Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

by Alexie Aaron

  “I know of a pirate named George Wall. His wife, also a pirate, was named Rachel. She was hung, not knowing that George was still alive. She sent her daughter Rebecca to live with relatives. Rebecca traveled with part of the treasure. I worked alongside the living in a group named the Paranormal Exposure Entity Partners or PEEPs. PEEPs investigated the kidnapping of a ghost, who is a distant relative of George, with hopes of finding his larger treasure, which was reportedly given to Olympe de Gouges for safekeeping. She sent it to her cousin. A few of the outer ring of PEEPs decided to look for this treasure and got into trouble on Lucifer’s Lip. Mia, her husband, and myself came to the rescue.”

  Harley got up and demanded a fresh pot of coffee from the cook. He walked back. “So, George Wall’s treasure is still out there?” Harley asked.

  “Maybe, but not on Lucifer’s Lip. That was a dead end.”

  “And almost the death of all of you.”

  “Coffee!” the cook yelled.

  Harley poured two cups and gave one to Stephen. “Drink up. You’re going to have to repeat this to Captain Waite, and I want your brain clear.”

  ~

  Ted and Mason had just finished checking the satellite link when Mia came out of the bedroom wearing a long PEEPs zip hoodie that grazed the tops of her knees.

  “Honey, you can’t go out without pants,” Ted said.

  “I’m going swimming. I’m just wearing this over my bathing suit.”

  Mason got up and came back with a pair of clean boxers. “Pull these on. The dirty old men in the hotel will think you’re naked under that.”

  “Huh,” Mia said, walking over to the mirror. “Good catch. I never had this problem at Big Bear Lake.”

  “That’s because we walked from the car to the beach. We didn’t have to go through the lobby, down the stairs, and over to the club,” Ted said. “I didn’t know you were up for a swim?”

  “This hotel is draining me. There’s screams in the corridors, the dead wanting to hitch a ride on my psyche, and the horrible thing that slithers down the hall… I thought maybe I should get some fresh air.”

  “Maybe when the boat arrives, we should offer our room to someone else,” Ted said.

  “I’m sorry that you have a handicapped wife,” Mia said, opening the hoodie so she could pull up the boxers.

  Mason took one look at Ted’s handicapped wife in her two-piece bathing suit and left the room.

  Mia turned around and asked, “Where’d he go?”

  “I expect…” Ted stopped when he heard the shower, “he’s taking a cold shower. Mia, you look so beautiful. Make sure you bring the sunscreen. You don’t have much material to protect you.”

  Mia zipped the hoodie and walked over. “Thank you, Teddy Bear. Are you sure you don’t want to come swimming?”

  “I think I’m going to catch up on some sleep. You were tossing and turning all night.”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’m the one that insisted on this historic hotel. We should have stayed in a newer establishment.”

  “Live and learn,” Mia said, picking up her tote bag. “Later, gator.”

  Mason walked out of his room. He had put on a swimsuit and his lucky t-shirt. “I’m going with her.”

  “Why?”

  “Because someone has to protect her.”

  “Mia can handle herself.”

  “If she’s by herself, she is going to get bothered all the time. If she has someone with her, then only the biggest assholes will try something. And this Orish won’t let them get near her.”

  “Maybe I should go?” Ted asked himself.

  “Nah, I’ve got this. And Kevin already left to see if he can clear out a few ghosties, so she will be able to leave the building safely.”

  “Sometimes I forget just how hard it is for her. She hides too much from me.”

  “It’s the nurturer in her. Also, I suspect she’s used to Murphy being around to have her back.”

  “I’m not much of a substitute, am I?” Ted worried.

  “You’re not supposed to be. You’re the man who supports her, waits for her, and understands her when the rest of us are scratching our heads. You give her extreme joy. I don’t know anyone in our acquaintance who is up to the task of being her husband, the father of her children, and has the humor to understand why we all would love to try.”

