Claimed by the Beast Bundle (27 page)

Chapter 8

Stephanie drove down the same road she’d followed Crystal and her pack on Saturday morning. She glanced at Crystal with wide eyes. “This is where you were going on Saturday!”

Crystal nodded.

“Why? What’s in the swamp? And what’s that have to do with you running like a track star today? Was Jen right—was Chad after you?”

“Whoa,” Crystal said. “That’s a lot of questions.”

Stephanie’s eyes rounded and she swallowed loud enough for Crystal to hear. “Sorry, I just don’t get it.”

“No, that’s fair,” Crystal admitted. “Um, yes, we were going to the swamp and—”

“I can’t believe you didn’t get hurt!” Steph interrupted. “You flew through the air and bounced! It looked terrible!”

Crystal winced. “It stung, but, uh, it looked worse than it was. Soft ground, I guess.”

“Oh, okay.”

Crystal stared at her, shocked that Stephanie would accept that weak answer. “So the swamp, um, I needed to go and meet somebody.”

“What? Like something secret? Why?”

“Sort of, but, uh, she lives there.”

“She?”

Crystal nodded. “Yes, she. She’s, um, a witch.”

Stephanie took her eyes off the road long enough to make Crystal clear her throat to remind her she was driving. The cheerleader pulled her car back into her lane and asked, “A witch? Like, a real witch? You don’t believe that stuff, do you?”

“I didn’t use to,” she said. “But now I don’t have a choice.”

“What? Are you—” Stephanie caught herself and changed her question. “Why not?”

Crystal took a deep breath before admitting, “I put a spell on you, I guess.”

Stephanie stared at her again. “You did what? What kind of spell?”

Crystal glanced up at the soft top of the car and sighed. “A love spell.”

Stephanie stared ahead, her jaw clenching and relaxing in time with the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening and smoothing. Emotions played over her face that Crystal could barely begin to guess at. Fear? Anger? Excitement? Lust? She shuddered and decided it would be better to hear what Stephanie said rather than try to guess what she was feeling.

“I don’t love you,” Stephanie finally said.

“You don’t?”

“No.” Stephanie shook her head.

“But you said you trust me completely.”

“Because you’re a good person. Clueless, but good.” Stephanie frowned and spared her a glance. “Or I thought you were. So now you’re telling me you’re a witch?”

“No, I’m not. I could have been, I guess, but I turned it down.”

“You turned—okay, this is getting really weird. I’m sorry, Crys, but I think maybe you hit your head when you got in that crash the other day.”

Crystal chuckled. “I did. Hard, but that’s not it.”

“Then what is it? I’m sorry, this is too much for me. I mean, I respect your beliefs even if my folks would probably try to hold an exorcism or burn you at the stake, but it’s just crazy!”

Crystal nodded. “I know. Trust me, I know.”

“Then why are you—”

“Steph, do you still trust me?”

“Um, I don’t know. Should I?”

“No, probably not.”

Stephanie laughed. “How can you be that honest and expect me not to trust you?”

Crystal saw the humor and allowed a smile. She knew it was real, but she didn’t know how to prove it without scaring Stephanie bad enough to get them in an accident. Then again, that might not work either; she had no idea how to shift. And Guntar and Adrian had insisted norms, like Stephanie, couldn’t know anything about them. She groaned.

“What’s wrong? I mean, um, other than the obvious.”

Crystal nodded. It was screwed up. An idea popped into her head that might just work. “This is pretty screwed up. I didn’t know what I was doing—I guess I had some natural talent. Maybe I still do, I don’t know. But I turned it down. I don’t want to be a witch.”

“Trying to make me love you sounds kind of witchy.”

“I still think it worked. You changed after that kiss.”

Stephanie blushed. “You opened my eyes. We’d kissed before, but that was me being a bitch to you. I’m really sorry about that, by the way.”

Crystal waved the apology away even though she was beginning to believe it. “So why was it different that time?”

“Because of how it felt. Because I felt real passion. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever felt before. I came close one time with a boy—he was a really good kisser—but you rocked my world.”

“And you wouldn’t leave me alone after that,” Crystal pointed out.

“Well duh!” Stephanie laughed. “You just proved to me that either I was going to hell or everything my mom and dad have been pounding into my head about gays and lesbians was wrong. I didn’t have anyone else to talk to about it. And if you felt that way, maybe there was something more between us.”

