Fatal Charm

by Linda Joy Singleton

  This was my chance to finally find out important things about Dominic; secrets of his past and his deepest thoughts. But I hesitated, rattled by the way he was staring at me, and asked the first inane thing that popped into my head.

  “What’s your last name?”

  Dominic leaned back with a laugh. “That’s your question?”

  “It’s a valid one,” I insisted. “You’ve never told me your full name. I asked Nona and she said I had to ask you. Is it a big secret? Are you related to someone famous or infamous? A rock star, serial killer, or politician?”

  “None of the above.”

  “So what is it?”

  He hesitated, then sheepishly told me.

  I didn’t believe him at first, especially after we’d discussed how people used to have names fitting their professions. Then he pulled out his wallet and proved it.

  Dominic A. Smith.

  I skimmed through the other info: blue eyes, brown hair, born in Bend, Oregon, on November eleventh in nineteen eighty—

  He slapped the wallet shut and shoved it into his pocket.

  “What’s the A stand for?” I asked.

  “My middle name.”

  “Anthony, Andrew, Arthur?”

  “Good guesses.”

  “Which is it?” I persisted.

  “You already asked your question. It’s my turn.”

  “Fine.” I folded my arms and gave him an annoyed look. “What do you want to know?”

  “Who is Jade?”

  I gasped, completely stunned.

  How did Dominic know about her? I hadn’t told anyone! Yet somehow Dominic had found out. Was he a mind reader? Had someone told him? Or maybe he heard from one of his animal posse. Did I have to hide my secrets from my own cat?

  If the question had come from someone like Penny-Love or Josh, I would have denied everything to protect Dad’s reputation. But Dominic was different. I knew he’d keep whatever I told him in confidence, and he never seemed to judge others. He expected people to have flaws and didn’t like them much anyway.

  The crazy thing was—I was actually relieved. I didn’t have to hold all the secrets in alone. Now that someone knew, I could talk about Jade.

  So I did.

  “I found out last week,” I admitted with a sigh. “Jade’s my half-sister.”

  I closed my eyes, seeing Jade as clearly as if she was trapped in the truck with us. It was like being haunted, only Jade was alive. “Dad’s been hiding his other family for years. He didn’t want me to know, but when I saw Jade and heard her call him ‘Daddy,’ the brilliant lawyer was quick with damage control. He whisked me off to a restaurant, figuring I wouldn’t make a scene in public. Then he made me promise not to tell my mother. Not that I ever would.”

  “What’s your sister like?” Dominic asked.

  “Half-sister,” I corrected.

  “Okay … half-sister.”

  “She wears too much makeup, has long red hair, and is so thin she looks anorexic.”

  “But what kind of person is she?”

  Low-life, greedy, family wrecker. “We’ve never really met but I don’t think I’d like her,” I said. “She’s using my father, which makes me sick. She’d better keep away from the rest of my family. Let’s talk about something else. What about your family?”

  “I told you—I don’t have any.”

  “But you used to.”

  “No father. Mom dead. You already know I had the uncle from hell.”

  “Despite all that, you turned out great.”

  “Not so great.” He gave a bitter laugh. “You don’t really know … and I don’t want you to. My uncle was evil. But he’s gone now.”

  “I’m sorry you had it so tough.”

  “Life is tough. I went through some bad times and did stuff I’m not proud of. But coming here … showed me life has a good side, too. I decided not to let the past shape me anymore.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “Yeah.” His voice grew husky as he gazed into my eyes. “I never trusted anyone until I met Nona and—”

  “And who?”

  “You.”

  It happened so fast.

  One moment we were just talking, then he was saying my name in this husky way that gave me shivers, and I was in his arms. I should have pulled back. But it didn’t even occur to me. This was what I was waiting, yearning, longing for …

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I lifted my chin at the exact moment he dipped his down. Our lips met as if every movement between us was in sync.

  And we were kissing …

  The first time we kissed we’d been dancing and I’d been possessed by a ghost. So that didn’t really count. The second time I was close to death and his kissing was more like mouth-to-mouth resuscitation … at least it started that way. Still that only happened because of danger, and I’d kept dating Josh.

