Dead Girls Don't Sing

by Casey Wyatt

  “Is that rhetorical?” I released him, rubbing my throat until the ache subsided.

  “Would you have really hurt me?” he asked. Traces of worry lined his forehead. For a bare second, I saw my little brother again. He wore the same expression as when he knew he’d gone too far and was waiting to see how I would react.

  “Who’s to say?” I sat in father’s ratty wing chair and faced the cold fireplace. “Stop asking pointless questions. Start talking. When were you made?”

  Edwin sighed, his expression haggard. He sat in the opposite chair and studied his hands before responding.

  “Before Mother died. And you?”

  “Jonathan turned me on my wedding night.” A night that would live in infamy.

  “How ghastly.”

  I chuckled because it was slightly funny to me now. “Yeah. And I thought I had to worry about the horrors of a man’s mysterious member. Losing my virginity and life in one night, who would have thought?”

  “Losing your innocence is never a joking matter, Charity,” Edwin said.

  “It’s either that or cry about it. Believe me, I did that too.”

  “So now? You want revenge?”

  “Nah. I’m way past that.” I toyed with the idea of telling him the whole story. Time travel, Mars, but I held off, testing my brother’s measure.

  Edwin was a revenant now, in the same camp as my duplicitous mother. The myth that my brother had a family and a fulfilling life evaporated before my eyes. Thoughts of his happiness and freedom from the supernatural maelstrom had kept me afloat during my darkest days. Too bad it was a lie.

  Needing a moment to calm down, I examined my surroundings.

  The study hadn’t improved much since I’d last seen it. Edwin had updated the garish Edwardian wallpaper with hideous geometric patterns. The Persian rug had also been replaced with an electric orange shag rug.

  “Geez Louise, could you turn down the carpet? It’s blinding me.” I covered my eyes and smiled.

  “Ha, ha, sis.” Edwin sat behind the desk again, propping his feet up.

  “Father would flip in his grave if he could see you. Oh wait, if he were, in fact, actually dead.” He would be if I saw him again, after that stunt he’d pulled in the library. “Did you know he’s a thrall?”

  “What? No!” Edwin circled around to the front of the desk. “I swear, I didn’t know. And I should have.”

  “Unless someone more powerful than you was hiding him.”

  “That’s a disturbing thought,” Edwin said. “If that thing is our mother, where has she been all this time? And why show up now?”

  “I don’t know.” The entire conversation was unsettling. Undead leaders are territorial and the fact that our own father had slipped under Edwin’s nose must have infuriated him. And another player was on the field, one that he had no clue even existed?

  Unless . . .

  “How did you know where to find me? Is this some good cop, bad cop routine? Where you come to my rescue then I spill my secrets out of gratitude?” I hated to consider that my dear brother was playing me, but I had to explore it as an option.

  Edwin stared at me, confusion clear. “I don’t know half of what you’re talking about. I received a call from an informant who owed me a favor.”

  “Let me guess. My husband put you up to this.”

  “Jonathan?” He seemed amused by the idea. “He and I don’t run in the same circles. My crowd is much rougher. We don’t follow the same rules as everyone else.”

  Of course. Ian. It made sense. He and the Rogues were freelancers. They didn’t follow rules either.

  Speaking of saving my ass, I said, “Thank you for rescuing me.”

  “She says like it hurts to admit it.”

  “Maybe it does. Just a little. What are we going to do about our parents?”

  “I don’t have any good answers.”

  “You still haven’t told me who made you.” I had to ask, even though knowing the answer might make me crawl into a corner.

  Edwin stared out the window. “I never saw her. She approached Jonathan because of my bloodline.”

  “Gosh. Doesn’t that sound familiar?” Again, it came back to Jonathan. “Did Mother turn you into revenant?”

  “What? No! I would know if she were my maker,” Edwin said. “I could see how you might think that she was a revenant because she has revenant flunkies. Trust me. We aren’t the most scrupulous bunch. Something was off about her.”

