Stalked by Death

Chapter 10

Breakfast was quick. We had bodies to bury, and I couldn’t exactly sit and enjoy my pancakes knowing Tony was digging graves on his own. I hurried the group along, giving Randy a long hard stare when he reached for a second helping of pancakes.

“I’ll take a few to go.” Grabbing a handful, he got up from the table.

“Fine. Everyone else good?”

Leticia stood up. “I’m ready. I can’t eat a thing after seeing Hades. He scared the appetite right out of me.” I was with her there.

Arianna shooed us out the door. “You all go help Tony. I can handle clean-up on my own today.”

“Ari, you’re a life saver.” I gave her a quick hug and followed the others out to the cemetery. Tony was dirty, sweaty, and dead tired. He’d managed to dig up seven graves already. I wasn’t sure how he’d done that many so quickly, but then again, he’d had a lot of practice.

“Take a break,” I told him. “Go shower, get something to eat, and put your feet up. We’ll take over from here.” Thanks to Hades, there weren’t that many bodies left. Most had fallen into the earth when he came out of it. And since we didn’t know which body belonged in which grave, we could simply dig them all up in a straight line. We’d be finished by lunchtime.

Tony stuck his shovel in the fresh dirt and wiped his brow. “Sounds good to me. Any of Arianna’s pancakes left?”

“Yeah, I stopped Randy from polishing them all off.”

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you. It was my mess, and you’ve been—” I didn’t know what to say. How did you apologize for raising an entire cemetery of corpses, drawing Hades’ attention, and nearly killing every Ophi in existence?

Tony put his hand on my shoulder. “No one blames you, Jodi. Whatever is going on here isn’t your fault.”

“Of course it is. It’s my powers that are screwing things up, and I have no idea how to fix it.”

“We’ll figure it out. I’m going to cancel lessons this afternoon. I want to do some research and make a few phone calls. Someone has to have some idea what’s happening to you. I can’t believe you’re the first Ophi this sort of thing has happened to.”

Why not? I was the only Ophi who was part human—or at least I used to be. The only Ophi who could raise our own kind without turning them into zombies. The only Ophi who was answering to Hades. Being the only anything was nothing new to me.

Tony must have taken my silence as a protest. “I mean, if that’s okay with you. You’re in charge, and if you don’t want me cancelling lessons, I can do my research this evening after dinner.”

“No. Cancelling lessons is a good idea. We’ll be digging graves and burying corpses all morning. I could use the afternoon to train these guys some more.”

Tony nodded. “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

“Thanks, Tony.”

He gave me a small smile before walking away. Everyone else was busy digging already, so I grabbed a shovel and got to work helping Alex.

“He’s right, you know.” Alex didn’t look at me. He was focused on shoveling, and his tone was completely serious. “You have to stop blaming yourself. It’s not like you know what’s wrong with your powers.”

Sure. Except I did know what was wrong with them. I was conflicted. I liked Chase. As much as I wished I didn’t, I liked Chase. I didn’t know how long I could keep lying, especially to Alex.

He stopped digging and looked at me. “Hey, you don’t think it’s us, do you?”

“What do you mean?” Did he know something?

“Well,” he stepped closer and lowered his voice, “your powers keep going all crazy when we’re together or you’re thinking about me.”

I smiled at him. “No, I don’t think we’re the problem. You’re the only thing in my life that’s right.”

He wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me to him. He kissed me as if we were the only two people in the cemetery, and in that moment, we were. I forgot about the others. This was how I wanted things to be. Why couldn’t it be this simple?

“Seriously you two.” Randy flung dirt at us.

“Hey!” I jumped back, trying to avoid the dirt.

“Hey, yourself. If you two don’t stop making out in front of me, I’m going to throw myself in this open grave just so I don’t have to see it anymore.”

“Funny.” I rolled my eyes.

Leticia leaned on her shovel and stared at Chase. “I think it’s romantic the way they can’t keep their hands off each other, don’t you?” But Chase wasn’t paying any attention to Leticia. His eyes were fixed on me.

Alex glared at him. “You got a problem, Chase?”

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?” Leticia was drooling a little.

“About how every time I see these two it’s something different. One minute they’re kissing, and the next minute they’re fighting. I’m waiting for their relationship to implode.”

“That’s it!” Alex lunged at Chase, and the two fell backward into an open grave.

“Alex!” I yelled.

