“You really want to fight over a fucking joke?” Price asked with a scowl on his face.
“You paid someone to scare Lexie,” Isaac bit out as he stepped towards Price. “You bet your fucking ass we do.” I moved across from Harris. Tension rose and the crowd around us backed up. My phone rang. What the hell? I was going to ignore it, but it was Ethan’s ringtone.
“A little busy.”
“Get back out here,” Ethan snapped. Everything stopped.
“What’s wrong?” I asked instantly.
“Just get out here now.” Ethan hung up. I met Zeke’s raging eyes.
“What happened?” Zeke snapped.
Lexie
I kept pestering Ethan, asking him over and over what was going on. I finally pulled out the big guns. I pouted. He gave in. After he told me what the others were up to, I went back to my marshmallow. My headache was finally gone and I wasn't really worried about the fight. Sure, the guys were going to beat the crap out of someone, but I trusted Miles to keep it to a black eye.
Ethan was laughing as he brought his roasted marshmallow back from the fire. “You pout as well as Sophie, Beautiful.”
“She had a good pout?” I asked with a smile.
“It was awful,” he said as he took his marshmallow off the stick. “She had the big eyes and lip quiver down pat.”
I chuckled as my marshmallow caught fire. I turned the stick so the flame would go all the way around. “Zeke must have been screwed.”
He snorted. “Oh yeah.”
I blew out my now burned marshmallow before carefully taking it off my stick.
“Why do you like them burnt?” He grinned down at me.
I popped the gooey burnt goodness into my mouth and grinned at him. “Because it’s tasty,” I pointed out, as if it were obvious.
He shook his head as he put another one on his stick. “I don’t see it.”
“Have you tried it?” I asked, snagging another marshmallow from the bag.
“Yes, but never on purpose.” He smiled. “Come here, you’ve got marshmallow face.” He reached over and gently wiped some burnt goo from the corner of my mouth. His eyes were warm as he brought his finger to his lips and ate it with a smirk. I met his gaze, a small smile on my lips. The silence stretched. Warmth that had nothing to do with the summer filled me. I couldn't seem to find anything to say. Not with those chocolate eyes on mine.
Hades barked. I turned to where he was barking, not sure if I was glad for the interruption or not. Travis and Keith came into the firelight. We had met the two when they were ghost hunting in an abandoned hospital in April. Travis was the shorter one, with dark hair that was a little long and falling into his gray eyes. Keith was the taller, leaner one with blond hair and brown eyes. Hades moved to sit between me and them.
“I told you she’d be here,” Travis told Keith before turning back to us. His eyes went to the marshmallow in my hands. He smirked. “I thought you were diabetic.”
I met his eyes and let him see my irritation. “What do you want?”
“Look,” Keith said, stepping between me and Travis, his hands out. “We really need your help. Otherwise we wouldn’t have come to this freaking party.”
“I can’t help you,” I reminded them. I was starting to think we should have left them in the hospital with the Shadow Men.
“I don’t care if you’re hiding abilities, and right now it doesn’t matter,” Keith said. “But there’s a six-year-old girl who is waking up with scratches she didn’t go to bed with.”
I went still. “What?” My eyes went from Keith to Travis and back. Keith pulled out his phone and came around the fire. Hades growled; Keith froze. “Heel,” I told him. Hades lay down next to me, still eyeing the newcomers.
Keith handed me the phone and backed up from Hades. “Those pictures were sent to me by her older sister. She found our website and called for help.”
I looked at the photos. There was a kid’s back with four scratch marks running diagonally across her back from her shoulder blade to her ribs. Long, deep scratches. I went to the next one; more scratches, lighter, but still four of them on an arm. I flipped again. This time it was teeth marks into the meat of her shoulder. The bite was big enough that I was sure it was an adult’s.
“Have you ruled out abuse?” I asked as I flipped to the next picture. This time the scratches were barely visible as they ran down her neck.
“Their dad’s a minister,” Travis informed me.
