The Book of Lost Souls

1

I don’t know , Ivy. This borders on black magic, Shayde said. You are so dead when your mom finds out.

For as long as Ivy could remember, Shayde had been the cautious one. The problem was, Raven’s take was different. From the intense expression of interest on her face, Raven thought the whole thing was a rush. Ivy should have counted on the obvious—as usual, her two best friends had conflicting viewpoints.

Great. Just freaking great.

Ivy tried to relax, to not let them sense how nervous she was. This wasn’t black magic. Not really. Just sort of... well, gray. Gray wasn’t so bad. Was it?

She tapped the glass in front of a lizard, a horned toad named Spike. Who says she’ll find out?

Shayde gave Ivy an incredulous look. "You’re a witch. Your mom’s a witch. We live in a small town where everyone knows practically everyone else and you think people won’t figure it out?"

"Lighten up! It’ll be fun," Raven said as she adjusted her fake jewel-encrusted crown. Each girl had dressed in a different costume for the annual Northwick High Halloween party—Shayde as a pirate lass who would have turned any real pirate’s head, Raven as an elaborate, medieval version of the Red Queen, and Ivy in a simple Renaissance-style Juliet costume.

This year, Raven’s parents had agreed to host the event the week before Halloween. The location made for a very happy student body since Raven’s parents also owned the ideal place for such a party—the newly renovated Forever View Funeral Home and Mortuary.

Ivy wiped her perspiring palms against her dress, trying to ignore the growing tension between her friends. She stared into the terrarium. I guess if I’m going to do this, I’d better get busy.

Spike, who belonged to Raven’s younger brother, tilted his head at them, as though wondering which girl held his dinner of crickets or mealworms. If Spike had known what Ivy had in mind, he might have considered retreating behind the rocks at the far edge of his sunlamp-heated enclosure. But Spike was a lizard and therefore blissfully ignorant.

Spike’s terrarium sat on top of a bookcase next to a cherrywood study desk. A wrought-iron day bed was opposite the desk, covered with a gold and black coverlet and a single red pillow. A guys’ Renaissance costume in dark velvet lay on top of the coverlet.

Ivy reached inside the terrarium and scooped up Spike, who at the last minute tried to scramble to the safety of his river rock hideaway.

"You do know what happens when horned toad lizards feel threatened, right?" Raven chided.

Yeah, I know. But everything will be fine, Ivy said, more to reassure herself than her friends. She placed Spike on top of the costume and tried not to think about him freaking out enough that he’d actually squirt blood from his eyes. The chance of anything like that happening seemed minuscule at best. In her experience, Spike was a very calm lizard.

He’ll be the perfect Romeo, Ivy said, confident she had also managed a decent Juliet. It hadn’t come without some effort, though. The only Juliet outfit at the costume shop had been two sizes too large and a much brighter green than she liked. It took a couple spells—one to trim the dress down so she didn’t look like she was wearing a tent, and a second spell to change the color to sage instead of a Christmassy green. With her auburn hair, she’d end up resembling a life-sized holiday ornament, which was definitely not the look she was going for.

On the bed, her soon-to-be Romeo took a step forward and cocked his head, first to one side, then the other, eyes scanning the coverlet for insects.

You think we should have fed him first? Shayde asked.

If Shayde still thought this was a bad idea, then maybe it was. Maybe she should return Spike to his tank and forget the whole idea. Then she thought about Dean Matthews, one of the coolest, most gorgeous guys at Northwick High. After tonight, maybe he wouldn’t act like she was so invisible.

Oh, this is going to be too cool! Raven exclaimed.

Instead of encouraging her, Raven’s enthusiasm gave Ivy another moment of concern. Raven enjoyed living life on the edge. Shayde might be a little too far on the common sense and caution side, but Raven was the exact opposite. She was a vampire, and vampires were almost immortal. Which made a lot of them avid risk takers. At least the ones Ivy had met.

Ivy took Spectacular Spells Explained—the spell book she’d borrowed from her mother’s reading shelf—flipped it open to a bookmarked section, and scanned the page. From her pocket she retrieved a folded page torn from a magazine and drew a deep breath. Altering clothing by magic had been easy, but the Changing spell wasn’t something she’d done on a live creature before.

Isn’t there a guideline that says witches aren’t supposed to change one living thing into another without a really good reason and Council approval? the ever-cautious Shayde asked. Won’t it seem, you know, like something your dad would’ve done?

