Page 92 of Ghosts of Halloween

But as I watch the gray smoke cover up more of Silas, creeping into his chest and stomach and up his neck, I can’t help thinking it’s too late. How long will it take Ryan to die? Every second matters.

“Mouth to mouth!” Harlow barks, and I grip Silas by the hair, thankfully still corporeal, and press his open mouth to Ryan’s while Ryan still shakes and heaves, the agonal spasms of his body letting me know he’s alive.

Seconds pass. Silas grows completely limp, and even as he slowly turns ghostly, he still weighs the same. I groan, holding him up, but fuck. I can’t let go now. My body straining, I keep his mouth pressed to Ryan’s. Harlow’s lower lip trembles, but her body stops shaking. Completely determined and focused, she holds Ryan’s head up so his mouth is pressed against Silas’s lips.

Finally, Ryan goes still. I shake so hard now, I know I won’t be able to stand for much longer. Red dots color my vision, and I don’t even make any sounds anymore, because that takes effort, and every fiber of my being is now focused on one goal only: keep Silas up.

Until he suddenly takes a huge, shuddering breath, the grayness covering him dissipating. Silas convulses, and we both crash to the floor, his body spasming against me until he finally calms down. Harlow hovers over us, giving me a worried look, then gently laying her palm on Silas’s chest.

“He’s breathing,” she whispers softly. “He’s okay.”

“But I’m not,” I say, blinking rapidly. My vision swims, Harlow’s image blurring and sliding until I see three of her. My throat is parched, my stomach burns. “I… water.”

“Of course,” she says, standing up at once. “Stay here.”

As I listen to her receding footsteps, my eyes sliding shut, I can’t help but fear it’s the last time I’ll ever see her. But then I fall under, and nothing matters anymore.

54

Harlow

I get my plastic cup from upstairs, where the murky light of dawn lets me see enough not to stumble into things. In the bathroom, I quickly wash my shaky hands to get most of the blood off and then fill the cup. I almost don’t spill anything on my way down to the basement despite the tremors growing more intense.

Jack lies on his back, shallow breaths falling out of his dry lips. I kneel, cradling his head in my lap, and when he groans and cracks his eyes open, I bring the cup to his mouth. He drinks slowly, spilling some, and when the cup is finally drained, his eyes close, and he goes back into unconsciousness.

I get up slowly, and when Caden sits up with a groan, I rush to his side. “How are you feeling?”

He rubs his unshaven face with a scratchy sound and yawns widely. “Like shit.”

“I’ll get you some water.” I do another run with the cup, and when I come back, Caden is kneeling by Silas, gently stroking his cheek, his other hand resting on Jack’s thigh. I hand him the water and he drinks it in small sips.

I go back up to bring more, the running around helping me keep my emotions on a leash. Because, frankly speaking, I’m about to freak out. I don’t fully understand what happened, just suspect, and… it just seems too good to be true.

But the sky lightens rapidly. It’s daytime. And they are still here. Or are they? I’m jumpy and anxious, feeling like anything can happen, becauseso many impossible things already did. I’m terrified I’ll lose them, and it seems inevitable I will. One way or another.

Heart hammering fast, I practically run down the narrow stairs to find Silas sitting up and Jack stirring, Caden sitting between them both.

I hand the cup to Silas and sit on my heels next to them, watching as he drinks. When he’s done, he thanks me with a nod, and for a moment, the four of us just stare at each other, eyes jumping from face to face.

When the silence becomes oppressive, and the strain of everything that happened threatens to break through, I clear my throat. “Um… It’s light out.”

Caden nods while Silas frowns almost angrily, and Jack grabs my hand, twining his fingers tightly with mine. “Well, we’re still here,” he says, his voice raspy. “Alive and kicking.”

Silas snorts, wincing when he shifts to sit more comfortably. “Maybe you. I won’t be kicking anyone soon.”

“But you’re alive,” Caden says, just a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Silas grunts, shifting again. “Fuck, I feel like shit. I feel like I’d rather be dead, so yeah. I’m definitely alive.”

Caden nods, his eyes growing misty for one brief moment before he wipes his face roughly with his hands, hiding the trace of tears. Jack’s hold tightens on my hand, and he lets out a shuddering breath.

“I think those were, like, their souls. Or maybe life. Fuck if I know. It’s just that… we took them. Now they are dead, and we’re back. Alive.”

Silas looks at me with a hint of his cunning smile. “Seems poetic, doesn’t it, angel? Three for three. Your vengeful ghost protectors,” he says, huffing with amusement, “punished your three rapists and took their lives. You could write a song about this or something.”

I shake my head, looking away, my throat closing up. “I don’t sing,” I say hoarsely. And then I make myself look up and ask them, because it’s better to know now. Rip the band aid off. “What will you do now?”

Obviously, they can’t go back to their old lives. But they are resourceful, used to living on the fringes of the law. I know they’ll figure something out, meanwhile I… After everything, after experiencing the most perfect sex and intimacy in my life, I’ll get left behind. They don’t need me anymore. I’m not even sure they like me. Even Jack… I take a shaky breath, pushing down the memories of Jack’s cruelty last night. I deserved it all, but it makes me anxious about how he truly feels about me.

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