Conjure (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-five

After returning home and indulging in a two-hour nap, I’m feeling strong enough to check in with the guys. “So how’d it go? Did you get the necklace?” I plop down on the couch next to Jack and, because Dad’s not home, put my feet up on the coffee table. Cooper and I have decided not to tell Jack about our relationship. He’s got enough problems. He doesn’t need to worry that Cooper will abandon him for me. We’ll wait until after he’s cured to break the news. Although now that we’ve hit another honking road block, that might take awhile.

“Nice of you to join us, Em.” Jack nudges me in the ribs with his elbow. “I wondered if you were going to sleep clear through tomorrow. I guess all that non-curse breaking gets pretty tiring.”

He has no idea.

Cooper kicks the sole of Jack’s outstretched flip-flop. “Hey, be nice.” He glances up at me and smiles. His powder-blue eyes gleam and send that delicious chill through my body. Memories of last night roll through my mind, flushing my cheeks with amorous heat.

I squelch a sigh. He’s perfect. And if I have anything to do with it, he’ll stay that way. The darkness will not swallow him.

Cooper winks. “You’ll have to forgive your brother, Emmaline. He’s grumpy from chasing Missy around all day.”

“That’s only because you haven’t managed to swipe that necklace before now.” Jack crosses his arms and turns to me. “Dang, Em, I’ve never known anyone to be so busy doing nothing. We followed her to the grocery store, the gym, a restaurant, and her salon.”

I snort. “What’d you do, stalk her?”

Cooper shakes his head and smirks. “Nah, not really.”

Jack kicks him back. “Of course we did. How else are we supposed to get the ruby and reverse this?” He rips off the glove, then lifts his arm and jerks up the rash guard sleeve. The moldy scent of decay floods the room. Cooper and I both groan and slap our hands to our noses. The end of his radius and ulna are bare now, and a new, wider band of flesh is red and bulging. It takes up half of his remaining forearm.

I silently chastise myself for making him believe the necklace is the key to breaking his curse and not Cooper’s—which, of course, they don’t even know about. But I can’t reveal the truth. It’ll crush Cooper to know I lied, and then we’ll be over before we’ve even begun. It’s better to change the subject. “Look, I’m sorry you guys wasted your time. What were you thinking, anyway? Don’t you think she got a little suspicious with you two popping up everywhere she went?”

Jack glares at me through his long black lashes. “Do we look that stupid?” He peers at Cooper, who’s chuckling at his annoyance. “We were discreet. Besides, she’s not the brightest halogen. She wouldn’t realize we were following her unless we strapped on neon signs and waved at her.”

I can’t help but laugh. But before his ego’s boosted too much, I shrug my shoulders and try to bring him back to earth. “Yeah, but what was the point? Did you think she’d fall unconscious in the freezer aisle, and you’d get to rip it off her neck?”

He quirks his brow so hard the creases form an
S
. “No, but I figured she’d at least take it off while she worked out or when she had her massage at the spa.”

Cooper nods. “Actually, I thought it was a good idea, too. We were ready to sneak into the women’s locker room and go through her stuff.” He mashes his lips together and scratches his temple. “Am I the only one worried about how easy it’s getting to commit crime?”

Jack waves him off. “Don’t stress, dude. It’s only temporary.” He turns back to me. “It was a great plan, except Missy wore the stinking thing the whole time. I mean, even during her yoga class and when she was on the elliptical.”

I wince. “Ew, it must be crusted with sweat.”

Jack shrugs. “Probably, but who cares, right? I’ll take it any way I can, slimy or not.” He lifts his arm. “This is already the grossest thing ever. A little sweat doesn’t scare me.”

A wave of sadness overwhelms me. He doesn’t realize how bad it’ll get before it’s too late to save him. Hot tears build up behind my eyes and threaten to well over.
Normal, Emma, act normal.
Nothing’s changed—Jack’s still got The Creep, and Miss Delia’s working on a cure—so there’s no need to volunteer the news about our latest obstacle. I grit my teeth and gulp the rising sob back down my throat.

Cooper leans toward Jack. “So, genius, what’s our next move? I tried to sneak in their room last night, but…”

“But what?” Jack knits his brow.

“It’s just…well, you know.” Cooper turns the most adorable shade of pink. “Their room isn’t exactly quiet at night, if you catch my drift. I’d hate to walk in on something I shouldn’t see.”

A little throw-up lurches into my mouth. Beau. Missy. Then Beau and Missy. I shudder. On second thought, Jack was wrong. His arm isn’t the grossest thing ever—this new picture in my head is. By a long country mile.

