Ghosts of Coronado Bay

by J. G. Faherty

She chewed her lip. “God, I hope not. If anything’s happened to her...”

  Blake put his arms around her. “The ghosts can’t hurt them, remember? Maybe they haven’t found the book yet. Or perhaps they just wanted to give us some time alone together.”

  Maya smiled. “Knowing Lucy, it’s more likely she’s having a quickie in the museum bathroom. I’ll explain later,” she added, seeing his confused look.

  “How about this? We wait another quarter hour; if she hasn’t come back, we go to the museum and look for her.”

  Something loosened in Maya’s chest. Maybe she was just being a nervous Nellie, as her grandmother would say.

  If she’s off somewhere knocking boots while I’m worrying my ass off, I’ll kill her.

  “Okay,” she said to Blake. “Fifteen minutes. Then, we go.”

  “Good. That gives me time to show you one more dance...”

  * * *

  Lucy fought to keep from throwing up as she tried to focus on the blood-splashed man standing in front of her.

  Gavin. His name is Gavin.

  And, he’s going to kill us like he killed Fiona.

  She’d regained consciousness just as two of Gavin’s men brought a struggling, screaming Mary Ellen into the exhibit room.

  “Caught another one, sir,” one of the sailors had said. He’d pushed Mary Ellen to the floor, and Lucy had noticed she was bleeding from a cut on her arm.

  “Excellent.” Gavin took a knife from one of the men and lifted Mary Ellen by the throat. “Another virgin delivered for our pleasure?”

  Mary Ellen had shaken her head violently. “No! No, I’m not the one you--”

  Quick as a viper, Gavin’s hand flashed out and back again. Mary Ellen’s head fell back, exposing a wide gash. For a split second it gaped like a giant mouth, and then a red fountain of blood burst forth.

  Gavin reached out and caught some of the blood as Mary Ellen’s body toppled to the floor. He squeezed his fist and red squirted out between his fingers.

  The sailors stared at him in silent anticipation.

  “Nothing.” He opened his hand and shook it, sending droplets everywhere. “She was no more a virgin than I am. Get back to work.”

  With Mary Ellen’s grisly murder looming in her memory, Lucy expected the thought of her imminent death to send her into a panic, but it didn’t. She assumed she was in shock. Either that, or the blow to the head she’d taken had hurt her worse than it felt. Not that it mattered. Gagged and bound in the middle of the exhibit room, there wasn’t much she could do except wait for Gavin to turn the knife on her. Gary and Curtis were still unconscious. Fiona’s body lay where she’d died, surrounded by a pool of blood. Mary Ellen’s was draped over a table, her head nearly separated from her body. The two guards looked like they were dead, as well.

  It’s all so wrong. How did it go wrong? They weren’t supposed to...

  Why haven’t they killed us yet?

  Wearing expressions of sullen disappointment, the two sailors had joined their companions in turning over tables, tearing exhibits apart, and smashing chairs. But not Gavin. He walked back and forth in front of his prisoners, staring at them.

  As if he were waiting for something.

  But what?

  One of the sailors cursed. “Dirty bastard!”

  Gavin turned quickly at the man’s shout, but he didn’t appear surprised.

  “What is it, Anton?”

  “Me hand. Went right through the table. It’s like--”

  Lucy jumped as the man disappeared in mid-word. She looked at another sailor just in time to see him fade into nothingness, his eyes wide as an owl’s.

  Gavin swung around and faced Lucy, his body already turning transparent. “Be damned! An ordinary virgin still isn’t enough. We need the witch’s blood if we’re to become human again. Rest assured, I’ll make sure she comes to us. Her life for yours. Pray that she--”

  He was gone.

  Dammit! Lucy struggled to free her hands, but the ropes were too tight. Of course, they are. Who ties better knots than freakin’ sailors?

  She continued twisting and turning anyhow, hoping to loosen the bindings, or find something sharp on the floor. Although her dress kept tangling around her legs, she managed to roll over and kick at Gary and Curtis, but neither of them woke up.

