Jude Barrett

Lacey called me, telling me today was the big battle. Big battle? I didn’t realize she’d really meant there was gonna be a war when she told me they were training for it. I don’t know why I didn’t realize it was like, really real, but now here it was. They were going up against some pretty bad ass stuff from what she’d told me before. It was the whole reason they were on lockdown at that school. I didn’t understand the whole thing really, but apparently some guy who was somehow Tyler’s uncle killed some of the Slayers. Which means he must be pretty strong and possibly evil.

When she told me they could use my help, I didn’t hesitate. I told her I’d be there. It wasn’t about the magick or her saying I could use it. But with me there, I could know that she was okay. I could do whatever I could to make sure she was safe. Even if she was probably stronger than me. It’s a guy thing. I just wanted to make sure she made it through this. I would risk everything, even my own life to make sure of that.

As soon as she told me where to be and gave me directions, I hung up and started grabbing some clothes. I was dressed and out the door in a matter of minutes and heading downtown where Lacey told me to go. Traffic was crazy, all backed up and stuff, so I just parked where I could and started running the rest of the way. I didn’t know what the hell was going on…oh my God is that a dragon?

I stopped dead in my tracks and stared up at the sky with my eyes wide. It was. I didn’t even know they were real. Then again, I didn’t know a lot of things were real until the last few months. Shaking myself out of it, I ran on ahead and that’s when I saw it. Everyone fighting these….monsters. Demons I guess they were. I moved closer, my eyes scanning the chaos for any sign of my girlfriend. I didn’t see her. There was too much going on.

Everyone was fighting for their lives and since I was here to help, I started doing the same. The red flickered across my eyes before they turned solid black, no white left at all. I started using the magic bubbles as Lacey called them, shooting them at every demon that got in my way as I moved through the chaos. I had to find Lacey. Hey, my powers were pretty effective on these things. Everytime I’d hit one in the chest with one, it would send it flying through the air. This was fun. I can definitely see why this could be seductive. Why Caleb said you had to be careful. I could get used to doing this all the time.

One after another I sent flying, trying to block out the screams that would rise up from the battle. I still hadn’t seen Lacey, but these people were fighting for their lives. Even Tyler was here. I saw him for a brief minute, fighting too. Everyone was. I had no idea when Lacey said it was a war that it was seriously this intense. It felt like I was in a movie.

Hearing something behind me, I spun around with my hands held out, ready but I wasn’t fast enough. Something sliced across my stomach and I looked down to see the blood soaking through my shirt. Lifting my widened eyes in confusion, I met some angry yellow ones of the demon whose claws had just caused the damage just as he backhanded me and sent me flying through the air. I landed on the hood of a car, crashing back against the windshield and feeling the glass break with the weight of my body and head. I blinked, trying to focus as everything went blurry and then finally, dark.

I’ve never really wanted to face my powers. I’ve just always thought, hey I have them, why not use them? My dad told me some stuff about them. He gave me the whole Ascension and if I use them after I might as well be signing up for an early grave spiel. But, I guess I never realized the truth behind them until the day of the blizzard. When Lacey started asking Caleb all those questions about our powers. I didn’t say anything, I just mostly listened, because I didn’t know most of the stuff he explained. It was pretty cool, hearing about it. How our powers date so far back and all that. But what has me confused is how he said that there were families named Barrett in the old colony. He was going to check on it, but I’ve not talked to him since. Part of me is curious, intrigued even, about all this stuff. Then there’s the part of me that never wanted to know. That just likes being in the dark. Just the guy with powers that needs to be careful once he turns eighteen.

Then there’s Lacey, who pretty much told me she was going to break up with me if I use them. Like, at all. I’m never allowed to use them. What’s the point in having powers if you can’t use them? I don’t want my girlfriend to break up with me. But it’s a big inner battle. The seduction of the powers that Caleb talked about. It’s real. It’s a constant struggle. A tug of war not to use them. Not to just do something because I can.