  “She’s not fond of that kind of attention,” Ted warned.

  “Don’t I know it. Right now, she’s missing – not emotionally missing, she’s made that clear - her fellow knight. Maybe Kevin and Fergus together can help, but they aren’t Murphy. Your brain has produced some amazing things to help her, but they are toys when it comes to the big boys down and upstairs. Murphy connected with Mother Nature, and the power is fucking him up. He needs Mia to balance him. They are two sides of one amazing coin. Each striking, but without the other, it’s not worth much.”

  “What do we do?”

  “I think maybe you should talk her into asking Nicholai to stick around, or Altair. She’s going to refuse, thinking that you’ll be bothered by them.”

  “Maybe. But not in the way you think. I’m not insecure that they are going to whisk her away. I’m afraid that they are going to end me if I fuck up.”

  “Must be what a dude worries about when he’s married into the mob,” Mason said.

  “I appreciate your frank words,” Ted said.

  “I appreciate you letting me hang around. Now I must be off to mess up the line of suitors. I mean, how can she even see them when all of this is in front of her?”

  Ted threw a towel at him.

  “Thanks, I’m going to need this,” Mason said and walked out the door.

  Ted walked to the window. He looked down and watched as Mia scurried to the steps. “Mia, am I enough?” he asked.

  She turned as if she could hear him. Mia looked up and waved at him.

  Ted waved back.

  She stopped and looked at something underneath him. Ted saw Mason run across the road to catch up to her. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. She refused to hold his arm, so Mason grabbed her hand. She tugged a few times and then resigned herself that he wasn’t letting go. The two started down the steps. Ted walked back and started to hack into the hotel’s security cameras.

  ~

  Captain Waite listened to the farmer about the Wall treasure and, when he was through, thought a moment. “How can we profit from this information?”

  “Would you want to know where your treasure ended up?” Harley asked.

  “Or that you had a daughter?” Stephen added.

  “Before we go any further… Harley, look and see if the GSD will get us down the St. Lawrence. If not, how much time will we have to do it the old fashioned way?”

  “Are you thinking about going after the treasure yourself?” Harley asked.

  Captain Waite smiled. “It may be nothing. It may be everything. But it would give us excellent bargaining power with the Peacock. Stephen, stay a moment. Harley, report back to me as soon as you figure this out.”

  Waite drummed his fingers on the desk. He looked over at Stephen and asked, “What am I going to do with you?”

  “I’m a hard worker.”

  “No better man.”

  “Then why is there a problem?” Stephen asked.

  “You don’t belong here. It must be the energy you connected with at Lucifer’s Lip, but land ghosts don’t normally thrive here. Look at yourself. You may have muscled up from the hard work, but you’re aging. We don’t age here.”

  Stephen raised his hands. They looked normal to him.

  “Go and look in the mirror and tell me, what do you see?”

  Stephen got up and did just that. His face had weathered because of the salt spray, and his temples were full-on gray. His beard, that he had let grow, was mostly gray.

  “How old were you when you died?”

  “Thirty-five maybe, we didn’t really pay much attention back then
. Farming is hard work. I’ve always looked forty.”

  “I’m looking at a man passing through the prime of his life, Stephen. And you’ve only been with us such a short time. You’re too thin. I’m going to put you ashore when we reach the continent. It may not be too late.”

  “What if I don’t want to go home?”

  “Then don’t go. But I’m not going to have you waste away aboard the ship. It’s bad for morale. Plus, I think you’re vulnerable here. There are dark forces angry with you. I’ve smelt the fragrance of an old one on these decks.”

  “Old one?”

  “Demons smell of sulfur. The fallen smell of Frankincense. This smell was cloaked, but it did still leave Frankincense behind.”

  “When did you smell it?”

  “Just after I pulled the demon blade out of Crocker’s body. The very same blade the woman named Cooper handed over to me when she arrived to bring you home.”

  “Do you think she killed Crocker?”

