The Book of Lost Souls (34 page)

“I’m sorry. I wanted you to think—”

“We know,” Nick said. “If the books really had you, you wouldn’t have used a Repelling spell. You wouldn’t have told me to take Devlin.”

“But, maybe the effects the books had on me will resurface. Maybe I’m destined to be a…” Ivy hung her head.

Nick took hold of her shoulders and she reluctantly met his gaze.

“Dark witch?
You
? This isn’t still about the Curse of the Tea Cozy thing, is it?”

“Nick—”

“We’re walking out of this together,” he said, taking her hand and scanning the flames. “In
theory
I should be able to emit enough power to prevent you from being burned.” He didn’t sound convinced, and worse, he didn’t
look
convinced. His eyes were full of worry.

 
“Just keep me close,” Ivy said with another cough. “I’ll try to come up with a charm.” She hoped he couldn’t detect the lie.

“You’ve done a pretty good job so far. I wouldn’t have been able to find you if you hadn’t used the overhead sprinkler systems to emit a Misting charm.”

She hadn’t done any such thing.
He’d
done it, she realized. Her father. Was he still here? She didn’t think so. He had a way of disappearing.
 

The fire inched closer. Ivy heard it advancing into the space behind her. Why wasn’t she sweating? Another couple of feet and the fire would reach them. One final time, she scanned the area for a means of escape.
 

“We’re going to make it, Ivy. We will. Just stay with me, keep moving.”
 

In front of them was a wall of flames.

Nick hugged her tightly against him. “I think there’s enough fire in your soul. What do you say we try? Fight fire with fire?”
 

She offered a thin smile, but her breath caught in her throat. Despite what Nick thought or whatever powers she’d acquired, Ivy suspected the flames would still claim her life. She’d turned her back on the books. Maybe they’d cursed her as she stepped over them.

At least she’d die holding Nick’s hand. He’d come back for her. She wouldn’t die alone.

If only things had been different. If only it hadn’t come to this before they worked everything out. Before
she
worked everything out.
 

Ivy thought of Raven and Gareth and wondered if they’d visit her headstone. She thought of how Shayde had stolen the book in order to help save her from its clutches. She recalled the way Devlin barked desperately for Shayde to release him so he could be by her side, even though that act of devotion would have cost him his life.
 

Be brave
, she tried to tell herself. With a demon at her side, maybe death by fire would hurt less.

Ivy closed her eyes as Nick pulled her into the flames.

CHAPTER 36

The sound of the flames roared in her ears, and Ivy couldn’t breathe. Still, death by incineration wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. Instead of unbearable heat, she felt only mildly uncomfortable. When the din of the inferno stopped, a rush of fresh air hit her face like cold rain. Maybe she’d been allowed to go to heaven after all. Then she felt Nick’s hand still in hers and opened her eyes.
 

How had she been able to walk through fire? Her father had been inside, too. And, although she couldn’t prove it, Ivy was pretty sure he’d found a way out—that he’d pulled another disappearing act or had walked through the flames as well.
 

Bane, Spike, Devlin, and Raven caught sight of them at the same time. Raven beamed, then she ran to them with Bane right behind her. Spike was a bit slower, conscious again, although still unsteady on his feet.
 

After a quick embrace, Ivy pulled away and looked at them all. “Is everyone okay?”
 

Shayde hooked a thumb toward Spike. “Your hero here will have a headache, but he’ll be okay. And you know us werewolves—Bane will be fine probably before we walk in the front door. Raven—”

Raven finished for her. “I’m pissed my favorite jacket and sweater has a bloody hole in it, but I’m back to my perfect vamp self.”

“Devlin?” Ivy called.
 

A bark echoed from around Bane’s truck. Devlin raced toward Ivy and she dropped to the ground to greet him. He washed her face in warm, wet Beezlepup kisses and she hugged him fiercely. “I love you, Devlin. I’m so glad you’re okay.” She kissed him repeatedly on his head and snout.
 

“Now that we’re all back together, Ivy, how’d you do it? Witches can’t walk through fire,” Raven said.
 

Nick glanced over at Ivy, and she thought that same question flickered in his eyes. Then he winked. “True,” he said to Raven. “Witches burn, but Demons don’t.” He gave Ivy a grin. “Call it a little protective mojo.”

