Black Bird of the Gallows(42)

I take a deep breath and gulp back the pinch of shame at what I’m going to say next. I’ll atone later, with interest. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” I pitch my voice high. “Don’t be mad at Reece, Dad. I invited him here, but I didn’t know I liked him. And then I realized I did, but I thought about Mom and how she thought she was falling in love with every guy she met, and I just felt so confused.” Oh man, if there’s a hell, I’m going straight to it. And I would deserve every flame. “I mean, how do you know when you like someone or if it’s more than like?”

Dad blinks at me with deer-in-headlights glaze. “Um.”

“And I hurt you, and that kills me.” These tears, words are real, and they are what melts his scowl. He comes forward and pulls me into a warm hug.

“Look, I get it. You’re growing up. But…easy does it with the neighbor kid, okay? Slow down. You guys have plenty of time to figure things out.”

I so wish that were true.

He sighs. “I love you, kiddo.”

I rest my head against his shoulder. “I love you, too.”

My eyes close, and we just sit like that for a while. When he says he loves me, he just says it. He doesn’t follow up with, I met this guy at a bar last night and, get your things! We’re moving in with him today, like my mom often did. It’s good, living with my dad. He’s steady. Safe. Inherently decent. He’s probably better than I deserve.

“As for knowing when it’s ‘more than like’?” His words are hesitant, but there’s a smile in his voice. “Trust me. You’ll know.”





18-a shift in the air


A drizzle falls from a leaden sky. It’s mid-March. The day begins warmer than normal for southwestern Pennsylvania. It’s raining, but that’s not all. The air feels different. I am not a harbinger of death, but even I scent something is off.

Something is changing.

Much of the snow and ice melted overnight. The world on my side of the mountain is all fog and mud and rain. I stand alone at the bus stop, in a too-thin sweatshirt and a zinged-up set of nerves. I got here early so I could talk to Reece, but he’s a no-show. I still have so many important, practical questions, but my primary one is: What. Are. We. Doing?

Dating? If so, is it casual or serious? In public or secret? Or is he regretting our kiss last night and wants only friendship? Again, same earlier questions apply. And if we are dating—big if—how does his status as a supernatural being affect that? I know it does. It has to.

I turn at the sound of an approaching car. It’s a green Mustang—one of those muscle cars from the 1960s that’s old but still super cool. It stops next to me. Reece sticks his head out the window and grins. “Hey you.”

I look in his window. “Is this the car you’ve been pining for?”

“Yup. She’s pretty, isn’t she?” The grin falls off his face. “Are you allowed to ride to school with me?”

I have no idea about my dad’s policy on rides to school with boys who he’s kicked out of the house. I go to the passenger side and get in. The car smells like Reece—clean air and the woods. “My dad said I can see you. Just not in the basement or in secret.” My face goes warm. “That is, if you—I mean, we—”

He leans over and captures my lips in a quick, hard kiss that leaves them tingling and the rest of me a little less coherent.

“I, um…okay. And yes, your car is very pretty.”

“Thanks.” He pulls away from the curb. “I’m glad your dad is letting us see each other. I didn’t want our time together to be limited to lunch at the cafeteria. Or more secrets.”

I press my lips together. Okay, so we are dating. I’m fine with that. More than fine. And he doesn’t want it to be a secret. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’ve worked hard to fade into the cinder blocks. To stay off the radar. Strolling into Cadence High on the arm of Kiera Shaw’s intended boyfriend is going to wipe that.

We arrive at school a little before the rush. The high school shares a parking lot and some facilities with Somerset County College, but there are plenty of spaces. Reece pulls into one a little farther away. We sit there for a moment. The drizzle has changed to a steady light rain. The droplets make a rhythmic pattern on the car.

Reece leans forward, glances skyward. His expression turns pensive, and he sniffs the air in a manner that’s distinctly animal. “This rain isn’t going to stop.”

“It always rains this time of year.”

His brow knits. “This is different.”

Déjà vu causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. I remember a very similar conversation with Lacey a few weeks ago.

“I’ve never heard of spring rain showers being fatal,” I say, more fiercely than I’d intended. “Unless the water turns to acid. Or radioactive fish.”

He gives me a stern look. “Calamities are a riot until they happen to you.”

I look him in the eye as my fingers curl into the seats. “Reece, do you know if I’m going to die? Or my dad?”

His jaw hardens. “No, but I plan to get you both out of the area when I sense the disaster is close. When it’s time, I’ll come to you and say good-bye.” He sends me an earnest look. “I won’t just leave. I promise.”