Jack crosses his arms and stares at his outstretched legs. “I was hoping she’d take it off at night, but after today, I wonder if she ever does. I think our best bet is to just keep following her. Who knows? Maybe Emma’s right. Maybe she’ll trip on one of those stilettos of hers and knock herself out. We wouldn’t want to miss a perfect opportunity to grab it.”

Cooper chuckles. “That would sure make it easy, wouldn’t it?” Then his face falls. “You’re not suggesting we trip her or anything, right?” He hitches a worried eyebrow. “Because stealing is one thing. Hurting people, even Missy, is another.”

Jack cocks his head. “Don’t be an idiot. Violence is only very rarely the answer. I’ll figure something out. It just might take some time.”

I stare at his arm and count the weeks between today and Cooper’s birthday. Time is the one thing we don’t have. Jack’s disintegrating every couple of days. How can he be so casual about this?

I purse my lips and approach this gently. “Um, Jack, you need to figure this out soon. Actually, sooner than soon.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m working on it.”

I rub my throbbing forehead. “Really? Because you seem kind of laid-back about it.”

“I got this. We’re cool.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks as words trip from my mouth. “No, we’re not. We’re running out of time.”

Cooper leans forward. “What do you know, Emmaline? Did something happen at Miss Delia’s today?”

Jack’s brow furrows. “Yeah, weren’t you supposed to do another one of those
Psychic Vision
things? Did you see who created The Creep?” He winces and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Stupid headache is back again.”

I exhale and try to figure out how to answer their questions. “Yeah, I saw it all right. It was pretty horrible.” Launching into the story, I explain what I saw and stick to the facts, skirting all references to how Lady Rose’s progeny was cursed because of the necklace. To reduce Cooper’s and Jack’s panic, I play down the
plateye
attack, putting as much positive spin on their presence as possible. Despite the guys’ horrified expressions, I force a smile and act as if being attacked by four seething beasts is no big deal.

I shrug. “Really, Miss Delia said it’s actually a good thing that so many showed up. They wouldn’t multiply if we weren’t getting close.” Cooper strains to keep his cool, but after last night, I know no matter how I spin it, his protection meter is off the charts. To keep from tipping off Jack, I avoid eye contact with Cooper and try to stay focused.

“So while we work out the
Break Jinx
, I need you guys to get the necklace because—I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Jack, but The Creep is moving faster up your arm.”

He lifts his hand. “Duh. That’s not a news flash.” He drops his ruined arm. “Believe me, I understand what’ll happen if we don’t get the ruby.”

No, he doesn’t, because I haven’t told them about the Beaumont curse. Images from both
Psychic Visions
fly through my head, and dread swells in my gut. There’s still a slim chance Miss Delia and I will decipher Sabina’s words and generate enough power to seal the elements together, but without the ruby necklace, Cooper will be lost.

A brutal concoction of despondence and fear churns my stomach. Who am I kidding? We probably won’t be able to save Jack, either. I’ll lose them both. Forever.

I suddenly feel so small, so battered from fighting Sabina’s relentless twin curses. After watching the visions, I understand why Sabina wanted revenge. Bloody Bill and Edmund did a horrible thing and had it coming. But why do both curses have to exact so much havoc on the two people I love the most? What did
we
do to deserve this?

Maybe it’s the pressure of hiding the lie, the post-traumatic stress from the
plateye
attack, or my anger toward Sabina for creating these horrific spells, but Jack’s smug expression puts me over the edge, igniting a fury that explodes and travels from my heels to my hair. I clench my fists and shout, “You think you know everything, but you don’t know squat.”

Jack’s eyes flash with as much surprise as anger. “Who do you think you are? I’m the one who’s falling apart!” He slams his bony hand on the coffee table. The tips of his phalanges crack and splinter, and the top of the middle one snaps clean off.

Chapter Twenty-six

Cooper guides the station wagon down the country lane toward Miss Delia’s house. We’ve driven this road several times since the museum heist, so the overgrowth is mashed down, making it easier to avoid the rocks and potholes. It’s overcast and chillier than normal, so for once we don’t need to blast the air conditioner.

Cooper glances at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes filled with concern. “I know you and Miss Delia think you can handle things on your own, but if those
plateyes
show up again, I want you to call us. Missy’s meeting some friends for lunch in Beaufort, so we’ll be nearby. It won’t take us long to come and get you.”

I wish I could sit in the front seat with him, holding his hand. But that would give Jack a giant clue that things have…evolved between Cooper and me.

