Dead Girls Don't Sing

by Casey Wyatt

  I’d had a vision. Of events in my past.

  And that made no sense because my visions were always of the future. Right?

  “What’s amiss?” Ian opened the door to the study. I noted how well he knew his way around my family’s home. “You’ve grown thoughtful.”

  “Thoughtful? That’s an understatement.” I had an entire planet counting on me. No pressure.

  “Uneasy is the head that wears a crown,” Ian said.

  “Dude. Do not quote Henry IV at me right now. Not unless it can somehow help us.”

  Maybe I was a tad bitchy. My half-crushed body coupled with losing my brother wasn’t helping my mood. We found Jay asleep on the narrow couch where we’d left him, drooling on a pillow. Louis joined us in the hallway so as not to wake him.

  “Something’s happened. You’re two men short.” Louis pulled the study door closed behind him.

  After filling him in on the basics, he said, “I have a few ideas of where she could have taken the ship. There’s an abandoned airfield not far from here. Even if she can teleport, moving a spaceship would require a tremendous amount of energy. If we do the calculations—”

  “Let’s not and say we did.” I should have felt bad for cutting him short.

  Guess what? I didn’t.

  “We don’t have time. If that’s true, she must be drained too,” I said.

  “Now would be the best time to attack her,” Ian said.

  Louis shook his head. “Hold on. That’s only one theory. She could have taken it farther away.”

  “Or if she’s using futuristic or alien tech, she might have unlimited resources available to kick our collective asses,” I said. And on that dour note, I opened the study door and went inside, knowing the others would follow. I approached the couch, debating the best way to wake Jay. “Poor guy. He needs the rest.”

  Ian wasn’t as sympathetic. “Let me have the honor. Nap time’s over.” He roused Jay with a hard shove.

  Jay swatted at Ian with a grunt. “Get off! I’m mostly awake. You all whisper loudly.” He stretched and added his two cents. “And, hey, while we’re being downers, you might as well add that it’s a spaceship. It could be operational and currently in orbit.”

  I looked from man to man, not sure who deserved the award for being most pessimistic. For once, it wasn’t me.

  “Guys. It doesn’t matter. We have to save my brother and find that ship. We’ll split up. Louis and Jay, look into other possible locations. Also, you can fill in Jonathan when he comes back. Ian and I will investigate the hangar.”

  “I would think twice about that course of action if I were you,” said a female voice.

  “Is that your handbag talking?” Jay rubbed his temples. “I could have some brain damage. Do I look like I’m having a stroke?”

  “Don’t be such a baby.” I reached inside my bag and withdrew the vid-screen. The screen was blank. “Yeah, it’s not on. Well, buddy, I guess it’s curtains for you.”

  Jay flipped me off, looking sullen. “Sure. Have a laugh at my expense.”

  “Every chance I get.” I tapped the screen. “Show yourself.”

  A woman appeared on the screen. She looked familiar.

  Ian and Louis looked as startled as I felt. I kept forgetting that they were not their future selves. This would seem almost magical to them given what technology was in 1969.

  “My name is Kyshmar,” she said.

  “Are you related to Kyrene and Kasia?” The resemblance was overwhelming. Dark hair, elfin features. The same cold beauty as the avatars on Mars.

  “In a manner of speaking.” She smiled pleasantly as if we were chatting over a cup of tea.

  “Can you find the ship?” Louis circled around to stand between me and Ian.

  “Yes. But you don’t need it,” Kyshmar said.

  “Why?” Louis asked, sounding downright hostile.

  Handing the tablet to Ian, who hesitated before taking it, I pulled Louis aside. “What is your problem?”

  “It’s impersonating our goddess. It’s an abomination.” Louis folded his arms across his chest and glared, daring me to contradict him.

  “She’s a zombie?” A theory gathered. Three avatars, three races, three ships.

  “There are some mysteries my people do not discuss with outsiders.”

  His comment stung a bit. I’d grown used to Louis’ easy going manner.

