Freak of Nature (The Lost Witch Trilogy #1) (9 page)

After school, Sarah had to run to catch up with Lash as he walked towards the front doors.
She grabbed his arm to get his attention and he jumped almost nervously but smiled when he saw it was her.

“I was terrified it was Jill again.”

Sarah frowned sadly. “That’s not likely. She collapsed after you walked out of the lunch room. I overheard some girls talking and her mom came and picked her up.”

Lash looked pained by the news, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m just doing what I have to do. You understand, right Sarah? If I stayed with her, there’s no way I could stay clean. I know I’d use her and use her, just like my dad.”

Sarah grimaced but nodded.
“I know. You did her a big favor breaking up with her today. By the way, here,” she said, handing him a blue folder.

Lash raised his eyebrows and opened the folder.
When he saw the title on the front page, he sighed heavily. “Time to get to work, huh? Beating an addiction will be a piece of cake, right? Look, just 12 little steps. It’s going to be so easy.”

Sarah looked at him doubtfully.
“Addiction isn’t going to be easy Lash. You might have to fight the urge for blood the rest of your life. But if it means you’ll turn out to be a strong amazing man, the total opposite of your dad, then it’ll be worth it. Right?”

Lash sighed again and closed his eyes, looking tired.
“I’d do anything not to become my father. I’ll go home and look it over. Um, could you do me a favor?” he asked, looking uncomfortable.

Sarah blinked in surprised. “Yeah, sure
Lash. What?”

Lash slipped his hand into his back pocket and pulled out a small silver pocket knife.
He held it out to her, so she took it automatically.

“That’s what I use
to get the blood. Could you get rid of it for me? I don’t even want to know where it is.”

Sarah swallowed her distaste and tried to smile as she slipped it into her pocket.
“Of course. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

Sarah patted his arm, feeling the turmoil, pain and regret swimming around Lash’s system.
She wished she could take it all away for him but knew she couldn’t.

“I’m proud of you Lash. I think . . .,” Sarah paused and bit her lip.
“I think you’re pretty amazing.”

Lash looked up, his eyes wide in surprise and he smiled at her, his eyes softening as he stared at her.
“The feeling is mutual. Gotta run. Here comes Thor.”

Sarah turned to see who Lash was talking about and saw Zane walking purposefully towards her with two girls in tow.
Zane saw her and rolled his eyes and then winked. Charity stared in a sultry way up at Zane and reached out to grasp his arm possessively. They were close enough so she could hear what they were saying now.
“Zane, I would love it if you’d come to my party this Friday. You’re new to the school and it’s my duty to make sure you feel welcome. My parents will be out until late and it’ll give me a chance to introduce you to everyone. We’ve got a heated pool and hot tub and my dad’s liquor cabinet is always stocked. I promise you’ll have fun Zane.”

Zane paused and turned to look down into Charity’s pretty face.
“Ah Charity, that sounds amazing. But my girlfriend is the most jealous woman in the world. Just today Sarah caught me talking to Alicia Parker and she threatened to key my jeep. I wish I could, but for your own safety, I better not. Have fun girls,” he said regretfully and walked away from them, leaving their mouths hanging open.

Sarah shook her head as Zane laughed gleefully and swung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her through the front doors of the school.

“You get the biggest kick out of giving me a bad reputation, don’t you?” she said laughing along with him.

Zane nodded readily.
“I absolutely do.”

Zane drove straight to the store and waited while Sarah got out.
“Wait, aren’t you getting out with me?”

Zane shook his head while the jeep idled.
“I’ve got some stuff to do for my mom. I’ll be back for dinner though. Bye beautiful,” he said and grabbed the door with his energy, shutting it in her face.

She stared after the jeep with a frown wondering what he was doing for his mom, and why he hadn’t told her what it was.
She turned to walk into the store but stopped when she felt a blanket of darkness start to wrap itself around her. She gasped in surprise and used all her energy to protect herself. She reached again for the front door, but felt like she was moving in slow motion.

“Sarah, I need to talk to you,” Lena said, stepping out of the shadows.

Sarah swallowed and closed her eyes, trying hard to strengthen the shield around her. She thought of Zane and imagined his power wrapped around her and felt better immediately. She opened her eyes and looked at her aunt.

“What do you want to talk about Lena?” Sarah asked in a surprisingly conversational tone.

