by Liz Long
At one point, Matt brought his hand over, letting it sit on top of mine. I jumped at his touch, at the intimate contact I hadn’t had in years. When I didn’t pull away, Matt gave me a tiny smile and I swear my heart skipped at the sweet gesture.
After the boys paid for dinner, the four of us walked back to campus. While the boys went back to discussing sports, Allison looped her arm through mine and leaned in to whisper to me.
“Brady’s going to walk me back to my dorm. Figured we’d give you guys a little privacy, if that’s okay with you,” she said.
My stomach tightened; I knew better than to leave her alone with Brady. I couldn’t arouse his suspicions, however, and instead nodded. “Sure, that’d be great. Thanks for bringing us all together.”
Allison shrugged. “I have to admit it went even better than I expected. Matt’s really funny. He’s definitely into you.”
“You think so?” I asked, ignoring the hope in my tone. So what if I was technically dead? It was still nice to hear a boy might be crushing on me.
“Yeah and I have to admit, I was wrong about him. He’s really nice. Looks like my friend was being overdramatic as usual,” she said, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth.
I wasn’t sure why, but her approval gave me relief. It was stupid, really, but I was glad that my sister liked Matt. I couldn’t help but smile at her.
“Thanks for making tonight happen. I had a great time,” I said. I reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.
She returned it. “Anytime. Let’s do it again soon.”
With that, she took a few steps forward to grab her boyfriend’s hand. “You guys have a great night!”
Allison pulled Brady along. I didn’t miss the glance he shot back at us and I wondered if he was looking at me or Matt. I forgot all about him, however, when Matt reached for my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine.
“Thanks for dinner tonight,” I said.
“I hope you let me do it again soon. Like maybe Friday?”
A stupid grin spread across my face. I answered without thinking. “I’d love to.”
We took a seat on a bench outside the dorms. Neither of us spoke for a minute and I took in the scene around me. I’d expected campus to be crowded, but it seemed everyone was still out at the frat parties - or maybe partying in their own rooms. Music floated out from several open windows. Lamps scattered across the grounds lit the pathways; stars sparkled far above our heads. Matt shifted, but didn’t let go of my hand. I let myself savor his skin against mine, glad to have the intimate contact. I’d been so busy being dead, I’d forgotten what it was like to have a boy hold my hand.
I shot a glance at my date, who was looking in the opposite direction. His ink caught my attention; my gut said to question it.
“This is going to sound weird, but I feel like I’ve seen your tattoo before,” I said, gauging his reaction.
He shrugged, but I could tell he cared more than he let on. “Brady and I and a couple of other guys thought it looked cool.”
“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?” I said with a chuckle.
Matt actually glanced around before leaning in, his deep voice a near whisper. His breath tickled my face and I ignored the drop in my stomach at his close proximity.
“Can I trust you?”
I nodded stupidly, too busy inhaling his minty breath.
“You can’t tell anyone I told you this, okay?”
“I promise,” I said, holding out a pinky finger.
He smiled, taking my pinky with his to confirm our agreement. “You’ve heard of BAD, right?”
My brow wrinkled. “That fraternity on campus?”
“Secret society,” he corrected. “Hence why you can’t go around telling anyone this conversation.”
“You’re a member?” I asked, unsure if I should be worried.
He shrugged. “I didn’t say that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Ugh, I hate double speak.”
“I’m sworn to secrecy,” he said, holding his hands palm up. “I’ve already said too much.”
Despite his protest, his playful tone had me going along with it. I made a show of glancing around. Leaning in, I whispered, “They’re not going to kill us, are they?”
“I sure hope not,” he said, turning serious as he met my gaze, “because I don’t want to die before I get to kiss you.”
His response silenced me and he took that as his cue. He came forward until his nose gently bumped mine. Warmth radiated off him and at that point, Tully could’ve popped up to reprimand me and I wouldn’t have cared. All I wanted was Matt’s lips on mine. I got my wish.
When I didn’t pull away, Matt placed his hands on either side of my face, deepening the kiss. I let him in, enjoying the sensation of feeling alive. When he finally pulled away, he looked as dazed as I felt.
“Wow,” he whispered.
A flush crept up up my neck at his reaction, but inside every bit of me seemed to glow from satisfaction.
“Can we do that again?” he asked.
A giggle escaped me and I nodded. I spent the next hour lost in his eyes and lips.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next day, Tessa and Tully combed through her books while I ignored their questioning looks. I hadn’t told them much about the double date since I hadn’t learned a lot. Tessa kept shooting me knowing glances that I pretended not to see. I didn’t want to talk about Matt.
After a few hours of research that led us in circles, I convinced them to let me look after Allison. Tessa redid her magic spell on me, keeping me as Evie. I quickly left the apartment, wanting nothing more than to feel alive.
I spent the morning outside her classes, sunbathing and admiring the beautiful campus. Student-watching quickly became my new favorite thing and I giggled at the stories I thought up about them as they passed by. There was a large brick fountain outside her building; I got comfortable, stretching out and enjoying the scenes around me.
