My Soul to Steal
Page 49

Alec shifted on the couch, waiting in tense silence for my answer.
No, Im not going to tell my dad. Yet, I said, and his relief was so palpable I almost hated to ruin it. But the rest had to be said, too. His life was worth no more than the ones Id be putting at risk by keeping his secret. But I have to tell Nash. Otherwise, hed keep trying to prove Sabine innocent. And if you let anyone else die, I swear Ill drop you off on Avaris doorstep personally.
He shook his head firmly. It wont come to that. I swear.
Please, please, please let me be right about Alec.
Good. And I think we should sleep in shifts from now on. You know, to watch each other. You can wake me up if I look like Im having another nightmare, and if Avari possesses you again, Ill expel him through whatever means necessary.
What means would those be? Alec asked, his eyes narrowed.
I shrugged. A good whack on the head seems to do the job. Youll wake up with a headache, but thats better than having more blood on your hands, right?
Alec nodded. But how will you know its him, if he sounds like me?
I wanted to tell him Id know. That Id somehow be able to look into his eyes and know I was staring at a demon, rather than at my friend, but the truth was that I couldnt be sure. Nash hadnt known the difference between me and Avari once, and Id already made the same mistake with Alec twice.
We need a secret code word, or a security question, or something.
A code word? Alec chuckled, a release of the tension hed been buried in, and I frowned at him over my can as I took another drink. Isnt that a little juvenile?
I raised both brows in challenge. You got a better idea?
After a moment, Alec shook his head.
Then we go with the security question. It has to be something Avari wouldnt know the answer to. Something like your favorite color, or your mothers maiden name.
My mom never married. And I dont think theres anything about me that he doesnt know. The question should be about you.
Fine. What would Avari not know about me? The list had to be endless, but I was coming up with exactly nothing.
What color was your first bike? Alec asked
White, with red ribbons.
He smiled. Thatll be the security question and answer.
Okay. Makes sense Assuming I wasnt talking to Avari right now. But that was impossible, right? Avari wasnt that good an actor. Still
Did he kill anyone tonight? Do you have any new holes in your memory?
Alec shook his head. I havent evenbeen to sleep yet. He glanced over my shoulder at the front window, and I twisted to see faint early-morning sunlight leaking in between the slats in the miniblinds. And its looking like the time for that has passed.
Except that hed gotten Mrs. Bennigan in the middle of the day, when shed passed out at her desk. Mrs. Bennigan had just gotten back from maternity leave, so no doubt the new baby was contributing to her exhaustion, but she couldnt be the only teacher who ever fell asleep in the middle of the day. And the less sleep Alec got at night, the more likely hed be to pass out during the day, leaving himselfand any simultaneously napping teachersat risk.
You dont have to be at work till eleven, right? Why dont you sleep for a couple of hours while Im here to watch you?
He frowned. You sure?
Yeah. I stood and headed for the kitchen. Im just going to make some coffee and do some homework. There hadnt exactly been time for it the night before, between spying on Nash and trying to pin the murders on Sabine.
Thanks, Kay. I really owe you.
I pasted on an uneasy smile. Ill put it on your tab.
Two and a half hours later, I sat in my car in the school parking lot, waiting for Sabine. Again. And for once, I actually hoped shed have Nash with her. That way hed be there to hear that shed broken a promise to him by invading my dreams. Again.
Id only been waiting a few minutes when she pulled into the lot and parked one row down, four spots over. I grabbed my backpack and locked the car, wishing that Id remembered my jacket. But with nightmares, murder, and hostile invasion by a hellion on my mind, the January cold hadnt even ranked among my worries that morning.
Sabine! I yelled as I jogged toward her car, and several people turned to look. My resolve wavered for an instant when I realized wed have an audience, but one glance at the smug look on her face as she stepped onto the pavement was enough to bring my determination back in full force.
Kaylee? Nash stood on the other side of her car with one hand on the roof. Whats wrong?
I stopped closer to Sabine than I really wanted to be, to keep anyone else from overhearing. Your delinquent Nightmare of a girlfriend was in my head again, I snapped through gritted teeth.
Did you say head? Sabine asked, drawing both my anger and my attention from Nash. Cause it sounded like you said bed, and I dont think anyones ever been in your bed.
White-hot sparks of anger floated in front of my eyes. Am I supposed to be embarrassed because Im not handing it out like Halloween candy?