The Gathering Darkness (29 page)

I smiled to myself.

Once we were back at his wharf, he walked me home. As I was about to turn onto my street, he grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me to the stone wall of the corner property.

“I can’t let you go just yet,” he said.

His hands were warm against my cheeks. He lowered his mouth to mine. It was the first time our lips had touched since the night before at the boathouse.

“Then don’t let me go,” I whispered in between kisses.

He reached inside my sweater sending a tingle over my skin where his hand touched and pulled out the amulet and kissed it.

“As long as you wear this, I have a feeling I’ll always be with you.”

“I wish I had something to give to you.”

“You gave me your heart … a thousand years ago.”

“Yeah, it’s always been yours.” I reached up and pulled his face to mine in a final kiss.

A car drove past. Someone laid on the horn.

“Mmm, my very own fairy princess,” he said ignoring the audience.

I felt his lips turn into a smile against mine.

“Very funny.” I grinned also.

“Come on, I’m walking you to the driveway. Anything can happen between here and there.”

“Funny, we wouldn’t have thought so a week ago.”

Marcus watched me until I was inside of the house. I waved from the doorway. He blew me a kiss.

“I’ll call you later,” he said before I closed the door.

Suddenly, I felt so alone. There was no one in my life I could talk to now except Marcus, and he was gone.

I thought about calling Courtney and telling her the whole sordid story, but how would I ever make her believe me. I sighed and went in to face the music.

I
s that you, Brooke?” Aunt Rachel called out.

Crap
“It’s me.”

“Can you come into the kitchen please?”

I trudged down the hallway, beginning my explanation before I reached her. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home last night, but—”

When I reached the kitchen doorway, the rest of my excuse caught in my throat. I sucked back a sharp breath so quickly I choked.

“Are you alright, Brooke?” Aunt Rachel asked, getting up from the kitchen chair.

I coughed and heaved, trying to catch my breath, while my knees weakened beneath me. The door casing caught me from falling as Aunt Rachel patted my back.

“Come and sit down,” she suggested.

My feet wouldn’t move. With bulging, watery eyes, I stared at the other person in the room.

“My goodness, are you alright, Brooke dear?” she asked in her sweet, sickening way.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Finally able to breathe again, I stared at Maggie, or Margaret, or Morwenna—whoever she was.

“Brooke?” Aunt Rachel shook my shoulder. “You’re awfully pale. Do you feel well? Maybe you should go lie down and we’ll talk later.”

Maggie got up from her chair and walked with a slouch to the cupboard. She pulled a glass from the shelf, filled it with water, and brought it to me. As she drew near, a cold chill radiated from her and seeped through every pore in my body, turning my blood to slush. I knew Aunt Rachel couldn’t feel it. It was only meant for me. I also knew that only I could see the sinister grin on the witch’s face.

Like prey cornered by its hunter, I was backed against the door casing, paralyzed with fear. Air wheezed in and out of my seared throat as my breathing steadied. With her malevolent glare, Maggie drew me into the pit of her decay-ridden soul, and for an instant, my spirit was hers to command.

A pointed-toothed grin, for only me to see, lifted her wrinkled cheeks. “Here you go dear, have some water,” she said, holding the glass out to me. It might as well have been the poisoned apple; I wasn’t drinking it. Still captured, I could do nothing but stare into the black pits of her eyes.

“Brooke, did you lose your manners overnight?” Aunt Rachel asked.

With great effort, I forced the words, “Thank you … Maggie,” from my dry mouth. With a shaking hand I took the glass.

Maggie’s eyes lowered to the amulet, freeing my soul for a brief moment. Instinctively, I grabbed the chilled metal with my free hand, hiding it from her view. She flicked her darkened eyes back to mine. Captured again, I was sucked back into their depths.

My body grew hot on the inside. My head felt as if it would combust. I released the amulet and the glass of water at the same time, and my hands flew to the sides of my head. The glass crashed to the floor. I shrieked inwardly at the intensity of the pain Maggie was somehow inflicting upon me, even as she stood before Aunt Rachel, looking as innocent as an ordinary old lady.

