“We’re here. What do you need?” Cat says, her ebony features hardening.
“Look guys, we need help finding Wade’s grandpa…” I say, looking over my shoulder at Wade.
His shoulders are pulled back and his expression is as hard as the stone angel in the center of the driveway’s circle.
“Wade’s grandpa?” Cat says, glancing around at the other two. “I thought he was dead. Didn’t you guys bury him?”
I nod. “It’s a long story, but he’s been brought back to life. Don’t ask me how, I don’t know the specifics just yet. But I’m working on it.”
“Holy shit,” she says, raising her hands to her mouth.
“He’s been turned into a revenant—a zombie. We need to find him so we can put him to rest,” I say, sweeping my gaze across the three of them.
Cat nods eagerly, Dominic shifts to one foot, looking a bit put out, but Colton turns away, shaking his head. This is the team. Wonderful.
Colton mumbles something under his breath and it sounds like, “Not gonna help him.”
I roll my eyes. “Look, guys. There’s more at stake here than just Wade’s grandpa. There are others, too, and they need to be laid to rest. If they don’t, people are going to die,” I say, trying to accentuate the last word for effect. “The revenants are getting more hostile.”
“That’s horrible,” Cat says, her eyes wide and jaw slacking open. “You’re not—I mean, it wasn’t you who brought these people back, was it?”
I shoot her a disgruntled look. “Of course not. Someone is trying to frame me for their resurrections. But it doesn’t make them any less my responsibility. Our responsibility. We know about it and I’ve been given information on how to stop them.”
The three of them exchange glances, but don’t say anything.
Wade leans in and whispers in my ear. “Tell them about the last time.”
Turning back to them, I nod. “This has happened before. Thirty years ago, the dead were coming back to life, and it took the efforts of all of our families. Ask your parents, if you want. But that’s why I called you all here. I don’t know what I’m doing, guys. I just know we’re better together.”
Colton snickers. “How’d you suss that one out?”
“I second that,” Cat says, nodding. “I don’t know anything about putting the dead to rest. That’s your family’s area of expertise. Now, if you want me to set ‘em on fire…”
I narrow my gaze and fire back, “None of you have to understand it right now. Abigail told me what needs to be done and as far as I’m concerned, she’s always been honest with me. Colton, Cat wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Abigail. I had never performed a resurrection. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.” I jab a pointer finger toward Cat, who shrinks back sheepishly.
“Where do you want us to start?” Dominic says, taking a step toward us. It’s the first time he’s really said anything, but determination rolls off of him in waves.
Even if he doesn’t like Wade, it’s clear he believes me.
Relieved to have at least one of them on board, I turn to him. “Dominic, how good are your psychic abilities for locating people? Would you be able to home in on his grandpa?”
Dominic shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve never tried to locate a revenant before.”
“Try. Please,” I say, pleading with him.
He nods. “All right. But I need more to go on. Wade, do you mind?” Dominic holds out his hands, raising them up and flicking his fingertips at him.
Wade shoots me a sideways glance, but walks down the steps toward Dom.
Placing his hands on Wade’s temples, Dominic closes his eyes and bows his head. Silence settles between the five of us as Dominic concentrates. Colton shakes his head, placing his hands on the back of his neck, as he walks away in disgust. Cat follows after him, grabbing onto his arm and whispering something in his ear. He stops, shooting daggers at Wade, before he nods at Cat and walks back.
“If I’m picking up on him correctly, he’s nearby. Out that direction,” Dominic says, dropping his hands from Wade’s head and pointing out into the woods.
“There’s nothing out that way but trees,” Colton snickers, clearly unimpressed.
“Look, man, I know you don’t wanna be here, and truth be told, I don’t want you here, either. But Autumn wanted you to help, so show some damn respect,” Wade says, stepping up into Colton’s space.
“Guys,” I warn, running up to get between the two of them. “This isn’t the time or the place.”
Colton glowers at us both but takes a step back.
“Who’s that?” Cat says, holding her hands above her eyebrows as she squints toward the other end of the driveway.
As if on cue, we each turn to follow her gaze. A black SUV comes barreling down the driveway with the headlights flashing brightly as it hits the various dips in the drive.
“I have no idea,” I say, shaking my head and watching, mesmerized, as the newcomers circle up to us.
I’ve never seen the vehicle before in my life. The windows are tinted to the point of being completely blacked out and I narrow my gaze, trying to make out who could be inside.
The passenger door opens up first, and out steps the international psychic, Diana. Her bright pink hair flaps haphazardly in the breeze and in this low light, she looks like she could be Dominic’s younger sister.
“Hey there, kiddos. Miss me?” she says, eyeing me and Wade. She shoots us both a genuine smile.
I glance over at Wade, who shrugs in return.
Colton and Cat exchange confused looks, but keep their mouth shut.
“Who’s—?” Dominic begins, but promptly clamps his mouth shut when the driver’s side door opens.
A guy in his mid-forties with black hair and a similar sense of style to Wade walks around the vehicle. His dark, discerning eyes scan each of us before landing back with Diana. Without a word,
