“For now? You think he’ll try again?”
“I’m not so sure it’s a him, but I’m positive they’ll try again. They won’t stop until we’ve all been punished in some way, and I can’t think of too many people that want to see us all hurt. It’s either the mayor or Tabitha.”
“But only one of them can actually interact with us in a physical way. My vote is for the mayor,” Tabitha said, seeing a way to divert attention away from the topic of her spirit. “He probably sent one of his guys after us. I don’t know what he hopes to accomplish though.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Finn asked quietly. “He’s worried we’re getting closer to exposing his dirty dealings. That’s a pretty good reason to want us silenced. If his dealings get exposed, he won’t go through the normal court system. He’ll be dealt with through our own system of justice, and he’ll already know the outcome before any kind of trial takes place. There’s only one way this can end for him, and he’s desperate to keep it from happening.”
Tabitha didn’t say anything. She just let Finn carry her down to the infirmary without another word. When he kicked open the door and brought her inside, Lisa’s eyes narrowed as she moved around the side of Tanya’s bed, where she had just been checking Tanya’s pulse.
“What happened?”
“She was attacked while in the morgue,” Finn said, setting Tabitha down on the nearest bed. Ezra got to his feet and left Tanya’s side to come check on me. “Whoever it was bashed her head into the counter and threw her up against the wall. She blacked out, and she can’t remember who did this to her.”
Lisa turned her attention on Tabitha, and I wasn’t sure, but I thought I noticed something flicker in her eyes. But I quickly dismissed that before I could get my hopes up. Lisa was a witch—a quite powerful one who could even see into a person’s future by searching through their mind—but she couldn’t see and speak to the dead. She wouldn’t be able to tell that Tabitha was inhabiting my body…could she?
“What’s the last thing you remember before blacking out?”
I could feel Tabitha’s triumph and I knew that she was going to find a way to convince everyone that Finn had been the one to attack her without actually acting like she thought he was guilty.
“The last thing I remember is someone calling my name. I was deep within myself, searching for Tabitha, and I didn’t get a chance to answer. I thought for sure it was Finn, so I figured he’d just wait for me to come around. But whoever it was grabbed me by the back of the head and slammed my face down onto the corner of the table, and then everything started to get kind of black and fuzzy around the edges. When I woke up, Finn was standing over me asking if I was okay.”
Lisa pursed her lips. “Hmmm.” She didn’t say anything else, and Tabitha hurried forward with her concocted story.
“I think Finn must have scared off whoever it was before they got the chance to finish me off. They probably heard him coming and took off.”
For another minute, Lisa didn’t say a word. She just observed Tabitha with a cool expression on her face. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking, but I silently hoped she was doubting Tabitha’s story. If she went through and examined every word of Tabitha’s bullshit story, she would undoubtedly notice that something didn’t seem to add up. There was one other thing on my mind that Tabitha hadn’t accounted for, and it could either really help my situation, or really hurt it.
“Lisa?” Ezra asked. “What do you think happened?”
“I’m not sure,” she said quietly. “I’m just wondering how any kind of assassin managed to get into this compound without being seen. We have all the entrances and exits manned by guards at all times ever since Andrew’s hired goons managed to get in before. There’s no possible way anyone managed to sneak in to attack Ronnie,” she said, peering closer at Tabitha. “The attacker,”—she said the word as if she wasn’t sure there even was one—“must be someone from the compound.”
Ezra and Finn traded glances. “Who here would hurt Ronnie though?” Ezra asked. “I know she isn’t all that well liked because of her powers, but I doubt anyone here would try and hurt her. Especially right under the nose of the Council. It just wouldn’t happen.”
I could feel Tabitha’s fear spike up a notch. Her story was going to fall apart eventually, and I just hoped it was soon. The sooner she was revealed to be a fraud, the sooner I could get my body back and banish her for good. Then I could work on fixing my relationship with my friends.
Come on, you guys. Figure it out!
