Something wet touched my face. I groaned and rolled away. Right into the wall. Ow! I opened my eyes and glared at Hades. The dog was happily panting away and hogging my pillow. I was going to have to get him his own.

“Why did you wake me up?” I grumbled. He whined at me and wagged his tail. “You have to go out, don’t you?” He barked. “Ugh. We need doggy doors.” I shoved my covers off and worked to get to the side of the futon. He jumped down and went to wait at the door. I rubbed my eyes and tried to wake up. It seemed like I had just closed my eyes a minute ago. Grumbling to myself, I went to let him out.

When I reached the first floor, I smelled coffee. Oh, thank God. I zombie-walked to the back door and opened it for Hades. He ran out. I left the door open to go to the coffee pot that Rory probably brewed this morning and poured myself a mug. I was adding cream and sugar when Hades came back in. I closed the door and refilled his food and water bowels, then sat down with my cup of coffee.

A door shut upstairs before Tara came downstairs in her pajamas. She ignored me as she walked into the kitchen and made her own cup of coffee.

“Are you dating Zeke?” she asked casually.

I cringed internally as I finished my sip. “No, I’m not dating him.” I set my coffee down.

“Then you’re screwing him,” she announced as she turned and leaned her hip against the counter. “It’s the only explanation for last night.”

“What happened last night?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know.

“Zeke told me to fuck off,” she replied with a confused look on her face. “He said he didn’t like me and told me to leave him alone.”

My eyebrows went up. “And from that, you’ve decided I’m sleeping with him?” Wow. I shook my head. “Tara…” I looked up and met her eyes again. “Zeke doesn’t play games. If he says he doesn’t like you, he doesn’t like you.”

She looked down her nose at me. “First Asher, and now Zeke?”

I sighed deeply. “Oh my God. Tara…” I didn’t know how to make it clear to her. I was just… too tired for this shit. “If they liked you, I’d be the one telling them to go for it because they’re my friends and I want them happy.” I got to my feet with my mug in my hand. “If they don’t like you that way it’s not my fault, so stop fucking blaming me.” I started for the stairs and went up them without another word. I needed to pack up my research books and hit the cemetery. I felt like I hadn’t slept at all. I was just... done. I didn't have enough time to deal with her bullshit anymore.

I folded up my futon and sat down, taking the time to wake up and drink my coffee. My alarm hadn’t gone off yet, so I had the time. Hades climbed up and flopped down happily.

As I woke up, I started going through my drawers to decide what I wanted to take to Miles’ house.

When I opened my top drawer, I paused. Several pamphlets were on top of my supplies. Rory must have put them in here.

I reached in and pulled them out. A pamphlet about having brain surgery. I flipped to the next one. Support Groups for the Terminally Ill. My lungs grew tight. Next. What is a DNR? My eyes burned. Next. In Home Care or Nursing Home? There were still more, each worse than the one before. I slammed them onto the desk face down and took a deep breath.

It hit me.

This was really happening…

Being tired all the time, crossing the dead and dropping… I was already down the path I’d been dreading my entire life.

After a long shower, I started packing up my research materials. I was almost done when I called Miles.

“Hi.” His voice was cheerful and wide awake.

“Hey, did you get any sleep?” I asked as I continued packing the bag.

“I did, actually,” he said.

I stopped. “You did?” It worked?

“Yeah, I actually fell asleep quickly last night. I was surprised.” His voice was more awake than I’d heard in a while. I smiled.

“I’m glad it worked,” I told him. “Let me guess, you’re working on something?”

“Um, yes.” He hesitated. “I’m working on my RPG game.”

“When you finish I get to play it, right?” I asked as I wrapped a glass vial in a sock before adding it to the bag.

“You will,” he assured me.

“Good. ’Cause you’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t.” I closed the bag. “Miles, do you mind if I stash some of my research stuff over at your house?”

“Of course I don’t mind.” He didn’t even hesitate. “Rory didn’t give permission for a better lock?”

I sighed. “No, he told Tara to knock it off and wants to see if she listens. I’d rather not lose my best supplies in the meantime.”

“Yes, bring over whatever you like.” His voice was warm. “You have a bedroom here, after all.”

I smiled again. “Thanks, Miles. I’ll see you after my climbing lesson then.”

“I’ll be here,” he promised before hanging up. He really was in a good mood today. I quickly changed into my climbing workout clothes; black capri leggings and a black Y-back tank. I grabbed my bag and headed out. Thankfully, Tara wasn’t downstairs when I left.

I hit the top of the intermediate wall, my arms already shaking. Looking over my shoulder down at the floor, I spotted Asher.

“Coming down!” I shouted. Asher nodded and then I let go. I dropped only two feet. I lay back, out of breath, as my arms and legs burned. Asher lowered me to the mats slowly. I dropped to the mat on my back and didn’t bother to move.

Asher bent down and smiled at me. “You made it.”

“At what cost?” I grumbled. “I don’t think I’ll be able to move for the rest of the day.”

He chuckled as he reached down to me. “Come on, Ally girl.”

I cursed as I took his hands and he pulled me up to my feet. I groaned deeply. He bit back a grin as he let go of my hands. We walked over to the benches, which I promptly lay down on. He was still laughing at my antics when he brought me my street shoes. I sat back up and started unlacing my climbing shoes. Asher straddled the bench and sat down. He had been quieter than usual. His smile was gone, his eyes shadowed. The bags under those eyes drew my attention.

“You okay?” I asked. “You’re kind of quiet today.”

He licked his lips before meeting my gaze. “My dad came home last night.”

I stopped untying my shoe. “How did it go?”

He scoffed and looked back down at the bench. “It went the same as it usually does.”

“How does it usually go?” I asked, my voice soft.

He swallowed hard then looked at me. “Not great.” His shoulders were slumped, his jaw clenched. I’d never seen him like this.

I reached over and took his hand, getting his attention. “Hey, I’m your only appointment this morning, right?”

He nodded.

“Then let’s go get some coffee.” I started taking off my climbing shoes.

