Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (49 page)

The chick gave me a bored look, then swiveled in her chair and typed something into her computer. “Only immediate family can see this patient.”

I nodded. “That’s right. I’m her sister. You don’t get much more immediate than that.”

“Well, there’s no listing for Kylie Bates under family.” She threw me a look, like she knew I was a liar but wasn’t going to say it. What customer service. “Incidentally, there’s no father listed, let alone one named Johnny. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to ask you to leave now.”

“Are you serious? I just flew all the way from . . . Upland, Indiana.” It’s a real place. I once knew someone from there. “Are you trying to tell me that I can’t see my little sister, because some moron forgot to type my info on the chart?”

The girl glared at me. “
I’m
the moron who typed this chart.”

Oh. Crap. Calling her a moron probably hurt my chances for speedy entry. Bad move. Shake it off. Time to start fresh. “Let’s just forget that whole chart thing.” I waved a hand in the air. “I’m sure you’re an excellent typist and that’s not the issue. I’ve flown a long way to see my little sister, okay? I’m worried about her, and I really need to go in now.”

“If you truly want to see your sister,” she gave another I-know-you’re-a-liar-look, “then you’ll come back tomorrow during regular visiting hours.” The girl slammed the window closed.

I put my hand out to block it and got my fingers smashed. “Hey! That hurt. Do you want me to sue you? I’ll sue the hospital and you. Don’t think I won’t!”

The glass slid open, and the chick stood there with her hands on her hips.

My ears buzzed suddenly, filling with heavy vibrations.
You catch more flies with honey.

This was true. Good point. I wondered about the tingling in my ears, but willed myself to focus on Amanda.

I changed my tune, smiling at the girl sweetly. “I’m not going to sue you.”

She raised one brow. “Ma’am, am I going to have to call security?”

Ma’am? Sheesh. I was the same freaking age as her. I hated when people talked down to me. Or up, in this case. Whatever. The point is that it sets me off. I grunted in frustration. “Why won’t you just let me in? I’m Amanda’s sister. I swear. You are so going to be in trouble when I file a complaint with administration.”

No, the chick did not break out into a sweat. She simply raised a hand in the air, bent her fingers, and checked her nails with a bored look.

“Man, you suck.” I’d had it. She was impossible. I threw my hands in the air, whirled in a circle, and grunted again.

The blonde with the black tips walked past me then, punching numbers into her cell phone, and didn’t bother to hide her smirk. Did she find my misery amusing?

I gave her a dirty look as the exit doors slid open and she walked outside. Sure, I could admit I was making a scene. But, Amanda was hurt and vulnerable. She couldn’t protect herself against the likes of Bishop. I hadn’t snuck out in the middle of the night for nothing. I had to help her.
Now.

My nightmare flooded my brain. The tattooed man stabbing Amanda, stabbing
me
. My heart pounded as I panicked. What if it was a sign? What if in addition to mind reading I now received warnings through nightmares or something? Without my willing it, the slideshow from when I first found Amanda replayed. Amanda lying in the dirt. Eyes closed, fluttering. Red blood crusted on those bright blonde curls.

My eyes flared and I slammed my hands onto the counter. “I have to see Amanda and make sure she’s okay. She needs me. Just let me in for one freaking minute!”

“For the last time, visiting hours are—” The phone rang at her desk. She turned from me, picked up the receiver, and said in a cheerful voice, “Marmaduke Medical Center. Emergency room. How may I help you?”

Sure, put on the sweet voice for some random caller. But for your patient’s fake half-sister . . .

“Oh, yes. Yes. Uh-huh.” She rotated her body sideways. “Well, she did
say
she was her sister but the chart indicates . . . certainly ma’am. Absolutely.” She hung up the phone, and looked up at me apologetically. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I’ll buzz you in immediately, Ms. Bates.”

“Huh?” I scratched my temple. What happened to ma’am? Different last names? Proper visiting hours?

“That was your mom on the phone. She explained everything to me.” The chick leaned forward and whispered, even though nobody else was in the room. “I didn’t believe Upland, Indiana really existed.”

That
was the part she hadn’t bought? Why hadn’t I said Chicago or some other major city? “It’s a real place.”

“I know that now. She told me she paid for your flight.” Her face tweaked, and looked strained. “I’m really sorry about your hand, too. Please don’t call administration. Can I get you some ice?”

