“Fine, I guess. I have bad news about tonight, though.”
“What’s that?” Nicole wasn’t sure what sort of bad news to expect.
“A dear family friend has gone missing, and I have to go help find him.”
Did he really just say “dear”? Nicole didn’t think she’d ever heard a guy use that word like that before. “Do you need help?” She didn’t know what she would do if he said yes—it wasn’t like she could go gallivanting around the countryside.
“No, there are plenty in my family. Thanks for asking, though.”
They’d barely ended the call when Lizzie knocked on the sunroom door, motioning for Nicole to let her in.
Nicole jumped to her feet. For a moment, she wondered why the sunroom would keep her protected from the hounds when all they had to do was go to a different room in the house and break through the door. She pushed that thought from her mind, realizing that thinking about it would make her go crazy. Maybe having Alexander gone would draw the bad hounds after him, giving her some peace. She hoped so.
“You’re hanging out in here now?” Lizzie asked once she’d sat on the couch with Nicole.
“I need a change of scenery. I’m tired of studying in my room, and I didn’t want to study in the library.”
Lizzie yawned and slumped into the deep cushions. “I don’t know how you can concentrate in here—the sun is nice and warm, and it’s making me sleepy.”
Nicole half smiled. She didn’t have that problem—she was too high-strung. Yes, she was exhausted, but it wasn’t the sort of happy tiredness that comes from sitting in a room full of sunlight.
The girls did homework together, working on the projects they had in common. They chatted off and on, and Nicole went back and forth between whether or not she should tell Lizzie what was going on. She wasn’t sure how she felt about her friend knowing any of it. Would she accidentally tell too much? And if she didn’t tell enough, would Lizzie let it rest? They were best friends—Lizzie could always tell when Nicole was holding something back.
Nicole finally decided not to bring up the topic. She hoped that someday, she and Lizzie would be able to look back at this time and compare notes, but for now, the secret would stay hidden.
The rest that day, the evening, and all of Sunday passed without incident. Nicole did her best to spend as much time with her family as possible. It wasn’t uncommon for her to hang out in the same room with her parents and brothers, so they didn’t seem to care that she was around them a lot more than usual.
Conor picked Nicole up for school Monday morning, and she had a sensation of déjà vu as he kissed her in the parking lot.
This kiss, though, felt more like an apology than an act of exhibition. It was still exhibitionisty, but Nicole could tell it was meant to show the other students that the two of them were an item again rather than a way for him to show off. She was grateful that he’d gotten over the tiff they’d had, but she still didn’t appreciate how he treated her in front of other people. They would have to talk about that later. For now, though, she loved having his arms around her and the feeling of normalcy it brought.
Her classes flew by, and for the first time in a while, she was able to forget what was going on outside of the halls. There were so many students around her that not once did she worry she would be found by one of the hounds.
Once class let out, Nicole had Conor take her back home, and she picked up her car and headed to the small college where she worked as a professor’s research assistant. She stayed for the usual two hours, then drove to the floral shop where she delivered for Mr. Jensen, the owner. He was ecstatic to see her—there were a ton of orders over the weekend, and all of them had to be delivered that evening.
The arrangements were waiting for her in the fridge, and Nicole delivered them, making sure they were tucked securely in the foam holders she placed in her car. Normally, she would drive the floral shop’s van, but apparently, things had been so busy that his wife had come in and taken it already.
She was on the last delivery of the evening when she saw a dark dog bounding down the road behind her. She stared at it in her rearview mirror, trying to see if it was Alexander. The sun had set already, and it was dark enough outside to where she couldn’t make out features. Was it one of the evil hounds? It had to be, and her pulse quickened at the thought.
It didn’t take long for the dog to catch up and run alongside her car. The way it was running reminded her of Alexander, but she didn’t have any experience with these dogs to know if it really was him.
Just in case, Nicole made sure her doors were locked and her windows up. She stopped for a red stoplight, and the bright streetlight overhead illuminated the dog just as it turned and stared at her. Nicole gasped. Both ears were intact—neither had the tear she’d seen on Alexander.
Chapter Fourteen
The dog growled at her, baring its teeth.
Not thinking, Nicole slammed her foot on the gas, speeding through the red light. She narrowly missed getting hit by at least two cars. Horns blared, and she gripped the steering wheel, trying to get under control. She was lucky she’d been first at the light—she wasn’t sure if a car in front of her would have kept her from stepping on the gas.
For a moment, Nicole thought she lost the dog. But then she spotted it in her rearview mirror again, weaving in and out of traffic, angering and scaring drivers as it raced to catch up with her.
What should she do? According to Alexander, the dog couldn’t get into her car. As long as it didn’t shift to a man and break the window, she should be safe if she kept driving, right?
She needed to go faster. Nicole drove to the nearest freeway entrance, stepping on her gas again. She breathed a sigh of relief that she wouldn’t have to stop at traffic lights while on the freeway. Knowing she needed help as the dog continued running behind her, she fumbled in her purse, trying to grab her phone. But who would she call? Who would believe her that a dog was chasing her on the freeway?