“What about Beth?” Crystal asked without thinking. She held up her hand to stop Stephanie before she could even open her mouth to respond. “No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

Stephanie’s razored eyebrows drew together. “Why not?”

“Beth’s my best friend. She told me she has a crush on me, but I don’t like her. Not like that, I mean.”

Stephanie nodded. “All’s fair in love and war.”

“What?”

Stephanie chuckled. “Come on, I’ve screwed around. Usually it’s just fun sex, you know. I’m into the guy, but not crazy in love with him or anything. Those are the times when you shouldn’t screw up somebody else’s relationship. But if it’s real—if you really feel something for someone—well, that’s different. Maybe that person is happy and maybe they’re not. Maybe they’d be happier with you. Or with me. Whatever.”

“Slut,” Crystal muttered.

Stephanie frowned. “Really? Slut? Come on, it’s twenty fourteen—if you don’t like sex, there’s something wrong with you.”

Crystal blinked and turned away. The conversation was not going where she wanted it to. She needed to steer it back, but Stephanie had some interesting thoughts. She didn’t agree with them, but she could understand why the blond thought that way. “So, uh, since Beth and I aren’t a thing–”

“She sure does act like it though,” Stephanie said. “She’s more devoted to you than Kevin Pickner was to me last year.”

Crystal frowned. Kevin was a year older than they were. A year older and a really smart guy. For six weeks, Stephanie had twisted him around her finger before she broke it off and sent him into a depression so bad he almost ruined his scholarship.

Crystal pushed the reminder of the evil bitch version of Stephanie away after a few seconds and decided to get back on course. “So, um, you’re not in love with me?”

Stephanie laughed. “You were my first girl. First real girl. That’s always special.”

“You’ve kissed some fake girls? Blow-up dolls?”

“No!” Stephanie burst out laughing. “I meant first real girl kiss. Not something I did to turn on some guys or mess with people. You’re an awesome kisser.”

Crystal knew she should have been shocked by Stephanie’s admission but she pushed it aside. She was too tired and had too much ahead of her to deal with. “Thanks. I think it worked. The spell, I mean. I wasn’t trying to and I feel bad about it, but I think I turned you in to a lesbian by accident.”

“I am
not
a lesbian! I mean, I still like boys. Maybe I’m bisexual, but I think I’m just experimenting,” Stephanie snapped. “So if you cast some kind of spell on me—and I don’t think you did—it didn’t work very good.”

The memory of Ember dressed up and heading off for her date with Stephanie flashed through her head. She almost asked about it, challenging Stephanie’s declaration, but she shook her head instead. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.”

“You started it.”

She sighed. “I know. I’m tired. Look, what I did to you, whether you believe it or not, I did to Chad Dixon too.”

Stephanie’s jaw dropped and she turned to stare at her. Crystal rolled her eyes and pointed at the road ahead of them.

“And he’s after me. You were after me, but I could deal with you. Chad, he’s a lot worse off. He won’t take no for an answer.”

“He never would,” Stephanie muttered.

Crystal’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not arguing with me about this one.”

“Ever since you tried to slap some sense into him, Chad’s been obsessed with you,” Stephanie admitted. “He was pushy before, but with you it’s different. He’s acting crazy and I’ve even caught him trying to hide a boner a few times when he was talking about you.”

“Yeah, that didn’t work so well,” Crystal said. It had nothing to do with why Chad was after her, but it tied everything together. “So I need help from the witch in the swamp. She helped me with you.”

“She did what? What about me?”

“She explained what I did to you,” Crystal hurried to explain. “And I think she might have done something to make it stop. Come on, you haven’t been as crazy about me since this weekend.”

Stephanie opened and closed her mouth. She frowned. “Fine, but I still call bullshit.”

Crystal nodded. “That’s okay. But come with me and meet her, that way we can be sure.”

“This is crazy.”

“You’ll see it’s not. I mean, it is, but it’s real.”

Stephanie spared a glance and shook her head. Crystal was afraid she was refusing until she sighed a moment later and agreed. “Fine, but only because you suck at manipulating people because you’re too honest.”

Crystal wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an insult. “Um—”

Stephanie laughed. “It means maybe I believe a little bit of it. I can’t help but want to hang out with you and there’s not much you can do for me, so there must be something more to it.”

“Wow,” Crystal breathed. “You know how cold-hearted you make yourself sound?”

Stephanie nodded. “I do, and that’s why I’m telling you that this time there’s more to it. I really like you. I mean, it’s genuine. I haven’t wanted to be close to someone like this since I was a kid.”

