Wickford High 1 - The Revelation (6 page)

Vicky flushed and gave him a shy guilty smile. “I’m afraid that the maintenance department at Wickford High might not be too happy with me right now.” He smiled for encouragement and lifted an eyebrow and waited patiently for her to continue. “I . . . uh . . . started popping the light bulbs in the bathroom one by one for intimidation. I had Sara backed into a corner and I made the earth tremble beneath her feet and caused the metal in the bathroom stalls to shake around her.” She shrugged. “That’s about it. I didn’t harm her. I just demonstrated what I could do so that she would leave me and everyone else alone.”

He grinned. “Show off,” he teased.

She grinned flirtatiously. “I’m not a show off.”

His eyes sparkled and he smiled at her tenderly. “No, you’re not. I just enjoy picking on you, but alas, it’s getting late.” He folded his napkin and put it on the table. “Come on. You need to get to the department store before they close.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I had almost forgotten that I still had to buy that horrid uniform.

I’ve been having such a good time with you that I guess I blocked out the trip to the department store. It just means that our date will soon be coming to an end.”

She slid out of the booth, grabbed her purse, and stood up. He put his arm around her and steered her toward the front door. They stopped by the passenger door of his truck. He was still grinning at her comment inside. “I don’t want this evening to come to an end either, but I promise you, there will be other dates . . . often.”

She laughed. “You’re assuming that I’ll go back out with you,” she teased.

He smiled and put his index finger under her chin and brought his lips close to hers. “Oh, you’ll go out with me again. I guarantee it,” he whispered softly against her lips. She felt the thrill of anticipation course through her, and she couldn’t wait. She closed the gap, and brought her lips hungrily to his. Her heart raced, as she gave in to the intense feelings he ignited in her.

Feelings, of heat and passion, were new and exciting. Her blood felt like fire in her veins as the kiss continued and she boldly stroked her tongue with his.

Then reality set in and she tore her lips away from his. She looked into his eyes that were dark with passion. They were both breathing heavily. “You’re dangerous,” she said, her voice was husky and breathless.

He grinned. “You might say that,” he said and opened the passenger door to the truck.

Her heart had finally slowed down its frantic pace. Her body, however, was still in tune and sensitive to his. She was physically drawn to him, and all she wanted to do was go right back in his arms and kiss him again. Instead, she turned and climbed into the passenger seat of the truck.

She looked away to get her composure back. “We had better go,” she said huskily. Her voice still betrayed her.

He opened the driver’s door and climbed in. He gripped the steering wheel and stared blankly into the darkness. His heart too, was still racing from that fiery, passion-filled kiss. He also felt the strong, physical pull, the fierce yearning to be with her only. He chanced a glance in her direction; she was still staring into the darkness. He had a gut feeling, that when she found out what he was, that she would be gone, and he wasn’t sure if his heart could take it. He knew in his heart that she was all he wanted, and he felt an intense disappointment when he realized that he had found his true mate. He felt her rejection was imminent.

Without another word, he started the truck and drove her to the department store.

In the few minutes it took to drive to the department store, they both managed to get their composure back. Luke decided to let the cards fall where they may and try not to worry about the future.

Vicky managed to get her raging hormones back under control, and made a quick decision to be more careful in the future. She really, really, liked Luke, but she decided that she didn’t want to rush things and possibly make a huge teenage mistake.

He pulled the truck into the parking space and put it in park. He jumped out and raced around to her side to open the door. She slid out of the truck and smiled at him sweetly. “Thank you, Luke. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. You are spoiling me.”

He grinned mischievously. “That’s my master plan.”

Her eyes grew wide in surprise. “You have a master plan?”

His eyes sparkled. “Yeah, I do.” She grinned and waited patiently for him to continue. “I plan to treat you so nice that no other guy will hold a candle to me. That if you do decide to date other guys, you’ll always come back to me because they don’t treat you as good as I do.”

“Luke, in my eyes, no other guy does hold a candle to you. You are the sweetest, most caring guy that I’ve ever met.” She shook her head. “You really don’t have to try so hard.

