Awaken the Elements (Elemental Trilogy) (14 page)

             
“I know,” Anatha grumbled. “I’ll be back.” She tried to get out of the blowup chair as Autumn watched, amused. Smiling, she went back to the spell. Autumn gave a weird wave, not watching her leave. She knew she wasn’t paying any attention, but the wave was to remind her of what she had said. She was mad, and she was going to fix that right now.

             
Anatha went down to the music store. “River?” she called, walking in.

             
“In the back.”

             
She went into the backroom and stopped. Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth fell open. River stood before her, stark naked.  As she had walked in, he turned around. She was speechless. Although, not too surprised, she had imagined what he would look like naked before. This was a little more than her brain could register at the moment. She pointed to him then the door and turned around, walking out.

             
“Sorry,” she called over her shoulder.

             
“Anatha, wait,” he said, struggling with his jeans.

              “I’ll just leave and let you get dressed. Uh, when you’re done, you can find me at the bookstore.” She slapped her head for telling him where she was going and ran.

             
She got to the bookstore, and Autumn still had her nose in the book. She plopped down onto the blowup chair and bounced right back out. Autumn looked up, laughing at the horrified look on her cousin’s face.

“What’s wrong with you?”

              “My god,” Anatha said, trailing off, dazed. She managed to seat herself in the chair.

“What?”

              “River,” she said and trailed off again.

             
Autumn closed the book. “He wasn’t with Janice was he?” She watched the confusion on her cousin’s face, and put the book down in her lap.

             
“Uh, Janice? No.”

             
“Then what the hell are you trying to say?”

             
“I just saw River naked.” Anatha’s face turned a dazzling scarlet.

             
“Girl, you have to calm down. Your head looks like it’s going to explode.” She went over and sat down beside the chair. Secretly, inside, she was kind of mad. Or jealous. They have been flirting with each other the past couple months too.

             
“Really?” The surprised look was fading.

             
“So how did he look?” She had to admit she was curious.

             
“He has the best body I’ve ever seen, and I saw him from both angles.” Her voice trailed off again. “It was more than I expected, better.”

             
“Go on. I’m listening.”

****

             
A few minutes later, River rushed out of the music store. He walked over to the guys sitting in front of LS Denny’s. “Have you guys seen Anatha?”

             
“Yeah,” Drake said as he scribbled away in a notebook. “She ran into the bookstore like someone was chasing her.”

             
“She could have won for the fastest sprint,” Stefan said.

             
“She was as red as a tomato too. What did you do?” Linden asked.

             
“Did you flash her?” Rowan said, jokingly.

             
He nodded. “Yeah, sort of.”

             
The group stared at him. “No. Really?” Rowan asked.

             
“Yeah, she walked in on me changing.”

             
“That’s a sorry way to get a girl into bed. I mean, I told that bitch Janice to suck my dick, and she got on her knees knowin’ not to fight with me. She spread those big thighs for me on her own free will, though. She wanted it hard and fast,” Jaime said noticing he had gotten off topic. He liked rubbing it in that he was getting some, and none of the others were. “But you know, I don’t need to strip and show a girl my monster to get her off.”

             
“I didn’t mean for her to walk in. It just happened,” River said.

             
“Explain that to your monster, and why you ain’t getting none tonight.” Jaime smirked at him, journal in hand.

             
The group chuckled. “That’s sort of messed up, Jaime,” Linden said.

              “Shut up, bitch.” He glared at Linden. “I ain’t talking to your pansy ass.” He looked back at River. “You can’t tell the girl what you want, you gotta demand it. Girls like peep shows, and they like to run their own. But if you want something in here, you gotta demand it.”

“Have you demanded anything from anyone other than Janice?” Stefan asked.

              “Sure thing,” he said. But it came out shore thing.

             
“I don’t want to have sex with her, you ass,” River said.

             
“Really?” He asked. “Come on. She’s one fine piece of ass.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “She and Autumn are both fine and I wouldn’t mind getting with one or the other. You all know what I’m saying.”

             
“Shut up! Don’t be talking about them that way!” River said, fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Rowan stood up, sta
nding behind River, and grabbed his shoulder. “Come on.”

             
“Yeah, run away!” Jaime said.

             
“Jaime shut up before I make you,” Rowan said, a hand still on River.

             
“Are you going to do something about this?” Stefan asked Drake.

             
“Nah, it’s on him,” Drake said.

             
“You think I’m scared of any of you?” Jaime said.

             
“They’re not your type anyway,” River said.

             
“How do you know they’re your type, bitch?” Jaime was out of his seat now.

****

             
Autumn heard the yelling outside. She listened. “Is that Jaime?” Her head was cocked to the side as she tried to hear who else was arguing.

             
Anatha was in her own little dream world, still thinking about naked River. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.” And she didn’t care either.

             
Autumn walked out of the store, listening. She frowned at the arguing guys, her arms crossed.

****

             
“Jaime, shut the fuck up,” She said. He looked at her, startled. “I mean it! Remember my threat because I’m good for it. Don’t press your fucking luck!”

             
“Autumn is a very interesting person,” Drake said.

             
“Yeah,” Stefan said.

