Eerie

by C. M McCoy

  “What?”

  “He swung by last night . . .said he was out delivering a personal note.”

  “Is that what happened to your face? I thought Cobon couldn’t come to Bear Towne—I . . .I thought Asher could keep him out—I thought . . .” Her heart pounded as her sense of security evaporated.

  Fin pulled her into another hug, pressing her head into his chest, instantly quelling her panic. Just like with Asher, it was complete comfort . . .and Fin didn’t want her dead.

  “Don’t worry about it, okay?” he said softly. “Asher can stop anyone from hurting you before it happens . . .”

  Fat chance.

  “...and Cobon won’t come near you.”

  Hailey stepped back. “What do you mean? Why?”

  “He’s afraid you’ll destroy him.”

  “Why? Why does everyone think I destroyed an Adalwolf—I didn’t,” she insisted with wide eyes, and Fin pursed his lip.

  “Everyone thinks that, because Adalwolf went into your bedroom when you were a child . . . And then he exploded.”

  Staring vacantly at the pavement, Hailey wondered how long it would take Cobon to figure out she was harmless.

  Fin patted her bum and led her inside, where he ordered a bucket of chicken.

  “Why did Cobon come see you?” she asked after he paid.

  “Because he’s a perverted, psychotic maniac. Here.” He shoved a fried chicken leg into her hand. “Eat.”

  Hailey nibbled her chicken leg, and with no further talk of exploding Envoys or her almost certain death at the hands of a perverted psychopath, they reached the bottom of the bucket and headed out.

  “Where to first?” Fin asked, slapping her leg after he started the truck.

  “Clothes, shoes, boots, pillow, blankets, robe, towel, toiletries, winter coat.”

  “Mall,” he said, putting the truck in gear. “Don’t worry about your winter gear. I’ll take care of it while you get all your other stuff. And Hailey—do not forget . . .” He paused, shaking his head as he claimed a spot near the entrance, and Hailey’s mind raced.

  What? What could be dangerous about the mall? Unmarked in-betweens? Cobon? What?

  Fin sighed. “—a razor.” He smiled playfully, and she slugged his arm.

  “Meet back here in an hour, okay?” he chuckled as they made their way inside.

  Within forty-five minutes, Hailey had everything, including a razor, and she met Fin at the exit. He took her bags for her as they walked to the truck.

  “You wanna do some skating while we’re here?” he asked, tossing her things onto the back seat.

  Hailey shook her head. “I’ve never been on ice skates. I wouldn’t even know how to put one on.”

  “Then I’ll show you,” he said using his professor’s voice, and he steered her back inside.

  “I usually try to avoid embarrassing myself in public, Fin.”

  “No you don’t,” he reminded her as he pushed her into the ice arena. “You wait right here while I get our skates . . .and don’t talk to strangers.”

  Hailey waited obediently with her hands folded in her lap for Fin to return with two sets of skates. One was already installed on his feet, and he fitted the other onto her little feet in a way that made her feel like Cinderella.

  “Let’s go.” Grabbing her hands, he pulled her toward the rink.

  “No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no,” she pleaded, walking stiff-legged like the tin man, but Fin lifted her onto the ice anyway, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and holding her tight against him.

  “Come on little penguin,” he sang as he skated across the rink with her. “Time to spread your wings and glide.”

  “Penguins don’t spread wings and glide,” she said on wobbly legs. “They flop and slide.”

  “Not if they’re from Pittsburgh,” he pointed out as he pivoted in front of her. “It’s time you learned.” He took her hands, pulling her along as he skated backwards.

  “You know I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Her legs stiffened, her butt jutted out, and she almost lost it in a spastic cartoon-like pirouette. But Fin had good reflexes. He pivoted, turned, and caught her under her shoulders so gracefully it felt like a choreographed dance.

  “Nice save,” she breathed as he steadied her on her skates again.

  “You should see me play,” he offered. “Season opener in Anchorage,” he said. “I’ll even get you a backstage pass IF you can stay out of trouble until October.”

