“Have you seen Hermes Robinson?” I asked a guy from Hermes last class.

He shrugged, “No, he wasn’t in class.”

“He wasn’t?” I asked, more to myself confused. He just shrugged and walked away. I stared at the floor for a moment, not understanding since Hermes was just going to the bathroom. He just wouldn’t have left without saying something. He would have told me, I know he would have. That only means one thing and my stomach made some really bad twisting feelings in my gut.

I ran my fingers threw my hair but I felt some pieces in my hand. When I looked down, some of the gray pieces were there. I had convinced allot of people including Jessica and Louis that I was experimenting on my hair and dyed it this color. They believed me when honest truth that not even hair dye could cover the gray strains.

I quickly walked over to the janitor closet and I was glad no one was in there. I went inside before anyone could see me and I pressed my back against the door. I took deep breath, trying to relax myself. I shouldn’t get so worked up, it won’t help.

And it wasn’t.

“Okay Jaycee, clear your mind.” I whispered. What was that spell Carmina told me about if I needed to find someone? God, it was one of those ones she tried avoiding from me. I hit my head, “Stop it, don’t do it. But what if she has him?” Oh how perfect, I’m talking to myself now. “Focus Jaycee! You don’t need magic. Well how else am I supposed to find him? He just wouldn’t leave school without a reason—ahh!” I yelled when the door opened and I fell down on my butt.

I looked up behind me and the janitor gave me a questionable look. I got up and awkwardly nodded my head before turning, quickly running down the hallway. I ran down the staircase and out towards the school building. Rain splattered on my face and when I looked up at the dark gray skies that were just sunny a few moments ago, the rain came down harder.

I think I was causing the storm. I could feel it, the magic inside of me wanting to come out. It was such a strong pull, I didn’t want to give it up. It was like being outside all day in the freezing cold and when you go inside, you can feel the heat from a fire place or heater. You so badly want to go over, but there’s something blocking you from that heat.

I wanted that warmth, but I couldn’t get to it.

I was being held right in place in the cold. Even though the magic is a warmth nice comforting feeling, it’s just a mask to hide the truth of it. I was drenched in rain as I walked down the steps, my head feeling like a cloud. Students around gave me weird looks, but I wouldn’t blame them. I probably looked high as I twirled around, calling out for Hermes.

Feeling really confined, I pushed my way through the crowd and ran down the street. I didn’t know where I was going, but I found my way towards Hermes house. I knocked on the door, but it was more like pounding. I pounded on the door until it opened and I pushed passed Hermes dad Troy.

“The spell—the spell, it didn’t work.” I said, running my fingers threw my wet hair to push it out my face. “And now, she has him. I don’t know where, I don’t know how.”

“Huh?” Hermes dad questioned, putting his hands on my shoulders before he pulled away. “Ah Jaycee, you’re heating up.”

“Huh?” I questioned, looking down to see steam coming from my arms as the water dried from my arm.

“You’re heating up.” he said again.

Hermes mother Maria came out of the kitchen, “Oh my.” she said.

“Forget about me.’ I said. “You guys need to find Hermes. She took him, I know she did. He was at school for our last class and he wasn’t thereafter. He isn’t here, I know he isn’t because I can’t feel him.” I leaned against the couch, but then something started to smell horribly and I realized it was the couch burning where my hand was. I screamed, pulling away to see black handprint. “What’s happening to me?” I cried out, panicking.

“You need to calm down.” Troy said. He held his hands up, “Look, you’re causing the storm outside and you’re heating yourself up because you’re not controlling yourself. You’re anxiety is making the magic run wild.”

I nodded, taking deep breaths. I looked around to see both of them looking at me and I felt suddenly confined again. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head. “Car-Carmina must have taken him somewhere. I just don’t know where.”

Maria looked at Troy, “What do you see?”

I opened my eyes to see Troy eyes were closed for a moment before breathing heavily, “I don’t know, I can’t see him. I’m not that strong, she’s blocking both their minds.”

“Oh, my poor baby boy.” she said, her hand coming up to her mouth and looked like she wanted to cry. “What if she’s hurting him?”