             
“Do you hear me, Jaime?” She asked. He nodded. “Good. Now apologize.” The guys laughed. Jaime gave them all a dirty look. “Jaime.”

              “I’m sorry,” Jaime said. Sorry you’re such a queer dumb ass, he added in his head, smiling. He sat back down by his journal and picked it up. This incident was going inside. He looked at the guys, and then at her. Who was Autumn to boss him around like that anyway? She wasn’t his momma. No, she wasn’t, but she was still the only one keeping him in the mall. So he sat there quietly. He did what she said; he didn’t want to get kicked out. Not now anyway.

             
“Autumn, is Anatha in there?” River asked.

             
She looked behind her into the bookstore. Anatha was now listening at the entranceway. She shook her head rapidly, using her hands to speak for her. “No.” She said, and rolled her eyes. She bent to whisper to him. “You just got yourself in trouble.”

             
“Are you jealous?” he whispered back.

             
“Who wouldn’t be,” Rowan whispered.

             
“Next time I’ll flash you,” River whispered, making her turn red.

             
“Hey now,” Rowan said, “Maybe I want to flash her.”

             
Her face had to be really red by now. But she braved an evil smile. “What if I wanted to flash both of you?” She stuck her tongue out.

             
“Hey, tell her I’m sorry,” He said loudly, rolling his eyes.              

             
She went back into the bookstore. Anatha was hiding behind a bookshelf. “You’re safe for right now.”

             
“What happened?”

             
“I told them you weren’t here.”

             
She collapsed onto the chair again. “You seem to be buddies with him. Why don’t you say some good things for me?”

             
“Like what?”

             
“I don’t know, dinner alone or something?”

             
“You want me to set you guys up on a date?” Autumn wasn’t sure how she felt about that turn around.  “I don’t know, Anatha. I will talk to him. I have to go.” She rushed out of the store and walked over to the elevator.

****

             
Hazel was in charge of setting up for the night. She put a big box with the group stuff up on the roof when night fell. She also had a smaller box of her own. Autumn and Anatha also had their own stuff in small boxes. People followed them out onto the roof when it came time to celebrate the start of summer. The onlookers took seats on the ground, watching as Hazel set up candles and prepared the main altar.

             
Autumn walked around feeling the humidity settle around her heavily, making her skin clammy. Low clouds, making the night darker than normal, blocked the night sky. Anatha watched her cousin, wondering why she had let people come watch them tonight. Anatha watched as the guys from Tune N’ chatted with Envy and Ivy Lee. She saw Joe and Brittany, Janice, Sage, Windle, Marie, and Moss.

             
“Create the circle, Anatha,” Autumn said, a touch of annoyance in her voice. The heat and humidity were getting to her, making her head feel all swimmy.

             
It was after ten and still felt as if it was a hundred and two degrees. Anatha didn’t say a word and walked over to the chalked surface Autumn had done earlier, so they knew where the circle would be. She had created it large enough for their altar and them to stand in. Holding her double-sided dagger in her power hand, Anatha visualized a protective blue/silver flame as she walked the circle clockwise, starting in the east.

             
She spoke clearly, so Autumn and Hazel could hear her. “I create this circle of power and protection for the ancient ones. Here, may they come and bless their children.” She walked over to Autumn, standing on her right side, Hazel on Autumn’s left. She placed her dagger on the altar. It was a plain wooden kitchen table which was all they could find in the mall.

             
Autumn raised her wand to the sky.  It looked like a weird salute.  The three faced east. She spoke, looking up into the clouds, “Raise your wands with me, sisters.” The other two raised their wands. The onlookers sat around the circle, fascinated by the ritual; no one made a noise.

             
“This is a time that is not a time,” she chanted, “In a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day. May the ancient ones help and protect us on our magical journey.”

              Hazel picked up the water-filled chalice, placing it on the wooden pentacle disk on the table. Autumn turned, holding her dagger above it.

             
Autumn went on, “Great Mother, bless this creature of water into your service. May we always remember the cauldron waters of rebirth.” Anatha held up a small bowl of salt. Autumn held her dagger above the salt. “Great Mother, bless this creature of Earth into your service. May we always remember the blessed Earth, and its many forms of beings.”

             
She sprinkled a little salt into the water. Putting down her dagger, she picked up the chalice, holding it high above her head. “Great Mother, I give you honor!” She turned, handing the chalice to Anatha.

             
Anatha knew what she had to do by being given the chalice. She liked playing one of the main roles in their rituals. She quickly glanced at Hazel, who looked bored. Yeah, I bet she is, since she doesn’t have much power. 

             
Beginning in the east and moving clockwise again, she sprinkled the saltwater freely around the edge of the circle. She walked back to her place, placing the chalice back on the altar. She looked at Autumn whose eyes were closed.

             
She opened her eyes, sensing everybody staring at her. She could feel the circle’s birth. A sensation exploded in her, the need to complete the circle. It wanted life.  It wanted to live. She didn’t look at the people, but she was aware of them sitting around the unfinished circle. She wondered if Anatha felt them as she could. She felt every living thing outside the circle, and she noticed other beings too. The others were different from the people sitting around the circle, but not too different from her. She looked at Anatha. She was watching Hazel light the incense.