Allison spotted me while walking to the dining hall; I gladly joined her for an early lunch, where she told me all about her business classes. They sounded terribly boring, but it was clear she was passionate about her future career. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about running dad’s company would’ve made him proud.
After lunch she had to get back to class. I pretended to go to mine, but wound up semi-following her. Wanting to keep my distance in case she turned around, I stayed back several feet, pretending to flip through my planner.
Fingers grabbed my sides; rather than gasp in shock, I squealed at the ticklish embrace. I looked up to see Matt grinning at me, pleased that he’d gotten me.
“You’re easy to scare,” he said.
“Funny, it’s gotten hard to scare me the last few years,” I said, a little breathless - whether from the surprise or his blue eyes, I couldn’t tell.
“Going to class?” he asked. “I’ll walk you there.”
“Uh, actually, I’m done for the day,” I lied. Didn’t want him to catch on that I wouldn’t exactly be counted as absent.
“Awesome, me too! Wanna hang out?” he asked.
I caught myself grinning at the excited look on his face. I pushed Tully and Tessa to the back of my mind. “Sure, I can spare a couple of hours.”
Matt reached for my hand without question, his fingers curling around mine. I stared at our hands, my heart beating fast at this lovely boy who made me feel alive.
“How’s your day going?” he asked.
I bit my lip, wondering how such an innocent question could hold such a heavy answer. Before I could say anything, he made a little noise under his breath. I quirked an eyebrow and he grinned.
“You’re seven kinds of beautiful, but when you bite your lip…man, oh man, the things that go through my head.”
A blush rose on my cheeks, but I couldn’t prevent the smile that grew across my face at the compliment. That only made him try harder.
“You have such a great smile,” he said.
&nb
sp; “I do?”
“Yeah, it lights up your whole face. Makes me feel good that I put it there.” He smiled back at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.
I caught a glimpse of us in a window; Matt’s handsome looks paired well with my blonde pixie form. My smile faded as his words hit me with their full impact. He was complimenting my smile, but it wasn’t mine. This girl wasn’t me, Grace.
We paused, taking a seat on the brick fountain with other students. He elbowed me. “Everything okay?”
“Um, thinking about a test I have tomorrow,” I said.
“Doing anything fun tonight? I hear there’s a big party at Kappa Pi.”
“Nah, I’m not really into the party scene,” I said without thinking. Once it was out, I could’ve kicked myself. That was a total Grace answer.
“That’s funny, I took you for the wild type.”
Despite my regret, his comment struck another nerve. I couldn’t bite back my retort. “Why, because I have tattoos? Looks aren’t everything.”
“No, of course not,” he said, scooting over so that his arm touched mine. “I like that you aren’t a party girl. Besides, you’re beautiful and all, but your laugh is what really makes me go crazy.”
I met his earnest gaze, touched that he’d somehow zeroed in on the one thing that actually was mine. I may have smiled like Evie, but I still talked and laughed like Grace.
“Well, you do have a talent for making me laugh,” I said, aware of how close we were now.
“That sound is my new favorite thing,” he said.
Matt leaned in, his beautiful eyes closer than ever. I became hypnotized by them, at the swirls of gold that circled within the deep blue. I didn’t even register how close he was until his lips brushed mine. This time I didn’t break it off, instead lifting my face to invite him in. The logical voice in my head shouted at my to get it together; we were out in the open, where anyone - like, say, Tessa - could see us. I shoved the voice to the back of my head and got lost in Matt’s eyes instead.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Three hours later, I reluctantly went back to Tessa’s living room. A haze the color of Matt’s blue eyes seemed to surround me, my thoughts clouded with our afternoon. We’d watched a movie in his dorm common room, though we spent most of that time making out and talking about nothing in particular.
He made me laugh like no boy ever had; with him to entertain and distract me, I’d had three hours of uninterrupted bliss. I felt human again. I couldn’t get the smile off my face at the memory of Matt’s kisses. I bit my lip, almost wishing he were doing that instead.
“About time,” Tully’s dry voice said behind me, interrupting my less than innocent thoughts.
I spun around, hand over my heart at the surprise. “Tully, you scared me.”
“You’re beginning to frighten me as well.”
My arms dropped to my sides. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Tessa appeared in the doorway; she chewed on her cuticles, a sign I knew to mean she was nervous. I went completely still, having never seen her so worried.
“It means if you do not stop what you are doing this instant, we must end our ridiculous scheme and leave this place.”
My mouth fell open. “Excuse me?”
“I fear you have forgotten the true reason we are here.”
I sputtered and stammered, the words refusing to come out. “I can’t—you don’t—I know perfectly well—”
“Do not forget what must happen once we save your sister,” Tully warned me.
I crossed my arms over my chest, not wanting to acknowledge his next statement. He said it anyway.
“You are not alive anymore. You are not human and must return to a life of a Reaper once this is done.”
“I know that,” I muttered.
“Do you?” he asked. He took a step toward me. “I’m not so sure anymore. You are off gallivanting with that boy this afternoon, you let your sister attend that date last night—”
“Hey, hey,” I interrupted, annoyed, “that date was so I could be there and keep an eye on Allison and get a better idea of what to do with Brady.”