Lena smiled brightly and stepped closer. “I read the note you left for me and I want to talk to you about moving back home. It’s not right that you’re not living with me. I’m your guardian. It’s my job to take care of you. I’m glad you have a job, but there’s no way you can afford an apartment on a part-time salary. Come home Sarah. Tell me where your clothes are, and I’ll put everything back while you’re working. Then we can go out to dinner and talk things out. I love you Sarah.”

Sarah looked away and felt another wave of darkness hit her from behind.
She didn’t turn to look, but could feel Drake’s presence across the street, staring at her malevolently. She flexed her fingers and clenched her fists.

“You
were
my guardian. I’m eighteen now and I’m legally an adult. I have a safe place to stay now and I’m never moving back. Now that I’m living in the light, and I know what it feels like, I can’t ever go back to that darkness. Lena, I’ll always feel grateful for the way you took me in and raised me when my mom died, but if you want a relationship with me, you’ll get all of this darkness out of your life. Stop the meetings. Get Drake and those women out of your life. Find another focus besides using me. Because I won’t be used. Not by you, not by anyone.”

Lena glared at her, her expression changing from sweet
and pleading, to angry and offended.

“It’s that boy Drake told me about.
This is all because of him I know it. How pathetic. You’re giving up reaching your full potential because of a stupid crush. Well, I might let you come home when he dumps you for someone less freaky and prettier. Men are always on the lookout for the next pretty face. You’ll be back Sarah and I bet it’s sooner than you realize. You’re just like your mother. Giving up everything for a man,” Lena said with such a look of disgust on her face that Sarah’s eyes widened in surprise.

She watched silently, not saying anything in reply as Lena walked across the street and away from her.
Sarah turned to watch her aunt get into the passenger side of a parked car and drive away. Sarah rubbed her cold arms and turned back to the book store. It would be easy to ignore everything Lena had said except for what she’d said about her mother. Sarah didn’t know the first thing about Rachel Hudson, but Lena’s anger had become almost uncontrollable when she’d brought it up. What if her mom did give up everything for a man? And if so, who? And Why?

She opened the door and walked into the light and put it aside.
Someday she’d figure it out. Right now, she had to figure out how to work a till.

Zane picked her up after work and drove her to the local Mexican restaurant.

“It’s about time I took you on a real date, don’t you think?” he said, holding the door open for her.

Sarah grinned happily. “Well, this is my first date, so yes. It’s definitely about time.”

Zane shook his head.
“Thank goodness for your power slap. It would have been a pain to fight every guy in town off.”

Sarah snorted and picked up the menu, scanning the entrées gleefully.
“Zane, even if I didn’t have all this energy to deal with, I still wouldn’t have half the population panting after me. I’m too different. I’m not like those girls at school. I’m not anything like Charity or Alicia.”

Zane grimaced and picked up his menu.
“Thank goodness. You’re so much more. I could look at your face all day long. You’re fascinating. And you’d have to be dense not to notice that every guy’s eyes are on you every time you walk through the door. It’s actually starting to get on my nerves,” he said sounding, truly annoyed.

Sarah lowered her menu and stared at him in disbelief.
“You’re making that up. I’ve caught a few guys staring at me, but it’s like you said the other day. People are fascinated by the power and they’re not even sure why they’re staring. Moths and porch lights, right?”

Zane grimaced and took a sip of water.
“I can sense thoughts too as it so happens. Turns out guys don’t just stare at you because you’re a witch.”

Sarah’s mouth fell open and she looked away in embarrassment.
“Oh.”

Zane looked at her grimly.
“Yeah.
Oh.
The sad truth is, you’re stunning. In more ways than one.”

Sarah shook her head and giggled while Zane laughed at his own joke.
“That was lame Zane.”

They ordered from the waiter and munched on chips and salsa while they waited.
Sarah relaxed and smiled as she looked around the restaurant at other couples, families and friends sharing a meal together. “I feel so normal. This is great.”

Zane reached over and grabbed her hand.
“Witches can have very normal, happy lives. Just watch. From here on out, you’re going to be amazed at how much you’re going to enjoy life.”

Sarah couldn’t help smiling at the thought.
“And I take it you’re going to be a big part of my happy life?”

Zane looked up in surprise.
“Well of course. No one else could make you as happy as I can.”

Sarah was saved from answering as the waiter brought their entrees.
As Sarah pulled the napkin over her lap she glanced out the front window just in time to see Lash walk past with his arm around a girl. She gasped and pushed back from the table to run to the window, pushing past a waiter and squeezing past a woman who must have been in her seventies.

