Ophelia wasn’t thrilled to see Charlie go and let me know the minute he was out the door. “He’s just as reckless as John. We’ll be lucky if those two don’t set the whole town on fire.”
I thought this was a slight exaggeration. They wouldn’t set it on fire so much as knock it down. “He’s got a lot of restless energy,” I said. “He can’t work it off in here. You know how he can get?”
“One night inside won’t kill him.”
“No. But it might kill us.”
Ophelia shot me a look, then headed for the basement. “I’ve some research to do. Watch your step on the roof.”
She must have heard what Luna had said. Fortunately she was already at the top of the stairs, or she would have seen my face turn flammable red. A second later, she poked her head around the corner again. So much for hiding my embarrassment.
“I almost forgot. I’m setting you and Charlie up on the second floor. It’s furnished, but there’s no bedding. Why don’t you come down and I’ll get you some sheets.”
I followed her downstairs to the basement. This simple living space had a laundry room near the back. A small office was on one corner, with the door open wide enough for me to see a long desk inside. It was covered in computer monitors. Every few seconds, the view through one would change. It didn’t take long to recognize the street outside. These must have been where the security cameras were hubbed.
Ophelia retreated to a storage closet, then came out with several sets of linens. “They’re a bit dusty. The key’s hanging in the rack by the front door.” She handed me the bedsheets. “Please don’t do anything foolish. We’re going to have enough trouble with Dr. Abbott as it is. And a bit more rest wouldn’t kill you either.”
I said my thanks and headed for the stairs, then stopped. “Are you going to be talking to my uncle?”
“Only if it’s necessary. He has a cancer treatment tomorrow. Why?”
I handed her Detective Baddon’s business card. “He wants Maximilian to call him.”
Ophelia took the card and read it over. “I’ll take care of it.”
I scampered up the stairs. “He said to use the cell number,” I said over my shoulder.
“Got it.”
I made my way to the front door, grabbed the key to the second-floor apartment, and took the steps two at a time. I’d never had a place of my own. It was exciting just opening the door. I was making up one of the canopied beds when I heard a knock at the window. Luna was outside, hovering in midair. It was like a scene from Harry Potter. All she was missing was a broom.
“How are you doing that?” I asked.
She laughed and started flapping her arms like wings. Her body was bobbing gently from side to side. “Flying is my talent.”
I couldn’t believe it. And of course it wasn’t true. She was standing on a fire escape. Her knees were bent and she was shifting her weight gently from foot to foot to make it look as if she were floating.
“You coming out sometime tonight, or were you planning to scrub the floors and vacuum the carpets?”
“Would it impress your father if he knew I was house-trained? Maybe you could take a picture and show him when he arrives.”
“I think he’d just assume you were trying to steal the vacuum cleaner.”
I walked over to the window and wound it open. I popped out the screen and stepped onto the fire escape. Luna grabbed my hand and nearly pulled my arm out of the socket hauling me up the steps. They led to a flat roof that was covered in pea gravel. Our feet made crunching noises on the stones. A chimney along the side made a perfect backrest. We sat. She still hadn’t let go of my hand, not that I was complaining.
“Is there any chance your dad will let you stay?” I asked.
Luna’s lips pressed together and one side of her mouth curled down. It was a perfect I-don’t-know-but-probably-not face. “He might let Suki and I visit the lake while he meets with his colleague in Toronto. But he . . . well, he’ll want us to steer clear of you. As far as he’s concerned, you and Charlie are the real danger.”
“Do you think he might be right?”
“What do you mean?”
I had to choose my words carefully. “I hate to say it because I want you to stay, but it might be safer for you to get away from us. At least until we’ve dealt with Hyde.”
Luna let go of my hand. “That’s not fair.”
I didn’t understand. What did fair have to do with it?
“If I were Charlie, would you want me to stay?”
“I already said I want you to stay. But I also want you to stay alive. This thing . . . I don’t know what to tell you. You remember how terrifying Vlad was. Well, Hyde’s a hundred times worse.”
I didn’t think she believed me, which wasn’t at all surprising. Vlad was a live horror show. “Honestly. Until you see him, you won’t understand.”
She looked away, shook her head, stood up, and started pacing. When she spoke again, her hands were on her hips. “It’s because I’m a girl.”
I was totally confused at this point. I’d never had a problem with the essential girlness of her. In fact, I was pleased about it.
“If I were Charlie and I said I was leaving to go hide in New Jersey, you’d think I was a coward.”