  There’s got to be something I can do before they bring Maya here.

  The guards. They had to have something on them she could use. Guns. Knives.

  Radios.

  That’s it! I can call for help.

  Now all she had to do was roll and caterpillar crawl across a huge room filled with tables and other obstacles, all before the ghosts brought her best friend back. Praying Gavin didn’t decide to drop a cabinet on her, she put her plan in motion.

  Her first attempt ended with her legs smacking painfully against a broken chair. Cursing and crying into the foul-tasting gag, she maneuvered her body around to a different angle.

  I’ll be damned if some stupid ghosts are going to kill me. Or any more of my friends.

  Even as she started rolling again, she had a sinking feeling her tough words weren’t going to be good enough.

  * * *

  “What time is it?” Blake asked, as he guided Maya off the dance floor.

  “It’s been twenty minutes. I can’t take it anymore. We’re going. It’s not like Lucy to--” She paused as Blake’s eyes went wide. “What’s wrong?”

  “Trouble.” He pointed towards the entrance to the gym.

  Two of Gavin’s men stood just inside the doors. One was heavily bearded, the other clean-shaven with a scarred face, and both wore furious expressions. Because they were so far away from Maya, they were translucent images, barely there at all. She knew no one else would even be able to see them, as long as they came no closer to her.

  One of the sailors pointed at them and motioned towards the doors. Maya felt a chill run through her as she recognized their faces.

  “Those are the men who attacked me on the sidewalk.”

  Blake gripped her hand. “Gavin must have sent them. This cannot be a good thing.”

  The two men entered the room, gradually gaining solidity as they drew closer to Maya. Although the party lighting kept people from noticing the transformation, the two figures drew more than a few stares because of their age and clothing. By the time they stopped in front of Maya and Blake, all eyes were on them.

  “We have a message, witch,” one of them said, pointing a callused finger at Maya. “If you want your friends to live, come with us.”

  “We are not going--”

  Maya cut off Blake’s retort. “We’ll come.”

  Blake turned to her. “It could be a trick. Lucy might be perfectly safe, even returning as we speak.”

  “She’s my best friend. I can’t take that chance.” She didn’t know how to explain it any better than that. Either he’d understand or he wouldn’t. But she wasn’t going to let anything happen to Lucy. Especially when it was her fault her friends were in trouble.

  I should have never let them go. If anything happens to her, to them...

  The sailors turned and headed for the door. Maya followed close behind them, dragging Blake along with her, so no one would catch a glimpse of the ghosts fading out. Several of her classmates put their hands out or asked questions, but she kept walking, ignoring their attempts to stop her.

  When they reached the sidewalk, she let go of Blake’s hand. “You don’t have to come. But I’m going.”

  “I’m not leaving your side.”

  When he placed his hand back in hers, she thought her knees might give out on her. She’d expected him to continuing arguing, or maybe even just disappear, let her go on her own.

  How ironic. Of all the guys in Coronado Bay, the only one who’s truly faithful and dependable isn’t even alive.

  As much as she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him, there was no time. The two sailors were already walking away.

&nb
sp; I’m coming, Lucy. Hang in there.

  * * *

  Stuart Newman stood on the steps of the school and watched Maya and her new boyfriend hurry down the sidewalk towards the center of town. For a moment, he lost sight of the two rough-looking men, but then they were back, right in front of Maya.

  Must have been shadows.

  He’d noticed the men when they’d confronted Maya and her new boyfriend at the prom - who hadn’t? - and seen the horrified look on Maya’s face when they spoke to her. He couldn’t hear what they said, but it had to be real bad.

  Not that I should care. Serves her right if she’s in trouble. She wants to dump me for some loser? I can get a dozen girls better than her.

  None of these thoughts stopped him from descending the steps and following them.

  Chapter 21

  Once they were inside the museum, it didn’t take long for Maya to realize things were worse - far worse - than she’d imagined. Bloody handprints and footprints marred the normally spotless hallways, but that was nothing compared to the shambles of the Black Lady Exhibit. When the sailors opened the doors, Maya stopped at the sight of all the destruction. Tables and cases overturned, furniture broken, pieces of the ship and its contents scattered all over the floor.

