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  Blue fire snapped in her gaze. Good thing I was sort of on her side. Not that I wanted a war or anything. But if the Dumonts met a messy end, Quaid would be able to come back.

  Gram gnawed a nail. “Circumstances are changing,” she said softly, as though forgetting I stood there in front of her. “Events that could shift everything.”

  “Did something happen?” I held my breath, fear for Quaid surging in my heart.

  Gram looked up again, expression smoothing out until she appeared almost saintly.

  “Syd,” she said, both thin hands rising to grip my face, the edges of her long nails pressing into my skin ever so gently, “you know I love you, girl?”

  I nodded, but didn’t speak. Ever since Gram took her power back we’d shared a powerful connection and she’d regained her sanity. Well, most of it. Which is why I didn’t find her actions odd. Gram was the epitome of eccentric.

  Until she spoke again. “Sister soul,” she whispered. “The things I do are for you. For me, too. They need to be fixed, by someone who knows how. You see?”

  I found myself nodding, her power gently holding mine, as my magic welcomed her in, an old familiar feeling returning without the need to send hers away.

  “Good,” she said. “I knew you would.” Her touch slid free, hands dropping to her sides. I felt like I’d been wrapped up in some kind of spell only she had the power to break. I felt around inside me to be sure she hadn’t done something because who knew with Gram, really. But everything seemed it was as it should be.

  She bounced on her toes then, clapping her hands together like a little girl before spinning and dancing her way out of the kitchen, fluffy pink socks silent on the tile floor.

  My family was so weird.

  Shaking my head, I went to school.

  ***

  Chapter Three

  I’d spent years wanting to be normal. Most of my life in fact. This was the first year at school where I didn’t crave it anymore. Now that Gram had her power back, her magic no longer pushing against me and my demon. I could actually just be me. Funny thing, I found I was happy being a witch. Even better, I really kind of loved it.

  But old habits die slow and painful deaths wrapped up in cheerleader fakery and cafeteria food. The closer I came to the front steps of Wilding Springs High, the more the pressure of normal and fitting in returned until I was just Syd Hayle again, no one special, nothing to see here, move along.

  It sucked, really. I was finally in the same school two years in a row. This was a miracle. Because of coven related accidents and the need to hide who we were from the real world, I’d never had the opportunity to really make friends. Until last year. The past eleven months had been not just filled with magical mayhem, but I actually had friends for the first time in my life. Real ones, too. Not the fluffy fake kind. But as I stepped through the main doors and turned toward our spot, the nook in the sunlight, I remembered things had shifted yet again.

  No Simon. My little friend with the thick glasses, so much younger than the rest of us, brilliant mind hiding behind a sweet smile, was off to college, thanks to his over- achiever parents. Blood, my big Goth buddy, now lived in Prague with his parents. Beth had other interests too, the geeky, sweet girl with the ready smile involved with her boyfriend, John. Hmmm. Todd? Jim. I think.

  And Pain… the blue-eyed emo yin to Blood’s yang wasn’t around anymore either. Now Mia Dumont, lost daughter of that wretched coven, she left town when they did, abandoning her adoptive father to deal with the death of her mother on his own.

  I still wondered if she knew her precious family killed Dorothy Hammond.

  No, I didn’t have proof. But I knew.

  Even Brad, my one-time boyfriend, was off playing football at Notre Dame. I was happy for him, even if he turned into a jerk after dumping me at his prom.

  That left Alison and me. The two amigas. Instead of a crowded nook full of chattering friends, she stood there alone, looking lost and very vulnerable. I forced a smile as I approached her in answer to the brittle one fixed on her face, almost flinching away from her as she grasped my arm and pulled me close. Her blue eyes brimmed with nerves, lips trembling as she tried for one of her patented Alison smiles.

  “You’re here.” Her voice vibrated, giggle escaping her. “I thought you’d never come.”

  Two weeks in hospital hadn’t really done her much good in my opinion. But at least her mother Angela hadn’t reverted to the Queen of Worst Moms Ever. In fact, the few times I’d seen her, she seemed kind, even happy to see me. It made me wonder what my mom might have tampered with when she cleared the woman of Andre Dumont’s thrall.