“For someone who was just attacked, you seem remarkably composed,” Lisa said, narrowing her eyes just a fraction at Tabitha.
“Well, I’m kind of used to this by now, aren’t I?”
You know, if someone had really just tried to kill me…I’d be a little more terrified. You almost sound gleeful. Might wanna keep those fake emotions in check, I said, only slightly taunting. You’re doing a pretty shitty job of pretending to be me, and I’ll bet Lisa sees right through you…
Shut up!
Lisa nodded her head, but I was almost positive now that she was doubting every word that came out of Tabitha’s mouth. “Ezra, I want you to go and fetch Marcel and Kevin. Fill them in on what’s happened, and bring them to me. I need to talk with them about something. Finnley, I want you to go back to the morgue and see if you can pick out any scent other than Veronica’s, and then report back here to me. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about healing Veronica’s injuries.”
Ezra left immediately, but Finn stopped at the door. He turned around and came back. Before Tabitha could object, he leaned in and kissed her. The second his mouth brushed against hers, I could feel her tense up. The kiss was over in a heartbeat, and he was out the door before she could object or say anything. I wasn’t sure if Finn had noticed Tabitha’s odd behavior, but Lisa certainly had. She was now staring at me as if she thought I was a completely different person.
She’s guessed, I thought. I wasn’t sure if it was true or not, but I wanted to convince Tabitha that the jig was up. She knows you’re not me. You can see it on her face. She’s working things out in that mind of hers, and by the time Ezra comes back with the other Council members, your time will be up, and your plans will go unfinished…again.
You don’t know what you’re talking about! Tabitha snapped. She was trying to sound angry, but there was an unmistakable quiver in her voice. The second that Council comes together, I’ll convince them that Finn was the one to attack me. They’ll kick him out—or kill him—and I’ll be long gone by the time anyone figures out what’s really going on around here. I’ll just have to finish my plans from afar.
Tabitha, it’ll never work. Give it up.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she paid attention to what Lisa was doing. She was muttering something under her breath that sounded like a spell, and when the bleeding from the cut on Tabitha’s forehead stopped, I realized that it was a healing spell. She touched her fingertips to Tabitha’s face, and she gasped in pain. Immediately, a cold numbness flowed through Tabitha—one that I could surprisingly feel as well—and Tabitha’s whole body relaxed.
I wondered why I could sometimes feel whatever Tabitha was experiencing and other times I couldn’t. Did it have anything to do with our connection?
“There. All better,” Lisa said, backing away from Tabitha. “I’m not sure if your memory will return one hundred percent. That’s the thing with head wounds—they’re always unpredictable. No two people react to them the same way. If you remember anything else about who attacked you, be sure to let me know right away. The more details we have to go on, the more likely we’ll be to catch whoever did this to you.”
Lisa went back to Tanya’s side to finish her brief examination. While she worked, Tabitha sat at the edge of the bed in total silence. She was watching Lisa’s every movement, and I couldn’t help but feel that she was way too calm for what was going to happen next. That meant she had a plan to get out of this in o
ne piece, and the only thing that could possibly work would be for her to throw Finn under the bus.
I was torn between being outraged and wanting to protect Finn, and being hopeful that she went through with it. Anyone who knew me knew that I would never under any circumstances betray Finn to the Council. And anyone that really knew him would know that he would never intentionally hurt me. If Tabitha went through with this, there was a very good chance that she exposed herself. But there was also a chance they believed every word she said and Finn got punished.
And punishment in the supernatural world was nothing like getting a slap on the wrist. If Finn was blamed for Tabitha’s “attack”, there was a good chance he could be seriously hurt, or maybe even killed. The thought of Finn being executed left me franticly beating at the mental cage around me, desperate to get out and protect him. Of course, it did no good, and once again, Tabitha laughed off my attempts to break free from her hold on me.