But I don’t. Not only would my girlfriend break up with me but she is a slayer which means she can totally kick my ass.

//locked to Lacey and Caleb or whatever//

Everyone's got something they're afraid for other people to know. Skeletons in the closet and all that crap. There's a reason we keep secrets. Sometimes we know how people will react to them and sometimes it's just better to leave those sleeping dogs lie, you know? Sometimes it's just that it's no one else's business. Or that it sucks to talk about.

There's a reason I didn't want Lacey to know about the Covenant and all the stuff that goes along with it. For one thing, I knew she'd freak. I mean, man, she's my girlfriend. Now she knows if I use my powers too much after I ascend, I'll age all quickly. Like Caleb's old man. I guess my dad never got really into it because he looks relatively normal for his age. If anything, I'd say all his lines are from stress and trying to be a big corporate superstar since he was barely out of college. It's like he's never even used before.

Look, it's just not something I care to think about. So maybe one day I'll look a little older than I'm supposed to and a few years'll get taken off the end of my life. And tomorrow, the world could end or I could die in a car crash or be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Point is, even if I were to die without being aged too fast, I'm still gonna die someday. Will it make any difference if I die young but without having used too much? Is that a better death? Or isn't it just bad enough to die no matter how it happens?

Plus, now I'm gonna have Lacey on my back and flipping out anytime I use for any reason at all, even though I haven't even ascended yet. And while I can agree to not using it unless I have to, I can't honestly agree to not using it at all. Why would I be given power if I wasn't meant to use it? Even if it's just for emergency situations. Besides, I've seen Caleb use. Not even for an emergency. That whole scene on the beach? He was just kind of being a punk about it. We both were, I guess.

It's out there now. At least to my girlfriend. And even though I am totally in love with her, every thing that made me want to keep it from her has now been realized. So now I'm just scared that it's going to come between us one of these days.

Big surprise, the parents didn’t make it home for Thanksgiving. That was okay though. I didn’t spend my holiday alone. Lacey had been staying with me most of the time anyway. Ever since this stuff with Lexi happened. Don’t even get me started on Halloween. But Lacey wouldn’t let me go after her. Even though I could probably kick her ass. Okay, maybe not. I don’t know if I even could. Tyler’s still my best friend and Lexi, even if she was the evil undead, had been too. But, if she hurts Lacey again, then all bets are off.

Anyway, Thanksgiving. It was pretty cool. Just me and Lacey, big spread prepared by the staff. I even got to carve the turkey. Which is usually my dad’s job. Or it used to be when we had family holidays. But since he wasn’t here, I took it upon myself. Considering my usual clumsiness, I had to be supervised during this feat. Which definitely took away any cool points it might’ve got me. Not that I needed them, I already have the girl. But a guy can still try can’t he?

We ate and then we just hung out for awhile. It was a really cool day. Probably the best Thanksgiving I’ve had in a long time. It was good to forget everything that was going on for awhile and just focus on things we’re thankful for. And eat. Let’s not forget the most important part of the whole day. Turkey. And stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. You get the point.

Everything is so crazy right now. Well, crazy and sad. This thing with Lexi. I don’t even know how I feel about it. I haven’t had much time to think about how I feel, I’ve been too worried about Lacey. I know I need to call Tyler, he’s my best friend, but what do you even say at a time like this? Lacey’s cried since she found out, so I can only imagine how Ty’s feeling. And me? I’ve just been trying to be the strong one I guess. Somebody’s got to. Lacey’s a mess.

She’s been staying at my house since everything happened. I want her here with me, it’s safer that way. It’s not like my parents are around anyway. I pretty much live here by myself and they just pay the bills. Not that I’m complaining. I’m used to it, it’s been like that my whole life.

