Gypsy Freak (All The Pretty Monsters #2)(40)

With that in mind, I skip my shower, happy to be done with monster business so I can finally spend time with Dad.

They all seemed calmer tonight, possibly even…amiable. I’ve seen Emit and Vance fight, and then move right on along like nothing happened.

I’ve seen Damien and Vance fight, and Vance didn’t even really get all that upset about Damien watching us in…well, in Damien’s bedroom, which…just makes it all too weird.

I haven’t heard them say a single nice thing to each other, yet sit in the same room with a comfortable familiarity that can easily give those around them a false sense of security.

They could be having tea right now for all I know.

And thinking about all that is exhausting when I’ve danced the night away in front of all of them. I guess that’s one way to make four guys really not interested in you.

My phone rings, and I answer the unknown number while in the middle of my laugh/groan.

“Yes?”

There’s silence for a second, and my laughter tapers off.

“Hello?” I ask, hearing Dad snoring all the way from here.

Before anyone ever speaks, a ghost pops into my room, and my eyes unfortunately land right on his.

“I really don’t have room for another monster in my life, so I hope you’re just a normal guy,” I tell the ghost as I hang up the phone, absently tossing it aside.

He takes a step forward, smiling like he’s excited to talk to someone, but then he stops, frowns, and vanishes from sight.

O…kay…

Not questioning my luck, I decide to get as much sleep as possible before Dad wakes me up with the sun.

Unfortunately, the ghost reappears just as my eyes blink, and I startle as he marches to me.

“Are you doing that on purpose, or has someone done something to you?” he asks me.

I’m not sure why, but as if they’ve just been waiting for the signal, the triplets appear behind him.

“Judging by the look on her face, she has no idea what you’re talking about,” they all say in eerie unison.

Then, either Sarah, Lily, or Bethany adds, “We think someone is using you, young gypsy. And they’re slowly-but-surely killing any ghost who sticks around too long. Anna made us promise to find out who. We just wanted to make sure you really didn’t know before we held true to our end of the bargain.”

So much for sleep.

I sit up in the bed, looking between the triplet’s eyes, but keeping a wary peripheral on the new guy.

“One of the guys?” I guess, knowing better but feeling stupidly too comfortable amongst beings who almost feel…kindred.

“No. Anna said it started the moment she met you, and judging by their unhealthy obsessions with you, I’d say they surely haven’t known of you longer,” one of the others says.

“So who?” I ask, skipping right over that ‘unhealthy obsession’ thing.

“Something like this takes time to fester and grow. It uses a piece of your own life force to channel that spirit’s energy to something or someone. So who, aside from your very unimpressive, snoring, farting, butt-scratching father, has had access to you?”

“My unimpressive, snoring, farting, butt-scratching ex,” I deadpan. “And my mother,” I add, my lips thinning as what they’re saying slowly falls into place. “Are you saying my mother did something to me? Because my ex knew nothing about the gypsy world.”

“We’re saying she’s either protecting you or betraying you. Which sounds more like your mother?” the guy asks, taking a healthy step back. “And I’m only here because a gypsy will owe me a debt, and I have a living girlfriend with a broken heart and an empty bank account,” he adds. “You’re going to fill it up for her so she cries a little less.”

I still have rich gypsies who owe me a debt, and a lot of oranges they seem to covet…

“What do I get out of this?”

“You get to find out who killed your favorite-ever ghost,” one of the girls says, causing a pang in my heart. “You’re working so hard to find out who killed your mother, even though you really already know, and it makes you mad that you can’t do anything about it. But where’s your mother’s spirit, and did she kill Anna to do something even from beyond death?”

“Mom hunted rogue spirits only. Never the peaceful,” I say quickly, not liking where this is going at all.

“So why isn’t it as important to you to find out who used you to kill Anna? Because Anna clearly isn’t the target, Violet. Someone is doing this to you, and it’s your right to decide if you want to speak to the dead.”

I don’t have to ask questions. I’m slow, but I catch up eventually. “If Mom has anything to do with this, it’s because she knew I’d be gullible and make eye contact. She said the dead shouldn’t get to influence the living. They’ve had their time. If you know I’m dangerous to you, why not run?”

“If you know it’s happening, and you don’t want it to, then why not try to figure out how to stop it?” the guy volleys. “Or should the dead go into final decay early just for being too close for too long?”

“Like Anna,” the triplets all point out again as my jaw wobbles.

“Fine,” I bite out, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. “I’ll find out, but if my mother did this, then there’s a really good reason.”