  Whatever it was, legal or not, I hoped the change took. Alison needed all the help she could get. Trouble was, I didn’t know if I had the energy to remain team captain of Save Alison From Herself.

  At least she wasn’t drinking anymore. That I knew about. Not like I was with her 24/7. She could have been and I’d never know it until she melted down again into a puddle of nothing.

  Bad friend, Syd. No judging.

  “Sorry,” I said. “Weird morning.” Not like I could fill her in or anything. Well, except one thing. “Meira’s all freaky.”

  Alison frowned, hyper focused on me, almost like if she could just hang on to the words I said, she’d be okay. “What’s up?”

  “She’s not herself.” I shrugged, realizing I really didn’t want to talk about it. “No biggie. Shall we?”

  Alison hooked her arm though mine, over-bright smile back. “You bet.”

  As we turned, I wondered if this was what the rest of the year would be like. Then, I spotted someone watching us. My third big shock of the day made me stop and stare back. Page hovered just outside our patch of sunlight. Her normally flowing hair hung limp, eyes almost dull but desperate. She tried a smile, coming across kind of spooky, like horror movie scary. Alison squeezed my arm, snapping me out of my freeze.

  I wished I could feel sorry for Page. We’d been friends once, back when she was a fallen angel, when she hung out with Simon and the others. That ended when the cheerleaders took her in again and more, made her their leader. Then she went all psycho nasty, doing what she could to ruin everything for me and my friends.

  Until the Dumont brothers, Jean Marc and Kristophe made her their creature and she almost got my Uncle Frank killed.

  It was difficult for me to get past that.

  I was actually surprised to see her at school at all. The last time I’d run into her she’d been mostly an empty shell, staying at the same hospital as Alison. Mom must have taken pity on her after the Enforcers wiped her mind and rebuilt some of her memories.

  My mother was a bigger woman than me. I’d have let Page wander forever.

  It didn't look like Mom did her any favors, really. This Page was an echo of her old self, a dime-store trash heap with a broken soul. Alison’s nails dug into my arm as she hissed in my ear.

  “She’s fallen again.” Big shocker. Maybe the cheerleaders wouldn’t be so horrid this year. Then again, who knew? They seemed to be drawn to the part. “The whole party thing this summer, remember?” Did I ever. I arrived just in time to save a very drunk Alison from being raped by the Dumont brothers while Page filmed it. All so they could make me lose my temper. They had no respect for normals.

  Or my temper for that matter.

  Odd Alison even brought it up. It was the same night she lost it, her spiral into depression sending her for a bout in the loony ward. I guess it was easy for her to forget her own failings while she looked down the throat of someone else’s.

  Page wavered, body swaying like a tree in the wind, as if debating approaching us. There was no way I was willing to even have a conversation with her so I set off, Alison now in tow from her grip on me, keeping my gaze straight ahead and away from Page.

  Too bad she didn’t take the hint. I made it two steps before she entered our patch of sunlight.

  ***

  Chapter Four

&nbs
p; “Hey, Syd. Hey, Alison.” Page’s voice had a sticky sweet quality that turned my stomach. Not to mention she looked even worse in the daylight. Her skin seemed so pale and thin I could see the thick veins under it, bones jutting from her now skeletal frame. She vibrated with need, an aching emptiness, longing for connection, but I was heartless.

  I would have kept walking if Alison hadn’t forced me to stop by sheer body weight. She pulled against me, halting us right in front of the still smiling waste of space.

  “Page.” Alison looked her up and down, all arrogance and queen snooty. Seeing as she used to be the head cheerleader herself and the master of mental nastiness, regression seemed to come easy to her.

  There was a ton of expression in that one word, so much it actually triggered a moment of compassion which I very quickly and angrily smothered with a jab of memory—Uncle Frank, kneeling at Odette’s feet while Page accused him of feeding from her, replaced by the sight of his half melted face.

  Yup, pretty much killed the flicker of empathy.

