Forever Charmed (The Halloween LaVeau Series, Book 1) (15 page)

“I do hope you have a room for me?
Although I could stay with one of the fine men who are currently occupying your other rooms.” She twisted a strand of her golden locks around her finger and batted her eyelashes.

Uh-oh, this could be a huge problem. She looked like trouble.

“You can’t stay here,” I said in a panic.

“Well, you can’t kick me out on the street,” she snapped. “You’re the reason I’m here. You have to let me stay until I can make other arrangements. I’ve been dead for a number of years and I don’t exactly have the resources to do anything else right now.”

I let out a deep breath. She did have a valid point. I couldn’t just kick her out. Well, I guessed I could kick her out, but I didn’t have the heart to do that to her.

“You have to tell me who you are at least.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I wanted to put together all the pieces, but she wasn’t helping.

She flashed her million-watt smile. “My name is Isabeau Scarrett. Pleased to meet you, Halloween.”

“It is very disturbing to know that you know everything about me.”

“Yes, I do know most things. Although I refrained from popping in the bathroom when you were in there.” She shivered.

“Thank you,” I said drily.

“I was a witch like you once. Well, let me rephrase that. I was a witch, but I was quite a bit better at it than you.” She grimaced in with mocking humor.

I rolled my eyes. “Thank you for insulting me.”

“It’s not insulting. It’s just stating the facts. I watched you try magic since you moved in. And it was not very good.” She shook her head.

“Where are you from?” I asked.

“Far away,” she said as she stood, then walked over to my closet. “I hope you don’t mind if I borrow some of your clothing. Just until I can buy a new wardrobe.” She opened my closet door.

“I’m kind of particular about my clothing,” I said as I moved closer to the ghost,
er, woman.

She looked at me incredulously,
then shook her head. “Oh, dear. You really need to go on a shopping trip. There is nothing good in here.”

I placed my hand on my hip. “So now you’re insulting my clothing?”

The sound of footsteps caught our attention and we both looked at the door.

“It sounds like one of your guests is in the hallway.” She brushed around me and I hurried after her.

How would I explain her presence?

This couldn’t be happening, could it? I had to be dreaming. I reached out and poked the woman’s side with my index finger.

“Ouch. What did you do that for?” she asked with a scowl.

I pasted on a smile of nonchalance. “I wanted to make sure you were real. I figured I was dreaming.”

“I can assure you I am one hundred percent real.” Her coolness was evidence that she was not amused.

When I made it out into the hallway, Liam was turning the corner to go up the next flight of stairs.

“Hello there,” the former ghost called out.

Liam turned around to look at us. Why had he been on the second floor? Was he coming to my room? He froze when he spotted
Isabeau. She sashayed over to him with a devilish smile on her face. She walked a complete circle around him, looking him up and down. Liam remained frozen, as if he didn’t know what to do or say. I’d never seen him this flustered.

“Hello, and what might your name be?” she asked with a devilish tone.

He stiffened as though she’d struck him. “Liam Rankin.”

She knew who he was. If she’d been hanging around the manor as a ghost, then she had to know him. She was just playing games. Did Liam recognize her as the ghost? Perhaps that was why he looked so confused. I couldn’t tell him that I’d brought her back from the grave.

“Are you a guest here at the manor?” Liam asked.

She looked at me, then back at him. “That depends. I will be if Halloween will be so kind as to find me a room.”

I’d put her in the worst room for using my full name. That was totally unnecessary. Plus, I didn’t like the way she was acting around Liam. A little subtlety went a long way, but obviously that was something she knew nothing about. She’d put me on the spot. I couldn’t say no now.

Liam stepped back from
Isabeau as she moved closer. Isabeau was sexy and alluring and apparently wanted to make up for the years she’d spent in the grave.

“Come on,
Isabeau. Let me show you to your room. You must be exhausted from your long travels.” I grabbed her arm.

Liam quirked a suspicious eyebrow, but didn’t say anything about my comment. I motioned for her to follow me and she reluctantly obeyed.
I’d put her in the room across from mine so that I could keep my eye on her. There was no way I’d let her stay on the third floor.

“You call me
Hallie, got it?” I whispered.

“Sure thing, Halloween.
I mean, Hallie.”

I glared at her and she flashed an innocent smile. Kicking her out was sounding more and more like the better plan.

