Chapter 2

Bri

A few weeks later

I was in countdown mode as I walked through the halls towards my literature class. I was playing through the motions of starting the fall semester like any other student. I didn’t need the credits, all of my transcripts, important bank documents, a few of my father’s prized heirlooms I had managed to snatch out from under my mother’s nose, and estate files were in a safety deposit box under a fake name. To be protected. My brain was too preoccupied with timing and checking off lists to see Andrew swoop in front of me and pin me to the wall around the corner. Trent was with him acting like it was normal for his boyfriend to pin random girls to the wall while staring at a billboard pretending to read it. We were directly under a camera. Zoe and I had mapped this place out and I knew all the angles of escape from their overseeing eyes. This was purposeful.

Andrew didn’t want the binding, he and Trent were a known item. Trent didn’t know the extent of anything just that Andrew was getting coerced into being with me in a coven sort of way. He knew it wasn’t my fault but it didn’t stop him from hating me any less. Andrew stood in front of me blocking me from the camera’s view. He was tall, broad of shoulder, and lanky as all heck but strong. He moved his index finger along my cheek as he spoke lowly. “The pretty little bird needs to flee the cage, Fat Cat is positioning to pluck her feathers for Samhain.” His breath whispered into my ear. 

Samhain happened around Halloween to normal humans, but for us, it was our new year and the time when our ancestors were closest to us. It was not the right sabbat for what my mother intended. Beltan was 6 months after Samhian, it should have been the sabbat of choice, based on intent and reverence of the coven.  

The spring festival would have symbolized the union being for growth and light and a bright future ahead. Samhain boded for more sinister things and was hinting at the dark magic she yearned to invoke. My eyes shot up to him from where they had instinctively cast to the ground. The ‘Fat Cat’ he spoke of was Draven. His face contorted in question as he moved to further block me from the camera’s view. No doubt the camera picture was too grainy to make out the details Andrew evidently could see clearly. 

He almost smiled at me kindly as he picked up a silky caramel tress and played with it. 

“My little bird has soo many secrets,” he mused quietly. 

“Why? They know they can’t touch me until after my birthday. I'm underage as far as the council of witches is concerned, it’s not allowed, not that they know we are being forced into bindings and all,” I whispered back as I rolled my eyes. Andrew swallowed the place between us forcing his body against mine. I sucked in a breath as I urged the magic back, my senses screaming at me to recoil from him. 

“Big Cat seems to think you're a ticking flight risk. I’d say he’s probably right, but you know my stance.” He whispered into my ear. The Big Cat was Silas, another one of my mother’s suitors. I could feel every bulge and hardness of Andrew’s body against the softness of my own. He wasn’t bad to look at, there was really no particular reason for me to despise him as I did, he was a victim too. My body however yearned to light him on fire and not in the spicy way you read in those naughty smutty books. 

I did know his stance, he wanted me out of the picture to save us both, but he couldn’t risk helping me. Trent had stepped back enough to eavesdrop pretending to read a card he’d pulled off the board. Onlookers would see what they wanted: a bully and a victim, or a passionate embrace. Dean Draven would see what he wanted, one of them getting closer to me either way.

 

My voice came out in a whispered hiss as he pulled back and I stared him dead in the eyes. 

“Your little bird wants nothing to do with the cage she has been placed in, you know that! Get them off my back. You have no idea what you all are playing with.” I spat. He studied me, the power within me I was sure was casting the ghost of eerie light within my eyes. “No doubts about that here little bird, you want them off your back you're going to have to make this believable,” he whispered before his hand that was at my shoulder snaked up the back of my neck forcing me to tilt up as his mouth crashed to mine. 

My eyes squeezed closed as I tensed, fighting my body's instinct to detonate a pulse of power to force distance between us. ‘Believable Bri, get it together, don’t take out the school’s west wing.’ His tongue forced into my mouth with a confidence of experience I lacked. I forced the power and my body's unbridled disgust back, forcing my jaw and features to relax as he explored. ‘Believable Bri, dont fuck it up.’ I forced my tongue to explore his and I felt him grin as his free hand slid to my hip and up my shirt to caress the smooth untouched skin there. I forced my mouth to move but my body stood stock still, frozen. I peeked at Trent, just a sliver of my eye opened enough to catch him looking over his shoulder with a look on his face that was a chaotic mixture of rage laced with lust, jealousy slashed with curiosity. I wasn’t going to even allow myself to wonder how they choose to get their jollies off. Nope, no headspace for that right now. 

Andrew pulled away, his forehead now pressed against mine, our hearts beating fast as our gazes locked. He smirked.

