“Kenna?” My dad’s voice floated into the room from the hallway and Dee Dee immediately disappeared, just as my dad entered the doorway. “You ready?”
“I am!” I said excitedly, jumping up from bed and quickly slipping my shoes on.
“Who were you talking to?” Dad asked, glancing around. “I swear I heard two voices.”
Shoot. I needed to remember my dad’s fabulous hearing abilities. Mind scrambling, my gaze landed on my laptop. “I was on FaceTime with Stephanie, going over things for tonight,” I lied, but hated doing so. I didn’t like being dishonest, but I couldn’t risk him freaking out over strange happenings in our house. “Did Kyle leave or is he coming with us?”
“He left. He said he still had some things to take care of at the office. Let’s go get you a car.”
Following him out into the hallway, I pressed for more information. “So, is there like a spending limit on this car or can I get whatever I want?”
Laughing, he shook his head. “Well, I wasn’t really planning on getting you a Maserati or anything.”
“I wasn’t going to ask for a Maserati.” I smiled. “Besides, I’m pretty sure no one around here even carries those things.”
“You’re probably right. I figured we would just play it by ear. I thought we could go into Boston and check out several dealers.”
“Sounds good to me. Thanks, Dad.”
“Anything for my girl!” he replied, draping his arm around my shoulder and hugging me tightly. “I love you. Thanks for being such a good kid. You make life so much easier for your mom and me.”
Instantly, guilt assaulted me. I wasn’t the “good kid” he thought I was. When did that happen? When had my own needs and desires begun to supersede the things my parents had taught me?
Yes, I was a legal adult, capable of making my own choices. Technically, if my dad ever decided to run or go into hiding, I could legally say no. But just because the law said it was okay, didn’t mean that it was “Vance Mangum” okay. And in my world, “Vance Mangum” was the law. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to stand up to that—or if I even really wanted to. All I knew was that I wanted the chance to stay here and see how my life would develop. Maybe that was selfish, but in my own defense, I had been living as a hermit for most of my life to please them and make them feel more comfortable. The way I saw it, they owed me my turn at a real life.
“I love you both too, Dad,” I replied, meaning every word of it. Regardless of our differences in opinion, I knew my parents only wanted the best for me. They had sacrificed a lot for me, too. Hopefully, everything would work out just fine. Now if I could sort out my feelings for Seth and Jett, life would be perfect.
~~~
“We aren’t going to the meadow?” I asked in surprise as Jett blasted past the turnoff.
“No. It’s the weekend and after the game. Everyone is going to be out there tonight. We need to go somewhere we won’t be disturbed.”
“And where is that exactly?”
Seth leaned forward from the back seat. “My family has a piece of property out here that has been passed down from generation to generation. There’s an old one-room cabin on it. It’s still in pretty good shape. The area around it has lots of woods and there are no nearby neighbors.”
“Making it the perfect place to practice magic,” I added, realizing in that moment how excited I actually was for this outing.
“Exactly,” Jett said, casting a sly sidelong glance at me. “We can do whatever we want out here and no one will be the wiser.”
Unbidden, an image of the three of us dancing naked under the full moon popped into my head. I almost gasped aloud. Then the thought turned humorous as I imagined me trying to dance while having both the guys hanging all over me, groping me as I tried to beat them off. Yeah, that would be more realistic.
“As long as whatever we are doing allows me to be fully clothed, I’m all for it.”
“You’d be surprised what you can do while being fully clothed,” Jett quipped back, sending me from my safe place right back into the abyss of nerves.
“I . . . I’ll take your word for it.” He chuckled and so did Seth, his voice floating forward from behind me.
For some reason simply the sound of their voices mingling together around me made me feel . . . something. Safe? Secure? Maybe it was just a sense of belonging.
That was it, I realized. This felt right. I belonged here with them. Peace flowed through me, heating me with a languid relaxed feeling. I was where I was supposed to be. I was home.
Turning off the main road, we made our way onto a narrow dirt lane. I eagerly watched as the headlights drifted over grass and trees, highlighting patches of the beautiful scenery.
Having been raised in a picturesque forest my whole life, I had a deep love and respect for nature. I’d learned to watch and listen to the animals as they signaled to each other if there was danger. I could feel the life force in the vegetation. There was a living spirit in everything, and I could feel it humming there.
I didn’t notice those vibrations as much in more populated areas. They were still there, but somehow harder to notice. Nature just seemed to have a way of amplifying everything and making it feel more real. Or maybe it simply made me feel more real. Whatever it was, I loved it.
Jett slowed as we approached a narrow dirt lane to the right. Turning, he slowly maneuvered the vehicle over the uneven road.
“Not exactly built for off-roading, is it?” Seth joked with a laugh.
“Not even close.” Jett agreed. “But she looks good no matter what she’s doing.”
“Truth,” Seth replied.
“Why do guys always refer to their cars as ‘she?’” I asked. “My dad does that, too, with all his motorcycles.”
“Have you seen his bike?” Seth asked, leaning forward, again, and looking at Jett. “He custom built it and it’s amazing.”
It was as if I hadn’t even spoken.
