Moondust (11 page)

Chapter
16

I refused to force my will upon him. It would be his choice to let me in…if he was asleep. By now it was well after midnight and the rest of the world was fast asleep with sugarplums dancing in their heads. Not me.

Why hadn’t I done this more?

My heart skipped when I felt our dreams merge, two pieces that finally clicked.

The blackness around me was swept away in a tunnel of blurring speed. I blinked a few times, adjusting to my new surroundings.

Just like a guy to dream about being a rock star. Not that I expected unicorns and rainbows, but this…it made my lips twitch. I guess those little kid dreams still live in us all, and I could picture Gavin as a little boy rockin’ out in a make believe stadium just like this. Although I imagined it would have been packed with screaming, adoring fans instead of empty.

Thank God he wasn’t wearing tight leather pants. I might not have been able to keep it together.

The click of my heels echoed as I walked down the aisle toward center stage.

Wait. Heels?

WTF.

I glanced down at my feet, seeing silvery cage-like high heels
—emphasis on high. I’d be lucky I didn’t break my neck before I got there. But that wasn’t the only thing that caught my attention. I was dressed in a skintight dress that clung to my every curve.

Oh. He was funny.

I heard a chuckle, and my head snapped up. There he was, alone with just a stool and a guitar. Fireflies jetted into my belly, and I missed a step when he flashed me a sexy smirk.

Now he’s done it.

Even my heart sighed at the sight of him in ripped jeans and a black t-shirt. It wasn’t fair how just a glimpse could send me into cardiac arrest. And just like that my mind when blank and I forgot what I’d been running from. Mission accomplished. I got my distraction.

He had one leg propped up on the stool crossbar with the acoustic guitar resting in his lap.
“I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” His voice carried through the stadium.

I regained my composur
e and made my way up the stage. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Understanding crept into his eyes. “You had quite an undertaking tonight. Only makes sense that your mind would be racing.”

Racing? It was running a bloody marathon. “So this is what you dream about? Classic.”

He strummed a cord on the guitar with his thumb.
“There is nothing classic about me.”

I kicked off the strappy shoes.
“Thanks for the duds by the way. They really make a statement.”

His blue eyes sparkled. “It suits you.”

“That’s because you are a guy. I am about two seconds away from ripping this itchy dress into tiny little pieces.”

Undeniable amusement sparked in his expression.
“Can I watch?”

I let a short laugh.
In a just a few minutes of being in his presence, I already felt lighter, but I was about to make the atmosphere heavy again. The small curl on my lips faded. “What happened to her?”

He stood
, setting aside the guitar. “I should have known that you just couldn’t let it be. Do you really want the details, Bri? They will not change anything.”

I might not want to hear them
, but I needed to know. Maybe it will help clear my guilty conscious. “I need to know that I didn’t kill a girl or screw her up for life.”

His lips brushed the side of my cheek as he reached me. “You didn’t.”

“What I did— If she hadn’t pushed me—” I couldn’t finish the sentences without choking up.

“I wish I could give you the answers you are looking for, but she was gone when I went back. I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure you went the right way? I mean, she looked pretty out of it.”

His hand fell to his side, and he tilted his head to the side.
“I might not have lived here long, but I have a sick sense of direction.”

I didn’t doubt his skills. My shoulders sagged.
“She knew my name.”

Brows drawn tight, he said,
“Then someone gave it to them.”

A bitter sensation had taken up residency in my belly.
“That’s what I was afraid of.”

His hands curled at his sides
and eyes flashed. “They know who you are now. You are not safe, and the attacks will only increase. I’m going to find out who has the big ass mouth and make them regret squealing.”

Right. I hadn’t tol
d him that Lukas knows what I am. Now seemed like the wrong time. I wanted to talk to Lukas first. “I’m coming with you,” I said. Someone had to keep him out of trouble.

His jaw set.
“Not happening.”

Stubborn as usual, but I had expected noth
ing less. I can be just as pigheaded. “You can’t stop me.” Sure, I had no idea where this underground community of witches was, but I could be resourceful. And he wasn’t the only witch I knew. Lukas could probably get me there just as easily. I hoped.

“It is far too dangerous for you to walk right into the Lion’s den, because that is exactly where I’d be taking you.”

I pressed my lips together. “This is my life. I think I have a right to know what is going on.” If witches were plotting to kill me, I wanted a heads up.

These gangs of underground witches were starting to become a real thorn in my side. I wracked my brain trying to figure out who would sell me out, unless of course the culprit wasn’t a witch at all. You ask the right questions, cast the proper spells and you could get Mother Teresa to spill her beans. Food for thought. Unfortunately, my brain was
n’t hungry at the moment.

His striking features were highlighted in the waning light.
“I want to protect you from getting hurt and that means sheltering you from the all the evil in the world.”

The sincerity in his voice almost had me giving in. Almost. However,
the desire to protect my only family and
him
overruled. “I’ll wear a disguise. No one will recognize me. I can get Sophie to help me.”

He
wasn’t convinced. “You are going to get us both in a lot of trouble.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” I muttered.

Sauntering to the edge of the stage, he scanned the row upon row of empty seats, and then ran a hand through his hair. “If she got back to them and told them what happened, what you did… It will renew their plight that you are a threat and must be eliminated.” He spun around, pinning me with a look. “Don’t you see that?”

