Part 11 (1/2)

”Can I help you?” Her standoffish tone probably means she knows who I am.

”Do you have any books,” I say, ”that perhaps focus on the more uncommon creatures of mythology?”

She types something on the keyboard. ”There might be some in the back, in the mythology section, but I don't know what they focus on.”

”Thanks,” I say and walk for the bookshelves. At the back, I find the mythology section. I pull out the heaviest book, and camp down on the floor with it. The index has nothing t.i.tled Grim Angels, however there is a section on ”The Curse of the Angels.”

The curse of the Angels is a result of a battle that took place a long time ago. Most refer to it as the battle between good and evil, but during the era, people believed the only theme to be evil.

The battle allegedly started from a dispute over souls. Angels of Death were the carriers of the innocent souls, and Grim Reapers the carriers of the evil souls. However, when the Reapers became greedy and began stealing the souls of the innocent, a battle broke out between the two. As a form of punishment, Michael, the ruler of the Angels of Death, and Abaddon, the ruler of the Grim Reapers, cursed the warriors to earth and bound them there with a breed that carried both groups blood.

Grim Angels-half Grim Reaper, half Angel of Death-have walked the earth for centuries undetected by humans. Only would they be free when the last Grim Angel made the choice between good and evil.

The next section switches to Legend of Faeries. I thrum my finger on top of the book, having no idea what to do with what I read. I start to put the book back on the shelf when wet droplets trickle down the back of my neck.

I wipe them away, looking behind me, and then at my hand. ”Blood?”

I glance up at the ceiling and blood splatters against my forehead. I quickly smear it away and jump to my feet. Hanging by a rope from the ceiling is the body of Farrah Taverson. Her medieval dress is soaked with blood and her eyes are bleeding.

”Oh my G.o.d.” I breathe, backing away. What do I do? What do I do? I rub my eyes, but she stays there, her feet swaying from the breeze of the vent next to her head.

I back away toward the edge of the shelf, when I crash into someone. I whirl around with ragged breaths.

”Ember, are you okay?” Cameron asks. He has a book in his hand and a backpack on his shoulder. He reaches for my head and wipes his fingers across my skin. When he pulls back there's blood on them. ”Did you hurt yourself?”

I wipe my forehead with my sleeve, and glance behind me at the ceiling. Her body is gone, but the blood is real. What does that mean?

”I must have scratched myself on the edge of the shelf when I was pulling the book out,” I tell Cameron.

He looks at me warily. ”Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're going to be sick or something.”

Suddenly the intercom screeches on. ”Any faculty left in the building need to report to the main office immediately.” It statics off.

”I wonder what that was about,” Cameron says as we walk out of the shelves.

”I'm not sure,” I say, heading back to the table with a permanent chill in my body.

”Are you planning on going to the cemetery tonight?”

”I don't think so... I really think I might need to get some rest.”

”Alright, everyone,” Ms. Kinsley stands up from her chair and shuts her computer off. ”Everyone needs to get there stuff and exit the library. I need to lock up so I can go the main office.”

As I gather my books and bag from the table, Cameron wipes some remaining blood from my hair with the sleeve of his s.h.i.+rt. ”Such a shame.” He grins slyly. ”I've been dying to get you alone again. But I guess I can wait until tomorrow.”

”About that,” I start to cancel, not wanting to add more to my cracking plate. ”I think I-”

”I'll pick you up at eight,” he cuts me off, sensing a rejection. Backing away, he runs his fingers through his hair and smiles. ”I promise, I'll give you the time of your life.” The way he says it sends a chill over my skin.

”Oh my G.o.d.” Raven comes running up to me, her purse on her shoulder and the car keys in her hand. ”Did you hear?”

I shake my head, my eyes locked on Cameron as he shoves through the exit doors.

”Farrah Taverson's body was found next to the lake.” Raven says as we walk out the door of the library. The hallway is empty, and most of the lights have been shut off. ”I guess she told a few friends she was going to go looking for Laden. Some boaters found her floating in the water, and she had stab wounds and there were feathers in the pockets of her dress. They think it's murder. And probably the same one who killed Laden and your-”

”Neither of their bodies have been found.” My heart crushes into the bits and pieces that stab into my stomach. ”So they might not be dead.”

She gives me a look of pity. ”Yeah, maybe.”

I swallow hard. ”How do you know this?”

She leans in and whispers, ”I overheard Mr. Reynolds talking to the cops about it when I snuck out to go to the bathroom.”

We push through the side doors. Parked in the fire zone in front of the school are two police cars. But if what Raven says is true, then how did I see her body? Could my death omen abilities have cranked up and now I can see death without touching someone? I'm not sure-I'm not sure about anything anymore.

”What's wrong, Em?” Raven asks, unlocking her car. ”You look like you saw a ghost or something.”

Or something. ”I'm fine.”

She frowns at me with doubt from over the top of the car. ”Are you sure?”

I nod, ducking into the car. ”Yeah, absolutely one hundred percent fine.”

”Want to know something really creepy,” Raven says, swinging the keychain around her finger. ”I got this really strange text from Farrah and now I'm wondering if it had something to do with this. Like maybe she was being stalked by the murderer and was starting to get scared.”

”Why would she send you a text?” I take out my cell phone and check my messages. ”I didn't know you guys were friends.”

”We talk a lot in art cla.s.s.” She cranes her head and backs out of the parking spot.

I toss my cell phone in my bag. ”What did the message say?”

She shoots me a haunting look. ”Fear the Reaper.”

”Oh my G.o.d! Oh my G.o.d!” Raven bounces up and down in the middle of my bedroom, holding my unenthusiastic hands. Her bangle bracelets jingle and her eyes are as sparkly as her glitter eyeliner. ”This is so amazing. Why didn't you tell me in the car?”

”Because I knew you'd want to bounce up and down, which is a total road hazard.” I wiggle my hands free. She's been really bad lately about touching me. ”But don't you think it's a little weird that he asked me out? I mean, I really don't seem like his type.”

She flops down on my bed and dramatically drapes her arm over her head. ”Oh Em, you are so naive sometimes.” She peeks out from underneath her arm. ”Did you ever read that romance book I gave you? It has a lot of good tips in it.”

”I'm sure it does.” I try not to roll my eyes. I feel like s.h.i.+t, but try to play it off, convincing myself that what happened with Farrah was just my death omen evolving. ”But I still don't know if I should go...”

”Are you having second thoughts because of Asher?” She frowns. ”Because I don't think you should date him.”

I check my messages and then toss the phone on the dresser. ”At the library you said the opposite.”