One by one the wicks burned out. The dying flames sputtered and hissed, consuming the oil-soaked strips of cloth. Bitter smoke curled into the bluish incense vapors and rolled lazily about, fogging the air.
Sudi carried another copper trunk to the table. She opened it and pulled out a leather case, then blew away the sand and removed the papyrus. Dalila and Meri had left an hour ago, and Sudi still hadn’t found the right spell. She needed to leave soon and get ready for the party.
Footsteps overhead startled her. She glanced at the ceiling. Clunk. Thump. The dull sounds repeated. What did Abdel do in the attic all day?
She refocused her attention on the papyrus and found an incantation for turning a demon into a small dog: Goddess of magic, I entreat you, send a burning ring of fire around the one who beholds me. Set fire to his heart and change him into my dog.
Sudi imagined the demon transforming into a Chihuahua. In her mind’s eye, she saw the devil pup nipping at her heels and following her home. Carrie and Nicole would no doubt beg their mother to let them keep the dog, and the evil mutt would probably love the twins as much as it hated Sudi. She pictured it gnawing on her toes while she slept.
She shuddered and began searching for a spell that didn’t turn the demon into a household pet.
A new heading caught her attention: The Tricks of Love Divination. Her heart raced. Did she dare?
A love spell appeared easy to cast. No ceremony was involved. She had only to recite the words. She pictured Scott falling for her and imagined his lips on hers, his hands…Why not? As long as she had to learn magic, she might as well practice on something fun.
The last flame burned out, leaving her in darkness. She opened a shutter, then grabbed a Sharpie from her backpack and, in the dim light cast by the streetlight, copied the love spell onto the inside of her right forearm. “Goddess of magic, I entreat you.” A pleasant feeling came over her as she began the incantation. “Send a burning ring of love fire around the one who beholds me. Set fire to his heart, that he might love me.”
She needed another spell to stop evil, but for tonight the Chihuahua hex would have to do. Nothing was going to happen anyway. She quickly copied that incantation onto her left arm. She had to be careful not to confuse the two spells. They were almost the same, and she didn’t want Scott to become her lapdog.
She grabbed her backpack and hurried down the stairs and out the front door. As she started home, she decided to wear her new push-up bra and the low-cut green top with the long sleeves that would hide the words written on her arms.
Two hours later, Sudi waited on the front lawn of Michelle’s house, near the valets who had been hired to park the cars. Pink, orange, and gold lanterns swung from the oak trees, casting a fairy-tale glow over the yard. Music pulsed through Sudi. She couldn’t wait to dance. It might have been Michelle’s party, but Sudi felt as if she owned this night.
She stepped off the curb, loving the click of her heels on the pavement, and looked for headlights, anxious for Dalila and Meri to join her so she could go inside.
Finally, a black sedan pulled up. A valet opened the back door, and Meri jumped out, tugging at the hem of her black T-shirt. Silver sequins across the front spelled out PROBLEM CHILD. The low-slung jeans showed off her flat stomach.
Dalila scooted to the edge of the seat, then lifted her legs, pointed her toes, and alighted from the limo as if she had practiced being a queen a thousand times. Kohl darkened the rims of her eyelids, and a red sheath clung to her body. She touched Sudi’s arm. Her cold fingers trembled. “I only know how to belly dance. I don’t think I’ll fit in here.”
“We’ll show you,” Sudi said. “Let’s go inside.” Sudi ran up the steps. She could feel the guys on the veranda watching her. She squeezed in among the dancers on the porch, and swept her hands up her body in a flirty way, then arched her back and ran her fingers through her thick blond hair. She squealed and turned to bump hips with Meri and Dalila—but instead she slid against air.
She glanced back at the lawn.
Dalila looked ready to run. Meri stood protectively beside her.
Sudi hurried back down the steps and joined them.
“You can’t be that shy,” Sudi said.
“If a boy touches me, I’ll faint,” Dalila said. “Everyone dances so close.”
