Blood Rush (The Lost Witch Trilogy #2) (9 page)

She let the hair fall and shrugged. “It must be the lighting in here. I haven’t had time to get near a beauty salon today,” she said dismissively and wished everyone would stop staring at her.

She felt someone touch her hair and turned to find Zane holding a bright, pale, newly bleached strand of hair in his hand. But instead of looking at her, he was glaring at Lash.

Sarah pulled her hair out of Zane’s fingers and tried to ignore him. What was harder to ignore were Gretchen’s and Agnes’s questioning and pained expressions aimed at her.

Sarah sighed and looked down at her plate. Lasagna, French bread and Caesar salad.
Perfect.
She hoped there was enough for seconds and thirds.

Francis picked up her fork and started eating and so Sarah took her cue and dug in. She ignored everyone at the table and focused on one thing and one thing only. Refueling. Before she could even raise her head to ask for more, Agnes was standing beside her putting two more portions of lasagna on her plate and filling her glass with more milk. She looked up with gratitude on her face and smiled. Agnes leaned down and whispered for her ears only. “I was up on the widow’s walk this afternoon and I saw you fly outside and I felt you scream. I’m sorry you’re hurting sweetie. I want you to know I’m here for you.”

Sarah swallowed her bite and nodded, looking down at her plate. Agnes patted her back and went to sit down. Sarah worked her way through her second piece and started to feel human again. She felt Zane move his foot next to hers and she frowned fiercely as she felt a warm push of energy flow up her leg and wrap around her waist like she had felt that first day she had met him.

She closed her eyes and pushed the energy out the same way she had when her grandmother had come uninvited into her mind. She heard a harsh intake of breath and turned to stare at Zane. His head was thrown back and he was gritting his teeth. He slowly relaxed his body and turned to stare at her, his eyes gleaming dangerously.

“You don’t have to be so rude,” he ground out, rubbing his hand up his neck.

“Don’t touch me again Zane,” she said quietly and took another bite.

Lash glared at Zane and stood up. “What did you do Zane? Sarah, I didn’t see him touch you. What’s going on?”

Sarah raised her hand in the air and whisked it around, similar to the way her grandmother did. “His energy Lash. Zane sent his energy out to surround me, kind of like a hug. I don’t want any more hugs from him. That’s all.”

Lash sat down, looking angrily at Zane. Zane ignored Lash and rested his hands on either side of his plate, flexing his hands almost spasmodically.

Sarah tried to block out Lash and Zane but it was impossible. All of the emotional currents racing around the room were giving her a headache. “Dad, are we still on for the movies tonight?” she asked, wanting to leave as soon as dinner was over

Race looked at her in surprise, blinking quickly and then looking down at his lap. He reached up and covered his mouth with his hands for a moment and then swallowed before answering. His voice sounded scratchy and not like his normal voice at all, when he mumbled something she couldn’t understand. Sarah looked at him curiously as she gulped down the rest of her milk.

“Are you okay?” she asked curiously and then looked around the table as once again, everyone was staring at her.

“
What?
” she asked, taking her last bite.

Gretchen smiled at her almost tenderly as she glanced at her father. “Sweetie, that’s the first time you’ve called Race
dad
. I think it took him by surprise.”

Sarah looked at Race in surprise and saw him looking at her with what might have been a tear in his eye. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you that. It just kind of slipped out,” she said, feeling horribly embarrassed for herself and her father.

Race cleared his throat and shook his head. “No,
please
Sarah. I would be honored and grateful if you called me dad.”

Sarah nodded her head slowly and smiled at him. “Okay then. You ready to go Dad?” she asked again, just to try it out for real this time.

Race grinned happily and stood up. “I’m ready. Sorry to leave you beautiful ladies with the dishes, but Zane and Lash will be happy to help out. Right boys?” he said, looking at Zane and Lash with cool green eyes that dared them to disagree.

Lash frowned across the table at Zane. Zane didn’t look very happy at being forced to work in the kitchen with Lash either.

Sarah smiled and pushed her chair in, leading the way out of the room. She and her dad laughed at their discomfort and spent an enjoyable night at the movies. He let her pick the movie and even bought her an extra-large popcorn and drink. It was exactly what she needed after the day she’d had. On the way home, she told her dad about her run and the flying and how she had controlled the water and even how she’d almost hurt her grandmother.