Chapter Ten
Before I could try escaping my prison again, Marcel and Kevin arrived, though Kevin looked like he wished he could be anywhere other than here. His eyes took in every inch of my body, and his lips turned down in one of his usual angry sneers. The only person he hated in this entire compound more than me was Finn, but without Finn here, he could focus all of his intense hatred on me.
“So, in trouble once again?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Tabitha’s hand clenched at her side, and I could feel her power began to throb. “I was just attacked,” she hissed. “You could at least pretend to be a decent person about it.”
Kevin threw back his head and laughed, but before he could say anything, Marcel interrupted. “Enough, Kevin. Ronnie, can you tell me what happened? Ezra filled us in, but I want to hear it all in your words, in case you’ve remembered anything since the attack.”
“Well, like I told Finn and Lisa, I was in the morgue. I was trying to find Tabitha’s spirit, and it’s easier to do if you have peace and quiet. I knew I wouldn’t be disturbed down there. While I was searching, I heard someone enter the morgue, and I thought I heard them say my name. I thought it might be Finn coming to check on me, so I didn’t really pay it much attention. Then, the next thing I knew, someone had grabbed the back of my head and slammed it down on the counter.”
“What happened next?” Marcel asked, frowning slightly.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Tabitha said. “It all starts to get fuzzy after that first hit. But I think they picked me up and threw me against the wall, cracking my head against it. Then I think I hit the ground and they just left me there.”
“They were strong enough to pick you up and throw you against the wall?” Marcel asked.
“I think so,” Tabitha said quietly. “I don’t know many people that could do that.”
“It had to be a werewolf,” Kevin said, smiling slightly. “Perhaps you really did hear Finn calling your name.”
Marcel frowned. “Kevin—”
“It’s in their nature, Marcel!” Kevin snapped. “You know it is. You’ve taken a liking to that boy and it’s clouding your judgment of him. You’ve seen him in action. You know what he’s capable of. Who else could have done this?”
“A vampire,” Ezra suggested coldly. “And I can think of a vampire that might want to hurt her.”
Kevin turned on Ezra with a feral snarl, and I could see Kevin’s gleaming white fangs. “You dare accuse me, boy?”
“Yeah, I do,” Ezra said, refusing to back down. “You’ve proven time and time again that you despise her. Why is it so far fetched to think you could have tried to kill her? I think you’re far more likely to try than Finn.” I was amazed at Ezra’s daring. Even at my angriest I probably wouldn’t have provoked Kevin like that, and yet Ezra was still going and showed no signs of stopping. “You also have a reason to try and kill Holly, don’t you?”
Marcel’s head snapped around to stare at Ezra, almost like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “I had forgotten all about that…” he said quietly.
“This is preposterous!” Kevin shouted, backing away.
“No, it isn’t,” Ezra said, taking a step closer. It was like he was trying to back Kevin into a corner. “We all know you’ve been chasing after Holly since she arrived at this god forsaken place, and don’t even try to deny it!” he shouted when Kevin opened his mouth. “She’s turned you down at every turn, and maybe you finally snapped and decided to get rid of her. And maybe you attacked Ronnie because she has power over you, and you just don’t like that, do you?”
With his eyes blazing red and his fangs protruding over his lips, the look on Kevin’s face was simply murderous. Any second now, he was going to leap across the room and rip Ezra’s throat out with his teeth. All I could do was sit and watch, completely transfixed as the two stared each other down. Ezra looked furious, but Kevin looked like a rabid dog, and I was surprised he wasn’t foaming at the mouth yet.
Before either of them could say anything else or hurl anymore accusations, the door to the infirmary opened again, and Finn returned. He looked upset and confused, and I knew it was because he hadn’t been able to find a scent that didn’t belong to me or him. He was trying to work things out in his mind, and I knew he was coming up empty-handed.
“Finn, perfect timing,” Marcel said, managing to sound grateful and relieved at the same time. “What did you find when you examined the morgue?”
