Текст книги "Something Witchy This Way Comes "
Автор книги: Veronica Blade
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Something Witchy
This Way Comes
By
Veronica Blade
Sunland, CA
Something Witchy This Way Comes
Copyright © 2011 by Veronica Blade. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Crush Publishing
8209 Foothill Blvd., Suite A124
Sunland, CA 91040
www.CrushPublishing.com
Crush Publishing name and logo are trademarks of Crush Publishing and are used only with its permission.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by author.
ISBN 978-0-9798866-5-9
Cover photo by Michelle Vance Pilling
Cover design by Rose Nomura
Editing by Pat Thomas & Robin Haseltine
Printed in the United States of America
** For my wonderful husband **
Chapter One
Hayden
Principal Linton had to be kidding.
“You want to use me, a seventeen-year-old boy, to guard someone?” I much preferred to think of myself as a man, but that wouldn’t get me out of doing what he wanted.
“I’m not any happier about this than you, Hayden.”
I doubted that. The new principal had signed on only two weeks ago and already he knew how to throw his puny weight around. Linton probably read my file and decided to make me pay for all the crap I’d pulled so far in high school. I’d been better this year. We were two months into the first semester and I hadn’t even been in one fight. Not that I’d get any gold stars or merit badges.
I rolled my eyes. “Who’s the girl?”
“You probably know her. She’s a senior here. Tessa McClean.” He leaned back in his seat and steepled his fingers.
Tessa… I couldn’t match a face to the name. If she turned out to be a dog, it could hurt my rep. But my curiosity was piqued. I sat higher in my chair, which brought the top of Linton’s thinning hair into view. “I’m supposed to shadow some girl just because you ask me to?”
Mr. Linton glanced at Agent Phillips who stood rigid by the door, then back to me. When he’d introduced her to me moments ago, I figured she might be FBI. She hadn’t flashed a badge though. They probably thought I hadn’t noticed or maybe they expected me to take them at their word. But I didn’t care who she was. She could’ve been the first lady and my answer would still be no.
By Agent Phillips’s steely glare it was obvious she’d rather be anywhere else than in a room with an uncooperative teenager. “While she’s on school grounds we want you close enough to smell her perfume.”
“Seriously?” Something didn’t ring true in the whole scenario. No way would anyone trust a high schooler with a job so important, much less depend on anyone with a rap sheet like mine. I slouched in the hardwood chair and let my gaze drift to the dull off-white walls of his office. “Wouldn’t an FBI agent be better qualified for the job?”
The principal tapped a pencil on the desk. “They don’t have anyone local who looks young enough to blend in with the other students.”
Yep. Payback. But not if I could help it. “Ship him in from somewhere else.”
Agent Phillips straightened her suit jacket. “We’ve put in a request. Now we wait.”
“In the meantime, we think you might prove useful,” Mr. Linton said.
If the girl needed a bodyguard, she was obviously in trouble. That kind of thing was highly contagious at close range. “It’s gratifying to know you have no problem putting me in danger.” I kept my tone flat, one brow raised. “Why not keep her home? Then you don’t have to worry about your agents blending in.”
“It’s unlikely anyone will try anything around a bunch of kids. Even if they did, they’d be easily spotted. We're only asking you to keep an eye on her and alert us if you see anything unusual. It's just a precaution, Hayden.”
I grunted, not quite buying it.
Mr. Linton eyed me then flipped through papers on his desk. “Some of these notes indicate you’ve successfully defended yourself under difficult circumstances. Last year, three boys jumped you and everyone required first aid – except you. I suppose those guys were lucky to walk away, eh?” His gaze met mine again. I didn’t rise to the bait and he continued. “You’ve got some valuable fighting skills. It's time to use them for good instead of evil,” he said with a straight face.
Yeah, I needed those skills to defend myself against my alcoholic stepfather. It had been a while since he’d laid a hand on me or my mom though. He still limped from the last time. “Is this some kind of joke?” I asked.
