Gavin jeered. Launching himself at Lukas, the dark witch let a warrior cry bellowing through the twilight. Their bodies crashed to the solid ground in an array of tangled limbs, fist and swirling colored magic. I couldn't tell who was beating who. Fists connected with flesh, groans mixed with moans, all intermixed with the occasional shards of bold, bright magic. I sat in disbelief waiting for a fire-breathing dragon to appear and roast us all, or sweep me away, because surely this was stuff that only happened in fairytales.

So the battle ensued, and I was helpless to do anything about it except hope that no one else noticed. That seemed pretty far-fetched, though I was too buzzed to care. Sitting in the blades of magic sprinkled gra.s.s, I scrambled back up as they rolled in the glades toward me.

Finally I'd had enough. "Knock it off!" I yelled jumping to my feet, my head seriously unhappy with me. The ground did this whole wavy thing and I stumbled once. My sheer lack of grace lessened the threat I was trying to deliver.

They ignored me like a pesky fly. Of course that only infuriated me. Lately I felt like a ticking bomb just waiting to go boom. Right now I was at the end of my fuse.

Forgoing magic, Gavin used the time tested approved fist-to-the-face, followed by one to the stomach. They were on the gra.s.s plummeting each other in a blink. I couldn't tell if the punches were being packed with magic. I wouldn't put it past them.

All I knew was I had to end this before any more bloodshed.

It started with a crackle and a flash of light. A strange and foreign feeling spread down the lengths of my arms, traveling all throughout me. At full strength, I gathered the whole potency of my power. It almost felt like my feet weren't touching the ground. The earth trembled my name, answering an unconscious call. Then I screamed, "Stop!" And threw everything I had behind that one singular word. Everything just stopped.

The world stopped moving around me. Trees didn't sway with the wind, the music and laughter inside ceased. Everything was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Frozen in time, I looked at the two hotheaded idiots. Neither of them made a single move.

Wow. That was a cool new trick.

Maybe I just needed something to loosen me up before I attempted any magic. That had been far too easy. Walking to where they were crouched, I stood in front of them with my hands on my hips. I hated to admit that walking was a feat in itself. d.a.m.n my unsteadiness.

"You're both acting like lunatics. Are we ready to play nice?" I scolded as if they were two disobedient children. After all, they were acting like children.

Of course both of them couldn't move or say anything. Running a hand through my frazzled curls, I glared at them. Lukas's lip was bleeding and Gavin would probably later be boasting a shiner. Who knew what other aches and bruises they had caused each other.

Well, now that I had gotten my point across, how the h.e.l.l did I release this spell? I could really get myself into all kinds of pickles. Biting my lip, I inhaled a deep breath and slowly let go of my hold on the pulsing energy inside. Degree by slow degree I felt that gentle hum recede. Then with a swish, the world was back in motion, including the two nincomp.o.o.ps.

They were both rattling off at the same time.

I just stood there and rolled my eyes.

Gavin unclenching his fists brushed the dirt and gra.s.s off his jeans, and Lukas ran a hand through his gra.s.s strewn messy hair. Neither of them looked at the other. Who knew, maybe it was part rage or maybe it was part shame. Regardless, I was ready to go home. This party girl was exhausted.

In an unsteady voice I announced, "Somebody take me home." At this point I really didn't care who stepped up, just as long as this sea-sick feeling stopped rocking my head.

Gavin put a hand under my elbow, and I leaned on him. "Let's go," he whispered in a voice still hard as ice. Pivoting on his heels, he turned around to Lukas.

I held my breath and watched as he gave Lukas the bird, then guided us through the yard, steering us to his car.

"Mature," I slurred the word a little.

"Who said anything about being mature? He is lucky to still be standing. I should have knocked his a.s.s to another planet."

Ugh. Boys. I was pretty sure he already had.

His strides were longer than mine, and I found it difficult to keep up. Stumbling, he swept me up into his arms. Normally I would have protested, tonight my head was spinning and I didn't have it in me. Laying my head on his shoulder, I inhaled his unique scent, closing my eyes.

When I opened them again we were in my bedroom. Carefully he placed me on my feet, my body brushing down his. I sighed in content.

He took a step back. I took a step forward, moving into him slowly and deliberately. And kept moving until my body was molded to his and my arms were twined around his neck like ropes. Where I was soft, he was hard. I brushed my lips over his neck, again and again, loving the tasted of his erotic skin. Then I sank my mouth into the soft, warmth of his lips.

