Blood Rush (The Lost Witch Trilogy #2) (23 page)

“Sarah, you were so weak last night when we brought you back, no one could have told you were a witch. You weren’t putting out an energy wave. You were completely depleted of all power. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to recover. But right now, you’re stronger than you’ve ever been before. Zane, you too. I would love to do some studies on you.”

Zane shook his head automatically. “No thanks, but yeah, we feel it too. We both feel great today. I think it’s because we were close to each other all night long.”

Race tilted his head and thought about it. “Interesting. Or it could be like exercising. Expending great amounts of energy, breaking yourself down, in order to rebuild yourself even stronger. And it looks like Zane is your personal steroid.”

Sarah laughed and took one more bite before standing up. “I like it. At the rate I’m going then, I can try out for the Witch Olympics.”

Race laughed and patted her on the shoulder as she walked by. Before Zane could join her though, Race stopped him with his hand. “Just remember, you’re still an illegal steroid,” he said warningly.

Zane smiled innocently and held his hands up. “Relax
Dad
.”

Race groaned and shook his head. “I’m still getting used to having a daughter. Give me a few years before I have to take on a son in law,” he said.

Zane laughed and walked out the door with Sarah. When they got outside, they saw that Lash had already left. They drove to school and sat in the jeep as they watched all the kids flow into the school. “You know we’re not in our room anymore. We’re not lying down. It’s perfectly ok to kiss me now.”

Sarah was reaching over before he’d even ended his sentence. She kissed him thoroughly, and then let him go at the sound of the bell. They walked in to school together, but had decided not to hold hands. They weren’t going to advertise they were together. At school, they would just be friends.

At lunch, Sarah sat with Carter and his friends as usual. Lash sat with Corey, the cute girl with short black hair and Zane sat with Charlie as usual. Sarah studied them, wondering why Charlie was back to school so quickly after everything she’d been through over the weekend. Charlie still looked stylish and pretty, but she looked pale and nervous too.

She laughed at a joke Carter was telling everyone and when she looked up, Zane and Charlie were standing in front of their table.

“Hey guys. Mind if we join you? I’m new at school like Sarah and Charlie thought it would be nice to introduce me to everyone,” Zane said with a friendly open smile, taking in the whole table.

Sarah blinked in surprise and turned to see everyone smiling at Zane but looking at Charlie suspiciously. Charlie looked down at her feet quietly, not saying anything.

“Sure buddy, there’s plenty of room. Looks like you already know Sarah. This is Jake, Tyler, Claire, Aubrey and Kase.”

Zane said hi to everyone and sat right across from her, with Charlie scooting in on his right. She smiled warmly at him, so glad to have him close by.

“Sarah, you know Charlie, right? Charlie was just telling me that she’d love to hang out with you after school. I know you guys both love that show
Adventure Time
. We could hang out and watch it together if you’re not busy?” Zane asked.

Charlie sighed and flopped her head in her hand, not looking like she wanted to hang out at all. Sarah raised an eyebrow at Zane and noticed Carter looking at her in surprise. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered. “You can say you have plans with me. I’ll take you to my house and we can hang out instead.”

Sarah smiled at Carter and knew if she’d never met Zane, they could have had a great relationship. Zane bumped her foot hard and she looked at him. He spoke into her mind.
I put up with Lash, but honey I am not putting up with Carter. You are off limits, or have you already forgotten?

Sarah looked down at her tray and smiled. She shook her head at Carter and whispered back, “Thanks but I’ll see how it goes. It might be fun.”

Carter looked at her like she was crazy but turned to answer a question from Claire.

“Um, that sounds really fun Zane. I can’t wait to hang out with Charlie,” she said with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.

Zane grinned at her and started eating his lunch. Charlie took out her phone and started texting, which left Sarah plenty of time to stare at Zane. She smiled at the way he flipped his hair out of his eyes and itched to reach over and push it back. His eyes were the most beautiful silver color she’d ever seen going hot or smoky depending on his mood. But his smile was what got her every time. The way it could warm her from across a room never got old.