Agent Phillips glided across the carpet to stand next to Principal Linton. She looped a thumb in her waistband, nudging the front of her black suit jacket aside to expose a gun. If it weren’t for her butch clothing, she’d be attractive – slim build and dark auburn hair. I imagined what she’d look like in a short skirt and high heels.
Maybe later I’d get a chance to see if she was open to younger men. If I seemed eager to help, she might be more receptive… I shook off the thought. A semi-hot woman didn’t catch enough of my interest to make me want to keep company with the school principal.
I opened my mouth to speak but she beat me to it. “Not a joke, Mr. Anders.” Her eyes narrowed to slits. “A fellow student needs help.”
Tap-tap-tap.
Linton nodded at Agent Philips who opened the door and stepped aside. A blond girl beamed from the doorway, including everyone in her sunshine. Was this her? Tessa Mc-whatever? Okay… definitely not a dog.
I’d seen her around school before, but had never known her name. She hung out with the kind of kids I wouldn’t look at, much less socialize with. Not outcasts but not A-listers either. The only reason my crowd would bother talking to her was to use her, then dump her and brag to the rest of us. Hit and ditch. Anything else was unacceptable.
A dim memory took shape in my mind of one of the guys bitching about a girl named Tessa. He’d been pissed off at how hard he worked for that first kiss. That would never happen to me, because I was always upfront about what I wanted. The girl would either stick around or she wouldn’t and I’d move on. I already knew not to even try with a girl like Tessa.
If Linton thought I’d jump at the chance to waste my time and make the rest of the school year suck more than it already did, he’d sniffed too much of the janitor’s cleaning products. It’s not like Linton had anything to offer to make the job worth my time. Unless he possessed magical powers that would give me a new life… But he didn’t. No one could save me from my crappy destiny.
“Tessa, this is Hayden,” Mr. Linton said.
She approached me, blond hair bouncing, eyes bright with life and hope, and held out her hand for me to shake. “Nice to meet you.”
Still slouching in my chair, I stared at her hand, slim, delicate and flawless. I didn’t care how good she smelled – like blooming flowers in springtime – I wanted nothing to do with her. People like that, ones overflowing with positive energy, only made you want more from life. Things I would never have. Being rude was the only way to discourage them. “Nice?” I smirked. “You might regret saying that later.”
That beautiful, angelic smile vanished.
Instead of feeling triumphant, I felt like an ass. That feeling would pass though. It always did.
She grinned again, startling me. Then she claimed the empty chair next to mine. “Well, I can already tell this is going to be fun.”
Chapter Two
Tessa
I dropped my hand when it became obvious that Hayden’s reputation had been legitimately earned. He had the manners of a hyena. And he was right – I already regretted thinking it was nice to meet him.
Everyone in school knew Hayden Anders. My friends and I dubbed him King Douche last year after he’d dated every single cheerleader. Strangely though, none of the girls complained. I found it fascinating that being played by a man-whore didn't piss them off. Of course, when a guy looked like Hayden, girls could be pretty stupid with forgiveness.
Then there were the fights he’d gotten into. Nothing of note this year, but I assumed that, as a senior, he didn’t have older boys to contend with. Anyone our age already knew to steer clear.
I’d dealt with guys like him before, guys who thought they were better than everyone else. Hayden had taken me off guard when I’d entered the principal’s office, but I came back full force and smiled sweetly, leaving no doubt that his asinine behavior couldn’t touch me. Being even nicer usually repelled his kind. Right on cue, Hayden flipped sun-lightened brown hair out of his gray eyes and turned from me.
Seeing him in the principal’s office wasn’t unexpected but why was I called in too?
“This is Agent Phillips, FBI.” Mr. Linton nodded toward the woman standing by the door. “She has reason to believe you’re not safe, Tessa.”
I searched the faces in the room for some sign that I was being punked. Maybe I’d heard wrong. “Excuse me?”
“This may come as a shock, but unfortunately I can’t give you classified information. But I can tell you that we’ve had a dissident group under surveillance for some time. Lately, they’ve been a little more aggressive.” She picked up a stack of photos from Mr. Linton’s desk and handed them to me. “By the looks of these, it appears they’ve taken an interest in you.”
