Channie slipped her clothes back on then probed the side of her head with her fingers. She’d have a good sized lump by morning if she didn’t heal herself, but she didn’t want to get sidetracked. “I’m okay.”
“I didn’t mean to hit you. I was just …”
“Reacting to the pain?”
“Yeah.” Josh wrapped the sheet around his waist like a bath towel and got out of bed. He squatted in front of Channie and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Channie was dizzy, but it had nothing to do with the blow to her head. She leaned into Josh’s touch. He took her other hand but when he wove his fingers through hers, an agonizing bolt of pain made her jerk away from him and scream.
Josh picked her up and stumbled down the hall. The back of her hand was even more sensitive than her palms. The pain was just starting to fade when he shoved her hand under the faucet. As soon as the cold water hit her skin, the pain stopped.
Channie took her hand out of the water and poked at it. It was a little tender, but nothing like what it should have been.
Josh set her on her feet and said, “Did that help?”
Channie stared at the fading pink marks on the back of her hand. “Yes.”
Josh pushed the stopper down and filled the sink with cold water. “Stick your other hand in there.”
Channie pressed her palm against the bottom of the sink and spread her fingers. Josh slowly lowered his hand into the water and touched a stain on the back of her hand. It tingled and stung a little, but it didn’t burn. It did however leave another pale pink mark.
She lifted her hand out of the water and stared at it. “I don’t understand.”
“I knew it! I knew water would make a difference.”
Channie gripped the edge of the sink with both hands and looked at Josh’s reflection in the mirror. His grin lit up his whole face.
“But, how did you know?”
“When the thought came to me, it just felt...true.”
The accusatory thoughts that pierced Channie’s heart, also felt true. She should have listened to him. She should have trusted him. She should have at least tried to touch him underwater.
Channie bowed her head. Tears fell out of her eyes and splashed into the sink, each drop rippling concentric circles across the surface of the water.
“Channie?” Josh kissed the top of her head then stroked her hair. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t believe I put you through all that torture.”
“It’s okay.”
Channie spun around and brushed the tears out of her eyes. Josh’s eyes widened as he took a step back. Channie put her hands on his bare chest and shoved him away from her. Then advanced on him, poking his breastbone with her index finger to emphasize her words.
“You passed out from the pain. You bit through the pillow, trying to hold back your screams. You let me hurt you when you knew how to prevent it. So, no, it is not okay!”
The sheet wrapped around Josh’s hips slid dangerously low as he backed away from her. He grabbed it and gathered it to his waist, holding it in place with one hand and pushing the hair off his brow with the other.
“But...you said you were afraid we might drown if it didn’t work.”
“Why didn’t you suggest we test your theory in the sink? Like you just did with me?”
“I didn’t think of it.”
All the anger drained out of Channie’s body, leaving her weak and ashamed.
It was bad enough that her stubborn refusal to listen to Josh had caused him an unbelievable amount of pain. Did she also have to blame him for it?
“I’m so sorry, Josh. Can you forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive.” He knelt beside the bathtub, stoppered the drain and turned on the cold water. “I’m going to go put your dad’s sweatpants back on, even though they look ridiculous. Wait here.”
Channie closed the lid on the toilet and sat down to wait for Josh’s return with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.
She couldn’t undo the suffering she’d already inflicted on Josh. But maybe she could atone for it. She turned off the water and opened the drain.
Josh knocked on the door, then opened it and frowned. “What happened to the water?”
Channie squared her shoulders. “I’m not going to use it.”
“Why not?”
“After what I did to you?”
“Look, Channie, I know you feel guilty, but it wasn’t your fault—”
“Yes, it was.”
“Even if it were, why do you want to punish me?”
Channie wrapped her arms around her ribs and hunched over as if making her self smaller would minimize her shame. “I don’t want to punish you. I want to punish myself. Penance, I guess.”
Josh knelt in front of her. He leaned forward, tilting his head to look up into her eyes. “That won’t change what I went through. My ordeal is over. Or at least I thought it was. I would rather go through it a hundred times over again than inflict even one second of that kind of pain on you.”
He put a hand on Channie’s leg and rubbed little circles on the inside of her knee with his thumb. “You missed a spot on my arm.” He pushed up the sleeve of his robe and showed it to her. “I could make you remove it without using water.”
Channie jerked upright. “No. Please don’t—”
Josh gave her knee a gentle shake. “I wouldn’t do that to you. Please, Channie, don’t ask me to hurt you. I’m not that strong.”
“Alright.”
Josh laid his cheek on Channie’s knees and said, “Thank you.”
Carefully avoiding touching him with any part of her stained skin, Channie ran her hands through Josh’s hair. It felt like silk as it slipped between her fingers.
He patted Channie’s knee and stood up. “Let’s get your stains taken care of. I owe you a kiss. Or two.”
Channie grinned and said, “Or two hundred,” then ducked her chin and blushed.
Neither of them spoke as the tub filled. Channie’s excitement rose with the water level. So did her anxiety. Why was she so nervous? She’d had her hands all over Josh’s body, removing his stains. Why did the thought of kissing him make her feel like she was going to faint?