  “I know we don’t each other that well, yet. But I need you to trust me. No one will share secrets outside of this room.”

  Louis’ stony expression hardened further.

  “I pledge to you that Kyshmar is not your goddess. I can also attest that she is not from this planet. Aunt Cass wouldn’t have sent you to help me if she didn’t believe our paths weren’t aligned. Someday, you and I will trust each other. We’ll even be friends. If you can’t or won’t believe me, I release you from whatever promise you have made to her.”

  Louis aimed his gaze skyward and muttered something unintelligible to himself. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Then we have an accord?” I stuck out my hand.

  He shook it. “We do. Now let’s get your ship.”

  “Go team!” said Kyshmar from across the room.

  “It’s not polite to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.” I turned to face Ian. He mouthed, sorry.

  “Are we good now?” he asked, handing me the tablet.

  “There’s a loaded question.” I held the screen up to my face. “Can you speak with Kasia or Kyrene?”

  “Kasia and Kyrene are out of my reach at this time.”

  Damn. That sucked.

  “Who are Kasia and Kyrene?” Ian asked. “And what the devil do they have to do with the lady here?”

  “We are sisters of a sort,” Kyshmar said. “Long ago, we were charged with saving our race. Through our endeavors we were able to isolate our genetic legacy.”

  “You were scientists?” I asked, feeling guilty for Ian’s confusion.

  “Yes.”

  “While this is fascinating, I don’t see how this helps with our present predicament,” said Ian. “If you want to rescue your brother and find the ship, we must go before the creature recovers.”

  Kyshmar frowned. “The ship is unimportant.”

  “We’ll have to agree to disagree,” I said.

  I needed to have a frank discussion with her, and I couldn’t do it with Ian and Louis hovering over me.

  “If you don’t mind. I’m going to my room to get out of this dress. I’m sure there must be some clothes I can borrow in Edwin’s closet. In the meantime, could you both please prepare? Jay, go eat something before you faint.”

  Without giving them a chance to comment, I zipped down the hallway, stopping at Edwin’s doorway. I changed into jeans, which fit weird in the crotch and butt, and located a shirt that wasn’t huge on me. Dressed, I perched on the edge of his bed to finish my conversation with Kyshmar.

  “Now where were we?”

  “You do not wish to speak in front of the others,” she said.

  “No. Not about this.” I explained my reasons, and this time I didn’t hold back the truth. I told her everything, starting with the virus and ending with the Not-Mother.

  “I see. We are temporal beings in this state. To us, the past and present are one.”

  “But not the future?” I set the tablet on the bed and searched the closet for socks. I’d have to find shoes because my last pair of footwear was long gone.

  “It has not yet been written.”

  Whoa. The idea of not being locked into one path or that Fate was not inevitable was oddly comforting.

  “Before you said we didn’t need the Lost Ship? Is there no cure?”

  “I believe I can assist with a cure. But it is not on the ship. There never was a Lost Ship.”

  “Where is the cure?” I asked, dreading the response.

  “Find me. Find the answer.”

  I let that revelation roll around in my
head for a moment. “But you’re an avatar.”

  “Yes.”

  Reality crushed my optimism. “We have to find your body. Let me guess, it’s not on the ship.”

  “Correct.”

  Sometimes I hated my life.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Three Sisters and Me

  People always say choices are a good thing. Well, I can testify that isn’t always true.

  I had a terrible choice to make: save my brother or save the colony.

  This seemed like a no-brainer. The needs of the many and all that. But Edwin was within my reach.

  Pacing Edwin’s bedchamber, I pondered the best course of action and came up empty. Why couldn’t I do both?

  “Logic dictates that you locate my body first. Before the enemy does.”

  “Can you read my mind?” I picked up the tablet and headed toward the study. It was time to meet with the others before they come upstairs and found me.

  “Your continuous pacing indicates that something is disturbing you. Or that you must make a choice.”

  It was wonderful to be so obvious. “Louis said you looked like their zombie goddess. Do you know anything about that?”