  Hailey wobbled dangerously but recovered with only a slight nudge. “Deal,” she said confidently, holding onto his hands. “You know, I think I’m getting the hang of this,” she smiled, slipping her hands through his until he held only her fingertips.

  Then she let go altogether.

  “Hey, look!” she exclaimed proudly. “I’m doing it—whoa!”

  She faltered slightly, which threw her off balance, which caused her arms to circle like a windmill, and when she instinctively turned her foot out like an Irish dancer, her ankle crumpled with a wet-sounding CRACK! Down she went—like a flyswatter.

  “Ouch,” she mumbled into the ice, and Fin skidded to a halt next to her. As she rolled over and pushed herself up to sit, her ankle flopped to the side.

  “Dammit,” Fin said angrily.

  “I’m sorry,” Hailey gushed as he scooped her up. “I was doing great, and then I lost my balance, but I totally had it, but then my ankle quit, and . . .” She twitched her foot. “—ouch—I think I hurt something.”

  “Nonsense,” he said, skating her off the ice. “You just wanted me to carry you, so you could feel my bulging pectorals.” It sounded like he was joking, but his voice had a scornful edge, and Hailey didn’t know what to say.

  Setting her on a bench, Fin surveyed the damage.

  “It’s not your fault,” he said throwing his hand up. “Your laces came loose.”

  Hailey looked down. Not only had they come untied, but they’d uncrossed themselves from the hooks, draped themselves under her bootie, and retied themselves into a loose bow.

  “This has poltergeist written all over it. You must’ve pissed one off, if it followed you here.”

  When Fin pulled her skate off, her foot swelled past a comfortable fit-into-wellies size.

  “I’m designing a new ghost trap—you know—one that actually traps ghosts,” she said quickly as Fin touched her foot. “—ouch—it’ll be my term project—ow—ow—ow—and I told the one in the library it would be the first to go.”

  “That would do it,” he said woefully. “We should head back anyway.”

  The ride home to Bear Towne became too quiet. Fin stared through the windshield with his elbow propped against his door, head resting on his fist. For forty very uncomfortable miles, he said nothing, so Hailey decided to break the silence.

  “That was a fun day,” she said brightly.

  He shot her a disgusted glance then turned his attention back to the road.

  “You thought that was a date?” He asked in a way that told Hailey he sure didn’t.

  It took her a second to realize he’d misheard her.

  “No! No-no-no, I—”

  “That was not a date, Hailey.”

  “Oh, I . . .I didn’t—”

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about me. This was not a date.”

  Could this get any more awkward any faster? And more importantly, why wasn’t this a date? They’d spent the entire day together. And Fin wasn’t even remotely afraid of Asher. Whatever his malfunction, this was starting to feel like a rejection, so she mustered the best defense she could think of—denial.

  “No, Fin, I . . . I know . . . I wasn’t—that never even crossed my mind,” she lied, trying not to seem as offended as she felt.

  “It didn’t?” He sounded eithe
r hurt or surprised.

  Hailey was confused.

  “No,” she said uncertainly. “I—no. I said day. That was a fun day.”

  Fin stared at the road.

  Hailey bit her lip.

  Watching another milepost fly past, she decided she should just keep her mouth shut for the rest of the drive.

  By the time they pulled up to Eureka Dorm, Hailey’s stomach was in a knot. Fin was the closest thing she had to family for thousands of miles, and she managed to completely alienate him over the course of one night. He’d probably never talk to her again—the silly little girl Hailey, pining after the campus-heartthrob-muscular-captain-of-the-stupid-hockey-team, showing up naked at his door, throwing herself at him...

  She couldn’t wait to bury her head in her new pillow and never leave her room again.

  Blinking back a few tears of embarrassment, she opened the passenger side door and hopped out on one foot.

  “Wait for me to help you, Hailey!” Fin yelled, clearly annoyed as he hurriedly jumped out.

