Nightmare Hunt, page 40
“I know. Violet Wickeby is behind his curse.”
And then the image of Liam’s lost, confused expression on his beautiful human face reminded her that he was still innocent. She wiped her eyes. “He doesn’t even know it.”
She wanted to explain how she’d zapped him unconscious and caused him to shed the beast, and how clueless he seemed to be about his werewolf alter-ego, blaming it on sleepwalking and blackouts, and how the beast re-emerged and attacked her.
But she was too tired. She’d discuss it all further when she didn’t feel like she’d just crawled out of death’s door. All she could think to ask was about the antidote and Eddie’s whereabouts.
“The doctor knows a great deal about supernatural ailments,” Dr. Helsing answered. “This particular poison, brewed from a powerful curse, is in the beast’s claws and teeth. The only antidote he knows of is to reverse the ingredients of the potion that created the poison.”
“We’d need Hagar. She made the potion.”
He nodded.
“And Eddie,” she added pointedly. “In fact, let’s use those stones of yours to call him right now.” With a sudden vigor that canceled her exhaustion, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Something she should not have done because the Earth instantly tilted on its axis, and she almost connected face-first with the floor, if not for the pair of hands that caught her by the shoulders and gently pushed her back onto the bed so her head connected with the pillow instead.
“Easy, Ms. Montague,” Dr. Helsing said, returning to the chair and rolling it closer. “You’ve just recovered from severe blood-loss, a vicious werewolf bite, and a toxic coma that a mere human could not awaken from without supernatural aid.”
“I heal fast, apparently,” she whispered.
“Fortunately,” he corrected for her.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I guess.”
“I tried to contact Edward with the stones, but he is unreachable.”
Alarm burst through her. “How can that be? Has this ever happened before?”
“Never.” He held up a calming hand. “There is a way to see if he is safe.”
“Okay...” And when he didn’t answer immediately, her voice raised in an impatient scratchy rasp, “Well, then, what is it?”
He smiled knowingly. “I’m confident it will work. If my soul symmetry theory about you two is correct....”
“Great,” she huffed, “so then it won’t work.”
“It will. Just lay back, close your eyes, and imagine a tangible connection with him. Something that you could use to draw yourself into the same space as him.”
“Like a rope around his waist, and I pull myself toward him?”
“That could work.”
“Already tried it. Didn’t work.”
“How so?”
She recounted how Eddie had reached her through a telepathic connection in the West Wing of the Rawlins castle and guided her in slaying a Shadowzord.
“Well. Color me impressed, Ms. Montague.”
She rolled her eyes. “For the last time, Dr. Helsing, it’s Belle.”
“James.”
Belle quirked an eyebrow. “Huh?”
“You are Belle to me, and I am James to you, outside of school.”
It was going to be odd calling her high school literature teacher by his first name. “Okay, James. When I last tried to reach Eddie on my own, I did the pull-the-rope thing in my mind, and it led to a stone wall. I tried calling to him through the wall, I banged with my fist on it, and then it was like an invisible Hulk-force punched me back. Knocked me out, straight into a nightmare where I failed to reach my mom again.”
James stood and paced the room now, stroking his thin goatee. “I wonder...what color would you say was this stone wall?”
“Gray.”
“Could you feel the temperature?”
She hugged herself, remembering the shiver. “Yes. It was very cold.”
He snapped his fingers. “Edward must be at the Jäger Temple.”
“Still?”
“I think so. Or, he is on a top-priority mission for the Jäger Father. That means no distractions.” He gave Belle a sympathetic look. “That means Edward’s out of reach to us for the time being.” When Belle slumped despondently into her pillows, he added, “We must trust the Jäger Father.”
She gave him a dry look. “The same Fae-person who ripped my mom and aunt’s wings right out of their backs and then wiped their minds of the event?”
He pursed his lips. “The very same.”
“Sounds dodgy if you ask me.”
“What’s dodgy?” Jo was back with a tray of broth and buttered bread. She motioned for James to hold the tray while she helped the invalid sit up properly.