“Here’s a clue to get over your shyness,” Sudi said, hooking arms with Dalila and Meri and pulling them forward. “It feels really, really good.”
Sudi led them up the steps through the foyer and into the living room. The music played loudly, and a thrill rushed through her.
The furniture had been removed from the rooms, and the walls and ceiling were covered with sheer, gauzy fabric that swelled and rolled, changing shape continually and reflecting pink and orange lights. Sudi doubted that Michelle even knew all of the kids at the party—but she loved the way so many of them knew her, calling Sudi’s name and asking her to join them.
She led Dalila and Meri past the dancers. When they rounded the corner, a fanfare of changing lights made her blink.
“Just how much money did Michelle’s parents spend on this party?” Sudi asked, but then she saw Tyler and Jeff sitting at the bar, drinking sodas and eating peanuts. She didn’t wait for an answer. “Those two are perfect,” she said, and escorted Meri and Dalila forward.
Tyler and Jeff were juniors at Lincoln High, one year ahead of Sudi. She could see in their expressions that they recognized Meri. Then their gazes shifted to Dalila. Tyler slid from his stool and couldn’t stop grinning. Jeff set his soft drink down and choked on a peanut. His brown hair fell in his eyes; he flipped it back with a nod of his head.
“Hey,” Sudi said. “I want you to meet two of my best friends, Dalila and Meri.”
“Hi,” Tyler said, but his smile quickly faded into a look of concern.
Jeff stared at Meri, his puzzled expression growing into one of alarm.
Dalila turned first and let out a small scream. Then Sudi looked at Meri and gasped. Long feline whiskers had sprouted from Meri’s cheeks.
Sudi stretched her arms to hide Meri from Tyler and Jeff. Then she and Dalila pulled Meri toward the bathroom.
“We’ll catch you later,” Sudi shouted over her shoulder.
“What are you doing?” Meri asked, a head shorter than she had been and shrinking. “I like Jeff.”
“You’ve got cat ears poking out of your hair,” Dalila said.
Meri shrieked and ducked low, pressing through the crush of dancers. A long tail wiggled from out of the top of her jeans.
When the bathroom door opened, Sudi, Dalila, and Meri dodged inside before the girls who had been waiting in line could stop them.
Sudi locked the door.
Meri jumped onto the counter near the sink and stared at her reflection. She patted her cheeks with the back of her hand to avoid scratching herself with her extended feline claws.
“I didn’t say the incantation,” Meri said when she was able to speak again. “So why is this happening?”
“Maybe nerves caused it,” Sudi said, unable to pull her gaze away from Meri’s unearthly beauty; the cat ears, whiskers, and changed eyes made Meri look like an enchantress from a fairy tale. “I’m sure we’ll get control over the power in time.”
Dalila began stoking Meri’s hair, calming her. “Magic takes getting used to,” Dalila soothed. “One day this will come naturally to you. It’s like learning how to play a musical instrument. Mistakes are made at first.” Slowly, Meri began changing back; the vertical pupils became black circles in the center of her eyes, whiskers disappeared leaving smooth skin, and the tail vanished.
Finally she slid off the counter, returned to her full girl size. “What if a photographer takes my picture and I end up some weird cat-freak girl on the cover of Star?”
“We’ll deal with that if it happens,” Sudi answered.
“I’m all right now,” Meri said and took a deep breath before opening the door. “I’ll concentrat
e on staying calm.”
The three girls stepped toward the edge of the dancing crowd. The music pulsed around them and Sudi began to move, her eyes wandering, looking for Scott.
Jeff waved from across the room. He bumped around a line of dancers who were pressed together, moving back and forth in unison, and shoved his way toward Meri.
“Go dance with Jeff,” Sudi said.
“Are you sure?” Meri said, waving back at Jeff.
“Go on,” Sudi said, and mischievously pushed Meri toward Jeff. “Have fun.”
When Sudi turned back, a flash of red among the dancers caught her attention. “I thought you said you couldn’t dance,” Sudi said and joined Dalila, bumping hips with her. “You’re incredible. I want you to teach me.”
