Chapter Forty-Six

Selena

Four Kisses and a Funeral

Death—not all that it was cracked up to be. No matter what anyone said. No bright lights at the end of tunnels. No pearly gates. No burning pit. Depending on where you were supposed to go, of course. If you believe in that sort of stuff. Take it from me; death was just pitch black darkness. Quiet. A floaty kind of feeling. Peaceful.

Coming back to life however…hurts like a freakin’ freight train running you over. Electric hooks pulled me out of that floating void. My body—the one I couldn’t see, anyway—spasmed. Hot electric currents zinged through my veins. My blood sizzled beneath my skin. I screamed, maybe. Not too sure. Too much pain. I had to punch the jerk who thought bringing me back to life was a good idea.

Sparks from a warm hand on my cheek woke me. I opened my eyes, blinking slowly to clear my hazy vision of a dark figure sitting at my bedside. The corners of Dillan’s cobalt-blue eyes crinkled. His lips parted slightly as he smiled. The warmth from his hand on my cheek quickly spread all over my body, pushing away my memory of the pain. He wore a sexy black suit with a crisp white shirt and a slim black tie. The guy cleaned up nice.

“We should really find out where the electric shocks are coming from,” I said sleepily.

He chuckled. “We can do that.”

I ran my fingers through his tousled hair. “No faux-hawk today?”

He brought my hand to his cheek then kissed the center of my palm. My lips pulled up into a slow smile.

“How are you?” he whispered. His voice was so gentle that I almost didn’t recognize it. He was being extra nice today.

“I had a dream” was my answer to his question.

“What about?” He tilted his head to the side, not once losing his smile.

“That I died and I was brought back to life.”

His expression turned thoughtful for a second. “I wish,” he said, alternating kisses on each cheek, “you didn’t have to suffer that pain.”

I flushed. My proof of life. “Is it time?”

He dipped his chin once. “David and Caroline will meet us there.”

“I guess the nap’s over.” I already wore a black silk blouse, a balloon skirt, and wedge boots before I shut my eyes for a second. “Do I look as tired as I feel?”

His eyes softened, and he twirled a curl that fell over my forehead. “We don’t have to go. They’ll understand.”

Hard to believe that only a week ago I’d died. Like literally meeting my maker kind of died. Then I woke up in my room two days later with Grams sleeping on a chair by my bed. At first I thought it was a weird version of heaven.

I sat up and kissed Dillan. Just a quick peck. More time for Pop Rock kisses later. I had time now. No more death visions. And the best part, I wasn’t a target anymore. It was back to a normal life for me.

“Let’s go,” I said.

…

My official story for missing a week of school was a nasty case of the flu. Lame, but believable. The day I woke up, Grams told me Dillan had come to sit with me every day since he brought me home unconscious from Greenwood. When he’d arrived for his visit, and he saw me up, Grams had to tap him on the shoulder just to get him out of his daze.

Since then we hadn’t talked much. We still had to figure out what to call our relationship. Dillan did just kill me, so I decided I’d wait to have the talk. Last thing I needed was to freak him out any more than I already had. I eyed him in the car now. He looked calm, but he could be faking it for my sake.

Penny called several times during the week to check up on me. I still couldn’t shake how bizarre she’d acted under Ormand’s control. But I worried for nothing. The second we started talking on the phone, it was like nothing happened. She even came to visit me when I wasn’t “contagious” anymore, bringing over my homework and filling me in on everything I’d missed.

The way Dillan and the others covered up Bowen’s and Ormand’s deaths was by burning down the bookstore. Official story was Bowen ran into the store to save Ormand but they never made it out alive.

“What’s the real story?” I asked Dillan, smoothing over imaginary wrinkles on my skirt.

“Are you sure you want to know?” He gave me a sidelong glance. I didn’t miss the knot his eyebrows coming together made. He was trying to be careful. I didn’t need that shit.

“I want to know.”

He sighed. “We cornered Ormand and he burned himself to death by casting a spell.”

In the back of my mind something told me that wasn’t what happened, but I was dead at the time so how should I know? I didn’t worry about it. I was just glad the craziness was over. I reached over and squeezed his hand. He brought it up to his lips. A hot flush spread over my cheeks. A feeling, until recently, I thought I’d never experience again.

