A Modern Witch Page 14

  Lauren had been proud of her dome creation this morning, inspired by Nat’s handmade rainbow throw that lived on her couch at home. Jennie had seemed impressed as well—and then promptly set about trying to unravel it.

  Now Aervyn was Jennie’s little minion. They were playing a game with the innocent name of ‘Grab a Thought’, basically the mind-witch version of Capture the Flag. Jennie had given each of them a secret thought to hide behind their barriers. The objective was simple—grab Aervyn’s thought before he grabbed hers.

  It was Aervyn’s turn to be on offense. She could see him walking toward her mind center, and more clearly than when they’d started an hour ago. He tossed a few lights at her dome, which at this point was pretty much just a ‘game on’ signal. She waited for his serious efforts.

  The flying Matchbox cars were cute, but no match for her superdome. She grew wooly tendrils out from the textured surface and wrapped them around his cars in mid-flight. She was getting faster by the minute. Gotcha, munchkin.

  Just in time, she remembered his cars had lasers and tugged on her tendrils to turn the cars around. Aervyn giggled as he ducked the laser beams that were suddenly coming in his general direction.

  Dang it! She shoved a pillow off the edge of her couch, immobilizing a ladder sliding up from the stealth fire truck he’d sent quietly in around the side. That had been far too close. She’d been distracted by his giggles. Time for the sneak attack.

  Lauren thinned her dome to rainbow silks and projected surprise as strongly as she could. Look, Aervyn—Cat Woman! When he swiveled around to look behind him, she shot out a handful of tendrils to tickle him under the ribs.

  Her commandeered Matchbox car waited just outside his barriers and jumped through the instant they wobbled. She’d picked a speedy-looking red one. It had better be up for the job. She stepped on the gas, leaning out the open window to grab Jennie’s planted thought.

  When she opened her eyes, Aervyn was staring at her with surprise. “You’re sneaky! That was a really good trick.”

  Jennie reached over and tickled his toes. “You have to watch out for the sneaky ones. That fire engine was a nice try, by the way. Lauren almost missed that one.”

  She looked at Lauren and nodded just once. It felt like winning a lifetime supply of Ben & Jerry’s.

  …

  Nat walked out of the Shattuck Lounge and took a deep breath of the nighttime air. After several hours on the very crowded dance floor, it was a welcome cool.

  She looked at Jamie. “That was fun, and a little bit strange.”

  Jamie grinned. “Doing something I already have precog memory of? Yeah. It was more fun in person, though. You are a seriously sexy dancer.”

  Dancing with a guy who was all wrapped up in you was about as good as it got. Nat had no words; she just let her heart shine.

  Jamie settled an arm around her shoulders. “So, how is it that you’re so calm about all this?”

  Lots of practice, thought Nat. Calm had always been her refuge. “I figure we all have a future. I just happened to get a few peeks at what might be in mine.” She smiled at Jamie and spoke softly. “They were some pretty nice possibilities.”

  Jamie turned her into his arms. “Close your eyes and hang on.”

  Nat felt an odd elevator-type sensation and opened her eyes on a beach. A very deserted beach. She kicked off her shoes. “Where are we?”

  Jamie grinned. “I thought we deserved something we didn’t already know about. This is Point Reyes National Seashore; we’ll be up on the cliffs on Monday night for the full circle. It’s one of my favorite places.”

  Nat swung around slowly, taking in the crashing waves and the glorious night sky. Even she could feel the power in this place. It was no accident he had brought her here now. However casual Jamie might appear, he got the important things exactly right.

  She looked over to where he stood. He waited, absolutely still. She’d spent the night dancing with the man. Now it was time to be with the witch.

  She nodded, just once. He reached for the sky, and glowing with power, pulled a shower of starlight down on their heads.

  Then he kissed her, and the light in her heart moved to dance with the stars.

  Chapter 13

  Nat sat on the grass in Jamie’s back yard and waited patiently for her class to assemble.

  Aunt Jennie was already sitting quietly, her legs twisted in a comfortable lotus that spoke of long practice. Morning yoga for mind witches had been her idea.

