Laura DeLuca's Blog - Posts Tagged "destiny"

Genre: YA 

Gabriella is a witch. The problem is, she doesn’t remember. She
repressed the memories of her powers years ago when her mother was
murdered. Now, the warlock who was responsible for her mother’s death
has set his sights on Gabriella. He is determined to use her fear to
turn her to the dark side of magick…even if it kills her. Her mother’s
spirit is reaching out to warn her, but even that she pushes away.
Desperate to save her daughter, the spirit finds a male witch–one that
just happens to be in love with Gabriella. Darron is more than willing
to help but the two young witches will have way more to battle than just
an evil warlock. There are overbearing jocks and petty rich girls who
get tempers flaring and often set Gabrielle and Darron at odds.



There is more to the story than Gabrielle and Darron could even
imagine. There are terrible secrets to be revealed, battles to be waged,
and lives will be lost. Only after Gabrielle and Darron both come to
terms with who they really are, and open themselves up to the true
meaning of magick, can they have any hope of fulfilling their destiny.





Her eyes scanned the room, from the pale blue sofa to the bloody dent
in the wall. But she didn’t need her eyes to know Darron was there. Her
heart sensed his presence before her eyes saw him lying in a heap on
the ground. His body shuttered with occasional spasms, and even though
he wasn’t fully conscious, his lips were twisted in a grimace of pain.

Uttering a gasp of surprise, Gabriella flew to his side. She knelt
beside him, and choked back a sob as she took his hand in her own. She
saw his chest rise and fall and was glad to know was alive, but she felt
helpless as she watched his face contort in pain. She noticed something
wet and sticky on her fingertips. She gently titled his head and saw a
large gash that looked like it needed medical attention. The skin around
the gash was so deeply bruised it looked almost black.

“Darron, what happened to you?”

He didn’t move or reply. Gabriella moved her hand from the cut on his
forehead, and her fingers dripped with blood. She bit her lower lip
with fear. She knew enough about head injuries to know that the wound
could be serious. She grabbed a few tissues from a box on the coffee
table, and tried to apply pressure to the wound, but it was useless. The
tissues were soaked through in seconds.

“Darron?” She squeezed his hand, and fought back tears of fear and
frustration. “Darron, please open your eyes. Please be all right!”

He squirmed and groaned a little in response. Looking at his
contorted features, Gabriella felt incompetent and useless. She didn’t
know what to do to help him. The cut must need stitches. The blood was
gushing through her fingertips, and she was sure his life was slipping
away just as quickly.

More than anything, Gabriella wanted to help Darron, to end his
suffering. Her thoughts, her desperation, caused something deep inside
of her to stir. Something that had long been napping was awoken. The
power she had fought so hard to deny was forcing its way to the surface.
This time she didn’t struggle against that power. Her instinct to hide
from it was finally overcome by the thought of losing someone else she
cared about.

Gabriella was pulling strength and warmth from the earth, as though
her legs were tree roots taking nourishment from the element. A tingling
sensation began in the tips of her toes and spread slowly though her
body as she breathed in the essence of the element of air. Her blood
flowed and grew warm, the element of water, bringing the power to the
surface. She was overcome by a vigorous strength as she envisioned her
spirit encircled by the element of fire. She felt so powerful that she
thought she could stop the world from churning if that was what she
wished. Gabriella focused the power, remembering for a moment her
mother’s lessons. She looked down at her battered friend. She willed him
to open his eyes and look at her. She demanded it of him.

Gabriella would have thought it was impossible, but she felt herself
grow warmer. Her face dripped with perspiration. The power within her
reached a climax. Then finally, when she thought she might burst, she
felt the energy release. It seeped through her fingers, and shined with
an illumination that only she could see. She heard herself chanting
unfamiliar words, and scarcely recognized her own voice.

“By the power of earth, water, fire and air,

Heal this man who’s in my care.

Goddess, hear your daughter’s plea.

As I will it, so mote it be!”

Gabriella repeated the words three times. Three was the number of
power. Then she watched as the wound on Darron’s forehead healed before
her eyes, becoming smaller and smaller, until finally it was gone. The
blood was still warm and sticky, but beneath the blood, the skin was
smooth and unmarred. Even the horrible bruise had vanished. Gabriella
stared in open astonishment, marveling at the work she had done.