“Uh, yeah, sure. We have a break room,” he said. I quickly pulled on my shoes. He got to his feet and picked up my climbing shoes as I finished tying my street sneakers. When I stood up, he led me through a door that said ‘Employees Only.’ We walked down a bright hall and around a corner.

“Hey, Asher.” A pretty, light-blond girl in the center’s blue uniform shirt and a pair of gray capri leggings was putting her stuff away in the break room. “Are you done with your morning appointments? We could…” Her voice trailed off as I stepped into the break room behind Asher. Her light brown eyes shot to me, then back to Asher.

“Brittney, this is Ally,” Asher said as he walked towards the coffee maker.

“Lexie, actually, only Asher calls me Ally,” I offered with a smile.

Brittney raised an eyebrow. “Um, we’re not allowed to have clients back here.”

Asher opened a cabinet and pulled out a couple of coffee mugs. “She’s one of my best friends.”

Brittney smiled. "Oh, just didn't want you to get in trouble," she said before leaving the break room. I stepped up beside him as he poured coffee. He silently handed me a cup before he poured his own. I put cream in mine and stirred it with a stirrer. Asher picked up his mug and moved to the couch. I followed, tucked a knee under me, and sat down facing him.

“I thought you guys didn’t have coffee,” I said with a grin.

He snorted. “We didn’t. Everyone got on the manager’s back about it. We finally got a coffee maker last month.”

My grin faded. “Tell me what’s going on, Ash.”

He sighed and lay his head back on the couch. “Every time he comes back it’s the same.” He lifted his head and looked down at his coffee. “Why are you paying this much for that? Where is your sister? Why are her grades off?” He turned to me. “Even when I call and tell him she’s ditching, or that her speeding tickets upped our car insurance. It’s like he just… he doesn’t even check his messages.”

“But he blames you anyway?” I asked, already hating this guy.

He nodded. “Every time he leaves, I’m glad to see him go,” he admitted quietly. “And after a couple of months, I hope when he comes back it’ll be different.”

“And it never is,”

He swallowed hard. “Right. It’s always the same.”

I set my mug down on the floor and moved my arm over the back of the couch so my hand rested on his shoulder. He looked down at me, his eyes rough. He moved his hand over to my knee. Ignoring the tingles running up my leg, I wrapped my other arm around his and rested my cheek on his shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Ash,” I reminded him.

He nodded. “I know.”

I tilted my head and looked up at his face. “Do you?” I asked in a quiet voice. His thumb moved in a figure eight pattern over my leggings. “Your dad is an ass.” He turned to look down at me. “Seriously. He’s an ass. He’s her father, not you. He’s dumped his responsibility onto you, and to see you handling it when he ran like a bitch…”

His lips twitched. “I know you’re right, I do. But if I don’t try then she’ll…”

“You don’t want to let Jessica down,” I guessed.

He nodded. “She’s all the family I’ve got left.”

I squeezed his arm. He looked down at me. “You have more family than just her.”

The shadows in his eyes lifted some as he gave me a small grin. “I know, but I’m all she has.”

“And she’s lucky to have you,” I told him. “Even if she doesn’t know it.”

He let out a deep breath before he leaned down and gently kissed the top of my head. “Thank you,” he whispered.

I opened my eyes and met his. “For what?”

“Listening. Reminding me.”

I lifted my cheek from his arm. I’m always here for you, Ash.”

His eyes ran over my face. “I know.” He slowly turned his mug in his hands. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

I gave him another squeeze before letting go of his arm and picking up my coffee. "I'm stashing some of my research materials at Miles' before we go shopping for job hunting clothes."

Asher smirked. "Miles is going clothes shopping with you?"

I smiled. "Yeah, the poor guy."

Asher burst out laughing.

"What?" I asked, trying not to laugh. "I don't know what this ‘business casual’ is." That didn't help. Asher continued to laugh.

After that, the subject changed to lighter things. I managed to make him laugh enough to chase the shadows from his eyes and put a smile on his face before I left.

With my knotted stomach, Miles drove me over to the only tattoo shop in town. Dragonfly Tattoo was in a nice brick building on Main Street. Miles took a parking spot a few doors down from the shop. He put the car into park as I took a deep breath.

“You’ll do great,” Miles reminded me.

I gave him a small smile and looked down at my clothes. Since I was applying for a job, Miles had suggested I wear business casual. Shopping with Miles had been... different. He simply asked what my size was and helped me start looking. His ears were red the entire time we were in the women's section, but he didn't even complain once. He did tap his leg so much, though, that he had to have bruises by the end of our trip. In the end, we found a pair of black slacks, a green button-up blouse and black ballet flats. It felt like a costume and that, any minute now, someone would call me out on it. I eyed the shop storefront.

“Lexie.” Miles’ voice was the silky-smooth one I loved. Calm moved through me, settling my raw nerves.

“I feel ridiculous,” I muttered.

He smiled. “I know the feeling.”

I turned to him. “You do?”

He smiled that secret smile that showed you how handsome he really was. “Every time my parents made me put on a suit and dragged me along to functions.”

I smiled at the idea of Miles in a suit. “Does it go away?”

He nodded. “The more often you wear it, the more you get used to it.” I snorted and looked back out the window.

“Lexie,” Miles said again. I turned back to him. “You are going to do great. Just go in there and be yourself.”

I chewed on the corner of my bottom lip and nodded. He reached into the back and pulled out the portfolio I had put together over the last few weeks. He held it out to me. Hades made a whining, talking noise.

I took the portfolio and opened the door. “Are you sure you want to wait with Hades?”

Miles gave me a patient smile. “Of course. Go.”

I grumbled under my breath before stepping out onto the sidewalk. The sun beat down on me, making my skin start break out in a sweat instantly. It was the best motivation to get indoors that I could imagine.

Inside, the waiting area was neat and clean, with walls covered in framed artwork. I stepped up to the empty reception counter and set down my portfolio. A woman came around the corner in a pair of jeans, belt, and a vintage, dark-gray Rolling Stones T-shirt. Her hair was black, with blond streaks and fringed edges. Her dark-chocolate eyes ran over me.