"Shut up, Shayde! Raven hissed. Ixnay on the evil wizard-ay."

Ivy unfolded the paper in an attempt to ignore Shayde’s all-too-true comment about her father—a wizard who once had been associated with a very evil spell caster before leaving town—and studied the ad. In it, a sandy-haired model leaned against a brick wall. He was bare chested and barefoot, wearing only faded jeans and a seductive gaze.

Yum! Raven said, earning her a frown of disapproval from Shayde. "Not like that! I just meant he’s pretty hot for one of them."

You mean a Regular, Shayde corrected.

Right. My bad. Raven rolled her eyes. "Humans. Regulars. Whatever you call them, they’re not Kindreds. There’s nothing about them that’s supernatural."

Half the town are Regulars, Shayde reminded her.

Shayde and Raven’s friendly sparring was nothing new. But right now, it was a distraction Ivy didn’t need. Cool it, guys, okay?

Shayde and Raven exchanged looks and a shrug.

I think he’s a little old for you, Shayde said. He’s definitely frat material. Your mom is gonna freak when she hears about this.

I’ll be seventeen soon.

Next spring, Raven said, fidgeting with a lock of her black hair. "Besides, he’s not that old. What? Twenty, maybe? He’s supposed to look like he’s in college. Raven smirked. You’ll definitely get everyone’s attention with him."

He also looks kinda like an older version of Dean, Shayde pointed out. Come on, Ivy! She folded her arms across her chest, looking more pouty than angry. How much more obvious can you get?

Ivy shut out her friends’ commentary, narrowed her eyes at Spike, and extended her hand, fingers spread wide as she concentrated on her spell. Spike jumped like he’d been prodded, and then ever so slowly the horned toad’s shape began to grow and twist. Small wisps of smoke that smelled faintly of old grease rose into the air, and Ivy wrinkled her nose.

Transformations didn’t impress Shayde—she was a werewolf, after all. On the other hand, Raven took a keen interest. Wow. This is kinda gross, she said. "I love it."

Ivy agreed with the gross part. She found it repulsive as the lizard started to take more human form—a grotesque combination of scales and ever-shifting rubbery skin that reminded her of the piglets in formaldehyde she had dissected in biology last spring. As she continued focusing on the spell, Ivy felt an odd, sugar-like high race through her, and she concentrated even harder. Spike’s form slid, almost fluidly, into the surrounding clothing, sparing the girls from further having to watch much more of the half-lizard, half-human transformation. The lizard’s scaly head and reptilian claws shifted into human hands and feet. A wide mouth became the soft, sensuous lips of the model. When Ivy finally completed the spell, Spike really did look human. He lay there for a minute, blinking his dark-brown eyes.

Then he scanned his costume for bugs.

"I really think we should have fed him first, Shayde repeated. And what’s with his hair?"

Despite the spell’s success, Ivy had to agree that Spike’s blond hair resembled his name. It stuck out from his head at every imaginable angle.

Raven scrunched up her face. He looks like Billy Idol.

Ivy and Shayde looked at Raven, confused.

A contestant on American Idol? Shayde guessed.

"Nooo, Raven said. Billy Idol. He was a punk rocker back in the eighties."

Oh, Ivy replied. Raven would know about that era. Vampires didn’t age like the rest of the Kindreds. At least most Kindreds. Raven and her brother had been turned into vampires when they were teens back in the early eighties and would still look and, for the most part, act like high school students when Ivy and Shayde were graduating college. It had to be weird to stay young for so long, to always feel pretty much the same. In some ways, it’d be great to never grow old. But to stay a teen practically forever? The thought was unbearable. Ivy shivered almost imperceptibly.

Ivy, Shayde said, concern sweeping across her face. "I think you forgot to make him think human. And he can’t go like that. I mean, really, just look at his hair. He looks like a porcupine with an excess of hair gel."

Spike jerked his head around in short, quick movements—eyeing the girls, the bed, the room. The spell hadn’t worked quite as Ivy planned. She took another glance at the bare-chested model in the ad. His blond hair was wavy but at least under control. The model looked smug. Spike looked, well, mental.

Hmmm. He loses something from the guy wearing the jeans to the guy in leotards, but not bad, Raven said. Shayde’s right, though. You need to make him more human. And we really do need to fix his hair. Sure you don’t want to make him a brunette?