Jack’s lip curls. “Hey, speak for yourself. I didn’t volunteer to fight those hellhounds. I’ve got enough problems.” He raises his elbow to remind us that, if things proceed as usual, the rest of his forearm is likely to burst tonight. And that he’s irretrievably lost the tip of his middle finger. He’s soaked his phalanges in water and slathered them with moisturizer every night since, trying to keep them moist. I’m sorry for him, but the upside is, it’s reduced his enthusiasm for flipping the bird. At least he was kind enough to keep everything covered up and the stink under his rash guard. He crosses his arms. “If you want to be a hero go right ahead, but count me out.”

I roll my eyes, then turn my attention to Cooper. “Thanks, but Miss Delia’s got plenty of whiskey. We’ll be fine.” I toss him a surreptitious kiss from behind Jack’s back.

He smiles but then looks stern. “I’m serious, Emmaline.” His voice drops. “Those things keep multiplying. At some point you won’t be able to hold them back, no matter how much liquor you’ve got.”

“Maybe, but we’ve got hoodoo magic on our side.” I waggle my brows and grin, hoping he’s thinking as much about our second and third beach dates as I am. “Besides, I don’t want to take you away from your mission. We need the necklace.”

He nods. “I know. I’ve got a good feeling about today. I overheard Missy planning a trip to a jewelry store with her friends. There’s no way she’ll keep the ruby pendant on if she’s considering other necklaces.”

Jack twists in his seat to face Cooper. “So, brainiac, how are we going to get it if we’re outside the shop watching them?” He looks out the window at the silver sky. “Which won’t be a lot of fun if it starts to pour.”

Cooper shrugs. “Aw, what’s the matter, you afraid you’re going to melt? Trust me, you aren’t that sweet.” He laughs and steers around the last big hole in the road. “Besides, you’ll be fine. There’s an umbrella in the trunk. If we see her take off the necklace, we’ll go in there, distract them, and grab it. Easy.”

Jack blinks. “Right. Easy.”

I laugh. “Let’s hope so.”

We round the bend in the lane. The bottle tree sways in the breeze, its multicolored glass the only bright spot on this usually gray morning. A tuft of white cotton lies on the ground under its gigantic canopy. I squint to make it out, then realize the dark green lump next to it isn’t grass—it’s a housedress. Unease crawls up my spine. I throw open the back door of the still-moving car.

Cooper’s eyes widen in the rearview mirror. “What are you doing, Emmaline?”

“Stop the car!” I yell.

He slams on the breaks as I release the seat belt, bolt from the car, and charge toward the crumpled body lying on the ground. Miss Delia’s features come into view. So do the crimson splotches that cover her face, dress, and legs.

No! No! No!

A surge of adrenaline charges through me, catapulting my heart into overdrive. I scream her name, then dive to the ground to grab her bloody hand. Pounding feet run up behind me.

“Miss Delia,” I cry again. I gently jostle her soiled shoulder to rouse her, but she lies motionless with her eyes shut. Shock and fear swell in my chest as my trembling fingers search her broken body. She’s been mauled and is covered with at least a hundred bite marks that have torn into her clammy skin and shredded her dress. Her tattered flesh hangs in places, slathered with frothy drool and slashed by the
plateyes’
jagged teeth.

I press a quaking finger to her neck. Her pulse is slow and weak, but it’s there. The faintest moan slips from her lips. A glimmer of hope springs in me. She’s not dead. Yet.

“Call an ambulance!” I shriek because I left my messenger bag and phone in the backseat. The guys reach my side and kneel next to her. Cooper flips open his phone and places the call.

Jack’s eyes fill with panic. “Is she dead, Em?”

“What do we do?” Cooper asks at the same time.

“No, and I don’t know,” I answer as my eyes dart around, taking in the scene. An empty bottle of whiskey lies next to her, and her other hand clutches Bloody Bill’s knife, which is splattered with blood. I’m not sure whether the sticky red substance belongs to Miss Delia or the
plateyes
, but I pray she hurt at least one of them. The ground is scarred with dozens of enormous paw prints, claw marks included. Her
collier
beads are strewn all over. My mind zooms, calculating what must have gone on here. One bottle distracted four dog-beasts the other day; based on the number of impressions and the extent of her injuries, she must have been attacked by at least eight. Judging from how bright the color of her blood is, she hasn’t been here long. We probably just missed them. My gaze flies around us in a three-sixty, making sure the evil beasts aren’t still lingering in the shadows.

Thick, stinging tears erupt as I imagine what she endured. Cornered by demons and armed with only one bottle of whiskey, the terror must have been overwhelming and the pain immeasurable. She didn’t deserve to suffer this way.

As much as I want to wail at the cold gray sky and give in to hopelessness, I can’t. I have to be strong, take charge of the situation, and care for her. Smearing the tears from my face, I swallow the lump in my throat, then clench my fists and mine an extra reserve of strength from deep in my gut.