“My chances of winning the Homecoming crown,” Belle answered, which earned her a grateful look from James for dodging the real answer.
Jo sat next to her and kept the tray steady on Belle’s lap as she lifted the bread and dipped it into the broth. “Here, take a bite. And you can forget about this Homecoming foolishness because you’re still on bedrest.”
She exclaimed around a mouthful, “But I have to go tomorrow— the fate of the world depends on it!”
Jo stopped with the spoon in the air. “Fate of the world? Honey, what are you saying?”
Behind Jo, James raised a finger to his lips for silence.
“No...” Belle told him. “No more lies.” While James turned away in annoyance, she forced Jo to put down the bowl and spoon, and then grabbed hold of her hands. “Jo, something really terrible is going to happen, if I don’t win that Homecoming crown. I’m trying to keep a very powerful witch from getting her hands on it and casting a spell to rule the world.”
Jo blinked back once, twice, as she looked into Belle’s wide, earnest eyes. Finally, she turned slowly to James and whispered, “Maybe we should get that Dr. X back here.”
A crackling, buzzing sound drew Jo’s attention to Belle’s outstretched hands. Jo scrambled away from the bed in shock and stood next to James.
“Good grief, Belle,” he said, clearly disapproving.
The sparks in her hands disappeared, and she turned pleading eyes on Jo. “You said I could trust you.”
After a long moment, Jo’s face crumbled with compassion and she went to Belle, stroking her cheek. “Of course you can, baby girl. Anything you need, you just let me know.” She turned toward James and frowned. “I bet you’re special, too?”
A sheepish look overtook his features.
“He is,” Belle answered for him. “He’s a lie-detector.”
“So you can tell if someone is lying or not?” Jo asked him.
He nodded.
Jo clucked her tongue. “Looks like you got the short end of the stick on special powers.”
He scratched his head. “Sadly for me...I know you’re telling the truth on that.”
Just then, a strong knock sounded at the front door. They all exchanged glances.
“That’s probably one of your friends,” Jo said. “You’ve a few friends been by to see you. I know it’s not Candy now ‘cause she’s still working, so my guess is on Liam. Poor boy’s kept vigil at your bedside each day until I have to kick him out.”
Belle’s wide eyes collided with James’s.
Jo looked confused. “Candy said Liam was a friend of yours. Is he not welcome here?”
Belle wet her dry lips. “You said he’s been visiting me every day?”
“Like a lovesick puppy. He even took it upon himself to have the first floor cleaned up and put to rights,” she said. “Should I let him up, or no?”
“Okay, yes.” Confusion swirled through Belle as Jo left the room. “You told me he was laying low,” she said to James.
He spread his hands wide. “I didn’t know he’d been visiting here. I saw you the first night, and now, when you thankfully happened to wake up. Mr. Rawlins and I have not crossed paths this week.”
She sat up straighter and nervously finger-combed through her tangled curls. “I’m not sure how to act right now. H-He’s a werewolf under Violet’s spell, but he’s still Liam and needs our help. I mean, is he even aware that he attacked me? Maybe he is aware and is just pretending to care?”
James gave her a determined look as three voices floated to them from the staircase. “We’ll find out the truth. Act normal but see if you can fish answers out of him. I’ll scratch my cheek if he’s truthful and wrinkle my nose if he’s not. Agreed?”
She nodded and swallowed.
Liam entered with his gorgeous down-to-earth self in flip-flops, plain t-shirt and shorts, and un-gelled hair rather than his heart-stopping, Armani-wearing, CEO persona.
“Belle?” Their eyes locked across the room, and while stark relief marked his features, she went white as a sheet. “Thank God you’re awake.”
He went to her, squeezing her hands and covering them with kisses. When he touched her face, his eyes tracking all over her, he asked, “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
When Cindy stepped into view, Belle broke her silence, “Cindy!”
Liam spotted Dr. Helsing standing off to the side. “What are you doing here?”