I looked up and met his eyes. “That doesn’t mean shit.”
“Yeah, we ruled out abuse. Their parents were out at some church thing when she was bitten.” Keith answered. “Another time she was in the backyard alone. This latest attack was when her mother was the only one home with her.” I nodded. That certainly ruled it out, unless they were all in on it. Which I kinda doubted.
I turned to Ethan, his eyes on the picture of the little girl with scratches on her leg. His eyes lifted to meet mine.
“Call the guys,” I told him. He got up and walked out of earshot. I turned back to Keith and Travis. “You might as well sit down.” They both relaxed. Travis might have been an ass, but he looked just as relieved as Keith. They took the log across the fire. “Did you guys do an investigation?”
“Yeah,” Travis said. “We got a lot of video. Most of it was nothing, but some of it caught something.” Keith came around the fire and took his phone from me. He opened files before handing it back.
He sat on the log above me and pointed to a video. “That one.”
I hit play, then made it full screen. It was a bedroom at night - a little girl’s room.
“Watch the closet,” he told me. I found it in the shot and watched.
It slowly opened.
“Where is the kid when this is happening?” I asked. Ethan came back and sat on my other side to look over my shoulder.
“She’s in her bed in the shot,” Travis said. I looked and found her bed against the wall in the upper corner of the frame.
Movement caught my eye. The chair at the desk moved out and spun around as if someone was planning on sitting in it. The chair then pulled closer to the girl’s bed.
“Look at the fabric hanging from the bed,” Keith said. I watched as the dust ruffle moved, almost swinging in a breeze. Instead of focusing on that, I noticed something else. I zoomed in on the girl’s face. Her breath was coming out in a fog. Shit.
I stopped the video and showed Keith. “Did any of you notice that?”
“Get the fuck away from her.” Zeke’s growl had me looking up. Zeke stepped over my legs, grabbed Keith by the shirt, and jerked him to his feet. He was shoving him away from me when the others reached us.
“Zeke, let him go,” I told him as I looked back down at the phone and hit play. I turned up the volume so I wouldn’t miss anything.
“Why?” Zeke demanded.
“Because I didn’t have Ethan call you guys out here to beat the shit out of them,” I told him before I heard a voice. It was quiet and deep; it sent shivers down my spine. But I couldn’t make out the words. I looked up to find Zeke hadn’t let Keith go. “Zeke!”
Zeke growled and let him go, then walked behind the log I was leaning on. Probably pacing. He’d been doing that a lot lately.
Miles stepped closer to the fire. “What’s happened? You called.”
I looked up and met Keith’s eyes. “Tell them what you told me.” I held up the phone. “Did you get what it said?”
Keith shook his head. “We couldn’t figure it out.”
Isaac walked around the fire to Travis. “Tell us what?”
I went back to the video and scrolled it back. “Ash, can you come listen to something?” Keith began explaining to Miles and the others.
Asher moved around the log, and probably Zeke, to sit on the log beside me. I held the phone up to him. “Hit play and listen. It’s really faint.” Asher hit play, held the video close to his ear, and listened.
He frowned
and brought the phone down. “I heard it, but I couldn’t make out words. How far back did you go?”
“Forty-five seconds.” I watched as he moved the video, pressed play, and brought it to his ear again. This time he plugged his other ear. His eyes grew wide. I knew he heard it again.
He was frowning as he brought it down. “‘I’m going to kill your family in front of you. Slowly.’” His eyes met mine. “What the hell is this?”
“Video of a little girl’s room,” I explained as I took the phone back and hit play again. “She’s getting scratched.” I watched the rest of the video. At the end, the little girl woke up screaming. I looked up. Keith was still explaining to the guys. I turned to Travis. "How did you get this video anyway?"
"Their parents were on church retreat for a night and we were able to set up cameras," Travis explained.
“Any other videos I should see?” I asked as I held up Keith's phone.
Travis nodded as he eyed the guys around me before moving to my side. He brought up another video. “This is downstairs in the kitchen.”
