My bottom lip is swollen. Two searing scratches grace my face. Three girls jumped me. My face doesn’t appear that bad. Nothing that a little cocoa butter won’t help. That doesn’t stop the somber feeling stirring within me.

  I grab my arm. It hurts the most. It’s possible that it’s broken. I don’t care. I’m not going to the medical office on campus. I’ll suffer through the pain. Tierra is a witch here that does magical healing. If the pain doesn’t stop, I’ll see her tomorrow. Now I need pills for the pain.

  Rifling through my things, I search for some Advil. But I don’t find any. Grace keeps a stash of pills. She’s not here, and she won’t miss two pills.

  I search through the drawer of her desk, locating a bottle of oxycodone. This will take the edge off. I pop the top and push both of the pills in my mouth. I scurry over to the mini fridge and grab a bottle of coca cola.

  A sudden knock brings anger and stirs it within me.

  Damn. What now? I’m not going to detention or anywhere else. The misfit pack started it with me. I have a right to defend myself. I finish the can of seven up. I take my sweet, slow time to get to the door, dragging my chucks across the carpet. I know it’s bullshit on the opposite side of the door. This school will find a way to make it my fault.

  I can hear Headmaster Dave’s voice now. Your aggression is overshadowing your potential.

  I finally get to the door. I open it with my right hand, because my left hand is throbbing. There is Josh, standing there. I give a sheepish smile at the sight of him, followed by a groan. I grab my left arm.

  “Come in,” I declare, viewing the look of concern on his face.

  “Are you okay?” he questions in a low tone. Low enough that I get nervous. Are the scars that hideous? Embarrassed, I want to cover my face and hide.

  “Sure, I’m fine. Just a little sore,” I respond.

  He helps me to the bed then pulls an ice pack from his back pocket.

  “I guess you heard what happened?”

  He nods. Things spread through campus like wildfire. “I heard you beat the misfits’ asses.”

  “Yeah, but they started it,” I grunt. I grab the ice pack and place it on my lip.

  “I know you’re not a bully. Besides, you don’t have to prove anything to me.”

  Tears fill my eyes. “I’m just so tired of everyone bullying me,” I gasp, “for something I didn’t do.”

  He walks closer and takes a seat beside me on the bed. He stares into my face with that somber expression. It strikes me like a wrecking ball: I disappointed him. I can’t stop the tears.

  “No, don’t cry. You can’t let this break you.” He wipes the tears from my face. “Stay strong. Prince will be taken down. Everything will go back to normal.”

  He’s right. I have come too far. I can’t give up now. I’m going to fight to prove Kenny's and my innocence and to take down Shelly’s killer if it’s the last thing I do. I bury my face in his chiseled chest, not wanting him to see my scars. I take in a whiff of his scent and close my eyes, forgetting about the stress and drama of this academy. My heart rate becomes irregular. There is some sexual tension between the two of us. Again, I ponder about a sexual escapade with him.

  I won’t make the first move. I like to be chased. The way he caresses my back, he wants me too. I don’t how much longer we can fight the temptation.

  He unbuckles my bra. I lie carelessly across his chest.

  He continues massaging my back. I lift my head. The look he gives me cements my beliefs. We can’t control our feelings. He kisses me on the forehead then lifts my chin and brushes the tears from my face. He kisses my lips slow and soft, and I don’t resist. I need him and he’s a gentleman.

  I lower myself onto the bed. My breathing increases in anticipation of the inevitable. I’m not nervous, I’m anxious. I’m unable to believe this is happening. I’ve never seen so many hot guys in one place. I’ve never been the pretty girl that the guys are chasing. Yet there are three guys on this campus doing just that.

  His lips touch mine again. I part my lips, allowing his tongue entrance into my mouth. A thrill races down my back and I press my body harder against his. The bulge in his pants becomes larger. I can’t wait to get him naked. Often, I have imagined the size of his penis. His shoe size is thirteen; I assume his penis is large.