“Excuse me, please,” she said, plastering her face to the glass.
She stared at Lash’s back and the girl he was holding close to his side. She could tell immediately it wasn’t Jill and felt a part of her relax. But it looked like Lash’s sobriety was going to be short lived. She realized a second later that Zane was standing next to her, staring at the couple walking away from them.

“That’s Charity,” Zane said in resignation.

Sarah looked up at him, feeling sick to her heart. “I gave him the 12 steps just hours ago and he’s already found a replacement for Jill. Why can’t he stop?” she demanded as Zane pulled her back to their table and their cooling food.

Zane sat down and motioned for her to do the same.
“Sarah, you can’t beat this addiction for him. It’s kind of all on his shoulders. He’s gotta find the strength somewhere, somehow to fight it.”

Sarah took a sip of water feeling waves of disappointment and anger tingle along her nerve endings.
“But what about Charity?”

Zane frowned and looked back at the now empty window.
“She reminds me a lot of the girls I knew back in Denver. But to be fair to Lash, maybe he just asked a cute girl out on a date. We shouldn’t just assume that he’s with her to use her. He’s a teenage guy just like me. Maybe this is him being normal?” Zane asked, smiling hopefully at her.

Sarah winced and tried to smile back.
“Yeah. You have a point. But I have a feeling Charity is going to look kind of gray and empty tomorrow morning.”

Zane picked up his fork and looked pensive.
“If that’s the case, then we’ll just have to have another chat with Lash. This will stop one way or another. I promise you.”

Sarah looked into Zane’s eyes, filled with goodness and strength and believed him.
She nodded her head and reached under the table to touch her foot to his. The power she sent up Zane’s leg and that wrapped around his heart had him grinning at her.

“Now let’s forget about everything but you and me.
Deal?” Zane asked raising his glass to her.

Sarah smiled and lifted her glass in return.
“Deal.”

Later that night after Zane had said goodnight and she was getting ready to turn in, she stood by the window in her small bedroom and stared at the lights from across town.
She could tell by the pattern, colors and brightness they were police lights. She frowned and wondered what new disaster was unfolding. She leaned against the cool glass and wished that life would be safe for everyone for just one day.

The next morning as Sarah stood at her locker with Zane, she noticed a morbid feeling of sadness making its way through the halls.
She turned her head and saw the typical groups of kids talking before class started but there was a difference. No one was smiling.

“Zane, what’s going on?” she asked worriedly.

Zane scanned the hallway and nodded. “Something’s up. Stay here.”

Sarah slipped her army green fitted jacket off and slid it into her locker as she watched Zane walk up to a group of guys who were baseball players. Zane talked
for a minute and then looked at Bryan Danes who started talking quickly. Bryan was a nice guy who studied hard and already had a baseball scholarship. He looked upset. Zane turned his head to look at her and as their eyes connected she felt something she’d never felt before. She felt words in her mind as if Zane was talking to her. She heard the name,
Jill
.

She blinked a few times in shock and then looked away, shaken as she felt Zane walk back to her.
Zane shut her locker for her and then leaned in close to her, putting his hands on her arms.

Sarah looked up into Zane’s worried face and spoke first.
“What happened to Jill?”

Zane nodded and looked surprised.
“How did you know?”

Sarah stepped in closer to Zane’s chest as he wrapped his arms more closely around her.
She lifted her mouth to his ears so no one else could hear. “You told me in my mind just now. I felt you say her name.”

Zane’s intake of breath told her how surprised he was.

“You’re kidding me,”
he said sounding in awe.

Sarah lifted her head to look into his eyes and shook her head.
“What happened to her?”

Zane rubbed her back and looked away for a moment.
“The police found her body in the park at around 9:30 last night. It looks right now like someone assaulted her. Bryan told me she had lost a lot of blood.”

Sarah felt herself go cold and she shut her eyes, trying to shut out the th
ought that Lash had killed Jill. “Zane, Lash wouldn’t do that to her. He just broke up with her. He felt horrible for what he’d already taken. It wasn’t him,” she said, starting to feel agitated.

Zane wrapped his energy around her making Sarah immediately feel warmer.
“Sweetheart, I don’t want to think Lash did it either. But if Charity turned him down and he was craving blood, things might have gotten out of control. We just don’t know yet. I’m not making up my mind until we talk to Lash.”

