creepy hollow 05.5 - scarlett (12 page)

Beth knelt beside the skinnier man. Doubt nudged at the back of her mind, reminding her that it wasn’t too late. She’d done nothing wrong yet. But that doubt was stamped down by the part of her that
wanted
to do this, that hungered for the life force she could sense. She removed her gloves and gave them to Tilda. Then she placed a hand on either side of the old man’s face.

It was instant, the flood of energy that streamed from his body into hers. The man twitched in his sleep, as though a subconscious part of his body fought back, but Beth never lost contact with his skin. She felt his pulse weakening and his shudders subsiding, and as the energy resonating through her body intensified to a brilliant, warm glow, the man finally stilled.

“It is done,” Malena said. “His heart beats no more.”

Beth breathed out slowly and pulled her hands back.

I killed someone.

She let the knowledge settle into her being, waiting to feel horrified, sickened, but all feeling was eclipsed by the brilliant rush of power flooding her veins. This wasn’t death. Not even close. This was
life
and it was hers—every glorious drop of it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Scarlett strode along the tunnels toward her bedroom, aglow with the vibrancy of life still rippling through her body. After demonstrating their own ritual—a process involving an ancient knife and foreign, guttural words—Malena and Sorena had taught Scarlett how to pour the man’s energy into an orb for later use. It left her hands as a stream of gold. Almost liquid, almost smoke, but somehow neither. There had been so much of it, and the excess lingered in her veins, lightening her steps and tinting the world with warmth.

She was nearing her door when footsteps coming toward her made her look up. “Oh, hi,” Thoren said. “How did it go tonight?”

That jolt—the same jolt she used to feel when she first noticed Jack as someone more than just the brother of her best friend—pulsed through her. She could lie to herself as much as she wished, but in the back of her mind, she knew she was attracted to Thoren. His easygoing nature, his patience whenever she encountered something new, his sense of humor. And those eyes … They captivated her in the same way her own siren power captivated others.

“It went well,” she said, smiling and clasping her hands together behind her back. “I’m glad your mother and the others pushed me to do it.”

“So you were okay with it? With ending someone’s life?”

“I …” Her guilt was an invisible layer buried so far beneath the warm glow that she could barely feel it. “I was. I think all I can really say is that … I was born for this. I see that now.” She leaned against her door, her fingers playing absently with the edge of her cloak. “A mountain lion shouldn’t feel bad for killing a deer. The mountain lion was made to do that. And maybe I, in the same way, am made to do this.”

Thoren’s eyes crinkled at the edges. “I couldn’t agree with you more. Tilda must be so happy. She told me last night after you went to bed how scared she was that you might want to leave. I think you’ve ended up being the closest friend she’s ever had, and she was so worried you’d never understand about using human energy.”

Closest friend …

Scarlett’s smile dimmed as she remembered Zoe. Zoe was supposed to be her closest friend. And yet … everything from Scarlett’s old life seemed so dull, so trivial in comparison with the immense power she’d discovered tonight. Zoe, a human, could never possibly understand that.

“So you’re definitely going to go through with the Change?” Thoren asked. “Become a witch?”

She blinked away the disconcerting thoughts of Zoe and said, “I am.”

He nodded, then swallowed and looked away. “Remember when I told you that I don’t want to stay here? That I want to travel and see the world? Well …” He rubbed one hand across the back of his neck, then forced a laugh out. “It feels so awkward to say this out loud. I—I think I would want to stay if … if you were also here.”

Scarlett’s eyes went instantly to his wrist, but his charm was still there. She frowned and pushed away from the door. “Thoren …”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m in complete control of what I’m saying.” He took a step toward her. “Of what I’m feeling.” Another step. “That day in your bedroom, when I almost kissed you while under your influence … After I put the bracelet back on … I still wanted that kiss. And it was
me
wanting it. The real me, not the powerless version you could command at will.” He stood so close now that she could feel his breath. “Do you … do you ever feel the same way?” he whispered.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She knew she shouldn’t, but she did, she
did
feel the same way. His nearness was intoxicating, like a drug she couldn’t remember taking but whose effects were undeniable. She nodded as she reached up with one gloved hand and touched the side of his face. She ran her satin covered thumb over his mouth. His breaths became shallower and his lips parted. And then, without warning, he pulled her to him. She didn’t resist. Their lips pressed together, hungry, desperate. His fingers dug into her back while hers raked through his hair. His body lined every inch of hers. Nothing could get between them. Nothing except—

An image of Jack.