  Lauren walked out of the house with Aervyn. The growing bond between the two of them was sweet. Jennie gestured Lauren to one side of her, Aervyn to the other. Nat nodded in approval. It was always good to keep the troublemakers separated.

  She hadn’t had much time to talk with Lauren, but it seemed like her friend’s resilient nature had kicked in. Hopefully she had discovered some upside to her new powers. Training with Aervyn had to be fun.

  Jamie wandered out last and looked pretty sulky for a grown man. He had thought mind-witch yoga was a great idea when Aunt Jennie dreamed it up—until she’d decided he could use the practice as well. He settled at the back. That was fine, thought Nat. She knew how to teach to the back row just as well as the front.

  Nat realized she was enjoying his discomfort, however petty it might be. She’d spent the last two days on his turf. This time, he’d be on hers. There was no ground more solid for her than at the front of a yoga class.

  She stood up. When dealing with beginners, it was best to get underway and pick up the pieces as you rolled along.

  As instructed, she visualized the first moves in her mind, and then began. No words—her class was supposed to be reading the pictures in her mind. Knees bend, arms sweep up, breathe in. Stretch for the gorgeous blue sky and feel the warmth. Breathe out, arms sweep down and to heart center. Repeat.

  Jennie and Lauren followed smoothly. Aervyn giggled, and Nat sent a quieting thought she hoped he could hear. Feel the joy, sweet boy, but in your body. Move with your breath. His answering grin caught her under the ribs. It was so much the face of the toddler in Jamie’s vision.

  Jamie went through the motions in the back, a resigned look on his face. Poor guy—yoga was clearly not his thing. Yet.

  Nat swept into a simple sun salutation series, visualizing each movement in sequence. Jennie and Lauren were still with her. Aervyn did as well as she would expect from a small boy. Jamie struggled.

  Nat suddenly wanted desperately for him to understand her deep love for these movements. She sank into the flow of poses and let her mind sing. Body stretched and limber, mind serene. Power streaming from sun to earth, down her outstretched fingers. Grounded feet, light spirit, bright heart.

  She had him now. Jamie had moved out of his sulk into a respectable flow of poses. More importantly— and oh! it mattered to her—he was feeling the flow. Jennie’s thought slid gently in. That was very well done, child.

  Time for more challenge. Nat flowed into more complex variations of the sun salutations. Jennie still followed easily, but Lauren began to wobble as Nat introduced flows different from her normal class routines. Nat focused on clearly visualizing each pose before she moved, and Lauren steadied.

  Aervyn was just cute, and not a bad little yogi. He clearly got the joy of the flows, if not many of the actual positions.

  Jamie just looked at her. You are so beautiful. The rest of the class fell into disarray as Nat’s sending of poses stuttered to a halt.

  Jamie, stop distracting Nat, came Aunt Jennie’s amused mental voice. You can’t get out of practice that easily.

  Leaning on ten years of experience, Nat relied on the yoga to steady her.

  She moved automatically into some standing poses. These were obviously easier for everyone to read from her mind. Time to move to the second level of Jennie’s instructions.

  Nat began walking around the class, visualizing poses. Without her motions to follow, the mind-witch portion of the program was front and center. A
ervyn had no more trouble than before, but they all said he was a powerful little witch.

  Jennie did well, but it took her longer to move into a pose. She read Nat’s instructions as accurately as Aervyn, but not nearly as quickly.

  Lauren either found the next pose quickly and easily, or had to wait for someone else to figure it out. That’s fascinating, thought Nat. It appeared Lauren’s ability to catch her instructions was fluid, but also hit or miss.

  Jamie, poor guy, was obviously outgunned; proof that his mind magics were indeed fairly weak.

  Time to wrap things up. Nat’s sense of humor bubbled up, and she carefully visualized Eka Pada Koundinyasana, a devilish arm-balance pose that involved a body twist and full leg splits, all while balancing on only your hands.

  Aervyn collapsed to the ground in hopeless giggles. Lauren, with the weight of long friendship, simply stuck out her tongue. Jennie shook her head and spoke out loud. “Maybe ten years ago, my dear, but I think I’d break my nose trying now.”

