Wickford High 2 - Furiously Tempted (3 page)

She laughed. “If the need arises, I’ll take you up on that.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Why wait?” She opened her mouth to tease him back, and was surprised when he brought his lips quickly to hers in a kiss so hot that it seared her to her toes. He pulled her closer, and she melted into his arms, stroking her tongue against his. Hot, intense yearning flowed through her. That kiss effectively erased all thoughts of the creepy school from Vicky’s mind. First and foremost were the new intense sensations and emotions she experienced with Luke. Every nerve ending in her body alive and hypersensitive, she wanted to lose herself in the experience.

Suddenly, a set of knuckles rapped urgently at Luke’s window.

“You better cut that out before Father Thomas catches you!”

Luke froze, and Vicky’s eyes flew open. She hurriedly pulled herself away, and gazed out the driver’s window. Bringing her hand up to her kiss-swollen lips, she brushed them with her fingertips, having momentarily forgotten she was in the school parking lot.

Luke laughed and turned his head, finally acknowledging his friend. “What do you want, Chuck?”

Vicky looked up and up. Chuck towered over the little car, his strong beefy build stretching the sleeves of his tight T-shirt.

He chuckled. “I’m just trying to keep you out of trouble, Luke. We can’t have our star quarterback suspended from school and not able to play in the game on Friday night.”

Vicky turned back to Luke in surprise. “You’re on the football team?”

“Is that such a surprise?”

“Yes .You never mentioned it. That’s usually something that guys brag about.”

Chuck knocked on the window again. “Hey, Luke, who’s your new girlfriend?”

Luke ignored him “I’m not usually much of a bragger.” He shrugged one shoulder. “The subject never came up.”

Chuck rapped on the window nonstop. “Come on, Luke.”

“I’ll have to come to the games and watch.” She rolled her eyes, and pointed at Chuck, laughing. “You might as well answer him. It doesn’t appear that he’s going to give up.”

Luke surrendered. “It’s probably about time that we go to class anyway. I guess I better find out what else Chuck wants since he’s not going away.” He opened the door, easing out of the car, and splayed his hands at Chuck. “What?”

Chuck grinned. “Hey, Luke.”

Vicky slung her bag over her shoulder and joined Luke on the passenger side of the car. She giggled at the expression on Luke’s face.

“‘Hey, Luke?’” Luke rolled his eyes. “Out of all that annoying pounding on the glass you did, all you had to say was ‘Hey, Luke’?”

Chuck laughed, and leaned his shoulder against a light pole. “Naw, of course not. I was just tryin’ to get your attention. Who’s this?”

Luke draped his arm around Vicky’s shoulders. “This is Vicky Phillips. She started here yesterday.” He squeezed her shoulders. “Vicky, this is Chuck Holmes.”

Vicky smiled, putting her hand out. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

Chuck took her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips. “Hiya, Vicky.”

Vicky tugged her hand back in surprise, leaned in to Luke.

Luke tightened his arm around Vicky, positioning his body between them. His eyes dilated, turning golden around the edges. “Chuck . . .” he growled.

Chuck lifted his hands and stepped behind the light pole. “Hey man, you know I’m just playing. It’s nice to meet you too, Vicky.”

Vicky tugged on Luke’s shirt, “It’s okay, he just took me by surprise.”

Luke closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were back to normal.

“Luke, you almost . . .” Chuck gestured toward Vicky in warning.

Luke shrugged. “She knows.”

Chuck’s mouth dropped open. “How?”

“Please, just drop it for now.”

Vicky shook her head. “No, Luke. I need to quit hiding behind secrets. That’s what got me in trouble yesterday.”

Luke gazed searchingly into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “You told me yourself last night that I fit right in this godforsaken town, so I might as well start fitting in it openly.” Squaring her shoulders, she met Chuck's eyes, taking a deep breath for courage. “I know what Luke is. You see, I’m a witch, and he saved my life last night.”

Chuck’s eyes took on a steely gleam. “A witch, huh?” Contempt rang clear in his voice as he turned to Luke. “What did ya go and save a witch for?”

