Secret Coven

the pitiful little clumps of scraggly beach grass. At the top she looked around, but th

was

mptiness she felt suddenly. She'd go get wet and cool off. Taraji's problem was Taraji's business. As

he kind that makes you wonder if you're sick. I must be too hot, she de

lantic side of the Cape. She waded in up to her

er and climbed up to it. Only three boats were tied

what Victo

r stretching out on either side of her. When she looked back at the beach, she saw she'd left the other sunbathers far behind. A little breeze blew in her face, stirring her hair

ean, but she didn't quite dare. She wasn't as free as al

ed down at the horizon where they met. Victoria thought that she could see the curve of

ems at home under her bed. She hardly ever showed them to anyone, but she l

a-smell and feeling the warm planks beneath her and hearin

d and listened, and as she did she felt her own breathing slow. For the first time since she'd come to New England, she felt sh

th, but now it seemed to her almost as if she controlled that rhythm. As if the elements were one with her, a

ension and expectancy, as i

wh

her. Just a little jingle, like something y

a, keep ha

something she'd read - or heard - a long time ago. She had a brief flash of an image: be

harm from me. Eart

o

sky and the granite solidity of the earth and the immeasurable span of the ocean, wave after wave aft

he didn't find the last words of the poem, she was safe. Everything would be as it always had been; she would go hom

the tinkling of icy music far away, and the la

from me. Earth and fi

e

t have

g wildly out at the ocean. Something had happened; she had felt it, and n

f static electricity. Suddenly the ocean looked more vast than ever and n

tened feeling slipped away. What were you afraid of? That the sky and the sea we

yed with herself. Talk about an overactive imagination. She was st

hen, she would always remember that

ening. There was m

running down the slope of a dune. Suddenly inexplicably calm, Victoria hur

f to say this was a great game, and what next? But from the boy's expre

land jutted out, so you couldn't see what was beyond. He glanced at Victoria

heart was b

he called

ning her quickly wit

she said, though sh

ncise. "Two guys who look like li

eart accelerate. But her voice was still ca

figu

heard

they'd be named so

scarcely out of breath even though he'd been running hard. And she liked the d

turning again. Walking backward, he added, "You'd better go the other way - you don't

cried

d herself speaking without hesitation. There was somethin

nd the headland you'll run in

I'd still be in sight when they got

lying, and then suddenly s

ha

dock." She gestured at it. "You can g

head. "I'd really be trapped if they foun

"They won't go near it. I'll tell th

f his eyes. "You don't understand," he

something in her brain was urging. Her shyness had vanished. All that mattered was that he got

ut

Don't argue

mon, boy!" He ran down the dock and jumped easily into the powerboat, disappearing

ne went up the dock, they would be plainly visible. She hooked the loo

up a handful of wet sand and shells. She let the water wash the sand out of the loose cage of her

houting fro

ring shells, she thought. I don't ne

ey

ia loo

brothers. Brian was the one on the debate team and Josh wa

They were looking in all directions, excited like dogs on a

these guys weren't lean; they were brawny and sweaty. A

said Brian. "Hey, Ella, did a

ells. Her heart was knocking against her ribs so hard s

lk? What're y

held out her ha

-age guys - a slight girl with unremarkable brown hair and ordinary blue eyes. Just a littl

?" Brian said, impatient but slow,

ring an open windbreaker over his T-shirt, which seemed odd in such warm weather. What was

gu

in the Pistol Club, sh

out, she found her voice again and said huskily,

said. He and the two guys Victoria didn't know start

you s

? She deliberately widened her eyes and tried to

say anything. "It's very important," Brian said, and she could feel the tension running through his body, could smell the acridity of his sweat. A wave of revulsio

ction to something she saw in his eyes, something fanatical and ugly and hot like fire. S

nto that ugliness without letting herself look a

alone!" Josh shouted. "Sh

th a curious fascination. He knows, but he's afraid to tr

back at him, willing him to do it. Believ

go of h

ciously, and he turned and

whispered, stan

ing, Brian's wind-breaker flapping loose behind him. The weakness spread

to enfold her. When the four running figures turned the corner and disappeared from her sigh

ready

to the dock. He was just standing there, and

maybe hide again," she said hesitan

't thi

most frightened. "Your dog was very good," she offered

ows be

o say. His voice was gentle, not harsh, but that keen look never left his

yes met. "I don't know how to thank you," he added, "fo

he couldn't take her eyes from his. There was no sparkle now; they looked lik

ating outside herself and she could see the two of them, standing there on the beach. She could see the sun shining

ould almost reach out and touch it. It bound them he

as speaking. The silver cord can never be broken. Your lives are lin

ed. Victoria blinked and shook her head, trying to wrench her mind ba

the words were. "And I didn't mind - what happened." His eyes drop

"I should have c

r him to be caught and hurt. "I just wanted to help you," she rep

toria had the sense of trespassing. "That's a

sk, you do. But it's a little difficult to explain. I'm... off my turf here. Back home, they

ho are - different," he said, his voice quiet again. "

he wasn't like Brian or Josh. He

I know," he said. "Especially after what you di

e, it doesn't look like there's much I can do for you, do

blood rushing to her face. Was he looking for money? Did he think he could pay her for helping him? She was humil

ked like at first. One side was rough and gray, embedded with tiny black spirals like little shells. But then he turned it over, and the ot

e electricity that ran through her hand and up her arm. The stone felt alive in some way she coul

anything like that, if there's ever a time when you feel all alone and no one else can

es, the same color as the crystal, and she could feel his breath on her skin and the warmth of his body reflecting the sun's heat. Hi

ildness and possibility. She was trembling and she could feel a heartbeat in her fingers, but she couldn't tell if it was hers or his. He

pens then?" s

as if he'd just remembered something, and his tone altered. The mo

ed. He was teasing now. B

houldn't have stayed

'd better be careful. I

. Then he paused one last moment and took her hand again. Victoria was too startled at the feeling of his skin against hers to do anything about it. He turned her hand over and looked at the red ma

ded hand to his lips and kissed it. It was the gentlest, the lightest of touches, and it went through Victoria like fire. She

oria in circles before finally breaking away. She was alone, gazing afte

realized she'd neve