by C. R. Jane
“The ghost watched you both have sex?” Alaric grinned, nodding his head as if that was the most important element of what he’d just learned.
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously. We have a solution. Stop thinking with your cocks.”
I could physically see their postures straighten as they glanced my way. “Okay, then we do this tonight,” Keon said.
“Why not now?” I asked, ready to get this done.
“Because just before lock down of all doors, I can collect Seth without raising the alarms.”
“Okay, so we have a plan,” Alaric said. “You get Seth, and I’ll stay with Selena.”
“Then we meet in the small courtyard,” I added.
“Deal,” Keon said and headed out of my room.
Alaric turned to me, one of his eyebrows arching. “What courtyard?”
The full moon hung heavily pregnant in the night sky. It was almost as if the universe had planned for us to have a ritual tonight, putting on a show with no clouds. Grass crunched under my bare feet as I stepped deeper into the yard. I’d read enough to know magic came from the elements, and tonight, we were conducting some kind of ghost exorcism from me, so bare feet it was. It should be pitch dark out here, but with the moon so large, it cast everything in its silvery glow.
Alaric studied the open yard Laz had shared with me. “Why didn’t I know about this space?”
I shrugged. “Nightmare Penitentiary holds lots of secrets.”
“You sound just like the warden.”
“I do not.” I shivered at the thought, while my stomach churned with how tonight would go.
I glanced up at the moon, whispering under my breath, “Please let this work.”
Alaric suddenly stood behind me, the warmth from his body wrapping over me like a blanket. His arms were belts around my middle, and I leaned back against his hard chest.
“You’ll be all right,” he reassured me, then kissed the top of my head. “You’re not alone in this. Never again alone. I’m never going to let you go from my side ever again.”
My mouth curled upward of its own accord, as the promise of his words was something I’d wanted for so long. Just to have family, someone who loved me back. As mismatched as we were, the small group of family I made in prison meant the world to me.
I kissed his forearm. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”
Just then, a knock came from the door leading back into the building. Alaric marched over and opened it for Keon and Seth to stroll outside, and my heart beamed. But then a fifth person walked out behind them, and I blinked.
“Laz?” I gasped. Was I missing something?
He wore a grin, meeting mine as he kicked the door shut behind him, then locked it with the key sitting in the keyhole. “Apparently, you need my help tonight.” The cockiness of his voice made me half laugh.
“Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Keon barked back.
“What’s going on?” I asked as they all approached me. Four powerful men, towering over me, each carrying such heavy baggage from their past, their history lined with darkness. But I clicked with each of them like their darkness fit mine.
“A ritual to send a ghost back requires energies to be drawn from four different beings,” Seth explained, reaching over, his hand cupping my chin, lifting my head to face him. I couldn’t help but smile looking into his eyes, remembering our bonding last time we were together. “And you are the fifth, Selena. The soul to tie us all together. Once we begin, it will go rather fast. The biggest problem,” he said, staring at everyone around us, “is ensuring the ghost doesn’t latch itself to one of us. So don’t break from the ritual, no matter what you do.”
“Got it,” Alaric responded. “And what exactly are we doing?”
Seth released me and turned to Keon. “Did you bring the salt?”
Keon pulled out two small sacks of salt from his pockets and handed them over to Seth. We all stepped aside as Seth tore one bag open and proceeded to make a large circle on the side of the lawn where the grass was shorter and there were patches of bare earth.
“So, this is something you guys do regularly?” Laz asked, hands deep in his pockets, slouching on one leg.
“Nope,” Alaric answered curtly, and I went over to Laz.
“Did they tell you what we’re doing tonight?” It still surprised me that of all the people, they asked Laz. I didn’t ask to sound ungrateful, but it did play on the back of my mind that Keon must have known there was more going between Laz and I.
“Yeah, I got the lowdown. You’re possessed by a horny ghost who is trying to kill you, and we’re getting rid of it tonight.”
I cut a glare over to Keon, who chuckled.
“Thanks for helping us.” I turned back to Laz. “But in no way is the ghost horny.”
“Didn’t get much of a choice, but for you, I’d help in a heartbeat.” His voice would have definitely reached Alaric and Keon.
I thanked the stars that no one said a word about it. My nerves were jumpy enough without dealing with jealousy.
“We’re ready,” Seth called out.
My throat suddenly went dry, and I wasn’t sure I could get my legs to move. Seth instructed where each guy was to stand around the circle of salt. North, south, east, west, he’d told them, then he glanced over at me, stretching his arm out in my direction.
“Are you ready, beautiful?”
“Yes, I want this over with already.”
Quick steps took me to his side where I accepted his hand, and he walked me to the center of the circle, then he took his spot in front of me at the north position.
“At your feet is the bell,” he explained, and I looked down to find it nestled in a small cluster of grass. “I am going to begin a chant to bind us all together. No matter what, no one is to break the circle. And when I stop chanting and give you a nod, Selena, pick up the bell and ring it.”
“Then what?” I asked.
“Then the ancients from the afterlife will come to collect her back to where she belongs. Like I said, it should go rather quick.”
