by Ruby Raine
At one point, Charlie left to speak to Mack, checking in that all was quiet outside. He’d returned and still William and Lizzy were not back yet. Another twenty minutes later, they heard voices nearing.
WILLIAM CAME STRIDING into the cavern at normal human speed, with Lizzy twirling alongside as if they were merely taking a stroll. She burst out in satisfied laughter as they entered the cavern.
“I wish I’d known how fun that was years ago! I can almost feel my heart beating.”
“I did not win,” William explained to their onlookers. “But if I had a living heart it would be racing at the speed of sound in my attempt.” There was a glint of something in William’s eye the Howard’s had never seen before.
“Oh, and by the way, Eva. It is Eva, right?” asked Lizzy.
“Yes,” she answered, shooting a glower in the ghast’s direction.
“If you step outside you will find your father, safe and unharmed.”
“What?” Eva wasted no time in leaving the cavern.
“Lizzy?” questioned Charlie.
“I’m really not a terrible person. I feel quite confident you will not fail me,” she cast her gaze towards William as she spoke. “You’re all very different than the people I have dealt with in the past. I can see this now.”
“Thank you, Lizzy. For doing that,” said Charlie. “It’s very gracious of you.”
“Yes, well, don’t make me regret it.”
“No,” determined Charlie.
“William did also bring it to my attention that there was a little something we had not thought of. If we use magic to protect the doors, until they are closed permanently, there would be no way for Mr. Jordan to come back other than to open them, giving the Soul Hunter a chance to escape. I can see that keeping the Hunter on the Isle is of utmost importance to you. So thus, I still have my leverage. Just in case.”
She clasped her ghastly hands together.
“Shall we get this party started?”
“Is there anything else we need to do? Oh, and this was on the list but I had no idea what it was needed for.” Charlie held up a bottle of tequila.
“Oh, that’s for me.”
“You are about to be human again for the first time in hundreds of years and the first thing you want is a shot of tequila?” Michael grinned. “I think I’m starting to like this girl.” Emily rolled her eyes at him.
“I’ve never had it before, but I’ve heard tell of it from the lovers that frequent the lighthouse. I’ve been dying to try it,” Lizzy spoke ravenously. “And if there’s anyone on this planet that deserves a drink right now,” she pointed to herself.
“I think we might all need one,” interjected Charlie.
“Fine, it’s settled. Once I’m back in my body it’s tequila time.” She floated overhead, hovering just over her body’s head. “Oh my, I’m actually quite nervous.”
“It won’t hurt, will it?” asked Emily.
“No. I don’t think so. At least leaving my body did not. It was terrifying when it happened, but it didn’t cause any physical pain.”
Michael began lighting the candles with a torch made up of burning sage. Once all the candles were lit, he asked everyone to gather around Lizzy’s body.
“The candles will draw from our combined energies and collect around her body, assisting her soul back inside,” he explained.
“And what about all the herbs and things?” asked Lucas.
Michael shrugged.
“Oh, I just miss the smell,” exclaimed Lizzy. “I want my first re-breath of life to be mind-blowing.”
“And the cauldron of boiling goop?” Melinda nodded at the bubbling mixture.
“That will be for William to use actually,” explained Lizzy. “Once you’re all holding hands and channeling your magical energy, William will pick up that pot of goop and throw it on my spirit form. It will capture it, and then you can channel that energy into pointing my spirit in the right direction. Back into my body of course. After that, I wake up.” She floated back a few feet, preparing herself. “I assume you all don’t want to be covered in boiling goop?”
“Back up as far as you’d like,” insisted Melinda.
Charlie held out his hands, Michael grabbing one and Emily the other.
“Should I?” she asked after already doing so.
“Yes, you don’t have to possess magic to add to the circle,” Michael told her with a grin.
“Oh, good, I was hoping I could help.”
Riley grabbed hold of Melinda’s hand, a smile escaped her lips. Her reaction elated Riley and the two locked eyes, poorly hiding the fact that they were quite comfortable holding hands.
