Time to finish this!

Another one I haven't read yet. God my wallet is gonna be empty for a while.

Finally nearly finished!

the cover looks like the 90's

Lol this cover is so dated.

Another trilogy almost done. I can't get to the rest of my books thanks to this pesky back problem... I need to find something to read!

Cassie looked at Adam and found him looking at her. He took her hand, closing it
in his own, both of them holding the chalcedony rose.
Cassie looked down at their intertwined fingers, and it seemed... more

Cassie looked at Adam and found him looking at her. He took her hand, closing it
in his own, both of them holding the chalcedony rose.
Cassie looked down at their intertwined fingers, and it seemed that she could
see the silver cord again, wrapping around their two hands, connecting them. But
not just them. Filaments of the cord seemed to web out and touch the others of
the group, linking them together with silver light. They were all connected, all
part of one another, and the light shone around them to touch the earth and sky
and sea.
Sky and sea, keep harm from me. Earth and fire, bring my desire.
They had. And they would in the future. With her inner vision, Cassie saw that
the Circle was part of something bigger, like a spiral that went on and on
forever, encompassing everything, touching the stars.
"I love you," Adam whispered.
From the center of the Circle, Cassie smiled.

Cassie was excited. She'd taken an oath while watching Faye draw that circle at
the crossroads, and now she was going to see her oath fulfilled. She'd promised
that Faye wouldn't be leader forever... more

Cassie was excited. She'd taken an oath while watching Faye draw that circle at
the crossroads, and now she was going to see her oath fulfilled. She'd promised
that Faye wouldn't be leader forever, and in a few minutes Faye wouldn't be.
She opened her mouth joyfully to say, "I nominate Diana," but before she could
speak she heard Diana's voice.
"I nominate Cassie," Diana said clearly.

For a moment Cassie thought Adam was going to hit him again. Then Adam turned
away, as if forgetting Jordan existed. He didn't seem to notice Nick's existence
either. He took Cassie's hand, the one... more

For a moment Cassie thought Adam was going to hit him again. Then Adam turned
away, as if forgetting Jordan existed. He didn't seem to notice Nick's existence
either. He took Cassie's hand, the one Jordan had spat on, turned it over, and
kissed it.

Adam, she tried to call to him with her mind. Adam, it's Cassie. I'm in trouble.
She wished she had the chalcedony rose to hold while she called; Adam had told
her it would help make contact with... more

Adam, she tried to call to him with her mind. Adam, it's Cassie. I'm in trouble.
She wished she had the chalcedony rose to hold while she called; Adam had told
her it would help make contact with him. But the chalcedony rose was Diana's.
Don't think about that now. Think about Adam. You need to make Adam hear you.
Adam, she called again, putting all her strength behind it. Strange that the
ability to push with her mind, to do whatever she did to send the power lancing
out, didn't seem to deteriorate with use. Instead, it was like a muscle, getting
stronger as she exercised it. Adam, she called again, keeping the message simple
and clear. It's Cassie. I need help.
He'll come, she told herself. He'll find this place somehow; he'll come if I can
just stay calm and wait. It was the thought of what might happen before Adam
came that chilled the blood in her veins.

Just in and out, Cassie told herself as she hurried through the door. She found
the book on a shelf in the library and tucked it under her arm. She wasn't
really uneasy-the last week had been so... more

Just in and out, Cassie told herself as she hurried through the door. She found
the book on a shelf in the library and tucked it under her arm. She wasn't
really uneasy-the last week had been so quiet. The Circle had celebrated Suzan's
birthday undisturbed two days ago, on the twenty-fourth.
You see, I told you, she thought to Diana as she came out of the house. Nothing
to worry abou-
She saw the car, a gray BMW, sitting beside her grandmother's white Rabbit. In
that split second, she was already starring to act, to jump back through the
doorway, but she never got the chance. A rough hand clapped over her mouth and
she was dragged away.

the three of them looked at each other
in the light of the cold, quiet kitchen. They were all dirty; even Diana's
beautiful cheekbones bore gray smudges. Cassie was still sore and exhausted... more

the three of them looked at each other
in the light of the cold, quiet kitchen. They were all dirty; even Diana's
beautiful cheekbones bore gray smudges. Cassie was still sore and exhausted from
what had been one of the longest and most horrible days in her life. But at that
moment she felt a warmth and closeness that swept the pain and fatigue away.
They were-connected, all three of them. They were part of each other. And
tonight they had won. They had triumphed.
If Diana hadn't forgiven us, where would we be? Cassie wondered, as she looked
down at the hearth again.
I'm glad you're the one who has him; I really am, she thought then. Glancing up,
she saw that Diana had tears in her eyes, almost as if she knew what Cassie was
thinking.