“I’m ready,” I said, standing tall and keeping my trembling arms by my sides. I didn’t know why I was so nervous. If something bad was going to happen, Seth would have warned us. What was the worst case scenario? It didn’t work and we tried again?
Silence fell upon us, and Seth’s words played through my head over and over about what I had to do. It wasn’t brain surgery, but with how fast my pulse was racing, I wasn’t sure I could count two plus two right then without overthinking it.
Seth started to hum, followed by soft words falling from his lips in a language that sounded like a song. I wished I understood what he said. I found myself swaying on the spot. It wasn’t long before the atmosphere changed from a cool night to a chill that covered my skin in goosebumps. Seth spoke with power, with eloquent persuasion by his authoritative tone alone. I could easily picture him leading his father’s kingdom if he ever cleared his name and got out of here. I intended to do everything in my power to assist him, even if that meant just being there for him. He was a force to be reckoned with. All the men outside with me were.
Electricity suddenly danced in my hair, cracking across my nape. Instantly, a yellow static line flickered outward from Seth, zipping over to Alaric, Laz, and then Keon, before closing up into a perfect circle back with Seth.
I stood in the middle, and no one grimaced or appeared to be in pain, so whatever that line was, the deterrent wasn’t for the living.
At once, Seth fell silent, and over the land came a stillness, a quiet so deafening that it took me a long pause to realize Seth stared at me, then his gaze lowered to the ground.
Right, the bell. Hell! Get it together, Selena.
Hastily, I crouched and picked up the bell, then started to ring it, figuring that was the intention. The jingling seemed to echo around us, sharp and peeling through the night.
I held my breath, waiting, expecting. I never stopped shaking the damn
bell.
But nothing came.
Not a single beep.
Was it too much to believe the chanting alone got rid of the ghost?
I stared at Seth and shrugged. Did I forget to do something? I glanced around, and everyone looked just as confused. I lowered the bell, left with only silence.
“Why isn’t it working?” Alaric asked.
“Maybe you need a bigger bell?” Laz suggested.
“Nah, the chants need to be louder,” Keon added.
But I kept my gaze on Seth, searching his face, his eyes. He never so much as twitched but seemed to mumble something under his breath.
Even after a long pause, nothing.
“Why isn’t she showing?” I whispered.
He slowly shook his head. “It should have worked.”
“Selena, did you tell him the ghost comes out when you are super tired?” Keon said.
“No wonder it’s not working, she’s so tense, I can see the veins in her temple pulsing,” Alaric added.
He could? I couldn’t help but reach up to run my fingers over my temple, not feeling any popping veins.
“It’s just a figure of speech, babe,” he murmured.
“Quiet,” Seth bellowed.
My breathing grew more erratic, and suddenly, I felt like this was a waste of my time.
I sighed, then I noticed Seth had his eyes closed, his voice changing as he began chanting a less beautiful song, but one with rugged, harsh words. His demeanor changed, brow furrowed, shoulders stiff, lips curled back.
A heartbeat later, the ghost jolted out of me so fast, you’d think she touched an electrical wire.
Alaric’s eyes grew wide, and Keon made a gasping sound. They saw her…they finally saw her as well.
She floated, having no legs, her long dress fluttering as she frantically zipped within the circle. Back and forth. Upward. In every direction, she hit the barrier Seth had created.
Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling so safe being in here with her. My feet carried me.
“Don’t be afraid of her,” Laz said from behind me. “You hold the power, not her.”
And just as he said that, she swung toward me, her face contorting to look more like a demon than a woman. Black eyes, skin wrinkly, she hissed at me. “What have you done? You will pay for this.”
“Fuck you,” I threw back.
“Keep ringing the bell,” Seth called out.
I did as he instructed, loud and constant.
She started trembling, shaking harder and harder, like she’d explode any moment now. Before I could even react, she flung herself at me.
She came so fast, I didn’t have time to duck.
Claws slashed at my face, tearing skin across my cheek. I shoved against her, wincing from the stinging pain. But she kept lashing out like a psycho.
The men screamed things I couldn’t make out. So I did everything I could to survive. I dumped the bell and started punching her back. Apparently in this circle, she took corporal form, my hits not sinking through her, but colliding into her face, her chest, her stomach.
I gave everything I had, driving her back. In a whirlwind, she spun on the spot so violently, it took me off guard. And when she charged at me that way, she collided into my chest so hard, I was thrown off my feet and collided into the wall, right next to Alaric.
He roared with fury, his face red, but my ears were ringing, my heartbeat too loud.
And she was coming for me again.
I scrambled to my feet and ducked her swinging clawed hand that time, but she turned on me too fast for me to escape.
Nails raked down my back. I screamed and hit the ground. But I’d never give up and rolled onto my back and kicked her right in the knees, giving me a moment’s pause to scramble to my feet to see Alaric trembling with anger. Laz bellowed, and Keon was half transformed into his demon form. Fuck, he was going to lose it.
Seth snarled words that made no sense, when his gaze fell onto Keon, fear blanching his face.
I rushed to Seth. “You need to stop this now. Stop before Keon changes.” I banged on the invisible wall just as a locomotive slammed into my back. I cried out and crumbled to the ground.
