Chapter 16
Friday
Maya leaned against a bank of lockers while Lucy pulled out her books for first period. Around them, students moved up and down the jam-packed hallway like blood cells in arteries and veins. “I’m telling you, it was freaky. I nearly peed in my pants. The whole house went crazy.”
Lucy shut her locker. “I can’t believe you didn’t hop back into bed.”
“Um, hello, scared out of my wits? It was kind of a buzz kill.” Maya hoisted her book bag. “But I think I might’ve...you know...”
“Banged him?” Lucy gave her a devilish grin. “Bopped his socks off? Lap danced his--”
“I was going to say ‘gone all the way,’ but I should’ve known you’d have a more colorful way of putting things.”
“So things were hot and heavy? That’s cool, but it brings up a question.”
“What’s that?” Maya asked, taking her seat in chemistry.
“What about Blake?”
“I don’t know. Blake’s nice. Sweet. But Gavin is...”
“Hot?”
“Yeah. Majorly hot.”
Lucy took a tube of lip gloss from her purse, puckered, and applied a shiny coating. “So, what’s the verdict?”
“What do you mean?”
“Date one or date them both?”
“Both?” Maya gave a short laugh. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I have enough problems when I date one person. I can’t imagine dating two at the same time.”
“Anyone else, I’d disagree, but with you, I see your point. You gonna ask him to the dance?”
Just then the bell rang, saving Maya from trying to give an answer she didn’t have.
* * *
Although Maya pondered Lucy’s question all day, she still wasn’t any closer to an answer when she got home from school. Finding Blake sitting on her porch didn’t improve her mood.
“I told you to stop spying on me,” Maya said, pushing past his chilly presence.
“We need to talk.” He followed her into the house, and she found herself wishing ghosts were like vampires, that they needed an invitation to enter.
“So talk.” She dropped her book bag on the couch and grabbed a soda from the fridge.
“It’s, um, about your needing to lose your virginity.” Somehow, although he didn’t have any blood, Blake’s face still turned pink from embarrassment. Even as she took out her pent-up frustrations on him, Maya wondered if his blushing were possible because he gained solidity in her presence.
“I really wish to Hell that you and everyone else would just mind your own business when it comes to my virginity!” The fact that she’d been ready to give it up the night before, could still feel Gavin’s hands on her skin, didn’t help. She felt her own face growing hot and not just from the awkwardness of the situation. Her hormones had been in an uproar all day, especially whenever thoughts of Gavin entered her head.
“You don’t understand--”
“No, you don’t understand!” Maya pointed a finger at him. “It’s my body, and I’ll do whatever, and whoever, I want with it. Got it?”
“Maya, please listen--”
“We are so done here.” She took her soda and headed for the stairs.
Until Blake’s next words stopped her in mid-step.
“Gavin Hamlin is planning on taking your blood and becoming solid again, forever, and then he’s going to rape you and kill you.”
A chill ran through Maya, colder than anything caused by a ghost. Slowly, she turned to face Blake. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”
His face told her it wasn’t. Semi-solid because of the distance between them, he softly slumped onto the couch and shook his head. “I wish it were. Sit down. I’ll explain everything or at least try to.”
Maya came back down the stairs and took a seat on a chair across from Blake.
And, she felt an awful terror come to life inside her as he told the true story of the Black Lady and the sorcerer Gavin Hamlin.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Blake leaned back, his face showing how miserable he felt. “And that’s why I had to...to try and do...you know. Before Gavin.”
Maya stared at him, trying to make sense of everything he’d just told her. Gavin, the last of a long line of evil magicians. Blake, descended from a family that had vowed to wipe out the Hamlin lineage. He didn’t seem crazy - although how can you tell with a ghost? So she had to figure he believed there was truth to what he’d said.
Besides, why make up such an elaborate lie? There were easier ways to get into a girl’s pants.
Through the mass of thoughts swirling through her head, an idea came to her. “But I’m not a witch. So my blood is useless to him.”
He shrugged. “It’s a matter of definition. You have the ability to make us solid again. In my time, that’s more than enough of a magical ability to be considered a witch. Besides, it doesn’t matter what you are. It only matters what Gavin thinks you are, and what he’s going to do.”
“So why hasn’t he tried to kill me yet?”
“He’s been playing a game. He knows that I, well, that I like you, and he wants to, um, take your...um, what you don’t want to talk about, before I do.”
Maya’s anger rose up again. “So I’m like, some kind of game for the two of you? Winner gets my virginity?”
“No!” Blake couldn’t meet her gaze. “I only wanted to save your life.”
“I thought you said you liked me.” Maya wanted to bite her lip, but the petulant words were already out. My hormones again. God, maybe Lucy’s got the right idea. I’d be a lot less stressed if I were having sex.
“I do. But I’d never force myself on a girl, on you. Except...”
“I know. Except to save my life.” She sighed. It was all too much for her to handle. Things were much simpler before meeting either one of them. Which reminded her...
“Well, at least it solves one problem.”
“What is that?” Blake asked.