“I don’t do underage tattoos,” she stated before turning around.

“I’m not looking for a tattoo,” I told her.

She moved back to the desk and crossed her arms. “Then you’re in the wrong place, cheerleader.”

I raised an eyebrow. Cheerleader? Really? I put it out of my mind. “I was actually wondering if you had any job openings.”

Her eyes ran over me before meeting mine. “You want a job here?”

Okay, now she was irritating me. “Yes. I eventually want to find an apprenticeship, learn everything I can, and become a tattoo artist. But I’m seventeen, which is why I’m hoping you might need a shop girl.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “You want to be an artist?”

“Ever since I was a kid.” I took a deep breath and opened my portfolio before turning it towards her. “I’m practicing my artwork and trying to learn everything I can. It would be wonderful to get a chance to see how a real shop works.”

Her eyes narrowed on me before looking down at my portfolio, which was filled with neo-traditional and watercolor style tattoos. It had taken me weeks to draw and improve each design until I liked them enough to include them. My heart was pounding in my ears as she looked through the pages.

She looked at me, then at the drawings again, before closing my file. “I’m not hiring today.” My heart dropped. She turned and started walking off.

I wanted to work in a tattoo shop before I died. If I wasn’t going to be able to learn officially, at least I could watch. I wanted this. “Alright. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She turned back. “I told you, I’m not hiring.”

“Today,” I reminded her. “You said you weren’t hiring today. That doesn’t mean you won’t be tomorrow.” I closed my portfolio.

She raised an eyebrow and looked me over again. “I won’t be hiring tomorrow, either.”

I smiled. “Then I’ll see you the next day too, and then the next, and the next.”

Her lips moved into a half smirk. “Have you ever had a job in your life?”

“Several.”

“What? Did you keep getting fired?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“We kept moving,” I countered.

She ran her eyes over me, seeming to decide something. She walked around the desk and leaned on the counter. “You have a resume?”

I opened the folder, pulled it out of its pocket, and handed it to her. Her eyes ran over it. Eventually, she looked at me again. “There are a lot of cities here. How do I know you aren’t moving again?”

“I'm living with family now, and I'll be eighteen in August,” I explained.

She reached out, turned my portfolio to her, and looked through it again. “These are good, but you need to work on your use of negative space.” She pointed to one of my skull and roses drawings. “This is too busy; you’re packing too much in. You need a balance.” She met my eyes. “What are your plans for college?”

“I haven’t made any,” I admitted. “Everything would depend on where I could get an apprenticeship.”

She tapped the drawing. “You need college-level art classes. It’ll help you perfect your technique, and that is everything.”

I nodded. Shit. “Alright. I’ll start looking at art schools.” How the hell was I going to do that?

“You’re out for the summer?” she asked.

“Yeah, yesterday was our last day.” I told myself not to hope.

“Alright, I’ll start you at one day a week for a few hours,” she told me. I resisted the urge to shout in victory. “Come back Monday, around eleven. The sign will say closed, but I’ll be here.” She eyed my clothes. “And casual is more than fine.”

“Thank you so much,” I said. “You won’t regret this.”

“I better not.” She held out her hand. “I’m Meghan Bricker.”

I shook her hand with a smile. “Lexie Delaney.”

When I got back in the car, I practically knocked Miles over in my rush to hug him. He laughed and hugged me back.

“I take it you got the job?” he asked, chuckling.

“Yes!” I practically squealed as I squeezed him tight. Moving back to my seat, I smiled up at him. “I start on Monday.”

He grinned at me. “That’s great.” I put on my seatbelt, still beaming.

Miles pulled out onto the road and started for Zeke’s house. “Did they like your artwork?”

My smile faded. “Yeah, though she did say I should take college art classes.”

“She did?” he asked carefully.

I looked out the window and sighed. “Yeah, looks like I need to start looking for an art school.”

“What was your SAT score?” he asked.

I wrung my fingers as I answered. “I haven’t taken it.”

There was a long silence. “Well, testing starts again when school starts. I’ll help you prepare if you’d like?”

I flashed him a smile. “I’m taking you up on that. I’m way behind on the college front.”

“Maybe, but you do have a great GPA. And you have time to prepare for the exam,” he reassured me.

“My GPA is pretty good,” I admitted, feeling better. If Miles said I had time to get ready for the test, I had time.

“And with a job, that will help with extracurriculars,” he said, clearly thinking out loud.

I closed my eyes. “Extracurriculars.” I groaned before turning to him. “I don’t have any, at least none that I can put on a college application.”

“That’s not completely true.” He turned into Zeke’s long driveway.

“What am I going to put? ‘Crossing the dead and healing the Veil?’”

He grinned. “I was going to suggest ‘volunteer work.’”

I thought about it. “Okay, yeah, that might work.”

Then it hit me, like a blow to the heart. I almost couldn't breathe as I realized, I might not have to worry about college. Given what my scans showed, I'd be lucky to graduate high school. Shit. My heart ached, and I fought to keep my face blank.

Miles pulled his car in next to Zeke’s Jeep. “The point is, don’t panic. You have time, and I’ll help.” He sounded so excited…

I sent him a smile as my throat tightened. “Thanks, Nemo.”

A warm smile spread across his face. “You’re welcome, Lexie.”

I got out of the car and let Hades out, grabbing my bag of clothes to change into. I was not working in Sylvie’s garden in slacks. Hades ran off with his leash still attached. I wasn’t worried; he wouldn’t leave the property. I headed for the house while Miles headed around the side.

“Tell them I’ll be there after I change,” I said, opening the front door.

“I will,” he said before disappearing around the corner of the house. I walked inside and closed the door. Zeke's house was cute, there was no other way to describe it. The inside was bright and had a beach house feel; all white wood and light colors. The house was cool and quiet, exactly what I needed right now. I walked to the end of the hallway across from the door to the bathroom. Zeke's bedroom door was cracked open. I knocked, just in case he was inside, but there was no answer. Heart aching, I walked in, closed the door and sat on Zeke’s bed. I took deep, slow breaths, hoping it would stop my eyes burning. I got a job at the shop. Be happy and just enjoy that. Focus on the good.