“Chase, are you okay?” Leticia called down into the grave.

Luckily, it wasn’t deep, so they didn’t fall far. But there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room, and since they were intent on beating on each other, dirt was spilling from the sides of the grave right on top of them.

“Stop!” My blood was going crazy. My skin rippled, and my heart raced. Sweat poured down my face. I wanted it to stop. I begged my blood to stop mixing, but it wouldn’t.

Leticia screamed. “Guys! Stop! It’s Jodi. Something’s happening to her!”

Alex and Chase climbed out of the grave, clawing at each other in the process. Chase reached me first, and he placed his hand in mine.

“Don’t touch her!” Alex yelled, ripping Chase’s hand away from me. “Every time you touch her, you almost kill her.”

Randy grabbed Chase’s arm before he could take a swing at Alex. “He’s right, man. The last thing Jodi needs is an extra power boost from you right now.”

“Jodi, look at me.” Alex was holding my face in his hands. “Focus on me. Don’t worry about him or anyone else. Look at me.”

My body was on fire, and my blood wouldn’t stop bubbling. If I didn’t stop this soon, the power was going to consume me.

“Oh, God!” Leticia yelled. She pointed toward the school.

Alex let go of my face, and we both turned to see what had Leticia so scared. The corpses from my room were walking toward us. My blood had called them to me.

“Well, at least we don’t have to carry them all out here,” Chase said.

Alex squeezed his fists and turned toward Chase. “Alex.” I reached for him, but he wasn’t going to listen to reason. He was determined to pound on Chase. I did the only thing I knew would make him stop. I pretended to faint. I let myself collapse on the ground, which, considering how much energy my body was using to summon all those corpses, was more than easy to do.

In seconds, Alex was at my side, cradling my head in his lap. I opened my eyes and tried to look as helpless as I could. I needed him to feel bad enough for me that he’d forget about Chase. “I need your help,” I said in a soft voice.

“Anything.”

“Lure the corpses into the graves. I’ll release them after they’re in the ground.”

“Are you strong enough? I could have Leticia get Tony and Arianna.”

Damn. Playing the damsel in distress wasn’t the easiest thing to do. Yes, I was tired, but I was still strong enough to release the souls. Hell, I was silently commanding them all to obey the others right now, knowing the others couldn’t control them on their own.

I nodded. “I think I can do it.”

Alex stood up and motioned to Randy. “Come on. We have to get them in the graves.”

Randy stepped back. “Me? You want me to control them? I didn’t summon them. You know I can’t do that.”

“I can.” Chase walked past Alex and closer to the zombies. They were almost to us now. He stopped for a moment and stood absolutely still, tapping into his power. “Get in an open grave.” He repeated the instructions several times. I was right. Chase did have more power than the average underage Ophi.

Alex followed Chase’s lead. Well, almost. When he got to the last zombie, he stepped close and whispered something the rest of us couldn’t hear. I watched in horror as the zombie approached Chase from the side and swung at his head. Chase turned as the zombie’s fist connected with his cheek. He went down hard.

“Chase!” This time Leticia wasn’t the only one worried about Chase. I was at his side, too. Alex stared at me, no doubt wondering where my sudden burst of energy had come from. He knew I’d been faking. He knew I’d tricked him. Worse, he knew that I definitely did have some sort of feelings for Chase. Alex grabbed the zombie by the arm and flung him into the last open grave.

“Make sure Chase is okay,” I told Leticia, but she was practically cowering behind Chase now.

Everyone stared at Alex. His jaw was clenched, and his nostrils flared. He didn’t look like the same guy who’d had my back since I came here.

“Alex, you need to get a hold of yourself.”

“Don’t tell me what I need, Jodi. What I need is—” He stopped, meeting each pair of eyes on him. “Screw this.” He headed for the house.

“Um, Jodi,” Randy said. “The zombies aren’t exactly staying in their graves.”

I wanted to go after Alex, but I couldn’t leave the others to deal with the zombies. I watched Alex for another second before I turned to the graves and started commanding my blood to mix. I was instantly lightheaded. I’d spent most of my energy already. Chase came up next to me and started releasing the souls, too. I was thankful for that, and I was especially thankful that he was doing it on his own instead of trying to transfer his power to me.

