“Magic is both light and dark. The user determines just what impact their magic has on the world.”

“Why? Why isn’t all magic good?” I ask, my legs crossed on the beautiful green grass of the open field.

She smiles down at me, those amber eyes sparking with mischief. “Because not all people are good, Valerie. Unfortunately, that is a truth you will learn one day soon.”

 

Carter holds my hand as he and his brothers lead me through a creepy-ass forest. The leaves crunch under my feet and the brush of every branch against my skin has me jumping. Carter thinks it’s fucking hilarious how skittish I’m being, which is why he’s kept a firm hold on me. I think he means it to be comforting, but the darkness combined with the lack of sounds in the forest leaves me feeling like I’m in the middle of a horror movie and an axe-wielding killer is going to jump out from nowhere.

As we walk, a small glow builds and we finally come upon a bunch of people around my age gathered around a small bonfire, drinking and laughing.

Jax, Zane and Cooper make a beeline for a bunch of guys who are surrounded by women flaunting themselves in short skirts and tube tops that leave little to the imagination.

Carter lingers but I can tell he wants to join his brothers. “Go. I’ll be fine. I want to draw,” I offer, pulling my hand from his and clutching my notepad and pencils to my chest, glad I had the foresight to bring them.

He looks down at me, his eyes holding something I can’t quite determine. “Are you sure? I don’t mind you coming over. I can introduce you to a few of the guys?”

I shake my head at his sweet offer. “Thanks, but I think I need a moment alone.”

“Okay, but if you need anything, you come find me.”

“Sure,” I agree, not intending to do anything of the sort. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.

His eyes narrow as if knowing I have no intentions of asking for help before he glances over at Jax. I follow his gaze and I see the subtle shake of his head. Carter takes that as some kind of reassurance because he turns and walks over to his brothers, leaving me alone.

I make my way through the throng of people and sit down on a log near the fire. It gives me a perfect vantage point of the whole area and everyone around me. I waste no time opening my notepad and drawing whatever comes to mind.  

“Hey, you new or somethin’?” a drunk guy slurs as he gets closer. I roll my eyes and ignore him, continuing to sketch the fire in front of me, drawing people through it as if they are walking through the flames. The drunk idiot takes my silence as an invitation to sit beside me and drape his arm over my shoulder. “I’d be happy ta give y’a tour of the town. We could start now. Go find someplace ta … get ta know each other better.”  His alcohol-soaked breath makes me gag. I push him away and he falls off the log he was sitting on.

A gaggle of girls start laughing at him and he gets to his feet, his face flushed and golden locks askew. I have to bite my lip to stop from laughing, and he must see it because in an instant he’s up in my face. “You’ll pay for tha—"

“Apologize!” A huge giant of a man appears from nowhere and rips the drunk away from me, holding him up by his shirt. The look he gives the drunk is nothing short of deadly. The creep bows his head and mumbles, “Sorry.”

My savior lets him go and watches him scurry away before turning back to me with a frown. “You okay?” he asks, looking me up and down, his gray eyes burning into me.

I nod with a soft smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. He was just drunk. I’m sure I could’ve handled him,” I clarify for him.

He smirks but before he gets a chance to say anything he’s pushed to the side as Carter hauls me to my feet, checking me over for signs of harm.

“Um, dude, what are you doing?” I ask, a wry smile pulling at my lips as he checks me over. Jaxson, Zane and Cooper all appear, their eyes on me as Carter makes sure I’m unharmed.

Finally I get sick of his attention and push him away. “Carter, I’m fine!” I growl, adding a bit more force into my voice then I intended.

He seems to snap out of his worry-induced trance and takes a step back. “Sorry, I just saw him get in your face and I may have lost it a little.”

I raise an eyebrow, curious as to why it matters. His cheeks tinge pink and he looks anywhere but at me when Jaxson speaks.

“Don’t take it personally. Our mother asked us to keep an eye on you.”

Oh yeah, don’t take it personally that his mother is the only reason they stopped what they were doing to check on me. “I don’t need babysitters. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Sure you are. We leave you alone for five minutes and you have someone pawing at you. Or should I say two someones,” he drawls with a shrewd look at the guy still standing beside me.

