The Price of Power (The Price of Secrets Series Book 2) (4 page)

    “Ouch! Sucks to be you.” My wonderful best friend pointed out.

    “I’m telling you Han, I can do this. I have been doing tons of reading about magic and casting spells. I know that we can communicate with my grandma.” Jaycee cornered me in the bathroom before lunch. It had been the only time today that we had a chance to talk alone.

    Yes, we needed information on Jaycee’s heritage and it would be helpful to talk to Jaycee’s grandmother. It’s the fact that she has been dead for seven years, and that she moved on and didn’t hang around, that kinda puts a damper on doing so. It had actually been Daniel who came up with the idea originally so, of course, he’s all for it. It’s only me with the nagging feeling that this could be a bad thing. Ya just don’t go calling on a spirit because you don’t know who might answer. I was to the point of telling Jaycee that I wanted no part of it. The only thing is, if I tell her that, she will go and do it by herself.

    I thought I would try to compromise with Jaycee. “How about this, we will go talk with your Aunt Lucy and if that doesn’t work THEN we can talk about calling on your grandma?”

    “Fine, but I’m holding you to it. Let’s go eat so I can flirt with my hot basketball player. I haven’t been able to spend much time with Mike lately. So, I‘m thinking that after we hit up the old folks home, I’m gonna have Mike come over to watch movies or something.”

    She makes the transition between ‘supernatural fight for our lives girl’ and ‘superficial teenage girl’ seem effortless. It makes me extremely jealous. We left the bathroom and headed to the lunch room.

    “First of all, it’s a rest home. Calling it a nursing home is also an acceptable term. Second, quality time with the boyfriend is a great idea. Speaking of which, Daniel’s birthday is Sunday. So I’m taking him out Saturday to spend the day with him. I have it all planned out but I want your opinion.”

    “Sure, shoot.”

    Before I had a chance to tell her, Phebs hollered at us from across the cafeteria. “Hey Han, heard about you being drafted in Mrs. Bumgarner’s class.”

    I automatically scanned the room to see if Megan was around. I didn’t see her. I don’t know why I should care about her feelings getting hurt, but I did. I still can’t get the image of the scene in the bathroom the other day, when we thought we were talking to Kayla, out of my head. To be honest, in the last few years I have rarely thought about Megan. She was always just a nuisance that irritated my group from time to time. I think I had forgotten that she was a real person with real feelings. I wasn’t proud of myself for thinking that way, but that’s just the way it’s been.

    I waited until I got to the table before responding. “Yeah I know, but hey, everything happens for a reason right?”

    “You’re starting to sound like Kayla.” Phebs said as she stuck her finger in her mouth and made gagging noises.

    “Hey! Kayla is right here and she can hear you.” Kayla tried to act all offended. She sat her tray down beside Jacob’s. “Hannah, how’s your dad?”

    “He is doing much better, thanks.”

    “I think we should all get together and go somewhere this weekend. Like go see a movie or something.” Phoebe never acted like it bothered her that she is the only single one, which is great, but I would still love to see her with a nice guy.

    “Sorry, but Daniel and I can’t go. I’m taking him somewhere Saturday for his birthday. It’s a surprise.” I smiled over at Daniel.

    “Well then, how about Sunday?”

    “Actually, my mom and dad wanted me to ask Hannah over Sunday for my

birthday family dinner. I hadn’t had a chance to ask her yet.” Daniel turned to me. “What do you think?”

    Dinner…. with his parents. How could I get out of this? Maybe it will snow, or I will get the flu, or a plague of locust and frogs will be put upon the earth.

    “Sure, sounds fun!” Not. “Maybe we can all get together Thursday night.” I decided to change the subject.                                                                                                                                                

    Daniel pulled me aside after lunch. “I’m sorry I threw dinner with my parents at you while we were with our friends.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

    “It’s fine. I just don’t know if I’m ready for it or not. I mean, they know about me and my family but what if they ask me something I can’t or don’t want to answer? Or what if I stick my foot in my mouth and they think I’m a freak?”

