Deadly Kisses

Thirty-Two





I held Bee tight against my chest, not wanting to let her go. We felt as one, and to separate us now seemed impossible. My declaration of love united our connection tighter. I would miss her so much. I wanted to be with her forever.

The boat swirled sideways toward the rocky shore of Peterborough cemetery. We docked.

Jaleb stirred out of his trance. “Is this Marlin’s stop?”

“Yes,” I answered, still thinking about how much I loved Bee.

Jaleb climbed to shore, stretching out his legs.

I squeezed Bee to me. “I don’t want to lose a second with you because we part tonight. You’ll live a long full life, fall in love. Just do me a favor and marry a nice guy.” I didn’t want her to be with anyone except me. Thinking about it made me miserable.

“I wish all this never happened . . . I want you and Sabrina back and alive. This doesn’t feel real.”

“I know.” I kissed the top of her head quick, the cold spreading briskly. She gasped, spreading her energy fast.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just so hard to resist you.”

“Just hold me.”

“I hate to break up your love fest, but I’m not feeling so hot. I’ll be heavy to move if I pass out.” Jaleb looked pale, his veins ran blue under translucent skin.

“What’s happening to him?”

I released my arm around her waist, and she was stronger than ever in me.

“The three Ancients are gathering and drawing energy from him. The closer we get to them, the worse he will be. They don’t like their victims fighting. That’s why we need Marlin’s help.”

“She’s not going to get freaky on me again, is she?” Bee asked me.

“Probably.” I snickered. “Please tell me what Marlin whispered to you when we last saw her. It’s important to me.”

I knew this was my last chance to talk to Bee. “Jaleb we’re right behind you. Just keep walking straight ignoring the stone at the entrance.”

“Fine, but hurry. I’m feeling weak.”

Bee paced back and forth in three step increments until I stopped her and held her to me. “She told me to tell you not to worry because I’ll be just as pretty dead.”

I shuddered. “Don’t worry about what Marlin said. Okay? She’s just picking on me because I had it bad for you, and she knew it.” I grabbed her hand and led her down the narrow exit. My plan couldn’t fail. Marlin’s vision had to be wrong.

“How long have you really liked me, Aiden?”

“It’s always been love, Bee. Don’t forget that. I think it was the day you made me bring home a stray cat. You held it in a wagon. I pulled you from the country store to my trailer. I’ll never forget that day. Do you remember that?”

“I was like twelve and you were fourteen. What ever happened to that cat?”

“I fed it and it stayed around, becoming my outdoor pet.”

“I don’t know why we didn’t become better friends like you and Sabrina did.”

“Sabrina would hang out with me and the band while you got involved with school stuff or trying to save the world.”

“I wish I hung out with the two of you more.”

“Me too, but in a way I’ll never regret my human life with Sabrina.”

“You never . . . you know . . . kissed Sabrina?”

I chuckled, remembering. “Once. It was my idea. We were thirteen. It was the most awkward kiss ever. We both agreed it would never happen again. We actually scraped teeth and drooled on each other. She knew that I liked you anyways and teased me about it because you were younger than us.”

“Poor you. I can just imagine her teasing you.”

Jaleb was ahead, leaning on a stone, looking up to the stars in the sky. He closed his eyes, inhaling the crisp night air. The wind blew, sweeping his hair away from his face.

“Stop, so I can hug you.” I rested my chin on the top of her head. I squeezed her, wrapping my arms around her waist until my hands reached behind her back.

“Come on, let’s get walking.” I clutched her hand. Jaleb held the other while Bee fed us the life force we needed. Jaleb’s face went from translucent to chalky white.

We finally made it to Marlin’s trailer. A soft light came from the inside. We walked up the narrow steps. Bee knocked on the door.

Marlin answered. Her hair was now dyed a flame red with streaks of orange in the front. It reminded me of Reina’s. She dangled a cigarette from her mouth. A black dress painted her body down to her thighs. Jaleb smiled a big goofy grin.

Marlin looked to Bee. “Dances with daisies, come in. Jaleb we meet again.” She eyed him up and down. “Glad we’re staying clean, but I can’t say that for my nasty little smoking habit.” She looked to her cigarette that was loosely held between her fingers.

“Marlin, you are looking prettier than ever.” Jaleb raised his eyebrows up and down at her.

“Says the boy who attacked me drunk and very naked.” Marlin winked back at Jaleb.

“Um, sorry for that. I made an awful drunk.”

“And druggie, let’s not forget that. Keep those wounds open so we don’t start that up again. What can I do ya for?” Marlin smashed the end of her cigarette in a coffee mug and swooshed the smoke in front of her. The whole house reeked of it.

“I need another vial of that elixir,” Jaleb said.

“Sure. I also have something to keep you energized, too.” She went to the table where there we all sorts of weird plants, knives, and what looked like a science kit. Marlin picked up a vial. “These should do. Feeling down, huh?”

“Something like that.” He handed her forty dollars.

“Daisy girl, it’s about time you told Aiden my message. Bet he was tickled pink.”

“How did she know?” Bee nudged Jaleb.

Marlin tapped her head. “Super psychic whack job at your service. Aiden,” she called. “I feel you here with her.” She froze and went into some weird trance. “You will bind him to the earth. Bring order by killing the source, it will rid them all, but pray for a miracle it won’t take you down also. Do it using the white energy.” She came back, her eyes turning from black to murky brown again.

“Damn, I hate trancing. This is why I hardly go out, see what I mean? Whack job.” Marlin twirled her finger around her ear crossing her eyes at Bee.

“You’re not crazy. There are weirder things out there. I don’t understand what you meant by the source,” Bee said.

“I like you, little insect. You’ll save him from himself, you know. I speak in riddles sometimes. Have fun figuring it out.”

I stayed back near the door. My hands held the scythe. I leaned into it on one foot, crossing the other. When I told Bee I loved her it had created a blast of energy.

When Marlin handed Jaleb the vial, her eyes blackened again. “Inconceivable pain hurts, but it will make you stronger. Stay strong and follow your heart. There is great power in you, too.” Jaleb looked at her, his worry line popping out of his forehead. She let go of his hand.

“Damn. Get out, people. I can’t deal with any more of that. The store is closed for the night!” She ushered us through the door. The lock clicked into place. We heard a scream and then her light went off.

We stood staring at the door.

“Weird,” Bee said.

“Weird, but she’s still hot.” Jaleb was the first to walk down the stairs, biting his bottom lip.

“Trances give her massive migraines. Come on, we need to get to Stonehenge if we have a chance of saving you guys. We don’t need the death dogs on our tails.”

“Seriously, death dogs?” Jaleb sucked down the whole vial of Marlin’s herbal tonic. Color crept back into his face again.

“They are real mean dogs . . . nasty things. Once I pissed off a Demon, and he sent them after me. I went down like a sack of potatoes and was out of work for a month to recover. My nose will never be the same.”

“Great,” Jaleb said sarcastically.

“So, you can get hurt?” Bee asked.

“Well yes. I told you we are dead humans. We don’t heal, just feel better when the pain subsides. I never messed with the death dogs again.”

“Good to know,” Jaleb said.

I held Bee’s hand, walking back to the gondola.

“I believe we have a date with death,” I said, walking into the cave to the river.