Labeled the village crazy lady, Maren Marrow has been seeing ghosts since her near death experience as a child. But it was the ghost of Cedric Swern Pemberton the Second who changed Maren's whole view of her curse with one request: get revenge for h...
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I lifted my gaze from my the shiny shoes and my drink, and was surprised to see Lincoln standing in front of me. My breath stopped briefly as I took in his rugged face and stubble.
"I am surprised to see you here," I said nonchalantly.
He grinned, stepping closer. "Well, I heard rumors that the village looney lady was making a rare appearance so I had to come check it out."
Village looney lady. Crazy. Insane. Witch.
My heart clenched painfully.
I clenched my teeth and turning my gaze away from him. This pain must have shown in my eyes because he stepped forward, his grin replaced with a look of apology.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
I snapped my chin up at him, taking a long pull of whatever poison was stirring in my cup. It burned my throat. But something much more bitter seemed to be stirring within.
"Don't mean what? That you think I'm insane? Crazy? A witch? Well, grab a pitch fork and get in line."
Lincoln growls, seemingly offended. Yes, anger, the first step to him finally leaving me alone. When would he relent?
My eyes widened as he walked toward me suddenly, sitting down besides me on the tables bench. A mans closeness was supposed to be exiting and electric... Lincoln's closeness was a smothering madness.
"Is that what you think of me? That I'm just some bigot villager like the rest of them?"
I don't dare look at him. Looking at him pains me. So I swallow painfully and keep my gaze carefully pinned to the dark churning of my whiskey. Spinning, spinning, spinning.
"Yes. You're all the same, every single one of you."
I was suddenly struggling not to cry, my boiling emotions bubbling up over the top and dripping onto the floor. My shoulders caved and I choked in a sob.
I felt Lincoln shift closer, his overwhelming presence suffocating me. I stiffened, my whole body going still.
"Come here, Maren."
I stiffened further, my eyes snapping to his face on instinct. Lincoln looked melancholy, like the world was completely dry and he had given up hope for finding water. But he was reaching for me like I was that water, like he was parched but I could sate him. Like I was what he was looking for all along.
