Disclaimer: All of the original and familiar characters are property of Meg Cabot and her series The Mediator, but the plot and new faces are property of me.

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Chapter 4

I can't find the air to scream. It's a ghost I don't recognize, but I already know I don't like him. He is pretty hot though, in an English gentlemanly sort of way. He has this air about him, you know like one of those blood-sucking lawyers. I try not to make eye contact, in case he decides to steal my soul.

I take a step forward, but he clutches Jesse tighter, and puts the knife closer to his neck.

"Don't," I say before I can stop myself.

"Why not?" The ghost asks.

"Why would you? It's not like he has done anything personal to you, has he?" I ask suddenly enraged. Nobody beats up my boyfriend!

"I only do as I am told," the ghost replies, and a small smirk appears on his face. I almost gag.

"Who told you to do this?" I ask him, taking another step forward.

"One of my master's good friends."

"And who might that be?" I ask him, while looking at him more clearly. He is glowing, but not in a ghostly way. His glow is more reddish, than bluish-whitish. I finally look into his eyes, and I gasp when I see what color they are.

He's a demon! I remember Paul telling me something about Christian demons and angels. Angles have white pupils while demons have red. They also glow differently.

The demons eyes glow. They smile. I look at Jesse—who looks really freaked out. I try to comfort him with an intense stare, but this just makes him squirm.

"Jesse! Don't! He's got a knife!" I yell to him and watch as his eyes widen in fear—or was it anger?

"So you are afraid," the demon says as more of a comment then a question.

"Yeah, I am. But I'm still gonna kick your butt!" I prepare to attack him when the demon tuts at me.

"Oh no, Susannah. You cannot touch me. You may be able to see me, but you cannot touch me. I am invincible, while you are just human," the demon chuckles.

"Don't! Call! Me! Susannah!" I launch myself at the demon. At the same time Jesse wiggles free of the demon's grasp and catches me before I can get my hands around the demon's neck.

"No Susannah!" Jesse yells at me while pulling me away from the demon. I give the demon a dead on stare, hoping that it intimidates him. He is totally cute, but I can tell he's dangerous just from those eyes. Then in a sudden, he bursts into flames. I jump in Jesse's arms.

The smoke rises from where the demon was just standing, and it spells out "Seirios". I wonder if that's his name. And then I remember Jesse's body enveloping mine, and I burry my head in his arms.

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Jesse clutches me tight while I sob into his arms. I don't know what has come over me; I guess its just all the things put together are overwhelming me.

"Susannah?"

I turn around in Jesse's arms, and see Father D's ghost looking at me.

"Oh, Father D!" I yell, and run over to him. He envelops me in a hug, and tries to soothe me.

"Susannah, I need to tell you a great deal tonight," Father says while him and Jesse help me to a pew. I am still sobbing (I hate crying), as Father D. begins. "Now, as you know I am dead, but I am still here, and I need your help in letting my spirit go to Heaven."

I look at him deadpan, and then I look over at Jesse, who is clutching my hand, which is trembling.

"What happened to you?" I ask Father D.

"Well, I was in my sleep, when I awake at three in the morning to a strange presence in my room. And I speak out loud—I begin to fear that something I cannot see is in the room. I can sense that was a danger to me, and I was right. After I say, "Hello." I feel something pressed up against my throat, and I cry out for help, but all that comes out is a gurgle, and the next second I know, I'm dead looking over my limp body."

I didn't like hearing all of these descriptive words, but I stomached it for Father D.

"I knew I had to come to you, because you would know how to help me. Oh Susannah, I don't know what to do." I look at Father Dominic's face, and he looks really scared, and for a second I want to tell him that everything is okay, but then I bite it back, because it will only provoke him to tell me not to lie. I glance over at Jesse, who is still clutching my hand.

"Father D?" I ask him, and he looks up at me. "I need to see your body, before I say anything else. I am also going to be writing a memorial for the school newspaper about you. I thought you should know. And now I gotta get to bed, but I will call you when I figure out something to do. In the meantime, I think you should look around, and see if you can find any significances for why this would happen to you. Think of the W's: what, who, where, when, why. Okay?" I end my speech in a smile, and grasp one of Father D's hands, it's cold to the touch, and I shiver without meaning too.

"Father D," I begin, "Everything is going to be all right. I am going to help you get through this, I promise."

"Me too," Jesse says, not to my surprise. I smile back at him, and he winks at me, and then smiles warmly at Father Dominic.

We say our good byes, but Father D. asks to talk to Jesse alone. I wait by the front door for Jesse, since I don't want to be by myself in the dark. I strain my ears to hear their conversation, but all I hear is murmuring.

Finally, after what seems like an hour, Jesse comes walking up to me, and I see Father D. materialize in front of the alter.

"What was that about, Jesse?" I ask him, while he holds the door open for me.

"Nothing, querida. Let me get you home now, you must be exhausted." Jesse pulls me in close to him since there is a breeze; I shiver, seeing as I am wearing a skirt and all.

We walk to his car, and again, he opens the door for me. I slide in, and I think about what Father Dominic looked like tonight. He looked healthy. Just like I remember him. Still wearing his priest thingy and all. When Jesse gets into the car, it jostles around, and I find my thoughts wandering.

We pull up to my house, and Jesse turns off his car. I look over at him.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asks me, with a concerned look on his face.

"I'll be fine." I say and lean over to give him a kiss goodnight. However, he leans away from me. Puzzled, I ask, "What?"

"I don't think we should do this right now." Is all Jesse says and refuses to look at me. I huff, and get out of the car. I slam it just to let Jesse know how upset I am, and then a gust of wind blows by me, and I really regret of having worn a skirt.