The GT eased into one of the only available slots left in Greenwood’s parking lot. It seemed like everyone in town had turned up to pay their respects to the swimming star, now turned town hero. I smiled at that. Even after what happened, Bowen still deserved to be remembered in a positive light. He was as much a victim in all of this as we all were.

Dillan opened my door and reached in to help me slid out of the GT. I gathered my skirt close after a gust of wind threatened to give everyone in the lot a peepshow. The crisp autumn air touched my cheeks. The scent of pine and grass filled my lungs. And a secret smile, one that celebrated discreetly the life given back to me, played on my lips. Then the arms of the boy who had enough courage to overcome his fears embraced me.

“What’s up?” I whispered.

Heat flashed in his eyes at the sound of my voice. It seemed he still couldn’t believe I was alive. I had to fix that. I snaked my arms around him and pulled him closer. I waited until he spoke again.

“I thought—”

“I didn’t.” I cut him off. “I’m here.”

He took my face in his hands and kissed me. A deep, life changing kiss. The slip of his tongue, the nibble of his teeth, all carried secret promises for later. I lost myself in him, letting go of the aching feeling that my life will forever be different.

Facebook status: It’s Complicated.

“You’re not seriously making out at a memorial, are you?” Kyle’s sarcasm meant he was back to normal.

We separated then Dillan brought his lips back for one last electric touch. Just when he left me wanting more, he stepped away from my arms. Oh, he’ll pay for that later. The jerk.

I sighed and faced my best friend. “Give me a break. I just recovered.”

Kyle smiled from ear to ear. “It’s good to have you back.” He came closer. “Scared us for a bit there.”

“Well, I didn’t see you visiting the day I woke up.”

His gaze fell. Just at the top of his scarf peeked out a scar. I pummeled the anger that came from seeing it back down before it overwhelmed me. That scar had brothers and sisters hidden beneath the black cashmere. Ormand left his mark on all of us—some more obvious than others.

“That’s my cue.” Dillan put a hand on the small of my back.

I glanced up at him. The newness of the compassion in his expression still surprised me. Something in him had changed, too. He leaned down and kissed my cheek before he left me alone with Kyle.

I watched him walk to the entrance of Greenwood, hands in the pockets of his coat. Then I looked at Kyle and said, “So.”

“So,” he echoed.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

“First off, I’m sorry.”

I grinned at his awkwardness. “Hold the sincerity, why don’t you?”

He returned my grin. “I think you should ask me anything you want to know. That’s the best apology I can make.” He ran his fingers through his slicked back hair.

“No more lies?”

“I have none left. You’re part of the fold now.”

“Be ready when I take you up on that offer.” I pocketed my hands and stared up at a sky that reminded me so much of Dillan’s eyes. “Let’s walk. The memorial’s about to start.” I linked my arm with his and we ambled to the massive wrought iron gates.

Before we reached the memorial site, I whispered, “Promise me, no matter what, even if it’s for my own good, no more secrets.” I stopped and looked into my best friend’s stormy gray eyes. “I’d rather know the truth before someone else I care about gets hurt or worse.” I squeezed his arm. “Promise me.”

We stared into each other’s eyes for the longest minute. Then he smiled his charming smile. He bent forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I promise…even of it kills me.”

“Is there something I should know about you two?” a cheery voice asked.

I whipped around. “Penny!” I drew my other best friend into the biggest, tightest hug I could manage without fusing our bodies together. I’d almost lost her. If it weren’t for…I shook my head. She was safe now. Better yet, she was Penny again.

“Whoa! Hey!” She returned the hug. “What’s with the sudden touchy feely? We just spoke on the phone last night. Epic conversation, by the way.”

I blinked away sudden tears of joy. Penny, thank God, remembered nothing. Sebastian made sure of it. Or so I’d been told. I hadn’t seen the hellhound since that night at Greenwood. Penny stayed good-old-gossipy Penny, and I loved her like I loved Kyle and Grams and Gramps and life. I overflowed with love today. Better than any drug.

“Can’t a friend hug a friend?” I asked through the lump in my throat.

“So long as you’re not in your experimenting with girls phase. You’re pretty and all, but I don’t dance on that floor.”

I gave her a big smooch on the cheek.

Kyle coughed to get our attention. “We’re being called over.”

