Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions (Wicked Lovely 5.50)

He nodded.

Great. So our flat wasn’t an accident.

Sliding the dagger back into my pocket, I put the flashlight between my teeth and spoke around it as I pulled out what I would need from my utility belt. “I’m not the one keeping you here. Feel free to leave. But if you want to actually, you know, stay alive? You’d better stick with me.”

A scream came from the floors above us. An unmistakable woman’s scream, and I looked up.

“What does he want?” the boy asked.

“He wants a piece of you. Arm, leg, thumb, heart . . . any of it. All of it. He’s a resurrectionist. Sort of a mad scientist.”

“Oh, shit. Like Dr. Frankenstein?”

“No. Dr. Frankenstein made a monster. This guy is the monster.” Resurrectionists were possessed by demons that drove them mad with their constant desire for the perfect body. They would find human hosts who disassembled and reassembled themselves hundreds and hundreds of times just to get the right “match.”

Leaving a wave of body parts in their wake.

“How do you know he’s a . . . what did you call him again?” the boy asked.

“Resurrect—” I sighed. “Never mind.” It would take way too long to explain to him about my family and the fact that we’d already come across one of these guys before in Utah. “I just like to watch a lot of TV, and there’s a serial killer who’s loose. They gave him a nickname.”

Holding up a quarter-sized piece of quartz crystal, I looked it over and then quickly palmed it again.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Protection. A girl’s always gotta carry some. But we need to leave. Now. Follow me.”

He nodded and, thankfully, didn’t ask any more questions. Creeping toward the stairs, he stayed close behind me as we went up. The door was jammed, but my favorite silver dagger easily proved once again why it was my favorite as I jimmied the lock.

I stuck my head out slowly, surveying the scene in front of me. The living room had a dark red streak running across it that hadn’t been there before, and humming sounds were coming from the kitchen.

But the path to the front door was otherwise clear.

“Ready?” I whispered. “On the count of three, we run to the door. No matter what, do not stop. Do not look around. Just hit the door, get outside, and go through the woods. The main road is about eighty feet south of here. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Okay, one . . . two . . .”

Loud sobs filled the air, and I knew, just knew, that it was Kelly.

“It sounds like he’s got someone else,” he said. “Are we going to help them?”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. They’re . . .” Vampires. But I couldn’t leave them. They were defanged, for God’s sake. “Shit!”

Cannibal Girl Scouts were one thing. I’d known I’d be able to find them because the moon was full and that’s when their feeding frenzies were always at their worst. But vampires and a resurrectionist now too? I could seriously use some backup.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, new plan: on the count of three, you go.”

“But what about—?”

“I’ll take care of it. You just get free and clear, okay?” I didn’t leave room for any hesitation. “One . . . two . . . three . . . go!”

We burst out from behind the door and I focused on finding the vampires. The boy was on his own. Hopefully, he would listen to me.