    Daniel cupped my chin in his hand. “Hannah, they will love you almost as much as I do. They are not going to ask you anything too personal about your powers. They know the routine. Remember, they have a freak for a son, they are used to this.”

Chapter 3

    We walked into the rest home, and while Jaycee checked in at the front desk, I took stock of my surroundings. The walls and shiny floors were a sterile white, there were old people and nurses everywhere, and the place had a funky smell to it. It was exactly how I pictured it to be.

   “Come on. The nurse said Aunt Lucy is in the rec room.”  Jaycee said as she walked past me, totally pulling me out of my ‘judgey’ zone.

    “They have a rec room?” I had flashes, of little old women shooting pool while little old men shot baskets, running through my head. Okay, maybe I wasn’t completely out of the zone yet.

    “Apparently.” Jaycee said absently as she lead us into a large, open room with more sterile white. Shocker.

    Daniel stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He propped his chin on the top of my head and swayed us both lightly from side to side, while we waited for Jaycee to scan the room. Such an innocent and casual form of contact, yet it had my legs turning to jelly.

    “There she is.” Jaycee pointed toward a little, round, gray haired lady sitting alone at a table in the corner of the room.

    As we walked toward Aunt Lucy, I could tell she was playing a card game of solitaire. Once at the table, I saw that she was cheating terribly.

    “Hey Aunt Lucy. It’s me, Jaycee.”

    “Well I know who you are child, I’m not senile. Come give me a hug and let me take a look at my gorgeous great-niece.” Jaycee obliged and bent down to hug her. “I see you still only get partially dressed in the mornings. You should go back to the store and ask them for the other half of your clothes.”

    “Aunt Lucy, it’s okay to show a little skin. The elders won’t come drag me off, mark me as a scarlet and string me up.”

    Aunt Lucy’s face lit up with a smile, she appreciated having her wit matched. She then turned her attention to Daniel and me. “Are these your friends, or your bodyguards to make sure the rest of your clothes don’t get gone?” Sarcasm must run thick in Jaycee’s family.

    “This is Hannah’s boyfriend, Daniel, and you remember Hannah don’t you?”

    Aunt Lucy locked eyes with me, and for a mere second, I felt Aunt Lucy try to get into my head. It happened so quickly, I almost wondered if I imagined it.  

    “Of course I remember Hannah Price.”

    It’s true, we have met twice. Both times were when I tagged along with Jaycee to her family reunions. But there would have been no way I could have picked her out in a line up before today, yet she remembered not only me, but my last name!

    “Hello Ms. MacKenna.” Although she was married, for a very brief time, Aunt Lucy had always kept her maiden name. “It’s nice to see you again.”

    Aunt Lucy gave me a regal nod, then turned to Daniel. “You’re Indian.” It wasn’t a question so much as a statement.

    “Yes ma’am, Cherokee. It’s nice to meet you.”

    “You are a handsome young man. You better be good to this beautiful girlfriend of yours.” She didn’t give Daniel time to respond. “So, Jaycee, now that all the pleasantries are out of the way, why don’t you tell me how you found out that you’re a witch.”

 The three of us were in shock. Jaycee hadn’t even told Aunt Lucy that we were coming to visit, let alone announce that she knew that she was a born witch through the bloodline that they both shared.

    “Well, speak or shut your mouths before you let flies in.”

    Even though the question had been aimed at Jaycee, I could
feel
that she was waiting for me to respond. She didn't know how much she should share with her great-aunt.

    I cleared my throat before speaking to help buy myself some time to think of what I was going to say. “Well, um, the three of us were together and, without trying, Jaycee was able to start a fire. When she realized what she had done, she was able to make it stop. Daniel put two and two together and told Jaycee she must be a witch. So, Jaycee wanted to come see you to find out about her bloodline.”