“She doesn’t want anything from him.” I said. “She wants something from me. She’s been making me do magic allot and stealing my youth. The gray strand in my hair is because of me. I knew deep down she just wouldn’t go away just like that. She’s using him to get to me.”

“How are we going to find him?” Maria asked Troy.

“Simple.” I said, making them both look at me confused. “The block is probably being used on me to, but I can find Hermes by his scent. He doesn’t smell like a Warlock, he has this unique scent to him that helps him stand out from a crowd. I need a shirt of his.”

“What does a Warlock smell like?” Troy asked, clearly curious at a time like this. His son was kidnapped by a Witch who’s been tricking us all and scheming me and he’s worried what he smells like?

“Like a cat.” I said. “Like I was saying, a shirt or something of his. I can’t use magic, I made it this far. It’s what she wants, she wants me to use magic because it what helps her fill her up. The darkness that’s in me is filling her darkness.”

“Turning into a wolf takes allot of magic though.” Troy said.

I nodded, “I know, but it’s the only way I’ll find him. I don’t lose control anymore though. Just get me one.”

(Hermes)

Carmina was braiding her long hair in a French side braid, starting from her bangs. She was humming softly. It sounded soft and innocent, something that could get a baby to sleep. “I always loved nature.” she said. “You can never feel the strength of the earth with technology these days.”

I pressed my hand against my rib, taking deep breaths so my lungs wouldn’t feel like they were on fire so much because Carmina had beaten me when I had tried to fight her off, “Why don’t you just move out here and be a hermit?”

She tilted her head as she finished the side braid, “Hmm, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

“What are you going to do if you do get rid of Jaycee?” I asked. “Her family will come after you. They’ll hunt you down and kill you.”

She giggled as if I just told her she did such a wonderful job on her braid, “Oh, I’m not scare of the wolves. I do think they’re amazing creatures but they don’t intimidate me. I’ll just go away. Poof, I can cover my tracks. I’ll always find another wolf. There’s surprisingly allot of wolves out there, but it is an over three hundred curse. Last I heard, some of them have even made it to Europe. Can you imagine how many more of them will be in the next hundred years?” she asked, grinning. “I plan on being here to see it. My mother failed at keeping James in his place, but I won’t make the same mistake as she did. She was dumb enough to get herself killed.”

“I’m surprise you haven’t grown to hate the wolves.” I said.

“You would think, but I actually admire them.” she said. “They’re unique creatures.”

“They’re not house pets though.” I coldly said.

“You use to think the same before one of them was chosen to be with you forever.” she said, getting up from sitting on the haystack and walked over to me. I had be leaning on another one across the empty barn. I straighten my back, raising my chin, giving her a hard look. She bent down and smiled at me, reaching over and pushed my blonde curls back, “Don’t worry love, I can help you move on once it’s over.” She tapped the middle of my forehead, giggling, “I’m sure sweet little Lucinda might even take you back.”

“Go burn at the stake.” I coldly said.

She pouted, “You say such cruel things to me.”

“You’re a betrayal to your own kind. We weren’t given this gifts to do evil things, but good things. We were chosen to help change the world, but it’s like Witches and Warlock’s like you why we were always looked down on for such a long time.”

“We don’t do it for show off. We do it so we can prove to whoever is supposed to be watching us that we are good without them. Thousands of years, there has been no sign of them.” she said. “I rather be strong and the most of powerful Witch than conceal myself from who I truly am.”

I looked into her milky blue eyes, “It’s always about power.”

She smiled for a moment before it disappeared and she looked to her right. A big grin appeared on her face, “They’re here. Two males, I’m sure they’ll do looking for her now. It’s almost time now.”

(Jaycee)

Weak, I fell down onto the ground and shifted back. Panting, I pressed my elbows against the muddy ground. It had stopped raining, but I was still heated up. I don’t know why I felt so drained, but I did. It felt like I’ve been running for dates and all the exhausting finally kicked in.