You’ve already got my full attention.”

He grinned. “That’s good to know. I’ll let you in on a little secret. You’ve had my full attention from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

She rolled her eyes and giggled. “I would have never guessed that,” she teased.

“Now, my dear, let’s go inside this fine establishment and buy you a uniform,” he said in mock formality.

Her body shook with laughter at his theatrics. “I don’t know when I’ve had this much fun, even if it is just to buy a ratty old uniform.”

“I don’t recall ever having this much fun either.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “It must be the company.”

She laughed harder. “Let’s just get this chore over with. I would rather not have to think about that distasteful uniform any more than I have to. I would rather move on to something more fun.”

“Fun,” he said wistfully and cut her a side glance. “I don’t know how much more ‘fun’ I could stand. You . . . are such . . . uh . . .” He sighed. “I think the word I’m looking for is temptation.”

The laughter was gone, and she looked away nervously. “Luke . . . I’m not ready for any of that yet.”

He chuckled softly at her reaction. “Neither am I,” he said softly, “but it doesn’t mean that I still don’t feel the temptation. I am drawn to you, Vicky. I have been from the moment that I met you.”

Her heart raced with joy at his confession. She looked into his eyes. “I feel it too, and those feelings scare me, Luke.”

In all seriousness, he tilted his head to the side. “I don’t mean to scare you.”

She smiled nervously. “You, yourself, don’t scare me. I’m not sure if I trust myself with you. These new, intense, feelings for you are what scare me. I’ve never ever felt like this before now, and I don’t want to lose control of
me
in the process.”

“I won’t let that happen,” he said softly.

She gave him a slight smile. “I wish I could believe that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What, you don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I think I could trust you with my life,” she said seriously. She looked away and smiled shyly. “It’s just that . . . you are a guy after all, and guys don’t always think rationally in that department.”

“I promise to treat you with nothing but respect,” he said seriously. “I also promise that nothing serious will happen unless you initiate it first and are ready to take that step. I will continue to tell you how I feel, but you can trust yourself with me. I will never force you to do something you’re not ready for. Agreed?”

She nodded. “Agreed,” she said enthusiastically.

“Well then, Miss Phillips, let’s go inside this store and buy that school uniform before they close.”

“I think that’s a right good idea you have there, Mr. Wolfburn,” she joked back, and they both laughed.



“These clothes are downright ugly,” Vicky said in disgust. She placed them on the counter and handed the clerk her dad’s credit card.

Luke laughed. “Tell that to Father Thomas. They’re his rules.”

She scrunched up her face. “I haven’t met him yet.”

Luke smiled. “You probably won’t meet him unless you get into trouble.”

She cut him a side-glance and winced. “I have been known to find trouble from time to time.”

“Haven’t we all.” He walked over to the racks on the wall and pulled out an outfit on a hanger. His eyes sparkled. “I think this would look nice on you.”

She smiled. “It is cute, but where would I wear it?”

“You could wear it out on another date with me.”

The clerk handed her the bag and the credit card back. “Thanks,” she said to the clerk. She turned and smiled at Luke. “Are you asking me out on another date?”

He smiled. “Yes.”

“Okay, I accept.”

He took her bag and handed her the outfit. “Go try this on.”

She took the outfit from him and grinned. “I’ll be right back.”

She walked to the back of the department store where the dressing rooms were and left Luke at the register. She found a dressing room and hung the hanger on a hook and pulled the curtain.

She started to unbutton her shirt when she saw something dark flash in the mirror. She whirled around in surprise when a pair of hands clutched her from behind with a rag doused in chloroform. Everything went black.



Luke paced back and forth in front of the register. It had been fifteen minutes and Vicky hadn’t come out of the fitting room. The store was scheduled to close in ten minutes. He was starting to worry. He turned to the girl behind the counter. “Agnes, could you please check on Vicky for me?”

“Sure, Luke,” Agnes said and walked to the back of the store. She came back a minute later and shrugged. “She’s not back there.”