“And have you produced a plan?”
“No,” I rudely answered, “but I know he won’t attack her when I’m around.”
“Can he tell you’re not a teenage girl named Evie? Do you think he knows what you are?”
“No,” I said quickly, “No, I think he’s too busy looking out for competition or other victims.”
“More victims,” Tully corrected me. My human cheeks flushed with humiliation at his sharp tone. He was right; we’d already lost one soul because I hadn’t kept my guard up.
Tessa finally spoke up. “Grace, I’m with Tully on this one. It was kinda fun at first, but I think you’re losing focus. This afternoon proves you’re trying to be human again.”
“I am not,” I said, cringing at the whine in my voice. She raised an eyebrow at me and I relented a little. “Okay, fine. It’s nice to feel human again, to talk and laugh and feel a boy’s skin as he holds my hand. However, I’m well aware that this can’t be forever nor can it continue.”
“You must realize that if you do not return…” Tully trailed off, his face full of concern I’d never seen before. He and Tessa exchanged a look and I raised my eyebrows at him in question. He cleared his throat.
“Child, if you try to stay here under false pretenses as a human, I will have no choice but to reap your soul.”
A gasp escaped before I could stop it. “You would do that? Why?”
“You cannot be human, which means you’ll get stuck here on this plane and eventually become an angry spirit,” Tessa answered for him.
“I know how it works,” I said, irritated at the reminder. “I’m doomed to roam the earth all pissed off and vengeful for the rest of eternity.”
Tessa nodded in an apologetic way. “Tully would have to reap your soul in order to save it.”
“Great, now I have to worry about my maker and Alistair threatening my being. Thanks a lot.”
“It is not something I wish to do,” Tully said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Well, obviously this is all a moot point seeing as how I’ve agreed to go back and continue being a Reaper when this is all over.”
“That’s the problem,” Tessa said, “this has to be over soon. You have to get back to your Reaper responsibilities or your spirit will start to wander without purpose.”
I looked at Tully, whose stoic expression confirmed Tessa’s information. “You didn’t feel like telling me this before?”
Tully’s thick arms crossed over his broad chest. He scowled at me. “Reapers are rarely in such a position to have to say such things.”
Shame made me look down at my shoes; maybe he had me there. In fact, Tully was certainly endangering himself to be here, with his grand poobah council as well as with demons. Alistair would reap us both himself if he caught us interfering with their instructions.
Tully did that thing where he managed to fit too much disappointment into one little word. “Grace.”
“I’m sorry, okay?” Even I heard the defensiveness in my response and I tried to soften the tone. “Really, I am. I apparently needed the reminder.”
Tessa relaxed, trying to diffuse the situation. “Then our job is done here, so let’s move on to the big problem at hand.”
She glanced at Tully, who remained quiet. When he said nothing, she continued to explain what I’d missed while out with Matt.
“I’ve been researching what kind of spells can hold Reapers to one spot,” Tessa said. “It’s some seriously dark stuff, things I never wanted to touch.”
“How do we get around it?”
“That’s the problem,” Tully said, heaving a sigh. “The spell only breaks when the caster says so. There’s not a whole lot we can do until we find the person responsible.”
“At least we’ve got one jerk in our sights,” Tessa said, referring to Brady, “but I check
ed Brady’s place out while you distracted him on the date—”
“You did?” I asked, surprised. She hadn’t told me that.
“Yeah, I did,” she said, a bit cross that I hadn’t already asked. “While you were making googly eyes at your new boyfriend, I broke into Brady’s apartment to check out his magic set.”
“And?”
She shrugged. “He’s got some impressive toys and is definitely into black magic, but nothing like what’s needed for this kind of spell.”
Her manicured finger tapped the book on the table. I glanced down at the page, my nose wrinkling at the awful sketches of what looked like painful stuff. Judging by the drawings, it appeared a few pints of blood were needed.
“Does that mean he’s not our witch?” I asked.
“I don’t think we should cross him off our list, not yet. More like he’s got a powerful partner in crime.”
I frowned, not liking this new information. We’d guessed as much, but to have the confirmation that we’d be battling against more than Brady worried me. We had no idea how to defend ourselves or decide on a plan of attack.
“I can read every emotion on your face, child,” Tully said. At least this time he sounded more worried than disapproving.
“Well aware,” I said, trying not to scowl.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It was now day three and I felt we were no further in our mission than before. What’s more, I felt at a loss, unsure of what to do. Tessa pored over a book, leg tucked underneath her on the couch. Tully had popped out to check on our souls; he’d declined my offer to go with, though he didn’t offer a reason why. He usually took a while with each of his souls, though, so it didn’t surprise me he’d want some time alone with them.
Memories of Matt bounced in my head and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was up to right now. Maybe I could go see him, just for a few minutes.
“I’m going to go check on Ally,” I said. I didn’t add that I might swing by Matt’s dorm room after making sure she was okay.
Tessa shot me a look over her reading material, knowing exactly my intentions, but at least she didn’t jump down my throat. “All right then. Better make it quick. You know Tully will shit a brick if he comes back and you’re off gallivanting again.”