Page 109 of The Ghost and the Graveyard (Knight Games 1)
His skin bubbled, violently. The smell that always clung to Rick-pine, holy water, and earth-grew stronger, surrounding me, filling me. I realized now what the scent was. It was the smell of a fresh grave. I watched his bones grow, bend, and reshape his body. His chin extended as he folded to the earth, his ears growing to a point on each side of his head. Claws sprouted from his knuckles. Scales and fur budded from his skin and over his backbone, which extended into a tail. Rick transformed into a monster, both reptilian and wolf-like. Two iridescent stretches of leathery flesh unfolded from his back. Wings.
The beast ran a few steps and took to the air.
Through the bars of the gate, I watched the fog channel itself into three forms. The redheaded vamp I'd seen my first night in the cemetery fleshed out and grinned at me, licking his lips. A vamp I'd never seen before, huge and bald like the strong man at the circus, formed next. But when the fog that held Michelle formed into muscled flesh with a black ponytail, my stomach twisted. Marcus.
In my head, I heard his voice. Come, girl. Come over the fence and we'll play a game. It'll be fun. He didn't recognize me. I guess that was the benefit of having a brand-new body.
I backed away from the gate.
Marcus frowned and narrowed his eyes. Rick swooped into the cemetery. The vamps scattered. Red-hair wasn't fast enough and Rick's beast flipped him into his mouth, sinking teeth through his abdomen. The sound of bones crunching made me gag, and blood sprayed across the pebble pathway. I swallowed rapidly, trying to keep my dinner down.
Michelle released a head splitting screech as more blood sprayed across her face. Marcus clamped a hand over her mouth, cutting off the scream. She collapsed in his arms, eyes rolling back and limbs going limp. "Michelle!" I screamed. Had he hurt her? Was she dead? Her chest rose and fell. No-she'd passed out. At least she wasn't panicking anymore. Now, the only one panicking was me.
Marcus ducked behind a monolith, dragging Michelle with him. I looked back toward the strongman and watched him break off a piece of a marble headstone. He hurled the sharp shard of stone at Rick.
"Rick, watch out!" I yelled.
The beast lunged to the side, but the granite sliced through his outer shoulder. The yelp Rick's beast emitted was somewhere between the howl of an oncoming tornado and the growl of a wolf. The sound was so loud it hurt. I covered my ears with my palms. Apparently, it had a similar effect on the vamps because the strongman was distracted long enough for Rick to swallow him whole. Then Rick turned toward Marcus.
"Watch your step, caretaker. One wrong move and the girl dies," Marcus hissed. "In fact, I think it might be safer for me on the inside." Marcus thrust his arm into Michelle's chest; her eyes popped open in terror.
"Stop! Get out of her," I screamed, racing to the gate and gripping the bars. The vamp slid into her body like he was putting on a coat.
Rick's beast howled and scratched the earth.
Michelle, possessed by Marcus, craned her neck and laughed. "Kill me and you kill the girl."
The beast charged but stopped short. He paced in front of Michelle, who had taken on an evil expression that didn't belong on my friend's face. I wanted in there. I wanted to bust Marcus' ass for what he'd done to her. Instead, I watched Michelle pass her hand in front of a grave, never taking her eyes off Rick. The ground broke open, revealing a stone stairway. My hands went to my heart. He was taking her to the underworld.
"No. No!" I picked up a stone and hurled it uselessly through the gate at Marcus.
Michelle's head snapped toward me, giving Rick enough time to shoot forward and snatch Michelle from the top step. He clutched her in his talons. I covered my mouth and looked away. I couldn't watch. Oh God, Michelle. Tears clouded my eyes. The sound of moving earth signaled the door to the underworld had closed. And then the smell of the grave told me Rick was changing. I braved a glance back. The talons around Michelle transformed into a human arm.
"Let me go," Marcus/Michelle said. Her head shook, and her grin said it all. Marcus was sure Rick would never hurt Michelle to get to him.
"How do we get him out?" I yelled.
"There is a spell."
"Then do it!" I paced helplessly.
"I'm not strong enough," he rasped.
Marcus laughed.
This was exactly what Prudence had warned me about. Rick was weakening, and it could have dire consequences. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "If the Monk's Hill witch came back, could she do this?"
"Yes," he said. The tiny word was loaded with emotion.
"She's dead," Marcus said. "The Monk's Hill witch is dead, and you will never find another."
I balled my hands into fists and shot Marcus my sharpest stare. "Then let's go awaken the witch, Rick."
His eyes snapped to mine in surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Oh, absolutely. There is nothing I'd like better than to have the power to kick this vampire's ass."
"No," Marcus barked. "It's impossible!" He struggled against Rick's arm without success.