My fingers numbly grasped the glossy pictures without glancing at them. “Why aren’t my parents here?”
“You’ll be seeing them soon. Right now, we have other matters to tend to.” She nodded toward the pictures.
I scanned the multitude of images – me with my mother and father, another of my little sister and me getting into my car, me at work – even a shot through our dining room window during dinner.
A chill ran up my spine and my mouth went dry. “Who took these? And where did you get them?” My words came out sounding shaky, panicked.
“From a raid at a house we’d staked out. That’s all I can tell you right now but I promise everything will be fine. We won’t let them hurt you.” Something about her voice made me want to curl up in front of a fire with marshmallows. Strange. It was as if her words rode on a different wavelength.
It had to be my imagination.
“We’re on it,” she continued. “We’ll have men watching your house. While you’re here at school, Hayden will help keep an eye on you.”
The plan sounded okay so far, but what did the school psycho have to do with it? Having the most dangerous guy at school protecting me was an ironic twist.
I wiped my trembling hands on my jeans and took a deep breath. Then suddenly, the apprehension slid off me, leaving no trace behind. I should be freaked over the news of someone stalking me, but the fear had dropped away like magic, as if someone had washed it away. Crazy idea. No one could control my mind that way so what was the deal with my emotional roller coaster?
“You still haven’t told me why you’re depending on me instead of someone more qualified,” Hayden interrupted my thoughts.
“We’re not relying solely on you. You may have noticed the new janitor and security guards on campus. But at their age, they’d seem like perverts if they spent too much time watching Tessa. You can get a lot closer than they can,” Agent Phillips said.
Hayden folded his arms over his chest. “What’s in it for me?”
“Satisfaction of a job well done.” Mr. Linton stared at Hayden as if daring him to refuse.
“No.” Hayden snorted and stood. “I’m going back to class now.”
Agent Phillips moved in front of the door and said in soft, crisp words, “Why don’t you hear him out? You might like what he has to say.”
Hayden’s gaze moved to her palm that rested on the butt of a gun. He sat again and looked bored. “Whatever.”
“My parents must be worried out of their minds.” As soon as the words were out, I knew it wasn’t true. They’d likely be thinking only of themselves. The last time they’d shown concern with what went on in my life was when I’d been a finalist in a writing contest. Not because they were proud of me but because they were afraid I’d get serious about writing and get too caught up in it to take care of my little sister. I’d never be too busy for her, but those kinds of concepts were foreign to them.
“We have the situation under control.”
With her words I felt calming rays cascade over me, bathing me in tranquility. I knew everything would be okay.
Mr. Linton studied a thick file in front of him then turned to Hayden. “You’ve got quite a résumé here. Vandalism… cheating. And you’ve been suspended twice. Let’s not forget that you’re here because you’ve been kicked out of every private school in the area. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a college that will accept you.” A smile teased his mouth, like he had something up his sleeve.
“Maybe I don’t plan on going to college.” Hayden yawned and his gaze wandered to something beyond the window. I waffled between relief that he probably wouldn’t agree to their request and disappointment that he seemed to care so little about my safety.
“When you graduate from here, if you graduate, what kind of job will you get? Mowing lawns? Or do you think your rich parents will support you into your fifties?”
The principal must have hit a nerve because Hayden stiffened. “That’s my problem. Are we done here?”
“Not yet.” Agent Phillips returned to Mr. Linton’s side, picked up a thinner file and leafed through it. “I did a check on you and your family.” Her eyes darted to mine, as if unsure whether to continue in my presence.
“Just say it.” Hayden rolled his eyes. “Like I care if she knows how you’re trying to blackmail me for her benefit.”
“Very well. You’ve got a history of frequent hospital visits and broken bones. Interesting how the authorities were involved on three occasions, but the incidents were ruled accidents. Within days, the social worker handling each case retired and moved away. How much do you think your dad paid to keep them quiet?”
