Freak of Nature (The Lost Witch Trilogy #1) (3 page)

Zane laughed and shook his head, grinning at her.
“Now you’re talking crazy. Nah, just friends until you’re a little more comfortable with me. There will be no friend zone with you and me. This is called a waiting period.”

Sarah groaned and ran her fingers through her hair.
“Waiting for what exactly?”

Zane leaned back in his chair and looked directly into her eyes, like no other person ever had before and stopped smiling.
“I’m comfortable with the term boyfriend.”

Sarah’s mouth fell open and she clenched her hands on her knees.
“That’s what I’m talking about Zane. We just met in first period. It’s only lunch time. I’m scared by the end of the day we’re going to be married with two kids. You have got to stop freaking me out. You are in the friend zone as of right this second. Friend zone or I’m putting a restraining order on you. Deal?” she said, holding her hand out.

Zane grabbed her hand quickly and smiled as the energy flowed between them, making Sarah’s hair curl and her eyes turn bright.

“You’re breaking my heart, but friend zone it is. If you ever want me to come out of that particular zone, you only have to say the word. Until then, you are my very special friend. Do I get to flirt with you? Friends do flirt you know.”

Sarah pulled her hand away and grinned.
“Just on Fridays.”

Zane groaned and gathered their garbage up.
Sarah stood up and glanced around, automatically trying to find Lash. She frowned as she saw Lash and Jill slip out the side door that led out into the parking lot.
Where were those two going?
She forgot about Lash though as Zane’s warm breeze wrapped around her torso and squeezed her.

She glared at Zane and punched him in the arm.
“You’re going to have to teach me how to do that.”

Zane slung a friendly arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the lockers.
“That my
friend
is why we need to hang out. It’s time, my little witch that you learn to do more than strip unsuspecting jocks of their clothes.”

Sarah giggled as she pushed Zane’s arm off her shoulders.
“Nothing dark and creepy though. I hate that heavy gross feeling I get when I’m around people who practice witchy stuff.”

Zane looked at her in confusion.
“
Dark and creepy
? Do I look like a creeper to you? Do I feel dark or heavy?” he asked tilting her chin up.

Sarah shook her head and looked down feeling bad for some reason.
“No, you feel good. When I’m around you I just feel warm . . . and strange. Well, not strange, but just um . . . I don’t know,
happy
?”

Zane tilted his head and looked torn for a moment.
“You sure you want me in the friend zone? Because that calls for a kiss.”

Sarah laughed nervously and pushed him away.
“Stop flirting, it’s only Monday.”

Zane groaned loudly and pulled her toward his locker, where without twirling the lock, he just touched the metal and it swung open.
Sarah glanced around nervously, hoping no one saw.

“So who have you been around that gives you that dark, heavy icky feeling, just out of curiosity? Let me guess, Lash.”

Sarah leaned against a locker and looked away, ignoring the stares of the kids walking past her. “My aunt and her freak show friends,” she said quietly, looking down at her shoes.

Zane shut the locker and leaned his shoulder on the locker next to her.
“I would never make you feel that way Sarah. Hang out with me after school. Come meet my mom. She can tell you everything you need to know about being a witch. She’s taught me everything I know.”

Sarah sighe
d and looked up into Zane’s soft gray eyes. He looked sincere, but more than that, he looked kind. Besides, it was that or go home and face her aunt and her weekly
meeting
.

“Okay.”

Zane held up his finger when his phone vibrated. She watched him read his text but then looked around at the kids, wondering what normal people did after school. She glanced down the hallway and was surprised to see Lash push through the front doors with Jill Cavanaugh’s hand in his. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.
Lash holding hands with a girl
. And he really did look different. Gone was the pasty white skin from last year. He was practically glowing with healthy color. His eyes were bright and wide and he looked like he was practically pulsing with strength and life. He held his head differently now too. Where before he had always let his head hang down, not wanting to be noticed, his head was up and he grinned almost triumphantly as he made his way down the hallway. The same girls who stared at Zane, were now staring at Lash in almost the same way. He had a dark magnetism that she’d never noticed before but she was sure feeling it now.

