Bone Dry_ A Soul Shamans Novel - Cady Vance Page 0,18
to turn my attention to the history book propped against my Justice League lunchbox.
“Cramming for history?” he asked. “I guess you got caught up in something yesterday.”
My eyes slid back to him, and a goofy grin lit up his face. What was he doing? I would have thought he was flirting if I didn’t already know he was into Kylie and that I wasn’t his type. I glanced down at my faded Invader Zim t-shirt and then at his polo. I pictured Kylie’s glossy hair, her dark tan, her classic pretty girl look, when I’d never been called pretty, not even by my parents. Just cute. Like a stray kitten or something. Definitely not Nathan’s type.
“I’ve got a test next period, and I’m not ready. If you must know, I was exhausted last night and fell asleep sitting up.”
His smile vanished, and he held out a hand. “Can I see your book?”
“Why?” I asked.
“Just hand it to me,” he said.
I slid it across the table and watched him flip through a few pages. Then, he pushed it back over, page open to one of the two self-tests in the back of the chapter.
“I had Mr. Brock last year. All of his quizzes are based on the second self-test at the back of each chapter. Not the exact same questions, but if you can answer the ones here, you’ll at least make a B.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving him a half-smile.
“And she smiles. Finally.” He leaned across the table and lowered his voice. “I love seeing those dimples.”
Blushing, I tapped a finger on the open page. “I appreciate the help, but I really do need to study. You need something?”
He nodded, grabbing a couple of cheese fries and chomping down. “Yeah, actually, I do.”
“Holly,” someone said from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Brent Ackers, our football quarterback, standing with an almost-empty tray. His button-up shirt looked slept in, and his eyes were rimmed with red.
“What’s up, Brent?” I asked, heart beginning to race.
Brent looked bad. He looked…spooked.
“I need your help,” he said, and then glanced at Nathan. “Are you busy?”
Inwardly, I grimaced, thinking about my upcoming quiz, but I couldn’t turn Brent away. “No, sit down.” I gestured at the empty seat next to Nathan. “I’ve got to study, but tell me what’s going on.”
“Hey, man,” Nathan said when Brent sat down. They gave each other quick nods, and then Nathan dove into his food, eyes still watching me carefully.
Brent ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. “I heard you take care of…weird things that happen to people?”
“That’s right,” I said. “Like if someone is being haunted in their bedroom.”
He frowned and stabbed a finger at the lump of hamburger on his tray. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t call it being haunted…I’d call it being…I don’t know. Something worse than haunted.”
“What’s happening?” My voice caught, and I cleared my throat, hoping neither guy had noticed.
“It all started a couple of days ago…there was some weird carving on the floor. Objects started flying around the room. It really freaked me out,” he said.
Oh no. The shamans were targeting Brent, too. “Okay…I can take care of this tomorrow,” I said, almost biting my tongue. How stupid could I be for getting involved in this? I wiped my hands on my jeans. I could get hurt. Brent could get hurt. I felt lightheaded just thinking about facing those shamans again. But…I couldn’t leave Brent to be sucked dry by the spirit.
“Tomorrow isn’t good enough.” He tried to grab the burger off his plate, but his hands were shaking so hard he dropped it, ketchup splattering his milk carton.
“Whoa, calm down,” I said, holding up a hand.
“There’s more to it,” he said. “Last night, there was another marking. Things flew around the room again, but it was more than that. I could feel it in the room with me. Like it was watching me.” He paused, choking for a minute and glancing around to make sure no one else noticed his near-breakdown. He rubbed his hands over his arms and stared me in the eyes, like he was trying to give me some sort of signal. And I got it. The spirit had touched him, too. “I’m not staying in that house another night until it’s gone.”
He pulled an envelope out of his backpack and pushed it into my hands.
“Two hundred right there,” he said. “Please do it today. I’ll even give you double.”