floor curled into a ball of agony. She considered using magic to ease the cramps, but was afraid that without the distraction of the pain, she might still be vulnerable to the seductive power of Josh's shield.

"Channie?" Josh knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you okay?"

She crawled to her knees then pushed herself into a sitting position, her back against the side of the bathtub. "Yes. Come on in."

The door creaked open. Josh held the edges of his robe together with one hand as he knelt on the floor in front of her and filled her with the warmth of his compassion. It felt so good to be close to him without Chastity's craziness trying to take over. Enchantment soaked up his energy and returned it back to him full of love and passion.

Josh reached for her as if he were going to stroke her cheek, but changed his mind and put his hand on his knee. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I fixed it so I won't be tempted to...do bad things whenever I'm near you."

"How?"

Channie's face felt as if it were on fire. Her reluctance to discuss her monthly cycle with Josh was a little ridiculous after the way she'd begged him for sex. But she couldn't help it.

"I used a moon-curse on myself."

The color drained from his cheeks as he gently placed his hand on the side of Channie's head. "What's a moon-curse?"

Back home, women didn't talk about their monthly cycles in front of men. It was different here. Channie was shocked the first time she'd overheard some boys at school complaining about how bitchy their girlfriends were when they were "on the rag."

"It's what I've been doing to the other girls when they get out of control."

"You made yourself start your period?"

Channie ducked her chin and nodded her head. She'd never explained how the moon-curse worked and Josh had never asked her. But he wasn't stupid. A single tear slipped out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh, baby, that can't be good for you."

His heart-felt concern and lack of embarrassment made the situation a little less humiliating.

She said, "It's worth it. Now we can cuddle and fall asleep without worrying about me getting out of control."

He slipped one arm around her back and the other under her knees then stood up effortlessly, as if she didn't weigh anything at all, and carried her back into her room. Channie clung to him as he turned back the covers then let her arms slide off his shoulders as he laid her gently on the bed.

Josh pulled the blankets up under her chin and chewed the corner of his lower lip for a few seconds then perched on the edge of her bed.

Channie put a hand on Josh's back, his muscles were knotted and hard across his shoulder blade. She tried to rub the kinks out, but without success. "Don't you want to get under the covers?"

"Yeah. But you aren't the only one with self-control issues."

Josh got up and smoothed out the blankets. He clutched his robe securely around his body and laid down on top of the covers. He patted his chest and said, "Come here."

Channie laid her head over his heart and closed her eyes.

Josh kissed her cheek...and screamed.

~***~

"Josh! What happened?"

"My mouth." He touched his lips and grimaced.

"What's wrong with your mouth?"

"It feels like I kissed the inside of an oven. Did I burn you?"

"No, not at all."

Channie sat up and took Josh's hand but he jerked it out of her grasp before she could lift it to her lips.

"I need to see if I have the same reaction."

He said, "I hate hurting you," but offered her his hand.

The instant her lips brushed his skin, a white-hot pain seared her mouth. She jerked her head back and screamed. It felt as if she'd pressed a glowing coal against her lips. When she recovered enough to speak, Channie said, "I must not be strong enough to make your shield a hundred percent effective."

"Why don't you recharge your batteries and then try again?"

"What if I make your shield too strong? It's hard enough resisting you as it is." Channie wished she could talk to Aunt Wisdom. She'd know what to do.

Josh took both her hands in his. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I say we try again."

Aunt Wisdom wasn't the only source of knowledge. Channie wasn't supposed to touch Momma's books, much less use them, until she was eighteen, but she was already more powerful than Momma and Daddy combined. It was stupid not to take advantage of such a valuable resource just because of some silly rule. "Alright, but I want to do a little research first."

~***~

Channie said, "Come on," then took Josh's hand in hers and led him down the hall into Momma and Daddy's room.

"What are we doing in here?"

"Momma keeps her spell books in that trunk under the window."

The trunk was covered with an array of Momma's medicinal plants. Channie didn't detect any magic, but it wasn't like Momma to leave her things unprotected. Channie didn't think Momma would ask the neighbors to keep an eye on the house, but just in case, she lit a candle instead of switching on the overhead light. "Wait here while I make sure it's safe."

Channie stroked the velvety leaf of a lemon balm plant with her index finger.

Nothing happened.

She put one, then two hands on the red clay pot. A tingle of magic warmed her palms. She needed those books, so she ignored the warning and lifted the plant.

Josh stepped around Channie and yanked a rosemary bush off the trunk before she had a chance to warn him. He groaned and said, "Whoa, this thing's heavy! Where do you want me to put it?"

The pot of lemon balm grew warmer. Channie set it back on the trunk, but she couldn't let go. Her hands were stuck. She strained and jerked but she might as well try to pull her hands off her own arms for all the good it did. She picked up the pot and moved away from the trunk.

Josh said, "What the hell?" And shook the rosemary bush, releasing a shower of needle-like leaves that drifted into his hair and stuck to the plush fabric of his robe. "What's going on?"

"It's a curse." Channie kept her voice calm, even though her heart was pounding.

"I can't let go." Josh gave the plant another shake.

"It'll be okay. Don't panic." She and Josh would just have to wait for the spell to wear off. Channie had almost convinced herself that it wasn't a problem...when the plants began to glow. And hum. Not good.

"Channie?"

There was no time to explain. "Turn your head away from the plants. Protect your face."

"But—"

"NOW!"

Josh did as he was told—a split-second before both plants exploded.

~***~

The first thing Channie noticed was the musty smell of potting soil, smoldering greenery and burnt onions. She wrinkled her nose and a sharp stinging pain shot across her forehead, just above her left eyebrow. She lifted her hand to her face and found the jagged edge of a pottery shard stuck to a flap of skin.

Momma's spell wasn't just a benign alarm meant to alert her if someone messed with her plants. It was a weapon.

Channie cast a pain-away spell on herself and pressed a finger on either side of the cut to hold the loose skin in place. She relaxed her squinted eyes, but kept them closed, took a deep breath to gather her courage and removed the shard. She didn't feel any pain, but the tugging sensation made her queasy.

She pressed her lips together, breathing through her nose until the nausea faded, then opened her eyes. The room was dark. Was she blind? She could still see the fuzzy outline of Momma and Daddy's bed, their dressing table, and the lacy pattern of the plants on top of Momma's trunk.

She blinked her eyes and her vision improved. The silvery-blue light of the moon sharpened edges and gave things weight, form and dimension. Channie wasn't blind. The candle had gone out, that was all. But if that shard had struck just a few inches lower she would have lost her eye. What if one of the boys had triggered the curse instead of her and Josh?

Josh! If that little pot of lemon balm had knocked her on her butt, what had the rosemary bush done to him?

"Josh? Where are you? Are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

Dizzy and sick with anxiety, Channie crawled across the floor to Momma's nightstand and lit another candle.

Josh was slumped against the northeast wall, covered in blood.

The room tilted on its axis. Channie stifled a scream and stumbled across the floor. She fell to her knees in front of Josh and grabbed his hands. It took her a moment to calm down enough to realize that he was still breathing and several minutes after that to gather enough magic to scan his body for injuries.

He still had the concussion from smacking his head on the bathtub, but she couldn't find anything else wrong with him. Where had all the blood come from?

She touched the scarlet blooms splattered across Josh's throat then brought her fingertips to her nose and sniffed. All she smelled was her own blood, mixed with potting soil and aromatic herbs.

Channie wiped her hands on her jeans then touched Josh's throat again. His skin was soft, dry and warm. Not wet. Not sticky. Not bloody...Stained.

She pushed the sleeves of her sweatshirt up past her elbows. It looked like she'd dunked both arms into a vat of cochineal dye.

Momma must have put one hell of a red-handed spell on her plants. Channie trailed her fingers over the solid, crimson stain from Josh's collarbone to his navel where it disappeared under his belted robe. She was too worried about him to feel any lust, but she couldn't help admiring the satiny feel of his skin stretched across the chiseled muscles of his chest and belly.

Josh groaned and opened his eyes. Channie jerked her hand away from his belly but not fast enough. His eyes widened as his lips parted into a soft "O." His cheeks turned almost as red as the stains on his body. He scrambled to his feet, turned his back and tugged the loose robe up over his exposed shoulders and tightened the belt.

"Josh...I was only trying to see what caused the stains. I wasn't trying to...do anything inappropriate."

Her fingers tingled with the tactile memory of his bare skin. Chastity's magic poured into Josh's shield, turning Channie's words into a lie.

Josh shrugged and said, "Whatever."

Righteous indignation filled Channie with rage. The power building inside Chastity's power-well felt different—more dangerous and violent than before. Channie felt as if she were going to burst into flames. Or explode.

She jumped to her feet, whirled away from Josh, crossed her fisted hands over her chest then flung them straight out in front of her. Pulsing waves of magic shot out of her crimson palms and shattered every single pot, as well as the window behind them, in a single blast.

Channie's arms fell to her sides. Stunned, her jaw dropped as she sank to the floor. What the hell just happened?

When the plants exploded, shrapnel from flying pottery shards must have broken the window.

It made sense, but for some reason, Channie didn't believe her own logic. She stood up, gathered her magic again and aimed a narrow, focused beam at the rusted lock on the trunk with a single finger. And blew the entire lid off. So much for the theory of studying for decades to use magic on a molecular level. She didn't even know what alloys the lock was made of, much less the atomic structure of each metal.

"Holy cow. Remind me never to piss you off."

Josh meant it as a joke, but Channie didn't laugh. Her curse wasn't just an inconvenience anymore. It was a deadly weapon.

"That was freaking amazing!"

"Amazing? I'll tell you what's amazing. The fact that you're still standing is amazing. If I hadn't been able to redirect my power, I would have killed you!"

Channie pressed her middle fingers into her temples and said, "Go take a shower. You look like a chainsaw victim in a horror movie." Or the victim of a teen-aged mage that can't control her own magic.

She felt a little guilty for misleading Josh. The whole purpose of the spell was to catch a thief red-handed. He could scrub until his skin was raw, but that wouldn't get rid of the stains. Channie was sending Josh to the shower to keep him away from the trunk and safe from any more booby traps, not to get him clean. She needed to look inside the trunk, but she didn't want Josh anywhere near it when she did.

He held his arms out in front of his body and frowned as he stared at his bright red skin. "What is this stuff anyway? I look like Darth Maul"

"It's stains. From a spell Momma put on her plants. Who's Darth Maul?"

He laughed and said, "Star Wars villain. I seem to have gotten the worst of it. Is it all over my face too?"

"No. You don't have any on your face. Do I?"

Josh looked at Channie and furrowed his brow. "Actually, that looks like blood."

In the midst of all the excitement, Channie had forgotten about her own injury. She touched the gash over her eyebrow and grimaced. The pain-away spell was starting to wear off.

"A piece of pottery hit me when the plants exploded. It's fine. Now go take a shower."

Josh moved closer put his hands on her shoulders and lowered his face until it was even with hers. "Jeeze, Channie. That's a pretty bad gash. Can you heal yourself? Like you did the back of my head?"

"Yeah, but it'll leave a scar."

"I can take you to the ER and insist they call a plastic surgeon to stitch you up. You'll still have a scar, but it won't be as bad."

"I'm not going to one of your Empty hospitals!" Just the thought of it made Channie's mouth go dry.

~***~

After she healed her cut, Channie examined her handiwork in the bathroom mirror. She'd taken her time and even managed to use Enchantment's energy by tapping into her heart-of-hearts. The results were impressive. All that remained of the jagged cut was a thin pink line. By morning, even that would be gone. Maybe she could become a Master Healer, without formal training.

Josh stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders, looking at her reflection. "I can hardly see it." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "You're pretty amazing. You know that?"

"Go ahead and take your shower before these stains set." Channie felt another twinge of guilt for repeating the lie, but she'd feel much worse if Josh got hurt.

"What about your stains?"

"I'll wash off in the sink. She grabbed his shoulders and turned him around then marched him into Momma and Daddy's shower and pulled the door shut. She waited until she heard the water running then went back to Momma's trunk.

She should have been consumed with guilt for what she was about to do. But all she felt was a thrill of anticipation. She cleared away the broken shards of pottery then knelt in front of the trunk. A feeling of reverence and awe expanded her chest. She bit her lip and closed her eyes then stretched her neck to peek inside for the first time. And gasped. Sitting on top of Momma's spell books and journals full of notes, was one small bundle wrapped in stained silk.

A gust of wind sailed in through the broken window and blew off the silk wrapper. Gold sparks ran across the cracked leather and burned a single word into the cover..."Enchantment."

Channie knew the book was dangerous, but the desire to touch it burned in her belly like lust...gnawing at her with an insatiable hunger that would not be denied. She stretched forth a trembling hand and ran her fingers over the glowing letters of her name.

Power zinged up her hand, through her arm and straight into her heart-of-hearts. The book was alive. It spoke to her. The words formed in her mind and filled her with energy and warmth. Open the book and all you wish shall be granted.

Channie wanted to open the book. She had to open the book. "No! I will not be controlled by magic!"

She jerked her hand back and pressed her fingers to her lips. She tasted rust. No, not rust ... blood ... ancient, powerful, sacrificial blood. Channie wiped her mouth with her sleeve then sat back on her heels. Momma robbed a grave to get this book and now she owes a blood debt to dark magic.

Even without touching it, the book still spoke to Channie...which should have been warning enough to leave it alone.

Why not use the magic so dearly bought? Your refusal will not remove the debt from your mother's head. Your parents bound you with an ancient curse and took away your right to choose your own path. Your name, not your mother's, is burned into this cover. See how the letters still glow. Do you not have the courage to free yourself?

Channie touched the book again. This time it was Chastity's magic that responded and filled her with dread. It told her to run away and put as much distance between herself and this evil book as possible.

Of course Chastity didn't like the book. If it broke the curse and restored Enchantment to its rightful place, Chastity's magic would be destroyed.

Channie inched her hands under the book as if it were a sleeping copperhead. It glowed brighter and poured its magic into her as she lifted it out of the trunk. She bit back her fear then gritted her teeth. She unwound the silver chain from the heart-shaped button with trembling fingers.

Tendrils of smoke rose from the book, filling the air with incense—sandalwood and lemons layered over a hint of musk. It smelled like Josh.

She whipped her head around towards the door but he wasn't there. Another scent mixed with his...it was familiar, sweet and clean.

Was she imagining it? Chastity's magic—like any other curse— reeked of burnt onions. But Enchantment's magic—when it had been her sole source of power—had smelled like lavender and sage.

Maybe the book was trying to give her a message. Channie closed her eyes and inhaled the heady aroma that was a mixture of Josh's scent and Enchantment's magic. Message received. This book was meant for both of them.

~***~

Channie sat on the floor and caressed the book as it filled her head with the magical scent of the boy she loved and the girl she used to be.

The sound of Josh's voice yanked her out of her musings and sobered her up immediately.

He said, "I scrubbed until I ran out of hot water, but I can't get this red stuff to come off." Josh's lanky frame cut angles across the doorway and cast sharp-edged shadows into the hall. His face was hidden under the towel he was using to dry his hair. When he lowered it, the glow from the book illuminated his face and danced in his eyes. "Whoa! Is that magic?"

"Yes, it's a book that belonged to one of my ancestors."

"What does it say?"

"I don't know. I haven't opened it yet."

"Okaaay." He dragged the word out and folded his arms across his chest.

"I was waiting for you." Channie hadn't realized that was what she was doing until that moment, but as soon as she uttered the words she knew it was true.

Josh adjusted his robe and retied the belt. It was short on him. The hem hit about three inches above his knees. But it was wide enough to wrap around him twice.

Channie patted the carpet next to her. "Come here."

Josh glanced at the broken window. "Why don't we take the book back to your room? It's cold in here."

"Good idea." Channie felt fine, but Josh was shivering.

She sat down on the floor in her room and leaned against the sideboard of her bed. Josh sat beside her and traced the letters of her name. "It looks important."

"Oh, it is. Believe me."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Extremely. Do you want to wait for me in the hall while I open it?"

"Hell no." Josh frowned, and reached for the book. "In fact, why don't you let me open it."

"No." Channie jerked the book away from him and clutched it to her chest. "I'll do it."

"Maybe we should do it together."

For some reason, Josh's suggestion rang true. They needed to open the book together. Channie lowered the book and rested it on Josh's knee.

He sniffed the air a couple of times, then inhaled deeply. "It smells really good."

"It smells like us."

"You think so?"

"I know so. That's why I'm letting you help me. The book was meant for both of us."

Josh pinched the top corner of the cover between his thumb and forefinger while Channie gripped the bottom corner. They opened the book. A cloud of oily black smoke poured from its pages.

The fumes made Channie's eyes water and burned her nose. It was worse than the exhaust from their old VW bus. Worse than the hot tar the road crews used to patch the pot-holes in the parking lot at Wal-Mart. Worse than the toxic cloud that filled the valley when Hunter Feenie lit Old Man McCray's lifetime collection of tractor tires on fire.

Channie tried to close the book, but her hands refused to obey her brain. Her nose and throat were on fire. She couldn't see Josh through the thick cloud of toxic fumes, but she could hear him coughing and wheezing. Trying to choke out one word. Her name.

Channie tried to answer, but she couldn't breathe and she couldn't let go of the book. She managed to lean towards Josh as her mind shut down. He must have done the same, because she wound up lying on his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart slowdown and fade as darkness claimed her.

~***~

When Channie regained consciousness, she wasn't sure how long she and Josh had lain on the floor with their hands glued to the evil book.

Electric prickles coursed under her skin, but it wasn't magic. It was just a lack of circulation. Her free arm was trapped under Josh's back. His heart was beating at a normal rate. He was just unconscious, not dead. She tried to slide her arm out without disturbing him, then changed her mind and prodded him with her shoulder. Gently at first, then harder.

"Josh. Wake up." Channie yanked her arm free and shook him again. "Come on, Josh. Wake up, baby."

His eyes darted back and forth under his eyelids like minnows in a shallow pond. Channie sighed with relief when they finally fluttered open. Josh lifted his chin and said, "Whoa...What happened?"

"I'm not sure. But we seem to have triggered a spell when we opened the book. Are you okay?"

"I think so. Are you?"

"Yes. But we're stuck to the book."

"Not again." Josh groaned and said, "Can you unstick us?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"Maybe the answer's in the book." Josh shifted his body and sat up. And since Channie was half-way lying on his chest, he brought her with him. She shifted around until she was sitting beside him, their thighs pressed together. The book was open to the first page. But it was blank.

Channie wasn't about to risk touching it with her free hand. She tried to turn the pages by blowing on the edges, but no matter how hard she blew, it didn't so much as rustle a page. She might as well try to blow over a tree.

She dropped her chin to her chest and said, "I don't know what to do."

Josh kissed the top of Channie's head. "It's okay."

"I don't think you understand. This is dark magic. Ancient magic. Illegal magic."

"Come on, baby, it can't be that bad."

Channie's voice wavered as her heart hammered in her chest. The lump in her throat made it difficult to speak, but Josh deserved to know the truth. So, she told him everything she knew about the book, including how it was created. "I thought it would show us how to break Chastity's curse. I should have known better." She'd known it was evil before she ever touched the damn thing. The book had seduced her by promising to break Chastity's curse. But at what cost? "If we aren't careful, this book will kill us."

Josh shifted his hips and used his free hand to guide Channie's head into the hollow of his shoulder. "Don't cry, baby. We'll just do what ever the book says, no matter what. Okay? I'll do everything in my power to protect you. I promise."

His strength filled Channie's heart with courage. She dried her eyes on his robe and said, "I love you, Joshua Abrim."

The book began to glow. And smoke. Except this time, the smoke was pale yellow instead of black, and smelled like Josh instead of tar.

Channie lifted her chin and gazed into his eyes.

He stared back at her with such intensity, she felt as if he could see her very soul. "And I love you, Enchantment Belks." Not Channie, not Chastity, but Enchantment.

The book released a burst of silvery green smoke that smelled of lavender and sage. Enchantment's smokey essence mingled with Josh's and cocooned them both within a tapestry of love and magic.

Their unique incense cleansed and purified the room as well as Channie's eyes, nose, throat and lungs. A warm tingle of magic caressed her hand as it slid free from the book.

Flames danced across the blank page. An image appeared. It was a detailed drawing of a boy and girl that looked a lot like Channie and Josh. But this was no ordinary sketch, not even by magical standards.

Channie watched, mesmerized, as the drawing portrayed her most desperate wish.

The couple raced across the page towards each other. The boy wrapped his arms around the girl and picked her up off her feet. There was something desperate in their embrace, as if one of them had just returned from a long journey, or war. The boy lowered the girl to the ground and cupped her face in his hands.

Channie could almost feel the texture of Josh's skin as the couple on the page leaned in and pressed their lips together in a passionate, but tender kiss. It wasn't chaste, but it wasn't lustful either. It was the perfect fairytale kiss of true love. The image faded and Channie wanted to cry. The flames appeared again but this time they scorched the page with a written message.

Tender hearts full of hope and courage

Heed the warnings, but be not discouraged.

A love pure and true is yours if you dare

To open your hearts and lay your souls bare.

For every choice there is a cost

And the things you lose are forever lost.

You have until the full moon sets

To bind your hearts with no regrets.

But first remove the crimson stain

Though it burns your flesh with unbearable pain.

With your touch, ignite the fire

And cleanse the one you most desire.

You have until the dawn doth break

To suffer for each other's sake.

But if you leave a single spot,

Eternal pain will be your lot.

Then wait until the moon is new

Lest this tome be sealed to you.

You have one chance to learn the spell

And break the curse. Use it well.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Josh scowled and started to turn the page. Channie grabbed his bare wrist. Agony seared her palm. She jerked away from him and cried out in pain.

Josh swore, then immediately asked Channie if she were all right.

"I don't know." Channie didn't remember closing her eyes or flinging her hand away from her body. But her eyelids were squeezed shut and her arm was out to the side and slightly behind her back. "My hand. It hurts so much." Please, please, please. Make it quit.

"Let me see." Josh's voice was kind, but sharp around the edges. Channie gathered her courage then brought her hand to the front of her body and forced her eyes open. She expected to see charred flesh clinging to bare bones. But all she saw was healthy, pink skin. Pink...not scarlet...not stained. The pain faded to a dull ache and then disappeared completely.

"Josh, show me your arm."

He pulled back his sleeve. The pale imprint of her fingers nearly circled his wrist. The skin-to-skin contact had burned away the stain of Momma's red-handed curse.

The words magically burned into the page of the book were also burned into Channie's mind...But first remove the crimson stain, though it burns your flesh with unbearable pain.

Her heart fell past her stomach and hit the floor. "No. I can't do it."

Josh stroked Channie's hair, from the top of her head to the middle of her back. "It's alright, baby. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"If we don't burn the stains off each other before sunrise, the pain will come back and never go away."

Josh extended his arm towards Channie. "Touch me with one of your fingers that's not stained anymore."

He held his arm completely still and closed his eyes. Channie's teeth chattered as she extended her hand. The anticipation of the pain was too much. She pulled her hand back and balled it into a fist, holding it against her heart as she rocked back and forth.

Josh opened one eye, then the other and locked his gaze on Channie's. "It's okay, baby. Something's telling me that once the stain is gone, it won't hurt anymore."

Quick as lightening, Channie tapped the back of Josh's hand with her index finger. He yelped and jerked his hand back. The only thing Channie felt was guilt.

Josh blew on the small oval mark as they watched it fade to its normal color.

He rubbed the back of his hand and said, "That wasn't so bad."

"Liar."

"Did it burn your finger?"

"No. Not at all."

"Good. How badly are you stained?"

"Only my arms, up to my elbows...Oh, Josh ..."

His stains were much worse.

"It's okay. I can handle it."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to feel like I'm on fire for the rest my life either. Just ... do it."

"I can't." Channie shook her head and scooted away from Josh.

He struck faster than a rattlesnake and grabbed her arm. But it didn't burn. Her sleeve protected her from his touch.

"Please, Channie. I can't do it without you. I need your help."

You have until the dawn doth break to suffer for each other's sake. She closed her eyes and nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

Josh exhaled and extended his arm, but before Channie could touch him he grabbed her wrist again and said, "Wait! Do that spell you used on my scalp. The one that stops pain."

"Pain-away spells don't work against magic."

"You're sure?"

Channie nodded.

Josh's shoulders slumped, but only for a moment. His eyes widened as a soft smile parted his lips. "I've got it! Let's fill the bathtub and remove the stains under cold water. It will quench the fire."

"What if it doesn't work? The pain would be so intense, it could make us pass out. We'd drown."

Josh closed his eyes and nodded then sat on the edge of her bed and pulled his arms out of the robe. He was trying so hard to be brave, but he couldn't hide the fear that pulsated beyond the boundaries of his energy field. His sense of dread increased with every beat of his heart.

Tears flowed down Channie's cheeks as she stared at the red stain that started at Josh's collarbone and covered his entire torso.

He rolled onto his back and pulled a pillow over his face, muffling his voice. "Make it quick."

Channie balanced on her toes, in a runner's stance, so she could move fast, and said, "I'm so sorry," then grabbed his arm with both hands—knowing it would burn her stained palm.

Josh arched his back and screamed into the pillow. Her hand felt as if it were on fire, but it was nothing compared to the anguish of knowing she was responsible for Josh's agony.

He tried to yank his arm out of Channie's grasp, but she tightened her grip and pulled her hands from his armpit to his fingers as fast as she could. He whimpered once then went completely limp.

Channie took the pillow from his face and without thinking what she was doing, brushed the tears off his cheeks.

Josh's eyes flew open. They were almost completely black. There was nothing but a rim of sapphire around the edges of his irises. Beads of sweat ran from his brow to his temples. His chest twitched with each shallow breath.

Channie bit the back of her hand but couldn't bite back the sob that rushed out of her throat.

Josh struggled to sit up. "I'm okay, babe." His face was chalky white. He was still trembling and panting...far from okay. "The pain doesn't last long."

His valiant attempt to comfort Channie only added to her guilt. "All I've done since the day we met, is hurt you."

"Channie. It's not your fault. Let's just get through this so we can be together. It's gonna hurt, but it'll be worth it. The book promised us a love pure and true—"

"The book!"

Channie grabbed the open book off the floor, heedless of the consequences. The message was fading. She fisted her hand and banged her forehead three times. She tried to cast a memory spell on herself. But of course it didn't work.

Josh crawled out of bed and held his phone over Channie's right shoulder. It made a "chk-chk" sound in her ear and flashed a light just before the message disappeared.

Josh grinned and turned the phone towards Channie. "How's that for magic?" The entire spell was captured on the screen. It was faint and barely legible, but it was there.

Channie smiled back at him. "Since it actually worked, it's better than magic. But just in case, I better write it down."

She fetched her journal from under her bed while Josh slipped his arms back into his robe. He moved to the floor and sat down beside her then dictated the message.

Balancing the pencil between her thumb and index finger, Channie tapped her bottom lip with the eraser and studied the words she'd written. "We need to be sure we understand everything perfectly."

Josh nodded and squinted his eyes as he read from his phone. "Tender hearts full of hope and courage, heed the warnings, but be not discouraged."

Channie said, "That's just the greeting. It sets the tone for what's to come."

"At least it's encouraging."

"Encouraging? Are you joking? We still have to torture each other before sunrise. How is that encouraging?"

Josh's smile slid off his face. He read the next phrase without any inflection in his voice. "A love pure and true is yours if you dare to open your hearts and lay your souls bare." The slight tightening at the corners of his eyes and mouth was the only indication that she'd hurt his feelings.

Josh had tried his best to comfort her. And all Channie had done was whine and complain about it.

She softened her tone and said, "I think that means we just need to be honest and brave enough to show each other our true selves...to lay our souls bare is to trust each other enough to be completely vulnerable."

"Can you do that?"

Channie wanted to say yes, of course she could, but that wouldn't be honest. "I'll do my best."

There was no need to ask Josh if he could do the same. From the first day she'd met him, Josh had been nothing but open-hearted and honest.

He said, "That's all anyone can ask," and continued to read.

"... For every choice there is a cost and the things you lose are forever lost." He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. "That sounds a little more ominous."

"It is. We need to think through the consequences of every decision before we commit to anything."

"Where's the fun in that?" Josh nudged her shoulder with his elbow. "Look before you leap? Think before you act?"

He was only trying to lighten the mood. But his words still stung. Channie had acted impulsively, without considering the consequences and now Josh had to pay for her stupidity.

"Hey. I was just kidding. You know that, right?"

Channie didn't want to make him feel guilty on top of everything else so she forced a smile and nodded.

Josh cleared his throat. "You have until the full moon sets to bind your hearts with no regrets...What's that mean?"

"That's the time limit. We have to complete every spell before the full moon sets on December second."

"You know when the next full moon is?"

"Of course I do. And so should you. How many times do I have to explain how important the moon is before you believe me?"

"I wasn't raised with all this mumbo-jumbo-hokus-pokus bullshit so excuse me if I'm not all gaga over the moon."

Channie felt as if Josh had punched her in the gut. Her mouth fell open, but the only sound that escaped was a quiet "huh" as her breath fled her lungs.

Josh stumbled over his words in an effort to apologize. "Oh, god...Channie. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to insult you...or your religion. I'm just so tired and...stressed out...but that's no excuse."

"Magic is not my religion. It's my heritage. I don't worship the moon or believe it's sacred or anything. But since it governs and regulates all magic, it should be respected."

"I'm still sorry I insulted you."

"And I'm sorry I snapped at you. You're right about being exhausted and stressed out. We both are, but I think it's more than that. I think this book is testing us."

Josh nodded and said, "I think you're right. I guess we better figure out this last stanza.

Channie dropped her gaze to her journal. "Then wait until the moon is new lest this tome be sealed to you. You've but one chance to learn the spell and break the curse. Use it well."

Josh traced the imprint of Channie's fingers on his wrist. "That sounds like another time limit."

"More of a time restraint. We have to wait until the new moon, on the sixteenth, to get the next spell. If we try to do it before then, the book won't work anymore. We'll lose our chance to break the curse."

Break the curse...Channie could barely contain her excitement. Not only would she be free from the curse, she would have her real name back. She would be Enchantment and everyone would love her again.

But Josh already loved her. And it had cost him dearly. Was she willing to risk even more suffering to be rid of Chastity's curse? If she was acting alone then, yes, she would risk anything, even her life. But not Josh's.

She said, "Maybe we should just get rid of the stains and call it quits."

"Do we have a choice?"

"We always have a choice. We just have to consider the consequences. Which reminds me...You have until the dawn doth break to suffer for each other's sake. But if you leave a single spot, eternal pain will be your lot." Channie rubbed the stain on her arm and shuddered. "If we don't want to be on fire for the rest of our lives, we need to take care of this."