“I called him,” Jo spoke up, moving to Liam’s side and nudging him off so she could sit there instead. Annoyed, he moved to stand next to Cindy, who looked like a Gap model with her sandy blonde hair hanging straight to her hip, in an oversized sweater and leggings.
Jo picked up the spoon to begin feeding Belle. “James is a good friend of mine. I enjoy his company.” She winked at James, who promptly flushed.
Liam smirked.
Belle gently took the spoon from her. “I can do it. Thank you so much, Jo.”
Jo wiped her hands on her thighs as she stood. “Well, then, hon’, I’ll go and come back in a few hours. Sound good?”
Belle nodded. As Jo exited, James awkwardly shook hands with Liam and Cindy. “Hello to you both.”
He needs to touch their skin so his truth-meter works, Belle remembered.
“You can go now,” Liam told him, at which Cindy cut him a sharp look. “Liam.”
“No,” Belle said a little too quickly. “I need him here. Uh, he’s going to explain everything I missed this week in class.” She patted her bedside so Cindy could join her.
Liam grunted and went to sit at Belle’s other side.
After a quick hug, Cindy said, “I’m so happy you’re okay. Lisa, Nieves, and now your uncle...they still haven’t woken up. Did you...see what attacked you and Ernesto? I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, though.”
“No. It’s okay.” She glanced at Liam to find him looking intently at her. Doesn’t he realize it was him? Or is he just waiting to see if she’ll publicly point the finger at him? “It all happened so fast. I heard a struggle downstairs, found Ernesto unconscious with a deep scratch on his neck, and then....” Either way, she wasn’t outing him in front of Cindy. “I felt a flash of pain, and-and I blacked out.”
I need to find out what he knows.
She bit her lip. “Liam, did you by any chance see anything? You visited me that night. How’s your shoulder?”
Cindy’s attention snapped to him. “I knew something happened to you that night. Beatrix fetched you from somewhere, and I saw you come in with a bleeding shoulder. She wouldn’t let me see you for two days.” She reached over and pulled his shirt collar to the side, revealing a small black circular scab on his shoulder. “You still haven’t explained any of it.”
Belle glanced at James, who promptly scratched his cheek. Cindy was right.
A heavy weight settled over Liam as he spoke. “I blacked out that night. Woke up in Belle’s trashed livingroom with a bullet in my shoulder.” Cindy gasped. “I swear, I don’t know what I was doing there.”
Moment of truth. James scratched his cheek.
Belle knew what she had to do then. She cleared her throat. “That’s right. I remember now. After I found Ernesto unconscious, I found you hurt, and then you passed out. That’s, That’s when I believe I was attacked by some big, furry creature.”
“Where?” Cindy asked, just above a whisper.
“Where?” Belle repeated.
“Where did it hurt you?”
The story Belle was spinning, although mostly true, was for Cindy’s benefit, to keep her from becoming ensnared in their supernatural struggle. But she needed Cindy to believe her.
“On my stomach. It, It clawed me, and then I blacked out.”
Cindy worried her bottom lip.
“Thank God you’re okay.” Liam pressed Belle’s hand to his cheek.
Belle knew Cindy could tell her story had as many holes as Swiss cheese.
James must have sensed this, too. “Not to minimize what occurred, but it appeared to be more of a scratch. The amount of toxin you were exposed to must not have been enough to keep you comatose as long as the other victims.”
So, he can shell out the lies as well as detect them.... She smiled sheepishly at her teacher, grateful for his help.
But Cindy had one more question. “Why weren’t you and Ernesto taken to the hospital like Lisa and Nieves?”
“I...don’t know.” This web of lies was becoming exhausting to maintain.
Liam spoke up, “I thought it was because of your aunt’s wishes for privacy.”
James wrinkled his nose.
Belle frowned. Maybe Liam was helping her with this excuse, though, because he knows about her special nature? She could only hope.
“Right. Right, Emily’s very strict about that.” And before the topic could delve any further into the stranger subject of her mysterious, reclusive aunt—who was not even on this planet at the moment—Belle changed the topic. “I actually feel well enough to go to the Halloween dance tomorrow.”
