When the Dead Come a Knockin'

by B. L. Brunnemer

  “Isaac, the buttons.” Miles' voice wasn’t asking.

  “I can do-”

  “Isaac’s already almost done,” Zeke said. “Don’t worry Dylan. It’s big enough that he’s not touching her.” When he was done, Miles passed me slowly back to Ethan. The only reason I knew who was moving me was because of their smells right now. Ethan began humming again, rocking me gently. This time another voice joined in. A similar smooth honey-like voice. The melody was soothing and beautiful with both of them humming.

  “Is that…?” Asher stopped himself.

  “Yeah, it’s the best we got.” Ethan’s voice had thickened slightly. I doubt anyone else noticed, but I did.

  “Red deserves the best,” Isaac mumbled. I heard sounds of agreement. My guys were sweet, delusional, but sweet. I took a chance and lifted my eyelids a bit. The light was fucking bright. It stabbed through my brain, and I whimpered. Ethan’s arms tightened.

  “Take your time, Beautiful. We’re in no hurry.” Ethan whispered down to me. I wanted to go home; I wanted to stay with them. I opened my eyes again, and this time the light didn’t try to kill me. I blinked several times.

  “I have never been so happy to see those green eyes in my fucking life. Well, except after that one time.” Isaac exhaled, his voice full of relief. I looked around at them as much as I could without moving. Asher’s shirt was covered in my blood as he stood against the sinks, his face pained. Zeke was down at my waist; his hand wrapped around mine. Miles was across from Ethan, his face carefully blank. Isaac was next to Ethan holding my other hand. I couldn’t see Dylan; he must be behind me.

  “Sorry… worry,” I said in my barely there voice.

  “Ally, stop apologizing.” Asher’s voice was still hard but calm. I took stock of how I felt. I was weak as hell, but my body felt more stable. I didn’t feel like I would fall apart if they moved me.

  “Go... home...”

  “She’s saying we can leave now,” Asher told them.

  “Where are we taking her? Rory’s?” Ethan’s voice was soft above me.

  “She’s going to have bad nightmares tonight; Hades might not help and fucking Tara’s at home.” Isaac pointed out.

  “Call Rory, see if he’ll let us take her tonight.” Miles sighed. “He’ll come out to check on her anyway.”

  “Wait, why is her cousin being home-”

  “That’s something you don’t fucking need to know about right now.” Zeke snapped at him hard. I gave everything I had to squeeze his hand. I didn’t want him upset. Zeke looked to me and met my eyes.

  “Calm... down...”

  “She said calm down,” Asher said for me. Zeke closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Then squeezed my hand, he was working on it.

  “Rory, she’s ready. Do you want us to bring her home? Or take her to her room at Miles' house?” Isaac’s voice filled the room.

  “She has a room at your house?” Dylan's asked, his voice filled with doubt.

  “All my friends do.” Miles' voice was neutral, carefully, coldly neutral.

  “Yeah, Miles doesn’t mind,” Isaac said into the phone.

  “Tell him to bring Hades when he comes out.” Zeke reminded him. I smiled, it was tiny but there. I wanted my puppy.

  “And her emergency overnight bag. Inside her closet, right side.” Miles added. Isaac nodded and repeated everything to Rory.

  “Okay, who’s carrying her out?” Ethan asked the group. There was half a minute of silence.

  “I will. I can hide my shirt with her.” Asher said pushing away from the counter. Everyone started moving except Ethan.

  “Give me her keys, Dylan.” Isaac’s voice wasn’t asking. Keys jingled. “Rory said Miles’ house.”

  “Okay,” Ethan said above me. “Let’s put her in the front seat our car, and we’ll put it back, so she doesn’t flop around.” There were sounds of agreement. Asher squatted down next to us.

  “Ready to move Ally?” Asher asked, his ocean eyes running over me. I slowly winked at him. He gave me half as grin before he reached out and lifted me from Ethan’s lap to his chest. If I could think I would have been impressed. But my brain felt muggy. Asher stood, and I groaned. Too fast. My coat covered me. “Ally, do you want me to walk quickly through the bowling alley or slow?” I thought about it. If my eyes were closed, it should be okay.

  “... fast...”

