"But they can see me! Can't they see who I am?"
"I don't know. I don't know how this works, but... maybe you don't look the same to them."
"That's ridiculous! Don't you think I look like myself?"
"Yes, but, I didn't know you before, and I was there when you came back. Maybe that's why." Ronin paused for a moment, the words from the storekeeper circling in his mind. Everything she said might happen in cases like this. How spooked she was at the very idea. "Maybe... maybe this is what your friend was talking about. Things going wrong and stuff."
"Them not recognizing me?"
"Well, that and this." Ronin gestured to Teagan. Her stance was aggressive, her hands balled into fists, shaking with barely contained rage. "This isn't like you Teagan. You could have really hurt that girl. Didn't you say that was your friend?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything. She's fine!" Teagan crossed her arms.
"You were out of control!" Ronin replied. How could she not see that?
"You don't know me, you don't know what you're talking about!"
"Maybe we need to find a way to reverse this."
"And what, send me back to my grave?"
Ronin shrugged. "Maybe." He didn't like the idea, he had really enjoyed spending time with her, but something wasn't right. And from the little he had learned of Teagan and her life before she died, she wouldn't have wanted to be this way if his theory was correct.
"So it's not bad enough that I had to die, but now you want to kill me all over again? You're a monster!" She flew at him, fists raised. Grabbing her arms, he did everything he could to stop her and calm her down. Her eyes turned blood red and he didn't think he was looking at Teagan anymore, but something else that had taken her place.
Chapter Six
Henry was leaving the fair when a flash of red in the dark caught his attention along with the sound of raised voices. He turned to look and saw two figures fighting.
His heart nearly stopped.
"Teagan?"
It was impossible, but he knew deep down that it was her. He immediately walked over to them, staring at her, unblinking.
"What's going on here? Teagan, is that really you?" Henry asked, raising his gloved hand to her, wanting more than anything to touch her. He had loved her so much, he had just never known how to express it properly when she was alive. She never seemed to understand. He had regretted it since.
They both turned to look at him, caught off guard.
"Henry?" Teagan asked softly.
"It is you... but how is that possible?" He embraced her before she could say anything else.
"You know who I am? You recognize me?" She broke off the hug and looked at the dark haired man she had been fighting with. The man had no answer for her.
Henry looked at him closer. Wait, I recognize this guy.
"Are you Ronin, the author?"
"Yeah, that's me," the man said with a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I'm Henry," he offered his hand which Ronin took. Then he turned back to Teagan. He had so many questions, his heart was racing, filled with anxiety. She was dead, at least she was supposed to be, there was no way for her to be standing there in front of him, and yet she was very real. "I don't understand."
"I know, I don't really either. Let's go somewhere and talk, I'll tell you what little I know." She started to walk off.
"Wait, you're just going to go off with this guy?" Ronin asked, looking like he wanted to follow her.
"I know him more than I do you. He was actually my friend. I don't know who you are," she said over her shoulder.
Henry hesitated for a moment before following her.
They ended up going back to his apartment, a familiar enough setting for the both of them. He couldn't deny the tension in the air between them, but he hoped once they sat down, maybe things would start to make more sense.
She settled on his plush sofa, looking about as uncomfortable as he felt.
"Who was that guy back there?" Henry asked after a moment.
"I... I don't really know him all that well. It's complicated," she responded, looking at the floor. Slowly, she told him the whole story; the seance, going to the police station, talking to Megan.
He had taken the chair opposite and sat silently as she told her story. It was unbelievable, and yet the fact that she was currently sitting in front of him was proof enough that her story had merit.
"So you need to find the guy who killed you, and then you will be back for good?"
"Yeah, seems that way." She smiled, but it was laced with sadness. "The only lead is a tattoo though, so we might as well have nothing."
"Not necessarily. You said that the witch lady mentioned that you would be connected to the killer? And you are clearly somehow connected to that Ronin guy."
She laughed. "What are you talking about? Are you saying that you think Ronin is my killer?"
Henry shrugged. "I mean, what other explanation is there? You said the seance shouldn't have worked, right? Not the way he says they did it. So either he's lying or he's connected to you in more ways than just stumbling across your picture by happenstance. Plus, I bet he never told you he had a tattoo."
"What?" She looked up, eyes wide.
"Yeah, he has a tattoo, and if I remember right, it's a dragon. Seems odd to me that he wouldn’t mention it if that was your only lead."
"How do you know that?"
"I told you, I know his work. I've seen pictures of it." Henry could see the growing panic on her face, but something else was happening as well. "Teagan, are you all right?" Her body was glowing a strange blue, parts of her skin becoming transparent.
"I... I don't know." She put her hands over her head. "Ronin killed me?"
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Henry replied, standing.
Her whole body seemed to pulse before him. "What's happening, Teagan? Just calm down, we can figure this out together."
"No!" The room exploded in blinding blue light.
***
I closed my eyes tight. Nearly pulling my hair out as I screamed. Ronin had done this? But I trusted him. I loved him.
No, you can't love him. You don't even know him. I'm such an idiot!
