Touch of Death(26)

"Come," Victoria said, ignoring Abby's comment. "There's an empty seat next to Alex." Before I could sit, Victoria said, "Everyone, this is Jodi, the newest member of our family." I nodded and gave everyone a small smile before sitting and trying to avoid their stares. A waiter appeared behind me and asked me what I'd like to eat. I turned slightly to answer him and shuddered. His face had a bluish tint, and his eyes were sunken. He held a pitcher of water in his hand and poured a glass for me. The skin on his hand was sagging and blackened in a few places. After he poured my water, he stared at me, waiting for an answer. But I couldn't talk. There was no doubt about it. This man was dead.

"She'll have the mac and cheese. Same as me," Alex said.

I turned to him and whispered, "Thank you."

"No problem. They take some getting used to."

"They?"

Alex used his fork to point at the other servants in the room. Their backs had been to me when I came in, but now I could see their faces. Each one of them was in a different stage of decay. Some were missing patches of skin, while others looked waxy and pale. My stomach lurched.

"Excuse me." I bolted out of my chair and rushed for the door. I bumped into the guy carrying my plate of mac and cheese, smashing the contents of the plate all over the front of my outfit. He apologized, which only made me feel sicker. He was the one who had been-from the looks of him-ripped from his grave, and yet he was apologizing to me. I ran, heading back down the hall and out the front door. I kept going down the steps and across the lawn, stopping at a weeping willow and losing myself under its hanging branches. I sat down and cried.

"Jodi." Alex rushed over and sat next to me.

"I guess there's no such thing as alone time around here. At least not when the people you're running from are so fast."                       
       
           



       

"You're running from me?" By the tone of his voice, I could tell he was hurt.

I raised my head, meeting his eyes. "You were totally okay with what was going on in there. Those people were dead, and you guys were making them wait on you. I mean, how can you enjoy a meal with decaying people serving you? My God! They prepared the food, too, didn't they?" My stomach churned again. "And the comment you made about having people to make the beds, those are the people, aren't they?"

Alex nodded. "But it's not as bad as you think."

I stood up. "Not as bad-please, tell me that's a sick joke. They're walking dead. Dead that you and your family brought back to life so you wouldn't have to do chores."

"You think they'd be better off in the ground, being eaten by maggots?"

This time I couldn't stop it. The visual was too much on top of what I'd already seen. I leaned forward and spilled my guts on the lawn. Alex jumped up. At first, I'd thought he was afraid of getting puked on, but he pulled my hair back, keeping it out of my face.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

I wiped my mouth on the bottom of my already filthy shirt, and Alex let my hair fall down my back. "It was the truth, right?" I shook my head. "I know I have to get used to this new life, but isn't what your family's doing the kind of thing that gets Hades' boxers in a bunch? If things are getting bad for the Ophi, so bad that you need me," I choked on the words, "to save you all, why would you risk making Hades angry with you? It doesn't make sense."

"Mom and Dad have never played by the rules. They run this place, and since they're doing a service to the Ophi, they feel that gives them certain privileges."

I squinted at him. "Raising the dead isn't a privilege."

"Listen, I'm not doing a very good job explaining all this to you. Why don't you come back inside? Change into some clean clothes, and I'll have some food brought-no, I'll bring food up to your room. I even promise to make it myself."

"Why?" It was blunt, but I had to know. "Why would you go out of your way for me? You don't even know me."

"But I'd like to get to know you." He smirked. "Once you've showered and brushed your teeth."

I playfully smacked his arm. I couldn't help thinking this would all be easier if it were just Alex and me, but I'd made a complete fool of myself in front of eleven other people, who I had a feeling weren't going to be anywhere near as understanding or patient with me as Alex was.

"How bad is it?"

"Well, let's just say you've looked better and leave it at that."

"No, I mean how bad have I made things with the other Ophi?"

"Oh." He sighed. "There were a few comments after you ran out. Mostly Abby laughing at you getting covered in mac and cheese. Though she did suggest we offer you up to Hades in exchange for our protection."