Dalila swayed her body sensually, her shyness gone. “I’ve been belly dancing since I was a little girl. It’s in my blood.”
All the guys began watching Sudi and Dalila dancing together, and then Carter stepped between them. He rested his hand on Sudi’s shoulder, but he never stopped looking at Dalila.
“Introduce me to your friend, Sudi,” he said.
“No, Carter,” Sudi said harshly.
“What’s wrong?” Dalila asked, and stared up at Carter like someone falling in love for the first time.
“Let’s get some air,” Sudi said but when she started to lead Dalila from the room, Carter put his arm around her friend, pulling her back to him.
“I’m not going to hurt her,” he said to Sudi.
“Dalila doesn’t know…she’s lived a really protected life,” Sudi argued.
“I’ll watch over her,” he insisted, gazing into Dalila’s eyes. “I won’t let anyone hurt her.”
Dalila looked up at Carter with the same dreamy expression Sudi had seen on the faces of too many other girls. Sudi didn’t understand their infatuations, and she couldn’t comprehend how quickly Dalila had lost her shyness.
“I give you my word,” Carter said. “Trust me, Sudi.”
Carter tenderly kissed the top of Dalila’s head before turning her around to face him. Maybe Carter was falling for Dalila. After all, she had been reared to enchant kings. Sudi watched as Carter guided Dalila outside and across the lawn to a stage that had been set up over the swimming pool.
Sudi followed them outside. The yard stretched on and on, sloping gently into a wooded area. She stepped onto the grass, and the aroma of chocolate drifted into the cool autumn night.
A buffet had been set up near the gazebo. The velvety candy dripped down three silver tiers into a huge bowl that was surrounded by fruit and marshmallows.
Sudi pushed into the group of kids gathered around the table and picked out a strawberry. Her mouth watered as she dunked it in the chocolate. But when she tried to ease away, a girl accidentally nudged her and Sudi stumbled into someone, dripping chocolate onto his shirt.
“Sorry,” she said and looked up.
Brian glared down at her. “Real mature, Sudi. I know you did that on purpose.”
Dominique tugged on Brian’s sleeve. “She was only getting chocolate,” Dominique said. “It was an accident.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Brian argued. “She’s desperate to get back with me.”
Sudi rolled her eyes. “If I wanted you back,” Sudi said, holding up the strawberry, “I think I could come up with a better scheme than this.” She flicked more chocolate on him.
“Yeah,” he blustered. “Like what you did earlier today.”
Sudi hurried away as Brian started telling everyone the way she had flashed him at Dean & Deluca. Her perfect evening was spinning out of control. She sat down alone on a bench near the woods and stared at the rising moon, her back to the party. She licked at the chocolate on her fingers and wondered what she’d ever seen in Brian.
Someone tapped her shoulder. Before she could turn, Scott straddled the bench and sat beside her. His clothes smelled fresh and new, his aftershave musky.
“I was hoping you would still come tonight,” he said.
She glanced down, suddenly self-conscious.
He touched her chin, lifting her head until she was forced to gaze into his eyes. “I barely looked,” he teased. “Promise. So don’t go shy on me.”
Then he stood and took her hand, pulling her up to him. “Dance with me?” She could feel his desire; or was it her own? She started moving with him, enjoying the warmth of his body. His hand slipped down her back, and she caught her breath.
“I’m glad you broke up with Brian,” he said, his minty breath mingling with hers.
“Me, too,” she answered, and wondered if her eyes had the same dreamy expression that she had seen in Dalila’s eyes.
“I’m the one you should have dated,” he said, taking her hands and placing them around his neck. Then, his fingers caressed her waist and rested on her hips.
Maybe she wouldn’t need to cast a spell on him after all.
She sensed someone watching her and glanced back at the party, expecting to see Michelle glaring at her.
Instead, Michelle stood on the porch. Five guys crowded around her, all dressed in matching red shirts. Michelle’s parents had hired professional dancers to make sure the party didn’t lag. Sudi wondered if they had also hired escorts to hover around Michelle and give her a false sense of popularity.