Charlie noticed, and his face said it all. He glanced at Michael, who was suddenly very preoccupied with looking in the other direction. This is what Michael’s empathy had picked up on previously, and he had missed. Charlie cleared his throat and let out a weighted breath that turned into a scowl. Yelling at her would have to wait; they had a ceremony to get on with.
Of all the guys, a Deane.
She’s an adult and you can’t tell her what to do.
She’s young. And naïve. And an easy target.
And just because you’re older you know everything? You can’t even keep your own shit together. Guardian ring or no ring.
At times like these Charlie really missed their mother. And father. But raising a sister was proving difficult and he worried he’d failed miserably. He wasn’t a good replacement as a parent. She really needed a mother. Someone who understood how a young woman’s brain worked because he sure didn’t have it figured out. He couldn’t help but feel responsible. He should have done so many things differently after their parents died.
It would all need to wait. They needed to get this ceremony finished first.
Only Lucas needed to grab hold to finish the circle. He looked apprehensive to do so.
“You have to,” urged Riley. “Our family’s partly responsible for this mess, remember.”
Lucas took hold of his brother’s and Emily’s hands and held firm, nodding that he was ready.
“Everyone focus on the energy collecting around you,” said Lizzy. “Allow it to flow freely into the circle. Charlie, I will put you in the lead, and inform William when you’re ready.”
The energy they drew came rushing into the circle, almost like a force field wanting to push its way outward. They tightened their grips so as not to break the circle. It filled, expanding and pressing against them, pressure building like a balloon about to burst.
“Now, William.” Charlie grunted in the effort to speak while keeping the circle unbroken. Lizzy closed her eyes and threw her arms out to her sides.
William picked up the pot of goop and emptied the contents, throwing it onto her hovering frame. The goop vanished and what remained was an opaque haze in the form of Lizzy. She could no longer speak to them. She was in transition.
Charlie took over giving the orders. “Don’t let go. Don’t break the circle. Focus on Lizzy moving towards her body. Allow the energy to claim her, to pull her in.” He had to shout, as the energy inside the magic circle swirled madly, clamoring to escape the circle, making it difficult to be heard.
Lizzy’s opaque frame moved forward, heading toward her body in jagged motions, a few inches at a time.
“Hang on,” ordered Charlie as the circle became nearly impossible to hold. The closer she got to her body the more push they felt against their chain of hands.
Quite suddenly, her frame fell downwards lying just over her real body and slipped down onto it, seemingly melting into each other. With a torrent of blinding light, the circle blasted apart, their hands breaking their grips.
Everything went dark and silent. The torches doused.
No one moved. Had it worked? Had Lizzy returned to her body?
They heard a deep inhale and exhale.
A torch popped back to life. Followed by another and another until the cavern was bouncing with fiery shadows. Wit
h the flick of his hands, Charlie cleared away the candle nubs that remained around Lizzy’s body. The circle of energy had nearly burnt them to nothing.
Lizzy’s eyes flickered open and she sat up, her dark eyes gleaming against her porcelain skin and dark veiled dress. Her hands ran over her face and chest, checking to be sure she was really back inside her body. A wide smile spread across her face, and without warning she turned, throwing her feet over the side of the slab and stood. She had just a moment’s trouble balancing her body, before extending her arm, motioning impatiently to Charlie.
“Tequila,” she reminded.
Charlie thrust the bottle at her. He didn’t say a word. Just stared in awe.
Lizzy tossed the bottle back daringly, a stream dribbling down her chin. “Oh my God that’s freaking good.” Her voice was throaty and low, tinged with a hint of crazy.
She thrust the bottle back into Charlie’s hand and stepped over to William, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to her height. Before William knew what hit him she planted her lips on his and kissed him passionately, letting out a satisfied groan as she let go, licking her lips.
“Couldn’t help it,” she excused herself. “It’s been,” she paused, “way too many years.”
William, for a moment, went speechless, before making dramatic attempts to straighten his shirt for far longer than necessary. He ignored the chuckles and caught throats holding back laughter.