Sarah nodded her head and looked up at Zane, grabbing his arm.
“Let’s go find him Zane. Right now,” she said turning to walk down the hallway but was pulled back gently but firmly.

“Sarah, they have Lash down at the police station.
He’s being questioned right now. Bryan says he’s been there since last night.”

Sarah’s eyes widened and she groaned.
“This is horrible. What can we do?”

Zane looked up as the bell rang for class to start.
“Nothing right now. Let’s get through school and we’ll talk to my mom and figure something out. But in the meantime, I’m going to find Charity and have a little chat with her.”

Sarah leaned up and kissed Zane on the cheek smiling in relief.
“You are the best,” she whispered fervently.

Zane grinned and pulled her in for a real kiss, making her head swim and her energy blossom and spread out, wrapping around the both of them like a warm blanket.

I love kissing you
.

Zane pulled back in surprise. “Did you just say that?”

Sarah grinned and nodded her head. “I wondered if it went both ways. I think we’ve discovered a new power.”

Zane shook his head in amazement.
“That is the coolest thing I’ve ever felt.
Amazing
,” he said as they walked to class together.

They spent all of first period having a silent discussion on everything from Jill, Lash and Charity, to telepathy and the difference between
psychokinesis and being a witch. Sarah was sure she had finally won the argument for a more modern interpretation of their power but changed her mind when she could feel Zane laughing in her mind.

After class, Sarah watched Zane walk away from her down the hallway and was surprised to feel a part of
herself being pulled down the hallway with him. Her connection to Zane was getting stronger and stronger every day. She frowned as she wondered if that was what her mother had felt for her father. Would she give up everything for a man?

She felt the words,
Bye beautiful
slip into her mind from Zane as if they had been there all along and she felt a bright warm light spread throughout not just her body, but her soul. She bowed her head for a moment and decided not to answer the question, because she knew she’d never love a man who’d want her to give up everything for him.

After school she waited for Zane by his jeep.
She scanned through her messages and saw three new ones from her aunt Lena. She listened to the first one and then deleted all three. Lena was just saying what she had said yesterday over and over in different ways. But it came back every time to the fact that Lena wanted her back and she wanted her to let Drake bind her to them.
Yuck.
Sarah grimaced and scanned the parking lot for Zane for the tenth time. He was taking his sweet time for sure and she wanted to stop by the Police Department to see if they could talk to Lash.

She closed her eyes and sent her energy out of herself, feeling for him and felt a pulse of warmth come from behind her.
She turned around and stared at Zane talking to Charity by the Football stadium. She frowned but then watched as he patted Charity on the shoulder and inch back from her. Charity looked up, wiped her eyes and then threw her arms around Zane’s neck, sobbing.

Sarah felt jealousy rip through her system.
“
That little witch,”
she breathed out softly. She couldn’t see Zane’s expression, but it better be as horrified as hers was.

Charity didn’t look like she was going to let go any time soon and Zane for some reason wasn’t ripping her arms off of his neck.
Sarah glared at the back of Zane’s head and sent a little energy ball out towards him. She closed her eyes for a moment and thought the words into his mind, ‘
I’m keying your car right this moment’
. She wasn’t sure he would be able to hear her thoughts from this range, but it didn’t matter, because her power must have reached him quickly. He looked stiff and frozen for a moment and then he stepped quickly away from Charity, rubbing the back of his neck over and over.

Sarah bit her lip and hoped she hadn’t hurt him.
She watched as Zane talked to Charity for a few more minutes and then turn and walk away from her. As he walked towards the jeep, his eyes were slits of silver and he looked seriously ticked. Sarah swallowed nervously and tried to look innocent. Zane stalked his way through the parking lot and walked slowly around his jeep, his jaw tight and his eyes glittering as he checked the paint job. Sarah wondered if she should slip out of the jeep and make a run for it.

Try it and I’ll chase you down
, came a voice in her mind.

Sarah winced and crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the ax to fall.
She’d had no idea how much power she’d sent out. She’d have to be more careful. If she’d fried him like she had Drake, she’d feel horrible.

Zane got into the jeep and turned to stare at her.
“I tell you I’ll talk to Charity for you and you zap my neck?
Are you kidding me?
And then, to top it off you threaten my jeep. I don’t know if I’m more horrified or surprised,” he said quietly.

Sarah couldn’t have felt worse.
She looked away from Zane and rubbed her arms. “It looked to me like you were enjoying that very long, very intimate hug more than you should. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was mostly teasing. I just wanted you to know I was here.
Seeing the whole thing
.”