Maybe I can work some hoodoo to help her. Sirens whirl in the distance, so I’ve got to work fast.
Four Thieves Vinegar
saved her the last time, but she’s too far gone for it to make much of a dent now. Although it might help her survive until the ambulance gets her to the hospital.

Stained with her blood, I leap to my feet. “I’ll be right back. Stay with her, and make sure she doesn’t die!”

I’m not sure how they’ll accomplish that, but somehow they’ll have to. I sprint to the front porch, shove open the screen door, and bolt through the living room into the kitchen. Scrambling up onto the counter, I scan the shelves for the potion, grab the little clear vial and a spoon, then run back out to the yard.

Jack’s pacing under the bottle tree, his head in his hands, muttering to himself, “Who’s going to fix me if she dies?”

Cooper strokes Miss Delia’s forehead, the least bloody part of her body, and whispers soothing words close to her ear.

I wipe the sweat trickling down my forehead with my arm. “Here, Miss Delia, it’s
Four Thieves
.” My hands shake as I pour the spicy mint potion onto the spoon and lift it to her lips. “You’ve got to stay with us. Help is on the way.” Her mouth doesn’t open, so I nod toward Cooper. He pries her lips apart, and I insert the spoon. The vinegar slips down her throat, and her eyes twitch behind her closed lids. Maybe she knows what I’ve given her. At least I hope so.

The sirens grow louder, and multiple engines rumble as they round the turn. They’ll be here in a few seconds. The last thing we need is for the sheriff to take the knife as evidence. I reach across Miss Delia’s frayed and crippled body, uncurl her fingers from the handle, and hand it to Cooper. He snatches the knife and the empty whiskey bottle, then jogs to Beau’s car and tosses them in the driver’s-side window. The ambulance emerges from the turn in the road first and is followed by a sheriff’s car.

I grasp Miss Delia’s hand. “Help’s here, Miss Delia. Hold on.” When I squeeze, my fingers brush against something in her grip. A small square of folded paper. My scalp prickles. Whatever it is, it’s important. I slip it into my back pocket just as the emergency responders climb from their vehicles.

An EMT with a nametag that says Briscoe jogs toward us. “What’s going on here?” A deputy sheriff strides up to the tree after him.

Jack stops short. “Can’t you see she’s been attacked?” His eyes are crazed. “Stop asking questions and help her!” He thrusts his golf glove in Miss Delia’s direction.

Cooper returns from the car and clamps Jack on the shoulder. “Sorry, he’s just upset,” he tells the paramedic. “She’s very important to him.”

Briscoe depresses the button on the walkie-talkie strapped to his shoulder. “Johnson, we’re going to need the stretcher. This one’s a real mess.” He turns away from Jack, who’s jerked out from under Cooper’s grasp and gone back to pacing. Briscoe crouches next to Miss Delia to take her vitals.

The deputy pulls me aside. “Do you have any idea what happened to her? It looks like a bear attack. ’Course we don’t have any in these parts. Whatever it was, it was big.”

I gulp. “I think it was a dog. Or, actually, dogs. She’s been having trouble with them coming out of the woods.”

He rubs his chin and scans the surrounding trees. Between my seemingly ridiculous cover story and Jack’s hair-pulling and murmuring panic, it’s clear he’s not buying it. I half wish a few
plateyes
would bound out of there to prove what I’m saying, but that would only raise more questions and require more hospital transports.

“We better get her out of here before Amelia arrives,” Briscoe tells his partner.

Cooper and I exchange looks. I can tell he’s wondering the same thing I am. Who the heck is Amelia? Probably a rival ambulance driver.

“I’m with you. I don’t want to be out here any longer than I have to.” Johnson pushes the stretcher under the tree, and he and Briscoe get to work on her. A few minutes later, Miss Delia’s safe and secure in the ambulance. I try to go with her, but Johnson refuses, explaining that I can’t because I’m a minor, plus she’s so messed up and needs so much care, they don’t want me to distract them. After the ambulance leaves, Jack continues his freak-out while Cooper and I do our best to answer the deputy’s questions. Sort of. I mean, how do you explain that much damage to a little old lady? A couple bites are kind of understandable, but a hundred is a stretch. Plus I’m pretty sure he can smell the lingering scent of whiskey on the ground.

As soon as the EMTs and the deputy are gone, Cooper turns to me, exhausted. “So now what?”

I slip the note from my pocket and scan it. At first the jumbled letters don’t make sense, but I sound them out phonetically and realize what it is. A chill zips up my spine. “I’m going to need that knife.”