“Nothing,” he said, wide-eyed and sounding shell shocked. “There were only two scents in the room: mine and Ronnie’s. I don’t understand,” he said quietly. “How could someone have gotten in there to attack Ronnie without leaving their scent behind? The only explanation I can think of is a ghost, but they wouldn’t be able to hurt Ronnie, right?”
Kevin smiled. “And there you have it,” he said triumphantly. “The only other scent in the room belongs to the werewolf.” He turned to Marcel, still smiling. “You see? Nobody else could have attacked the girl.”
“What?” Finn shouted, startling Tabitha. “How can any of you think I would ever hurt Ronnie? She means so much to me. I could never—”
Kevin laughed harshly. “You don’t know what it means to care about a girl, at least not for longer than a night. I’m guessing you got bored with her and didn’t know how else to end things. You’ve as good as proved that nobody else could have done it but you. Frankly, I don’t give a damn what your reasons may have been.”
“I—I—” He turned to Marcel. “You have to believe me,” he said. “I would never harm Ronnie. Ever. You know what I’ve done and given to protect her. Why would I throw all of that away and try to kill her?” When Marcel didn’t say anything, he turned to me. “Ronnie…you know me. You know I couldn’t have done this. I don’t know how your attacker didn’t leave a scent behind, but I promise you I had nothing to do with it. Please, I need you to believe me…”
Tabitha looked away from him, and I felt my heart sink. Please, don’t do this to him, I begged.
“Finn, I don’t know what to believe. I thought I heard your voice, and the attacker had to be strong enough to throw me across the room, and if there’s no other scent in the room…”
“Ronnie,” Finn said, taking a step closer.
“He couldn’t have done this,” Ezra said. “There’s no way. He’s head over heels in love with Ronnie. He would never harm a hair on her head. Hell, he’d freaking die for her. He’s shown that before in the past, and if anything, his feelings for her have only gotten stronger since. You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“What evidence there is for us to examine is overwhelming,” Marcel said, rubbing his face tiredly. “Regrettably, I don’t see any other option than to hold you, Finn. Short of someone else confessing to the attack, I’m going to have to go by the evidence. I think you know how sorry I am about this.”
“Evidence? What evidence?” Ezra asked. “Ronnie didn’t say that she heard Finn’s voice, she said she thought it might have been Finn. And so what if th
ere’s not another scent? Maybe there was and Finn just missed it. Or maybe they were able to conceal their scent somehow. Finn did not do this. This is crazy.”
“No, the only crazy thing here is that we’re still arguing about this,” Kevin said. “And now I’m losing my patience.” He looked at Lisa. “Chain the werewolf and have him brought to the holding room while we contact the High Council and ask what to do next.”
Marcel glared at Kevin. “You and I both already know what they’re going to do. They’ll order his execution, and try not to look so happy about it!” he snapped. “This is a young man’s life we’re talking about, not a game.” With a sigh, he turned to Lisa. “But for now, Finn will need to be chained. He can’t be allowed to run around the compound when he’s the only real suspect in Ronnie’s assault.”
“Marcel, please don’t do this.”
Finn looked from face to face, and I noticed that he was backing away from them slowly, as if he wasn’t yet sure what was going on. With his wide eyes and quick, shallow breaths, he looked like a cornered, wounded animal. Any second now, he was going to start lashing out, and I didn’t blame him. He knew what the High Council would have in store for him, and he wasn’t going to get sympathy from anyone.
Run, Finn. Please, just get out of here!
But instead of doing the smart thing and running away until he could clear his name, he didn’t move. His broad shoulders slumped pitifully, and he crumpled in on himself. “Ronnie, I’ll prove to you that I didn’t do this. I promise.”
Tabitha looked away and didn’t say anything, which was all she had to do to hurt Finn even more. I was the one person he needed to believe in him, and he thought I was turning my back on him. He thought I was blaming him for the attack, and I had no idea what that would do to him. He had changed so much since the day we met; it was a little scary to think that he might regress into someone completely unrecognizable from the man I knew today.
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