  Kyshmar’s features froze in what I assumed was thought. But when she stayed stuck I wondered if her program had crashed. Fantastic.

  “Cherry. Geesh. It took you long enough.” Jay rushed toward me looking a million times better. Vibrant and alive rather than gaunt and crazed.

  “I need shoes that fit, can you find some for me?”

  With a nod, he ran down the hallway toward the door that led to the kitchen. I could only imagine what the servants thought, but my brother’s criminal lifestyle had to be more scandalous.

  Louis and Ian waited in the study. Large, open duffel bags were lined up on the desk. Ian coiled a heavy twist of rope.

  “Will that hold her?” I asked, examining the contents of the other bags. Silver-tipped knives, improvised grenades, and jars of deadly jacks. Unlike the children’s toy, these were larger, pointier, and made of iron.

  “Yes. These things are designed to hold a revenant. And before you judge me, I found them in Edwin’s secret weapons room.” Taking a few steps backward, Ian twisted a wall sconce. The bookcase slid open, revealing a storeroom worthy of a super spy.

  “Wow. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” Though it chilled me to think why Edwin had bindings that would tie up his own kind.

  I checked the vid-screen. Kyshmar remained frozen. I hoped it wasn’t permanent. In any case, I wasn’t leaving her lying around. She’d come with us, in case she woke up again and could be helpful.

  “Don’t worry. There are also plenty of items to detain vampires and zombies.” Ian zipped the duffel bag with a sharp, vicious tug. It wasn’t that long ago that Edwin had strapped Ian to a table designed to drain blood.

  “I’ve got shoes!” Jay ran into the room winded, holding a pair of battered sneakers.

  “Thanks.” As I tied the laces, I tried not to think about whose smelly feet had worn them. They were a bit snug in the toes but that was better than being too big and tripping me up. “I have some good news and some bad news.”

  Ian, Louis, and Jay stopped their preparations to listen. For a moment, I was transported back to Mars. To the times we’d collectively worked together to solve our problems. Only this time, would we be able to save the day? And at what cost? None of what was happening now had occurred in our pasts.

  Setting that worry aside, I shared what Kyshmar had told me about the ship. Ian and I would find her body. Louis and Jay would scout the old airfield for Edwin.

  Jay spoke first. “Um, Cherry. That sounds like bad news and worse news.”

  I sighed. “What do you want me to say to that?”

  Louis shot Jay a dark look. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. We have to deal with the hand we were dealt. Let’s go, thrall.”

  “Hey. Who are you calling, thrall? No need to be snotty. I went to Eton and Oxford. Can you say the same?”

  Louis was about to retort, when I cleared my throat. We didn’t have time to stand around while they tried to outcredential each other. “Play nice. Or no dessert for you later.”

  Jay laughed because he was used to my humor. Louis looked lost. I didn’t envy him at the moment. No doubt, he and Jay would have an interesting time together. They took two of the duffel bags, leaving Ian and me with the third.

  “Good hunting,” Ian said.

  “And to you too,” Louis returned. “Check-in is in four hours.”

  Jay jingled the car keys, stalling. “Do you think Jonathan is alive?”

  “Yes,” I answered without hesitation. The Sire bond was firm as ever. “He’s going to be mad as hell when he gets back here.”

  “No doubt. Cheerio,” he said.

  Moments later, Ian and I listened as the car’s engine roared down the driveway, staying there until we couldn’t hear it anymore.

  “Ian. You don’t have to do this with me,” I said.

  The timeline could be compromised beyond repair. If things went wrong—and they always did—the unthinkable might happen to him.

  “Aye. I do.” He shouldered the bag and left the room.

  I caught up with him as he was heading into the topiary garden. “Are you mad at me?”

  He stopped and faced me. “Do not ask me to stay behind. My gut is telling me that your safety depends on me being there for you.”

  “Ah. The almighty gut. Who am I to question it?”

  “Damn right. And don’t be cheeky with me.” He leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips.