 “Your disgust and repulsion run deep little bird. Hold on to that, you’re gonna need it.” He sneered. I glanced over to Trent who now had a quizzical expression. Andrew could occasionally read people in a way he didn’t disclose to very many. It was his wild card. Thankfully as we played out this cat-and-mouse game in front of the cameras for the others to take note of, we both had the same end goal. This gesture could get them off my back but he couldn’t get too close or they would question his loyalties. He was offering me a small twisted bone. I was willingly going to take that bone but I’d shove it up his ass one day if he ever crossed me, he had more idea than anyone else of the potential I held, and boy was he barely scratching at the surface of what that was.

~~~~~~

A few hours later I ducked into the backroom of the coffee shop where I worked. I didn’t need to work there, I had enough deposited into accounts to keep myself stable for years, but my mother and the group couldn’t say no as things had to appear normal. To be honest it was the most normal thing in my existence. The feel and vibe of the place kept my magic subdued and the pot was an added perk. It was for my sanity. Maggie, my boss, sat in a chic fringe chair, with her legs propped up on her messy desk, pulling a joint from her lips she smiled holding in the smoke, and held it out in offering. I walked across the room and took it gratefully. One inhale and it felt like melding closer to earth which I craved. Passing it back I held in the smoke until my lungs burned, letting it out a haggard cough escaped me that nearly choked me. “What's with you today?” She eyed me. I had taken that hit rather aggressively I supposed. I perched on her desk. I still kept my eyes cast down but I shrugged and met her hazel orbs with the briefest of acknowledgment before sighing heavily. “My arch-nemesis kissed me.” I blurted. “You win,” She announced, handing the joint back to me and standing, to head for the cafe kitchen. It was almost time for the music to start.

I was starting to feel my body relax from just being in this space, and as my energy began to settle I pulled out the burner phone. If I wasn’t with Zoey or Maggie I wasn’t safe with my powers anymore. They always had this healing, calming, radiating energy that reminded me of my father. They were family, they didn’t expect anything from me, just enjoyed my presence and allowed me to exist with them and I was grateful for that. Soon, I would be missing them terribly. I flipped the phone open and typed S.O.S. I took another puff and exhaled before the phone vibrated with a reply back W.T.F. My fingers moved across the keypad, double and triple punching numbers as needed on the outdated device E.T.A. hellstorm <10-31. Another puff,‘boy this isn’t the normal stuff,’ I thought, feeling the hum of the high seeping into me. 

The phone vibrated wildly in my hand, the sensation doing wondrous things to my nerve endings. 

“Z?” I asked. Her distorted voice came across like a chipmunk and I smiled. 

“Si (yes)” she responded. 

“The snakes have pushed the mouse hunt forward, muy rápidamente (very quickly), don't forget what's important. très bien? (very good?).” I let her know in code.  

“Mon amour n'importe quoi pour toi (my love anything for you,)” she responded. 

“Cuidate, (take care of yourself).” I said, ending the call.  We jumbled the languages to scramble up our conversations for any listening program that may be bugged into the place. If they were there then they wouldn’t flag the conversation as it wouldn’t make sense. I was paranoid, for obvious reasons, though Zoey didn’t know the particulars, she was a human witch, so secrets I unfortunately had to keep to myself. She accepted the challenge, I didn’t deserve her or Maggie’s unconditional love, yet they gave it freely. A tear rolled down my cheek as I took another puff. Maggie opened the door and leaned on the door frame.

“That bad? Some girls like their enemies a little too much, not your type?” I cringed. “Ok then let's make this better, we have coffee and pastries to serve!” She announced. Maggie waved a cup in the air, no doubt full of delicious coffee, caramel, and creamy goodness. I smiled, grabbing my apron and wiping the tears with the back of my hand before putting the joint out and taking the coffee from her as I walked out. Maggie clapped her hands. I held my coffee high as we shouted on our way out, 

“Laissez les bons temps rouler, (let’s get this party started)” several times until the gathered crowd took up the chant and I melted into the fray of jazz music and buzzing energy with a beaming smile on my face. I’d wait to tell Maggie I was leaving until the end of my shift. I was selfish and needed the hustle and bustle. 

The smell of coffee and sound of organic milk frothing up. The scent of cocoa and sensations of harmony that filtered through the place had offered a small respite in my world of strife, I was starved for it. I swayed my hips as I carried my trays to the beat of the music. Dancing with some of the patrons as I moved through my duties, I sang along with an acoustic guitar to a song I’d never heard. This was as close to being natural as I got. My hoodie was tied around my waist. My dark caramel tresses down, hiding the scars, skin free to the air. The people congregating here wouldn’t touch me against my will, they were not my enemy, and my magic vibrated with them. They were Zoey and Maggie’s people and I would let myself feel this until I couldn’t. This Harmony, this release, it strummed deep inside my soul, it soothed the fire that begged to burn from within me.