"A document box," Diana whispered, when Cassie set the thing on the floor in
front of the fireplace. It looked like a treasure chest to Cassie, a little
treasure chest made of leather and brass... more

"A document box," Diana whispered, when Cassie set the thing on the floor in
front of the fireplace. It looked like a treasure chest to Cassie, a little
treasure chest made of leather and brass. "People used them to store important
documents in the 1600s," Diana went on. "We got Black John's papers and things
out of one like it. Go on, Cassie, open it."
Cassie looked at her, then at Adam leaning on his pickax, his face decorated
with soot. Her fingers trembled as she opened the little box.
What if she'd been wrong? What if it wasn't the Master Tools in here at all, but
only some old documents? What if-
Inside the box, looking fresh and untouched as if they'd been buried yesterday,
were a diadem, a bracelet, and a garter.
"Oh," breathed Diana.

Cassie lay for a few moments in the velvet darkness. Then she rolled over and
gently shook Diana's shoulder.
"Diana, wake up. I know where the Master Tools are."

The group of monitors surrounded Cassie and escorted her down the hall, treating
her like a mass murderer. She had a wild impulse to giggle, but as they reached
the office the urge disappeared in a... more

The group of monitors surrounded Cassie and escorted her down the hall, treating
her like a mass murderer. She had a wild impulse to giggle, but as they reached
the office the urge disappeared in a flood of sheer dread and anxiety.
He planned this, she thought. Maybe not this specifically, today. But he knew
he'd get us somehow, one by one. She tried to ignore the little voice
whispering, he knew he'd get you. It's you he's after.
Because she was an outsider-or because she didn't fit in with his plans. A
vision of Kori flashed through her mind: Kori lying stiff and motionless with a
broken neck at the bottom of the hill. She'd seen what happened to people who
didn't fit in with Black John's plans.

But Faye's next words undeceived her. "You know, there's no reason that you
can't eat in the back room," she said. "You can all become hall monitors. That's
what he wants-"
"He wants to take us... more

But Faye's next words undeceived her. "You know, there's no reason that you
can't eat in the back room," she said. "You can all become hall monitors. That's
what he wants-"
"He wants to take us over," interrupted Deborah scornfully.
"He wants to join with us. He's one of us."
"No, he's not, Faye," Cassie said, thinking of the shadow under the rock. "He's
nothing like us."
Faye gave her a strange glance, but all she said was, "There's a hall monitors'
meeting in C-207 last period. Think about it. The sooner you join him, the
easier things will be." She tossed Doug's Walkman back to him with a negligent
gesture and walked away.

Cassie had had three
stones so far: the chalcedony rose Adam had given her, the quartz necklace
Melanie had put around her neck at the Homecoming dance, and the piece of
hematite she'd found at... more

Cassie had had three
stones so far: the chalcedony rose Adam had given her, the quartz necklace
Melanie had put around her neck at the Homecoming dance, and the piece of
hematite she'd found at Number Thirteen. She hadn't kept any of them long. The
chalcedony she'd had to give back to Adam, the quartz had been lost that same
night at the burying .ground, and the hematite had been stolen. She just hoped
nothing was going to happen to this amethyst.

But as they were leaving for Melanie's house she
asked casually, "By the way, why did you guys come after me?"
"Yeah, did you get bored with the party or something? Found out you couldn't
deal all... more

But as they were leaving for Melanie's house she
asked casually, "By the way, why did you guys come after me?"
"Yeah, did you get bored with the party or something? Found out you couldn't
deal all by yourselves, so you had to find us girls?" Deborah put in, her dark
eyes flashing at Chris.
Chris looked at her oddly. "No, we were dealin' fine. It was Adam who told us to
come. He said Cassie was in trouble."

