Warm. I felt so warm. Snuggling into the pillow, I basked in the feeling, counting my heartbeats until I reached a hundred. How long until I wasn’t constantly checking to see if I still had a pulse? I stretched, nearly groaning in pleasure as my toes curled, and the muscles joined me in a sigh of contentment. Rolling over, I lifted my arm and stared at it, bemused. Tanned? Since when? Oh well. I could live with a little more color. Live. What an awesome word.
Last night seemed like a dream. Heck, the entire past two months were a terrible nightmare I hadn’t been able to wake from. But that was then. And Catherine was gone now. Back in the land of the living, there was no one around to torment me anymore. Sure, I still owed Kalfu three unknown favors, and I had two boys fighting over me, but those were things I did not mind. Not compared to living as a ghost.
Throwing the covers back, I jumped to my feet and did a little victory dance. Wow. I missed being in my body so much! Surveying my surroundings, I grinned. No more waking up in the attic either. I was in Catherine’s room, the master suite, and I couldn’t wait to rid myself of every trace of her. The closet caught my attention. Okay, maybe not every trace. The girl had pretty good taste in clothes.
As I glanced in the mirror, I frowned for the first time. I hated the light brown color of my hair. Ugh. And the blue eyes, which welled with unshed tears. I didn’t even recognize myself. I looked like her. So much for being rid of Catherine. I missed my black hair and purple highlights, the green eyes. Wait...was that a beauty mark on my cheek? My chest heaved as the floor tilted under me. The four walls pressed in close. Too close.
“What have you done to me, Catherine?” I muttered. So much for starting today with a fresh outlook.
Maybe Kalfu could do something about my appearance.
I was about to turn away, intent on fixing this new problem, when movement caught my attention. The reflection in the mirror, which should have mimicked me, stared back with an all too familiar smirk.
“It’s not possible,” I whispered, leaning closer.
“Poor Quinn. Still hasn’t gotten your happy ending?”
I stumbled backward, not expecting the girl to actually speak. Not a girl. A menace. Catherine.
“What are you doing here?” I bit out.
She shrugged. “Sorry to ruin your mood.”
Reaching up, I shouldn’t have been surprised when she just stared at me in insolence. My mind raced. She was supposed to be gone, as in no longer in my life.
“I don’t understand.”
“Help me find a way to get me out of here. It’s dark. Cold.” A tiny quiver of fear dotted Catherine’s plea, and I furrowed my brows.
“Not gonna happen. If anything, I’ll do whatever I can to send you wherever you should have gone.”
“I wouldn’t be too hasty, love.”
I nearly groaned. Kalfu. He materialized out of thin air and sauntered up to stand next to me. Dread settled in my stomach.
“Fix this,” I said, though not with as much authority as I would have liked.
Flashing me his gold-toothed smile, he answered, “Catherine is here as a reminder for you to obey.”
“I did everything you asked!”
Catherine chuckled. “Always read the fine print.”
“Yes, Cora is gone, but not as we discussed. I asked that you be the one to get rid of her. Not her boy. Since you half-fulfilled the bargain, I did the same.”
Anger built inside me, begging to be unleashed. I ignored it. The consequences of using it on Kalfu frightened me.
“Can she get out?”
“Oh, no, she is quite stuck where she is.”
I glared at Catherine, the root of all the evil that had been introduced into my life. “How long?”
“She’s here as long as I see fit. Until I’m convinced you are taking our contract seriously. Until you prove your willingness and loyalty.”
Catherine rapped her knuckles on the glass from her side. “Face it. You’re stuck with me. Might as well get used to it.”
My jaw dropped open. Just minutes ago I’d been so full of hope and happiness. I had believed the worst was behind me. Now, standing here with these two, my hope vanished. I was right back where I started. Trapped.