He went very still, staring at me. Slowly, he removed his dark glasses. His terrible, blank eyes made me shiver.
“Tell me what you think you know.”
I didn’t sit down as I normally might have. I stayed by the door—one hand close to the knob—the other hand on the Beretta in my shoulder holster. After his reaction when her name was mentioned before, I didn’t know what to expect.
Lucas had hit this right on the nail. Definitely more than a random guess.
“I know she was your wife. I’m guessing that she wants revenge for something you did to her. Was she a zombie too?”
He continued staring at me for what felt like a very long time. Finally, he put his dark glasses back on, and sat down in his chair. “Mary was supposed to be my wife. We were never wed. Her family felt that I was beneath her. They told me I wasn’t good enough, and threatened to kill me if I didn’t leave her alone.”
“What happened?”
“There was a fight. Her brother drew his pistol to kill me. Instead, he shot Mary. The bullet lodged in her heart. She only had moments to live.”
I dropped into the chair. “And you saved her life by making her a zombie.”
“Yes.”
He didn’t say anything else, just stared off as though he was seeing that terrible time again. I shifted impatiently in my seat.
“She had twenty years, like everyone else. Despite what you may have heard, I only have the power to grant twenty years, no more. They were wonderful, happy years for us. I only wanted them to go on.”
“But you had to break the spell, right? You had to kill her?”
“Yes.” His generous mouth stretched to a thin line in his dark face. “But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t take her life. I couldn’t break the silver cord that kept her with me. I didn’t want to let her go.”
It was a terrible story with an ending that seemed even worse.
“I was young and foolish. I thought everything would go my way. I thought I could break the rules. I was wrong.”
I waited again, even more impatiently. How did it end? Well obviously, it didn’t end if she was still around. She had to be as old as Abe.
“She began to change.” His voice was soft. “She wasn’t herself. Mary was a sweet person, kind and loving. She couldn’t bear to swat a fly. Suddenly, it was as though she was possessed by the thought of blood. She was gone for days at a time. People began to talk about a woman—a
thing
—that killed for blood and organs. I didn’t want to think it was her.”
“But it was?”
“I found out too late why a person must come back to me after twenty years. They become something that is not alive and not dead. They hunger for human organs and thirst for human blood. There was nothing left of Mary—not the Mary I knew. But even then, I couldn’t take her life.”
I shook my head, understanding too clearly where this was headed. “You felt sorry for her, and you let her go.”
“I did. I went to find her, to release her from the spell. She was gone. I didn’t look for her again. I don’t know why she’s come to find me after all this time. I had hoped she was dead by another’s hand since my own was too weak to do what needed to be done.”
The gold wedding band made sense. The sofa, not so much, but I guessed if I probed into it more deeply, I’d understand that too.
“What can we do?”
“I don’t know. She is
powerful
after being alive so long. A ghoul doesn’t have magic of their own, but are protected by it.”
“The tattoo she has on her foot protects her.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me what to do. I can bring her in. You can break the bond between you.”
“I can’t.” He held his head high. “I don’t have her silver chain any longer. I gave it to the sea years ago. I didn’t expect to need it again. I’m still not sure I could use it to harm her.”
“Abe—”
“I know. Love makes fools of us all.”
“Protection?”
“Stay away from her. If we had a strong sorcerer on our side, that could make a difference.”
I thought about Lucas. I couldn’t exactly call him a
strong
sorcerer, but he might be better than nothing. I was sure Abe was fishing after sensing the protective kiss Lucas had planted on me. I was afraid he was going to be disappointed if he thought Lucas could save us.
“So now you know.” He sighed. “I believe she’ll leave when she’s had her fill of death—and trying to punish me.”
“But how many more will die unless we find a way to get rid of her?”
“We are all dead, my dear. We are simply in varying states of decay.”
As answers went, it left a lot to be desired.
Chapter Nineteen
Maybe Lucas couldn’t save us, but I wished he hadn’t left. It wasn’t personal, I told myself. It was only to try to figure out what to do about Mary. He might have had some answers about the ghoul that Abe’s wife had become.