“Yeah, I’ve seen it. It’s nice. I’m thinking I may need to look into getting myself one.”
I wasn’t sure how my dad would feel about that at all. “One in general, or one from my dad?” I needed clarification.
“From your dad. I like getting custom-made things and it looks like he does great work.”
“Well, not to be rude, but you didn’t exactly make a good first impression on my dad, remember? He actually warned me to stay away from you.”
“He did? I knew he was upset, but not that much.”
“So, if you decide to ever really pursue this motorcycle thing, you need to let me warm him up to you and get him thinking of you in a different light.”
“Motorcycle or not, I think you should begin doing that immediately.”
I laughed. “Okay.”
A small cabin appeared in the dark before us, almost as if it had been conjured by magic. It wasn’t there one second and then the next it was. Its weather-roughened thick wooden beams had been squared off and stacked with mudding in between them. There was no porch—simply the main structure—and beside the closed door, a shuttered window appeared to be the only other opening, from my vantage point, at least.
Jett parked the car and I jumped out, staring at the house as I spoke to Seth. “Can we go inside?” A slight breeze whipped up the air, causing my hair to blow across my face and I quickly swiped it away.
“The key is hidden somewhere, but . . .” As he exited the back seat, he waved his hand toward the door and it opened with a loud pop, swinging slightly inward on squeaky hinges. “Lead the way.
Moving closer, I reached out and gently pushed the door open further. Darkness was all that greeted me and I hesitated.
“What’s the matter? Are you chicken?” Jett teased, brushing past me to step inside. “There’s nothing in here that’s gonna jump out and bite you.” Glancing in my direction, I could see the slight outline of his white grin and it looked slightly evil. “Well, unless you count me.”
“And we’re back. If ther
e’s one thing I can count on from you, Jett, it’s that you’re reliable.”
“Thank you. It is a noble trait, isn’t it?”
“On you? I wouldn’t know. I was referring to your personal brand of sarcasm. I can always count on it to show up.”
“Who said I was being sarcastic?” he asked, moving closer, his face still deep in the shadows. “I meant every single word.”
“Oh.” It seemed to be all I could grasp onto in my flustered brain. I was still way too new at this to even remotely know how to respond to this kind of flirting. It was painfully obvious that I was out of my league, and equally obvious that Jett seemed to enjoy taking advantage of that.
“You gonna stand out there all night, darlin’, or are you coming in?”
Seth slipped his fingers into mine, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Come on. This will be fun.”
Calming me like no other, I immediately felt relief move through my system, warm and comforting, and suddenly I was very much in the mood to explore this place. Glancing at Seth, I frowned.
“What?” he asked, appearing confused.
“You’re using magic on me, aren’t you—some kind of mood enhancer to get me to do what you want? Oh my gosh!” Wrenching my hand free, I stepped away, glancing between them. “Is that what you’ve both been doing to me all this time? Have you been using magic to coerce me into doing things against my will?”
Jett sighed and folded his arms, leaning against the doorjamb. “Now why would you even say something like that?”
I shook my head and threw my hands in the air. “I don’t know, except for the fact that I seem to be agreeing to things I never dreamed of doing before. Everything is just so—not normal.” Gee, I was so eloquent.
“Did you ever stop to consider it isn’t normal for us, either? What guy wakes up in the morning and thinks about the girl he likes and then adds, “Hmmm. She’s so awesome, I think I’ll share her with my best friend.” It’s not even in the realm of normal. Not for us, at least.”
Seth stepped closer. “Kenna, if this is making you uncomfortable, we can stop. Both of us can back away completely and give you the space you need.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jett mumbled, pushing away from the door and grabbing my hand. “You’ll find Seth is the nice one. He’s always considerate of others’ feelings. If you wanted to walk away, he’d let you. He’d hate every second, but he’d do it because you asked.
“I’m not that nice. I don’t want you to leave, and I’m willing to use magic or whatever I need to convince you that right here is where you belong—with me. To answer your question, no we have not been using magic to persuade you to do anything. You can rest assured that you agreed to this crazy arrangement all on your own.”
Seth reclaimed my attention. “And as far as what happened just now? Yes, I did use a calming magic on you. You seemed nervous and I wanted you to feel better.”
Staring at his aura, I could see his colors dancing around, vibrant and pure. There was no malice in him whatsoever. All the vibes from him signaled how important I was to him. Protection and safety were key to him and it made me feel good to know that he cherished me so much.
Glancing over at Jett, I had to school my features so I wouldn’t laugh. His aura represented that of a young girl with the biggest crush she’d ever had. Attraction positively sparked off him, one hundred percent directed at me. It was so strong his aura practically reached out for mine, as if it wished to meld with its other half. It was hard for me to resist his pull. While I was incredibly attracted to him, he scared me, as well. In truth, they both did.
It was time for honesty. “Everything has happened so quickly. Doesn’t it feel that way to either of you? I barely know you. This is still my first week here, yet I’ve done more in this one week than I ever expected to do in a month—especially when it comes to relationships. Sometimes I feel like things are flying at me like bricks and all I’m doing is trying to dodge being hit.” I sighed. “I don’t know if that makes any sense. I guess I’m just trying to say, none of this feels normal.”