“She can’t help that she’s a witch,” Luke replied. “No more than
we
can help what
we
are.”

Vicky’s eyes rounded. “We?”

Luke nodded. “Chuck is my cousin.”

“But I thought all of your family was there with you last night.”

Luke shook his head. “No, that was just my immediate relatives. I’m a member of a very large pack.”

“What do you mean? Being a witch is something someone chooses to do,” Chuck interjected.

“Not Vicky. She’s a white witch.”

Chuck lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “That’s impossible. There is no such thing as a white witch. They’re a myth.”

Luke turned to Vicky, his eyes sparkling. “Show him, Vicky.”

She shook her head. “I really shouldn’t.”

“I don’t think she
can
.” Chuck said. “At least not without chanting or potions.”

Vicky looked away. “Oh, I can, I just don’t think I should.”

“That’s what I thought. She practices black magic like the rest of ‘um. Chuck’s eyes dilated, turning golden around the edges. The air around him shimmered.

Luke tucked Vicky protectively behind him. “Chuck! What the hell!” The air wavered around him as well.

Vicky frantically scrutinized the two. She had to do something. “Stop!” she shouted in a commanding voice.

The ground beneath Chuck’s feet trembled, and the wind whipped around him.

Chuck sucked in a startled breath, whipping his head around to glare into her eyes.

“I’m not trying to hurt you,” she said. “I just don’t want you two to fight because of me.”

Chuck grabbed the light pole to steady himself. “What you’re doing is not possible. White witches are supposed to be just a myth.”

Shrugging, she stopped the earth’s trembling and calmed the wind. “I don’t know about myth, but I don’t practice black magic—honest.

A murmur of surprised voices in the parking lot behind them made Vicky cringe.

She had not meant to put on a show for the school. Turning her head, she observed the crowd that had gathered at a safe distance around them. Some of the students showed fear, while others reflected open curiosity. She recognized many of them from her classes yesterday. “Great,” she grumbled. “Yesterday everyone stared at me because of my clothes, and today they’ll stare because I’m now the school freak.”

“You’re talking to yourself again,” Luke whispered.

She gave him a weak smile. “Well, I wanted there to be no more secrets.” She sighed theatrically. “I guess I just got my wish. It won’t take that crowd long to spread the word.”

“The show’s over,” Luke spoke loudly.

A disappointed murmur echoed throughout the gathered students, but they slowly dispersed.

Vicky focused her attention back on Chuck. “I would rather be your friend than your enemy,” she remarked, wincing at the hard look on his face. “But, ultimately, the choice is yours.”

“I would rather not be enemies,” Chuck remarked. “But the friendship part . . .”

He shrugged, shaking his head doubtfully. “I don’t know. That depends on you. You’re going to have to prove to me that you’re not like the other witches around here before I will call you my friend.” He turned his back on her and walked away.

Vicky closed her eyes, exhaling slowly in defeat. Luke put his arms around her, pulling her close. “I tried, Luke. I can’t make someone like me.”

He squeezed her shoulders, hugging her to him. “They’ll all come around. They just don’t know you like I do. I told you yesterday that people are hard to get to know here.”

“I thought if I wore this god-awful uniform the others wouldn’t stare at me anymore.” She blew out a breath. “Now they’re going to gawk at me for something that I can’t hide.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “They’re going to stare at you because you’re beautiful.”

She peered into his eyes. “I couldn’t even wear my makeup. It makes me feel naked.”

He tilted her chin up with his finger, gazing into her eyes. “You’re pretty with it, but you’re beautiful without it.”

She smiled. “I don’t believe that, but thanks for saying it anyway.”

He kissed her forehead again, hugging her tight. Almost everyone had gone inside the school. “It’s about time for class. We’d better go inside. I think we’ve both been in enough trouble for a day or two anyway.”

Luke held the heavy front door open and Vicky strolled through waiting for him inside. He let the door swing shut, walking back up beside her. She gazed into his eyes, grinning mischievously. “Thanks. One of these days, you’re going to forget to do that, and it’s going to disappoint me.”

Draping his arm back around her shoulders, he hugged her to him as they walked. “I won’t ever forget to treat you like a lady.” They reached their first period classroom, and he paused. “Are you going to meet me for lunch?”

