Chapter 10
I wasn’t surprised to find Vance waiting for me on his motorcycle when I walked out the door for school. I gave him a happy smile when he handed me a spare helmet he had with him. I placed it on with ease this time and climbed on behind him. He kicked into gear, and we raced off down the road.
We parked when we arrived, and he helped me off the bike. “Sleep well?” he asked.
“The best ever!” I replied, laughing as he grabbed my hand, and we walked toward the school. “Was it real?”
“Every second of it.” He squeezed my hand.
Walking me to my first hour again, he dropped me off at the door with a kiss goodbye on my forehead.
“Catch you later, baby,” he said with a wink.
Smiling, I waved as he walked away before slinging myself into a desk and reaching into my backpack for my books.
“Hey. You want to go out tonight?” Vance's voice caught me off guard, and I sat up abruptly, looking around before hearing his laughter in my head.
“This is weird,” I said back to him mentally. “It’s definitely going to take some getting used to.”
“I like it,” he replied, and I could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Think of it as a phone call but without the phone.”
“Yeah, but a phone rings to let someone know when they’re calling,” I said wryly.
Instantly, I heard a ringing sound in my head, and I jumped at the harsh noise, tempted to cover my ears with my hands but knowing it wouldn’t help.
“Is that better?” he asked with a chuckle.
“No,” I said, amused. “Your way is much better. Let’s stick with that.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Yes. I’d love to go out with you tonight, or any night for that matter. What do you want to do?”
“It’ll be a surprise,” he said, turning mysterious on me. “It’s my turn to treat you with something.”
“That sounds great.”
“Cool,” he answered. “Now listen to your teacher. I believe he’s about to call your name.”
“Portia Mullins?” Mr. Shanks called out.
“Present,” I said, and he flicked his pencil to check me on the role card.
I was surprised when Vance agreed to go to lunch with Shelly and Brad. I didn’t think it would be his type of scene. We all ordered a burger and fries, and then sat at a table together while we waited. Brad kept asking Vance questions about his motorcycle, telling him how he had always wanted to get one, and Vance explained how he had restored this motorcycle and customized it to his taste. The two of them launched into all this mechanics stuff, and soon Shelly and I were completely lost from the conversation.
“So, do you want to go do something tonight?” Shelly asked after we got our food and the boys continued their own discussion,.
“I’d love to, but Vance has some surprise planned for this evening,” I replied with a smile, but Shelly made a pout-lipped face.
“We never do anything together anymore,” she complained, dipping a French fry into some ketchup.
“I’m sorry. How about going tomorrow night?”
“Yeah,” Vance said, suddenly breaking into our conversation. “Why don’t the four of us catch a movie or something?”
“Sounds good to me,” Brad said with a nod. “What do you think, Shelly?”
“Only if the girls get to pick the movie,” she said quickly, and Vance and Brad eyed each other.
“Chick flick,” they both said in unison, and Shelly and I laughed.
“So we'll pick you girls up at seven. Would that be okay?” Brad asked.
“That’ll be great,” I replied, while Shelly nodded sipping on her straw. A double date! This was going to be fun!
“Hey sexy,” Vance’s voice whispered in my mind.
I bit my lip as I smiled, tilting my head forward so my hair fell around my face, shielding me from the rest of my classmates. “Hey yourself,” I answered mentally. “What’re you doing?”
“Listening to all those wonderful thoughts is your head. Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to see my tattoos?”
I blushed. “I don’t know. It seemed a little forward, I guess.”
He chuckled. “It’s not forward at all. You’re my girlfriend. You should know these things about me. I want you to know.”
“How many do you have,” I asked as I doodle his name in the margins of my notebook.”
“Three. One on each shoulder and one down my left side.”
“What do they look like?”
He chuckled. “They’re all of naked women.”
My mind went completely blank and my jaw dropped. I couldn’t think of anything to say.
Vance laughed harder. “I’m kidding, Portia. Relax.”
“Oh,” I replied, realizing he was teasing me, and an embarrassed giggle escaped me. I immediately glanced up to find several people staring in my direction. I made a choking sound and started coughing. “Sorry, dry throat,” I croaked.
“Nice cover.” Vance laughed. “We don’t want people thinking you’re going crazy there in the corner by yourself.”
I snorted again, immediately coughing some more.
“Do you need a pass to go get a drink?” My teacher asked, peering at me over her glasses from her desk
“Um . . . no, I’ll be—,”
“Take the pass!” Vance’s voice came abruptly.