  He unbuttons his belt, and I assist him in taking his pants off. I think about safe sex. We never discussed if he was seeing someone else. I don’t want to mess up the mood, but it’s better safe than sorry.

  “Do you have a condom?” I question, breaking our lip lock.

  “Yeah, I do,” he responds.

  He grabs his pants and pulls a condom out. I wonder if he assumed he was getting laid or if he just carries it around. He glances at me and everything else fades away.

  He puts the condom on then climbs on top. He kisses me again and my body becomes moist everywhere. My excitement is in uproar, my magic is thrumming at my fingertips.

  He eases his penis in, forcing a moan to escape my lips. It’s the right size for me. He whips it in and out as I beg for more. He is gentle and catering to my every need. My body burns with desire as he continues thrusting. I scream, “Yes, Josh!” I climax as my toes curl. The experience is like heaven and my body rattles.

  He doesn’t stop, continuing to whip his penis into my vaginal canal. He licks my chest up to my neck, stopping at my earlobe. My legs shake with passion as he climaxes. His body stiffens as he moans and he freezes for thirty seconds.

  The sex is magnificent, lasting for what seemed like an eternity.

  We became one. Our bond is forever different. Crossing the line tonight is a decision I made. We can never go backwards. Being just friends isn’t an option.

  15

  Through the roaring Chicago wind and the yelling of James and Josh arguing no one hears the rumble of the thunder clashing, warning us of the storm ahead.

  “That’s the address,” I claim, my voice vibrating over the yelling twins. They’re arguing over how we should bombard the castle.

  Night has fallen upon us. Although it’s not late at night, it’s better than ambushing the castle in broad daylight.

  It’s been two days since Josh and I cemented our relationship. We decided it was best not to tell James, uncertain of his mind state and what reaction we’d get. James has expressed his feelings for me before. The feeling is mutual. But it’s not the right time to address it. One day we all will be one family.

  James slips into a park a few hundred feet from the entrance. I dart a glance at the massive castle. Which entrance will we sneak in? The castle is nearly as big as the school campus. There is no way we’re entering the castle. Not without a guard on our ass. A grim sensation crosses my body. I dry heave, trying to catch my breath. A castle that big has guards.

  “What’s wrong?” James asks, rushing to my side.

  Suddenly, I get a suffocating sensation. The darkness hovering around the castle sends goosebumps down my flesh. I rub my hand across my chest, trying to relieve the pressure. A nagging at the back of my mind consumes me. Natalie is in the castle. However, something more sinister and darker is present. Something that will rattle this city to its core.

  The darkness of this town isn’t new. I sensed it the first day I stepped off the greyhound bus. It’s a town riddled with secrets that keep being swept under a rug. Prince is hiding in plain sight.

  After several minutes of catching my breath, I’m calm enough to come up with a plan. I grit my teeth while eyeing the clouds. We better make this quick. It appears to be twister weather.

  “What’s the plan, fellas?”

  “We don’t need a plan. Let’s just bust through the door and get Natalie,” James growls.

  “Calm down, James,” Josh warns.

  We have to think straight or we could all be dead upon entering the door. “First, how do we enter the gate?” I ask, glaring at the ten-foot steel gate.

  “Well, hop the gate,” Josh suggests.

  “Then what? Bust through the window?” I bark.

  “If we must,” James responds.

  “OK, we should go around back, then scale the gate and enter through the back door,” Josh adds.

  We are just going to snoop around. Search for clues. Natalie is inside. I can feel it in my bones. I can’t bring myself to tell them what I’m sensing. I fight back my urge to urinate. It’s likely fear of the unknown. What lurks behind the doors of the gloomy castle? I force myself out of the car, and the scent of decay permeates the air, masking the scent of rain.

  “Do you smell that?” Josh questions.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  James sniffs. “No, what does it smell like?”

  “A rotten meat scent,” Josh says, eyes bulging.

  We attempt to climb the gate. I’m doing good until my shirt gets snagged and I nearly fall face first. But James catches. Wincing, I wiggle my arm. A tinge of pain pricks at my forearm. The stupid misfit pack.