I just feel like Lacey’s safer here, I can protect her. If I need to use my magick, I will. Especially with Lexi saying she wants Lacey to be her best friend forever. Emphasis on forever. I didn’t really want her going back over to Kaci’s, but she insisted, saying she was gonna go talk to this Kennedy girl, who was Lexi’s aunt or something. She was the one who trained the Slayers, so Lacey was gonna go see her and see if she’d teach her how to protect herself. I didn’t want her to leave. I couldn’t keep her safe if she did. But I had to compromise right? I had to trust everything was going to be okay.

She left and I tried to keep myself busy. So I wouldn’t worry. We weren’t going to go to that Halloween party now, instead we were gonna hang out together. Just the two of us. I was going to take her out on a date and try to keep her mind off everything. At least for one night. Which reminded me, I needed to call Tyler. Flipping my phone open, I found his name in my address book and pressed send, holding it to my ear. I got his voicemail, so I decided to leave him a message. “Hey Ty, it’s Jude. Just wanted to check in. I’m around if you need to talk. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Flipping it closed again, I climbed the stairs to my bedroom to get dressed. Hopefully Lacey would be back soon. I was already starting to get worried.

I know it's not my business, but this fight or whatever's going on between you and Lacey? She's leaving, Lexi. Like seriously leaving. Tonight. I don't want that and I know you don't either, but she won't listen to me. She thinks you hate her. I know you don't, but maybe you should tell her that. I'm not trying to interfere, but I wasn't really sure what else to do. I don't want my girlfriend to leave over something stupid.

Maybe this is some kind of stupid girl thing and I'm freaking out over nothing. In that case, ignore me.

My dad has always been very cautious about our powers. Warning me how tempting the magic can be, how much I risk if and when I ever use it. See, I’m not supposed to use it. I got my powers when I turned 13 and it’s like a test or something. A test to see if I can have these powers but not give in to their seductive nature. Pretty heavy thing to put on a teenager. Who doesn’t want to be a superhero? Having these powers, being able to use this magic makes me feel like one. But according to my dad, if I give in now, then when I ascend I’ll be more tempted to use them then. That’s when you pay the ultimate price. When I turn eighteen, I’ll ascend, like all first born males within this secret society. The Covenant they call it. Once I get my full powers, if I use them, I age. Like each time I use magic, I’ll age. I’ll actually get older.

That night on the beach, when Caleb showed up and tried to force me to talk to him, I lost control. I used my magic right there, on the beach in front of everyone. I’d been drinking, he was pissing me off and so what, I was showing off. For a girl. But it’s not like I’ve used them again since. I haven’t even told my girlfriend about them. About what all I can do or what I am.

I didn’t mean to lose control that night and if I could take it back, I probably would. But, no one ever asked me about it, so no harm no foul right?

No kid ever wants summer to be over. Who in their right mind would? Going back to school sucks. Even if you are a Senior this year. But even that isn't enough to make me want it to turn to fall. I bet you're wondering why right? Well, this has been the best summer of my whole life. I met a girl, went to Greece with her //locked//and I lost my virginity.//unlocked// Definitely a big summer for me. So you can see why I don't want it to end. Because when it does? Lacey has to go back home. Back to Louisiana. Which is pretty far from California and from me. But, okay let's be honest, San Diego would be too far even. I like her here. In LA, going to my school and being with me. I can't help it.

I just don't want her to go back. I don't want her to go anywhere. Things between us are pretty serious and I just really don't want to lose her. Not when I just found her. Sappy, I know. But I can't help that either. I guess that's just what love does to you.

It's pretty messed up that I have these powers, yet there's nothing I can do to stop time or do some kind of like, mindwipe or memory erase on her parents. That way she could just stay here. Selfish right? I'm totally joking, but it would be pretty cool.

//locked so no one gives me crap over it//

I haven’t. Yeah, you heard me. I’m still a virgin. Pick your jaw up off the floor, it can happen. A teenage guy can still be a virgin. Some of us still have values and morals. It’s not that it couldn’t have happened by now, because trust me, it could have. I’m not conceited but I’m a cute guy. I’m funny, smart, and I’ve got money which definitely makes girls want me. But, I’ve just not sealed the deal. For a long time I thought I’d wait. You know, until I got married and all that. Now, not so much. I think I’m just waiting for the right person. Someone special. And the right place. Not just some unmemorable moment in the backseat of a car or something. I want it to be special.

