“That’s nice of you,” Chance said.
Skylar brushed his hand over mine. “So sweet.”
Unsure how to respond to them, I slid out from the bench and stood, stretching my arms over my head. Skylar’s gaze tracked the motion, moving down to where my shirt rode up, exposing my belly button. How embarrassing.
The others were always insinuating how they thought Skylar had a crush on me or some such nonsense, but there was no way a guy so put-together, who had the ear of an actual pop star, would be interested in me. Feeling irrationally sad at that thought, I waved a quick goodbye to the room at large and hustled toward the front door.
“Kingston! Wait.” Skylar shouted right as I neared my vehicle. He hustled down the steps, waving a brown paper bag. “Here’s the rest of the French bread.”
Confused, I took it. “The others might have?—”
He shook his head. “Nope. I brought this for you.” He pressed it into my hands, popped up and kissed my cheek, then ran back into the house. I stared after him, clutching the bag in one arm and touching the warm spot his lips had left on my face. Why had he done that? We weren’t running from evil spirits or anything. So strange.
Chapter
Six
HighPriestess
“Something’s changed again,”I whispered, standing in the opening of my grandson’s doorway, watching him thrash about in the bed. The special blends I mixed into his nightly hot chocolate were no longer working, nor was the incense wafting around his room soothing him. He was firmly in the dreamworld, without an anchor. “Did something happen at dinner at the manor last night?”
The slight pressure of my love’s hand solidified against my palm. “No, my love. Well…” He chuckled. “The young man who’s taken a shine to him is becoming a little more obvious in his attempts. Your little prince is still completely oblivious, though.”
I sighed heavily. “I know you told me to stay out of it. That I should let the fates align as they will, but I worry. You and I both know how dangerous?—”
He brushed his long fingers over my lips, silencing me. “Fear not. He isn’t yet alive in the veil between life and death.”
“Are you sure?”
Eyes closed, the love of my life’s image faded in and out as he searched for Kingston in the land where I could no longer go—that place he had to take care not to get too close to lest he get stuck without me. Duchess, my precious cat, appeared at my feet, weaving between them. Bending, I picked her up and cuddled her black and gold form close, taking comfort.
“He’s well. Confused. Unsure. Scared, but not too far gone for me to see him. Come, my love. You haven’t been getting enough rest.”
Clutching Duchess to me, I turned into the ghostly arms of my mate and let him hold me close. Letting the presence of both soothe me. “I hate leaving him to this alone. They must feel like nightmares to him at this point.”
“There’s nothing to be done.” Lips pressed to my temple. “Off you go. I’ll stay with my grandson and watch over him. I’ll wake you before I let him slip.”
What else could I do? I’d always trusted my Lee. I would trust him now.
Chapter
Seven
Kingston
“Areyou sure you feel like doing this? We can go somewhere else if you prefer.”
Jetty gently knocked his elbow into my side. “I’ve never minded coming out to the cemetery with you. It’s when you want to do it in the middle of the night that I take exception to it.”
I understood that. I did. Luckily, Jetty had accompanied me on all the strange and curious requests that I’d had through the years. My dreams had led me to explore more than one graveyard and research many of the tombstones. Jetty had grumbled and complained, but he never left me on my own.
In the past, it was always heartbeaters—as Buck and Harry called the living—who caused us the most problems. Those who were looking for haunted places or trying to do some occultist-type ritual.
“What’s going on, Kingston? I can tell something’s off with you.”
With a frustrated huff, I headed over to one of the benches that were set up for mourners. Sitting down on one side, Igathered my thoughts as Jetty sat down next to me. “My dreams have changed.”
“You’ve mentioned that several times lately.”
