Fate Changer (The Lost Witch Trilogy #3) (16 page)

Lash gave her a half smile and glanced at the glass and held up his hand. “No need. We’re done. I don’t need any more than this,” he said motioning for Gretchen to stop.

Sarah immediately took Charlie’s bloody hand in hers and ran her finger up and down the deep slit, healing it within seconds. Agnes handed her a wet rag to wipe the blood off with and when she did, there was a very faint, barely visible silver line. Charlie smiled at it as if she’d just gotten the world’s coolest tattoo.

“Not bad Sarah,” she said with a grin.

All four women then simultaneously turned to Lash who had picked up the glass of blood and was already downing it. He grabbed his napkin off the table and wiped a smear of blood from his lips. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. It was over and done and she hadn’t felt the need to throw up once.
Phew
.

Lash raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded with a smile. Agnes whisked the blood smeared glass away and promptly rinsed it in the kitchen sink as Lash stood up. He closed his eyes as he started to have a reaction to Charlie’s blood. He gasped a little and bent over at the waist, before straightening up. When his eyes opened, they were blazingly bright and Sarah noticed a hum of energy surrounding him.

“You almost feel like a witch now, Lash,” Sarah said in wonder.

Gretchen and Agnes nodded their heads in agreement. Agnes walked over to Lash and ran her hand over his forehead and down his arm.

“I don’t know what Charlie has in her blood, but it’s powerful. Lash, honey, you’re ready,” she said simply.

Lash nodded and glanced around the room, looking uncomfortable for a moment. “Um, this might sound weird, but uh, could I have a hug from everyone before I go? I mean, I’m not really worried about what will happen or anything, but you know, just in case,” he said, his words tapering off into silence.

Sarah grinned and threw herself into his arms. Lash caught her easily and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. “Thank you for being so willing to go after Zane, Lash. Thank you,” she whispered into his ear.

“Sarah, you know I’d do anything for you. Even bring you back the man you love,” he said softly as he slowly let her go.

He nodded at her and then turned to hug Gretchen and Agnes. “Agnes, Gretchen, I just want you to know I love you too,” he said sounding shy all of a sudden.

“What about me? Do I get a hug? I am the giver of blood after all. And I want a longer hug than Sarah got,” she added with a toss of her hair.

Lash sighed and smiled at Charlie, “You know something, after everything’s over, I think I will ask you out on a date. You’re a little diva, but you crack me up,” he said as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly, making sure that he hugged her a second longer than Sarah.

When Lash let her go, Charlie’s pale face had bloomed into a rosy glow and she grinned happily. “I’m looking forward to our date,” she said with a flirtatious smile.

Lash looked surprised but happy. “I am too,” he said and then headed towards the front door. Gretchen, Agnes and Charlie followed closely behind him. Sarah walked a little slower, smiling to herself and feeling a burst of joy knowing that Lash was willing to let his feelings for her go. Now she could let go of all the guilt she still carried with her for not being able to love him the way he wanted her to.

Agnes opened the door for Lash and kissed his cheek before he walked out. Gretchen and Charlie followed. Sarah heard a soft scream and then the sound of rushing of feet running down the front steps. She gasped and hurried out the front door, looking for danger before she came to a stop.

She couldn’t believe it
.

Gretchen and Agnes were hugging a tall man with blond hair standing at the bottom of the steps. Sarah felt all the breath in her lungs leave as she shook her head in wonder and quickly ran down the steps. Lash and Charlie stood to the side, looking shocked, but she didn’t see them. Her eyes were glued to the face she loved more than any other.
Zane
.

“Zane,” she whispered softly and ran the rest of the way, reaching her hands out to him.

Zane stared at her blankly and stepped back, frowning slightly. Sarah was so excited, she didn’t even notice. Before she reached him, her power swelled out of her like it always did when she was around Zane and rushed to surround him.

Zane stiffened and then flung his hands out, flinging her power back at her as he threw up a power shield. Sarah stopped abruptly, looking at him in confusion.

“
Zane?
” she whispered, scanning his face for any sign of welcome or love.

Gretchen and Agnes looked at him, perplexed as well. Zane shook his head at her in warning. “I don’t like people messing with my mind,” he said roughly. “Don’t do that again,” he warned icily.

