Dead Girl in Love

“Candles do set a nice romantic tone,” he told me with a meaningful look. “And fusing, although not at all physical, is the ultimate romantic bonding of souls. If we hadn’t stopped so soon before, you would have enjoyed an emotional high far beyond any human experience.”

Heat surged through me as his words created images in my mind. I realized I was leaning toward him, and pulled back abruptly.

“Candles would help,” I said with forced calm. “Then I won’t need to use my flashlight.”

“I brought saltwater taffy, too.” He smiled. “Sweets for my sweet Amber.”

I cringed at his possessive tone, but didn’t show it. I stood quietly for a moment, watching him kneel down on the ground and remove candles and candy from his bag. While he was preoccupied, I backed away. I had taken about five or six steps and was close enough to reach for the gate when his head jerked up, toward me.

“Where are you going?”

“Just moving to stay warm,” I lied.

“Come closer to the flames. If that’s not warm enough, I’ll give you my jacket.”

“No, I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous and feel like moving.”

“Amber, don’t stall. The candles will burn out.”

“Only two candles? But you used a lot more last time. I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate with so little flame.”

“You are stalling, but I’ll play along — for now. Walk if you want, but don’t go far.” His tone was that of an amused parent humoring a child. “This will only take a few minutes.”

Again, I backed away, aiming my flashlight low so he couldn’t see exactly where I was going. Large chunks of broken concrete and fallen trees were useful camouflage, as I made my way to the wrought iron gate and grasped a rusty bar, shivering at the shock of cold metal. I turned off the flashlight to hide what I was doing, then slowly eased the gate into a closed position so that we were both shut inside. Now all I had to do was grab the lock and —

“Come back, Amber,” Gabe called. “No more games.”

“But isn’t this all a game?” I spoke loudly, feeling with my fingers for the lock. “You chose me, pursued me, and now I’m here with you.”

“I can’t even see you. Isn’t your flashlight working?”

“Battery died, I guess. But I can see fine — my eyes adjust quickly.”

“So hurry back now. I’m ready to start.”

My fingers closed around the curve of the lock, then pushed down until I heard the most wonderful click. “I’m ready too,” I said with grim resolve.

As I walked back to him, I paused to look at the crumbling staircase leading to the angel statue. I spotted a piece of the broken angel wing and paused, dropping the gate key under the bone-white wing. Then I hurried toward glowing candles and Gabe.

“Sit beside me,” he urged.

I hesitated, then did what he said.

“Take a piece of taffy. You know what to do.”

“Okay … sure.”

“Here.” He held out his hand.

Sick to my stomach, I picked the candy up, careful not to touch his gray-glowing skin. I couldn’t bring myself to unwrap the candy.

“Go ahead, eat it,” he urged.

“Gabe, you can stop this now … we don’t have to do this … you know it’s wrong.”

“Wrong to want to spend eternity with an intelligent, compassionate, beautiful soul?” Compliments, like charisma and charm, were easy for him, but hard for me to hear because I wanted, needed, to hate him.

“Eternity in stolen bodies is no life at all,” I said bitterly. “It’s wrong to force me.”

“You came here willingly.”

“Yes … I did. Remember that.” I swallowed hard. “It’s not too late — you can change your mind.”

“No.” The flames from the candles illuminated the determined set of his jaw.

But I was determined, too, and closed my eyes to gather courage.

Think of home and family and Eli, I told myself. Shut out everything else except this moment and what needs to be done.

Something shifted inside me — a lifting, like wings flying toward a shining light. A girl with long black hair and gentle hands was reaching out to me. Alyce. Somehow, a part of her had come to help me — nodding, encouraging, and offering support. Calmness, soft like summer rain and sweet like spring flowers, fell over me.

Jumping to my feet, I reached into my pocket.

And swiftly drew out the knife.

Gabe stood, scowling. “What in the blazes are you doing?”

The blade glinted scarlet from the flaming candles.

“This is not funny,” Gabe snapped. “Give me the knife.”

I shook my head, my gaze fixed on his hands, ready to act if he moved toward me.

“Amber, I’m tired of your games. You promised to come to me.”

“And I did. I’m here and you’re here, but I won’t go any further. No fusing or anything else. I’d rather die than live forever in stolen bodies.”

“Is that what you’re planning to do?” he asked incredulously. “Kill yourself?”

My heart thudded and my fingers tightened on the knife.

“You can’t be serious.” The expression on his face was so like Eli’s when he was confused and vulnerable that I panicked, afraid I couldn’t go through with this. But I reminded myself that he only looked like Eli because he’d stolen Eli’s body and would easily destroy it — if I didn’t stop him.

“Amber, don’t be stupid. Put that down.”

He lunged for me, but I moved back, knife lifted.

“You want to go with me — admit it and stop pretending otherwise,” he added irritably. “You’re not foolish enough to kill yourself, not when you can have an exciting life with me forever. And what can your Earthbounder beau offer you? A boring, short, dull life. You’ll forget him quickly and realize you made the better choice. He doesn’t deserve you.” Gabe gestured to his stolen body with his gray-glowing hands. “But I do.”

That’s when I lashed out with the knife.

And slashed Gabe.

Twice.

24

“My hands!” Gabe shrieked as blood from the slashes in his ripped palms streamed down. “What have you done?”

“What I had to,” I said, the knife trembling in my fingers. The cuts weren’t more than scratches, but to a Dark Lifer, any cut to the hands was dangerous. I clutched the knife tightly, afraid he’d attack if I let go of my weapon. Even with his blood energy draining away, I knew he could overpower me if he got close enough.

But he didn’t seem interested in me, staring with horror at the dripping blood.

Pressing his hands together, as if that would hold his soul intact, he looked around frantically. “I have to get out of here!”

“Ten minutes,” I said.

“Damn it! Don’t you think I know that? This isn’t the first time I’ve been injured. That time on the cliff was a close call, but I found another body within ten minutes. I know what to do. I’m not weak and scared like other Dark Lifers.”

“Nine minutes,” I said, with a glance down at the illuminated wrist watch I’d borrowed from Dustin.