Deadly Kisses (19 page)

“Just hold me.”

“I hate to break up your love fest, but I’m not feeling so hot. I’ll be heavy to move if I pass out.” Jaleb looked pale, his veins ran blue under translucent skin.

“What’s happening to him?”

I released my arm around her waist, and she was stronger than ever in me.

“The three Ancients are gathering and drawing energy from him. The closer we get to them, the worse he will be. They don’t like their victims fighting. That’s why we need Marlin’s help.”

“She’s not going to get freaky on me again, is she?” Bee asked me.

“Probably.” I snickered. “Please tell me what Marlin whispered to you when we last saw her. It’s important to me.”

I knew this was my last chance to talk to Bee. “Jaleb we’re right behind you. Just keep walking straight ignoring the stone at the entrance.”

“Fine, but hurry. I’m feeling weak.”

Bee paced back and forth in three step increments until I stopped her and held her to me. “She told me to tell you not to worry because I’ll be just as pretty dead.”

I shuddered. “Don’t worry about what Marlin said. Okay? She’s just picking on me because I had it bad for you, and she knew it.” I grabbed her hand and led her down the narrow exit. My plan couldn’t fail. Marlin’s vision had to be wrong.

“How long have you really liked me, Aiden?”

“It’s always been love, Bee. Don’t forget that. I think it was the day you made me bring home a stray cat. You held it in a wagon. I pulled you from the country store to my trailer. I’ll never forget that day. Do you remember that?”

“I was like twelve and you were fourteen. What ever happened to that cat?”

“I fed it and it stayed around, becoming my outdoor pet.”

“I don’t know why we didn’t become better friends like you and Sabrina did.”

“Sabrina would hang out with me and the band while you got involved with school stuff or trying to save the world.”

“I wish I hung out with the two of you more.”

“Me too, but in a way I’ll never regret my human life with Sabrina.”

“You never . . . you know . . . kissed Sabrina?”

I chuckled, remembering. “Once. It was my idea. We were thirteen. It was the most awkward kiss ever. We both agreed it would never happen again. We actually scraped teeth and drooled on each other. She knew that I liked you anyways and teased me about it because you were younger than us.”

“Poor you. I can just imagine her teasing you.”

Jaleb was ahead, leaning on a stone, looking up to the stars in the sky. He closed his eyes, inhaling the crisp night air. The wind blew, sweeping his hair away from his face.

“Stop, so I can hug you.” I rested my chin on the top of her head. I squeezed her, wrapping my arms around her waist until my hands reached behind her back.

“Come on, let’s get walking.” I clutched her hand. Jaleb held the other while Bee fed us the life force we needed. Jaleb’s face went from translucent to chalky white.

We finally made it to Marlin’s trailer. A soft light came from the inside. We walked up the narrow steps. Bee knocked on the door.

Marlin answered. Her hair was now dyed a flame red with streaks of orange in the front. It reminded me of Reina’s. She dangled a cigarette from her mouth. A black dress painted her body down to her thighs. Jaleb smiled a big goofy grin.

Marlin looked to Bee. “Dances with daisies, come in. Jaleb we meet again.” She eyed him up and down. “Glad we’re staying clean, but I can’t say that for my nasty little smoking habit.” She looked to her cigarette that was loosely held between her fingers.

“Marlin, you are looking prettier than ever.” Jaleb raised his eyebrows up and down at her.

“Says the boy who attacked me drunk and very naked.” Marlin winked back at Jaleb.

“Um, sorry for that. I made an awful drunk.”

“And druggie, let’s not forget that. Keep those wounds open so we don’t start that up again. What can I do ya for?” Marlin smashed the end of her cigarette in a coffee mug and swooshed the smoke in front of her. The whole house reeked of it.

“I need another vial of that elixir,” Jaleb said.

“Sure. I also have something to keep you energized, too.” She went to the table where there we all sorts of weird plants, knives, and what looked like a science kit. Marlin picked up a vial. “These should do. Feeling down, huh?”

“Something like that.” He handed her forty dollars.