If I thought ghosts could cry, I was certain that I would have been drowning in my own tears. But why was I so upset? At being betrayed by a handsome stranger? Being killed? I finally opened my eyes. I was no longer in Henry's apartment, but back at the cemetery.
Why do I keep being drawn back here? To the place my life ended? It was the last place I wanted to be. I sank to the ground, my body and dress falling with the weight of a feather. I couldn't feel the ground beneath me. The grass and stones went right through. I looked at my hand, barely there, more ghost-like than ever. Why? When I was with Ronin, I had felt normal, at least for the most part. Like I had a real body again. Alive. But he had been right, Something had happened to me at the fair. That wasn't like me.
Why can't I understand what is going on? Why was I brought back here? To turn into a monster? To be teased with another chance at life only to have it ripped away again? And what of Henry? Why was he the only one that had known me in life that could really see me?
"Love is a power that transcends even beyond death," a voice whispered to me. I looked up, but saw no one there.
"Megan? Where are you?"
"I can't come to you now. But be careful, Teagan. You have a choice here, make sure you know who the right one is."
The right one? "What does that mean? Between Henry and Ronin?" No answer came.
So Henry can see me because he loves me? Sure we had dated off and on for years, but did that mean he loved me enough to bring me back? To see me?
"Teagan?" A voice asked softly behind me.
Startled, I stood quickly and turned around, expecting to see Henry. Instead, a figure with dark hair and a roguish but kind face stared back. "Ronin?" I asked. "What are you doing back here?"
"Would
it be weird of me to say that I thought I might be able to find another clue? Or maybe I just hoped you might be here." He folded his hands and then dropped them back to his sides like he didn't really know what to do with them.
I smiled before Henry's words echoed back in my head. Dread ran through me like ice. I took a step back. "Why would you want to find me? Why would you care about finding clues to my killer?" Was he looking for something he might have missed so he could cover up his own crime? To make sure that I didn't figure it out?
"I guess I just wanted to help you."
"You don't know me."
"But I'd like to."
If he did kill me, was that why? Had he been stalking me before that night?
"What's wrong? Look, I'm sorry about what I said before. I was just worried about you." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in that adorable way of his. It was enough to make my heart melt, but I knew I had to stay strong, no matter how much I wanted it to not be true, Henry was right, it was the only thing that made sense.
"Do you have a tattoo?" I asked, raising my chin. No matter how handsome he was, or how much I wanted to get to know him as well, to believe his pretty lies, I had to remain defiant. I had to fight him.
Shock flickered across his face before he concealed it behind his mask of caring concern once more. "Yes, I do."
I narrowed my eyes. "Is it of a dragon?"
He lowered his head and put his hands on his hips, clearly not wanting to answer. "Yes, it is."
I was crushed. Part of me had still hoped that Henry had been wrong, that it was a misunderstanding, but it wasn't. He really did have the very tattoo we had been looking for. Was that the only reason he had wanted to help me? That he agreed to go to the police station? To see what they had on him? To make sure no one was on his trail still?
"So it's true. You did this to me? But then why bring me back?"
He held up his hands and took a step forward. I held my ground even though I wanted nothing more than to run away.
He already took my life, what more could he do to me?
"No, no, no, Teagan, you've got it all wrong! I don't know who put this in your head, but I didn't do this! I would never. Yes, I have a dragon tattoo, but like I told you before, it's one of the most popular tattoos to get!"
"And yet what are the odds that the man who brought me back, that doesn't know me, happens to have the same tattoo as my killer?"
"I admit, it's a weird coincidence, but please, you have to believe me. I didn't do this. Yes, I probably should have told you about it before, but I didn't think it mattered!"
"How could it not matter?" I yelled, and this time, I could actually feel tears sliding down my cheeks, even though I was sure nothing was there. I looked down at my hands and they looked whole once again. The question of why burned in the back of my head, but I was too preoccupied to really give it much thought. "Show me."
"What?"
"Show me the tattoo! Let me see what that witness saw when you ran away from here!"
"OK, I'll show you." He unbuttoned his shirt all the way down revealing his chest.
The feeling of my breath catching in my throat registered even though I knew I had no need for breath anymore. He held open the shirt. A large tattoo of a black dragon was prominently displayed on his chest.
At first, I was crushed thinking that he must have actually done it. I suppose I had hoped for the tatto to not actually be a dragon, but there was still something off about it that gave me pause.
"Wait..." I walked up to him slowly and looked at it closer. It was large enough that I could believe a witness could have easily seen it except... "Is this the only tattoo you have?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"But that doesn't make sense." I reached out and touched it.
"What doesn’t?"
"Stay away from him Teagan!" Henry's voice rang out in the still night, making us both turn. I gasped. He stood at the gate, gun clenched tight in his gloved hand, aiming directly at Ronin.
"Henry! What are you doing? Put that down!" I shouted.
"I can't do that, Tea. He's a murderer!"
"No, he isn't!"
Ronin snapped his head back in my direction. "You believe me?"