Cindy and Liam both balked, but James cut in, “Let’s see what Jo and the doctor have to say about it.”
After a long silence in which Belle sipped some of the broth, Cindy finally said, “I-I’m sorry if I pried. I was just so worried about you.” Belle squeezed her hand. “If you are clear to go tomorrow, I have your costume all ready.” Enthusiasm started leaking into her tone. “The Halloween dance this year is a masquerade ball at Rawlins castle.”
At Belle’s surprised glance at Liam, he added, “It was about time I liven up the place.”
And bring more attention to your RejuveNew project with Mari....
“So as fashion designer on Team Belle,” Cindy grinned, “I found an authentic Georgian era dress in an old wardrobe.” At Belle’s grimace, Cindy added, “Don’t worry, in my hands, it’s like new now. You’re going to love your masquerade costume.”
Liam brought Belle’s knuckles to his lips. “What time am I picking you up tomorrow, angel?”
She snatched her hand away. The panic evident in her eyes. “Um, uh, I’m going with Candy and Millie.”
Liam looked like he’d been slapped.
A quick glance at James revealed a brief shake of his head, as if saying, Don’t do that.
She backtracked, slipping her hand back into Liam’s. “I’m s-sorry. What I mean is...of course I’ll go with you. My mind’s still a little fuzzy. I thought I had promised to go with them, but now I remember I promised to go with you.”
Still hurt, he frowned. “You don’t have to go with me. Only if you want to.”
And then a plan, as bright as day, hatched in her not-so-fuzzy mind. “Um, and you know what? I’m taking you up on that promise you made to me. We’re having our picnic in the dungeon before the party.”
He looked skeptical. “Beatrix says....” But words failed him when she started planting kisses on the tips of each one of his fingers on one hand.
She smiled demurely. “It’ll be unforgettable.”
Especially after I lock you up in a dungeon cell, Beast. Violet won’t be able to use you to hurt anyone else tomorrow night.
He croaked, “Uh, yes.” He cleared his throat. “Yes, it will. I’ll pick you up at six then, and we’ll have dinner in the dungeon.” His lips spread into a wide satisfied grin.
When she met Cindy’s incredulous stare, her eyebrows almost touching her hairline, Belle wanted to duck and hide her face at her own performance.
After Liam and Cindy left, James asked her if she could tell him everything about what transpired the night the Beast attacked her.
So, she did. From the dream of her seeing through the Beast as he slipped into her house and encountered Ernesto; awaking upon being shot in the shoulder and finding that the Beast had just finished tearing into her uncle; and then the fight with the creature itself. Zapping it and stopping its heart, so that the Beast receded and a clueless Liam (she didn’t mention he was naked) re-emerged.
“I-I accidentally killed him.” She teared up again at the memory.
James stroked his chin as he listened. “But...Mr. Rawlins is very much alive.”
“I did CPR and accidentally zapped him in the chest. I guess that restarted his heart.”
“You must have been terribly frightened.”
She nodded and inhaled a shaky breath.
“But considerably brave. He must have come to then. What happened next?”
She explained what Liam had said about an eerie song playing in the back of his mind and how he would black out.
“Violet’s enchantment,” he said matter-of-factly.
“He said he could still hear it then, and he asked me to stay with him so he wouldn’t wander off in his black out. I was going to tell him then about Violet having him bewitched, but then he turned again. And...And then he got me.” She wiped her eyes and sniffled. “I let him. I didn’t want to risk killing him for real this time.”
James continued his slow pacing, deep in thought.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
He stopped and looked at her, waiting.
“Um...I, uh, hallucinated something.”
“What was it?”
“Or maybe it was a bit of a real dream I had for the first time ever while I was unconscious.”
“Go on.”
“I opened my eyes briefly after the Beast had, uh, taken me out. I was lying in a pool of blood, and I saw my cat Lady come in through the open window and...”