Sarah tore her eyes away from Lash and finally noticed Jill.
Jill looked happy, but kind of ill too. Her skin looked pale and there was sweat on her forehead as if she’d just run the mile. She stumbled a little but Lash grabbed her arm, steadying her. She smiled dreamily up into his face and kept walking. Lash grinned back down at her. He noticed Sarah staring at him and he looked surprised and almost guilty. He looked down for a moment and then back at Sarah with a shrug. He left Jill at her locker and then walked up to her.

“I would never be with Jill if I knew I could be with you Sarah,” he said, leaning in so he was practically touching her ear.
“I’m good enough for you now. I’m strong enough for you now. Just say the word Sarah,” he said, pulling back.

Sarah glanced at Zane whose face had turned hard and mean as he stood close enough to hear.
He put his phone back in his pocket and stood up straighter, crossing his arms across his chest.

Sarah cleared her throat and looked back at Lash.
“Lash, I didn’t know you felt that way about me.”

Lash glanced over his shoulder at Jill who was content to wait for him at her locker.
“I’ll give you some time to think about it,” he said in a strangely purposeful way and then walked back to Jill.

Sarah shivered, feeling cold and sad all of a sudden.

“Man, if that guy’s aura gets any darker it’s going to be black as tar,” Zane said, staring coldly at the back of Lash’s head.

“He’s had a rough time Zane. Don’t judge him,” she said, automatically sticking up for Lash.

Zane shook his head and pushed away from the locker as the bell rang for fifth period.
“I don’t think you should be around somebody that dark Sarah. I’m just pointing that out as a friend.”

Sarah sighed and walked Zane to his next class since he didn’t know where the PE room was.
If Zane thought Lash was dark, what would he think of her aunt?

Sarah felt the rush of kids push past her as she walked slowly to her locker.
It had been one of the strangest days of her life and she still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. It had started out so typical too. Fight with aunt.
Check
. Walk to school.
Check
. But from first period on? Life had decided to throw her into the deep end and she was still struggling to catch her breath. Was she really contemplating spending the afternoon with a guy she had just met that morning? Sarah Hudson did not do things like that.
Ever
. And then Lash changing on her. He’d gone from a little geeky guy she had a soft spot for to a hot guy that had a soft spot for her. That was the strangest thing of all. Something was going on with him. She had no clue what, but she was going to find out.

“You like making men wait for you huh?
So typically female Sarah. I was hoping you’d surprise me,” Zane said, standing by her locker and tapping his watch.

Sarah shook her head and tried to look mean, but she couldn’t help smiling.
What wasn’t to smile about? This tall, lean, strong and handsome guy was determined to hang out with her. It was Christmas morning and she was acting like Scrooge. Maybe it was time to start living a little.

“Well, I’m here now Zane.
Let me put my books away and we can go,” she said as he reached out and played with her hair.

Sarah touched her locker with her finger and used her energy to open the lock. It popped open and she smiled in satisfaction.
Zane grinned at her and then looked at her locker through slitted eyes. The metal on the door looked like it was melting and drooping for a few seconds, but then it slowly returned to its original shape.

Sarah’s eye’s widened in surprise.
Opening a locker was one thing. Melting metal? That was far beyond anything she could do. “Okay.
Wow
. Can you teach me how to do that?” she asked, shaking her head in awe.

Zane grabbed the books out of her arms and put them in the locker for her, slamming it shut and twirling the lock.
“Well, it kind of all depends. Witches are like people, we’re all different and we have different talents. I’m pretty good with metal, but you might not be. It’ll be interesting to find out what you are good at though. You’re definitely a pro at manipulating clothing.”

Sarah laughed and walked through the school doors and into the parking lot.
“So are we walking or riding a bus or do you have a car?” she asked looking at him questioningly.

Zane pointed towards the parking lot and put his hand on the small of her back as they walked past groups of kids laughing and talking.
“It’s the silver jeep on the last row,” he said pointing to what looked like a brand new jeep.

Sarah stared at Zane feeling slightly uncomfortable.
“Yikes, you’re rich.”

Zane rolled his eyes.
“Don’t be a snob Sarah. Money is a just a thing. It was a gift from my Aunt Julie. She’s a computer tech genius and she likes to spoil us since she doesn’t have kids of her own.”

