“Kieran.” She rolled the name on her tongue. “He looks like he could kill with a single kiss. You should hook me up with him.”
I laughed, until her grave expression told me she wasn’t kidding this time. My laughter died in my throat. “He has a girlfriend,” I muttered. It wasn’t even a lie. He was sort of dating someone, or so Aidan said. I had yet to hear Kieran utter those words.
“So?” Julie shrugged. “I don’t see a ring on his finger. Until I see a ring, he’s game.” I snorted. The girl couldn’t be serious. She must’ve forgotten one thing: she was dead. Julie continued, not in the least bothered. “Besides, he didn’t know me when he met her, so he couldn’t compare us to see he and I would’ve been a match made in heaven. I think if he did, he would’ve chosen me.”
I hurried to change the subject. “So you wanted to join the Night Guard, huh? Why?”
“Because it’s the only way to get out of Morganefaire.”
“Right.” I nodded and tapped my fingers against my thigh, gathering my thoughts. I had no idea where to even begin this investigation. For all I knew, there could be a clue in everything Julie shared with me, or it could all be random, irrelevant small talk. Right now, I was ready to bet my non-existent wages on the latter. “We met one of the Night Guard guys in the Council hall when he carried—” your body, I wanted to say but didn’t, “when he came to talk to us. His name was Iain. Do you know him?”
“I told you I know everybody,” Julie said proudly. “Iain was the one to recruit me.”
“Did any of your friends join?”
She shook her head. “He only asked me.”
My curiosity piqued, I made a mental note to tell Aidan, then moved on to my next question. “So he knocked at the door and told you about the Night Guard recruiting for the Blue Moon?”
She shook her head again. “Nope. I was at Elyssa’s, looking for some stuff, when I overheard her and Iain talking, so I asked whether they’d take on girls and he said they might. He said he’d put in a good word.” I nodded encouragingly. She moistened her lips in thought and continued. “A few days later, we met there and he said he got me an interview.”
“Who interviewed you?”
“One of the Council members, Logan,” Julie said. “A few days later, I started my training. The night before—” she waved her hand expressively “—you know, I met Iain at Elyssa’s and he told me I had passed.”
“You keep mentioning Elyssa,” I said. “Is she a friend?”
“She’s the owner of Bells, Books & Candles. It’s the dime store across the street from where I live. I can take you there if you want.”
“Maybe.” I looked at the sunless sky. The cool morning air had warmed up a bit, but it would be a while until the sun would peek from behind the rainclouds. I feared the sun as much as I feared being alone around mortals. At this point, I could no longer trust my vampire nature not to do what it wanted to do. I was thankful Julie was a ghost. If I lost control, the worst that could happen was that I might attack and glide right through her. She was completely safe around me. “Yeah, I think we should go.”
“I loved hanging around that place for hours,” Julie said with such enthusiasm it was contagious. “I bet you’ve never seen anything like it. We should go now!” Her eyes sparkled as she jumped up from her sitting position and reached out for me. I raised my hand to touch hers. The electric jolt was different from the one I felt whenever Aidan and I touched, but by no means unpleasant. She seemed to feel it too for she pulled back, then reached out again, laughing. “How did you do that?”
“I didn’t. It must’ve been you.”
She laughed her crystalline laughter again. “Yeah, probably. Must be a ghost thing.” Her hand sliced right through me as she tried to grab my arm, sending another jolt through my body. If it upset her that she couldn’t hold onto me, she didn’t show it.
I followed her through the narrow streets, past cartwheels filled with fruit and vegetables, and market stands offering all kinds of merchandise, from garments to spices and used steel. Under a protective layer of clothes and with the sky clouded, the rays of sun didn’t get to me as much as usual so I could enjoy the new world all around me. Julie talked non-stop, pointing at this and that. She didn’t exaggerate when she claimed to know everyone. Throughout our little trip she not only recalled everyone’s name but also their profession and their relation to her. By the time we reached the south side of the city and turned into a narrow street off the main road, I could only marvel at Julie’s memory. I didn’t even realize she stopped talking until I had almost crossed the street. Frowning, I stopped and peered around me, wondering where Julie disappeared.
