She flashed him a challenging look, her meaning clear:No?
“Well—all right, maybe I could.Maybe.Mages aren’t indestructible, you know. But in any case, I’m not going to. I’ve still got places to be tomorrow, and the police might have something to say about that if anyone catches me messing with those two. Besides,metaking care of them isn’t going to free you from here. That’s not how it works.”
Her eyes went wide and fearful.
He shrugged. “I don’t make the rules. Me killing them won’t bring you closure, and that’s what it will take to set you free. It’s too bad you can’t affect the living. It would be much more satisfying if you sorted out the problem yourself.”
She frowned, her brow furrowing. She drifted back and forth a few times, almost as if considering her options. Then she stopped. The fear disappeared, replaced by the rage.
But it was different this time.
Something else had joined it now too, dancing across her silvery face.
Amusement. Relish.
Anticipation.
“Have you got an idea?”
In answer, she merely held his gaze for a couple more seconds, then flitted through the door. When he didn’t follow right away, her head poked back through on its twisted neck, as if to say,Well?
Stone sighed.
He was probably going to regret this. But then again, he did want to see what she had on what was left of her mind.
Also, it beat trying to sleep while curled up in the arse end of hell.
Luisa’s translucent form hovered just up the walkway, radiating impatience as Stone exited his room. As soon as he emerged, she took off toward the stairs. The way her neck was twisted, she could still keep an eye on him as she moved. If it hadn’t been so tragic, it would have been creepy.
No, never mind. It was tragicandcreepy.
By now, it was after three a.m. The parking lot was quiet; the only light on the second floor came from Stone’s room and the one next to the alcove. Either the drug dealers liked sleeping with a night-light, or they were still awake in there.
Stone followed Luisa’s echo with more caution, wondering what she was up to. There was nothing to be gained by confronting the two men, since she couldn’t physically touch them. Almost without exception, echoes couldn’t directly affect the living, only objects directly connected to them—usually, to the circumstances of their deaths. Stone doubted she could frighten a pair of hardened drug dealers by popping through the door and mouthing,Boo!
So, then, what was she—
As Stone reached the far edge of the alcove near the door, Luisa’s echo turned abruptly and slipped through it. With a sudden brain wave, he caught on to what she was about to do.
He stopped, a lump of anticipatory dread forming deep in the pit of his stomach.
Oh, this was a very bad plan.
She couldn’t possibly be—
Luisa popped back out. Stone got a quick impression of a fierce, triumphant grin, and then the door slammed open and the two men emerged, their faces darkened with mixed confusion and menace.
Luisa vanished.
No, Luisa, you didn’t—
The drug dealers’ searching gazes fell on the only other living thing within sight: Stone.
Their expressions went hard, and then they were moving.
Stone was fast.
They were faster.