Josh shut off the tap. “You ready to do this?”
Channie nodded and rolled up her sleeves. She knelt in front of the tub and lowered her arms into the freezing water. Josh knelt beside her and slid his fingers down her arm, leaving streaks of pale pink behind.
“Does it hurt?”
“No. It just tingles a little. I’m so sorry—”
“Shush, none of that.”
“I just wish there was some way for me to make it up to you.”
Josh’s eyes darkened. His voice dropped lower. “You can pay me in kisses.”
Channie’s breath hitched. She couldn’t wait to feel his mouth on hers.
Josh used both hands and ran them over her arms, the back of her hands and between her fingers.
“Dry off and let’s take a look. We need to be sure we removed every last spot.”
She was completely clean, not a speck on her. Channie put her hands on Josh’s cheeks. He put one hand on her shoulder and the other on the back of her head.
It was just like the image in the book—only more magical. Just before his lips brushed hers, Channie remembered the tiny spot on Josh’s arm. If the sun rose before she removed it, Josh would feel like someone was pressing a cigarette into the tender flesh of his inner arm for the rest of his life.
His lips were so close to hers she could taste his breath. Spearmint. “Josh, wait.”
His eyes fluttered open but remained heavy lidded. “What?”
“We have to remove the spot on your arm.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Now.”
Josh’s hand slid from Channie’s shoulder to her back as he pulled her against him. A noise that was half-growl-half
-groan rose up from deep inside him. The feel of his bare chest vibrating against her cheek loosened all Channie’s joints. She clung to him to keep from falling.
“Come on, babe, just one kiss. Then you can remove my last spot.”
“No. It will only take a second and then we won’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Josh’s chest expanded within Channie’s embrace. He pressed her even closer for a second then let go and stepped back. He lowered the robe to his waist, knelt next to the tub and twisted sideways, submerging his arm.
Channie leaned over and pressed her palm over the stain. She stood up, and handed Josh a clean towel from under the sink, then dried her hand on the one she’d already used.
Josh kept his gaze locked onto Channie’s as he rubbed the towel over his arm and shoulder. At last, the waiting was over. They dropped their towels at the same time and stepped closer, mirroring each other.
Josh extended his hand and cupped Channie’s cheek.
Pain, white-hot and violent in its intensity, scalded her face. She screamed just before oblivion rescued her from the unbearable agony.
She woke with a wet towel pressed against her cheek, the sight of Josh’s tear-streaked face hovering over hers—and cramps.
She reached up to wipe the tears from his face.
He jerked his head back and said, “Don’t. There’s a new curse.”
“A new curse?”
“Yeah. When I touched your face, it burned my hand. It must have scorched you too, because you screamed and passed out. I managed to catch you, but your face fell against my chest, and I...I nearly dropped you.”
“But you didn’t, did you? You fought through the agony and lowered me to the floor.”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Is there no limit to what you are willing to suffer for me?”
“Look inside your own heart. You’ll find the answer there.”
Josh was right. Channie would have done the same thing for him. And for the same reasons. When you truly loved someone, no sacrifice was too great.
~***~
Channie felt like she was drowning as they walked back to her room. She should have kissed Josh when she had the chance. She could still see his face, his lips mere inches from hers, she could still feel his breath, warm and moist, on her cheek.
She was only trying to be responsible, trying to do the right thing, and now she’d never get to kiss Josh. She sat on the edge of her bed, buried her face in her hands and let the tears come.
Josh knelt in front of her and put his hands on her knees. Her jeans protected her skin, so his touch didn’t burn, but it made Chastity’s energy buzz.
Channie looked up and gazed into Josh’s eyes.
He grinned at her. “You’re energizing my shield again.”
“Sorry.” She tapped into Chastity’s power-well and gave her moon-curse a boost, gritting her teeth when the cramps intensified.
Josh rubbed circles on the inside of Channie’s knees with his thumbs. “I guess this means we’re back to where we started.”
“We’re much worse off than when we started. We don’t just zap each other when we touch. The pain is worse than those damn stains.”
Tears pushed against the back of Channie’s eyes, but she was done crying. She stood up and walked across the room to retrieve the evil book that seemed intent on ruining their lives. It was lying in the same spot on the floor, but it was closed. She was certain that she’d left it open.
“Josh? Did you close the spell book?”
“No. I didn’t touch it. And I don’t think you should either.”
“Well, I can’t just leave it on the floor.”
Josh stripped the case off one of Channie’s pillows and before she realized what he was doing, he used it like a glove to pick up the book.
“Josh, No!”
“Too late.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to put this thing back where it belongs.”
“The lid to the chest is gone and the window’s broken.” Momma and daddy were going to be pissed. It was a good thing Channie had Chastity’s magic to protect her. They had a right to be angry, but she’d be damned if she’d let either of them ever curse or hit her again.
“So?”
“We can’t leave it where it might get damaged.”
“Why not? It sure as hell damaged us.”
“It’s too valuable.”