Once all the souls were back where they were supposed to be, I headed inside for a much needed visit to Medusa, but when I opened the front door, I saw Alex was already holding Medusa’s right hand. His brow was furrowed, and he looked like he was concentrating on something. Normally holding Medusa’s right hand was a power rush, almost euphoric. So, why did Alex look so strained?

I waited for him to release her hand before I spoke. “Alex.” My voice was soft and almost pleading.

He met my eyes without saying a word.

“I’m sorry I tricked you out there. I didn’t know what else to do to make you stop attacking Chase.”

“Do you really want a boyfriend you have to protect?” His words were filled with anger.

“What are you talking about? You’re my boyfriend.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Are you breaking up with me?” The words came out slowly and painfully.

“Do you want to break up?”

“Alex, I don’t want to play games. Please, just give me a straight answer.” I stepped toward him, wanting to be as close as possible.

“Then stop playing games, Jodi. You’re the one who’s doing this. Not me. You’ve changed since Chase got here. You’re different, and I’m not sure I like it.”

I felt like someone was squeezing my insides. Alex didn’t like me? Was that what he was saying? “Alex, I love you.”

“What about Chase?”

“What about him?”

“Do you love him?”

“No!” I didn’t. I barely knew him.

“Then what is it? Why does he make you act so differently? Why do you stick up for him?”

“I—” How could I explain what was happening to me without destroying my relationship with Alex?

“You like him.” Alex turned away.

I couldn’t let him leave like this. It would be the end of us. “Wait! Please, let me explain. It’s not what you think.”

He stopped but didn’t turn toward me, so I went to him. I was going to have to be the one to hold onto what we had. “Alex, ever since Chase contacted me and said he was coming, something changed in me. In my blood. It’s like my blood recognized the power in his blood. But that’s it. I don’t like him. I promise. To be honest, he scares me a little. The power he has—that he transfers to me—scares me. But I know I have to figure out how to use it if I’m going to save the Ophi.”

Alex stared at me with his arms crossed, guarding his emotions. “So, you aren’t attracted to him? You don’t think he’s hot, like Leticia does?”

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks, and I knew I was turning red. Not good. I couldn’t lie my way out of this. “He’s not ugly.” It was the closest to the truth I could get. “But that doesn’t matter. I’m sure you find other girls attractive. It doesn’t mean anything.” I stepped closer and put my hands on his forearms, uncrossing his arms. “It doesn’t change how we feel about each other.”

“Are you sure about that?”

I stepped into him, resting my face on his chest. “Yes. You are the only Ophi I want.”

He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tight. “You have to set Chase straight. I’m not putting up with his comments. I don’t like the way he looks at you or the way he openly shows his feelings for you. You can’t expect me to sit back and take that.”

I leaned my head back so I could look at him. “I know. I’ll talk to him. Tell him that I’m not interested and he needs to stop or—”

“Or what?”

“I’ll ask him to leave.” Why was that so hard for me to say? I had Alex. He was perfect for me. Yet, I didn’t want Chase to leave. As much as he scared me and caused trouble for me and Alex, there was a part of me that wanted Chase here. God, what was wrong with me?

Alex smiled. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” He leaned down and kissed me. The kiss was so passionate I felt my legs shake. Good thing Alex was still holding me tight. We only stopped when the front door swung opened and Leticia rushed in, bumping right into us.

“Sorry,” she said.

Alex looked annoyed by the interruption, but I said, “It’s okay. Is something wrong? You look like you’re in a hurry.”

“Jodi.” Leticia’s voice shook. “We finished burying the bodies, but there’s something you should know.”

“What is it?” I wasn’t sure I could take any more bad news right now.

Leticia lowered her head and stared at her feet. “We lost a lot of corpses to Hades.”

“Yes, I know.” Why wouldn’t she spit it out already? How bad was the news?

“Well, we think one of the bodies he took was…” She stopped and looked at me.

“Leticia, you’re killing me here.”

“Your dad.”

I tried to swallow, but there was a lump in my throat the size of a baseball. How hadn’t I noticed my dad’s body was gone? I’d seen his corpse before, and I’d never forget it. Even though I’d only met him that one time in the cemetery, when Victoria raised him to torture me, I’d recognize him anywhere. I’d been too preoccupied with all the drama of Chase and Alex, and now my dad’s body was in the underworld with Hades. Who knew what torture Hades was putting his soul through? And now that Hades had his body too, I couldn’t raise him. I’d never see him again.