  “Are you okay?” Josh questions as we sneak toward the back door of the castle.

  “I’m fine,” I respond, not wanting him to worry about me. He needs to be focused on the grim task ahead.

  James twists the knob on the door. Of course, it’s locked. Why did we think we could walk to the door and open it? It is quite silly. The twins are determined to enter. Rescuing Natalie ourselves is better than calling the police.

  Josh races to the side, checking all the windows. “Hey! Ronnie, James, over here,” he says, snatching our attention. We scurry over to a basement window. It’s cracked open. It’s a skinny window, big enough for me to squeeze through, but there’s no way the twins will fit.

  “Ronnie, you slip through the window then open the back door for us.” James orders.

  The words crash and burn in my throat. I point, trembling with fear and force my words to expel. “You want me to go in alone?”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be right here,” James insists.

  Terror sweeps over me. I should say no and go back to campus. But we’ve come too far now. I’m risking everything. Finding Shelly’s killer is worth it, I tell myself. I shoot one last glance at the twins.

  “If you don’t open the door in two minutes, I’m kicking it in,” James assures me.

  “Okay,” I respond. I lower myself to the ground, then shimmy through the tiny basement window. I fall a few feet, landing in a room filled with clothes and washing appliances. I assume it’s the laundry room. I stand there for a minute, making sure there are no movements. My stomach churns back and forth, rapid and hard. I almost vomit. I gather myself the begin to move through the house, quiet as a ghost.

  I come upon a spiral stair case and scale the stairs until I reach the top. I’m almost holding my breath. But this house is silent, unrealistically quiet. You could hear a pin drop.

  I notice an entry door at the end of the hall. This must lead to the outside. The lock makes a loud sound as I click it open. Gasping, I view darkness and a large, empty lot. Damn, is this the wrong door?

  I step out the door. “Twins,” I whisper. Silence is the answer I get. The plan has gone from bad to hell. If the twins don’t answer soon, I’ll trample through this yard and race back to campus.

  Suddenly I hear footsteps and the twins appear from the darkness.

  “We have to split up. Be quiet as possible,” James barks. “I’ll go to the top floor. Josh, you and Ronnie take the lower level.”

  James likes to be the leader. Sometimes he lets his emotions get the best of him.

  We split and I find my way to the massive first floor. I move silent and quick, making sure not to alarm anyone. I come upon a hall with several doors. Opening a door, I find the bathroom. No one is in here. My instincts tell me I’m close.

  I find my way to the living room area. I pause for a second. I adore the chandelier and elegant furniture. Are they sure this is Prince’s home? This castle must belong to a millionaire.

  I stalk toward the picture-frame window. Glancing to my left, I notice pictures on the wall. One picture sticks out the most, demanding my attention. It’s a picture of Headmaster Dave. My mind races a million miles. I don’t understand why the headmaster’s picture is in Prince's house. A thump followed by a shriek tears my attention back to the hallway. I head toward the noise when a voice sounds.

  It’s a feminine voice. My heart rate kicks into overdrive. I don’t have a split second to think. There’s more bumping, shaking the castle, causing the chandeliers to rattle. My heart hammers in my chest. I should escape. But I never listen to my instincts. Curiosity has got the better of me.

  Creeping toward the hall, toward the doors, I break out in a sweat. “Hello,” I whisper.

  “In here.” The feminine voice sounds again. Startled and terrified, I creep closer to the door. I pry the door open to find two girls, barely clinging on to life. They’re emaciated, their clothes hanging from their bodies, eyes sunken with dark rings around them. Tears burn the back of my eyeballs.

  “Who are you?” the taller of the two asks. I glance at the other girl closely and immediately I know it’s Natalie. She resembles them down to the slim lips.

  “Are you Natalie?”

  “Yes,” she says as she scratches her arm.

  “I came with your brothers, the twins. To rescue you.” I nod.

