Wickford High 2 - Furiously Tempted (6 page)

Luke picked up his own hamburger.
Me neither.

Vicky gazed into the mirror, putting the finishing touches to her hair, when she heard a knock at the front door. She glanced at the clock. It was a few minutes before six.

“I’ll get it, Pumpkin,” her father called .

She left her room to stand at the top of the stairs. “Okay, Dad.”

Mr. Phillips opened the door. “Phoebe,” he remarked, sounding somewhat shocked, “what are you doing here?”

Vicky frowned, backing up against the wall out of sight. “Phoebe,” she repeated under her breath. “What’s she doing here?” Her eyes grew wide. “How does Dad know her?” She crouched down, spying between the spindles of the railing. She drew in a sharp breath as her mouth dropped open. “She’s in street clothes. Where’s her habit?”

Phoebe smiled coyly from the open doorway. “Why, Ryan, aren’t you going to invite me in?”

He looked over his shoulder but did not seem to see her hiding at the top of the stairs. He let out a slow, resigned breath. “Sure, why not.”

I’ll tell you why not.
Vicky clutched the railing, trying to keep her breaths slow and even—and quiet.

“Come on back to my study, and we’ll talk,” he remarked in a shaky voice, turning to walk away. “Follow me.”

Phoebe brushed past him, charging into the house. “I know where the study is,”

she remarked in a demeaning tone. “I grew up in this house, remember?”

“Yeah, I had momentarily forgotten that.”

Vicky gripped the spindles until her hands shook from the force as she observed them at the bottom of the stairs. “She grew up in this house?” She shook her head.

“Mom grew up in this house.” The color drained from her face. “Oh, God, we’re related.”

Phoebe smiled up at Ryan, took his hand. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

She pulled him into the study, shutting the door behind them Vicky paced back and forth a few times. She turned her face up to the heavens, splaying her hands. “God, tell me what to do,” she pleaded.

Vicky? What’s wrong?

She jumped her heart racing.
What?

Babe, it’s me, Luke. I can feel your panic. Tell me what’s wrong?

Oh, Luke! Sister Phoebe is in my house right now with my dad.

What?

She’s in his study right now, behind closed doors. What am I going to do?

You don’t think that she’s there to tell your dad about the spider thing do you?

I don’t know–maybe. But here’s the weird thing: she showed up here in street clothes,
and I overheard them. She grew up in this house. My mom did, too. That means we must be
related somehow.

Where are you now?

I’m standing like a dummy at the top of the stairs.

On
my way. Sneak downstairs and see if you can overhear anything.

She tiptoed down, avoiding the squeaky center of the third step from the top, pausing at the bottom to listen. She could hear muffled voices coming from the office.

Walking up to the door, she pressed her eye up to the old fashioned keyhole.

“I’ll have to admit, Phoebe, I am surprised to see you,” Vicky's father remarked, pausing. “Tell me, why are you here?”

She sat down in a chair in front of the desk. “Don’t be that way. I can remember a time when you wouldn’t ask me a question like that.”

He sat down in his chair behind the desk, folding his hands in his lap. “You’re right. You used to live here . . . but . . . that was then, and this is now. A lot has changed over the years, including me.”

She smiled patiently. “Haven’t we all.”

He cocked his head to the side. “I thought you were in a convent somewhere in Utah.”

Her eyes took on an icy glare. “I was for a few years,” she spat sharply. “I only joined the convent because you rejected me.” She stood up, pacing the room in agitation. “We had a child you know.” His mouth dropped open. “The church took her from me and made me give her up for adoption. I left for the convent after the baby was born. Our daughter resides right here in this town.”

Vicky sucked in a shocked breath, pressing her eye closer to the door for a better view.

“That’s impossible! We never slept together!”

She smiled slyly. “Yes, we did. I knew you were in love with my sister and I had to put a stop to that. I cast a little spell, and you were like putty in my hands.” Then the smile dropped from her face. “You were supposed to be mine! That baby was supposed to assure me of that. But noooooo! You had to sneak off with my sister in the middle of the night before I could complete my plan! Emily, that little bitch! She always got everything she ever wanted, including you! You just happened to get her pregnant right after you two left. Daddy wouldn’t let me tell you about the child and made me join a convent. I eventually made him pay for that one.” She held her chin up defiantly. “I’m going to tell our darling daughter, Sara, that she has a long lost mommy and daddy.