“Sure. I’ll try not to be late today.” She walked to her desk, and sat down.

Looking all around her, the smile dropped off of her face when she noticed that everyone’s eyes were upon her. Some stared with open contempt, others with fear, but no one, except for Luke, appeared friendly. She turned to face the front of the class, placing her bag beneath her desk. “Great.”

Luke sat down behind her. Leaning forward, he whispered, “It’ll get better in a day or two.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” she whispered back.

Luke laughed softly as the bell rang.

Sara’s desk was empty. “Hummm Hmmm. . .”

“What are you thinking?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Father Turner cleared his throat. “Is there something that you’d like to share with the class, Vicky?”

Her eyes grew wide, and she flushed a deep red at being singled out.

Swallowing hard, she glanced around the room. “N . . . no . . . Father Turner . . . sorry.”

He cleared his throat again. “It’s nice to see you came dressed appropriately for class today.”

She slumped down in her chair. “Yes, sir,” she replied in a small voice.

It will be okay.
She frowned in confusion, whipping her head around to look at Luke. He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.
I forgot to tell you that I could do that.

“Vicky, turn back around and face the front,” Father Turner commanded harshly.

She cringed, slowly turning.
Sorry.
She heard Luke again and she rolled her eyes.

“I’m sorry if facing the front is such an inconvenience, Miss Phillips.”

She shifted uneasy in her chair. “I’m sorry?”

“‘I’m sorry’ isn’t a question. Either you are or you aren’t sorry.”

She shook her head frantically. “No, Father Turner, I didn’t understand your statement about it being an inconvenience.” He gave her a stern look, and she swallowed hard. “It’s no inconvenience at all.”

“See me after class.”

Her heart sank. “Yes, sir.”

I’m sorry, Vicky.
Luke intruded in her thoughts again. She closed her eyes, nodding once to acknowledge his apology. “
I’ll wait for you after class.
”

Propping her elbow on the desk, she rested her chin on her open palm letting out a long slow breath.
Oh, Luke, why couldn’t you have told me you could do that before class?

Because the subject never came up.

She sat up straight in the desk.
Wait a minute. You can hear me?

Yes.

Hey, this could come in handy. How far away can you do this?

You’re the first one that I’ve been able to do this with other than my family. I don’t know,
maybe five miles or so.

So, I can just call out to you, and you’ll hear me.

Yeah, I guess so.

This could be bad, too. Can you turn it off?

I don’t think I can. Once I’ve tuned in, I can’t tune out. It’s complicated.

You better not hold anything I think against me. I don’t know if I can control my
thoughts.

She could hear him laugh at her.
You better pay attention before you get into more
trouble with Father Turner.

Tell me about it.

The classroom door opened and Sara walked through the door with a tardy slip in her hand. She tossed her silky blond hair over her shoulder. “I’m sorry that I’m late, Father Turner. I had a flat tire.”

Father Turner accepted the paper, inspecting it. “Take your seat, Sara.”

She smiled at the other students in the class until she locked eyes with Vicky. The smile dropped, all color leaving her face.

Vicky glared back.
She’s surprised to see me.
She sent the thought to Luke.

It does seem like that, doesn’t it?

Wait a minute. That doesn’t prove anything

What do you mean? Why not?

I haven’t seen Sara since the confrontation in the girl’s bathroom yesterday. I scared her
pretty bad. She may still be reacting to that.

You really aren’t like Sara. She would have acted first and thought about it later, if at all.

Tell that to your cousin Chuck.

I plan to tell him. I may just have to knock some sense into him.

No, Luke. He’s entitled to his own opinion.

Maybe so, but he doesn’t have to be so rude about it.

You’re sweet, but please don’t resort to violence. I don’t see how that will help my cause
any.

I see your point.

“Luke!”

He jerked his head up, locking eyes with Father Turner. “Uh . . . sir?”

Uh oh .

Father Turner crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “See me after class

“Yes, sir.”
It seems like we’re both in trouble
.

I’m sorry.

“
Don’t be sorry. We’ll go to confession together.
”