Witch (Supernatural #2)

22: Bonfire Night

Attempt, verb.

1. To make an effort at; try; undertake; seek.
2. Archaic: To attack; move against in a hostile manner.
3. Archaic: To tempt.

***

I took my time trudging through the snow. Though it wasn't as deep under the cover of the trees as it was on Grandma's unprotected lawn, it was still ankle deep. It made walking here even more traitorous because I couldn't see what was hiding underneath the pristine white blanket. Usually, Ken led the way, and I only had to step where he had stepped. Now my progress was slow and I cursed as hidden rocks nearly twisted my ankles.

All around me, the forest was silent, like it was holding its breath in anticipation. We were all waiting to see how this conversation between Ken and me would end. I told myself that, when I saw him, I had to keep my distance from him. He had to explain himself first. Repeatedly I told myself that I had done nothing wrong. Ken had dropped a bomb on me and I was allowed some time to digest. Besides, wasn't my willingness to meet with him enough proof that I wanted things to turn out well?

Had Tate not asked me to not use any magic at all, I would have let it soar ahead to see if Ken was already at the small lake waiting for me. Perhaps he was somewhere in the trees around me, watching me through the eyes of his mountain lion. Immediately, my eyes went up to the trees. Though many trees had shed their leaves in fall and their branches were nothing but bare skeletons, there were enough evergreen pines that could have easily hid a nimble cat from me.

I opened my mouth, Ken's name on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to call out to him. However, if he were around, wouldn't he already have appeared? Perhaps, usually he might have, but considering our current predicament he might have decided he'd better wait until we were both at the rendezvous point. My breath came out in hot pants that turned into white clouds as it met the frigid winter air while I checked around me one more time.

There was something in the air, I noticed. I closed my mouth, deciding that whatever it was, I didn't like it. There was something strange about the forest air; it didn't feel like it ought to. Even with my nerves and restless thoughts, it was obvious. I turned and suddenly found myself running through the snow as fast as I could. Perhaps I was overreacting. Nevertheless, I would feel safer once I was with Ken. Even if I wasn't sure how things would be between us, there was nothing like a guy who could turn into a mountain lion to make a girl feel safer.

Frequent glances over my shoulders revealed nothing. My rush through the snow had left the white frozen powder in a mess around my trail. Had anyone or anything been following me, their trail would have been easily hidden. Again, I opened my mouth to call out Ken's name. Not so much as to see if he was out there but as a cry for help. From one second onto the next, the serene forest had me spooked for no apparent reason.

You're overreacting, I told myself. There's nothing out there except maybe a squirrel who's more afraid of you than you of it. Maybe a werewolf, but they don't usually attack people. And still, I ran through the snow. I might have been right about the squirrel, a werewolf would have already caught up to me. Caught up to me and pinned me down. It'd be growling in my face, no doubt, before it ripped out my throat. You seriously aren't making this any easier for yourself. I swore my own thoughts were dripping in sarcasm.

Ahead, the trees opened. I could see the bumps in the snow that I knew to be the boulders by the lake's shore. Beyond them, the flat white expanse that was the frozen lake covered in a thick layer of snow. With my safe haven in sight, I slowed down, breathing hard from my sprint.

That was when a blinding pain shot through my head and everything went dark.

***

When I came around, my head was throbbing painfully. Like I was repeatedly being whacked over the back of the head with a shovel. Not like I knew what that felt like but I sure as hell could imagine it. It hurt like hell; my head hurt so badly that the first time I opened my eyes a crack, the light was so utterly blinding.