Just Lucky that Way (17 page)

Zed gave a small laugh. "I believe in being thorough." He looked back at the house. "Where's Alex?"

"He's fine..."

"But?"

"We need to call an ambulance--"

"Call one then." Zed didn't wait to hear more. He took off for the house, his blood racing and his heart thumping in his ears. The wall and door of the kitchen looked as if a bomb had hit. Could Phil and Tania claim ghost attack on their home owner's policy?

Opal was lucky she was vanquished already. When Tania saw the state of her kitchen, she'd be out for blood. All the hard work that went into renovating had been ruined in one afternoon. A tree limb in the middle of the floor and bricks and broken wood and glass decorated the kitchen now.

"Alex," Zed called out as he picked his way through rubble, bracing for the worst.

"I'm under the table," Alex replied. "I'm okay."

"Bullshit." Alex would have walked outside with Rhys if that were the case.

Zed kicked an empty salt box out of the way and peered under the table realizing, almost as an afterthought, that he was kneeling on salt. That was a smart move by Rhys and Alex. Making their salt circle under the table and as far away from the destroyed kitchen wall as possible.

Alex was slumped against the wall, his face so pale his skin was almost translucent. Zed's stomach churned and he changed the angle he was kneeling at to get a better view of Alex's shoulder... and the jagged piece of wood sticking out of it. The wood looked to be a slice of the door, about twelve inches long and two wide... and painted a cheerful bright yellow.

"Alex..." Zed felt the blood drain from his face and was sure his color now matched Alex's. He didn't touch anything but Alex's hand, which was ice cold.

"It's fine if I don't breathe," Alex said, and smiled weakly. "Hurts like a bitch."

"Zed!" Rhys ran into the room, shaking the floorboards. "Don't touch it!"

"Not about to, but -- I dunno... Do something."

Rhys shook his head. "You can't take it out here. Puncture wounds like that are best treated in a hospital." Rhys squatted next to Alex and took his pulse. "If it nicked an artery and you remove it, he'll bleed out. Best to leave it like that. The ambulance'll be here soon."

Rhys' bedside manner was excellent. What he said made sense and Zed was calmed enough to be of help instead of a panicking mess. Not that Alex seemed to be panicking at all.

"Zed, I'm fine." Alex smiled. "We'll go to the ER and they'll take it out and we'll be home safe and sound before you know it."

Zed didn't believe that for an instant.

"We're lucky Tania stockpiled salt." Rhys pointed to the empty salt boxes scattered around their circle. "Though I don't know whether it actually did anything."

"Even though it was for a good cause, I think we need to replace the Pink Himalayan." Alex turned to face Zed. "Are you okay? Thad?"

"Yeah. Our salt circle worked brilliantly. It was awesome, Alex. She was so angry, and she couldn't get me. She was going to ki-- never mind."

"Well, she missed." Alex took Zed's hand and threaded their fingers, squeezing gently. "She's really gone? For good?"

Zed nodded. "Thad's doing a quick check for any other activity."

"Good. Phil and Tania won't want anything like this happening again." A lone siren wailed in the distance, growing closer by the second. "Definitely not how I pictured spending my twenty third birthday."

"No? How did you picture it? Did I promise you anything outrageous?"

"Probably, but I think I deserve some TLC--"

"Nah, I hate that band. I'll give you all the My Chemical Romance you can handle, though." Zed kissed Alex softly.

"I'll probably be okay for some Nine Inch Nails before the week is out."

Zed raised an eyebrow. "Nine inches? That's optimistic, but I'll do my best."

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

Just Lucky that Way

BIRTHSTONES

An imprint of Torquere Press Publishers

PO Box 2545

Round Rock, TX 78680

Copyright ? 2011 by Andy Slayde and Ali Wilde

Cover illustration by Alessia Brio

Published with permission

Camp Hell is copyright 2009 by Jordan Castillo Price and published by JCP Books LLC. Used with permission.

ISBN: 978-1-61040-588-4

www.torquerepress.com

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. For information address Torquere Press. Inc., PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX 78680.

First Torquere Press Printing: October 2011

Printed in the USA