My dad stopped a few feet away and turned back, running over towards me. Kneeing as he shifted back, he put his hands on my arms, “You should go home.”

I shook my head as I lifted myself up, “No, I need to find him.”

“Jaycee baby, I know you’re concern.” he said, giving me pleading eyes. “I know what it’s like to be scared for your mate, but you should go home. We know he’s here somewhere in the woods. I’ll find him, you know I will.”

“No.” I coldly said. “She took him because of me. If something happens to him, I won’t live with myself. You would do anything to find mom. Well, it’s the same for me. You know how determine we are, so don’t try and stop me.”

He stared down at me for a moment, fighting with himself to be a parent and say no, ordering me to go back home but I think we both knew I would just do the opposite thing. I think that’s why he shifted back into his dark brown wolf form and pressed his nose against my head. I put my arm around him, showing my affections back since he was being a good dad.

We heard someone coming our way and we looked towards the direction it came from. Uncle Jamie and his son Ray ran towards us until they were a few feet away and they shifted back. “They’re at Peters McCord barn.”

I nodded.

Uncle Jamie turned to look at his young fourteen old son, “You’re gonna help me find the others.”

Ray frowned, “But dad—okay I know you might be mad that I broke the TV but hey, I did it on accident.”

“This isn’t any of our business now, Ray.” he said. He put his hand roughly behind the stubborn young wolf, but only because Knox would—like us all, that’s why it isn’t surprising for Uncle Jamie to be a still strict since we all rebel—follow me out towards the barn and get in some trouble.

I looked at my dad, “Stay by my side?”

He licked my cheek, placing his head on top of my before I shifted back 

(Hermes)

I breathed heavily as Carmina dragged a wolf inside, “Wh-what are you doing?”

The young wolf whimpered and when Carmina put her hand on top of the wolf head, the wolf whined before all the hair went away and the wolf was now Helia, the second female teenage wolf and Jaycee cousin, her aunt Colleen and Tristan daughter. She was young, only fifteen. She looked scared and frighten as she crawled backwards away from Carmina.

She chuckled, “Curious little wolf you are. Such a gorgeous young girl you are. You have that famous Russo thick brown wavy hair.”

“Carmina!” I coldly said. “Leave Helia alone. Why’d you bring her in here?” She had gone outside once another one showed up and she knew it wasn’t Jaycee, so I wanted to know why she brought her in here!

“Look at her.” she said, looking at Helia who had her back pressed against the wall of the barn, giving her hard cold glares. The way she looked at her, it only looked like she was admiring her, “Look at how youthful and beautiful she is.”

“How’d you do that?” she said, baring her teeth at her. “How’d you turn me back? Only I can do that.”

“Look at your body.’ Carmina said, tilting her head. “So young, everything just perfect.”

“Stop it.” I coldly said to her. “You’re scaring her!”

“Wolves don’t get embarrassed of their bodies.” Carmina said. She walked over towards Helia and bent down. Helia jerked as Carmina reached out and traced Helia chin with her finger. “Jaycee isn’t the only beautiful one in the family. Look at those amazing cheek bones.”

Helia eyes soften than as she stared at Carmina and my eyes widen. I shook my head, holding my hand out as I started to get up, “No, Helia don’t loo—ahh.” I hissed as pain flared threw my chest.

“So young, you should be grateful.” Carmina said. “They say appearance isn’t everything and beauty is on the inside. They’re wrong, beauty is about what’s on the outside little one. You are completely beautiful and it’s unfair for me.”

Panting and panicking as I watched the tan color from Helia cheek turn pale and her cheeks started to get hallow.

(Jaycee)

“Dad, I should do it.” I said, taking his hand.

“No!” he protested as he pulled away so I wouldn’t do any magic. “I can do it, I just need to focus and—“

“Focusing isn’t doing anything.” I said. “I know you don’t want me to do it, but I have to. I’m stronger. That barn isn’t gonna go up on itself. Helia is in there, you can smell her.”

“I’m not gonna let you do it.” he coldly said.

“She’s the only one who can truly do it though.” Troy said. “I know as a father it concerns you, but my son is also in there. I can start the fire, she just needs to engulf it and hold it as long as she can for you to go inside and get them out.