Zeke stepped closer behind Ethan, watching over our shoulders probably. A knife came out of the knife block on the counter and slowly moved across it. Cabinets opened and banged shut, over and over. When it was finished Travis was still standing there, waiting next to me.
“Any other voices?” I asked.
Travis shook his head. “We only had the cameras up one night.”
I tapped my finger on the side of the phone case as I thought about what they had said. Those scratches came to mind. Shit. Keith finished explaining the situation to everyone.
I met Miles’ eyes before I turned to Keith and Travis. “We’re going to need a minute to talk.” I got to my feet. “Will you guys wait by the pool?”
Keith and Travis shared a look.
“Yeah, no problem,” Keith said. They walked out of earshot to the pool and sat down on a couple of chairs.
I looked at the guys. “I have to help.”
Asher shook his head. “Ally, they’ll tell everyone what you can do.”
“Agreed. They want to prove ghosts exist. You’ll hand them the proof and they’ll announce what you can do to the world,” Miles said.
Isaac walked around the fire. “Red, we don’t know them. We can’t trust them.”
“It’s a kid,” Ethan told them. “A little girl.”
“She’s getting scratched and bitten,” I told them. Each of them looked troubled. “How can I not help her?” I brought up the pictures and handed the phone to Miles. Miles flipped through the pictures, then passed the phone to Asher. Asher cursed and passed the phone to Isaac. Isaac looked up from the phone and met my eyes. “Tell me how to say no to stopping that?”
The guys exchanged looks.
“I don’t want to sound heartless,” Miles said, “but if they tell people, your life here is going to get more difficult.”
I sighed. He wasn’t wrong. There would be paper ghosts hanging from my locker, people making fun of me, I’d be that crazy girl again. I thought about that little girl being hurt and not knowing what was causing it. I met Miles’ eyes. “I can deal. If you guys can’t—”
“That’s not my concern, Lexie,” Miles told me instantly. “I’m worried about you. You’ve had a hard time for months and I’m worried about you going through this sort of thing.”
I nodded. I understood what he was saying, but… “I know, sweetie, but I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror.”
Miles’ eyes met mine. Then he looked at the others. “Let’s put it to a vote. Raise your hand if you are against Lexie doing this.”
Isaac cursed and raised his hand. “I’m against it, Red, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.” I sent him a small smile.
“Same here,” Ethan said. “But it’s a kid. That changes things.”
No one else raised their hand.
“If you do this, then we need to take steps to ensure they keep it to themselves,” Miles said.
I wasn’t even going to argue. I nodded.
“Majority rules,” Asher announced. “We’ll back you up.”
“You guys don’t have to do that—”
“We’re going to be there,” Zeke snapped as he came around the log. I met his shadowed eyes. He really didn’t like this either.
“I’ll get the guys,” Isaac muttered as he got to his feet. He walked towards the pool. I stayed between Asher and Ethan. Asher’s hand went to my back.
When they reached us, I began to tell them that I would help, but Miles started talking first.
“First, you’ll sign a confidentiality agreement. You will also not record anything with Lexie, or us. That includes audio.” Miles’ voice was hard and cold. It sent chills over my skin. “If you can’t agree, then we walk away.”
Keith and Travis looked at each other, then at Miles.
“No problem,” Keith said.
“As long as the kid gets help,” Travis added.
“Give me your numbers, and I’ll text you mine,” Asher told them. “You’ll get a hold of Lexie through us.”
“Okay, guys.” I met Miles’ eyes then Asher’s. “Chill out.” I turned back to Miles. “I’m agreeing to the confidentiality agreement.” I turned to Asher. “They can contact me directly.”
His ocean eyes ran over me. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I know how to block calls if it gets bad,” I reminded him. Asher didn’t like it, but he didn’t say anything about it.
I pulled out my phone and I exchanged numbers with Keith and Travis. Then the boys promptly demanded they have their numbers too.