I’d heard rumors from those who knew Hayden before high school, but I assumed that’s all they were – rumors. Knowing it was true disturbed me. How could someone beat their own child so badly that they required a hospital visit?
“Step-dad.” Hayden flushed. He shifted in his chair and his jaw clenched. “Can we wrap this up?”
The principal didn’t miss a beat. “Ruining your chance at a real future is not the way to gain independence.”
Hayden groaned. “Right. And spending my valuable time babysitting her will magically make my life so much better.”
“Can't we find someone else?” I asked. “There must be half a dozen other guys around who're just as capable. We don't need Hayden. How much help would he be anyway?” I was probably worrying for nothing since Hayden wasn’t the type to do the right thing, no matter how hard Mr. Linton worked him. My fists unfolded at the thought of our paths dividing.
Mr. Linton ignored my protests, slapped the folder shut and waved it in the air. “I can make some of this go away, Hayden. With the appropriate recommendation letter, you could end up looking like a saint. It’ll be easier to get into a decent college.”
Could Mr. Linton do that? Hardly seemed fair to the rest of us who actually earned our good records and recommendation letters.
Hayden grunted. “Even if that file didn’t exist, my grades aren’t good enough. What else do you have? Because there’s this hot girl in my next class—”
“It’s not impossible to bring up your grades.”
Hayden narrowed his eyes at the principal. “You’ll change them?”
“Not exactly. But you’ll be spending your days glued to the smartest girl in school. I'm sure Tessa knows other A-students. Find one to help you.” Mr. Linton curled his lip up. “You’re going to have to earn your own way out of this mess. But I’m prepared to expunge your file if you catch up your credits and make Bs or better the rest of the year.”
Was that ethical? I couldn’t imagine the previous principal doing that.
Hayden hitched his brow. “How long do you need me to watch her?”
“A few days,” Agent Phillips said. “When your replacement comes, you’re a free man.”
“Everyone will think we’re dating.” The last word rolled off Hayden’s tongue like rotten meat, which echoed my feelings exactly.
My upper lip curled. “As if I want people thinking I’d go for a jerk like you.”
Our illustrious principal suppressed a smile. “Trivial issues in light of potential danger are not my concern.”
Hayden folded his arms over his chest. “I can’t watch her all the time because we don’t have any classes together.”
Was Hayden actually considering it? My hands fisted again, my dismay rising. Then, exactly like before, it suddenly dissipated. How I went from rage to relaxed in a matter of seconds was a mystery. Especially when my life could be in danger. Though Hayden wasn’t begging for the protector mission, he wasn’t resisting as much anymore. By that, I mean he wasn’t trying to flee. Maybe whatever quieted my nerves had done the same for him.
“You do as of eight o'clock this morning.” Mr. Linton gave a sly smile.
Hopefully, he hadn’t changed mine. I couldn’t afford anything to throw me off. Not if I wanted that scholarship. I couldn’t depend on my parents to put me through college since their children barely made it on their radar. Plus, they'd lost their life savings when the stock market crashed.
The principal held out a slip of paper and waved it in front of Hayden. “Your new class schedule.”
Hayden snatched the sheet and scanned it. “You can’t do this. Not one class is the same.” He flicked at the yellow paper with his middle finger. “This one is too advanced. I’ll drown in it.”
The panic in his eyes almost made me feel sorry for him.
“You were drowning anyway. Let’s face it: you haven’t exactly been giving it your all. I’d say you’ve made a poor start of the semester.” Mr. Linton sighed. “Make a choice, Hayden. Decide you’re going to do something with your life, then see it through. This is your chance to change things. I can erase the past, to a degree, but it’s up to you to shape your future.”
No one moved. The seconds stretched on while Hayden scowled at the slip of paper. I prayed he would say no. There had to be another way.
“Fine. I’ll do it,” he growled.
My heart sank. If he couldn’t find someone to help him catch up on his classes, I might end up with the dirty job. Ugh. Really, I had better things to do – like set my hair on fire or pull out my fingernails one by one. My shifts at Delia’s Deli didn’t start until dinnertime, which only left the afternoon for my own studies. Still, it’s not as if I could ignore Hayden if he needed help, especially if he watched over me and whatnot.