Scarlett pushed Thoren away and took a few unsteady steps backward. “I … I can’t …” But then a thought struck her. “Wait.” Her hand rose slowly and touched her lips. “You’re fine. I touched you, but you’re fine.”

He blinked. “Yes. I am.”

“Do you think … maybe … because I can now control the rest of my magic, I automatically have control over this power too?”

“Maybe. Should … should we test it again?”

Test it again? Did he mean
kiss
again? She couldn’t do that. She wanted to but she couldn’t.
Shouldn’t
. Not when she still had Jack and her heart beat shame into her with every thump. But they didn’t have to kiss in order to test this. “Okay,” she said, slowly removing one glove. She stepped closer and held her hand out to him.

Tentatively, Thoren took it, his eyes locked on hers. There was a single moment in which hope rose between them, tangible and warm and wonderful—before Thoren’s eyes widened in fear and his next breath came in a gasp. He ripped his hand from hers and clutched his chest. He tried to brace himself against the wall and ended up sliding against it to the floor.

“No, no, no.” Scarlett tugged her glove back on before dropping to Thoren’s side. Tears ached behind her eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I promise.”

“It’s okay,” he gasped. “It’s okay, I’m okay.”

“This
isn’t
okay.” She forced the tears back before they could escape. “I hate that I have no control over this.”

He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “It is okay,” he said as his breathing began to even out. “It’s better than okay because we just discovered something. Something good.”

Scarlett’s eyes raked over the strong man she had unintentionally reduced to something so weak. “How is this
good
?”

“Your hands,” he said, “are the only part of you that’s dangerous. Other types of touch … a kiss, your lips … they don’t hurt anyone.”

A small breathy laugh escaped her as she realized he was right. This was something new, something she hadn’t known about herself. And if she had control over other parts of her body, then surely it wouldn’t be long before she could control the magic leaving her hands. She slipped her gloved fingers between his. “I’m still sorry, though. Do you feel okay?”

“I’ve been worse. Just feeling a little weak, that’s all.”

Scarlett smirked. “I’ll bet there’s a charm spell to help fix that.”

“There is, actually.” Thoren moved as if to get to his feet, and Scarlett hooked her hand under his arm to help him up.

“Do you need a new bracelet for that?”

“Yeah, I’ll just—”

“You go lie down,” Scarlett said. “I’ll get it for you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I can still walk, you know.”

“Is that why your legs seem to be shuddering beneath your weight?” She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Just go lie down. The workshop’s a lot further away than the storeroom you now sleep in.” Which she would
not
be staying long in after bringing Thoren the bracelet, she firmly instructed herself.

She hurried along the tunnels, past the kitchen, and into Malena’s workshop. The box of leather bracelets was still on the shelf above the desk. She pulled the box down and selected a bracelet for Thoren, one with a piece of dark wood shaped almost like a shoe. She returned the box to its place on the shelf and was about to leave when the enchanted flower in the corner caught her attention. Or, to be more precise, it was the open window of the glass case that she noticed. Wasn’t it supposed to be closed?

She approached the pedestal. Perhaps Malena had made some adjustments to the glacier or lava enchantments and forgotten to close the window. Unlikely. Malena wasn’t the sort to forget important things like that. Scarlett wondered if she should close the window, but she dismissed the idea quickly. Magic was probably required. Something as important as this flower would surely be protected by more than simple glass. She leaned in to take a closer look and noticed that three of the outer petals were grey instead of clean white. And then—as she watched—a single grey petal detached itself from the flower and dropped onto the cushion upon which the bell jar rested.

