Page 39 of Ghostly Touches

“That’s not how we should be dealing with things,” Kwil says in a voice I know all too well. His monster side is showing. “And if you touch her, I’ll make sure you walk away without hands, Viktor.”

My mouth twitches. Kwil’s had about enough of Viktor’s moodiness too. While Kwil is typically the laid back one, when he’s fed up he lets us know it. Viktor must realize this too because he sighs and relaxes. I let go of his cloak as he turns to face me.

“How are you going to fix this, oh fearless leader?”

I want to roll my eyes. The gesture is unbecoming, so I refrain, holding on to the manners that have been ingrained in me since the day I was born.

“I’m not going to do anything. Willow will see what she can do to correct this. Once it’s been fixed, we’ll deal with handling the book and the curse over both her and Jonah.” I look at Willow expectantly.

She’s looking at all three of us with something akin to suspicion. She has a right to be concerned. Viktor will kill her if she steps out of line. He doesn’t have the patience he fought so hard to achieve when he first became a Ghost. And that snarl Kwil just let out? I’m sure she must realize he’s different. Whatever she’s deduced about him, she must be beginning to realize he’s not like either Viktor or myself.

When our eyes meet, hers are glowing.

“I didn’t do anything intentionally,” she tells us, her voice growing stronger as she scowls.

“Of course not,” I say with an easy, placating tone. “But something happened nonetheless. Will you please help us…again?”

I smile, hoping it comes off as friendly.

If this doesn’t work, if Willow can’t fix us, I’ll kill her myself. Our group has stayed under the radar of the Brotherhood for years now. I may be able to keep us out of the spotlight for longer, as long as we’re not compromised any further. If Willow being alive means we’re in pain, and our focus is elsewhere, she has to go.

“I can examine each of your souls to see what’s going on, if you really think that’s what happened,” she hedges.

“If you can do that, I would appreciate it.” And if she can’t… well, we’ll cross that bridge should it come to it.

Willow’s eyes drift to Jonah. The cursed man shrugs. This seems to be the cue she’s looking for because she straightens her shoulders and her eyes flash with determination.

“Alright, well, I guess if you all would just sit down, I can see what the hell is going on.”

She waves me over while moving to the side to give Viktor and Kwil room to sit on the couch. I notice how her gaze falls to Jonah and then darts to the window. They must have spoken with one another. That’s why she’s so on edge. What did Jonah tell her that makes her want to run? If she tries, I’ll stop her and tie her up just like him. I’d rather not, but there are many things I’d rather not do. Whatever it takes to keep my brothers safe…

“What are you going to do?” Kwil asks as he makes himself comfortable. “Pull our souls out and look at them?”

“I already told you, taking out souls is a bad idea,” Willow says, turning her attention to him.

“But Viktor’s body was fine without his soul,” I point out. “If pulling them out will give you a better understanding of what happened—”

“Viktor’s body was cursed.” Willow rolls her eyes as if that point was obvious. “I think the safest way for me to examine you is to just connect with your soul while it’s still in you.” She pauses, struggling to explain. “I’ll be able to feel any abnormalities.”

“How do we know this isn’t some sort of trick to take more from us?” Viktor demands before turning his gaze to me. “Not only does this not sound like exact science, but it also allows her to get closer to us.”

“It is a risk we need to take.” Without Willow, I don’t know how else we’ll figure this out. I turn to her. “What do you need us to do for this to work?”

“I’d like to be as close as possible to you. Maybe even touch your face. The contact will help,” she suggests.

I close the short distance between us. There’s no missing the way her body tenses and her pupils narrow in distrust.She turns her body so she’s facing me as I come to stand in front of her. Her eyes change to that pretty, glowing shade of green before she reaches out to touch my face.

At the contact, the tension eases out of my shoulders and back, like she’s wiped away the stress that’s collected in both places. I didn’t realize how much I carried until its sudden departure. I nearly moan at the lightening of my load.

What a strange reaction from just a touch.

Willow closes her eyes. Her brows come together while her thumb gently skims across my left cheek. For a moment nothing happens.

Thensomethingdoes.

The phenomenon inside my body feels comparable to what happens when the morning frost on spring grass melts away and grows warm under the rising sun. Everything inside me expands as it greets this pleasurable feeling. When I take a deep breath, I breathe in Willow. Her scent is everywhere around me and somehow inside of me all at once. It’s like a warm breeze lazily making its way through my body, winding around every inch of me.

I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face or how my dick springs to life. My skin feels sensitive in the best way possible, and all the problems of the world become inconsequential. I feel found, seen, and cherished all at once. I stare at Willow’s face and see it when she feels the same response. Her eyes fly open, and her lips part as she sucks in a sharp breath. Her pupils widen, and the faint scent of her arousal hits me.

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