  “I got it,” she told him, her voice strained.

  But she didn’t have it. When she tried to push the door shut, her one good foot slipped out from under her and down she went, cracking her head on the pavement and sliding almost completely under the truck.

  She let out a pitiful moan, a little from the sharp pain in the back of her head, but mostly from shame.

  “Why is there ice in August?” she groaned.

  “Hailey!” she heard a voice yell, but it wasn’t Fin’s.

  Someone with warm hands grabbed hers and pulled her out from under the truck and back onto her good foot with one swift tug.

  Fin ran from the driver’s side, rounding the front of the truck and stopping dead to stare at Asher holding onto Hailey.

  “I guess you don’t need me,” said Fin sourly, as Hailey clung to Asher. He unloaded her bags, and gripping them so tight his knuckles went white, he hiked toward Eureka.

  “Fin!” Hailey called from Asher’s arms.

  Fin faced her with his jaw set.

  “Thank you,” she said, her heart sinking terribly as she limped a few feet in his direction.

  Fin dropped his head for a moment, and then he straightened up and threw his chest out.

  “Listen,” he asserted, addressing Hailey and quite clearly only Hailey. “A lot of us are going to the hot springs this weekend. You wanna come along?”

  “Oh, no . . . I—I don’t think so. I don’t have a bathing suit,” she said uncomfortably.

  “Oh, you don’t need one.” Fin raised his eyebrow at her.

  “Oh! Then definitely no.”

  “Come on. It’ll be dark. And . . .it’s not like I’ve never seen you naked,” he said loud enough for Asher to hear.

  Hailey whipped around in time to see Asher’s eyes explode.

  “Um . . .that . . .I . . .” she stammered, hopping back to Asher.

  “Come and sit,” he said, his tone flat, expression unreadable as he guided her to a wooden bench. Kneeling in front of her, he stroked her wounded foot.

  Hailey dug her nails into the bench, anticipating an awful prod or twist or jerk or something painful, but what she got was a delightfully cooling comfort, which spread from her toes up to her knee. When Asher stood, Hailey stood next to him—her ankle healed and the swelling gone.

  “That’s amazing,” she said, cautiously hopping on it. Eyes shining, she tilted her head slightly. “I’m not going to be your slave forever, am I?” she asked with a nervous chuckle.

  “Only if you want to be.” A ghost of a smile played on his lips. “These are not favors I often bestow, Hailey.”

  She shook her head, all humor gone. “I wouldn’t ever want that,” she whispered, pulling her shoulders up and tucking her elbows in.

  “No, you wouldn’t. Still . . .” Holding his hand out, palm up, Asher conjured what looked like a ball of crystalized violet light. He held it out to Hailey. “I am tempted to give you this.”

  “What is it?” she said, transfixed by its beauty.

  “Immortality. An eternity of youth and health. The Envoys call it a gift. But any human who has accepted it would call it a curse. If you were to take this from me, you would be a slave to the Envoys—all of us—forever. Such an infusion of energy leaves a scar, Hailey, through which any of us might see into your mind. And in some cases,” he added darkly, “even control it.”

  Closing his hand, he collapsed the orb, which burst into a flash as bright as a camera’s.

  “As much as I want you on this Earth with me forever,” he said gazing adoringly into her eyes, “I would not curse you with this burden.”

  Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed her fingers then spoke against them.

  “The Envoys are changing. They no longer respect each other’s possessions as they once did, and I couldn’t bear it if another touched you.”

  Possessions?

  Hailey jerked her hand away. “I’m not your possession, Asher. I don’t belong to you—I don’t belong to anyone, and you need to—”

  Asher stepped back, blinking as if she’d slapped him.

  “I didn’t . . .” Frowning, he shook his head, eyes wide as Hailey considered him, arms crossed. His lips parted, his brow wrinkled, and she couldn’t stand seeing him hurt.

  Finally she sighed. “You have to stop saying that,” she said gently, and when he reached a tentative hand out to her, she took it.