Scarlett froze, expecting an earthquake or an explosion of molten rock or, at the very least, a shudder. But there was nothing. Nothing but the sound of—

Voices. Raised, arguing, moving closer to the workshop. Scarlett dropped to her hands and knees and scooted behind the workbench as Tilda and Malena entered the room. They flung words back and forth at each other like punches, and Scarlett wished she knew what they were saying. Then she heard her name—and she wished with all her heart she’d made the effort to begin learning their language.

But that was unnecessary, she realized suddenly, because she had a charm in her hand and she remembered the words Thoren had uttered. She put the bracelet on and tightened her fist around the wooden charm—then flinched as one of the sisters brought a fist down on the workbench surface, causing all the glassware to rattle. As Tilda shouted over Malena, Scarlett whispered the three words she remembered. She forced a pulse of magic from her hand, then bent over it to shield the resulting flash of light.

“—angry? You’re supposed to be
pleased
with the work I’ve done,” Tilda said. “I mean, for the love of fae, she spent her whole life in the human world and tonight she
killed
one of them. Willingly. That’s a gigantic step in the right direction.”

“I’m angry because you’re still lying to her.”

Tilda growled in frustration. “Of course I am. That was the plan. If I had told her the truth already, she’d be long gone by now.”

The truth? What truth?

“Possibly, but you clearly haven’t thought this through, Tilda. If you let her trust you for
too
long before you reveal the truth, she will feel betrayed. She’ll be furious, and she’ll probably leave anyway.”

“I
have
thought everything through,” Tilda ground out between her teeth. “Do not interfere.”

“I don’t have time to interfere!” Malena shouted. “Not when I have to deal with the possibility of our home shattering around us at any moment. But—”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic.”

“BUT I most certainly will interfere if I sense you’re about to mess this up for us,” Malena continued. “Controlling her power is the sole reason Scarlett stayed here in the first place, and if you don’t tell her at the right time and in the right way that you
can’t
actually help her, this will all blow up in your face.”

Can’t help—“You
can’t help me
?” Scarlett demanded as she shot, unthinkingly, to her feet. “You’ve been lying since day one?”

Malena started, but her wide black eyes narrowed a second later. “What are you doing hiding in my workshop?”

“What are you doing lying to me?” Scarlett yelled.

Malena pressed her lips tightly together before answering. “How dare you speak to me in that tone?”

“How dare you give me the promise of controlling my power when that’s the furthest thing from the truth?” Fury pulsed through Scarlett’s veins. “What was the point in keeping me here? So you could force me to suck the life from unsuspecting humans?”

“You
enjoyed
that,” Malena snarled, and Scarlett hated her all the more because it was true. “You should be thanking me for pointing you in the right—”

“Malena, stop!” Tilda shouted, pushing past her sister and moving toward Scarlett with her hands raised. “Scar, this is all a misunderstanding. We—”

“No,
you
stop!” Scarlett shouted. “You’ve only ever wanted me to embrace my power, and now I’m going to show you exactly what that means.” She tore both gloves off and advanced on Tilda.

“You wouldn’t!” Tilda shrieked, stumbling backward until her back met the wall. “We’re like sisters, Scar. You can’t do this to me.”

“If you were my sister, you wouldn’t have LIED!” Scarlett yelled, pouring all her rage into that last word. She flew at Tilda and wrapped her hands around the girl’s neck. Power rushed through her hands and up her arms, and she squeezed and squeezed and—

A fierce grip latched onto her arm, yanking her away from Tilda. The younger girl slid to the floor while Scarlett fell against Malena. Sharp nails ripped Scarlett’s skin. She cried out as she twisted and flattened her palm against Malena’s face. The witch slashed at Scarlett’s arm, but she was growing weaker already. Soon she was gasping, then staggering, and Scarlett easily pushed her down onto her knees.

Scarlett stepped back, her gaze whipping around the workshop. She couldn’t stay here. She needed a—There it was. Half a black candle, standing in a jar of quills on Malena’s desk. Breathless, she lunged for it, knocking over the jar in the process.