It was almost funny to watch those transparent features change from incredulity to belligerence. He didn’t have facial muscles anymore, needless to say. Was it just the memory of them that made his scowl form?
“Get out of here or else the grave will swallow you and you’ll never leave!”
Boy, did he make it sound intimidating. If he had anything to threaten me with, I’d have been concerned.
“I’m not afraid of the grave; I was born half in it. But if you want me to get out of here”—I turned as if to go—“fine, but that means I’ll just have to throw this in the nearest trash can.”
Out of my jacket came the clear bottle with the lightning bolt. I almost laughed when his eyes fastened on it as though they were magically welded. This had to be Winston, all right.
“Whattt’ssss that you’ve got there, mistress?”
He drew the first word out in a lustful hiss. I popped the cork, waving it under where his nose appeared to be.
“Moonshine, my friend.”
I was still uncertain how Bones thought I was supposed to bribe him with this. Pour some on his grave? Hold the bottle inside his disembodied form? Or splash him with it?
Winston made another keening noise that would have chilled anyone near enough to hear it.
“Please, mistress!” Gone was his hostile tone, replaced instead with one of desperation. “Please, drink it. Drink it!”
“Me?” I gaped. “I don’t want any!”
“Oh, let me taste it through you, please!” he begged.
Taste it through me. Now I knew why Bones hadn’t mentioned how to entice Winston before. That’s what I got for trusting a vampire even in the littlest thing! I gave the ghost an irritable look while promising myself revenge on a certain pale-skinned, room-temperature creature of the night.
“Fine. I’ll drink some, but then you’re going to give me names of young girls who