Read Online Believe: The Complete Channie Series by Charlotte Abel - Free Book Online

fingers against her own nose, focusing on the form and function of bone and cartilage then scanned Josh’s nose, comparing the differences. She focused her mind and cast the healing spell.
    There was a loud “pop,” followed by an even louder yelp of pain. Josh ran a finger over the bridge of his nose and swore. “Damn it!”
    Eric sat up and said, “What’s wrong?”
    “You broke my effing nose.”
    “Yeah, but that was five minutes ago. What just happened? I heard something crack.”
    “I don’t know, but it hurts worse now than it did when you hit me.”
    Channie cringed. She should have cast a pain-away spell first. Or no spell at all. She needed more practice with Chastity’s magic before she used it to fuel a healing spell. It was a lot harder to heal someone with negative energy.
    Josh sneezed twice, swearing and spraying blood clots everywhere. But at least his nose quit bleeding. Unfortunately, it was still swelling and the skin under both eyes was turning purple. He helped Eric to his feet, then looked at Channie. “If anyone asks, tell them we were tossing a football around. I missed and got smacked in the face. Okay?”
    Channie nodded her head. She read Josh’s energy field, expecting to find anger and fear since he was focused on her, but all she found was affection, a desire to protect her…and lust.
    Eric was a different story. He radiated nothing but fear and anger. “If you ever come near me again—”
    “Dude, you started it.” Josh cut him off.
    “But she hit me with some kind of power beam.“
    “Power beam? Seriously?” Josh glanced at Channie with a questioning look then turned back to Eric. “How hard did you hit your head?”
    “I don’t know how she did it, but I’m telling you—that girl’s dangerous.”

    Channie decided she’d caused enough trouble for one day and skipped the rest of her classes. She rode her bicycle to Heritage Park and sat in the shade of the pavilion until school was over. She would have enjoyed soaking up some sunshine, but hid in the shadows. She didn’t want Momma to see her if she happened to look out one of the east windows.
    Three hours later, Channie still had the burnt onion stench of a curse clinging to her, but unless she wanted to answer questions about why she was late coming home from school, she had to go. She got up and rubbed against a pine bough to see if that would hide the smell. It didn’t. All it did was gum up her hands and clothes with sticky, yellow sap.
    Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. 
    Momma wrinkled her nose when Channie walked in, but she didn’t scold her. Daddy actually smiled. And why shouldn’t he? The smell of Chastity’s curse was proof their little plot to ruin her life was working.
    Channie went to bed right after supper and slept until noon the next day. Too many sleepless nights and the expenditure of so much magic had finally taken its toll. But she didn’t want to miss her afternoon classes two days in a row, so she persuaded Momma to write her an excuse and rode her bike to school.
    Josh’s fight with Eric must have boosted his confidence. Instead of sitting on his bike and watching Channie ride away after school—he followed her.
    She’d fantasized about talking to Josh for days, but maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. Even though he’d defended her at the time, he knew she’d zapped Eric. He was bound to ask questions she wasn’t supposed to answer. If he lasered her with those deep blue eyes of his, she was afraid she’d tell him the truth.
    Channie pedaled as fast as she could, but it wasn’t fast enough. Her legs were on fire and she had a stitch in her side when Josh caught up with her on his child-sized-junk-yard bicycle. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.
    “Hey, Channie. Did you read my note?”
    She stopped pedaling and let the bicycle coast. There was no point killing herself trying to outrun him since it was obviously impossible. Still gasping for breath, she nodded her head.
    Josh pressed