I started coughing again. “Uh, yes,” more coughing as she made her way toward me and handed me a slip of paper. I took it and fled from the room, bursting into laughter outside the door.
“Meet me in the gym,” I heard Vance instruct.
“Okay.” I hurried off down the hall, glancing around before I entered the double doors into the dimly lit space.
Immediately Vance appeared by my side, grabbed my hand, and we slipped under the bleachers, safe from any prying eyes.
“All the PE classes are on the fields today, so I knew this would be empty.” He bent to kiss me, pausing a moment to stare into my eyes before his lips touched mine. I closed my eyes, leaning into him and sliding my arms around his neck. It was amazing how quickly he could take my breath away. Tingling sensations whipped through my body like a swirling hurricane as his lips touch mine, and I pulled him closer. He answered me for a few moments longer before he broke away with a laugh.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s just crazy how quickly things seem to get crazy between us.” He smiled, reaching for the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head.
“What’re you doing?” I blushed, unable to drag my gaze away from his impressive physique, even though I was embarrassed to be staring at him in such a way.
“Showing you my tattoos, of course.” He turned sideways and showed me the one on his right shoulder first. “This one is a Celtic Cross. The trees and background around it are part of painting my mom used to have in her bedroom. She told me it was something my grandpa had painted for her and was very special. I drew it the best I could remember and had it done to remind me of her.”
“That’s so sweet, Vance. I love it.”
He smiled and turned the other direction, revealing a pair of wings with the number thirty-four tattooed in the middle. “This one is actually for a good buddy of mine. He was an amazing football player, and thirty-four was his number.”
“Was?” I asked, catching his past tense usage.
“He was killed in a car accident, unfortunately. He was the only other person besides you that I’d trusted my secret to.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.” My heart hurt for him. I knew he’d had a difficult time making friends because he’d been forced to relocate so often. My hands seemed to have a mind of their own, moving to trace the lines of the tattoo that ran down his side. His breath caught at my touch and his abdominal muscles tightened.
“What’s this one say?” I asked.
“Two things, actually. Turn your head to the side and rea
d it.”
I did as he asked and he traced the letters. “It says Carpe Diem this way.”
“Seize the day,” I replied, translating the familiar phrase.
He nodded. “Yes. And if you read it the other way, it says Dei Gratia. It means God’s Grace.”
“Wow.” I looked at him in surprise. “That’s kind of deep.”
He shrugged. “I have my moments.”
“What inspired you to get it?”
He sighed and leaned against one of the braces under the stands. “All this running has taught me to live in the moment because life is short. If you want something, you should reach out with both hands and seize it. God’s Grace is something we can never earn, but it’s something he still gives us freely.”
“So don’t waste the chances God gives you,” I stated.
“Exactly.” He stared at me intensely pulling me to him. “Being with you is a chance I’m not gonna waste.” He bent and kissed me again, and I slipped my hands around to his back, stroking his bare skin.
“Mmm, that feels good,” he whispered against my mouth, before sighing. “I guess I should send you back to class before we both get detention.”
“Yes, you should,” I sighed too. “I don’t want to go back.”
“Me neither.” He kissed me quickly one last time, then stepped away and put his shirt back on.
We separated and made our way to our classes. Vance, however, found all this mind connection quite entertaining, and I was almost certain he’d made it his secret mission to see how often he could trip me up. He enjoyed hearing me burst out laughing in the middle of a silent room. When he met me at my locker after last period, he was all innocent smiles. I sent him a scathing glare but couldn’t hold it, and laughter erupted from both of us.
“You’re such a pain,” I said, shaking my head as I twirled my locker combination.
“Yes, I am.” He grinned, totally unrepentant.
“So can I come get you at seven tonight?”
“I’ll count the minutes until then,” I said with a somewhat cheesy smile.
“Good,” he replied, before leaning over to give me a quick kiss on the lips.
As it turned out, I did count the minutes until his arrival, not realizing how excited I was to see what his surprise would be. I even tried to sneak a mental peek into his mind here and there—finding nothing but a solid wall to greet me. I did get enough of a connection at least once to get a small chuckle from him. He made some comment about patience being a virtue, so I busied myself getting ready for our date, wanting to look extra special for him.
Being magical did wonders with my unruly hair. I managed to twist it into a slightly messy up-do that had soft wispy tendrils falling around the sides of my face and neck. I literally had to command the hairs to cooperate.
After my hair was done, I carefully applied my makeup, using very soft pastel colors in an attempt to avoid looking like a call girl. But I was a bit brazen by adding soft, black eyeliner around my eyes along with black mascara. It looked all right, though, with the pale pink lip-gloss and blush. I stepped over to my full-length mirror to get the full effect and was surprised at my reflection. Shelly would be so proud of me. I actually felt pretty.