Nicole stopped searching for her phone and concentrated on driving. She didn’t have a lot of gas left, but there was no way she’d stop if she could help it. After about ten miles, she watched in relief as the dog veered off the highway and disappeared. She knew the dog couldn’t get into her car unless it shifted into a man, but the thought of it that close again was frightening. And she didn’t want it to have the opportunity to turn into a human.
Nicole continued driving for another five miles, then turned around and headed back the way she’d come, praying her car would get her to the next gas station.
It didn’t.
She turned on her hazard lights when the engine died, pulling to the side of the freeway only about a quarter of a mile from her exit. She gripped the steering wheel, unable to let it go.
She couldn’t deliver the last flower arrangement now. Not only was it nearly nine thirty, but she couldn’t very well leave the car to get gas—not with that dog out there.
Nicole was finally able to pry her hands off the steering wheel. She dug through her purse, pulling out her phone. She called Conor, but he didn’t answer. She almost contacted Lizzie, but stopped herself, recognizing how bad an idea that was. Nicole hesitated for a moment, wondering who else to call. Aside from Mr. Jensen—he wouldn’t get her message until morning. When they had late deliveries like this, it wasn’t uncommon for Nicole to deliver and then take the foam holders home, returning them the next day.
Grateful they’d just had the “tell me if you need me” conversation, she dialed Derek’s number. Maybe he’d be able to make the forty-five-minute trip.
He didn’t have a problem helping her out, thank goodness. While waiting, Nicole left that message for Mr. Jensen, hoping he’d be able to smooth things over with the customer.
She set her phone down, wishing she had something to do to pass the time. She wouldn’t be able to concentrate on browsing the internet or surfing social media or playing a game on her phone, though, so instead, she leaned her
seat back a little bit and tried to relax while she could.
Her eyes had only been shut for a couple of seconds when someone knocked on the window. She jerked, looking.
It was Alexander, but something was different about him. He was see-through—he was a ghost. Oh, my gosh, is he dead? Nicole cracked her window. “Alexander?”
He nodded. “Yes. We’re in trouble. I need to talk to you.”
“How can I be sure it’s really you?”
“It’s me. If it makes you feel more comfortable, I’ll stay out here.”
Nicole nodded. “Okay. What’s going on?”
“I’m at Mount Koven. It’s a long story, but my physical body has been stolen by the five hounds.”
“By all five of them?” Nicole asked. “Because I was just chased by a dog a moment ago. And I’m positive it wasn’t one of the good ones.”
Alexander shrugged. “It might have been fewer than five, but I know it was more than two or three.”
“What do we do?” Nicole asked. “If you don’t have your body, how are we supposed to move forward?”
“I can’t leave Mount Koven until my physical body has been brought back to me.”
“Do you need me to go get it?” Nicole asked.
Alexander shook his head. “We don’t have time. Besides, they’re still carrying it. I have no idea where they’re heading—it would be a waste of resources to send you now.” He stared off into the darkness that surrounded them, then he said, “No, I need you to do something that I wish I could do myself. It’ll be dangerous—very dangerous. And creepy. How well do you handle creepy?”
“I’m not sure—I don’t have a lot of experience with it, other than spiders. And I’m not a big fan of those.”
“How about dead bodies?”
What? “I haven’t really been around them before.”
“In order for us to protect Lizzie, I’ve learned that we need to create an effigy. Unfortunately, that would take us months and months and it involves grave robbing, which I assume you’re not okay with.”
“Definitely not.” Nicole didn’t like where this was going. Grave robbing? And what was an effigy, anyway?
“I’ve learned of a secret abandoned museum that already has effigies nearly fully created. In order to get one, though, you’re going to be around quite a few dead bodies.”
“Why do we need an effigy?” she asked. “And what is that?”
“They’re also known as voodoo dolls—things created to represent a living person. Once we have one for Lizzie, it will distract the hounds from her until she’s able to fight them on her own. I’ve learned that just hiding knowledge of the prophecy won’t be enough—the hounds need to be actively drawn away from her by untiring magic. Neither you nor I nor any other living thing would have the energy to maintain the speed necessary to constantly stay ahead of them.”
“I’m not comfortable with the idea of a voodoo doll,” Nicole said. “Is there anything else we can do?”
Alexander shook his head. “I’m not comfortable with them either, but they exist because they work.”
Nicole snorted. They worked? Ha. “Right.”
“Not the ones that humans without magic create, or even an ordinary magical person. Someone with great powers is required.”
Nicole put her hands on the steering wheel and gritted her teeth. If it meant keeping Lizzie safe, she was willing. “Tell me what to do.” She hesitated. “Wait—get in the car. This is information we need to keep private, right?”
Not waiting for a response, she unlocked the doors and reached across to open the passenger door. Alexander walked around and got in, closing the door.
“You can close doors? How is that possible?” Nicole asked.
“I’m in Mount Koven, the place where all knowledge is stored. I have immediate access to the information necessary to grant spirits the ability to touch tangible objects. You’ve heard of poltergeists, correct?”
Nicole nodded. “Okay, so now tell me what to do.”
“You need to go to England—Stanford, to be exact.”
“The university? I thought that was in California.”