Race listened to her as she talked and talked, not interrupting her, just letting her pour it all out and nodded his head every so often.

“You’re unique Sarah. You’re not like any witch I’ve ever known. We’re very similar in our strengths, but yet we’re different too. You go by instinct and that’s the best thing you have going for you. If you have to fly, then fly. If you feel like playing in the water, do it. Just make sure that you’re alone. And don’t worry about your grandmother. She’s a lot tougher than she looks. And I think it’ll teach her not to go walking around in your mind uninvited,” he said with a proud smile.

Sarah nodded and smiled back. She leaned forward to turn on the radio, but her dad’s hand stopped her. “Wait Sarah, I wanted to talk to you about Zane before we get home.”

Sarah frowned and sat back. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I kind of just want to forget about him for a few hours,” she said feeling depressed all of a sudden.

“No, you need to know Sarah. After you and Lash left my office this afternoon, I drove home and found Zane there at the house with Charlie. I met her and felt the same thing you did. A cold humming, kind of frantic power. She’s a witch Sarah but she’s not the kind of witch you’re used to. When I got there and approached her, she was speaking to Zane in a commanding kind of voice. She took one look at me, figured out I was a witch and left immediately. Zane has been bewitched by Charlie. You don’t know what that means, or maybe you do. But it’s a lower form of mind control. The mind control that Charles Langford can use on people is frightening and horrific. The type of mind control that Charlie is using on Zane is a weaker version but still very effective if the person is unprotected.”

Sarah sighed and rested her head in her hands for a few moments before she could speak. “So what you’re saying is that Zane breaking up with me today, wasn’t Zane. It was Charlie, making him do it?”

Race looked over at her with a grave expression on his face. “In my opinion, yes.”

Sarah bit her lip. “So you think I should give Zane a second chance? You think I should go back to him?” she asked, feeling torn and upset all over again.

Race looked at her in surprise. “No! That’s the last thing I want. I need to figure this girl out. Until we know what kind of threat she is, or if she’s connected to Charles somehow, then it’s safer for you to step back from Zane.”

Sarah blinked in surprise and turned to look out the window. “Wait, but what about Zane? Are you just going to let her keep messing with his mind? You’re going to let her keep using him and controlling him?” she asked, feeling more and more upset at the idea.

Race sighed and clenched his fists on the steering wheel. “Yes and no. I’m going to talk to Gretchen and Agnes tonight about the situation and we’ll figure something out. I promise I won’t let her hurt him Sarah. I know what it’s like to see someone you love hurt. I would do anything to protect you from that kind of pain. Right now, my number one priority is protecting you Sarah. Until we understand this new threat, I’d like you to stay away from Zane. I’ve already talked to your grandmother and she’s agreed to allow Lash the use of her extra car. He’ll be driving it home tonight. Gretchen will still drive you to school in the morning and Lash will drive you home afterwards.”

Sarah nodded her head, not happy about the arrangement, but not knowing what else to do. “Tell me one thing. Is Charlie evil? Is she a bad witch or something?”

Race cocked his head as he thought about it. “Evil is a black and white word. It doesn’t leave any space for the grays in life. When I was near her this afternoon, I sensed a lot of pain and anger. She’s beginning to twist inside. But no, I wouldn’t call her evil.
Yet.
I’ve known evil. I think you’ve met it already, when you came in contact with Lash’s dad. She’s not there yet. But I do think she’s on the path leading towards it.”

Sarah nodded, accepting her dad’s explanation. “How can I sit back and let her do whatever she wants with Zane? I don’t know if I can. I won’t,” she said honestly.

Race reached the end of the road, and turned off the car in front of the house. He turned and looked at her sadly and nodded his head. “You’re not made to sit back while someone is being hurt. Lash has told me all about how you would stick up for him against the bullies. You’re a good, kind hearted valiant soul and so what I’m asking of you is going to be very hard. I’m asking you to stand back. Let me investigate this girl and find out all the angles before we do anything drastic. Please.”

Sarah opened the door, refusing to promise anything. “Thanks for the movie and popcorn dad.” She said with a sad smile and shut the door.

