He makes the first move when I'm not expecting it, lunging at me over the stairs. I duck, throwing myself to the bottom, landing with my arms crossed over my face to protect it. The Obeahman appears at my side, looming over me like a deranged dragon, lips pulled back into something that's half grin, half snarl. I'm on my feet in an instant, clutching the athame. I will get him. I will send him away to wherever monsters go, never to be seen again.

I jump forward in an attempt to push my knife into his heart, but he's gone. Then he's back. Gone. Back. I'm stabbing wildly at the air with no chance of hitting my target.

"Give up!" He laughs. "It's over. You're going to die here."

"Never!" I yell. It's strange to think that a few days ago, it wasn't about me at all. As long as I killed the ghost, it didn't really matter whether l lived or died. It wasn't that I wanted to die- more that I didn't care, as long as I could take my latest hunting project down with me. Yes, I'd be annoyed to have been murdered by something that wasn't even alive, but worried by it? No. There weren't exactly a lot of people who would mourn me. I didn't really need to live for any particular reason. I just existed.

But now it's different. I have friends. I have Cas. And it's not just about saving them. I need them. These people are my life now. My reason for being.

And I

Will

Not

Let

That

Go.

"Why don't you just crawl back into whatever hole you came from?!" I scream at the Obeahman, swinging the knife more wildly than ever. He's right. It's over. But not for me.

Invisible hands grab at me and throw me into the air, and I'm flung hard into a wall. I gasp and focus desperately on staying conscious, but the room spins around me, black around the edges. No. Wake up. You have to save them.

"You're- a- piece- of- scum- who- belongs- in- Hell!" I grind out from between my teeth as I launch my assault once more. He laughs, circling me, taunting me. It's hopeless. But I can't give in.

Then.

Out the corner of my eye, I see something move. Or rather, someone. Carmel is free of the wall. The spell that held her there with Thomas must not have been cast properly. She stands still as a statue on the stairs, fear written all over her face. The Obeahman hasn't noticed her yet.

For one horrible moment, I think she's going to try and help me. Still ducking the blows the ghost is throwing, I shake my head in a tiny, almost imperceptible no. She sees. She understands. Then she starts to try and pull Thomas off the wall.

No! I mime again. She freezes.

Now what? She mouths.

Think. Think. She can't stay here. She's bound to be noticed, hovering on the steps. There must be something...something I can do to get her out of here...

Of course! The attic! All the ghosts trapped up there... Didn't Cas say something about a living person being able to open the door?

I'm about to take a huge risk. I could be about to get one of my only friends killed. I can only hope that the Obeahman is more interested in me than some random, harmless looking girl.

"CARMEL!" I shout. "THE ATTIC! GO!" The Obeahman pauses. Carmel gasps. But she knows what I'm asking her to do. She turns and flees up the stairs. The Obeahman turns his attention back to me, grinning.

For a moment, I think I've done it and she's safe.

Then he's halfway up the staircase