Chapter Nine

“You really thought you could pull off the moon cast by yourself?” Kellan asked as he walked close enough to have a normal conversation with me. Kai never left his side. I changed my mind about his appearance. He looked guilty...and highly embarrassed.

“We did do the cast by ourselves. It worked,” I said smugly.

I nodded at his tattoo, so like mine yet completely different, and I tried to look cool and collected. “What’s that about, Kellan? I didn’t know you were into the dark stuff.” I didn’t know he was a witch at all, but that point could wait. I had heard of dark magic users in my studies. It was more of mythological lore than anything else. No Bruxa ever believed that another kind existed outside of grimoires and textbooks. My magic, like most Bruxas, came from light―from good and righteousness. We were meant to keep a balance in a war-torn, politically corrupt world. We were born with magic in our blood, or some other kind of mythological nonsense.

Both our parents were full-blooded Bruxas as were their parents and their grandparents. Dark magic users harnessed black magic seeded from evil and always had to sacrifice something for the ability to practice it. Rumor had it they gave up their soul, rendering them mere, pithy shells of their former selves. Black magic wasn’t inherent; it was bought from greed and selfishness. I automatically shivered, thinking about a soulless witch. I finally tore my gaze from Kellan’s tattoo and looked up into his eyes.

“You don’t seem to know much about anything or care about anyone except yourself. Don’t act so shocked. It’s not becoming.” He bent down to fix the laces of his boot and let me know I didn’t deserve his full attention. My anger flared as I waited for him to continue.

“Lucky for you, Kai seems to have a thing for bratty, light Bruxas. I lent you my powers to complete the moon cast―successfully.” The sick, tingling feeling made perfect sense.

“So? Are we tainted forever, now?” Madison asked distractedly. Kai was the one to answer.

“No, no, no. Of course not. I would have never agreed to it if that were the case. His...magic has sinuous capabilities. It blends with yours. It doesn’t affect your powers after the fact.” I realized he knew this because of all the grimoires lying around his store. I felt stupid at that moment. “He won’t hurt you. He is on your side.” He lightly punched Kellan’s shoulder. “Right, brother?”

Kellan rubbed his shoulder and unfolded his sleeve to cover his tattoo. “Unfortunately, he’s telling the truth. I do so hate to ruin dark magic’s reputation, though.” He grinned the same smile as Kai. I automatically took a step back. The resemblance was uncanny. “I bet you’re trying to remember what they taught you in school, about the big, bad, evil witches?” He laughed a belly laugh.

“I knew what cast you were trying to do when I saw the book Samantha found in the cabinet,” Kai said. “It had to be the full moon cast. I also knew there would be no way you could perform it successfully, even if both your magics were at full strength.” Kai looked at Madison, avoiding my accusing glare. He knew I was waiting for more.

“I don’t speak to my brother often.” Kellan chuckled, amused by that fact. “He owed me a favor.” Kai looked at his brother stonily, challenging him to laugh, again.

“I just wanted to help you. Despite what misgivings you both have, I couldn’t let Daniel suffer that curse.” Of course, he didn’t mention Xander. “I realize what this looks like...” Kai let his words sputter out, as if anticipating the accusations coming his way.

“It looks like you are a guilty liar, Kai. If you don’t like those words put together, you can have them separately. Guilty. Liar,” I pronounced with great care. “You never told me about your brother being a dark witch or why you kept the grimoires. You never told me a lot of things that were pretty important for me to know.”

He didn’t tell me about his girlfriend, I thought bitterly. His sad, perfect eyes weren’t going to make what I had to say next easy.

“I thank you for your help.” I looked warily at Kellan swatting an invisible bug in the air and looked back to Kai. “If you can even call it that. I’m still not sure we couldn’t have done the spell by ourselves. We need to hit the road. Everything is too complicated in this city.” Malakai’s face morphed into rage.

“You just got here! Are you so scared that you’re going to run your entire life? What kind of life is that, Samantha? You might as well go back to Cadiza. I can help you if you stay.” Kai hesitated. “Kellan can help you if you stay.” He looked up into the silent night and quietly said, “I just got you back.” Then, I knew what he was really asking. Was I going to run from him my entire life? I made up my mind.

“You never had me in the first place,” I said just as quietly. The sadness in the air shattered like ice when Kellan interjected.

“Oooh, burn. You need to know when to call a spade a spade, brother. Or better yet, when to call a witch a bitch.” Kai didn’t think twice before cocking his fist back and punching his brother so hard that it knocked him back several feet. He was good-natured even in a violent situation. Kellan stood up, shook his head with an angry smirk, and brushed off his pants. He stalked off to sit on a ledge, giving us privacy. I widened my eyes in shock. When Kai turned his tortured gaze back to me, I put the nail in the proverbial coffin. It was the only way,

“I’m a Bruxa. You’re a human. I was never yours―could never be yours. Now, I belong with Xander. He understands me in a way you could never comprehend. He’d never lie to me about anything. There’s too much water under our bridge, and lastly,” I shut my eyes briefly and said it quickly, “I’m in love with him.”