Josh's gaze traveled the length of Channie's body then focused on her eyes. "Let's take a break first." He stroked her face with his unstained fingertips. "Your skin is so soft." His voice was deep and raspy. His eyes smoldered under half-closed lids as he traced her lower lip with his thumb.

Channie's breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat then started pounding. Her whole body was on fire. But in a good way. Chastity's power-well was full, but the energy was calm.

Could she really be free from the curse?

Josh pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. "If I remember correctly, kissing me was at the top of your list. Do you still want that kiss?"

Channie wove her fingers through Josh's hair and said, "Yes, I want that kiss. And a thousand more. But I think we better wait until we finish removing the stains. I don't want to get distracted and miss the deadline. Besides, it can be our reward for enduring our ordeal."

Josh took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You're right, and the anticipation of kissing you will distract me from the pain. Let's get back to work."

~***~

Channie cut the legs off a pair of Daddy's sweatpants for Josh so she could remove the stains from his legs as well as his chest and belly. He cinched them up as tight as he could with the drawstring, but they were still too big. They hung low on his hips but not low enough.

"Josh, I need you to pull the waistband down so I can get rid of the rest of this stain."

"No."

"Why not?"

"There's no way to expose the rest of the stain without exposing...the rest of me."

"I see."

"No. You don't." Josh grinned at her. But it was a forced smile that did not reach his eyes. "And I intend to keep it that way."

"Do you want to feel like you're on fire for the rest of your life?"

"No. Of course not. But I can't ask you to do this."

"You aren't asking. And neither am I. Now drop your pants."

Josh pushed his hair off his forehead with both hands and stared at the ceiling. He took a deep breath then dropped his head and his hands at the same time, expelling the air from his lungs with a whoosh. "Turn around. And close your eyes. I'll try to cover myself with a sheet or something."

Channie tried to ignore the sound of rustling sheets as Josh crawled under the covers.

The Book of the Dead had neutralized all the other spells. Without Josh's shield making her crazy and her own moon-curse holding her back, Channie was left with the natural urges, fears and confusion of a sixteen-year-old girl.

Part of her wanted to lock herself in the bathroom and hide. Another part of her wanted to get naked and crawl into bed with Josh.

He said, "Alright, I'm ready."

The trepidation in his voice drove every lustful thought out of Channie's mind. She opened her eyes and turned around. Josh was lying on top of the bed with a sheet draped over his groin and left hip. The entire right side of his body was exposed. He'd hidden his eyes under the crook of his elbow. All she could see of his face was his nose, mouth and trembling chin.

She looked beyond the beautiful young man lying naked in her bed and saw the vulnerable boy, trying so hard to be brave.

"Channie?"

"I'm right here, beside you."

"Okay." Josh nodded but kept his arm over his eyes. "Warn me first. Before you start."

"Just tell me when you're ready."

His teeth chattered for a split-second before he clenched his jaw. His skin puckered into goose-bumps as a tremor ran up and down his body. Channie bit her lip as she examined the rest of the stain. It was less solid below his navel, but it flowed across the muscular indentation where his right hip joined his torso and down the front of his thigh. There was no way she could get it all with one pass. Unless she used something besides her hands.

She quickly, but silently, removed everything except her bra and underpants, then decided that was too reckless. Stains still covered her arms. She couldn't help Josh deal with his pain if she were in agony, too. In fact, he'd probably try to help her. She pushed her arms into the sleeves of her shirt like a jacket, but left the rest of her torso bare, then crawled onto the bed.

Josh lifted his arm off his face and stared at her. His eyes widened, but his gaze never left her face. A testament to the power of pain over every thing else, even lust. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to use my body to get the stains off."

"Why?"

"So I can do it all at once. My hands are too small and as soon as I touch you, you're going to jerk away from me."

"I don't think that's such a good idea. There's nothing but a sheet between us."

Channie didn't even try to argue with him and fell on top of Josh before he could squirm out of reach.

He screamed and bucked like an angry mule with a burr under his saddle blanket.

She scrambled off as fast as she could, but not fast enough. Josh smacked the side of her head with his elbow, knocking her onto the floor.

He was still panting in pain, but that didn't stop him from crawling to the edge of the bed and reaching his hand out to her. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay, babe?"

Channie slipped her clothes back on then probed the side of her head with her fingers. She'd have a good sized lump by morning if she didn't heal herself, but she didn't want to get sidetracked. "I'm okay."

"I didn't mean to hit you. I was just..."

"Reacting to the pain?"

"Yeah." Josh wrapped the sheet around his waist like a bath towel and got out of bed. He squatted in front of Channie and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Channie was dizzy, but it had nothing to do with the blow to her head. She leaned into Josh's touch. He took her other hand but when he wove his fingers through hers, an agonizing bolt of pain made her jerk away from him and scream.

Josh picked her up and stumbled down the hall. The back of her hand was even more sensitive than her palms. The pain was just starting to fade when he shoved her hand under the faucet. As soon as the cold water hit her skin, the pain stopped.

Channie took her hand out of the water and poked at it. It was a little tender, but nothing like what it should have been.

Josh set her on her feet and said, "Did that help?"

Channie stared at the fading pink marks on the back of her hand. "Yes."

Josh pushed the stopper down and filled the sink with cold water. "Stick your other hand in there."

Channie pressed her palm against the bottom of the sink and spread her fingers. Josh slowly lowered his hand into the water and touched a stain on the back of her hand. It tingled and stung a little, but it didn't burn. It did however leave another pale pink mark.

She lifted her hand out of the water and stared at it. "I don't understand."

"I knew it! I knew water would make a difference."

Channie gripped the edge of the sink with both hands and looked at Josh's reflection in the mirror. His grin lit up his whole face.

"But, how did you know?"

"When the thought came to me, it just felt...true."

The accusatory thoughts that pierced Channie's heart, also felt true. She should have listened to him. She should have trusted him. She should have at least tried to touch him underwater.

Channie bowed her head. Tears fell out of her eyes and splashed into the sink, each drop rippling concentric circles across the surface of the water.

"Channie?" Josh kissed the top of her head then stroked her hair. "What's wrong?"

"I can't believe I put you through all that torture."

"It's okay."

Channie spun around and brushed the tears out of her eyes. Josh's eyes widened as he took a step back. Channie put her hands on his bare chest and shoved him away from her. Then advanced on him, poking his breastbone with her index finger to emphasize her words.

"You passed out from the pain. You bit through the pillow, trying to hold back your screams. You let me hurt you when you knew how to prevent it. So, no, it is not okay!"

The sheet wrapped around Josh's hips slid dangerously low as he backed away from her. He grabbed it and gathered it to his waist, holding it in place with one hand and pushing the hair off his brow with the other.

"But...you said you were afraid we might drown if it didn't work."

"Why didn't you suggest we test your theory in the sink? Like you just did with me?"

"I didn't think of it."

All the anger drained out of Channie's body, leaving her weak and ashamed.

It was bad enough that her stubborn refusal to listen to Josh had caused him an unbelievable amount of pain. Did she also have to blame him for it?

"I'm so sorry, Josh. Can you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive." He knelt beside the bathtub, stoppered the drain and turned on the cold water. "I'm going to go put your dad's sweatpants back on, even though they look ridiculous. Wait here."

Channie closed the lid on the toilet and sat down to wait for Josh's return with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.

She couldn't undo the suffering she'd already inflicted on Josh. But maybe she could atone for it. She turned off the water and opened the drain.

Josh knocked on the door, then opened it and frowned. "What happened to the water?"

Channie squared her shoulders. "I'm not going to use it."

"Why not?"

"After what I did to you?"

"Look, Channie, I know you feel guilty, but it wasn't your fault—"

"Yes, it was."

"Even if it were, why do you want to punish me?"

Channie wrapped her arms around her ribs and hunched over as if making her self smaller would minimize her shame. "I don't want to punish you. I want to punish myself. Penance, I guess."

Josh knelt in front of her. He leaned forward, tilting his head to look up into her eyes. "That won't change what I went through. My ordeal is over. Or at least I thought it was. I would rather go through it a hundred times over again than inflict even one second of that kind of pain on you."

He put a hand on Channie's leg and rubbed little circles on the inside of her knee with his thumb. "You missed a spot on my arm." He pushed up the sleeve of his robe and showed it to her. "I could make you remove it without using water."

Channie jerked upright. "No. Please don't—"

Josh gave her knee a gentle shake. "I wouldn't do that to you. Please, Channie, don't ask me to hurt you. I'm not that strong."

"Alright."

Josh laid his cheek on Channie's knees and said, "Thank you."

Carefully avoiding touching him with any part of her stained skin, Channie ran her hands through Josh's hair. It felt like silk as it slipped between her fingers.

He patted Channie's knee and stood up. "Let's get your stains taken care of. I owe you a kiss. Or two."

Channie grinned and said, "Or two hundred," then ducked her chin and blushed.

Neither of them spoke as the tub filled. Channie's excitement rose with the water level. So did her anxiety. Why was she so nervous? She'd had her hands all over Josh's body, removing his stains. Why did the thought of kissing him make her feel like she was going to faint?

Josh shut off the tap. "You ready to do this?"

Channie nodded and rolled up her sleeves. She knelt in front of the tub and lowered her arms into the freezing water. Josh knelt beside her and slid his fingers down her arm, leaving streaks of pale pink behind.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. It just tingles a little. I'm so sorry—"

"Shush, none of that."

"I just wish there was some way for me to make it up to you."

Josh's eyes darkened. His voice dropped lower. "You can pay me in kisses."

Channie's breath hitched. She couldn't wait to feel his mouth on hers.

Josh used both hands and ran them over her arms, the back of her hands and between her fingers.

"Dry off and let's take a look. We need to be sure we removed every last spot."

She was completely clean, not a speck on her. Channie put her hands on Josh's cheeks. He put one hand on her shoulder and the other on the back of her head.

It was just like the image in the book—only more magical. Just before his lips brushed hers, Channie remembered the tiny spot on Josh's arm. If the sun rose before she removed it, Josh would feel like someone was pressing a cigarette into the tender flesh of his inner arm for the rest of his life.

His lips were so close to hers she could taste his breath. Spearmint. "Josh, wait."

His eyes fluttered open but remained heavy lidded. "What?"

"We have to remove the spot on your arm."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now."

Josh's hand slid from Channie's shoulder to her back as he pulled her against him. A noise that was half-growl-half-groan rose up from deep inside him. The feel of his bare chest vibrating against her cheek loosened all Channie's joints. She clung to him to keep from falling.

"Come on, babe, just one kiss. Then you can remove my last spot."

"No. It will only take a second and then we won't have to worry about it anymore."

Josh's chest expanded within Channie's embrace. He pressed her even closer for a second then let go and stepped back. He lowered the robe to his waist, knelt next to the tub and twisted sideways, submerging his arm.

Channie leaned over and pressed her palm over the stain. She stood up, and handed Josh a clean towel from under the sink, then dried her hand on the one she'd already used.

Josh kept his gaze locked onto Channie's as he rubbed the towel over his arm and shoulder. At last, the waiting was over. They dropped their towels at the same time and stepped closer, mirroring each other.

Josh extended his hand and cupped Channie's cheek.

Pain, white-hot and violent in its intensity, scalded her face. She screamed just before oblivion rescued her from the unbearable agony.

She woke with a wet towel pressed against her cheek, the sight of Josh's tear-streaked face hovering over hers—and cramps.

She reached up to wipe the tears from his face.

He jerked his head back and said, "Don't. There's a new curse."

"A new curse?"

"Yeah. When I touched your face, it burned my hand. It must have scorched you too, because you screamed and passed out. I managed to catch you, but your face fell against my chest, and I...I nearly dropped you."

"But you didn't, did you? You fought through the agony and lowered me to the floor."

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Is there no limit to what you are willing to suffer for me?"

"Look inside your own heart. You'll find the answer there."

Josh was right. Channie would have done the same thing for him. And for the same reasons. When you truly loved someone, no sacrifice was too great.

~***~

Channie felt like she was drowning as they walked back to her room. She should have kissed Josh when she had the chance. She could still see his face, his lips mere inches from hers, she could still feel his breath, warm and moist, on her cheek.

She was only trying to be responsible, trying to do the right thing, and now she'd never get to kiss Josh. She sat on the edge of her bed, buried her face in her hands and let the tears come.

Josh knelt in front of her and put his hands on her knees. Her jeans protected her skin, so his touch didn't burn, but it made Chastity's energy buzz.

Channie looked up and gazed into Josh's eyes.

He grinned at her. "You're energizing my shield again."

"Sorry." She tapped into Chastity's power-well and gave her moon-curse a boost, gritting her teeth when the cramps intensified.

Josh rubbed circles on the inside of Channie's knees with his thumbs. "I guess this means we're back to where we started."

"We're much worse off than when we started. We don't just zap each other when we touch. The pain is worse than those damn stains."

Tears pushed against the back of Channie's eyes, but she was done crying. She stood up and walked across the room to retrieve the evil book that seemed intent on ruining their lives. It was lying in the same spot on the floor, but it was closed. She was certain that she'd left it open.

"Josh? Did you close the spell book?"

"No. I didn't touch it. And I don't think you should either."

"Well, I can't just leave it on the floor."

Josh stripped the case off one of Channie's pillows and before she realized what he was doing, he used it like a glove to pick up the book.

"Josh, No!"

"Too late."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to put this thing back where it belongs."

"The lid to the chest is gone and the window's broken." Momma and daddy were going to be pissed. It was a good thing Channie had Chastity's magic to protect her. They had a right to be angry, but she'd be damned if she'd let either of them ever curse or hit her again.

"So?"

"We can't leave it where it might get damaged."

"Why not? It sure as hell damaged us."

"It's too valuable."

"Valuable? This thing is trying to kill us."

Anxiety squeezed Channie's heart. "Give it to me!" Her voice was harsh and tyrannical. She sounded more like Momma than herself, but she felt compelled to protect the book.

Josh narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He turned the pillowcase inside out over the book and tied the top in an overhand knot then gave it to Channie.

She stuffed it into her backpack then pushed it under her bed. "There. That should keep it, and us, safe...at least for a little while."

"Until the new moon."

Chapter Eight

COMPLICATIONS

Josh put on one of Daddy's flannel shirts. It hung off his shoulders, but the cuffs didn't quite reach his wrists. Channie found him another pair of sweatpants so his legs would be covered and waited for him in her room.

They fell asleep spooned against each other almost immediately.

Their reprieve didn't last long. A sudden brightness jolted Channie out of the sweetest dream. She sat up and squinted, disoriented and confused by what sounded like the roar of an angry bear.

"Daddy?"

"What the hell is going on in here!"

Channie didn't have a chance to raise her shield before Momma's curse hit her.

Momma had used magic to discipline Channie before. A clean-speech, no-speak, or even a mild stinging spell wouldn't have surprised her, but this was no ordinary reprimand. Channie felt as if she were dying. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, she couldn't think. Her body convulsed with pain until Josh rolled on top of her. His shield blocked every curse Momma and Daddy hurled at them, until Daddy grabbed Josh's arms and yanked him out of bed. By then, Channie had her own shield in place.

Momma said, "What have you done, Chastity? Why is the boy immune to magic? And how is it possible for you to lie with him?"

Channie's heart leapt into her throat. Her stomach tied itself into a Gordian knot and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She said, "We weren't doing anything wrong. We were just sleeping." Her voice wavered like a frightened child's.

Josh lifted his chin and said, "As long as our thoughts are pure, the curse isn't active." It wasn't true, but it was quick thinking.

Daddy still had hold of Josh's arms. He shook him till his teeth rattled and said, "You expect me to believe you can lie next to my daughter and do nothing but sleep?"

Josh said, "You can believe what ever you want—"

Daddy let go with his right hand and drove his fist into Josh's belly. Air blasted out of his lungs with a whoosh as he doubled over. His face turned red, then blanched grey-white. He turned to look at Channie before he dropped to his knees.

She snapped out of her scared-little-girl mind-set and hit Daddy with a curse that knocked him against the opposite wall. He clutched his chest and groaned. Momma ran to his side and sank to the floor beside him.

Channie grabbed the back of Josh's shirt and dragged him into the hall. "Come on, let's get out of here before Daddy recovers."

Josh wrapped an arm around Channie's shoulder and leaned on her as they hobbled down the stairs. She scanned him for internal injuries. He was bruised and shaken up, but at least there was no internal bleeding or damage to vital organs.

She wanted to get him out of the house as soon as possible, but they couldn't leave without the Book of the Dead. Channie could protect Josh from Daddy, but not from the dark magic of the book. And it wasn't done with them yet. She made him wait in the parlor and ran back upstairs. Daddy was still on the floor, but he was coming around. Momma was still hovering over him, but they both ignored her. They didn't say a word as she jammed two handfuls of underwear, a couple of shirts, a pair of jeans and her journal into her backpack on top of the Book of the Dead. It wasn't radiating any magic but that could change at any moment. Besides, Momma was going to figure out that Channie had taken her book as soon as she saw the chaos in her room. Channie didn't want to deal with Momma until Josh was safe. She ran back downstairs and said, "Okay, let's get out of here."

The doorknob felt like a chunk of ice in her hand but it did not prepare her for the blast of arctic air that sucked the breath out of her lungs when she opened the front door.

~***~

Channie was already shivering, so even a gentle breeze would have made her miserable. But the howling north wind was no gentle breeze. Josh was in too much pain to ride so they pushed their bikes into Heritage Park.

Channie said, "Josh, where are we going?"

"My house."

"I can't go to your house. Your momma hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, but even if she did, she'd never turn you away when you're in danger."

"I'm not the one in danger. You are."

Josh pressed his fingers against his belly. "I can't believe your Dad sucker punched me."

"I wonder why they came back so early?"

"With the amount of money they've been winning?" Josh cocked an eyebrow and smirked at her. I'm sure they've been banned from the casinos."

"You think they got caught cheating?"

Josh shook his head and licked his lips. "If they'd been caught cheating, they'd be in jail. The casinos are private property, they can ban anyone they want without explanation."

Josh swung his leg over his bike and grimaced. "Come on, let's go home."

"What are we gonna tell your momma?"

"We'll just tell her your parents came home early and caught us in bed."

"She's gonna think we were...you know..."

"She already thinks we're having sex. It's not going to shock her."

Hot tears stung Channie's frozen cheeks. "I can't face her."

"With a little luck, you won't have to. Mom's a sound sleeper. But we need to go. It's too cold to stand around and argue."

"You go on to your house, I'll go back and try to smooth things over with Momma and Daddy—"

"The hell you will." The wind yowled like a cat in heat, so Josh had to shout to be heard. "I don't trust your Dad, or your Mom either for that matter. They'll just wait until you're asleep and disable you with another curse so they can beat you or something."

"They know I'll retaliate."

"I won't let you go back there by yourself, and I really don't want your Dad to turn me into a punching bag."

"Josh—"

"I mean it."

Channie wasn't about to let Josh anywhere near Daddy, so she gave in.

~***~

When they got to Josh's house, they were both shivering uncontrollably. Josh fumbled with his keys as he unlocked the side door into the garage. "The fifth stair from the top squeaks. Try to avoid it. Mom's a sound sleeper. But Elijah isn't."

The door creaked as Josh nudged it open, one inch, then two. A tumultuous noise made Channie instinctively cover her ears with her hands.

Josh said, "What the hell?" and flipped on the overhead light. It looked like someone had upset the canned vegetable display at the grocery store. He nudged several cans of green beans and stewed tomatoes out of his way and held the door open for Channie.

Joshua's momma was on the sofa, propped up on her elbows. She was wearing men's flannel pajamas and her hair was a mess. A bed pillow at one end still held the shape of her head. She blinked and squinted her eyes, "What's Channie doing here?"

"What's three weeks of groceries doing on the floor?"

"Poor man's security system. I got tired of you sneaking in like a thief in the middle of the night." She tossed the blanket onto the floor and stood up. "Channie? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Channie hadn't even realized she was crying.

Josh slipped his hand around her waist. "Her parents came home early and were a little surprised to find me there."

Mrs. Abrim said a very bad word. "What happened?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders. "They freaked out. Channie needs a place to stay until they cool off."

"Of course." Mrs. Abrim stood up, wove her way past the canned goods and wrapped her arms around Channie. Her compassion was so unexpected it broke down the last of Channie's self-control. She dissolved into tears, and sobbed on her shoulder.

"Josh, go put clean sheets on your bed."

"Got it." Josh took the stairs three at a time.

"And bring down a set for yourself. You're sleeping on the couch."

"But, Channie needs me. I promise we'll—"

"No buts, Josh."

Elijah peeked over the stair railing and said, "If Channie's scared, she can sleep with me."

"Channie's a big girl, Elijah. She'll be just fine sleeping by herself." She gripped Channie's shoulders and held her at arms length. Her eyes moved back and forth as she scanned Channie's face. "Right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I know I can count on you." She gave Channie's arms a quick squeeze then let go and went upstairs.

Josh came back a few minutes later—without any sheets, blankets or pillows—and flopped sideways in the chair across from Channie. One leg angled out in front of him, the other draped over the armrest.

"Mom has a migraine. She said to tell you she's sorry for not helping you settle in, but she needed to take something and go to bed. And get this, she said I'm supposed to be sure you have everything you need." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and grinned at her.

Channie bit her lip to keep from smiling back at him. "I'll be fine."

"The stuff Mom takes for migraines makes her extra drowsy. Don't lock the door when you go to bed, I'll give her half an hour to be sure she's out, then—"

"No. You aren't sleeping with me tonight."

"Oh, come on, Channie." Josh reached out and picked up a strand of her hair, sliding it between his fingers. "I'll behave, I promise."

"No. She trusts me."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I couldn't be more serious."

Josh continued to pout as he followed Channie upstairs. "Don't you want some company, just until you get sleepy?"

"Goodnight, Josh. I'll see you in the morning." She blew him a kiss then closed, and locked, his bedroom door.

~***~

Momma and Daddy started calling Channie just after sunrise on Sunday morning. She refused to answer her phone, but she listened to their messages. The first five were from Momma, blatant threats of physical violence if Channie didn't return the Book of the Dead immediately. The next dozen or so calls were from Daddy—death-threats directed at Josh for ruining his baby girl.

The last few messages had been respectful requests that Channie come home so they could work things out. She had no intention of talking to either one of them until they both apologized. And she wasn't going home until she had their binding promise that they wouldn't harm Josh or try to take the Book of the Dead away from her. Channie grabbed her backpack from under Josh's bed and checked to be sure the book was still there. It was.

Momma would have no problem tracing the magic of such a powerful artifact. The only way for Channie to keep the book safely in her possession, was to keep it with her at all times.

She crept downstairs and borrowed a paring knife from the kitchen then locked herself in Josh's room. She nicked her left index finger and dribbled a few drops of blood into the plastic buckle that fastened the pack then cast a touch-me-not spell. No one could open her pack but her without getting burned.

~***~

Channie was on edge all day Sunday. Josh kept trying to lure her into his room or the basement and Mrs. Abrim kept finding excuses to check on them. Channie didn't mind the cookies and other treats, but the suspicious glances were insulting, especially since she'd done nothing to deserve them.

Later that night, when Channie refused to let Josh sneak into her room, he threw a regular hissy fit and stomped downstairs without kissing her head or saying goodnight.

Monday morning was a disaster. Josh's Momma yelled at him for dragging his feet and refusing to get up.

He rolled his head from side to side and rubbed the back of his neck, sighing and groaning like an old man. "It's not my fault. I can't sleep on this damn couch."

Guilt twisted Channie's stomach. She wanted to trade places with Josh, but if she slept on the couch, there'd be no way to keep him from paying her a visit in the middle of the night. She doubted she'd have the will power to send him away.

Everyone was running late, so Mrs. Abrim insisted on driving them all to school, even though it would make her late for work. Josh pitched a fit worthy of Zeal, yelling about how humiliating it was to be dropped off at school by his mommy, but she didn't back down.

As soon as they got out of the car, Channie knew the rest of the day was going to be pure hell. Girls came from all directions to crowd around Josh.

In all the rush, she'd forgotten to activate the itches-for-bitches curse on his shield. Previous experience with the curse kept most girls from touching him, but it didn't stop them from flirting.

It wouldn't have been so bad if Josh hadn't flirted back. He was still pouting because Channie locked him out of his room but that was no excuse for the way he was acting.

She would have zapped him on the spot if his shield weren't immune to Chastity's punitive magic. The last thing she wanted to do was super-charge him and make him even more attractive to his drooling audience.

The only magic Channie could safely use to send the appropriate message was Enchantment's, but she'd never used Enchantment's power to fuel an actual curse.

The thought startled Channie and gave her a moment's pause. She'd cursed more people in the past two months than she had in her entire life.

Well, her life was different now. Persuasive magic wouldn't do her much good against a member of the Veyjivik clan. She'd need Chastity's raw power if she wanted to survive a confrontation with a dark mage.

But Josh wasn't a dark mage. He wasn't even a mage. He was a stubborn, arrogant, self-centered boyfriend that needed a gentle reminder that his girlfriend was watching his every move. She'd used Chastity's magic to fuel a healing spell, there was no reason she couldn't force Enchantment's magic to cast a minor curse.

Except Enchantment resisted the misuse of its power more vehemently than Chastity ever had. The mild stinging spell she finally managed to cast wasn't strong enough to be painful, but Josh flinched and jerked his head up when it zinged him. Channie slumped against the lockers with her hand over her heart. The spell obviously hurt her more than it had Josh, but the kicked-puppy look on his face nicked her conscience.

Josh was not a child that needed to be reprimanded. If they had a problem, they needed to talk it out like adults.

Channie tapped into Chastity's power for the strength to catch up with Josh and ran after him. But when she grabbed his arm, he spun around and yanked free from her grasp. His jaw muscles twitched as he spoke through clenched teeth. "What the hell is your problem?"

How dare he talk to her in that tone of voice. She poked his chest with her index finger, emphasizing each word. "My problem, mister, is you! What do you think you're doing? I could feel your lustful energy all the way from the other end of the hall."

Josh pushed her hand away from his chest without touching her bare skin, but his rejection was more hurtful than any curse. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Whatever, Channie," then shoved his fists into his pockets and stormed into Old Lady Windsor's classroom.

English Literature was the only class they had together and they were wasting it by being mad at each other. Channie held her phone under her desk and texted Josh. If there were one good thing about Old Lady Windsor, it was that she couldn't hear the high-pitched mosquito ringtones everyone used for text alerts.

<We need 2 talk>

Channie was ridiculously proud of herself for remembering to use "2" instead of "to."

Josh refused to even look at his phone. Channie knew he could hear it, everybody except Old Lady Windsor could hear it, but he stubbornly ignored it—and Channie.

As soon as the bell rang, she jumped up from her desk and headed straight for Josh. Unfortunately, Eric's girlfriend, Kassie, was blocking her path.

Channie had to grit her teeth to keep from cursing the both of them when Josh put his hands on Kassie's shoulders. Neither of them were generating any lust and all he said was, "Let me know when you find out," but it destroyed any inclination Channie had to apologize.

By the time lunch hour rolled around, Channie felt like she was going to explode with hostile energy. Not only was Josh constantly surrounded by girls every time Channie caught a glimpse of him in the halls, but he refused to look at her. He made no effort whatsoever to apologize. And to top it all off, Channie was hungry. No one had time to pack lunches this morning, but even if she'd had any money with her, she wouldn't waste it on the overpriced food in the cafeteria.

"Screw this. I'm going home." Channie wasn't ready to forgive Momma and Daddy, but she needed a place to stay. She started walking down the bike path towards her house, but she didn't get very far. A large, warm hand settled lightly on her shoulder.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?"

Channie spun around and wrapped her arms around Josh's waist, hugging him to her and burying her face in his chest. "Do I ever!"

"Kassie loaned me her car until fifth period. What do you say we go get something to eat. I'm starving."

~***~

Channie wasn't thrilled about the fact that Kassie had loaned her car to Josh. You didn't loan a vehicle to just anyone, unless you liked them an awful lot. Channie didn't think she'd get much information if she confronted Josh head-on, so she waited until the hostess at Chili's led them to a booth in the back of the restaurant. As soon as they were alone, Channie unwrapped her utensils, put her napkin in her lap and focused on keeping her voice nonchalant and friendly.

"What were you and Kassie talking about this morning after Old Lady Windsor's class?"

Josh deflated. He slumped down in the corner of the booth, slid his hands to his lap, and exhaled loudly. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's private."

Channie picked at a loose thread on the corner of her napkin. "I see."

"No. You don't. But I'm going to ask you to trust me on this one. Can you do that?"

Trust didn't come easy for Channie, the people she loved had a habit of betraying or deserting her, but she didn't want to fight with Josh anymore. She nodded her head.

When they finished eating, Josh said, "Can I ask why you got so upset this morning?"

"You mean when you were lusting after all those girls at school?"

"Is it possible, that what you felt was coming from the girls and not from me?"

Channie ducked her chin, but kept her gaze locked on Josh's eyes. "Maybe."

He put his hands flat on the table and leaned forward. "Look, Channie, I admit that all the attention is a huge boost to my male ego—even though I know it's not real—but that doesn't mean I'm interested in any of those girls. You're the only girl I want."

"I'm sorry, I never thought I'd be the jealous type, but I can't stand the thought of anyone touching you. Maybe it's because I can't even hold your hand."

"I know what you mean. I can't stand the thought of another guy touching you either."

Josh rubbed the back of his neck. He was nervous, but why? "Do you want dessert?"

"No, thank you." In addition to a pulled pork sandwich, large Dr. Pepper and french fried potatoes, Channie had eaten half of Josh's onion rings.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little blue box. "Do you know what a promise ring is?"

Channie's heart flip-flopped into her throat. "No."

"It's sort of old-fashioned, but it's one way for me to show you—and everyone else—that we belong together." He opened the box and revealed a delicate white-gold ring. Two diamonds glittered inside intertwined hearts. "You have completely captured my heart. I promise to do everything in my power to make you as happy as you've already made me. I'd do anything for you, Channie. No sacrifice is too great. Will you accept this ring as a token of that promise?"

Too choked up to speak, Channie pressed three fingers to her mouth and nodded. Joy, love, and passion flowed between them as a surge of heart-magic strengthened their supernatural bond. "It looks like an engagement—"

"It's not." Their connection snapped and disappeared. Josh licked his lips then swallowed. "It's just a promise ring."

Channie blinked back tears before they fell, but not before Josh noticed.

"Babe, we're too young to get engaged. But I promise...I'll love you forever."