  “Fast it is.” He whispered to me. “Guys we’re moving fast, don’t forget everyone's coat. Ethan-”

  “He’s already heading to the car.” Isaac’s voice was calm. “He’ll pull up to the doors.”

  “Okay, let’s go. Zeke, are you blocking?” Asher asked.

  “What do you think?” Zeke snapped.

  “Blocking?” Dylan asked.

  “Yeah, it’s in case someone tries to stop us from taking her out of somewhere public. It’s happened once or twice.” Isaac explained. That was all the talking I heard because Zeke and Asher took me out of the bathroom and into the bowling alley. I closed my eyes as Asher moved fast, Zeke right next to him. That’s when I felt it. It was like a branding iron against my neck. I gasped.

  “Ally?” I opened my eyes, and my heart dropped. Ghosts were walking through the crowd, lots of them. They spotted me and started towards me. I whimpered and clung weakly to Asher. He shifted me higher so my face could bury in his neck. “Ally, what are you seeing?” He whispered as we moved.

  “... dead…. lots… following….” Asher cursed and moved faster. I just closed my eyes. We were almost to the door when someone shouted for us to stop. Zeke broke off to explain our cover story as Asher kept going out the door with me. Cold air hit my skin, but it didn’t matter anymore. I was shifted and laid down. I groaned as my stomach protested. I was somewhere warm. Something was buckled.

  “Get out of here fast; there’s a lot of dead and they’re following her.” Asher’s voice said.

  “Shit.” Ethan’s voice was sharp. A door closed, and we were moving. “Hold on Beautiful. I’m getting you out of here.” His hand took mine. I squeezed, it wasn’t much of a squeeze, but he must have felt it because he squeezed back. I just couldn’t move, and the world was getting fuzzy. We moved like that for a while. I was half out when we stopped. I was unbuckled.

  “Ethan don’t even fucking think about it!” Zeke’s voice ordered. Car doors shut.

  “Then someone hurry up, or I’m taking her in!” Ethan shot back. Several footsteps in the gravel reached us then there was silence.

  “I’ve got her.” Miles' voice was neutral again. Arms wrapped around me. I smelled wintergreen. I was lifted and held. My cheek rested against collar bone.

  “... winter... green…”

  “She said wintergreen,” Asher spoke for me again. Miles made a humph sound.

  “Yes, it’s me, Lexie.” Miles' voice was soft as he moved. “Someone get the door.”

  “Wintergreen?” Dylan’s voice asked.

  “I chew a lot of gum when I’m concentrating on something.” Miles' voice was cold. I didn’t like it.

  “Miles…”

  “She said Miles,” Asher said for me. “I think she’s asking you to calm down.” I felt him take a deep breath and let it out slowly. He leaned down to me, his lips brushing my forehead.

  “Sorry, Angel.” He whispered so quietly I’m sure I didn’t hear him right. “She’s half out, let’s get her in bed.”

  “Her hair is still bloody,” Dylan warned.

  “Then I’ll buy new bedding.” Miles' voice was hard and cold this time. I really didn’t like it. I made a noise, and it was small. Which it seemed that’s all I could do right now. Miles laid me down on a soft bed.

  “Miles, she really doesn’t like that voice right now,” Asher warned him. Hands moved over my feet.

  “I’m trying, Lexie,” Miles whispered to me his voice soft again. Something came off my feet.

  “Dylan, grab her some water. She’s going to need some when she wakes up.” Asher asked his
voice calm. I felt myself sinking into sleep.

  “Yeah, be right back.” Dylan's voice was leaving.

  “Don’t take forever,” Miles grumbled.

  “Miles.” Asher chided.

  “I don’t trust him. Not with her like this.” Miles' voice was hard and cold again. I didn’t even know what he was saying, but I didn’t like his voice that way. I wanted my soothing voice back. I tried to move my hand but couldn’t.

  “I agree.” Zeke’s voice was hard too. Why were they so mad? I didn’t understand. “He froze, and then he just stood there gaping.”

  “He’d never seen her like this, and he cares about her.” Asher’s voice was matter-of-fact but strained.

  “Then why didn’t he ask to carry her? Why did he take so long with the bag?” Ethan asked, his voice boiling. “We gave him every chance to volunteer.”

