How to Kill a Ghost (14 page)

I paced the house once more, made tea, and recalled I had no one to fool. Then I sat in front of a steaming cup just looking at it. This wasn’t just about Monica learning the truth. Agnes was a very dangerous person. The thought that something could go wrong and she could hurt Monica was more than I could bear to think about let alone risk.

My mind drifted, and I lost track of time as I often did when upset. The next time I came to myself, I stood in Jake’s room, staring at his racer bed and recalling how I had promised to replace it with a big boy’s bed. My heart constricted, and I longed to cry to relieve some of the ache.

A door slammed, and I froze. Then Monica called out to me. “Libby? Where are you?”

I frowned, hearing the anger in her tone. Having willed myself to the front hall, I materialized before her. “What’s wrong?”

“You!” She glared at me. “Why don’t you want my help to capture Agnes?”

“Isabelle told you.”

“That’s right. Not my best friend.”

“She had no right.”

“I’m glad she did,” Monica shouted. “You kept me in the dark all this time for what? To protect me? Or you didn’t trust that I was strong enough to help when it really mattered?”

“That’s nonsense, Monica, and you know it.” I touched her shoulder, but she shook my hand away. “I’ve been here for you this whole time.
Me!”

“I know.”

“I’m only human but—”

“Don’t.” I stopped her, searching her face. How much had Isabelle shared?

Monica’s anger flared higher. “There’s something else, isn’t there? Stuff you don’t want me to know. I thought we were like sisters. I guess I was wrong.”

“You’re not wrong. Sisters want to protect each other. That’s not a bad thing.”

“Sisters trust each other,” she argued.

I paced, my feet not touching the runner of carpet on the floor. I thought of how badly Isabelle had gotten hurt the last time, and she’d known at least a little how to protect herself. I recalled Luis trying to kill Monica and me by running us over the side of a bridge and me not being able to save her. In both instances, Ian had been the one to pull my friends through. Both were in danger because of me. “You’re not doing it. I don’t care what Isabelle said. Even if you get mad at me, I won’t risk your life.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

I faced her. “Monica, you—”

“I already told Isabelle I’d help with the spell. We’re doing it this evening. You can be there or not, but I think you probably want to be there to collect your body.”

“Monica!”

“You’re welcome.” She slammed the door on the way out, and I screamed in frustration. I guessed we were doing it, because I wouldn’t let them risk their lives alone.

We were back in Nessa’s house, and memories of what happened before flooded me. I shivered as I stood by Isabelle while she went through her rituals of setting up. She gave Monica tasks to do, but both of them seemed reluctant to carry on conversations with me. “This is for me, and I’m getting the silent treatment?”

“No one’s ignoring you, Libby,” Monica said, but I heard the annoyance in her tone. “I haven’t forgiven you, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want you to get your body back.”

I lowered my gaze to Isabelle, stooping nearby. “Isabelle?”

She whispered something under her breath, and I recalled the incantation. After a few moments, she spoke up. “I’m sorry for going against your wishes, Libby, but this is about more than you. Agnes can bring evil to Summit’s Edge, and the death count could rise because of it. I cannot let that happen. I must do what I can to protect everyone. That’s what I see as my duty being a witch.”

“I understand, but what about this house? The last time…” I trailed off, not sure if Isabelle had told Monica about the vampires.

“Clark told me the house passed back to the owner, and the lease Nessa had is null and void. We’re safe.”

Somehow I doubted that last part, but I didn’t argue. We completed the preparations—the ceramic bowl with purified water, white candles, and powdery substance forming the circle. Monica stood beside me, eyes shut and followed Isabelle’s instructions to clear her mind.

“Open yourself, Monica, and trust Libby. I know you’re angry, but think about how much you love her and want her safe. She needs your strength and support.”

The skin between Monica’s eyebrows wrinkled and then smoothed. “I know.”

“Trust her,” Isabelle encouraged.

“I never stopped,” Monica whispered. “Not once.”

I choked up and took her hand in mine. She curled her fingers against my palm, and I sensed all her anger had melted away. I still had secrets I needed to keep, but Monica seemed to accept it.

“Libby.” Isabelle’s voice came from beside my ear. I had shut my eyes too when I stood next to Monica. “You don’t need to materialize. Conserve as much energy as possible until she’s within the circle, then I’m going to need your will to drive her out. Are you ready?”

