Coldhearted (9781311888433) (35 page)

She reached out for him. His warm hand
grasped hers, holding her gently at first, and then he squeezed,
feeling the sensation of skin-on-skin contact.

“
I don’t know,” she said to
his earlier question. “But let’s make it right. Let’s rid ourselves
of evil, okay?”

He nodded in agreement, but didn’t move, and
didn’t let go of her hand. “Edie, I can sense Russell’s feelings
for you. They’re very strong. Part of him is sickened by it because
you’re so young. But the other part, the overwhelming part, wants
nothing more than to be with you, despite what the world will
think. It’s driving him mad, this desire.”

Edie shook her head. “It’s a trap laid by
Tristan,” she argued.

Russell/Adrian let go of her hand, sensing
Edie’s distress. “Edie, there are other forces at work here.”

“
What forces?”

“
I don’t know if it is fate,
or the concept of soul mates, but Russell’s love for you almost
seems…predetermined…like he had no choice in the matter. He can’t
fight it.”

She covered her ears like a little girl, who
didn’t want to hear unsettling things. “I can’t handle this right
now, Adrian. Besides I care for Mason and I want him back. I can’t
do that until we get rid of Tristan, and I can’t do that until we
talk to Arianna.” She removed her hands from her head and stuffed
them into her coat pockets. “Now are you coming or what?”

Instead of waiting for his reply, she started
walking toward the woods, next to the house. After a few seconds,
she heard Russell/Adrian’s footsteps trailing behind her. She kept
her head down, minding the dips and jagged rocks, until she heard
another pair of footsteps on the path, coming her way.

Edie came to an abrupt halt, looked up, and
shivered at the ghost, now standing still in front of her.

“
Arianna,” Edie
greeted.

The girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes
gave Edie a sweet smile. She nodded in acknowledgement and did a
slight curtsey, wearing an old-fashioned, white dress, and black
scuffed boots.

“
It’s nice to properly make
your acquaintance, Edie.”

Chapter 23

“
You know me?” Edie asked,
stunned.

Arianna nodded. “A part of me has been with
you ever since you left Lockhart Manor. It was a weak part, but
I’ve been looking after you.” She gestured at Adrian, masquerading
as Russell. “When you two met, I was able to block Tristan, to make
him blind, as I’m doing now. He wouldn’t like it very much if he
knew you were with us,” she told Edie.

That’s an understatement.

“
I’ve been wondering why he
hasn’t appeared, throwing a temper tantrum,” Edie commented dryly.
Russell/Adrian reached out and touched Edie’s hand. “What is it?”
she asked him.

He wasn’t looking at Edie, instead scanning
the woods, searching. “I can’t see her, Edie. I can’t find my
Arianna, my love.”

Edie turned toward the ghost girl. “By
blocking Tristan, are you blocking Adrian too?”

Arianna shook her head. Her face was sad, as
she appraised Russell/Adrian, heartbroken. “The descendant of the
Lockharts, this Russell Ballantine, doesn’t believe, therefore he’s
blind of his own doing. If...if Adrian were to leave
Russell...”

“
I only made Adrian possess
Russell in case I couldn’t see you,” Edie informed Arianna, and
then turned toward Russell/Adrian. “Adrian, did you hear what
Arianna said?” He shook his head. “If you leave Russell, you can
see her, talk to her. I’m sorry I’ve been putting you through this.
Leave Russell,” she urged.

“
It’s not your fault, Edie,”
he said with a warm smile. “Besides it’s been nice feeling alive
again, but I’d rather give all that up to see Arianna.”

Adrian left Russell. He must have liked
Russell’s clothes, changing the three-piece suit for a long-sleeved
shirt and jeans. Russell swayed, lost his footing, and then fell on
the snowy ground. Edie got on her knees beside him and felt for a
pulse. She was afraid that he was dead, not able to cope with
having a ghost suddenly leave his body. Then again, Tristan had
done it before and Russell had recovered. To Edie’s relief,
Russell’s pulse was strong. He was just out cold. It was a
blessing, really, because she had business to take care of and
didn’t need him bombarding her with questions.

“
He’s okay,” Edie assured,
and looked up.

