When the Dead Come Home

by B. L. Brunnemer

  “You mean hold the world as a prisoner so you can get your way like a two-year-old holding their breath.” I shook my head. “No thanks.”

  Jadis continued talking. “We’re the best option out there, Alexis. You could have power, position. You’d never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life.”

  Uh-huh. “And does this worry-free existence include being held prisoner in your basement for the rest of my life?”

  The bell rang. Homeroom was over, but I refused to budge, I wanted to hear her answer.

  Her lips tightened for barely a heartbeat. “Of course not. You’d be free to live however you see fit.” There was a cheerful note in her voice that I just didn’t trust.

  “Would you be willing to swear an oath on that?” I pushed it. Wondering how far she’d go. “Sign a spelled contract?”

  She looked down at her coffee and swirled the contents. “Perhaps, but I would be putting someone in charge of you.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so I wouldn’t be free after all. Someone would oversee me?”

  She lifted her head and met my gaze. “Everyone has a boss, even witches.”

  There it was. “A boss? So, what? They’d tell me what to do, who to cross and who to let rot?”

  She took a sip of her coffee. “Basically. We need to keep a balance going. Just enough souls crossing to keep the barriers from cracking but not so many that the Veil opens.”

  I clenched my fist. “And screw the rest.”

  She gave me a sad, sympathetic smile. “A necessary sacrifice.”

  Everything about her screamed sincerity, from her expression to her eyes and voice, but I had seen her work in New Orleans. I wasn’t about to fall for it. “And you get to play God.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not God.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “I didn’t say that. You want to play God. After all, you know what’s best for the world.”

  “I know the best path for the supernatural world,” she stated. “Not the normal world.”

  I shook my head. “Quite an ego you have there.”

  She took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

  “It’s not ego if it’s true,” she countered. “I could help us move forward in a united force of positive change.”

  I leaned forward. “And while we’re this positive force of change, how would you decide who gets to cross?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  I shrugged. “Would you have a waitlist? What souls would be priority? The rotting ones or the still sane ones? What criteria would you use?”

  She set her cup on the desk. “Whoever has the right level of energy to maintain the balance.”

  “So, whoever is rotting will continue to rot,” I surmised.

  She nodded slowly. “Not by choice. But this is a chance to steer the supernatural world toward peace and prosperity.”

  I sat up straight in my chair again and took her in. Every hair in place, every line of her clothing perfect. She looked open, welcoming. Everything about her said she was telling the truth as she saw it. And she probably was. But there was no true warmth in her smile. She was empty and cold. What could have happened to her that destroyed her heart and tainted her soul? Or was she born like this? Well, whatever made her this way wasn’t my problem. The result was. “That’s the witches, what about the others.”

  “Others?” Her brows drew together.

  “The shapeshifters. Other races of supernaturals.” I had heard about Florida. They wiped out all but witches and killed those that wouldn’t join. “What would you do about them?”

  “They will be treated as their own counsel,” she hedged.

  Oh no, I didn’t buy that for a minute. “What would you do?”

  Her smile faded. “Not all of the supernatural world is good, Alexis.”

  “And who gets to be the judge of what is good or bad?” I asked softly.

  She shook her head, her lips forming a tight, sad smile. “Someone has to.”

  I waited several heartbeats for her to elaborated but she didn’t. I shook my head. “I’d let the world burn before I trusted you with a pencil.”

  Her face flashed rage at me, her mask slipping only a heartbeat before it was back. “You’re out of your element, Alexis. There’s no shame in needing help.”

  Having heard more than enough, I got to my feet and slung my bag over my shoulder. “Let me make one thing clear. This element… is my home. I live it, I see it, I breathe it. At this point, the Veil is what I know. You’re the tourist here.” I turned and strode out of her office, more determined than ever to take the bitch down.

  By the time I reached my math class, I was calmer. I walked in past the late bell. The teacher gave me a chiding look and shook her head. Ethan raised his fingers in the air to get my attention. I hurried to the empty chair beside him.

