Page 77 of Ghostly Touches

“Why? Why help me cover this up?”

“You mean, besides the fact that you saved me, and I owe you big time?” he asks incredulously. At my nod, he sighs. “Because these guys don’t deserve to exact so-called ‘justice’ on anyone. We all grew up with stories of Ghosts. They’re supposed to begood, but these guys are twisted. Theo will do anything to cover his tracks. Why would he do that if he hasn’t done something wrong?”

Theo’s words from earlier come back to me. Frowning, I turn to face Jonah and prop my head up in my hand.

“He told me that Viktor’s unstable.”

Jonah rolls his eyes. “He’s more than that. While I was with them for the past week, he lashed out at me physically, but he would snap verbally at Theo and Kwil, too. He talks to himself, trips over his feet, and gets angry at everyone else for it. That man is batshit crazy.”

“Apparently, he’s losing his sight.”

“So, he’s allowed to be mad at the world for that?” Jonah counters before shaking his head. “And let’s not forget Kwil. He’s not Fae… at least not anymore. The sounds he makes, the way he shakes… He’s a monster under that hood. He’s quieter, but I think he’s more dangerous than the other two combined. And if he isn’t fully Fae, if he has instincts like a monster, and it goes far beyond just looking like one, it’s just a matter of time before he does something horrible.Ifhe hasn’t already. And Theo… How far will he go to keep those two out of harm’s way?”

Far. As far as he can and then some. I know it deep in my heart as I think about the leader of the Ghosts.

“Where are they now?” I ask.

“Viktor was supposed to be resting in here with me while the other two kept an eye out for trouble. He heard something and took off just a little bit ago. I’d managed to get out of the binds they kept me in by the time you came knocking.”

I scowl.

“I won’t let them keep tying you up.” I make the promise to him and me. “Theo says we’re a team now. If we want to survive being caught by monsters, Ghosts, and demons, then we have to work together. And if we want to survive these three, we may have to work with them until we can find a way out of this situation.”

Jonah’s face twists up in disgust. “Fine, but only until they get their souls back.”

I agree with a nod.

Jonah lets go of my hand only to caress my cheek. The contact is so pleasant that I can feel it removing the lingering unease that came with being summoned by the magic book.

His eyes warm as they search my face. “Just you and me. I can’t wait.”

I can feel one of my brows raise. “’You and me?’ You’re going to stick around when you get your soul back?”

“Who else is going to protect you when monsters come looking for your blood?” Jonah asks with concern.

I highly doubt that, when the time comes, Jonah is going to want to stick around. With freedom at his fingertips, he’ll realize soon enough that the life of a pretend necromancer means long days on the road and no roots to ground you.

“I suppose having a guard puppy around would be nice.”

Jonah’s laughter shakes the bed. “This puppy will stick by your side for as long as you’re okay with it.”

I roll my eyes. “You say that now, but just imagine a month or two down the road and we keep stopping every time I see an opportunity to eat cobbler? Or when I start up conversations with spirits in the middle of a grocery store. It’s going to drive you crazy.”

Jonah throws his head back and laughs.

“I think I can handle that.” He shakes his head as his laughter subsides. “There is always a weirdo in a relationship. In our case, it can be you.”

Giggling, I reach over and touch his horns.

“I’m the weirdo? Says the one with the horns and tail.”

He rolls closer to me, closing the small gap between us. Without warning, he presses his lips to mine. All my fear and anger at our situation recedes as peace and warmth blaze a path straight to my heart. I protest with a sharp moan when Jonah pulls away.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep. We’ll need to be on high alert around the others.”

* * *

It feelslike I just shut my eyes when the door to the motel room opens and Viktor steps in, covered in blood. I sit up quickly. Beside me, Jonah groans in protest and rolls over. Viktor stops when he sees me.

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