Beautiful Souls (21 page)

    
              I saw a slight smirk and chuckle escape Leo’s moist lips. They caught glints of moonshine which beamed into the midnight sky, lit by thousands of twinkling star lights.

    
              I felt him lift me up, almost to my full height, to give me a moment to compose myself before I grounded my legs firmly, planting them back on the ground.

    
              Leo and I had finally reached the rest of our group. They were huddled together, whispering excitedly as they waited for me near the fringe of the pine tree beside the edge of the woods.

    
              “Let’s duck into the trees just a little farther to ensure we won’t be seen by any neighbors or late night passers-by,” my mom spoke quickly as we approached the huddle of anxious and strangely giddy adults.

    
              We followed everyone a few more steps into the black darkness of the trees protection. I soon felt the familiar soft crunch of fallen leaves and loose pine needles beneath my feet.

    
              “All right then,” I heard, but could not see, my dad’s voice. My eyes were still attempting to adjust and refocus to this new level of darkness.

    
              I could barely make out dark masses being passed around the group. One dark lump was given to each out-stretched hand, then my eyes focused in again. Images were now more clearly visible, and I defined one of the shadowy figures as my father.

    
              I watched as he reached inside a black duffle bag, carried out to the woods unbeknownst by me, and pulled out another dark mass. He pushed the wad of glimmering, black material my direction and I followed suit, reaching out for the mysterious heap.

    
              I took the armful of silvery black velvet, and peered over the crumpled pile toward the others. I remained clueless as to what this mound of cloth was that was heaped in my arms, and I wanted to refer to the others as to what I was supposed to be doing with it. Heaven forbid I look like an idiot on my first night as a Witch.

    
              I watched captivated as the rest of our group slipped the material over their bodies, disappearing under the glowing moonlight. The moon’s radiance was filtered by the sparse branches from the tree tops that made up the forests canopy, draping us overhead.

    
              “These are our shields,” my mom explained, as she slipped her hooded cape over her head. The cape covered her entire form, fluidly draping from her head to her feet. It shadowed the top of her eyelids while the remaining velvet mask concealed the rest of her curvy body, hiding everything it covered all the way down to its bottom seam, now lying on the forest floor in jagged, wispy tendrils. She was completely invisible from anyone with merely human eyesight. “We use these cloaks each and every single time that we…well, you’ll see.”

    
              My mom’s lips curled up at the edges, and from what I could see of her soft olive-skinned face, hidden beneath the shadows of the midnight-colored cloak, she was grinning from ear to ear.

    
              Leo held my silvery black cloak open near my back. He easily helped me slip my arms inside, then I wrapped the velvety vastness of the cloak around the rest of my body. I unintentionally pressed my back against his hard muscular chest for just a second, shivered, then fastened the front of the material. I slipped the shadowy hood over my head, tucking my loose, unruly wisps of hair caught by the breeze behind my ears. Everything but my face was now camouflaged in darkness.

    
              “What are we wearing these for again?” I asked curiously. I spied the smiles and anticipation on everyones’ faces, peeking out at me from underneath the unisex cloaks. Their enjoyment peaked my interest to say the least.

    
              Leo ran his hand along my waist once I was fully cloaked and walked around to stand by my side. His hand slid from my back around to my side and caressed my arm, running his fingers down to my wrist then on to the palm of my hand to lock fingers with mine. “We’re gonna try a little experiment,” he whispered in my ear.

    
              Chills of pleasure ran throughout by body from his touch and breath, tingling my ear and neck. My legs grew weak again with my increased heartbeat. “Oh, are we now? What experiment might that be?” I asked playfully. Maybe this Witch thing was going to be a little
‘fun’
after all.

    
              “Ahem,” my mom stepped between us, realizing that nothing would be accomplished tonight until she interrupted our moment of flirting and infatuation with each other. I heard a round of snickers escape the throats from the adults in our group. “Here’s were the fun begins,” my mom paused for a moment, her eyes excited yet intense while never losing contact with mine. She continued, “Becca! We can
fly
!” her eyes danced.

    
              “E, Excuse me?”

    
              “
Fly
!” my dad reiterated.

    
              “So, all those stories…fairytales…they’re true? The broomsticks, the Witches dressed in black capes and hats flying above the trees framed by moonlight…it’s all true?” I shouted in amazed horror.

    
              My heart sank. I could never imagine myself to be anything that was such a cliché.

    
              “Hardly.” I heard Leo’s whisper reach my ear as if he were still standing directly next to me.

    
              “A few similarities, I suppose. But no, not exactly,” my mom added, and pulled herself up to her full height.

    
              Mr. Stanley stepped forward. “Maybe I can explain this in better detail,” he stated in his best, most professional teacher-like voice. “You see, Becca, the cloaks are specifically designed and enchanted by a very difficult and involved charm so that we can remain unseen by any and all, human and otherwise…”

    
              “Otherwise?” I interrupted.

    
              “Well, frankly…yes,” he answered hesitantly. “Sometimes we find it necessary and have the need to become invisible in order to escape trouble and our enem…”

    
              “Enemies?” I cut him off this time before he could even finish the word.

    
              I’m not sure why this took me by so much of a surprise, considering that I’d already lived through one enemy attack. Something about hearing the words out loud, having them set free into the universe, caused me to shiver.