  “Why didn’t he ask to hold her?” Miles asked coldly. “Why was it me, who gave up his shirt? He’s wearing a button up too.”

  “Guys, give him the benefit of the doubt. He’d never seen her that way. He was probably freaked out.” Asher tried again. “Remember the first time she dropped? How freaked we were?”

  “Yeah, but we fucking did something about it.” Zeke pointed out.

  “Would you have jumped in if there was someone else who knew more about what to do then you did? He doesn’t know what to do in that situation. He had never seen it. He’ll learn.” Asher pointed out, his voice hard. Their angry voices were bringing me back to the surface. I wanted them to be okay. I needed them okay. They were upset.

  “I don’t want him alone with her when she’s like this,” Zeke said, his voice telling everyone not to argue.

  “One of us in the room at all times.” Isaac agreed.

  “And he stays out of that bed.” Miles wasn’t asking. “Anyone of us? Fine, Hades'? Fine, not him. Not right now.”

  “Seconded,” Zeke said.

  “Third.” Ethan agreed.

  “Majority rules.” Asher agreed. All their voices were hard. I didn’t like it. I had to fix it. I made a small noise. “Let’s change up our voices guys; she does not like the sound. It’s keeping her up.” Asher’s voice was his rich baritone again.

  “I have an idea. Isaac, please run to my room and grab the book off my nightstand.” Miles said. Feet ran off. The bed shift next to me. It was so quiet I almost slipped over to sleep.

  “Brought the water, how is she doing?” Dylan asked.

  “She’ll be fine; she’s just going to sleep it off,” Asher answered. “We are using soothing voices right now. If she hears an upset one she tries to wake up and fix it.” Zeke grunted in agreement. Something soft covered me. There were running footsteps.

  “Here. Your house is too big.” Isaac was out of breath.

  “Or you aren’t in fighting condition yet,” Ethan said smugly.

  “Ha ha.” Isaac shot back sarcastically. Pages were turning.

  “You’re reading to her?” Dylan said, his voice surprised.

  “She needs to pass out, and she’s fighting it,” Ethan explained his voice smooth and smoky again. “If she’s awake right now, she’s in pain. It’s better if she’s asleep.”

  “She’s fighting because...?”

  “She knows we’re upset and she wants to make it better but can’t move to do it,” Asher answered.

  “Classic Lexie,” Zeke said. “Rory should be here any minute.”

  “I’m going to start reading, so quiet or out.” Miles' voice wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either. “Lexie, I’m reading you The Hobbit.” His voice was my soothing silky one again. “In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” Miles' voice slid me into sleep as the world faded away.

  I woke up halfway, wondering what it was that pulled me back. There were voices.

  “You’re leaving?” Isaac whispered.

  “I have some work to do back home.” Dylan’s voice was strained, hard. “That science project is kicking my ass.” It was quiet. Lips touched my forehead, I smelled sandalwood. “Stay safe, Sunshine.” Then the smell was gone. I didn’t understand. I tried to move my hand, but it was on a ball of fur that was warm. Hades. I gave him a sleepy rub before sinking again.

  “He seriously left?” Isaac’s voice sounded stunned. I wondered why.

  “He doesn’t fucking deserve her,” Ethan bit out.

  “No shit,” Isaac said. “Fuck ‘em. I’m climbing in.” The bed moved, and a warm body laid down behind me. Limes filled my nose. Isaac curled around me and buried his face in my hair at the back of my neck.

  “Yeah, fuck him.” The bed move on my right. I smelled spicy cologne.

  “Really? We’re sandwiching her now?” Isaac whispered sarcastically.

  “You're not the only one she scared the shit out of tonight, brother,” Ethan whispered back.

  “Good point.” Ethan scooted closer, the puppy protested with a whine.

  “You're not going anywhere, buddy. I just need to get in here too.” Ethan whispered. I felt Ethan close. Still mostly asleep I reached over and scooted behind him, cuddling my front to his back. I wrapped my arm around him, my hand over the middle of his chest, my cheek against his back. His warm hand held mine against him.

  “Now, I have to chase her,” Isaac grumbled. Isaac scooted up to my back and got back into his favorite cuddle spot again. Fuzzy warmth washed over me for them. My twins. “What about Hades?”