She lingered near a stall selling apples, hovering in mid-air as she pressed her nose against the fruit as though trying to smell it.
I ran back to her and greeted the owner—an old, sturdy woman with an infectious smile—then hissed, “What are you doing? Stop sniffing.”
“She sells twenty-five varieties. Take your pick,” Julie said.
“I wish I could.” I missed eating food so badly. Especially apple pie. Dallas and I used to pick apples from our own apple tree when we were kids, before he grew up and turned into an irritating moron. We’d grab as many as we could and then head home and watch my mother make pies and what else not. It was one of my favorite memories.
“Well, taste one,” Julie urged. “Go on. Do it!”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t have much money on me.” Telling her the truth that I was a vampire might have been a better idea, but somehow she seemed to believe I was just a mortal necromancer and I didn’t want to upset her. Or maybe I enjoyed seeming normal for a change. Either way, I couldn’t tell her—not yet.
“If you don’t take an apple, I’m going to—” Julie pushed out her lower lip like a spoiled child. I planted my hands on my hips as I regarded her.
“Stop pushing me. I told you I don’t have any coins on me and besides, I just got fired from my housekeeping job.”
“You poor dear,” the old woman said, inching closer. She must’ve overheard my conversation with Julie, thinking I was talking to her—or maybe to myself. “Take an apple. You’re new in town and down on your luck, but don’t worry, things will get better soon.” She pressed a large apple into my hand, then turned her back on me and went about her business.
My cheeks flushed. I didn’t want to be rude and say no, but she thought I was a beggar. I couldn’t let her think that. “Sorry, I think you got it all wrong.”
“Now try it,” Julie yelled in my ear, making me jump a step back.
“Go away,” I said through gritted teeth. The old woman shot me a sideway glance, as though I was deranged or something. Julie turned away, knocking down one apple. It was like a domino effect. I stared in horror as a bunch of them rolled down by my feet and onto the cobblestone path. My hand flew up to catch them, but I couldn’t catch them all. The old woman’s mouth pressed into a thin line, probably thinking I was the biggest troublemaker she’d ever met. But I had never been one a day in my life. Well, not deliberately. Needless to say, I was mortified.
“I’m so, so sorry.” I muttered, trying to grab as many apples as I could hold. “I don’t know how it happened.” Oh, I knew how. It was all Julie’s fault!
“Please, dear, just leave them,” the old woman said with a pained expression. Even though it wasn’t really my fault, I felt awfully guilty.
To my chagrin, Julie laughed and wiped a tear from her eyes. Clearly, she found the whole situation very amusing. I couldn’t say the same thing about me. Julie had found a way to entertain herself, and that’s a dangerous thing for a ghost. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the diabolic smile spreading across her lips as she began to tip over the cart, left and right, as though it was a cradle. My fingers shot up to steady it as I began to rearrange the apples—or as many as I could gather from the street.
“Julie, stop it or I’m leaving.” I hissed as quietly as I could, hoping
she’d hear me.
“What’s wrong with her?” a young woman to my right whispered.
“She’s a foreigner,” her companion replied, as though that might be the perfect explanation for my erratic behavior. More people started to point and stare, and I realized that talking to thin air was making me look like a nut case.
Julie laughed. My blood ran hot and cold. “You’re a lunatic!” I hissed at her. “I can’t get rid of you. You just follow me around and annoy me. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a little bossy?”
The old woman’s eyes reflected her anger, and who could blame her? Julie was destroying her livelihood, and I was taking the blame for it. “Please, be on your way,” the woman said to me, eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring. Apologizing a few times, I fished several coins Aidan gave me out of my purse and paid her for her troubles, then disappeared around the corner. When I stopped my cheeks were on fire.