Whatever you’re gonna do with him, you’d better hurry. The party starts at seven, and it’s already six thirty, Shayde said, exasperated. "I still don’t know why you didn’t go with Nick. It would have been easier."

"Ivy doesn’t want who she could have, Raven said. She wants who she can’t have."

What? Nick Marcelli too much of a heartbreaker for you, Ivy? Shayde taunted. Afraid you might really like him? Or maybe it’s the bad-boy reputation?

The rep’s sort of undeserved, don’t you think? Raven said. Kid stuff. Setting off fire extinguishers during exams, shrinking the girls’ gym uniforms—

Putting glamours on the freshman lockers to resemble the black pits of hell, hacking into the school computers. Should I continue? Ivy replied.

That was over a year ago, Raven countered. He’s grown past that.

Nick dated Phoebe. I heard she’s into black magic, Ivy said. Really dark stuff. Besides, Mr. Marcelli had been a friend of her dad’s, not that Ivy would ever mention that as a reason, even if it was partially true.

Raven groaned. "Ugh! Phoebe! That was her story, not his. Anyway, Nick’s just... mischievous. You could do with a little adventure."

Uh-huh. Ivy motioned to Spike. Isn’t this adventurous enough? She shook her head. Forget I asked.

Besides, Nick is hot, Shayde added. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.

Ivy considered Nick. Sicilian complexion, dark, short hair. When he smiled, his coal-colored eyes had a way of smiling too. And he was tall, just over six feet.

Ever notice, Shayde said, interrupting Ivy’s visual, Nick has a way of entering a room with all eyes on him and a way of leaving without being noticed when he wants? Nick is like smoke.

Yeah, Ivy thought. She’d noticed. Nick was trouble in more ways than one. Her father had been like Nick, full of mystery, with a past full of rumors. She disliked anything or anyone who reminded her of her father. And that meant that every demon and bad-boy wizard in Northwick was on her do-not-trust list, which meant they’d never make it to her must-date list. No matter how hot they were. Nick isn’t my type.

Raven sighed. Well, I can’t say you don’t set high goals, Ivy. You’re not the only one who lies awake at night thinking about Dean.

Raven was right about Dean being a hot commodity. Without a doubt, Dean was red carpet, paparazzi material all the way: perfect smile, lean and muscular, thick blond hair, and eyes so blue the whites looked glacial. To top it off, he was captain of the football team and a fairly talented wizard. No black magic practitioners in his family. No mysterious rumors. No glamours on lockers.

Unfortunately, Dean wasn’t going to the party alone. It took both beauty and popularity to gain Dean’s attention. Ivy figured that if she showed up with an eye-catching, college-aged date, she just might stand half a chance against Dean’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Tara.

Yeah, right.

It took twenty minutes for Ivy to find a makeshift intelligence charm from the advanced section of Spectacular Spells Explained to make Spike act more human. She skimmed through the spell, frowning at the warning written above the incantation:

Important Note: The Intelligence spell accelerates over time. Please use caution. We suggest using a Hesitation spell (pg. 73) and a Reducing spell (pg. 119). Best practice is to remove this spell after a few hours. May cause headaches or nosebleeds with prolonged use. In some rare cases, severe depression and paranoia have been reported.

"Two more spells? Ivy glanced at the small clock sitting on the desk. I don’t have time for two more spells."

"Ivy," Shayde grumbled in cautious protest.

Ivy waved her off. "It’ll be fine, Shayde. Really. It’s not like Spike is going to be human more than a few hours. And this way, he’ll at least have an IQ. He’s not hanging around long enough that he’ll need to be Einstein."

Shayde shook her head and went back to work on Spike’s hair.

Ivy felt a little better about ignoring the warning when the Intelligence spell didn’t start off so well. Spike’s conversational skills weren’t the best—he mostly just parroted what everyone said around him. She glanced at the clock.

Okay, I’ve got time for one more incantation, she said. Feel better?

Shayde didn’t comment.

Well, hurry up! Raven said. Or we’re going to be the last ones there.

Ivy flipped through the spell book and found a temporary charm to make Spike appear a bit more formal and reserved. This should work.

While Ivy worked on the last spell, Raven and Shayde finished up with Spike’s hair. They’d done a good job. He now looked just like the magazine photo. Sort of. From a distance. Maybe.