Slipping off my shoes, I got up and started changing into my cutoffs and a blue tank. I was fastening my shorts when the door opened.

“Hey, Beau— Oh, shit!” Ethan’s voice came from behind me.

I rushed to put my shirt on. “Damn it, Ethan,” I snapped as I pulled it on over my head.

He chuckled. “I’ve seen you in your underwear before.”

“In emergencies,” I countered. “Not exactly the same.” I pulled the hem down to cover myself and got my sandals out of my bag. It was totally different. Especially since he had kissed me, even if he didn’t remember it. Or remember grabbing my ass... or biting my lip... I let out a breath as my body warmed at the memory. Now, if only I could forget it.

“Sorry, Beautiful.”

I shook my head and started folding my slacks to put in my bag. “Why were you looking for me?”

“I wanted to see if you got the job,” he said as he moved to stand next to me. He picked up my blouse and laid it against his chest, as if to see if it would fit. “And I wanted to get a look at you in this get up.”

I smiled as I shook my head and snatched my blouse from his hands. The twins could always get a smile out of me.

He chuckled. “You’re gonna burn out there, Beautiful,” he reminded me.

I pulled my sunblock out of my bag and handed it to him. “I think ahead.”

He poured some lotion into his palm before stepped behind me. I pulled my hair into a high, messy bun. I held my hand over my shoulder so he could put some sunblock in my palm. I began rubbing it into my arms.

“So, did you get the job?” he asked.

I started rubbing lotion on my face. “Yep. Had to convince her though. And she told me I needed college-level art classes.”

“Oh, ouch,” he said.

“Not really. I just hadn’t planned on college,” I explained.

“Did she say you had to graduate?” he asked as I moved on to my chest.

I sighed. “No, she didn’t. But if I go, I might as well, right?” I tried sounding optimistic.

“I don’t know,” Ethan admitted as he stopped rubbing lotion into my back. “I’m not doing college.”

I turned, sat down and took the sunblock from him. “You’re not?”

He shook his head. “I know exactly what I want, and it doesn’t involve college. At least not right away.” I started rubbing sunblock into my legs and feet.

“Music, right?” I smiled.

He nodded. “Yep. Once we make a bigger name for ourselves. We've already started getting a following on YouTube. We just need to build on it; write our own music and get better. We’ll have to bust our asses, but in the end, it’ll be worth it.”

I met his eyes. “I really hope it happens for you.”

He grinned. “Me too.”

Zeke walked into the bedroom. His eyes shot to Ethan then to me. “What are you doing in here?”

“I was changing.” I pointed at my bag.

“And I was helping,” Ethan added. Zeke glared at him, his mouth a hard line.

“Relax, Zeke. He’s messing with you,” I told him. Zeke’s shoulders relaxed a bit. “I was putting on my sunblock.” I got to my feet and put my lotion in my bag.

“Out!” Zeke barked at Ethan. Ethan left, laughing. I put my flats in my bag and picked it up. “You can leave your stuff in here,” he told me.

I turned around and watched him plugging his phone in at his desk. “You aren’t worried I’ll go after your baby pictures?”

He set his phone down. “I moved them weeks ago.”

I walked to the door and set my bag down next to his desk. “Oh, a challenge.”

He walked around the desk and looked down at me. “Come on, we have gardening to do,” he grumbled. I snickered the whole way down the hall. Irritating Zeke was always fun.

Sylvie’s vegetable garden was on the right side of the house, and it was huge. It took everyone working in it to get the vegetables picked and packed for the farmer’s market tomorrow.

I was working in the squash section when my phone rang. I wiped the dirt off my hands and pulled my phone out of my pocket. It was Travis.

“Hey, Travis."

"Hey, I've got some info," Travis announced.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I sat back on my knees.

“The girls’ parents are leaving at five to go to a church support group they are running. They aren’t coming back until around midnight.”

“Um, when does the action usually start?” I asked.

“Around dark.”

“Okay, text me the address and I’ll be there around dark,” I told him before hanging up. Was I really fucking doing this? Everything that could go wrong ran through my mind. I shook my head. Worrying about it wouldn’t help a damn thing. Pushing it out of my mind, I went back to work in the garden.

It was peaceful work with the sun warming my shoulders; my hands were buried in the cool, rich soil. An odd kind of calm filled me. All my worries faded away. I don’t know how long I worked pulling weeds, but eventually the scent of limes met my nose. I smiled.

Isaac squatted across the row from me. Sweat covered his face and soaked the neckline of his tank top. “We’re calling it, Red. Asher and Miles almost have dinner ready.”

I got to my feet and dusted the dirt off my knees before heading back to the house.

“Travis called,” I told him. “I need to head over around dark.”

Isaac wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We need to head over.”

“You’re sure you want to go?” I asked, wrapping my arm around his waist.

“We’re not letting you go alone,” he told me as we reached the front door. I opened the door and went in. I walked down the hall and used the bathroom to clean up. When I came out, Isaac was looking in Zeke’s room. I smacked him on the butt; he yelped and jumped.

He glared at me. “I thought you were Zeke.”

I snorted. “Zeke smack your ass often?”

He chuckled as he walked into the bathroom. I headed for the kitchen.

“How do you think he’ll do this year?” Asher asked. Miles was at a counter making a fruit salad while Asher was making hamburger patties.

“The last two years he was alright until the month of,” Miles said as he put washed berries in the fruit salad. “I think he’ll be alright until three weeks ahead.”

“We still need to watch him,” Asher countered.

Miles nodded.

I stepped between them and snagged a blueberry from the bowl. “Watch who?” I popped the berry in my mouth and went still. It was not a blueberry. It was sweet, but with an odd almond taste. “What did I just put in my mouth?”

They chuckled.

“That’s a Juneberry,” Asher explained. “They ripened early this year due to the heat wave.” It was tasty. I snagged another one.

“Nifty. Now, who were you talking about?” I popped the berry in my mouth.