  Jamie looked skeptical and sent Nat a challenging look. She didn’t need to be a mind witch to understand and calmly folded herself into the pose—one of her favorites—kicking out via handstand for good measure.

  Then she sat down in lotus and quirked an eyebrow. He looked impressed. Good. Maybe it didn’t keep up with beach escapes and reading the future, but she had some nice tricks too.

  Nat finished up the class and left them lying on the grass in shavasana, dead man’s pose, the traditional end to any yoga session.

  She let herself quietly into the house and almost ran into Nell. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”

  Nell held out a large gift bag. “I always pay my debts.”

  Puzzled, Nat opened the bag. It was full of gourmet dark chocolate, enough to power even her mammoth addiction for at least a month. She grinned at Nell. “I’m not sure you’ve lost the bet yet. Jennie made him do it for mind-witch training.”

  Nell grinned back. “Keep it. Trust me, it was worth it to see the look on Jamie’s face when you twisted yourself into that last pose. If you can get him to try to do that some day, there’s more chocolate where this came from.”

  Nat laughed. “Unlike the rest of you, I’m not a magician.”

  …

  Lauren collapsed into the bed pillows and dragged her laptop onto her stomach. Nell had asked her to visit Witches’ Chat, and at this point, she’d gratefully take anything that earned her a break. It was hard to believe it was only a week ago that the fetching spell had sucked her in the first time.

  She went to her grocery site and hovered in the dairy aisle. It had seemed like the easiest way for Nell to come fetch her again, but her ice-cream addiction was also getting a serious jolt. There must be Ben and Jerry’s somewhere in California. A little chatting, and then it was time for a field trip.

  Sophie: Lauren, thank you so much for joining us. I’ve been thinking about you. How are you doing?

  Lauren: My head hurts. This witch stuff is hard work.

  Sophie: Are you using the emerald crystal? It can really help with physical recovery of your channels after hard use.

  Lauren: You know, I’d forgotten about that. Honestly, I thought it all was pretty hocus-pocus when the package arrived, but the lapis definitely seems to calm and clear things for me. It’s absolutely beautiful, Sophie—a really thoughtful gift, even if I didn’t realize it at first. Thank you.

  Sophie: You’re most welcome.

  Nell: It was an inspired gift, with Lauren having channeling talents as well as mind powers. Lauren, there’s a full circle on Monday night, and I think Jennie plans to bring you. Wear the lapis for sure.

  Lauren: Jennie’s actually had me take the pendant off for lessons so far.

  Moira: She’ll be wanting you to learn without using it as a crutch. It will enhance your power once you wear it as you work.

  Nell: You beat Aervyn at Grab a Thought without your pendant?

  Lauren: Only once, and it took all afternoon to do it. He’s a tricky little witch. Almost got me the last time, too. He snuck a fire truck in under my barriers and sent a ladder up.

  Nell: So, how’d you beat him?

  Lauren: I yelled “Cat Woman”, commandeered one of his Matchbox cars, and zoomed through his barriers while I tickled him. It seemed a bit like cheating, but Jennie tells me it was legal.

  Nell: Girl, with Aervyn, anything’s legal. No one besides Jennie has been able to beat him, no matter how much we all cheated.

  Lauren: Seriously?

  Nell: Not since we taught him the game a year ago. Even Jennie has only beaten him once or twice in the past six months. It’s good for him to have someone who can challenge him. Jennie was very impressed you did it this early in your training.

  Lauren: She didn’t let on.

  Moira: She wouldn’t, child. Trainee witches get overconfident very easily. You’ll be a trainer yourself one day, and you’ll do the same.

  Lauren: I don’t know about that. I feel like I’m failing kindergarten right about now.

  Nell: That’s only because you’ve been thrown into genius school with Aervyn. I watched that yoga class this morning—you did much better than Jamie. He’s not a very strong mind witch, but he’s had years to practice.

  Sophie: Jamie did yoga?

  Nell: I lost a bet with Nat because of it. My whole dark-chocolate stash was on the line.

  Sophie: Do tell—how the heck did she manage that?

