“Kyle Valenti with Elizabeth Parker, Tess Harding with Maria Deluca…” the AP Biology teacher droned on with her list of lab partners. It was now Friday, and the absentminded old woman was just getting to that. Around her, students were scrambling to their new seats, all except Maria and Tess who were already sitting together at the back table in the corner, slightly away from everyone else…like they always were. “Hi, Kyle right?” Liz asked as Kyle moved away from Maria and Tess, who he’d been sitting with before. “Yeah,” Kyle said with a friendly grin. “Liz huh? You’re new to aren’t you?” He asked her as he sat down and put his book on the table. “You’re new?” Liz asked in shock. She had been observing the ‘Royals’ all week with Max, and one thing was certain, Kyle was always with them. “I thought you were a local.” “Naw,” Kyle said with a shrug and adorable grin. “I haven’t even been here a week yet. My dad’s the new Sheriff, we moved in last weekend.” “Really? That’s cool,” Liz said as she tucked a strand of long brown hair behind her ear and gazed up at him through wide, unblinking eyes. It was a calculated move on her part, one that made people view her as innocent, naïve and safe. “I just assumed you were local because you’re always with them,” she motioned her head toward the table behind and to the left of them were Maria and Tess were giggling and whispering while looking at some leather book. “Yeah,” Kyle said with a goofy grin, his eyes locked permanently on Tess. “I moved in the old Coughlan place on Founders Lane,” he said as he finally tore his gaze away from the beautiful blonde. “They all live on that road and they came over to play welcome wagon my first night here. They took me under their wing I guess.” “You know,” Liz leaned in closer. “I’ve heard some weird things about them since school started from the other kids.” She looked pointedly at Courtney Boyd who was sitting across the aisle from them with her lab partner, Grant Sorenson. “There are all kinds of rumors going around about the ‘Royals’ or ‘Founder kids’…people whisper about them like they’re some kind of cult.” “Yeah,” Kyle said darkly, “a lot of people warned me off of them my first couple of days here. But they’re just shallow idiots who are jealous of the ‘Royals’ as you put it. The Guerins, Whitmans, Delucas and Tess are the nicest people I’ve ever met. Maybe they’re not too nice to certain people around here,” this time he looked pointedly at Courtney and Grant, “but I can’t blame them for it. Courtney and Grant, and their little flock of sheep are just asking for the Royals to go after them.” Kyle paused as he looked at Liz closely for the first time, seeing past the innocent front she presented to the world. In the back of his mind he felt alarms going off in a maddening chorus. Suddenly he was struck by how much this girl reminded him of some of his fathers ‘friends’. The people that only came around at night, the ones that made his blood first run cold and then boil when he saw them. She reminded him of a Hunter. “I promise you that they aren’t into the occult,” Kyle said with a laugh that no one would ever be able to tell he didn’t feel. He was a master at masking his emotions when he had to, and he suddenly felt like he had to. “With the exception of Michael, Maria and the twins,” Kyle said with a genuine smile this time, “they are as all-American and normal as you can get. And Michael, Maria and the twins just have some major temper issues at times. You know,” he looked at Liz with a cunning smile that she didn’t notice, “if you met them you’d see that the rumors are just that…rumors. I could swing an introduction if you like,” he offered. He held his breath as he waited for her reply. This would be his way of knowing if she was a threat or not. “Oh I don’t want to intrude,” Liz said softly. Her mind began working furiously to get herself out of the grave she hadn’t meant to dig. Rule number one of hunting was to keep your distance until you were 110% sure. Otherwise they could catch on and then you’d be dead. “I don’t want them to get mad at you because you’re bringing someone new into the group. I have classes with a lot of them, so maybe one day they’ll up and decide to take me under their wing too. I’d prefer it that way myself, then I’d know it wasn’t a pity friendship. Besides, I have Max, and he’s all the people I need.” “Suit yourself,” Kyle said with a shrug, “but the offer stands if you change your mind…” His voice trailed off and Liz nodded at him with a fake friendly smile. He returned the smile, never giving any sign of his inner thoughts. “Nice backtracking Ms. Parker,” he thought to himself, “but now I have your number. You’re a Hunter, and I’m not about to let you ruin their lives like your kind has mine.” Kyle shook his head slightly, why did these lunatics keep popping up out of the wood works…there were no such