Apparently alcohol turned me into a hussy.

He grabbed a fist full of my shirt at the small of my back, and it felt like a small victory. The room was spinning but for entirely different reasons. He was turning me inside out.

He made me forget. Forget everything. Forget who I was.

With Gavin I was just a girl head-over-heels in love. "Don't stop," I murmured.

"I wasn't planning on it," he said against my mouth.

Sealing my lips, he roughened the kiss, even as he deepened it. My mouth slanted across his. I was thrilled to a whole new level, every sensation was magnified. We landed on the bed without ever separating. The softness of the mattress on my back as his weight sunk on top of me was as sensual as kissing him.

I was bursting with a gazillion feelings, and suddenly I knew that I just had to tell. It was probably the spiked punch talking. There was also a good chance that I could get drunk off his kisses alone. They were that mind-blowing incredible.

"Wait," I said putting my heads on his chest.

He raised a brow slightly before he said, "Make up your mind woman, which is it."

Teeth sc.r.a.ped over my leaping pulse. "I love you," I murmured breathless.

"I know." There was so much c.o.c.kiness in those words.

I rested my head on his shoulder. My heart galloped in my chest as I realized what I was about to say. "I don't want to be just some girl."

He rained kisses over my eyelids, my cheeks, and my chin. "You could never me just some girl. Not to me."

"I want more. I want to be your girlfriend." I was going to curse my loose tongue in the morning.

"Are you asking me to go steady?" he asked. I was pretty sure he was laughing at me and totally killing my buzz. "Oh yeah, you're cute hammered."

Great. I was a cute drunk.

A small smiled curled on my lips. "Maybe," I yawned. I just needed to close my eyes for a minute. Promptly, I fell into a dreamless slumber curled into his embrace.

It was the most peaceful night I'd ever had.

Chapter 23.

ROLLING ON MY SIDE, a stream of sunlight beamed behind my closed lids, which did nothing for the pounding in my head. I groaned, putting a hand to my temples.

Hangovers blow.

"Hey sunshine."

My eyes popped open. I wasn't alone in bed. My eyes tumbled into a pair of stunning sapphire gems. Gavin. A rush of euphoria raced through me. He hadn't left. I don't know why but it touched me, struck a chord in my heart, when in fact I should have been irritated. Both his behavior and Lukas's had not been okay, not in my book.

He brushed a piece of hair out of my face leaving a sprinkle of tingles in its wake. I rubbed my face into his hand needing the warm contact.

"You stayed," I muttered. The sound of my own voice vibrated in my beating head. Not a pleasant sensation, but it was dulled by the touch of his fingers. I sighed at the relief.

"I was worried. You were vulnerable. I didn't want you to have any unwanted guests in your dreams." He put his arm around me and pulled me close. "Just me," he murmured.

I snuggled against him, burrowing my head in his chest. "I'm glad you did."

He gave me a saucy grin and nothing but trouble of the mischievous kind brewed in those stormy eyes. "So you want to be my girlfriend?"

It took a moment before a flood of memories washed over me. I had said that hadn't I? Cursing the spiked punch to h.e.l.l and back, I groaned and threw the blanket over my head. He pulled it back down, and the sinful scent of woods surrounded me.

"I was hoping that had been a dream," I admitted embarra.s.sed.

"Not a chance." He tucked me back into his embrace. "How are you feeling?"

I laid my hand on his beating heart. "Better with you here."

"I tend to have that effect on girls." I could hear the smirk spread over his lips.

I fought the urge to smack him. "So you've said." I would be lying if I didn't admit that was a little bit of jealousy pouring through me at the thought of him with another girl.

"I've also been told that my hands are like "

I covered my hand over his mouth. "Don't even finish that sentence. I don't want to know."

His lips grinned behind my hand and he kissed the inside of my palm. Chills streamed down my back. Leaning up on his elbow, he stared down at me, eyes sparkling. "I don't like sharing you, so I think we should probably make this official."

"What did you just say?" I just couldn't believe this was real. It had to be a joke.

He dazzled me with a crooked grin. "You heard me."

My lips broke out in a generous, stupid smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Technically you asked me last night. You might not remember, you were a little "

I launched a pillow at his face. He evaded the missile only to capture me in his arms, pinning me with his weight, and cleverly maneuvered.

"Maybe I should get drunk more often," I teased.

"Not a chance," he murmured against my skin. "I like the good girl Bri better." He slowly began to make his way to my lips giving me a soft kiss. "Way better." His smile was slow and full of the devil, and then he sealed that devastating mouth with mine.

