by Rose Pressey
“I have a delivery for…” He paused and looked down at his clipboard.
My mother held out her hands but stopped short.
The man finished his sentence. “Halloween LaVeau?” He quirked a brow and looked down at the paper to make sure he’d read it correctly.
“That’s me,” I said with shock in my voice.
Chapter Fourteen
I’d never received roses before. Well, unless you counted the time my date cut roses from the bush outside my front door. I took the vase from the man’s outstretched hand, then placed it on the counter for closer inspection. There was a note attached.
“Who are they from?” my mother asked with excitement.
I pulled the card out and read it while my mother loomed over my shoulder.
Dear Ms. LaVeau,
I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted since arriving at your beautiful home. Please allow me to take you to dinner to make up for my actions.
The note attached was signed from Nicolas. My mother had a huge grin spread across her face. He had some nerve. Did he think I could be persuaded to trust him with a few flowers? They would die in a few days anyway. Then what? If he couldn’t tell me why Liam must leave, if he couldn’t be truthful with me, then why would I want to spend any time with him? Except, I did want to spend time with him. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to taste his lips…
The bell announced another visitor and snapped me out of my daydream.
“Oh, dear,” my mother said.
Oh dear, was right. Liam was walking toward me. A strange, eager look flashed in his eyes.
Liam looked especially handsome in his casual black slacks and olive green shirt. He had a smile on his face that looked devilish and sweet at the same time.
“Good morning,” he said softly.
His voice would make any girl’s heart flutter. What was he doing here? He looked at the roses and a slight look of disappointment fell over his handsome features.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes, everything is fine.” He looked at my mother and smiled. “Hello, Mrs. LaVeau. You look especially beautiful today.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
Liam stepped close. “I wanted to ask you a question, if that’s okay?”
I glanced to my mother. She picked up a few items and pretended to go back to work, but I knew she was really eavesdropping.
“You look stunning today,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, hoping that I didn’t blush.
He paused. He was making me nervous. What could he possibly have to say? Was it about the ghost that I knew he’d seen last night?
“I’m listening,” I continued, pulling items out of the box. Things needed to appear as normal as possible, although I didn’t know what normal was anymore.
“I know things have been strange since my arrival. I hope you’ll let me treat you to dinner to make up for my behavior.” His lips curved at the corners.
My mother giggled. This was unbelievable. What would I do? Although it was just dinner. I supposed I could let the men treat me to a meal, as long as it was separately of course. They’d kill each other if we all went to dinner together.
Liam stared at me expectantly.
Finally, I answered. “When did you have in mind?”
“How about tonight?” Liam’s voice was smooth and sexy.
Nicolas might be upset if I went out with Liam before him, so maybe I’d better make it tomorrow night.
“How about tomorrow night?” I asked.
He nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow night it is. ” His gaze was fixed on me as he reached out and grabbed my hand, placing his lips softly against my skin. “I’ll see you later,” he said, releasing my hand.
My mother and I watched as he disappeared out the door and down the sidewalk. When he’d turned the corner and was no longer in sight, I turned to my mother.
“Now what are you going to do?” my mother asked.
I shrugged. “I guess I have two dates.”
“You have dates with men who are staying in your home and who also seem to hate each other. You’d better figure out what is going on between them.”
“I intend to.”
My mother shook her head. So I’d gotten myself into another pickle. She shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing new.
“Well, you’d better find out about the book. Because you need to before I’m forced to tell the Coven about it.”
“I promise to look into it today. If you’d let me leave this shop, I could do some research right now.”
“You always manage to leave just when the work is getting fun.”
I snorted. “I thought the work was always fun?”
***
After finding a parking spot, I grabbed the book and made my way down the sidewalk toward the tall Gothic-style building that housed the public library. The more I walked the more I felt as if someone followed me. It felt as if a dark and dangerous presence trailed my every movement, like a penetrating shadow hovering over me. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a flash of the silhouette of a man. My imagination was in overdrive because for a moment I thought it looked a lot like Nicolas, or was that Liam?
Ignoring my uneasiness, I carried the book into the library as if it was a fragile egg. A few patrons sat at tables on the right, but otherwise the inside of the building was empty. The librarian behind the reference desk looked up at me, so I took the book over to her, hoping she would have answers to my many questions. When I opened the book, she looked at me like I was crazy when I showed her the language.
