Fall into Fire (Shamans of the Divide, Book 2)

Chapter Twelve

That night, I dreamed about the carnival ghost.

He was everywhere I was. Watching me from a distance on the ranch. Standing outside my window while I was on the phone with Nana. He even rode in the backseat of Cody's Jeep during a replay of our trip to the firefighter barbecue.

"You're screwed," the thing said as Cody drove down a gravel road, completely unaware.

I tried to ignore him at first, but in my dream, he was a very persistent.

"No," he said. "I'm serious. You're no match for this."

I shot a look back at the ghost, hoping to shut him up, but he merely put a shredded, bloody hand on the back of Cody's seat and leaned forward.

"There's nothing you can do," he was hissing now. The skin on the left side of his face was mostly hanging off his cheek and no matter how much I tried not to look, I saw muscle fiber and facial bones.

I grimaced.

Glancing up at Cody, I was relieved that he wasn't paying attention to what was happening behind him.

"You don't belong here," I whispered, hoping it might convince him to leave.

"It's our time, July," he said, leaning inches from my face. I recoiled at the proximity. "It's our time and yours will become like mine and mine will become like yours."

He reached a decaying hand out toward my face and no matter how I tried to bob and weave out of the way, he was going to touch me with those gray, bloated fingers. Pressed up against the dashboard, the creature came forward from the back and I watched as the nails in his fingertips grew longer and sharper until they resembled razor-like claws.

A set of these dripping, green claws were inches from my eyes when I finally woke up.

Pushing myself to a sitting position, I ran my hands through my hair and looked at the clock. It was a little after five in the morning and the early rays of sun were slanting through my open window. I tossed a tentative glance through the glass and was relieved to find that the skin ghost was not outside looking at me.

I pulled on a pair of shorts, a tank and a light sweatshirt. I could feel the morning chill through the cracked window. In the bathroom, I made as little noise as possible as I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Slipping my feet into the flip flops by the front door, I left the guest house as quietly as possible, lest the sleeping dragon girl awaken in the room across from mine and blow torch me to death with her crappy attitude.

Over at the main house, it was still quiet. I heard Leonard moving around in the back of the house and then exit through the side door. I made a cup of Irish Breakfast tea, a new addiction thanks to Billie, and waited while the bag steeped in the steaming water. Never known for my patience, I dropped in a bit of half and half while dunking the bag up and down to hurry the process.

I followed Leonard back outside and found him stoking a fire in the pit next to the house.

"You're up early," I said, grabbing my favorite lawn chair. It was actually nicer than any lawn chair I'd ever seen, complete with a chintz rose fabric and padded cushion. My guess was that Billie picked it out.

"I'm always up this early," he said, finding his place on the wooden bench, fire poker in one and hand and a cup of coffee in the other. "You're up early. Trouble sleeping?"

Nodding, I propped my feet on the stone circle that made up the pit and let my feet soak up the warmth from the flames.

"That shredded ghost from last night was in my dream," I said. "He wouldn't leave me alone. I gave up and got dressed."