I turned blindly from him, waving my hand in some semblance of a good-bye. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. Could barely breathe. Vincent was one of my Revenants? I had to get back to Caspian. I had to tell to him about this.
All this time? All this time, he was supposed to be one of the ones to cross me over? To see me in my final moment and help me get to Caspian? And the other Revenants knew? Was this what they didn’t want to tell me? That I wasn’t going to be able to complete Caspian because my Revenant didn’t want to do his job?
The trees rushed past me, their dark colors blurring into one another. I couldn’t move my legs fast enough. My mind was screaming, NO, NO, NO. It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t be the one …
My head was down, trying to watch my feet so I didn’t stumble on another rock, when a shadow filled my vision.
I looked up.
“Hello, dear,” Vincent said. “Long time, no see.”
And then he punched me in the face.
When I woke up, immediately I became aware that my jaw was hurting like hell, and I was lying on the seat of a strange car. The backseat. My legs were stretched out, and I could feel leather beneath my hands.
An engine roared as we picked up speed, and the sick feeling in my gut matched the feeling of pain in my jaw. I couldn’t see the driver, but I knew who it was.
I was in Vincent’s car. And I had no idea where he was taking me.
Panic started shooting off in my brain, and I lay there for a good ten minutes just letting the fear take over. Finally I told myself that all I had to do was stay calm. If I could get out of the car, I could run. Wherever we were, I had to be able to run to a phone or a house or something.
That calmed me down a bit, and I focused on visualizing myself running down the road, away from him. My fingers slowly groped for my pocket. My phone.
But it was gone. Of course.
The car drove on for what felt like hours, and I had absolutely no clue in which direction we were headed. All I could do was lie still and preserve my strength. And try not to think about the fact that the back molar on the left side of my jaw wiggled a little bit now.
Asshole.
Eventually we came to a stop. The car shut off. “Are you awake back there yet?” Vincent asked.
I ignored him.
“Aaaaaaaaabbeeeey. I said, are you awake?”
My toe started itching. I pictured myself scratching it, but it didn’t help and it was driving me crazy. I shifted subtly, trying to relieve the tension.
“You big faker,” Vincent said. “I knew it!”
My eyes opened just in time to see Vincent leaning over the seat, and then there was an excruciating pain in my jaw as he pressed down right on the spot he’d hit.
“Aaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmppppppphhhh!” I screamed, and he took advantage of the moment to shove a bandanna into my mouth. Before I could do anything, he was tying it around my head. I lifted my hands to rip at him, tear at him, do anything to him, and he zip-tied my wrists together.
Tears of humiliation ran down my cheeks. I’m so stupid!
I’d been so busy thinking about how I was going to run away from him that I’d never even taken inventory of my own body. If I had, I would have realized that my legs were tied together.
“I got you a new bandanna,” he said courteously. “It should taste nice and fresh. You can thank me later.”
I rolled my head back and glared.
“Your eyes say you want to kill me, but your tears say you are such a baby.”
He let go of my hands, and I kicked my legs against the seat out of sheer frustration.
All it did was scuff up the leather a bit.
He noticed it, though. So I did it again.
“Don’t.” His voice was deadly.
I kicked harder. My legs weren’t moving much, but my shoes had black soles on them that left nice rubber marks on what looked like a brand-new leather interior.
“Stop it,” he said again. “Do. Not. Do that.”
I kicked as hard as I could, and he leaned down and touched my jaw.
Pain like I’d never felt before roiled through me and split my head in two. I screamed again, but it was muffled by the bandanna. He just kept his finger there, pressing on that tender nerve, until all I could do was whimper. And stop kicking.
He moved his hand a fraction of an inch. “Will you stop?”
I nodded.
“Good. Now let’s go inside. That’s where the party is.”
He got out of the car and came around to the back. The door opened, and then he was grabbing the front of my jacket, trying to haul me off the seat. I fell to the ground and took the brunt of it on my knees. The driveway was gravel, and I knew I was going to be sore the next day.
Vincent tried to get me to stand, but I couldn’t with my legs tied together. I just kept flopping over. Finally he grunted and lifted me up, swinging me over his shoulder. My head was upside down, my curls flinging back and forth as he walked.
I wiggled a bit, testing to see if I could get free, or maybe hurt him somehow, but a firm hand clamped down on my butt. Immediately I stopped moving.
“Believe me,” he said with a note of distaste in his voice, “I don’t want to be touching you either. Just stay still. We’re almost there.”
Upside down the world looked different, but bit by bit I started to place things. When we came to a standstill in front of a wooden door, I already knew where we were. Even from my position.
Vincent had taken me to our cabin. My family’s very secluded cabin, way out in the woods.
The cabin where I’d first heard the news about Kristen’s death.
He fumbled for a key, then opened the door and stepped in.
With one arm he tossed me across the room, and I landed hard on the couch. He locked the front door and pocketed the key. Turning back to me with an evil smile, he patted his pocket. “That should be safe in there. Are you comfy?”
I glared at him, and mentally promised him a slow, agonizing death.