Guess that makes me some kind of romantic or old fashioned or something. Lucky for me, I’ve got a girlfriend who respects me for it. I’m pretty sure she’s the one too. The special one I’ve been waiting for. Guess we’ll see huh?

I totally unleashed on him and then Lexi had to step in and break up all the fun. I wanted to let this guy have it. Not only for what he did to Lacey but for busting up our party. I was totally sober now. Jerk. Though, I almost had to laugh at the fact that Lexi totally punched this guy right in the face. Way to go Lex. Didn’t know you had it in you.

Then everyone started chiming in, wanting answers about what just went down. Of course they wanted answers. I just wanted answers about who this guy was and why he tracked me down here to start a fight with me. Why he made me use my powers out in the open like this? Well, maybe I was the one who used my powers out in the open, but he pissed me off and started this whole thing. So, it was his fault. I would’ve never used like that if he wouldn’t have rolled up on me and got all hands on.

Lacey wanted him to stay. I looked over at her. What? Why? I just wanted him to go, I wanted this guy as far out of my sight as possible. Before I decided to go for round two. And I really didn’t want to explain to everyone what had just happened. I could feel people staring. I just wanted everyone to go back to their drinking and tomorrow when they sobered up they’d forget all about it. Right? Let’s hope. God, my dad was gonna kill me. I was never supposed to use out in the open like that. I was gonna be so dead. If he found out that is. Not like he’s ever around, so he probably won’t ever know. I hope.

Looks like I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want a campfire sit down to explain things, he started making with the excuses and trying to leave. But not before telling me his name and where to find him if I wanted to talk. Yeah right. Like I want to talk to the guy that busts up my friends party and totally exposes me like that. No thanks.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” I muttered under my breath before turning and walking away in the opposite direction. I headed down towards the water. I just wanted to cool off. I was mad. Pissed more like it. That guy had totally killed my buzz and not that I was gonna let any of them know, but he’d hurt me more than I was letting on. I pulled up my shirt a little and looked at the scorch marks from the magick balls. The skin started healing over instantly. Just in time for Lacey to walk up. I quickly jerked my shirt back down.

((Lacey....))

Jude knows all about risk. Every day he risks being found out, he risks giving into the temptation. The magick, his powers, they're so seductive. But he fights them, only uses them on occasion. His father has talked to him about it, told him stories of the others. The ones who've succumbed to the temptation and paid the ultimate price. Jude doesn't want to be one of the statistics, but he likes the power, he wants to be able to use it, even just a little.

He's not due to ascend until he turns 18, just like all the other first born males before him. That's when he receives his full powers and the real danger plagues him. Now it's just a test, the powers given to him when he turned 13 to see if he could maintain them, not abuse them, not give in to that seduction. So far, he's managed to stay within the realm of not taking any risks with them.

But somewhere in his mind he wonders if he doesn't take that risk, if he doesn't use his powers, doesn't he risk losing them?

Apparently, I have to tell my story. Make my introductions or what not. At least that's what I'm told. Well, here goes nothing.

My name is Nathaniel Jude Barrett, but you can call me Jude. I'd prefer it if you did. I'm 17 years old. In fact, I just turned it on June 13^th. No big party or anything, it was just a quiet day. My parents were out of the country, what else is new? It's not really a big deal, I'm used to it. I just kinda hung out by myself, drove down to the beach, did some surfing, came home. See, I'm a pretty low key kinda guy.

I go to school at this private Catholic school here in LA. I play football, I like to hang out with my friends, go to the beach, cruise around in my convertible, hit on girls, spend money. I guess I'm just your typical all American teenage boy. Sure, I have my secrets, but who doesn't?