Not only did I feel heat, but now I saw its source. A turbulent circle of flame surrounded me. I wasn’t in Aunt Rachel’s kitchen anymore. Beyond the searing flames, willow branches bowed in sorrow, and on the other side of the branches, a familiar green meadow, painted with splashes of purple, stretched out before me, cut in half by a sparkling stream.

I was Bryn now, and I was dying an agonizing death. The death I’d begged for. As the flames consumed my body, I longed to run to the stream and jump into the cool, sweet water, but my love for Kalan bound me to my fate.

In the distance, I heard my agonizing screeches as the flame consumed everything but my soul; that belonged to Kalan. I found comfort in the thought that our souls would soon be together, then the pain eased and a peaceful feeling washed over me.

I passed through a gray area. Slowly, the bright, yellow kitchen came back into view. I felt the wetness from the dropped glass of water on my legs. Finally, I was able to lower my eyes from Maggie’s.

My body felt cool again—naturally cool. I took some deep breaths, feeling as if I was going to faint. Aunt Rachel hadn’t seemed to notice my attack. To her, mere seconds had passed since Maggie handed me the water; to me it seemed like a lifetime ago.

Aunt Rachel put her arm around me and attempted to peel my back away from the door casing, but I refused her help.

“I need some air,” I said with a sharp breath, and forced my feet to carry me outside, where I collapsed on the porch swing.

Immediately, I knew I’d made a mistake. Maggie would have to pass by to leave. Why hadn’t I just gone to my room?

Although it was painful, I tried to remember back to the attack, or vision, or whatever it had been that I’d just experienced. I wanted to remember everything, but there was only pain. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and was about to call Marcus and tell him what had happened, when I heard voices in the foyer.

Maggie was leaving.

I ran down the porch steps and around to the side of the house and waited. As soon as Maggie had stepped off the bottom step, something compelled me to step out into the front yard and confront her.

“Morwenna.” The name sprung uncontrollably from my lips. I gasped and cringed once I’d said it, wishing I’d gone upstairs when I had the chance.

Beyond the startled look, Maggie looked like any other old lady. I was taken aback, but quickly recovered—as did she.

“Yes, I know who you are and who I am.” I bluffed my way through the act of bravery, as my stomach churned.

It didn’t take long for her face to transition from helpless old lady, to the evil witch she was. Her back straightened, and a slow, frightening grin crept across her face.

She spoke in a demonic voice that raised hairs on the back of my neck. “So, you’ve figured it out. No matter, your time is nearly up.”

Her eyes, black as coal, tried to capture mine again, but I fought against their seduction and, to my surprise, I was able to pull my gaze away.

“What exactly is it you want?” I asked, looking at the pavement. “Why don’t you leave us alone this time, and we’ll stay away from you.”

She murmured something low. It sounded like a mocking laugh. “If you really know who I am, then you already know what I want. Give me the amulet and you may live.” She took a step toward me, a scowl replacing her grin. “Fail to comply with my request and you and your lover shall die … again.”

“You know I’ll never give you the amulet.”

“It is your choice. When your body is reduced to bone and ash, I will take it as I have in the past.”

The sound of boot heels clicking on stone made my head jerk in their direction. Sammy stood in the middle of the driveway, looking apprehensive of coming closer.

Maggie held a bony hand out to her. “Come to me, Samantha.”

Sammy hesitated no longer and darted to Maggie’s side. Her pupils darkened like Maggie’s.

“You see, Bryn, you are outnumbered, as always.”

“Not anymore she isn’t.” The smooth voice I’d come to love called out from the road.

I turned to see Marcus running up the driveway. He stopped beside me and wrapped an arm around me securely.

Maggie grinned, exposing needle-sharp teeth. “How sweet of you, Kalan, but you couldn’t save your fairy princess in your previous lifetimes, and you will not be able to save her in this life.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Although his words came out bitter and brave, I felt his fear.

