Aurora floated after the vampire, quickly taking the lead, and Gia hurried to keep up. According to Aurora, they’d entered as far from the main buildings as possible, and weren’tlikely to encounter anyone unless they were particularly unlucky.
At a gap in the trees, Aurora paused, and Gia stopped beside her.
“The cemetery is this way.” Aurora pointed ahead. “And the main house and outbuildings are that way.” She pointed to where the forest grew thinner.
They’d agreed for Gia and Aurora to go straight to the crypt while Viv investigated the rest of the compound. In the event Aurora wasn’t in the crypt, they’d reassess from there.
Viv came up behind them, disconcertingly silent on her feet. “I’ll go see what I can find. Anyone headed your way won’t make it.”
Gia didn’t ask exactly what Viv meant, and neither did Aurora. “Should we come find you when we’re done?”
“No. You’re too loud, crashing around.” Viv rolled her eyes. “I’ll meet you at the cemetery in twenty minutes. You shouldn’t need longer to open a crypt.”
Aurora flickered in and out of focus. “Fingers crossed.”
Viv strode off without another word, like this was all perfectly normal. Even to Gia, it wasn’t as strange as it should have been, as itwouldhave been if her life hadn’t turned upside down.
“How are you doing?” Aurora asked, voice painfully soft, almost as if she’d read Gia’s mind.
“How am I doing? How areyoudoing? This is what you’ve been waiting for.”
Aurora waved a hand. “I’m fine. Retrieving my body was always the plan.” She floated in the direction of the cemetery.
Gia followed. “Being here isn’t hard?”
Aurora’s expression darkened. “No harder than it was any other day in my life. I’m ready to leave this place, these people, and never come back. I’d much rather help you figure outwhat you want to do next.” She paused. “If you want me to, that is.”
A smile tugged on Gia’s lips. “Of course I want you. I think I’ve wanted that since I met you.”
Aurora glowed brighter, her expression filling with determination. “We’ll—” She disappeared.
Gia froze, her heart pounding, and every one of her senses on alert. “Aurora? Are you invisible?”
There was no answer.
“Aurora!” Gia spun around, searching the surrounding trees.
Not a flicker caught her eye. The cemetery was visible up ahead, a low stone wall at the edge of the trees and several looming crypts beyond. Were they close enough for Aurora to be called to her body? She’d been called to the theater when she hadn’t wanted to go. Was the reverse happening now?
They should have done a better job of figuring out what tied the two of them together and what caused Aurora’s soul to move from one place to another. Fuck! Gia had assumed nothing would separate them until they found Aurora’s body.
“Aurora!” Gia screamed, her pulse pounding. She immediately clamped her mouth shut. What if one of the Thornfields heard her?
Gia ran toward the cemetery. Her feet tangled beneath her, and she fell with a crash, only just catching herself from face-planting.
“Goddammit.” She’d tripped on uneven ground.
Gia pushed up on scraped palms. The dirt beneath her seemed loose compared to the rest of the compact ground around it, and was slightly raised. Like a mound.
Like someone had been digging and then filled in the hole.
A violent shiver vibrated through Gia’s body. Her fists clenched in the loose dirt. This looked like a fresh grave.It was long enough, and about the right shape. But she was outside the cemetery, and there was no marker. Not even a stone or a single flower.
A muffled shout cut through the quiet woods.
Gia sat up like lightning. Was Viv yelling? No, she was too calm and collected. It almost sounded…
Gia looked at the disturbed earth, and everything went icy-cold.
