Wherever Monica and her friends had gone, it wasn't the way I had ran - and run I did, the whole way to Lot Street. My lungs were burning by the time I turned the corner, and I was nearly in tears with gratitude at the sight of the big old house.
And Justin, sitting in the front steps. He stood up, not saying a word, and I threw myself at him; he caught me and held me close for a few seconds, then pushed me back for a survey of damage.
"I know" I said. "You told me not to go. I'm sorry"
He nodded, looking grim. "Inside" he said.
Once I was in, with the door safely locked, I babbled out the whole story. Monica, the van, the lighter, the church, the vampire. He didn't ask any questions. In fact, he didn't blink. I ran out of words, and he just looked at me, expressionless.
"You" he finally said. "Had better like the inside of your room, because I'm locking you in there, and I'm not letting you out until your parents come to load you in the car"
"Justin-"
"I mean it. No more bullshit, Ana. You're staying alive no matter what I have to do" he sounded flatly furious. "Now. You need to tell me about Micheal"
"What?" I ask.
"I mean it, Ana. Tell me, right now. Because I can't find him anywhere. And you know what? I can never find him during the day- damn! Did you feel that?" He asks. A cold spot, sweeping across my skin. Micheal trying to tell me something.
"We can't get through this if we're not straight with each other" Justin's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Is he- you know- one of them? Cause I need to know that"
"No" I said. "He's not"
Justin closed his eyes and slumped against the wall, hands both sides of his head. "God. Thank you. I was going nuts. I thought- I mean, it's one thing to be a night person, but Micheal- I was- I thought-"
"Wait" I said, and took and death breath. Cold settle over me again, Micheal trying to stop me. I ignored it. "Quit it, Micheal. He needs to know"
Justin took his hands away from his head and looked around, and frowned at me. "Micheal's not here. I checked. I searched the damn place top to bottom"
"Yes, he is. Cold spot" I held out my hand and waved it through the cold air. "I figure he's standing right...here" I looked at my watch. "He'll be back in about two hours, when the sun goes down. You can see him then"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Justin looks at me.
"Micheal. He's a ghost" I say.
"Oh, come on! Bullshit! The dude sits here and eats dinner with us!" Justin argues.
I shrugged, threw up my hands, and walked away. "You wanted to know. Fine. Now you do. And by the way? I'm fine"
"What do you mean, he's a ghost?" Justin caught up with me, came around me, and blocked my path.
"Sometimes he is, ask him. Better yet, watch him at dawn. And then tell me what he is, because ghost is about all I know to call him. The thing is, he can't leave the house, Justin. He can't help us. He's stuck here, and during the day, he can't even talk to us. He just- drifts" I batted away the cold air again. "Stop it, Micheal. I know you're pissed. But he needs to know!"
"Ana!" Justin grabbed me and shook me out of frustration. "You're talking to thin air!"
"Whatever. Let go, I've got things to do" I say.
"What things?" He asks.
"Packing!" I pulled free and went upstairs two steals at the time. The cold spot followed me into my room, and I shut the door. "Dammit, Micheal, get out of my room, you pervert! I swear, I'm going to start taking my clothes off!"
The spot stayed resolutely still until I pulled up the hem of my shirt up to my bra line, and it faded away. "Chicken" I said, and paced the room, back and forth. Worried and more than a little scared.
Justin pounded on the door, but i stretched out on my bed, put a pillow over my face, and pretended not to hear him.
Dusk came, pulling a blue gauze over the sky. Justin was just coming out of Micheal's bedroom. Still looking for someone he wasn't going to find.
"Micheal!" I yelled from my end, and felt the cold settle around me like an icy blanket. Justin spun around, and felt the mist gather, thick and heavy, and I actually saw it, a faint grey shape in the air.
Eve's door flew open. "What the hell is going on around here?" She yelled. "Could you guys keep it down to aircraft carrier noise?"
And then Micheal just appeared. Midway between all three of us, forming right out of a grey heavy mist, taking on colour and weight. Eve screamed.
Micheal collapsed in his hands and knees, retching. He fell on his side, rolled over to stare up at the ceiling.
"Shit!" He gasped, and just stayed there, fighting for breath. His eyes looked wet and terrified, and I realised it was like this everyday for him.
I looked down the hall at Justin. He was frozen in place, mouth open, looking like a cartoon. Eve, too, form her angle.
I walked over, held out my hand to Micheal, and said, "Well, I guess that settles things"
He gave me a filthy, wordless look, and took my hand to pull himself up. He staggered and leant against the wall for support, shaking his head when I tried to help.
"In a minute." He said. "Takes a lot out of you"
Eve said in a high, squeaky, airless voice, "the ghost! You're he ghost Miranda was talking about! Oh my god, Micheal, you're the ghost! You bastard!"
He nodded, still concentrating on breath. Eve got control of her voice and squealed. "That is is without a doubt the coolest damn thing I ever have seen in my entire life!"
Justin looked...pale. And shaken. Micheal met his eyes, and the two of them looked at each other for a long, silent second before Justin said, "This is why you asked me to come back"
"I-" Micheal coughed. When he sagged this time, Eve threw his arm around her shoulders. He looked surprised, then pleased. "Not just because-"
"I get it" Justin said. "I get it, man. I do. What the hell happened while I was gone?"
Micheal just shook his head. "Later"
No, it wasn't that Justin was pissed off after all, I realised. He turned away and pounded down the stairs before I could say anything, but I'd seen his eyes. I knew.
He lost Jazzy, now he thinks he's lost Micheal too. I didn't know how that felt, but I could imagine. I'd never really lost anybody, not even a grandparent.