…

Whoever planned Bowen’s memorial should do it for a living. If the whole resurrection thing didn’t work out, I would have wanted the same kind. Okay, morbid, but I did just die. He would have loved his gravesite—on a hill, overlooking a stretch of pine. Stands of white roses flanked a blown up picture of him from when he won State. His parents sat at the front row of wooden folding chairs, holding hands. His mother wore a black veil, while his father remained politely attentive of the proceedings, his other hand on Bowen’s sobbing younger sister.

After a few words from Pastor Tanner, the eleventh grade gathered around the hole where the casket had been lowered. Instead of flowers being thrown in, someone decided on water balloons. I grinned. He would have enjoyed the gesture. He practically lived in the pool. It was a fitting farewell to a swimming star and a one-time ex. A few tears escaped when I dropped my balloon and it popped on the coffin, causing a splash.

“Rest in peace,” I said softly.

When I turned to walk away, Bowen’s mother stepped in front of me.

“May I have a moment, my dear?” she asked in a voice just as smooth as Bowen’s.

I bobbed my head once, only seeing her red lips below the veil. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Gage.”

She shook her head and gathered me into a hug. We stood in silence for a while, sharing the comfort being in each other’s company brought.

“My son didn’t know any better,” she said after a while. “It is we who owe you an apology for not taking better precautions against threats like the Maestro.”

“You couldn’t have known. No one knew until the very end.” I pulled back and looked straight at the other woman’s veil. “I don’t blame anyone.”

A fragile smile played on her lips. “A gracious girl,” she whispered. “Take care not to fall into the wrong hands.”

Her warning stuck with me long after she had left. I stood alone near Bowen’s grave, thinking of my future. Of what happens next.

“You okay?” Dillan came to my side and took my hand.

I linked my fingers with his, letting the warmth of his touch reassure me. “Just thinking.”

“That’s never good.”

I punched his shoulder. “Well, live with it.”

“Ready to go home?”

I gave Bowen’s grave one last goodbye smile then nodded at Dillan.

We made our way to the entrance. At about fifty yards from the gate, he stopped—his spine stiff as a rod. His face paled, lips set.

“What is it?” I asked, my heart in my throat. Please don’t tell me something was already up. We just survived The Night of the Living Greenwood. I wasn’t ready for the sequel. I swallowed and followed his gaze.

At the cemetery entrance, Mr. Sloan bent over the half open window of a stretch limo. Some people gathered around to gawk at the expensive car. Not many of those rolled into a town like Newcastle.

Just as I faced Dillan again, his grip tightened around my hand.

“What is it?”

“Holy shit.” He paled even more.

Too worried to think straight, I followed his gaze back to the limo. Rainer opened the door and let out a girl wearing oversized sunglasses and a long black coat with a fur collar. Her wavy hair spilled down her shoulders. She turned to look straight at us and her lips twitched into a small smile. I squeezed Dillan’s hand back, about to ask him what was wrong, but the next word out of his mouth froze my insides.

“Katarina,” he said.

My gaze shifted from the girl to the black mass forming in the distance. It was as small as a puff of smoke, but it grew bigger the closer it got to us. It seemed to move fast. Like a tidal wave in the sky.

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing toward the writhing dark cloud.

Curses so foul they made my skin crawl came from Dillan the second he followed my line of sight. His grip on my hand tightened to the point where I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. I tore my gaze from the cloud to look at him. He didn’t meet my gaze, too focused on what was coming.

“Selena,” he said, still not looking at me. “You’re going to need to run.”

I squeezed his hand as hard as he squeezed mine. “Why?” I barely got the question out. I knew enough of the world I lived in now not to dismiss anything as normal anymore. “What is that?”

Slowly, he turned his head to face me. Fear crossed his eyes. “Please, Selena. You need to find a safe place to hide.”

From his clipped tone, I knew he was trying really hard to stay calm. I wasn’t buying it. I could feel the sweat gathering between our palms. Something was up and I wasn’t leaving until I found out what. No more secrets. No matter the threat, we’d face it together. We’d been through too much already.

“Not until you tell me what that cloud is.” My voice hardened. He needed to know I meant business.

“That isn’t a cloud.” A muscle ticked along his jaw from clenching his teeth too hard. “That’s a horde of banshees.”