Sarah’s head reared back in surprise. Zane must not know her anymore. She blinked and looked to Agnes for help.

Agnes put her arm around Zane’s back and sent a warning glance to Sarah. “Well, come in the house boy and tell us where you’ve been. We’ve been worried sick,” she said heartily, motioning for everyone to follow them back into the house.

Sarah watched Zane and Agnes pass her by without any expression on her face. Gretchen looked at her with worried eyes before she hurried after them. Lash and Charlie walked up to her and each took an arm as they propelled her back up the steps.

“Looks like I drank all that blood for nothing now,” Lash said, sounding irritated.

Charlie peered around Sarah and smiled mischievously at him. “Now admit it Lash, my blood tastes
way
better than Sarah’s,” she said with a wink.

Lash laughed, refusing to answer.
Perfect
, Sarah thought. Zane didn’t recognize her and now she had to listen to Charlie and Lash flirting non-stop. Today sucked.

Chapter 14 – Found and Lost

Sarah stood in the far corner of the kitchen and leaned up against the pantry crossing her arms over her chest as she studied Zane from a distance. She scanned his face for injuries and relaxed when she could see no visible harm. It was the
invisible
harm that worried her.

Everyone else sat at the kitchen table, surrounding him and talking at once. Zane looked harassed and finally held up his hand for silence. “Okay, relax everyone. I don’t know why you guys are freaking out so much. You’re giving me a headache,” he said, sounding like he was telling the truth about the headache.

Sarah winced, knowing that she could take away all his pain if he’d let her near him. She ground her teeth and decided to try from a distance. She closed her eyes and looked at her feet as she moved her energy towards Zane. She held back, so he wouldn’t be overwhelmed like he’d been by it outside. She concentrated on pulling the pain from his head while staying outside, instead of jumping in and working from the inside. He’d be able to tell instantly if she attempted it.

Moments later, Zane’s face cleared and he sighed in relief, not realizing what she had done for him. “Grandma, I’m starving to death. It feels like I haven’t eaten in days,” he said, staring pleadingly at Sarah’s forgotten plate of food.

Agnes and Gretchen paled and rushed to the kitchen to make him a hot breakfast. Zane glanced at Lash and Charlie cautiously. “What are you staring at?” he asked, sounding irritated.

Lash shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “
You bro
. Last time I saw you, you were strapped to a chair with Charles Langford standing over you with his hands on your head. You were screaming by the way,” he said softly.

Sarah covered her mouth with her hand in agony at the thought of what he’d been through, but kept her eyes glued to Zane’s face, looking for any kind of reaction.

Zane looked at Lash as if he were insane. “Dude, are you high? I went out with some friends last night and things got a little carried away. I ended up sleeping on some guy’s couch. It’s no big deal,” he said looking uncomfortable.

Lash raised his eyebrow at that and glanced at Sarah in the corner. She shook her head for him to let it go for now and he shrugged. Charlie was still staring at him as if he were crazy.

“
Zane
, Charles took you. He captured you in one of his nasty little bubbles and poofed you away to his little villa of torture.
Seriously?
You don’t remember anything?” she asked dubiously.

Zane sighed and looked away from her. “Aren’t you that weird girl from school who everyone hates? Mind your own business and stop listening to this guy. And by the way, he’s not that easy on girls, so watch yourself,” he said coolly, eying Lash and Charlie with derision.

Lash stood up and held his hand out for Charlie, who looked as if she’d been slapped. “And that’s our cue to leave. Everyone, it’s been fun. We’ll be at Race’s house waiting to hear from you on our next step,” he said with a dark glance at Zane before ushering Charlie out of the kitchen.

Agnes and Gretchen had remained silent throughout the entire conversation, but looked at Sarah in anguish and pleading before heading back to Zane, carrying a dish of food and a glass of orange juice.

“Here honey, drink this,” Gretchen urged, placing the glass of juice in his hands.

Zane looked at her in gratitude and downed the juice in three seconds, wiping his mouth and closing his eyes in relief. “
Wow
, that tastes so good. I think I’m dehydrated or something. Can I have some more?” he asked hopefully, holding his glass out to her.