"Ana" Micheal said. "Don't let him leave" I nodded and left Eve supporting Micheal in the hallway.
Justin was standing downstairs, just standing. Not paying much attention to me or anything else. I reached out, ready to tap him on the shoulder, let him know I was here even if I was no help at all, but just then, there was a knock at the door.
"I swear to god, if that's Miranda-" he grated. His fists were clenched at his sides.
"No, I think it's for me" I said, and darted around him to run down the hallway. I checked the peephole first, and sure enough, there was Oliver standing on the doorstep and looking uncomfortable. I unlocked the door and swung it open.
"I don't have a lot to time" he said. "Where are they? Justin and Eve?"
"Inside" I said and pulled it open wider, for him to step inside. He didn't. He held up a hand instead, and waved it in the air in front of him with a frown. "Oliver?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask me in" he said. "It seems this house has some very detailed protections in place. I can't come in unless you ask"
"Oh. Sorry about that" I was about to ask him inside when it occurred to me it wasn't the best idea, just asking people in without okaying it with everyone else. "Um, can you wait just a second?"
"No, Anastasia, I really can't" Oliver said impatiently. "Please invite me in. I don't have time to wait"
"But I-"
"Ana, I can't help you if you don't trust me! Now quickly, before it's too late, let me in!" He shouts.
"But I-" I pulled in a deep breath. "All right. I invite you-"
"No!" It was a roar from behind me, absolutely terrifying, and I threw myself to one side and covered my mouth with both hands to hold on my scream. It wasn't Justin bearing down on me; it was Micheal. Justin wasn't behind him, and Eve. "Ana, get back!"
Oliver looked disappointed, but I saw, not particularly surprised. "Ah, Micheal. Good to see you again. I see you're surviving nicely"
"What do you want here?" He asked tightly. Oliver sighed.
"I know you won't believe me" he said. "But in truth, I had the best interests of your young friend at heart"
Micheal laughed bitterly. "Yeah. I'll bet"
"Also your friend Justin-" Oliver's eyes darted past Micheal to lock on Justin, then Eve. "And of course my dear sweet Eve. Such a fine employee"
"You know each other?" Eve blurted. "But- Micheal, you said you didn't know Oliver, and-"
"I didn't" Micheal said, and turned back, "until he killed me. We were never formally introduced"
"Yes" Oliver said, and shrugged. "Sorry about that. Nothing personal about it; it was an experiment of sorts that didn't quite work out. But I'm pleased to see you survived, even if not quite the form I'd hoped"
"Oh my god! Oliver!" Eve shouted, clasping her hands over her mouth.
"We can discuss my moral shortcomings later" he said, "For now, you need to let me inside this house, and as quickly as possible"
"You have got to be kidding" Micheal said. "I think one of us dead in here is good enough"
"I'd hoped to be able to avoid this" Oliver said. "Your little Anastasia is quite the prodigy, you know. She says she's found the book. I think she has quite a promising future in Morganville"
"Doesn't matter, nobody's asking you in" Micheal said.
"No?" Oliver smiled, widely, and his fangs came down with lazy slowness. "I think someone will sooner or later"
"I'd say over my dead body, but I think you already made that point" Micheal snapped. "thanks for the visit. Now fuck off, man"
He started to close the door. Oliver held up a hand, like a warning, and his fangs folded up again.
"Wait. Do they understand why they're here, Micheal? Why you risked exposing your secrets to them?" Micheal didn't stop. The door was swinging closed on Oliver. "Justin, listen to me! Micheal needed someone living to activate the house protection! You think he cares about you, he doesn't! You're just arms and legs for him! Beating hearts! He's no different from me!"
"Except for the blood sucking part, you freak!" Justin yelled, and then the door slammed shut on Oliver's face. "Christ, man. Why didn't you tell us?"
"I- about what?" Micheal asked, not turning to face him.
"Any damn thing! How did this happen, Micheal? How did you get to be-?" Justin tried to find words to say. "Was he trying to, you know, vamp you out"
"He's right about the protections. The house won't enforce any protection unless there's someone living in it. I don't exactly count. I'm- part of it now. I did need you" Micheal says.
"Whatever, man. I don't care about that. I care that you went and got yourself drained by some damn leech while my back was turned-"
"He can't be a vampire" Eve said suddenly. "He can't. He's my boss! And...and he works days! How's that even possible?"
"Ask him" Micheal said. "Next time you go to work"
"Oh right, as if I didn't just quit that job!" Eve moved up beside Micheal and put her arms around him. He hugged her back, he stroked Eve's hair.
"How'd you-?" Justin asked.
"I played a set at the Common Grounds. I didn't know he owned the place. I was dealing with a guy named Chad-"
"Oh, right. Chad died" Eve said.
"Wonder how that happened?" Justin put in acidly.
"This guy- Oliver, but I never knew his name- said he was a musician and he was looking for a room to rent. I thought it was a good idea. He came over to see the house" Micheal closed his eyes tight. "As soon as I asked him in. I felt it. But it was too late, and- he had friends"
Justin cursed, one hard word that biomes off the wooden floor like a gunshot, and leant back against the wall, head down. Slumped. "I should of been there" he said.
"Then we'd both be dead" Micheal said.
"And you still will be" said Oliver's voice through the door. "Eve, my dear. Listen to my voice. Let me in"
"Leave her alone!" Micheal roared, and turned to face the door.
I saw something happen in Eve's face- the will go out of it, the light go off in her eyes. Oh no, and I tried to open my mouth to warn Micheal. Before I could do it, Eve said.
"Yes, Oliver. Come inside"
And the lock snapped on the door with a crisp, bright ringing sound, and the door drifted open on the night, and Oliver stepped over the threshold.