The exotic sent of him stirred my senses, tangled my head with the hot punch of his velvet kiss. Sighing I skimmed my fingers through his silky hair. He yanked me on top of him, taking us both to a dangerous edge.

His mouth sampled mine leisurely at first, like sweet, succulent candy. It wasn't long before the innocent kisses turned into mindless heat. Against his mouth my breath quickened, when he trailed a finger up my inner thigh touching lace, my body quivered and arched into his. He did things with his mouth alone that left me writhing and my bones melting.

Our tongues tangled together, our bodies intertwined. My hands slid up his chest, pushing the pesky material out of my way. Sitting up, our lips broke apart only long enough for him to whip his shirt over his head.

This time his kiss wasn't light. He didn't tease. He devoured. He possessed.

Kissing him became a matter of self-preservation. It sounded dramatic but right then I swore it was true. My skin grew hot, his taste was wild on my tongue.

Once upon a time I thought I wanted the world, now I just wanted Gavin. I poured everything I had into kissing him, giving him my whole heart. Tendrils of magic slipped into my fingers. I could feel it dazzling throughout me. But it wasn't just mine alone. Our hands linked.

The lights in the room flickered off and on, as a surge of energy poured over the room. Us. Our magic merged and sparked like long lost lovers. I gasped from the pure bliss of our power. I had no idea that magic could be mixed in such a manner. My skin p.r.i.c.kled where he touched me and then burned. All the while his mouth was driving me crazy. His hand slid up skirting the edge of my boxers, and My iPhone went off on the nightstand, shrilling like a fire truck. I pulled back a little, panting, and for an instant I thought about ignoring it. Groaning, I grabbed the phone with one hand and glanced at the screen. Tori's picture flashed across the screen.

When I spoke my voice was rough. "It's Tori. She's probably checking on me. I never did have a chance to say good-bye." The call went to voicemail and I bit my lip.

He laid his forehead on mine before kissing me on the nose. "I'll see you later girlfriend," he murmured, leaving me in a delicious mess. I got all warm and fuzzy inside and watched him until he disappeared out the door.

Punching in Tori's number, I waited for her to pick up. Already I missed him.

Pouring a cup of sweet black coffee, I opened the cupboard pulling out a box of strawberry pop-tarts. Eating one where I stood, I thought about last night, the party, the fight and mostly the making-out.

I finally had gotten what I longed for. Gavin.

Eeeee. I had a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend.

A mind-blowing hot, bad boy witch, who made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Even my pounding head couldn't take away the elation I was feeling. For the first time I didn't dread the Monday morning blues. Swallowing the last bite, I went to get ready for school.

In my knee-high socks, boxers, and sweatshirt, I climbed the stairs to transform myself from tired, pop-tart addict witch to high school senior with an extremely hot boyfriend. Excited for school, I rushed my morning routine.

I waited impatiently downstairs for the rumbling of Gavin's engine. It had only been hours since we had last seen each other, but it felt like weeks. The entire weekend we had spent shut up in my house hanging out, kissing, watching movies, kissing, and a lot more kissing. We couldn't seem to get enough of each other.

Arriving at school just as the bell rang, we parted ways. The day seemed to be broken up by cla.s.ses and how long before I got to see Gavin again. I should have known that my day would eventually go to c.r.a.p. Nothing this good ever lasted long lately.

I heard her voice behind me, and it was too good to be true to think she would have nothing to say for once. Definitely too good. Just her voice alone made me cringe. There was still a lingering of hate harboring inside me from seeing her with Gavin.

Jealousy.

Ugly and irrational.

Keeping my back to her, I shuffled my feet on the gym floor. Rianne and one of her robotic minions sauntered toward me. She leaned a hand against the bleachers where I was standing.

Rianne looked like living, breathing Barbie. Her nose was always stuck in the air like her s.h.i.t didn't stink. You think that would have been Tori but nope, Tori's wealth didn't change the fact that she was one of the sweetest, most giving people in the world. Some times too giving.

Gym pretty much sucked donkey on its own. I really didn't need Rianne making it unbearable, especially when we were doing a core strength unit, which meant rope climbing. Ugh. Someone shoot me now.

"Well if isn't bizarre Brianna." Rianne was just plain cruel and took her popularity for granted in an enormous way.

"Just say whatever it is you want to say and cut the c.r.a.p," I responded dryly.