I faded from view but kept my hand semi-solid in Monica’s. “I’m ready.”

Isabelle had just begun to chant again when the house shook, and the windows rattled. Monica squeaked in alarm, and I opened my eyes. Isabelle had knelt before the bowl and watched the rippling surface. The shadows within shifted. I gulped, struggling to calm my fears and concentrate.

The front door flew open, and in a blur of movement Tevin stood in the center of the living room. He grinned, a nasty sight that sickened me. “The silly little humans return to the scene of the crime.” He laughed. “Well, technically, I guess the crime was committed at my brother’s house, but who cares?”

“How did you get in here?” Isabelle demanded. She clutched an amulet around her throat, but Tevin made no move to come closer.

He shrugged. “Well, I thought I’d stick around this rinky-dink town for a little while, catch up on old times with my bro. I needed a place to live, right?”

“C-Clark didn’t tell me,” Isabelle whispered. I hated the defeated tone to her voice. She hadn’t healed fully yet even if her herbs had given her some comfort. I needed to do what I could to keep Tevin from hurting her again. Yet, even as I floated there invisible, I willed him to overlook me, to somehow lose his abilities so he wouldn’t be able to sense me. No such luck.

Tevin’s gaze slid over Isabelle’s head to Monica and on to me. “Well, well, well. So this is what makes you special. So exciting. I’m getting goose bumps.”

Monica made a small sound of shock. “He can see you? What is he, Libby?”

I stayed quiet, and Tevin turned to Monica. To try to regain his attention, I moved in front of her, still invisible to human eyes, but he peered right through me. “Didn’t she tell you? Our Libby is friends with some colorful characters.” He waved a hand in Isabelle’s direction. “Witches and…vampires.”

“Be quiet, Tevin,” I demanded. My concentration refused to allow me to solidify. I couldn’t hold a barrier between him and Monica, but I would fight to the end to protect her.

He laughed at my outburst. “I’m a vampire, uh, Monica, isn’t it?”

“How do you know me?” she snapped, a hand on her hip. Leave it to Monica to show attitude to a vampire.

“I’ve learned a few things about our little Libby since I’ve been here.” He focused with ease on me. “Did she tell you her boyfriend, my brother Ian, is a vampire as well?”

Monica said nothing, and I turned to face her. She trembled, and I reached for her, but my hand passed through. At least I could still be heard. “Please, Monica, don’t listen to him.”

“Why should I believe you?” she asked Tevin, ignoring me, but I could tell she already believed him.

His fangs descended, and he flashed them for all of us to see. Monica wobbled, and she fell to one knee. I followed her down and wrapped my arms around her even if she couldn’t feel it. Tevin leaned over her, and his eyes glowed red. “Shall I glamour you to prove it?”

“Don’t you dare,” I screamed.

“Is it true, Libby?” she asked. “Did you know all this time Ian is a vampire?”

I dipped my head, moaning. “Monica, it wasn’t my secret to share.”

“So you did know.”

“I wanted to tell you. I
couldn’t
.” That wasn’t exactly the truth. I had wanted to protect her.

“Because he would kill you? Or me?”

I frowned. “Don’t forget, Ian came out into the sunlight to save you! He’s not a bad person.”

She looked in my direction. “Has he done that thing to you, that glamour thing?”

Her words hurt. No matter that Ian had been there for me one hundred percent of the time. He had protected me and helped my friends. Monica had seen it all, but now that she’d learned what he was, she thought he had somehow tricked me into being with him. I could have told her as a ghost, I couldn’t be glamoured, but what was the point? She had a boatload of evidence in favor of him. None of it mattered. I couldn’t blame her, but right now I belonged more to Ian’s world than to hers.

“Did you also know it was my brother who killed me?” Tevin asked Monica.

“Shut up!” I clenched my hands into fists, feeling helpless. “Stop trying to manipulate her feelings, Tevin.”

He smirked. “In cold blood without remorse, and he left me there lying in an alley.
She
knew that too.”

