In Vendetta House (The Vendetta Series #1)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"How pathetic," Courtney sneers, walking up with her head cocked and her entourage of five or six girls with equally flat-ironed hair smirking in agreement.

Sasha grips my arm and pulls me up from my knees. I spot Vee in the group as I straighten myself up, noticing her eyes wandering everywhere but the scene unravelling in front of her.

"What are we, a super villain now?" Sasha fires back. "Mocking is so stereotypical, Courtney. Now do you want to explain your final plan to buy us time, then scream your name for everyone to remember after you've been defeated?"

Courtney's delicate nostrils flare in annoyance, clearly unamused with Sasha's mockery. "At least I'm not named after a Disney mermaid," she coos, her sharply eyelined eyes focussing on my face. There is something about them that seems cat-like: the edges near the nose dipped low and the other corner pulled high. "Soooo unoriginal," Courtney says with a yawn.

I roll my eyes. "Well, no kidding. What do you expect Ariels to be named after: the font?"

"Stop talking," she says bluntly. "I think you need a warning. I was here before any of you, this place is under my control."

Sasha lets out a single laugh and Courtney's lips purse into a thin line. She brings her bandaged hand up, her nose scrunched in disgust. "You got lucky this time. If you attack me again you'll be sorry," she spits.

I make a face. Oh, now I'm the one who attacked her?

Courtney pouts in fake concern. "What's the matter? Feeling threatened? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Actually," Sasha cuts in. "We just came from West Wing." She gestures towards the stairs I stumbled down. "You do remember what's rumored to be in West Wing, right?"

Sasha taps a finger against her forehead. "Now. I wonder how Ariel here, who raced down the stairs in a panic and her spirit-seer power is related? What do you think, Courtney?"

After a few moments, Courtney registers what Sasha is implying and narrows her eyes. A petite girl behind her with the same green streaks only in a pixie cut pipes up, "So she's a spirit-seer, big deal."

I bring a hand up to the bridge of my nose. I need them to just back off, a headache is beginning to form behind my eyes that only some food could fix.

"Mmhm," I say, pretending to think. "I think it is a big deal. For all you know, I could command one of them to possess your soul for all eternity."

The blood drains out of pixie-girl's face, and Courtney is still staring through narrowed eyes, debating whether or not to buy my claim.

"Let's go," Courtney finally snaps, pivoting on her heel. 

And that's that.

Sasha tuts, clearly amused by how fast we scared them away. "I could get use to this," she says. "Having the upper hand, I mean."

"Has she always been this spiteful?" I ask. "I didn't think there were people this mean in real life."

Sasha doesn't seem to think so. "Courtney takes her role as resident mean girl very seriously. Although no one really takes her that seriously. Or maybe it's because of her..." she waves around her fingers, "...tragic paaaa-st."

I roll my eyes again.

"Can you really shove spirits into people?" Sasha asks, starting down the hall, away from the translucent people.

"Ghosts and I really have a tragic past."

She opens her mouth, and I stop her with a hand already knowing what is going to come out. "Yeah, there were ghosts back there. Or I guess you call them spirits. No, I will not go back. No, I will not explain why."