My savior just smiles, not taking the bait, and Jaxson walks off, his brothers following after him. My shoulders slump from the sudden drop in tension.

That’s when I realize the cute guy who did actually save me from the douchebag is still standing there and watched the whole exchange.

I bury my face in my hands and wait for him to walk away when I feel him brush against my shoulder as he sits down beside me.

“So, I’m guessing that was embarrassing for you. How about we start over?” I peek through my fingers hopefully to see him bent down, looking directly into my eyes. I pull my hands away from my face with a slow nod.

“Yes, please. I’m Valerie and I just moved here.”

He grins at me. “I’m Justin. I’ve been here all my life. To be honest, I recognized you as a newbie from a mile away.”

I stare at where all four of the guys went when my face starts to burn in embarrassment. I pick up my pencil, continuing to draw.

I pause and glance over at Justin and he grins. “How about I get you a drink? Doesn’t look like you thought about getting one before claiming the comfiest log in the forest.” He winks at me, sending a blush up my cheeks.

“Um, sure,” I agree. As he goes to a cooler and pulls out two beers, I start to wonder if alcohol is such a good idea. Last time I drank I woke up and my best friend had been murdered.

He drags a chair beside me rather than encroaching on my personal space, something I’m thankful for. Not many people pick up on how uncomfortable I feel when they get in my personal bubble. Justin hands me the beer with a smile and we sit and drink in silence, just looking out at the party as some girls dance to the music from speakers hidden amongst the trees.

I take sips of my drink, pausing every so often to continue my drawing. When I finish the first drawing I turn the page in my book and start drawing the person I miss most. Natalie.

“Hey, you okay?” Justin’s soft voice startles me.

I wipe away the lonely tear and paste a smile on my face. “Yeah, fine, just thinking about Monday.”

He gives me a shrewd look but, thankfully, lets it go.

I go back to staring when I notice something I didn’t before. Jaxson, Zane, Cooper, and Carter all seem to be on their own. Yes, they’re surrounded by everyone, enjoying the laughter but it’s just …  something is different. Like they don’t belong to any specific clique.

It’s strange.

Justin coughs, grabbing my attention, and I smile. “Seriously? Did you just cough to make me look at you instead of them?”

He shrugs, his cheeks looking slightly flushed in the firelight. “Uh, maybe.” He looks anywhere but at me before letting his gaze settle. “So … you excited to come to Dark Shadows? Not many people choose to come. Usually our parents force us.”

“Um, I’m actually going to Light Shadows,” I murmur.

His eyes widen, clearly shocked. “Seriously? Wow, okay.” He leans back in his chair, and I notice the way he subtly shifts away.

“What? What’s wrong with Light Shadows?” I ask, a little heat in my voice.

Maybe he thinks I’m some kind of rich girl going to the school because I can afford to. Well, okay, I am because my dad can afford it, but still.

“There’s nothing wrong as such, it’s just there’s a bit of discord between each of the colleges,” he replies.

“Oh, sorry. It just kinda felt like I was being condemned by saying I was going to Light Shadows,” I admit.

“It’s not you, I swear. There’s just a lot of history between the schools. What do you know about them?”

I shrug. “Not much. I’m a newbie, remember?”

He smiles at me, “Okay. So, our colleges have a rivalry going on dating back to when people first lived here.” He relaxes in his chair and tells me all about the community nicknamed Shadow Land. “Shadow Land is supposedly the connector between the worlds of the gods and the humans. In between there were those the gods referred to as witches, people born from the god bloodline but not demigods.

“It’s said the gods created this place for their children and any of their descendants who developed from the original bloodlines. All who descended from them, in some way or another, had magic. Anyways, because so many people came from far and wide saying they supposedly had magic, the gods had to come down and intervene. The school they had built to train their children was overwhelmed so they made another. They kept Light Shadows and used it to train their children. Then they used Dark Shadows to train the humans who claimed they possessed magic.”

I sit here, enthralled by his story.

“Even though the legend has died off, the stigma is still there. Light Shadows is better than Dark Shadows. Only the less fortunate go to Dark Shadows,” he adds a little bitterly before getting up from his chair and stomping off.

