Twisted Magic (34 page)

I agreed. I quickly kissed Nona’s cheek and hurried off to find Tucker. And as I slipped passed
all the
dancing guest he was exactly where Nona said he was.

His friends quickly dispersed as I approached.
Apparently,
the
rumors
was
enough to keep people away from me.

“What do you want?” He asked, stumbling as he stood. He was drunk, and this was getting more and more perfect every minute.

“Could we talk somewhere
private?
I
have something I think you want to hear.” I asked lightly.

Tucker studied me very cautiously. “Whatever you want to say, say it right here. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I dropped my gaze to the sands. A sudden flash of inspiration coursing my veins, I scanned my memory for any spells that would put Tucker under my
control, even
if
only
long enough to get him to the water.

I moved closer. Raising a hand, my fingers trembled as I uttered a spell I remembered from Hutch’s family spell book. “Go to the water now.”

Tucker was still. Not even blinking, I held my breath hoping it was enough to work.
Suddenly,
he was
moving as
if it was his idea not magic. I was the only one who knew that it was.

I followed quickly behind him, looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody suspected anything. Nobody was paying attention.

Tucker stumbled across the sand, his fancy sandals kicking up debris as he trudged along. I held my breath that we made it there without being caught. After that the rest was up to Audrey.

The waves became louder the closer we got
near
the water. A cool chill blew
from
the water slipping over my skin as I walked.
Suddenly,
Tucker
stopped. He
shook his head, hard.

My muscles tensed. He spun around on his heels. “What did you do to me?” His eyes went from alive to dull right before my eyes. The spell
wore
off. And I wasn’t sure what else to do.

“Nothing.
I just need to talk to you
that’s
all. I swear it.” I said innocently.

“What is there to say?” Tucker kicked the sand
under
his feet sending it flying in my direction. I ignored his annoying behavior. “Are you going to admit Slade and his gang are into black magic?”

My mouth went dry. I opened my mouth and prepared to be honest when Slade yanked me
backwards,
and Audrey stepped in my way ending my confession. Slade kept his grip on my wrist keeping me in my place.

Audrey muttered something under her breath and I screamed at the sounds coming out of Tucker’s mouth. He was in pain. He dropped to his knees, falling forward into the
sand. He
used his hands to keep himself from face planting.

“What is she doing to him?” I asked Slade. He ignored me. Sure, I didn’t like Tucker, but I didn’t want to see someone hurt him.

Audrey pushed into him with her fancy
heel,
“that
would be
too
simple. We are going to use you.”

I shook my head in disbelief. Tucker seemed to be fading right there in front of us. And I was the only one who cared. I tried again to break Slade’s hold. “Please, just let him go. Do you know how much trouble we could get into?”

Audrey whipped her head in our direction annoyed with me. “Get her out of here. We will meet up later.”

Slade didn’t
hesitate
. He pulled me toward the party, but he soon stopped when several men were
wandering
across the sands towards us. It was obvious they were looking for Tucker.

“What are we going to do?” I asked him.

Slade didn’t speak. He lowered his head. I gasped as part of the decorations went up in flames falling on the
dance floor
. The crowd
screamed,
running toward the sands.

“Are you kidding me?” I couldn’t believe my eyes.

The men heading towards us quickly turned around running back
to take care of the fire.

We slipped through the
crowd. Nobody
cared anymore that we were there.

“Nona is here.” I told Slade. “What if something happens to her?”

Slade’s eyes softened. He scanned the crowd. “I don’t see her, do you?”

I searched myself not laying eyes on her.
Even so,
that didn’t make me feel any better. “We need to make sure she is okay. Do you have a phone on you?”

“We are right
here. We
don’t see her. She’s okay.” As soon as those words left his lips the church sign crashed
onto
the ground, knocking the table of refreshment over, sending them spilling onto the sand.

I couldn’t believe what was happening all around
us, because
of Slade and Audrey.

“I didn’t think this was you.” I told Slade as we headed back down the beach.

“Relax
,
it’s
not like I killed anybody,” Slade said.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t care if Audrey killed Tucker.”

Slade let his grip on my arm go. And I settled into a slow pace next to him as we headed down the beach toward my house. I dared him to fight me on it. I wasn’t going back to his
Rv.

“
Whatever you want to believe,” Slade said. We stopped in front of my house. Dad was gone. Which gave me a bit of
relief;
I didn’t want him involved in any of my newest issues.

I unlocked the
door,
and Slade walked in before I could. I
scrunched my nose in disgust at his forcefulness
and shut the door behind me. He leaned against the kitchen counter. I picked up the phone.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Calling Nona, making sure she hasn’t burned alive in your shenanigans.”

Slade let out a soft laugh. Was he really amused by
me in a time like this?

As soon as I knew Nona was alright nothing else mattered. Whatever I was going to have to do was fine by me. I wasn’t going to go down without a fight against Audrey.

