Apparently, I had some homework to do in Ghoul 101 and an Introduction to Witch Hunters.
Chapter Eight
“Stay here.” I eyed Alfred and thanked my lucky stars there weren’t any lights in the diner’s parking lot. No need for the locals to see an undead creature roaming the parking lot. Good grief, what did I get myself into? It wasn’t like I could take him back to Philly with me.
“I’m getting some dinner.” I reached for the door handle and paused while watching him. “Do not move.”
This was unreal. By the time I’d actually managed to get out of Penny’s house with Alfred, who I still couldn’t believe I was taking home, it had gotten pretty dark. It worked out for me since the last thing I wanted was for anyone to see Alfred. Not that there were a whole lot of people who lived around Auntie’s house. But Alfred was pretty scary looking. I was still a little freaked out by him and he had to do what I said. So far, he had.
I paused again as I got out of the car, then looked back at the ghoul. “Um, do you eat?”
He looked at me with his dark eyes and shook his head. His facial expression didn’t change, but somehow, I knew he was sad. “You want to eat?”
Nod.
“But you can’t?”
Nod.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Can you smell food?”
At least that was a head shake. He pointed to his eyes.
“You can see how good it looks.”
Nod.
Well that sucked a big one. “I’m sorry. If I can figure out a way to get you out of this existence without it meaning you dying, I will. I just know nothing about ghouls.”
He shrugged and turned to look out the front window.
With a light shudder, I slammed the car door shut, then pressed the lock button on the key fob twice. I didn’t want to risk anyone accidentally opening the door. I probably should’ve taken him home first and then come back for food, but I was almost inside now.
I ordered my meal, a big greasy burger with extra fries, and sat at the counter while I waited. Every so often I glanced out to my car. Should I have cracked the windows? I knew ghouls were undead, but I didn’t know if they needed to breathe. However, it was October in Maine, so Alfred didn’t have to worry about heat stroke.
A feeling inched over me like inky fingers, something I’d never felt before. And even though I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I’d never had this experience before; I also knew it meant another necromancer was nearby. His or her magic, even though it was somewhat contained, called out to me. A familiarity begging for my attention like an old friend I hadn’t seen in forever.
Fear spiked through me as I tried to surreptitiously look around. Penny said a witch hunter was responsible for William’s death, but I would cast out the idea that another necromancer could have also done it. When I glanced toward the diner door, he walked in. I knew what he was even before I noticed his grey witch mark on the side of neck, telling me he was a necromancer.
His long, black hair hung down in his face, stringy and a little oily. Pale, slightly scarred skin made me think he had acne problems when he was younger. His face was dry, which didn’t help hide the scars. Ugh. Poor guy. A little moisturizer would’ve helped that.
Dread danced on my spine, getting stronger and making me more nauseated as he got closer. The tall man’s gaze was glued to my face. He knew what I was too.
Which raised a few questions. How had I not sensed William? Had he been able to block it somehow? Could I learn how and why?
He sat on the stool right beside me.
Of course. Then I worried if he could smell Alfred on me. But according to Penny it wasn’t unusual for my kind to have ghouls.
I cleared my throat and started to slide out of my seat in the opposite direction, but he still had his gaze on me. “Owen,” he said suddenly. “Owen Daniels.”
A James Bond joke formed in my mind and I quickly squashed it down before my mouth spoke the words out loud. No need to offend the man with darks powers. Besides, he knew how to use his powers. I didn’t.
Damn. I realized that it might be a good idea to start learning. But I had no one I could trust to learn from.
Wait! I wasn’t staying here. Once Old Vicky sold, I was out like last week’s trash. Not that I was calling myself trash.
Owen Daniels felt dark, darker than any witch I’d ever met. I couldn’t recall having been around another necromancer. We were a pretty rare breed. But other witches were dark as well, such as those who call themselves warlocks. I hated that I was a necromancer. Maybe because I’d kept it stamped down for so long, I hadn’t sensed them and now I could. But why? I’d been using my power every time I told Alfred to do something. Maybe he just listened to me because of what lurked beneath the surface.
Whatever, all my internal warning bells were going absolutely bonkers. He was so dark inside.
“Burger and fries,” the server said and slid it across the counter to me.
I snatched up the Styrofoam container and practically sprinted out of the diner. As I pulled onto the road, I slowed and looked in the big windows in front of the diner. He was still at the counter.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed home. He wasn’t following, and him being in town was a coincidence.
Or he was the murderer. Potayto, potahto.
“Okay, Alfred,” I said as I parked in the circular driveway in front of the house. Timidly, I reached over and unbuckled his seatbelt. Poor thing acted like he’d never been in a car. He most likely hadn’t. I had to help him buckle up when we left Penny’s. Lifting my gaze, I found him staring at me as if waiting for me. I pointed to the house and said, “Inside.”
He nodded and had no trouble opening his door. Maybe he was smarter than I thought. Then again, I hadn’t a clue what I was doing.
Once we climbed the steps to the front porch, I unlocked the door while I balanced my food in one hand, then pushed the door open and cut on the lights. “Ground rules.” I threw my keys in the bowl by the front door. “The house is being renovated. You cannot be seen by any of the contractors. It simply can’t happen. Do you understand?”
Nod.
The workers were already threatening to stop all forward progress because the house was acting out. That was another problem I didn’t want to deal with. It annoyed me to no end the house would screw with the workers but yet welcome me back home. No, when it was just me, Old Vicky was still and quiet.
That alone made me suspicious. Was it the house coming back to life or did Auntie put a spell on it? I wouldn’t put it past her to do something, anything, to keep me from selling the old place.
Focusing back on my other complication, I asked, “Okay, well, do you sleep?”
Shake.
“What do you do all night?”
After a brief moment of staring at me, he walked away. Um, kay. Quietly, I followed him into the living room where he turned in a circle. It seemed like he was looking for something. When he moved to the larger wall that still had the mount for the TV, he stopped and studied the wall.
Did he know the TV was there? I’d taken it out and gave it to Wallie to use in his apartment.
Then suddenly Alfred darted from the room. I had to go into a light jog to catch up with him as he dashed up the stairs like he was on a mission.