"Yes. Where your tattoo is, there's no way anyone could have seen it if you were fleeing the crime scene." I was beginning to understand what had happened. Pieces were suddenly coming into place, bits of memory, small things I hadn't even noticed before coming back to me. No, there was no way Ronin did it.
But I think I know who did.
A small flash of light drew my attention to the right. Megan was there. She gave a small nod.
"There is another reason Ronin is drawn to you, why he was able to bring you back. You've read about it before. You know who really did this to us. Do not be afraid." She smiled at me, and it was the truest smile I had seen from her in this form. It gave me strength.
I looked back between Ronin and Henry, neither seemed to be able to see her.
"Henry, trust me, it's not Ronin, but if you put the gun down, I will tell you who it is. I think I've figured it out." I held out my hand hoping he would give me the gun.
"He has the tattoo! Who else do you know with a tattoo like that?" His voice was growing louder, more insistent.
"You're not a killer, Henry, even if he was the one who did this, you couldn't pull that trigger."
"Listen to her, man! This isn't what you want." Ronin said, his hands up. His face was tight but I could tell that he was trying to stay calm.
"I can't take the gun from you, but just give it to Ronin and we will find this guy together, all right?" I wasn't sure if I would be able to pick it up right now, I had only really been corporeal around Ronin but I seemed to unstabilize with Henry.
Henry lowered the gun and I nodded to Ronin. We both stepped forward and he reached for the gun slowly. Henry hesitated but then shoved it roughly into his hand.
"There, now, who do you think did it if not him?" He put his hand into his jacket pocket. I stopped moving.
Please understand...
"Ronin now!" I screamed.
Everything seemed to happen all at once, I closed my eyes and tried to move. Henry pulled out a knife and lunged for me. Ronin raised the gun. A shot rang out. A blade bit into my ethereal flesh. Two people collapsing to the ground. Multiple cries of shock and pain.
"Ronin!" I ran to where he had fallen, bleeding on the ground from a wound I couldn't immediately see. "What happened? Where is this coming from?"
"Check his side, Tea!" Megan called out from somewhere behind me.
I did as she instructed, moving his shirt out of the way, revealing a long gash on his side.
"How?" I asked, as I slid his shirt the rest of the way off and used it to try and stop the bleeding. "Someone help!" I yelled as loud as I could.
"I told you, the two of you are connected. When Henry attacked you, even though it didn't hurt you--"
"He took the wound instead?" I looked back at her and she nodded. "I'm so sorry, Ronin."
He opened his eyes. "Don't be. I'm a big strong man, I think I can handle a little knife wound." He laughed weakly. I did too despite the tears running down my cheeks.
I looked back over my shoulder and saw Henry on the ground, unmoving, eyes staring lifelessly at nothing. "You got him at least. He won't be able to hurt anyone else ever again."
"Good."
"Oh my god! What happened?" A man appeared at the gate, having heard my screams.
"That man attacked us!" I said pointing at Henry. "We need an ambulance, my friend’s really hurt."
The man nodded and began dialing on his phone.
"I'm fine..." Ronin said, waving a hand weakly.
"You better be."
Chapter Seven
Ronin was stuck in the hospital for two days before they let him go. The only time I left his side was when the police came to take our statements. Although they didn’t think I was actually Teagan Croft, murder
vitim, one of them did say I had a strong resemblance to her, which was better than nothing. Whatever strange magic or limbo I had been caught in before that kept people from really seeing me was gone. I could feel, and I could breath. I was alive, and whatever complications that may lead to, I knew I was ready.
I helped Ronin make it back to his apartment and within a minute, I could see the burning questions in his eyes. We hadn’t really talked about what had happened that night, neither of us daring to broach the subject in a public place.
“Go ahead, ask me,” I said as I handed him a mug of hot cider before taking a seat opposite of him.
He nodded.
“How’d you figure it out? That it was him and not me?” he asked, leaning forward as far as he could without pulling his stitches.
“It was several little things that just came together. It couldn’t have been you.”
“Because of where my tattoo is, you said.”
“Right. The man that killed me was wearing a hoodie, so unless you were literally stripping as you ran away, there was no way anyone could have seen a tattoo where yours is.”
“Makes sense, but then, why make the jump to Henry? Because he had a gun?”
“Gloves.”
Ronin’s brows furrowed. “What?”
“I noticed that he wore his gloves the whole night, even when we were just talking in his apartment. Pretty strange unless you are trying to hide something.” I picked up my own mug of cider and took a sip. “Plus, a glove was one of the things the detective said he found at the scene. Henry must have dropped it.”
“He had a tattoo on his hand?” I nodded. “But the two of you dated right? Wouldn’t you have known about it?”
“If he had it for a while yes, but then I remembered something from that night. He had called me before I met with the girls, telling me he had something he wanted to show me. He said he would meet me after the ritual. We had a fight a few days earlier and I broke it off. I just never felt like we were right for each other.”
“I assume that didn’t go well?”
I shook my head. “No, he was furious. Turns out he wanted to make sure that we would always be together, one way or another.”
A Cursed All Hallows' Eve Page 53