The Witchling Apprentice

  Driving in silence, Nate made his way back through town. Cassie could already tell where he was going. As kids, she had spent many hours with him and Owen at his family’s estate in the country. Nate didn’t stop at the house, but continued to drive farther to the back. He parked next to the immaculately kept barn.

  “You always loved the horses.” Nate turned off the car, and before Cassie had a chance to open her door, he was already around to her side.

  Cassie stepped out even though she was still mad about losing the argument. It had been years since she had been to the stables.

  “Sadie Mare is still here,” Nate said as he opened the side door into the barn.

  Cassie smiled, remembering the old chestnut mare that was always her favorite.

  “We don’t ride her anymore, but she keeps the younger ones in line,” he told Cassie, reaching for her hand. Every cell in her body ached to hold his hand, just to touch him.

  Cassie took his hand easily and let him lead the way, even though she remembered quite well where the old horse would be. Nate stopped at the half wall and peered into the stall. There was the old girl Cassie had grown to love as her favorite. Sadie came right over to Cassie and whinnied. Reaching up with her free hand, Cassie touched the horse’s nose. She was still soft.

  “Hi, girl,” Cassie murmured. Sadie nudged Cassie’s hand to be stroked more. “It’s been a while.”

  “I knew she would remember you,” Nate commented, reaching up and petting her with his free hand also.

  Cassie couldn’t help but smile. They had spent so much of their free time in the barn running around. The boys loved to play hide and seek, but Cassie preferred to just sit and watch the horses. There was something calming about them.

  “I’ll bring her back to you later,” Nate told the old horse. She neighed at him, like she understood.

  “She’s not afraid of you, even though you turn into a …” Cassie was unsure what to call him. Whitney turned into a cat at night. She didn’t know what Nate was.

  “No. She knows the difference between good and bad night humans. Most animals do,” Nate explained.

  “And you’re the good kind?”

  “Of course.” Nate led the way to the stairs and the loft.

  “So what kind are you?” Cassie asked, her interest piqued.

  “That you have to guess,” Nate replied as they made their way to the top of the stairs.

  The extra hay bales were artfully arranged and blankets spread on them to make a table and chairs. The red checkered table had a large basket on it.

  “I figured I could take you out to Almira’s, and we would be stared at as we go on our first date, or we could just have a picnic here. You’ve been stared at enough for several lifetimes. This was the quieter option and most like you.” Nate seemed as if he was waiting for her approval.

  He was right, she didn’t need to be taken to the most expensive restaurant in town. In fact, she pretty much was sure to not enjoy that. Maybe she hadn’t changed much, but he had. And Cassie needed to remember that.

  Nate motioned for her to sit down. After doing so, Cassie waited as Nate began to unload the basket.

  “So, what animal are you?” she asked again as she watched.

  “Technically, since you aren’t part of the coven, I can’t tell you,” Nate replied, opening the containers he took out. “Just like we didn’t technically tell you what your uncle was. You guessed that.”

  “So they want me to bond to you and share power with you, but not know what you are?”

  Nate nodded as Cassie gawked at all the food he had pulled out. She was glad for once that her stomach didn’t choose that moment to growl at all the delicious-looking food.

  “But that’s not fair.” Her mouth watered when he opened the next container. “I mean, what if you were like a salamander? How much power could a little two-inch salamander share with a person?”

  Nate laughed, and Cassie smiled. It was nice to hear his laugh again. It had been a long time since she saw him smile as much as he had already since he picked her up, but laughing was completely unheard of with the great Than Bay. He was stoic and serious. He wasn’t the smiling or laughing kind of person now.

  “Well, rest assured I’m not a salamander,” Nate replied. “In fact, I’m pretty sure no one is a salamander. We tend to be larger and a bit more ferocious.”

  “So you are all carnivores?” Cassie inquired as he handed her a bowl of food. She took it without asking what kind of pasta it was. Even as kids he could cook. She was sure it must be a night human thing now that she knew her uncle was one also.

