Damned and Cursed (Book 2): Witch's Kurse (45 page)

"What's that?" she asked.

"Nothing."
 
He moved the laptop to the couch.
 
"Just…do your homework."

"You're weird."

He printed the photo and grabbed the potion from his coat.

"Yes, I am."

Kevin opened the door leading to the backyard.
 
He found a clear spot of wall under the deck and drew the portal.
 
A moment later, Leese stared at him from her bedroom.
 
She folded her arms as the portal came into being.

"Holy crap, it's cold," she said, taking a step toward him.
 
"Are you outside?"

"Well, Tiffany is inside, so this makes it a little easier."

She took Kevin's hand as she stepped through the portal, careful not to trip.
 
Her arms shivered as he closed the portal behind him.

"I didn't exactly dress for cold."

He looked her up and down.
 
Shorts and short sleeves.
 
He wasn't sure how she managed to keep her tan in November.
 
She looked beautiful, but chilly.

"Get me inside and warm me up."

"Uh, I don't think we'll be able to do any
warming
with Tiffany here."

"I mean some hot chocolate, you ass."

He laughed.
 
"That we can do."

Kevin's jaw dropped when they stepped into the kitchen.
 
Tiffany had half the cabinets open and the breakfast bar full of cooking utensils.
 
Two eggs were cracked on the counter, with a third on the floor near the fridge.
 
A gallon of milk was open, with spots of milk spread about.
 
She stood on one of the stools and tried to pull a mixing bowl from the top shelf.
 
Oscar sat on the counter, watching her with intensity.

"Tiffany!" he said.
 
"What the hell?"

She turned her head.
 
"I'm done my homework, so I'm gonna make us dinner.
 
Hi, Leese!
 
Do you live close by?
 
Did you make up with Kevin?
 
Did he get you something nice—?"

She lost her train of thought when she lost her balance.
 
Tiffany tumbled from the stool, the mixing bowl falling and bouncing across the floor.
 
Leese screamed as Kevin rushed forward and caught her in his arms.
 
The stool wobbled and fell, making more noise.
 
Tiffany grabbed his neck and held on tight.
 
He gently lowered her to the floor, resting one hand on her shoulder and another on the counter.
 
Glancing up at Leese, she looked like he felt.
 
Her eyes were wide as she leaned against the wall, a hand to her chest.
 
Oscar leapt from the counter and disappeared somewhere in the living room.

The only one not fazed was Tiffany.

"Thanks for catching me," she said.

Kevin couldn't speak.
 
He simply nodded and stared at the floor.
 
He heard a quiet laughing, and looked up to see Leese giggling.
 
Despite his heart threatening to run away for good, he joined her.

"So," he said, taking in the mess.
 
"You're making dinner?"

"French toast!" she shouted.
 
"I watch Jack make it all the time.
 
You put some eggs in with milk and throw a bunch of bread in it.
 
It tastes awesome.
 
But…maybe we should get a pizza."

Kevin and Leese laughed once again.

It took nearly a half hour to clean up the mess.
 
Kevin wondered how it was possible.
 
Maybe Tiffany had some magic in her as well.
 
It took minutes to make the mess, and much longer to clean it up.
 
He was thankful for Leese helping.

"It looks like you two are finally getting along," she noted.

He finished wiping the counter and bar.
 
Tiffany spoke from the couch first.

"Yeah, Kevin's my friend!"

Leese laughed and flashed Kevin a smile that told him all was right in the world.
 
She gave him a quick kiss as he put away the paper towels.
 
He held her by the hips, not letting her pull away just yet.
 
He turned their quick kiss into something more.
 
Tiffany, bothered by the silence, turned and wrinkled her nose.

"Ickkk," she said.
 
"Are you two kissing?"

"No, no," Kevin said.
 
"We were just whispering secrets."

Leese's cheeks turned red as she smiled and pulled away.
 
She noticed the boxes of cable sitting on the floor.

"What's that?"

"Just some cable.
 
I got a new job today, but I didn't really know where to put everything, so I brought some of it here."

Kevin read the emotions in her eyes.
 
She was surprised, pleased.

"You didn't have to get a job because of our fight."

He didn't know whether that was a trap or not.

"Well, I have to grow up sometime.
 
Jack hooked me up, believe it or not.
 
All tech stuff, which I'm pretty good at.
 
Computers, servers, networking."

She held his hand.
 
"You're a lot smarter than I am."

He shook his head.
 
"Uh, no.
 
I wouldn't go that far."

"Yeah you are.
 
Hopefully you don't get too smart and leave me in the dust."

"Now, that would be the dumbest thing I could do."

She smiled.
 
"I'm off again tomorrow," she said.
 
"Is it against Jack's rules to spend the night?"

"Nope," he said, sighing.
 
"But the rooms are off-limits.
 
And the couch is a little small."

Her eyes danced playfully.
 
"We made enough room last time."

"Kevin, Leese," Tiffany called from the couch.
 
"I'm starving.
 
Let's go out and get some food."

"That's not a bad idea."

*****

"Kevin," someone whispered.
 
"Kevin, wake up."

Kevin felt someone gently shaking his shoulder.
 
Conscious thought slowly returned to him.
 
His arm ached, and he was uncomfortable.
 
The discomfort quickly went away when he felt Leese's body close to him.
 
They fell asleep on the couch together, covered only by a sheet.
 
Her head was nestled on his shoulder, her leg tossed over his waist.
 