  She flings her thin arms around my shoulders, gripping me tightly like death is nipping at her heels.

  “Wait, there are guards,” the other girl barks.

  Natalie lets me out of her bear grip. Tears stream down her cheeks. “I haven’t seen anyone. Trust me.”

  They are both fragile. I have to be strong. I’m leading them out of this hell.

  I’m a ball of emotions, nervous and exited that I have found the twins’ sister.

  We dart through the maze of the first floor. When we’re within a few hundred feet of freedom, another rumble splits the air, followed by a crash that shakes the house. The twins have run into some trouble.

  We enter the kitchen and find the source of the noise. There’s an all-out brawl. It’s Josh and a huge guy ramming his face into the wall.

  16

  I must get the girls to safety, out of the ruins they have endured for the past few weeks. But my first instinct is to help Josh. The muscular dude is beating him to a pulp.

  I grit my teeth and race toward them, my arms pumping at my sides. Gathering strength I didn’t know I had, I kick him in the back. It’s my way of warning him. Leave Josh alone.

  He doesn’t move a muscle. My blood freezes and my heart stops. He continues beating Josh like a drum. I grab the thing closest to me: a frying pain. I swing the pan with all the penned aggression I have in me, hitting him upside his head.

  That got his attention. He stumbles to the side, releasing Josh from his grip.

  He twists, his rage-filled gaze landing on my face. Fear penetrates my body. I don’t move, letting him know that I’m not frightened. But I am. His bulky stature makes me flinch. My eyelids spasm. I’m on the tracks and a freight train is heading toward me. Good thing my magic is thrumming at the surface. Here he comes.

  He charges toward me. I hear the two girls screaming. I want to scream too but I’m preparing for the impact.

  Out of nowhere, James rushes toward him with a chair, breaking it across his head and knocking the dude to the ground. Damn, I barely dodged that bullet.

  James darts on top of the dude, driving his fists into his face. I scurry to Josh's side, helping him up to his feet.

  Blood trickles down his face. It brings a stream of tears to my face. I hate seeing him this way. But then he’s on his feet, racing to James’s side, assisting him in kicking the Incredible Hulk’s ass.

  When there is a pounding pain, I go falling to the ground. My head is yanked back by someone pulling my hair. Then my head is pushed down, my nose up against the floor.

  “What the hell are you doing in the castle?” the baritone voice says. The voice is unfamiliar, and it isn’t Prince.

  The metallic taste of blood invades my mouth, adding a bit of a rage to me. I struggle to get away from the tight grip, anger filling my mind. I force myself to concentrate. Maybe I can use my magic to free myself.

  The buzz of my magic thrums through my blood. The asshole twists my head. “Who are you?” he questions as his scent fills my nostrils. It’s a rather familiar, stringent scent. The same scent that floated throughout Prince's loft.

  The mellow whimpers of the two girls wail in the background. “I’m Ronnie,” I growl.

  “What business do you have here, Ronnie?” He pushes my head harder against the floor.

  I take a hard swallow. A strong bolt of magic jolts through my body, pushing the creep off me. I take in a heady breath. My breaths are quick and harsh, trying to catch up with the demands of my lungs.

  There is still constant bumping, I assume from the twins fighting. My vision is hazy, but I twist my head to the side. I see the girls standing in shock, hugging each other. I try standing, but the room is spinning.

  I close my eyes and force myself to a sitting position. Suddenly, a clapping noise slices through the air.

  I blink repeatedly, trying to get an unobstructed view. The clap continues, followed by a male voice. “Good job, twins. You found your sister.” The voice belongs to Prince. I guess this is his castle.

  “You brought someone to barter with.” I force my eyes open, landing my gaze on the snake’s face. I stand up, my legs and hands shaky. I’m tired and exhausted, but my adrenaline is still pumping. I can’t believe I was just pinned down and I used my magic. It shows up out of thin air. I have no control.

  “You have returned, Ronielle,” he says with a silly grin. He’s wearing a golden robe, as if he is a god.

 

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