Now that my little bitch of a sister is dead, I’m staking my claim!”

Vicky’s body trembled. That could not be possible. Sara could not be her half-sister. She suddenly felt very sick to her stomach.

“Like hell you are!” he roared. “I don’t love you! I never have.”

She stopped pacing, turning to glare at him. “Once I get rid of all traces of my sister, you will be mine!”

He stood up, slamming his hands down on top of his desk. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” he demanded.

“I had Emily taken care of. I paved the way for you and me.”

Vicky’s body trembled in fear and outrage as the meaning of Phoebe’s words sunk in.
She’s responsible for Mom’s death
. She braced her hands against the door and hit her knees, tears welling up in her eyes.
She’s responsible for that mob that came after me.

She swiped at the tears in her eyes.
Oh, God Daddy’s alone with that lunatic.
She pressed her eye back up against the keyhole.

He sailed around the desk to charge toward her, holding up her hand, he encountered a force field. He put his shoulder to it, but it would not budge. He screamed in frustration.

“Once I get rid of that brat of yours, you’ll be all mine, and our darling daughter Sara’s! That stupid mob botched the job last night. I’ll have to take care of things myself.” She laughed a little hysterically. “You should have seen her in class today! It was priceless. Those spiders coming out of that pen were a great touch, if I do say so myself.” She sobered. “The little brat is smart though. She figured out that it was the pen and got rid of it. I’ll have to resort to more drastic measures next time.”

“You touch one hair on Vicky’s head and I’ll
kill
you,” he warned.

“Oh, don’t worry, Ryan; she will join Emily very soon. I’ll see to it,” she remarked in a patronizing tone. She lifted her arm, waiving her hand through the air.

“Sleep,” she commanded, and Ryan hit the floor, unconscious.

Fear gripped Vicky’s heart as she backed away from the door. She charged up the stairs.
LUKE . . . OH MY GOD . . . IT’S HER!!! SHE’S RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF

IT!!!

I’m almost there! Explain. What is she responsible for?

ALL OF IT! MY MOTHER’S DEATH! THAT MOB LAST NIGHT! THE SPIDERS!

ALL OF IT!

Where’s your dad?

She commanded him to sleep. I heard him hit the floor.

Lock yourself in your room! I’ll be there in just a couple of minutes!

Vicky slammed her bedroom door, twisting the bolt. It locked with a definite thud. Her heart raced as she searched frantically around the room for somewhere to hide.
Luke, I can hear her coming up the stairs . . .

Hide!

Her heart pounded so loud in her ears that she barely heard him.
There is nowhere
to hide! I may have to face her!

NO! NOT WITHOUT ME!

There may not be enough time
! The doorknob jiggled.
She’s outside my door!

“Oh, Vicky, you must open this door right now and face your dear aunt!” Phoebe taunted. “I so want to get to know my dear niece.”

“No! Go away!”

“That’s not going to happen. Now open this door!” She pounded on the door. “I have to send you to your mother and make room for my own daughter, Sara. You’re in the way, you understand.”

“Understand?” Vicky gave a bitter, somewhat hysterical laugh. “All I understand, Aunt Phoebe, is that you are insane. You are responsible for killing my mother and trying to kill me.”

“No, correction, dear child—I
am
going to kill you. You see, your father will never give himself to me willingly with you alive. I have to remove you from the picture. You are a distraction, and I have to remove
all
distractions.” Four coral snakes slithered under Vicky’s door. “Enjoy my pets!”

Vicky’s heart slammed in her chest frantically when she saw those snakes slink into her room from underneath the door. “
Luke, help me
!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as she jumped and stood on top of her bed.

Phoebe cackled. “He can’t help you now. No one can! I have magically enhanced the snake’s toxins to speed the effects. Once they bite you, you will be dead in a matter of minutes!”

“
Vicky
!” Luke’s frantic shout reached her ears. A loud bang kept repeating. “The front door’s not locked, but I
can’t open it
!”

Phoebe threw her head back, cackling. “I told you he can’t help you. You are as good as dead, so be a good girl and die.”