“Good.” Mr. Linton smiled. “You’ll start by walking Tessa to class but I need a word with her in private first. We’ll send her out shortly.”
Hayden’s chair scraped across the floor and he headed toward the door, giving me a perfect view of his spectacular behind. Agent Philips shut the door then moved to stand next to Mr. Linton on the other side of the desk.
Good. With Hayden gone, I could get down to the important stuff. “So, what’s going on? Is my family in danger?”
She tightened her lips. “We think they’re after you.”
My stomach dropped. “Me? Why?”
Agent Phillips and Mr. Linton exchanged glances. “You really don’t know?” he asked.
I shook my head and wiggled my fingers, hoping to shake off the tension.
“You’ve never noticed anything about yourself, anything… special?” he prodded.
“Not that I can think of. Just your average girl.” My voice rose an octave on the last word.
“Actually, nothing about you is average, and it's time you knew it all.” Mr. Linton sat very still then folded his hands together, his eyes boring into mine. “There are a small number of us with extraordinary abilities. We can do things that, well, defy science.”
I stared, wondering if he might’ve, say, escaped from a mental hospital.
“Agent Phillips, would you provide Ms. McClean with a demonstration?”
“Of course.” She nodded professionally. “Let's start with something easy. Tessa, think of something but don’t tell me what it is. Get a solid picture of it in your mind.”
Without meaning to play along with their psycho game, our long-haired German shepherd that died last year popped into my head.
“German shepherd, huh? I had you pegged for a lapdog lover. The little white fluffy ones that yap a lot.” Agent Phillips smiled smugly.
No way could she read my mind. No way. Then, a surge of calm came over me. Oh, I get it. She’d researched my family, like they had with Hayden, and she’d gotten lucky.
“Good one. Try again.” I pictured some clothes I’d seen last week through the display window of my favorite store at the mall. It would be impossible for anyone to know about that particular outfit I’d been lusting after and couldn’t afford.
“Cute outfit. A bit skimpy for my taste, but it would’ve looked cute on you. That store is a bit on the expensive side though, don’t you think?”
Goosebumps danced across my skin. “How can you know that?”
“We have an array of abilities, ranging from mind reading to telekinesis, but usually a particular talent will stand out. That particular ability is our specialty,” Linton explained. “Agent Phillips excels at reading minds, so images come in sharper for her. She’s a Reader, although the name isn’t entirely accurate since we’re not really reading minds. It’s more like picking up pictures. Sometimes they’re moving, kind of like a video. Then there are Movers who take rearranging matter to a whole new level.”
“You're both crazy." I edged toward the door. "This has to be a trick. People can't see into other people’s heads.”
“One more time,” she said. “After three in a row, maybe you’ll consider the possibility this is real.”
An image of a nearly naked guy snuck into my head, biceps bulging, abdomen muscles rippling.
“Try to keep it G-rated, huh?” Agent Phillips chuckled. “Between you and Hayden, I’m going to have a hard time purging my mind of unclean thoughts.”
I didn’t want to imagine what she’d picked from Hayden’s twisted mind. And anyway, there were more important things to think about. I turned to Mr. Linton, wondering what my stalkers had to do with Agent Phillips and her interesting abilities.
“You think I can read minds too?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered confidently.
I almost believed him. Agent Phillips clearly had some kind of mojo-thing going on. Possibly Principal Linton, too. But me? The idea that I had special powers was too ridiculous to consider so I abandoned it. They had the wrong girl. “What about you? Can you do anything cool, Mr. Linton?”
“We all have a specialty, even you,” he answered.
It was one thing to have some minor psychic ability, like Agent Phillips, but I couldn’t completely buy into all their magical crap. Curiosity got the better of me though. I leaned forward, rested my chin in my hands, elbows on his desk, and asked, “What’s yours?”
“My talent is rare. I’m a Detector. I find gifted people like you.”