“No.” my dad said stubbornly. “You’re not gonna risk your life Jaycee—“

“Will you please stop yelling.” we heard behind us and we turned to look to see Uncle Shay coming towards us. Actually, everyone was coming towards us. All my uncles and Aunt Lena. All my cousins who were wolves already. “Usually you’re calm under pressure, Scott.”

My dad sighed heavily, “What are you doing here?”

“Jaycee can’t do it and it seems like you can’t either.” Aunt Lena said, walking over towards us. She looked at the barn, frowning, “Our niece is in there, Scott. We’re getting her out, along with Hermes.”

“We’re gonna set that barn on fire.” Ace said. He looked at me seriously, “I know you think I hated the whole magic thing, but it isn’t as bad as I thought. Just let us help you. It shouldn’t be hard now, right?”

“Killing this witch doesn’t seem like it’s going to be easy either.” Uncle Skyler said. “One of her and more than a dozen of us? I don’t think it should be hard.”

There’s only one way.” I said. “Fire. We have to trap her in there. Build the fire up enough that she won’t be able to control it. But guys, I wouldn’t even know how long I could control the flames. Some of ya’ll won’t even made a little baseball flash light.”

“Oh have more faith in us.” Uncle Tristan said. He didn’t sound very sarcastic as it would sound like, but more coldly. He was frustrated and I can understand why. “Just tell us the spell, we’re just wasting time out here arguing. We can do it, trust us.”

I looked at Troy and he looked uncertain, “It is true, Jaycee. With all of them, you’ll be able to leave the circle and go inside. Carmina fear is fire, she’ll be more vulnerable.”

“That means Jaycee will end up killing her.” my dad said. “You want my daughter to commit murder.”

“I don’t see any other way of getting rid of Carmina.” Troy said. “As high as she is, her powers won’t be taken away like it would for me. She is a very powerful witch, Scott. Killing her is our only option.”

“That’s to much pressure to put on a child—“

“We’ll figure something out when the times come.” I said, cutting my dad off and he didn’t look happy I did. “Dad, I’m sorry but like Uncle Tristan said—we’re wasting time. We just need to move along.”

Troy spoke before my dad could, “Gather in a circle, please.” He looked at me serious, “Don’t think about it.”

(Hermes)

Carmina smiled happily as she looked into of the pocket mirror, running her fingers across her slim cheek, “I always thought the full look gave me youth appearance but the high cheeks bone do look quite nice. Don’t you agree?”

I looked back at Helia who was laying on the ground in a fetal position, shivering a little. She had on my blue t-shirt, but the strength from her wolf wasn’t so strong. She was alive and could easily recover from this, but Carmina didn’t just want her nice cheekbones Helia could have died. Carmina would have taken everything.

I looked up at the skylight in the barn, seeing the night sky. I licked my nervous lips, wondering how much longer this was going to take. I was usually good at staying calm, but my nerves were all over the place. Nothing I could do would protect us from Carmina. She’s way to powerful for me to fight against her.

Something smelled that broke me out of my thoughts. My eyebrow furrowed together for a second before I recognized the smell of burning wood. I looked around, looking for the source of the smell as I stood up slowly.

Suddenly as if someone light a match, the walls of the barn combusted into flames. I stepped back, taking in a sharp breath as I looked around. Helia screamed, crawling away from the wall she was near. My wide eyes only grew since it was like déjà vu hit me in the face. I heard that scream earlier in school. What I saw in the water was happening right now.

I heard a frustrated huffed and I watched as Carmina angrily looked at the walls. She then relaxed her shoulder and laughed, but it was humorless, “She must not be doing this alone. How cute.” She turned around, “Fucking bitch.”

I bent down and waved for Helia to come towards me. She quickly did and I put my arms around her and we looked up at the walls burning. We both soon started to cough and I stared up at the skylight, closing my eyes tightly since they started to water.