  I watched her smile tremble, but she didn’t back down. “It’s great to see you both. Just the two of you now, right?” She’d acquired a twitch in her right cheek making her wink to an off beat. “So perfect, right? We can hang out, right?” If she said right one more time I was going to hit her, I swear.

  Before I had a chance to shoot her down, Alison looked away and, in the coldest voice I’ve ever heard, said, “We’ll be late for class.”

  We moved off, arm in arm still, leaving the crushed remnants of Page behind us and I didn’t feel at all bad about it.

  “Brilliant,” I said, my demon hissing her vindictive pleasure while she suggested a few more nasty things to do to Page. I shushed her while Alison beamed at me, reminding me the girl hanging from my side was in almost as bad of shape. She just hid it better.

  “You thought so?” Her arm uncurled from its death grip on mine as she straightened her shoulders. A bit of the old Alison shone out of her face and I took what I was thinking back. She was going to be okay.

  That knowledge alone brightened my day.

  I spotted Beth up ahead, returned her wave where she stood with… “Damn, what’s his name?”

  “Tim,” Alison supplied promptly.

  I’d really have to make an effort to remember. Beth seemed happy, cheery as always, but I didn’t bother to stop and talk because Tim seemed to be taking up her attention.

  At least one of us was normal.

  Shocker, as we strolled past the cheergirls, they actually smiled and waved. Smiled. And. Waved. I’d have assumed something terrible was about to happen except they seemed genuinely cheery. No pun intended.

  Could it possibly be my senior year would actually be fun?

  While my cynical nature told me it couldn’t last, I decided no matter how long it did, I’d take it.

  A quick sorting in the gym and we were off to our lockers and first class. Alison pouted over the slip in her hand.

  “We’re in different homerooms this year.” Her blue eyes welled, but she held it together. “I’ll see if Mom can get them to switch my class to yours.”

  “I’m sure it’ll work out, Al.” I watched her go, waving at me as she did, smile fading as she disappeared around the corner. I sighed and loaded my locker, picking out my books for first period before slamming it closed. Maybe some independence would be good for her right now.

  Or would turn her into a clutch monster. Either way, there was nothing I could do about it without leaning on her with my magic and there was no way I was using power on her.

  I turned, head down, mind elsewhere, with I’m sure a scowl on my face and ran right into a T-shirted chest. A very delicious scented T-shirted chest. I backed up hastily, my senses full of a rich, earthy aroma woven through with fabric softener and looked up.

  Tall, blonde and handsome looked down at the same time. And smiled.

  “Sorry if I’m in the way.” He shifted slightly to the side, the sunlight coming into the hall from the open classroom door catching red glints in his hair. “I’m a little lost.”

  He stared at me with his hazel eyes like I was supposed to respond. “Um, okay.” What the hell was wrong with me? I’d seen cute guys before. Was in love with a hot morsel in black leather. But there was something about this guy stirring my blood, a deep and almost familiar feeling holding me captive.

  His smile hung lopsided, head ducking while color flushed his cheeks. “Are you okay?” It shook me out of my rapture. What was he seeing on my face that made him blush?

  Embarrassed myself, I backed off, tromping on someone’s foot. I cast a quick, “Sorry!” over my shoulder before turning back to Mr. Mysterious.

  “I’m Liam.” He offered his hand which I took quickly. Too quickly. What the hell? “Liam O’Dane. Nice to meet you…?”

  “Syd.” I had to shake off this spaz attack. I pulled myself together and smiled what I hoped wasn’t a creepy smile. “Hayle. You’re new.”

  Classy. Idiot.

  But he grinned and nodded, letting go of my hand. I missed the warmth of his skin when he did. “You got it. Smart girls in this one horse town.”

  It wasn’t helping he reminded me of a cross between drop-dead gorgeous Brad Peters who, for all his faults, was yummy scrumptious and my own divinely tasty Quaid.

  My laugh ended in a snort. Seriously? “That’s us all right.” Great comeback. I was devolving into loser rapidly with no help in sight.