The purple shirt I was wearing brought out the beautiful color of my amulet. I touched it as it shimmered in the light from my dressing table, admiring it before deciding to also add a small black ribbon like a choker at my neck, which matched my black vest and jeans.
I heard Vance’s motorcycle coming down the street, so I turned off the light and headed downstairs. My parents were both gone again, so I was the one who answered his knock.
“Hi,” I said with a soft smile when he came into view.
He didn’t say anything. He simply stared, his eyes running up and down until I felt a flaming flush arise in my cheeks.
“You look great!” he finally said, reaching his hand toward me, and I placed my hand in his. Pulling me toward him, he kissed me thoroughly, and soon, we were both breathless once again. He stepped back, looking uncomfortable all of a sudden.
“Sorry,” he said, raking his fingers through his hair.
“No apology needed,” I replied with a smile. “I enjoyed it.”
“Me too,” he said. “A little too much I think. Kissing you is like a drug. One I can’t get enough of,” he added seriously. “Sometimes it scares me,” he added, surprising me.
“Why?” I asked, trying to understand.
He took a step closer, lifting a hand to my face.
“Because, I could allow myself to lose control so easily.”
We stood staring at each other for a moment. The weight of his words sinking in, he turned and briskly walked to his motorcycle, towing me along behind.
He offered me a helmet questioningly, and I shook my head in denial.
“It’ll ruin my hair,” I complained.
“Better messy hair than a broken head,” he replied, pushing the helmet toward me again.
I grumbled and complied with his request before climbing onto the motorcycle and wrapping my arms tightly around him.
After we’d been driving for a few minutes, I realized he must be taking me to his favorite spot in Oak Creek Canyon again. I relaxed and enjoyed the ride as he smoothly made his way through the bends and curves and finally turned off onto the small dirt road. Shortly after, we stopped and parked the bike.
Vance helped me off the motorcycle and to remove my helmet. A quick glance in the rearview mirror revealed that, amazingly, the helmet hadn’t done much damage to my hairdo.
“Let’s go,” Vance said, grabbing my hand impatiently.
We made our trek through the dense foliage without much difficulty. When we arrived at the smooth rock, I found the entire area had been transformed.
Pillar candles of all sizes and varieties were lit and formed a large circle around a small table. Some of the candles were actually floating at different heights in the air, while others rested on the ground. Several magical items were in the middle of the small table.
“This is beautiful!” I said, feeling a bit breathless at this surprise and wondering what he could possibly have in store for me.
“I need to ask you something important,” Vance said, turning toward me, his handsome face aglow in the candlelight.
“Okay.” I was nervous now, and suddenly he seemed the same as well.
He took both of my hands in his. “Portia, I love you,” he said solemnly, his eyes searching mine, and my heart soared at his verbal declaration.
I nodded. “I know you do.” I laid my hand over his heart. “I can feel it.”
“I've loved you for a long time, even though you didn’t know it. During that time, I became very good at reading you and your emotions, so I’m aware of your feelings toward me,” he stated.
I nodded once again. “You know I love you with every fiber of my being,” I said quietly.
“Yes, I do.” He ran his cupped hand down the side of my cheek. “And I can’t stop being awed by it.”
I leaned my head into it, closing my eyes for a moment, savoring his touch.
“This is happening really fast,” he said, and my eyes popped opened, my mouth ready to protest.
“Not too fast for me. I may be new to all of this, but it doesn't mean my feelings are any less real.” I wanted to reassure him, and he chuckled before placing one of his fingers over my lips to stop me.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m not asking you to slow things down. I’m asking you to speed things up.”
“Speed things up?”
“Portia, I know this is all new to you—magic, covens, and even me—but I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Two years to be exact. I’ve known from the beginning, since the first day I connected with your feelings, you were the one for me. I started viewing you as my friend, my partner, even my soul mate, for lack of a better term. It may seem strange for me to say I loved you before you knew me. I understand how crazy all this m
ust seem to you.”
“It’s not crazy. There’s something that feels complete when I’m with you.” I replied honestly, awed I didn’t even need to think about my answer.
He smiled at me. “I know, huh?” He caressed my lips with his fingers. “It’s amazing, and it’s what brings me to this moment. My desire is to be with you for—well, forever. Under normal circumstances, two people would get married. However, you’re sixteen and I’m eighteen. I think most of society, including your parents, would probably frown on such a union right now.”