  Nothing accidental about this kiss.

  I clung to Dominic, shifting on his lap, my legs twining with his as our bodies pressed closer. I held tight, feeling amazing. My emotions rocketed in dizzy colors like fireworks.

  The kiss deepened, fierce yet sweet. No words could define what was happening. I didn’t stop to think, plunging heart-first into deep feelings. Whenever I’d kissed Josh, I could always think and sometimes even made lists and plans in my head. Josh was easygoing, not making any demands. But Dominic was fire-and-ice different. Without saying a word, Dominic demanded everything. Warmth spread from my legs to my head, and all reasonable thoughts flew away.

  More taboo-breaking for this former good girl. Cheating on my boyfriend. How could being so bad feel so good?

  A logical part of my brain (perhaps Opal lecturing me) warned that this moment would eventually end. We’d have to return to reality: school, family, friends … Josh. There would be consequences. But I shut out that voice. For now, Dominic was my reality. I wanted to be with only him …

  Suddenly he pulled away. “This isn’t right,” he said.

  “Feels right,” I murmured and held on tight, pulling him back. “Besides, it’s cold, and we’re conserving heat. It’s all about survival. More kissing please,” I requested like a child at the dinner table asking for seconds.

  “Sabine, be serious. Where is this going?” His voice was ragged. “You belong to another guy.”

  “I belong to myself.”

  “What about Josh?”

  “It’s over.”

  “You mean it?” Dominic’s hand caressed my jaw line, following up to my hair and brushing it away from my face.

  I hesitated only a moment before recognizing my own truth and nodding. No more pretending with Josh, even though he was a great guy and our friends thought we made the perfect couple. That wasn’t grounds for a relationship. I may have let others influence me, dating Josh to be popular and accepted. Now I was accepting myself.

  Josh would always be special to me and I loved him the way you loved a good friend. But friendship had nothing to do with my feelings for Dominic. We fit together; my head nestled against his chest, my lips molded into his, and his arms folded around mine. This was more than lust. It was real.

  No more lying to myself or Dominic or Josh. I’d turned a corner and there was no going back. Dominic was the guy I wanted.

  “So you’ll break it off with Josh?” Dominic persisted.

  “Yes, yes, yes.” I trailed kisses down his tanned neck.

  He groaned, then gently pushed me away. “We better stop.”

  He was right, and I knew it, but that didn’t ease the empty feeling when he moved away from me. I glanced in the rearview mirror and was appalled. I was a mess! My hair tangled like shredded blond rope, my cheeks and lips reddened. I ran my fingers over my lips, remembering, savoring. I couldn’t stop smiling.

  We didn’t say much after that, listening to a CD for short periods when he turned on the engine. When our stomachs growled, he crawled into the narrow backseat and dug into a backpack, where he found a box of Wheat Thi
ns. They were stale and crumbly and tasted like heaven.

  The storm battled on, wild bursts of wind rattling the truck. The snow fell harder, so it was almost impossible to see out the windows, but we could hear the lashing snow and whooshing gusts like giant snow creatures stomping around us. I should have been scared, only I wasn’t. Under a blanket, curled under Dominic’s strong arm, nestled against his warm body, I felt safe.

  So when he urged me to rest, I yawned and closed my eyes.

  And fell asleep.

  *

  I don’t know why I thought about Jade.

  Maybe the whole conversation with Dominic had opened a door in my mind that I’d kept locked, flooding me with unsettling emotions. Anger, hate, jealousy. The emotions wouldn’t go away—so I went to them.

  One moment I was cuddling under a blanket beside Dominic, then there was a ripping sensation. My body and soul separated, rising up, up, up. I flew above my physical body, lighter than snow, drifting like clouds through the truck roof and into the sky.

  Strange how I could look down, through solid objects, and see the two sleeping figures. Dominic smiling in his sleep, cradling the small, blond figure. In a dim corner of my mind, I knew she was me.