“No, the city. It’s in Norfolk.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Most people haven’t—not even those who live in the UK.” He looked at her. “As I already said, it’s going to be very dangerous. And you must not go alone. You’ll have to ship the effigy home once you find it. I may be able to sway a couple of people inspecting an innocent package, but I won’t be able sway the multiple airline personnel who would inspect a suitcase.”
“What do you mean by ‘sway’?” Nicole asked.
“I’d visit them the same way I’m visiting you, and I’ll persuade them to let the package go through customs. They’ll most likely think they’ve had a vision—they might even start a religion.”
Nicole didn’t miss his attempt at humor, but she wasn’t in the mood. “Okay, so I need to go to Stanford, England. What do I do once I get there?”
“Find Stanford Manor. It hasn’t been inhabited since the 1920s or 1930s. The man who last lived there tried to destroy it before committing suicide, but things like that aren’t easily gotten rid of.”
Nicole was momentarily distracted by the fact that the man had tried to destroy the manor. Why? She moved on, though, not asking her question. “And I’ll find the effigy there?”
“Yes.”
Nicole shuddered. If grave robbing was required to create one, that most likely meant they were made of human body parts. “I’m going to have to touch it.” How she wished Alexander could do it himself.
“I’m sorry. It won’t be fun. But like I said, it’s very important. Make sure you bring someone with you who can help. You’ll need flashlights, food, and water. And good walking shoes—Stanford Manor isn’t exactly approachable by car. You’ll need to leave ASAP. If the hounds found me at Mount Koven, they’ll be able to find you in the secret museum.”
Nicole’s head began to spin as Alexander continued giving her instructions and details, including the airport she’d fly to, the need to rent a car to get to the edge of Stanford, and where the museum was located in the manor. How would she remember all this? Would she be able to write it down before she forgot?
A knock on her window made her jump.
Chapter Fifteen
Derek stood outside, a worried expression on his face. Nicole glanced around the inside of her car, surprised at how quickly Alexander had disappeared and wondering if Derek had seen anything. She motioned for her brother to get in while moving her purse from the seat. Hadn’t she moved it for Alexander?
Derek tried the handle, but the car was locked. Weird. Nicole had unlocked it. Had her visit with Alexander really happened? Nicole hesitated, thinking. Was it a vision? He’d said people would think it was.
Nicole unlocked the doors, then remembered they needed to put gas in her car and that Derek would be driving his own. Her mind felt so jumbled—she really needed to get some sleep! She got out, joining her brother.
He held up a can of gasoline. “Sorry it took so long. I had to buy this, then fill it up.”
Nicole wondered how long she’d been out of it. Obviously, more than forty-five minutes had passed if Derek was apologizing for how long it taken.
“Who were you talking to?” he asked. “You were super animated. And I couldn’t get your attention. It totally freaked me out.”
Nicole said she was sorry, but wasn’t sure how to elaborate. As they put the gas in the tank, she asked, “Are you doing anything? I mean, for the next few days, starting tonight?”
Derek ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’ve got a few more finals—we’re at the end of the semester now.”
Nicole’s shoulders slumped in frustration. “Okay. Thanks.”
“What do you need me for?”
“No reason. I just don’t want to be alone.”
Derek gave her a sympathetic gaze. “I understand. Mother and
Dad definitely get involved in their own lives pretty heavily.”
Nicole nodded, not bothering to correct him. He was such a good brother. She was sad he was so busy all the time.
True to his word, Derek followed her all the way home, and it was almost midnight when she got there. Most the lights were off, though the ones in Tiffany’s office were still on. Nicole went straight there, wishing she didn’t have to ask her parents for help, but realizing there wasn’t anyone else.
She knocked on the door, then entered when invited to do so.
“Mother, can you go with me to England?”
“When?” Tiffany didn’t look up—she was shuffling through paperwork on her desk.
“This weekend.”
“Of course not. I’ve got the gala. Have you forgotten already?”
Nicole looked at Dad where he sat opposite Tiffany, reading a file. “Can you?”
“No, he can’t,” Tiffany answered for him, finally looking at her daughter. “Besides, we’re going in a couple of months. Can’t it wait until then?”
Nicole shook her head, not surprised Tiffany hadn’t asked why she wanted to go. “Thanks anyway.”
She walked back to her room, feeling like crying. Lizzie obviously couldn’t go, and Nicole was fresh out of good friends, apart from Lizzie. She hadn’t expected her mother to say yes, but Derek, at least, was usually willing to do things with her. Why did all of this have to happen over his finals week?
Nicole slumped on her bed, glaring at the corners of the room, wishing none of this had occurred. Stupid events out of her control. What could she do? Obviously, Alexander couldn’t have someone else do it—not if what he said was true and they needed to keep as many people as possible from knowing what was going on. For a moment, she wondered about the other guardians. The ones who were also trying to protect humans from the evil hounds. Why couldn’t one of them do it? She wished she could contact Alexander to ask him.
Nicole’s phone jingled, making her jump. She pulled it out of her purse and stared at it for a moment before registering that it was a text from Conor. He apologized if he’d woken her up, especially on a school night, then asked if he could take her to get a Frosty at Wendy’s.
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