“We can’t really say,” Miles said. “It’s… not our history.”

“Oh, okay.” I snagged another berry. “Are you sure you have enough of these?” I ate the berry in my hand and grinned up at Asher.

When I reached for another one, Asher shot me a look. “Not if you keep eating them.”

I giggled as Asher finished making the patties. “Take these to Zeke.”

“Why? So I can’t eavesdrop?” I teased.

“I don’t care about eavesdropping, I’m saving the berries from you,” Asher countered. I took the tray of raw meat and headed for the back door. Miles opened the door for me. I winked at him before heading out. Zeke was at the barbecue with his hand over the grill. I smiled. Tank and Kita were sunning themselves on the roofs of their dog houses nearby. One twitch and Tank was going to fall off.

“I come bearing meat to cook,” I announced as I set the platter on the barbecue shelf.

“Good timing,” he muttered.

I eyed him. “You okay?”

He nodded.

“Zeke?” My voice rasped. I winced.

“Have you heard back from those ghost hunting guys?” he asked.

“Yeah, I need to head over around dark,” I said in my damaged voice as I went to the cooler and pulled out a water bottle. “You want a drink?”

“Water,” Zeke answered.

I picked up another bottle then moved to his side and handed it to him. I took a drink to get my voice back. “Okay, Tough Guy, talk to me.” I wasn’t asking.

His jaw clenched as he seasoned the burgers. “I don’t like these guys knowing what you can do.”

“That’s why Miles had his lawyer draw up the confidentiality agreement,” I reminded him, trying to be patient.

“I still think it’s a stupid risk,” he told me.

“It’s a little girl,” I reminded him. “You saw the photos.”

He nodded. “I know. And I want you to do this.” He turned and met my eyes. “Doesn’t mean I like it.”

I gave him a small understanding smile. “Same here.”

His eyes ran over my face before he went back to the grill. "You need anything before we go?"

I thought about it as I chewed the corner of my bottom lip. "I have a few things that could work. I'll need to pick them up from Miles' house before we head over."

"I'll tell Sylvie we're hitting Miles' house,” he muttered as he began to put the burgers on the grill. "That should get me a few hours."

"Sylvie is going to be studying for the Bar Exam, right?" I asked, getting his mind off where we were going tonight. We talked about Sylvie's new job that was waiting for her, how happy she was to see the light at the end of the night shift tunnel. Anything to keep him from worrying about tonight. I was worried enough for the both of us.

It was almost dark when the twins drove me and Hades over to the address Travis sent me. It was a neat three-story house at the north end of town. Ethan pulled the car up to the curb and parked. The others weren’t too far behind. When I got out, I brought Hades and my bag with me. The front door opened. Keith, Travis, and a girl who was vaguely familiar came out onto the front porch. Her brown hair was back in a ponytail.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before walking up the flower-lined walkway.

“Lexie, this is Cara,” Keith said. “Her little sister Mia is the one the activity revolves around.”

“One moment,” Miles said as he reached the porch steps. He held up the papers in his hand. “First, everyone signs the confidentiality agreement.” He pulled a pen from his pocket and handed it, along with the papers, to Travis. Travis sighed, put the contract on the porch railing, and signed. Keith did the same.

Miles turned to Cara. “You too, please.”

Cara eyed him and then signed as well. She handed the contract to Miles. Miles nodded to me. I sent him a small, grateful smile.

“Fill me in,” I said.

Cara gestured for us to come inside. We followed her into an inviting living room and I sat on the couch beside her. Hades sat on the floor next to me. Asher took one armchair and Ethan took another. Keith and Travis stood near them. Zeke and Isaac leaned against the walkthrough to the foyer.

“It started a month ago,” Cara began, her hazel eyes shadowed. “My sister and I had horrible nightmares. Mine were bad, but Mia’s…” She met my eyes. “Mia told me about one once. It was like every nightmare she had ever had wrapped up into one.”

“That bad?” I asked.

She nodded. “In that dream she was skinned alive. She felt it and she woke up screaming. I thought something was wrong.”

My nightmares were bad, but… damn. “What happened next?”

“My nightmares went away, but she started sleep walking. We found her a mile away once, just walking down the middle of the street. She had no clue how she got there.”

“That’s scary as hell,” I admitted.

She nodded. “Mom and Dad thought she was just sleep walking, but it didn’t feel right. Then things started moving around the house.” Cara took a breath and let it out. “Doors slammed. I could hear a voice, but I could never hear what it was saying. Then the first scratches started.” Cara met my eyes. “My parents thought she was being bullied at school, so they took her out and put her on homeschool. But it hasn't stopped. She barely sleeps anymore, and one night, when she slept next to me, I woke up to her standing there with a knife. The look in her eye wasn’t my little sister.” Oh, shit.

“I’m going to assume that’s extremely out of her normal,” I offered lightly, trying to break the tension and failing.

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Now, she gets sick whenever she tries to go to church. She’s awake all the time. And if I make her angry, things fly at me. My parents don't believe me and I don’t know what to do.”

I nodded. If I had a sister, I’d feel exactly the same way. “Where is she?”

She wiped her face. “She’s upstairs, playing I think. I let her stay up past her bedtime tonight.”

“And everything happens around her?” I asked.

“Lately, yeah.” She answered. This was one seriously powerful ghost or.... the kid had abilities.

“Think I can talk to her?”

Cara nodded and got to her feet. I told Hades to stay before I followed her up the stairs and down the hall, everyone else followed closely. We were eight feet from the staircase at the other end of the hall when she stopped at a door and knocked.

“Yeah?” A girl’s voice called.

Cara opened the door. “There’s someone who wants to talk to you, is that okay?”

I stepped into the doorway. Mia was a younger clone of her sister. Same brown hair, same hazel eyes, and same triangular face, though Mia’s bags were worse than Cara’s. The kid looked young, even for six.

Mia’s eyes went to the guys behind me. Her eyes widened. “Who are they?”

“They’re my friends,” I told her in a cheerful voice.

“They’re all boys,” Mia pointed out.