Zane paused and looked up at her, his eyes turning dark and his smile fading.
If you’re going to think about me like that then we’re going to have to go take a walk out by the bleachers.

Sarah blushed and cleared her throat. Having a secret boyfriend that could read your thoughts uninvited could be embarrassing. She ignored him and finished her lunch. She stood up with her tray. “Bye everyone, see ya around,” she called and then walked off, throwing her trash away and placing her tray on the cart. She made it out the door and down the hall before Zane caught up with her.

She smiled in pleasure at him and then glanced behind him. “Where’s Charlie?”

Zane shrugged and leaned up against the wall. “She’s still texting. She knows we’re not together anymore. She’s giving me the silent treatment. You on the other hand are the exact opposite. It’s hard to not hear everything going on in your brain. And I absolutely love it,” he said softly, walking closer to her.

Sarah bit her lip and started walking down the hallway again. “
About that
. Sorry. Those were
private
thoughts, not meant for public viewing,” she said with her nose in the air.

Zane slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her towards a dark classroom. He pushed through the door, pulling her with him.

Sarah laughed and shook her head. “Seriously? Zane, if we get caught I’ll be so embarrassed. Can you imagine my dad getting a call from the school? Excuse me Mr. Livingston, but your daughter was caught making out with another student on school property.”

Zane turned and pulled her into his arms. “It’ll be worth it, I promise,” he said softly, before leaning down and kissing her deeply.

Sarah melted into Zane, feeling her legs go weak as her hands went up to slide through his hair. His arms tightened around her and she felt like she was drowning in warmth. He kissed her with such intensity she was caught off guard. She pulled away slowly and stared up into his face, releasing her hands from his hair.

“
Wow
,” she said, rubbing a hand over her lips and stepping back.

Zane shrugged and pulled a lock of red hair over her shoulder and around his finger. “The more I’m with you and the more connected I am to you and your thoughts, the more I’m starting to understand how you really feel about me. I can feel it Sarah. You don’t even have to tell me. I can feel your love for me jump out and grab me. In the lunch room just now, it was so powerful, I had to fight the urge to jump across the table,” he said with a sheepish grin.

Sarah sighed and stepped closer hugging him. “I can feel your love too. But I think you’re better at it than me. You can read my thoughts like they’re a billboard. I can only sense what you’re thinking about unless you actually speak to my mind. That’s not fair,” she said with a pout.

Zane raised his eyebrows before leaning down to kiss her neck. “Different talents my love. Just don’t ask me to throw water around.”

Sarah sighed happily and would have started kissing Zane again, except the bell rang. They walked out of the classroom together, with her pushing Zane away as he tried to grab her hand.
Remember, we’re not together
, she said in Zane’s mind.

Zane frowned but changed before her eyes, turning from the love of her life into a friendly acquaintance as he nodded his head at her and walked down the hallway, not even asking to walk her to class.

She turned around to go to her class and came face to face with Charlie. Her eyes widened in surprise as Charlie stood there, not smiling at her and not saying anything either. She wished she could read minds as well as Zane did. She didn’t know if Charlie wanted to kill her or just talk.

“You’re not fooling me,” Charlie said quietly with a frown.

Sarah winced and leaned up against a locker, wondering how bad this was going to get. Lash and Corey walked down the hallway towards them and he raised an eyebrow at her as if to ask if she were okay. She smiled at him and nodded and looked back at Charlie.

“Forget about me. How are you doing?” Sarah asked.

Charlie shrugged and looked frightened for a moment before smoothing her features out. “I’m okay I guess. The drug that guy gave me to knock me out is out of my system. I don’t even remember being in the forest. Zane told me that you’re the one who found me.”

Sarah looked down at her feet, frowning as she remembered how horrifying the whole experience had been. “Yeah. I’m relieved it’s all over. And I’m glad I found you Charlie. I’d like to be your friend. For real,” she said, looking up and smiling hopefully at her.

Charlie blinked in surprise and looked away. “Um, okay. That’s kind of weird, but we can try, I guess. I mean, we both have the same psycho after us, we might as well be allies or whatever.”

Sarah nodded her head. “Yeah, it’s the smart thing to do.”

