Set Alight

Chapter 22

Vlad's a psychopath.

He's a literal psychopath. And a pathological liar, a megalomaniac, all that psychotic joy bundled into one creepy old guy. But as psycho as the guy is, he's a genius. A brilliant, insane genius. Which leaves me with a dilemma between present risks and potential benefits.

In the short time I'd known Jack, Danny and their family, I'd start to refine simple morals I'd picked up from school. Not from home. School. And books. Loyalty, honesty and obedience, along with a few variants, were what was taught at home. At school I learned hard work, knowledge(obviously), studiousness, politeness, punctuality and good attitude. And not to do drugs!

Lindsey taught me how to doubt and how to form relationships, Jack taught me how to care and bravery, Sam taught me rebellion and individuality, Danny taught me fun and freedom and Ashton taught me love.

I'd never known before. What Vlad and I felt for each other, that wasn't love. That was tolerance of each other and obligation. Ashton showed me that I love Benedict and Lindsey, reading and flying, being a ghost, being a part of a real family and most of all, him.

He's crazy. And maybe I am too.

But Vlad's crazy.

The look in his eyes when he forces the change in me--he has a pod that hurts by the way-- and sees my fully formed ghost form... The absolute blood lust.

"I expected your ghost form to be completely unformed... But it must have developed unconsciously. Marvelous! I don't expect you to be good at this yet, dear."

I nod uncertainly, still glancing around at my form. The only thing that surprised me was my braid, the one I'd woven with a gold ribbon, is now pure black. The gold, which should've clashed horribly, seemed to fade to only black when you looked directly at it, but when you looked at it from the corner of your eye, it was pure gold.

Ghostly laws of nature confuse me.

Vlad began to explain how he became a ghost. Portal, acne, some girl named Maddie being stolen from him, when there was a knock on the door of the office we were in.

"Come in."

A ghost floats in. She has pale blonde hair with a blue tint that is thrown up in a ponytail to contain its wildness. There's a blue robe and slippers instead of modern clothes and her eyes are too blue. They're much too bright to be that pale. Her ruby lips curve into a smile when she sees me.

"Ah, Esme."

"Who's Esme?" I ask, the nervousness in my voice completely real.

"Esme's a ghost with the obsession to know the intents of those around her. She never knew when she was alive, I guess, and her boyfriend killed her." Esme, at the mention of this, snarls. "She can read your mind, if not your intents." Esme's snarl grows more ferocious.

Her obsession isn't related to her core... That must cause her unbearable emotional turmoil.

I must be a lot like Danny's sister...

"Esme will enter your mind. Just to make sure those evil ghosts didn't brainwash you or anything else of the sort."

"I'm not brainwashed," I argue immediately.

"You could be and not know it. Don't worry, darling. This is completely painless." My fire thinks not. My fire thinks you're lying.

How could I possibly get out of this? There's no way I can lie well enough in my mind to fool a mind reader!

Still, I calmly nod, well, more nervous than anything, and lay down on a couch where Vlad gestures as Esme approaches. No no no no...

She touches my forehead.