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ChapterForty-Two
SUNDAY
Over the last week, we’d reached a sort of easy routine at Blackthorne Manor. All of us settled into the flow of the family, rising in the latter part of the afternoon, exploring the house, then avoiding the grumpy vampires when the sun went down. While Cashel was terrifying, Noah’s human mother, Olivia, welcomed me like I was her own daughter. She made me feel like I belonged, just like Kingston and Alek’s mothers had done.
Moira had declared today a girl’s day, and she’d brought Ash and me down to Callie’s lab to test out her witchy face masks. We invited Olivia and Rosie to join us, but they had other engagements in town.
“Callie, what did you do down here before...” Moira started, but trailed off when Ash shot her a deadly glare.
“Before I died horribly? It’s fine. I’m not precious about it.” The lovely little specter waved a hand. “I spent most of my nights trying to find a cure for sun sickness.”
Ash gasped. “I’ve heard of that. It was terrible.”
“Yes. Awful way to go. Speaking from experience.” She flitted from shelf to shelf, not touching anything but examining each organized notebook closely. “Ah, here it is. My final journal. If you want a good read, check that out. So much drama. Until I died, of course.”
Ash accepted the leather-bound book with a wide smile. “I look forward to it, thank you.”
I was pretty sure she meant it too. Ash had zero poker face.
“Mo, what did you put in this one again?” I asked, poking at the baby pink goop on my face.
“Rosehips and charcoal to pull out the impurities because pregnancy is tearing up your skin.”
I took a small handful of the concoction and flung it at her. “Thanks for pointing it out, witch.”
Moira blew me a kiss. “At least it smells better than the one I made for Ash. I know she needed it, but phew, she smells like a bottle of furniture polish with all that lemon and citrus.”
“It’s supposed to help me reawaken my third eye.”
“Was it closed?” Callie asked.
“Not until I arrived here. This place obfuscates everything. The energy is... challenging. It’s hard to get a read on anyone here.”
“I’ve been feeling that way myself,” Callie said, bobbing her head. “Just these last couple of weeks. Feels like a veil of death is shrouding everything.”
“Yes, that’s exactly it. A heavy gray fog clinging to everything and everyone. It’s unnatural. I’d leave here if I had a choice.”
My stomach churned at the knowledge my friend wasn’t comfortable here. “You don’t have to stay, Ash. Really. If you want to go, it’s okay.”
“I know. I think that’s more reason for me to be part of this. Something isn’t right. Maybe I can help.”
Moira took her hand. “We can help.”
Ash smiled at her, looking beautiful despite the layer of thick yellow pudding she had smeared on her face. “I love you.”
“Same.”
Callie giggled. “You two are the best. I wish I’d had you before I died. It would’ve been nice to have some friends to talk to about... well, who I am.”
“You can talk to us now.” Moira turned her attention to the ghost.
“Thanks. I had a ghoulfriend for a brief spell a few decades ago, but that didn’t work out. She crossed over and I stayed behind.”
“It must be hard finding someone special to spend your afterlife with,” Moira said.
Callie nodded. “I try not to dwell on that which cannot be changed and focus instead on what I can.”
A soft rap of knuckles on the door had me turning, dripping pink slop onto my shirt. Noah popped his head inside the lab and promptly burst into peals of laughter.