I smiled. “Tell me about it. I need to make more friends who are girls.” Mia giggled at the disdain in my voice. I looked over my shoulder.

“Why don’t my taller friends wait downstairs,” I suggested. Asher sent Mia a smile and a wink. Zeke met my eyes, his face hard. He really didn’t like it, but he followed Asher. Keith followed him. I turned back to Mia and Cara. “Can I come in and visit?”

Mia nodded and picked up one of her dolls.

I stepped inside and sat across from Mia on the rug. “Cara tells me you aren’t sleeping.”

Mia nodded.

“Can you tell me why?”

“’Cause the two little girls keep me up.” Mia put her doll in a plastic chair at her play table. She pretended to pour tea for her.

“Tell me about the little girls. How do they keep you awake?” I asked gently.

She met my eyes. “They don’t like it when I talk about them.”

Chills ran down my neck, and they were not the ‘a ghost is around’ kind. “Well, if I tell you a secret of mine, will you tell me about them?”

Mia seemed to consider it. Then she smiled and nodded.

I leaned in and whispered. “I can see ghosts.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Really?”

“Yep, ever since I can remember,” I told her. “You want to know what else I can do?”

“What?” she asked eagerly.

“I help them cross over; help them get to Heaven.” These ghosts, though… I highly doubted they’d be going that way, even if there was a Heaven.

She eyed me. “Why?”

Her question surprised me. “Well, you see, once someone dies, their soul is supposed to move on. Without their body, they don’t belong here anymore. They need to go to Heaven; it’s where you’re supposed to go.” She seemed to think about it. “Now it’s your turn. What can you tell me about the little girls?”

She wiped her nose. “They look alike.” She poured another pretend cup of tea. “They protect me.”

I forced my face to stay neutral. “Really? From what?”

Mia handed me the cup of pretend tea. “The monster.”

“What monster, Mia?” I asked softly.

She looked down at the floor. “He scares me at night. The girls keep him away.”

“How do they do that?” I pretended to drink tea.

“They chase him away and play with me at night. He can’t come out during the day,” she explained. I blinked. That was new.

“What does the monster look like?”

She went to open her mouth, but her eyes shot to the door. “They’re coming.” She turned back to me. “I told you they don’t like me talking about them.”

I looked at the door and got to my feet. I moved into the hallway and looked around.

“Get out of the hall,” I told the guys. Ethan went into the bedroom, followed closely by Miles and Isaac.

“Red?”

Something was coming; I could feel it, as if someone had walked over my grave. It was there, just out of reach of my senses, but it was coming.

“Stay put,” I told him absently as I looked up and down the hall. The sun was setting outside, the hallway was almost dark. I flipped the hall lights on. They flickered but stayed on. Still nothing. I turned to look back toward the other staircase and froze.

Two little girls were standing near the third-floor staircase. Both had blond curls and wore blue dresses with white lace at the collar and wrists.

My heart slammed in my chest as fear clawed at me. There was no chill.

Hades began to bark from downstairs. The edges of the twins were slightly blurred. I stepped towards them, trying to stay calm. They watched me with dead black eyes. Their edges blurred even more as I stepped closer.

Still no chill. Nothing that told me they were souls, but something new was going off in my head. Information from somewhere.

“You aren’t ghosts,” I said out loud. My heart began to race. Their heads tilted in sync, to the exact same angle. It felt… evil. More evil than the Shadow Men. More evil than I’d ever known. It was something… something that never... “No… you’re something old. Something that was never human.” Something that simply existed to destroy. “Get them out.”

“Lexie?” Miles’ voice was quiet.

“Get. Them. Out,” I whispered, not taking my eyes off the lie it was throwing to fool me and Mia.

The boys led the girls out of the room and started getting them down the hallway. Isaac stayed with me.

“That’s them,” Mia said.

The things’ eyes stayed on me. My breathing grew faster. Good, as long as I had its attention they could get out. They smiled in unison. My gut knotted as their forms blurred even more. Their forms began merging together into a pitch-black fog. I swallowed hard. Glowing, blood-red eyes watched me from the fog. A bead of sweat ran down my spine; my skin crawled. The air grew thicker with the stench of sulfur.

“Run,” I told Isaac. The fog formed into a long-limbed shadow with long, pointed ears. I backed up, making my way to the stairs.

The fog charged.

Adrenaline shot through me as I tried to run. A wall of icy air hit me hard. I was off my feet, spun, then hit the wall. I cried out as pain shot through my back and down my legs. The sweat on my skin froze. I was suddenly shivering. Its hands grabbed me, its claws digging into my skin. Searing pain tore through my arms as its eyes filled my vision.

“You’re mine.” A deep, terrifying voice moved through my mind. Paws ran up the stairs.

“Fuck you,” I growled.

Black, tar-like smoke poured into my mind. Images flashed, memories.

Blood, death, pain, Dad, Mom, Clay…

Hades growled and barked. It roared. The house shook; glass shattered.

I dropped, not knowing where I was. I lay there, trembling and shivering on the hard floor, my vision fading in and out.

Arms grabbed me, and the scent of limes reached my nose. “Come on, Lexie.” Isaac’s honey-like voice made me aware. I was limp as he gathered me in his arms and started moving.

“What happened?” Zeke bellowed.

“Take her, I’ll get Hades!” Isaac shouted as he reached the stairs. Demonic laughter echoed through the house as he handed me off to Zeke. Zeke started moving, but all I kept seeing were those images running through my head. Everyone I loved, dead. And me standing above their bodies, blood soaking my hands.

Zeke hit the first floor and ran out into the heat. My clothes grew damp as my sweat melted. Isaac wasn’t far behind with Hades. When we reached the lawn, everyone stopped. Zeke set me down on the grass. Hades moved to my side and pressed against me, his warmth comforting.

“What the hell happened in there?” Asher demanded.

I was looking down at Dad in his coffin.

“Why did we run?” Mia asked.

Mom was beating me with the belt.

Calloused hands touched my face. “Miles!” Zeke barked.

Clay was dragging me back to the cabin.

