Page 44 of Hell House
She taps her plump lips with her finger. “What if I said that I could sing?”
Hope surges in my chest. “Really?”
“Mmm. But if I do this favor, I want one in return.”
“Anything.” I breathe out, realizing I mean that. She could probably ask me for the moon and my dumb ass would try and get it for her. Anything to keep her looking at me like that.
She laughs, a dangerous twinkling sparks in her green eyes. “I want you to teach me guitar, all the chordsandtheir real names.”
“Hmm. I mean I guess, I could do that, but before I agree I want to know if you really have what it takes to sing.”
She places her hands on her hips, and damn she looks adorable.
“Give me a song.”
“Well, we’re preformingSex and Candythe Alexander Jean version. Do you know it?”
She quirks up her mouth into a sexy smirk and starts singing. Holy fucking shit this girl is ten times better than I could have imagined. She’s all smoke and gravel as she belts out the lyrics. She sounds like a 1920’s jazz singer made a baby with Janis Joplin and threw in a dash of Adele. It’s fucking magic. I’m rapt, unable to move as she hits the notes with practiced ease. Her eyes are closed as she pours her whole heart into the melody, the sound wrapping itself around my chest. We’re going to kill it tonight if she agrees to come with. As she comes to the second chorus, I join my voice with hers. Her eyes snap open in surprise, but she doesn’t falter for a moment. Our voices meld together in a harmonious crescendo that has my knees weak.
“That was…” she says looking at me like she’s seeing me for the first time again.
“…magic.” I manage to say, clearing my throat.
Her face falls, and I’m desperate to bring back the smile she’d had just a moment ago. What did I say?
“Right. Well. What time is it at?” Her tone sounds clipped. Flat.
I search her face, wondering what just happened to make her shut down so fast. “Uh, we have to be there by 6 if you’re going to perform with us?”
“Okay. Yeah, see you then.”
As she leaves the room, I’m left feeling unsettled. I send off a quick text to my band mates, letting them know we’re still on for tonight, at least I hoped so. I didn’t know much about Salem, but she didn’t seem like the type of person to go back on their word.
I stretch out my hands, my knuckles burn. Fuck, I need to ice my hands so I don’t cramp up playing tonight.
I allow myself to feel that kernel of happiness. We were playing tonight. A wicked smile splays over my face. We were fucking playing tonight, and we were going to win. I felt it in my bones.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Salem
“How’s your head?” Skye asks, her legs curled up under her butt.
“I’m fine. I took a shower and spent some time doing my hair today before everyone else woke up.”
“Would that be for a certain twin who came barreling in here yesterday wanting to ravage you?”
“Pfft. No. It’s for me. I was feeling shitty and wanted to make myself feel better. It sounds stupid, but I felt like it was something small that I could control while feeling out of control.”
“That’s not stupid, Salem.”
“Anyways, while you were sleeping, I went to visit the basement troll and got invited to sing at Diablos tonight.”
“What basement troll?”
“The guy who lives down there, I ran into him yesterday and hadn’t had a chance to tell you about him yet. Yesterday was a clusterfuck.”
“Are you still feeling… you know, confused about the lightning stuff.”