Sarah let Zane open the door for her and she hopped up into the plush leather seat.
Zane joined her a few seconds later and they roared out of the parking lot. “So who is
us
?”

Zane handed her his phone.
“Check out my screen saver.”

Sarah drew her finger across the Android phone opening up to the screen saver and saw Zane surrounded by three beautiful blond women, standing on a beach in what looked like Hawaii.

“Your family?”

Zane grinned and nodded.
“My two sisters, Cat and Zandra and my mom is in the back. Her name’s Gretchen. You’ll love them.”

Sarah winced and nodded.
People had a way of not loving her. But if they were anything like Zane then there was a possibility. “So are your sisters witches like you and me?” she asked hopefully.

Zane snorted and shook his head, laughing at the thought.
“Cat? Nah, she’s up at college studying business and Zandra works for a non-profit organization in New York to help free kids from slavery in other countries. They’re cool, but not witches.”

Sarah nodded her head and felt disappointed.
It would have been so nice to have met some female witches like Zane. Nice, kind, open and friendly. Someone she could talk to about what it was like. Someone she could be friends with.

“So your mom? What exactly is she like? Is she like you?” she asked hopefully.

Zane laughed again and shook his head.
“Nah, we’re kind of polar opposites, but we love each other, so it’s all good. Here we are. Come in and make up your mind for yourself,” he said turning off the jeep and opening his door.

Zane had driven them to The Noble Barn, his grandmother’s bookstore that had been closed for a couple months because of her illness. She stared up at the old
red brick building on main street with the green awnings and brightly lit window filled with books and posters. It was her favorite place to go, but for some reason, she didn’t feel like getting out of the jeep.

Now, just hours after meeting a new guy at school, she was meeting his mother.
Who was a witch.
Yeah, this was no big deal.

Zane opened her car door and looked at her quizzically.
“Are you an old fashioned girl Sarah? You like your men to open doors for you?”

Sarah giggled weakly and hopped out.
“I’m strong enough to push a door open. I just happen to be a little nervous about meeting your mom is all. No biggee.”

Zane smiled and pulled her in for a hug.
“Oh, that’s sweet. Now stop being a wimp.”

Sarah swallowed as Zane pulled her through the front doors of Agnes Adam’s book store and café, The Noble Barn.
She’d always loved wandering the aisles of the little book store. Everyone in town usually drove into Harrisburg to shop at the mall and the book stores there, but she preferred this one. It was so peaceful and calm. She always left the store feeling ten times better than when she’d arrived.

“I’m sorry about your grandmother by the way,” she said quietly, reaching out to touch Zane’s arm.

Zane reached over and put his hand on top of hers, filling them both with warmth.
“Alzheimer’s is no joke. My mom’s hoping to pull her out of it, but witches are humans too.”

Sarah’s mouth fell open in shock.
“Are you telling me your grandmother, Agnes Adams was,
is
a witch?” she demanded stopping in front of a table filled with children’s books about dinosaurs.

Zane looked surprised.
“You seriously didn’t know? A witch can always tell another witch. I knew the second you walked through the door.
Huh
,” he said looking at her like she was defective.

Sarah sniffed and turned away.
“I block out as much as I can of that stuff. But I will say that I always felt so good when I came here. And Agnes always gave me free cookies and told me the most interesting stories about Ireland where her parents were from. I always wished she was my grandma,” she said softly.

Zane pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.
“Release me from the friend zone and she’s yours.”

Sarah laughed and realized she was leaning her head on Zane’s chest.
“Knock it off Zane.”

Zane laughed and turned around as if he was looking at someone.
A tall, beautiful blond woman of about forty-five walked around a book shelf and came towards them, smiling warmly and holding out a hand to Zane.

“Zane, who is this gorgeous creature?
Trust you to find the prettiest girl in town on your first day of school,” she said coming closer and looking curiously at Sarah.

As she reached out a hand to shake Sarah’s, she paused and looked like she felt a strong shock.
Her smile wavered slightly, but then came back bigger and brighter.

“Oh, you’re a strong one, aren’t you?
Well come in and have a treat on the house,” she said turning around and waving towards the café counter.

Sarah winced and looked at Zane worriedly.
Zane shook his head and smiled encouragingly. “Relax,” he ordered and pulled her towards the muffins Gretchen was already putting on plates.