things as witches for God’s sake. ***************** “Is it really bad that I want to put a hex on her?” Tess asked Maria from their lab table at the back of the classroom. Both girls were gazing inconspicuously at Kyle and Liz. Tess’ eyes narrowed when Liz pulled the ‘tuck the hair’ and ‘wide eyes’ trick on Kyle. “Look at how she’s playing him. She has a boyfriend, why does she want to mess with my Kyle?” “You’re Kyle huh?” Maria questioned with a smirk that caused Tess to blush. “You know,” she continued as she checked her nails for cracks. It was a move she’d learned from Isabel, one that made her look the ‘Ice Princess’ she was called by many of her classmates. “Hexing strangers for flirting with one’s soulmate is always a good thing.” Maria arched an eyebrow and giggled, “Of course it is also dangerous and mean…but…hey it could be worth it.” “Maybe I should consult with Izzy,” Tess said as she looked at her own nails. She really had to see about having a girl’s night soon. Her nails really needed work. “She’s the best at revenge plots and her hexes are the best. Ms. Parker over there would never know what had hit her.” “You’re just evil,’ Maria said with a grin and matching wicked gleam in her eye. “Which is why I love you so much. But you don’t have to do anything to her really. Kyle hasn’t been able to take his eyes off of you since he moved in last week. He doesn’t notice Pam Troy, much less little Lizzie over there.” “Uh huh,” Tess said through her blush, “you’re one to talk.” At Maria’s innocently confused look, Tess grinned and pointed to the pile of books by Maria’s elbow. “Just what is that thing right there young lady? You’ve been scribbling in that book since Tuesday morning. Do you really expect me to believe that you’re righting about Michael? That’s your spell journal, not your diary…you keep that in the loose floorboard in your closet.” Maria blushed, but she grabbed the leather journal and handed it over to her best friend, showing Tess just what she’d been working on. Tess’ delighted laughter filled the room. “Oh my God,” she gasped out, “I can’t believe you wrote this. This is…” her voice trailed off as she realized exactly what it said, “this is really good Maria. I mean, it’s badass, but it’s good. I think we might have found something you excel at after all. Seems to me spellcasting is your specialty.” “Do you think I should go through with it?” Maria asked Tess, still blushing, but with a twinkle of mischief in her eye. “I mean it is really mean.” “Yeah,” Tess agreed, “but she totally deserves it. But,” she paused as she contemplated the situation. “Maybe you should wait awhile, just to see if she does anything especially evil to piss us off.” “Sounds like a plan to me,” Maria said as she closed the journal. “You want me to help you compose one for the new girl…just in case she ticks us off as well?” “Naw,” Tess grinned, using the response she had picked up from Kyle in the few days she’d known him. “I don’t have to use spells on her. I can just play with her mind. She’d never know what hit her because she’d never expect it.” “And you call me evil?” Maria laughed at her friend. “At least I don’t attempt to make people see things that aren’t really there.” “I never called you evil,” Tess defended herself with a giggle, “that was Michael. Though he hasn’t called you that since…” “Last night,” Maria cut in with a snort before she could stop herself. Then she blushed a painful shade of scarlet when Tess began to giggle hysterically. “I’m thinking that was an overshare.” “Oh I don’t know,” Tess said as she tried to breathe between waves of laughter. “You could expand on it if you want. I promise I don’t mind at all.” Maria blushed even more. Then she grinned impishly, two could play the embarrassment game. “Well, if you must know…he was kissing me on my…” her description was cut off by Tess’ hand over her mouth. “Stop right there Maria Deluca,” Tess said with a blush of her own, “that’s definitely an overshare I’m sure. Something tells me that Michael wasn’t kissing something that’s a polite conversation piece.” “I wish,” Maria mumbled. “He was working his way into that category,” Tess began to blush even more and Maria sighed, “don’t worry, nothing happened.” To herself she added…last night…she turned her attention back to Tess. “We were just fooling around in the old shed behind his house when the twins walked in on us.” “Oh poor Trent,” Tess exclaimed with a look of sincere pity. Maria looked at her confused and Tess rolled her eyes. “Come on. The kid’s had a crush on you for the past two years. Are you blind?” “Please,” Maria said in exasperation. “He’s just a kid. God, he’s like my little brother.” “Uh huh,” Tess said with a knowing look, “ a kid with a his first crush. So what was his reaction to seeing his own personal goddess making out with the guy he idolizes?” “He glared at us…ok…at Michael