“Then you’re not a very good one, ’cause I’m seriously normal. C’mon, this is Scottsdale, Arizona, not New York or Vegas. Not much happens here.” Granted it was the nicer side of Phoenix and my parents got by, but we’d never been wealthy. I couldn’t think of a single thing anyone would want from me or my family. Certainly, no one would want me for my magical powers.
“My radar is never off.”
“He’s like a pregnancy test.” Agent Phillips leaned a hip into the desk. “You only get false negatives. Sometimes it’s there and we don’t pick up on it. But if we pick it up, it’s definitely there.”
Mr. Linton groaned. “I wish you’d stop comparing me to a pregnancy test.”
She waved a hand. “But it’s the perfect analogy.”
“You just pick them from a crowd?” I asked, still skeptical.
“Not really,” Mr. Linton said. “We look for kids that stand out. Maybe they get better than average grades, like you. Sometimes it’s the ones who get into trouble. Sorcerers need to be challenged otherwise they tend to go astray. From there we narrow it down.”
I scoffed. “Sorcerers, huh? Like witches or wizards?”
“Witches, wizards, sorcerers – same thing,” Mr. Linton explained.
I smiled, feeling very sure of myself. “If I’m a witch, where have my magical powers been hiding?”
“Only a few are aware of their ability when we find them. Just because you’re not conscious of your skills doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We’re conditioned to believe that we can’t do anything unusual. Therefore, we don’t try. If something odd happens, we brush the source off as something else.”
“Okay.” I still didn’t believe they were right about me. But Ms. Phillips’s little demonstration fascinated me and I was dying to know what kind of a superhero they thought I might be. “What’s my special ability?”
“Too soon to tell,” the principal said.
“Hm… do you guys use spells and make potions?” I grinned.
“We generally rely on our own powers rather than summoning spirits to do it for us,” he explained.
“I’m assuming you didn’t detect anything in Hayden and that’s why you asked him to leave.”
“Yes,” Mr. Linton said. “We keep our existence under the utmost secrecy. Which is why you can’t tell anyone. Your parents must never know.”
“They don’t know?” My jaw hung slack. Then I reminded myself that my parents were oblivious to their children. I’d have to handle this on my own, like I did everything else. It seemed a little odd though that if I were truly in trouble, they wouldn’t tell my parents. I was still a minor. Then I got it. Duh. “You’re not really FBI, are you?”
“No. It was a cover, so Hayden would buy our story.” She picked up a paperweight off Linton’s desk, eyed it, then set it down.
“But why all the secrecy?” I asked.
She shook her head and mumbled, “You have no idea.”
“Some of us remember the witch trials of Salem. I was there and barely escaped being burned alive. And it all started because of one little girl who didn’t understand why it was so important to keep her mouth shut.” Mr. Linton didn’t sound mean or anything. Just… intense.
Agent Phillips gave him a disapproving look.
He rounded his desk to stand over me. “We’ll see you in the auditorium later instead of PE. Have Hayden drop you off there.”
I rose reluctantly. “But I have more questions.”
“They’ll keep,” he said. “We don’t want Hayden waiting when he could be in class playing catch-up. He’s got his work cut out for him.”
Mr. Linton ushered me out the door.
Hayden lagged several feet behind as I walked to class. That’s about what I’d expected, since he thought I was beneath him. For years, I’d avoided him and his friends. If you caught their attention, you risked intimidation or snubbing. Now I had no choice. Thankfully, as my protector, that sort of thing wouldn’t be part of his job description.
As we neared the classroom, he caught up and I snuck a glance at him. His light brown hair hung almost to his swimmer’s shoulders, framing dark gray eyes and flawless skin. His good looks were marred only by a nose that didn’t quite sit straight, as if it had been broken, and by a faint inch-long scar on his cheek. Not the most beautiful guy I’d ever laid eyes on, but definitely the most interesting. No wonder he ruled the school.
When we got to class, Hayden took the only empty spot at the back of the room where I couldn’t see him. My thoughts kept drifting to him though. And I couldn’t forget what happened in the principal’s office.