  “Mmm.” Nate thought as he chewed. “Yeah, I think we all are. We don’t have to be, but right now I think all the ones in our coven are.”

  “So there are other covens and skinwalkers?” Cassie asked. She was way too new to it all.

  “Yes, we currently have six covens with skinwalkers,” Nate explained, taking another bite.

  Again, this was news to Cassie. She had only learned the basics about their coven, but she understood now. They all assumed, according to her uncle, that she wasn’t one of them. She’d need her father to prove that, but since she took the exam, that seemed to be proof enough.

  “So Whitney came from another one?” Cassie asked. Her friend had moved to town in middle school. Everyone else Cassie knew was born and raised in town.

  “Yeah. Her coven should have had a male born with powers, but since they didn’t, she came here to wait until one of the covens has a male witch.”

  “So Whitney has no counterpart?” Cassie both felt sad for her friend and hopeful that it meant something.

  “The coven always has balance. I’m sure there must be a male witch around for her; he just hasn’t come into his powers yet,” Nate explained.

  “Then why’d she come here?”

  “Because we’re in charge of all the covens. I’m not just next in line to be alpha for this coven, but for all of them,” Nate explained.

  Cassie tried not to show her shock by reaching for the dessert. Averting her eyes, she avoided his gaze. It was chocolate pie; her favorite.

  “So you must be a very strong animal,” Cassie continued her guessing game.

  “I suppose,” Nate replied with a shrug.

  “Come on. Can’t you just tell me?”

  “Nope.” Nate reached forward and took a swipe of the whipped cream on her pie.

  “Hey, get your own, buddy,” Cassie teased, pulling it away from him and eating the whipped cream all in one mouthful. “Come on. Can’t you give me a hint? I mean … sure you can’t tell me, but can’t you like act it out or something?”

  “Act it out?”

  Nate laughed again. It was a good sound, and had been so long missing. He had been one of her best friends once, and somewhere inside of him that guy was still trapped, it seemed. Cassie hated that he was still there. It was much easier to hate the jerk he had become.

  “Fine.”

  Nate stood up. He moved silently across the barn and back again. Slowly he turned, and his blue eyes glowed in the slightly dark corner he was standing in.

  “When I hunt, I like to stalk my prey like this. Close your eyes.”

  Cassie looked skeptically at him.

  “Please,” he added.

  Cassie couldn’t refuse him being nice.

  “Fine,” she fake protested as she closed her eyes.

  “I’m an animal that can walk silently,” Nate said from farther away on her left side. “And get close without anyone knowing.” His voice was right outside her right side. She lifted her arms to touch him and felt the whoosh of air where he moved away.

  She could hear the horses below as they moved and neighed, but not Nate. He was more than silent. He was a ghost. Cassie felt a warm hand caress the side of her face. She turned to open her eyes to him, but there was no one there. Now, with her eyes open, she looked around. He shouldn’t be able to hide in his dark jeans and red top amongst the tan hay bale
s, but she had no clue where he was. Cassie had scanned around her before she felt the whoosh of another touch to her cheek, this time the opposite side. She turned in the other direction, now circling around counterclockwise. Nate had vanished.

  Cassie stood and walked over to the loose hay. Maybe he was hiding. She leaned on a bale of hay and looked around for the third time. He had just vanished.

  “You’ve proven your point,” she said to the empty loft.

  Cassie felt the hit to her middle before she saw him. Nate grinned as they fell into the soft yet crunchy hay. He tilted their bodies so that he took the brunt of the fall, and Cassie landed on him, giggling.

  “So your totem is a ninja gecko?” Cassie teased.

  “Sure. We’re all a bunch of ninja lizards in our clan.” Nate laughed, pulling straw from Cassie’s hair.

  She gazed up into his eyes as they peered back at her. They were questioning her. It had been such a long time since she’d had that much fun with Nate. Years, to be exact.

  “I’ve missed you greatly,” Nate said quietly as he leaned closer. He paused only centimeters from her face.