“Now what?”
I asked standing in front of him. I put my hands on my hips waiting for an answer.

“Now we wait,” Slade studied me closely. He pushed off the
count
er and grabbed a seat, a
s if it wasn’t that big of a deal we were stuck together.

“Maybe you could wait outside,” I suggested, I crossed my arms. My idea of waiting didn’t
involve
staring at the boy I once was so into. A boy
who
at one time stirred things inside of me that I didn’t even know was there.

I suddenly felt
weak. I
didn’t have it in me to treat him bad, even if he was doing that to me.

“What,”
Slade asked, noticing my expression.

I took two waters out of the refrigerator and handed one to Slade before I sat across from him. He let it rest on the table in front of him.

“I just realized that no matter how awful you make me
feel. I
can’t do
the same
to you.” I blinked back the tears and looked
away. I sounded
foolish. “And that makes positively no sense to me.”

Slade cleared his throat. “That’s news to me.”

I looked at him astonished, h
ad I been the one causing the unneeded stress in our flaky relationship?
Maybe I had fallen and knocked the sense out of me and just didn’t remember.

“You think any of this has been easy for me?” Slade asked
,
his eyebrows lifted as he waited for me to gather my wits.

“It sure seems that way.”

“Well then, you’re not the person I thought you were.” He unscrewed the cap to
his
water and took a swig leaving me speechless.

I stood up, shaking my head as I walked across the kitchen, there needed to be some space between Slade and I before I did something I regretted later.

“You’re not the person I thought you were. How dare you say this to
me!
”

Slade stood up. “I think I just did.” He stepped in front of
me. I
backed up into the counter and crossed my arms. He stared down at me like I was a pathetic gnat. His teeth grazed
at
his bottom lip. I looked away from his
stare down. He
wasn’t going to get the best of me.

“You do a lot of things.” I
muttered. The
heat from his body reminded me that
he was only
inches from being pressed against
me
if he wanted it that way.

“Just tell me you wish you never met me that night at the concert.” Slade inched closer, his body pressing deliciously into mine. He cupped my chin with his fingers forcing me to look at him.

My heart pounded
against
my chest. “You were the best part of Cherry. And always will be,” I said as his lips smashed into mine, giving me the most powerfully charged kiss I had ever
experienced.

I instinctively grabbed the back of his black
T-shirt
before I fell over the counter, but there was no denying what both of us wanted. His tongue toyed with mine, sending chills across my body. I breathed him in, savoring all that we once had, all that I wanted to hold onto.

I let out a moan as he lifted
me
onto the counter, knocking over Dad’s creamer and sugar. His hands dug into my skin, dragging me closer until my legs were wrapped tightly around him begging for more.

I fisted his hair, dragging my lips down his tense
neck, wanting more of him.

Suddenly,
there was a knock
at
the door. Slade and I broke apart laying eyes on Hutch who obviously knew he had interrupted something. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away, waiting
for me
on the porch.

I dropped off the counter and headed outside out of breath and warm from
our
lip lock.

“W
hat’s going on?” I asked. I looked through the
door. Slade
stood in the doorway arms crossed looking menacing. I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t give us a few minutes alone.

And I co
uldn’t figure out what had just
gone
on between us. Why Slade suddenly wanted to jump my bones.

Hutch leaned against the railing which ended my daydream. “I wanted to check on you.” He left it at that. With Slade nearby it was hard to say much more.

“So far, everything is okay.” I bit my lip frustrated. “The mayor is really trying to change this town.”

Hutch raised an
eyebrow,
“the
mayor?”

I nodded. “It’s sad someone would want to use somebody else to gain anything.” I hoped this was enough to get Hutch’s attention.

The door snapped open. Slade grabbed for my arm, but Hutch stepped in front of me. He
didn't understand
my message. I imagined the words in my mind and pressed my palm into Hutch’s back to gain a connection to him.

Tucker needs help.
Audrey wants to get rid of
me. I
don’t know how, but I need your help, Hutch.

The connection was broke as soon as Slade shoved Hutch backwards. I jumped out of the way before I was smashed by Hutch’s massive frame.

Hutch caught himself on the railing before Slade took him down.

“Get out of here if you know what’s good for you. None of this concerns you.” Slade warned him.

Hutch ran a hand down the back of his neck. “I don’t want to see anything bad
happening
to Hope. I thought you would feel the same way.”

Slade shoved him again.

“Slade, stop it now.”
I yelled.

“You don’t know anything about me.” Slade watched Hutch gain his footing yet again. He still
wouldn't
hit him.

Slade’s fist
clenched,
“you
don’t know the first thing about my coven.”

“I broke away from my own. I did the wrong
things. I
made a lot of mistakes, but here I am. It’s
possible. You
don’t have to sacrifice the one thing you care about to get what you want.” Hutch nodded in my direction in case Slade wasn’t catching on.