Crystal raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, obviously the spell didn’t work.”

Stephanie pressed her lips together and shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s go meet this crazy old bat.”

Crystal laughed and saw the roadside park coming up and pointed towards it. Instead of warning her that Clover didn’t look much older than they were, she said, “There. Pull in and we’ll get ready.”

“Get ready?”

“It’s not an easy trip through the swamp.”

Stephanie’s eyes narrowed. She pulled into a parking spot and asked, “Why not?

“She’s surrounded by water and she’s got the only boat.”

“What? Then how—”

“We had to take off our clothes and swim there last time.”

Stephanie’s eyes widened.

“Trust me,” Crystal said and had to fight a smile when she saw Stephanie’s face relax.

Chapter 9

“Oh hell no,” Stephanie muttered when Crystal walked to the edge of the parking lot and took her first step through some weeds. “Do you know how much these shoes cost?”

Crystal turned around and looked down at her feet. She hadn’t put her shoes back on yet.

Stephanie stared at her and frowned. She looked down at her skintight jeggings and then back up. “You’ve got a dress you can pull up—there’s no pulling these up!”

“I told you what we did last time.”

Stephanie’s eyes widened. “You were serious?”

Crystal nodded. She wasn’t naked, but the others were. Stephanie didn’t need the details, though.

“So help me God, if there’s somebody with a camera in this swamp or if you leave me stranded, I will make your life hell!”

Crystal almost backed up a step from the fierce blond’s threat. She remembered herself and what she’d gone through and jerked her eyes back up. “You’ve made my life hell long enough,” Crystal pointed out. “Why would that be any different?”

Stephanie’s breath caught in her throat and she dropped her gaze first. “I’m sorry,” she admitted. “I didn’t realize.”

“Didn’t realize what?”

“How nice you are. Everybody always talked about how quiet and helpful you are. It was frustrating; you never did anything wrong and never realized it.”

“So you were a bitch just to hurt me?” Crystal frowned and felt a tingle of heat in her chest. She fought the urge to tighten her hands into fists. After all, Stephanie was admitting what she’d done. It was a step in the right direction, but not enough. “Maybe you should try being one too sometime.”

“What? I am! I mean, I’m helping you out. And not screwing with you anymore,” she protested. “And I’m doing it because I want to, not because you cast some magic spell on me. And don’t expect me to kiss some stupid frog in this swamp either!”

Crystal snorted a laugh at the unexpected demand. Stephanie’s eyes widened and she laughed with her. The two shared a moment of giggling like the school girls they’d once been before a mosquito buzzing past Stephanie’s ear ruined the moment.

“Okay,” Stephanie said before she slipped her tennis shoes and socks off. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“Neither can I,” Crystal admitted and turned to walk deeper into the weeds and onto the spongy ground of the swamp. She glanced back when she heard a curse and saw Stephanie sneering as she stared down at her feet.

“This is nasty,” Stephanie said. “Oh God, it’s squishing between my toes!”

Crystal glanced down at herself and smirked. She thought it felt good. Cool and slimy, but it made her skin tingle. “You need to get in touch with nature,” Crystal teased her.

Stephanie glared at her but kept her thoughts to herself. Her nostrils flared and she started forward, walking slowly and trying to find the firmest ground to walk on. A fresh grimace or whimper occurred with almost every step.

Once Stephanie caught up to her, Crystal turned and led the way deeper into the swamp. She glanced about, looking for landmarks and found herself sniffing the air. She was getting better at ignoring the bad smells of rotting plants and natural gases bubbling to the surface and focused on using what she saw and what she smelled to guide her.

“Oh God!” Stephanie screamed.

Crystal crouched as she spun and saw Stephanie backing away from a tree with vines hanging from it. She slipped and windmilled her arms to try to catch her balance. Water coated in green slime lurked behind the cheerleader.

Crystal threw herself forward. She grunted as she felt something crunch in her feet and had to reach down with her right hand to keep from overbalancing and hitting the ground. She jammed her fingers into the soft ground, making it sting like she’d been stung by a dozen hornets. She ignored it and caught Stephanie in the crook of her arm as she started to fall backwards towards the water.

Crystal’s foot splashed at the edge of the water but she was out of it before the displaced water rushed back in to fill the depression she’d made in it. She slowed to a halt and turned to steady Stephanie and make sure her feet were on the ground. She let go and saw Stephanie spin around to stare at her and then behind both of them, at the scummy looking water she’d nearly fallen in.

