Believe: The Complete Channie Series (31 page)

She woke with a wet towel pressed against her cheek, the sight of Josh’s tear-streaked face hovering over hers—and cramps.

She reached up to wipe the tears from his face.

He jerked his head back and said, “Don’t. There’s a new curse.”

“A new curse?”

“Yeah. When I touched your face, it burned my hand. It must have scorched you too, because you screamed and passed out. I managed to catch you, but your face fell against my chest, and I...I nearly dropped you.”

“But you didn’t, did you? You fought through the agony and lowered me to the floor.”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Is there no limit to what you are willing to suffer for me?”

“Look inside your own heart. You’ll find the answer there.”

Josh was right. Channie would have done the same thing for him. And for the same reasons. When you truly loved someone, no sacrifice was too great.

Channie
felt like she was drowning as they walked back to her room. She should have kissed Josh when she had the chance. She could still see his face, his lips mere inches from hers, she could still feel his breath, warm and moist, on her cheek.

She was only trying to be responsible, trying to do the right thing, and now she’d never get to kiss Josh. She sat on the edge of her bed, buried her face in her hands and let the tears come.

Josh knelt in front of her and put his hands on her knees. Her jeans protected her skin, so his touch didn’t burn, but it made Chastity’s energy buzz.

Channie looked up and gazed into Josh’s eyes.

He grinned at her. “You’re energizing my shield again.”

“Sorry.” She tapped into Chastity’s power-well and gave her moon-curse a boost, gritting her teeth when the cramps intensified.

Josh rubbed circles on the inside of Channie’s knees with his thumbs. “I guess this means we’re back to where we started.”

“We’re much worse off than when we started. We don’t just zap each other when we touch. The pain is worse than those damn stains.”

Tears pushed against the back of Channie’s eyes, but she was done crying. She stood up and walked across the room to retrieve the evil book that seemed intent on ruining their lives. It was lying in the same spot on the floor, but it was closed. She was certain that she’d left it open.

“Josh? Did you close the spell book?”

“No. I didn’t touch it. And I don’t think you should either.”

“Well, I can’t just leave it on the floor.”

Josh stripped the case off one of Channie’s pillows and before she realized what he was doing, he used it like a glove to pick up the book.

“Josh, No!”

“Too late.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to put this thing
back where it belongs.”

“The lid to the chest is gone and the window’s broken.” Momma and daddy were going to be pissed. It was a good thing Channie had Chastity’s magic to protect her. They had a right to be angry, but she’d be damned if she’d let either of them ever curse or hit her again.

“So?”

“We can’t leave it where it might get damaged.”

“Why not? It sure as hell damaged us.”

“It’s too valuable.”

“Valuable? This thing is trying to kill us.”

Anxiety squeezed Channie’s heart. “Give it to me!” Her voice was harsh and tyrannical. She sounded more like Momma than herself, but she felt compelled to protect the book.

Josh narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He turned the pillowcase inside out over the book and tied the top in an overhand knot then gave it to Channie.

She stuffed it into her backpack then pushed it under her bed. “There. That should keep it, and us, safe...at least for a little while.” 

“Until the new moon.”

Complications

J
OSH
PUT
ON
ONE
OF
Daddy’s flannel shirts. It hung off his shoulders, but the cuffs didn’t quite reach his wrists. Channie found him another pair of sweatpants so his legs would be covered and waited for him in her room.

They fell asleep spooned against each other almost immediately.

Their reprieve didn’t last long. A sudden brightness jolted Channie out of the sweetest dream. She sat up and squinted, disoriented and confused by what sounded like the roar of an angry bear.

“Daddy?”

“What the hell is going on in here!”

Channie didn’t have a chance to raise her shield before Momma’s curse hit her.

Momma had used magic to discipline Channie before. A clean-speech, no-speak, or even a mild stinging spell wouldn’t have surprised her, but this was no ordinary reprimand. Channie felt as if she were dying. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move, she couldn’t think. Her body convulsed with pain until Josh rolled on top of her. His shield blocked every curse Momma and Daddy hurled at them, until Daddy grabbed Josh’s arms and yanked him out of bed. By then, Channie had her own shield in place.

Momma said, “What have you done, Chastity? Why is the boy immune to magic? And how is it possible for you to lie with him?”

Channie’s heart leapt into her throat. Her stomach tied itself into a Gordian knot and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She said, “We weren't doing anything wrong. We were just sleeping.” Her voice wavered like a frightened child’s.

Josh lifted his chin and said, “As long as our thoughts are pure, the curse isn’t active.” It wasn’t true, but it was quick thinking.

Daddy still had hold of Josh’s arms. He shook him till his teeth rattled and said, “You expect me to believe you can lie next to my daughter and do nothing but sleep?”

Josh said, “You can believe what ever you want—”

Daddy let go with his right hand and drove his fist into Josh’s belly. Air blasted out of his lungs with a whoosh as he doubled over. His face turned red, then blanched grey-white. He turned to look at Channie before he dropped to his knees.

She snapped out of her scared-little-girl mind-set and hit Daddy with a curse that knocked him against the opposite wall. He clutched his chest and groaned. Momma ran to his side and sank to the floor beside him.

Channie grabbed the back of Josh’s shirt and dragged him into the hall. “Come on, let’s get out of here before Daddy recovers.”

Josh wrapped an arm around Channie’s shoulder and leaned on her as they hobbled down the stairs. She scanned him for internal injuries. He was bruised and shaken up, but at least there was no internal bleeding or damage to vital organs.