It wasn't too young for mages to get engaged, or even married, as long as they could support themselves. But Josh was not a mage and this was not the Ozarks where you could hunt, fish, trap and grow your own food. Channie would be surprised if Josh even knew how to use a draw knife to strip the bark off a log, much less build a cabin.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad. These tears are happy tears."

Josh heaved a huge sigh and pushed the box across the table with his fingertips. "I wish I could put the ring on your finger, but I don't want to burn you."

Channie plucked the ring from the box and held it up in the light.

A multitude of prismatic specks danced across the table and the front of Josh's chest like a shattered rainbow.

"Are you going to put that thing on, or just hold it all day?"

Channie grinned and slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand. It was a little wiggly, so she pulled the loose thread from her napkin, unravelling the hem, and wound it around the ring.

Josh said, "What are you doing?"

"It's a little loose. I don't want to lose it."

"Since we aren't ordering dessert, we have enough time to take it back to Zales before fourth period and get it resized. Now stand up so I can get a hug."

Channie wrapped her arms around Josh's waist and pressed the side of her face against his chest, over his pounding heart. She said, "I never...in my wildest dreams...ever imagined anything this beautiful could belong to me."

Josh kissed the top of her head. "Ditto."

~***~

It took a whole week for the jewelry store to resize Channie's ring, but it was worth the wait. The first day she wore it to school, no less than six girls stopped her in the halls and asked to see it. Kassie took Channie's left hand and twisted it back and forth then blinked when a sparkle struck her eye. She laughed and said, "What'd you do, Josh? Rob a bank?"

Channie had already activated the IFB curse on his shield so she couldn't even touch his sleeve. A warm sensation built inside her heart-of-hearts then exploded outwards as their magical connection unfurled.

Josh gasped when it buried itself in his chest. Love, passion and joy flowed back and forth between them.

Channie whispered, "I love you."

Josh pressed a hand over his heart and mouthed, "forever."

But they didn't have forever. Each night as the moon waned thinner, Channie's anxiety waxed stronger.

~***~

Channie woke on the sixteenth of November, too distraught to crawl out of bed.

Mrs. Abrim stuck a digital thermometer in Channie's ear. She pulled it out after it beeped and said, "That can't be right." She did it again, in Channie's other ear. "Your temp is a full two degrees below normal, you must be coming down with something."

"Yes, ma'am. I believe so." A severe case of dread.

"Do you want me to stay home with you? I have a few days of sick leave saved up."

"No, thank you. I'll be fine. But if you could bring me a little valerian or chamomile tea before you go, it might help."

"The only tea I have is Earl Grey. Do you want me to call your mother? I'm sure—"

"NO! I mean, no ma'am. Please don't call my momma."

Mrs. Abrim sat on the edge of Channie's bed and brushed her hair off her forehead. "We haven't really talked about what happened the night your parents came home and found you and Josh in bed."

Channie's temperature instantly went from sub-normal to fevered. She hid her face behind her hands.

"Channie. I'm not judging you." Mrs. Abrim patted Channie's arm. "Normally, I'd insist you at least call them, but Josh has told me a little about your parents. We may need to look into a long-term solution."

"Long term?"

"As much as I'd like to let you stay here indefinitely, it's really not appropriate." Mrs. Abrim stood up and smoothed her shirt down over her hips. "If you don't feel safe at home, we should consider foster care."

Channie had no intention of letting Mrs. Abrim dump her onto a family of strangers. She'd swallow her pride and move back home before she went into foster care.

Mrs. Abrim said, "I didn't mean to upset you. We can wait a little longer and see if things calm down at home. You have my number in your phone, call me if you need anything."

Channie picked at the fuzz on her blanket and nodded.

Mrs. Abrim gave her a quick hug then went back downstairs.

Even with the door shut, Channie could hear Josh and Elijah campaigning to stay home and take care of her. Elijah continued to beg even as the family exited the house, but Josh gave up a little too easily. Sure enough, he walked through the front door at nine-fifteen.

His clown-sized feet rattled the house as he bounded up the stairs and burst into Channie's room.

Channie said, "Did you even go to class?"

"I couldn't concentrate knowing you were home...all alone and lonely...in bed..." He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.

"Joshua Vincent Abrim!"

"You sound just like my mom."

"And what do you think she'd say if she knew you were here instead of at school?"

"How about we not tell her?"

"You are impossible."

Josh kicked off his shoes and leapt onto the bed, straddling Channie's hips with his feet. He bounced gently, making the bedsprings creak, and smirked at her. "Besides, you didn't activate that itching thing on my shield this morning."

"Oh, crap. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I took a detour down to Hole-In-One Bagel then came home. You want a bagel? I bought a cranberry-walnut one for you."

He bounced the bed harder, making Channie scramble for the blankets to keep herself covered. "Maybe later."

"So, are you really sick?"

"Would it matter?"

"If you're sick, I'll bring you chicken soup. If you're not, let's go downstairs and watch a movie."

"You mean...make out."

"Of course."

"I'm not sick, sick, but I am a nervous wreck. Now get off my bed."

"Actually it's my bed, but I don't mind sharing."

"Josh! Cut it out."

"The new moon tonight freaking you out?"

"Well, duh."

"So what's the plan?"

"We need to decide if we're going to open the book again."

"Of course we are. It's the only way to free ourselves from these damned curses that are trying to destroy us. Right?"

"I think so. But I don't really know."

Josh bounced onto his butt and sat beside Channie, then twisted sideways and leaned closer. "Maybe I'll finally be able to kiss you tonight."

She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back. "What if the book makes things worse?"

"Something tells me it would be a huge mistake to ignore the book." He kissed the top of her head then hopped off the bed. "We need to do what it says. Trust me."

If Channie had trusted Josh when he said they should remove the stains underwater, he wouldn't have suffered. She wished she'd never laid eyes on that damned book.

"All right. I trust you."

Channie and Josh pretended to watch a movie as they laid side by side in his bed, but she wouldn't let him put on his gloves. Trust only goes so far when dealing with an adolescent boy. He got downright whiney about it, until Channie threatened to send him back to school.

They decided to meet in the soundproof entertainment room in the basement thirty minutes after midnight to open the Book of the Dead.

~***~

Channie couldn't stand lying in bed, waiting as the seconds ticked by. She threw off the covers, got dressed and went to the window.

Her breath frosted the glass. She drew a heart with her finger and wrote "Joshua Vincent Abrim" in the middle of it. She blew on the glass and drew another. This time she wrote "Mrs. Enchantment Abrim." The clouds parted. A faint glow of sapphire blue rimmed the edge of the new moon. It was beautiful—the exact color of Josh's eyes—but unlike Josh's eyes, this particular new moon felt sinister. The way it blotted out a perfect circle of stars and punched a hole in the night sky, filled Channie with a sense of foreboding. She hugged her arms to her chest and shivered.

At a quarter past midnight, Channie couldn't wait any longer. She grabbed her back pack and a flashlight. Her hands shook, causing the beam to waver on the carpet as she tiptoed downstairs—avoiding the fifth step from the top.

Josh was lying on his stomach with his face turned towards the back of the sofa, his left arm hung over the edge, fingers softly curled with the back of his knuckles resting on the floor. The covers were a tangled mess around his waist, but he was wearing a t-shirt so Channie was able to touch his shoulder without burning either of them. "Josh. Wake up, it's time."

He propped himself up on his elbows and said, "Hey, beautiful. You ready to do this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Channie tried not to look as Josh pulled a pair of sweats on over his boxers, but felt no need to avert her gaze when he took off his t-shirt to replace it with a more cuddle-compatible hoodie. When they got to the basement, the only light other than their flashlights came from a glowing green dot on the front of one of the electronic game boxes. Josh swore and switched it off. "If Elijah burns out another console, I'm going to wring his scrawny little neck."

Channie sat on the floor and pulled her journal and the Book of the Dead out of her backpack. Josh propped a chair under the doorknob and dialed the adjustable lights to their lowest setting. Channie untied the knot in the pillowcase, but hesitated to put her hand inside.

Josh said, "You want me to get it?"

Channie shook her head and shoved her hand into the pillowcase. A tingling sensation ran up her arm as soon as she touched the book. She lowered it onto the floor and knelt in front of it. Josh scooted around to sit cross-legged beside her, bumping her thigh with his knee. He arched his eyebrows and said, "Together?"

Channie nodded. They both trembled like autumn leaves in a storm and opened the book.

Lavender, lemon, sage and sandalwood filled Channie's nose. Josh inhaled deeply and said, "It smells like us, right?"

"Yes." The scent was reassuring and mildly intoxicating.

The book grew warm as the sparkling flame leapt from the blank page and engraved the next step of the spell...

True love's kiss will set you free

But pure and chaste it must be.

One unclean thought will seal your fate

Changing all you love—to all you hate.

Daughter of power, conquer your fear

For in the fire, your path becomes clear.

A royal mage you must wed,

Before you share a lover's bed.

Son of darkness, heed this advice,

Forsake all others that might entice

And lead astray with a wanton smile

The foolish boy they wish to beguile.

Burn the image in your heart and mind

Of true love's kiss, and surely you'll find

The strength and the will and the power to keep

The promise you made so your love would not weep.

Josh pulled out his phone and snapped a photograph of the glowing page. Channie didn't want to copy the hateful message in her journal, but if something happened to Josh's phone and they couldn't remember every single word, they had no chance of fighting this evil magic that demanded she marry against her will.

When she finished, Josh kissed the top of her head and pulled her onto his lap. "If you were forced to marry someone else...but you still loved me...would you consider a relationship outside of marriage?"

Channie pressed her hand against Josh's chest. His heart thumped against her palm in sync with her own racing pulse. "I'm not going to let some evil book tell me who I can and cannot marry."

"It sounds like the book isn't opposed to adultery."

Channie leaned back to look in his eyes. "I don't break promises and there is no promise more sacred than marriage vows."

"Even if you got married with the understanding that it wasn't real? Maybe this royal mage won't want to marry you either."

Channie slid off Josh's lap and stood up. "I'd rather die a virgin than bind myself with meaningless marriage vows." Josh had no idea what all was involved when two mages married. Channie didn't either—she'd heard a few snippets here and there, but the ceremony everyone attended was only the beginning. The actual marriage involved magic and sex and that wasn't something people talked about.

Josh rose and placed his hands on her shoulders. "We'll figure something out. At least there's no time limit."

"Are you kidding me?...You have until the full moon sets, to bind your hearts with no regrets...remember? This message doesn't replace the previous one."

"If that's true, why would the book tell you to bind your heart to mine and then marry someone else?"

"I don't know!" Channie took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. This is just so confusing and frustrating."

Josh nodded and said, "I understand." Which meant he wasn't accepting her apology, but he didn't want to talk about it anymore. "We still need to figure out what the rest of it means."

Channie didn't want to talk about it either. She knew they'd have to deal with it soon, but there were plenty of other things they needed to figure out. "I'm obviously the daughter of power, but why would you be the son of darkness? That is a direct reference to dark magic."

"Maybe it's just a poetic device or a typo?" Josh rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. "A magical book that needs spell-check."

Channie laughed in spite of herself. "Good one, Josh. But seriously, the book wouldn't make a mistake like that. One of your parents must have hired a mage...maybe during their divorce? It's illegal, but some mages hire themselves out to MDs.

"My family fights their battles in court with divorce attorneys and money, not blood and magic."

"For now, let's just assume you are 'the son of darkness,' even if we don't know what it means. What's next?"

Josh leaned to the side and read out of Channie's journal. "True love's kiss will set you free, but pure and chaste it must be..."

Channie closed her eyes and pressed her face into Josh's hoodie-protected shoulder, fighting tears. "We can't even touch without setting each other on fire."

Josh stroked her hair and wound a tendril around his index finger. "I would kiss you right now if it would break the curse, I don't care how much it hurts. But...if we don't keep our thoughts pure and chaste when we kiss, we'll be cursed and end up hating each other. Maybe that's how you'll end up marrying a royal—"

"I already told you—I'm not marrying anyone!"

Josh jerked away from her as if she'd slapped him.

Channie took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I'm sorry Josh. I know none of this is your fault. But please, I don't want to talk about marrying some old goat of a mage right now. I can't deal with it."

"Alright. Let's focus on kissing without lust. How do you propose we do that?"

"Maybe we can desensitize ourselves if we..." Heat crept up Channie's throat and flooded her cheeks. "... practice touching?"

Josh chuckled, lightening the mood. "That might work for you, but the more we touch, the more I want...well...more."

A pile of blankets in the northeast corner shifted, startling Channie.

Josh bolted across the room and dialed the lights all the way up. He groaned and said, "Elijah, what are you doing in here?"

Elijah's eyes were as big as silver dollars. He pointed at the Book of the Dead and said, "Can I see it?"

Channie clambered to her feet and said, "No, it's too dangerous."

"Then why are you guys messing with it?"

Josh said, "That's none of your damn business."

Elijah's eyes lit up as a wide grin spread across his face. "Am I a wizard, too?"

"Of course not, dork. What makes you think you might be a wizard?"

"Harry Potter didn't know he was a wizard until Hagrid told him."

"Jeeze! Harry Potter isn't real."

"Maybe, maybe not. But I saw that book glow and I heard the spell you read."

Josh said, "We were just messing around, there's no such thing as magic."

"He already knows, Josh. There's no point shutting the barn door after the horse is gone." Channie needed to find out how much Elijah understood about what he'd seen. She wasn't sure he'd tell her if she just up and asked him so she went at it sideways. "Do you have any questions about what you saw or heard while Josh and I were using the magic book? I imagine it was pretty scary."

"It was cool." Elijah's grin faded as worry creased his brow. "If Josh kisses you, will you have to marry him?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you talking about true love's kiss. I just wondered if it was like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White."

Channie smiled. "It's sort of like that." Maybe it was exactly like that. Maybe, if they broke the chastity curse with a pure, chaste kiss, it would break the rest of the spells too. Maybe she wouldn't have to marry a mage after all.

"Did an evil witch put a spell on you?"

"She sure did." Channie didn't want to explain a Chastity curse to an eight-year-old boy. Besides, 'evil witch' was one of the nicer things Channie had called Momma lately.

Elijah said, "If Josh kisses you—are you going to love him forever?"

Josh clenched his jaw and stared at her with his mouth pressed into a thin, hard line. And once again, just like at the race, a thread of golden energy spiraled out of Channie's heart-of-hearts, opening a conduit of magic between them. But this time, love wasn't the only thing they shared. The intensity of Josh's heart-ache nearly overwhelmed her.

She focused on the spark of hope growing inside her chest and pushed it along the golden thread of their connection. When it broke through the wall of his pain, Josh sucked in a quick, shallow breath.

Elijah's question hung in the air...If Josh kisses you, are you going to love him forever?

Channie's eyes filled with tears as she reached for Josh. "I already do."

~***~

Channie and Josh stayed up all night, going over the spell, looking for loopholes or hints of how they could manage a pure, chaste kiss before the next full moon.

She said, "Maybe if we kiss really fast? And don't give ourselves a chance to think about what we're doing, we can avoid feeling lusty. Or we could close our eyes. I'll pretend you're Eric. And you can pretend I'm Old Lady Windsor."

Josh hunched his shoulders, scrunched his face and shivered. "I'm already scarred for life just imagining it, but if it works, it's worth it."

"Maybe we should try touching first, you know, skin-to-skin, just to be sure."

It was a good suggestion. It was also good they were alone in the soundproof media room. If anyone would have heard their screams of agony, they would have thought they were trying to kill each other.

They cut class the next day and tried everything they could think of to obliterate their lust. They took a cold shower together—fully clothed. They watched "Saw," "Friday the 13th," and "Resident Evil." They had no success at all until they stood beside an open dumpster behind La Petite pre-school.

Josh was able to hold Channie's cheeks in his palms for a few precious seconds. But even as they gagged on the stench of rotting garbage and dirty diapers, they still couldn't keep their lust for each other under control long enough to kiss. Channie screamed as Josh ripped his hands off her burning face. He darted behind the dumpster and retched. As soon as Channie heard the contents of Josh's stomach splatter the pavement, she leaned over and puked into a barberry hedge.

They pushed their bikes halfway home before Channie felt strong enough to ride.

Ever the optimist, Josh said, "That almost worked."

Channie pressed the back of her hand against her mouth to keep from gagging. "And like most things in life...almost doesn't count."

They rode the rest of the way home in silence. When they rolled their bikes into the garage, Josh said, "I have an idea. But you aren't going to like it."

Channie lifted her helmet off her head and shook out her hair. "What is it?"

"The book said...True love's kiss will set you free, but pure and chaste it must be...It didn't say I had to be the one to kiss you."

"But I don't want to kiss anyone else! Besides, I don't think any other boy will be any better at keeping his thoughts pure."

"I was thinking of Elijah."

"Elijah! But he's only eight! No way!"

"Think about it. He's the perfect age. He's old enough to fall head over heels in love with you—even if it's only puppy-love—but young enough to still be pure and chaste."

"I won't use him like that."

"What choice do we have?"

"I don't know, Josh. It just seems really...mean."

"Will you at least think about it?"

Channie didn't need to think about it. She hated the idea, but it made perfect sense. It was no accident that Elijah was involved. The damn book took perverse pleasure in torturing people. Elijah had witnessed the book's magic when she and Josh opened it. And now he would pay for that momentary thrill with a broken heart.

~***~

Channie felt like the worst sort of criminal as she flirted with Elijah over the next few days. The kiss had to be Elijah's idea. It was the only way she would even consider it. But she had to create the proper climate. Elijah wasn't shy, but he was perfectly happy just holding her hand and sitting next to her as they played video games and watched movies.

When Elijah still hadn't kissed her by Friday evening, Channie and Josh came up with a new plan. Saturday morning, Channie pretended to be too sick to go to Josh's race. They didn't even have to ask Elijah to stay behind. He volunteered to keep Channie company. If he didn't kiss her today, she doubted he ever would.

Elijah grew more confident over the course of the day. He even managed to maneuver himself under her arm and huddle against her side as they watched "Coraline." For an animated kid's movie, it was pretty creepy. She vigilantly monitored his energy field to be sure that she didn't inspire any inappropriate physical desires in the boy. Not only would it ruin the opportunity to break Chastity's curse, it was just plain wrong. All she found was pure, chaste devotion—and love.

But he did not kiss her.

He went to bed at eleven thirty, well before the rest of the family came home. Channie read him a few chapters from "Sleeping Beauty," then kissed him on the cheek and said, "Goodnight little prince."

His eyes widened for a moment then crinkled as he grinned up at her. "Goodnight, Channie."

She knew that a kiss on the cheek wasn't going to break the curse, but it was as far as she was willing to go. She went back downstairs, made herself a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Josh to come home.

At a quarter past midnight, he burst through the door with another giant trophy in tow, and searched Channie's eyes. "Well?"

She stood up, pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"Damn it." Josh slid his hand across Channie's back, settling his fingers in the dip of her waist and pulled her against him in a one-armed hug. His voice was nursery-room quiet and full of concern. "Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired. And disappointed."

"Me too. Let's go downstairs and watch a movie."

"It's late and—"

"I know what time it is. Come on." Josh moved his hand to the small of Channie's back and gently herded her downstairs.

The combination of soft music, dim lighting, and a day of racing proved too much for Josh. He laid his head on Channie's lap and closed his eyes.

When a snore escaped his softly parted lips, Channie gently shook his shoulder and said, "Josh. Go on to bed. You're exhausted."

"No." He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, but instead of setting her sideways like he usually did, he scooted to the edge of the sofa, slid his hands to the back of her knees and wrapped her legs around his waist. That was new. He ran his hands up and down her arms then slid them behind her back and said, "I missed you today."

"I missed you too." Channie put her hands on his chest as she leaned back against his arms.

Josh opened his heavy-lidded eyes halfway and said, "Is it okay if I put my gloves on?"

She trembled and said, "Why?"

He smiled sheepishly and said, "Can't blame a boy for trying."

"You haven't used gloves since..."

"Forever?"

"Since that horrible fight in the tunnel under Cherry Street."

He closed his eyes, yawned and rolled his head, cracking his neck. "It's just that the girls at the race were..."

Channie froze. Not a single muscle so much as twitched. Not even her heart. Somehow, during all the scheming to get Elijah to kiss her, she'd forgotten to add the itches-for-bitches spell to Josh's shield this morning.

Josh said, "uh-oh," and opened his eyes.

Channie climbed off his lap and said, "The girls at the race were what?"

"They were just really friendly ... and it made me miss you even more."

"What the hell happened at the race?"

"Nothing!"

"You better tell me the truth, Joshua Abrim or I swear I'll skin you alive. And don't you dare lie to me!"

Josh sighed and ran his hands through his hair, making it stick out in all directions. "It wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't your fault?" Channie's fists clenched instinctively as if she could fight off the bad news coming her way.

"I got a few invitations to join some of the girls in one of their trailers."

"And?"

"And I turned them down! Jeeze, Channie. I think you need to quit using that moon-spell on yourself. Being on the rag all the time has turned you into a...never mind."

Channie narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

Josh licked his lips and said, "Seriously, I've never done anything to make you, or anyone else, doubt how much I love you. Why don't you trust me?"

Channie took three deep breaths before speaking, but her voice still shook with rage. "Explain to me...how getting propositioned by a bunch of whores made you miss me!"

"I'm a guy! I can't help it if having a bunch of girls wanting to jump me makes me horny."

Channie darted towards the door. Josh grabbed her wrist. She spun around and slapped his face with her other hand. The skin-to-skin contact was brief, but it was enough to scorch her palm. This time, when Channie bolted, Josh didn't try to stop her.

~***~

Josh's comment was insulting, crude and hurtful, but it was also correct. Channie was tired and irritable all the time and more than a little anemic. Aunt Wisdom would be horrified if she knew how Channie was interfering with her natural cycle. It was one thing to curse the other girls occasionally, but this perpetual bleeding was reckless.

Channie released herself from the moon-curse, cried herself to sleep and dreamed of kissing Josh. It was the sweetest, most chaste kiss without even a hint of lust. But it felt wrong. She woke up with a start and gasped. "Elijah?"

Her sleep-fogged mind was confused by the juxtaposition of her dream over the strange reality of Elijah leaning over her in his flannel, Harry Potter pajamas. "What are you doing?"

"I kissed you awake. Just like Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty. Will you marry me, Channie?"

"Oh no."

"But...You have to marry me. I broke the evil curse."

Had he? Chastity's energy wasn't active, Elijah had no effect on it, but it was still there. Enchantment was still trapped inside her heart-of-hearts. Channie's throat tightened as her heart sank. Her disappointment was tangible and left a bitter taste in her mouth. "I don't feel any different."

Elijah leaned over and pressed his lips against Channie's. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away from her. "Cut it out!"

"I don't understand. Why don't you love me?"

Channie sat up and tucked the covers under her arms. "I do love you, Elijah." She switched on her bedside lamp. Her heart ached for him as tears filled his big, blue eyes. She reached out and took his hand. "But it's the same kind of love I feel for Savvy, Zeal and CoCo."

He tried to pull away from her, but it was a half-hearted attempt so she didn't let go until he yelled at her. "I'm not a baby!"

"That's not what I meant." Channie pushed her hair off her brow and took a deep breath. "I love you like a brother."

"But...not like Josh."

"No. Not like Josh."

"Why have you been hanging out with me instead of him?"

Channie closed her eyes as guilt and shame pressed against the inside of her skull. What she'd done to Elijah's heart was unforgivable. He deserved to know the truth. "To break the curse, I needed a chaste boy to kiss me."

"You want me to chase Josh?"

"What?"

"You said you needed a chased boy to kiss you."

How was she supposed to explain the concept of sexual purity to an eight-year-old kid? "I need someone that can kiss me the way Prince Charming kissed Sleeping Beauty."

"And Josh can't do that?"

"No. He can't."

"And I can?"

"You have the pure heart of a prince, Elijah. If anyone can break a curse with a kiss, it'd be you."

"Did Josh want me to kiss you?"

"Neither of us wanted you to kiss me. But we didn't know what else to do. We believe that since you saw the Book of the—the magic book, it wanted to punish you too. That's what the book does, Elijah. It hurts people. It discovers our hopes and dreams and uses them against us to create the perfect curse. It looked into your heart and found your tender feelings for me and used that against all of us. Josh and I did not want to hurt you."

"How will you know if my kiss broke the curse?"

"If the curse is broken, I'll be able to touch Josh's bare skin without hurting him. If not, my touch will cause him excruciating pain."

Elijah offered his hand to Channie and said, "Come on, let's go see if it worked."

~***~

Josh lay spread-eagled on his back with his square chin pointed at the ceiling, one long, bare foot exposed at the bottom of the sofa. Channie knew in her heart that the curse was not broken. There was no need to prove it by burning Josh.

But she was still hurt and angry. Chastity's energy boiled inside her—filling her mind with vulgar and obscene images of what must have taken place at the race—demanding Channie punish Josh for his sins.

Enchantment's influence was weak, a butterfly in the maelstrom of Chastity's power. But Channie could feel it, prompting her to wake Josh and tell him what had happened. She ignored the prompting and wrapped her fingers over the tender skin of his instep and squeezed, searing her palm.

Josh's scream of agony incinerated Channie's anger and left behind nothing but the ashes of shame and guilt.

She let go of his foot and righted the lamp he'd knocked off the table. "Josh. You're alright. Elijah kissed me. I just wanted to see if it broke the curse."

She turned on the lamp and Josh flinched away from her. His arms, bent at the elbows and raised into a defensive posture to protect his head, did not hide the mask of horror on his face. He was terrified. And no wonder. It was bad enough to suffer the agony of the curse when you were fully conscious. How much worse to be torn from the peaceful oblivion of sleep and plunged into the hellish reality of unbearable pain.

Josh's dilated pupils constricted into pinpoints as comprehension replaced confusion and terror. He glanced at Elijah then leveled his gaze at Channie. "So, I guess it didn't work."

Still cradling her hand in front of her body, Channie said, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

Elijah's angelic face crumpled into a distorted mask of rage. He pointed an accusing finger at Josh. "I'm glad it hurt. I hope you die and burn in hell forever."

"Gee, thanks squirt. I love you too."

"I hate you, Josh." Elijah turned his tear-streaked face towards Channie and hiccuped twice before he said, "And...and I don't like you very much either."

"That's okay. I don't like me very much either."

Elijah turned and ran upstairs. Channie wanted to go after him, to console him, but she needed to make things right with Josh first.

His eyes were cold as stones on the bottom of a frozen riverbed. He looked at Channie for a moment, shook his head slowly, then rolled onto his side, facing the sofa.

"Josh...I—"

"Go to bed, Channie."

She ran back to her room and buried her face in her pillow to stifle her sobs. But this time she couldn't cry herself to sleep. She pulled out her journal and read the most recent words of the spell, focusing on the middle stanzas that had somehow been obscured by the seemingly more important words about true love's kiss.

... Son of darkness, heed this advice, forsake all others that might entice and lead astray with a wanton smile the foolish boy they wish to beguile. Burn the image in your heart and mind of true love's kiss, and surely you'll find the strength and the will and the power to keep the promise you made so your love would not weep...

A chill crept up Channie's spine and encircled her heart. The evil Book was testing Josh. She had been a fool to ignore the warning. What would happen if he failed the test and cheated on her? There was more at stake here than just their relationship—as if that weren't bad enough—Josh was in serious danger. Channie got dressed, hugged her journal to her breast and crept back downstairs. She had to warn him.

Chapter Nine

CHOICES

Channie could tell by his rapid and irregular breathing that Josh was awake, but he refused to roll over or answer her as she begged his forgiveness and tried to explain the danger he was in.

"Josh, I know you're mad at me and don't want to talk to me right now, but you need to listen. Open your phone and read the words of the spell. Pay attention to the middle two stanzas. I don't want to lose you, but more importantly—I don't want you to get hurt. I'm so sorry I got you involved in this mess."

Channie whispered, "I love you," and turned towards the stairs.

Josh sat up and said, "Channie, wait." He tossed the blankets aside, got up and wrapped his arms around her. Their thin cotton pajamas protected them from the fiery curse, but not from the flames of their passion.

Josh said, "Go get some clothes on and meet me in the basement."

"But it's late."

"So? Tomorrow's Sunday. We can sleep in." He smacked her butt and said, "On second thought, don't get dressed. I like your jammies."

"I'll meet you downstairs, but pajamas are not an option. Get dressed. And stop trying to seduce me."

"I'm not trying to seduce you." The way his gaze traveled over her thinly clad body said otherwise.

When Channie got downstairs, Josh was wearing his gloves. She could have asked him to take them off, but she missed holding hands. She missed the way his cotton-clad fingers felt on her face as he traced patterns over her cheeks, brow and lips.

They sat on the sofa and cuddled as they talked about the dilemma presented by the Book of the Dead's latest revelations. Josh was more concerned about "true love's kiss" than he was about the dangers of succumbing to the temptations of other girls. He seemed to be having a hard time focusing. He also had a hard time keeping his hands to himself.

Channie kept her rebukes lighthearted and playful. Josh would apologize and calm down for awhile, but then go right back to trying to slip his hands under her hoodie.

He said, "Do you remember suggesting that we should try to desensitize ourselves and practice touching?"

"Yes. And I also remember you saying that the more we touch the more you want."

"I won't deny it. I want a hell of a lot more than you're willing to give—but I won't force you. You know that, right?"

"I'm not worried about you forcing me. But I am worried about you persuading me."

Josh smiled. But it wasn't his usual goofy grin. This smile was seductive and full of temptation.

Channie's resolve melted like butter on hot cornbread.

He said, "I'll try to be less persuasive. But since our plan to use Elijah was a complete failure, we need to move on to plan 'B.'"

"And that is...?"

"To desensitize ourselves, like you suggested. So we can kiss without lust and break the curse."

"I don't know—"

"Think about it Channie. Do you remember how thrilling it was just to hold hands when I first bought these gloves?"

"Yes, but I still like to hold hands. I'm not desensitized to it."

Josh lifted her off his lap and slid away from her then picked up her hand. "Is this as thrilling as the first time?"

"Well, no, but—"

"How about this?" He put his hand on her knee, but didn't try to slide it up her leg the way he had been for the past hour.

"Alright. I see your point. But what are we going to do if we get carried away while we're trying to desensitize ourselves?"

"I'm prepared for all contingencies."

Channie narrowed her eyes. "I'll just bet you are."

"Come on Channie. What's the worst that can happen?"

"I could get pregnant."

"No, you can't. No skin to skin contact, remember? Even if the curse weren't a problem, I'd never put you at risk. I'd use protection. Besides, just how carried away do you think we're going to get while Mom's upstairs? There's not even a lock on the door."

"You'll stop the minute I tell you to?"

"Of course."