Spike had a strange look in his eyes Ivy couldn’t quite figure out.

2

The bedroom door creaked open , and the girls all turned their heads at once toward the sound. It’s just me, called a male voice. Did it work?

Gareth stepped inside. Unlike most vampire families, Raven and Gareth shared more than the same black hair, haunting eyes, and lithe bodies. They really were brother and sister. In spite of the decades they’d both been vampires, Gareth somehow managed to appear more thoughtful, more innocent than his sister—if a vampire could ever be considered totally innocent.

At least he had looked that way until tonight. Now, Ivy thought he looked... creepy. He wore a black suit and white shirt. He’d slicked back his jet-black hair and his lips were painted a dull red. The Phantom of the Opera mask complemented Gareth’s sharp features, making him look older than his mere fourteen years. Well, if he were still human. All said, Gareth actually looked menacing, and Ivy had to remind herself that the Gray family never drank blood from the living—only the dead.

Raven swore under her breath. You ever think of knocking, Gareth?

Why? It’s my room.

Freaky costume, Ivy said.

Really? Gareth asked, apparently pleased. His eyes cut to the daybed and to Spike and he grinned broadly. Whoa! Is that him? Dude, you are awesome. His grin faltered, ever so slightly. You’ll be able to change him back when you’re done, right Ivy?

Ivy nodded. Gareth trusted her with Spike because he trusted her ability to master advanced spells. Otherwise, he never would have let her experiment with his prized pet.

Sure. Simple, she assured him. At least she thought it should be pretty easy.

Let’s go before someone comes looking for us, Gareth said.

Everyone filed out of the room and moved briskly down the hall. Although Ivy worried that Spike might not communicate as well as she’d like, he walked just fine. Gareth unlocked the door separating the living quarters from the main building of Forever View. The doors always remained locked whenever guests were present or during a viewing.

Bane, Shayde’s twin brother, waited for them outside viewing room one. The werewolf twins both had thick sable-brown hair, eyes the color of deep liquid amber, and skin that appeared lightly tanned year round. Ivy took in Bane’s costume—a black bandana tied around his head with holes cut out for the eyes, a black poncho, matching boots, and a hat. His partially unbuttoned black shirt fit snugly against his chest.

Raven grinned at the sight of him—a long, appreciative, and very hungry grin. Well, hello, Zorro!

Bane’s grin was just as primal. So glad you approve, Your Majesty. He removed his hat and bowed low.

Shayde playfully shoved her brother as she strode past, knocking him off balance. Please. I’d say get a room, you two, but we’re late.

Ivy guided Spike past Bane and Raven. Gareth followed her. Don’t lose sight of him, Gareth instructed.

I won’t, she replied. Spike won’t leave my side.

Good luck, Ives. Bane caught up to them and started to ruffle her hair, but after noticing her headdress he winked instead. You’re too good for him, you know.

Ivy liked to say her infatuation with Dean was Bane’s fault since he was also on the football team and sometimes hung out with him. Occasionally, Bane teased her about her crush on Dean, but he never did it to be mean. They’d grown up together, and Ivy thought of Bane as a big brother. And in moments like this, he could be incredibly sweet and just like a real big brother by thinking that Dean wasn’t good enough.

Ivy beamed. Thanks, Bane. You really think so?

Yeah. I do. Who’d want their sister dating a lizard? He smiled and ducked, avoiding Ivy’s good-natured swat before disappearing into the viewing room and slipping his arm around Raven.

Jerk, Ivy called after him and laughed in spite of herself.

Shayde whispered to Ivy as she entered the room behind her brother and Raven. Hope it works, Ivy. You’re starting to scare me as much as Raven.

Gareth hurried into the room next, leaving Ivy alone in the foyer with Spike. Maybe this was a bad idea. If her mom found out about the Changing spell, she’d be totally furious. Oh, well. No time like the present. It wasn’t like she could go back now.

It’s showtime, Spike. Ivy sighed deeply then took Spike’s arm in hers and followed her friends into viewing room one.

When the Grays remodeled the funeral home, they’d installed full-length moveable partitions to separate the viewing areas. Tonight, every partition had been pushed back, making it one huge room. Music boomed from the ceiling-mounted speakers, which usually played soothing music meant to calm the grieving. Gourds and carved pumpkins rested on haystacks in the nearby corner. Black and orange streamers twirled from the ceiling, an obvious contrast to the room’s bland beige and soothing blue-green. A cauldron sat in the center of the refreshment table, tendrils of fog from dry ice cascading down the sides. Sparkling purple and orange confetti littered the black paper tablecloth. Teachers and chaperones were busy serving punch and soda in black plastic cups.