“Don’t look into their eyes,” I warned him. “They’ll spellbind you.”

“Clever girl,” Maggie said. “Run along, Samantha. I must be on my way.”

Sammy did as she’d been instructed. Once she was inside the house, Maggie took another step closer. Marcus’ arm tightened around me.

“Enjoy this time together, for it will be short-lived.”

And with that she vanished, leaving behind a wavy outline, much like a heat wave rising from hot pavement, but icy cold instead.

I shivered uncontrollably and turned toward Marcus. My head dropped to his chest. “I’m glad you came back.”

“I was almost home when the strangest feeling came over me. At first I felt hot, and then my head felt like it was on fire. I couldn’t see the road anymore. I saw Bryn, under the willow, engulfed by flames. It was exactly as Uncle Edmund had described it. When the vision ended, I had a sick feeling in my gut that you were in trouble, so I ran here as fast as I could.”

“Yeah, Maggie took me on a generous trip back in time to witness my own death. Sweet of her, huh? It was painful beyond words, and I don’t ever want to feel it again.”

“I know.” He squeezed me tight. “I felt it too.”

The front door burst open. “Oh, Brooke,” Sammy sang out sarcastically.

I jumped and turned my head in her direction. She wasn’t the evil Sammy now, just the sarcastic one.

“Supper’s ready.”

”I can’t eat,” I said to Marcus, ignoring Sammy. “But I’d better go in. Aunt Rachel thinks I’m coming down with something. Maybe she’ll go easy on me.” I let out a sharp laugh.

With a finger, Marcus angled my face to his and eased his lips gently onto mine. “I’m so in love with you, Brooke.”

Every muscle in my body relaxed to the point where Marcus had to tighten his grip on me.

“Leaving you earlier was torture.”

“I love you too,” I whispered.

Marcus slid his hand under my hair and brought my face closer. “This time I want a whole lifetime with you.”

“Hi kids,” Uncle Jim said cheerfully, sneaking up behind us, as if he hadn’t just caught us making out in the driveway.

My heart stopped beating momentarily and my heavy lids sprung open with renewed energy.
We separated too quickly and gave Uncle Jim our best fake smiles.

“Everything okay, Brooke?” he asked casually. “I noticed you didn’t come home last night.”

“Um, yeah. Everything’s fine.” I hoped my nervous laugh didn’t give me away.

Sammy came back out of the house as her father went in. She was talking to someone on her cell phone. As she leaned against the railing, twirling a strand of hair, laughing into the phone, she looked like my cousin again.

I looked at Marcus. “Sounds like she’s talking to Justin.”

“Don’t be fooled,” he warned me. “Even though she seems like the old Sammy, don’t trust her.”

“Don’t worry. You’re the only one I trust now. I’d better go. Now’s a good time while Justin has her occupied on the phone.”

“Okay. I’ll call you later.”

Reluctantly, I tore myself away from Marcus and went into the house. Sammy didn’t look at me on my way past.

“Are you feeling better now, Brooke? Do you think you can eat something? How about some soup?”

Well, at least Aunt Rachel didn’t seem mad at me.

“I really don’t think I can eat anything, but thanks. Oh, about last night,” I’d just thought of an excuse, a pathetic one, but it was the best I could come up with, “I was with Marcus at his parents’ boathouse, and I fell asleep on the sofa. I couldn’t help it; I felt really sick and didn’t want to move. He stayed with me all night so I wouldn’t be alone. Of course, he slept in another room.” More lies. “And today, I was just too sick to go to school. It was all I could do just to get home.”

I didn’t have to fake a sick look; I had Maggie to thank for that, so the whole story wasn’t completely a lie.

More naive than my mother, Aunt Rachel believed me. “At least you were somewhere safe, and I know Marcus and his family.” She looked up from setting the table. “So, are you two … ?” A smile formed on her face and her eyebrows rose in question.