Channie expected Josh to pull her back onto his lap, but instead, he slid off the sofa and knelt in front of her. His eyes moved slowly back and forth—tiny little movements that she wouldn't have noticed if not for the sparks of blue-white light refracting along the rims of his irises. He was searching her face—gauging her reactions. Channie smiled, but her mouth felt stiff and awkward.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "May I touch you?"

"You are touching me."

"May I touch you...like this?" He slid his hands ever so slowly, inch by inch from her shoulders to her collar bone then down her arms. He'd touched her like that plenty of times already, but somehow this was different—more intense.

After a few minutes, Channie quit trying to analyze everything and let herself enjoy the pleasure of the moment.

Josh slid his hands between the seat cushions and the back of the sofa and pulled out another pair of thin, white, cotton gloves. He licked his lips and swallowed then cleared his throat. He said, "You can touch me too...if you want."

Channie's hands shook as she slipped on the gloves.

Josh kept his gaze locked on Channie's eyes as he crossed his arms and gripped the hem of his sweatshirt. He pulled it off over his head then tossed it on the floor.

Channie skimmed her gloved fingers over the chiseled muscles of his chest and belly.

He closed his eyes. And trembled.

When he quit shaking, Channie said, "Are you desensitized yet?"

"Why? Are you getting bored?"

"How could I possibly get bored with my hands on your body?"

Josh groaned as if he were in pain and pulled her closer. She could taste the cool mint on his breath even as it warmed her cheek. He squeezed her waist and said, "I can't wait to kiss you."

"We aren't ready."

"I know." He gazed into her eyes and Channie felt as if she were falling. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

Channie shook her head slowly. "But, you make me feel beautiful. Especially when you look at me like that."

"Like this?" The pulse point on Josh's neck throbbed. His heart was racing in tandem with hers. He lifted a hand to her shoulder, but instead of sliding it down her arm, he skimmed the front of her sweatshirt.

Channie froze for a split-second, her mind unable to process what just happened. Josh slid his hand back up and paused over her breast. Her thoughts were still a jumble of contradictory messages, but Channie's body didn't need any input from her brain. She arched her back and leaned into Josh's hand. What was she doing? This was wrong. Wasn't it? She'd told Mrs. Abrim that she wouldn't sleep with Josh. But for the life of her, Channie couldn't remember why.

She dug her fingers into Josh's shoulders as he continued to explore. They were both breathing hard when he stopped and slid his hands to her waist. Why was he stopping? She opened her eyes and found his questioning gaze again searching her face. He wasn't stopping. He was asking for permission. She gave it, silently nodding her head.

Josh slid his hands under her shirt. His eyes never left hers even as he fumbled with the hooks of her bra. When the clasp finally sprang open, Channie instinctively crossed her arms over her chest.

Josh froze.

Channie took a deep breath and tried to relax, but couldn't stop shaking.

Josh was shivering too. He said, "We can stop now, if you want."

It was more than obvious that he did not want to stop. But neither did she.

"No, it's okay."

"Channie?" Josh's voice was breathless and raspy. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What about that...uh...moon thing?"

"I stopped it."

Josh got up and propped a chair under the doorknob. So much for the 'no lock' excuse.

The dim lighting from the television flickered across Josh's bare back as he opened the closet and pulled out a set of sheets. He really was prepared for all contingencies. He tucked the linens under one arm then leaned over and dug around in his backpack. What was he doing?

Without Josh's hands on her, Channie's confidence faltered.

Josh put something in his pocket then stood up and looked at her. "Do you want the TV off or on?"

"Off." Definitely off.

"It'll be pitch black in here. Is that okay?"

"The darker the better."

Josh used his phone as a flashlight to make his way back to the sofa. When he turned it over to turn it off, it illuminated his face with an erie glow, distorting his features. He frowned, puckering his brow and groaned as he exhaled. "I can't do this."

The flood of relief that poured over Channie washed away her anxiety, but left her reeling.

"Look at this." Josh turned the phone towards Channie. It was too far away to read the tiny ornate script, but she recognized the page Josh had photographed from the Book of the Dead.

He sat down next to her and said, "You were right. This middle part is a warning to me. But it's not just about avoiding the temptation of other girls. It's about keeping the promises I've already made to you." He paused and read the verse from his phone.

"... Burn the image in your heart and mind of true love's kiss, and surely you'll find the strength and the will and the power to keep the promise you made so your love would not weep..."

When Josh turned off his phone, it felt as if a link had been severed. As if the dim glow from its screen was the only thing holding them together.

Josh said, "I promised you that I wouldn't pressure you to do anything you weren't ready to do."

Channie couldn't see his face in the dark but she knew him well enough to know what he was feeling even without reading his energy field. She'd felt the same way after she attacked him at her house...the first time they'd opened the Book of the Dead. It was a horrible feeling and she didn't want him to feel guilty or ashamed.

"Josh, it's okay. I understand. It's easy to get carried away —."

"You must have tried a hundred times to stop me tonight, but I didn't respect that. I didn't respect you. I just kept trying until I wore you down and got my way. I'm so sorry...I hope you can forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Good night, Channie."

"Josh, wait." Channie stood up, but with no visual cues, she was completely disoriented. A flash of light stabbed her eyes. She blinked away the pain, and turned her head towards the door, but Josh was already gone.

~***~

The rest of the weekend was ruined. Josh wouldn't even look at Channie. She knew it was because he was ashamed of himself, but it felt like he was punishing her.

He was still preoccupied and distant on Monday. Channie decided to have it out with him after practice on Tuesday.

She was sitting at the kitchen table working on her biology homework when the automatic garage door shook the house. Mrs. Abrim walked in the side door. Alone. Her arms full of groceries.

Channie got up to help, grabbed a couple of bags and said, "Where's Josh?"

Mrs. Abrim huffed and rolled her eyes. "He got a phone call from Kassie, some kind of emergency that required him to leave practice early so she could cry on his shoulder. I dropped him off at her house."

Chastity's energy churned with jealousy. Channie had to take three deep breaths before she could trust her voice to sound normal. "How's he getting home?"

"He's riding his bike. His racing bike that isn't supposed to be ridden anywhere but on a track." Mrs. Abrim pressed her thumbs into her temples and rubbed her forehead with her middle fingers. "Can you handle dinner on your own? I've got a horrible headache."

Channie slapped together a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Elijah and glared at the clock on the kitchen wall. Josh had been with Kassie for well over an hour. "Elijah, do you have any idea where Kassie lives? I need to talk to Josh."

"If your phone's dead, you can borrow mine."

"No. I need to talk to him face-to-face. But thanks."

"She lives in the bright green house over by Heritage Park."

"I know the house you're talking about. On the southeast corner of Aspen and Madison, right?"

"I don't know the street names."

"Will you be okay if I leave?"

Elijah shrugged his shoulders. "Mom's here."

Channie was so angry she pedaled down every hill without coasting. If Josh and Kassie were doing what she thought they were doing, she'd kill both of them.

By the time she got to Heritage Park, Channie's legs were on fire. She stopped to catch her breath and happened to glance towards the pavilion. Josh was sitting on one of the picnic tables—with his arm draped across Kassie's shoulders.

Channie's heart stuttered and plummeted to her feet. She didn't want to believe what her eyes were telling her. She tried to convince herself that it was some other boy snuggled up with the little whore. The baseball cap pulled low over his brow hid his face, but there was no hiding the sharp angles of Josh's body or the graceful way he gestured with his hands.

It wasn't Channie's intention to eavesdrop. She only meant to give herself a chance to calm down and gather her thoughts before confronting him. But when she felt the power of Josh's compassion—pouring into Kassie, Channie's joints locked. Josh and Kassie were so wrapped up in their discussion, and each other, that they didn't notice Channie standing behind them.

Josh said, "You have to tell Eric. He has a right to know."

"I can't."

"You want me to tell him for you?"

Kassie shook her head and pressed her face against Josh's chest.

The air took on a red tinge as blood roared behind Channie's ears. She pointed her finger at Kassie, like an avenging angel rebuking the devil himself. "Get your filthy hands off my boyfriend."

Josh spun around so fast he nearly knocked Kassie off the table. "Channie? What are you doing here?"

Chastity's energy raged inside her, panting for revenge. It took all of Channie's self-control and Enchantment's magic to keep from cursing the both of them.

Kassie whimpered and rubbed her arm. "Josh! I think you dislocated my shoulder."

Josh's focus immediately shifted back to Kassie. He poured even more of his compassionate energy into the little bitch and said, "Let me see."

Chastity's energy and influence grew inside Channie's power-well, straining the very limits of her control. Kassie was trying to steal Josh right in front of her.

Channie gave in to Chastity's desires and cast a moon-curse on Kassie. The magic rushed out of her, but instead of dropping to her knees, exhausted by the sudden release of so much energy—she felt stronger.

Chastity buzzed with power. But Enchantment shuddered and pulled back to hide deep inside her heart-of-hearts. Channie knew she was strengthening the curse and destroying her true self. But the look of astonishment and pain on Kassie's face as she jerked her supposedly injured arm out of Josh's hands and clutched her belly was worth it.

A feeling of omnipotence, pleasure, and righteous indignation lifted Channie above all the jealously, pain and humiliation of Josh's betrayal. She rode the crest of the wave for three heartbeats—then slammed into a wall of shame with so much momentum it knocked the breath right out of her.

There was no justification for the amount of energy Channie had used in the moon-curse. She could have used one-tenth as much power and it would have been too much. Kassie would bleed heavily for a month, maybe more.

Channie cast a generic healing spell, but it didn't work. The curse was too strong. She focused on Kassie's womb, looking for the source of the heaviest bleeding. What she found tunneled her vision and turned her blood to ice. The world grew darker, colors faded to shades of grey. Channie clutched the smooth white trunk of an aspen tree to keep from falling.

Kassie was pregnant.

~***~

Kassie screamed in pain. Josh gripped her shoulders and shook her gently. "Kassie, what's wrong?"

She pressed her fists into her belly and curled her body over her hands. "It hurts!"

Josh's eyes went wide, then narrowed into slits. He glared at Channie and said, "What did you do?"

It sounded as if he were under water. Or at the bottom of a well. Out of reach. Channie couldn't focus. She needed to think!

Was the baby Josh's? No. It couldn't be. He'd said that he'd never had sex before. He hadn't even had a girlfriend since grade school. The baby had to be Eric's. Didn't it? Unless Josh had lied to her. He and Kassie had looked awful cozy on the picnic table before she interrupted them.

He said, "What ever you did, Channie. Undo it. Now!"

The sound of Josh's voice broke through the fog in her mind. But Chastity was in charge now.

How dare he yell at her, the lying, cheating son of a bitch! The only thing keeping Channie from cursing him was her irrational desire to hear him deny what she already knew to be true. Please say it isn't true. Channie couldn't bear to look in his eyes, so she turned her gaze to Kassie and said, "Who's the father!"

Kassie's eyes flashed like a cornered rat. The tip of her pale tongue darted between her lips. "What are you talking about?"

"I need to know..." Channie took a deep breath. "Who got you pregnant." What she really needed to know was how to stop the progress of Kassie's miscarriage.

Chastity's magic roared inside Channie's mind. She didn't exactly hear a voice, but the message was clear. Let nature take its course. Don't interfere. Get rid of it. Or lose Josh forever.

Enchantment's magic was weak, but it also had a message. A message delivered by a voice that was barely a whisper, more like a thought than a sound.

Even if it means you'll lose Josh forever, save his baby.

Channie tried, but this was more complicated than healing a cut, a broken nose, or a sore throat.

Josh's eyes filled with tears. He looked so helpless, so...desperate. "Channie?" His voice cracked, breaking her heart. "Please."

"Shut up, Josh. I have to focus!"

Channie pressed her palms over her ears to block out the noise. She had no chance of success if she didn't shut Chastity down first. She'd suspected all along that Chastity was evil, but she'd never been more certain of it than she was right now. It took all her human strength in addition to every last bit of Enchantment's power to fight the darkness inside her that wanted Josh's baby to die.

She had nothing left and was forced to redirect the positive energy of Josh's compassion away from Kassie and into her own heart-of-hearts. In a way it was fitting that Josh help save his own child. Channie worked as quickly as she dared, alternately closing off veins and arteries and reopening them when the baby's heart rate changed.

Kassie cried out in pain, but Channie ignored her and focused on the baby. She heard Josh talking on the phone, asking someone to please send an ambulance, and tried to block him out too, but she was so attuned to his voice she still heard snippets of conversation.

"I think she's having a miscarriage ..."

"About eight or nine weeks ..."

"Heritage Park..."

"The picnic tables, under the pavilion...next to the playground..."

"Please hurry. There's an awful lot of blood."

The tiny life-force grew weaker as the sound of distant sirens grew louder.

Flashing lights filled the parking lot just as Channie found what she was looking for and repaired the last bleeder. The baby's heartbeat grew stronger and faster. At first Channie thought it was too fast, but before she attempted to slow it down, she remembered that a fetus' heart beat was supposed to be fast.

Kassie continued to moan and clutch her belly. She shouldn't still be in pain. Channie didn't have much energy left after saving the baby, but she used what she had to scan Kassie again. Either she was faking it, or it was just nerves. Either way she'd be fine soon enough.

Josh pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head—the way he'd done so many times with Channie. He tucked a strand of Kassie's hair behind her ear with such tenderness it made Channie's heart hurt. It was an actual, physical sensation—a sharp, stabbing pain followed by a dull ache that was bound to stay with her forever.

Josh looked up and locked his gaze on Channie's face. He mouthed the word "thank you," then turned back to Kassie.

The Book of the Dead had won after all. It had warned them, but Josh had obviously succumbed to temptation and now he was going to be a father. It didn't matter how much Channie loved him, or even if he still loved her—And he did love her. Even as he stroked Kassie's face, Channie felt Josh's love reaching out to her. But it gave her no comfort.

Josh might love her with all his heart, but he'd started a family with someone else. He'd been too weak to deny the desires of his flesh. If Channie stayed, neither of them would have the strength to deny the desires of their hearts.

~***~

When Channie got back to Josh's house, she found a note on the kitchen table from Mrs. Abrim informing her that she went to the hospital and not to expect her or Josh back any time soon and could she please go get Elijah from Mrs. Guffy next door and fix supper for him.

She fixed the box of macaroni and cheese Mrs. Abrim had set out for her. It was an easy meal to prepare, but she still managed to burn it. Elijah refused to eat it...until Channie burst into tears.

"Don't cry, Channie. I'm eating it. See?"

He did indeed have his mouth stuffed full of scorched macaroni. She laughed through her tears and said, "I'm not crying because of the damn macaroni. I'm just crying because...because I've had a very long, very, very bad day."

Elijah got up and put his arm around Channie's waist. He said, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Nah. I'll be okay." She was about as far from okay as a body could get, but she didn't want to upset Elijah.

Channie went into the bathroom and sobbed into a towel for five minutes. It was all she would allow herself. She had to get out of here before Josh came back from the hospital. If she saw him again, she would not have the strength to leave. Especially if Chastity decided to rear her ugly head and take charge.

She pulled out her school notebook and wrote Josh a letter.

Dear Josh,

Words fail me as I try to express what is in my heart. I wish I could have been the one to meet your needs, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I'll never forget you or stop loving you, but I'll never forgive you either so don't try to find me. Of all the girls you could have chosen to slake your lust, why did you have to choose Kassie? Were you trying to punish me? I guess it doesn't matter why, the fact is that you and Kassie have a baby on the way and you need to do the right thing for your child. I know that teenagers in your society don't get married just because they get pregnant, but your baby needs a father. Have a long and happy life.

Love,

Channie

She folded the letter into a triangle, just like the note Josh had given her on the first day of school. She felt as if her heart were being torn from her chest when she removed her promise ring and slipped it inside the note.

The thought of saying goodbye to Elijah was almost as painful, but she had to do it. She couldn't leave him home alone and unsupervised.

She found him in the basement, playing the new Harry Potter Legos video game he'd bought with money he'd extorted from Josh.

"Elijah, can I talk to you for a minute?"

He turned off the game without even pausing to save it. "What's wrong?"

"I need you to go back to Mrs. Guffy's until your momma and Josh get back."

Elijah ran across the room and stood toe to toe with Channie. He scrunched his face as only a kid under ten can do and said, "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"You gonna make up with your parents?" His voice was unnaturally quiet for Elijah. He knew something was wrong.

Channie knelt and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to Arkansas."

"Why?"

"It's...complicated."

Elijah shrugged her hands off his shoulders and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You just don't want to tell me."

"I'm sorry."

"Is it because of Josh?"

Channie didn't want to explain everything to Elijah, but she didn't want to lie to him either. She sat back on her heels and cast a general strengthening spell on herself then shredded what was left of her heart. "We...broke up."

"Josh is a stupid jackass."

"You shouldn't talk like that."

He looked at his feet then lifted his chin and gazed into Channie's eyes. "I could be your boyfriend."

"That's sweet, Lijah, but...there's something wrong with me. I need to go home and get some help." There was still a curse hanging over her head and an evil book to deal with. And the love of her life was having a baby with someone else.

"Can't someone come here and help you?"

"No one knows where I am."

"Well, just call them."

"I can't." This conversation was draining the last of Channie's reserves. "There's some very bad people that want to kill my family. It's why we moved. I can't risk leading them here."

Elijah's eyes widened. A band of white completely encircled his denim-blue irises. His mouth parted into a perfect "O."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you." What was she thinking?

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I...don't think so."

Elijah's eyes filled with tears. "Isn't there some other way—"

"I wish there were."

"How are you going to get to Arkansas?"

"I have a little money." Channie wished she'd saved more of what Daddy had paid her for babysitting. "I'll take a bus as far as I can, then hitch hike the rest of the way."

"You can't do that! It's too dangerous."

"I'm the one that's dangerous."

"I've got lots of money. You can have it."

"I can't take your money. I won't be able to pay you back." Channie didn't like the idea of taking money from a child.

"It's okay. There's plenty more where that came from."

She wasn't worried about the dangers of hitchhiking—other than the danger she posed to anyone stupid enough to give her a ride—but a bus would be faster. And Elijah was right. He earned most of his money by not telling on Josh and there would be plenty of opportunities for future extortion.

She opened her arms.

Elijah stepped into her embrace and gave her a fierce hug.

"Thank you, Elijah."

He wiped his eyes and sniffled then said, "Can't you stay for just one more night? Everyone at school was talking about the blizzard that's supposed to start tonight. We might even get a snow day off from school tomorrow. We could go sledding."

"I need to go now, before Josh gets home." The mention of snow reminded Channie that she didn't have a waterproof coat. "Does Josh have an old coat he's outgrown? Something he was going to give away?"

"We have a whole box of stuff to take to Sister Carmen's sitting in the garage."

Elijah ran upstairs to get his money while Channie dug through the giveaway box. Not only did she find a ski parka, snow boots, knit hat and fur-lined gloves, she also scored a bright orange daypack. She stuffed the winter gear inside, added her journal, moved the Book of the Dead from her school backpack into this one and slipped it on. The straps across her hips and chest kept the weight evenly distributed. She reached up to adjust the chest strap, but froze when the floor vibrated. The familiar noise of the automatic garage door opener shoved her heart into her throat.

"Elijah! I have to go."

Elijah barreled downstairs, stuffed his money into a side pocket of Channie's new backpack then ran and opened the front door. Channie choked back a sob, and said, "Tell Josh I went home. That way you won't have to lie, but he'll think I'm with Momma and Daddy. Wait a couple of days, then give him this." She dug the note that held her promise ring out of her pocket and shoved it into Elijah's hand. "Tell him...I'm sorry."

~***~

Channie ran as far as she could then walked the rest of the way to the bus stop near Dillon Road. It cost almost five dollars just to ride the RTD into Denver, so she wasn't surprised to learn she only had enough money to get herself to Wichita, Kansas. The bus stopped to drop off and pick up passengers more times than she could count and by the time it rolled into the station, Channie was hungry and exhausted, not a good combination. She hadn't been able to sleep on the bus, she hadn't brought any food with her and she only had three dollars and sixty-eight cents after purchasing her tickets.

She was too unstable to risk asking anyone for a ride, so she decided to walk for awhile.

The sun was just starting to set when Channie decided it was time to hitchhike. Her first ride was with a friendly young man a few years older than Josh. She knew it was risky to accept a ride with a man, especially a man that was radiating lustful energy. But it looked like it was going to rain. She did not want to add cold and wet to her list of misery. As long as she stayed alert and didn't let him take her by surprise, she could curse him without actually killing him or causing him to crash the car.

He drove her from Wichita, Kansas to Ponca City, Oklahoma without trying anything the least bit inappropriate. In fact, if Channie hadn't been able to read his energy field, she never would have guessed that he was interested in her. He bought her a hamburger, chocolate milkshake and french fried potatoes at McDonald's, told her to be careful, shook her hand and said goodbye.

Hitchhiking was time consuming, but interesting. It took four days to get from Kansas to Arkansas. Channie caught rides with a woman trucker driving an eighteen-wheeler, a farmer with a rundown pickup truck full of friendly folk in the back that shared their blankets and food but didn't speak a word of English, a traveling salesman that talked non-stop, a soldier home on leave that didn't say a word and a retired rodeo clown that bought her a turkey dinner at the Cracker Barrel restaurant on Thanksgiving Day.

But her favorite ride, so far, was her most recent. She'd been walking for about an hour when an elderly gentleman driving an ancient flatbed pulled over and offered her a ride. He had at least forty cages full of banty hens stacked on top of each other and entertained Channie with tales of what life was like back in the good 'ole days. He apologized when he dropped her off at the edge of town in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

"I probably should'a let you off at the highway instead of dragging you all the way out here. I wish I could drive you on up to Whistler's Gulch myself, but I gotta deliver these hens and git on back for another load."

"That's alright, I had to leave the highway eventually."

Siloam Springs was only about fifty miles from Whistler's Gulch, but rides were a lot harder to come by this far off the beaten path. Channie walked for several hours before a cream-colored Pontiac sedan with Tennessee plates slowed down and pulled off the road.

A neatly dressed, middle-aged gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair got out of the car and said, "You need a ride?"

"I sure do."

He tossed a toothpick on the ground and said, "Where you headed?"

"About twenty miles east of a little town called Whistler's Gulch. You ever heard of it?"

"Have I ever heard of it? Why that's exactly where I'm going."

That was a little too coincidental. Channie tried to scan his energy field but it was completely calm, as if he had no emotions. He was probably on some drug to stabilize his moods. Mrs. Abrim's energy field did the same thing whenever she took one of her pills. Channie took a step back and said, "You know, it's a nice day. I think I'll just walk for awhile, but thanks for stopping."

The man smiled sheepishly and said, "Truth be told, I'm a little lost. I'm supposed to see a man—a Mr. Thompson—about buying a couple of Mountain Curs, but I've never been to Whistler's Gulch and I'm not sure I'll be able to find it."

Channie relaxed, Mountain Curs were a fairly rare breed of dog, but they were popular in Whistler's Gulch. She said, "I don't know how to get there from here, but if you can get us to Boone County, I can find it."

He smiled, revealing a row of perfectly straight, bright white teeth—on top. His bottom teeth were as crooked and yellow as Old Pappy's. He said, "I'd be much obliged. My name's Harvey, by the way, but you can call me Harv."

Harv pulled into the first Quick-Trip they saw, even though his tank was more than half full. He said, "Do you want anything to eat or drink? This may be our last chance for awhile."

Channie said, "I only got a little over three dollars—"

Harv grinned and said, "My treat. What would you like?"

"If they got Dr. Pepper, that would be real nice. It's my favorite."

"No problem, sugar. I'll be right back."

Harv's accent was more southern than Daddy's, but it still sounded like home to Channie. It was nice not to be on guard all the time, worried about folks thinking she was an inbred hillbilly just because of the way she talked.

The Dr. Pepper tasted bitter. Harv must have gotten her a diet drink instead of regular. Channie didn't like diet soda, but she didn't want to be rude. Besides, she was thirsty. It didn't do much to quench her thirst even though she drank every last bit of it. She probably should have asked for water instead of soda. Channie's head lolled to the side, causing her to jerk awake with a start.

Harv took her empty cup out of her hands and said, "You can crawl into the back seat and take a nap if you want. I'll wake you up when we get to Boone County."

The hairs on the back of Channie's neck stood on end. She said, "No, thanks. I'm fine." But she wasn't fine. Her words slurred together. She was dizzy and nauseous and so tired she couldn't keep her eyes open.

~***~

A burst of blue-white light jerked her awake. "Josh?"

"My name's Harv. Remember?"

"Where am I?" Channie's mouth was so dry her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Her head throbbed with each beat of her heart. How long had she been asleep? It was dark and her neck was so stiff she could barely turn her head so it must have been a long time.

"We took a little detour, sugar."

Channie pressed the base of her palms against her throbbing temples. "Detour?"

Another stuttering blast of lightening tore through the sky. It was like blinking in reverse—tiny micro-bursts of vision that pierced the darkness, then disappeared.

A spidery maze of foliage pressed against the windshield. Had Harvey crashed the car?

He said, "It's time for you to show your appreciation for my generosity."

"What generosity?"

Harvey shot out a blast of rage followed by a swell of lust so foul Channie gagged. Chastity's curse should have knocked him unconscious, but...there was no trace of Chastity's energy. Something was seriously wrong. Her head felt as if someone were trying to crack it open with a hammer—from the inside out. She clenched her jaw to keep from throwing up. "My head hurts."

"I imagine it does. I had no idea you would drink the entire thirty-two ounces. You're a greedy little girl, aren't you."

The creep must have slipped something into her Dr. Pepper. No wonder it had tasted so bitter.

He thrust a plastic bottle of water at her. "Drink this. It might help a little."

"No." Channie was dehydrated, but she wasn't about to swallow anything else this psychopath gave her.

"Now, now. Don't be rude." His hand brushed Channie's hip as he unbuckled her seatbelt.

Channie scrambled away from him, flattening her body against the car door. She tried to bring Chastity's power to the surface, but it was like trying to pour molasses in the middle of January. What ever drug he'd given her was interfering with her powers. "Don't touch me."

"Oh, I intend to do a lot more than just touch you. It's part of my payment for finding you."

Channie spun around in her seat and grabbed the door handle. She jerked on it repeatedly, but the door wouldn't open. She found the electronic locking mechanism but it didn't work.

A wet chuckle bubbled out of Harvey's throat as he inched closer. He put his hand on Channie's knee. She raked his face with her nails.

He slapped her then grabbed her wrists and forced her arms above her head, pinning them against the window with one hand. He ran the other down the center of her chest. "Do that again, and I'll kill you."

Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. Her whole body shook. "Please..."

"Please what, sugar?" Another surge of lust.

"Please...don't do this."

Channie thought he'd taken pity on her and changed his mind when he released her—until she heard him unzip his pants.

She may not have so much as a spark of magic to defend herself, but she had fists and feet and teeth. Lightening flashed as she screamed and tore into Harvey like a wild animal.

Lightening flashed again, but all Channie saw was Harvey's fist. Pain exploded behind her eyes as thunder shook the car. All the fight went out of her.

When Channie regained consciousness, she was disoriented. She wasn't inside the car anymore. Rain tore leaves and pine needles from the trees, but she wasn't cold. She wasn't even wet. It was still dark, but she saw everything more clearly. She was floating...above the car...outside her body. Was she dead?

Channie drifted closer to the scene inside the car and felt the connection to her body grow stronger. She watched her chest rise and fall, but couldn't feel the flow of air through her lungs. Her carotid artery throbbed, but she could't feel the frantic beating of her heart. Channie's body was still alive, she just wasn't in it.

Harvey screamed at Channie to wake up. He slapped and shook her repeatedly. But she didn't feel it. When he finally grew tired of beating her, he reclined his seat and laced his fingers behind his head. "Go ahead and sleep it off, little girl. I can wait. No one will ever find us out here."

Channie willed Harvey to fall asleep so she could slip back into her body and escape—she wasn't quite ready to move on without it—but he refused to so much as doze off. He lay still as a corpse, but never closed his eyes. He was waiting for her to wake up. What was stopping him? Wouldn't it be easier for him to rape her while she was unconscious...when she wasn't able to fight him?

No, it wouldn't be easier. It was her fear that aroused the pervert. If she wasn't afraid of him, he couldn't rape her. But, unless her powers returned, he could still kill her.

The effort required to remain outside her body without leaving it permanently, exhausted Channie. Who would have guessed that a spirit could get tired? She wouldn't be able to hang on much longer. It was time to decide. Stay and take her chances with Harvey? Or move on and leave her body and Earthly existence behind. Her thoughts turned to Josh, and a vision of him appeared as if in a dream. He was driving a small, red jeep-looking-car down a four-lane highway and brushing tears out of his eyes.

The vision faded, but Channie could still hear Josh, crying and calling her name. She felt a tugging sensation in her heart. And it was coming from Josh. They were still connected.

She refused to come between him and Kassie, but she'd never seen him so distraught—as if someone he loved had just died.

Understanding came with the rising sun. Not only would Josh mourn her death, he would blame himself. The guilt would destroy him. She couldn't die. Not like this.

~***~

The re-entry into her body was excruciating. She couldn't help the whimper that escaped her throat and aroused the pervert next to her. He said, "Good morning, sunshine. Ready to have a little fun before I turn you over to the Veyjiviks?"

Channie's heart pounded against her ribs. How did he know about the Veyjiviks? "Wh...what are you talking about?"

"I've been tracking you since you crossed the Arkansas border. What were you doing on the west side of the state? Everyone thinks y'all are hiding out in Appalachia. Lucky for me, I was sent to patrol the far western quadrant. I'm the only tracker close enough to sense you. I'll get a huge bonus for bringing you in before the full moon."

Channie blanched. How could she have been so stupid? Harvey was a tracker. That's why his energy field hadn't shown any lust. Tracker's shields were invisible to other mages. But like a new moon, you could detect its presence by what it blocked. The moon hid the stars. A tracker's shield hid his energy.

"You're from the Veyjivik Clan?" Why hadn't he used magic instead of drugs to control her? It didn't make sense. Unless tracking was his only talent. He hadn't even healed the scratches on his face. "What's your power name?"

Harvey's lips tightened, freezing his sneer, but Channie could tell by the flare of his nostrils that he resented her question. His magical abilities were too weak to support a power name.

He said, "Enough about me. Let's talk about you and all the fun things we can do for the next three days."

"Three days?" Channie was stalling, letting Harvey's lust fill her power-well. She forced Chastity to use restraint. She didn't know how sensitive Harvey was to his own energy and didn't want to tip him off.

He leaned closer, panting like an animal. "I'd love to stretch it out for a couple of weeks, but I have to deliver you before the full moon."