Seconds was all it took.
The invisible wall disintegrated and the men’s voices were suddenly suffocating me. They ran toward me, helping me up. Seth was at Keon’s side, placing a palm to his brow to calm his beast.
But no matter how much I hurt, how much I cried with agony, I shoved to stand up, pushing past Alaric and Laz to see the ghost back in her transparent form.
She ran for the door.
“Stop her,” I called out, everyone turned in the direction I pointed, as she glanced back over her shoulder at us, smiling, glowing eyes and razor-sharp teeth exposed.
“You’ll pay for this,” she screeched and threw herself right through the door, vanishing inside the penitentiary.
I madly rushed after her, Laz and Alaric behind me. I caught the ends of her dress as she turned a corner.
Desperately, we chased her. Coming around the corner, she was nowhere in sight. At least a dozen beefy men stood in our way, laughing, barking, talking. Hard to tell, but I saw no sign of her. Alaric grabbed my arm and wrenched me backward, Laz stepping in front of us as one of the inmates looked our way. Laz greeted them, apologizing for interrupting them, while Alaric dragged me back outside.
“Stop, what are you doing? She’s gotten away. God, maybe she entered one of those prisoners.”
Laz joined us seconds later, then shut the door. “Fuck, that was close.”
“Why did we stop? Seth said we’re sending her back. I don’t want her loose in the prison.”
“Listen, babe,” Alaric said, grasping my shoulders, forcing me to face him. “There are some really bad people in this place. Some that don’t even come out until after dark. Even the guards are scared of them. And those are the scariest sonsofbitches you’ll ever meet. Fuck the ghost. We got it out of you, that’s what matters to me.”
My stomach twisted on itself. “Who the hell are those men?” They looked like ordinary prisoners to me.
Keon and Seth approached us as well, and I looked up at Keon, who smiled and looked like his normal self. Then he said, “Alaric is right. They are a cult, a pack of shifters and deathly loyal to Perseus. He’s a rare shifter who transforms into four animals, each predatory, and one is the kraken. When it comes out, blood runs down the prison walls for days. If the ghost took one of them as her next host, let them have her. This is no longer our business.”
“You’re free,” Seth said, taking my hand and pulling me toward him. “This is a win, and we need to celebrate. A spirit like her can only spend seconds in this realm without a connection with a host. She’s not coming back to haunt you, that’s impossible.”
Then why didn’t I feel safe?
Everyone around me hugged and kissed me, while my heart refused to slow down. Was it really a win?
The ghost was out of me. She might have gone to haunt some other sucker, but she was still in the prison with us. And her words refused to leave my head.
You’ll pay for this.
Chapter 14
It was strange how light I felt after getting rid of the spirit. I hadn’t quite realized just how much it had been pulling me down. Without it sucking on my soul, I saw the world in different colors. Things felt more settled, more positive. It no longer felt like I was living in a world of absolutes where I’d never get my power back, where I’d never be able to trust the four…yes, four men that I was falling in love with.
I sat down in the cafeteria, Laz falling closely behind. He squeezed my knee as we settled in. I hungrily picked up the sandwich from my tray and started to dig in.
“Good to see a smile on your face again, sweetheart,” he murmured, and I blushed at the way he was looking at me.
Maybe it was possible for me to be happy. Maybe these four men were the universe’s penance for all the shit it had dragged me through.
/> I really needed to find some wood to knock on after thinking something good like that.
Laz kept me laughing and smiling throughout lunch. He had a dry sense of humor that always kept me guessing, and I found myself laughing more than I had in maybe forever throughout the meal.
I was smiling the entire walk back to my cell, and it took me a second to realize that my cell door shouldn’t have been wide open. I’d definitely closed it before leaving this morning. I hurried inside, freaking out about the crystal. I couldn’t carry it around with me, just in case one of the resident pickpockets targeted me, so I’d hidden it behind a loose stone I’d found in the wall under my cot.
Crouching down and reaching for the rock that held my hiding place, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the crystal was still there. I didn’t have anything else in my cell of value to worry about besides this. But this was a very big thing to worry about.
I squinted my eyes when it seemed that the crystal was glowing more than usual. I reached out and grabbed it. As soon as the smooth stone touched my skin, everything around me went black.
I found myself in a beautiful room, the walls made up of glimmering marble, and the floors were an obsidian black. A man wearing a frosted crown stood in front of me, and he looked vaguely familiar. I realized why he looked so familiar when Seth strolled in. A healthy, vibrant looking Seth who took my breath away. He had a shine to him like sunlight was following him with every step he took. I noticed he had what looked like a golden wand attached to a belt around his waist.
“Father,” he said respectfully, bowing his head slightly. The king smiled and touched two fingers to his son’s cheek. “My son.”
The scene changed just then. The king was standing at a window, a pensive look on his face. I watched as a fae with long ebony hair and face that held some of the same features as the king and Seth approached him from behind. The king didn’t make a move to show that he’d heard him. The fae held up what looked like Seth’s golden wand above his head. The king finally heard him and had just turned his head when the fae’s hands came down, stabbing the king right in his chest.