Adrian and Arianna didn’t seem concerned.
They were kissing each other passionately, giving off not heat but
chills. Edie felt like she was in a snowstorm and yanked her woolen
cap further down her face. Russell’s body shook beneath her hand,
feeling the abrupt change in temperature in his unconscious state,
but it wasn’t enough to wake him. Edie zipped up his coat so he
could stay warm.

“
Sorry,” Adrian apologized,
when he and Arianna were done reuniting. They were holding hands
and Arianna looked like she was on cloud nine, smiling. “Is he all
right?” he asked, indicating Russell.

“
He’s got a pulse,” Edie
replied. “We’ll just let him be for now.” She stood up and faced
the happy couple. To Arianna, she said, “You’ve been with me. You
know what I’ve been going through. You know what my friends and my
classmates (she refrained from using the word “enemies”) have been
going through. I’m afraid Tristan is going to haunt someone to
death. I need him out of my life for good. Do you know anything
that could help me?”

“
It’s worse than you think,”
Arianna said.

She let go of Adrian and advanced toward
Edie. Edie tried to control her shivering. Despite Arianna’s good
nature, she was still cold as ice, as was Adrian. Edie figured that
was probably why Russell, after being possessed by Tristan, lost
his short-term memory, and with Adrian, fell unconscious. His warm,
mortal body couldn’t take being attacked by a frosty invasion.

Arianna reached out and touched the bare hand
that Edie had used to check for Russell’s pulse. The contact was
brief and Arianna withdrew her transparent, cold hand. She’d
retreated too soon to generate heat as Edie had done with Adrian.
Yet Edie was sure her bond with Arianna wouldn’t be the same as it
was with Adrian, considering Edie was attached to his blood
brother.

“
Edie,” Arianna continued,
“Tristan is becoming more powerful day by day. I’ve heard whispers,
voices from the wind, other spirits warning me, telling me what
must be done.” She glanced at Adrian, and then turned her worried
face back toward Edie. “Tristan is trying to become corporeal,
solid, and he’s succeeding. He feeds off fear. The more terror he
can induce, the stronger he gets, and with that, the ability to
appear as a living being, masquerading as a mortal, but dead and
more powerful than ever before.”

She held up her hand, palm facing Edie, and
indicated that she do the same. Edie did and they hovered like that
for a while, never touching, silent. Arianna broke the silence,
saying, “If Tristan becomes corporeal, he has the power to kill
with just one touch. And he will kill, Edie. He’s killed before.”
Adrian approached Arianna from behind and placed a comforting hand
on her shoulder. Arianna kept her eyes on Edie, and Edie thought
that she could see a tear fall down Arianna’s cheek. “A murderer
doesn’t stop being a murderer,” she told Edie, and finally lowered
her hand.

Slowly, Edie lowered hers too. She was
speechless, processing what Arianna had just told her. Edie knew
Tristan had been getting stronger, but she didn’t know he could, if
given a heightened level of fear, become—what was the word Arianna
had used?—corporeal.

“
Would only I see him?” Edie
asked Arianna.

Arianna shook her head. “He’d appear as a
living, breathing human, but he’d have no pulse, no human need to
eat, drink, or sleep. His only goal would be to achieve his ends at
any cost.”

“
And what are his ends?”
Edie asked nervously.

“
You,” Arianna said
succinctly. “I know you’ve disregarded it, didn’t want to believe
it, but Tristan, black-hearted as he may be, loves you.”

Edie appraised Arianna’s blonde hair and blue
eyes, so like her own features. “Perhaps it’s you,” Edie threw out.
“He’s just obsessed with me because he could never have you.”

“
Perhaps,” she agreed, but
her tone indicated otherwise. “Or perhaps he thinks he’s found his
soul mate and will kill anyone who gets in his way.”

Edie shook her head. “I can’t allow that. I’d
rather die.”

Arianna stared into Edie’s determined eyes.
“I’m glad you said that, Edie, because that’s the only way.”

Edie’s eyes became less determined, as they
bugged in disbelief. “Wait, what?”

Arianna looked sympathetic. “I’m sorry Edie,
but there isn’t a weapon that can defeat Tristan. He’s attached to
you, and he’ll never leave. There is only one way: you must die and
restrain him inside Lockhart Manor, so he won’t have a chance to
hurt anyone again.”