“Do you recognize the writing on these pages?” I asked with hope in my voice.
She pushed the glasses up on the bridge of her nose and peered down at the book. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” She pushed the book back toward me as if she wanted me to get it the heck out of there. “Sorry.”
I let out a deep breath. “Thanks, anyway.”
She went back to her computer screen, letting me know that I’d get no more help from her.
That strange presence had invaded my space in the library too, so I decided to hurry up and get the heck out of there. Of course I didn’t see anyone following me, but I felt them. I was officially losing it. After some searching up and down the stacks, I picked up a couple books on obscure languages, but I didn’t hold out much hope that I’d find the information I was looking for.
After hurrying out of the library and jumping into my car, I knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer and I’d have to head to the manor. Before I arrived though, I wanted to call Nicolas. Somehow it seemed easier if I didn’t have to look him in the eyes. The way his gaze penetrated right through me made me feel slightly out of control, although I’d have to deal with looking at him when I went to dinner with the man.
Nicolas had left his cell phone number on the card attached to the flowers. Yes, giving him an answer over the phone would be much easier than doing it in person. How would I avoid telling him about my dinner plans with Liam? I wouldn’t mention it, and I hoped he didn’t bring up his name either. But then again, I wanted to get to the bottom of why they were fighting. As much as I didn’t want to, it looked as if I’d have to tell him about our plans.
After a quick phone call, I’d thanked Nicolas for the flowers and agreed to dinner with him. I couldn’t believe I’d done it… I’d agreed to go out with him too. Of course I hadn’t had the nerve to ask if he’d been following me into the library. I would have appeared crazy if I had. He hadn’t followed me, right? I’d read too many mystery novels. My imagination was out of control.
Nicolas had said he had the perfect place picked out for us. That seemed terrifying and exhilarating all at once. I had to confess what I’d done to Annabelle—that I’d agreed to go out with both men.
When she picked up the phone, I said, “I have something to tell you and you’re probably going to be shocked.”
I still hadn’t told her about seeing the ghost
and I wasn’t going to either. Not unless I absolutely had to.
“If this has anything to do with finding old bones in your attic, I don’t want to know.”
I chuckled. “No, it’s nothing like that.”
“One of your guests killed the other one?” she quipped.
“No. Well, not yet anyway.” As if she could see me through the phone, I studied my fingernails, trying to play it cool. “In fact, I received roses from Nicolas and an invitation for dinner, then Liam asked me out for dinner too.”
“Get out. What do they want?” Her voice shot up in surprise.
I laughed. “My thoughts exactly.”
“You said yes to both of them, right? You have to find out what all of this is about.”
“Don’t worry, I intend to. I’m going out with Nicolas tonight.”
“Good luck. Do you need me to come for backup?” she asked.
“I’ll call you if I do,” I said with a chuckle.
The massive structure towered over me as I pulled up in front of LaVeau Manor. Branches on the old oak trees swayed in the wind, as if waving a warning. There was an undeniable essence about the house. Liam’s car was there along with Nicolas’ rental car. I hoped I could slip upstairs without seeing either of them. I had a few hours before my date with Nicolas and I wanted to look through the library books I’d checked out. With the library and the spell books clutched in one arm and roses in the other, I hurried up the steps, not looking over my shoulder to see if anyone followed me. The presence from the library still haunted me.
When I stepped into the foyer, I paused and listened for noise. The place seemed bigger each time I came home.
The cat meowed loudly and rubbed against my leg. “Sorry, Pluto, I don’t have a treat right now,” I whispered.
I placed the flowers on the hall table and soaked in another big whiff of their fragrant aroma. Movement sounded above me grabbing my attention. My heart rate increased when I realized it sounded as if someone was walking around in my room. I’d locked the door, so who could possibly be in there? That was when it hit me. With the books in my arms, I rushed up the stairs. What was I going to say if it actually was a ghost? Shoo, ghost, shoo?
I panted for breath as I reached the landing, then ran to my bedroom door. It was still closed. I pulled the key from my pocket and shoved it in the lock. The sound of someone walking around continued from the other side of the door. Whoever was there didn’t care that I was about to walk in on them. I pushed the door open and let out a gasp.
Chapter Fifteen
A woman stood beside my bed.
She smiled wide, and then said with a sweet Southern drawl, “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Who the hell are you?” I asked.