The circle of candles was pretty; seven tongues of flame leaping and dancing in
the night air; seven scents mingling into one delicious composite fragrance.
Eddies in the breeze seemed to bring the... more

The circle of candles was pretty; seven tongues of flame leaping and dancing in
the night air; seven scents mingling into one delicious composite fragrance.
Eddies in the breeze seemed to bring the smell of cinnamon to Cassie, then a
whiff of pine, then the sharpness of lemon.
"Passion, beauty, courage, wisdom, inspiration, compassion, and purity," Laurel
ticked off, pointing to the candles that represented each.
"Let us all . . ." Diana prompted, nudging Faye.
"Let us all have all of them," Faye said. "Earth, Water, Fire, Air, witness. Not
that we don't have them already," she added, regarding the glowing circle with a
satisfied smile. Laurel's eyes twinkled at Cassie from across the flames and
Cassie let her own eyes twinkle back.
"Well, anyway, we have all of them if you count all of us," Deborah said, and
grinned. Diana smiled her gentle smile. For a moment, all the girls were smiling
at each other over the candles, and Cassie felt as if they were a part of .
somet...

white goes in the middle, and I'm the only one left to do it." And it's
perfect, Cassie thought, watching Diana take out the vanilla-scented white
candle and hold it up. Diana represented white as... more

white goes in the middle, and I'm the only one left to do it." And it's
perfect, Cassie thought, watching Diana take out the vanilla-scented white
candle and hold it up. Diana represented white as surely as Faye did red.
It showed in the virtue Diana named, too. "Purity," she said simply, lighting
the white candle with a match and reaching into the circle of candles to place
it in the center. Anybody else would have sounded ridiculous saying it, but
Diana looked like the embodiment of purity sitting there, her beautiful face lit
by the candles, her silky straight hair of that impossible color falling down
her back. Her expression was serious and unself-conscious. When Diana said
purity she meant purity, and not even Faye dared to snicker.

"All right. We each take a candle, you see, and light it, and put it in a circle
in the middle. And we each say a word, naming one of the aspects of womanhood.
Not the stages, you know, like... more

"All right. We each take a candle, you see, and light it, and put it in a circle
in the middle. And we each say a word, naming one of the aspects of womanhood.
Not the stages, you know, like maiden, mother, and crone, but a quality. A-"
"Virtue," Melanie helped her out.
"Right. A virtue. Something that women have. Then, when we get all of them
together, we show the candles to the elements and get their blessing. It's an
affirmation of what we girls are, sort of; a celebration."
"I think that's lovely," Cassie said softly.

"It's my ceremony," Faye reminded her, taking out the ritual black-handled
knife.
"I never said it wasn't," Diana said quietly. She stepped back to watch Faye
cast the circle. Cassie felt blood... more

"It's my ceremony," Faye reminded her, taking out the ritual black-handled
knife.
"I never said it wasn't," Diana said quietly. She stepped back to watch Faye
cast the circle. Cassie felt blood burning in her own face as she stood behind
Diana, watching Faye do what Diana had always done, what Diana would still be
doing-if not for Cassie. She wanted to whisper something to Diana but instead
she just made the promise in her own heart.
Somehow I'll make things right. Faye won't be the leader forever. Whatever I
have to do, I'll see to that, she thought. She added, almost absently, I swear
by Earth, Water, Fire, and Air.

"I think we'd better have a talk with Faye," Diana said.
They lay in wait for Faye by the back entrance of the auditorium, where Deborah
thought she was most likely to come out. When she did she... more

"I think we'd better have a talk with Faye," Diana said.
They lay in wait for Faye by the back entrance of the auditorium, where Deborah
thought she was most likely to come out. When she did she had the clipboard on
her arm.
"Alone at last," Nick said, and they surrounded her, the eleven of them, forcing
her to a stop. Looking at the faces of the Circle members right then, Cassie was
reminded of the way Faye, Deborah, and Suzan had looked when they had caught her
spying on them in front of the school. Beautiful, focused, and deadly.
Dangerous.
Faye looked around at them and tossed her head. It didn't work as well with her
hair gathered up in a bun.

Her voice died away. She and the other members of the Club looked at one another
silently.
"Everybody get your guns. Sounds like it's open season for witches," Nick said
finally. He put his arm... more

Her voice died away. She and the other members of the Club looked at one another
silently.
"Everybody get your guns. Sounds like it's open season for witches," Nick said
finally. He put his arm around Cassie again.