“I could kill you for making the poor woman’s life hell,” I said to the irritating ghost.
Her laughter instantly died in her throat and her expression turned serious. I bit my lip, realizing I had put my foot in my mouth and said the wrong thing yet again. Did she really think I wanted to kill her? I was mad but not that mad.
“I’m sorry, Julie, I didn’t mean it. It’s just a saying, you know.” I bit my lip hard.
She frowned. “You know, I wasn’t like this until now. I did everything they wanted me to do. I followed all the rules. I tried to live up to everyone’s expectations. I was everyone’s friend, which is why I don’t understand why it happened to me. I’m fuming mad, mostly because I should’ve lived when I had the chance. And now it’s too late.” In some way I could understand her. “Why didn’t you just take a bite? That’s all I wanted,” Julie continued.
I regarded the innocent expression on her angelic face, the exact opposite from the demonic smile she had sported only a minute or two ago. Maybe she wasn’t the brightest star or maybe it was her character to ignore everything around her. Either way, I couldn’t be angry with her. “You’ve been around me for more than a day now. Have you seen me eat or drink, or do anything mortals do?” Her jaw dropped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude before,” I said. “I think the sun’s getting to me.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me you were a vampire?” Julie whispered.
I shrugged and moistened my lips, considering my words. “You would’ve been scared, and I didn’t want to add to your problems and worries.”
She smiled and reached out her hand to touch my shoulder. A familiar electric jolt ran through me where her ghostly fingers brushed the thick material of my shirt. “You’re not scary. A bit annoying, maybe, but definitely someone I like to have around. And I’m not saying that because I’m dead and have no friends.”
“Likewise.” The word made it past my lips before it dawned on me what I was saying, but I realized it was the truth. Even though Julie was irritating the hell out of me, I liked having her around.
“Look, we’re here,” Julie said, pointing at a gray building that blended in with the ones to its left and right. “That’s where I live. And that’s the dime store.” I followed her line of vision to the other side of the road, and for a brief second I was sent back in time to a different place.
“It looks just like—”
“A tiny fairytale castle, right?” Julie exclaimed.
I crossed the street and stopped in front of the white walls and the wooden plate inscribed with the words BELLS, BOOKS & CANDLES in fancy cursive. Even without the snow to build the backdrop, the shop had an uncanny resemblance to a bakery in the Swiss Alps.
With a glance over my shoulder, I tried to push the door open a few times. It didn’t budge until a voice called from inside, “Come in.”
Chapter 11
The door opened slowly, as though invisible hands moved it, leaving an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I stepped in and scanned the deserted shop floor. The first thing I noticed upon entering BELLS, BOOKS & CANDLES was the sheer amount of décor, and by that I mean lots of what every normal human being would call clutter. There were statues of all sizes, shaped in any possible form, from animals to various mythological deities to hearts and stars, and miniature replicas of famous sights like the Eifel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
I ran my finger across an ivory bowl and the matching grinder, marveling at how smooth the stone seemed, when I felt someone’s presence behind me. My head turned sharply, my senses heightened to detect any approaching danger.
“Namaste. I’m Elyssa. Welcome to Bells, Books and Candles. How can I help you?” the woman said, taking a tiny bow. She was a few years older than me, with dark brown, cascading hair brushing her chin and shoulders. A warm smile spread across her pale face with high cheekbones and chocolate brown eyes that seemed to have a greenish shimmer to them. A chiffon, rainbow-colored dress hugged her body like a sheath.
I returned the smile but remained guarded. “I’m just browsing. Your shop looks very interesting from outside.”
“You’re not from here.” Her voice was friendly and pleasant, but there was a hint of frostiness in it that I didn’t notice before, as though she didn’t like non-residents of Morganefaire very much. Or maybe it was just one of Aidan’s companions she didn’t want around.
I laughed softly. “What gave me away?”
She shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “The fact that you’re not aware of Morganefaire’s customs. You’re in need but instead of asking for what you want, you pretend nothing’s wrong.”
“What makes you say that?” I wore nice clothes. My shoes didn’t have holes in them. My boyfriend was loaded and one of the most powerful vampires out there. I tried to make sense of her words.
“I can feel you’re in dire straits. We’re not afraid to admit when we need something desperately,” Elyssa said.
The woman was spot on, but I wasn’t going to admit anything to a stranger because it could make us appear weak. Messing up Aidan’s chances of gaining the city’s support was no option. The magic would give us the advantage we needed in the upcoming war.
Elyssa wrapped her pale fingers around what looked like a golden flask and held it up, jolting me out of my thoughts. The soft sunshine caught in the dark green glass and made the liquid inside shimmer almost black.
“What’s that?” I asked. She was drawing me in and I couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
“A magic potion that holds the power of the universe,” Elyssa said. “It’s one of the many things we have on offer.”
“Have you used it before?”
Elyssa nodded. “Many times. I’ve cured the sick, and mended broken hearts. I’ve brought happiness upon those who sought it, and destroyed others’ enemies. But those are all wishes that need to be spoken out before they can manifest.”
My heart hammered hard as something dawned on me. The Shadow magic infused into Kieran’s blood during the ritual was passed onto me when I was turned, and it had worked…until something broke it, triggering my bloodlust and the sensitivity to light. Morganefaire was a strong source of magic. Even if this woman offered only bogus potions and strangely shaped semi-precious gemstones, the real magic had to be somewhere. If I found it, then I might just get rid of the bloodlust. I had no idea where it could be but I could multi-task...solve Julie’s murder and my sunburn dilemma.
“Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to assist you,” Elyssa said. With a last smile she stepped quickly behind a transparent curtain, then disappeared.
“Wait!” I trailed after her and pulled the curtain aside. Behind it was nothing but a white wall. Where had she gone? “Julie,” I whispered, frowning. “Julie, where are you?”
“Over here,” she said.
I followed her voice around a few cabinets filled to the brim with yet more clutter. She was hovering near a stand with paintings in silver frames. I inched closer and trailed her line of vision to an image depicting a tall wall rising aga
inst the black night. Countless arms and hands, buried beneath the ground, seemed to erupt out of the earth and reach for the wall, their pale skin catching the soft glow of the moon and stars above. It was a creepy image that sent shivers down my spine.
“What’s that?” I whispered.
“The wall that keeps the darkness out,” Julie said. “The Night Guard patrols it to make sure nothing enters the gate or climbs inside the city.”
I thought back to Aidan’s words. After centuries of being hunted by mortals, the witches and warlocks of Morganefaire had become distrustful of the outside world, and who could blame them? Had I seen friends or family being burned alive during witch-hunts, or tortured into admitting the most sordid accusations, I might’ve started to dislike the world outside of my city as well.
“Being chosen to serve the Night Guard is an honor,” Julie said with a sigh.
“Is that why you disappeared last night? To watch the wall?” The question made it past my lips before I could contain myself, but she didn’t seem to mind my prying.
“Yeah.” She turned to face me, her expression grave. “It was very quiet.” A flicker appeared in her eyes, and I knew she kept something to herself.
“What did you see?”
She shook her head. “I’m just a ghost so I don’t see. I sense. But it’s nothing.”
“What was it, Julie?”
She grimaced. “I don’t know. The night was darker than ever before, that’s all.” She laughed softly. “You’ll think me nuts.”
“No, I won’t. You need to tell me because it might be important.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath, gathering her words. “I was marching up and down the wall when one of the torches illuminating the street below went out. Everything was black. It was really creepy.”
“Maybe someone blew out the fire,” I suggested.
She shook her head again. “I don’t think so. Have you ever seen one of the night torches lining the streets? It’s a huge thing. The flames don’t even flicker. You’d need a lot of breath to blow that fire out.”