Madison rolled her eyes. “Hanway says you know her.”
Smart-ass… I couldn’t help but smile. Madison reminded me of my brother.
“Do you ever speak to her?”
Madison’s eyes widened and she looked at me like I was mental. “No, she’s way too creepy.”
“You got that right.”
“You knew Ian, didn’t you?”
I felt like the breath had been sucked from my lungs. “You knew Ian?”
“No, but Hanway mentioned him. You know that’s the reason my mom bailed on me.”
“Because of Hanway?”
“No,” she said sounding exasperated. “Because I see ghosts. She thought I was losing my mind. From the time I was three I had an imaginary friend. I could tell when my mom actually started paying attention. I sometimes wonder if that’s why she started doing drugs.”
“You can’t blame your—”
“Hey, you two,” Kade said, coming down the stairs, swinging his keychain around his index finger.
“Gotta go. See ya, Williams,” Madison said, rushing past us.
I was sorry to see her leave. I had so many questions to ask her. “See ya, Maddy.”
The night sky was full of stars, the moon so big it looked like you could reach out and touch it. As we walked across the gravel to the Range Rover, I was excited at what I’d learned tonight, and excited that not only could I see Peter, but Hanway too.
Kade opened the passenger side door and I slid into the seat. He shut the door and then walked around the car. I glanced up, and in the shadows I swore I saw someone standing beside a tree not twenty feet from us.
At first I wondered if it was Peter, but the height wasn’t right. The figure moved slightly, enough for me to make out long hair and a gown. Laria’s face looked even paler than I remembered, and yet she was as solid as any human.
I immediately locked the door.
Kade got in, buckled up, and turned the key in the ignition. I looked back at the trees and Laria was gone. Chill bumps appeared on my arms and I felt a familiar sense of dread come over me. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I glanced in the side mirror and swore I could make out someone sitting in the backseat, directly behind me.
Someone with long brown hair.
I wanted to reach for Kade’s hand, but I didn’t dare. I was frozen with fear.
“So…you made it through a night with my family.”
“It was nice meeting them,” I said, my heartbeat a roar in my ears.
“I’m sorry about your mum. That must have been difficult to go through.”
“Thanks, it was difficult, but I’m better now.”
Couldn’t he feel the freezing cold?
Apparently not, because he stared at me and smiled. “I’m really glad you’re here, Riley.”
Memories of a similar conversation I’d had with Ian came back to me. “Thanks, I am, too.”
We started down the long driveway, and this was one time I was glad it wouldn’t take long to get to my house.
Icy hands clenched my shoulders tightly, slowly pulling me back against the seat. Firm, long fingers dug into my skin at the collarbone.
I tried to lean forward, to get away from the hands that held me firmly against the seat. I couldn’t budge. A second later those same hands were around my neck, squeezing tight.
I started choking.
Kade’s eyes widened, and he swerved onto the shoulder of the road and slammed the car into Park. “Riley, are you all right?”
I felt dizzy, like I was going to black out at any second.
I heard a voice, but I couldn’t make out what they said. Like faint whispering running in a loop over another voice.
“Riley.” Kade’s hand was on my shoulder, and I could hear the alarm in his tone.
The next second I was released, just like that.
I took a deep breath and looked behind me.
The backseat was empty.
Kade followed my gaze, and his brows furrowed.
“Sorry,” I said, rubbing my neck. “I don’t know what just happened.”
Not the best explanation, but it would have to suffice. I wasn’t about to tell him I was being stalked by a malevolent spirit. For some reason I didn’t think that would go over so well.
After the fifth time asking me if I was all right, and me assuring him I was, he drove me home, and once there he walked me to the front door.
“I’m glad you came over. I hope you will again.”
“I’d like that.” I reached for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow,” I said, glancing at the car and wondering if Laria was hiding in the backseat. “Hey, text me when you get home, okay?”
The sides of his mouth lifted in a boyish grin. “Okay.”
“Good night.” I waited until he was in the car and pulling out of the driveway before I walked into the inn, shut the door, and locked it behind me. Aside from Laria’s chokehold on my neck, tonight had been a good night, and now that I knew Hanway was in residence at the castle, I had questions for him and Madison. She knew Laria, and was well aware that she was a malevolent spirit. Although I hesitated to get a twelve-year-old involved in my problems, I had little choice. I needed help, and now that Anne Marie had skipped town, I needed someone to bounce thoughts off of.
I climbed the steps to my room, trying to gather my thoughts.
I opened the door to my room and my breath left me in a rush.
On the wall in red ink was the word CUTTER written in six-inch letters. In the middle of my bed sat the matchbox I’d made sure had been tossed in the trash.
Chapter 11
It was the first football game of the season, and I had a tough time keeping my focus on the game. Last night Laria had shaken me up by trying to choke me. Coming home to find the writing on the wall and the razor blades back on my bed had been too much.
I’d spent thirty minutes before I fell asleep scrubbing the walls. The red paint had come off easily enough, but had left a pink tint to the wall. And the razor blades—that had been a different battle altogether.
