Hold Tight (The Embrace Series) (35 page)

“You wouldn’t!” I jumped up to follow her.

“Isaac’s not the only person I’d like to see flap their arms.” She stopped long enough to demonstrate.

I hurried to keep up with her quick stride. “You heard us earlier?”

“Oh yeah, and I was sorry he stopped you from requesting it.”

Figured she’d remember my aversion to making a fool of myself.

We found the guys right where we’d left them, and I grabbed Isaac’s hand. “Hurry because Kaylee’s threatening to request the Chicken Dance if we don’t start to enjoy ourselves.”

My talk with Kaylee did help lift some of the burden of what I’d done from my shoulders. One of my favorite songs came on too. I raised my arms over my head and let the music fill me, relaxing my tense nerves. Isaac shuffled his feet, sighing in what sounded like relief when the deejay announced the next song would be a slow one and the last song of the night.

When my smile faltered, Kaylee tucked her hands in her armpits, flapped her elbows, and said, “I bet with a bewilderment spell I could get the deejay to play one more song.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter when she moved her head back and forth in a pecking motion. Thankfully, I escaped the gym without having to imitate poultry.

After the dance, Isaac drove me home and walked with me to the front porch. I peeked in the side window before opening the door. No glow of light coming from the family room meant Dad was upstairs asleep.

“Do you want to come in?” I asked.

“Won’t your dad mind?” He peered over my shoulder.

“He’s already in bed.”

“Then I’d love to.” He swept me off my feet and used his powers to close the front door. I stifled a giggle as he carried me into the family room.

“He’s still right upstairs,” I whispered when Isaac playfully dropped me on the couch.

He lay half next to me and half over me, his arms keeping his weight from crushing me. “Shall I put him in an enchanted sleep? Buy us time?”

“Isaac!”

“I’m kidding.” He ran a line of kisses over my collarbone.

As much as I loved being able to be close to Isaac, I wasn’t in the mood to make out. Not after the night I’d had. I shifted so that I was cradled in his arms instead. He didn’t ask why, although I think he knew there was more to the events with Caden than I’d let on, and I was thankful he didn’t push for answers. I’d tell him the truth, maybe tomorrow. Maybe in a week. Or sometime after that.

Until then, as promised to Kaylee, I wanted to remain focused on the here and now and not the past. Held tight in Isaac’s embrace, I felt safe, like the rest of the world couldn’t reach me. I clung to that feeling, needing it to help me accept the things I couldn’t change.

And tomorrow, when Isaac was gone and I was alone with my thoughts, I’d remember the things I did change and the people I did save. And never again would I cast without fully understanding the consequences.

No, that’s not a promise. After all, I am human.

Chapter 30

Life Goes On

A week had passed since the dance. I still hated myself for removing the ward from that woman’s house, even though I knew I couldn’t have saved her. She had helped her daughter cheat death and gave her a second chance at life. I knew she wouldn’t regret her decision, and I’d be lying if I said I regretted making the deal I had to save Chase.

Natalie hadn’t contacted Lauren again. I wondered if Natalie even remembered the people she’d left behind anymore. When Lauren’s texts to her went unanswered, she surmised it was because Natalie had ditched her cell phone. Kaylee and I wondered how long it would take for her disappointment to turn to anger.

We could only imagine what Natalie’s parents were going through, so to ease some of their pain, we cast a bewilderment spell on them. We didn’t take away their memories or convince them they were fine—no one is fine after a loss like that—but we did give them a boost of mental strength to help them move through each day, using our powers to convince them that Natalie would want them to live their lives.

“Maddie! Help me!”

Chase stood on the bright red platform at the park with his arms stretched above his head.

I leaped off the swinging bridge, landing next to him. “But the lava will get me!” I replied with mock horror.

“You’ll be protected!”

It was too cold to be outside without gloves and mittens, but Chase had begged me to take him to the park. “One last game of Hot Lava. Please!” he’d said, his little hands pressed together as if in prayer and his big hazel eyes staring up at me.

No way could he hold on to the monkey bars while wearing mittens, so I held his legs tighter than I normally would and helped him swing to the other side.

“He’s got a lot of energy,” someone said from behind me.

I turned to find Caden, his one hand holding a lit cigarette and the other in the pocket of his pea coat.

“This is a park.” I gave a pointed look at the cigarette. “There are children playing.”

“Always the do-gooder.” He bent down and snuffed it out, then flicked it into a nearby trash can.

I hopped onto the platform before Chase could tell me I was being burned alive. Caden followed.

I looked at my brother. “Chase, why don’t you go steer the boat. I’ll be right there.” Once Chase was through the yellow tube-bridge, I looked at Caden. “What do you want?”