“What do you think of the place?” He gestured around the room. There was a fire burning in the fireplace, yet all of the windows were completely boarded up. “I made a few upgrades. Took care of the exits and entrances. Cut the phone line, of course. Sure, it’s been unbearably shabby to stay here these last couple of weeks, but I’ve managed to keep myself occupied.” His smile turned into a leer. “Oh, the sacrifices I’ve made for you!”
My hands might have been zip-tied together, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t flip him off. Which was what I did.
He came over and sat next to me, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of the couch. “I was going to take the gag out of your mouth, but just for that? I think I’ll give it another hour.”
I shifted away from him, and he grabbed a nearby magazine. I was starting to lose feeling in my hands when he finally looked up.
“You aren’t going to scream, are you?” he said. “No one’s going to hear you if you do. I just don’t want to have to listen to your caterwauling.”
I shook my head.
He reached for the back of my head and undid the knot. I spit out the bandanna and took a deep breath. “What do you want from me?” I exploded. “Why did you bring me here?”
Vincent sneered. “I don’t want anything from you.”
“Then, I’m here because …?”
“You’re here to stay as far away from Sleepy Hollow and Caspian as possible.”
“Why?”
“Why don’t you just shut up now? Stop talking. It’s annoying.”
“Can I have a glass of water? And maybe some Advil?” I said. “My jaw is kind of sore. Must be, oh, I don’t know, maybe because you punched me in the face!”
Vincent gave a sigh of epic proportions and launched himself off the couch. “Fine.”
He went rummaging through a couple of drawers for the Advil and then got me some water.
I swallowed down the pills and gently touched my t
ender jaw. Then I held my hands out to him. “Can you cut me free?”
He pulled out a pocketknife and sliced through the plastic. I rubbed my hands together, trying to massage some of the life back into them. He pocketed the knife and moved over to the fire, throwing a fresh log onto it.
“Look at me!” he said. “I’m going all mountain man up here.”
“What exactly are we supposed to do here?” I asked. “Read books? Do crossword puzzles? Oooh, I know! Monopoly by the fire.”
“You can do whatever you want. I’m going to be catching up on the latest season of Supernatural.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Oh, great.”
“Hey!” he said. “I went through a lot of trouble to make sure you would have supplies. I’m not heartless, you know. I bought food, water, even toilet paper. What else do you need?”
“Supplies? How long are you planning to keep me here?”
“Today is November second, so … it won’t be much longer.” He looked disappointed. “I guess you won’t be needing all of those supplies, after all.” Then he brightened. “But we can stay longer if you want.”
Chapter Twenty-four
BLOODLINE
… a worthy wight of the name of Ichabod Crane, who sojourned … in Sleepy Hollow … He was tall, but exceedingly lank … with huge ears, large green glassy eyes …
—“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
Before I could answer, Vincent went over to the DVD player and grabbed the remote. Returning to me, he propped both of his outstretched feet across my lap. With a grimace I shoved his feet off. “I’m not your footrest. Thanks.”
My own feet were starting to ache, and I massaged the skin that was pulled tight at the ankles by the zip tie. “Can you please cut these off me?”
“Let me think about it. … No.”
He pressed PLAY, and a ball of fire appeared on the screen. Two guys ran out of a building, each one holding a shotgun. “I saw this one already,” he said. “Dean’s going straight to hell for this. Or wait. It might be Sam this time. I can’t keep them straight.”
I didn’t want to beg him. But the pain was heading toward unbearable. “Vincent, please,” I said. “Cut these off of me?”
“What will you give me?” He cocked his head and slowly slid his eyes down my body. Every nerve ending shrank back, and my skin felt like it wanted to run away screaming. What exactly was I going to have to do to earn my freedom?
“I, uh … I …” I swallowed loudly.
“Well?”
My feet could fall off. I’d crawl to the door if I had too.
Vincent cocked an ear toward me, waiting.
“I have to use the bathroom,” I said instead.
“I’ll walk you.” He stood up and offered a hand. I ignored it at first.
“You have five seconds to make up your mind,” he told me. “Or else you won’t be going until tomorrow morning.”
Reluctantly I took it and hobbled to my feet. Trying to take a step was virtually impossible, and I wobbled wildly. “I can’t do it,” I said. “I need my feet.”
Vincent gave me a look of disdain.
“I can pee right here on the floor if you want,” I offered.
He pulled out his knife again and slit the tie. My feet sprang apart, and I uttered a sigh of relief. That relief was short lived, though, because he clamped an arm down on my wrist and grabbed hold.
Forcefully, he directed me over to the bathroom and shoved me into it. I turned on the water to make him think I was washing my hands, and sized up the small window over the tub.
Too small.
Vincent banged on the door. “Hurry up. I’m waiting.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I yelled back.
Gripping the edges of the sink, I stared into the mirror and turned my head to look at my jaw. A faint yellow and pink stain was there, the beginning of a bruise starting to form. I touched it and hissed as pain went screaming through my head again. Time for plan B, Abbey. You need to get out of here.
The doorknob rattled. “Open up. Or I’m breaking it down. Then any peeing you want to do really will be in front of me.”