She gave him a wry smile. “I don’t have to worry about choosing between the two of you or trying to date both of you at once.”
Blake’s eyes went wide. “You mean you wanted to date me?”
Maya let her smile grow warmer. She should have known better than to get suckered by Gavin’s dangerous looks and attitude. How many times had she warned Lucy to stay away from guys like that?
It was so flattering, though. That a dangerous guy might want me. Instead, all it did was blind me to the truth.
That the right guy was in front of me all along.
“I did,” she told him. “And I still do. That is, if you don’t hate me for the way I’ve acted.”
His own smile slowly blossomed on his face, a morning sun rising out of dark clouds. “I’d like that a lot.”
Maya found herself getting up and crossing the distance between them, sitting down next to him. As she moved closer, his form lost its translucence until she could no longer see through him. Like a ghost herself, standing outside her body as it did things on its own, she watched her hands take his. “There’s a dance on Saturday night. Would you go with me?”
Oh my God, did I just ask him out? How can I bring him around other people, people I know and -
“Yes, I will.”
Before she could think or say anything else, he leaned forward and placed his lips gently on hers. Her body responded, pressing close against his, pushing her mouth against his, savoring the cool caress of his ghostly flesh. He started to pull back, and she raised her hands to his neck, pulled his head forward, forcing the kiss to continue. His hands, now free, glided up her back, raising goose bumps and causing involuntary shivers that danced down to her stomach and lower, heightening her excitement further. She started to lean back, bringing him with her, when suddenly he broke the embrace and sat up straight.
“What’s the matter?” Her breathing was heavy; she wanted nothing else except to have him on top of her again.
“You sai
d Saturday night. The dance.”
“Yeah? So what?” She tugged at his arm, but he didn’t move.
“That’s the deadline for Gavin to find the key and put his plan into action. If he’s going to succeed, he has to kill you before midnight on Saturday.”
Blake’s words acted like a cold shower, dowsing the fire burning inside her. “Wait, there’s a deadline? Why? And, what can we do to stop him?”
“I don’t know.” He shook his head in frustration. “I don’t know where the book or key is. I don’t know what kind of evil ceremony he has planned. I don’t know anything!” He punched the couch pillows.
Once again, Maya found herself smiling.
“That’s okay. I know just the person to talk to.”
* * *
“Are you sure this will work?”
“Quiet!” Maya motioned for Blake to sit down. “Like I said, no guarantees, but I’m hoping.” She closed her eyes and tried to block out all her other thoughts.
“Grandma, can you hear me? I need your help. Grandma Elsa, I need you. Grandma, this is—”
“I know who it is, silly girl. Who else would be calling me?”
“Grandma!” Maya ran forward and threw her arms around her grandmother, who returned the hug with equal gusto before stepping back and eyeing Blake.
“Well, you’ve certainly gotten yourself into quite a mess.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Grandma, this is Blake Hennessy. Blake, this is my grandmother, Elsa Crompton.”
Blake nodded to her. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, ma’am.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Blake. At least this one has manners,” Elsa added, glancing at Maya.
“He’s a ghost.”
Elsa rolled her eyes. “Yes, dear. I know. We can recognize our own. But I’m guessing he’s not the reason you called for me.”
“No. I’ve got a major problem.”
Maya quickly explained the situation, with Blake adding an occasional point. When they were done, Maya regarded her grandmother, whose normally happy face was all tight lips and dark frowns.
“So, is it true? Can Gavin really, like, use my blood to come back to life?”
“I’m afraid so. But you have the details wrong. It’s not the act of losing your virginity that brings about the effect. It’s simply using a virgin’s blood.”
“You mean any virgin will do?” Blake asked. Elsa started to answer, but Maya interrupted as a sudden thought came to her.
“The girl at the museum!”
“What girl?” Grandma Elsa asked.
“That is why Gavin killed her,” Blake said.
“Children...” Elsa’s voice took on a warning tone Maya remembered from her childhood.
“Someone killed a girl at the museum. Her blood was all over the place. According to the papers, she was a member of the Virgin-i-teens.”
“That means Gavin might already be alive again. We have to do something!” Blake stood up.
“No, it doesn’t,” Elsa said. “Not unless she had the same powers as Maya.”
Blake looked relieved as he sat down again. “So, magic is necessary, as well?”
“Yes.” Elsa looked at each of them. “The blood of a virgin will make a ghost whole again, but only for a few minutes. But the blood of a Seer--”
“What’s a Seer?” Maya interrupted.
“You are. A Seer is someone who can see the spirits of the departed. A Seer’s blood is special. It would bring a ghost back to this world permanently.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me about this before?” Maya asked. “I could have made you solid again.” The idea of having her grandmother back, alive, around all the time, brought tears to her eyes.
“I would never think of it,” Elsa said, crushing Maya’s brief fantasy. “I don’t want to hang around forever, like some undead thing from a horror movie. Besides, how would we explain my suddenly coming back to life after all these years?”
“And there is one other problem, as well.” Blake’s tone of voice let Maya know the problem would be a serious one.