  Relief etched his voice, but it was still a plea. “I didn’t mean . . . I only meant that I protect you. And the Envoys no longer regard each other as family. You’re beautiful, Hailey. I’m not the only one who sees it, and one of the others would surely stalk your mind.”

  Instinctively, Hailey flicked her eyes to the ground, disarmed again as he nudged her chin up. He was so close she could feel his breath against her lips.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, planting a soft kiss on her mouth.

  “I’m sorry too,” she said, and he kissed her again. Then, sighing heavily, he pulled away, and Hailey studied his eyes, trying to imagine life on Earth for hundreds or thousands of years.

  “Have you ever cursed anyone?” she asked.

  “Once.”

  “It’s Professor Woodfork, isn’t it?”

  Asher smiled. “He and I have known each other for a very long time. I try to stay out of his mind,” he said, looking almost mischievously at her, “although sometimes I get bored and go see what he’s thinking.”

  Hailey studied him. For the first time, he seemed relaxed and almost amused. “I don’t really understand how any of this works.” She looked down at her healed foot then around at the campus and back to Asher. “Someone told me it was dangerous to ask you for help with . . .things . . .”

  “Giselle,” he guessed. “She’s always honest, but not always correct. Hailey, you’re very dear to me. I healed your body, because I wanted to. I’ve asked for nothing in return.”

  Taking his hand, Hailey pressed it to her heart.

  “I would like to see you more,” he told her, using his free hand to stroke her cheek.

  “You can start by showing up to lab,” she teased.

  “Yes,” he said softly.

  He drew an awkward breath. “Hailey, I would like to show you my observatory. This winter . . . If you’d like. I’m afraid it would have to be very dark for you to see . . .”

  She watched him, smiling in awe as it dawned on her—he was asking her out, and he was nervous.

  “I’d like that,” she said quickly.

  “And in December . . . The university hosts a Christmas ball. May I escort you?”

  “I’d be honored,” she said, though this was the first she’d heard of such an event and would have to find a dress and shoes and learn to walk in heels and figure out how to
dance non-Irish and find Giselle a date, because there was no way she was doing this alone...

  Hailey sighed.

  “Go and rest,” Asher told her, kissing her cheek.

  Fin was playing his guitar when Hailey knocked on his door to retrieve her things.

  “Enter!” he shouted. As she poked into his room, he began strumming softly.

  “I love that song,” she said, standing in his doorway.

  “I know.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I know everything about you,” he said, setting his guitar aside.

  “Enlighten me.”

  “I know that roses are your favorite flowers—”

  “Typical,” she said with a flick of her hand.

  “And that your favorite color is green—”

  “Obvious,” she yawned.

  “And that you cry more out of your right eye than your left—”

  “You noticed that?”

  Fin nodded. “Seen you cry a lot—I know that you’re afraid of Asher, but you won’t tell him.”

  Hailey ducked her head.

  “Listen,” he said, leaning forward, “Asher’s powerful. He can protect you from harm, from bad people, from other Envoys . . . But,” he said emphatically, counting his points on his fingers, “he can’t laugh.” Searching Hailey’s eyes, he extended another digit. “He can’t love. He can’t have children. And he won’t tolerate your dancing.”

  Hailey furrowed her brow.

  “It’s the drumming,” he explained. “It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to an Envoy.”

  Staring at the floor, Hailey chewed her lip. She didn’t owe Fin an explanation. He wasn’t even interested in her, so why did he even care? This was just his big-brother-look-after-Hailey thing, and she was sick of it.

  “I put your stuff in your room already,” he told her when she didn’t respond. “You’re not really building a ghost trap for your term project, are you?” he asked, adjusting to a much more agreeable tone.

  “Yes,” Hailey said sounding way more excited than she wanted, and he closed his eyes, tossing his head back.

  “Hailey—” He sighed loudly. “You’re gonna piss them off, and they’re going to come after you again.”