Cookies, cake, and fake jack-o'-lanterns packed to the brim with chips filled another table, replacing the casket that would normally have been in viewing room two. Tonight, the only coffin in sight was a black, varnished casket to the right of the doorway. Fake spiderwebs stretched out from the casket’s handles, and plastic spiders had been woven in along the thicker strands of webbing.

Spike stared a bit too long at them.

Come on, Spike, Ivy said, urging him on.

Shayde and Bane were standing near the refreshment table, and she made her way toward them, squeezing in between the crowd chatting at the entrance. A few of them gave Spike the once-over, and Ivy smiled as she passed them. Spike was definitely drawing attention.

She expected Dean to be with his usual group, and he surprised her when he emerged from the crowd alone, nearly running into her. He had dressed as Robin Hood, complete with green tunic and matching tights, which she tried not to stare at. Ivy bet Robin Hood had never looked so good. In fact, Dean could make Adonis jealous. The image of the naked Greek statue crossed her mind, and she felt her face flush almost painfully. She averted her eyes to his hands, which held two sodas. Tara had to be close by.

Sorry, MacTavish. Didn’t see you. Even his voice was gorgeous—smooth and masculine. He surveyed Spike, then her. Nice costumes. They’re, um, sweet.

Ivy patted Spike’s arm, and Spike smiled serenely. Thanks, she said, unable to do anything except stare at his ice-blue eyes and his to-die-for flawless face. For a moment, she thought she’d quit breathing.

Well, see you later, Dean said with a smile before walking away.

He smiled at me! For a second or two, Ivy thought the room spun. She couldn’t contain her own grin as she met up with Shayde and the gang, who were talking to Nick and a couple of his friends. Nick had dressed in all black, from his shoes and greatcoat, to the tall, rimmed hat on his head. He held a beaker filled with a bubbling, greenish concoction. Apparently, he was Dr. Jekyll. It was the perfect costume for a demon.

Nick surveyed Spike. Hey, Ivy.

Hi, she replied nervously. It felt awkward standing here with Spike. Nick had asked her out twice now. Last week and once over the summer. Both times she’d said no. Sure, he was a demon, and sure, he had a reputation, much of which was probably overly exaggerated. So why did he make her so nervous?

Because he reeks of trouble, she thought. Definitely not trustworthy.

Raven handed Ivy and Spike their drinks and whispered, Nick still has a thing for you. His heart rate goes up when you’re around.

Ivy tried to ignore Raven’s comment, including her weird ability to hear someone’s heartbeat, and took a swallow of her soda. Nick followed suit and took a drink of his own, never taking his eyes off her. Ivy felt a hint of remorse. If he’d been anyone other than a demon, she could see herself saying yes to his advances. But he was off her list as dating material. He’d actually never really even been on it, due to their fathers’ friendship, but maybe he wasn’t quite the bad boy she’d convinced herself he was. Maybe she could be at least a little more social to him.

Nick leaned over and whispered in her ear, Want a sip? It’s got some rum in it. I enchanted the beaker to smell like soda. No one will ever know.

Ivy looked at the fizzing liquid, which now matched something else tingly deep inside her, and shook her head.

Spike had downed his drink and was busily licking the inside of the cup. Ivy snatched it from him and handed it to Raven.

Nick gave Spike a long, curious glance.

Not a good idea on the sugary stuff, Shayde said.

Ivy couldn’t have agreed more. The Coke had definitely wired Spike, and she didn’t think she could pass off licking the inside of a plastic cup as a college thing. His head jerked left and right, eyes intently scanning the room. She murmured a Quieting spell, hoping no one would notice and that it would make Spike appear more normal.

Unfortunately, Nick was still watching Spike pretty closely. While demons didn’t always use the same spells as witches and wizards, he’d be one of the first to figure out what she’d done. On the other hand, changing Spike to human might be dark magic for witches, but probably not for demons. Would he tell anyone?

Nick slid a suspicious glance her way.

What a stupid idea this had been.

Don’t look at me like that, she warned him.

Nick grinned. Like what? Care to talk about it on the dance floor? He leaned