Channie leaned away from his stale breath and clamped down on her anger, allowing her fear to surface, fueling Harvey's lust even though it sickened her. His negative energy was stronger, nastier and darker than anything she'd ever felt before. But it flowed into her power-well and ignited Chastity's magic. It was all Channie could do to keep from cursing him as his lust filled her power-well, but she wanted Chastity at full strength.

Harvey must have been too drunk with lust to notice the power buzzing under Channie's skin as he stroked her arm from her shoulder to her fingertips. Just a few more minutes, and then he'd pay for this degradation with his life.

"Be a good little girl and I'll kill you quickly, instead of turning you over to the Veyjiviks. They have some rather...unpleasant methods of harnessing the moon's power to extract information."

He licked his greasy lips and cocked his head to the side. "Of course, you'll have to tell me where the rest of your family is hiding. The Veyjiviks would kill me if I destroyed the only clue to the whereabouts of your family. I'm not willing to sacrifice my life for theirs."

"Go to hell."

Harvey laughed, took a swig out of a silver flask then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Are you ready to get started, sugar?"

Channie narrowed her eyes. "Are you?"

Harvey's eyebrows shot up, wrinkling his forehead. "What's gotten into you?"

"It's what's gotten out of me that's changed things, you disgusting little pervert."

Most trackers were honorable and worked for the good of mage society. But the profession attracted more than its share of lowlifes that lived for the thrill of the hunt—sexual predators, pedophiles and serial killers.

"How many girls have you raped and murdered then left in the woods to rot?"

"Too many to count." Harvey unbuckled his belt. "And you're next, sugar."

"I don't think so." Channie shattered his hidden shield with a white-hot bolt of energy. Harvey bounced off the roof then slammed into the driver's side door, cracking the window glass. His eyes widened as he scrambled for the door handle.

Channie pointed her index finger at his heart and said, "Oh, no you don't," then unleashed the full power of Chastity's curse. All the windows exploded outward, rocking the car.

When she stopped, her power-well was nearly empty, but Harvey didn't know that. He huddled against the door and whimpered. The acrid stench of urine filled the car.

Channie curled her nose. "Did you just piss yourself?"

"Please. I'll take you back to the highway and let you go. Or drive you to Whistler's Gulch. Or to your kin folk in Appalachia, I'll do anything you want just don't hurt me."

Channie wasn't about to let this despicable creature drive her anywhere, but it was good to know that Daddy's misdirection spell had worked.

Harvey's fear and pain refilled her power-well, but it also fueled Channie's ego, giving her a sense of omnipotence. She was enjoying this. What was wrong with her? Self-defense was one thing but deriving pleasure from another's pain—even someone as vile as Harvey—was evil.

With the help of Enchantment's magic, Channie was able to get herself back under control.

Harvey wasn't done begging. He wiped his nose on his sleeve. "You can take my car. I'll give it to you, free and clear. It's all paid for. And...my money." He rolled onto his left hip, pulled out his wallet and set it in the cup holder. "There's over five hundred dollars. Just...leave me here and go."

Even if Channie knew how to drive, she couldn't just turn Harvey loose. It wouldn't take him long to tell the Veyjivik's that he'd found her on the eastern side of the state...or find another victim to feed his sick appetites. Mage law was clear about the fate of sexual predators. If she were able—and Channie definitely was—it was her duty to kill him.

~***~

It was harder than she thought. Enchantment drained Channie's heart-of-hearts resisting Chastity's lethal magic. It did not want her to kill Harvey.

The words from the Book of the Dead floated before Channie's eyes. "Daughter of power, conquer your fear, for in the fire, your path becomes clear. For every choice there is a cost and the things you lose are forever lost."

The words were out of order, but the message couldn't be more clear. She had to choose between her duty, her family's safety and her true name. Enchantment could not survive the dark magic required to kill another human being.

If Harvey weren't a mage, she could just call the police and let them handle it. But magically disabled cops would not be able to keep a mage in custody. Not even one as weak and untalented as Harvey. If he raped or killed anyone else, it would be Channie's fault and she couldn't live with that, not even if it meant destroying Enchantment.

Twice she thought she'd accomplished her duty when Harvey passed out and quit screaming. Each time he recovered, Channie's guilt increased—not because she was killing him, but because she was taking so long to do it—prolonging his misery like a barn cat toying with a mouse. She was holding back and stopping too soon, trying to protect Enchantment even though she knew it was futile. She needed to commit to her decision and end this before Chastity was completely drained.

This time she didn't wait for Harvey to regain consciousness. Smoke curled out of his gaping mouth and charred nostrils. She'd expected Enchantment's magic to grow weaker and fade away, but it fought her to the end and died suddenly, with a burst of power. It was like releasing a sling shot. With nothing holding it back, Chastity's energy blasted out of Channie with so much intensity it melted the flat plastic buttons on the front of Harvey's shirt—rounding them into little balls that clung to the scorched fabric like ticks on a dog.

When it was over, Channie collapsed against the side of the door and gasped for breath. She stared at Harvey's blackened flesh and opaque, dead-fish eyes—afraid he might somehow come back to life and attack her while she was weak and defenseless.

Harvey was no vampire or zombie out of some horror movie. He was just a man, every bit as evil and monstrous as any undead fictional character, but he didn't have the power to rise again. He was really dead this time and he was going to stay that way.

~***~

Channie wanted to get out of the car and never stop running, but she had no idea where she was or how far she'd have to go before she was out of the woods—literally.

Her cell phone didn't have any service so she couldn't call for help. Besides, that would be incredibly stupid. She knew in her heart that killing Harvey was the right thing to do, but the police might not see it that way. Especially since she couldn't explain how she'd done it with magic. Even if they didn't arrest her, they'd turn her over to a social worker or stick her in foster care. She needed to get to Aunt Wisdom before the next full moon if she had any hope of escaping this curse.

It would be much smarter to take the car. Channie didn't know how to drive, but how hard could it be? The first step was to get Harvey out of the driver's seat.

She held her breath and leaned over his still-smoking body to release the locks. The driver's side door fell open. Channie flew back to the passenger's seat, braced her back against the door, put one foot on Harvey's shoulder, the other on his hip and shoved with all her might.

He slid out at an angle. His head hit the ground first, then his shoulders. But his legs, from the knees down, remained in the car. Channie screamed in frustration then opened her door and got out. She grabbed one of Harvey's hands and pulled, dragging him another six inches out of the car. His right foot was caught under the seat. She grabbed the hem of his trousers and yanked his foot free.

Channie didn't want to sit on the piss soaked upholstery and opened the trunk to look for a blanket or something to cover the stain. What she found turned her stomach... a roll of duct tape, a box of heavy-duty garbage bags, a hand gun and a bone saw.

Harvey never had any intention of turning her over to the Veyjiviks.

She held onto the back bumper and dry heaved into the bushes then gritted her teeth and fashioned a seat cover out of the plastic bags and duct tape. She tried not to think about what Harvey had planned to do with these items as she climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door.

The keys were not in the ignition. She searched everywhere including under the floor mats, inside the console and glove box. They had to be on Harvey.

She tried to explore his pockets with a twig, but it didn't work.

It took Channie several minutes to work up enough courage to touch him. She slid her hand into his left pocket, but didn't find anything. She turned it wrong side out. Nothing but lint.

Without giving herself a chance to think about it, she reached across his body and shoved her hand inside his other pocket—and pulled out four keys attached to a small metal ring.

She adjusted the rear-view mirror and barely recognized her own reflection. Both eyes were purple and nearly swollen shut. Her lower lip was split and her nose was crooked. She probed her injuries with her fingertips and marveled that she hadn't noticed the pain before now.

It took Channie over five minutes to cast what should have been a five-second healing spell using Chastity's negative energy, but when she was done, she didn't have so much as a bruise.

She scooted the seat forward so she could reach the pedals, then realized she didn't know which ones did what. There were three of them instead of two which further complicated matters. She'd just have to experiment. She studied the diagram on the little knob between the seats. It was easy enough to figure out that the "R" was for reverse, but she couldn't get the knob to stay in that position. Maybe it had to be in the "1" position to start the car.

The first couple of times she turned the key, the engine coughed as the car lurched forward, but immediately died. She kept trying even after the engine refused to turn over, but when the starter quit grinding, she banged her head against the steering wheel and screamed.

It wasn't fair, but sitting in a dead car next to a dead body wasn't going to get her any closer to Aunt Wisdom's house and it wasn't helping her state of dehydration. Channie couldn't remember ever being this thirsty. She got out and knelt in front of a puddle of rainwater. She didn't have much energy left after frying Harvey and healing herself, but she used what she had left to kill the bugs, bacteria and parasites in the puddle. She skimmed the surface of the water with a twig to clear away the residual debris, but only managed to swallow two mouthfuls before the taste of rotted vegetation made her gag. Puking her guts up was not an option.

She took the cash out of Harvey's wallet and the gun out of the trunk.

Channie was a good shot with a rifle, but she'd never even seen a pistol. The body count movies she'd watched with Josh and violent video games he was so fond of didn't prepare her for the rush of adrenaline as she pressed the textured grip against her palm.

Chastity's magic was strong but not invincible. Harvey's drugs had proved just how vulnerable she was. But that vulnerability worked both ways. Even the most powerful mage couldn't stop a bullet. If she'd had a gun when Harvey was beating her, things would have ended much sooner and she'd still have Enchantment's magic in her heart-of-hearts.

She pointed the muzzle at the ground and examined the gun. There was a small switch near the grip, it must be the safety. She pushed it with her thumb. The gun fell apart. Or at least the handle did. She picked the small rectangular box up off the ground and slid it back inside the handle. She never found a safety switch and decided to remove the magazine again to keep from discharging the gun accidentally.

But what if there was still a bullet inside the chamber? She aimed at a dark spot on a rotted stump about fifty feet away and pulled the trigger. The thing kicked like a mule and nearly knocked her off her feet. Birds and critters scattered then fell silent. Channie missed the mark, but at least she hit the stump. She pulled the trigger again. A quiet click assured her the gun was empty. She slid the magazine into her pocket and tucked the gun into her waist band, over her left hip, then grabbed her pack out of the back seat, strapped it on and started walking.

As the adrenaline left her system, Channie's exhaustion made it hard to put one foot in front of the other, but she refused to stop. The skies were clear now, but that could change. It was cold enough that each breath fogged the air. Hypothermia was a legitimate concern, especially if it rained again. She needed to find shelter before nightfall. She walked for over an hour without seeing any sign of civilization other than the trail she was following.

A faint beep stopped her heart. She froze mid-step, left foot in the air, then pulled the gun out of her waistband as she dropped to one knee, but still felt exposed. Her hands shook as she fumbled the magazine into the handle and yelled, "Show yourself!"

Channie's shout silenced the birds and insects, but not the beeping. She focused on the source of the sound until her ears rang—and found it in the side pocket of her backpack. It was her phone.

The words, "Missed Call" flashed beneath Josh's photo. The tiny image punched a hole through Channie's heart. She secured the gun then sat on the ground, until she could breathe again.

She desperately wanted to call Josh, especially after the vision she'd had of him crying, but decided to check her messages first. Unless Josh were in danger, she wouldn't call him. He needed to forget about her and focus on Kassie and their baby.

Her voicemail was completely full.

There were eight variations of..."Channie? It's Josh, call me back," followed by three angry messages informing her that she was behaving like a child, a jealous control freak, and finally...a bitch. Nice. Channie almost hung up, but the next message made her gasp out loud...

"I did not get Kassie pregnant! How could you think that? She's my cousin."

Channie's heart leapt into her throat. She clutched the phone so tightly her fingers ached.

"... I was trying to comfort her because...well, because she's pregnant and she doesn't know how to break it to Eric. I still can't believe you thought I'd cheat on you. I am so pissed off, but I love you. Call me. We can work this out."

The rest of the messages were variations of "Forgive me, call me, where are you, and I love you." Each of them shattered her broken heart into smaller pieces.

She disconnected from her voicemail, pressed the number two button, and held her breath.

~***~

Josh picked up on the first ring. "Channie! Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I have no idea where I am. Why didn't you tell me Kassie was your cousin?"

"I thought you knew. What do you mean you don't know where you are?"

"I got kidnapped by this creep—"

"WHAT! What do you mean you got kidnapped? What happened?"

"Calm down, it's okay. I killed him."

"WHAT!"

"Quit yelling. You're hurting my ear."

"Okay. Okay. It's okay." Josh did not sound okay. His voice was raspy and about two octaves higher than normal. "Look, Channie, hang up and dial nine-one-one. The cops can find you using the emergency locater in your phone."

"Didn't you hear me? I killed a man."

"It was self defense? Right? I mean, you said he kidnapped you. Oh god...Did he...did he hurt you?"

"He didn't rape me." Channie didn't want to tell Josh that Harvey had nearly beat her to death. He was already hysterical and she couldn't exactly cast a be-calm spell over the phone. "Look, Josh. I don't want to talk about it right now, but trust me, I can't call the cops."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm backtracking out of the woods until I find a road or a highway. I was unconscious when that creep drug me out here so I have no idea how long it will take."

"Channie, you have to call the cops."

"Damn it, Josh. You aren't listening. He was a mage. I killed him with magic. There's no way I can explain that to the police. I have to get to Aunt Wisdom before the next full moon. The cops aren't going to just let me walk away and start hitchhiking again."

Josh threw such a fit over the phone Channie nearly hung up on him. He said, "Didn't you learn anything from that creep? Promise me you won't get in a car with another stranger!"

"There aren't any cars. There's not even a dirt road. I'm out in the middle of nowhere... hold on a minute. I think I hear something."

She heard something all right. Other than the sound of Josh's voice, it was the most beautiful sound in the world—tires on pavement.

Channie saw a road sign in the distance, but it was too far away. She held her phone to her ear and ran up the hill until she could read it. She wanted to cry. "That son of a bitch drove me back to Oklahoma!"

"Where in Oklahoma?"

"Highway 80, sixteen miles north of Fort Gibson."

"Where the hell is that?"

"I have no idea."

"Can you find a safe place to wait for me? Someplace public?"

"I've gone as far as I can go. I'm gonna have to hitch a ride into town. I ain't hiking sixteen miles."

"I swear, Channie, you're going to give me a heart attack. Just stay where you are 'till I get there, okay? Can you do that?"

"You want me to camp by the side of the road? I'll freeze to death." She considered telling him about the gun, but didn't know if that would comfort him, or further upset him.

"Hang on a sec." Josh muffled the phone, but she could still hear him. "Hey, any of you guys know how long it takes to get to Fort Gibson from here?"

"Channie? I can be there in an hour."

"Even if you fly you can't get all the way from Colorado to Oklahoma."

"I'm in Tulsa."

"What are you doing in...Oh yeah, you're here for Grands, aren't you?"

"I'm here for you."

"I don't want you to miss Grands."

"Promise me you'll stay put and wait for me. Can you do that?"

"The only thing I can't do is walk another step."

"All right, babe. I'll get there as soon as I can. How much power do you have left on your phone?"

Channie's heart fell when she checked the battery level. "Not much. There's only one bar left."

Josh swore quietly, then said, "Okay, go ahead and turn it off, but if anything happens, if anyone so much as looks at you, call nine-one-one immediately. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah."

"Will you do it?"

"I'm not an idiot."

"Yes, you are, but you're my idiot and I love you. Now hang up."

There wasn't much traffic on the two-lane highway, but every time a car crested the hill, it made Channie's heart skip a beat. She wished she'd asked Josh which car he was driving so she'd know for sure what to look for.

Channie shrugged out of her backpack and nestled it between the roots of a blackjack tree. She shoved the gun and its magazine to the bottom of the pack, then sat down on top of it and rubbed her sore shoulders.

Something lurking in the blackjack's twisted limbs overhead raced across a wet branch. It released a mist of water that clung to Channie's hair and beaded the waxy red, brown and gold leaves carpeting the ground beside her. She hugged her knees and shivered.

Her entire being—heart, mind, body and soul—ached to be reunited with Josh.

Channie's heart stopped when a small jeep-looking red car with a temporary license plate slowed down and pulled off the road. It was the same car she'd seen in her vision.

She left her pack and ran to Josh. He leaped out of the car, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. They were both sobbing when he set her down and cupped her face in his hands—in his bare hands that did not burn her skin—and kissed her.

This kiss was better than anything Channie had ever imagined or dreamed a kiss could be. It was paradoxically chaste and passionate at the same time—the perfect, lust-free, curse-breaking, fairy-tale-kiss of true love.

~***~

Magic flowed between them as they kissed. A disembodied voice whispered, "Break Chastity's curse and lose your power; watch love bloom and passion flower. For every choice there is a cost and the things you lose are forever lost. You have until the full moon sets to bind your hearts with no regrets."

Josh pulled away from Channie and gasped. But he kept his hands on her face and wiped her tears with his thumbs. "Did you hear that?"

Channie nodded. "I've heard it before. Have you?"

"No. Where's it coming from?"

"The Book of the Dead."

"We have a choice?"

"Apparently."

"If we break the curse...you won't be able to do magic anymore?"

"Enchantment's magic is dead. Chastity's magic is all I have left."

"And?" Josh's eyes darted back and forth as he gazed into hers, still cupping her face in his palms.

Magic flowed through Channie's veins like snowmelt down a mountain stream. She couldn't imagine living without it. But she loved Josh more than life itself and she didn't need to imagine how miserable she'd be without him—she already knew.

She doubted The Book of the Dead would release her from its decree that she marry a royal mage. But she would rather sacrifice her abilities in vain, than give up the chance to be with Josh without trying.

The stakes were high, she could lose everything. The odds were stacked against her, the book had proven its malevolence repeatedly, she had no reason to trust its latest promise of love and passion. But she was her father's daughter after all. She put all her chips on the table and said, "I choose you."

That's all it took. Three little words and the curse was broken.

Josh's mouth fell open as he ran his hands over his chest and belly. "Whoa. My shield is gone. Did you just break the curse?"

Channie searched everywhere but found no trace of Chastity's magic. It was not weak, not subdued, not sedated—it was gone. Stunned, she blinked and nodded her head.

"Are you alright? I know how much magic means to you."

Josh had no way of knowing what magic meant to a mage, but Channie didn't want him to think that she regretted her choice.

"As long as you love me—and we're together—I'll be fine. Better than fine. Kiss me, Josh."

She didn't need magic to know his thoughts weren't entirely chaste this time. Her's sure as hell weren't, but the only fire she felt was the good kind. No curse burned her skin or tried to claw its way out of her to harm this beautiful boy that loved her as much as she loved him.

They stood by the side of the road and kissed for fifteen minutes before Josh pulled away from Channie and retrieved her backpack. He opened the passenger side door and tossed it into the back seat.

Channie said, "Whose car did you borrow?"

"It's mine. It was supposed to be for my birthday, but...Dad decided to go ahead and give it to me a little early. He thought it might motivate me to prepare for Grands."

Josh had never needed any motivation other than his desire to win. He'd used his motivational gift to come find her, leaving Grands and his Olympic dreams behind.

"I'm so sorry—"

"We'll talk about it later. Your chariot awaits." Josh bowed and swooped his hand towards the car. "Actually, it's a Rav-4, but you have to admit it's a pretty sweet ride." He didn't quite pull off the nonchalant attitude. Channie could tell he was barely holding himself together. But if he wanted to pretend everything was okay, she could certainly understand. She wasn't ready to deal with all she'd lost either.

Josh's stainless steel water bottle was the first thing Channie noticed when she got in. "May I have a sip of your water?"

"Drink as much as you want."

Instead of using the bite-valve, Channie unscrewed the top and gulped down half the contents before she felt Josh's hand on hers.

"Slow down, babe. There's more where that came from."

Channie wiped her mouth on her sleeve and said, "I'm just so thirsty."

"When's the last time you ate?"

"I'm not sure. What day is it?"

"Saturday. Do you still want to go to your Aunt's house? Now that the curse is broken?"

"The full moon is on Wednesday. I want her help figuring things out before then."

"Can we get a room in a hotel first? I haven't had a full night's rest since you left. I'm exhausted. I promise, I won't try to seduce you."

"Ever?" Channie bit her lip and blushed, embarrassed by the disappointment in her voice.

Josh chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Not until you're ready."

~***~

No one in Ft. Gibson wanted to rent a room to a seventeen-year-old boy. Josh finally found a rundown, rent-by-the-hour motel in Muskogee that didn't ask questions. He unlocked the door and immediately apologized for the dank room with no view or room service. He yanked the thin, smoke-stained drapes closed and rubbed the back of his neck. "They don't even have a mini-bar."

The place smelled like mildew, but Channie didn't care. "The only view I want is standing right in front of me. And since I don't even know what a mini-bar is, I won't miss it."

Josh put his hand on the small of her back and led her to the bed, then perched on the edge of a folding metal chair with bent and wobbly legs. It was the only furniture other than a nightstand with a reading lamp and a boxy television set bolted to the wall. He said, "Do you want to take a hot bath or something? It might help you relax."

"That sounds wonderful."

She started to get up, but Josh laid his hand on her shoulder and said, "Stay here. I'll go run the water for you."

As soon as she heard the water splash into the tub, Channie realized she needed to pee. She'd gone once in the woods before finding the highway, but that was hours ago.

She got up and found Josh leaning over the tub, scrubbing it with a washcloth.

"That's good enough. The tub's stained, not dirty."

He jumped at the sound of her voice then chuckled. "I thought I told you to stay in bed."

"You did. But, I need to pee."

"Oh, okay." He wrung out the washcloth he was using as a cleaning rag and draped it over the side of the tub then stood up. His cheeks turned pink as he looked at the floor and scratched the back of his head. "Do you have everything you need? Do you need me to go find a drugstore?"

It took Channie a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about. "No. I'm fine. I haven't renewed the moon-curse since the night Elijah kissed me." Who knew when she'd start having regular cycles again, probably not for a very long time.

Josh exhaled through pursed lips, which of course, made Channie want to kiss him. He grinned at her and said, "I guess now that my shield is gone...I'm no longer a sex-god."

"You are to me."

"That's all I care about, but it's weird, not having to worry about magic."

Channie felt as if he'd punched her in the belly. She was thrilled to be free from the curse, and she wouldn't go back to the way things were—even if she could—but without Chastity's powerful magic, she felt as if a part of herself were missing. It was worse than when Momma and Daddy changed her name.

"Aw, Channie, I'm so sorry." Josh tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then cupped her cheeks in his palms. "Maybe your aunt can figure out a way to give you back your powers."

She knew the loss of her abilities was permanent, but she couldn't bear to think about it, much less discuss it. "I'm just tired."

"I'll bet you're hungry too. Go ahead and take your bath. I'll go see if I can find a pizza joint that delivers to this flea-bag motel."

The bath felt wonderful and gave Channie a chance to gain a little perspective. At least she was safe from the Veyjivicks' trackers. Without magic, she was just another Empty—unworthy of notice if not quite invisible...and she and Josh were together again. They could be a normal couple now and that was worth any sacrifice.

The aroma of basil, oregano and pepperoni found its way into the bathroom and made her mouth water. She was weak with hunger and had to sit on the edge of the tub to dry herself off. When the last of the water gurgled down the drain, she heard Josh's voice on the other side of the bathroom door. Was the pizza delivery boy still here? She wrapped a towel around her body and pressed her ear against the door.

"... I know she's pissed, and I'm sorry you're having to deal with her, but after that first race, it's not like I had a chance to win."

Josh's momma already thought Channie was interfering with his racing career, this wasn't going to help matters.

"... No, we're cool. It was just a huge misunderstanding."

Channie couldn't help but wonder what reason Josh had given his parents for her sudden and dramatic departure.

"... She wants to see her aunt that lives out here before we head home. I'll keep you posted ... Love you too, Dad. Bye.

Josh knocked on the bathroom door and handed Channie a shirt through the crack. It was one of his racing jerseys. "I didn't find any clean clothes in your backpack, I hope you don't mind me looking, but I didn't think you'd want to put your dirty clothes on after your bath."

Channie's eyes filled with tears as she pulled Josh's shirt on over her head. His Olympic dreams were just as important to him as magic was to her. He'd sacrificed everything to come get her. She wrapped her wet hair in a towel and opened the door.

Josh took one look at her face and sprang to his feet. He grabbed her shoulders and bent down to peer into her eyes. "Channie? What's wrong?"

"What will missing Grands do to your chances of getting to the Olympics?"

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "There's always Rio in 2016."

"If we leave right now, and go back to Tulsa—"

"If I would have won my first moto, we might be able to make it back in time for finals, but...I didn't."

"You didn't win?" Josh always won.

"The competition is a lot tougher at Grands and I wasn't exactly focused on the race."

"Because of me?"

Josh let go of Channie and took a deep breath. When he exhaled, his whole body sagged. "Why did you leave me, Channie?"

Channie tried to touch his cheek. He flinched—a movement too subtle to be anything other than an involuntary reaction. But it revealed the depth of his pain. How would she feel if the situation were reversed? If Josh had misinterpreted an innocent act of compassion on her part and run away without giving her a chance to explain? She'd be hurt and angry too. All this pain, hers as well as his, could have been avoided if she'd just trusted him.

"Don't you know me at all? I'd never cheat on you."

Channie's first instinct was to blame her behavior on Chastity's influence or the Book's curse, but she could have chosen to respond differently. Magic had the power to heal and curse. It could entice, seduce and influence, but it couldn't force anyone to act against their will. It couldn't take away free choice.

"When I saw you with your arms around Kassie, I let jealousy turn me into a crazy, psychotic bitch." She lowered her gaze to the filthy carpet beneath her feet. "How can you ever forgive me?"

"That's what you do when you love someone." Josh wrapped his arms around Channie and kissed the top of her head, then chuckled and said, "Old habits die hard."

"I don't want that old habit to die. I like it when you kiss my head."

"Mmm... me too, but I like this better." He kissed her forehead, both cheeks and her nose.

Channie wove her fingers through his hair and pulled his face down to hers. Josh smiled against her lips and said, "I think you better go put your clothes back on."

"But they're dirty."

"So are my thoughts."

"When did you start believing sex was dirty?"

Josh rubbed the tip of his nose against Channie's. "I don't think sex is dirty. But, I know how you feel about it."

Channie bit her lip and closed her eyes. Josh had given up everything for her, the least she could do was show him how grateful she was. She crawled into bed then held the covers aloft and patted the mattress. "Come here."

Josh ran a hand through his hair. "I'd better not."

He pulled the covers up under her chin and kissed the tip of her nose, then laid down on top of the bedspread and reached across her to turn off the bedside lamp. A neon sign advertising pay-day loans across the street filled the room with a blue-tinged, twilight glow.

He spooned his body around hers for a moment then rolled onto his stomach.

"Josh? Why don't you want to cuddle?"

"Because—as you are so fond of saying—it makes things too hard for me."

"I'm not going to make things hard for you anymore. I'm...ready."

Josh propped himself up on his elbows and cocked his head to the side, furrowing his brow. "What do you mean?"

Channie sat up and in one fluid movement, peeled Josh's racing jersey off over her head.

He sprang off the bed as if she'd cursed him. His wild-eyed gaze darted from her chest to her face, flicked downward once more then locked onto her eyes. His voice cracked when he said, "Wh-what are you doing?"

Channie grabbed a pillow and pressed it to her breast. "I wanted to make it up to you."

Josh shoved his fingers in his hair and shook his head. "Like some kind of consolation prize? I don't think so."

"You don't want me?"

"Of course I want you, but what you're offering is a once-in-a-lifetime gift. And I won't take it from you until you're ready to accept the gift of my body as well. I want our first time to be as special and magical for you as it will be for me. And I can tell you right now, it's not going to be in some flea-bag motel."

Josh handed Channie his jersey then turned his back and sat on the edge of the bed while she put it back on.

She tucked the blankets around her waist and said, "You can turn around now. I'm covered."

The springs creaked as Josh shifted his weight and dug something out of his wallet. He turned towards her, took her left hand in his and slipped her promise ring onto her finger. "When I gave this to you the first time, I made you a promise. Do you remember?"

He'd promised to do everything in his power to make her happy and said that no sacrifice was too great. He'd certainly proven it by giving up his Olympic dreams. "Yes, I remember."

He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, "Will you give me a promise in return?"

"Anything."

"Promise me..." Josh's breath hitched. "Promise me that you'll never leave me again."

"I promise."

Channie kept the blankets tucked around her, but lifted the bedspread. Josh slid in beside her then took her hand and held it against his chest over his heart. "I love you so much, Channie."

She nudged him onto his back then pressed her cheek against the hollow of his shoulder. "I love you too."

~***~

When Channie woke up the next morning, Josh was gone. Panic seized her, stopping her heart with its icy grip, until she read his note...

Gone for food and supplies. Be right back.

Relief flooded her entire body, leaving her weak and dizzy. When she heard the metallic clink of a key in the lock, Channie jumped out of bed and ran to the door. She looked through the peep-hole at Josh's distorted image and opened the door, grinning.

He dropped the bags he was carrying and wrapped his arms around her. She grabbed his head with both hands and crushed her mouth against his.

He kicked the door shut then groaned and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you better get dressed."

"My clothes are dirty." They were worse than dirty. They were contaminated by Harvey's touch and the stench of his burning flesh, may he rot in hell.

"I bought you some more." Josh's grin drove the darkness out of Channie's mind. He nodded towards the fancy department store bags on the floor.

Everything was too expensive—over a hundred dollars for a pair of jeans? Eighty dollars for a simple t-shirt? Good grief.

"Josh, this stuff is too—"

"Quit obsessing over the price tags and just say thanks."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but—"

"You're welcome." Josh kissed her again then said, "I'm going to jump in the shower while you change, then we can get on the road to go see your aunt."

Channie blushed when she pictured Josh buying the matching bra and panty sets. All three sets were see-through lace, one red, one black and one white. Not something she would have picked out for herself, but at least they weren't those nasty thongs that were so popular at school.

She'd just gotten the underwear on when Josh knocked on the bathroom door. "You decent?"

"WAIT!" Josh saw her naked last night, but this was different. She grabbed a green, long-sleeved t-shirt and yanked in on over her head then wiggled into the over-priced jeans, bouncing in place as she forced the zipper closed.

"Okay, I'm dressed."

Josh cracked the door open. He was wearing nothing but a towel and a grin. "Can you toss me that bag?"

Channie had to forcefully tear her gaze away from his bare torso to find the sack of clothes Josh was pointing at near the nightstand.

It only took him a few minutes to get dressed. He opened the door, rubbing his hair dry with a towel.

Channie's hair was a disaster. She tried to comb it with her fingers but it was like trying to untangle a Brillo pad.

Josh said, "There's a hair brush, some toothpaste and a couple of toothbrushes in one of the grocery sacks."