“Valuable? This thing is trying to kill us.”
Anxiety squeezed Channie’s heart. “Give it to me!” Her voice was harsh and tyrannical. She sounded more like Momma than herself, but she felt compelled to protect the book.
Josh narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He turned the pillowcase inside out over the book and tied the top in an overhand knot then gave it to Channie.
She stuffed it into her backpack then pushed it under her bed. “There. That should keep it, and us, safe...at least for a little while.”
“Until the new moon.”
Chapter Eight
COMPLICATIONS
Josh put on one of Daddy’s flannel shirts. It hung off his shoulders, but the cuffs didn’t quite reach his wrists. Channie found him another pair of sweatpants so his legs would be covered and waited for him in her room.
They fell asleep spooned against each other almost immediately.
Their reprieve didn’t last long. A sudden brightness jolted Channie out of the sweetest dream. She sat up and squinted, disoriented and confused by what sounded like the roar of an angry bear.
“Daddy?”
“What the hell is going on in here!”
Channie didn’t have a chance to raise her shield before Momma’s curse hit her.
Momma had used magic to discipline Channie before. A clean-speech, no-speak, or even a mild stinging spell wouldn’t have surprised her, but this was no ordinary reprimand. Channie felt as if she were dying. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move, she couldn’t think. Her body convulsed with pain until Josh rolled on top of her. His shield blocked every curse Momma and Daddy hurled at them, until Daddy grabbed Josh’s arms and yanked him out of bed. By then, Channie had her own shield in place.
Momma said, “What have you done, Chastity? Why is the boy immune to magic? And how is it possible for you to lie with him?”
Channie’s heart leapt into her throat. Her stomach tied itself into a Gordian knot and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She said, “We weren't doing anything wrong. We were just sleeping.” Her voice wavered like a frightened child’s.
Josh lifted his chin and said, “As long as our thoughts are pure, the curse isn’t active.” It wasn’t true, but it was quick thinking.
Daddy still had hold of Josh’s arms. He shook him till his teeth rattled and said, “You expect me to believe you can lie next to my daughter and do nothing but sleep?”
Josh said, “You can believe what ever you want—”
Daddy let go with his right hand and drove his fist into Josh’s belly. Air blasted out of his lungs with a whoosh as he doubled over. His face turned red, then blanched grey-white. He turned to look at Channie before he dropped to his knees.
She snapped out of her scared-little-girl mind-set and hit Daddy with a curse that knocked him against the opposite wall. He clutched his chest and groaned. Momma ran to his side and sank to the floor beside him.
Channie grabbed the back of Josh’s shirt and dragged him into the hall. “Come on, let’s get out of here before Daddy recovers.”
Josh wrapped an arm around Channie’s shoulder and leaned on her as they hobbled down the stairs. She scanned him for internal injuries. He was bruised and shaken up, but at least there was no internal bleeding or damage to vital organs.
She wanted to get him out of the house as soon as possible, but they couldn’t leave without the Book of the Dead. Channie could protect Josh from Daddy, but not from the dark magic of the book. And it wasn’t done
with them yet. She made him wait in the parlor and ran back upstairs. Daddy was still on the floor, but he was coming around. Momma was still hovering over him, but they both ignored her. They didn’t say a word as she jammed two handfuls of underwear, a couple of shirts, a pair of jeans and her journal into her backpack on top of the Book of the Dead. It wasn’t radiating any magic but that could change at any moment. Besides, Momma was going to figure out that Channie had taken her book as soon as she saw the chaos in her room. Channie didn’t want to deal with Momma until Josh was safe. She ran back downstairs and said, “Okay, let’s get out of here.”
The doorknob felt like a chunk of ice in her hand but it did not prepare her for the blast of arctic air that sucked the breath out of her lungs when she opened the front door.
~***~
Channie was already shivering, so even a gentle breeze would have made her miserable. But the howling north wind was no gentle breeze. Josh was in too much pain to ride so they pushed their bikes into Heritage Park.
Channie said, “Josh, where are we going?”
“My house.”
“I can’t go to your house. Your momma hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you, but even if she did, she’d never turn you away when you’re in danger.”
“I’m not the one in danger. You are.”
Josh pressed his fingers against his belly. “I can’t believe your Dad sucker punched me.”
“I wonder why they came back so early?”
“With the amount of money they’ve been winning?” Josh cocked an eyebrow and smirked at her. I’m sure they’ve been banned from the casinos.”
“You think they got caught cheating?”
Josh shook his head and licked his lips. “If they’d been caught cheating, they’d be in jail. The casinos are private property, they can ban anyone they want without explanation.”
Josh swung his leg over his bike and grimaced. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“What are we gonna tell your momma?”
“We’ll just tell her your parents came home early and caught us in bed.”
“She’s gonna think we were...you know …”
“She already thinks we’re having sex. It’s not going to shock her.”
Hot tears stung Channie’s frozen cheeks. “I can’t face her.”
“With a little luck, you won’t have to. Mom’s a sound sleeper. But we need to go. It’s too cold to stand around and argue.”