  “You’re the expert.” And the woman did seem to have powers that I’d never observed in other revenants before. Where was Harmony when I needed her? Setting the puzzle aside. I backtracked. “You said you had a special bloodline. Can you make others?”

  He was so young in undead years. Though it hadn’t stopped me from creating new vampires.

  “Of course. Haven’t you made undead children?”

  Yes. But if I told him, I’d need to divulge the time travel thing. “Aren’t you too young?”

  “It’s in the spirit. Mine is a rare type.”

  And, holy wow, haven’t I heard this story before?

  “Wait. Revenants have their own version of special blood?” It had never occurred to me to ask Harmony these questions. I assumed they fell under the “impolite to ask” category. That’s what I get for making assumptions.

  “Is that what you Fangers call it?”

  “Hey. I’m not calling you Ghosty to your face.” I made sure to flash my fangs in a wide toothy grin.

  He folded his arms and delivered a pointed stare, ghost light shimmering in his eyes. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

  “Yes, we call it Blue Blood. And what do you call it? Is it something cool like Spirit Vapor?”

  “We call it Essence. Look at this.” Edwin phased so his body appeared like an apparition. “It’s a rather interesting effect.”

  “Can you go through walls?” Thinking back, I only ever saw Herne’s tribe do it. Another uncomfortable coincidence.

  “I can. It took some trial and error. Once I got trapped half inside a bookcase. The maid almost caught me. Imagine the stories,” he pondered. “Hurt like the Dickens too.”

  “There’s my little Edwin. Always thinking of new adventures.”

  “More like trouble.” He heaved a regretful sigh. “I only wish we’d discovered each other sooner.”

  “Me too,” I said. I didn’t need any more reasons to be ticked at Jonathan.

  Edwin frowned. “Do you know what really happened to Faith and Grace?”

  “They got married and went to America.” I spewed out the same line I always did.

  “You actually believe that? I say the same thing when asked. Almost as if I’d been conditioned to do so.”

  I wanted to puke. Edwin was right. “Every time I think about them my mind slips away to another thought. Do you think Jonathan has something to do with it?”

  “I don’t know. When I reached manhood, he came here and told me I needed to make a sacrifice for the good of the family. That my choice was the only way to keep my sisters safe.”

  “I was told the same thing. If I agreed to become his bride, he’d pay off Father’s debts.”

  Suddenly, I felt like someone had pulled an elaborate con on us. “Have you ever heard of the Undead Trinity?”

  “Earth, Fire, and Spirit,” he said with a somber nod. “Revenants have an abundance of spirit.”

  “Vampires, fire.” I didn’t like where this was headed. “If you are a revenant and I’m a vampire, don’t you think it’s odd we both have so-called special blood?”

  Edwin’s eyes widened. “Faith and Grace, what if . . .”

  “They’re special too.” I covered my mouth with my hand. I knew Jonathan had withheld information from me, but the scope of his deception was mind boggling. “And if we follow this to its logical conclusion ...” I couldn’t make my mouth speak the words.

  Edwin didn’t have the same trepidation. “They are of the earth. Zombies.”


  I let that realization simmer in my brain. Of course, it made sense. Their sudden marriages and subsequent move to America was part of an elaborate master plan I’d yet to understand.

  “I feel like such a fool for believing the lies spoon fed to me.” Edwin stood and paced the room. “He deceived us.”

  “He’s not the only one.” I hated to tell him it was much worse than he could imagine. “Mother had a role to play as well.”

  “At this point, I’m willing to believe anything.”

  “I have something to tell you.” I shared the memory of that day in attic, leaving no detail unsaid.

  “Horrifying,” he said. “What do you think the creature was?”

  “Are there such things as demons?”

  A servant knocked on the door, asking if we’d like tea. Edwin sent him away but that begged a question.

  “Don’t they notice you never age?” I couldn’t help the curiosity. Jonathan and our Family moved from place to place. In fact, by 1970, we’d be in America.