    
              “Thank you, Max, but I fear your explanation has taken an unintended turn. I’m not certain we’re at the place, as of yet, to explain to Becca about our immortal enemies,” Mrs. Stanley interrupted her husband.

    
              “
Immortal
enemies?” I questioned loudly, and was immediately shushed by each member of our group. This was growing worse with every passing second. Where was the
‘fun’
everyone had been talking about?

    
              “Shit,” my dad mumbled his disapproval.

    
              “Never mind, Becca. Tonight is going to be just about the
fun
!  No brooms, no moonlit silhouettes, and absolutely no pointed hats or wicked laughs. It’s just you, a clear mind, focused energy, and your newly inherited gifts,” my mom explained, getting us all back on track.

    
              Everyone backed up a couple steps, giving her plenty of space for what was about to happen next. My mom spread her arms out wide, palms reaching toward the stars. She elevated first, her feet floating just inches off the ground. My dad was next, hovering next to my mom, then Mr. and Mrs. Stanley followed suit.

    
              My jaw felt as if it hit the dirt. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing right in front of me. I didn’t know which was more impossible to process: the knowledge that flying Wizards really existed and hovered mid-air directly in front of me, or the fact that my parents were the Wizards that floated in mid-air directly in front of me. It was all clearly too much for my mind to accept at that precise moment.

    
              “Come on, Becca. Try it.” Leo encouraged me using his deep, husky voice that immediately caused heat to burn in the pit of my stomach. He obviously read the astonished look, clear as day spread across my face, and was determined to suck me back from my disbelief. Mission accomplished.

    
              Leo proceeded to walk around me, stopped in front, and turned toward me. We stood face to face. He also lifted his arms, palms toward the night sky just as the adults had done. Leo immediately lifted off the ground, hovering before me with only inches separating the two of us.

    
              My mood changed instantaneously. I had never seen anything, or anyone, so sexy in all my life. Not even the sight of Leo in his football gear throwing a thirty yard pass could compete with the image of him completely cloaked in black, his gorgeous ocean-blue eyes gleaming in the rays of moonlight filtering through the dense layers of branches, so confident and strong, hovering inches before me. It was sexy as hell ---
he
was sexy as hell.

    
              There was absolutely no way I would ever look this damn good elevating. More than ever, I was terrified of falling on my face, and I feared looking like a moron in front of Leo who made it all look so good.

    
              I hesitated, full of insecurity, confusion and self-doubt flooded every inch of my being. “I can’t. I, I don’t know how,” I said panicked.

    
              “Just clear your mind, Becca. It all about energy. Focus your energy on this one act,” my mom encouraged. “Choose an image, something to focus the energy on, then wipe everything else away from your mind as if nothing else exists.”

    
              “Imitate me,” Leo demanded calmly.

    
              Knowing I would do anything and everything he asked of me, I caved and focused on his glowing eyes that I’d known all my life. I lifted my arms just like I’d seen everyone else do, turned my palms toward the darkened, violet-blue midnight sky sprinkled heavily with thousands of tiny twinkle lights, and concentrated every single ounce of my thoughts and energy directly into Leo’s gaze. I tried with all my might to imitate his hovering form.

    
              I held my form for what seemed like minutes, anxiously awaiting anything to happen. Nothing moved, nothing changed. I broke my gaze, wavering my line of sight from person to person in our group. I lowered by brows, confused by all the beaming smiles and looks of overjoyed pride shooting my direction.

    
              “It’s no use,” I said defeated, feeling like a fool and a failure.

    
              “Becca, look down!” Leo said proudly, smiling softly.

    
              “How’d…I…but,” I couldn’t find the words. I looked down to find my feet dangling six inches above the forest floor. “I didn’t feel anything, how…”

    
              “Hold on to it, don’t let it go,” Leo said softly, as he cast me an approving grin. I returned it with an equally soft, yet astonished, smile.

    
              I heard validating murmurs all around, reverberating off the dense forest trees, sending my spirits higher than I ever thought possible. I was so proud of myself; I felt I was ten feet off the ground.                   “Fantastic!” my dad said, oozing with pride.

    
              “I knew she’d be a natural,” I heard from Leo’s mom.

    
              “Bravo, bravo!” Mr. Stanley cheered.

    
              I quickly stole a glance my mom’s direction, hoping not to break my concentration. I’d rather I didn’t fall to the ground, surely to face-plant into the leafy, dirty bottom of the forest floor. When I caught a glimpse of my mom’s face, she was absolutely beaming. In that instant, a feeling of hopefulness and joy washed over me. Maybe this Witch thing, which I had first interpreted as a lifelong prison sentence, wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

    
              “Okay now, Bec. Are you ready to take this to the next level?” my dad asked.

    
              “Um, yeah. I think so. This isn’t so bad.”

    
              I heard a few chuckles ring out among our group. I began to feel more anxious. Anticipation grew with every passing second.

    
              Still holding my gaze with Leo, yet unnecessarily intense as it was before, I used my peripheral vision to watch the members of our group, one by one, ascend ever higher into the air. They shot up to the highest tree tops, then in an unbelievable blink of an eye, they took off at lightening speeds. Each hidden form flew above the canopy of trees, soaring high against the twinkling night sky, their silvery black cloaks flawlessly concealing their bodies as they became invisible to the naked eye.