Freak of Nature (The Lost Witch Trilogy #1) by Katie Lee O'Guinn Page A

and I won’t have it Sarah. You’re my niece and you’ll do what I say.”
    Sarah took in a deep brea th and looked down at her plain finger nails. “I was very clear with you that I want nothing to do with your meetings. I’ll never go to your meetings Lena. So let it go.”
    Lena’s cheeks turned bright red and her foot started tapping. “You don’t know what you’re missing Sarah. You have to give it at least one chance before you turn me down. How can you say no when you don’t know anything about what we do? You need to learn how to be a witch Sarah. How else will you learn unless I teach you?” she asked sounding rational.
    Sarah felt the strain of the atmosphere wrap around her head, pushing in like a nail. “How can someone who isn’t a witch, teach me?” she asked quietly, knowing suddenly it was true.
    Lena gasped and stared at her in shock. “Who have you been talking to? Why would you say that to me? Of course I’m a witch. It runs in families.”
    Sarah massaged her forehead before answering. “Gretchen Miner. She says she knew you when you were both growing up and she says no way you’re a witch. So what exactly are you playing at with these people every week? What are you doing that makes the house feel so dark? And who is my father? If he’s a witch, I have a few questions for him,” she said, watching curiously as Lena’s face turned paler and paler and her foot tapped faster and faster.
    “Gretchen Miner doesn’t know one thing about me,” Lena hissed, looking furious.
    “Lena, it doesn’t really matter if I’m a witch or I have a whole bunch of psychokinesis. It all comes down to the same thing. I can do some things other people can’t and I can sense things about people. I was around Gretchen and now I know what another witch feels like. I can sense that. Lena, you’re not a witch. So why are you doing this?” she asked sadly.
    Lena stood up and grabbed a small emerald green vase off the coffee table and threw it as hard as she could at the wall. Sarah held her arms out and sent her energy out instinctively to protect herself from the shards of glass flying everywhere.
    Lena stood with her head down and her hands on her waist, breathing heavily. Sarah had never seen her lose control like this before. “Is Race Livingston my father?” she asked standing up and inching towards the door in case her aunt felt like throwing anything else.
    Lena raised her head slowly and speared Sarah with her pale eyes. “I won’t talk about your father. Not now, not ever. I don’t care what Gretchen has been telling you, she doesn’t know as much as she thinks she does. Power is power and if you’ll just come to my meeting, Drake can explain it to you. It’s called a binding. You bind yourself to us and then we can guide you. You’ll be even more powerful than you are now and I’ll be able to share it with you. Drake knows exactly what to do. He’s done it before and he says you’re perfect for this. He says I’ll finally have the life I’ve always deserved,” Lena said, in a pleading voice.
    Sarah’s face contorted in pain. Gretchen had been right. Her aunt had gotten sucked in to a group that was determined to use her and break her.
    “My answer would have to be no then. And if you want me to keep living here, you’ll stop inviting your friends over. Now I just got a part time job at the book store, so I’ve gotta run. I don’t know when I’ll be home so lock up and I’ll use the key,” she said, standing up and walking towards the door.
    Lena darted forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a standstill. “I’ve done everything for you Sarah. I’ve sacrificed so much of my life for you. And you won’t do this one thing for me? I’ve never asked you for anything Sarah. This is very important to me. If you love me you’ll do this,” she asked in a wheedling voice.
    Sarah felt a mass of darkness from the corner of the room glide ov er and float next to her aunt. She