I understood exactly what I might walk into, still didn’t change anything. If he was going, I was going.
“Fine,” I huffed. “You made your point. I understand the dangers, but what about the risks you put yourself in because of me. What is the difference?”

He cocked a brow.
“The difference is I can handle myself.”

Oh no
. He did not just pull that Neanderthal stunt.

My inner bitch came out.
“Is that a dig because I am a girl or because you’re a better witch?” My intention when I merged our dreams had not been to fight, but it looked like a fight was imminent.

Standing in front of me, he looked down, a frown on his lips.
“You know that is not what I meant.”

“
Good. Then there isn’t a problem. I’m going.”

Doubt crossed his features.
“If we do this, we do it my way, which means you follow
my
directions.”

“I can do that.”
Well, at least in theory.

Warm hands framed my face, and
the pupils of his blue eyes started to glow. “I’m counting on it.” Ever so lightly he pressed his lips to mine in a soft kiss. My pulsed kicked up. And then he was kissing me again, but it was nothing like the first. Gone was the tenderness and in its place was a fierce unspoken promise. It broke my insecurities, my fears, my uncertainties, only to build me back up.

He grounded me. He made me stronger. Maybe that’s what love did.

When I finally woke up, it was still dark and upon further investigation, I discovered it was just after three in the morning. Ugh. It was too early to get up for school, but I knew that I would not be able to go back to sleep—the undisturbed kind. My lips were still tingling.

I thought I deserved a mental health day.

***

After a very feeble charade at being sick, my aunt called me out of school for the day.
I did a little happy dance in my room and thensent a quick text to Gavin who responded with
,
hooky!

He could make even the simplest things bad. I loved that about him. He made me feel like a rebel when I was anything but.

I switched myself off from the world and finally caught a few hours of needed sleep. It was my growling tummy that woke me up. Throwing my hair into a crazy knot, I went in search of something to satisfy my hunger.

A quick glance at the clock and I realized
it was more lunchtime than breakfast. I reached for the box of strawberry Pop-tarts that were ever present in our kitchen, because I couldn’t live without them. I tore open the silver foil package, and breaking off a corner, I stuffed my face. I didn’t even warm them up.

I was going to take
advantage of having the house to myself.

My aunt had already left for the day
, and I had no intention of cleaning up after myself, getting dress, or even taking a shower. It was that kind of day. I wanted to see no one and I wanted no one to see me. It was just me and my DVR filled with bad reality TV.

Taking my
breakfast/lunch to the sofa, I collapsed like a like a hippo getting a suntan. I wiped the crumbs off my t-shirt and licked my fingers. Today, I wanted to give my brain a break and think about nothing related to magic, witches, or being hunted like an animal.

The doorbell rang
just as one nameless girl on the TV ripped the hair from another nameless girl in what was surely going to be an epic catfight. I groaned. The last thing I wanted was to move and I laid there a moment contemplating ignoring the salesman or worse. But the ringing was followed sharply by the rapture of knuckles on wood.

Swearing under my
breath, I rolled off the couch and swung open the door. I took one look at who was on the other side and started to slam it closed. A menacing Lukas shot his hand out. I knew before he even uttered a word, something was wrong. His hair was disheveled, his usually college tee was wrinkled, and he smelled like stale beer. I was in for a treat.

“You slept with him!
” he exploded.

Well damn.

Lukas. Yelled. At. Me. I was almost in as much shock at him yelling at me as I was that he knew Gavin and I had…well, done the dirty. Lukas hadn’t even bothered to pose it as a question, but went straight to an accusation…meaning he already knew the answer.

I wanted to crawl into the nearest hole.

Wow. That was quite a greeting. I was taken aback. “Who told you that?”

“Are you saying it’s not true?”
He dared me in a growl.

The ball in my stomach grew.

I wanted to lie and it was on the tip of my tongue to confirm that it wasn’t true, but I knew that sooner or later I was going to have to tell him. Connection or not, my feelings for him were not as strong as what I felt for Gavin. I wanted to spare Lukas pain.

Yet,
I felt trapped.

And my silence was confirmation enough.

“That’s what I thought,” he snapped.

Hurt. Anger. Pain. Sadness.

There were all behind Lukas’s emerald eyes. He made me feel like a piece of crap and that got under my skin. “It’s really none of your business.” And I started to once again slam the door in his face.

He stuck his foot out, stopping the forward process and bulldozed his way into my house. “That’s such bullshit.” The door vibrated shut behind him, shaking the rafters of the house.

I am pretty sure I missed the episode in my life where I agreed to have Lukas approve of my every decision. “You are drunk,” I said, pushing at his chest. It was like trying to move a cement wall. Hurt I understood, even anger, but there was such a strong jealousy growing in his green eyes. It started to frighten me and so alien of his personality. I half expected to see a circular mother-ship land in my front yard.

Beam me up Scotty.

“With good cause.” Sparks started to shoot off him.

Holy crap.

He looked like a ticking bomb ready to explode, and I was going to be hit by the shrapnel. Ookay. Maybe this was the wrong approach, but he caught me off guard. I saw my lazy day drift right out the window. “Lukas. You need to calm down.”

Waves of anger rolled of his body at full height towering over me. “How did you think I would feel? I’ve waited years to be with you and you throw it in my face.”