  “No. Harley said she was in hospital on St. Kitts at the time. Someone who was very angry left him as a warning.”

  “What’s the warning?” Stephen asked.

  “You’re next.”

  “Me?”

  “I think so. Crocker paid for his dalliance with Mia with his life.”

  “He could have died for his hunting of the birdmen,” Stephen argued.

  “Then he would have been dead years ago. Prepare yourself. Shave clean. Because when you cross over, your state of dress and hygiene will stay with you until the light comes for you.”

  “So, you’re kicking me off the Devil’s Pride because you’re scared?”

  “If I were scared, I would toss you in the sea now. This is a kindness I am doing because you’ve been a good sailor. Go home, and take your problems with you.”

  ~

  Lazar was sweeping the front porch when he heard the flapping of wings. He assumed it was Mia or Nicholai. He looked out and was surprised by the jet-black stallion now grazing on the hillside. He saw a man of military bearing walking towards the farmhouse. Lazar moved quickly down the stairs.

  “May I help you, sir?”

  Abigor looked at the one-legged young man and admired his confidence on the metal that replaced his leg. “I’m looking for Mia Martin.”

  “She’s on a PEEPs investigation. May I have your name, and I’ll tell her you called?”

  “Abigor, the Grand Duke of Hell.”

  Lazar tried not to show fear. He had heard enough about this entity to understand he was dealing with something very powerful.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize your banner.”

  “What banner?”

  “Exactly, it seems when a general comes a calling he brings his army with him.”

  “You’ve seen battle.”

  “A coward’s battle. No banner announcing their attack. No blaring of trumpets. Nothing but a well-placed bomb.”

  “I do agree with you. I’m not here to do battle with Mia. I’m inquiring about her health.”

  “She was cleared by her doctors.”

  “Doctors plural… interesting,” Abigor said. “May I speak to Stephen Murphy?”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know where he is. He didn’t return with the Martins.”

  “So I heard.”

  “May I fetch you a beverage?” Lazar asked.

  Abigor looked at him oddly. “Now, you’re being hospitable, why?”

  “It occurred to me that you’re a friend of Mia’s, and I was not being very welcoming.”

  “No, you were being cautions. I would accept a cool drink.”

  “Do you drink beer?” Lazar asked.

  Abigor laughed. “I drink beer. In a glass, please.”

  “Coming up. Would you like to come in or sit on the porch? It’s such a nice day.”

  “I agree. The porch will be fine.”

  Lazar and Abigor sat drinking beer and talking about battles. While the young man related his stories, Abigor walked his mind house and gathered information. He could see that Mia had tried to repair the mud walls of the soldier’s mind abode. He sensed an old enemy had also been there too. Raphael…

  “We are handicapped by politics,” Lazar complained.

  “Even I’m handicapped by politics,” Abigor agreed. “Forgive me, I was just walking in your mind house - it’s a bad habit amongst we mind readers. Tell me, why would you let Raphael in? Are you a believer?”

  “I am now. I don’t worship him, but I have seen his power. He saved Mia. She had this tumor growing…”

  “She told me. I thought it was a lie.”

  “No. Although, she didn’t like how he plucked us out of the woods. He used parts of me to fix her. I didn’t mind. She’s a good person.”

  “You donated the crone genes. I thought it was a woman…”

  “No, me. Mia was afraid they were going to put demon genes back into her. She feared that she would revert and become an assassin. I was at hand, so Raphael used me.”

  Abigor nodded.

  “Why all the questions when you could just read my mind?” Lazar asked.

  “It’s your perspective that is important. Do you believe Mia is capable of killing a ship of demons?”

  “Capable meaning, is she strong enough?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Without a legion behind her, no. But emotionally, maybe. Why would you think that Mia would attack a ship of demons? She maintains that there is honor in the demon class.”

  “But it was working for the Cynosura.”

  “What does a star have to do with Mia?”

  “Ask her when you next see her. Thank you for the beer and conversation.”