“Lexie?” Miles’ voice was gentle as his hand lifted my chin. I kept my eyes closed as I fought back memories.

I took his hand that was on my chin and squeezed. “Give me a minute,” I whispered. His hand squeezed mine. Hades pressed harder against me as my insides shook.

“Zeke, your handkerchief?” Miles asked.

Zeke cursed. Miles gently cleaned under my nose. “Lexie?” I couldn’t answer, I was still struggling to push those images away.

The black smoke was gone, but the memories kept coming. Yes, they happened. Every memory sucked. But I was alive. I continued to remind myself of that as I fought to come out of it.

“Lexie, come on. Tell us what to do,” Ethan demanded.

Finally, I was able to push them back. They were still there, waiting for me to relax, but they were back far enough that I could think.

I blinked up at them, my head pounding. It felt like someone had gone at my brains with a whisk. “I’m here,” I told him. “Just…” I swallowed back tears. “Just give me another minute.”

Miles saw the tears in my eyes. The fear. He squeezed my hand and turned to Isaac. “What happened once we got the others out?”

I used the time he gave me to try and pull myself together. Fear was choking me, making it hard to breath. Come on Lexie…

“Whatever was there… threw her into the wall and held her three feet off the fucking ground. I couldn’t see shit,” Isaac growled.

Miles began wiping the blood off my arms. “You’re cut, Lexie. And you’ve been burned.”

Zeke cursed.

Pull it together. There’s a kid who needs your help. Remember her? “It’s a demon. At least, I think it is,” I told them, taking Zeke’s handkerchief from Miles and holding it to my nose.

“What?” Asher asked, his voice full of disbelief.

“It’s old, and it’s never been human. It feels evil,” I explained, my fear rising again. “I think it’s a demon.” A demon that had just pulled out every horrible memory I had and paraded it in front of me. I pulled the cloth from my nose and looked at the house. I didn’t want to go back inside. It was a stupid move. Beyond stupid. But that demon just pissed me off. I could use pissed off, it was better than scared any day.

Head still pounding, I got to my feet and headed for the door.

Zeke grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “Where do you think you are going?”

“To kick its ass out,” I growled up at him.

“No, you’re not,” he snapped, his fingers tightening on my arm. “No one is going back inside.”

“Oh, yes I am,” I shot back. “That fucker went after a kid. I’m giving it an eviction notice.” Couldn’t he see I needed to do this?

“How?” he growled.

“I brought supplies in my bag.” I went to walk away; he didn’t let go.

“Lexie,” he warned.

I turned back and met his eyes. “Don’t even try.”

He glared at me. “Not alone.” The look in his eyes told me he wasn’t budging.

“Fine,” I grumbled. He let go of my arm.

“What are you two doing?” Asher asked.

I turned to him. “I gotta go back in. And Zeke won’t let me go alone.”

Miles’ eyes went to the cuts on my arms and then my eyes. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“It’s the only way to get rid of it.” I turned and headed for the door. Hades followed. I stepped inside and grabbed my bag. I rummaged through it until I found what I was looking for. Holy water, and a jar of black salt.

I started by sprinkling holy water in the corner of every room. Then, starting from the attic, I sprinkled a pinch of black salt in the center of each room. The entire time, my heart raced and my hands trembled. Zeke and Hades followed me like shadows. When we reached the living room again, I pulled out a smudging stick.

“Why are we going up and down the house?” he asked.

I picked up my bag. “The holy water is to get the demon out, the black salt is to cleanse the entire area so it won’t have a hold on the house, and the sage puts up a barrier against it.”

“You really have done your homework.”

We walked out of the house. I met Cara and Mia on the porch. I handed her the sage. “Okay, that should work. But tonight, after your parents are in the house and in bed, light the sage and move the smoke over the doorways and windows. It’ll create a barrier throughout the house.”

“Are you sure it’s gone?” Cara asked, her voice shaking.

“I think so. I didn’t feel or see anything inside, and Hades didn’t bark,” I told her, “so you should be clear. If not, call Keith or Travis and they’ll get a hold of me.”

Cara nodded, her eyes watering. “Thank you so much.”

I gave her a small, strained smile. “No problem.” I moved down the stairs to meet the guys.

Zeke grabbed my arm and took me to Asher’s truck. “Asher, where’s your first aid kit?”

“Zeke, I just want to go home,” I told him. The pounding in my head was getting worse. I just wanted to curl up in the quiet. He eyed me. “I’m tired.”

“I’ll take her home and get her patched up,” Miles told Zeke. Zeke looked like he wanted to argue. He turned back to me. His eyes ran over my face before he nodded.

Travis and Keith reached the group.

“Thanks for helping,” Keith said.

“What did you see?” Travis asked as he eyed me.

“I saw two little girls. But something was off; they felt… wrong,” I explained through the throbbing in my head. “I didn’t feel the chill on my neck that I usually do when I see a soul. That was the first clue.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose between two fingers. My head was killing me.

“So, you really see the dead?” Keith asked, hesitating a little. Pain shot through my skull. Hot liquid began to run from my nose.

“Shit,” I bit out as I quickly pulled Zeke’s handkerchief from my pocket. I held it to my nose as my head ached.

“Lexie?” Asher’s voice was worried. I waved him off as I stepped away from the guys to take care of my face. The blood seemed to be pouring from me like never before. My heart dropped. Was this… was this another symptom? I’d never had a nosebleed this bad without a soul being around. Was this because of the demon, or because of that spot on my brain? My throat closed as I focused on what I was doing.

Just as quickly as it started, it suddenly stopped. And Zeke’s hankie was soaked.

“Is there a bag somewhere?” I asked. Isaac brought me a small Ziploc bag from the kit and some wipes to get the blood off. He held the bag open so I could put the cloth inside. “Zeke, I’ll wash it and get it back to you.”

“I’m not worried about it,” he grumbled.

I cleaned my face quickly. Isaac pointed to let me know where I missed some. His amber eyes were worried as he watched me.

I gave him a smile. “I’m fine.”