He's a handsome man, Cassie thought, fighting the pounding in her brain that was
telling her to run, run. Why did she react so violently to his presence? It was
like her reaction on the night of... more

He's a handsome man, Cassie thought, fighting the pounding in her brain that was
telling her to run, run. Why did she react so violently to his presence? It was
like her reaction on the night of her initiation, when Adam had produced the
crystal skull. Cassie had taken one look at it and felt horror creep up her
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spine-to her, it seemed surrounded by a halo of darkness. It had only been later
that she realized not all the coven members could see what she saw.
As Cassie looked around now, she could tell by the expressions of the other
students that they didn't feel the darkness emanating from the new principal. To
her, he cast a shadow across the entire auditorium. To them, he simply seemed
powerful, impressive.

I have to stay calm. I have to. If I crack up, it's all over. For Mom, for the
coven, for everyone. It's going to take all of us to fight him. I can't be the
weak link.
"There is nothing... more

I have to stay calm. I have to. If I crack up, it's all over. For Mom, for the
coven, for everyone. It's going to take all of us to fight him. I can't be the
weak link.
"There is nothing frightening in the dark if you just face it," she whispered to
herself between clenched teeth. "There is nothing frightening in the dark if you
just face it."
Burning tears spilled out of her eyes, but she kept on whispering her
grandmother's phrase.
On and on until at last she fell asleep.

"I think you'd better find a crossroads right near here," Nick went on, speaking
to Diana and Cassie. "And that we'd better not be too far away."
Cassie looked into his face, saw the concern behind... more

"I think you'd better find a crossroads right near here," Nick went on, speaking
to Diana and Cassie. "And that we'd better not be too far away."
Cassie looked into his face, saw the concern behind the careful control in his
eyes. She took his hand, felt his strong fingers interlace with hers.
"We'll be careful," she promised quietly. She saw Deborah's sharp glance at
their linked hands, saw a knowing grin flash across the biker girl's face. Chris
was poking Doug, who was glowering indignantly. Melanie's normally cool gray
eyes were wide, and Laurel and Suzan were smiling.
Cassie couldn't help but notice that Adam was not smiling. He didn't smile again
the rest of the day.

"Well?" Great-aunt Constance said sharply. "Explain yourself."
Adam glanced back at the rest of the Circle, all of whom were beaconing their
support, silently electing him spokesman. He took a deep... more

"Well?" Great-aunt Constance said sharply. "Explain yourself."
Adam glanced back at the rest of the Circle, all of whom were beaconing their
support, silently electing him spokesman. He took a deep breath and turned back
to the old women.
"What I was out doing was shadowing our new high-school principal, Mr. Jack
Brunswick," he said. The name elicited no reaction. "I think you might have
known him under a different name." Utter silence.
"The name we're all most familiar with is Black John," said Adam.
The silence was shattered as Great-aunt Constance stood so abruptly that one of
the fragile willow-patterned tea cups dashed to the floor.
"Get out of this house! Get out!" she said to Adam.

"You know, when I first saw you I thought you were just ordinary," he said.
"Then I started noticing things about you-your hair, your mouth. The way you
kept on fighting even when you were scared... more

"You know, when I first saw you I thought you were just ordinary," he said.
"Then I started noticing things about you-your hair, your mouth. The way you
kept on fighting even when you were scared. That night when Lovejoy was killed
you were scared to death, but you were the one who suggested we look for the
dark energy, and when we were out at the burying ground you kept up with
Deborah." Nick stopped and grinned ruefully. "And with us guys," he said.
Cassie felt an answering smile tug at her own lips; quickly suppressed it.

"I realize this isn't exactly the perfect moment," he said ironically,
transferring his gaze to the wallpaper. "But the way things are going we may all
be dead before the perfect moment comes."... more

"I realize this isn't exactly the perfect moment," he said ironically,
transferring his gaze to the wallpaper. "But the way things are going we may all
be dead before the perfect moment comes." Cassie opened her mouth, but no sound
came out, and Nick was going on, relentlessly, inevitably, his voice low but
perfectly audible. "I know you and Conant were pretty attached to each other,"
he said. "And I know you thought a lot of him. I realize I'm hardly the perfect
substitute-but like I said, the way things are going maybe it's stupid to wait
for perfection." Suddenly he was looking directly at her and Cassie saw
something in his mahogany eyes she'd never seen before. "So, Cassie, what do you
think about it?" Nick said. "About you and me?"