“If you’ll stop freaking out and listen to us, I think we can maybe explain some of the connection the three of us are having. But Kenna, darlin’, you gotta come inside for that to happen.”
Maybe I really was losing my mind, standing out here in the middle of nowhere arguing with both of them. I trusted them. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
Jett held his hand out and I slipped mine inside, embracing the fiery sparks that raced up my arm at the contact. I liked when he touched me. It made me feel . . . beautiful . . . as if how he felt about me traveled through him, to me, on a cellular level upon contact.
Wouldn’t my dad love testing that out that in his lab? I could see it now. “Hey Dad, can you please explain the chemical reaction between my boyfriends and me?” He’d probably die of a heart attack on the spot. No, he’d kill the boys first, then die of a heart attack.
My thoughts were interrupted as we stepped inside the dark space with its earthen floor. A ball of witch light appeared beside me as Seth lit the space for us in a bluish glow, revealing bare wooden walls. In one corner was a rock fireplace, big enough to have been used for both heating and cooking. Other than that, all there was to see was massive tangles of cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and in the corners of the room.
“Wait. What’s that?” I asked, pointing to a ladder leaning against the wall.
“There’s a small loft up there, just big enough for a bed. I imagine it used to be the sleeping quarters.
“I can’t even imagine living like this,” I replied, turning around in a circle.
“Were you expecting something more plush?” A cool air swept through the cabin, removing all the cobwebs, and immediately the room was bathed in warm light as a fire burst to life inside the fireplace, though it gave no warmth. A very cushy looking couch, loaded with bright throw pillows in blue and purple hues, was pushed in front of it. End tables were at each end, with warm light glowing from the lamps there. Pictures of ocean scenes dotted the walls, along with marine décor that reminded me of his parents’ restaurant.
“This looks incredible!” I said, completely amazed. “I could stare at this forever. Shoot, I could live out here.”
Jett beamed at me, obviously pleased with my reaction.
“There’s only one problem,” Seth announced.
“Really? What’s that?”
He waved his hand across the space. “All of this is just an illusion. If you tried to sit on that couch your butt is going to hit the dirt floor. If you want to actually be able to use things, then you need me.”
Immediately the room Jett had created disappeared, replaced item-by-item with furniture and accessories in warm earthy tones. The fireplace, however, remained dark.
Glancing at me he nodded. “Fire is your specialty.”
Raising my arm, I let a fireball dance in my hand for a moment before dramatically throwing it into the rocky hearth where it exploded into a ball of continuously burning flame, taking the ever so slight night nip out of the air.
“Well, aren’t you just all fancy?” Jett sneered at Seth before going over and plopping down on the couch.
Seth laughed. “Jett has the power of illusion—he can make people see things that aren’t really there. I have the power of manifestation, meaning I can actually make things materialize. Both have their uses.”
Guiding me to the sofa, I sat next to Jett, while Seth settled in on the other side of me. It still amazed me that he could make things appear like this. “What else can you guys do?”
Seth shrugged. “We both can move objects, as I’m sure you can, too. That seems to be pretty standard witch magic.” I nodded, agreeing with his assessment. I’d never met a witch who couldn’t do that. “Jett’s main powers stem from air. He can move it, use it, bend it to his will.”
I snickered, thinking of old cartoons from my youth. “Does this mean you’re one of the last Air Benders?”
Jett stared at me and shrugged. “Where do you think they got the idea for the show?”
Full out laughter escaped me. “Not from you, I’m sure.”
“No, but it would’ve been awesome if they did.” He smiled and winked at me, letting me know he was okay with my teasing. That gesture, warmed my heart more than anything. It made him seem less uptight, somehow.
“Seth is an Earth witch,” Jett announced.
“Really? Like you can make things grow and stuff like that?”
He nodded. “I can, if necessary.”
“Wow! That’s so amazing! I want to see.”
“When we go outside in a bit, I promise.” Resting his hand lightly on my leg, he stroked it. It was such a casual, gentle move; but it set my body on fire—as if flames were licking me up from the inside out. I’d never experience such a physical reaction like this before. It was both heady and terrifying.
“What else can you both do?” I asked, forcing the words out of my suddenly dry mouth.
“Well, you already know Jett gets premonitions,” Seth said. “And I can animate objects and make them levitate”
“Wait, but you do too, right? Have premonitions, I mean. You both had that weird dream about me—twice. That’s got to be something magical.”
Seth shrugged. “I’d never experienced it before I dreamt of you.”
“Which is why I think we all need to test our magic out together,” Jett piped up. “There is obviously something else going on between the three of us, and I want to find out what it is. Kenna, tell us about your abilities.”
Sighing, I focused on the magic running through me. “Well, as you know, fire is my main natural power. It tends to be my go-to ability—the thing I’m most comfortable with. It’s a power I inherited from my dad. I think, based on his past, that I can say he’s probably one of the most powerful fire demons in existence.” Looking back and forth between them, I hedged on telling them this next part; but then decided if we were going to trust each other, I might as well take the plunge. “I also have a certain rare ability. I’m mentally connected to my dad, and depending on the distance, I can speak to him through that link whenever I want.”