I asked, but I knew who she was. Well, I didn’t know exactly, but I’d seen her before. This was the ghost who’d been in my room for the past two nights. She looked different now though. She had been see-through before, but now she looked like any other living person. She was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. When I’d first seen her she wore a blue gown, but now she wore a tight green dress that hugged her voluptuous curves.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my house?” I demanded, trying to hide the shakiness in my voice.
“You called me here, so why are you asking me?” she replied with slight disdain.
I placed the books on the table next to the door.
“What do you mean? I called you here. How could I call you here when I don’t even know who you are?”
She raised her arm up and pointed at the table where I’d just set the books.
“What?” I asked. “What are you trying to tell me? Why don’t you just come out with it already?”
“You don’t pick up on clues, do you?” she asked as she stared at me.
“No, I don’t suppose I do. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that I’m talking to a ghost. You are a ghost, right? I saw you for the past two nights. Did I not?”
“Yes, that was me,” she said smugly.
Her cool demeanor irked me.
“So how did you get here?” I asked.
She pointed again. “I got here with the book. You called me here with the spell book.”
I glanced over at the book. The spells that I’d performed. How was that possible? Why had it happened?
“Was that you who made the pages turn?”
She shook her head. “I don’t control that book. You control that book. It’s your spell book. You’re the one who has all the power.”
“Power? What kind of power? I don’t know what you’re talking about. The book is not mine,” I said.
Annoyance hovered in her eyes. I was getting on her last nerve.
An expression of satisfaction showed across her face. “I was just a ghost in this manor, now you have released me.”
“Released you from what?”
“From the dead. I am alive again thanks to you.” She looked very much alive.
“How is that possible? I am a terrible spell caster. There is no way I could have done this. This doesn’t make any sense.”
She shrugged and sat on my bed. “Don’t ask me. All I know is I watched you when you performed the spell. Then little by little I came back from the dead.”
I rubbed my temples. Who would I call? I needed answers. How would I find out what was going on? I didn’t want to believe that I could bring the dead back with one little spell. But I couldn’t deny that it was a big coincidence that I’d performed the spells and then this woman showed up claiming to be a former ghost. What would I do to get rid of her? The last thing I needed was for anyone to find out what I’d done.
“I do hope you have a room for me? Although I could stay with one of the fine men who are currently occupying your other rooms.” She twisted a strand of her golden locks around her finger and batted her eyelashes.
Uh-oh, this could be a huge problem. She looked like trouble.
“You can’t stay here,” I said in a panic.
“Well, you can’t kick me out on the street,” she snapped. “You’re the reason I’m here. You have to let me stay until I can make other arrangements. I’ve been dead for a number of years and I don’t exactly have the resources to do anything else right now.”
I let out a deep breath. She did have a valid point. I couldn’t just kick her out. Well, I guessed I could kick her out, but I didn’t have the heart to do that to her.
“You have to tell me who you are at least.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I wanted to put together all the pieces, but she wasn’t helping.
She flashed her million-watt smile. “My name is Isabeau Scarrett. Pleased to meet you, Halloween.”
“It is very disturbing to know that you know everything about me.”
“Yes, I do know most things. Although I refrained from popping in the bathroom when you were in there.” She shivered.
“Thank you,” I said drily.
“I was a witch like you once. Well, let me rephrase that. I was a witch, but I was quite a bit better at it than you.” She grimaced in with mocking humor.
I rolled my eyes. “Thank you for insulting me.”
“It’s not insulting. It’s just stating the facts. I watched you try magic since you moved in. And it was not very good.” She shook her head.
“Where are you from?” I asked.
“Far away,” she said as she stood, then walked over to my closet. “I hope you don’t mind if I borrow some of your clothing. Just until I can buy a new wardrobe.” She opened my closet door.
“I’m kind of particular about my clothing,” I said as I moved closer to the ghost, er, woman.
She looked at me incredulously, then shook her head. “Oh, dear. You really need to go on a shopping trip. There is nothing good in here.”
I placed my hand on my hip. “So now you’re insulting my clothing?”
The sound of footsteps caught our attention and we both l
ooked at the door.
“It sounds like one of your guests is in the hallway.” She brushed around me and I hurried after her.
How would I explain her presence?
This couldn’t be happening, could it? I had to be dreaming. I reached out and poked the woman’s side with my index finger.
“Ouch. What did you do that for?” she asked with a scowl.