Luke! There are coral snakes everywhere!

Oh, God, listen to me, and listen carefully
.
I can’t breach her magic to get in there. You
have power over the elements, don’t you?

Uh huh.

Burn them.

She took a calming breath, then lifted her chin defiantly. “Serpents, I command you to burn!” They instantly flamed.

“
No
!” Phoebe shouted. “I felt that. This doesn’t mean anything, you little brat!

You still have to deal with me!”

What do I do now?

You’re going to have to face her! I can’t get past her magic to help you!

What? I can’t do that! I can’t use my magic to harm someone. I’ve never done that. I
might accidentally kill her. Besides, she’s my aunt. Unfortunately, she’s family.

You’re related? Never mind the kinship; you’re going to have to stop her, Vicky. She’s
insane. She will kill you!

The tumblers of the lock slowly clicked into the unlocked position. The door crept open. Phoebe stood tall and looming in the doorway. Her hair hung in unruly strands about her face and shoulders. Her blue eyes were glassy. “My dear niece, I see that you managed to kill my babies.” She looked down at the charred snakes, shaking her head and clucking her tongue. She looked up into Vicky’s eyes. Vicky could see the insanity raging behind her overly bright eyes. “How unfortunate for them, and for you,” she remarked calmly. “Now you’re going to have to die a much slower death.

More is the pity. I was hoping that this wouldn’t have to be messy, but you’re not cooperating.”

“Forgive me, Aunt Phoebe, for not cooperating with you,” Vicky took a couple of steps back on the mattress. “I’m not that easy to kill.”

Phoebe shook her head making a “tsking” sound. “Pity . . . pity . . .” She raised her hand. “On your knees!”

“White witches don’t succumb to black magic, Aunt Phoebe. Didn’t my mother ever tell you that?”

Phoebe squealed in frustration, charging at her in a scowling and red-faced rage.

Vicky threw back her head, holding out her hand. “Stop!” she commanded.

Phoebe sailed across the room, slamming against the wall, striking her head. She fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.

I did it! Try the door!

Vicky heard the front door slam against the wall and the frantic thumping as Luke raced up the stairs, skidding to a halt at her bedroom door. “Are you okay?”

She gave him a weak smile. “Yes. Please go downstairs into my father’s study and check on him, but do it quickly. I need you to bring back the duct tape. We need to tie her up and duct tape her mouth. She practices black magic. Her hands need to be bound and she needs to be silenced so that she can’t cast any more spells. Hurry!”

Luke flashed her a grin, and ran back downstairs. He was back in record time with her father in tow.

Ryan grabbed her, pulling her into a fierce hug in relief. “Vicky! Did she hurt you?”

“I’m okay, Dad.” She exhaled wearily, her shoulders slumping. “We really need to have a talk.”

Luke knelt down and secured Phoebe’s hands together behind her back and placing a piece of tape over her mouth. Her head still lolled on the floor.

She gestured toward Phoebe. “What are we going to do with her?”

“I’ll call Father Thomas. The Church will deal with Sister Phoebe.”

“Don’t you mean Aunt Phoebe?”

Her father’s eyes took on a hard gleam. “She was your mother’s sister, but don’t call her your aunt. Phoebe is dead to you. Do you hear me?”

Luke took her into his arms, hugging her close. She relaxed, allowing him to comfort her. “I heard you crystal clear, Dad. This woman is just a bad memory.”

“Good.” Ryan bent down, hoisting Phoebe up, off the floor. He threw her over his shoulder, and toted her downstairs.

She watched her father leave. Looking up into Luke’s eyes, she gave him a sad smile. “Two days in a row, I almost lost my life.” A lone tear trailed down her cheek.

“She’s responsible for my mom’s death. She has to be insane.”

“Well, at least she’s been dealt with,” Luke remarked softly.

Vicky shook her head. “Nothing’s been dealt with, Luke. We have an insane witch on our hands.”

“We’ll let Father Thomas deal with her tonight.”

“Luke . . . you don’t know . . . how . . . furiously tempted . . . I was to destroy her.

Does that make me a bad person?”

Luke shook his head. “No . . . it just makes you normal.” He grinned. “Let’s go downstairs and order a pizza. I’m starving.”