  Apparently this classroom didn’t have desks, only two-person wide tables. I dropped my bag to the floor and sat down beside him.

  “What happened, Beautiful?” Ethan whispered as he handed me the syllabus for the year.

  “I was called into the office,” I answered as the teacher went back to the lesson. “Mrs. Weaver wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to cause problems this year.”

  He scoffed as he moved his arm onto the back of my chair. His spicy cologne reached me, calming me down. “What a bitch.”

  I shifted over a little, pressing my back into his arm, needing the contact. “The interesting part was being sent to a new guidance counselor.” Mrs. Hubert continued to lecture everyone while I turned to Ethan. “It was Jadis.”

  His eyes narrowed. The fingers on his other hand started to twirl his rings. “This is a bad joke, right?”

  I shook my head.

  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So, they’ve got eyes in the high school.”

  “It makes me wonder where else they might have people here or in town,” I whispered.

  “Lexie and Ethan,” Mrs. Hubert’s voice snapped.

  We both jumped and turned to the front of the class.

  Mrs. Hubert pushed her glasses up her face. “Are we interrupting?”

  We muttered sorry in unison and faced the front of the class. When she went back to lecturing, we both bit back giggles. Ethan began slowly running the side of his thumb up and down my arm.

  Movement in the corner of my eye had me turning my head. Riley was in the second row, watching us together. Her face puckered. She shook her head and turned back to pay attention to class. I rolled my eyes and went back to half listening to the teacher.

  Class was almost over when a familiar voice moved through the room. “Mrs. Hubert.”

  I watched as the blood drained from Ethan’s face, his eyes growing wide. No. No…

  I turned to look at the door, hoping my ears were playing tricks. But they weren’t. Jadis was standing just inside the door. I slid my hand around his upper thigh.

  “Yes, Ms. Hill, what can I do for you?” Mrs. Hubert asked.

  “I need to speak with you about a pair of students,” Jadis announced, looking directly at both of us.

  I squeezed, letting him know I was here. His face was deathly pale as he processed that the bitch who tortured him in New Orleans was here. In our math class. His body become rigid as tension rippled through him. I pressed my leg harder against his, then moved my entire side against his. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  Ethan kept his breathing even. Only his hand squeezing the back of my chair hard enough to make it creak let me know he wasn’t doing well.

  “Please, continue. I can wait until class is over,” Jadis said pleasantly before she folded her hands in front of her, looking like she was the most patient person in the world.

  Mrs. Hubert went back to explaining the structure of the class.

  His body grew more and more rigid every moment that Jadis watched us. I even began to wonder if he was going to make it without losing his shit.
>
  “Lexie.” He turned to me. My heart stopped. Almost like a burning inferno, swirling, glowing bronze threatened to devour his pupils. Shit.

  Not willing to wait for disaster, I surged to my feet, shouldered my bag, took his arm and shoved him to his feet. He grabbed his bag and went with me without a fight. I kept myself between him and Jadis as we started to pass her.

  “The Veil may be your territory. But the real world is mine,” Jadis whispered with a satisfied smirk.

  I ignored her and focused on getting Ethan out of there. It wasn’t until we were halfway across campus that we slowed down.

  I turned on him. “Ethan?”

  His face was still pale, sweat beaded on his forehead. His hand shook as he ran his fingers through his hair. Voices echoed down the hallway.

  I snatched his arm again and pulled him into the janitor’s closet.

  Ethan went to the small sink and splashed water on his face while I tried to grasp what had just happened. The cinderblocks echoed the sprinkle of water. The cement floor was spotless. The high windows let in a lot of light. I frowned. Why was the janitor’s closet nicer than the bathrooms? Focus, Lexie!

  His eyes had changed. I hadn’t imagined that. My ribs seemed to press against my lungs as I tore off a couple of paper towels and handed them to him.