“No.” I looked at my fingers. They were red and swelling, but who cared? That phone call was perfect timing and I needed to take advantage.

Except, who could be pretending to be my mom? And how could she possibly know about Upland, Indiana?

“Okay, well, if there’s anything else I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.” She pressed a button and the door to the right of the counter made a loud buzzing sound. “Your sister’s in Room 215. Have a nice visit.”

“Right.” My feet felt like granite. I whipped my head over my shoulder. Nobody standing behind me. But someone knew about my charade. Bishop? Seemed unlikely. Surely this chick would know if it were a man on the phone faking a woman’s voice. She was certainly thorough and cautious. Who else could it be though?

The girl behind the counter gave me a weird look. “Are you going to go in or what?”

Good question. It could be a set up, but even so, Amanda needed my help. Her image flashed in my head, reminding me I didn’t have a choice. I had to go. “Yes, I’m going in,” I said, and tried to swallow the fear in my throat.

****

Somehow I managed to move my legs, open the door, and lift my feet up each stair until I reached the second floor. At the top of the stairs, I turned the handle on the door, hesitated, and then pulled it open—wondering what I’d find on the other side. Just a hospital corridor.

I hurried down the hall, passed a nurse’s station, and a grey-haired woman in blue scrubs nodded and smiled at me. Oh, good. Someone to hear me scream and call 911 when I got attacked by my faux-mom. Yeah, I’d faked being a sister, but I’d thought it was just me in on the charade. Who’d joined in?

Scanning the numbers on each room, I edged down the hall, closer and closer to room 215. Amanda’s room appeared normal enough. Cheap wood with numbers. No signs of anything scary. A small placard on the wall held a white piece of paper with the name Amanda Walker typed in capital letters. Not exactly discreet. Where was the security Trip had assured me Sac PD would have? That elderly nurse so did not count.

My heart beat frantically in my chest. Time to go in.

Taking a breath, I knocked with a shaky hand, chastising myself for taking volleyball instead of self-defense in P.E.

The door creaked open slowly as if by itself. Nobody greeted me.

I peeked in, scanning the room. Fluorescent ceiling lights were off. A soft bulb over a white sink created a dim aura. A rose-colored privacy curtain was half closed in front of me, blocking full view of the single bed, which sat against the far wall. A small body lay there under a plain white blanket. I could hear a steady
beep, beep, beep
.

Amanda.

Clearly this was her room. Right? I mean, the placard on the door said it was and the chick at the front desk had it in her file as 215. It couldn’t be wrong. We all knew what an excellent typist she was. But, I couldn’t deny the fact that the door had opened by itself. That was so not normal. rr

The sane part of me wanted to bolt for the stairs. I mean, what if Bishop was hiding behind the door, waiting for just the right moment to slice my head off?

My heart pounded, my hands shook, but I wrapped my hand around the door handle and quickly flung it back.

A white form lunged at me. “Boo!”

My hands flew up, batting frantically at the image, as if a flock of pigeons had attacked me. “Aghh!”

Laughter erupted. Not sick, evil, laughter. More like hysterical giggling. “The look on your face is priceless.” It was the iPod girl from the emergency room. Her heavily black-lined eyes mocked me. “This is a hospital room, not the Winchester Mystery House. Lighten up.”

In all my sixteen years, I’d never hit anyone. Never even wanted to. But, if there was ever a time for violence, this had to be it. My fist raised in the air. “Why, you . . .”

“Drew!” Behind my nemesis, a door opened to what appeared to be a small bathroom and I could hear a toilet flushing. “That wasn’t the least bit amusing.” A woman pushed past
Drew
, giving her a stern look. “I apologize on behalf of my niece. This is certainly not the proper way for us all to meet. You must be Kylie.” She held a hand out in formal greeting. “I’m Lynn. Amanda’s mom.”

My heart pounded. How’d she know my name? She also looked familiar, like I’d seen her before. I reached my right hand out politely.

Lynn had held out her left arm so I switched to my left hand. Odd. I’d never had someone shake with that hand before. Except when I tried to read my dad. And failed. Just like I failed to read Lynn’s mind, too. Was it coincidence that Amanda’s mom was a lefty? Or was she on to my ability? I didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry to come here so late, but I was worried about Amanda. How’s she doing?”