Race opened his car door and came around to her side. “This might be really weird and awkward for you, but do you mind if I give you a hug?” he asked, sounding very unsure and nervous.

Sarah smiled shyly and nodded. “Okay.”

Race walked forward and enveloped her in a warm light hug that didn’t last more than a few seconds. He let go and stepped back, smiling down at her.

“Thanks for going to the movies with me. Maybe next week, we could go again?”

Sarah nodded and smiled back. “Of course. I’d love to.”

Race walked her up the stairs to the front door and opened it for her. As soon as they walked in and Sarah pulled her coat off, Zane flew out of the kitchen and landed hard in the hallway.

They heard a roar of rage and Lash appeared in the doorway, looking ready to pounce on Zane. Zane practically flew up, off his back and stood, crouching forward, ready for Lash’s assault. Sarah squawked and hurried forward, but Race held the back of her shirt.

Zane leapt on Lash, bringing him down. They rolled a few times until Lash pulled his fist back and let it fly into Zane’s face, making a horrible connection. Zane roared and began pummeling Lash with his fists practically glowing with energy.

Agnes and Gretchen appeared in the doorway seconds later with brooms in their hands. They swatted the boys and yelled at them, threatening them with death if they didn’t stop. When that didn’t work, Francis appeared and pointed a finger at Zane and Lash. They immediately sprung apart, like they were glued to the opposite walls. Their shoulders were so tight against the wall, their bodies arched up uncomfortably. They were both breathing heavy and staring at each other with murder in their eyes.

Francis walked between the boys and looked at them both, one at a time. “I’m ashamed of you both. Acting like hooligans in my home. You’re in time out. Thirty minutes. When your time is over, I expect you to shake hands like gentlemen and let bygones be bygones. Is that understood?”

Lash bared his teeth at Zane and Zane flexed his hands, not saying a word but looking threatening none the less.

Francis sighed wearily and shook her head. “If I don’t feel you will abide by my terms, then the time out will last for as long as it takes. Understood?”

She didn’t wait for an answer, but turned and walked imperiously out of the hallway and back towards her office. Gretchen stared sadly at her son and shook her head. “Zane, what am I going to do with you?”

Agnes walked up to Lash, patted his cheek a little harder than normal. “Grow up young man and stop acting like a Neanderthal. For pity’s sake you two.”

Gretchen and Agnes walked back into the kitchen, leaving Zane and Lash staring at each other with open hatred.

Race cleared his throat and put a hand on Sarah’s elbow as he led her through the hallway and between the two boys. Sarah tried to keep her eyes down but couldn’t resist looking at them both. Lash looked furious still and his right eye was already swelling shut. She walked quickly to his side and reached up to touch the tender skin, already turning purple. She ran her finger around his eye, soothing the skin and healing the pain. Lash’s breathing calmed and his eyes turned tender as he stared down at her.

“Thanks Sarah. I can explain everything. He started it.”

Sarah held up a hand and shook her head. She didn’t want to hear it.
Any of it
. She was going to ignore Zane, but when she glanced over and saw that his nose was obviously broken, she couldn’t walk away. She walked slowly over to Zane. He was breathing hard as if he’d just run a marathon and was staring at her with eyes blazing.

“You can’t be with him! What are you thinking?” he yelled at her.

Sarah ignored him and reached up to touch his nose sending a pulse of soothing energy flowing through her fingers. She rubbed her finger up and down his nose and felt the pain ease and the nose move back into place. She felt Zane’s shoulders relax and his breathing ease. She moved back from him and turned away.

“Wait Sarah. Wait just a minute. Please, come back. Please, let’s talk this through.” Zane pleaded.

Lash snorted rudely. Sarah ignored them both and moved into the kitchen, feeling her father right behind her.

He patted her shoulder comfortingly and moved to stand by Gretchen who looked upset and close to tears. Agnes frowned worriedly and looked at Race, with a shake of her head. Sarah was exhausted suddenly, so without saying another word, she walked out of the kitchen and up to her room. She just couldn’t handle any more drama today. She grabbed her headphones and flung herself on her bed. She closed her eyes and dissolved into Alice in Chains and Radio Head. It suited her mood and kept her from flying out the window and into the dark night.