Paranormalcy

by Кирстен Уайт

  I laughed, wiping away the last of the tears from my face. I couldn’t believe it. Lend was probably the only person in the world who would have reacted this way. “Do you think we should tell your dad?”

  He was quiet for a while. “I don’t know. You already talked to my mom and she knows way more than my dad about stuff like this. Besides, it’s not like it makes any difference. We still don’t know where Vivian is or how to stop her. You’re safe here—she can’t find you. That’s what’s important. I think if my dad and some of the others knew it would…make them nervous. So there’s not really a reason to tell them, is there?”

  I shook my head, more relieved than I cared to admit.

  “We’ll keep this between us. And if Vivian visits you again, or you learn anything else, we’ll figure it out together, okay? In the meantime, keep Tasey on you.” In spite of his reassurance that Vivian couldn’t find me if she hadn’t already, his eyes had a tight, worried look. No doubt they mirrored mine. No matter how safe I felt here, she was out there, somewhere, looking for me.

  He must have seen it in my face. He squeezed my hand, pulling me in closer. “It’s going to be okay.

  We’re in this together.”

  I was overwhelmed with how wonderful Lend was. I realized then that I didn’t feel so cold and empty anymore. It wasn’t anything dramatic, just a subtle sense of well-being, of wholeness. “But you’ll tell me if you ever feel anything weird when I’m touching you, right?”

  “Oh, I feel a lot when you’re touching me. But it’s not weird.”

  I grinned, hitting him lightly in the chest. “I’m serious.”

  “I know. I will—I promise.” He kissed my cheek, then looked at the clock. “Umm, you’d probably better get out of my room. It wouldn’t be good for my dad to wake up and find us together.”

  “Oh, yeah, good point.” I jumped up so fast I practically fell over. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

  He smiled at me. “Can’t wait.”

  I shut the door to his room and I leaned back against it, closing my eyes. Vivian had been wrong. I wasn’t alone.

  The rest of the day was wonderful. David had gotten some fake papers made for me and we filled out everything I needed to enroll in school for the fall. I even got a cute new last name, Green. I couldn’t remember what I had gone by in the foster system, and it wasn’t like I’d needed one at the

  Center. Still, just seeing a first and last name together made me feel like a real person, like maybe I really could have an identity and a life away from IPCA.

  David had also purchased several homeschooling courses so I could continue my studies on my own, since it was so late in the school year there was no way I could catch up in regular courses at the high school. I was kind of bummed about it. It was less time with Lend and more time without a locker of my own. But now that I had a future to look forward to, I was a lot more eager to get good grades. I had to get into whatever college Lend went to, after all. If that meant more homework for me, well, that’s what I’d do.

  Besides the studying, Lend’s dad needed help with the extra paranormals. Word had spread not only of his underground aid but also of the killings. Directed by David’s IPCA contacts, paranormals were steadily trickling into town; he either transferred them to another location or found places to put them here.

  All the paranormals I met were totally jumpy, trading whispered rumors about where the latest killings had taken place. Lend had to constantly turn into Vivian to show them what she looked like.

  It was more than a little creepy watching the boy I liked turn into the girl I was terrified of.

  I also worried about what that many paranormals in one spot could do, but Lend told me it worked better. They policed themselves, and if anyone broke the rules—like, say, drinking human bloodthe others would turn that one in. Nobody wanted to attract the attention of IPCA or Vivian.

  I appreciated what David was doing and was happy to help with arranging things, but his lack of organization and records made me nervous. Here he was, setting up vampires with fake identities and sending them to new towns to live in with no way of knowing what they were going to do there. If

  IPCA was too harsh, David was definitely too trusting, in my opinion.

  But no one was asking my opinion.

  That afternoon, after finishing the last of the day’s werewolf processing, Lend mentioned to his dad that we were going to prom together. You’d think David was the one going, he was so excited. He insisted we go to the mall immediately. I didn’t argue. Lend kept laughing at how giddy the rest of us were, even Arianna, who tagged along.