“Better.” She put a hand on my shoulder. “Thanks to you.”

My shoulder went numb. Sam had given his word that he wouldn’t let anyone know about my involvement. Surely that included Amanda’s family. But who else could’ve told her? Amanda? She’d been unconscious. “Well, uh, I’m a friend of . . .” My mind went blank. Who? Sam? Blondie Cop?

“We know who you are.” My nemesis, aka: Drew, shut the door to the hospital room, and leaned back against it. “You’re Amanda’s sister. Flew all the way from Upland, Indiana. Right?”

I watched Goth Girl burst out laughing again. Then, I remembered her smirk as she passed by me downstairs with a cell phone. It clicked. “You’re the one who called that chick in the emergency room and told her to let me in. Aren’t you?”

She shook her head with a grin. “Nah. That girl might’ve seen the outside number and known something was up. She wasn’t that much of a moron, after all.” She laughed again. “I phoned Lynn, and one of the nurses let her call down from her station to say you were Amanda’s sister. Then, after you went through the door, I took the elevator up ahead of you.”

“Very clever,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I was grateful she’d helped me out, but scaring the living daylights out of me didn’t exactly make me her new best friend. I glared at her.

Why were they trying to help me see Amanda anyway? It was the middle of the night. Way after visiting hours. And it’s not like they know more than my name. Had Sam told her? I didn’t think he would but if my own father was a liar, why should I trust some cop I’d known only two days?

Lynn dropped her hand from my shoulder. “Excuse Drew. She has a knack for inappropriate behavior. Would you like to see Amanda?”

My eyes flew to the bed sheet, where short legs lay still beneath it. My mouth went dry as I nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’m going for a walk. Been cooped up in this domicile way too long.” Drew reached around me for the door handle. “It was nice meeting you,
cousin
.” She winked at me with a charcoal-lined eye and whisked out the door.

I frowned.

As soon as the door clicked closed, the energy in the room fizzled. It was quiet, dim, and I could hear the
beep, beep, beep
coming from Amanda’s bedside again. It’s a wonder all the commotion hadn’t disturbed her. We hadn’t heard a peep the entire time. I remembered the blood on her temple and panicked, thinking she may have slipped into a coma. “Is Amanda . . .?”

Lynn put a hand on my arm. “She’s sleeping. The nurse gave her something to help her relax. She was agitated earlier, which is completely understandable considering the circumstances.”

“Of course.” I thought back to yesterday—the little girl who looked like me had been unconscious. In the dim light, I turned to Amanda’s mom and studied her for the first time.

Brown, limp hair, tucked behind her ears. Hazel eyes. Button nose. My hair was a little lighter, but my face was the spitting image of a younger version. So many questions swam through my brain, but this wasn’t the time to ask them.

“Here.” Lynn pushed the curtain aside, and gestured toward Amanda’s bed. “I’ll let you two have a moment alone. She shouldn’t wake up, but I’ll be right outside the door if you need me. She . . .” Lynn’s eyes teared up, “asked for you earlier.” She put a hand to her mouth, then waved at the air in front of her eyes and gestured to the door in jerky movements. “I’ll be right outside if you need me. Take your time.”

Inhaling a deep breath, I turned toward Amanda, pushed past the rose-colored curtain, and took step by step toward the hospital bed.

I pulled a chair up beside her, sat down and reached for her hand, careful not to disturb the IV. Amanda’s blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her cheeks had regained some color since yesterday. I thought about how she’d asked for me and wondered how she even knew who I was? “It’s Kylie, Amanda. I’m here with you.”

I rubbed her sweet, soft little fingers, knowing she would’ve died if I hadn’t read Bishop’s mind, and found her when we did. A light bulb went off in my head. Trip had suggested there might be a reason I’d developed this ability. Maybe this was it. To help Amanda.

But, what if my nightmare had been a premonition? Would Bishop get to us? For now though, she appeared safe. I envied that she had Lynn to take care of her. My mom was dead. My dad was a liar. I was alone.

Although . . . I reached out and fingered one of the bright blonde curls. I wasn’t entirely alone. Sitting in the softly lit room, listening to the rhythmic
beep, beep, beep
of the IV machine, the unanswered questions didn’t haunt me as much.