There’s nothing non-descript about the man regarding me in return, however. His eyes are pale blue, almost white, and the black rims of his irises emphasise the weird colour. He’s pale with long, dark hair touching his shoulders, angular cheekbones and a wide mouth currently curled into a half-smile.
Smoothing his hair, he surveys the room and occupants, resting his scrutiny on me. “Well, I’m glad you were here, Rose,” he says with a hint of a European accent and a smirk. “Your energy was a big help. Thank you.”
“What have you done to Alek?” I ask.
“He’ll be okay if you give him a little something.” He taps long fingers against his chin. “Oh, no, you can’t, I took all yours. I guess you’ll have to find another source. Any humans live here?”
I stare down at Alek’s pale face, my hair falling forward and hiding my own.
The man cocks his head. “I can’t detect any. Maybe you can go and find him one?”
“What? No!” I struggle to stand and manage to make it as far as the sofa. “Who are you?”
The man opens his mouth to respond, but Finn interrupts. “Dante.”
Dante stiffens when he sees Finn leaning against the wall in the corner. “What the hell? How the fuck is an angel here?” He looks down to Alek. “He was supposed to get rid of you. Jesus, I just can’t get the staff these days.”
He crosses to Finn who remains motionless. What Dante lacks in height against Finn, he makes up for in presence. “But you’re not quite an angel, are you? What happened? Were you a naughty boy?”
“You’re here now. Leave,” Finn says icily.
Dante looks between the three of us then addresses Finn. “You were here when Alek came through? Why didn’t you kill him before I found my way out?”
I know why. Finn briefly glances at me then away again. Because of how I feel about Alek, Finn let whoever this guy is loose?
Dante steps back, tugging his eyebrows together. “You,” he points at me. “You’re part of him.” He points to Finn. “But you care about him.” He pokes Alek with his foot.
“Leave him alone!” I snap.
“Awkward,” he says, ignoring me with a laugh, “Unless they share you?”
“Get out,” growls Finn.
“I have a lot to catch up on; I suppose I should be going. I’d love to stay for a chat, but people are expecting me.” He rubs his bare arms. “It’s a bit chilly. Does Alek have a spare jacket I could borrow?”
I gape at him. “Jacket? You’ve half-killed him!”
“Oh, calm down, sweetness. He’ll be okay.” He tips his head side to side, loosening his shoulders. “No jacket, then?”
Finn steps toward Dante. “Out.”
“Yup.”
The space Dante stood empties, the same as when Kat disappeared. With him, he takes the rest of the energy in the room, I lie down, aware that without touching me he took the remainder of my energy, as well. Finn moves across the room quickly and kneels in front of me as I lie on the sofa, fighting to keep my eyes open against the fog.
Alek’s right. Dante is killing me.
“Rose, concentrate. You’ll be okay. Stay awake.” I’m transported back to the night in the alleyway, the day Alek kissed me and told me what I was, and I focus on Finn’s concerned face, knowing unconsciousness will send me to the Void. I’m torn - if I went, I could end all this for a simpler limbo than the one I’m in.
“Can I come out now?” Kat’s trembling voice carries from the hallway. “And please tell me I’m high.”
Finn turns to the door; without his eyes to focus on, I dig my nail into my palms. “Yes, it’s safe and no, you’re not high.”
“I saw…all of that. Is that guy another ghost? Or is he one of you?” She looks at Alek’s prone body. “Is this dude dead now?”
I choke back a sob as Finn says, “No. He’s very sick. So is Rose. You have to help them.”
“Me? What can I do? I’m a ghost, remember,” she says sarcastically.
“Give him mouth to mouth,” he replies.
“Umm…No! I don’t know First Aid. Can’t you do it?” she asks Finn.
“No. Impossible.”
My chest twinges as I make a small laugh at the nurse refusing to resuscitate. Finn hasn’t told her about the energy transfer, about how she’ll return to the Void if she does this.
Kat crosses her arms over her chest. “I won’t. I don’t want to touch him! I don’t want anything to do with any of you.”
“Okay.” Finn moves behind the sofa and I hear the clicking of the front door opening. “Stay here. They’ll disappear in half an hour or so, and you’ll be trapped here alone. I won’t come back.”
I’m only able to keep one eye open and I focus on Kat, who straightens and rushes at Finn. “No! I can’t get out; I’ll starve!”
“You can’t starve; you’re a ghost,” he retorts.
The door creaks as he begins to close it. “No! Fuck, okay. Just mouth to mouth, right?”
The world swims in and out of focus, breath crushed from my lungs as I cling to consciousness. Kat stands over Alek, squeezing her fists open and shut and inhaling, the way I’ve seen people do on reality TV shows when they’re told they have to eat a gross local delicacy. As she leans over, black hair sweeping his face, my struggle against the fog ends.
***