I thought about what he’d said at the ice skating rink, talking about us like we were destined to be together, like Romeo and Juliet. I decided he was being creative in his approach to getting me to let him stay as long as he needed. He was telling me what he thought I wanted to hear.
One thing for sure—I thought more clearly when he wasn’t around. Maybe it was magic, or natural magic, as he had called it. Maybe it was just my own need after two years of being alone. I couldn’t be sure.
Okay—I missed him. There it was, out in the open. No secrets.
It was pathetic, and reminded me too much of how I’d been after Jacob had died. Every place I went, I kept thinking he’d show up around the next corner.
I didn’t think of myself as a particularly needy person, but what Abe had said was true. We all make fools out of ourselves when we’re in love. I didn’t think that I was in love with Lucas. It was more likely lust. Maybe I hadn’t been attracted to anyone during the last two years, but I knew I was weak when I’d let Lucas stay at the house.
Meeting him had been like waking up from a terrible dream. I was a little shell-shocked, and hoping what I’d dreamed—the long nights alone and Jacob’s death—weren’t real. When I thought about what my existence had become, I was stunned.
I’d tried to tell myself that I didn’t want my afterlife to be anything more than watching over Kate, and driving Abe’s Taxi for the Dead.
Kissing Lucas was spring arriving after a long winter. Yet, even as I felt myself start to thaw, I was afraid. Could I believe in whatever was between us? Could I be happy again for the next eighteen years?
I parked the van behind the inn, and went inside. Addie met me in the mudroom at the back of the house. “I thought you were coming right home? Where have you been?”
“Never mind. I don’t want to talk about it.” I brushed past her.
She appeared in front of me again. “While you were out
carousing
with your friends, Kate developed a fever and a cough. Probably too much night air.”
“I’ll take a look at her. We got that note from the school that some virus is going around. That’s probably what’s wrong with her. Can you make some tea for her?”
“Of course!” She drew herself up haughtily. “I can take care of her—if you need to run out again all night.”
“Shut up and make the tea, please.”
I went quickly upstairs, not overly worried. Kids got sick sometimes. They got better as quickly as they got sick in most cases. I glanced at the stairs that went up to the third floor. Was Lucas up there?
Kate was coughing and pale when I sat on the bed next to her. “Sorry, Mommy. Grandma said we shouldn’t have gone ice skating.”
“That’s not what she meant. She’s just worried about you. Let’s take your temperature. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
Her sick little eyes stared back at me as the thermometer was in her mouth. I hated when something was wrong with her. But I refused to feel guilty about last night. She needed to have some fun too.
When the time was up, I took the thermometer out and looked at it. “Ninety-nine, point one. I guess you’re a little sick.”
“I wanted to go out with Laura today,” she whined. “It’s the weekend. That’s not fair. I’ll probably be well enough for school Monday.”
“You probably will. Let’s work on that. You can go downstairs, and watch some TV. Grandma is making you some tea. I’ll make you some toast, and get something for that fever.”
“Can you carry me? I don’t know if I can walk.” She smiled and peeked at me. “Is that working?”
“No. I’ll get you some socks.”
“And lots of pillows and my stuffed animals?”
“You got it.” I put on her socks and bathrobe and then followed her downstairs with most of her possessions.
“I was just coming up.” Addie stopped at the base of the stairs. “Should she be down here? It’s a little drafty.”
“She’ll be fine. She wants to watch TV. I’ll make her some toast.”
“You don’t have to bother. Lucas is in the kitchen making something that smells wonderful!”
“Lucas? He’s back?”
“Apparently.” She sniffed self-righteously. “Come on, Kate. I’ll get you settled in.” Addie shepherded her toward the sofa where she covered her in blankets. “What do you want to watch?”
I was amazed when the blankets actually flew up and over Kate. Lucas wasn’t kidding about Addie being more powerful.
I walked into the kitchen, determined not to let him know that I’d missed him and worried about him. He was making blueberry pancakes with warm syrup.
“Is cooking part of the curriculum at sorcerer school?”