and left,” Maria said simply. She left out the part where he’d screamed at Michael and informed Maria that if she wanted him to, he’d kill his brother. Maria had thought it was Trent being all over-protective, like a brother would…but now…with Tess…arrg…she had to stop thinking about it. “Speaking of goddesses,” Maria added, effectively changing the subject. “Have you noticed anything odd about Isabel lately? She’s been really…” “Tame,” Tess threw in knowingly. “Yeah, I noticed that to, but it’s been going on for a while. She hasn’t toyed with Grant’s emotions since early this summer, and there’s nothing that she finds more amusing than that.” “I think it’s bigger than that,” Maria said in a conspiratorial tone. “She’s bee really quiet lately. She was with the twins last night at the shed, and she didn’t even look at us funny. No snide comments at all and Izzy…” “Never misses an opportunity to get on your case, and Michael’s,” Tess finished her friend’s thought for her. “That’s really odd.” “I know,” Maria said with a contemplative look on her face. “She just looked at us and sighed wistfully and then she left. And then this morning I caught her in the act.” “Caught her in the act of what?” Tess asked in confusion. “Staring at Alex.” “Oh my God,” Tess squealed, “she was staring at Alex…our Alex?” “Uh huh,” Maria nodded, “gazing at him like a lovesick puppy. And when she wasn’t looking at him, he was looking at her…. though that’s a normal occurrence.” Tess nodded. Everyone had known for years that Alex was in love with Isabel…it was so obvious that the two of them were perfect for each other. “But now she’s returning it…big time.” “Who’s returning what big time?” Michael asked as he came up behind them. He had AP Chemistry this period and he had decided to sneak in through the door that connected the two labs. “God Michael,” Maria said as both she and Tess glared at him. “Don’t do that. You’re an ass, you know that right?” “I’ll just leave you two alone,” Tess said, realizing quickly that this could be the end of the Michael/Maria truce that had been going on since Tuesday morning. She got up and walked over to Kyle and Liz’s table to see what they were up to. “But you love me anyway,” Michael said with a smirk as he sat in Tess’ vacant chair. “Like I really have a choice in the matter,” Maria said dryly. “What are you doing here anyway? You’re teacher isn’t senile like ours, she actually teaches. Shouldn’t you be in class…learning something?” “She finished lecture a few minutes ago and let us out early,” Michael said with a grin. “I just came over to tell you that I’m going to be late for the movie tonight.” Michael and Maria had told Tess and Kyle that they would all go out for pizza and a movie a couple of days before. They had tried meant to ask Alex and Isabel, but both had said no…. claiming the fifth wheel syndrome as their reason. “I’ll have to meet you at the theatre.” “Why?” Maria said as she began to draw circles on his hand. “Ummm…what?” Michael asked, his train of thought completely gone. “Oh,” he said as he came back to his senses, which was hard because now Maria was tracing letters into his palm. “I’m going to take Trent out to get some pizza, just me, him and Ryan. I figure I should try to explain things to him myself…the kid’s got a temper even I’m scared of.” Maria laughed as she continued to trace secret messages into Michael’s hand. “Uh huh,” she told him as she gave him a gentle peck on the cheek, “you keep telling yourself that’s the reason. I know the truth…that you don’t want your little brother to be hurt. Relax,” she told him with another gentle caress, “you’re secret is safe with me.” The bell rang, and Tess came back over with Kyle in tow. Both Michael and Maria stood up, grabbing their things. Michael paused in the doorway long enough to give Maria a lingering kiss. “I love you too,” he whispered in her ear as he kissed her again on the cheek and left with Kyle, both on their way to football practice. Maria grinned at him…she had been wondering if he’d caught on to what she’d been tracing in his palm. It was nice to know he had. “Come on Spacecase,” Tess said as she dragged her friend down the hall. “You can see you loverboy later. We have to get to cheerleading practice on time today or we have an extra mile to run.” Maria sighed and smiled dreamily as she let Tess lead her down the hall. All was right in her world, and God help anyone who tried to change that. Down the hall three pairs of eyes watched the display. Two turned to look at each other before nodding and walking off down the hall to find more Royals to observe. The third pair narrowed into cold, hard slits. The Royals would pay…they thought they were so special, so unique. Well they weren’t…not by a long shot. The third observer grinned evilly…dealing with witches was an easy matter. They were never worthy opponents. TBC

Part 14