Free Crushed by Kasi Blake

their arms and pointed their fingers as the chant grew louder. “Witch. Witch. Witch.”
    “No! Stop it!”
    A new figure emerged from the shadows. She couldn’t see the face, just a basic outline, but deep down she knew she should recognize this person. They lifted an arm and pointed at her. “Kristen Noah is a witch.”
    “Witch!” they screamed now, in earnest. “Witch! Witch!”
    She cowered in the corner as the powers drained from her quaking body.
    Kristen bolted up from her bed, a scream dying on her stiff lips. She pinched her arm to make sure she was awake. Relief at finding she was still in her bedroom didn’t last long, because she realized what the dream meant for her. It had been the third dream.
    It was going to come true, and there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it.

 

    Torn. After a restless night of chasing elusive sleep, Zach went to school with a dull headache sawing on a nerve just behind his eyes. He was torn between contempt for Kristen and an unreasonable urge to protect the girl. There was something different about her. He didn’t fully understand why, but he wanted to get to know her better. Maybe he wanted the information so he could use it against her later, or maybe he genuinely liked her.
    He waited next to her locker and tried hard to ignore the curious stares, quiet giggles, and whispered innuendos. How had he gotten himself into this mess? He had adapted after the explosion, learned to keep a low profile, but Kristen had ruined everything in less than five seconds. Now what? If he were smart, he would run in the opposite direction. Kristen was more dangerous than his sister… dangerous to his peace of mind.
    That was his last coherent thought. Then, he saw her. She appeared at the end of the hallway in the center of chaos, definitely in her element. She was with her own kind—cheerleaders. They were dressed in their red-and-white uniforms, but the short skirts and tight sweaters looked ridiculous on everyone except Kristen. He hated to admit it, but she was incredibly hot.
    Her eyes met his, and she stumbled.
    Bending his head slightly, he bit his lower lip to keep from laughing.
    Blood rushed to her face, staining her cheeks nearly the same red as her lips. Her brows drew together in a frown. Lifting her chin high, she continued on as if nothing had happened. Obviously, she hadn’t been expecting to see him waiting for her, and Zach wondered if he’d given himself away already. It was possible that enchanted boys didn’t normally seek her out. Maybe they waited for her to call for them.
    Kristen gave the girls a warning look, and they drifted away. A few watched with knowing smiles in place. They thought he was Kristen’s boyfriend—they had no idea what was really going on beneath the surface. They didn’t know he was supposed to be under a spell.
    Tearing his gaze from her, Zach grabbed the locker dial between his thumb and two fingers. He needed time to mentally regroup before facing her again. He rotated the dial this way and that, hitting each number just right until it clicked. Pulling the metal door open, he smiled at her. She stared at him in stunned amazement, and he shrugged. “You’d be surprised at what I know.”
    A flicker of fear darkened her eyes.
    He could read her like a first-grade textbook. She was wondering if he’d discovered her secret. Good. Let her sweat it out a bit. She had an important lesson to learn. Boys weren’t puppets to be used for her amusement.
    Kristen slapped her forehead, startling him. “Oh no! I forgot your jacket. I was going to return it to you. Every night, I choose my clothes for the next day and get them ready. I would have put your jacket with them, but I was afraid my dad would see it.”
    “If you don’t mind, it’s a bit early in the day to talk about your obsessive-compulsive behavior.” His voice sounded raw, as if he hadn’t used it in days. He cleared his throat before adding, “I only had one cup of