Lizzy stretched her fingers, looking intently at each one. “I can’t wait to try a pedicure.”
“Manicure,” corrected Melinda. “Pedicure is for your feet.”
“I want both!” she spoke with eagerness. “Wow, I can feel that drink.” She caressed her throat, her chest, her stomach. “It tingles.” She eyed at the bottle. “More.”
Charlie passed her the bottle again and once she’d given it back, took a deep swig himself, passing it to his brother. It went around in this manner a few times as they allowed Lizzy to come to life again.
“Um, not to spoil the moment or anything,” said Charlie after a bit. “But there is the matter of the doors...”
“Oh, yes. Of course, let’s take care of that now, shall we?”
“What do we need to do?”
“We’re all going to hold hands again,” she excitedly held hers out for Lucas and Riley, barely able to contain herself as she felt her skin in contact with skin.
“All I need to do is recite a spell; it will keep the doors permanently closed. Everyone ready? Good,” she replied, without waiting for an answer. She shivered, getting sidetracked. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve felt cold?” She squealed like a giddy child. “Okay, sorry, doors.”
She took a deep breath, regaining focus.
“Screw these doors, they really suck! Open no more or I’ll have to seriously kick some fucking ass, except that it’s not my God damned problem anymore! So if some friggin’ idiot comes along and opens the fucking things, don’t come looking for me.” She let go, let out a huff, and looked quite pleased.
“Um, huh?” said Melinda, thinking there had to be more to it than that.
“I know, terrible spell. But what else would you come up with after having them be the bane of your existence for like, ever.”
“Touché.” Michael chuckled, letting go and breaking the circle.
“So that’s it?” asked Lucas. “It’s done?”
“That’s it,” said Lizzy. “No more doors to protect, no more ghastly form, just magnificent me back in my skin.” She ran her hands up and down her black lace covered arms. “Oh how I missed touching myself.”
Charlie coughed, biting his tongue.
She smirked. “What?”
“Um, nothing.” He tried very hard to hold in a laugh.
Melinda tried to save poor Lizzy. “Ignore my ass-hat of a brother. Some words just have additional meanings they didn’t have in your day.”
“What do you mean? Is it a bad thing to want to touch myself? To feel again is,” she shuddered.
“It is not a bad thing,” Melinda spoke, her tone indicating she had far too much personal experience. Her cheeks got hot and her lapse into boldness shut down her vocal chords.
Riley’s breath hitched and he dropped his gaze. She swore if she turned around, William’s emerald greens would be drilling her direction. This wasn’t a topic she wanted to talk about. Not in the current company. Riley... William... her brothers... she didn’t know who was worse in this case. Can this night please end already?
“Oh my God. You people are ridiculous.” Emily hopped over and got close to Lizzy, whispering in her ear hoping not to embarrass her.
“Oh.” Lizzy’s eyes took on a reckless flicker. “We may not have called it that, but we still touched ourselves. Women on the Isle weren’t prudes, even way back then. Well, us witches anyway.” She winked at William.
So blunt, Charlie choked out a cough. There was something almost refreshing about it though. He shook his head and laughed. This Lizzy was going to bring a whole new level of insanity to the Isle.
Melinda tried to ignore the pang of jealousy slamming in her chest. It was stupid, but Lizzy clearly had the hots for the vampire. And she was bold and didn’t hide it. Just let it fly. Melinda had a hard time imagining being that daring all the time. She had been though, at least a little, with Riley. He was easy to be around. Made her comfortable. Not that William made her uncomfortable, but he was much more intimidating. Which was also stupid, seeing as she’d known him her entire life.
She took a chance glance at the vampire. He was attempting to ignore Lizzy’s attention, looking rather strained in the effort. It was actually kind of funny to witness.
“So what now, Lizzy?” Charlie questioned the ex-ghast. “Where will you live?”
“With my so called relatives over here, of course,” she replied, as if it should have been guessed already.
“With us?” said Riley, his eyes popping open wide.
“What did you expect I would do? Your house was my house long before you moved into it.”