Adrian took a protective step toward Edie,
but he didn’t turn his face away from Arianna. “There isn’t another
way?” he asked her, seeking a way to save Edie.

Arianna briefly closed her eyes. “I trust
what I’ve been told.” She held out her closed hand, and then opened
it; there on her palm was a dark red petal, as if it’d been
drenched in blood. “The Grimlock flower is poisonous, grown here
only in Grimsby, even in the most frigid temperatures. Once inside
Lockhart Manor, you need to place it against your tongue. Don’t
worry, you won’t feel any pain. Lie down and you’ll go to sleep.
When you awaken, you’ll be a spirit, fully capable of restraining
Tristan. In death, attached as you’ve been in life, you’ll be bound
to each other, never to be separated. He’s strong, but you’ll be
stronger. His hatred makes him weak. You can use this vulnerability
to keep him in chains for the rest of eternity, saving everyone
from his dark designs.” Arianna gave Edie an encouraging nod, as
she pushed the poisonous flower closer to her.

Edie retreated and collided with a nearby
tree. The jolt caused the branches to shift jerkily, bringing
clumps of heavy snow down upon her head. She shook it off, as well
as mentally shaking off Arianna’s plan.

“
No, no!” Edie yelled. “I
didn’t mean what I said before. I don’t want to die! There has to
be another way! There has to be!” Edie gestured wildly in the air.
“Who are these voices, these whispers you’ve heard? How do you know
you’re not being tricked by Tristan or some other malevolent
spirit?”

Adrian advanced toward Edie, still
protective, despite the fact that she’d just lashed out at the love
of his life.

“
Edie, I know you’re
scared—”

“
I’m freakin’ out!” Edie
countered, now lashing out at him. From all her shouting, Russell
was starting to wake, stirring, but his eyes were still closed. “I
have to get him out of here. I have to get out of here,” Edie
added, trying to prevent a panic attack.

Arianna’s hand closed around the Grimlock
petal, defeated. She didn’t seem upset about Edie’s outbursts, her
defiance. In fact, Arianna looked just as sweet-tempered as she’d
been when they’d first met.

“
Edie, what about Tristan?”
Arianna then asked. “You can’t let him become corporeal. He’s going
to kill. You must prevent that,” she said softly, but with no less
urgency.

“
You don’t know that,” Edie
argued, but a bit less forceful, trying to be civil. “Just-just
stay here,” Edie said to the pair of ghosts. “I need to be
alone.”

Edie was never alone, not with Tristan, but
having three ghosts hovering around her, giving her hypothermia,
was just too much right now.

“
Edie,” Adrian entreated,
softly.

“
Please,” she returned his
plea, just as soft.

Adrian nodded in acquiescence and retreated a
few steps. He turned toward Arianna and said something in too low a
whisper for Edie to hear. Arianna hesitated, and then gave a
submissive nod of her own. She opened her hand and the blood red
petal dropped on the snowy white ground.

“
Take care, Edie,” Arianna
said in farewell. “We’ll be right here if you ever need
us.”

Edie stifled the urge to cry. She was afraid
that her tears would freeze to her face.

“
Thank you,” Edie told
Arianna, and then said to Adrian, “I’m glad you’re at
peace.”

“
I won’t be until you are,”
he said with sad, dark, blue eyes.

They were just like Tristan’s, only Adrian’s
were more beautiful, because he was good.

Edie turned away from him and the temptation
to take the flower and die, just so she wouldn’t disappoint Adrian,
thus giving him the total peace that he deserved. His life was
gone. Hers, at seventeen, was just beginning. How could she die now
when she had so many things left to do, so many people to say
goodbye to?

Mason, oh, Mason! If you only knew what was
being asked of me, would you still hate me?!

Russell stirred again and opened his eyes.
Adrian and Arianna vanished, but Edie could still feel their cold,
spectral presences.

“
Edie?” he said groggily,
and then sat up. “I don’t feel so good.” He blinked and looked
around. “Why am I on the ground? Why are we in the woods? Where are
we?”

Edie already had a story prepared, just in
case.

She helped him up, and said, “I broke down
and you happened to be driving by, so you stopped and helped, but
whatever was wrong with my car wasn’t serious, and it cranked right
back up.”