“Your enemies, however…” he muttered.
She shook her head at him, unsure whether to believe him this time.
They entered the classroom together. Mary Ann took her seat in the far right row, closest to the teacher’s desk. Kyle Matthews had the one next to her and he was already seated. As Riley had done in their first two classes, he stood in front of his desired spot and stared. Stared until Kyle was shifting uncomfortably. Stared until Kyle picked up his books and found another seat.
There was such an intensity about Riley, an intensity no other boy possessed. The wicked gleam in his eyes didn’t help, either. I’ll do anything necessary to get my way, that gleam said. Except, he never turned that gleam her way. With her, he was gentle and protective.
He watched her as he placed her books on her desk. “Once again your aura is a mix of colors. What are you thinking about?”
You. She leaned toward him, whispering, “Do you have a girlfriend waiting for you at home? I’m just curious, you understand.” No, I’m a moron. But she had to know.
His features softened. “No. There is no one. Actually, Victoria is my only friend.”
The gorgeous Victoria. Fabulous. Mary Ann hated herself for wishing the vampire princess had flaws beneath that perfect exterior. Anything to even the playing field a little. Not that Mary Ann was going to try for something with Riley. Right?
“I’m your friend, aren’t I?” she asked. He’d said so before but could have changed his mind.
A moment passed, his gaze searching hers, before he nodded. “Yes. And I am yours. I will protect you, Mary Ann. You have my word.”
The bell rang, and the teacher, already standing in front of the class, began his lecture. She didn’t hear a word of it. Oh, she peered straight ahead and pretended to study the board and take notes, but her mind was focused solely on Riley.
Sadly, that’s how the rest of the day progressed, as well. She found herself wondering what he thought of the school, the kids. If he was bored and wanted to be anywhere else. If he liked being with her as much as she liked being with him.
At lunch, they sat together at the back of the cafeteria, and Aden and Victoria joined them. Everyone else stared. Even leaned closer to hear what they were saying. Riley ate from a tray of his own, as well as Mary Ann’s and Victoria’s. Victoria, Mary Ann noticed, didn’t even pretend to eat.
“Well, we won’t be discussing anything here,” Aden muttered. “Though I will tell you that John, the real John,” his gaze became pointed, “spoke to me again.”
Had he…did he mean…A ghost? she mouthed.
He nodded.
First a demon, then a ghost. What would pop up next? Her hand trembled as she spooned a bite of her chocolate pudding. “What did he want?”
“For me to hook him up with Chloe Howard.”
Mary Ann pictured the shy girl who rarely spoke up and liked to wear hoodies. “Are you going to do it?” Just how did someone go about hooking up a dead person with the living?
He swallowed a mouthful of soda. “I don’t know. What if I screw it up and he gets mad? What if I do it and he sends others my way. And I know there are others. I’ve seen a few. Didn’t know what they were at the time, but in hindsight that’s all they could be. Anyway, new subject.”
“We can go to my house after school,” she said, pushing her tray aside. No way would she be able to wait until tomorrow morning to talk to him again. And maybe, just maybe, her mother was still inside that house. Maybe Aden would see her. Maybe they could talk.
Victoria and Riley nodded, though their expressions were confused. They hadn’t followed the thread of conversation. “I’ll explain later,” she told Riley, and he nodded again.
“I can’t.” Aden withdrew a sandwich from his lunch bag and peeled back the plastic. “I have a four o’clock curfew at the ranch.”
“What about a study group?” She propped her elbows on the table. “Would Dan let you come to my house for a study group?”
First he looked hopeful, then doubtful, then resigned. “I’ll ask, but I can guess the answer and it’s not a yes.”
“Only one way to find out.” She withdrew her cell phone from her pocket and turned it on. This was a big no-no, totally against school policy, but she didn’t care. She dialed her dad’s number. “Daddy,” she said when he answered, “would it be all right if I have a few friends over after school to study?”
“Wait. Is this my little girl?” His gruff voice filled the line. “Can’t be. She never invites anyone over, even when her dear old dad begs her to do so.”
“Dad. Be serious.”
“Sure, invite them over. But is that really why you’re calling? You almost gave me a heart attack, using this line. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” She was only to call his private work number, the one that interrupted his sessions, for emergencies. She’d never called it before. “I swear. It’s just really important that we study.” Not a lie. They needed to study each other, the other creatures, figure out what was going on and what needed to be done.