  Until he came to my rescue. Which only made it worse.

  “I’ll know who to hit up for help with my homework.” Sweet and a smartass. Oh dear.

  I literally got a grip on myself through sheer force of will and shrugged. “Homework? We’re too smart for homework here.”

  His laugh reminded me of something, a churning something which dove deep inside and warmed me to my core. I found myself laughing with him, feeling flushed and delighted and absolutely enraptured.

  “I could use some help,” he said. “I have no idea where my class is.”

  What a great excuse to sidle up next to him and glance at the paper in his hand. The scent was stronger so close to him and I felt his breath against my cheek as he bent down to look. He was taller than Quaid and I found myself wondering if it would make a difference when he—

  I jerked a step away from Liam, all the blood rushing from my face. I was not just contemplating kissing another guy. I. Was. Not. I loved Quaid.

  Bad, Syd. Bad, bad, bad, Syd.

  Liam noticed my retreat, but didn’t say anything, just kept an easy smile, a kind and gentle energy my demon lapped up while Shaylee sighed and swooned.

  They were so not helping.

  “Right this way.” I gestured for him to follow me, which he did, falling in step easily. “You have the delightful Ms. Fiat for your homeroom this year, lucky you.”

  Liam’s nose wrinkled. “That bad?”

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “She hated me, but I’m sure she’ll love you.” I gulped around the word, mentally kicking myself. But Liam didn’t seem to notice.

  “I’ll be charming,” he said. “It’ll work, right?”

  He had no freaking idea. “Should,” I said while I screamed at myself. Was I flirting? Flirting! I had to get away from this guy.

  “You just arrive in town?” Small talk. Yes, good. Distraction.

  “Me and my mom.” Liam made his way around a group of students, blocking them from running into me with his body. Delicious, sweet and chivalrous. Um-hum.

  “Cool.” Really? This was the best I could come up with? “I’ve only been here a year myself.” Better. “It takes some getting used to, but you’ll like it after a while.”

  “Maybe you could show me around?” Liam shifted his backpack over his shoulder, bare arm brushing mine for a tingling moment.

  I was never so grateful and disappointed at the same time to pause at the gaping doorway to his class. “Here you are.” I met Ms. Fiat’s eyes for a moment as she shot me a
glare, I’m sure just as happy as I was I’d never have to take another class from her ever again. Miracles do happen. When I turned back to Liam, he was still smiling a soft, curved smile making his face all kinds of perfect.

  “Thanks, Syd Hayle.” He saluted. “Are we on for the tour?”

  “Yup, you bet.” This was a disaster. I simply could not keep from being a total and complete loser. “Meet you for lunch? 'Kay, cool. See ya.” Absolutely horrendous crash and burn in the normal girl department. Best to beat a retreat before I did more damage.

  The moment I turned away from him, out of the sphere of his influence, my witchy senses started buzzing. And the awkward, simmering connection that made me a little breathless and very pathetic in his presence ebbed away, leaving me with a tingling feeling I associated with magic.

  Hmm. That pulled me up short, leaving me standing in the crowded hall, lost in thought while kids jostled around me. I’d touched him, shook his hand. I hadn’t felt even a hint of out of the ordinary. But I knew better than to trust anything less than a full investigation.

  Of course, I was of two minds about that. It meant spending more time with him, if I wanted to be thorough in such an investigation. And I had to be thorough, didn’t I? Wasn’t it my responsibility to make sure no outside power came in and messed with my family?

  I fixed Quaid’s face firmly in my thoughts as I snapped out of it. I had a boyfriend, thanks. But it didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy Liam’s company.

  Oh, Syd. Not just bad, but sadly transparent.

  I looked up into the now thinning crowd and realized I was nowhere near my own homeroom. In fact, it was on the other side of the school. And the moment I made my feet move again, the bell rang.

  Just what I needed. I ran through the emptying halls, suddenly and completely alone within ten seconds of the fading of the sound. I skidded around a corner, almost there when I slid sideways and nearly took out the tall, skinny woman standing at in the middle of the silent corridor.