  I had this urgent sense of needing to be someplace else. So I let go and sailed away. Traveling without a body was wicked cool. The buoyant freedom made me dizzy with joy. I heard a buzzing, like I was moving at a speed faster than sound. I glimpsed flashes of other travelers, but never saw actual faces—more colors of personalities like auras.

  I didn’t know where I was going until I saw a house far below, yellow wood bordered in red brick with a driveway full of cars. I’d been here before. I surrendered to the gravity pulling me to this house. As strong as a thought and weightless as a whisper, I hurdled through space and solid objects. I braced myself for a crash—only there was nothing except surprise.

  I was a ghost of myself out for a night’s haunting.

  The concept of my ghostly self saying “boo!” and scaring someone was so ridiculous I laughed. Not really laughed; there was no sound, just a sense of amusement. It was like waking up with a super power, only I wasn’t going to use my power for good. Deeper emotions pushed me: resentment and suspicion. I would not allow Jade or Crystal to destroy my family.

  Jade was sleeping just like the other time I’d spied on her. One arm tossed aside and the other curled around a floppy rag doll. Jade’s lips were partly open, her breathing soft and even. It was like looking at myself, which made me angry. She’d stolen my father and my face. Thief.

  But wasn’t I a thief, too?

  I’d stolen the remedy book.

  Confused, I wavered in the air like smoke. I sorted through my feelings—and came up empty. I had no right to judge Jade. I had no right to be here, spying in the hopes of finding some dirt. Blaming Jade didn’t change anything. I had to accept that my father wasn’t perfect, anymore than I was.

  I pulled away, but instead of up I drifted into a room lit only by the faint moon glowing through a high window. I was above the window, invisible as a breath of air, looking down at two people who seemed to be arguing. The woman wore a long white robe and had wild, unnatural-looking wine-red hair that shadowed her face, and the man was lanky, with thin, bowed legs and a receding hairline. I figured the woman was Jade’s mother, Crystal. I’d only seen her once, when I’d been waiting in Dad’s car. I wondered about the man. Was he Crystal’s boyfriend? Did that mean Dad wasn’t having an affair with Crystal? I know he’d denied it, but I wasn’t sure what to believe.

  I swept down for a closer look, impressed that anyone could keep a room so immaculately white. The walls, carpet, furniture, and even the comforter on the rumpled bed were white. The only splash of color was from a red velvet heart-shaped box of candy on a white-gold dresser.

  The man and woman were talking; I could tell because their mouths were moving, but the sounds came out like someone pushed a fast-forward button. I was on a different vibration level, I guessed, which made hearing difficult—but not impossible. I swirled overhead, struggling to understand. I shut out everything and focused on hearing. Slow everything down, I told myself. And with intense concentration, I made out a few words.

  The woman was saying, “ … don’t … understand.”

  “I gave … everything!” he shouted.

  She backed away from him, shaking her head. “Never made … promises … ”

  “Slut!” he raged. His hand slashed out and he slapped her hard across the face. I heard a shrill scream as she reeled backwards, tumbling across the bed. She lay there, shaking, tears dampening her thick, curly hair.

  “Leave her alone!” I shouted. Only without a body, I made no sound.

  Frustration made me crazy. I had to do something, stop that terrible man, but I was helpless. No hands to grab, legs to run, or voice to scream.

  But I could go for help.

  So I swept back through the wall, into Jade’s room. I zoomed close to her ears and screamed out her name. I shouted loud enough to wake the dead, but apparently not the living. I tried to shake her, only my hands slipped through her shoulders—which really freaked me out.

  I drew back, unnerved but not ready to give up.

  Spirits and ghosts often communicated to me through thoughts, and since I was like a ghost, it might work for me, too. So I thought-screamed an SOS message.

  Jade, wake up! I sent her an image of the room next door and the bow-legged man hitting her mother. You have to wake up and get help. Open your eyes. WAKE UP!

  Jade stirred as if she was having a bad dream. I was her bad dream—she must hear me on some deep level. But it wasn’t good enough.

