How weird that she could still think. But they didn't seem to be kissing anymore; they were just holding each other now. And that was almost as good, just feeling his body against hers.
Gillian pulled away.
"David-"
His eyes were full of wonder. "You know what? I love you."
"I know." Gillian realized she was being less than romantic. She couldn't help it. This was the time for action. "David, I have to tell you some things, and I don't know if you can believe me. But you've got to try." "Gillian, I said I love you. I mean that. We-"
Then he stopped and searched her face. He seemed to see something that changed his mind. "I love you," he said in a different tone. "So I'll believe you."
"The first thing is that I'm not anything like what you think. I'm not brave, or noble, or witty in the face of danger or-or anything like that. It's all been-a sort of set-up. And here's how it happened."
And then she told him.
Everything. From the beginning, from the afternoon when she'd heard the crying in the woods and followed it and died and found an angel.
She told him the whole story, about how Angel had appeared in her room that night and how he'd changed her whole life. About the whispering that had guided her ever since.
And about the very bad things. Her witch heritage. The spell she'd put on Tanya. The Night World. All the way up to the accident last night.
When she was done, she sat back and looked at him.
"Well?"
"Well, I probably ought to think you're crazy. But I don't. Maybe I'm crazy, too. Or maybe it's because I died once, myself. ..."
"You started to tell me that, that first night- and then the car skidded. What happened?"
"When I was seven my appendix burst. I died on the operating table-and I went to a place like that meadow. I'll tell you the funny thing, though. I felt that rushing thing come at me, too-that huge thing you
said came at you hi the end. Only it actually reached me. And it wasn't dark or scary. It was white-beautiful light-and it had wonderful wings."
Gillian was staring. "Then what?"
"It sent me back. I didn't have any choice. It loved me, but I had to go back anyway. So- zoom-back
down the tunnel, and pop, back into the body. I've never forgotten it. And, it's hard to explain, but I know it was real. I guess that's why I believe you."
"Then maybe you understand what I've got to do. I don't know what Angel really is. ... I think he may be some kind of demon. But I've got to stop him. Exorcize him or whatever."
David took her by the arms. "You can't. You don't know how."
"But maybe Melusine does. It's either her or that guy Ash at the club. He seemed all right. The only down side is that I think he was a vampire."
David had stiffened. "I vote for the witch-"
"Me, too."
"-but I want you to wait for me. They'll let me out later this afternoon."
"I can't. David, it's for Tanya and Kim, too. Melusine might know how to cure them. Anyway, I'm
certainly going to ask her. And I can't let any more time go by."
David pulled at his hair with the hand that wasn't hooked to the IV. "Okay. All right, give me five minutes, and we'll go together now."
"No."
He was looking at the IV as if figuring out how to undo it. "Yes. Just wait for me-"
Gillian blew him a kiss from the door and ran before he looked up.
He couldn't help her. You couldn't fight Angel in ordinary ways. All David would be was leverage in Angel's hands-a hostage-something to threaten to harm.
Gillian jogged out of the hospital and through the parking lot. She found the Geo.
Okay, now if Melusine would just be at the store...
{You don't really want to do this, you know.)
Gillian slammed the car door closed. She sat up very straight, looking at nothing, as she fastened her seatbelt and started the car.
(Listen, kid. You ain't never had a friend like me.)
Gillian pulled out of the parking lot.
(Come on, give me a break. We can at least talk about this, can't we? There are some things you don't understand.)
She couldn't listen to him. She didn't dare answer him. The last time, he'd hypnotized her somehow, made her relax and give up control to him. That couldn't happen again.
But she couldn't shut his voice out. She couldn't get away from it.
(And you can't love him. There are rules against it. I'm serious. You belong to the Night World now-you're not allowed to love a human. If they find out, they'll kill you both.)
(And what were you trying to do to us?) Damn, she'd answered him back. She wouldn't do that again.
(Not hurt you. It was only him I wanted. I could have slipped in as he slipped out...)
Don't listen, Gillian told herself. There must be some way of blocking him, of keeping him out of her mind...
She began to sing.
"DECK the halls with boughs of HOL-ly Fa la la lala..."
He hadn't been able to hear her thoughts when she hummed before. It seemed to work, now, as long as she kept her mind on the lyrics. She sang Christmas carols. Loudly. The fast ones, like "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" and "Joy to the World," were best.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" got her the last few miles to Woodbridge.
Please be there...
"FIVE golden rings," she caroled, hurrying into the Woodbridge Five and Ten with the shoe box under her arm. She didn't care who thought she was crazy. "FOUR calling birds, THREE French hens ..."
She was at the door to the back room.
"TWO turtle doves ..."
A very startled Melusine looked up from behind the counter.