Michelle Muto - The Book of Lost Souls

THE BOOK OF LOST SOULS

by Michelle Muto

Copyright 2011 by Michelle Muto

All Rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever without prior written permission by the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or to events or locations is entirely coincidental.

For my husband, who always believed in magic.

CHAPTER 1

I dont know, Ivy. This borders on black magic, Shayde said. You are so dead when your mom finds out.

For as long as Ivy could remember, Shayde had been the cautious one. The problem was, Ravens take was different. From the intense expression of interest on her face, Raven thought the whole thing was a rush. Ivy should have counted on the obviousas usual, her two best friends had conflicting viewpoints.

Great, just freaking great.

Ivy tried to relax, to not let them sense how nervous she was. This wasnt black magic. Not really. Just sort of...well, gray. Gray wasnt so bad. Was it?

She tapped the glass in front of the Horned-Toad lizard named Spike. Who says shell find out?

Shayde gave Ivy an incredulous look. Youre a witch. Your moms a witch. We live in a small town where everyone knows practically everyone else and you think people wont figure it out?

Lighten up! Itll be fun, Raven said as she adjusted her fake jewel-encrusted crown. Each girl had dressed in a different costume for the annual Northwick High Halloween partyShayde was a pirate lass who would have turned any real pirates head, Raven as an elaborate, medieval version of the Red Queen, and Ivy in a simple renaissance-style Juliet costume.

This year, Ravens parents had agreed to host the event the week before Halloween. The location made for a very happy student body since Ravens parents also owned the ideal place for such a partythe newly renovated Forever View Funeral Home and Mortuary.

Ivy wiped her perspiring palms against her dress, trying to ignore the growing tension between her friends. She stared into the terrarium. I guess if Im going to do this, Id better get busy.

Spike, who belonged to Ravens younger brother, tilted his head at them as though wondering which girl held his dinner of crickets or meal worms. If Spike had known what Ivy had in mind, he might have considered retreating behind the rocks at the far edge of his sunlamp-heated enclosure. But Spike was a lizard and therefore, blissfully ignorant.

Spikes terrarium sat on top of a bookcase next to a cherry wood study desk. A wrought-iron day bed was opposite the desk, covered with a gold and black coverlet and a single red pillow. A guys renaissance costume in dark velvet lay on top of the coverlet.

Ivy reached inside the terrarium and scooped up Spike, who at the last minute tried to scramble to the safety of his river rock hideaway.

You do know what happens when Horned-Toad lizards feel threatened, right? Raven chided.

Yeah, I know. But everything will be fine, Ivy said, more to reassure herself than her friends. She placed Spike on top of the costume and tried not to think about him freaking out enough that hed actually squirt blood from his eyes. The chance of anything like that happening seemed minuscule at best. In her experience, Spike was a very calm lizard.

Hell be the perfect Romeo, Ivy said, confident she had also managed a decent Juliet. It hadnt come without some effort, though. The only Juliet outfit at the costume shop had been two sizes too large and a much brighter green than she liked. It took a couple spellsone to trim the dress down to size so she didnt look like she was wearing a tent, and a second spell to change the color to sage instead of a Christmassy green. With her auburn hair, shed end up resembling a life-sized holiday ornament, which was definitely not the look she was going for.

On the bed, her soon-to-be Romeo took a step forward and cocked his head, first to one side, then the other, eyes scanning the coverlet for insects.

You think we should have fed him first? Shayde asked.

If Shayde still thought this was a bad idea, then maybe it was. Maybe she should return Spike to his tank and forget the whole idea. Then she thought about Dean Matthews, one of the coolest, most gorgeous guys at Northwick High. After tonight, maybe he wouldnt act like she was so invisible.

Oh, this is going to be too cool! Raven exclaimed.

Instead of encouraging her, Ravens enthusiasm gave Ivy another moment of concern. Raven enjoyed living life on the edge. Shayde might be a little too much on the common sense and caution stuff, but Raven was the exact opposite. She was a vampire and vampires were almost immortal. Which made a lot of them avid risk-takers. At least the ones Ivy had met.

Ivy took Spectacular Spells Explained, the spell book shed borrowed from her mothers reading shelf, flipped it open to a bookmarked section and scanned the page. From her pocket she retrieved a folded page torn from a magazine and drew a deep breath. Altering clothing by magic had been easy, but the Changing spell wasnt something shed done on a live creature before.

Isnt there a guideline that says witches arent supposed to change one living thing into another without a really good reason and Council approval? the ever cautious Shayde asked. Wont it seem, you know, like something your dad wouldve done?

Shut up, Shayde! Raven hissed. X-nay, on the evil wizard-a.

Ivy unfolded the paper in an attempt to ignore Shaydes all too true comment about her fathera wizard who once had been associated with a very evil spell caster before leaving townand studied the ad. In it, a sandy-haired model leaned against a brick wall. He was bare chested and barefoot, wearing only faded jeans and a seductive gaze.

Yum! Raven said, earning her a frown of disapproval from Shayde. Not like that! I just meant hes pretty hot for one of them.

You mean a Regular, Shayde corrected.

Right. My bad. Raven rolled her eyes. Humans. Regulars. Whatever you call them, theyre not Kindreds. Theres nothing about them thats supernatural.

Half the town are Regulars, Shayde reminded her.

Shayde and Ravens friendly sparring was nothing new. But right now, it was a distraction Ivy didnt need. Cool it, guys, okay?

Shayde and Raven exchanged looks and a shrug.

I think hes a little old for you, Shayde said. Hes definitely frat material. Your mom is gonna freak when she hears about this.

Ill be seventeen soon.

Next spring, Raven said, fidgeting with a lock of her black hair. Besides, hes not that old. What? Twenty, maybe? Hes supposed to look like hes in college. Raven smirked. Youll definitely get everyones attention with him.

He also looks kinda like an older version of Dean, Shayde pointed out. Come on, Ivy! She folded her arms across her chest, looking more pouty than angry. How much more obvious can you get?

Ivy shut out her friends commentary, narrowed her eyes at Spike and extended her hand, fingers spread wide as she concentrated on her spell. Spike jumped like hed been prodded, and then ever so slowly the Horned-Toads shape began to grow and twist. Small wisps of smoke that smelled faintly of old grease rose into the air and Ivy wrinkled her nose.

Transformations didnt impress Shaydeshe was a werewolf, after all. On the other hand, Raven took a keen interest. Wow. This is kinda gross, she said. I