  “Oh, come on, you know you love the mall,” I said, squeezing his hand as we sat in the backseat.

  “It’s like teenage nirvana!”

  “And here I was thinking purgatory.”

  When we got there, David and Lend split off to look at rental tuxes, while Arianna and I went to check out dresses. I’ll admit she wasn’t my ideal shopping partner, but she was so thrilled I found myself laughing with her after a few minutes. It balanced out the fact that crowds made me nervous now. Twice I thought I saw Reth out of the corner of my eye, only to grab my new iron knuckles out of my pocket and have it be just some random guy. I wondered if I’d ever be able to relax again.

  In our third store, Arianna sighed, browsing through a rack of gowns. “Man, I miss this. I was in fashion design before I, well, died, I guess. I never have figured out how that works. David doesn’t know, either.” She frowned.

  “Yeah, turns out I don’t know anything about anything. IPCA wasn’t exactly thorough in their paranormal education program.”

  “It’s just weird. I mean, ten years ago I was in school, looking forward to everything to come. And then, bam, suddenly I’m this—this thing. And what I can’t figure out is, what’s the point of it all?

  Am I really going to be stuck, just sort of existing, for the rest of time? It makes me tired thinking about it, you know?”

  I frowned, trying to ignore what Vivian had said about freeing paranormals from this world.

  “You’re doing things,” I said.

  She shook her head. “Oh, well. Hey, how about this?” She held up a dress. It was floor length, with a shiny, flowing skirt and a strapless sweetheart neckline. And it was pink. Lovely, lovely pink that shined and caught the light just right. I was in love.

  IN YOUR DREAMS

  V ivian didn’t show up again until the week of the prom. I was sitting in one of Lend’s classes, but I didn’t know anyone. The teacher spoke in another language, I had forgotten how to read, and I was wearing my prom dress with combat boots. Just the promise of school in the fall and I was already having nightmares.

  As I frantically tried to decipher the words of a test on a subject I’d never heard of, I looked up. The rest of the students had disappeared. Vivian sat at a desk, giving me a strange look; the souls hovered, shining behind her.

  “You’re weird,” she said.

  I looked down at the paper, still nervous that I needed to finish it. “Yeah, I know.”

  “So, did you tell him yet?” Her small smile was tinged with a hint of smug.

  “I did, actually.”

  “Why haven’t you called me then?”

  “He didn’t care.”

  Her smile dropped off, replaced by furrowed brows. “He didn’t care?”

  “Nope. He likes me no matter who or what I am.”

  She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. You must have lied to him. You keep getting brighter. You figured out how to do it, didn’t you? Did you kill him?”

  “No, I didn’t kill him! I would never. I didn’t ‘figure it out’ either, and I don’t want to. I’m happy where I am.”

  “Oh, I see.” Her face went hard and cold. “Lucky Evie. Are they going to take care of you, then?

  Aren’t you just the special one. Friends everywhere.”

  I shrugged, uncomfortable. “I don’t want anything to do with the
faeries or with taking souls or any of that. I can be normal here. I want to be normal.”

  Her face contorted in fury. For a moment I thought she’d attack me. But then her expression changed, and she looked down at the desk, tracing her finger along it. Black marks seared the wood, small trails of smoke rising. “Normal, huh? Wouldn’t that be nice, little Evie, normal Evie.” She looked up, thoughtful. “I always wanted a nickname. Faeries aren’t real big on affection, you know?

  A friend or someone who liked me well enough to say, hey, Vivi, or maybe just Viv. I always wondered how that would feel.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “You know how long I’ve waited for you? I was alone for so long, and then they started talking about how the other court made a new one. At first I was jealous, ready to kill you like they said. But then I saw you in Ireland, and I realized, here’s someone like me! So I started looking for you. They couldn’t find you, but I knew I could, knew I’d be able to get to you.