She wore only underwear and a long tee shirt, the perfect pajamas.

"What's going—?"

"Shhh."

She put a finger to his lips.
 
He listened intently, following her lead, but heard nothing.
 
Then, there it was.
 
A quiet, frightened cry.

"Is that—?"

"Tiffany," he finished.
 
"She's having a nightmare."

Leese stood up, stretching her limbs and stepping into her shorts.
 
Kevin glanced at the clock to see it was two in the morning.
 
Even in the moonlight, his girlfriend was beautiful.
 
He got lost looking at her for a moment, overtly staring.
 
She blushed and turned aside.

"What?
 
Stop looking at me."

"Sorry."

He slipped his shirt on and headed for the stairs.
 
Leese grabbed his hand and followed closely.
 
They turned into Tiffany's room to see her moving on the bed.
 
She thrashed, but not violently, throwing the blankets off her.
 
Her brow furrowed as she whimpered, tossing her head back and forth.

"Aww, poor thing," Leese said.

She moved past Kevin, intending to wake the child.
 
He didn't release his grip on her hand.
 
She turned to look at him.

"I think this is the worst one she's had," he said.

"We should wake her up, then.
 
She can sleep downstairs with us."

Kevin took a deep breath.
 
It seemed every other night Tiffany had a bad dream.
 
Some were quick and fleeting, others lasted most of the night.
 
She'd come downstairs for breakfast looking like she hadn't slept.
 
He was sure her father being gone had something to do with it.

But they seemed to be getting worse.

"No," he said.
 
"Not yet.
 
Go get my coat from downstairs."

She eyed him curiously, but he smiled, reassuring her.
 
He went to Jack's bedroom as she went down the stairs.

The pocket-watch still sat on the nightstand.

"Don't worry, Jack," he said.
 
"I won't break it."

He scooped it up and nearly ran into Leese in the hallway.
 
She giggled for a moment and kissed him on the lips before handing the coat over.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"I want to see what she's dreaming."

"What?!"
 
Her voice raised somewhat.

"Shh.
 
Keep it down.
 
Don't worry, it's safe.
 
It's just a little twist on a spell I read in my family's book."

"I don't know.
 
I don't like this."

"Don't worry."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just keep me company."

She smiled.
 
"I can do that."

He grabbed two potions from his coat and mixed them together.
 
Leese sucked in a breath as the potion turned green, lighting up the room.
 
He sat on the floor next to Tiffany's bed.
 
Holding the pocket-watch in one hand, he let a few drops fall from his new potion to the watch.

"Okay," he said, clutching the pocket-watch.
 
"I'll see you soon."

Kevin reached out and gently took Tiffany's hand.
 
Leese smiled at him and ran a hand through his hair.
 
He returned her smile as his eyes slowly closed.
 
The pocket-watch pulled at him, and he wondered if the drowsy sensation was what Jack felt whenever he used it.

His eyes didn't quite shut when Leese suddenly disappeared.
 
He was awake instantly, searching the bedroom before him.

"Leese?
 
Where are you?"

He turned to look at Tiffany, but she was also missing.
 
The bed looked like it hadn't been slept in.
 
Jumping to his feet, he backed up, unsure of what was going on.

"I'm asleep," he guessed.
 
"I have to be."

A young, girlish scream made him jump.
 
He ran into the hallway, but it wasn't the hallway he was expecting.
 
Jack's house was long gone.
 
There were fewer doors, and pictures along the wall.
 
Instead of the normal stairway to the left, the hallway emptied into a larger space.
 
A dining area was to the right, a kitchen to the left.
 
A living room lay beyond that.

Kevin was in an apartment.

The scream came once again, and he could see her.
 
Tiffany leaned whatever weight she had against the living room door.
 
It shook violently, the doorknob turning.

He forced himself to stay calm, despite the racing in his chest.
 
It was difficult to believe his heart could actually race.
 
He ran his hand along the wall, feeling its texture.
 
Dreams, and the human brain, were amazing.

Tiffany didn't see him as he stepped into the dining room.
 
Tears ran down her face, and all he wanted to do was go to her.
 
But he was just an observer.
 
There was nothing he could do.

She wore the same clothes she did during the school day.
 
Her little feet were dug into the carpet, her legs shaking with each rumble of the door.
 
Food was scattered on the floor in the kitchen, all the cupboards open.
 
A lone framed picture sat on the dining room table.
 
Kevin leaned down to investigate, and saw a couple he didn't recognize.
 
Posing with them was a young child, maybe three or four years old, that bore a striking resemblance to Tiffany.

"Hey!
 
You!"

He looked up to see Tiffany staring directly at him.
 
Kevin turned to see if someone was standing behind him, and immediately felt silly.

"Me?"

"Yeah!
 
Help me with this door!
 
I can't hold it."

Kevin didn't move.
 
He simply stood still with his mouth hanging open.
 
The door shook one more time, nearly opening, but whatever strange logic happening in the dream allowed Tiffany to hold it shut once again.

"Now!" she shouted.

He jumped, his legs finally able to move.
 
If there were any doubts he was walking through a dream, they were gone in an instant as he joined Tiffany in the living room.
 
The room was completely empty except for an old TV in the corner, a couch against the wall, and a huge bathtub in the center.
 
It made no sense whatsoever, but he remembered his own dreams seldom making sense.

"Uh, I'm not sure if I can do anything," he said.
 
"This is
your
dream—"