Gretchen nodded with a worried smile and hurried back to the kitchen. Agnes handed Zane a fork and he started systematically devouring everything on his plate. He went so fast, Sarah wasn’t even sure he was chewing. He was simply inhaling everything he possibly could. Agnes said nothing and went to make more before he could think to ask her. He ended up drinking four glasses of juice, eating twelve eggs and a whole plate full of bacon before he paused and sighed happily.

“That was delicious Grandma. Thank you Mom. Sorry I ate like a pig. It’s so weird. I can’t remember ever being that hungry before,” he said with a self-conscious laugh.

Gretchen smiled and smoothed the hair off his forehead. “That’s okay sweetie. Anything you need, we’ll help you with. Do you need anything else right now?” she asked worriedly.

Zane shook his head with a grin. “Nah, that’ll do me for an hour or so. I think there was something I was supposed to do though. I can’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure there’s a party tonight at this guy’s house. He’s really chill. He said I was supposed to bring that girl to him,” he said pointing towards Sarah. “He said there’s going to be a real DJ and tons of pizza. He also said he knows a Victoria Secret model and she might show up tonight. He told me he could hook me up. Can you believe that?” he said with a laugh.

Gretchen sniffed and looked at her mother with a raised eyebrow. “Wow, that’s kind of a lame attempt, don’t you think,” she said quietly, under her breath to Agnes.

Agnes snorted and glanced at Sarah still standing in the corner and listening to everything. “It’s ridiculous. Like we’re going to believe that story. He knows we won’t let her cross her lines. No, this has to be a ploy Gretchen. Cause a distraction over here, so he can do something far worse over there. But I can see where he’s going with the,
if I can’t come to her, she’ll have to come to me
sort of thing,” she said worriedly, running her hands through her long gray and white hair.

Zane looked between his mom and grandmother in confusion. “What are you guys talking about? It’s just a party.
Relax
. I’m a teenager. This is what we do,” he said with a charming smile that made his mother wince.

“Well, what did you mean when you said that a man wanted you to bring Sarah to him?” Agnes asked gently.

Zane shrugged and started shredding his napkin into little strips. “I don’t know. It’s like a wing man kind of thing. If I can introduce him to her,” he said with a frown at Sarah, “then he’ll introduce me to Alexis,” he said with a dreamy smile.

Sarah looked down at her feet, knowing Charles must have messed with Zane’s mind, but she couldn’t stop the ripping jealousy streaking through her body.

Gretchen cleared her throat and sat down next to her son. “Sweetie, that just doesn’t sound like you. You’re not the type of young man who hooks other men up. And frankly, I know Sarah isn’t the type of girl who would want that. As a matter of fact, she has very strong feelings for
you
,” she said staring at her son’s face for any reaction.

Zane looked up at Sarah in surprise which quickly turned to horror. “
Her?
Me?
Oh mom, are you serious? Uh no offense, but she’s a ginger.
Gag,
” he said, shaking his head at the thought.

Sarah concentrated on breathing in and out slowly and then walked over to the table. It was time she joined the conversation. “That’s fine Zane. Don’t worry about any romance between the two of us. But if I’m going to meet this man, so um, you can hook up with the model; maybe you should tell me more about him? I mean, your mom is right. I’m really not the type of girl who likes to uh,
hook up
with men. But you never know, I might consider it,” she said, smiling at him.

Zane relaxed immediately and smiled back. “Oh you’d love him. He’s kind of older, but he’s got a ton of money. You should see the car he drives. So sweet. And, um . . .” Zane paused and frowned, not knowing what else to say.

Sarah felt ill, but kept going as Agnes and Gretchen smiled at her encouragingly. “Well, what’s his name Zane? You sound like you guys are pretty close friends,” she said with a carefree smile.

Zane frowned again and rubbed his temple with his fingers. “Oh wow, my head ache’s back. Um, I can’t seem to remember. Just one of those things. So weird. I think I’m just tired. Mom, I’m going to go lie down and take a nap. And Sarah, be ready to go by six. He wants me to drive you to the edge of town and then we can follow him to the party,” he said around a giant yawn.