“How soon can you get to her house?” Travis asked as he tucked his phone away.
“Tomorrow?” I offered.
Keith nodded. “Okay, I’ll talk to her sister tomorrow and see if their parents are leaving."
“Thanks,” Travis said before they headed back towards the house.
“Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?” I asked.
“Yes,” they answered in unison.
I smiled to myself. “Anyone ready to go home?”
“I’ll take you,” Asher volunteered.
I got to my feet and started towards the house. “Night, guys.”
“Night,” they said in unison.
Asher took my hand and led me around the house.
Asher
I pulled in front of Rory’s house and put the truck in park.
I hesitated only a heartbeat before turning to her. “Ally, do you think I don’t want to help this kid?”
Her head snapped around to me. “No.” Her eyes ran over my face. “I know you do. I just figured you were worried about them having my number.”
I rubbed the tension out of my neck. “I am.” I looked out the windshield. “I never want you to pick up the phone and hear some creep’s voice again.”
She reached over and took my hand. I turned back to her.
She gave me a soft smile. “I won’t,” she said, her voice quiet. “I don’t think those guys are a threat that way. They seem pretty scared of you guys.”
I chuckled. “Keith about shit himself when Zeke grabbed him.”
“I think they’re more likely to tell people what I can do. That’s why I agreed to the confidentiality contract.” Her brow drew down. “Did-did I snap at you?”
“Not really,” I admitted. “I just wanted to make sure you knew why I tried to keep your number a secret.”
She smiled up at me and her eyes lit up. “I know why, Superman.” She squeezed my hand. “You don’t have to be perfect, you know.”
I smiled down at her. “I know.” She didn’t need to tell me that anymore, but I still loved it when she did. “Want me to walk you to the door?”
“Nah, I’m enjoying the new ‘no flashes’ yard and house.” She opened the door and got out. “Thanks, Ash.” She hit the lever on the seat to fold the back forward, letting Hades hop out.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,�
� I said before she closed the door. I stayed put until Ally was inside and the door closed.
Sighing, I took the truck out of park and headed home.
Ally was on my mind the entire drive. It was getting to the point where her smile made my mind go blank. I grinned as I drove through town. She always knew when I was ‘trying to be perfect’ and she always called me on it. She was doing better; less flashes, fewer flashbacks. They still happened, but she had figured out her triggers and made sure we knew about them.
I stopped at the stop light. She’s almost done with therapy. Maybe… maybe I should ask her out one night? Take her to the movies. Then after… I could tell her how I felt about her. The guys popped into my head. I sighed.
The light changed. She hadn’t mentioned anything about being interested in someone. Then again, she might not tell us if she was. With the way Zeke almost took Keith’s head off just for being near her tonight, it seemed likely that she wouldn’t say anything if she did.
I pulled up and parked in front of the house. If I told her, would I just be making a fool out of myself? She hasn’t really acted differently towards me... I climbed the porch steps. She doesn’t really flirt. Then again, I couldn’t see Ally flipping her hair or anything like that.
Then there was that agreement with the others.
When I tried to unlock the door, I realized it was already unlocked. I turned to search the street for Jessica’s car. There was only the usual neighbors’ cars, plus a blue Pontiac. Oh, shit.
Dread filled my chest as I turned back to the door. Hoping I was wrong, I opened the door and walked in. The lights were on and the television in the living room was playing the late-night news. Shit. He always left the damn TV on. I walked through the foyer and paused at the kitchen door. There he was, sitting at the kitchen table. His sandy-blond hair was turning white at his temples, his skin pasty as usual. He looked up with the same weird blue eyes I had.
“Hi, Dad.”
His eyes ran over me, then he looked at his watch. “What were you doing out this late?”
I took a deep breath. “I was at a party with my friends. Today was the last day of school for the summer.” I looked over the table at the bills that I had sorted earlier today. Now they were scattered here and there. The house checkbook was open in front of him.
When Evil Comes to Play Page 6