“Daisy girl, it’s about time you told Aiden my message. Bet he was tickled pink.”

“How did she know?” Bee nudged Jaleb.

Marlin tapped her head. “Super psychic whack job at your service. Aiden,” she called. “I feel you here with her.” She froze and went into some weird trance. “You will bind him to the earth. Bring order by killing the source, it will rid them all, but pray for a miracle it won’t take you down also. Do it using the white energy.” She came back, her eyes turning from black to murky brown again.

“Damn, I hate trancing. This is why I hardly go out, see what I mean? Whack job.” Marlin twirled her finger around her ear crossing her eyes at Bee.

“You’re not crazy. There are weirder things out there. I don’t understand what you meant by the source,” Bee said.

“I like you, little insect. You’ll save him from himself, you know. I speak in riddles sometimes. Have fun figuring it out.”

I stayed back near the door. My hands held the scythe. I leaned into it on one foot, crossing the other. When I told Bee I loved her it had created a blast of energy.

When Marlin handed Jaleb the vial, her eyes blackened again. “Inconceivable pain hurts, but it will make you stronger. Stay strong and follow your heart. There is great power in you, too.” Jaleb looked at her, his worry line popping out of his forehead. She let go of his hand.

“Damn. Get out, people. I can’t deal with any more of that. The store is closed for the night!” She ushered us through the door. The lock clicked into place. We heard a scream and then her light went off.

We stood staring at the door.

“Weird,” Bee said.

“Weird, but she’s still hot.” Jaleb was the first to walk down the stairs, biting his bottom lip.

“Trances give her massive migraines. Come on, we need to get to Stonehenge if we have a chance of saving you guys. We don’t need the death dogs on our tails.”

“Seriously, death dogs?” Jaleb sucked down the whole vial of Marlin’s herbal tonic. Color crept back into his face again.

“They are real mean dogs . . . nasty things. Once I pissed off a Demon, and he sent them after me. I went down like a sack of potatoes and was out of work for a month to recover. My nose will never be the same.”

“Great,” Jaleb said sarcastically.

“So, you can get hurt?” Bee asked.

“Well yes. I told you we are dead humans. We don’t heal, just feel better when the pain subsides. I never messed with the death dogs again.”

“Good to know,” Jaleb said.

I held Bee’s hand, walking back to the gondola.

“I believe we have a date with death,” I said, walking into the cave to the river.

I watched as she took a deep breath looking at the heavy drab fabric, slipping it over her head. She pulled the hood to her eyes.

Jaleb shook so hard the gondola vibrated. Bee placed a hand on him, but he only shook more.

I found a spot down river and eased the gondola to the shore. There was a welcome banner strung on the wall to the entrance. Bunches of black balloons were anchored around rocks.

Bee clutched Jaleb’s hand. “This is it, brother. Remember, we have to do this for the twins. We have to restore balance for our family.”

“Yup, this is it. No matter what happens, we tried, okay?”

“Okay, and no heroics. I go willingly,” Bee pleaded.

“No! Let me take care of you for once.”

“You look like hell.” She squeezed his hand, waiting for me to get off the gondola first.

“Yeah, and you look like a Grim Reaper,” Jaleb said.

“What about me?” I said.

“Weird, but you are like an angel with all that blond hair and blue eye stuff going on. No wonder they want to kick you out of here,” Jaleb said.

“Thanks, I think.”

I made sure Bee stayed close to me. Jaleb was near her like glitter on white glue as we walked through the crowd and out of the crypt that led into a small cemetery. We followed the arrows that led to the main entrance of Stonehenge.

“Mommy, why can’t we have a balloon?” A child stomped and pouted near the sign.

Bee stopped, seeing a Grim Reaper family. “How can that be? She’s around nine years old. The woman looks like she’s ninety.”

The increased thumping of her heart echoed off our souls.

I whispered to her. “They all held on to their regret. They live like humans that are still alive and seem happy. We all have to die sometime. She looks nine, but is probably way mature for her age if she’s been here awhile.”