"Thanks. But it's going to take more than a hairbrush to fix this mess." She pushed her hair off her face with both hands.

"Can I brush it for you?"

"Sure, if you want to."

After they both brushed their teeth, Josh pulled the metal chair closer to the bed and sat down behind it, his knees on either side of the chair.

"Is there a certain way to do this?"

Channie held her hair up as she sat down, then let it fall over the back of the chair. "Start at the bottom, brush out the ends then work your way to the top."

Josh was gentle, to the point of hesitancy. At this rate they'd be here all day.

"You can use a little more force, I have a hard head."

He chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "You can say that again." He paused, then resumed brushing her hair, even slower than before. "Why did you get in the car with that guy? Couldn't you tell he was a mage?"

"He was a tracker. And not a very good one, but he knew how to mask his energy field. I had no idea he was a mage." She took the brush from his hand and attacked her hair.

"I wish you hadn't killed him."

"What?" Channie twisted around in the chair to study Josh's face. She'd opened her heart and bared her soul—just like the Book of the Dead demanded. She'd held nothing back as she described her fear of being raped, the pain of her injuries and the courage it took to re-enter her body after she'd nearly died. How could he chastise her for killing that monster?

He said, "I wish you hadn't killed him, so I could do it."

Even without magic, Channie felt the waves of rage and hatred rolling off Josh as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"... With my bare hands."

Chapter Ten

A ROYAL MAGE

The sun was setting when Josh pulled into Aunt Wisdom's drive. Gravel crunched and popped under their wheels. This place had seemed like a palace just four months ago. Aunt Wisdom had added electricity and indoor plumbing to her cabin before Channie was born, but it was primitive compared to Josh's home.

He had more lightbulbs over his bathroom sink than Aunt Wisdom had in her entire house. All she had was a single bare bulb in each room that required a pull chain to turn off and on, and right now, all the lights were off. The gasoline generator was silent. Fallen leaves were piled into the corner of her front porch, like a snow drift, blocking the door. Aunt Wisdom wasn't home. And from the looks of things, she'd been gone a long time.

The hair on the back of Channie's neck stood on end. "Something's wrong."

"Yeah. I feel it too." Josh restarted his car and twisted around to look over his shoulder as he backed up.

Channie said, "Where are we going?"

"Your house."

"Why?" The thought of Josh seeing the tiny log cabin where she was raised embarrassed Channie.

"It's a part of your history."

"It's nothing but a shack."

"I want to know everything about you. Besides, I have a feeling—"

"You and your feelings!" Channie rubbed her temples with her fingertips and said, "Whatever. Head up the mountain and take the first right. The next left is a switchback. Be sure you back into it, or you'll end up driving backwards for three quarters of a mile. And drive slow. There's pot holes bigger than this car."

"That might be fun. This baby's built for off road adventures." Josh grinned and stroked the dash as if his car were a pet instead of a machine.

"Go left at the Y."

"Are you sure?" Josh stopped the car and leaned towards the windshield, squinting his eyes, as if peering into the darkness would show him the way.

"I know how to get to my own house."

"I don't know, I have a feeling we should go to the right."

Channie had the same feeling, but she knew it was wrong. "It's a misdirection spell." It was similar to the spell Momma and Daddy had cast on the cabin, but there was no way it was the same one. They were too far away.

Every time the spell nudged them to take a wrong turn, Channie pushed through it. And every time she did, Josh argued with her. But they finally made it.

The clouds parted, flooding the landscape with moonlight. Smoke curled out of the chimney and flowed down the side of the cabin, spreading over the ground and mingling with the fog instead of rising. Someone was here.

~***~

"Stop the car." Channie squeezed between the seats to grab her backpack and retrieved the gun.

Josh's eyes widened. "Where the hell did you get that?" His voice was intense, even though he was whispering.

"It was in Harvey's trunk."

"Holy —."

"I know, I know. But without magic, how else am I going to protect myself?"

"Protecting you is my job. Give me the gun."

Channie handed it over then pulled the magazine out of her pocket. "Have you even shot a gun before?"

"Eric and I used to play around with paintball guns." Josh fumbled the magazine into the handle, yanked the top back then shoved it forward again, loading a round into the chamber. "It can't be all that different."

"There's a huge difference between a bullet and a paintball."

Josh leaned forward and shoved the barrel of the gun into the gap between his waistband and the small of his back.

"Josh!" Channie grabbed his arm. "At least put the safety on."

"The safety's built in...sort of. It's a Glock 26, so it won't discharge unless someone pulls the trigger."

Channie shivered. "Don't go shooting that thing unless I tell you to. It's probably just some young couple shacking up in there."

Josh nudged the driver's side door open and said, "Stay here while I go check things out."

If Josh walked up to the door, unannounced, there was no telling what sort of curse the trespassers would use on him. Channie hopped out before Josh had a chance to do something stupid, like lock her in. She shuddered as she remembered the sick, helpless feeling that twisted her gut when Harvey had trapped her inside his car.

Josh darted across the yard, positioning his body in front of Channie's. He'd drawn the gun and was holding it with both hands, barrel pointed straight up, at the waxing moon. "Damn it Channie! Get back in the car."

"No. Not unless you do." Channie put a hand on Josh's shoulder. "Let's just get out of here, okay?"

Josh nodded and stepped back, lowering the gun.

"Channie?" It was too dark to see his face, but Channie recognized the voice.

What the hell was Hunter freaking Feenie doing in her privy?

He ran down the path and swooped Channie off her feet. "My god, girl, ain't you a sight for sore eyes? Where you been?"

"Put me down!" Channie caught a glimpse of Josh's face as Hunter spun her around, but a glimpse was all she needed. He was pissed.

Hunter gave her another squeeze then set her on her feet.

Josh cleared his throat.

Channie took Josh's hand, the one not holding the gun, and said, "Hunter's a childhood friend." She glared at Hunter, hoping he wouldn't elaborate. "Hunter, this is Josh Abrim, my boyfriend." She gestured with her left hand, giving him a view of her promise ring.

"Boyfriend, huh?" Hunter arched his eyebrows and stared at the gun in Josh's hand. "You two on the run from Channie's daddy?"

Josh narrowed his eyes and said, "What do you know about Channie's Dad?"

"Josh, put the gun away."

He shoved it back in his waistband, over his left hip this time...easier access.

Channie said, "I don't know how much you know, but my daddy is in a bit of trouble. That's why we left."

"I know all about it." Hunter's face hardened. He flicked his gaze to Josh's face then back to Channie's. "Is he...?"

Channie shook her head, remembering what Daddy had said about the clans' remedy for Empties that learned about magic. She didn't think Hunter would turn them in, but she wasn't willing to bet Josh's life on it.

Hunter said, "Come on inside and get warmed up. It's too cold to stand out here jabbering at each other. I've got a pot of stew on the stove and a pan of cornbread in the oven."

Channie remembered the last time Hunter had suggested they get "warmed up" and hoped he'd keep that story to himself.

He bounded up the steps onto the porch and held the door open, ushering Channie and Josh inside as if he owned the place.

Josh did a complete three hundred and sixty degree inspection, tilting his head up and down as he turned. "So...this is your home."

Channie's cheeks and ears burned. "I told you it was a shack."

Josh slid his fingers across the polished surface of the knotty pine support beam that divided the kitchen from the front room. "It's so...authentic."

Channie rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean it. My dad spent a fortune on the log cabin he bought in Breckenridge and it's not anywhere near as cool as this place." He inhaled deeply, expanding his chest. "It feels...alive."

Hunter's eyebrows pulled together as he glanced at Channie. "Are you sure he's not...you know...?"

Josh said, "I'm not a mage, but I know about magic."

Hunter folded his arms across his chest and said, "I wouldn't go advertising that fact if I were you."

The color drained from Josh's panic stricken face. He said, "Channie didn't have anything to do with me finding out. Her dad told me about magic."

"Josh. That's not true."

Hunter said, "Your secret's safe with me, just don't tell anyone else. Not that there's anyone left to tell."

"Where is everyone?"

"In hiding. When the Cumberland mages couldn't find your Daddy, they declared war on all of us."

Josh grabbed Channie's hand and headed for the door.

Hunter cast a mild be-calm spell and said, "You'll be safe here for another couple of weeks. Cumberland trackers stop by to check on things about once a month. They were here yesterday."

Josh said, "Why aren't you in hiding?"

Hunter blushed and looked at his feet. "Miss Wisdom talked me into contacting my momma's kin and telling them that I wanted to switch sides. That's why I'm living here. I'm sort of a spy. She'll come by here later tonight to see if I've learned anything new."

Channie grabbed the support beam to keep from falling over as everything clicked into place.

Josh grabbed her arms and pulled her against his chest. "Channie? What's wrong, babe?"

"Hunter...is a royal mage."

~***~

Josh led Channie into the kitchen then held her on his lap while she told Hunter about the Book of the Dead and the curse she and Josh were under.

Hunter put his elbows on the kitchen table and leaned forward. "So...you want me to marry you?"

No. Channie did not want to marry Hunter, but it wasn't just her life on the line. She closed her eyes and shattered all her dreams with a single word. "Yes."

Josh placed his palm on her cheek, pressing her head against his chest and said, "It will be alright, Channie. Nothing has to change. Marry him to break the curse, but stay with me."

Hunter said, "I never had any plans of being faithful to just one woman anyway, no matter who I married. I won't hold it against you if you want to see him on the side. As long as you don't rub it in my face."

Josh's grip around Channie's waist tightened. "She won't be seeing anyone on the side. All you have to do is marry her. It's a simple contract, sign the paper, say 'I do,' and then we'll leave. I'll have my Dad fax you the divorce papers. You'll never see us again."

Hunter shook his head. "There's no divorce in our world and a marriage ain't real until after the couple do the deed. It completes the binding spell, linking their heart-of-hearts."

Josh's entire body stiffened. His heart hammered beneath Channie's hand.

"Is that true?"

Channie couldn't bear to look at him. She nodded. She didn't know everything about marriage binding spells, but she knew that much.

"Fine..." Josh's voice broke. He swallowed three times before continuing and when he did, it sounded as if he'd swallowed broken glass. "If that's how it has to be...I guess...I'll just have to deal with it. But the minute you're done, I want you out of her bed and I don't ever want you to touch her again."

Hunter folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "That's not how it works. Once our heart-of-hearts are bound together, we'll have to do it at least once a month. Since Channie's lost her powers, she's going to be a drain on mine. We'll probably have to do it more often. Maybe even once a week."

By now Josh was trembling with rage. Channie said, "Hunter! A little help, please?"

He smirked at her then cast a be-calm spell at Josh. His trembling stopped, but Channie could tell he was still angry.

Hunter leaned forward and said, "Look, I know this is hard for you. It's hard for all of us. Channie doesn't want to marry me, and I don't really want to marry her either. But if we don't work this out, Channie could die. And I know you don't want that."

"No." Josh went limp, his hand slid from Channie's waist to her hip. "I don't."

Hunter said, "Look, if it will make it any easier, after the wedding, I'll leave as soon as I'm done, like you suggested. You can take over and do all that cuddly stuff women seem to need after sex. And if you don't mind sloppy seconds—"

Josh stood up so fast he nearly dumped Channie on the floor. He took one step towards Hunter but then seemed to change his mind. For a second, Channie was afraid he might try to draw the gun and shoot him. He didn't. He spun around and punched the wall, leaving behind a smear of blood on the curved surface of the log.

Channie's eyes filled with tears. "Josh, don't."

He hit the log again and screamed, "I hate this! I hate magic! And I hate that goddamned book!"

~***~

The front door burst open and Aunt Wisdom flew across the room. She cast a be-calm spell on Josh that knocked him out cold then magically lowered him to the floor.

Hunter whistled, low and long. "Wow. I'd heard you could levitate people, but I never believed it until now."

Aunt Wisdom swayed on her feet then collapsed onto the pine bench under the window. A spell like that would have drained even the strongest mage. It was a wonder she was still conscious.

She nodded at Josh's limp body and said, "Who is that and what's he doing here?"

Channie knelt beside Josh and brushed the curls off his forehead. He smiled, but did not open his eyes. She sat cross-legged on the floor and cradled his head in her lap then looked up at Aunt Wisdom. "His name's Josh Abrim and he's my..." boyfriend didn't even begin to describe what Josh meant to her. "He's the love of my life."

Aunt Wisdom arched her eyebrows and said, "Why was he so angry?"

Channie told her an abbreviated version of the story.

Aunt Wisdom shook her head and sighed. "I swear, this family is cursed when it comes to love." She stood up and said, "I need to go lie down for a bit. Hunter, do you think you can carry Josh up to the loft and put him in Channie's bed? It's going to be a while before that spell wears off."

~***~

Channie followed Hunter up the ladder and tucked Josh into her bed. She knew Hunter was watching, but she didn't care. She leaned over and kissed Josh's forehead then brushed her lips across his softly parted mouth. He sighed and kissed her back. It was sweet, but without passion. He was still asleep.

She smoothed his brow with her fingers.

Hunter squatted beside Channie and cleared his throat. "Look, I know right now, you don't want me in your bed, but this won't be my first time. I know what I'm doing. If you just relax a little, I can open your eyes to a whole world of pleasure."

He tried to tuck a strand of Channie's hair behind her ear, but as soon as she felt his fingers brush her cheek, she recoiled as if he'd slapped her.

Hunter shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "I thought I was doing you a favor...marrying you to break the curse, but I ain't gonna take you by force."

Channie bowed her head, then stood up and squeezed Hunter's shoulder. "You are doing me a huge favor. And you won't have to take me by force. Just don't expect me to enjoy it."

"You really love him, don't you."

"You have no idea."

"It will be a serious blow to my ego, but I'm willing to cast a come-hither spell on you after the wedding, so you can enjoy it."

"I don't want to enjoy it."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to do it if you just lay there like a cold fish."

Maybe boys weren't all that different from girls after all. "I'll do my best, Hunter. Just...be patient."

His grin returned. "That's all I'm asking."

Channie forced herself to reach up and touch Hunter's cheek. "I'd like to spend the next few days with Josh. If you don't mind."

"Sure. I have some things I need to take care of anyway."

Probably had to cancel a couple of dates. Channie didn't care. In fact, she hoped Hunter didn't burn any bridges. The more he tomcatted around, the less time he'd spend in her bed.

~***~

Channie waited until she heard Hunter leave, then crawled into bed with Josh. She stroked his cheek with her fingers and bit back a sob. It was so unfair. They could finally touch without pain, but it was too late. She kissed him again then got out of bed and went into Momma and Daddy's room, where Aunt Wisdom was resting. The bed was unmade, but she was lying on top of the covers. Hunter's clothes were scattered across the floor. It was obvious, this was his room now.

Aunt Wisdom sat up. "Tell me everything that's happened since Abby ran away."

Channie's heart skipped a beat. "Is she here?"

"She was, but she's in Mexico now."

"What in the world is she doing in Mexico?"

"Diego thought it would be safer to get her out of the country until things settle down."

"He knows about magic?"

"He does now."

"What about the trips?" Even though Abby had deserted them once already, it was hard to believe she'd leave the country without them.

"I convinced her they'd be safer wherever they are for the time being. I assume they're with your parents?" Aunt Wisdom held her hand up, palm out. "Don't tell me. The less we know about each other's whereabouts, the better. I move around a lot and suggest you do the same."

Channie felt guilty for deserting the trips. She wasn't any better than Abby. If she survived this mage war, she'd go back to Colorado and get them. She didn't care if Hunter agreed or not, she'd raise the boys as her own.

Aunt Wisdom said, "Tell me more about the anti-tracking spell your parents cast. Neither of them have the ability or intelligence to create such a perfect and subtle spell."

She listened without saying a word as Channie told how Momma had retrieved the Book of the Dead. She decided not to mention the horrible curse Momma triggered when she took the book since she wasn't in any immediate danger. One disaster at a time.

Aunt Wisdom said, "I knew that grave had been disturbed but never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined that Prudence had the gumption to retrieve a Book of the Dead. I was scared to death it had fallen into the hands of our enemies."

"Momma and Daddy used the book to change my power name to Chastity."

"They did what!"

"They were afraid I was going to get knocked up like Abby."

"So...instead of using an infertility spell...they cursed you?"

Channie nodded.

Aunt Wisdom scooted over and patted the mattress. "What happened?"

Channie crawled onto the bed and laid her head on Aunt Wisdom's shoulder. "I kept repeating, 'my name is Enchantment' during the spell and a small part of it escaped into my heart-of-hearts when Chastity took over my power-well."

"I'll work with you and teach you to use heart magic to strengthen Enchantment. It won't be the same, but—"

"I can't. I..." Channie refused to cry, but she couldn't hide her distress from Aunt Wisdom.

She smoothed Channie's hair then kissed the top of her head, just like Josh did whenever she was upset. It took all of Channie's self-control to keep from sobbing. A wave of calm washed over her, followed by a ripple of guilt. Aunt Wisdom was still too weak from levitating Josh. She shouldn't be casting be-calm spells, even though it helped Channie continue. She felt disconnected from the story, as if it had happened to someone else.

Tears flowed down Aunt Wisdom's cheeks when Channie described how she'd sacrificed Enchantment's magic to kill Harvey. By the time Channie finished, Aunt Wisdom looked as if she'd aged twenty years. She said, "You've lost all magical abilities?"

"I can't even find my power-well, much less my heart-of-hearts."

Aunt Wisdom scanned Channie then said, "Everything is still there, but your power-well is so scarred it's sealed shut and your heart-of-hearts is barely beating. Perhaps, in time, you'll be able to cast a few simple spells, but without a power name, it won't be the same."

Channie sat up straighter, lifting her head off Aunt Wisdom's shoulder. "Then give me another power name."

Aunt Wisdom shook her head slowly then sighed and said, "It's a miracle you survived the first name change. I'm afraid another will drive you insane or even kill you. Besides, there's no place for it to dwell." She gripped Channie's cheeks with both hands and lifted her face, piercing her eyes with her gaze. "There's no reason you can't live a full and happy life without magic. You might have lost your abilities, but your connection to Josh survived. I don't know anyone that wouldn't trade magic for true love."

"I wouldn't trade true love for magic either, but I would trade my life to protect Josh. I'm going to marry Hunter."

"Don't make any final decisions until the full moon. The book instructed you to bind your heart to Josh, with no regrets, but later demanded you marry a royal mage?"

Channie nodded. "It's a cruel book."

Aunt Wisdom frowned. "I'm not even going to ask how you two got your hands on a Book of the Dead, but do you still have it?"

It was illegal for an underage mage to touch any magical book, much less use one to cast spells. Not only had they used the Book of the Dead, Channie had stolen it. "It's in my backpack."

"Well, at least it's not with Prudence and that idiot she married. We can be grateful for that." Aunt Wisdom got out of bed and said, "Go get it and meet me in the kitchen."

Channie set her backpack on the pine bench and pulled out the book. She unwrapped it and set it on the kitchen table.

Aunt Wisdom traced the blackened letters that spelled out 'Enchantment,' with her finger tips then gripped the corner of the cracked leather cover.

Channie grabbed her hand and said, "Don't open it. It'll curse you too."

"I need to read the exact words of the spell."

"The words have already disappeared. Josh took pictures with his phone and I copied it into my journal."

Aunt Wisdom smiled and said, "That was very creative. Do you have your journal?"

Channie retrieved it from her pack, turned to the page where she'd recorded the first spell then handed it to Aunt Wisdom.

After what seemed like an hour but was probably only five minutes, Aunt Wisdom closed Channie's journal and said, "This doesn't make a bit of sense. The book promised you and Josh a love pure and true if you manage to break the curse with a chaste kiss, which you did—congratulations on that by the way. It even demands you bind your hearts with no regrets—which means marriage. But then it contradicts itself and tells you to marry a royal mage? It even seems to have provided one upon your arrival. I'm obviously missing something."

A rustling sound in the loft drew Channie's attention. Josh was awake. He leaned over the rail, introduced himself and shared his adultery theory with Aunt Wisdom. He'd obviously been spying on them.

To Channie's amazement, Aunt Wisdom agreed with him. "It didn't say you and Josh have to bind your hearts to each other, it just says you have to bind your hearts."

Josh said, "I'm going to need someone to zap me with a...what's it called—"

"... be-calm spell?" Aunt Wisdom nodded. "I can do that. So can Hunter."

"Yeah, a be-calm spell. But you better be the one to do it. I still want to beat the crap out of Hunter, but at least I don't want to kill him anymore. That's progress, right?"

Aunt Wisdom smiled at Josh and said, "Yes, that's progress. Has the book given you any clues about the person you're supposed to marry?"

Channie's joints turned to water. She slumped into a chair and covered her face with her hands.

Aunt Wisdom seemed to read her mind. She turned towards Channie and said, "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. The book provided Hunter for you, I'm sure it will find the right girl for Josh." So much for mind reading abilities.

Josh climbed down the ladder and said, "I'm not going to marry anyone."

"Didn't the book demand you bind your heart as well?"

"Yeah, but it also told me to not let any other girls lead me astray." Josh skipped the last three rungs and hopped off the ladder. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and read from the screen...

Son of darkness, heed this advice,

Forsake all others that might entice

And lead astray with a wanton smile

The foolish boy they wish to beguile.

Burn the image in your heart and mind

Of true love's kiss, and surely you'll find

The strength and the will and the power to keep

The promise you made so your love would not weep.

"I promised Channie that I would do everything in my power to make her happy. And I don't think she'd be very happy if I married someone else."

Channie said, "I can't stand the thought of you with another woman. It's ten times worse than thinking about what I have to do with Hunter."

Josh said, "I really wish you wouldn't have shared that with me."

"The thought of Hunter touching me makes me want to puke, but all I have to do to satisfy the book's demands is lay there and endure it. You wouldn't be able to do what you need to do unless you wanted to do it. I can't stand the thought of you enjoying another woman."

"Well, you don't have to worry about it, because there will never be any other woman for me." Josh clapped his hands and rubbed them together, signaling the end of the conversation. "Something smells good. I'm starving."

Aunt Wisdom lifted the lid off the pot and said, "I hope you like possum stew."

A rim of green circled Josh's mouth and darkened the skin under his eyes.

Channie lifted the tea towel off the water pitcher on the table and poured him a glass. "She's kidding. Aunt Wisdom buys her groceries at WalMart in Whistler's Gulch."

Aunt Wisdom said, "I haven't been able to get into town lately, but that's a long story." A long story she obviously didn't want to tell in front of Josh. "And I didn't make the stew, Hunter did, so I can't say for sure what's in it, but it smells like rabbit."

After gulping down three helpings of rabbit stew and half a pan of cornbread, Josh volunteered to do the dishes. He was down right fascinated with the hand pump next to the sink—Daddy's idea of indoor plumbing—and the mason jar full of dish-and-laundry flakes shaved off a bar of homemade lye soap.

Aunt Wisdom told them to "be good" then disappeared into Momma and Daddy's room with an armful of fresh linens.

Josh bumped Channie's hip with his and said, "Do you remember the first time we washed dishes together?"

"Of course. Supper at my house, when you finally believed I was telling the truth about magic."

"It's hard to believe that was only two and a half months ago." He handed her the cornbread pan.

She handed it back. "You missed a spot."

"I feel as if I've known you my whole life."

Channie swallowed around the lump in her throat and nodded.

Josh stared past his reflection in the kitchen window and said, "I can't imagine life without you."

Agony knifed through Channie's heart. She gripped the edge of the countertop, but a soft gasp escaped her throat. Had he changed his mind...about sharing her?

He unstopped the sink and dried his hands on a dish rag. Even with the window closed, Channie heard the water splashing into the frozen garden outside. It was a very short pipe.

Josh pried her hands off the counter then kissed the ring on her finger. "If the book makes it clear that I'm supposed to marry someone else, I have to do it. The only thing more important than your happiness is your safety. So...if I break my promise, will you still be able to keep yours?"

A sense of dread pressed down on Channie's body, as if Heaven itself were determined to grind her into the ground. Josh had already sacrificed so much for her, how could she deny him anything? "Yes, I'll keep my promise."

Josh wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "We still don't know what the Book of the Dead intends to do with either of us. Try to get some sleep. Maybe a solution will present itself before the full moon."

"I don't want to sleep with Aunt Wisdom."

"I don't want you to sleep with her, either."

Channie and Josh waited until Aunt Wisdom fell asleep, then crawled into the loft and cuddled up together. He spooned his trembling body around hers and silently cried himself to sleep.

Channie was too distraught to sleep, too numb to cry. Her brain was on an endless loop replaying the words of the spell without offering a single solution. True love's kiss will set you free...bind your hearts...a royal mage you must wed...the things you lose are forever lost...Heed the warnings, but be not discouraged.

She shivered even though she was fully clothed and under the blankets with Josh. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Nothing between her and the cold, blue moon peeking over her window sill, pouring its light through her ice-glazed window.

She studied Josh's face as he slept. His lips parted, softly, like a child's, but the tears that still glistened on his lashes and the furrowed creases spanning his brow revealed the depth of his grief. She skimmed her fingertips across his forehead, smoothing the wrinkles, but as soon as she lifted her hand, they returned.

Glints of steely-blue shimmered in his curls, like moonlight on black water. Stubble shadowed his cheeks and softened the angle of his jaw. Channie inhaled, drinking his scent. It was muted by dust and sleep, but still intoxicating.

She was only sixteen, but no woman had ever loved a man this completely, this deeply, this...desperately.

Their time together was running out, Channie was going to make every second count. She wouldn't cross any lines that might endanger him. She would go to her wedding bed a virgin as the book demanded—if not entirely chaste. But she intended to memorize every line, every angle, every muscle of his perfect body before facing her ordeal with Hunter. If Josh wanted to do the same, she wouldn't stop him.

"Channie." Josh's voice was barely a whisper, but it startled her. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" She'd thought it was fairly obvious.

Josh grabbed her wrists and sat up. "We can't do this. I won't risk your life."

"I'm not trying to seduce you."

"Were you asleep?" He wrapped his arms around her, but did not pull her onto his lap.

"No. I was not asleep." Her cheeks and ears burned with shame. If spontaneous combustion were possible, she'd already be in flames. "I just...I wanted...I needed ..." She couldn't find the words to express what she was feeling, but Josh understood.

"Me too, baby, but we can't. It's not worth it." He kissed the top of her head, laid down and pulled her onto his chest, but when she tried to slide her leg across his, he grabbed her knee and said, "No."

"Please?" Don't make me beg.

"Channie, you're torturing me."

This was worse than when she'd assaulted him in the bathtub. She'd been under Chastity's influence and the spell of Josh's shield. She didn't have an excuse this time. She said, "I'm sorry," kissed Josh's cheek then lifted the covers to climb out of bed.

He grabbed her waist and said, "Stay."

She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart until the cold, grey light of dawn invaded the loft.

~***~

When Channie climbed down the ladder the next morning, Aunt Wisdom was waiting for her. She sat down at the kitchen table and nodded at the chair next to her. Channie sat down, folded her arms across her chest and waited for the lecture. But instead of scolding her, Aunt Wisdom laid a hand on Channie's knee and said, "Ordinarily I'd say that whatever you two do together is your own business, but I can't in good conscience let you risk your safety, or Josh's. Not when there's dark magic involved."

Channie sighed and said, "We're both virgins. All we did was sleep."

"Did you forget what the book said? 'A royal mage you must wed before you share a lover's bed.'"

"I shared my lover's bed last night and nothing happened."

"Josh is your true love, but he isn't your lover until something does happen. I don't like meddling in your personal business, but I don't trust that book. I don't want you to sleep with Josh again until after you marry Hunter."

Channie blinked then shook her head.

"Strange rules, I know, but these are strange circumstances. You can sleep with me in your parents' bed."

Channie scowled. She didn't want to sleep in that bed until she had to.

Aunt Wisdom misunderstood her reluctance and said, "Don't worry, I changed the sheets as soon as Hunter left."

After breakfast, Aunt Wisdom grabbed the gunny sack hanging from a nail by the front door and handed it to Josh. "Why don't you two go check the traps. Hopefully we'll have some meat to add to the stew."

Josh stared at the sack in his hands as if it already held a dead rabbit and blanched. "You...trap...animals?"

Aunt Wisdom chuckled. "They don't exactly hop into the pot of their own accord."

"Why don't you just shoot them?" Josh's gaze darted towards the pine bench. Channie knew he was thinking about the gun stashed inside her backpack.

She slid her arms into her coat, strapped a hunting knife to her right calf and said, "Ammunition is expensive. It's not worth it for the amount of meat you get from a rabbit."

"But...traps are cruel."

Aunt Wisdom said, "Are you a vegetarian?"

"No."

"Have you ever seen a commercial feed lot?"

"No."

"I rest my case."

The first trap was empty, but not the second. Josh's grimace was so subtle, Channie doubted anyone else would have noticed. She wished the snare had broken the rabbit's neck or strangled it before they got there, but it was a large male, still alive and kicking. "Josh, turn your back for a second."

He swallowed twice then cleared his throat before speaking. "Do you want me to do it?"

"No. I don't enjoy killing, but I'm used to it. And believe me, this is much kinder than slow death by starvation or disembowelment by a fox or coyote. But, it will probably upset you."

"I want to learn."

"Are you sure?"

"Show me how and I'll do the next one."

By now, the animal was half-dead, lying on his side with his back legs stretched out behind him. Channie stepped on them to pin him to the ground. Not enough weight to inflict pain, but enough to keep him from kicking her. The rabbit shrieked as only a rabbit can. Josh gasped and took a step back, looking at Channie as if she were some kind of monster. She grabbed the line leading to the snare and gave it a quick jerk.

Josh shuddered. "I didn't know a rabbit could scream."

"They only do it when they're really scared...or hurt. I'm sorry you had to hear that. It stays with you for a while."

"You don't have to apologize. Like your Aunt said, I eat meat. Although, I'm seriously considering vegetarianism."

Channie removed the noose and dropped the rabbit in the sack. "Yeah, right. I've seen the way you inhale steak."

They were both relieved when the rest of the traps were empty. Channie adjusted the last one, adding a few more leaves to hide the tripwire and said, "That's all of them."

"That's too bad." Josh puffed his chest out and said, "I was really looking forward to demonstrating my awesome survivalist skills."

"When we get back to the cabin, I'll let you skin and gut this one to prove your manhood."

"Uh..." The skin around Josh's lips turned green.

"I'm kidding, Josh. I wouldn't ask you to do that."

"I can do it. I want to do it. But you'll have to teach me how."

Josh was trying so hard to prove himself, to fit in. But he didn't belong here. The other mages would never accept him. Without his shield, he had no defense against magic. And even if Aunt Wisdom built him a new one, he'd still be the butt of every joke, the target of every bully. But it was worse than that...