  Cassie didn’t think before meeting him in the middle of the space between them. It was like her body had a mind of its own, or maybe it was her heart. His lip met hers, and the feeling was as wonderful as the other night at the dance. Something about kissing Nate felt just right, or more to be exact, it felt perfect. Cassie pulled back to catch her breath.

  Nate grinned at her. “Now do you see how perfect we are together? Fate wouldn’t let a kiss be that great for no reason.”

  Nate’s words brought Cassie back to reality. Quickly, she pushed herself up and got some distance from the supernatural pull that made her want to jump back into his arms. Cassie hugged herself as she suddenly felt cold. Concern lacing his face, Nate gracefully stood and reached to pull her back to himself. Cassie took a step away to keep her head clear. It was like as soon as he touched her; she wanted nothing but him. It was magic interfering with her life. She didn’t want that.

  “Cas, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Nate held his hands up in surrender.

  “It’s not you. I just don’t like all this fate stuff. I want to be in control of my life. I didn’t even get a say in whether that mark appeared on me. I want a choice in all of this.”

  “You get a say,” Nate tried to reassure her.

  “When? From what I’ve been told, either I join the coven as your mate, or I leave,” Cassie replied. Nate looked taken aback by her options.

  “You’re going to leave?” he asked; surprise still showed on his face.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but two weeks sure isn’t a long enough time to agree to be someone’s mate. From what I’ve been told, night humans mate for life.” Cassie emphasized the word life. She needed Nate to see that everything had gotten way too serious too quickly.

  “Cas,” Nate walked forward slowly, “I know this is all new to you, but I promise you, this was never just a quick decision. I’ve been hoping since we were kids that you’d end up being part-skinwalker. I’ve had a crush on you for practically forever. Then my father made me stop hanging out with you guys. I always thought I’d have to beat Owen to be with you. I never once thought you’d choose me.”

  “But that’s just it. I didn’t choose anyone,” Cassie replied, exasperated that no one, especially Nate, had faith in her.

  “I know you don’t believe it, but you did choose me. How many guys have you kissed before?” Nate asked, only a little jealously tingeing his question. Part of Cassie wanted to lie and see how mad that might make him.

  Cassie turned away. Her real answer was beyond embarrassing. How could she be out kissing guys when, in the first place, she was considered a social outcast? It wasn’t like the guys were all trying to go out with her, except for the dance. And second, her uncle would never let her date. This was the first official date she was ever let on, and that was only because Uncle John couldn’t say no to Nate. Nate had to know her answer.

  Cassie walked back to the dinner that was now over. It had been perfect for a moment.

  “Can you just take me home?” she asked.

  Nate walked up beside her, his hands raised to touch her, but he pulled them back to his side.

  “Yes, but I’m not finished showing you that I’m the right night human for you. The ceremony isn’t for one week. That’s enough time to convince you to choose me,” Nate told her, his cocky self back in place.

  Cassie sat up at the slight tap on her door. She had been home frantically trying to get ahold of Whitney for two hours. When her best friend didn’t call back, Cassie thought a nap would help her. It was easy to fall asleep since she hadn’t been sleeping well for the past week.

  “Come in,” Cassie said, expecting her friend to finally be there.

  Uncle John walked into the room cautiously.

  “Oh.” Cassie attempted to hide her disappointment as much as she could. “Hi, John.”

  “Hey, Cassie. I wanted to let you know I’m leaving for my Friday meeting with the clan,” John said.

  “That’s where you go every Friday?” Cassie replied. “I always thought it was strange when you told me you were in a bowling league. I couldn’t picture you bowling.”

  Cassie laughed. She could remember the exact moment when she asked her uncle where he was going one time as a kid. Aunt Maria had just showed up to babysit, and Cassie wanted to go with Uncle John.

  John laughed, too. “Hey, it was the best excuse I could give you. And after that one time we took you bowling and you hated it, I figured it was the only way to keep you from asking to go with us again.”