  Circling my arms around his neck, I deepened the kiss, taking comfort in the safety of his arms. I knew this wasn’t my Ian yet, but he was close. When he fisted my hair in his hands, I eased away.

  “As much as I’d love to do more, we need to go.”

  With a nod, he firmed his grip around me and flew.

  Who said I couldn’t be responsible?

  “Do you have a destination in mind?” Ian asked after a few moments of flight. “Or should we tour the entire island?”

  “Now who’s being cheeky?” I pressed my face against his chest. One, because I liked how it felt, and two, it helped me think better when the wind wasn’t whistling in both ears. “Kyshmar froze before I could find out if she knew where her body was.”

  “That’s unlucky.”

  “I have a feeling she doesn’t know.” Which made me wonder about Kasia and Kyrene. Did they have bodies too?

  “What is she?”

  “It’s hard to explain. She’s a memory stored in a computer.” Which was how I understood it.

  “From our ancient race of ancestors?” he asked. Vast green fields passed underneath us. The boundary of Belmont gave way to county lands. I needed a destination soon.

  “Yes.” The trinity of three tickled a memory. Something about them. . .

  “How about using your magic bracelet to find her?”

  I stiffened in his arms. Crap. He knew so much already. I hated to reveal more than necessary.

  “Come now. I have one too.” The deep laugh in his chest only irritated me. “Don’t be frosty. Ever since we met, I’ve felt its presence around my wrist. It can sense its companion. I don’t suppose you’ll tell me what they are.”

  “Part of our future.” I closed my eyes and tried to settle my thoughts. And to tame my jealousy. Ian had always been more in tune with his cuff. Mine was constantly at odds with me and my wishes.

  “If we’re going to have a future, we have to help each other. Not withhold information.”

  “Funny, were you planning to tell me about your cuff?”

  Which he technically didn’t have yet. My head hurt thinking about the paradox. Kyshmar had implied that she could exist simultaneously in space and time.

  Why not the cuffs too? Which meant I could be linked with its past keeper. But what about the future if it hadn’t been written yet?

  “Lass, stop fretting
. Your train of thoughts is giving me a headache.” Ian landed us in the corner of a cow pasture. “Listen. There’s a legend among my people.”

  “About the falling star. And the druid grove.”

  “I’ve told you?” He seemed amused.

  My gut kicked me. “I think it might be important. Like we have to go there now. I know it sounds nuts, but can you take us there? ”

  Sadness tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I feel it too. I will take you, but it’s not the same.”

  I soon learned what his dire statement meant. The grove was long gone. Destroyed by centuries of human development.

  Ian’s ancestral lands had been replaced by urban sprawl. Factories belched putrid smoke, further polluting the dirty air. How could the humans stand it?

  “My ancestors would weep if they saw this place.” Ian walked at a rapid clip. “I’m the only one left to mourn them.”

  I nodded mutely and followed him. The town’s center, complete with what mortals called English charm, was lovely.

  Yet, I could also feel Ian’s sadness. It hurt him to come to this place. He led us deeper into the center where the road was wide enough for a single line of automobiles. The streets continued to narrow until only room for foot traffic remained.

  “We’re almost there,” he said.

  He turned down a gloomy side street then veered left, stopping at an iron fence. Old battered gravestones waited. Pitted with faded lichen, the words worn with time, forlorn and forgotten.

  The gate creaked when he opened it. “This is where the old grove stood.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because I’ve owned this land for two millennia.” He walked deeper among the graves. “These are fake.”

  “Oh.” I puzzled that out. “Why are they here?”

  “Because mortals loathe to dig up their ancestors. They believe the town’s founders are buried underneath.”

  “Does anything remain of them?”

  “Only in my memories.” He tucked his hands in his pockets. “The roots of the old trees are under our feet. They have memories. I was hoping they would lead us to Kyshmar.”

  A shrill whine rose from the duffel bag. I retrieved the tablet. “Kyshmar. You’re back.”