  And when I finally found you, you left before we could talk. I’m still alone, and I can’t find you again.” Her thin shoulders shook. She looked so broken, so sad it made my heart hurt. “It won’t last.

  You can’t be normal. Be with me. I’m so tired of being alone. Please, let me find you.”

  I went to her, trying not to look at the souls, telling myself I didn’t want them. I stroked her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  She looked up at me and I saw the fire burning behind her eyes. “Then come with me.”

  “I—” I started to tell her no but she grabbed my wrist, her hands like a vise.

  “I’ll find you,” she whispered, smiling.

  My eyes flew open and I sat up in bed. Not good. So not good.

  It was still dark, but I went silently over to Lend’s room. He was dreaming, flickering through different people. I climbed onto the bed, lying down next to him but on top of the covers. “Lend,” I whispered. He didn’t move, so I said it again, a little louder. “Lend.”

  His eyes popped open, his face shifting from a random older man to his usual form. “Evie?”

  “I had another visit.”

  “Oh.” He stared at me for a while, frowning. “Oh,” he said again, shaking his head. “Sorry, what time is it?”

  “Late. Early. Sorry.”

  “No, it’s okay. You had another dream with Vivian?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She said I was getting brighter.” I looked at him, worried and nervous.

  “Well, my soul’s still completely in place. She’s manipulating you.”

  I nodded, even though my quick, nervous checks every day in the shower made me pretty sure she was right. Even Lend had commented the other night that my hands weren’t as cold as usual.

  “Anything else?”

  “She was mad that I haven’t told her where I am. She’s really sad. She’s so lonely.” I felt horrible remembering the look in her eyes. “She said she’ll find me even though I told her I didn’t want her to.”

  “She hasn’t found you yet.”

  “No, and she seemed really frustrated. That big killing spree she went on, I think it was about me.

  Finding me. I bet her faeries knew I was working for IPCA. They must have figured sooner or later it’d draw me out. And then when she saw me after she killed the hag—” I paused, thinking about it.

  “I don’t think she’d made up her mind yet. She might have still been trying to kill me when she broke into the Center. But now she wants us to, I don’t know, hang out. Kill paranormals together.

  Family bonding time.”

  “Shouldn’t faeries be able to find you really easily?” He looked worried.

  I shrugged against the pillow. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve been carrying around bread like your dad said? Or something your mom’s doing? I have no idea why they haven’t been able to find me. But I’m really worried—what if she comes here? What if she hurts you? Or Arianna, or

  Nona, or any of the other paranormals? I’m putting everyone in danger. It would be my fault, and I don’t think I’d ever be able to forgive myself.”

  Lend shook his head. “You aren’t responsible for anything that she does. And I really think that if she hasn’t found you yet, she isn’t going to.”

  We kept saying that, and the more times I heard it, the better it sounded, but that didn’t settle the nagging worry bubbling in my stomach. Could I really just hang out, hiding in a small Virginian town forever?

  I wouldn’t mind.

  But I still couldn’t forget how sad she was. “I never thought I’d be grateful for my childhood, but poor Vivian. I know she’s crazy and a killer, but she’s never had anyone. Ever. I wish there was some way I could help her, you know?”

  “I know. But you’ve got to remember she was raised by faeries. Everything she tells you is probably a lie.”

  I smiled wanly, but I knew he was wrong. You couldn’t fake that kind of pain and loneliness. He didn’t understand—he’d always had someone. I wondered what I would be like if I had been raised by faeries. It made me shudder.

  “So, umm, were you planning on spending the rest of the night in here?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I narrowed my eyes, trying not to smile. “In your dreams.”

  He laughed. “Well then, let me go to sleep so I can get back to them.”

  Shaking my head, I leaned in and kissed him quickly on the lips, then, already missing him, went back to my room. I wouldn’t have minded spending the night in there, but I wanted to take it slow and figured sleeping in the same bed wasn’t a really smart idea. After all, I’d seen it time and time again on Easton Heights—when the couples hooked up too soon it never ended well. Plus, I didn’t think his dad would like it very much and I wasn’t about to push my luck.

