Cherie Colyer - Hold Tight

“Told you.”

After school, I met Isaac at the double doors leading to the student parking lot. We picked Chase up from the sitter’s and headed to my house. Chase was thrilled when Isaac came inside instead of dropping us off like he usually did.

“It smells good in here,” Isaac commented. He draped his jacket over the back of the couch.

“Thanks.” I breathed in, loving the aroma of cherry blossoms and fresh-cut grass that filled my senses. Having a member of the Summer Court visiting had its benefits.

Chase grabbed Isaac’s hand and tugged. “Let’s play!”

“I don’t know. What’d you have in mind?” Isaac winked at me as he let himself be dragged to the toy box in the family room.

“Crash-up Derby!”

“Only if I get the red Ferrari,” Isaac replied.

The last time Isaac had played cars with Chase, they’d used the mantle as their launch pad. Chase let go of Isaac and dug the bright orange tracks from his toy box.

I mouthed the words thank you and headed to the kitchen to start dinner. I had just finished arranging a package of chicken quarters in a baking dish when a wrapped piece of candy next to the bowl of fruit caught my eye. It looked a lot like the hazelnut truffles Dad bought, except the foil was a brilliant shade of fuchsia and didn’t have the name Lindor stamped all over it. Starving, I unwrapped it and popped the round chunk of chocolate into my mouth.

As soon as I bit down, a creamy center burst from inside and dissolved on my tongue. It tasted like powdered-sugar snowflakes, if that was even possible, and had a slightly nutty aftertaste. It was amazing. I searched for another piece, emptying the bowl of fruit when I didn’t find any more on the counter. Disappointed that it had been the last one, I seasoned the chicken and slid it into the oven before joining Isaac and Chase.

Around five, Isaac said bye to Chase and grabbed his keys.

“You sure you won’t stay for dinner?” I asked.

“Can’t. I have to help my father tonight.”

He snaked an arm around my waist. I barely had time to pull my powers in before his lips were on mine. He started with tender nibbles before covering my mouth with his. Our tongues mingled. I wrapped my arms around his neck and savored the moment, which lasted exactly twenty-one seconds—two seconds short of our best time. I wondered if Isaac had been counting too.

When our lips parted, he smiled slyly and asked, “Was that spontaneous enough for you?”

“It was perfect.” I grinned from ear to ear.

“Good night.” His lips skimmed mine one last time and left.

I closed the front door. With my hand still on the handle and my back against the wall, I giggled. I’d been right. All the planning and concentrating had made it so that I couldn’t control my powers more than a few seconds. Maybe if Isaac hadn’t broken our kiss we would have set a new record.

The timer on the oven buzzed. I pushed off the wall and hurried to check dinner. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of bright blue peeking out from behind the bowl of fruit. I picked up the candy wondering how I had missed it earlier and then quickly thought, Who cares?

My mouth watered in anticipation of the tantalizing treat. I twisted the end of the cellophane wrapper and took the time to actually see what I was eating. The milk chocolate had a fancy crimson S written on top of it in what looked like hardened raspberry jam. I took a tentative bite. The center was a pale sky blue that melted as soon as the air hit it. Iridescent azure liquid dripped on my fingertips, so I licked it off. “Mmm,” I purred as warmth spread through me, trickling down my throat. This piece had more of a fruity taste to it. I ate the second half and made a mental note to ask Dad where he’d gotten it from so I could pick up more.

During dinner, I could have sworn I heard a flute playing the same song Brea had been humming while she’d cleaned. But if she was there, I was sure I’d see her now that finishing the spell had granted me Faerie Sight.

The melody went on for over an hour, then stopped as abruptly as it had begun.

I never did figure out what it was.

“How many people did Josh say were invited?” I asked as Kaylee and I drove slowly by Ben’s house. Cars lined the narrow two-lane street, and judging by the music coming from somewhere behind the houses, I guessed Ben had set up speakers for the occasion.

“Word must have gotten out that his parents aren’t home,” Kaylee replied.

“There’s Isaac’s Jeep.” I pointed to our right. “Can you squeeze in front of him?”

“Not a problem.” Kaylee pulled nose-first into the small spot and parked cockeyed with one tire against the curb.

I glanced over my shoulder. Only the fender of her car stuck out past the Jeep. “That’ll work,” I said as I unbuckled and got out.

Kaylee pulled the hood of her white ski jacket over her knit hat. I silently thanked my dad for insisting I take a scarf and wear my furry boots and not my sneakers. He’d said a cold front was coming. I think it had arrived.

“Temperature really dropped. The party better be inside,” Kaylee commented through chattering teeth.

“Doubtful. Ben’s parents would kill him if something got broken. Let’s hope that burning wood we smell is their fire pit.”

“Do we go inside the house or around back?”

When we reached the driveway, we saw that Sarah’s blue Chevy Cobalt was parked behind Ben’s pickup truck. A sheet of computer paper had been taped to the garage door—a large black arrow pointed to the side of the house.

“Guess we go this way.” I looped my arm through Kaylee’s and steered us toward the walkway.

The backyard was huge compared to the front. A group of guys stood huddled together near a tall outdoor heater on the patio. Not far from them, five girls sat around a table, deep in conversation. I recognized two of them from my gym class. There were other small groups of people dotting the yard, braving the forty-degree night. Kaylee and I wove through the party, looking for the guys. We said hi to several of our friends, stopping just long enough to see what they were up to. Someone told us Isaac and Josh had left on a chip run.

We spotted Sarah sitting on one of three concrete benches near a large fire pit, chatting adamantly with Lauren Richards and Natalie Parker. Kaylee and I paused. We’d forgiven Lauren and Natalie for their part in what had happened in the fall, mainly because they hadn’t known what an evil psycho bitch they’d gotten mixed up with. Now, had they intentionally dabbled in dark magic and knowingly hexed my friends and me, I would have made sure they had adjoining rooms at the funny farm, but they hadn’t, and they’d stopped hanging out with the person who had—Emma—the moment they’d realized what she was. Forgiving them didn’t mean I wanted to become best buds, though.

“Looks like Sarah has someone to talk to,” Kaylee whispered. “I bet we could duck out of here and no one would notice.”

“We promised Sarah we’d stop by, and we talked Josh and Isaac into coming,” I reminded her, though I could tell by the way she kept glancing longingly over her shoulder that she would have been okay with texting Josh to tell him there was a change of plans. “Come on,” I said before she convinced herself that leaving was the better option.

“Hi,” I said to Sarah as I picked up a skewer.

“You made it!” She jumped up and gave us each a hug.

We waved hello to Natalie and Lauren before taking a seat on Sarah’s opposite side.