How would he know I knew? Had he and Ian discussed it? Then I figured my expression lacked surprise. If he could see me, he would know his news to Monica hadn’t shocked me. I had never hated anyone, not even Mason at his worse, but I strongly disliked Tevin right then. I wanted him to go away and never come back. I hated that he frightened Monica and made her doubt me. I longed to hug her close and comfort her, but what this vampire did to me mentally prevented it. Tonight might be the end for me, and I couldn’t say good-bye properly.

I dredged up my courage and faced Tevin. “Why are you so bent on revenge? You were the one who sent your maker to kill Ian—all over a woman.”

Fire burned in his eyes when he looked at me. “Not just any woman.”

“Yes,” I insisted, “just
any
woman! Did you love Nessa? No. Were the two of your dating? No! I think you were just obsessed with someone who didn’t want you, and like a spoiled child, you were angry when she chose your brother instead of you.”

He raised his hand as if he would attack Monica. Isabelle darted between them, holding out her amulet. Tevin hissed and took a few steps back. His face flamed red, the beginnings of a burn from the witch’s protection, but he hardly seemed to notice it. As I watched in amazement, his skin healed just as fast as it had seared. His eyes rolled, and I cowed at the madness I saw in them.

His lips drew back, exposing his fangs, so sharp and pointed I believed they would tear flesh without much effort. “You love him enough to overlook the fact that he’s a murderer?”

I didn’t answer.

“How many humans do you suppose he’s killed over the last century? A hundred? Two? A thousand?”

I battled sickness and heard Monica gag.

“I planned to bring Nessa into Ian’s house so he could watch me kill her. Foolish human, she wanted all vampires dead. She turned on me and forced me to move my plan ahead of schedule. I had to end her life too soon, but I saw an opportunity to have him blamed for her murder. That was fun.”

He laughed as if he had made a joke, but no one responded.

“I’ve had enough of you too,” he spat. “The police didn’t make him suffer enough, but with you, there’s no doubt about it.” Shadows stirred from the first word he spoke in a language I had never heard. Where I had always felt light, even when I solidified myself, all of a sudden I became tethered to the floor. Gravity for me alone had increased, and some unseen force tugged at me, as if the gates of Hell beckoned. I opened my mouth to scream in terror, but no sound came out.

“No!” Isabelle leaped at Tevin, at the risk of her own life. She tried to press the amulet on his chest, but he darted away. The interruption stopped his chant, and the darkness let me go.

“Ian.”
I called out to him with all my heart, and willed with everything in me to solidify. “Get out of here, Monica. Go now.”

She sat crouched on the floor, eyes wide as she stared at Tevin, mouth agape. I had never seen her so defeated, and it terrified me. Tevin raised a hand aimed at Isabelle. I flashed on what he’d done to her the last time and willed myself solid behind her. We both crashed into the wall, but I took the brunt of the blow. A black shadow zipped across the room from the entrance, and Ian had his brother hanging by his neck against the wall. A strangled sound left Monica’s throat as she took in the sight of the brothers fighting.

Tevin tossed Ian across the room, but Ian shoulder rolled and landed on a knee. He launched himself at Tevin. His brother side-stepped him, but Ian’s reflexes were beyond that of a human’s. Ian checked his trajectory using the wall and came for his brother again. Over and over, they punched each other, countered, and sent each other flying across the room. Just as they had done at the police station, they destroyed walls, cracked floorboards, and shattered glass. I tapped Isabelle’s arm to get her attention and pointed to Monica.
Go,
I mouthed, and she nodded.

Isabelle helped a trembling Monica to her feet, and they made their way to the exit. I worried the whole time, wishing my power to will myself anywhere allowed me to take another person. I would take them both to a safer place, a house neither Ian nor Tevin could enter. While I did still love Ian despite his past, I knew Monica would never accept him.

When the two were gone, I turned toward Ian and Tevin as they continued to fight. Tevin fought with rage, his attacks lacking control. Ian appeared more calculated with every move he made. I thought of his background, his education, his insatiable desire to read on so many topics. He might not have had world experience, but Tevin’s intelligence didn’t meet up to his older brother’s, and soon Ian had pinned Tevin to the floor, sharpened nail tips aimed at Tevin’s jugular.

I swallowed, shocked that this must be the end. Then Ian froze, staring down at his brother. Tevin’s slow grin surfaced, and my nerves tangled into a knot. “Do it, brother,” Tevin taunted. “If you can.”