Ivy returned the grin. Nick wasn’t going to tell anyone it probably wasn’t him that had allowed her to walk through fire. Nick didn’t know how she’d done it, but he seemed content to let it be for now.
 

“You did it,” Nick said. “And you were amazing in there. A bit tense at times, but amazing.”

Ivy refrained from breaking into an all-out grin. She scanned the area for two more people—her father and Mr. Evans. Neither were in sight.

“It’s weird how Mr. Evans just disappeared,” Raven said. “We dragged him outside, then tossed him in the back of the pickup truck. Somehow, while we were making sure Spike was okay, he took off.”

Bane shook his head and shrugged. “Damnedest thing ever. He was lights out when we dumped in the truck bed, and we never heard or saw him get out. We were parked only a few spots away.”

Yep. It had been her father. The others could believe what they wanted. They didn’t know anyone else was here. How he managed to take Mr. Evans without being seen, she’d probably never know, especially since he was long gone. Again.
 

The fire continued to engulf the building and part of the sagging roofline caved in.

“Come on, we’d better go,” Bane said.
 

That feeling, that odd sensation of someone watching, crept over Ivy. She wasn’t sure if it made her feel much better that she knew who it was or not. Now, the only
mystery
about their mystery man was why he’d come back. She caught a glimpse of his dark overcoat, standing by a dilapidated sign just inside a line of shadows. He nodded, then stepped back into the darkness.
 

She still wasn’t able to call him her father. So, what
did
she call him? As much as she disliked admitting it, he had been the one to save them today. Without him handing over
The Book of Lost Souls
, odds were that none of them would be alive right now.
 

Ivy followed the others toward the cars.
 

Raven gave Ivy a playful nudge. “You and Devlin go with Nick. I’ll handle this crew.”

Ivy nodded. “We’ve got one more stop to make—Forever View. It’s time Spike went home. What do you say, Spike?”
 

Spike nodded and a tear spilled down his cheek.
 

“Does your head hurt that much?” Shayde asked.

“No,” he said. “Sorry. It’s been a whole day without any bugs. I tend to get a little emotional.”

Shayde patted Spike’s shoulders as they got into Bane’s Suburban.
 

Ivy joined Nick and Devlin in the pickup. As they sped away, she looked back at the textile mill. Huge billowing smoke rose above the burning hulk of building while sirens wailed far off in the distance. She had to agree with Spike—she was a bit emotional right now. They could have died back there.
 

And then, there was her father. She didn’t know what to think about that.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked.

Ivy nodded and turned back around to stare out the windshield.

“Ready, Spike?” Ivy asked.

Spike’s smile had a hint of nervousness to it, but Ivy also didn’t think she’d ever seen him so happy.

“You look great,” Shayde said. “You’re the best-dressed lizard I know.”

“Thanks,” Spike said as he brushed a bit of lint off the purple velvet costume he wore.

“The perfect Romeo once again,” Raven added.
 

The four friends, plus Devlin, walked out of the parlor and back to the living quarters. Everyone else had piled into Gareth’s room, eagerly waiting. When Spike entered the bedroom, Nick, Gareth, and Bane stepped to the side, revealing Gareth’s daybed and the black and copper lizard on top of it.

“G
rrr
uff!” Devlin said, executing a proud sit. His tail wagged furiously behind him.

“Welcome home, Spike. I think you’ve met Guinevere,” Gareth said. “A.k.a., Gwen.”

Shayde and Ivy had dressed Gwen in a tiny green Juliet costume, right down to the cream-colored headdress.

Gareth leaned next to Spike and whispered, “Are you sure? You could’ve dated the whole cheerleading squad.”

Spike looked lovingly at Gwen. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Okay,” Gareth said, smiling and clearly happy that Spike hadn’t decided to stay human any longer. “Just sayin’.”

“Gwen the Gecko,” Nick said with a nod. “Nice name.”
 

Spike embraced Ivy. “Thanks, Ivy,” he said, still hugging her tightly. “For everything. Check Dev’s collar later, okay? And just so you know,” he said, releasing her. “The note never was in my underwear. I don’t wear any.”
 