The music changed. Michelle’s entourage began clapping, and then all five broke into a hip-hop routine. Michelle danced with them, strutting and flaunting herself, moving toward the stage.
Sudi watched, stunned. “What is Michelle doing?”
“Michelle is Miss Diva,” Scott said, his hand on Sudi’s shoulder. “She’s going to perform.”
Sudi looked up at him, astonished. “I thought Sienna was singing.”
“She is, but so is Michelle,” Scott explained. “It’s her special surprise for all her guests.”
“I was hoping her special surprise was a goody bag,” Sudi answered and stared back at Michelle, feeling sorry for her. “This is going to be a major embarrassment. Didn’t anyone bother to tell Michelle that she can’t sing?”
“I did,” Scott said. “I was over here earlier listening to her rehearse. She’s really bad. Carter and I tried to talk her out of it.”
Sudi imagined that Brian had encouraged her so he could have a good laugh at Michelle’s expense.
Kids began moving toward the stage, clapping and whistling, excited to see Sienna perform.
Two dancers lifted Michelle onto their shoulders. She must have thought all of the commotion was for her, because she smiled and waved, throwing kisses the way celebrities acknowledged cheering fans.
“I warned her,” Scott said as he placed his arm around Sudi. “Come on.”
Sudi had expected Scott to pull her toward the stage. Instead he steered her onto a path cut between the trees.
“What about Sienna? Don’t you at least want to hear her sing?” Sudi asked.
“I can hear her anytime,” Scott answered. “I have her CD. And I definitely don’t want to listen to Michelle ruining my favorite songs.”
“Is Michelle planning to sing with Sienna?” Sudi asked, surprised again. “Did Sienna agree to that?”
“I don’t know,” Scott said. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a big surprise for her as well.”
Sudi followed him down the path, crushing leaves under her shoes.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I want to show you something,” he answered.
The thought of walking alone with him through the moonlit woods caused a pleasant chill to rush through her.
The party noise became muffled. Kids screamed and applauded, but the sound seemed far away. Minutes later, Sienna’s sultry voice drifted into the night. Scott slowed his pace.
“What did you want to show me?” Sudi said breathlessly.
“This.” He slipped both arms around her, and then bent down until she could feel his breath on her face. His lips lingered over hers, and when she d
idn’t pull away, he kissed her.
Her stomach fluttered, and longing filled her body. Why had she wasted time with Brian? She wrapped her arms around Scott’s waist and invited him closer, her hips slinking against him.
A twig snapped. She opened her eyes. A shadow slid from behind one tree to the next.
“It’s probably only a rabbit,” Scott said and nuzzled her neck.
But she had definitely seen something bigger than a rabbit move between the spindly trees. It was probably only a guy and a girl kissing in the shadows, the way they were.
Scott kissed her again, and this time she felt his tongue. She closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms.
A scuffling of leaves made her alert again. She pulled back. In the darkness beneath the trees, she spotted a lone figure, watching them.
“If you want to go slower, that’s okay,” Scott said, taking her hand. He started toward the path.
Sudi took a deep breath, trying to decide. The shadow was gone now. Maybe it had been nothing. But if the cult had sent a creature to harm her, she couldn’t let it follow her back to the party, and she couldn’t let Scott stay with her and put him in danger, either. She had to face whatever it was alone.
“Go back to the party without me,” she said. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“What?” He gave her a confused smile, as if he didn’t understand her joke and was waiting for a punch line.
“I won’t be long,” she said and hurried away from him, ducking under low-hanging branches.
Mud sucked at her spiky heels, and she sank deeper with each step. Then, from behind her, came the sound of other footsteps squishing in the muck. She turned. Her heart raced, pumping adrenaline through her veins. The thin branches waved in front of her, snapping and breaking. She held her breath, waiting to see what had been stalking her.
Scott stepped through the trees. “You’ll get lost if you go too far from the path,” he said and tugged on her hand, trying to lead her back the way they had come.