    Aunt Lucy took in what I had said, then let out a small laugh. “Well, MacKenna is Irish for fire.” She spoke more to herself than to us. “In other words, the three of you were confronted by a demon and Jaycee’s power came out. If that’s the case, then it has started this time before the sixteenth birthday.”

   “Aunt Lucy!” Jaycee caught the attention from the surrounding residents closest to us, and lowered her voice. “How did you know that?”

    I decided to exercise my new found power and laid my hand on top of Jaycee’s, trying to quickly give her a thought.

    “And what did you mean it started THIS time?”

     Message received. This little gift could have it’s perks. During my internal victory dance I noticed Aunt Lucy’s stare go from our joined hands to my eyes. Her own having a knowing look in them.

     She sat back in her chair and made herself comfortable before speaking. “Our witch bloodline goes back many generations, before our ancestors ever thought about leaving Ireland. Back when magic was known, respected and feared. Legend has it that while traveling through Ireland, a wizard named Myrddin came upon a beautiful fairy named Bianca. It was pretty much love at first sight. The two would find time everyday to sneak away to be alone together. When Bianca found out that she was with child, Myrddin wanted the fairy to run away with him to where we know now as Wales and start a new life together. Bianca did not want to part from her family, but after five full moons she knew she could no longer keep the secret of the baby that was growing inside of her. So, she reluctantly agreed to leave Ireland, her home. Myrddin didn’t know where in Wales they would be going, all he knew was that he was being pulled there. They traveled aimlessly, stopping to rest and enjoy each other and their surrounding. Each day Myrddin could feel that they were getting closer to where they were meant to be.

    “They found themselves in Wiltshire. Myrddin searched the green, grassy, rolling hills until he found the spot that had been calling out to him. He used his power to obtain the land, and luckily someone before him had already started on a stone structure. It was his plan to complete it and turn it into a sanctuary for Bianca, himself and their child. Bianca fell in love as soon as she stepped foot on the soil. Her connection with the earth told her that magic ran deep there. She told Myrddin that their magical baby must be born there, even though she knew it would not be finished in time.

    “To make a long story short, she went into labor the very night that the queen of the fairies found out where Bianca had ran to and, more importantly, why. It was forbidden for a fairy to be with anyone except another fairy. The fact that Myrddin was a wizard made it ten times worse. The Fairy Queen was convinced that Myrddin was tricking Bianca to obtain her powers. So, she sent out her army to find and destroy Myrddin and Bianca. Myrddin, basking in the new joy of fatherhood, did not s
ee
the fairy army coming until it was too late. Myrddin and Bianca took their daughter to the nearest village and gave the baby girl to a family that Myrddin foresaw would love and take good care of her. Myrddin gave them a note to be given to the child on her sixteenth birthday. Bianca’s only request was that they would keep the name that she had given her daughter- MacKenna. Bianca and Myrddin went back to their once hoped sanctuary to meet their fate with the fairy army. That very spot is now known today as Stonehenge, and Bianca was right, power does run deep on that land. It is the very spot of the solstice axis, where the earth and the heavens meet.”

    She smiled warmly at Jaycee. “That is something you and MacKenna share. You were born on the winter solstice and MacKenna was born on the summer solstice.

    “MacKenna’s adopted parents told her of her biological mother and father on her sixteenth birthday, and gave the letter as requested by Myrddin. MacKenna grew up to be the most powerful witch ever known. She searched to find out more about her biological parents, only to be disappointed with the lack of information. She knew no more than what I’m telling you now.  Once she was older she moved back to Ireland to punish the fairies by casting a spell to shrink their size, thus their power, cursing them and every generation after. She never expected to feel such remorse over her vengeance on the fairies. She vowed to never use her power again to gain revenge.

    “ MacKenna had a son and named him Aidan MacKenna. She never told the identity of the father, not even to Aidan, she said that some things were better left unknown. Some thought that the father was a wizard just like her own father, and that she hid his identity to keep Aidan safe. Others thought that maybe a demon had tricked and lured her into his bed. And those without imagination, thought she had an affair with an influential married man. I personally think that she was much too smart for that last one.