“Uh, well... thanks for the visual Spike.” Ivy grinned, although the information was enough to make Ivy wish for eye bleach. “Yeah, sure. I’ll check. Take care, Spike. As far as pets go, other than Devlin, I love you the most. And as for everything else? Anytime, Spike. Anytime.”

She stepped back and Spike nodded, ready. With a swish of a finger, she reversed the changing spell she’d first tried just seven days ago.
 

How far everything had come since then. The spell worked better this time. Instead of the grotesque transformation he’d gone through before, a vortex of silvery mist swirled around Spike, and all Ivy could see was his outline shimmering behind it.
 

When the mist disappeared, Spike the human was gone. In his place was Spike the Horned Toad Lizard.

“I’ll miss you, Spike,” Ivy said, feeling a bit choked up. “I hope you were right. I hope you’ll remember your time as a human.”

Spike gave Ivy a wink and Ivy smiled. Maybe the Spike she’d come to know and love would always remember—just like he’d thought he might. She considered his lizard’s wisdom. Yeah, he
was
right—at least, it felt that way. Once touched by anything that changed your life, how could it not be part of you forever?

Gareth knelt and gently picked up Spike and set him on the bed next to Gwen. Raven raised her small pocket camera and took a picture of the two costumed lizards.

“I now pronounce you toad and gecko,” Raven announced.

Gareth placed his two pets into their terrarium and he and Raven tossed in a sprinkling of mealworms on the lizards.
 

Raven laughed. “You may now eat the bugs.”

“I think we’d better go,” Shayde said. “Besides, the newlyweds need their privacy.”

Raven closed the bedroom door behind them, and they all made their way to the parking lot.
 

“I’d say we’re all dead once our parents find out, but hey! I’m sort of already there, being the
un
dead among us,” Raven said with a shrug. “Still, we’re all probably grounded for life once this gets out. Think our parents will go easy since we found the person behind all this?”

Ivy grimaced. “I’m not counting on it.”

Nick held the truck’s passenger door open and Ivy and Devlin got in.

Shayde waved as she hopped into the Suburban. “Well, if nothing else, see you guys at school.”

Ivy waved good-bye as Nick put the truck in reverse.
 

They passed a few vehicles on their way, even a patrol car that luckily kept going in the opposite direction. They were sure that the Northwick local thirteen fire station had responded to the fire by now. She wondered where Mr. Evans was, and if he was still under the influence of the books. She wondered what he’d tell the Council about tonight’s events once they caught up with him. Maybe he wouldn’t be so eager to explain things either.
 

The occasional trick-or-treater still wandered the street when they arrived at Ivy’s house just after seven. It was already dark outside and her mother had left the porch light on. The living room lights were also on and she wondered if her mother knew yet, but decided she didn’t. If her mother had known, she’d been on the front porch, arms folded. Weed control at Forever view would have been the least of her worries.
 

Nick helped her out of the car and Devlin scurried up the porch to wait.

They walked reluctantly after him, hand in hand, stopping halfway up the walk.

“Thanks for coming after me.” Ivy stared into his eyes, not knowing what to say next. All she knew was that words or not, she wanted to stand here with him all night.
 

“Still scared?” Nick wanted to know. “Still scared of letting anyone in?”

“No.
Yes
. But you’re too close to let go, Nick. I’m not sure I could stop it if I tried.” She took his other hand into hers, entwining her fingers through his. “And I really don’t
want
to try.”

Nick sighed and looked away for a beat. “In the woods that day, you were going to ask what I was thinking. Back then, I wasn’t sure. Kinda like the words got all jumbled up.” He laughed. “And it’s not any easier to put my thoughts into words now. See, you took my heart and I never saw it coming. You’re pure magic, Ivy, and it has nothing to do with the spell you cast from here.” He pulled a hand free and touched her forehead. “You cast the spell from here.” Ever so lightly, he slid his hand down her face and throat, coming to rest on the spot above her heart. “There isn’t a thing you do to me that isn’t magic.”

Ivy grinned. He was such a liar. He’d
always
been good with words. But right now, they sounded pretty good. “Did anyone ever tell you that for a demon, you’re really cool?”