“I agree,” I said, although I took a dreamy moment to think about how wonderful it would be to marry him.
“I guess I thought this would be the next best thing.” He gestured to the candlelit scene behind him. “It’s a binding ceremony, which is a very special ritual that’ll seal two souls together.”
I was shocked into silence. I couldn’t comprehend how this wonderful, Adonis-like creature before me could possibly want to be with me forever. I didn’t know what to say.
“If I’m misreading you or moving too fast, just tell me, and we can table this discussion for later.” I saw doubt creep into his expression as he misread my hesitation. “I’m more than slightly neurotic when it comes to loved ones, I’m afraid. Losing my family tends to make me feel a little desperate about wanting you. Having you in my life is the closest thing I’ve had to real family in a long time. I want you to be my family.”
This time it was me who grabbed him in a crushing hug.
“We don’t need to table this for later, Vance,” I said, feeling teary at his words. “I would be honored to be included in your family.”
He placed his hands on my arms and gently pushed me back so he could see my face.
“Then answer me this,” he said. “Do you, Portia Mullins, consent of your own free will to join with me in a binding ceremony that will hold our hearts together from this time forward? And will you do it with the intent that, when the time is appropriate, we’ll be married—bound together by the laws of both God and man?”
I blushed from my head to my toes and answered without hesitation. “Yes, Vance. I will consent to this binding.”
Smiling widely, he led me to the floating candle circle. With a small wave of his hand, a few of the candles parted, and we entered the ritual space. He closed them behind us.
He positioned me on the right side of the waist-high table and stood on the left. Lifting two large red roses in full bloom, he handed one to me and kept the other. Carefully, he began to rip the petals from the rose, placing them in a crystal dish, and motioned for me to do the same.
“These red rose petals signify the passion of our love,” Vance said softly, and I knew instinctively this was part of the ritual. “As we mix these petals together, our hearts will become as one.” We layered them together until there were no more left on the stems.
Next, he poured some wine into a silver chalice and took a large drink. He then turned the cup in a half turn and handed it to me to drink from the same spot he had. I drank a large swallow and handed the cup back. Instead of taking the chalice from me, he placed his hands over mine, and together we poured the small amount of wine remaining onto the rose petals.
“This wine symbolizes our intent to keep our relationship in harmony.”
He guided my hands, and as we set the chalice down, the wicks of two candles on the table burst to life. He picked up one, and I the other. Together, we lit the third, and largest, candle. He removed it and walked around the interior of the flaming circle three times.
“This flame represents the uniting of our souls as one,” he said, before returning to place the candle on the table.
He lifted his athame then and pricked his finger, allowing a single drop of blood to fall into the crystal dish. He then handed the knife to me, and I did the same.
“We have sealed our desires with our blood,” he stated.
Vance reached for my hands and guided me around the table until we were standing toe to toe. He took a small length of flaxen rope, wrapping one end around my wrist and the other around his as we clasped hands together. Then he began to recite his spell.
“Portia Mullins, Blessed Be.
I give now, my heart to thee.
My soul is yours to bind and take,
My love for you will never shake.
I promise to always keep you pure,
And never into evil lure.
Let Heaven be our destiny,
I love you, Portia, So Mote It Be.”
My eyes watered at his beautiful vows. I knew I needed to repeat them back to him for the ritual to be complete. The words he’d spoken were seared into my very being, and I repeated them with ease.
“Vance Mangum, Blessed Be.
I give now, my heart to thee.
My soul is yours to bind and take,
My love for you will never shake.
I promise to always keep you pure,
And never into evil lure.
Let Heaven be our destiny,
I love you, Vance, So Mote It Be.”
Vance took the rope and tied it around the large pillar candle. He lifted a few of the rose petals from the bowl and pressed them into the hot wax in the candle, sealing them there. Suddenly the items in the crystal bowl swirled together, and the flower petals drifted upward until they were far above our heads. Then they slowly drifted toward the earth, floating down around us.
Vance pulled me into his embrace and gave me a very long, very lingering kiss. I could feel our hearts beating together as one, in exactly the same rhythm. My blood was racing, singing through my body as his fingers tangled in my hair, loosening it from the restraints. He kissed my cheeks, my eyes, my neck, and even the strands of hair running through his hands. He finally released me when I felt like I might possibly explode with desire.
“It’s finished,” he said, smiling, his eyes bright. “I love you, Portia.”
“I love you too, Vance,” I said, feeling as if light were pouring from the very center of my soul.
Then he kissed me again.