She wanted to get him out of the house as soon as possible, but they couldn’t leave without the Book of the Dead. Channie could protect Josh from Daddy, but not from the dark magic of the book. And it wasn’t done with them yet. She made him wait in the parlor and ran back upstairs. Daddy was still on the floor, but he was coming around. Momma was still hovering over him, but they both ignored her. They didn’t say a word as she jammed two handfuls of underwear, a couple of shirts, a pair of jeans and her journal into her backpack on top of the Book of the Dead. It wasn’t radiating any magic but that could change at any moment. Besides, Momma was going to figure out that Channie had taken her book as soon as she saw the chaos in her room. Channie didn’t want to deal with Momma until Josh was safe. She ran back downstairs and said, “Okay, let’s get out of here.”

The doorknob felt like a chunk of ice in her hand but it did not prepare her for the blast of arctic air that sucked the breath out of her lungs when she opened the front door.

Channie
was already shivering, so even a gentle breeze would have made her miserable. But the howling north wind was no gentle breeze. Josh was in too much pain to ride so they pushed their bikes into Heritage Park.

Channie said, “Josh, where are we going?”

“My house.”

“I can’t go to your house. Your momma hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you, but even if she did, she’d never turn you away when you’re in danger.”

“I’m not the one in danger. You are.”

Josh pressed his fingers against his belly. “I can’t believe your Dad sucker punched me.”

“I wonder why they came back so early?”

“With the amount of money they’ve been winning?” Josh cocked an eyebrow and smirked at her. I’m sure they’ve been banned from the casinos.”

“You think they got caught cheating?”

Josh shook his head and licked his lips. “If they’d been caught cheating, they’d be in jail. The casinos are private property, they can ban anyone they want without explanation.”

Josh swung his leg over his bike and grimaced. “Come on, let’s go home.”

“What are we gonna tell your momma?”

“We’ll just tell her your parents came home early and caught us in bed.”

“She’s gonna think we were...you know …”

“She already thinks we’re having sex. It’s not going to shock her.”

Hot tears stung Channie’s frozen cheeks. “I can’t face her.”

“With a little luck, you won’t have to. Mom’s a sound sleeper. But we need to go. It’s too cold to stand around and argue.”

“You go on to your house, I’ll go back and try to smooth things over with Momma and Daddy—”

“The hell you will.” The wind yowled like a cat in heat, so Josh had to shout to be heard. “I don’t trust your Dad, or your Mom either for that matter. They’ll just wait until you’re asleep and disable you with another curse so they can beat you or something.”

“They know I’ll retaliate.”

“I won’t let you go back there by yourself, and I really don’t want your Dad to turn me into a punching bag.”

“Josh—”

“I mean it.”

Channie wasn’t about to let Josh anywhere near Daddy, so she gave in.

When
they got to Josh’s house, they were both shivering uncontrollably. Josh fumbled with his keys as he unlocked the side door into the garage. “The fifth stair from the top squeaks. Try to avoid it. Mom’s a sound sleeper. But Elijah isn’t.”

The door creaked as Josh nudged it open, one inch, then two. A tumultuous noise made Channie instinctively cover her ears with her hands.

Josh said, “What the hell?” and flipped on the overhead light. It looked like someone had upset the canned vegetable display at the grocery store. He nudged several cans of green beans and stewed tomatoes out of his way and held the door open for Channie.

Joshua’s momma was on the sofa, propped up on her elbows. She was wearing men’s flannel pajamas and her hair was a mess. A bed pillow at one end still held the shape of her head. She blinked and squinted her eyes, “What’s Channie doing here?”

“What’s three weeks of groceries doing on the floor?”

“Poor man’s security system. I got tired of you sneaking in like a thief in the middle of the night.” She tossed the blanket onto the floor and stood up. “Channie? What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Channie hadn’t even realized she was crying.

Josh slipped his hand around her waist. “Her parents came home early and were a little surprised to find me there.”

Mrs. Abrim said a very bad word. “What happened?”

Josh shrugged his shoulders. “They freaked out. Channie needs a place to stay until they cool off.”

“Of course.” Mrs. Abrim stood up, wove her way past the canned goods and wrapped her arms around Channie. Her compassion was so unexpected it broke down the last of Channie’s self-control. She dissolved into tears, and sobbed on her shoulder.

“Josh, go put clean sheets on your bed.”

“Got it.” Josh took the stairs three at a time.

“And bring down a set for yourself. You’re sleeping on the couch.”

“But, Channie needs me. I promise we’ll—”

“No buts, Josh.”

Elijah peeked over the stair railing and said, “If Channie’s scared, she can sleep with me.”

“Channie’s a big girl, Elijah. She’ll be just fine sleeping by herself.” She gripped Channie’s shoulders and held her at arms length. Her eyes moved back and forth as she scanned Channie’s face. “Right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. I know I can count on you.” She gave Channie’s arms a quick squeeze then let go and went upstairs.

Josh came back a few minutes later—without any sheets, blankets or pillows—and flopped sideways in the chair across from Channie. One leg angled out in front of him, the other draped over the armrest.

“Mom has a migraine. She said to tell you she’s sorry for not helping you settle in, but she needed to take something and go to bed. And get this, she said I’m supposed to be sure you have everything you need.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and grinned at her.

Channie bit her lip to keep from smiling back at him. “I’ll be fine.”

“The stuff Mom takes for migraines makes her extra drowsy. Don’t lock the door when you go to bed, I’ll give her half an hour to be sure she’s out, then—”

“No. You aren’t sleeping with me tonight.”

“Oh, come on, Channie.” Josh reached out and picked up a strand of her hair, sliding it between his fingers. “I’ll behave, I promise.”

“No. She trusts me.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I couldn’t be more serious.”

Josh continued to pout as he followed Channie upstairs. “Don’t you want some company, just until you get sleepy?”

“Goodnight, Josh. I’ll see you in the morning.” She blew him a kiss then closed, and locked, his bedroom door.