Zane sighed and rested his head on the steering wheel.
He lifted his hand to massage his neck again and she felt even worse. Sarah reached over and moved his hand out of the way. She rubbed her hand back and forth over Zane’s neck and lifted the pain out of his tingling nerve endings. Zane sighed in relief instantly.

“I’m so sorry,” she said again, removing he
r hand from his neck and opened the door to the jeep with the other. She slipped out of the jeep, shutting the door firmly and walked quickly away. She slid between two parked cars and out of view of the jeep. She immediately felt Zane leave the car and start to follow her. She picked up speed and started running for the sidewalk in front of the school as she felt tears start to course down her cheeks. She was so mortified she could die. Zane was shocked and surprised by her inadvertent cruelty.
Just great
. The one person she cared about more than anyone and she’d intentionally hurt him. She shook her head, disgusted with herself and ran faster.

Sarah sensed Zane getting closer so she darted out into the street and crossed.
She knew this town better than Zane did. If she could get out of his sight, she’d lose him and get away. Away from him, away from her embarrassment and away from his angry silver eyes.

Zane’s thoug
hts came into her mind softly,
Knock it off Sarah and stop running. Come back so we can talk
. Sarah felt so horrible she pushed her energy outside of herself like a shield and blocked any other communication from Zane. She ran into a small trinket store and walked quickly to the other end and to the side door. There was no way he’d find her now.

She waved at the clerk and then opened the door.
She turned and ran right into Zane’s chest.

“I told you the very first day that I could feel you walking towards me.
I can feel your blood. I know exactly where you are. Stop running from me and don’t block me out,” he said, pushing her slowly but surely up against the brick wall.

Sarah looked up into Zane’s bright silver eyes and looked away, blinking away more tears.
“I’m just so sorry,” she said, catching a sob that was trying to break loose.

Zane used his body to block her against the wall and leaned down, kissing the tears making their way down her cheeks.
He kissed one side of her face and then the other. She stopped crying, but still couldn’t look him in the eyes. He leaned down further and kissed her gently. She turned her face away, not understanding how he could go from mad and upset to kissing just moments later.

“Don’t be stupid Sarah.
Kiss me back,” he said quietly.

Sarah shook her head.
“I can’t. I hurt you.”

Zane sighed and tilted her face up to look at him.
She was forced to look him in the eyes and saw immediately that all the anger was gone. “It’s okay.”

Sarah shook her head.
“I honestly wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was just trying to get your attention.”

Zane’s mouth quirked up on one side.
“But you were mad when you did it, weren’t you?”

Sarah wanted to say no, but the truth was
, she had been mad that Charity had her arms around Zane. And she was mad at Zane for letting it happen.

“Why did you let her hug you?” she asked quietly, pushing gently on Zane’s chest.

He moved back an inch, but didn’t budg
e more than that. “Because the guy she had just been making out with the night before was in jail on suspicion of murder. Wouldn’t you be upset?”

Sarah looked away and shrugged.
“I guess. I still don’t know why out of all the people in the school she chose you to hug.”

Zane’s eyes twinkled and his mouth turned up as he leaned in again towards her.
“You are so jealous.”

Sarah turned and glared up at Zane.
“You know, I could zap you again don’t you?”

Zane grinned down at her and reached up to cup her face in his hands.
“You hated hurting me Sarah. I could feel it. I’m sorry I over-reacted. But that hurt like no other. Talk about the shock of a lifetime. I don’t even want to know how bad you hurt Drake. I almost feel bad for him now.”

Sarah sniffed and held her nose up in the air.
“Just pray you don’t find out then. Look, I’ve gotta go. I have an after school job I need to be at in fifteen minutes,” she said and scooted down the wall and out of his arms.

Zane grabbed her arm and pulled her back into his arms.
“Don’t run away from me Sarah.
Don’t
. Now look at me.”

Sarah still felt like crying for some reason, even though he was trying to make things okay.
The mortification and the sight of his angry face just wouldn’t leave her mind. She looked up into his silver eyes and shook her head. “I can’t get over that I hurt you. Not this fast anyways.”

Zane kissed her cheek and pushed her hair away from her face.
“It’s over. It’s done. It’s forgotten. We’ve both learned some important lessons. You won’t zap me and I won’t hug other girls. We’re good Sarah. Let it go and be okay now.”