Shocked, I watch him disappear into the forest, not quite believing what just happened. How did we go from him explaining about the rivalry between Light Shadows and Dark Shadows to him storming off?

I get up, discard the remaining beer in a nearby trash bag, and walk towards the trees. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life. So what if I go to a different school? Why did the way he said it bother me so much? I just wish I could go home to be with Nat, but that’s never gonna happen.

I kick a rock, frustrated at how my life has turned out, wincing when pain blossoms. I turn back to the party to ask if someone has a Band-Aid, but gasp when I realize the party is no longer close. I’m surprised to realize how far I’ve walked. I can still see the flickers of firelight through the trees.

I trudge back towards the firelight, mulling over the fact that I managed to get so far into the forest without even realizing it. Maybe the beer went straight to my head? How could it have though? I only had a few sips.

With each step I take the trees seem to encase me in darkness, leaving me more confused. What on earth? The light in the distance seems to have faded and the darkness grows causing my heart to race in fear.

After a few minutes of walking hurriedly towards the light, it still seems to be getting dimmer. How is this possible? Maybe someone has put it out and the guys just thought I left the party. Just fucking great. All I need is to get lost in a creepy-ass forest where the trees are starting to look alive.

Something brushes along my foot and I squeal in terror. “What the fuck was that?” I breathe in the cool night air, the sound of rustling making my heart race.

I keep moving but I’m still not any closer to the light! I hear rustling behind me and whirl but only see the darkness. Shit, shit, and double shit.

Fuck it. “Cooper! Carter!” I call out, hoping by sheer luck they will hear me. Otherwise I might end up spending the night out here. I like camping, I would just prefer to plan a trip rather than be stranded.

I plant my ass on a fallen log and wait. Someone has to find me eventually. I hope.

I hear the crunch of twigs followed by drunk laughter. Thank god! The guys must have heard me calling for them.

I stand up, ready to go back home, only to sway slightly on my feet. Whoa. An instant head rush followed by pounding behind my eyes has me crying out in pain. I drop to my knees, clutching at my head, unsure what’s going on and why it hurts so much.

Feet appear in my vision and I try to look up but my head feels too heavy to do so.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” an unfamiliar low voice says above me. I gather my strength to look up and try to focus on him. Dark hair and what look like glowing red eyes. He must have some kind of contacts in.

He lifts his hand and brightness flares, two orbs of flame cradled in each hand. Wait, what? No one can hold fire.

“Can you help me get back to the party please? I think I’m having some kind of hallucination.” I moan as my head continues to pound away. I’m so weak. Maybe I should just rest? Yes, rest sounds great.

I slump to the ground, no energy left in my body to break my fall. Rocks and sticks scrape my face but I can’t find it in me to care.

The man crouches down beside my head and I peel my eyes open to look into those eyes. Eyes that radiate pain. He smirks at me and holds the fire close to my head. “You really made this easy for me, Valerie. Thank you.”

Wait, how does he know my name? I haven’t met anyone here yet. And why would a stranger want to hurt me?

As the fire gets closer I try to move, to get away, anything to stop the heat from engulfing me, when the area around us is lit up in vibrant colors of every kind. The man whirls and throws the fire at something I can’t see and I close my eyes, waiting for pain. I’m about to pass out at any moment.

The world around me becomes unfocused. Shouting erupts from beyond the trees and I hear familiar voices. My heart eases at the familiarity.

Explosions sound, followed by screams of fear. I swear I hear the sound of a crow in the night and feel the soft brush of feathers against me.

The fighting dies out and arms wrap around my body, lifting me from the ground. The touch is gentle, almost reverent. I can sense this new person doesn’t mean me harm, but I can’t help the whimper of pain that escapes me.

“Shhh, Valerie, I’ve got you.”

Justin’s voice is like music to my ears. I open my mouth to ask what happened, but all that escapes is a squeak.

“Don’t try to speak. You’ll heal soon, but until then you won’t have access to your voice or be able to walk.”

I wish I could ask what he’s talking about but I just sink into his hold, exhausted.

A voice speaks from behind us, startling me and making my heart race before I realize it’s Zane.

“Give her to me, now!” The demand in his voice is frightening.