  “He just slipped between my back and her lap, and he’s balled up to sleep now,” Ethan whispered back. The room went quiet. The boys’ body heat and the feel of them cuddling me threw me back into to sleep hard

  Chapter 17

  Friday

  I woke up slowly. I was snuggled and safe. With my eyes still closed I smelled limes and spice. I smiled, the twins were with me. I was about to slide back into sleep when there was a whine. Hades needed to go out. I opened my eyes and jerked upright. My little ball of black fur was pacing on the bed. I went to move, but Isaac sat up and snagged Hades.

  “I’ll take him, Red.” He said drowsily. He held Hades against his chest and left the bedroom. I laid back down. Ethan rolled over onto his back and reached for me. I moved until I was against his side and rested my head on his chest, still half asleep. He wrapped his arms around me.

  “How are you feeling Beautiful?” Ethan mumbled.

  “Pissed off. Tore up.” I mumbled back into his shirt. He snorted.

  “What happened?” Images flashed through my mind.

  “The fucker didn’t want to cross,” I mumbled, my throat grew tight as I remembered. “The bastard liked to hurt women when he was alive. He just wanted to hurt me.” Ethan’s body became tense, one of his hands came up and cupped my neck.

  “What do you mean he hurt women?” Ethan sounded wide awake now.

  “He tortured them, raped them, then he killed them.” Tears began to run down my face as I remembered the images. Ethan’s hold on me tightened. “He was a serial killer from around the forties. Never caught. He was shot in a bar brawl in town; he was just passing through.” He shifted onto his side and pulled me in against him. I buried my face in his chest as his arms tightened around me, one hand in my hair. I started shaking.

  “You got his memories, didn’t you?” He asked gently. I nodded, my throat too tight to say anything. He cursed. “That’s why you were crying last night?” I nodded, taking deep slow breaths and letting them out. Footsteps came down to the door. “Get Miles now!” Footsteps ran back down the hall. “Lexie, what you must have seen... fuck.” He pressed me against him hard. “I’m here honey, you’re safe, you’re home.” I just kept crying as he kept whispering to me. Running footsteps came into the room.

  “What’s wrong?” Miles' voice was breathless.

  “Listen to this shit,”
Ethan announced still holding me while I cried. Ethan told them everything, everything I saw. Well, everything he knew I saw. He didn’t know the worst part.

  “I’m calling Riley. I need another favor.” Isaac growled.

  “If anyone should get to hit that girl it’s Lexie.” Miles' voice was cold. I just cried into Ethan’s chest as the memories kept pouring through my mind. Miles let out a breath. “Ethan swap out with me.” I was still crying all I knew was the room went silent.

  “Really?” Ethan’s voice was surprised.

  “Do it, before I change my mind.” Miles warned him. Ethan’s hold on me loosened.

  “Lexie, Miles is going to take over honey.” His voice was gentle. “He knows how to help better than me.” I nodded that I heard him. I was still seeing all those images. Ethan moved away. I was taking deep breaths when I smelled wintergreen. Miles was there, he scooted closer but not touching me. He’d never touch me like this without permission. So, I scooted that last inch and pressed my face into his chest. He shifted an arm under my head, and his other around my arm and ribs. A hand went into my hair. His body was rigid until he felt me crying. Then he relaxed against me.

  “Tell me what happened, Lexie.” His voice was the soft silky one that always worked on me.

  “He just stood there, tearing up my barrier.” I sniffed and clung to Miles. I kept my voice down to a whisper. I didn’t want the others to know this part. “Then he poured his memories in, and it was sick. It was so fucking disgusting, Miles. He made me feel what he was feeling.” I had to stop and take a few more gasping breaths. “He was there for so long; I started to fade.” Miles' hand stroking my back went still.

  “What do you mean fade?” He asked softly.

  “I felt myself disappearing. He was trying to make me disappear.” I swallowed hard as I remembered how close I was to disappearing.

  “Was he trying to take over?”

  “No, he was just doing it for fun,” I whispered back through a tight throat. I stopped talking as those images ran in a loop through my head. I really wished I could scrub my mind out. I pushed them back, told them to get out. You weren’t mine I shouldn’t have to carry you. But they just stayed. Burned there. “Miles, those feelings aren’t going away.”