Focusing on my mom, I asked for her help. As expected whenever I connected with her, a sense of calm fell over me. I had honestly thought my desire to cut would fade with time, but having the razor blades show up again and again reminded me I had far from won that battle. The desire to cut ate at me, and for a minute last night I had almost put the blades into the back of my sock drawer, where I’d kept them before I promised never to cut again.
Even last night I’d had a dream about cutting, so first thing this morning I had put the matchbox and blades into a plastic grocery bag, tied it tight and put it in the outdoor trash can.
“Your boyfriend is looking hot,” Megan said, pulling me back to the present.
She was right. Kade was looking hot. Dressed in his navy and white uniform, he put every other guy to shame.
Megan kept glancing at Shane. I knew she was crushing on him, but I didn’t say anything. She loved Milo. I knew that, and an innocent crush wouldn’t hurt anything. Or so I hoped.
The bleachers were packed, and I saw Mr. and Mrs. MacKinnon sitting front and center. Both waved at me, and I waved back. Madison sat beside them, earbuds in, and she had her head down, apparently texting. She glanced up when Karen had waved at me, did a little head nod in acknowledgment, and looked back at her phone.
I desperately wanted to talk to her, to finish our discussion about Ian. She knew about him, and although she said she hadn’t seen Ian, it was obvious Hanway had talked about him.
Cait, who had been talking to a group of Emo kids, including Joni, joined us, sliding in beside Cassandra. Cassandra had smuggled in a baby bottle of liquor and had poured it into her soda bottle in the car. I didn’t think getting started right away was a good thing, but I wasn’t going to be a buzzkill either.
She offered me a drink but I shook my hea
d. I wasn’t about to get drunk, or even buzzed for that matter, especially when I had a crazy spirit out to kill me.
I was actually relieved when Megan declined the drink as well, saying she didn’t feel like being hung over for our drive into Aberdeen tomorrow to shop for dresses for Milo’s party.
Cait went for it though, which surprised me with her parents nearby.
The horn blasted and the game started.
Shane wasn’t on the field. I hoped the coach played him, despite the fight he’d been in the other day. Every once in a while he would glance up into the stands, and I could see him looking at Joni. He didn’t say much about her, but I knew he liked her, and I could tell she was into him too.
Loud laughter brought my attention to Dana and her crew who were sitting two rows down from us. She kept glancing back over her shoulder at me.
Megan squeezed my arm. “Just ignore her.”
I nodded, and focused on the game and on Kade. He handled the ball with incredible skill, and he was fast on his feet. Within the first minute he had an assist.
Football in the U.K. was at a whole different level than it was back home. Shane was good, but he had his work cut out for him here. If anything, these guys would make him a better player.
I glanced at Cait. “Your brother is incredible.”
“He lives and breathes football,” she said. “He’s been in junior league since he was six.”
As the minutes ticked by, it became more and more obvious that Kade was the star of the team. His coach constantly talked to him. Kade had his hands on his hips and nodded, looking completely focused. When the coach finally sat him out, he grabbed a towel, wiped his face, and glanced up into the stands. I actually held my breath as he scanned the crowd, and when his gaze landed on me, he nodded and smiled softly.
Dana waved at him, and I felt myself blush. I had sworn he was looking at me.
Megan laughed under her breath. “For the record, he was waving at you, not Dana.”
I was glad Megan thought he was looking at me, too. That way I wasn’t just seeing what I wanted to see. Last night he had texted me back when he’d gotten home, telling me again how great the night had been and how his family really liked me. He’d also mentioned getting together soon. I’d told him I’d like that.
Megan’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, Ri. Your nose is bleeding.”
I lifted my hand to my nose, and was stunned when my hand came back with blood.
She fished in her purse, pulled out a small package of tissue, and handed me one.
I wiped away the blood.
“You snorting pills?” Cassandra asked, lifting a brow.
It took me a second to realize she was serious. “No.”
My nose kept bleeding, and I had no choice but to excuse myself and go to the bathroom. Just my luck two of Dana’s buddies stood at the sinks, putting makeup on. Seeing me, they went quiet.
One of the girls, a tall brunette touched her nose. “Uh, you have blood on your nose, sweetheart.”
I bit the inside of my lip.
I went into the stall and blew my nose. I couldn’t believe the amount of blood that was on the tissue. I unrolled more toilet paper and dropped the blood-soaked tissue in the toilet.
A minute or so later the bathroom door opened and closed, and I sighed in relief, glad to be alone.
I went to the sink, lifted my chin and pinched my nose at the bridge.
The light overhead started to flicker. The plastic cover over the bulbs was yellowed from time, and a bulb flashed a few times before it went out altogether.
Nice.
At least there looked to be one more bulb. It didn’t give off a lot of light, but enough for me to see that my nosebleed had stopped.
I turned on the water, cupped my hands beneath the stream and cleaned off the little bit of blood that had caked around my nostrils.
The light overhead popped and I stood in total darkness.
An overwhelming sense of fear gripped me and I immediately made a move for the door, but I was grabbed from behind. A scream died on my lips. A second later my head slammed into the sink. Cold water had been turned on full blast, and firm hands held my head down.