  “The servants are under my protection as thralls. But the locals? They only notice what I allow them to see. Observe.”

  He pointed to his face. It grew older until he was about eighty, covered in wrinkles, with gray hair and stooped posture.

  “Wow. Color me impressed.”

  “Like what you see, do you?” he cackled. His voice matched his age. Only the bright sparkle in his green eyes remained. “And I can do other variations. Watch.”

  And I did, amazed at how he could change his appearance at will. “Revenants can do that?”

  “Not all. My blood affords me many advantages.” He removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

  “Well, it’s pretty amazeballs. I bet it comes in handy. Can you cast illusions on other people?”

  He stared at me the way someone would observe a zoo exhibit. “You do say the oddest things. Leave me some secrets. Oh, by the by, your husband rang earlier. He’ll be here within the hour.”

  “Wait. What?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Why you sneaky, underhanded, little—”

  “Hold on! Don’t be so hasty. I didn’t call him.”

  “Then how does he know I’m here?”

  Edwin shrugged. “He’s your Sire and your husband. He knows you well.”

  “That makes one of us,” I grumbled. “Where is he? And Ian and Jay?”

  “Jonathan phoned me to say they’d run into trouble at the library. That’s how I was able to track you.”

  “You’re a regular bloodhound.” Maybe I was a teensy tiny bit jealous of my brother’s cool, godlike abilities. But I lived on Mars and didn’t have to deal with any undead Earth politics either.

  “Now, now, sis. Those revenants are in my territory. I could track their foulness from a mile away. Mother has quite an energy signature.” Edwin crossed the room and pulled the servants’ bell.

  A signature that he never noticed until today?

  “I wonder where she’s been. And why is she here now?” Nothing made sense anymore. “Will they join us for dinner?”

  “No. Jonathan, Ian, and Jay will arrive tomorrow some time,” Edwin said.

  “Where are they coming from? Timbuktu?” We were in London when we were separated. That’s only an hour by train.

  “Don’t joke. Apparently, Mother sent them to Inverness.”

  I gaped at Edwin. He and Mother had won the superpower lottery. I hoped his jackpot was bigger than hers. Otherwise, we were in deep shit.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Things Go Boom

  “Rule number one. We need to stop calling that thing Mother,” I said before sipping the dregs of my tea.

  We’d been in the study for a while reminiscing about our childhood. Neither of us wanted to say how amazingly screwed up our lives appeared to be now.

  “Agreed. What shall we call it? The Not-Mother?”

  “No. Too many words.” I tapped my lips. “Damn. I’ve got nothing. Not-Mother it is. What does it gain by pretending to be our mother?”

  “And how could that thing be under my nose?” Edwin tapped his spoon against the table. “I must be losing my touch.”

  Conscience pricked at me. We were assuming that she was here all along. But with time stream travel, the rules had changed.

  “About that. What if I told you that I’m not from this time?”

  The spoon stopped tapping. Silence lingered between us. Edwin studied my face, taking my measure.

  “I’d be inclined to believe you. For starters, you told me you had a child. I’d assumed you meant you’d made one.”

  “Well, I did. With my husband, Ian, when we fled to Mars.” The look on his face. I wished I had a camera. Priceless.

  Edwin’s mouth crinkled like he’d swallowed a toad. “Did you say Ian? As in the Rogue?”

  “Oh my God! Is that what you took away from that sentence?”

  “Don’t make that face. It makes you look old.” Edwin laughed. “You’ve spun a wonderful tale.”

  “I’m serious.” I touched my right wrist and willed the cuff to expose itself. Then I commanded it to display photos of my daughter, the planet, everything I could to convince him I was telling the truth.

  After a good while, he finally looked at me again. “And Jonathan?”

  I shook my head. “He—”

  There was a knock. A maid entered the study and squeaked in surprise. “My lord, I didn’t know you had company. I’ll come back.”

  “Stay.” Edwin’s eyes darted from me to the door. The pallor of his skin had grown grayish. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t related to my story. “My lady was about to return to her room.”