My eyes widened. "Can you do that?"

Alex shook his head. "No one's handing you over to Hades. You're our savior, remember?"

"Yeah, a savior with a weak stomach."

"We'll fix that. And we'll start by getting you cleaned up and fed."

We walked back to the house and parted ways at the staircase. I went up to my room and grabbed my towel and some more clothes. I took a chance that the door across the hall from mine was the bathroom. Last night I'd used one downstairs. Now, I needed a bathroom with a shower. I turned the knob and was greeted by a loud shrieking voice. "We knock in this house!"

"Oh, sorry," I said.

The door swung open, nearly yanking my arm out of the socket. Abby stood in front of me, glaring at me under her thick black bangs. "Look who it is. The dead-loving mac and cheese girl." Oh good, not even here a day and I'd already gotten myself a nickname.

"Sorry. I was looking for the bathroom."

"I should hope so. You reek!" She twitched her nose at me. "What did you do, throw up on yourself, too?"

"Can you tell me where the bathroom is?" I asked.

She pointed to the door right next to mine. "And do us all a favor, wash twice!" she yelled after me.

I ducked into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. Like the rest of the house, it was huge. I noticed there was another door on the side wall. I went over to it and knocked lightly, calling, "Hello?" I didn't want to make the same mistake twice. No one answered, so I turned the knob. I nearly fell over when I saw where the door led. My room. I'd assumed the door was another closet. "Wow, Abby must really think I'm an idiot," I muttered.

"You could say that again."

I whipped around to see Abby standing in the other doorway. "I thought I locked that."

"You did. I have a key." She held up the silver key for a second before putting it in her pocket. "I thought we should have a little chat, and seeing as how you're alone, this is the perfect time."

"What is it with Ophi and cornering people in the bathroom?"

"What are you babbling about?"

"Nothing." I put my hands on my hips, trying to make it look like I wasn't totally scared of her. "Talk."

"I've noticed you and Alex seem to be …  close."

What was she getting at? "He's the only one I even remotely know around here. I wouldn't say that makes us close."

She stepped toward me. "Good. Because Alex is unavailable to you."

I knew Alex and Abby weren't a thing. Alex definitely wasn't into her. Of course, that didn't mean they had never been together. Being her ex would account for his dislike for her now. "Were you two together at one point?"

"Not were, honey. We are together."

I raised my eyebrows. "Huh, I guess I was mistaken when I saw him roll his eyes at you earlier in the dining room."

She shot me a look that made me wonder why I was taunting her when she had me trapped. "Was that before or after you became the Mac and Cheese Queen?"

My eyes dropped to my shirt, splattered with orange sauce and bits of macaroni.

"You may think you're someone special around here because you're supposedly the girl in the prophecy, but as far as I'm concerned, you're nothing more than a half-blood. And sooner or later, the weaker human blood that's diluting the Gorgon blood in you will show everyone just how unworthy you really are of being called Ophi." She flicked my shirt with her fingers. "On second thought, you better wash three times." She turned and walked out, leaving me completely speechless.

When I'd recovered enough to start a hot shower and get undressed, I realized I had another problem. The locket. I still wasn't sure if it opened somehow, so I didn't want to wear it in the shower. But I felt funny taking it off. Like part of me was missing, which was totally bizarre considering I'd only found the locket last night. I decided to take it off and keep it on the edge of the tub. That way it was still close, but the curtain would protect it from getting wet.

I stepped in and turned the dial to the hottest setting. Nothing calmed me down faster than a steaming hot shower. I could hear Abby's voice in my head as I washed. And I did wash three times to be sure I'd gotten rid of the vomit and mac and cheese combo scent I had going on. I had to prove to Abby that I wasn't the cowardly half-blood she thought I was. I might not know how to control my powers now, but I would learn. I'd already done something no other Ophi had done. I'd held both Medusa's hands and let her full powers flow through me. If that didn't prove I was strong or that I was in the right place, then I didn't know what would.