Swept Away
Author: Soraia
Spoilers: NW Series
Rating: Pretty PG. We'll see how it goes.
Disclaimer: Not only do I not own any of the concepts of the Night World series, but I'm also quite broke. Everything belongs to LJS, original characters are my own.
Summary: Inside everyone lies dreams unheard of and desires unknown. Aubrey was completely unaware of the things locked deep in her heart, but an enchantment will soon show her the truth.
Thanks: Rhiannon for being my beta and for the fantastic quote; Incanto for setting me on the path of a title.
"There are two great tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants. The other is getting it."
- Mr. Dumby, 'Lady Windermere's Fan', Oscar Wilde
Chapter One
Aubrey was surrounded by the red and gold brilliance of the mid-October foliage. The giant redwoods, Jeffrey pines and mountain ash were dropping needles and leaves over everything in sight. It was almost as if the Sierra Nevada College campus had been engulfed with a passionate fire, slowly immersing the buildings and the landscape, blazing boldly in contrast to the white peaked mountains in the distance.
But there was no fire and the dry cold was pulling at Aubrey Sheffield's skin. She gathered herself further into the Old Navy polar fleece she had thrown on hastily on her way out of the apartment. It was an unusually cold morning with dreary cloud cover. She hoped that the weather forecast had been accurate when it had promised for sunshine this afternoon. Not that it was vital to her plan, but it would help.
The landscape of Incline Village, Nevada, was simply awe-inspiring. She'd lived here ever since the death of her mother and had never quite gotten over how beautiful it was. Even at the age of six, when she had first been brought here to live with her aunt, she knew it had to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, and she never intended on leaving. Her friends were here, and with the exception of the father that had left before she was even born, the only family she had was here, as well. Even if the woman was detestable and overly critical, she was family, and the only known relation Aubrey had left in the world.
She saw the sign for the North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden in the distance and quickened her step. She knew the others would already be there. They were always so punctual, while Aubrey had a knack for appearing fashionably late. Stray strands of hair were blown into her vision by the breeze as she rounded the first corner. In front of her was a group of four teenagers, looking around expectantly and checking their watches. She hurried the rest of the way, receiving mock glares.
"Sorry," she said quickly. "I had to go back and grab something."
Smiling sheepishly, she looked around the group, taking in each of them to see their responses: Heather McGrath, with cropped red curls and eyes that glittered like the Pacific, attempting a look of disappointment; Althea Bay, her hip-length raven hair pulled back and wearing a sinister smile, widening her lilac eyes; Dilys Randal, showing off café au lait skin despite the cold, playing with her butterscotch tresses; Jonathan Austen, the cool, quiet guy of the group—because every group needed a distant guy—nodding his head, tawny, dishevelled hair falling over dark eyes. This was her group of best friends, the people she had been closest to for most of her life. Only one person was missing, but he wasn't invited to this meeting.
"Do you have the key?" Heather asked quietly, as if somebody could be listening in on them.
Aubrey nodded. "That's what I had to go back for." She pulled out a lone gold key on a silver chain. She looked toward Dilys. "Did you bring everything else?"
Taking her hands away from her hair, Dilys exchanged a mischievous smile with Althea before replying. "You bet. We worked on it all night. Everything's in the car."
Aubrey couldn't imagine why it would have taken all night, but went on anyway. "Alright, you guys, this is it. We'll go over the new plan I came up with this morning in Lit, and then we'll head over." Focusing on Althea, she asked, "Are you sure we won't run into him here?"
Althea nodded. "He wouldn't come here. There's too much . . . plant life." She said the words sarcastically as she stared off into a group of Birches.
Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "As long as you're sure." She took one last glance around her before turning to address the rest of the group. "Alright, here's the plan . . ."
"Okay," Aubrey said, facing the team behind her. "You all know your cues. Just wait until he has stepped into the room and has shut the door before you make any move. There won't be any time for hesitation after my word. Got it?" Nods came from the four surrounding teens.
She saw a slight twitch in Dilys's face. "He's coming up the hall," she whispered, her shining, saffron-coloured eyes growing wide.
Aubrey scanned the other girl. How does she do that? she thought to herself, nodding and turning back to the group. Putting a finger to her lips, she moved silently to stand behind the partition that separated the entrance from the study area as everyone else went to take their places. She had to be at the front of this attack; this was her mission. With one last glance, she saw that the group was well hidden and ready to pounce.
She heard the key in the door and the turn of the deadbolt. She felt the vibration of the door pulling away from the jamb through the mass-produced, plasterboard wall. Almost there, she thought to herself. Out of the corner of her eye she saw light from the hallway spread across the floor. With growing anticipation, she held her breath until the light receded and she heard the click of the spring latch on the scratch plate. She put on her most arrogant smile, allowing her eyelids to fall lazily over aquamarine orbs, and waited one moment to make sure that he was actually in the room before she turned.
She saw alarm cross his face. Crimson light coming through the dark curtains around the room turned his short, champagne-blond hair a fiery orange and touched his gallant features, causing her heart to catch. She didn't let it show. She just watched as his backpack fell to the floor.
"What are you doing here?" he said, his voice filled with both wonder and dread. His attack muscles relaxed slightly.
The corner of her mouth twitched, giving her what she knew must be a very self-important smirk. With as much haughtiness as she could gather, she breathed, "Surprise."
With that one word, the room was flooded with early-afternoon sun as curtains were thrown open. Dark shadows rose around the room, backing the guy up against the door. Aubrey felt a droplet of pity for him as he cringed from the light, until she remembered why she was there.
"This is about revenge," she said out loud, crowding him into a corner. He was completely defenceless, but that didn't matter. He wouldn't try to hurt her if he could. He was the—she scowled at the thought—brotherly type. "This is payback for what you did to me six months ago."
