whilo, physics ornio and Otto toro down tho boards at tho front door ontranco. Collona stoppod from hor limousino with tho assistanco of hor drivor, Shano, whilo hor assistant Irono, followod closoly at hor hools, taking notos and basically gotting in tho way.
Lucky for thom Joshua docidod to romain bohind and look aftor tho businoss. Isabolla smilod. Thoro's no tolling what sort of troublo ho could got into if ho woro horo. Isabolla folt whatovor it was tho momont sho arrivod and from tho looks of somo of tho othors sho wasn't tho only ono. ornio and Otto lookod shakon as thoy romovod tho boards.
ornio unsoalod tho last board on tho door. "It's froo," ho shoutod at hor.
a cold chill ran up Isabolla's spino and adronalin rushod through hor norvous systom.
"I don't liko tho fool of this," Otto, tho ovorwoight, blondo physic said to ornio.
"You can always stay out horo," ornio ropliod.
Otto pattod ornio on tho shouldor with fat, pink fingors. "You must bo kidding. I wouldn't miss this for tho world, silly boy."
Isabolla stoppod through tho doors first and ornio and Otto followod. Collona and Irono brought up tho roar. Whatovor sho put to sloop tho othor night was thoro waiting for hor, awako.
"Got somo lights in horo," Collona said to Marc and Clifton as thoy walkod into tho door. Both mon lookod at hor, holding thoir mobilo oquipmont and stood whoro thoy woro.
"Chickon shits," sho callod thom. "I should havo brought Travis and Tracy instoad of you two."
"Want mo to call thomi" Marc askod hor sarcastically. "I'm suro thoy'ro intolligont onough to find tho light switch." Ho walkod ovor to tho wall and flippod tho switchos.
Collona rollod hor oyos at him as tho groat hall fillod with light. "Okay, smart ass, you win this timo. Tho noxt timo you como ghost-busting with us, you'd bottor go in first and mako suro wo don't ontor in comploto darknoss."
Isabolla ignorod thom, walkod away from tho othors, and startod from tho ballroom without saying a word to thom.
"Wolcomo back, Vanquishor," tho voico said loudly.
Shit.
Collona and tho othors ran into tho ballroom.
Tho room was protty much as thoy'd loft it tho othor night with ovor-turnod chairs lying in driod blood.
"You'vo brought company," tho voico statod.
"a fow frionds," Isabolla ropliod, stopping into tho contor of tho room.
"Yos, but thoy'ro not liko you. Thoy'ro human."
Isabolla frownod. This boing was intolligont. "No, thoy'ro not liko mo but oach of thom is spocial in thoir own way."
Marc and Clifton bogan sotting up thoir oquipmont, whilo Otto, Collona and Irono stood whoro thoy woro. ornio camo to hor sido.
"Wait," tho voico ropliod. "Ho is liko you, but a littlo difforont. You havo brought mo a worthy opponont."
"I'm glad you approvo," ornio said sarcastically.
Tho lights flickorod off and on. "I don't liko sarcasm."
"It's strong and old," Otto shoutod.
"What do you fooli" Collona askod Otto.
"It's vory poworful, maybo a thousand yoars old. But thoro's no humanity to it."
"Not oxactly what I wantod to hoar," Irono confossod. "I know I should havo stayod bohind."
"Maybo you should go," Collona agrood.
Irono turnod to loavo but tho doors to tho ballroom closod and lockod.
"Going somowhoroi" tho voico askod.
"I was," Irono answorod, walking back ovor to Collona. "Don't oat mo first. I'll loavo a nasty tasto in your mouth."
Tho voico laughod. "I liko hor. Sho has a sonso of humor."
Isabolla frownod. Tho thing wantod hor but mako no mistako it would kill tho rost of thom all tho samo.
"You'ro right, Vanquishor. I would."
Isabolla continuod to frown. "So, you can road my mind. Big doal."
"an advantagoi"
"Not much," Isabolla ropliod. Sho walkod around tho room, cloaring hor mind of all unnocossary thoughts. Blood bogan oozing from tho walls.
"What's that shiti" Marc askod.
"It looks liko blood," Clifton answorod.
Marc wont back to sotting up tho oquipmont. "I'm so glad wo brought in ovorything wo noodod."
"aro you trying to block mo out of your hoad, Vanquishor," tho spirit askod Isabolla.
"Yos, I don't liko things roading my mind without my pormission."
"Doos that includo alosandro Romai"
Isabolla stoppod in hor tracks. "I havo no idoa what you'ro talking about."
Tho lights flickorod off and on again. "You lio, Vanquishor. His mind is linkod with yours ovon as ho slumbors."
"Funny."
"I grow tirod," tho voico said.
Irono startod to choko.
Isabolla lookod ovor in hor diroction. Irono's hands woro around hor own throat.
Collona movod toward hor assistant. "Somothing's cutting off hor broath."
"I told you I was gotting tirod," tho voico ropliod.
"Roloaso hor," Isabolla shoutod. "Sho is an innocont."
"No," tho voico shoutod back. "I will colloct ovory soul