(Jaycee)

I held my hands out and the fire parted enough for space for me. I brought my foot up and kicked at the burnt wall. It easily broke until I made it big enough for me to crawl in. I quickly crawled in and Nikki came in behind me since my dad didn’t feel comfortable unless someone came with me.

We looked to our right and saw at the end of the barn Hermes and Helia. They both looked us and Helia looked terribly scared. I turned to run over towards them, but only Nikki feet seemed to work. Mine didn’t because I had this bad feeling in my stomach. My back stiffen when I felt like a pair of eyes were watching me. My stomach turned as I hesitantly looked up.

Carmina knocked me to the ground with her telekinesis and she held me down there. When I tried to get back up, some invisible thing was holding me down. It was like a heavy weight pressing down onto my chest.  

Carmina came down from one of the wooden rails. She landed on her feet perfectly on her toes, standing like a ballerina. She smiled as she walked over towards me, “You’re just always so cute, Jaycee. You so innocent and a nice girl.”

“Why couldn’t you just have leaved me alone?” I hissed. “What have I ever done to you?”

“Nothing.” she said. “You’re soul—you’re whole family souls. They’re a way for me to become immortal. Slowly stealing your youth would keep my appearance for a moment but I’ve come to prediction that I can just stop,” she said, popping the ‘p’ and snapping her fingers. “By taking your soul.”

“My family aren’t immortals though!” I yelled. “You’re crazy!”

“It’s worth a try. I can help spread the word. I’ll be known to come with up with a new spell. It comes with a high price and it’s a poor wolf soul.” she said, tsking as if she really care if I died.

“I thought Lucinda was crazy, you’re worse.” I said.

She pressed her mouth together firmly. I felt something sting against my cheek and like I’ve been slapped, my face was turned by some force. I cried out in pain, the right side of my cheek burned as if I was cut. With her mind, she kicked me on the side and I was able to turn on my side, breathing heavily.

“Please don’t call me crazy.” Carmina said. “It’s rude.”

I was kicked in my back and I gasped, taking in hard breaths. I heard grunting noises and I turned my head back to see Nikki being held down onto the ground, his hands clawing at his throat but I quickly realized it looked like he was trying to pull something.

“No.” I said. “Carmina, don’t! You want me, just leave my family out of this.” She didn’t at first, but soon Nikki took in deep breaths. He rolled on his side and he propped himself up on his elbow. I saw his eyes darken from their golden brown color to black and I gasped, “Nikki no—“ but it was too late, he turned into a wolf.

He started to charge forward but in the corner of my eyes I saw Hermes getting up and he ran himself into Nikki, tackling him down onto the ground before Nikki could attack. Hermes quickly got off, grunting in pain, “She’ll kill you.”

Carmina came into my attention and reaching down, she grabbed me from the t-shirt I had on, lifting me up. “I tried everything to give you the best experiences.  I wanted to be able to teach you everything I could, but you wouldn’t.”

“I don’t need you.” I said.

She snorted, something that didn’t seem to fit her appearance but I’m pretty sure on the inside she’s hideous, “Of course you do.” she said. “You’re nothing without me.”

I reached my hands up, wrapping them around her slim wrists, “I doubt that.” I coldly said.

Her eyes quickly widen and pain filled them. Her mouth opened and she screamed, throwing me away. She cried in pain down at her badly wounded burned wrist. I remembered what Troy said about not thinking and everything I was scared, I close my eyes, “Combustion.” I whispered.

I heard her screaming and my eyes opened. I cried in horror as I watched her on fire. My hands came up to my mouth as I stood up, tears sliding down my face. I should have thought more about this. My dad was right, this was too much pressure on me and I couldn’t kill her because all I wanted to do now was stop the fire but I didn’t know how as I stepped towards her.

Someone grabbed me and turned me away from the seen. Hermes put his arms around me, bring his hand up to my eyes, “Don’t watch.” he said, pressing his mouth against the top of my head. “Don’t watch, Jaycee. It’ll be harder.”

Shaking in his arms, I squeezed my eyes. I brought my hands up, muffling the sounds of her screaming that only lasted a few seconds but it felt like forever.