I tried to fight back, to get my head up out of the water that was starting to pool in the basin, but the attacker was stronger than me.
My face was freezing and I couldn’t breathe. On the verge of passing out, I panicked and used all my strength to fight back. I pushed back with all my might.
Suddenly, the light went on.
“What the hell are you doing?” I heard someone ask, their voice sounding like it was coming from a long way away.
I had my hands on either side of the sink basin, my bangs completely wet, and I had makeup running down my face.
“Riley?”
It was Dana. For the first time in my life I was happy to see her. Happy that someone had walked in before I’d been killed. And I had no doubt Laria, or whoever it had been, had tried to kill me.
The situation looked insane. My hair was wet. The basin was clear…and there wasn’t even a stopper in the drain. How was that possible?
“You had a nosebleed, I hear,” she said, taking a tentative step closer.
“Allergies.” Even my voice was shaky. “I couldn’t get it to stop.”
Her expression alone said she thought I was psychotic, but I didn’t care. At least the nosebleed was one way to explain why my hair and face were wet.
I felt chills rush up my back at the same time someone growled in my ear and I jumped. I glanced over my shoulder. No one was there—just Dana standing by the door, watching me like I’d lost my mind.
“Um, it looks like you took a bath,” she said, lips quirked.
I know I looked like hell. Her expression just confirmed it. Hitting the dryer button, I lowered my head and made an attempt to at least get my bangs dry and keep from shaking. Laria, or whoever had just tried to drown me, wasn’t messing around this time. I had to have help. I needed answers. I needed someone who understood what I was going through.
When I finished drying my bangs, I wiped the makeup from under my eyes with a tissue.
Dana finally stepped closer, in front of the mirror and applied lip gloss, all the while watching me. I wanted to ask her if she had any mascara I could borrow, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask her. It’s not like I wore a lot of makeup anyway. Plus, with the way my hands were trembling, I’d probably just make more of a mess.
“So…you like Kade?”
There it was—the million dollar question.
“He’s nice,” I said, doing my best to fix my hair. At least I didn’t look like a drowned rat any longer.
She dropped her gloss into her purse. “Yep, he’s really nice. A word to the wise though—he doesn’t get attached for long.”
And yet that fact didn’t seem to stop her from going for him.
“See you later,” I said, walking toward the door.
“Hey, if you ever want to hang out sometime, give me a call.”
Was she serious?
“You want my mobile number?” she asked, pulling her cell out of her pocket. I wasn’t about to give her my phone number.
I was saved from having to respond when Cait walked in. “I was wondering if you fell in.”
I was so relieved to see her, I almost hugged her. “I was just heading back.”
“Are you okay?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, confirming I looked as horrible as I felt.
“I’m fine,” I said, a complete lie since I was shaken up.
“Hey Cait,” Dana said, perking up immediately.
“Dana,” Cait replied, with a stiff nod. She slid her hand around my elbow and pulled me out of the bathroom. As we walked toward the bleachers, she watched me closely. “You’re like Maddy, aren’t you, Riley?”
My stomach tightened. “What do you mean?”
“You can see the dead.”
Had Madison said something to her? I wondered.<
br />
“I’ve lived with Maddy long enough to know that she’s not talking to an imaginary friend. There’s someone actually there. I saw the same look in your eyes last night while we were eating, and after, when you were looking at pictures. Who was there with us?”
I was reluctant to say too much. After all, she lived in the castle and I didn’t want to be the reason she couldn’t sleep at night.
“That’s why you wouldn’t sit in the chair, was it? Because someone else was already sitting there.”
Very good.
I was so used to being quiet about my abilities, and honestly, I was terrified of Cait saying something to Kade. Then again, I wasn’t going to lie to my friend, especially when she knew the truth.
“The ghost Maddy talks to is Hanway,” I said before I could stop myself.
“Hanway,” she said, her eyes going wide. “Wait, that’s the ghost who tore his nails off trying to get out of the dungeon, right?” She sounded almost excited.
I nodded. “Yes, but for the record, his nails looked fine to me.”
“Who else have you seen?”
I wasn’t ready to tell her about Laria. Plus, I wasn’t going to tell her I’d been in the castle before the other night. I wasn’t so sure she’d be okay with that. If the tables were turned, I’m not so sure I would be okay with it either.
“There’s an eleven-year-old boy at our school.”
I saw some of the fear leave her face. “A boy…like how old?”
“Eleven. So bloody young,” she said absently. “What’s it like—to be able to talk to someone who’s dead?”
No one had asked me that question before. “I guess it’s kind of like talking to you right now.”
Her brows formed a straight line. “Oh, come on.”
“I’m serious. The dead are just like us…they’re just invisible to the majority.”
“I wish I could see them.”
“No you don’t,” I said matter-of-factly. She went quiet when Dana walked past us, chin lifted high.
We returned to the stands, but I couldn’t focus at all on the game. I was too shaky, and I kept expecting Laria to appear, to reach around my neck again and choke me. I clapped every time our team scored, and was disappointed Shane didn’t get a chance to play.
The Haunted Page 6