He leaned against one of the posts. “To see how you’re doing.”

“You know, you’re killing the whole heartless-demon image I’ve had all my life by pretending you care.”

“Who said I’m pretending?”

I pulled the sleeves of my ski jacket as far over my hands as they would go. I really didn’t need a demon looking out for me, yet I didn’t want to say something to upset him and make him my enemy.

When I didn’t say anything, Caden added, “I know what I asked of you was difficult.”

“It was.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of upsetting me. “But I’m dealing.”

“I see.” He pulled the collar of his coat up. “By playing outside in this freezing weather?”

“Do you even feel the cold?”

“Not really, but I know you do.”

I pointed with my chin to where Chase sat crossed-legged pretending to steer us through the sea of lava. “I promised him we’d come one last time before it snowed.”

Caden followed my gaze. “He’s lucky to have you.”

“Any sister would have done the same thing.”

“Offer to give up their life for their bratty little brother’s?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’d be surprised at just how wrong you are.”

Maybe, but maybe not. “So will you be leaving? For now?”

I hoped he would. Seeing him made it that much harder to put the past behind me.

He stuffed both hands into his coat pockets. “Your father’s short an employee already with Reed disappearing and all. I figured I’d continue to work with him until the doctor’s office is finished. Two, three weeks tops. And I have my real work here.”

“You still have to keep an eye on Ben.”

“That and people are always finding my crossroad.”

“I don’t suppose you’d leave if I asked you to.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Hell would only send a replacement. Besides, it’s better to live near the demon you know.”

Unless the demon you know had set your boyfriend on fire and said boyfriend would like nothing more than to send said demon back to hell, but I didn’t say that out loud. Instead I said, “I’ve got to go,” and indicated with my shoulder to Chase.

“See you around,” Caden replied with a nod goodbye.

I half-waved and thought,
God, I hope not.
I knew I would, though. Eventually, he’d have another task for me. I swore I heard Caden stifle a chuckle as he walked away.

I crawled through the tube-bridge and joined my brother. “How’s the sea today?”

“It’s too windy for our ship.”

“It is?” It really wasn’t. Had it been blustery, we would have been at home drinking hot chocolate in front of a warm fire.

“Yeah, don’t you feel it?”

The breeze picked up, yanking my hood off. I looked at Chase in awe.

He smiled. “Told you!”

I put an arm around him, not commenting on the change in weather. If Chase had stirred the air, he didn’t realize it. But he would one day, and I still wasn’t sure how I’d handle a little brother with powers. For now, at least, I used mine to warm the air around us and peered into the horizon, glad we had a future to look forward to.

Acknowledgments

This is one of my favorite parts of publishing a novel, because I get to thank the people who I’ve been blessed to have in my life.

Vince, the person who hears most of my ramblings while I’m conjuring new stories yet never complains and often offers suggestions and guidance. Mom and Dad, whose belief in me never waivers. I couldn’t ask for better parents. Pam, whose advice and encouraging words are always appreciated and valued. Kyle, Cory, William, and Ethan, who may not know it but have contributed to many of my characters’ personality traits.

My readers, whose positive reviews and letters regarding Embrace encouraged me to write this sequel.

My phenomenal editor, Colleen Keough Wagner. This novel definitely wouldn’t be what it is without her vision, deep understanding of the characters, and keen eye for detail. She truly is amazing, and I’m honored to have been able to work with her on a second novel. My publicist, Traci Olsen, who managed to remain calm even when I wasn’t. I’m sure there were times I drove her crazy, but she never admitted it. Grateful thanks to Omnific Publishing and the entire
HT
Team.

Kym Brunner, Katie Sparks, Pippa Bayliss, and Veronica Rundell—my critique partners and good friends who have helped me through the different stages of writing the sequel. My SCBWI critique groups, whose comments on the earlier drafts were invaluable. I’m lucky to be surrounded by so many talented writers.

Special thanks to C.J. Cantilena, winner in the Vote to Win contest, and runner-ups Alexis Peplow and Dave Martinez for helping to name one of the new characters in
Hold Tight
. Their suggestions were selected out of the numerous entries, and then readers voted for their favorite. Thanks to everyone who participated in the event. You made it a lot of fun!

About the Author

Cherie believes there’s a little magic in everyone. She also believes in following her dreams and never giving up. Her books are proof of that.

Besides writing, Cherie enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, the great outdoors, and she loves a challenge. While she has had many great experiences, what she finds most satisfying is seeing her children and stories grow into their own exciting and distinct entities.

Cherie lives in Illinois with her family. This is her second book for young adults. To learn more about Cherie and her novels, visit CherieColyer.com.

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