Ghost Perfume | ✔

Chapter 5: Let Me In (Part 1)

When I blinked my eyes open, my stalker leaned over me, much closer than before.

Did he finally want to cross too? This was the perfectly wrong time, if so.

There was a knock at the door.

"Rose? Are you - awake?'' It was Lukas.

I said yes, but it came out silent.

My voice was a whisper of its usual strength.

"Rose?'' He knocked again.

The doorknob turned but stopped without the door opening. I could hear other voices, low and male, on the other side, as if they were arguing.

"Rose,'' Lukas called loudly.

I crawled to the door and with the last of my strength tugged on the doorknob to open the door a crack.

Lukas looked around the door. "Rose?'' In the next instant he opened it further and knelt at my side. Michael burst in behind him. They looked huge, their faces dark because the ceiling lights were behind them, and blurry to my malfunctioning sight. It felt like I hadn't slept in a week. It felt like the nerve endings inside me had been stripped of their insulation. Stray sparks, hot and painful, were zinging down my nervous system.

"My battery's ... dead,'' I whispered.

"I see,'' Michael whispered back, looming over me.

Lukas's head floated into my line of sight and the edge of a water glass pressed to my mouth. A hand held up my neck. "Drink.''

I was going to die if I didn't drink down a gallon.

"Slow down.''

I felt better. I could feel my hands again. I wiped my mouth.

Hands gripped my shoulders, pushing me to sit up. My vision swam again, and I slumped to the side. The hands caught me.

"How about sugar?'' a voice suggested, far away.

There was chocolate in my mouth. I swallowed and my headache slightly retreated.

"Take her home to sleep.''

"I still think my idea is better.''

"Did Gabriel get rid of the brother?''

"A while ago.''

"Then she'll be fine there.''

An arm banded around me and I was dragged to my feet, a man propping me up. I forced my eyes open. It was Lukas, with my stalker hovering about an inch from my face. Michael and Alexander stood at the doorway, like sentries ...

Where had I seen sentries before?

Icy air bit at my face to wake me up. Wind howled in my ears. I gasped, my eyes flying open again. They were taking me to Alexander's car. The cold air was a balm to numb my burning chest.

Alexander was already in the car. He caught me as they lowered me into the passenger seat.

"I like it cold,'' I begged when he reached to turn on the heat.

"Okay,'' he agreed, and opened the windows.

"Drive safe,'' Michael said. Lower, so I wasn't sure I heard properly: "And keep your fucking distance.''

We moved through the colorless streets. I clenched and unclenched my fingers, trying to stop the feeling of sparks skittering down my nerves. My stalker knelt in my lap, petting and stroking my face, as if he could comfort me.

I was beginning to get over the shock. I felt like an impatient fool. I could have waited on passing all seven ghosts. I could have paced myself. A bone-deep exhaustion settled over me.