Witch In Charge - Celia Kyle Page 0,10
she snapped at the house. “Could you not, already?”
The drawers started banging open and shut again. The statues all wobbled like they were about to fall. A few of the window shutters slammed and Kelly sensed annoyance rising in the air around her as if the house were literally pressing its will against her.
“Better do what she says,” Nathan said in a warning tone. “This is just a baby tantrum. Wait until she pulls a big one.”
“But what the hell is she saying?”
“Damned if I know. You’re the Holloway.”
This time Kelly’s sigh sounded more like a groan. Like she didn’t have enough to deal with, now she had to worry about hurting her house’s feelings!
“Anyway,” she said, the long night of work catching up to her fast. “Sorry if I seemed weird before, I just didn't know the house came with a built-in roommate.”
Nathan shrugged. “Well, now you know. And I wouldn't consider myself a 'roommate,' as such, since I don't pay rent. I’ve been sleeping in the basement for years and I don’t plan on moving any time soon. You'll be pleased to know I don’t make much noise though.”
His lush lips quirked into something that resembled a smile. As feeble as it was, it was enough to make Kelly's heart pound. Just as she started to feel like touching him, a massive tome fell off a high shelf and thumped to the floor.
“Oh, all right!” she snapped. “Have it your way!”
The house didn’t answer, but she didn’t really expect it to. The only thought in her mind was asking Nathan to help her with the mattress. If she didn’t lie down soon, she was going to fall asleep standing up.
“Hey, Nathan, would you—”
Music jangled through the foyer. Kelly groaned, covering her face with one hand.
“What now? What’s that music?”
“It’s the theme from The Exorcist and it’s the doorbell. Want me to get it? You kinda have your hands full.”
“Sure, yeah.”
Kelly sat down on the bottom step, shoving the mattress back against the wall. Would the surprises never stop?
Nathan opened the door to reveal a short girl with long brown hair in a neat, low ponytail. She was dressed casually, though well-presented. Her bright smile turned into a slack-jawed look of shock as she saw a shirtless Nathan standing in the doorway. He let the moment drag on, smirking at her reaction.
“H-hi. I mean, um…hello? I, uh, I'm looking for Kelly Holloway? My name is…” The poor girl paused and Kelly was certain she'd forgotten her own name at the sight of Nathan's blazing hotness. “Sandy Bink!”
“You’re in the right place.” Nathan stepped to the side, letting her into the foyer.
Oh, shit! She’d set up interviews for roommates. How could she have forgotten? For a brief moment she covered her face with her hands again and thought about copping out, but in the end, she stood and held out a hand with a smile.
“Hi, Sandy. I’m Kelly Holloway. Let’s go sit in the kitchen and talk.”
Sandy froze and looked around her frantically. “What's that?”
“What?”
“Do you hear that?” she whispered, stepping backward toward the door.
Kelly shot Nathan a questioning look, but he merely shrugged and leaned against the wall. He seemed amused.
“What?” Kelly asked Sandy.
“You don’t hear it?” The poor girl's eyes were as wide as saucers and all the color had drained from her face. The smell of panic grew thick in the foyer.
“Are you okay?” Kelly asked, reaching out to touch Sandy's arm.
Her only answer was a bloodcurdling scream. She waved her hands around her head frantically, as though she was batting away something.
“Wasps!” she screamed, flailing against imaginary bugs.
“Sandy, there are no wa—”
“Big as cats!” Sandy shouted as she turned and fled out the door, her arms gyrating madly as she disappeared into the blooming dawn.
“What the hell was that?” Kelly asked Nathan.
He didn't have time to reply before a slender young woman with a slick cap of black hair poked her head warily through the door.
“Is this…Hollow House?”
“It is!” Kelly rushed to shake her would-be roomie's hand, eager for this interview to go better than the last. “I’m Kelly. Come in.”
The girl looked around the foyer, then glanced behind her in the direction Sandy had run. Kelly smiled reassuringly.
There was a loud popping noise and everyone jumped. Kelly gasped and Nathan had to hide a chuckle behind one hand. The girl—Kelly didn't even know her name yet—caught sight of herself in one of the many cabinet mirrors and screamed.
Her slick, short black hair had been turned