  And blood everywhere.

  As soon as he saw them, Gavin signaled to his men, who grabbed her and Blake and roughly guided them to where Gary and Curtis lay tied and gagged. Along the way, they found Lucy wedged between a table and a fallen curio case, her hands and ankles cut from trying to use a piece of broken glass to slice through her bonds. She’d managed to pull her gag off, and it dangled from her neck.

  “Lucy!” Maya tried to go to her, but the sailor holding her tightened his grip, each finger pressing so hard she knew she’d have bruises for a week.

  If I live to see them.

  “Bring the other one back, as well,” Gavin said, nodding towards Lucy, who kicked and screamed to no avail as another sailor hoisted her up and led her forward. Only then did Gavin address Lucy directly.

  “It was quite amusing watching you try and escape. Pity you weren’t better at it. But the time for games is past.” He turned to Maya. “If you give yourself to me right now, no one else has to get hurt.”

  “No one--?” Maya looked at Lucy, who had tears in her eyes.

  “Fiona. They...they killed her. Used her blood, but they didn’t stay solid. They killed Mary Ellen, too, but her blood didn’t do anything.”

  “Oh, God.” Maya felt like the earth had opened up and swallowed her. Fiona and Mary Ellen dead, and it was all her fault. “I...”

  “You don’t have time to waste,” Gavin said. “Your choice is simple. Either you give yourself to me and your friends live, or I take what I want and they all die.”

  The sailor holding Lucy yanked on her hair, drawing a scream.

  “All right!” Maya’s thoughts were a confused blur. “But how do I know you won’t kill them anyway?”

  Gavin gave a nasty laugh, and she wondered how she’d ever found him the least bit attractive. “You don’t, witch. But at least you’ll die knowing you did all you could to save them.”

  “Maya, don’t do it. He won’t keep his word.” Blake implored her as much with his eyes as with his voice.

  What to do? She wanted to shout for help, cry for her mother or father. This wasn’t the kind of decision a sixteen-year-old girl should have to make. Raped and killed to maybe save her friends? If she said yes, then Gavin and his men would be part of the real world forever, able to carry out his evil plans and basically turn the world into a living hell.

  Say no, and the same thing happened.

  That’s not how choices are supposed to work!

  She looked over at Lucy again, who was staring at the floor and crying. Glanced at Blake, who shook his head ”no.”

  She knew there was only one thing to do.

  “All right.” She stared directly at Gavin, whose smile grew even wider, and, if possible, more malicious. “You win. I’m yours.”

  Gavin stepped forward and reached for her. The two men holding Maya let go. Remembering her sensei’s instructions, she let Gavin draw her close.

  Then, she brought her knee up between his legs as hard as she could.

  “Aaaa!” He doubled over, holding both hands to his injured groin. As he did so, Maya took a step back and brought her knee up again, this time right into Gavin’s face. The snap of his nose breaking sounded loud as a gunshot in the quiet of the museum.

  Knowing it was her only chance to save her friends, Maya spun on her heel and lashed out with her other foot, catching the kneecap of the man holding Lucy. He cried out and fell to the floor, clutching his leg.

  “Get out of here!” Maya shouted. “They can’t hurt you if you’re not near me!”

  Bright lights exploded behind her, and she turned to see Blake pulling away from the two men who’d been holding him. He pointed at Maya and sparks flew from his finger.

  “Maya, behind you!”

  Without bothering to see who was coming at her, Maya threw herself to the side just as a bolt of lightning shot out from Blake’s hand. Gavin, black fluids flowing from his newly-crooked nose, gave a high-pitched yelp as the energy caught him right in the chest. He didn’t go down, though. Instead, he brought his hands up and countered Blake’s attack with one of his own. Blue energy zigzagged across the space between them, so close to Maya it made her hair stand on end. Blake cried out as his body flew backwards, crashing through a wooden case and only coming to a gradual halt when he left Maya’s zone of influence and lost his solidity.