I heard Madison gasp at my brutal words, but I needed to finish. “He’s at Rapture right now. It’s odd that moments after we broke Rebekah’s changing spell, he ends up in your place of business. It makes one wonder if he was there the entire time.” I laid the sarcasm on thickly. If anyone could handle it, he could. Kai tried to speak, and I held up my palm to stop him.

“If you want to help me as much as you say, then take me to him. I’m sick of the games and the lies, Kai. You are the king of lie, deny, and counter accuse. I’ve had enough.” Madison put her hand on my arm. It was more of a signal to stop my blabbering mouth full of acidic words than a show of support. I knew I went too far, but the hollow look on Kai’s face told me he believed me. All I needed was for him to believe me.

The ride to Rapture was anything but. Malakai drove in silence as Kellan and Madison played twenty questions. He said he had an agenda against the Elders and Cadiza because of their need to control all Bruxas. He found out Kai’s involvement in Bruxa affairs, which was when he decided he would seek out dark magic to try and take down the Elders’ governmental system. Kellan was more than happy to help us with the moon cast tonight because Rebekah, an Elder, had preformed the changing cast.

Talk about a monumental grudge. As strange as it sounded, Kellan and I had the same ideas. Jade, as far as anyone knew, had no clue Kai’s brother was branded with dark magic. He dodged the questions surrounding the actual ritual of receiving his talisman tattoo or what he promised for the granting of his powers. They were answers I probably didn’t want to know. I was sure the textbooks had it right. What I wasn’t sure of was why Kellan and Kai weren’t close. They were identical twins, after all.

I chanced a look at Kai. He was using more concentration than was necessary to park the car in the back lot. Two security guards dressed in black, eerily similar to the Patrol uniform, were waiting by the back door. Kai got out of the car without saying a word. Madison flew out of the SUV and ran up to enter the building before Kai. She was anxious to smother Daniel, no doubt. Kellan exited the car and left me alone with my thoughts. I flipped open the mirror on the visor to fix my makeup and smooth down my hair. I took a deep breath and blew my brown, wispy bangs out of my eyes. “Here’s to new beginnings,” I said as a quick pep talk.

Walking into the blazing, light-storming club made my head spin. I saw Daniel and Madison in the corner, fawning all over each other, and made a mental note to welcome him back a little later. The music was pumping and bodies were swaying all around me. My tattoo told me when I got close to Xander before my eyes did. I lightly touched my flashing, golden diamond and smiled.

This was how it was supposed to be. Xander stood at the bar with his back to me. He turned, touched his wrist, and anxiously scanned the crowd while looking for me. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. It was the oddest feeling. He never made me nervous before, but because I had finally let go of Malakai, things seemed different and new.

Our eyes finally met. He pulled back his perfect lips to reveal his impeccable smile. I gave him a tight-lipped smirk and a dainty wave. Why show all my cards before I had to? I crossed the dance floor to stand next to him, feeling relieved and happy all at once.

“Polly want a cracker?” he asked. Of course, a bird joke was the first thing from his mouth. We had a lot to talk about. He just didn’t know it, yet. I grabbed his strong biceps to steady myself and went up on my toes to whisper in his ear. I brushed my cheek against his rough face and breathed him in deeply, sending shock waves throughout my entire body. In that moment, I realized just how much I’d missed him and how consumed I was with the relief of knowing he was safe. He was safe and he was with me. I let my lips take on a seductive smile as I leaned toward him.

“No, actually. Polly wants to go somewhere to talk.” I brushed his ear lightly with my lips as I spoke. “Alone.” When he was sure I didn’t have anything left to say, he pulled back to look at me with questioning awe shining in his emerald-colored eyes. He cocked his head to the side as he jokingly pursed his lips to imply he actually had to think about his reply. After he searched my face for a few seconds, he grabbed my hand, and we headed for a quiet corner of the club to a couch, mostly out of view and in a quieter location. We could actually talk at a normal volume and understand each other. I didn’t let go of his hand when we sat down. He noticed right away and tightened his grip in response.

“Are you okay?” I asked a little louder than necessary, still getting used to the quiet. It was a simple first question but one that needed asking.

“Of course I’m okay.” He knitted his eyebrows together, insinuating I was crazy for even asking. “It takes more than being turned into another species to slow down my swagger.” I lightly slapped my forehead with my free hand. He then explained how he didn’t remember much from when he was a bird, only that he could tell it was me who performed the moon cast that broke the spell. He sensed my magic.

“Are you okay? That cast was a doozy.” He hesitated. “I’m actually shocked you were able to do it. I don’t know much about magic yet, but do know something pretty powerful had to have happened to break an Elder’s curse.” Calling Rebekah an Elder seemed ironic to me. With her glowing beauty and flawless looks, she seemed to be anything but. I decided to brief Xander on Kellan and his unwanted yet somewhat appreciated help, and how Jade requested my return to Cadiza in exchange for their freedom. Xander seemed surprised.

“You can’t tell anyone about Kellan. This may be huge for us. He’s already sold his soul. The least we can do is let him help us stay away from Cadiza…if that’s what you still want to do. It now seems as if there are more undefined Bruxas around. If you wanted an easier option...” I pulled my hand away, lost in thought.