Charlie looked at her with pain showing in her eyes. “You’re lucky though. The psycho isn’t your father.”

Sarah winced. She had a point. “Yeah, but I know what it’s like to have someone like that hurt you. My aunt tried to break me and take my power. She was going to give me to your dad. That’s why we’re here in Maine now. We’re all running from your dad,” she said grimly, staring at the kids walking through the hallways, smiling and relaxed, not knowing about power, witches or evil. She envied them.

Charlie cleared her throat nervously. “I guess we have more in common than I thought. And, um,
I’m sorry
.”

Sarah looked at her in surprise. “What for?” she asked.

Charlie’s face turned red and she took out her phone to look at it, as if she’d never apologized to anyone before. “For you know, taking Zane from you. I kind of made him be with me. He didn’t want to, but I didn’t care. I used my power to force him. I don’t even know why he still wants to be my friend. I don’t get it. If someone did that to me, I’d hate them. Especially when you started hanging out with Lash. I could feel him go all tense and crazy whenever he’d see you two together. So, yeah, I’m sorry.”

Sarah’s face bloomed into a real smile and she reached over and touched Charlie’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We’re all okay now Charlie. I forgive you,” she said simply, meaning it.

Charlie smiled back, looking very pretty and very young. “Okay, well, see ya after school then.”

Sarah watched as Charlie walked quickly away from her, feeling good.

“
Wow
.”

She turned around to see Lash standing behind her, leaning on a locker. She kept her smile in place and remembered that she needed to forgive Lash too. “Wow, what?”

“Wow, you’re letting her off the hook,” he said with a half-smile as he stepped closer to her.

Sarah fought the urge to step back and away from him. “You’re welcome to join us. We’re all hanging out together back at the house, watching
Adventure Time
. It’ll be fun.”

Lash smiled at her sadly and shook his head. “Nah, that’s okay. Corey invited me to a gymnastics meet she has this afternoon. She wants me to meet her mom and dad and stay for dinner,” he said, turning red in the face and looking surprised.

Sarah grinned and slugged him in the shoulder. “Why look so shocked? You’re gorgeous. Why wouldn’t she want to get to know you better?”

Lash shrugged his shoulders looking uncomfortable. “I don’t know. She’s good. Like you. She’s not like the girls that wanted to hang out with me before you know. She’s not just into sex. She’s really sweet,” he said softly.

Sarah grinned and relaxed. “I’m glad Lash. Have fun. And when you meet her parents, just smile, be yourself and ask them questions about themselves. If they ask about you, just tell them you’re living with a distant relative. That’s all they need to know.”

Lash smiled and his eyes brightened. “Yeah, that’ll work. Okay. Well, have fun and I’ll see you around later.”

Sarah nodded and smiled as he walked off. She went through the rest of her day with a smile on her face. Even hanging out with Charlie after school wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Mostly because Agnes, Gretchen, Francis and Beatrice were with them almost the entire time.

When they watched TV together, Agnes insisted that Adventure Time was her favorite show. And by the way she laughed, it was almost possible. Afterwards, Francis insisted on Charlie staying for dinner and even relented on her preference for formal dining so they could all eat homemade pizza in the kitchen. Charlie started to relax and smile until Race walked through the door.

Sarah saw him first and smiled. “Hey Dad. We saved you some pizza. Do you want meat lovers or the veggie kind?”

Race’s eyes lit up as his eyes connected with her. He walked over to her, touching her shoulder quickly before grabbing a plate.

“I’ll take the veggie kind. Gretchen, did you make this? It smells amazing,” he murmured, reaching past Charlie to grab a slice.

Charlie’s face froze in terror and she shrank back from Race as if he was going to harm her. Zane stared at her quietly and Race, noticing her reaction to him, slowly moved back away from her. Agnes blinked in concern and then walked quickly to her side. She put her hands on both sides of Charlie’s face and looked deeply into her eyes.

“You are safe here. Charlie, listen to me.
You are safe here
. No one here in this room means you any harm. We want to help you and protect you. Do you believe me?” she asked, softly as Charlie’s breathing slowed down and her shoulder’s relaxed.