  “Well, it worked. I thought you going bowling was strange, but I sure didn’t want to go with you. No Aunt Maria to babysit this time?” Cassie asked, hopefully. It had been years since Maria had been needed to babysit, but Cassie could be hopeful.

  “No, sorry. I still can’t get ahold of her. I’m trying, but I have the feeling that some people are keeping her from us,” John replied without any real clues, but Cassie could read between the lines.

  “I’ve heard,” Cassie muttered bitterly.

  “But you do have a few babysitters of sorts downstairs now,” John added, running his hands through his dark longer hair that was curling at the edges. He needed Maria back for a haircut if nothing else.

  “Babysitters?” Cassie asked suspiciously.

  “Five of your classmates from school are sticking around to keep things safe while I’m gone,” John explained.

  “Safe? Or is that a secret I’m not allowed to know either?”

  “They’re worried that since you were found to be a match for Nate that other night humans will want to steal you to be theirs. He’s a powerful kid, and to be his mate makes you his equal. It’s not often you find that in someone so young. It’s why I kept you from them. I knew it all along.” John shrugged. “Anyway. Keep your door shut and it’s probably best to set a few spells around the room also. I don’t doubt Nate can keep them in line, but better be safe than sorry.”

  “In line?” Cassie asked. She had already seen tons of them the night they surrounded the cabin.

  “Younger they are, the harder it is to control the urge to feed off humans when in the between form. It’s almost gone when you’re a full animal, but hard in the part animal phase,” Uncle John explained. “Please stay safe and in your room all night. If you need anything, go get it now. You have a few minutes before I leave.”

  Cassie nodded and walked over to her uncle. He looked so defeated. Cassie might have not understood all the years that she felt rejected, but she knew now. He was just trying to keep her from everything. She wished she had known. She reached out and hugged him before he could leave.

  “Everything will work out, kiddo. I swear. You won’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I’ll make sure of it,” he promised, whispering the words against her head.

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll find
a way to get Maria home. Whit’s helping me.”

  “There’s more than just me that doesn’t like the system,” John added. “Now get your treats and get those spells set. I don’t want our problem solved by something happening to you.”

  “I love you, Uncle John.” Cassie gave him one last squeeze.

  “Yeah, yeah, kiddo.” John patted her head as she let go.

  Cassie smiled up at him as he led the way back down the stairs. He tried not to show that he needed the hug, but Cassie knew. This was almost as hard for him as it was for her.

  Passing the living room, she didn’t even look inside it. Cassie didn’t care who was there. She already knew Nate was; she had felt it when he arrived a moment before. After her hands were filled with snacks, she went back upstairs for the night. She had a bathroom, treats, and a TV. She would be set. Before she closed the door, she set spells around the room. She hoped her uncle was right about Nate keeping the monsters away.

  “Cassie,” someone said from outside the door.

  Cassie hurried over and opened the door. Just outside of her spell stood Whitney. Cassie had thought the voice didn’t sound like a guy.

  “Sorry I didn’t call you back. We’ve been a bit busy. I had to sit through a full clan meeting about next week, and then an additional meeting about tonight. So how’d it go?” she asked, sitting down outside the spell to keep night humans out of her room.

  Cassie sat on her side of the barrier.

  “How’d it go?” Whitney asked a second time, trying to curb her eagerness, but not doing a good job.

  Cassie didn’t know how to reply.

  “That bad?” Whitney prodded.

  “It was good up to a point. I think I just don’t fit in here,” Cassie replied. “I mean. I know this is my family, and I want to be part of the coven, but I dunno. I don’t fit. How come I can’t just accept this like everyone tells me I should?”

  “Hey, this isn’t your fault. Nate never should have kissed you. We should have had time to explain all of this. I get the whole two weeks thing, but they should have given you more options. You just learned about all of this. This is all the fault of the clan. This isn’t your fault.” Whitney pushed against the barrier as she reached to hug Cassie, and then laughed as she pulled back.