  “It’s good to put a face to a name. You see, Mia thinks that you’re an honorable entity,” Lazar said. “But I disagree. An honorable man would not hit a woman.”

  “Do they know you’re a mind reader?” Abigor asked him.

  “No one ever asked,” Lazar said honestly.

  Abigor looked at Lazar and memorized him. If they ran into each other in battle, Abigor would not underestimate him.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Mia enjoyed the heat of the sun as she lay on the poolside lounge chair. She and Mason has spent a long time in the pool, swimming, roughhousing, and floating on their backs looking up at the sky.

  “Mia, why, when you’re swimming on your stomach, do you have your eyes closed?” Mason asked, toweling off.

  “I don’t like looking at the bottom of the pool. That’s where the drowned stay.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, if I don’t look at them, I can’t make eye contact. If they don’t know I can see them, they will leave me alone.”

  “Are there ghosts around the pool?” Mason asked.

  “Just Kevin. He’s sitting at the edge with his feet in the water, drinking out of his flask, and ogling the redhead with the tiny little top.”

  “Speaking of tiny little tops, whatever happened to the swimsuit you wore in the ice queen poster?”

  “Ask Mike, I don’t remember. I think the suits came from left behinds at his place.”

  “Gross.”

  “Did I look gross?” Mia asked, interested.

  “No, but thinking of Mike with women capable of wearing what you were wearing…”

  “He’s a good looking, charming guy. I’m sure he has lots of dates. He just has a problem with commitment.”

  “He’s waiting for you.”

  “It’s not going to happen,” Mia said. “That’s so old news. Tell me new gossip.”

  “Sabine has her eye on Cid.”

  “Interesting. I heard she was asked out by Tom Braverman. And we know she likes your brother.”

  “Have you ever played the game Kill, Marry, Make Love To?”

  “No, explain.”

  “You pick three women, and I’ll tell you who I would kill, marry, or make love to.”

  “K. Ordinary people or movie stars?”

  �
�It could even be fictional characters.”

  “K. Um. Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, and Emma Watson.”

  “Emmas… I would make love to Emma Stone, marry Emma Watson, and - only because this is a game, and I really do think she’s hot - I would kill Emma Roberts. Now it’s your turn.”

  “I sense a setup,” Mia said, closing her eyes.

  “Mike, Burt, and Patrick.”

  “Ouch. K. Make love to Burt, marry Mike, and kill Patrick.”

  “Not how I thought that was going to go. Burt, really?”

  Mia sat up and looked around before speaking, “Burt, really. Previous to being Mrs. Martin,” Mia qualified, “Burt was the best lover I had ever had. Why take a chance on someone else?”

  “Burt?”

  “Mason, if you don’t believe me, ask Audrey. We’ve compared notes, and whoa, the man knows how to…”

  “My world is shattered.”

  “My turn. Me, Audrey, and Sabine.”

  Mason flopped back. “Now you’re being mean.”

  “No, tell me.”

  “Listen all the way through. Make love to Sabine, marry Audrey, and kill you because Murphy would bring you back.”

  “Clever,” Mia said. “Does Sabine know you feel that way?”

  “This is a game and bound by secrecy.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Your turn.”

  “We can stop now.”

  “I get another turn. Subject: villains.”

  “Please no.”

  “Abigor, Roumain, and Angelo.”

  “Gee, two of them wouldn’t like being thought of as villains.”

  “They are to Murphy.”

  “Figures. Marry Abigor because he’s rich and he has 108 concubines which would give me all but four days off in the concubine rotation.”

  “Reasonable,” Mason commented. He turned to his side to watch Mia’s face.

  “I would make love to…

  “Me,” Roumain said, stopping time.

  Mia looked up at him. “It’s just a game. Don’t hurt the kid.”

  “Abigor’s been at your house. He’ll be here soon.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s been tasked by Lucifer to act on Leviathan’s behalf.”