  Lauren: Jennie had Nat do a class this morning, but instead of verbal instructions, we were supposed to pick up images from her mind.

  Moira: She’s a very creative trainer, that Jennie. Good practice for all of you.

  Sophie: I’m still stuck on the fact Jamie did yoga. I’d have taken that bet too, Nell.

  Nell: Feel free to send me chocolate; my cupboards are empty.

  Sophie: I just might. Lauren, how is it going with Jamie and Nat?

  Lauren: I haven’t had a whole lot of time to talk with her. All these lessons make it hard to have some girl time. Nell, do you know anything?

  Nell: Men don’t talk unless you make them, and I haven’t had time to tie Jamie down and torture him yet. I will, and soon. I like Nat, but it’s got to be tricky for both of them to see their future mapped out like that.

  Sophie: How does Nat feel about getting involved with a witch? For some, that’s an awfully big step.

  Moira: It’s deeper than that, isn’t it? Jamie saw marriage and babies. She could well give birth to a witchling. It’s difficult for some who are not witches to take all that on.

  Lauren: If anyone could roll with all this, it would be Nat. I just don’t know how they’re going to have time to work it all out. We’re only here for a week.

  Moira: One step at a time. It’s good they have some time together, and you have some time to work with Jennie. A week is not nearly long enough to train though, Lauren. You’ll need more.

  Lauren: I know. My career doesn’t permit me to be here for longer than a week at a time. I talked with Jennie, and she thinks this visit will be long enough to get some basics in place, where I can be around others and function in a relatively normal way. I’ll be coming back every few months so we can work together. She might even come visit me for a bit in Chicago this summer.

  Moira: I’m glad to hear it. You have impressive talent, and I’d like to see it developed and used. The witching community will be stronger for your presence.

  Lauren: Right now, I’m just training buddy to a four-year-old. I know I need help with barriers, but I don’t really know where this goes beyond that. I don’t want to be rude, Moira, but I don’t know that I’m looking to belong to a community.

  Nell: You may feel differently after the circle on Monday. Give it a chance, Lauren.

  Sophie: I’m a pretty solitary witch, but even I love the opportunity to join a circle.

  Nell: What are you doing on Monday, Sophie? Come out, visit for a few days. Aervyn’s going to try spellcas
ting for the full circle—it should be memorable.

  Sophie: Aervyn’s casting? Oh, Nell—you must be so proud of him.

  Nell: My heart sings with it sometimes—just don’t tell him. Do come, Sophie.

  Sophie: I’d love to. I’ll check on flights and let you know.

  Moira: Aren’t I just green with envy, now. Enjoy your gathering. Lauren, keep your mind and heart open. A circle, especially one of the import you’ll be seeing, is a bit of a miracle.

  Nell: We’ll think of you, Moira. Will you be watching?

  Moira: Aye, my scrying bowl and I will be looking on. I wouldn’t miss my sweet boy’s first circle.

  …

  Lauren walked into Nat’s room at Jamie’s house, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in each hand. “Got time for me?”

  “You and ice cream? Always.”

  Nat’s delight pushed her guilt buttons. “Sorry we haven’t had much time to chat. It’s been a crazy couple of days.”

  “That’s why we came out here, Lauren. I know you have a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it. I’ve been fine. I went hiking with Nell and her girls yesterday, and Jennie is picking me up for a yoga class tonight.”

  Jamie’s name was conspicuously absent from that list. Lauren peeled the lids off the ice cream containers and passed one to Nat. “When did you and Jennie cook up this morning’s yoga class idea?”

  “Dinner the first night we got here, actually. I helped load her camera equipment into her car and saw a yoga mat. I think I’d agreed to do the class about ten seconds later. She doesn’t mess around.”

  And she’d made sure Nat felt welcome at witch central. Bless Jennie. “You should try being her trainee. The class was pretty cool, though. Aervyn was funny. He kept sending me mental pictures of you twisted up like a pretzel. He likes you.”

  “I like him too. It’s hard not to.”

  “How much does he look like the little boy in Jamie’s precog? I got it all on fast forward, so it’s a little hard to tell.”