I turned the water off and opened the door. Vincent grabbed my arm again and walked me back to the couch. Turning myself completely away from him, I scooted down closer to the other end and curled up into a ball. How long would it take for someone to find me?
“Why did you do it?” I said softly, wondering how much I could get out of him.
“Do what?”
“Stalk me. Leave things in my locker. Visit my parents dressed like a priest. And then … just disappear. Why did you do it?”
He looked excited. “Did you like the fingernails? I thought they were a nice touch. And that perfume? Very expensive. The priest outfit was my personal favorite. Hard to move in, though. It restricted the blood flow.” He grinned at me as I shot him a You’re crazy look. “Oh, come on. I had to do something to keep myself occupied. I was killing time.”
“Killing time until what?”
“Until this, of course. You’re a little thick, aren’t you?”
I sat up. “What do you mean?”
“They didn’t tell you? I bet that was Sophiel’s idea. She’s such a bitch.”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“Has your lover boy been experiencing any strange symptoms lately? Maybe losing his ability to touch?” He held up one finger. “Or he suddenly likes to take extra-long naps?”
I considered lying to him, saying no, those things had never happened. But other than Uri, he seemed to be the only Revenant willing to tell me anything. “Yes. Why?”
“And you.” He pointed at me. “You don’t react the same way to the Revs anymore, do you? No more burning smell or tasting ash?”
I shook my head. “What does all of that mean?” My voice came out in a whisper.
“It means that your little Revenant buddies have been lying to you. I’d wager from the very beginning.” He seemed absolutely delighted. “Do you even know what November third is?”
“No.”
“It’s the reason why you’re here. The reason why your boy toy’s been losing his ability to touch and getting trapped in the dark sleep so often. It’s why you don’t react the same way to the Revenants. Because it’s getting closer. It’s almost time.”
I waited for him to tell me. It was obvious that was what he wanted to do.
“D-day,” Vincent said.
“That’s not true,” I replied. “There is no exact date. The Revenants haven’t figured out when or how I’ll die.”
“Not yours. … His.” Vincent smirked.
“But how can that be? Caspian already died. I’ve been to his grave.”
“Did you really think that Casper the Friendly Ghost was going to stick around forever? Stay with you, in this world, so you could bump uglies once a year?” He gave me a look of annoyance.
I tried as hard as I could not to let my cheeks flush, but I don’t think I was successful. “How can Caspian die again?” I asked, desperate not to let the conversation get sidetracked.
“The short answer is, you.”
“I’m going to kill him?”
Vincent roared with laughter, and then his face went completely still. “No, you’ll be right here with me. But without you Caspian can’t stay. As of midnight November third, he no longer exists.”
“How can I stop that from happening? How do I complete him?”
“You die.”
“And are you”—I gulped—“going to be the one to kill me?”
“No, no, no.” Vincent patted me on the head. “Remember? We already had this conversation. In your bedroom? I want to keep you alive.”
“But why? I don’t understand. Why would you want to keep me alive?”
“Because once you’re dead, you can complete him.”
This was like a vicious circle without answers. “Why do you care whether or not I complete him?” I said. “If you’re a Re
venant, then you’ve helped other Shades before. Why not us?”
He crossed one leg over his knee. “It all goes back to the original Revenants. Rumor has it that God and the devil made a deal and chose six representatives of heaven and six representatives of hell to help them sort out the whole reaping/death business. The representatives were split into teams of two, one angel half, one demon half. Or one light, one dark. One yin, one yang … yadda, yadda, yadda. You get the idea. Over time they were designated to help one group of souls in particular cross over—Shades and their other halves. With me so far?”
“Yes.”
“Good!” He clapped his hands together. “Eventually the six teams had been around for so long—thousands of years, after all—that they were ready to move on. Shades, the only humans allowed to stay on Earth after their deaths, were chosen to take their place. And these Shades were given a name.” He looked at me like he was giving me a hint. “Who do you know that works in teams of two? One good, one bad … Well, generally speaking.”
“Teams of two … The Revenants?”
“And the bonus round goes to …!” He touched his nose and pointed to me. “Yes, the Revenants.”
“Wait a minute. … So you’re telling me that Revenants replaced the original angel-demon teams, and all Revenants were once Shades? As in, human?”
“Ding, ding, ding! Give that girl a prize!” He clapped again.
I stared at him. “You were once human!”
“Don’t act so shocked. Jesus.”
My mind was spinning. “Is that why none of the others knew what to do?” I said. “Because you were supposed to be my Revenant? One of the ones to help me cross over?”
He leaned back and placed both hands behind his head. His smile said it all.
My fingers dug into the couch, and I found myself clenching the fabric. “Why me?” I said through gritted teeth. “What was so special about me and Caspian that you decided you didn’t want to do your job anymore? Tell me, Vincent Drake. What was so goddamned important that you couldn’t just let us alone?”
“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “This isn’t about you. It’s about me. This is all about me. Do you know what it’s like to be immortal? To not have responsibilities. Or bills. No money problems, or wondering where your next meal is going to come from?” He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for just a moment. “It’s fucking awesome. That’s what it is.”