The Book of the Dead wasn't the only thing threatening their lives. Channie hadn't exactly forgotten about the Veyjivik clan, but she'd been so focused on the book's curse that she'd let their murderous vows slip to the back of her mind.

As long as they were together, Josh would be in danger. He needed to go home, and he needed to go without her. It would be so much harder this time, knowing how much it would hurt them both. And she couldn't just write a note and run away, she'd have to convince him to leave. But how? Josh wouldn't leave just because she told him to go away, especially if she said it was to protect him. She would have to convince him that she was committed to Hunter, that she wanted Josh to leave so she could be a good wife.

How many times could her heart break before it shattered? She knew she should just get it over with, but she couldn't do it. Not yet. The Veyjivik trackers wouldn't be back for another month. She could wait until the wedding to tell him. But she'd have to do it before she and Hunter exchanged vows. She knew that Josh was planning to comfort her as soon as Hunter did what he had to do and left. It wouldn't be fair to let it go that far. But for the next few days, she wanted to spend every second with Josh and she wanted those seconds to be happy. It was the last gift she'd ever be able to give him. It wasn't enough, but it was all she had.

When they got back, Channie gave Josh her willow basket and sent him to the hen house to collect eggs while she skinned and cleaned the rabbit on the butcher block behind the cabin. Aunt Wisdom had already cut up the meat and added it to the stew pot when Josh walked in and set the basket on the kitchen table.

Channie peeked inside and frowned. There were only three white eggs. "Is that all you found?" Unless a fox had raided the hen house, or the Rhode Island Reds had quit laying, there should have been at least a dozen brown eggs.

Josh said, "Why don't we eat the chickens instead of trapping rabbits?"

"Rabbits don't lay eggs."

"They don't bite and scratch either." He held his arms out to show Channie the welts and peck marks peppering the back of his hands.

"Wanna bet?" She pulled back her sleeve to show him the faint but jagged scar that ran up the inside of her forearm.

"A rabbit did that?"

"I thought it was dead, but when I loosened the noose, it kicked the living daylights out of me. Got away too." Just thinking about it made her mad. Channie grabbed her basket and said, "Come on, I'll show you how to handle the hens."

Josh bowed his head and followed her outside. "I hate chickens."

Channie grabbed a handful of corn from the feed bin and scattered it. All but one of the hens abandoned their nests and flocked to the ground.

Josh rolled his eyes and said, "Why didn't you tell me to feed them first?"

"I'm sorry, it's just something I've done all my life, It never occurred to me that you wouldn't know." She lifted the broody hen off her nest, much to the chicken's dismay, and held her against her body while Josh grabbed her eggs.

When they finished, Josh set the basket on top of the feed bin, pulled Channie into his arms and kissed her. It was almost painful, the way he crushed his mouth against hers, desperate and needy. She shouldn't let him kiss her, it was cruel to let him think she'd changed her mind, but she was powerless in his arms. Josh filled her senses and crowded out everything else, pushing Hunter, the Veyjiviks and the Book of the Dead to the far recesses of her mind.

When they came up for air, Josh said, "I've been wanting to do that all morning."

"Why didn't you?" They'd been alone in the forest all morning, the fresh scent of pine tickling their noses. Channie couldn't think of a less romantic place to make out than the hen house.

"I didn't want to give you the wrong impression."

Channie lifted her eyebrows.

"You know?...that all I care about is the physical stuff?"

Channie brushed the curls off his brow with her fingertips and said, "I don't want to give you the wrong impression, either."

Josh's eyes filled with tears, but he smiled and pulled her close before they overflowed. He kissed the top of her head. "I'm not giving up on us. Not yet. After you're married, if you still want me to leave, I'll go."

How did he know? How could he possibly know what she'd been thinking? It shouldn't have surprised her. Josh always knew what was in her heart.

~***~

The next two days passed in a blur of misery. Channie and Josh tried to pretend that they were coping, for each other's sake, but it was clear to both of them that they weren't.

When Channie woke up on December 2, Josh was gone. She didn't even bother to get dressed. She ran to the front porch and collapsed against the rail with relief when she saw that his car was still there. Still parked at the bottom of the hill. She was afraid he'd left without saying good bye. The bike rack on the roof was empty. That made sense. If Josh had any chance of finding comfort today, it would be on his bicycle.

But there was no comfort for Channie, and there never would be again. Her stomach clenched around the cold stone of dread in her belly. She wrapped her arms across her chest and rocked forward in pain. This was not how she'd imagined her wedding day.

She grabbed a couple of logs off the pile stacked against the south side of the cabin and stoked the fire in the potbellied stove. She drug a chair away from the kitchen table and huddled in the corner next to the stove. Within minutes, her skin glowed red but she still felt cold inside. Shadows crept across the splintered floorboards as the sun moved across the sky, reaching for the western hills, dragging her heart with it as it fell behind the ridge.

It was nearly dark when Hunter knocked on the door then opened it without waiting for an invitation. "Hey, Channie."

"Hey."

"Where is everyone?"

"I don't know. They were gone when I woke up this morning." She barely recognized her own voice. Monotone, overly polite, empty.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Hunter set a bouquet of Sandwort, Lady's Slipper and Larkspur on the table then lit the lantern hanging from the support beam.

Channie suppressed the urge to chastise him for magically forcing the wildflowers to bloom out of season, causing irreparable damage to the plants.

He slipped out of his overcoat and hung it on a nail next to the front door. "Um...the moon will rise soon. Shouldn't you get ready?"

Channie followed his gaze from her tangled hair to her dirty hands as she absently picked at a hole in her flannel nightgown.

Hunter was wearing a threadbare suit coat that fell from his shoulders and covered all but his fingertips. The waist band of his dress trousers was pleated and cinched around his waist with a belt. His pant's cuffs pooled over the tops his hiking boots—the only part of his getup that fit. He'd gone to a lot of trouble, borrowing a suit and gathering flowers.

She still didn't want to marry him...much less sleep with him, but he was trying to make the best of the situation. The least she could do was change into a dress and brush her hair.

She nodded towards the kitchen and said, "Have a seat, I'll go change."

Channie found the dress Momma had made for her social debut hanging in the back of her chifferobe. Her debut would have been at the gathering during winter's solstice which, ironically, just so happened to be Josh's birthday. The irony of all ironies was that when Momma had taken Channie to Walmart to pick out the fabric, she'd chosen the emerald green velvet because Hunter had once commented on the unusual color of her eyes and she'd wanted to impress him.

Channie went into Momma and Daddy's room and pulled the dress on, but couldn't reach all the buttons in the back. She cracked the bedroom door open and said, "Hunter? Could you...?" She turned around and lifted her hair.

"My pleasure." Hunter's hands shook as he buttoned her dress.

Channie took shallow breaths through her mouth and silently counted each button as he fastened it. Four, three, two, one, done! She stepped away from him and shut the door.

How was she going to endure her wedding night if she could barely stand his touch on her back?

He knocked on the door. "Channie? Are you okay?"

"Could you get me a drink of water? I'll be right out."

"Sure." Hunter sighed so loudly, she heard it through the closed door. "Take as much time as you need."

Five minutes later, Channie opened the door.

The front room was unnaturally bright. At first she thought Hunter had lit another lantern. But kerosene lanterns didn't pulse and buzz. Channie's heart plunged to her feet, smacked the floor then bounced back into her throat. Hunter was holding the Book of the Dead...and the damned thing was glowing.

"Hunter! What are you doing? Put that down!"

"Is this it? Is this the book that's causing all the ruckus?"

"Put it down. Now."

"Okay, okay." He laid it on the table, but kept one hand on the cover. "I was just curious."

"And incredibly stupid."

"I didn't know what it was at first, but when it started glowing..." he nodded towards the book, "I thought I'd better check it out. I've never seen anything like it."

Channie wanted to smack him, but she settled for cussing him out, which had the same effect. He stepped away from the table and the book and gawked at her. He'd only known her as sweet, submissive, Enchantment. Chastity's magic was gone, not its vocabulary. The poor boy had no idea who he was really marrying.

By now, the interior of the cabin was as bright as the noon-day sun. A tendril of smoke rose from the book as sparks carved a new name into the cover...Joshua Veyjivik.

~***~

Hunter said, "Holy mother of god. Your boyfriend is a Cumberland Mountain Mage? A freaking Veyjivik?" He backed away from Channie, reciting his own impressive vocabulary of cuss words, until he bumped against the back wall. Even then, it looked like he was trying to force his body through the mud chinks between the thick round logs. His voice rose until he was yelling loud enough to wake the dead. "What the hell? Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Josh isn't a mage. He's an Empty. His last name is Abrim, not Veyjivik." Channie's breath caught in her throat. Her hands tingled then went numb. Her fingers curled into fists against her will. Mr. Abrim had adopted Josh when he was a baby. Joshua Vincent Abrim...

She didn't know any mages named Vincent, but...there was one named Vengeance. Dominance's oldest son, Vengeance Veyjivik, the crown prince. He refused to participate in the coup that deposed Dominance's father so she could take his place. According to all the stories, Vengeance died along with the rest of the royal family. But he must have escaped the palace fire and hid amongst the magically disabled, at least long enough to father Josh.

The front door slammed open. Josh burst into the cabin and said, "What happened? I saw the glow in the window."

Hunter pointed at the table.

Josh crossed the room in three strides, took one look at the book and said, "How'd that damn book know my name?" He rolled his eyes then ran a hand through his hair, leaving behind a wake of rooster tails. "Not that it changes anything."

Tears filled Channie's eyes as her world splintered into a thousand pieces, then rearranged itself into a glorious, new reality. "It changes everything." She cupped his cheeks in her palms and gazed into his sapphire eyes. "You, Joshua Veyjivik, are my royal mage."

~***~

Hunter said, "Um...I hate to interrupt, but that book is on fire."

Channie pulled her mouth from Josh's with an audible smack that made them both laugh. Until they smelled the smoke. This time it was all lemon and sandalwood. Not a trace of lavender or sage.

She reached for the book, but Josh grabbed her wrist and said, "Don't you dare go all Harry Potter on me." He pointed at Hunter and said, "Go find Channie's Aunt."

Hunter said, "Yes sir," and ran outside, slamming the door behind him.

Josh did a double take then cocked his head and quirked the side of his mouth into the crooked smile Channie loved so much. "Did he just call me... 'sir?'"

Channie giggled, then slapped her hand over her mouth. Josh was still Josh, but he was also a Cumberland Mountain Mage. A freaking Veyjivik, as Hunter had so eloquently put it. But that wouldn't protect him from Dominance. In fact, if she learned there was a legal heir to the throne, she'd forget all about Channie's family and focus all her resources on finding and killing Josh.

Josh reached for the book.

"No!" Channie grabbed his arm and dug her fingers into his bicep. Things were complicated enough without adding another curse to their lives.

Josh turned around and hugged her, resting his chin on her head as he rocked her back and forth. "It's okay, babe. I have a feeling."

"Of course you do." Channie didn't want Josh to touch the book much less open it, but it was his name on the cover, his scent in the air, his magic guiding him. She knew instinctively that everything they'd gone through had intentionally led them to this moment. She stepped to the side but kept a hand on Josh's shoulder as he opened the book.

Just like before, sparks danced across the page and revealed a new set of instructions in poetic form...

Son of Vengeance seeking light,

Grasp the hilt and join the fight.

Claim your place among your kin

And lay to rest your father's sin.

For you were born to rule and reign,

To save us all from ruin and pain.

You have one year to learn and grow,

To gain the skills you need to know.

For the total eclipse on solstice night

Ordains the heir that wins the fight.

Nothing is promised, nothing is given,

Never give up, 'till all is forgiven.

Follow your heart and save her life,

Take the enemy's daughter and make her your wife.

Josh snapped a photo of the words with his phone then said, "You are my enemy's daughter, right?"

"Your clan swore a blood oath to kill my whole family."

"And I have to marry you...or you'll die?"

Channie folded her arms across her chest. "If that's your idea of a marriage proposal, Joshua Vincent Abrim, you can just kiss my lily white—"

Josh kissed her all right, full on the mouth and with so much passion it took her breath away. Her heart stopped then made up for lost time, pinging against her breastbone, ribs and spine like a ricochetting bullet.

Josh dropped to his knees, both of them, not just one, and said, "Will you?" His pupils dilated as he gazed at her. "Channie Belks, will you marry me?"

Still dizzy from his kiss and completely mesmerized by his eyes, Channie just nodded.

Josh shook his head and smiled. "If that's your idea of an answer—"

"Yes, Joshua Abrim, I'll marry you," Channie sank to the floor then crushed her lips against his.

Aunt Wisdom cleared her throat and said, "Save it for the honeymoon. We have a wedding to plan."

"Aunt Wisdom!"

Josh said, "We didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously." Aunt Wisdom froze, then held up a finger and said, "Hang on a second." She turned around and marched onto the porch. "Hunter Feenie, get in here this instant."

She drug him into the cabin then shut the door. Hunter stumbled forward, tripping on the cuff of his trousers.

Aunt Wisdom said, "You need to take a death pledge before you slink off like a weasel."

Hunter's entire body seemed to shrink in on itself. "I ain't gonna tell nobody."

Aunt Wisdom grabbed his left wrist with her left hand and said, "Then you have nothing to fear from pledging your silence."

Hunter's face paled when Aunt Wisdom pressed her right palm over his heart and said, "Hunter Feenie, do you pledge to keep secret all you've learned this day concerning Joshua Veyjivik, Channie Kerns and anything else that might endanger them or benefit their enemies, upon pain of death?"

Hunter groaned and squirmed, but he could not escape Aunt Wisdom's magically enhanced grip. He bowed his head in surrender, placed his right hand over her heart and said, "All right, all right already. I, Hunter Feenie, pledge upon pain of death that I will not intentionally reveal any secrets that might endanger Channie Kerns and Joshua Veyjivik or benefit their enemies."

Aunt Wisdom narrowed her eyes. "Try it again, this time without any contingencies."

Hunter tried once again to wriggle free. He tried to pry Aunt Wisdom's hand off his wrist with his fingers like an angry toddler, but her magic was too strong for him. "I shouldn't have to die just because I accidentally let something slip."

"If the consequences are fatal, you'll be a lot less likely to let something slip."

Hunter trembled like a rabbit caught in a snare. "Wait! Just put a remember-not spell on me." Channie actually felt sorry for him. He knew as well as she did that remember-not spells weren't reliable. There was no way that was going to satisfy Aunt Wisdom.

Sure enough, she pressed her lips together and shook her head slowly, left, right, left.

Hunter said, "You can't force me to say it."

Aunt Wisdom said, "No, I can't...maybe I should just kill you now."

Hunter gulped a couple of noisy breaths, dropped his chin to his chest and put his right hand over Aunt Wisdom's heart. She repeated the words of the binding spell.

This time, Hunter recited them back exactly.

Aunt Wisdom released him and said, "That wasn't so hard, now, was it."

Hunter rubbed his wrist and flexed his fingers. "Can I go now?"

"Of course you may, but feel free to join us for dinner."

Hunter looked at the floor and said, "No thank you, ma'am," then muttered under his breath as he passed Channie on his way to the door, "She'd probably spike mine with hemlock." He paused with his hand on the doorknob then turned towards her and said, "It was good to see you again, Channie. I'm glad things are working out the way you want. Have a great life."

He swallowed twice and licked his lips then shifted his gaze to Josh's nose, stopping just short of actual eye-contact. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Veyjivik. If there's anything I can ever do to be of service, let me know."

Josh narrowed his eyes and said, "The only thing you can do for me is stay the hell away from Channie."

"Got it." Hunter nodded then nearly jerked the door off its hinges in his haste to escape.

Aunt Wisdom turned towards Josh. "Now, let me see your phone. You did get a picture of this spell, right?"

Josh handed her his phone then pulled out a kitchen chair and settled Channie on his lap.

Aunt Wisdom sat across from them and squinted her eyes as she studied the screen. "You have one year to learn and grow, to gain the skills you need to know."

Channie pressed her cheek against Josh's chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. It seemed to say, be mine, be mine, be mine. She could scarcely take it in. Josh was a mage...her mage, the one she had to marry to save both their lives. She was selfish enough to be glad of it, but she was more frightened than ever. Instead of going home to a mundane life of safety, Josh was going to fight in a mage war. He would be right in the middle of it.

Aunt Wisdom leaned across the table and took Channie's hand in hers. "That's not much time to prepare, but since the final battle will be fought during the total eclipse of the moon on winter solstice. Who knows what sort of magic will come? The last time the heavens aligned in such a way was December 21, 1638, over three hundred years ago."

Josh said, "Hey, that's my birthday."

Aunt Wisdom squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and blinked three times. "What?"

Josh chuckled and said, "I wasn't born in 1638, obviously, but I was born on December 21." Aunt Wisdom's grip tightened around Channie's hand. She continued to stare at Josh, wide-eyed with amazement, bordering on reverence.

Josh squirmed and said, "Um...1991?" as if he were questioning the year of his birth.

Aunt Wisdom took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You were born...on December 21...1991...during a partial eclipse of the moon?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "Here we go again, more moon lectures."

Aunt Wisdom let go of Channie's hand and cuffed Josh's ear. So much for reverence.

Josh rubbed the side of his head and scowled at Aunt Wisdom. "Sorry. I forgot how touchy you guys are about the moon."

Aunt Wisdom leaned towards Channie. For a moment she thought she was going to smack her too. Josh must have thought so as well. He twisted sideways, shielding Channie with his body. Aunt Wisdom leaned back and said, "Why didn't you tell me he was born during winter solstice, 1991?"

Channie peeked over Josh's shoulder and used one of his favorite excuses. "You didn't ask."

Aunt Wisdom groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "You kids will be the death of me." She squared her shoulders, shaking them a little as if it would rid her of Channie and Josh's annoying ineptitude. She picked Josh's phone up and frowned. "Nothing is promised, nothing is given...There's no guarantee Josh will even survive the battle, much less ascend to the throne. It merely states that the eclipsed moon will ordain the heir that wins the fight."

Despair's chill fingers slid down Channie's spine once again.

Josh kissed the top of her head then said, "Follow your heart and save her life, take the enemy's daughter and make her your wife...The moon's up. Let's do this."

Aunt Wisdom chuckled and said, "First things first, Romeo. Without a power name, you aren't really a mage...Wait a minute, when you asked Channie to marry you...did you call her Channie...Belks?"

Channie nodded and said, "Daddy changed our surname to Belks when we went into hiding."

"Oh good lord. Was that before or after he named you Chastity?"

"Before."

Aunt Wisdom muttered a string of epithets about Daddy's sub-normal intelligence and general lack of decency.

They bounced different ideas for power names back and forth until Josh's stomach growled like a wild beast. Aunt Wisdom chuckled then got up from the table and pulled a sack of cornmeal out of the pantry. She talked as she worked, measuring the ingredients for cornbread into a ceramic bowl...a handful of meal, a pinch of salt.

Channie wanted a name that would protect Josh's compassionate nature from his Veyjivik blood. She knew too well how a power name could adversely affect a person. "How about Honor?"

Josh scrunched his nose. "That's a girl's name. Besides, how's that going to help me protect you? I want something like Invincible Guardian."

"You only get one word and Guardian won't protect you—in fact it will put a target on your back—and Invincible is just an adjective. You need a noun, they're stronger and more stable."

Aunt Wisdom held the bowl in her arms and leaned against the counter as she stirred the batter. "I tried to talk Channie's parents out of naming her sister Abundance, but they didn't listen. We all know how well that turned out. Might as well just call her Bunny instead of Abby. She breeds like a rabbit."

Channie loved Aunt Wisdom, but her disparaging remarks about Daddy, and now Abby, were pissing her off.

Josh wove his fingers through Channie's. It was amazing how just the touch of his hand on hers soothed her. He said, "How about Invincibility? That's a noun. And my middle name is Vincent, so it sort of makes sense."

Aunt Wisdom poured the cornbread batter into the pan and slid it into the oven. "No one's invincible or immortal or perfect so cross those and their noun derivatives off your list. Any of those names would just give you a dangerous dose of false confidence. Besides, there's more at stake here than just the two of you. If either of our clans are going to survive, you'll have to tear the reins of power out of Dominance's clutches and broker a peace treaty between the Ozark and Cumberland Mages." She wiped her hands on her apron, reminding Channie of Momma, until she looked at Josh and smiled at him with respect—something Momma would never do. "You need a name that will give you every advantage. You need to be equal parts warrior, ambassador, and king."

Aunt Wisdom hung her apron on a nail by the kitchen sink then sat down at the table.

Josh said, "There was this comic strip my dad used to read to me when I was a kid."

Channie pressed her cheek against the base of his throat and felt his skin grow warmer. She smiled. He was blushing.

"Um...so, the main character's name was Prince Valiant. Not that I want to be named Prince or Valiant, but he was definitely a hero type."

Channie kissed his cheek and said, "How about Valor? Great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle. But it also suggests a high level of honor."

Aunt Wisdom leaned across the table and squeezed Channie's arm. "That's perfect."

Josh chewed on his lower lip for a few seconds. "Okay. As long as no one calls me Val."

Aunt Wisdom said, "We need to keep your identity a secret for as long as possible...so for now, let's stick with Josh."

Channie brushed Josh's ear with her lips and whispered, "Now...and forever."

~***~

Aunt Wisdom explained the naming ceremony to Josh and said, "Normally your parents would do this for you, but since your circumstances are so...unusual, I see no reason why I can't name you. Especially since your mother isn't a mage and we have no idea whether your father is still living." She frowned and puckered her lips then said, "Speaking of parents, do yours know where you are?"

"Not exactly. I talked to my Dad a couple of days ago and told him I'd keep him posted, but I haven't been able to get a signal out here."

"Are they going to send law enforcement to look for you?"

"I'll be eighteen in a few weeks and I told him what I was doing, so I'm not exactly a runaway kid. The cops aren't going to waste time looking for me. What about Channie?"

Channie rolled her eyes. "They won't even miss me."

Aunt Wisdom said, "I doubt that, but they know better than to come back here with the Veyjiviks looking for them. And they don't trust the police."

She put a folded quilt on the floor and motioned for Josh to kneel in front of her. "Are you ready to become a mage?"

He took a deep breath then smiled at Channie and nodded.

Aunt Wisdom placed her hands on his head.

I now bestow the name of Valor

Let it guide you hour by hour.

For on this day, you come of age.

You knelt a boy, now rise a mage.

Aunt Wisdom slid her hands from Josh's head to his shoulders then kissed his cheek. "How do you feel?"

His eyes widened as he began to tremble—a whole body quake that rumbled the floor.

Aunt Wisdom grabbed Channie's arm, flung the front door open and shoved her outside. "Run!"

Aunt Wisdom was not easily frightened or given to dramatics so when she said run, Channie should have run. But she was worried about Josh and hesitated. A blast of energy knocked her off her feet. She flew backwards off the porch, smacking the side of her head against the handrail.

She woke up in Momma and Daddy's bed with a cool, damp rag on her forehead that smelled faintly of willow bark—and a throbbing skull. The room spun when she tried to sit up. Strong hands pushed her back against the mattress, but they were not the hands she wanted.

"Where's Josh?"

Aunt Wisdom said, "Outside, pacing and draining excess magic."

"What happened?"

"I'd never given a power name to an adult before, but that's no excuse, I should have known better." Aunt Wisdom took the cool rag from Channie's forehead, dipped it in a basin of water and wrung it out before she replaced it. The scent of willow bark was much stronger now. "When his power-well was opened for the first time, all that pent up energy had to go somewhere."

"Is he all right? Can I see him?"

"He's fine. Or at least he will be when I tell him you're conscious and asking for him. You have a nasty concussion, I stopped your brain from swelling, but it's going to take time for the headache to go away."

"How much time?" Channie tried to sit up again, but gave up when a wave of nausea twisted her stomach. "I'm supposed to marry Josh before the moon sets."

"You need to do more than just marry him. This is one time you can't say, 'not tonight dear, I have a headache.'"

"Why not?" Channie pressed her palms against her temples but the added pressure only made her head hurt worse. She had no intention of postponing the honeymoon, but she wanted to know why Aunt Wisdom was so worried about it.

"The marriage isn't real until you consummate it."

Channie didn't like the word 'consummate.' It was too official, cold and practical—like signing a contract. She wanted to make love to Josh, not consummate him. And she didn't want to do it with what felt like a herd of wild beasts trying to claw their way out of her skull. "I know it's risky to mess with my brain, but just this once, couldn't you—"

"I've already done all I can safely do. There is a reason your head hurts. Listen to your body and let your pain protect you. I've already talked to Josh."

Channie groaned and not just from the pain of her headache. "What did you say to him?" Josh had a tendency to be overly cautious when it came to Channie's wellbeing.

Aunt Wisdom ignored her question and said, "It's about ten o'clock. I want to perform the binding spell when the moon reaches it apex at twelve-thirty. If I leave to go get Josh, will you promise to stay in bed?"

"I promise." Channie couldn't even sit up, much less get out of bed.

~***~

When Josh knocked on the door and poked his head into the room, Channie's heart soared, in spite of her headache. It fluttered against her ribs like a caged bird...a very happy, excited, about-to-be-married caged bird. Just the sight of him lessened her pain.

Josh grinned at her. "You look...amazing."

Aunt Wisdom had buffed and manicured Channie's nails into perfect ovals and brushed her hair until it fell around her shoulders in smooth, glossy waves.

"So do you." Josh was wearing a new pair of jeans and a dark blue sweater that enhanced the color of his eyes.

"That dress is beautiful."

It was the same dress she'd had on all evening, but it didn't surprise Channie that Josh hadn't noticed it until now.

"I wish I could stand up and twirl around so you could get the full effect, but Aunt Wisdom won't let me out of bed."

Josh grinned and said, "I like you in bed," then frowned. "Your aunt said you fell and hit your head when she shoved you outside. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Aunt Wisdom must have blamed herself for Channie's injuries so Josh wouldn't be burdened with guilt.

"Is it okay if I sit beside you?"

Channie scooted over and patted the mattress.

The springs creaked when Josh sat down.

Channie cringed. She didn't care if she were half dead, she was not going to spend her wedding night in Momma and Daddy's bed. She'd find a way to get into her own bed if it killed her.

Josh picked up her left hand and kissed her fingers, over her promise ring. "I'll get you an engagement ring and a wedding band as soon as we get home."

"I don't care about the rings, except I can't wait to put one on your finger, so everyone knows you're mine."

"I've been yours since the first night I saw you in Heritage Park."

Channie dropped her gaze to her hands. "Josh? Are you okay with this? Mages marry a lot younger than Empties so this isn't out of the ordinary for me, but I know you had other plans for your life."

He stroked her cheek with his fingers and gazed into her eyes. "You, Channie Belks, are my life."

Aunt Wisdom knocked on the door. "Are you two ready?"

Josh nodded.

Channie said, "Yes."

But instead of Aunt Wisdom joining them in Momma and Daddy's room, Josh picked Channie up and carried her outside.

The full moon floated in a cloudless sky. Its brilliant light painted everything in shades of blue and silver. To Channie's amazement, Momma's roses were in full bloom. So were the lilac bushes, the redbud trees and the flower garden. And in the middle of it all was Channie's bed—under a wedding bower.

Four sycamore branches supported a frame of evergreen boughs. Roses, lilacs and larkspur were woven into the greenery. The flowers' sweet perfume drifted above the clean scent of pine and warm fragrance of cedar, tickling Channie's nose.

"How...? What...?"

Aunt Wisdom and Josh both laughed. Aunt Wisdom said, "I told you Josh had a lot of pent up magical energy."

Channie turned in Josh's arms to study his face, which beamed brighter than the moon.

"It was like when you made that magical shield for me, only a hundred times more intense. I couldn't control it. I'm sorry about the oak tree." Channie twisted around to follow Josh's line of sight and gasped. The old tree looked like it had been struck by lightening. It was split clean in two. "At least the rest of the plants look good."

Channie didn't have the heart to tell him that they would die too. She regretted the damage to the plants, but she was impressed by the evidence of Josh's power. Even the air was warm.

Josh laid Channie across the bed under the wedding bower then gently propped her up with what had to be every pillow in the house. He crawled onto the bed next to her and grinned. "I wonder how many weddings take place in bed?"

Channie giggled even though it made her head throb. "I don't know. Maybe we'll start a new trend."

Aunt Wisdom said, "The moon's reached its apex. Let's get started."

The wedding bower's shadow formed a perfect border on the ground, leaving the entire bed, as well as Josh and Channie, unshaded and bathed in moonlight.

Aunt Wisdom stood at the foot of the bed and said, "Grasp each other's left wrists and place your right hands over the other's hearts."

Josh narrowed his eyes and said, "Is this a death pledge? Like what you did to that Hunter kid?"

Channie almost giggled, but she could see how Josh might think that. He had so much to learn. How could he possibly be ready in just one year's time?

Aunt Wisdom said, "No. But it is a binding spell. You will be bound to each other for the rest of your lives. So, if you're having doubts about marrying Channie, speak up."

Josh wrapped his fingers around Channie's wrist and placed his hand over her heart. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Channie put her hand over Josh's heart. Her own beat harder and faster.

Aunt Wisdom closed her eyes. Magic flowed in and around Channie but she could not hold it. She instinctively tried to channel the energy into her power-well, but it was sealed shut. She even tried to guide it to her heart-of-hearts, but couldn't find it. When she decided to just enjoy the feel of it instead of trying to capture it, Aunt Wisdom opened her eyes and cast the spell that would bind Channie and Josh forever...

Beneath the moon and wedding bower,

Join your hearts with ancient power.

Look upon each other's face

And bind yourselves with courage and grace.

Feel your love grow strong and whole.

Surrender body, mind and soul.

When time and distance keep you apart,

Let love protect your spell-bound hearts.

Seal your vows with true love's kiss,

And fill this night with songs of bliss.

For the breaking dawn will kill the moon,

And this magic moment end too soon.

Aunt Wisdom cleared her throat and said, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Joshua said, "Oh!" Then loosened his grip on Channie's wrist.

She squeezed his and said, "Don't let go!"

"Sorry. I've never been to a mage wedding before." He maintained the binding grip as he leaned over and kissed Channie tenderly on the lips.

"Um...That was nice, but we need to exchange vows."

"Oh! Is there something specific I'm supposed to say?"

"Do you want me to go first?"

Josh nodded.

"Joshua Abrim—"

"No!" Aunt Wisdom grabbed Channie's foot and said, "Use his mage name."

Channie nodded and began again. "Valor Veyjivik, I Enchant...um..." Panic swelled in Channie's chest making it hard to breathe. "What name should I use?" Enchantment and Chastity were both gone.