Of course, he’d pick Rebekah. She was a powerful Elder to boot. He wouldn’t have to face the wrath of Jade anymore, and his life would be easy. Maybe, if he did go back with Rebekah, I would fall off the Elder’s radar. Jade would have what she needed, and I would just be the one that got away. Xander gently grabbed my face with both hands and forced me to look at him.

“I want you, Sammy.” The nickname didn’t bother me. “Even if it means I’ll be a flamingo next week, or that I have to be your best friend for fifteen years before you finally decide I’m a good idea.” He was being more sincere than I’d ever seen him before. He trailed one hand down my shoulder then my arm and brushed his thumb across my wrist. I shivered at the flaring magic.

“Even if we weren’t a perfect match, I’d want you.” He smirked through closed lips. I shut my eyes to break his intense gaze. I couldn’t form coherent words, otherwise. “Look at me, Sam.” I opened my eyes to find his face right in front of mine. He smelled of mint-flavored gum and spicy sandalwood. His scent intoxicated me. The connection with Xander was different from my connection with Kai. The electricity was still there, but so was our magic. It lured us together and promised amazing things.

“I also understand you and Kai have something going on.” I raised my finger to his lips to silence him before he said anything more about Kai, and before I lost all my nerve, and my resolve faltered.

“Stop.” I pulled his hands from my face. I knew by his downcast expression, he was ready for one of my sarcastic turndowns. Unprepared for what I was going to do next, he started to protest. Then, I kissed him, and for the first time, we were on the exact same page.

I pulled his shirt collar toward me as the kiss deepened. He slid his hands up the back of my shirt. The exquisite feeling of his hands on my bare skin caused me to forget why I waited to give in to Xander. The way he molded into me felt perfect…almost as perfect as the magic swirling around us. My talisman was blazing as I ran my hands through his black, tousled hair and down to fumble with the buttons on his shirt. He grabbed my hands to stop me and broke the kiss. His green eyes displaying how turned on he was. My lips were swollen from the intensity of the kiss. All I could think was that I wanted more.

“Here?” he asked breathlessly. I had to take a moment to remember where here was. With the kiss broken, a semi-clear head returned. I decided I didn’t want our first time to be on some couch in Kai’s nightclub. Kai. He always came to mind at the most inopportune times. I grabbed Xander’s face and brought him to me for another quick, intense kiss that he responded to immediately.

“No, not here,” I said sullenly against his lips. “Later.” He must have seen something in my eyes that he liked, because what he said next surprised us both.

“God, I’ve been waiting a long time for you.” Love oozed from his words. It was a moment of seriousness, all jokes aside. He finally let his guard down, and his feelings for me were completely undisguised.

“I’ve been waiting for you, too,” I said, pressing my forehead to his as I gazed at his face. I had been waiting for him to rescue me from my self-destructive relationship. It wasn’t a total lie.

“Let’s go. Although, I don’t quite know where, yet,” he said. He must have assumed Kai wouldn’t be welcoming home his ex-girlfriend and his opponent, because his opponent had an obvious victory...on his arm.

“I may have lied before,” he said. I bristled and stopped to look at him. He smiled.

“My folks have a condo in Coronado. They barely ever use it. Are you up for picking locks?” Great. Now, we’d have to break and enter. I wondered why he didn’t just stay there instead of Kai’s, which was obviously an uncomfortable situation. It didn’t matter. I was more than glad he had been across the hall.

A quick look around the nightclub told me Madison and Daniel had already left. They were probably doing who knows what. Well, I knew what. I sighed, relieved they were reunited, but concerned neither of them told me they were leaving. Maybe they saw me making out with Xander and decided against bothering us. I shot Madison a quick text to which she responded immediately. She and Daniel were fine and decided to stay at a hotel downtown. Perfect.

“Ummm...you could have told me about your parent’s place earlier.” I nudged him. “Coronado, too? Who exactly are your parents?” I teased. Any type of residence there was expensive. His easy personality didn’t belie the fact that he had grown up with money. It was a relief it didn’t show. I didn’t know how I would deal with a spoiled, entitled match. I dodged a bullet there.

“I wanted to be close to you. Can you blame me? You like to maul me unexpectedly. What man wouldn’t want that?” The lighthearted mood was immediately broken when I heard a screeching voice behind us. It was a pissed off voice. Rebekah’s.

“You bitch. They were mine,” she screamed. “How dare you take them from me.” The cat was out of the bag. She found out her pet birds went missing. “I want him for myself. You don’t deserve him as your match. Now, you’ll pay for your ineptitude,” she spat out in her screeching, soprano voice.

“Invisibility cast. Cast it now, Xander,” I frantically whispered as loud as was safe from prying ears. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kellan in the corner, glaring at Rebekah with a conspiring look in his eye. I hoped he took care of the bitch. We were out of there the second we both lost our forms and blended with our background. Holding hands while invisible was a new experience. I felt as if Xander was an extension of myself. I had no idea where I stopped and he began, only that we were together. We made our way into the black night undetected by anyone. I knew one thing for sure. If anyone could see me right then, I’d have a huge smile on my face.

Rebekah would be so pissed we stole her famous exit.