Ghost (The Halloween Boys #1) (104)

“What?”

“That we are so riveted by this human. We all have our opinions when it comes to the other communities amongst us, some of us tolerating, some forming alliances. Even within those, there are exceptions. Except with this mortal . . . An Archdemon Claimed her, and a prized hybrid and alpha wolven worship her. Even the ostentatious witches have lost sleep warding the town to protect her. Day and night they chant and weave their spells. I’ve never seen anything like the adoration this human female brings. And yet, you and I feel it too.”

Ezmerelda considered a moment.

Hooves beat against the ground. The Red Vampiress’s crimson eyes shoot up in alarm. “Something’s not right. I’m alerting the rest of the coven.”

The small, trilling laugher of a little girl cuts through my awareness. It’s eerie and echoing.



When I blinked awake, Mabel and Alice were gawking at me. What the hell just happened? I’d zoned out like that before but this one . . . It felt too real, like I was somehow seeing something that was actually happening right that moment. My gaze flicked to the door where Yesenia was outside speaking with a small group of ghosts. Steadying my breath, I glanced back at the women who were now directly in front of me on the other side of the checkout desk. I hadn’t heard them move. But would I have? They were disembodied spirits.

“Are you well, miss . . .”

“Oh, Alice, you’re right. Where are our manners? We haven’t gotten your name yet.”

I smiled. “Hi, I’m—”

Alice slammed her palms on the desk, making me jump. “I know your name,” she said sternly, her cloudy eyes wild. My blood ran cold.

Mabel put a hand to her décolletage. “Mercy, Alice! What are you—”

“You!” Alice pointed, her delicate face contorting. “You’re the one.”

“I’m sorry, Alice, but you must be confused. I’m brand new to town.”

“Look at her, Mabel. Please, try to remember. She’s the one. It’s her.”

My pulse quickened while Mabel searched her friend’s eyes. Then, ever so slowly, like a doll’s head on a porcelain body, her head turned to me. Two pairs of eyes narrowed as gloved hands reached out slowly toward me. “Please,” Mabel begged. “You’re the only one who can save us.”

“The one we’ve been waiting for.” Alice began to steadily repeat. “The one we’ve been waiting for.”

I inched out from behind the desk, my dress squishing against the wall. They turned slowly in unison and began following me, as if pulled by an invisible thread. I bolted out to find Yesenia, but she was nowhere to be seen. I flung my gaze desperately down the street, trying to find her. What was going on? Were the ghosts short-circuiting? A hand grabbed my shoulder and I jumped.

Raven as a humanoid stepped back. “Sorry, is everything alright? I was watching from the lamppost and you seemed upset in there.”

“Raven, I don’t know what’s going on but—”

I stilled, noticing the movement around the square had halted. Not just stopped, but frozen . . . and all eyes were on me. Dozens of ghosts, looking like they stepped out of a period drama, walked toward me then. “You,” one said with a strained whisper. “It’s you. You’ve come.”

Another cried in a rattling sob, “Please, help us. Please, please.”

Raven wrapped his black wings around me, encompassing me in his feathered hold. I looked up to see the underside of his beak. There was no indent of a mask. He wore no mask. This was him. My body pressed into the varied intricate bones of his wings. “Hold on, Blythe,” he ordered.

I gripped his leather vest.

And everything went dark.

It felt as if I were spinning upside down underwater. There was no way to decipher which way was up. No way to get air. My lungs burned. I held close to the leather vest, feathers pricking my cheeks my only hint of tangibility.

And then we landed with a thump.

“I’ve never tried that before.” Raven stood quickly, brushing himself off and helping me to my feet.

A headache pounded between my eyebrows. “What the hell just happened?”

Raven reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a tiny multicolored bag. “Here, sugar helps. These are your favorite, right? I went through your trash.” He shrugged. “It’s a bird thing.”

I took the orange and black wrapped caramels from his wing. “Thanks.”

Raven was a compassionate and observant soul. However, he was a little bird-brained. “Do you have any idea what just happened? It’s like they all turned on me. Did I do something wrong?”

“Beats me. I’ve seen a lot of weird things in my time. You wouldn’t believe the things people do with their curtains wide open at night. Oh, and dead people are always strange. I wouldn’t concern yourself. They can’t hurt you.”

Despite his assurances, unease prodded at my senses. “Where are we and how did we get here?” I asked, my eyes adjusting to the dark forest.

“I overshot the landing . . . and magic is how we got here. I have a little myself. It’s not just all of you guys.” He squawked a laugh. Taking my arm, the bird humanoid led me several yards west, where a trail of jack-o'-lanterns lit a pathway through the woods. My shoulders relaxed at the sight. I half expected Ezmerelda to drop from a branch or pop out of the woods like she had done every night I’d attended Hallows Fest, but she didn’t appear. It was then it hit me that Hallows was over tomorrow. This was the last night, the crescendo. Sadness crept through me at the thought. I didn’t want it to end.