  That didn’t stop Gavin. The taller man strode forward, his black coat whipped by an invisible wind, his eyes wide and furious. He clapped his hands together; a purple fireball took form and then shot towards Blake, who rolled to one side just before the pulsing globe landed. The remains of the display case exploded, sending glass and wood splinters through the air.

  Blake got to his feet. “Maya, run! I’ll hold them off.” Not waiting for an answer, he ran forward and threw a right uppercut that caught Gavin under the chin. A miniature fireworks display went off where supernatural flesh met its own kind. Gavin staggered back a step, spat something dark that wasn’t blood, and smiled.

  “So, the mouse has grown into a man, eh? Let’s see what you’ve got, boy.”

  Colored light detonated over and over again as the two men, one tall and one short, one dark and one fair, exchanged punches. Each gave as good as he got, landing and taking blows to the face and body. Maya used the opportunity to untie Lucy’s ropes. For a few seconds, she actually believed she’d have a chance to get herself and her friends out of trouble, at least temporarily.

  Then Gavin struck Blake a hard blow to the side of the head that sent the smaller man reeling. Before he could recover his balance, Gavin hit him twice more, once in the throat and once in the mouth.

  Blake’s eyes closed, and he fell to the floor.

  Gavin turned to Maya, who was busy dragging Curtis towards the door, while Lucy did the same with Gary. The ghost-wizard’s cruel smile would have made a shark proud.

  “Now, it’s time for me to take what’s mine.”

  Chapter 22

  Hiding behind one of the few display cases still standing, Stuart Newman clamped his hands over his mouth to keep from calling out. He did not want to draw the attention of the...the things fighting in the center of the room, or the ones watching, who he guessed were just as dangerous.

  He thought of them as things because it was impossible to imagine them as people, even though they looked human enough - at least when he could see them. They appeared and disappeared, fading in and out of sight like--

  Like ghosts?

  It seemed too crazy. He’d never believed in ghosts. But it would explain a helluva lot. The disappearing acts, the lightning, the weird clothes. Ghosts from a long time ago.

  From the Black Lady?

  Why not? It makes as much sense as any
thing else.

  And Maya’s new boyfriend, Blake, was right in the middle of things, fighting with that other guy while Maya crouched on the floor between them. Gavin, that’s the other guy’s name. I recognize him, too. He throws a mean punch for a ghost. What the hell’s Maya doing with these guys?

  Whatever was going on, it looked like Blake was getting the worse of it.

  Serves him right. Maya, too. If she’d stayed with me, none of this would be happening.

  Mixed emotions fought their own battle inside Stuart’s head and heart, mimicking the one in the middle of the room. On the one hand, he felt tempted to just sneak out the way he’d snuck in, get out of the room, and, then, simply run like hell and let Maya and Blake and Lucy and the others get what was coming to them.

  On the other hand, he knew he should probably do something to help because no matter how bitchy she’d been to him, he couldn’t - or at least shouldn’t - let the ghosts hurt her or any other people.

  That they had something very bad in mind was obvious. He’d figured that out the moment he’d seen the two security guards lying inside the exhibit room. He’d have left right then, but he’d been afraid someone might notice the exhibit room doors opening. And then he’d end up a prisoner, too.

  Or worse, like the guards.

  So he’d hidden, unable to tear his eyes away from the light show the two ghosts were putting on.

  Then Blake went down, and things changed very quickly.

  For the worse.

  * * *

  Maya stared at Gavin and finally understood that he was crazy. Not killing-small-animals crazy or even shooting-up-the-post-office crazy, but totally Osama Bin Laden kill-everyone-in-the-world super-villain wacko insane.

  And she was the only one who could stop him.

  He would kill them all if he had a chance, then the whole town, and who knew how many towns after that. She couldn’t let that happen even if it meant risking death.

  Or worse.

  “Wait,” she said, holding out her arm. “It’s not the sex you need, it’s just my blood. You don’t even have to kill me. A few drops will do it.”