Demon's Dance (Lizzie Grace 4)

She hesitated. I remember my mom grabbing me, holding me. I remember dancing—

“Dancing?” Belle cut it curiously. “As in, arm-in-arm type dancing?”

Yes. Mom was never much of a dancer, either, so it was rather weird.

To say the least.

“What happened then?” Belle said.

I'm not entirely sure. Again her form shimmered. She was definitely battling the memories. I remember feeling so dizzy it was only Mom's arms keeping me upright. I remember it getting so hot it felt like I was burning. I remember Mom burning, but that couldn't be right, could it? And then I was somehow standing outside my body, watching me standing over a body that was red and raw and really didn't look right…. Her voice faded and tears that she could never shed glimmered briefly in her ghostly eyes. That wasn’t Mom, was it?

“No,” Belle said gently. “That wasn't your mom on the floor, and it wasn’t your mom who danced with you.”

It wasn't surprising she hadn't realized the body on the living room floor was hers, but it was rare for a ghost to so quickly realize the truth about her murder in this sort of situation. Most of them were either too confused or too angry to connect the dots.

Then who was it? And why did she look so much like Mom?

“We haven't got much time if you want to move on, Alice, so you need to stop worrying about the body and tell me anything else you remember.”

Alice frowned, her form fragmenting slightly as the strengthening wind swirled around her. I don't remember all that much more. Just the heat and... the hunger.

“Whose hunger?”

Mom's.

“Did she kiss you?” This time the question was mine rather than Belle's. “Or even bite you?”

Confusion ran through her expression. Why would Mom bite me? That makes no sense.

It would if the fire spirit was the same spirit was also responsible for the murder of Kyle Jacobson.

“You can't remember anything else?” Belle asked.

Not really. Alice hesitated. What happens now?

“That depends on whether you're ready to move on or not,” Belle said.

I am. Alice shivered and crossed her arms. I don't want to stay here. It feels strange. Cold.

“Then I can help you,” Belle said. “May fate bless you with happiness and old age in your next life, Alice.”

Even as Alice's thank-you rolled around us, Belle silently whispered the words that would set Alice on the path to rebirth.

As Alice's form faded away, a shudder ran through my body and tiredness beat through my soul. While this wasn't the first time Belle and I had merged to share senses, it was the first time we'd done anything this deep. The toll was far greater than I'd been expecting.

I'd better go, Belle said, her mental tones weary. I'll see you when you get home.

As the connection between us broke, I took a deep breath and then glanced around. Monty was watching me closely; Jaz had returned with her kit and was in the process of taking photos.

“Did you get anything useful?” Monty asked.

“Not really.” I scrubbed a hand across my eyes and repeated everything Alice had said.

“A dancing demon?” Monty frowned. “That definitely seems rather odd.”

“Unless what she was actually describing was being caught up in some sort of vortex of fire, and in her confusion, she's described it as a dance.”

“Possibly.” His lips pursed. “The bit about the dizziness was interesting—I wonder if it means the fire spirit was feeding off her energy or whether Alice was feeling the spirit's state of being as it invaded her body and killed her?”