  He ignored the towels as he braced himself on the sink while taking big, deep breaths.

  I stayed quiet until he looked up and met my eyes in an old, rusted mirror. They were chocolate again.

  “Ethan?”

  “I’m okay.” His smoky voice grated in his throat as he straightened.

  “Don’t bullshit me.” I moved to his side.

  He looked down at the sink again as he swallowed hard.

  “Your eyes changed,” I whispered.

  “Yeah.” He straightened and turned to me, his expression lost as he met my gaze. “I’m scared, Lexie. I don’t know what they did to me.”

  Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face into his upper chest.

  He hesitated only a heartbeat before he slipped his arms around me and held tight. “I don’t know what I am.”

  His tears ate at me as I held him desperately. “You’re my Snoopy. Always my Snoopy.”

  “Always.” His voice cracked as he held me tight. Darkness swept through me on an icy wave, dimming the world a bit. They did this to him. No. Not now. This was about Ethan. Later… I ignored it for now.

  After some time, he pulled away. My arms dropped to my sides as he wiped his face before lifting his head.

  He began to spin his rings. “If you can’t… thinking about it is one thing, but if you can’t handle this in real life…” He swallowed hard. “I’d get it if you walked away.”

  It took me almost a full minute to understand what he was saying. “Oh, knock that shit off. You know I’m not going anywhere.”

  He let out a small laugh as his posture relaxed. “I thought I’d at least give you the option.” He met my gaze. “It’s terrifying, but… I’m not hurting, Lexie.”

  “I know, Snoopy.” I reached up and ran my fingertips over his jaw.

  He shrugged. “For the first time in a long, long time, I feel like me again.”

  “It’s strange, but that makes me a little happy,” I admitted. Ethan wasn’t hurting. We’d work with everything else. Whatever the price. I pressed my lips to his.

  When he lifted his head, his eyes sparkled like chocolate diamonds. “I shouldn’t…”

  I smiled a big, happy smile. “I miss touching you.”

  His resistance melted away as he lowered his head and softly pressed his lips against mine. I sighed and sank into his warm body. Everything else faded away as his fingers slid up the back of my neck but stopped at my hair. His kisses were soft and timid. Not like him. I wanted my Ethan. I pressed myself flush against him before I lightly pressed my teeth into his upper lip. He inhaled deeply through his nose. His fingers buried into my hair at the back of my head a heartbeat before he took my mouth and kissed me for real. His tongue demanded access, his hand made a fist of my hair, sending hot shivers down my spine. I moaned in the back of my throat. There he was.

  It had been almost a whole month since I had been with anyone alone. Everyone had been being so careful not to touch me around the others. Now, it was all I wanted. Craving the feel of his skin, I ran my fingertips down over his shirt and the ridges of his chest, stroking the little dips between his muscles. He groaned before his other hand moved down my back, his fingers leaving sparks along my nerves. His hand went to my ass, his fingers tightened and lifted me against him, forcing me to my toes. I whimpered as his hold pressed his rigid length against my lower stomach. Just the feel of him made my breasts heavy and aching for attention.

  His hand in my hair pulled my head back some more. I moaned low in the back of my throat as he moved down my throat with lips and just the press of teeth. That damp heat pooled between my legs and I shifted my hips against him, needing relief. His hand slid up from my ass to my back, leaving goosebumps behind.

  His hand continued to slide up under my shirt, moving from my waist to my ribs, the side of his palm brushing the side of my breast. My core clenched as he moved down my collarbone with his dancing tongue.

  Breathing heavily, needing more, I reached between us and pulled my shirt up over my breasts and unhooked the clasp between my breasts. Suddenly my sensitive skin was against his shirt. He moaned deep in his chest as I arched back over his arm to give him access.