  “Sure.” I stood and headed to the door.

  Edwin tracked the maid with a feral gaze. The kind that said lunch was served. I’d never stuck around long enough to witness a revenant feed before.

  I knew they attacked vampires under the mistaken belief that our blood could give them an incredible high. But I’d never determined how they fed from each other, let alone humans.

  Feeding, like sex, was done behind closed doors and wasn’t discussed in polite company. Even in the twenty-first century.

  What can I say? We are a product of the times in which we were born. Maybe by the twenty-fifth century a new generation of undead will be parading their private acts in ways that would make our heads spin.

  I closed the door behind me, ready to proceed to my room. But curiosity got the better of me. I might not be able to see, but I could listen. With my keen hearing, I didn’t even have to press my ear to the door. I could stand nearby and pretend to gaze out the window.

  And I didn’t have to wait long before I heard, “Oh, my Lord that feels so good.”

  The maid’s moans of ecstasy and chirps of delight were followed by a low, breathy sigh. Whatever Edwin was doing, at least he made sure she enjoyed it.

  “Look at me, Mary,” Edwin said. Compulsion laced from his voice strong enough that I could detect it even in the hallway. Its touch delivered a jolt of energy into my body like I’d drunk a coffee spiked with blood.

  Interesting.

  “Are you done spying on me, Sister?” Edwin stood beside me. I hadn’t seen him approach or heard the door open.

  “Sampling the staff, are we?” Damn. I hadn’t meant to get caught. “No fair. You came through the wall didn’t you?”

  “She won’t miss what I took.” He pointedly ignored my other question.

  “What did you take?” Since he brought it up I might as well learn more.

  “Good God. You really don’t know anything about the undead races, do you?” He cupped my elbow, steered me into the East Wing, and then into his bedchamber. He shut the door then left me standing there while he exited through another doorway.

  I poked around his room because I’m nosy and because I wanted to know how my darling baby brother lived. His bedchamber contained a modest-sized bed with an elaborately carved headboard that had been fashionable in another
age.

  The walls, papered with maroon-and-gray patterns, were festooned with gilt-framed artwork. Tall furniture complemented the high ceilings. A fire was crackling in the ornate marble fireplace, lending some heat to the space.

  Overall, the room seemed fit for an Earl and entirely unsuited to Edwin’s personality. It seemed like he went through the expected motions but didn’t really live there. His private study spoke more about him than this relic of a bedchamber.

  “You never answered me before. What do you take when you feed from humans?”

  Edwin shook his head. “Your mind dances like a bee bouncing from flower to flower.”

  “Save the poetic language for Mary. Just answer the question. Please.”

  “Why breaths, of course,” he said, with a “like, duh” tone.

  A disturbing image of Edwin performing mouth to mouth on the maid burst into my mind. Ick.

  “That makes no sense.” So, sue me. I wanted details.

  “It’s the spirit essence of the human. With each breath they inhale, we feed from their energy.”

  “And giving the maid an orgasm helps with that.” Call me skeptical but that sounded a bit like mansplaining to me.

  “Well, yes,” he sputtered. “And it only seems fair that I provide her something in return. We don’t have actual relations.”

  Right, because that made it better. My brother, the orgasm king.

  He stopped and glared at me before opening the bedroom door, waiting for me to exit the room.

  “Do not judge what you do not understand. I could point out that vampires suck blood from the veins of their victims. It’s only my discerning manners that prevent me from commenting on the vulgarity.”

  “And yet, you just did. Listen, I wasn’t judging. And for the record, we avoid feeding off humans. They’re a last-ditch meal.” No mind-bending orgasms required. But I didn’t say that out loud. “Thank you for indulging my curiosity.”

  “And thank you for trusting me with the truth. With the future.” He rubbed the base of his neck. “First the moon. It’s amazing to think that we’ll get to Mars someday.”

  “Oh, right. Well, I’m not here on vacation. The colony is under threat.”

  “In the future.”