    “The MacKenna females have always came into power on or after their sixteenth birthday. That is if they receive them at all. Sometimes powers lay dormant. There are a few theories as to why. Take your mother for instance, her power is inside of her yet it has never surfaced. Some thought that if you didn’t teach the ways to your daughter, the power wouldn’t flourish. That is why I convinced your grandmother not to teach Carol, but you have proved that theory to be wrong.”

    I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t realize I was still holding Jaycee’s hand. That was until Aunt Lucy reached over the table and took our hands into hers.

    “Let this go, all of you. Go live wonderful, normal lives and turn your backs on the supernatural. I’m telling you this for your own good.”

    It was Aunt Lucy’s fault really that I took a peek. After all, she did have a hold of my hand.  The feeling came before the vision of her thoughts. She had such pride in Jaycee and in her family tree. She also had fear, fear for Jaycee’s safety and fear of what is in store for us.

    The thoughts came to me like a slide show. It was speeding by, but I caught glimpses here and there by the style of clothing that the years... wait, decades… no wait, centuries were passing by. Each frame showing basically the same thing: death and defeat, and not for the bad guys either. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this information. I will have to decipher this later when I have more time to think.

    I felt Aunt Lucy give my hand a squeeze and once again our eyes locked. “This is why I never had children.” She let go and started to push herself up from the table. “I’m tired. Jaycee, help me to my room.”

    Jaycee hurried to Aunt Lucy’s side so she could hold on to her to steady herself. Before she left, Aunt Lucy turned to Daniel and me one last time. “Remember what I told you,” she hesitated, “and showed you.” She directed that toward me.

    So, she had meant for me to see that.

    Daniel let out a loud sigh. “Well, that was interesting.”

    I laid my head over on his shoulder and inhaled the musky, cedar scent of his skin. “Yes, and isn’t it also interesting that Aunt Lucy never answered Jaycee’s second question about it happening THIS time?”

    “I didn’t expect her to. But come on, Stonehenge, how freakin’ awesome is that?”

    “I know! I was trying not to freak out when Aunt Lucy said that. Don’t tell Jaycee, her head is big enough as is. I want to tell my dad about it, maybe he can do some research.”

   Daniel and I had decided to wait in the car for Jaycee. After sending her a text telling her where we were, I wanted to take this time to just be a girl alone with her boyfriend. I still get goose bumps when I call Daniel that, or when I say his name out loud, or when he puts those magnificent dimples on display. Basically anything having to do with him.

    Since we started officially dating on my birthday, we have been together almost two months. Yet, I feel like we have always been. It’s like two puzzle pieces that lock together to make a whole. He accepted me from day one when he read all about my gift from my diary that I had left at my old house. His family bought the house and he had found it in the secret hiding spot in my old closet. Then the night of my birthday party, he trusted me enough to share his deepest most cherished secret with me. My wonderful Daniel Bryant Carver comes from a shape shifter (I’m betting there were more in his family tree that were kept quiet). Over the generations that power has evolved into his ability to communicate with animals and telekinesis.

    “Earth to Hannah. Hello?” I turned to look at Daniel, only to see that gorgeous smile and those infamous dimples. See, right there, look, goose bumps!

    “I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life.”

    He gave me a shy smile. “I’m the lucky one.”

    “No, really Daniel, you are my rock.”

    “And you Hannah, are my heart.”

    With that he pulled me closer, well as close as you could be in the front of a car with bucket seats, and kissed me. It started out sweet and slow, but with the electric zap that’s always between us when we touch, the kiss heated up pretty quickly. I’m talking toe curling, stomach knotting, heavy breathing heating up. Is it getting hot in here?

    The back driver side door opened. “And in this exhibit boys and girls, you will find two teenagers who are about to give into their hormonal urges.”