  Burning hot kisses moved down my breasts while I dug my hands into his hair. His eyes glowed again as he looked up at me a heartbeat before he popped my pink, pebbled nipple into his scorching mouth. I cried out, closed my eyes, and moved my hips against his length. When his tongue stroked me, I whimpered and dropped my forehead to the top of his head. His hand covered my other breast, his hot fingers stroking gently until he reached my nipple. He squeezed hard, making me gasp and my knees turn weak. Heat, his touch, his mouth, the press of his skin against mine.

  “Snoopy…” I breathed. More. I needed more of him.

  He stopped tasting my skin, his warm breath sliding over the valley between my breasts. His fingers cupping my breast shook.

  The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The world came back into sharp focus. We were at school. Oh my God… in the janitor’s closet! My face burned as I met his gaze. His face was flushed a dusky rose, his breathing still heavy as he smirked.

  A giggle popped out from my lips. We both broke down and giggled as we got control of ourselves. I quickly closed my bra.

  Ethan straightened, his arm pulling me flush against his chest as his free hand pulled my shirt back down to cover me.

  His gaze stayed on my covered breasts. “Who bit you?”

  My face burned as I tried not to squirm. “It was an accident.”

  His eyes were still warm as he examined my face. “Asher?”

  I nodded.

  “He almost drew blood.”

  I shrugged. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “And he’s telling me to be careful,” he muttered under his breath.

  “What?”

  As he began to answer, the closet door opened. We both jumped.

  Miles was frowning as he closed the door behind him. “So, we’re ducking into closets at school now instead of going to classes?”

  Ethan rolled his eyes.

  “Miles—”

  “This isn’t the right way to keep Mrs. Weaver from looking over our shoulders all year,” Miles pointed out.

  “She’s already looking over my shoulder.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “How’d you know where we were anyway?”

  He grew still, his fingers began to tap his thigh. “I… put tracking programs on your phones before we got back from camping.”

  I stared at him, surprised. That I expected from Zeke, but Miles? Never.

  “You’ve been tracking us for a month?” Ethan’s eyebrows shot up to his h
airline.

  Miles shrugged. “Yes, it comes in handy. Now, what are you two doing in here? And are you aware of how close you are to being caught?”

  I shoved my hair out of my face. “We were about to text you guys.”

  He shook his head, his expression stern as he turned to Ethan. “What you were about to do is get caught ditching class to make out in the janitor’s closet.”

  Okay, he had a point.

  But Ethan didn’t care. “Oh, stuff it, Miles. We have bigger problems than that.”

  “Jadis works at the school now,” I stated.

  He grew still as a statue. “Pardon?”

  “Jadis is my new guidance counselor.” I made sure to say it clearly this time.

  Miles pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, you can explain when we get to the assembly.”

  “Assembly?” Ethan groaned.

  “Yes, the administration wants to talk about the deaths in town.” Miles sighed. “We’ll meet the others there and you can explain what happened to everyone.” He opened the door as Ethan and I went to leave, only for us to walk out right into a group a people. Not just any people. No, it had to be Faith, Ethan’s ex. Her eyes grew wide as her gaze darted to the janitor’s closet, then to Ethan’s hand wrapped around mine. Her jaw dropped.

  “Well, that’ll be fun,” Ethan muttered as we passed the girls and headed for the gym.

  “I’ve got ten that says it’s around school we’re having threesomes in the closet before the end of the day,” I whispered.

  “I’m not taking that bet.” Ethan snorted.

  “This is not a good start.” Miles sighed as we turned the corner.

  I slowed until I could wrap my other arm around Miles’. “They’re going to notice and judge no matter what. So, we might as well enjoy fanning the flames a bit.”

  He sighed as he turned to me with a soft look. “Lexie, you’re touching us in front of each other.”

  I squeezed his arm before letting go of them. This rule was starting to irritate the hell out of me.

  By the time we reached the crowd going into the gym, Miles had moved ahead of me while Ethan had dropped back behind me. Just like clockwork. Miles led us through the crowd and up the bleachers to the others.