“I didn’t realize the manor had been around that long,” said Lucas.
“It started out much smaller. And really, there’s nothing left of the original. I was speaking metaphorically.”
“Oh. Well. You are more than welcome to live in the manor, Lizzy,” Lucas insisted. “It might do my brother good to have someone of the female persuasion around.”
“Well I can tell you right now, the first thing that’s going to happen is some major cleaning. That place is a mess and that is not acceptable. We are Deanes, not pigs.”
Melinda glanced to her side where Riley radiated misery.
“She’s a new level of crazy,” he whispered. “You might not see me for weeks, well that’s if you’re allowed to see me at all.”
Lizzy didn’t faze Lucas one bit. “Whatever you think is best. You’ve been around much longer than us. I’m sure you know more about the manor than we do.”
“That goes without saying,” she noted, adding, “I find you very agreeable, Lucas Deane. I think we shall get along just fine. Oh, before I go... I wanted to ask a favor from you two,” she spoke to Melinda and Emily.
“Us?” they both responded.
“I need a little help. I said I picked up a lot of things while in my ghastly condition, but,” she looked down at her clothes. “Help?”
“That is a job I think we can handle,” said Melinda. “As it just so happens, Emily is a pro at makeovers.”
“Awesome,” Lizzy sighed in relief. “I prefer to walk down the street at least looking like I belong. Now, if my new brothers don’t mind, I’d like to go to our home. I need a nice long hot soak. With loads of bubbles. William, you’d be welcome to join me,” she offered boldly, eyeing him seductively.
The vampire’s expression gave her his answer.
“You’re kind of shy for a vampire, aren’t you?” Her tone egged him to prove her wrong and intimated she had personal experi
ence with vampires. For a second it looked like he might bolt. It was a rare thing indeed to see William Wakefield rendered speechless.
Lucas, looking the slightest bit uncomfortable by Lizzy’s forwardness, stepped up to take her home. “My truck isn’t far, we can go right away if you’d like.”
“Oh, my first ride in a truck. Sweet!” As Lucas led Lizzy out of the cavern, they heard her ask, “Is there any chance we can get food this late? I’m dying to try this thing called pizza. It’s apparently piled high with melted cheese.”
“I’m sure we can,” he said with a grin.
Riley held back, casting a knowing look at Melinda. She shot one back that said, later, bad time. He nodded and followed his brother and new sister. Melinda wanted to follow and speak with him, but didn’t dare.
Charlie let out a frustrated moan. “Melinda, why don’t you and Emily head home? We can finish up here. Let Mack know we’re almost done.”
Melinda looked at him questioningly. She was waiting for the inevitable onslaught of questions, yelling and ranting.
“Please don’t make me discuss it right now,” Charlie begged, when she didn’t just go. “We won’t be far behind,” he added as if to warn, you’d better be home once we get there.
Emily grasped her arm, dragging her out of the cavern.
William tossed an impressed look at Charlie. His own feelings disoriented, partly by the distraction in his brain called Lizzy Deane. “You’re going to allow it?”
“I don’t even know what’s really going on, and I don’t want to think about it right now. And what am I supposed to do? Melinda’s an adult. I can’t order her to do anything. And if I tried she’d just go running to him even faster.”
“You got that right,” professed Michael, glad he no longer had to hide what he’d discovered earlier that evening.
“She likes him that much?” asked Charlie, dejected.
“She’s got it bad. And I have no doubt at this point, that Riley was the reason she locked herself up again.”
“I believe she dated the young man before she knew he was a Deane,” expressed William. “Once she discovered that fact, was then consumed by guilt. I also think it’s not such a bad thing to allow,” he added cautiously. “We can keep an eye on things. But I do not believe these Deanes are a danger to us, or the Isle.” It wasn’t easy to admit. And he struggled to hide his true feelings of any man, Deane or not, with Melinda. But it was the right thing to do, for her. And maybe if she fell in love with Riley, she’d stop tormenting him with that heart flutter she wasn’t even aware drove him mad. The rest, he’d manage, somehow.