  It took a long time for me to fall asleep again.

  The next morning Lend went to school. I stayed home, like I did most days, to work on my schoolwork and study for the SATs. It was so bizarre I wanted to laugh. While Vivian and her faeries plotted my destruction, I sat at the counter memorizing vocabulary words. Normal was stranger than paranormal sometimes.

  “How’s it going?” David asked, fixing himself a sandwich for lunch.

  “I have a question if you’ve got a minute.”

  “It’s been a long time since I studied for that thing, but I’ll try to help.”

  “Oh, no, not about the test. I was just wondering, kind of worrying actually. About faeries. How do they find you? I mean, like if some of the IPCA faeries were looking for me, would they know where I was?”

  “I don’t think so. I know if faeries have some sort of connection, something of yours, usually an important possession or part of your body”—he saw my eyes widen and smiled—“like hair, or a finger or toe, they can always find you. And if you call them, of course. But if you mean just know where you are, no. They do have ways of finding people. If, for example, they know your full name, then it would be simple.”

  I frowned. I didn’t know my real full name. I was pretty sure IPCA didn’t, either, and Vivian’s faeries wouldn’t. Then I remembered what Reth had said about telling me my name someday. A cold chill settled between my shoulder blades. That must have been why he always seemed to know exactly where I was in the Center. “Any other ways?”

  “If faeries really wanted to find you, they probably could. Which means they already would have.”

  He smiled. “I’ve already worried about all this for you and I don’t think it’s an issue. You’re safe from IPCA here.”

  I nodded, wishing it was IPCA I was afraid of. No, I was worried about much worse things. I grabbed another slice of bread and shoved it in my pocket. I wanted to stay here, wanted this happy life to go on forever.

  Something told me slices of bread weren’t going to be enough.

  DON’T MUSS THE MAKEUP

  A rianna was studying my hair, deep in thoug
ht. Her face lit up. “I’ve got it! Remember Cheyenne in the masquerade episode?”

  “Oh, my gosh! That’s perfect! You’re a genius!”

  She smirked. “I know. Best episode ever, right?”

  “Seriously.” I watched in the mirror as Arianna put in hot rollers. I had never seen a vamp in a mirror before. Turns out they do have reflections, but, just like in sunlight, their glamours don’t quite transfer all the way. You can’t see the corpse underneath, but you can tell that something is wrong.

  No wonder they don’t like mirrors; I’d hate to see myself that way. Arianna avoided looking at the mirror, constantly shifting so that she wouldn’t be facing it.

  I’ll admit the idea of her hands on my hair—her glamoured corpse hands—still bothered me a little bit. But I was trying to get over it. After all, things were a lot more complicated than they used to be. It was no longer see vamp, stun vamp, tag vamp. Now it was ponder the philosophical implications of people who had immortality forced upon them, doomed to hang onto the coattails of humanity while having almost none left themselves. Man, no wonder they drank blood.

  When the rollers were removed, my hair fell down my back in loose, tumbling curls. Taking a crystal-covered barrette, she pulled a piece back from my face on one side in a slight braid, clipping it in place. “Perfect.” She smiled. I had to agree. The style was simple but showed off my hair, which was definitely one of my best features.

  “You are an artist.”

  “Oh, I know. Now for your makeup.”

  The girl-bonding time with Arianna really made me miss Lish. Not that she would have been able to participate, what with the whole mermaid-underwater thing, but she would have liked to see it. As

  Arianna applied dark, dramatic eyeliner and fussed over which shade of eye shadow to use, I wondered about what Cresseda had said when we’d first talked. She asked me to return Lish to them.

  But how could I? She was dead; she was gone.

  “Oh, my gosh.” Things clicked into place—how could I not have seen it before?