Isabeau followed me into the spacious room. I stood by the door as she walked into the middle of the space. Another large wood bed like the one in my room sat in the middle of the far wall. It was covered with rich burgundy comforter and many plush pillows. A velvet-covered chair was by the window with a small table, a perfect spot for reading. Enjoying a good book seemed to be the last thing on Isabeau’s mind though.

“Um, there are towels in the bathroom. And the bed has fresh linens.” I pointed at the bed.

This whole thing was so incredibly creepy.

“Are you going to tell me who you are and where you’re from?” I didn’t hide my impatience.

“I told you my name is Isabeau,” she said curtly

“I know that, but other than your name, that is all I know about you. It would be nice to have a few more facts,” I said.

“I’m from Enchantment Pointe and I died a number of years ago. Happy?” She smirked and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“That’s it?” I stared, speechless.

Was that all I could get from her? That wouldn’t cut it.

“What is a number of years ago? What are we talking here?
Two, four, sixteen, one hundred?” I retorted tartly.

“A woman never reveals her age, does she?” Her mouth curved into an innocent smile.

Hmm. She had me there.

“Do you have family in the area?” I regarded her with curiosity,
then noticed the change on her face.

I had her now. If she didn’t have family in the area then that meant she was probably so old that they had all died too.

She weighed the question, then answered, “My family wasn’t originally from Enchantment Pointe.”

I wouldn’t let her win this little game. She might have the high score at the moment, but I was at the top of my game. We stared at each other, wondering who would make the next move. Silence hung in the air until the doorbell chimed, echoing throughout the house. She’d been saved by the bell. I wouldn’t let her off the hook though.

“If you’ll excuse me. I’ll be right back.” I offered the sweetest smile I could muster.

She smiled. “Of course take your time.”

I stared for a second, then the bell rang again. I didn’t trust her alone, but I had to answer the door. I just hoped that Liam had locked his door. Isabeau was going to be nothing but trouble for me. I sensed it already.

I hurried down the hallway and made my way down the steps to the front door. Who could it be at my door? I prayed it wasn’t another strange guest. I wanted a successful business, but so far my guests had all been trouble, even Nicolas. I peeked out the little hole in the door, but didn’t recognize the man standing on the veranda. There was something strange about him. Maybe it was the smudged glass in the door, but he looked blurry.

I eased the door open just enough to poke my head out. The man studied my face but remained expressionless. However, he was tapping his foot. Had I taken too long to answer the door? I glanced over his shoulder. Liam’s car was still there, but apparently Nicolas had left. I hadn’t heard him leave.

“May I help you?” I asked.

The man looked to be in his early eighties. Was he lost? He wore a tweed suit and a fedora hat. His expression soured as his lips pinched into a thin line.

“I heard you can bring me back?” His mouth pulled into an unpleasant grin.

My stomach dropped. Surely he wasn’t talking about bringing him back from the dead? Was he dead? He wasn’t see-through like
Isabeau had been, but his features had a strange blurred quality.

“I’m sorry. Are you lost?”

“You can bring back the dead? I found you and I’d like for you to bring me back.”

Oh no. My mouth dried and stomach turned. This couldn’t be happening. What had I done now? The Coven was
so
not going to like this.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I tried to retain my composure and not freak out.

I’d try to play dumb and maybe this ghost would go away. How in the heck had he found me? When I performed the magic had it sent out some kind of message to the otherworld?

His face suddenly went grim. “No, no, no. You know what I’m talking about. I’m recently passed and I figure if you can bring me back that would be great. I got good tips to bet on the ponies in the upcoming races.”

“You want to be brought back from the dead so you can gamble?” I stared at him in disbelief.

“We all have our vices,” he said, as a flash of humor crossed his face.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

As I began to close the door, he placed his foot over the threshold. It was too late for me to stop the door from being shut. My reflexes weren’t that good. I glanced down, but half of his foot was on the inside of the door and the other half remained on his body.

Why had he rang the doorbell to begin with? I was surprised he hadn’t just come on in. I hurried away from the door. I needed to get the spell book to see if there was a spell to reverse what I’d done. Maybe if I ignored him he would just go away. Forgetting about something made it go away permanently, right? I ran up the stairs, but when I reached the landing, I remembered that I’d left my bedroom door open, and the spell book right out in the open for anyone to see. Well, the only people who were in the house at the moment whom I worried about seeing it was Liam and Nicolas. I didn’t think Isabeau would have any interest in it. I hoped Liam wouldn’t go into my room without me being in there. After all, I’d caught him on the second floor.