“I am trying to earn my keep. I believe that’s the appropriate term.” He flipped another pancake on a growing stack. “Would you like bacon?”
“No, thanks.” I smiled at him as he poured more batter into the pan. “You know we’re never going to eat all the pancakes you’ve made, right?”
He glanced up. “You look hungry to me, my lady. I am certain that a few pancakes will fill that void.”
“Why are you here?” I asked, bemused by him despite my best efforts not to be. He was wearing clean jeans and a light blue T-shirt. Surprising how blue brought out his green eyes.
“I asked myself the same question this morning.” He transferred two pancakes to a plate, and covered them in syrup. “I am not sure of that myself. Doubtless when I find the answer, I shall be prepared to go back from whence I came.”
Addie stalked in—actually not floating. “I’m assuming those are for Kate.”
He bowed to her. “Indeed, Madame.”
She couldn’t quite hide a tiny smile that flirted with her lips. “Go on with you! Flirt with Skye. She’s more your type.”
“I shall flirt with whom I please.” He smiled back, and stacked two more pancakes. “Are you planning to break your fast this morning?”
“Ghosts don’t eat!” She squashed that notion.
“Do they not?” His expression was innocent. “And yet I have seen this occur with my own eyes. Again, you underestimate your abilities.”
Addie didn’t reply. She glared at him as though she wanted to say something, finally shaking her head before finally leaving the room with the pancakes.
“Have you considered that it’s not where you are, but when?” I took two pancakes for myself, and dowsed them with syrup.
“What?” He stopped short with his spatula held in the air above the pan.
“
When
. Like you’re out of time.” I shrugged as I sat down. “I’ve thought before that you don’t speak like other people. I chalked it up to you being from another country. You have a good grasp of how we live, but last night you said the air was different. Maybe you came here from the past.”
He stared thoughtfully at me.
I stuck my fork into a pancake. “Sorry. I guess that was crazy, huh?”
He turned off the griddle, came around the side of the counter, and kissed me hard on the mouth. “I think you may be on to something. Thank you.”
I watched him run out of the kitchen toward the stairs before I took my plate into the living room and sat by Kate.
Was time travel possible for sorcerers?
What am I saying?
Were ghouls, zombies, and werewolves real?
My world had become a larger, stranger place after my death. From being a person who wasn’t even sure there was an afterlife—to being someone who could suggest time travel with a straight face—had been a sharp curve for me.
I wondered what Jacob, who also didn’t believe in things that science couldn’t explain, would think.
I watched part of a movie about fairies with Kate, wondering the whole time if fairies were real. She fell asleep halfway through. Sleep was good for her. I never thought I’d miss those eight hours of not thinking, but I did.
I went upstairs to shower. The bathroom mirror was steamy when I got out. I rubbed the towel on it to clear a spot. For just a fleeting moment, I thought I saw Jacob’s face behind me.
I spun around, barely breathing. No one was there. “Please haunt me. I want to see you. I’m not afraid.”
My heart was pounding, but there was no other glimpse of him. I turned back to the mirror. I was alone.
I got dressed quickly, and ran a comb through my hair. I didn’t look any different after being dead for the last two years. I wondered if I would age over the next eighteen years. I never thought to ask Abe if that was part of the deal. I hadn’t cared when I stumbled out of the hospital behind him. I was so thankful to be alive.
I opened the door to go back downstairs and check on Kate. Lucas was standing there.
“So this is your abode.” He walked into the room, and considered what he saw.
“Like you haven’t checked it out before.” I left the door open, though it seemed like a coward’s response to what I felt for him. “Do you need something?”
“Yes. You.” He smiled. “Only for a moment. I mean you no harm.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” I perched on the edge of the bed.
He sat down beside me. “I agree. You’re definitely more afraid of yourself.”
“Is that what you came down here to tell me?”
“No. Actually, I’d like your permission to sift through your thoughts a little. It would be faster and easier than asking you dozens of questions about your world. Would you mind?”
My world?
I considered it. “I suppose not. I’m surprised you haven’t done
that
already too.”