While I want him to take me home, I feel embarrassed for the weakness I’m feeling. I wish I could speak because I’d tell him to just take me home. Who knows what would happen if I went to the police spouting about magic.

Shit. That guy really must have been using magic. My heart speeds up and Justin looks down at me in what I assume is concern. My vision is still pretty hazy. “Don’t worry, baby, you’ll find out all about our world soon enough.”

Then he’s handing me over to Cooper who takes me with ease.

My vision starts to come back in time for me to see Justin turn towards Zane, Jaxson and Carter. He stares at my stepbrothers, some unknown emotion flashing in his eyes. “I saved her. Not her guardians, me. What do you think she’s going to think about you four when she accepts our world? She’s going to see the four guys who lied to her time and time again about just who and what she is. Then she’s going to come running to me and you four will rot in hell with Hades.”

I’m a little taken back by the rage in his voice as he speaks to them.

Jaxson takes a step toward him, his eyes shockingly bright with a dangerous glint in them as he stares at Justin. “Yes, you saved her, but like you said, we’re her guardians. Even if she does run to you, we’ll always be there for her. We are destined. You, you’re a traitor. Once she realizes just what you are she will destroy you.”

Justin stares at him, his eyes glancing my way before he lets a mask of indifference fall in place. “You don’t know who or what she is. When you find out, you’ll gladly forfeit as her guardians.” With that he turns on his heel and walks off into the darkened forest.

When we get to Cooper’s car, Carter leans forward and opens the door so Cooper can slide in, keeping me firmly encased in his arms as we drive home.

Jaxson and Zane must have already taken off. As we drive, Carter talks to Cooper. “Jax and Zane should already be home. The way Jax drives, I’d be surprised if they aren’t waiting for us the moment we get there.”

“Shit, do you think they’re gonna wipe her?”

“Who knows. She’s not ready for the truth. At least that’s what Mom and Troy keep telling us.”

Truth? What truth?

The car stops and Cooper slides out effortlessly despite holding me in his arms. The moment we get out of the car, my father and Cassandra are on me, my dad taking me from Cooper. My body is still weak and I doubt I’d be able to stand on my own.

“What the hell happened to her? She was supposed to be safe. It’s the only reason I let you guys invite her!” My dad’s voice is filled with a mix of anger and fear.

“We think someone spelled her drink, though Justin had one too and he was fine.”

“Justin was there?” My dad sounds surprised, as if he actually knows Justin.

Jaxson hovers over me as Dad places my limp body on the couch while I have no choice but to watch, trapped in my own body. “Yeah, he was there. He saved her before we could get to her. I think he may have had something to do with it, though. No one knew about us being there. She should have been safe! If it wasn’t for the crow, we wouldn’t have known where she was.”

Cassandra pushes Jaxson out of the way and wipes a cool cloth over my head. “I am so sorry this has happened to you, honey.” My eyes widen as she tenderly wipes the sweat building on my forehead.  I feel as if my body is burning up from the inside out.

“Jaxson! Did you just say Justin saved her? None of you — her guardians — helped her when she needed it?”

Ugh, I wish I could speak to point out I don’t need saving, but again my attempts are pointless.

“Yeah, Mom. He saved her. He also said some things about her. Now I have no idea how she will react when she accepts her power. Do you think Justin saving her is going to have a big impact?’

His mother looks down at me and strokes a hand across my cheek gently. “Valerie is smart. She will eventually figure out what you mean to each other.” She removes her hand, leaving the cool cloth on my head as she turns her gaze to the rest of her sons. “It just means you four are going to have to prove to her you can protect her and guide her. If not, she may forfeit you.”

Muttered curses come from each of the guys and my dad makes a gesture to silence them while focusing on me. “Valerie? I’m sure not much of this is making sense, but I promise, one day soon, I will explain it all to you. For now, though, I have to take your memory. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

My eyes widen in fear, but Cassandra places glowing hands on me and I start to panic, my eyes glancing to each of them, pleading with them silently to stop whatever they are trying to do to me.

The last thing I hear is Zane’s voice, “Make sure you leave the stuff you can. She needs to remember Justin, otherwise he’ll retrigger her.”