I hadn’t thought about it that way.
“Ahhh, see. You know it’s true. I can see it in your face.”
I stood and dusted off my pants. “You’re right. If you were Charlie, I would think badly of you if you left.”
She put her hands in the air and started doing a victory dance. I had to admit, she had some pretty good moves. Definitely rave material. Then she started shadowboxing with me.
“You don’t think I know how to fight?” She followed this question with a few jabs. Had she punched anything harder than shaving cream, she would have broken a wrist.
I waited for an opening, then slipped inside her guard and took her down to the roof. I twisted so she’d land on top of me, then I rolled over for the pin. It took about half a heartbeat. Just enough time for her to yelp.
“That was fast!”
“I had to move quickly. I was worried you might accidentally hit me and hurt yourself.”
I rolled to the side, then let her up. She pulled me back to the chimney so we could sit side by side and look up at the stars.
“You’ve changed,” she said.
“How?”
“You don’t seem as shy. You were so funny at the cottage. So polite.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. I like polite.” Her hand snuck into mine. “You seem a little . . . I don’t know.”
“I think it’s the poison. Maybe I need more blood. And a bit more sleep, too.”
She glanced at me and smiled. It made her eyes pinch shut. I remembered this from last summer—this smile. But seeing it was something else.
“That’s not what I meant. You seem more confident. And don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re a little more like Charlie. I think he’s rubbing off on you a bit.”
Rubbing off? What did that mean? Was it good? I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. I spent more time with Charlie than with anyone else. But I didn’t think we were alike at all.
“Did I spoil things?” Luna’s smile sagged a little and she looked up at the night sky.
“No. Not at all. It’s wonderful to see you.”
She was still holding my hand. For a moment we just stared at the arrangement of our fingers. Both pale. Hers slightly shorter, leaner, more delicate, but still strong. Years of weight lifting had built thick calluses on the inside of mine, and along the top of my palm. I had to use the back of a finger to feel how soft her skin was.
She looked at me and her face turned serious. “Could you show me how to do that . . . that thing that you just did.”
“You mean how to fight?”
She nodded, then bit her lip and smiled again.
“I don’t really know much,” I said.
“Maybe you’re a natural.”
“Maybe.”
She cleared a lock of hair away from her eyes and squeezed my hand. “It’s wonderful to see you, too.”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt her lean into me. Her head fell onto my shoulder. We sat for a time saying nothing. I just enjoyed the feel of her beside me. Her hand in my hand. The pleasant smell of her. I could happily have frozen my life right there. Just stopped the clock and been in heaven forever.
“Are we going to be all right?” she asked.
I didn’t want to spoil the moment by being honest. I tipped my head to the side so that it was resting gently against hers. She turned just enough so that our noses were almost touching. Then they were. I thought she might move away, but she did the exact opposite. Her breath was suddenly on my lips. Her hand came up and cupped the side of my face. In that instant, I promised myself two things. The first was that I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. That I would die first. The second was that I was going to find out how to properly kiss someone, because I never had.
My teeth started to slide down. I couldn’t stop them. I glanced at her mouth. Her teeth were down, too. It pushed up her lips, made them look fuller. Her eyes were closed. Her chin rose a little, bringing her mouth closer. I understood in that moment why people said things like “these two have electricity.” We weren’t touching, but I could feel her getting closer. Even before her lips parted, I could sense them moving. Making my skin tingle.
“Hey! Get away from my daughter!” shouted a voice.
Luna shrieked. I jumped. Then I heard laughter.
Luna picked up a rock and tossed it hard at the fire escape. Charlie was standing on top. He barely ducked in time. When the rock flew past him, he put a hand on his stomach and started laughing even harder.
“You should have seen your faces!” He could barely get the words out as he wiped at his eyes. They actually had tears in them.
Luna reached for another rock. “You jerk!”
I was so relieved that it was Charlie and not Dr. Abbott that I didn’t think to complain. Instead, I helped Luna to her feet. She pulled me close. Her lips brushed gently against my cheek.
“You make sure you pay him back,” she whispered.
I wasn’t going to suggest otherwise, but a part of me was grateful. In a way Charlie had just got me off the hook. If Luna knew I was a lousy kisser . . .
Charlie slapped my shoulder. He was breathing as if he’d just done a six-mile dash. “I hate to break it to you, Edward, but you aren’t in Forks anymore. The love-in is over. We’re going after Mr. Hyde.”