“Coffee, hot chocolate or tea?”
Gretchen asked looking at her expectantly.

“Hot chocolate sounds good,” Sarah said, trying to smile.

Gretchen poured their drinks and leaned on the counter as she and Zane started eating their hazelnut, caramel and white chocolate muffins.

“T
his is amazing,” Sarah whispered in awe before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Zane smiled proudly at his mom.
“My mom has won awards for baking. We used to live in Denver where she had a successful catering business.”

Sarah smiled shyly at Gretchen.
“I would love to learn how to cook like this.”

Gretchen winked at her
as she took a sip of her coffee. “Well, I’m looking for afternoon help for the store. If you work for me, I’d be happy to teach you what I know.”

Sarah’s eyes widened at the possibility.
“
Really?
I could work here for you? But what about Zane? Don’t you want the job?” she asked, looking back and forth between son and mother.

Gretchen laughed, swinging her long blond hair over her shoulder.
“Zane and cooking and cleaning don’t go together. Zane’s going to be busy doing other things for me,” she said looking more serious. “But you’re hired if you’re interested. I could use you after school from three to six and Saturdays. What do you say?”

Sarah felt a humming start in her toes and work its way to her eyes.
She glowed with happiness as she nodded her head. “I would love to. Thanks Gretchen.”

“It’s settled then.
Only one rule to remember. No magic in front of customers.”

Sarah’s smile faded and she turned to look at Zane accusingly.
Zane’s mouth was stuffed with muffin, but he shook his head fiercely before reaching for his hot chocolate.

Gretchen reached her hand over the counter and grabbed Sarah’s fist.
“Honey, Zane didn’t have to say one word. The power slap I walked into when I met you told me everything I need to know. Sweetie you gotta learn how to control that energy or you’re going to slap everyone silly. People are going to run in the opposite direction if you’re not careful.”

Sarah groaned and laid her head on her arms.
“People do run in the opposite direction of me. I don’t know anything about how to control all of this energy I have. And I’m not really comfortable with the term witch. I prefer psychokinesis if you don’t mind.”

Gretchen stared at Sarah’s head in disbelief and then stared at Zane.
“Zane, were you power slapped when you two met?”

Zane wiped his mouth with a napkin and grinned at his mother.
“No ma’am. For me, it’s more like a power magnet than a power slap. I can definitely feel her energy though. I could feel her coming a quarter mile away like she was being pulled to me. She walked into first period and I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. But no power slap. It freaks everyone else out though. Everyone except this weird kid named Lash. He seems immune to it for some reason and he’s not even a witch,” he said not looking happy about it.

Gretchen looked back and forth between Zane and Sarah.
“Well, isn’t that interesting.”

Zane grinned at his mom and reached for a second muffin.
“It certainly is. And might I point out she’s beautiful.”

Gretchen laughed and shook her head at her son.
“I’ve got eyes Zane. You better watch it or you’re going to scare her to death.”

Sarah raised her head tiredly from her arms.
“He did. He does. But I’m slowly getting used to it.”

Gretchen laughed and wiped down the counter.
“So tell me about yourself Sarah. Who are your people? I grew up here so I should know your parents.”

Sarah cleared her throat and looked at Zane nervously.
He just looked at her curiously as he munched away.

“Lena Hudson is my aunt. My mom was Rachel Hudson.
She died of pancreatic cancer when I was around five and I don’t have a father,” she said robotically, wincing as she watched Gretchen’s face turn solemn.

“
Rachel Hudson
was your mother?”

Sarah wrapped her cold hands around the warm mug and closed her eyes.
“I take it you knew my mom?”

Gretchen frowned and looked down at her feet.
“There were a few witch families in the area back then. My family the Adams, the Clearwater family who lived twenty miles out of town and the Ashfords up on the hill. You have to inherit the gene that gives you the gift. I knew your mom and aunt growing up and they aren’t witches, which means you had to have inherited your gift through your father’s family. The only male witch around back then was Race Livingston. Is Race your dad? He came in the book store just a few hours ago, asking about my mom. We didn’t have time to catch up but he looks about the same. He’s still very powerful. Just like you,” she said, looking at Sarah closely.