He nodded but didn’t seem to believe me. Then again, I wouldn’t believe me either. I walked back to the guys with Isaac.

“Just keep it to yourselves,” Ethan told Keith and Travis. They nodded.

Miles came to my side, picked up my bag and moved his hand to my lower back.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” I told my guys. They said goodnight. Miles led me to his car and opened the passenger side door.

The drive to Rory’s was a blur. Memories kept pouring through my mind. Miles opened my car door. I grabbed my bag. Hades was already waiting at the front door when I started unlocking it.

The great room was empty. I dropped my bag near the door and moved straight to the couch. I sat down and set my feet on the edge of the coffee table. Hades jumped on to the couch and rested his head in my lap. I scratched his head while the memories kept flashing.

“Lexie?” Miles’ voice was soft. I blinked. He sat next to me and opened the first aid kit from the upstairs bathroom. He tore open some antiseptic wipes. He carefully took one arm and started cleaning the cuts on my forearm. “I need to hear your voice,” he said gently.

“I’m okay. It’s just… when it pinned me to the wall, somehow it got into my head and pulled all my worst memories to the surface,” I told him absently. His fingers slowed.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“They just won’t go away,” I told him, staring off at the dark TV. Not to mention that nosebleed and the headache…

He set the wipes down and turned back to me, his emerald eyes warm. It was exactly what I needed. Well, almost. I shifted and leaned against him, my fingers digging into his shirt. His arms moved around me, one around my shoulders, the other around my waist, holding me to him. I took a deep breath of wintergreen. The chaos in my mind started slowing down.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said against my hair.

“I saw it all over again,” I whispered. “Dad’s funeral, Mom beating me, Clay… I buried my face in the crook of his neck. He held me tighter.

“I’m sorry, Angel,” he breathed. I took deep breaths of his scent and slowly began to relax against him. When I wasn’t clinging so much, he loosened his grip until I was leaning against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. After some time, he broke the silence. “I need to clean your burns.” I nodded and sat up.

He took my hands and examined my wrists. “These look like handprints.”

I nodded. Four fingered handprints, but handprints none the less. “It grabbed my arms, but it was smoke, so… I don’t know how it did it.”

Miles' face was blank as he carefully cleaned my wrists before he gently applied burn ointment. When he was done, he repacked the kit. I was exhausted, again.

“I’m… I’m gonna go to bed,” I announced.

Miles' eyes ran over me before he got to his feet and held out his hand. I took it. He helped me to my feet and walked me to the stairs. Instead of leaving me there, he climbed the stairs behind me. I was half asleep by the time I reached the second floor. Miles guided me into my bedroom. He helped me pull out the futon. I didn’t hesitate. I lay down and curled up on my side. Hades jumped onto the bed and snuggled down between my back and the wall. Gentle hands were on my feet, slipping my shoes off. He covered me with the light afghan at the end of my bed.

“Nemo?” I called softly.

“Yes?”

“Stay?”

“As long as you want me,” he whispered. I was almost out when his hand took mine. Peace settled through me, pushing me into sleep.

I walked into the house to find Jessica actually home and in the living room with Dad.

“Where the hell have you been?” Dad bit out.

I sighed as I put my keys on the table in the foyer, beside Mom’s flag case. “I was at Zeke’s.”

He huffed. “That Blackthorn kid? You’re still hanging with that loser?”

That irritated the hell out of me. I turned around. “Zeke’s a good guy.” I half expected Jessica to smile or chime in to bash Zeke, but she surprised me. She looked at Dad with a frown.

“I don’t want you hanging around him,” he told me.

Normally, I would just say ‘yes sir’ and sneak around until he left. But… not this time. I couldn’t stomach this crap anymore. “No.” Dad’s eyes went to me. “I’m going to keep hanging out with Zeke.”

His eyes narrowed at me. “No? Asher, that kid’s father—”

“Zeke isn’t his father,” I snapped. “And you don’t get to tell me who to be friends with.” I walked away from the living room and up the stairs. I locked my bedroom door behind me. Then I dropped into my desk chair. I braced my elbows on the desk and held my head in my hands. I was so tired of his shit. I was tired of him. I was tired of playing things his way. I sighed and pulled out my phone. I started to text Ally and hesitated. She had looked exhausted when Miles took her home. She was probably asleep already. I set my phone down and tried to come to grips with what had happened tonight.

Demons. Demons were real. Those burns on her wrists showed that alone. Shit. What the hell else was out there? What else could come for her?

Metal smashed into metal. The car jerked again. I held Sophie tight to my chest.

“Izzy.” She coughed. I looked down to find blood trailing from her mouth. Her amber eyes were wide, tears filling them. “Why didn’t you save me?” Her voice shook. My heart split in two. I bashed on the door, slamming my shoulder into it over and over.

“Hold on, Sophie, I’m getting you help,” I told her, my voice thick as desperation took control. I slammed and hit the door over and over. “Let us out!”

“Izzy…” her sweet voice called. I looked down into my arms. Bright red blood poured from her mouth onto her chest. “I can’t breathe.” She coughed a wet cough that ended with her gasping for breath. I wiped the hot blood away from her mouth so it wouldn’t go back into her lungs.

“Hold on, hold on for us,” I told her, my voice cracking. My chest burned, my lungs ached. The sound of cars crashing finally stopped. Silence fell.

She looked me in the eye. “You could… have… saved me.” Her eyes became blank, her pupils dilated. Her body went limp in my arms. No, no, no. NO!

I bolted up in bed, gasping for air. Sweat rolled down my face as I searched my dark bedroom. Home. Sophie’s been dead for years. My fault. Fuck, it was my fault. My heart tried to rip itself in two as I brought my knees up and rested my elbows on them. Taking deep, shaking breaths, I wiped my face. I should have fucking got out of the car! I should have fucking tried harder! She was dying and I just fucking SAT THERE! My hands came back wet. My eyes continued to burn. More tears fell down my face. My chest stayed tight, my lungs not taking in enough air. I laid back down and watched the shadows from the tree outside dance across the ceiling.

It should have been me. It should have fuckin’ been me.