She could just imagine him grinning, nodding his head in satisfaction. “Want me to work late? Wouldn’t want my lame self to get in the way.”
He really did want her to socialize more, she realized, even if it meant studying. Maybe she had been working too hard. “That would be great.”
“Then I’ll see you around…nine?”
“Perfect. Thanks!”
“I love you, baby.”
“Love you, too.” Mary Ann disconnected and handed the phone to Aden. She grinned. “Your turn.”
“I CAN’T BELIEVE I’m here,” Aden said, gazing around Mary Ann’s house. Dan had actually said yes. Granted, Victoria had gotten on the line and had told him to agree, but still. Aden was here.
He and Victoria walked around the living room; Riley, who’d already been there, remained beside Mary Ann in the entryway. It was spacious, with soft red couches, a blue-and-green rug, and several tables with orange-and-pink marble tops. Tying it all together was multicolored fringe that dangled from the lampshades.
“My mom decorated the place and my dad just didn’t have the heart to change anything after she died,” Mary Ann said, and he could hear the affection she still harbored for the woman.
“I love it.” It had character and warmth. Livability.
One foster family he’d stayed with had had leather furniture and glass tables. A single smudge had sent the wife into a cleaning frenzy. Another foster family had filled their home with only white and beige furnishings, just like every institution he’d ever been committed to, and though they’d never acted as if they minded, he’d been afraid to even step on the carpet. His favorite foster family hadn’t been able to afford anything but mismatched, threadbare stuff and he’d felt most comfortable there.
He would have lived with them forever, if possible, but Eve had transported him back in time and he’d changed the future. When he’d returned to the present, it had been as though he’d never stayed with that wonderful family.
“Riley tried to describe this place to me,” Victoria said, “but I didn’t believe him. Who could have guessed?” She sighed with longing and joined Aden at the unlit fireplace. Her gaze skidded over his neck, then returned and stayed. More and more, as the day had worn on, her focus had been lingering on his pulse. “Our home is very dark. Colorless.” Now her voice was thick, almost slurred.
Was she hungry? Her skin appeared paler than usual, no color in her cheeks. “Where is your home, by the way?” If he had to, he would drag her outside and demand she drink from him. “I know you’re from Romania, but where have you been staying?”
“A large group of us traveled here, so we had to buy the biggest home we could find. It’s far enough away to give us the illusion of privacy, but close enough that we can run into town at a moment’s notice.” Her gaze never lifted from his neck.
He leaned his head to the side, widening the expanse of skin she could see. Her breath hitched. Oh, yes. She was hungry.
“You can drink from me, you know?” From the corner of his eye, he saw a framed photograph on the mantle and lifted it.
“No,” she croaked out.
“You sure?” The photo was of a man, a woman and a little girl. Obviously Mary Ann was the little girl and the adults were her parents. She looked just like her mother. Same dark hair and eyes. Same lean face.
“So, Aden…do you see any ghosts here?” Mary Ann asked hesitantly.
Before he could answer, his companions began chattering frantically.
That man, Eve said on a gasp. I know him.
He is familiar, isn’t he? Julian said.
Aden drew the picture closer. The man had a clean-shaven face, blue eyes, and was a little boyish, like hundreds of people he’d seen over the years. “It’s Mary Ann’s dad,” Aden said, frowning. “We can’t know him.”
Yes, yes, we can, Eve replied excitedly. We’ve seen him before. In person. Remember? Just add a beard and glasses and you’ll—never mind. I’ll take you to him.
No, everyone shouted in his head at once.
“Aden?” Victoria asked. Her hand cupped his shoulder, hot, a brand. “What’s wrong?”
“No, Eve, no!” Aden roared, focused only on one thing: survival. “Please don’t do this to—”
But it was too late. His entire world faded to black. He was falling down…down…spinning and screaming and flailing for an anchor—an anchor that constantly danced out of reach. His stomach churned and sharp pains tore through him, burning, scorching.
His body began to melt, skin pouring away, muscle disintegrating, bone crumbling until he lost his hold on reality, losing himself completely.
FOURTEEN
“ARE YOU STILL hearing voices, Aden?”