“Yes.” Elsa nodded. “We don’t know how much blood is needed. It could take a lot, possibly so much that you would die.”
“Oh.” Maya found herself at a loss for further words. She loved her grandmother dearly. And she felt affection - maybe even something more - for Blake.
But was she ready to die so they could come back to life?
Shouldn’t she be? She didn’t think so, but the idea left a little guilt in its wake anyhow.
“Don’t feel sad,” Elsa said. “Immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Can you imagine being my age forever? Or,” she added, glancing at Blake, “a teen-ager? Watching your friends, the people you love, grow old and die around you, while you never change?”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” Maya let out a sigh. “That still leaves us with the big problem. Gavin. I guess the only way to stop him is to lose my virginity.”
Blake looked away, embarrassed, but Elsa shook her head.
“No, that’s only one way, and it might not stop this Gavin person.”
“You think he might still kill Maya for her Seer’s blood, even if she’s not a virgin?” asked Blake.
Elsa nodded.
“Great. So what else can we do?” Maya looked at her grandmother.
“There is another option. Like I said, your blood is powerful. Not only can it bring ghosts back to life, but you can control them, too.”
“Control them? How?”
“The power is inside you, my love. Here,” Elsa touched a cold hand to Maya’s head, “and here,” she said, touching Maya’s heart. “But...”
Maya gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. “I should have known there was a ‘but.’ There’s always a ‘but.’”
“But,” Elsa continued, ignoring her granddaughter’s sarcasm, “you must be careful. Anyone who becomes a ghost only does so because they are very strong-willed. Otherwise there would be ghosts everywhere.”
Blake nodded. “I died vowing that Gavin would not get his hands on the book.”
“And he likely died vowing to hold on to it at all costs,” Elsa said, looking at Maya. “As strong - one might say stubborn - as you are, you might not be a match for this Gavin and his men.”
“So, I still have to decide. What should I do?” Maya’s face scrunched up as her frustration made itself evident.
Elsa patted her cheek. “Choose wisely, sweetheart. Choose wisely.” She gave Maya a quick kiss on the cheek then stepped back and began to fade away.
“Grandma, no! Wait! There’s more I need to ask.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not strong enough to stay. But I’ll be watching...”
“Dammit!” Maya shouted, as Elsa disappeared from view.
“It’s not her fault,” Blake said, standing next to her. “Manifesting is hard.”
“Whatever.” Maya stormed into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator door, and then slammed it shut without even looking inside.
“Losing your temper won’t help.”
“Easy for you to say.” She kicked the leg of the kitchen table. “I either have to have sex or risk my life doing a Jedi knight imitation to defeat some hundred-year-old ghosts.”
Blake frowned. “What is a Jedi knight?”
“Never mind.” She went back to couch and practically threw herself onto the cushions. “I can’t take a chance on fighting Gavin. That just leaves sex. So, how do you want to do it?”
Sitting down across from her, Blake shook his head. “It can’t be me. As much as I...I’ve come to love you, and would welcome being human again, I couldn’t stand to lose you when you grew older.”
“I wouldn’t leave you.” But even as she said it, she knew she was lying. It was one thing to be eighteen or nineteen, or even twenty-one, and date someone who looked a little younger. They could lie about Blake’s age, say he was older than he looked. But what about when she was thirty? Or fort
y? He would look more like her son than her lover.
And I could never have children...
“Wait,” she said, as an idea came to her. “What about protection?”
“What?” Blake’s face got that blank look that meant they’d hit on another generation gap in vocabulary.
“Condoms.” She ignored another round of blushing, something she seemed to be doing too much of lately, and explained what they were. “No blood touching you means no becoming human again.”
“No, we can’t take the chance. What if all that’s needed is a few drops? One accidental touch...” He left the rest unsaid.
Maya sighed. He was right. “So, what do we do?”
Hesitantly, Blake said, “There is always Stuart...”
“No freakin’ way.”
He shrugged. “The only other thing we can do is find the key and destroy the book before Gavin finds them and completes his ceremony.”
“So, let’s do that.”
“It means going to the museum. And I’m not strong enough to protect you from Gavin and his men.”
“Not by yourself you’re not,” Maya said, an idea forming in her mind. “But what if I bring friends?”
“Friends?”
“Yeah. The ones you’re going to meet tomorrow night. At the dance.”
“The dance? You mean, we’re still going?”
“Going? I wouldn’t miss it for the world. This might be my last chance to have some fun before I die. And believe me, we’re gonna rock the house down.”
As frightened as she was about the dangerous turn her life had taken, Maya couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the look on Blake’s face.
Chapter 17
The minute Maya woke up on Saturday morning she grabbed her cell and called Lucy. “Get your lazy butt out of bed. We’re going shopping. I need a dress for the dance.”
Maya had to hold the phone away from her ear to avoid Lucy’s deafening scream. After calming her friend down, they agreed to meet at the diner in an hour.
“I can’t believe you picked Blake,” Lucy said, as they entered Sears, Coronado Bay’s only department store. “I thought for sure your hot-and-heavy for Gavin would win that contest.”
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