Plagued: Book 1 by Eden Crowne

album with bonus tracks.
    Watching the happiness on Rickey's face, she couldn't help standing up on tiptoe to Hugo and whispering, “Thank you. This is so great.” As she did, she caught the faintest trace of that elusive beguiling scent from the other day. He certainly didn't smell like blood now.
    “You love him very much, don't you?”
    “Like my brother. Or sister. Whichever he prefers.”
    Without any warning, Hugo leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Not a messy kiss, just light and friendly, as though they'd known each other forever and this was perfectly natural. Her eyes flew up to his.
    “May I say, without being rude, Sky, that you smell lovely.”
    “Do I?”
    “Indeed. Hmm, ” he inhaled deeply. “Like lavender under the warm Provence summer sun, just before the harvest. Is that your favorite perfume?”
    “I'm not wearing any.”
    'You know, you were supposed to contact me about the details of the party.”
    Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh crap. That's right.” She sighed. “Bad week. I mean, like, awful. Completely slipped my mind. How did you find out the date and time and everything?”
    “Everyone's number and address is in the school directory. I called the Mathews twins and asked.”
    “How very responsible of you.”
    He nodded with fake solemnity. “I am made of responsibility. In fact, I attended the Responsibility Academy in London.”
    “No you didn't.” She said, making a face back at him. “There's no such thing.”
    “How do you know? Perhaps all titled aristocrats must attend such academies. The Royal Ascot Responsibility Academy.”
    “You are so full of...”
    “Sky!” Rickey was hugging the oversized pillow. “Mrs. Eloise, I love it!”
    Aunt Eloise blew kisses. She was standing with a group of women clustered around Mrs. Antonelli.  She had an oversized margarita glass in one hand and several little pastel parasols stuck in her hair.
    “It's super, right?” Sky beamed, feeling very pleased with herself.
    “ Very super .”
    Still clutching the pillow, Rickey moved on to the next gift.
    Hugo looked pointedly around Sky and down at her feet.“Where's your dog? I thought I saw some other dogs here. Didn't you bring him?”
    She looked as well. Ghostly Alex was nowhere in sight. The wiener dog had followed them here and was trotting in circles around the barbecue. Sky was never sure what spirits saw of their world. Sausage, perhaps, crossed all ethereal barriers. At least for dogs.
    “Sky?”
    “Look over there.” She pointed towards the barbecue. “Can you see the dog by Rickey's dad?”
    Hugo dutifully turned and looked. “I see a fat brown one that looks very much like the sausages Mr. Antonelli is browning. Is that the dog you mean?”
    So it was true. He saw ghost dogs. “No, I didn't bring Alex. At least not at the moment. That's his name, Alex. My dog. Ex-dog. Hugo, I need to tell you something. My dog is dead. So is the little wiener dog over there. What you see are their ghosts. Alex follows me around. Not all the time. Only when things are tense or lonely. Then he shows up. It's strange that you saw him. The only other person I know who can channel animal ghosts is my aunt.”
    Even in the fading daylight, she saw him lose all color in his cheeks. His eyes went very wide. Taking her hand, he pulled her with him to a less crowded part of the patio near the speakers just like Rickey had done. He placed his mouth near her ear so she could hear him speak. Again, just like Rickey.
    'What is up with these boys today? ' she thought. Maybe it was all some elaborate practical joke.
    “I thought he was alive. He looked so real. That's not the sort of mistake I should be making.”
    “Why? Who cares if you see ghosts? I do. Just animals, like I said. My Aunt is a pet psychic, so I'm sort of okay with the spiritual realm intruding into ours.”
    “Your aunt is ever so much more than that.”
    That was a strange thing to say. “What do you mean? More than a