Aunt Wisdom's eyes glistened. "I don't mean to be cruel, sweetheart, but without magic, your name doesn't really matter. Valor's power is what binds you."

Channie's lip trembled, she fought it, but the quivering just spread to her chin.

"I'm so sorry, Channie. I'd give you my magic if I could."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine." She took a deep breath and managed to swallow her tears before they slid down her cheeks. The name Josh knew best was Channie Belks so that's the name she would use to seal herself to him. "I, Channie Belks, do promise to love, honor and..."

Josh was the last person on earth that would use magic to control someone, but the word 'obey' stuck in Channie's throat like a fishbone.

"I, Channie Belks, do promise to love, honor and cooperate with Valor Veyjivik from this day forward as long as we both shall live."

Josh seemed to be waiting for more, so Channie squeezed his wrist and raised her eyebrows.

"My turn?"

She nodded.

"I, Valor Veyjivik, do promise to love, honor and cooperate with Channie Belks from this day forward as long as we both shall live."

Josh's heart beat stronger and faster beneath Channie's palm. His hand tightened around her wrist as he gazed into her eyes with even more intensity. "I also promise to do all in my power to protect and provide for you and our children. I promise to put your needs above my own, to cherish you above all others, to be faithful, kind, and loving, to be the best husband I can be."

"Me too. I promise all of that, too." Channie's face and ears burned, but she wanted to be sure that Josh knew she loved him every bit as much as he loved her.

Aunt Wisdom smiled and said, "Congratulations."

Josh leaned towards Channie but instead of kissing her again, he whispered in her ear. "Are we married?"

She nodded her head and released his wrist. Josh slid his arm around Channie's waist, and kissed her with so much tender passion it took her breath away.

When they broke the kiss, Aunt Wisdom said, "I'm going to spend the night in Whistler's Gulch. I'll buy a few groceries tomorrow morning and take care of a few errands. I'll be back around moonrise tomorrow evening. You kids know what you need to do before the moon sets tonight, right?"

Josh said, "Um...I'm not prepared."

"What?" Channie blinked and shook her head. What did he mean he wasn't prepared? They were married. The curse was lifted...or least it would be as soon as they made love.

Josh grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "I...um...don't have a condom."

Aunt Wisdom said, "Even if you did, you couldn't use it tonight. Neither of you can do anything to prevent conception until after this marriage is consummated."

"What if I get Channie pregnant?" Josh pushed against the mattress and sat up straighter.

Channie said, "I cast so many moon-curses on myself, I'll be lucky if I can conceive within the next five years."

"Really?"

"You don't sound very disappointed."

"I want kids someday, but not until we can afford them and definitely not until this mage war is over."

The mention of war sent a chill down Channie's spine. Josh wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.

Aunt Wisdom said, "Don't worry about birth control tonight. I'll scan Channie when I get back and take care of any...complications."

The hell she would. If by some miracle Channie did conceive, she wasn't about to let Aunt Wisdom or anyone else harm Josh's baby.

~***~

Josh said, "So...no pressure, right?"

"Yeah. No pressure."

They were married now. There was no reason to feel guilty or embarrassed or shy, but Channie couldn't help it. She trembled as she thought about what they were supposed to do...what they were expected to do. What they had to do before this night was over.

Her head felt like it was going to explode.

She wasn't the least bit cold, the wedding bower alone held enough energy from Josh's magical release that it would keep them warm until morning, but she couldn't stop shaking.

Josh was trembling too. "What's wrong? Does your head still hurt?"

"Yeah." It hurt like hell, so that wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. "I'm...nervous."

Josh stroked her cheek. "Me too."

"You are?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, maybe because you're a guy and you've wanted to do this for a long time."

"True, but I also want to please you. And I'm afraid I might hurt you. You already have a headache and—"

Channie interrupted him with a kiss. When they came up for air she said, "Maybe we're over-thinking this."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe if we get under the covers and cuddle, things will...you know...progress."

"Okay." Josh grinned then got up and pulled down the covers on his side of the bed. He helped Channie scoot over and crawl under the sheets, then joined her. "How's this?"

Channie snuggled against his chest and said, "Nice. Very nice."

Josh kissed the top of her head, then her forehead, her nose and her chin. He kissed her mouth with increasing passion until her lips ached then sat up and pulled his sweater off over his head.

Channie's nervousness spiked for a moment until he slid back under the covers. Josh's trembling increased, but he didn't say or do anything. He just laid back and let Channie explore. She traced every inch of his face with her fingertips, outlining the angle of his jaw, the curve of his lips, the little bump on the bridge of his nose.

Channie's head throbbed, but pleasure overshadowed her pain, muting it. The more she focused on Josh, the less it hurt. She slid her hand lower and traced the valley's between the muscles of his washboard abs.

Josh grabbed her wrist and slid it back up to his chest. "Slow down, babe."

"Why?" Channie had thought he was enjoying this, but she must be doing something wrong.

"I don't want to finish before we start."

"What do you mean...oh."

"Yeah, 'oh' is right. As in oh my god you have no idea how good that feels."

"Why don't you show me?" Channie blushed. She couldn't believe she'd actually said that out loud.

Josh's breath hitched. Twice. He whispered, "Roll over," so quietly she barely heard him.

His fingers sparked a trail of pleasure down her spine as he unbuttoned her dress. But when he slid it off her shoulders and unhooked her bra, her nerves returned. Josh had built this up in his mind for so long, what if she didn't measure up to his fantasies?

"Channie?"

"Yeah?" Her voice squeaked like a mouse.

"It won't always be this awkward."

If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn he was reading her mind. "I know. I just don't want to disappoint you."

"Babe, you could never disappoint me."

Channie took a deep breath and slipped her arms out of her bra and dress then slid them both down to her waist. She rolled onto her side, facing Josh then palmed his cheek. "I just wish I knew how to do this."

"I'm very glad you don't." Josh chuckled, but it was a nervous laugh. "I'm so happy this is the first time for both of us. We have the rest of our lives to figure it out. Tonight is just the beginning."

Time stood still as the moon crept across the sky. Josh's hands felt like raining water on Channie's fevered skin, washing all her inhibitions away.

"Make love to me, Josh."

Abby had told her that the first time hurt like a son of a bitch. And there was a small moment of pain, but it was far from unbearable. Abby had also told her that sex got a lot better over time. Channie couldn't imagine how it could get any better than this.

Her entire body thrummed with pleasure, but she felt out of control. The memory of peering over the edge of the cliff at the bauxite quarry last summer rose unbidden in her mind. She had the same feeling of teetering on the brink, wanting to jump but afraid of falling.

Josh brushed her ear with his lips and breathed her name, "Channie."

Her stomach tightened and spread warmth outward all the way to her fingers and toes.

Josh moved his mouth to her throat and whispered, "It's okay, let go."

Channie fisted the sheets in her hands and arched her back. "Josh!"

His voice was deep and gravelly. "I've got you, Channie. Trust me."

She did trust him. She would always trust him. She let go...and fell. But this was so much better than cliff diving. She was falling and flying at the same time as wave after wave of pleasure rocked her body. She felt as if they would fly through the heavens together forever...and then it was over.

Josh called her name and shuddered, then collapsed on top of her. The weight of his body was a comfort, not a burden. If he weren't anchoring her to the bed, she would surely float away. Her headache was gone. She felt completely relaxed, as if every joint had come unhinged. Her skin was flushed and covered with a fine sheen of sweat.

"Wow. What was that?"

Josh chuckled and said, "I believe it's called an orgasm."

"Oh."

"Yeah, the big O. You've never had one before?"

"I've never been with a man before."

"You've never flown solo?"

"I sort of thought that was a guy thing."

Josh kissed the top of her head then the tip of her nose. "Actually, it's a human thing."

They cuddled and kissed for a few minutes, then Josh bit his lip and pulled it through his teeth. "You wanna do it again?"

She did. She most definitely did.

~***~

Channie's heart expanded, filling her chest with so much love she could barely breathe. Her connection to Josh was stronger than it had ever been. Magic hummed all around and through them as they gazed into each other's eyes.

They still had many challenges ahead of them—the mage war and training Josh to use magic was at the top of the list. Josh's clan still wanted to murder her family. Abby was somewhere in Mexico and Channie had no idea if she'd ever see her again. Josh's Olympic dreams were on hold if not destroyed. But when he held her naked body against his own, nothing else mattered.

They'd completed every task the Book of the Dead had demanded before the deadline. The full moon still bathed their faces with its luminous glow. Maybe, whatever ancient magic was at work had decided to reward them by restoring Channie's powers. She followed the path of Josh's love into her heart-of-hearts and searched for the slightest hint of Enchantment's magic. All she found was love—but it was enough.

Chapter Eleven

EXCERPT OF TAKEN: BOOK 2

If you enjoyed Enchantment, please take a moment to write a quick review. There's no better way to thank an author. It also helps other like-minded readers find the books you love.

Check out my new Kindle bestseller, River's Recruit. (Recommended for ages 18+ due to strong language and sexual situations.) When a beautiful, young shape-shifter discovers a lost backpacker in her territory, she has two choices: recruit him into her cult-like tribe...or kill him.

Here's an excerpt from Taken, the next book in The Channie Series, available on Amazon.

~***~

It was a little after midnight when Channie woke up. A thin coating of ice on the edge of the quilt crackled when she reached for Josh. Where was he? He wasn't where he was supposed to be—spooned against her back, keeping her warm. She found him on the other side of the bed, facing the wall, his knees drawn tightly against his chest.

Channie couldn't keep from shivering, but Josh was as still and cold as a block of ice. Her heart stopped until she slid her hand to his throat and found his pulse. She shook his shoulder and said, "Josh, wake up."

He moaned but refused to move. She shook him again, harder this time, but couldn't rouse him.

She got out of bed and fumbled around in the dark until she found the kerosene lantern and box of matches under the bed. Her hands trembled as she struck match after match with stiff fingers. When the lantern finally sputtered to life, she lifted it to Josh's face.

His eyebrows and feather-duster lashes looked like they'd been sprinkled with powdered sugar. She set the lantern on the floor and patted Josh's cheeks as she fought the panic clawing at her heart. The north wind whistled through the cracked boards of the shack and swirled little piles of snow into the corners. She abandoned all pretense of gentleness and slapped him. "Come on Josh. Wake up."

He blinked his eyes open and licked his lips. "Channie? What's wrong?"

"We're freezing to death. You need to cast another warmth spell."

Channie and Josh were holed up in "The Shack" out by the abandoned bauxite quarry, hiding from the Veyjivik trackers. The rickety old shed was not meant for year-round habitation. The roof leaked. The windows were boarded up and there was a twelve inch hole in the floor by the door. There was no electricity, no running water and no fireplace or wood-burning stove. But it was isolated and well hidden. And that's all that mattered. Avoiding the Veyjivik Trackers trumped everything else.

Josh swore then said, "God, I hate this dump."

Channie didn't like it either but whining about it wasn't going to change anything. "If you can just cast one more spell that'll last 'till dawn, we can build a fire in the pit outside tomorrow—"

Josh struggled to sit up and said, "I'm sorry, babe. I don't have enough energy for a warmth spell. I'll go start the fire."

There was a reason mages heated their homes with wood. The energy required to fuel a heat spell was greater than the warmth produced. It was not an efficient use of magic. But the feather bed and pile of quilts Aunt Wisdom had given them in addition to their combined body heat and the occasional warmth spell had been enough—until two nights ago when the weather turned bitterly cold. Every time Channie complained, Josh had cast another warmth spell. He'd obviously pushed himself too far.

She said, "You can't go outside. You're too weak."

Josh collapsed against the mattress and closed his eyes. "Then come back to bed. We'll figure something out tomorrow."

Channie was shivering uncontrollably now. It would be so easy to just crawl under the covers and fall asleep. But if she did, they'd both be dead by morning.

Aunt Wisdom had given Channie, Josh and Hunter disposable phones to use in an emergency. This was definitely an emergency but the shack was miles away from a cell phone tower. She'd have to drive half way to Whistler's Gulch, in a blizzard, down miles of switchbacks, to get a signal and she didn't know how much longer Josh would last without heat. Fire first, then go for help.

She tucked the edges of the quilt around Josh and slid a knit cap onto his head then got dressed. She leaned over him and kissed his lips then clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. "I'm going to build a fire in the pit. I'll be right back."

He didn't respond.

The fire pit behind the shack that served as their kitchen was out in the open, unprotected from the wind and driving snow.

Channie tried for half an hour to light a fire, but without dry wood, magic or shelter from the blizzard she knew it was futile.

Wait a minute.... What was wrong with her? Josh's car had a heater.

She stumbled back to the shack, grabbed the keys off the nail inside the door and started the car. While the engine was warming up, Channie went back inside and wrestled Josh into his clothes and parka. She half carried, half drug him to the car and stuffed him into the passenger seat.

She gave the vehicle another five minutes to warm up then turned the heater on full blast. Josh groaned and slumped further down in the seat. He wasn't responding to the warm air. She needed to take him to the emergency clinic in Whistler's Gulch.

It would be risky. No one knew where the Veyjivik trackers were staying, but if Josh got within ten miles of them, they'd know it. And since everyone but Hunter was gone, they'd be suspicious about a strange, new mage in the area.

Trackers were worse than bloodhounds.

Channie rubbed Josh's hands and patted his cheeks, but he didn't respond. He needed help and he needed it right now. They'd just have to take their chances with the trackers.

She was grateful that Josh spent the first week of their honeymoon teaching her how to drive. She was also grateful that his four-wheel drive, cherry-red Rav4 had an automatic transmission. It would be hard enough negotiating the old logging trail in the dead of night during a blizzard. She didn't need the added complication of a stick shift and clutch.

Channie turned on the headlights, put the car in gear and glanced at the gas gauge. It was riding on empty. At least Whistler's Gulch was downhill all the way. She'd figure out how to get back after she got Josh to the clinic. One problem at a time.

Drifting snow had turned the pothole-riddled logging trail into a deceptively smooth, white road. It was a deadly illusion. Every time the tires slipped into a rut or bounced into a hole, Channie fought the urge to close her eyes and jerk the steering wheel in the opposite direction.

She leaned forward and squinted into the storm with white-knuckled intensity, but couldn't see more than a few feet beyond the hood of the car. She fumbled her left hand along the steering column until she located the lever that controlled the headlights and switched to the high-beam setting. The falling snow seemed to change trajectories. Each pellet-shaped flake shot towards her on its own parabolic path, making her dizzy.

By the time she switched the headlights back to low-beam, the windshield had fogged up. Channie flicked her gaze to the climate controls for a split second. It wasn't enough time to find the defrost setting, but it was plenty long enough for a hairpin turn to catch her completely off guard.

She slammed on the brakes and flung her right arm to the side, an instinctive and useless reflex, to protect Josh. The back end of the car fishtailed, hit a pine tree and rebounded back onto the road. They skidded and slid sideways for what felt like forever before the car finally stopped. Channie's heart hammered against her chest as she visually checked Josh for injuries.

He rolled his head to the side and peered at Channie. "Where are we going?" His voice was weak and raspy.

"I'm taking you to the clinic in Whistler's Gulch."

"Why?"

"You've got hypothermia."

"We can't go into town. The trackers—"

"You were practically in a coma."

"I'm fine. Turn around and go back."

"You're too weak to cast any more warmth spells. If we don't find shelter from the storm, we'll both die. And you need medical attention."

"Isn't your aunt a healer?"

Channie stopped the car and checked her phone. Nothing. She drove another two miles before a single bar replaced the "no signal" icon.

Aunt Wisdom answered on the first ring. "What's wrong?"

"We're freezing to death—"

"Don't say anything else. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"We're not at the—"

"Are you in town?"

"No, we're about—"

"Don't tell me where you are! Throw your phone away and go back to...where you started. I'll meet you there." Aunt Wisdom ended the call without giving Channie a chance to tell her they were low on fuel. She called back, but Aunt Wisdom didn't pick up.

They'd gone over this scenario too many times for Channie to have any hope that Aunt Wisdom hadn't already destroyed her phone. There was no point trying to call her from Josh's phone, but Channie tried anyway. Without success.

She opened her door and tossed her phone outside then drove another mile down the mountain before she found a switchback to turn around. They ran out of gas about a quarter mile from the shack.

"Josh, I need you to send a distress signal."

"I don't know how."

Channie leaned across the console and put her frozen hand on his cheek. "Josh? Listen to me. A distress spell is instinctive, it's usually the first spell a child casts. You can do it. I know you can. Just focus."

"I'm so tired, I can't even find my power-well right now."

If they were going to survive long enough for Aunt Wisdom to come looking for them, they needed to do something to generate some heat. "Then make love to me."

Josh opened his eyes halfway and curved the left side of his mouth into a crooked grin. "I'm glad you find me irresistible, but I'm too tired." He closed his eyes again and said, "First thing tomorrow morning. Kay?"

"If we don't get help soon. We aren't going to live until morning. You'll never have sex again."

He blinked his eyes open and said, "What?"

"We are going to die within the hour. You will never ride your bike again, you will never see your parents or your brother again, and you will never have sex again. Got it?"

Josh reached for Channie's hand, squinted his eyes and trembled as he used the last of his energy.

The spell was weak, but if anyone was in the area, they'd feel it. Hopefully it wouldn't be a tracker.

Channie shook Josh's shoulder, but he was unconscious again. He'd obviously given everything he had to fuel the distress spell. She knew better than to leave the car—but if she had any hope of saving him, she had to find help.

She kissed Josh's cold, stiff lips, whispered, "I love you," into his ear, then headed for the shack.

She focused on putting one foot in front of the other and hoped her sense of direction wouldn't fail her in the blizzard.

It did.

At first, Channie thought she was dreaming. Hunter Feenie was leaning over her, shaking her shoulders, patting her cheeks. She brushed his hands away and groaned.

"Wake up. We need to get you back to the shack."

"Josh?" She reached for him, but all she found was empty air.

"He's already gone."

To keep reading, download Taken.

~***~

In Praise of

ENCHANTMENT

"This book will make you believe in magic."—J. Timothy King author of From the Ashes of Courage

"This unique addition to the paranormal romance genre deals with teenage sexuality in a nuanced yet discreet way ... recommended for fans of the Twilight series, Harry Potter, or paranormal romance in general."— Jared Oliver Adams author of Whiteface and One Good Thing

"This book took me to places I've never been... Once I was

drawn in, I was unable to put it down until the end."— Shannon Dermott author of Beg for Mercy

"Magic, treachery, humor and thrills ... flat out fun to read. Five Stars!"—Ben Langhinrchs author of My Cozy Chair (review blog)

"The writing is superb, really polished plot and characters...a whole new world to get lost in."—Jason Matthews author of The Little Universe and Jim's Life

"Every girl wants their prince charming to be just like Josh. It made me cry and laugh and gasp ... a make your heart warm and tingle kind of love story!"

"If you crave excitement and danger with your romance and can't get enough of Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, or Cassandra Clare make room on your Kindle for Enchantment!"

~***~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charlotte Abel was born and raised in Oklahoma. She spent many happy summers visiting relatives in Arkansas. She now lives in Colorado with her husband, Pete and loves hiking, biking, snowshoeing and skiing in the Rocky Mountains, but will always have a special fondness for the Ozarks.

Visit her at TheChannieSeries.com or CharlotteAbel.com

Twitter @charlotte_abel

If you enjoyed Enchantment I hope you'll recommend it to your friends and take a moment to help maximize its exposure on Amazon.com and write a quick review.

~***~

So many people contributed to this process, I hesitate to thank anyone, lest I forget someone. With that disclaimer...I must thank: Carol Burkett for meeting with me every Monday afternoon to discuss her edits and argue over the Harlequin moments in each scene; Kris Kendall for beta-reading three different drafts (one of them about twice as long as this one); Daniel Noyes for his male perspective and help with Josh and Eli's characters; The Finch family for sharing their knowledge of BMX racing. (My misrepresentation of the sport and its fictional participants was necessary to serve the needs of the plot. It's actually a very wholesome and family-friendly sport.)

I want to thank Aaron and Becky Abel, for letting me take over the office in their oceanside home while I finished the final draft; my writing buddies from boot camp for their honest opinions and insightful suggestions; Orson Scott Card for encouraging me to turn the short story I wrote during his workshop into this novel.

I also want to thank my friends and family for their patience and support this past year. And for not whining (too much) when I neglected them for weeks at a time. Love you guys!

Last but not least, I want to thank Randi, Jen, Nadia, Katie, Tessa and all the "Life Sucks" readers, beta-readers and editors that believed in me. It was your 2,000+ reviews and awards for "Best Plot" and "Best Author" that first convinced me I was a "real" writer.

~***~

Beg for Mercy Excerpt

Read a bonus excerpt from Beg for Mercy by Shannon Dermott – available now!

This had not been a good idea. I'd known from the beginning nothing good would come from it. But my best friend, Maggie, had begged and begged. Her Irish green eyes had been intent on mine with a facial expression that wouldn't take no for an answer. Even though my instincts had warned me against it, against coming to this stupid party and possibly risking the very lives of anyone around me, I hadn't. Wasn't this what best friends were for? Maybe not.

But, here I sat in a small disorganized circle, loud music pounding against the walls in muted thumps, secluded amongst the 'elite students' of my school. I had ignored the very reasons why I shouldn't be in this room. This is where I'd made my second mistake of the night.

It was here where I posed the most danger to those around me. My eyes bounced around to the beat of the music watching everyone laugh and have a good time. Everyone wanted to be here except me. There was a sudden burst of laughter so boisterous I had to assume there had been a joke I'd missed while caught up in my own self repugnance.

My eyes roved around the room glossing over a huge wooden desk, an oversized brown leather sofa and a bookcase the length of the whole wall. This supposed library was just as big if not bigger than the size of any two rooms in my house. We all sat in the middle on an intricate plush rug with me as the odd person in a chain of paired couples. Desperately, I needed a way out of this mess before it got out of hand.

I first caught a glance at Maggie with her flaming red hair. Her eyes twinkled with delight in my direction. I tried to give her the silent look that would let her know that I wanted to leave as soon as possible. But she averted my gaze, her eyes in favor of the guy at her left, letting me know she wasn't quite ready to leave. And who would blame her? She was sitting next to Brent Mitchell. I had heard his name come from her lips ever since the first day of our freshman year at Everett High. He'd been the one that she'd always pined over even while she dated other guys. So now he had finally asked her out. And for that one reason alone I'd tagged along to this party.

Following her gaze, my eyes then roamed over to Brent. In doing so I was reminded why she was so into him, with his dark tousled hair and brooding good looks. He wasn't handsome in the traditional sense but rather a raw attractiveness that fit with his hulking body frame. And not only was he good looking but he was a star football player for our school's team. He was a force to be reckoned with on and off the field. I was truly happy that Brent had finally noticed her.

I met his brown eyes and caught him smiling at me with faint amusement. Startled that he'd been looking at me watch him, I adverted my eyes in favor of the guy next to him.

That guy, the man of the hour, was Jay Brisentine. He was tall, blonde, beautiful and the host of this senior party. Normally, I wouldn't call a guy beautiful but there just wasn't a better way to describe him. He too played on our illustrious football team but he was better known as the leader of the Lacrosse team.

His long time girlfriend, Kathy Peterson, was curled next to him with her dark hair, stormy eyes, and equally good genes. I couldn't help but wonder what their kids would look like because if any couple would survive high school and get married it would be them. Their history together started way back in middle school.

Continuing my venture around the group, my eyes led me to Amanda Edmond. She was Kathy's best friend and head cheerleader. Her fit of giggles had cooled as she tossed her bombshell blonde hair over her shoulder, her eyes settling on mine. Her pouty mouth turned into a frown. I was puzzled by her look of disapproval because she hadn't protested against my being here in the first place.

Quickly, I looked away from her to give Flynn McCallister, leading bad boy, and Amanda's boyfriend, a glance. He was the only other junior besides Maggie and me in the room. I could have known without looking that his sandy brown hair was swept up in a modern faux Mohawk, which had that slightly messy touch to it that hot guys alone could only perfect. And that his eyes were cold and blue, set on a face that was more than amazing.

Maggie made a noise to get my attention. My head snapped back to her. I didn't quite get the message that I saw on her face. She gestured with her head at an odd angle. I gave her a quizzical look, mouthing What until I followed her eyes down to the center of our circle. What I saw chilled me to my very core. I really shouldn't have come here tonight.

A hand on my arm jolted me. I turned to meet Flynn's gaze. I hated how looking at him always seemed to melt my heart and render me speechless. It was the same effect he had on most girls including me, unfortunately. He was too gorgeous for words and worst yet he knew it. And being a junior and football team captain didn't help his inflated ego either. It had only given him the respect of the seniors above him as well as the rest of the school. His abilities to throw the ball and lead the team to state the past two years had sealed his position as the most popular boy in school. He walked down the halls of school like he owned them and to tell the truth he did. I hated him because of it. Girls were aware of his reputation of breaking hearts yet they continued to throw theirs at him time and time again. But I wasn't going to fall for his shenanigans. Nope, not me.

"Flynn, she has a choice you know," a voice said from somewhere beside me. I turned my head to see it was Luke I-couldn't-remember-his-last-name. He too, I realized was crush worthy but paled in Flynn's shadow. It was hard to imagine that looking at him now. He was all golden skin and blond curls, looking much like the perfect California surfer. How had I forgotten he was sitting next to me? Staring at him only made me realize more just how cute he was.

Flynn and Luke were best friends but I had hardly paid any attention to Luke these past two years. I'd been too busy ignoring Flynn with the best of my abilities to know much about him. Then it dawned on me. I had forgotten to count Luke. There weren't seven of us. Luke made eight. Each pair was a couple except Luke and me. Was I being set up with him?

Faintly, I remembered hearing that he'd broken up with his girlfriend a few weeks ago. But at the moment I couldn't remember the full story. I was too busy trying to reconcile with how I'd allowed myself to get into this situation and how I could even be in the same room filled with what most of our classmates dubbed as the wealthiest and most beautiful people of our school, 'the elite'. No one else in the school compared to them.

When I felt Flynn's hand drop from my arm, I turned my head to look down at fate as it pointed at me. "Come on, what are you going to do?"

I looked up this time to find it had been Amanda who'd spoken. Her voice was filled with disapproval but not of the anger I would have expected if I'd been Flynn's girlfriend. But that was not how I operated. In fact, I simply didn't date. I couldn't even if I wanted to. It wasn't just a moral decision as most would assume. I did it because I didn't want anyone to die.

Angry murmurs of protest at me holding up the game shocked me into action. I looked down again at the bottle that pointed at me before sneaking another glance at Maggie. Her eyes were wide in frustration and a hint of embarrassment. Clearly, she wanted me to make a decision and not make her look bad in front of this group of seniors she desperately wanted to impress.

"Take the shots Mercy or give Flynn a big wet one, make your choice," a voice said that could have been Jay's. I wasn't sure. The room was beginning to blur with the commotion and swirl with my emotions over what was to come next.

We of course were playing spin the bottle. The game wasn't without consequences. The surface ones were to spin the bottle and kiss the person the bottle points to. If you didn't want to kiss that person, then you drank a shot of Jack. Added to it, if the person took the kiss the shot poured was added to a pool of shots. What sat before me now was a bouquet of four shots of Jack Daniels. If I drank those shots, I wouldn't just get a buzz. It would definitely get me drunk. I couldn't afford that. Again it was not only the moral value that stopped me. It also wasn't only because my mom would kill me, though she would if she found out. Truthfully, it was because I couldn't afford to lose control. Not with death a possible consequence. Added to that, I really didn't want to kiss Flynn.

"Don't make me beg for Mercy," Flynn said dragging out my name. The slight slur in his voice led me to believe he was on his way to being drunk if he wasn't already. I'd heard this little joke far too many times to find it funny. In fact it really just ticked me off. Why my mother decided Mercy was a good choice for a first name so I would suffer my teen years as the butt of everyone's jokes disturbed me. Did she think at all before naming me? Anger at myself for the situation I was in and anger at the boy whose insufferable conceitedness, still sent butterflies in my stomach, pissed me off to no end. So I turned, baring daggers with my eyes at him.

Looking at him I couldn't help to see how he personified my word of the day, pompous jerk. Well, pompous was the word. I always checked and remembered what my SAT word of the day was. I tried to use it at least once in a sentence the same day. With the test looming in March, I was trying to expand my vocabulary.

I wouldn't let this pompous, self-centered jerk who thought he was the next thing to God embarrass me. With my cheeks flushing anyway, I faced him. A quick peck on the lips wouldn't kill him, could it?

His hand came up towards me. He must have assumed my choice with my movement. He swiftly cupped the back of my head and pulled me to him. I didn't even have time to catch my breath before his mouth was on mine. It should have been quick. Nothing could possibly happen if it had been a quick peck. But he held me there for what seemed like an eternity with his mouth parting mine to explore me. I felt warm, a bit light headed and confused. After a lingering moment of absent judgment, I pushed him back to separate us. He rocked back with a burst of laughter which brightened my cheeks more. I glared at him. Our lip lock should have him pale and unsteady. But he seemed fine and a little flushed himself. I didn't understand. How could it be possible? He should be lying on the ground unconscious or at least his face should be drained of any color. I shot up to my feet.

"Where're you going Mercy? It seems Flynn may have found his match?" Brent said with another howl of laughter.

I brushed my hands down my tee still unsure of what to do. With everyone looking up at me still giggling and laughing I hastily turned and said, "Maggie, I'll be back." I walked across the room and away from the onlookers still in the circle when I heard a slap.

"Shut up Brent," Kathy said. She must have leaned over and hit him. The laughter just intensified.

I was out the room in mere seconds. Music pulsated around me as I stood in the empty hallway where I could see everybody else milling about. The make shift dance floor in the middle of the living room was still filled with teenage lust. So I headed the opposite direction. There were only two more doors this direction in this massive hallway before it ended abruptly. I could only pray one of them was a bathroom.

Almost out of luck, I opened the second to last door and stepped into a small bathroom with nothing more than a toilet and sink. Moving to the sink I gripped the sides as I leaned in to look into the gold framed mirror. What I saw in the reflection was a complex mix of a younger version of my mother and my father. Although I looked a lot like my mom, I never felt effortlessly beautiful like she was. I'd gotten a lot of her facial features but my coloring and hazel eyes I'd recognized countless times in a picture my mom kept of my father. And that should have been my sober reminder of my fate. I couldn't understand why I had allowed myself to be baited into kissing Flynn. If things had gone badly which it should have, how could I have lived with myself?

I pulled back my long wavy brown hair as I bent forward turning on the faucet with my free hand. I splashed water on my face remembering Paul and what'd happened that awful day.
