Part 46 (1/2)

Owen had been reluctant to breathe for fear he'd miss a single exchange between Raye and the ghost of Becca. Not that he could hear anything but Raye's responses, but as long as she was making them he knew that Becca was here.

He'd certainly come a long way from thinking they were all nuts. If they were, he was too. While once that would have terrified him, now he almost embraced it. Without Becca he'd gladly consent to being locked away and medicated forever.

”Jump,” Raye said, and Bobby reached for her, but an instant before his fingers touched her arm, she changed.

Not physically. Not really. But something in the air s.h.i.+fted, and then so did she.

Bobby s.n.a.t.c.hed back his hand, then rubbed his fingers along his jeans as if they'd been burned.

Raye stood differently, like Becca, though Owen wasn't sure exactly how Becca stood. Maybe he was just hoping for this to work so badly. Her hair stirred, and in the depths of the dark strands, streaks of red waved.

”Raye?” Bobby said, and his voice shook. He saw it too.

She glanced over her shoulder and everyone gasped. Her eyes were much lighter, hazel instead of brown.

”It's all right.” The voice that came out of her mouth was an echo-two voices not one. She turned back. ”I know what to do.”

She placed her palm on Becca's wound and sparks flew, so many more than there'd ever been before. Thunder rumbled over the lake, and clouds billowed on the horizon.

Owen whispered the word that had become his personal chant. ”Please.”

Then Becca sat up with a gasp that was more like a shriek, and Raye collapsed like a marionette without strings.

One second I was in Raye-I was Raye, and she was me, I knew things about her, saw things that had happened, felt what she had felt, knew what she knew-the next I was myself.

It hurt. I hurt. The world spun. I saw Raye fall, and I wanted to go to her, but the instant I moved, I had to put my head between my knees or pa.s.s out. Coming back from the dead was a little harder than it looked.

”Becca?”

I kept my cheek on my knee so my head wouldn't fall off my neck. Owen hovered just out of reach. I held out my hand, and he took it.

”You okay?”

The dizziness faded. Raye sat up. Bobby held her hand too. The others stood between us, uncertain.

My s.h.i.+rt was open. Someone had tried to wash away all the blood. Some remained, but I could clearly see that where the athame had been only a thick pink scar was visible.

”Close enough.” I allowed Owen to help me up. He hovered nearby, hands out to catch me if I fell. I knew he always would. But I was good. I was fine. I was better than fine. I was here.

I kissed him. I planned to keep on kissing him until someone made me stop. He kissed me back the same way.

Someone cleared their throat. I ignored it until they did it again. We parted. From the corner of my eye I could see Bobby and Raye parting too.

”Don't ever do that again,” Owen said.

”No problem.”

”I've called in help.” Franklin shoved his cell phone into his pocket then gazed at the wolves still gathered around what had once been a police chief. ”The rest of you should clear out. I'll wait for the cleanup crew.”

”Cleanup crew?” I repeated.

”The Jger-Suchers have a whole division to make stuff like this go away,” Ca.s.sandra said.

”What about Owen's mom?” Franklin asked.

”What about my mom?”

Everyone exchanged glances.

”He doesn't know?” I asked.

”Know?” Owen echoed.

I tightened my fingers around his. ”Come with me.”

Mary lay where she'd fallen, at the edge of the trees, the long, mossy gra.s.s all around. Considering what had been going on near the cliff, I understood why Owen hadn't seen her.

”I'm sorry.”

He picked up the butcher knife that lay a few feet away from her outstretched hand.

”I think she was trying to save me. She was definitely trying to kill Deb.”

Owen went to his knees and took her hand. ”She never meant to kill a witch. She was after the witch hunters.”

”I think so.”

”She was on our side.”

Our side. His. Mine. Us.

”Yes.”

”Maybe she's finally at peace.”

I hadn't seen her in that gloomy room. I'd like to believe she'd already gone into the light. Why wouldn't she? If Henry hadn't been there waiting for me, I would have.

”Raye?”

My sister, who had been whispering sweet nothings to her fiance, looked up.

I indicated Mary. ”Is she ... around?”

Raye's gaze swept the clearing, then she shook her head. Owen's shoulders sagged, and I set my hand on one of them.

”Owen?” Franklin was there. ”What do you want me to do about your mom?”