Author's Note: Here's the sequel I promised. This story is dedicated to my friend LuMezenga who had the main idea for the plot. Again I do not own anything, all those rights go straight to Joseph Delaney. Hope you like it. Read and review it.
Chapter 1: Three Months Later
It was Monday, Tom and I were in the living room relaxing in front of the fireplace. It was a very strange night because it was almost summer, but the weather was cold as winter. Jason had gone to his room. He said he was tired because he had been looking for jobs the whole day, but he didn't have any luck. I wanted him out of the house. Since I heard him talking to Mab, I stopped trusting him. I've been living in agony since we came back from Pendle. Jason had many chances to kill Tom and every morning, I would wake up desperate to know if Tom was still alive. It was awful to see Tom living without a clue that his own brother was planning to kill him. He knew I was nervous about something, but he didn't know what it was. I never left his side while he was at the house, which annoyed Tom a lot, but I couldn't take the risk and whenever he left for work, I kept an eye on Jason.
It had been three longs months since Jason joined us at the house. Old Gregory wrote Tom once or twice just to tell him that everything was fine, that he should keep an eye on me because girls with pointy shoes were not to be trusted and how he was enjoying his "retirement" with Meg. I couldn't believe he was still lying to Tom.
However, that night, everything seemed fine, except for the weather, of course. The hot wind that came from the fireplace was warming and I would have loved to spend the rest of my days like that. In front of the fire, lying in Tom's arms.
However, things were too perfect to stay like that for a long time. We were about to go to our rooms when we heard the spook's bell.
"I can't believe that," I said stopping in the middle of the stairs to turn to Tom. "Don't go, it's late Tom."
"You know I can't. I have to go. There is someone who needs my help," he said getting his cloak and his staff that always stayed in a corner of the living room.
"Do you remember what happened the last time you went to the spook's bell late at night like this?" I said going down the stairs.
"Yes, I do remember, but I still am the spook. I can't stay indoors all the time afraid that something might hurt me. It's part of the job. Besides, I don't fear anything," he was getting at the door.
"You may be the spook and you may not fear anything but I fear for your life. Let me at least go with you," I said.
"Alice, nothing is going to happen," he said opening the door.
"I don't care, I'm going with you," I said getting my cloak in the living room.
Tom rolled his eyes and we left the front door together. We walked through the cold night until we got to the spook's bell. I knew he didn't like to watched or followed, especially by me, but I couldn't let him be killed. We got to the bell and there was a man waiting for him.
"Excuse me. Are you Tom Ward?" he asked.
"Yes, how can I help you, sir?" Tom shook the man's hand.
"I'm Oliver Hutchins and my son claims that he has been seeing a ghost around my house. He can't sleep anymore. My wife just had a baby and my son's screams is making her crazy. She and the baby need rest," the man said.
"I understand, Mr. Hutchins," Tom turned to me. "See? No worries. You can go back to the house now. I have a job to do and there is no ambush on it."
"Sure," I rolled my eyes.
"So, are you going to help me?" Oliver asked.
"Yes, show me the way and the ghost will be gone. You and your family will have peace," Tom said.
"Fine, I'm going back home," I said.
"Thank you," Tom kissed me and followed Mr. Hutchins.
I left the spook's bell. I was in part relieved and part worried. I had never seen Mr. Hutchins in Chipenden and I could hear a southern accent, but he seemed an honest man. He had a disturbed face, but it should be from his son's screams and fear of the ghost or Mab could have manipulated him, so I wasn't so relaxed about Tom going with him.
I finally got to the house and headed to my room. I passed by Jason's room and saw the door slightly opened. I looked in and saw nobody. I entered the room and where Jason should be sleeping, there was a pile of pillows and his window was opened. I approached it and looked outside. I saw a small candle light coming from the eastern garden. That was weird. No one went to that place at night, except for Tom of course, when I gave him the blood cakes after we met. When the light got closer to the house, I saw Jason sneaking back in.
I left his room and went to mine. Lying in the bed, I couldn't sleep, I was sure Jason was up to something and I had to find out what, before he killed Tom.