“She wants a balloon, Aiden.”

“And I want you. We want what we want. The heart has its own agenda.”

The Reaper family walked into the entrance, and I held Bee tight as our turn came next. I handed the tickets to the Grim Reaper at the entrance. The death dog stood and sniffed the damp air. He got up, circling around us. He smelled me. Bee stiffened when he was next to her. I felt her freak out. The dog put his nose to the air ready to bark.

“Bee,” I whispered. “Put your hand on my scythe.”

She did and the hound moved on to Jaleb. He immediately sent a howl into the confines of the cave. The eerie howl reverberated, traveling throughout the cavern.

Everyone turned. So much for inconspicuous.

Jaleb stepped closer to me. Bee and I formed a protective circle around him. The other Reapers bowed to me. I guess I was the hero of the party, bringing my victim. Lucky me. “I think we’re getting an escort and maybe the royal treatment.”

“Great, a royal send off,” Jaleb mumbled.

The Reapers moved aside to let us through, and we followed the mutt as his bony tail whipped in the air. The sunset cast shadows off a small building. We walked around it until we were on a path, going uphill to where the reapings would take place.

It was dark outside when we entered the main site of Stonehenge. Flames flickered around the stone walls like someone had snapped their fingers, immobilizing the light. In the center of the party on a large, flat, sloped rock was a bonfire. Reapers huddled around it for warmth. I had my warmth right next to me.

We walked up a marked path, past alcoves. The death dog led us to a drab, flat stone adorned with black roses. A Reaper sat on the stone wall next to it. His bony finger rapped on the table, making a clank.

“Name, young Reaper.” He stood, coming to my chest.

“Ad Grant.”

“Ivar!” He looked up into a raised gazebo. Ivar sat with his hood down and a Viking helmet on his head. A girl belly danced around him. Her cloak was fashioned into a two-piece outfit. “Ivar!”

“What? Can’t you see I’m busy?” His red disjointed eyes rolled in their sockets, following the Reaper girl.

“Call off the bounty for Ad. He came, no need to torture him.” The Grim Reaper looked at us, laughing.

“Does he have the girl? He was supposed to bring her, too,” Ivar said.

I had to steady the scythe because Bee’s hand shook out of control.

“Ad, I don’t feel her through our bond. You play with me, and I’ll make sure you have the most unpleasant experience being my Reaperling.”

“She’s here, Ivar!” I shouted to him.

“Then she can give me fresh skin on this glorious night. I want to look dashing for the ladies. Unless you want to share her with me, Ad. The more females the better.”

“No. I don’t share and sloppy seconds don’t look to be your thing.” The hairs on my neck rose when he seemed to look through me.

“Bring her to me. I want to soak up some of her life energy from her aura.”

“No, please don’t make me go, Aiden. I’ll do anything. He scares the hell out of me.” Bee clutched my cloak.

“Just give him what he wants. I’ll be right next to you.”

I walked with her up the stairs to the gazebo. Erik walked in with his human sacrifice. Everyone bowed.

“Call off the bounty for Erik, Ivar.”

“Yes, yes,” Ivar said, staring at Bee with his yellow chipped teeth.

The Ancient stood towering over me and I was almost six feet tall. He yanked off Bee’s hood, looking to her hand that tightly gripped my scythe. “Well, well, how interesting. Seems our little life tree is bonded to your scythe, Ad.” His red eyes darted to me. “Care to explain?”

I shook my head. “Not really.”

“We’re going to have so much fun together.” Ivar leaned forward. “Bring the girl now.”

I turned to Bee, sending her every ounce of strength I could gather.

“I’ll give him the skin he craves. Just stay next to me.”

My brave Bee placed her hand over the hole of his nose. She drew her energy inward, and then out toward her hands. Everyone turned and stared. The party and music all stopped.

Dead silence swept through Stonehenge. Ivar had new flesh covering his face. His red eyes were now brown. Eyebrows sprouted into one big, bushy uni-brow. The hair on his head grew back thick, curly, and brown. It came down from under the helmet. He smiled wickedly.