A cold chill ran down Luke’s spine. “I’m going back there to check it out.”

Agnes shrugged. “Whatever. I’m telling you that she’s not back there.”

Luke took off at a run for the back of the store. Vicky’s scent was all over the place. He looked down and saw the rag on the floor and his face turned white. He tore out of the store and made a beeline for his truck.

Vicky slowly opened her eyes. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton, and her head was pounding painfully. Her head lulled on her shoulders, and her eyelids felt like they were being held down by weights. She could feel the damp, cool, night air on her skin. Everything was still dark. Her body felt like she had been hit with a Mac Truck. She slowly lifted her head and tried to move, but she couldn’t. Her hands were numb and bound behind her around a huge stake.

A deep fear and a feeling of dé·jà vu clutched her. Her heart sank, and she jerked violently at her bindings. She heard a loud bark of laughter, and her heart turned cold.

“So, the witch thought she could hide from us,” a male voice thundered.

Vicky narrowed her eyes and tried to see into the darkness. “Who are you?”

“Has it been so long since your mother died that you don’t recognize us?” he mocked.

She swallowed hard, and tears streamed down her face. “You bastard, you killed my mother!” she shouted.

He strutted back and forth in front of her arrogantly. He puffed out his chest. “No. I killed a demon,” he said proudly. “I burned a witch, and I’m about to burn another one.”

She yanked violently at the ropes. “I’m not the monster,” she shouted. “You are. I’ve never hurt anybody.”

He held up his hands in the air righteously. “Don’t listen to the lies of the serpent,” he shouted to the group of ten people shrouded and hooded in black. “Tonight God’s will shall triumph. Tonight . . . the witch will burn.”

“This can’t be happening,” she cried out. “How did you find me? We left no forwarding address. I didn’t even get my high school transcripts.”

His eyes took on a crazy gleam. He tapped his finger to his temple and smiled wickedly.

“Obviously someone in this town knows you for who you are, and they wanted to see justice served.”

“Sara . . .” she spat, and he laughed harder. Vicky’s eyes took on a cold glare and the wind began to whip up around her. With her hair flying about she took on a regal appearance. The ground began to shake beneath their feet.

His eyes took on a nervous glint. “What . . . What’s happening?” he shouted.

She lowered her chin and glared coldly at him. “I’ll tell you what’s happening,” she said coldly. “You have just pissed off a witch.” She looked at his feet and lightning struck the ground right next to his foot, sending him flying through the air. He landed hard on his back. He crab walked away from her quickly in fear.

“But . . . but . . . your mother couldn’t do any of that . . .” he shouted indignantly.

She raised her chin defiantly. “My mother had a kind soul. My mother was a Saint.
You
are the demon,” she growled. She trained her eyes on him again and he paled. He crawled quickly over to the torch and took it in both hands to light the kindle at her feet. “No!” she screamed.

His hands stopped and began to tremble from an unseen force. He gripped the torch harder in determination and shouted, “I will burn the witch!”

Suddenly a low ferocious growl could be heard in the darkness. The man strained his eyes to see and searched frantically in the black void. His eyes grew wide when he saw about ten pair of yellow glowing eyes advancing from the inky blackness. He scrambled away from Vicky quickly on his hands and knees. The group turned to run and the wolves attacked.

The screams echoed though Vicky’s body as she watched the carnage unfold before her.

Somehow, she wasn’t afraid. She watched them all fall, one at a time. The wolves didn’t leave one person in the group alive. Vicky stared dumbfounded at the carnage.

The largest wolf looked into her eyes, and took a few hesitant steps toward her. She was somewhat defenseless tied to that stake. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the air shimmer around the wolf and Luke suddenly stood before her.

Her mouth fell open. “Luke?” she cried out in disbelief.

He ran over to her, untied her hands, and grabbed her in a fierce hug. “I told you that there was a lot more to this town than meets the eye. I didn’t want you to find out about me this way, but I couldn’t let them burn you.”

“So this is the secret that you said I would find out sooner or later?” He nodded. She smiled.