  Panic propelled my concentration, and I sent another mind message. I added a sense of urgency and repeated the mental picture of the woman again. Jade moaned and covered her head with her pillow.

  I heard a scream and zoomed back to the adjacent bedroom.

  Crystal lay on the bed with her face buried in a pillow, her body heaving with hysterical sobs. The man hurled a fury of dark-aura words at her, although I only made out a few.

  “Whore!” he raged. “told … came to you … were lies!”

  His hands tightened into fists and I worried he’d hit her again. How could I stop him? His dark aura trembled through the air. Rage was like a furious cloud, pushing me back, making it impossible to get close. I didn’t have hands to dial 911 or stop the man in any physical way. I could watch and hear, yet do nothing to help.

  I couldn’t just float around while Crystal was beaten. I had to wake up Jade.

  While Crystal sobbed facedown on the bed, the man stopped moving. Even his aura changed from dense and dark to a pale shadow. He unclenched his fists. His mouth curved into a distorted smile.

  Then he reached for the red velvet box of candy …

  I hoped he was going to apologize and offer her some candy. But he didn’t open the candy box. Instead, he flicked a twist of gold ribbon off the top. A golden bow fell to the floor, and he stomped on it as he moved toward the bed.

  Then he lunged forward and looped the ribbon like a noose around Crystal’s neck. He yanked hard and quick. Strong, jerky movements. A topaz ring on his right hand reflected moonlight from the window, tangling in red hair and sparkling like embers.

  Crystal clawed at the ribbon, struggling. With her face buried in the pillow I couldn’t see her terror, but I felt it. Her body jerked like an erratic puppet, frantic at first, then slower, weaker …

  The man gave the ribbon a ferocious twist, waited a moment, then let go.

  Red hair flopped forward with the lifeless body.

  I screamed and screamed and screamed.

  Then woke up back in the truck.

  “Sabine!” Dominic called softly, his arms holding me as I shuddered with sobs. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “He killed her! I couldn’t do anything … to stop him!”

  “Stop who? What are you talking about?”
r />   “Crystal! And that man … Ohmygod!” I covered my hands over my face, sobbing.

  “I don’t know what this is about, but you’re safe here with me.”

  “I know I’m safe—but Crystal isn’t! He killed her!”

  “Nobody died.” Dominic gently pried my hands from my face and made me look at him. “You had a dream.”

  “I wasn’t dreaming! I was in Jade’s room, then I heard a noise and went to look and saw this man—and he killed her!”

  “Jade? Your half-sister?”

  “Yes … no! I mean, it was her mother! The man strangled her!”

  “Listen to me, Sabine. What you’re saying isn’t possible. You never left here. You’ve been next to me the whole time.”

  “I did go to Jade’s! Just not in my body.”

  “You’re not making sense.”

  “I astral traveled.”

  Dominic didn’t laugh or call me crazy, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. Talking to animals made sense to him, but not traveling without your body.

  “It’s happened before,” I insisted before he could argue. “I can leave my body and travel far away.”

  He pushed his fingers through his hair, blowing out a deep breath. All was dark and silent around the truck, except for my thudding heartbeat. The storm had died down … and Crystal was dead, too. I started shaking, the reality sinking in. I’d watched her die and wasn’t able to save her.

  Dominic put his arms around me. “It’s okay now, Sabine.”

  “So you believe me?” I sniveled, wiping my face with my coat sleeve.

  “I don’t know. Tell me everything.”

  I started with my first out-of-body experience, to prove that I wasn’t imagining anything. I made it sound scientific, how the soul is a separate entity from the body. I added in some of my experiences with spirits who could travel between worlds, making traveling a few hundred miles sound easy.

  Dominic didn’t say anything, so I kept trying to convince him. My voice shook when I got to the part about the ribbon around Crystal’s neck …

  “He killed her with a ribbon?”

  “From a heart-shaped candy box.” I would never enjoy Valentine’s Day again.

  “Are you sure she was dead?”