She twirled back and pointed at the tree with the vines. “Snake!” she squealed.

Crystal looked down at her hand, fearing she’d been bitten by a snake herself. Her fingers were contorted and, as she turned it slowly, they looked unnatural. Dark hair sprouted from the back of her fingers and her fingernails were elongated and curved to sharp points. She gasped and felt the same stinging sensation flare before the nails shortened and the hair faded back into her skin.

“Crystal,” Stephanie asked. “Are you okay? Oh my God, I almost fell in the water! There might be more snakes or alligators! Holy shit! You caught me! Thank you!”

A jolt of liquid fire burst in her feet and flared up her legs to her spine. She hissed and forced herself to turn. She didn’t need to look to know what was happening.

“Crys?”

“I’m fine,” Crystal lied. Or almost lied. Already the pain was fading and she felt the cool mud squishing between her human looking toes. “Are you okay?”

“What? Okay? Um, I guess so. I mean, this is crazy! What are we doing here? This isn’t safe! I almost grabbed that snake. What is it, a cottonmouth or something?”

Crystal looked at the snake hanging from the tree. She sniffed as the snake’s tongue flicked the air. They were testing each other. The snake was a female. She wasn’t sure what kind, but she didn’t smell anything dangerous like venom. A cottonmouth was one of the most venomous snakes Arkansas had to offer, and naturally the first one Stephanie thought of. “No, probably a water snake or milk snake or something.”

“Oh,” she said. Stephanie hugged her arms to herself and shuddered. “It’s still gross!”

Crystal shrugged. She wasn’t a big snake lover herself but she didn’t see anything wrong with it. She licked her lips and turned back to Stephanie. “Try to be more careful.”

“Fuck this!” Stephanie snapped. “Let’s go back. I’m going back. Are you coming?”

“Steph, wait!” Crystal said as Stephanie turned to leave. Crystal hesitated before she said, “I need you. Please.”

Stephanie turned back to look at her. She glanced at the tree with the snake that was crawling back up into the branches and then at the water. “Are you serious? About the water?”

Crystal nodded. “It’s only waist deep.”

“I am
not
getting back in my car with my nasty muddy pants!”

Crystal rolled her eyes and sighed. She reached down and grabbed the bottom of her sundress and yanked it up and over her head in a single move. She wadded it up in her hand and held her arms out to stand in front of Stephanie in her bra and underwear.

“Holy shit,” Stephanie said. She let out a laugh and shook her head. “How did you lose so much weight? You look awesome! I can’t believe you—what happened to your stomach? I don’t remember hearing anything about that?”

Crystal shrugged. “I was attacked by a dog when I was younger,” she said. It wasn’t exactly a lie. She had been younger a few days ago and the dog that attacked her was her. Dog, wolf—whatever.

“I had no idea.”

“Nobody does,” Crystal said.

“Not even Beth?”

“Yes, Beth does.”

Stephanie scowled. “Of course.”

“You want something just between us?” Crystal asked her.

Stephanie bit her lip and nodded.

Crystal fixed her gaze on Stephanie’s eyes and said, “Then take off your pants and come with me. Beth’s never been here.”

Stephanie gasped and brought her hand up to her mouth. “You’re serious?”

Crystal nodded.

Stephanie stared a moment longer and then shook her head. She reached down to her waist and started unbuckling her rhinestone-studded belt. “I better not get bitten by anything!”

Crystal smirked. “Not even me?”

The cheerleader’s eyes widened. “What? You said—”

“I’m messing with you.”

Stephanie’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to you being nice?”

Crystal laughed. “Maybe you’ve been rubbing off on me some?”

Stephanie harrumphed and unbuttoned her pants. She pushed them down and swept her underwear with them. “That figures,” she said and stepped out of them one foot at a time to keep from getting them dirty.

Crystal sniffed subconsciously and smelled Stephanie’s scent. She shook her head and blew out her nose to try and push the smell away. Stephanie’s musk felt natural in the swamp. She was aroused.

“What do I do with these?” Stephanie asked as she finished taking her shirt and bra off. She held her clothes crumpled in a ball in front of her hips.

Crystal tucked her dress under her arm and finished slipping her underwear off. She added them to her bundle and said, “You can put them back on when we get out of the water. Unless you want to meet the witch naked.”

“Fuck that!”

Crystal smirked. “Thought so. Come on then, it’s not much farther.”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Crystal nodded. Neither could she.