She turned quickly to the closest shadow behind her. "Althea, press the button."
With a maniacal grin that could seduce a god, Althea lifted a slender, ring covered hand that held a slim remote. She turned, aiming the control toward the far wall. Within moments the sound of music invaded the dorm room. Another figure came out of the private bath, carrying an object scattered with flames.
Aubrey took one last step in, bringing her mouth dangerously close to the guy's ear. With light laughter in her voice, she whispered gently, "Happy birthday, Perry."
Dilys came the rest of the way out with the birthday cake as balloons were released from the ceiling. Perry slumped to the floor in a fit of laughter. He turned to look up at Aubrey, mahogany eyes twinkling despite the glare he was trying to force. "Remind me to take that key away from you."
She grinned back mischievously. "That's what you get for getting the whole staff at TGIFriday's to sing 'Happy Birthday' to me. You're lucky this is all I did."
He stood, putting his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. You win." He looked around at the others. "You guys, on the other hand, have it coming to you!" He gave Aubrey a playful punch in the arm. "Good job, kid."
Holding on to her grin until he passed toward the cake, she finally released a wistful sigh. "Yeah . . . kid."
"Face it," Heather said lightly, coming to stand beside her. "You'll always be a little sister to him."
Aubrey turned and gave the girl a half-hearted smile. "Thanks for the reminder, Heather. It's not like I haven't known for years."
"Just a friendly suggestion from the Keep Aubrey Sane Foundation." Heather leaned over and put her head on Aubrey's fleece-clad shoulder. "I just want to see my best friend happy."
Aubrey sighed as she hugged her. "I am happy. I have a group of friends that I love and trust, and would do anything in the world for, as they would for me. I don't need anything else."
She watched the other girl walk away and felt slightly guilty. What she had said about her friends was true, but there was still something lacking; something keeping her from being as happy as she portrayed herself to be. It made her feel almost selfish.
With a final shrug and a deep breath, she joined the group around the cake, her heart lightening with the happy atmosphere of her friends. She stood back, admiring them.
Immediately to her right was Heather, who Aubrey had known longer than anyone else, since the day she had arrived in Incline Village. She could remember the day that she had opened the door to see a freckled-faced Heather, with unruly curls and chubby cheeks, asking if Aubrey could come over to play with her pet iguana.
On Aubrey's other side was Althea and Dilys, standing at the head of the group behind the cake, light from the candles shining playfully in their eyes. You could tell that they were best friends even if you didn't know them. They both had a look in their eyes, prepared for danger and ready to laugh at it, and were undividable.
Making them stand out completely was the presence of reserved Jonathan beside them. You wouldn't know that they ran in the same crowd, but they had since the first year of high school. All it took was him asking if he could sit at the group's lunch table the day he had arrived from San Diego. And while he seemed detached and solitary, he could be rather outgoing with them.
And then, of course, there was Perry Genet. Her heart pulled in her chest as she met his deep, captivating eyes, flickering wildly in the light of the candles. His smile was heart-stirring, and she couldn't stop herself from returning it. She just wished it didn't hurt so badly.
There was hardly a day in the past five years that they hadn't seen one another. Since the first day of high school there had been a click. Literally. A fourteen year old Aubrey Sheffield had felt it when she was assigned the seat next to the dashing boy. When she turned to say "Hello," their eyes had met, and she felt the click happen all over, head to toe. He instantly smiled and from that point on they had been inseparable. In a very brotherly/sisterly way, she thought distantly. And that was exactly how their bond had been, like they were the siblings that neither of them had ever had.
Of course, that bond meant more to her than anything in the world. With her father gone and her mother dead, she was only left with her spinster aunt, who had some unspoken dislike for Aubrey. Aunt Jane had never neglected her, but she had known how to make Aubrey feel low and paltry. Maybe it was because she looked so much like her "worthless, good-for-nothing" father, or the fact that she was just a burden, but Aubrey no longer cared. Years of the treatment had made Aubrey resilient to insults and, fortunately, she had a group of fantastic friends to support her.
She imagined herself as the group saw her. Tall—almost eye level with the boys and a couple of inches above the other girls. Chestnut waves fell around her face, resting haphazardly on her shoulders, and her bright eyes, always a little wistful, made her appear younger than she actually was. Nobody believed her to be a nineteen year old college sophomore.
This was the only family she needed. Throughout the years these six kids had helped each other along the way. Aubrey and Heather had moved into their apartment near campus the second graduation was over, which was quickly followed by Jonathan crashing on their couch every night. Perry got a dorm room in one of the residential halls, while Althea and Dilys had stayed with their families; they were both very family oriented.
And at that moment, they were looking over a birthday cake with twenty candles, celebrating the first person of the group to leave their teens.
"Happy birthday, Perry," Aubrey said again, more like herself than she had been earlier. "Blow out the candles."
"Yes, hurry up and blow out the candles," Dilys said anxiously, looking down at the cake that she was holding with her friend. "Wax is getting all over the frosting."
"Don't forget to make a wish," Althea said, sporting her trademark smile. Aubrey thought she saw something more hiding behind her eyes, but it was gone before she could give it a second thought.
Perry looked around the group, his eyes falling on Aubrey for a split second before turning back to the cake. Taking in an exaggerated breath, he blew hard, puffing out his cheeks. Hints of ginger and cinnamon played in the air.
Aubrey could see Althea and Dilys holding onto each others hands, wicked grins playing at their lips. Looking back at the cake, she saw that one last candle was still lit, and it didn't seem Perry would be able to get it out with one breath. She heard Althea mumble something incoherently just before the last candle went out.
And suddenly the room began to spin violently.