Hosts to Ghosts Box Set

by Lynne Connolly

  He halted when another wave of emotion hit him. Lust, pure, unadulterated lust. He halted and lifted his head as though sniffing the air. It enveloped Karey’s panic, calmed her and turned her another way. The lust possessed her but didn’t come from her. It came from Thomas Sharman.

  Thomas was here, with his wife Susannah and so were smaller, more ethereal entities. Now Jordan felt fear. He didn’t know how to handle this. He’d begun to see himself as invulnerable. Now he knew better.

  He set off again, taking the stairs two at a time, and when he’d reached the bottom and turned around, he saw the two figures by the double doors leading to the old East Wing.

  “Karey!”

  She didn’t turn her head, and Jordan stretched his senses out again, closing his eyes so his senses could take control. Images surrounded her, none of them of her making. A glowing red and a pulsating pale green, as though they were fighting for control of her.

  “Where did you come from?”

  Jordan opened his eyes to see Bernard Foret regarding him narrowly. He forced himself to relax and allowed bewilderment to enter his expression. “From my room, where else?”

  “I thought you went out.”

  “I came back.” Jordan took a step forward. “Did you enjoy your evening?” It was an effort to force polite enquiry into his tones, but he realized he had the advantage that way. Foret didn’t suspect his true nature, at least not yet.

  Foret glared. “We planned to take a walk.”

  Jordan forced himself to relax, allowing his shoulders to ease, remembering how he used to spend most of his days hunched up, hating his height. Now he didn’t care. “At this time of night?” He transferred his attention to Karey. “Wanna come to bed, honey?”

  “Hey!”

  He ignored Foret’s angry shout until he was good and ready, then slowly allowed his gaze to sweep over the man, positively bristling before him. “Who’s the husband here?”

  “She doesn’t want you anymore.”

  “Sure about that?” He smiled at his wife. “How about it, baby?” He let the comment hang in the air. Although Foret took a step toward him, Jordan turned and looked back at Karey.

  Something was seriously wrong here. Karey’s green eyes gazed at him unseeingly. Karey wasn’t at home. Gently, he put out his senses and probed her mind, only to recoil in shock.

  Something—someone had coiled herself around Karey. An essence, a taking. Susannah. And around that was something—someone else. Somewhere inside Karey sat, terrified and still, but fighting with everything she had. He could sense her but he couldn’t reach her, not this time, because someone else was controlling her trance.

  A sudden movement made him whip his head whipped around to see Foret, hands raised in a gesture of power. He didn’t know this one but he saw the power curling between the outstretched hands, sparkling in the air. “Don’t push me,” Foret said, through gritted teeth.

  “You did this to her?”

  “Did what?”

  “Don’t play games.” He considered the situation and decided to use his human nature. The less people who knew about his new status the better. “I owned Hosts to Ghosts, and I saw some pretty weird shit in my time. I learned some, too.” He lifted his hand and pushed away the power. It was easy, so easy the old Jordan would have wept in frustration.

  Foret’s eyes widened and he stared at Jordan. “Remind me to teach you how it’s done,” he said, knowing Foret had no chance of learning the technique. It was as easy to him as breathing, but impossible for a non-Talent. “Karey.”

  She heard him. He felt the jolt as she tried to respond to him, but those entities prevented it, tightening their grip. He saw her sultry smile and she slinked toward him. This wasn’t Karey, he reminded himself, but his groin tightened with need. Even so, it was her body, the only body he really wanted, really needed. She sensed him. Not Karey, but that other woman. The silent entity, the one on the outside, withdrew, but he felt the red lust emanating from him into the body of his wife.

  Karey reached him and put her hand on his chest, right over his left nipple. It tightened involuntarily at her touch, and he longed to do the same for her. She gazed up at him.

  “Leave her to me, Arcenaux. She’s dangerous.”

  He guessed that flashy demonstration of power earlier was meant to awe him. It had merely made him mad. “She’s not dangerous to me, Foret.”

  “Why not?” Foret snapped the question out, and Jordan realized he was letting too much slip.

  “She’s my wife. I know her.”

  “There are two people in that body. You’ve heard of possession? Have you ever seen it? Susannah Sharman is in there, too, and she won’t let go. I tried to tell you, but you would interfere. I was allowing Susannah to take me to her room. I would have tried to free Karey then.”

  He was lying. Jordan lifted his head to look at Foret. Jordan didn’t know why, but he saw the ring of untruth zing around Foret’s aura, which, for some reason, was green. He usually tuned them out, finding them an irritant, but occasionally they could be useful. “I don’t believe you.”

  “If you’re so almighty knowing,” Foret sneered, “you should be able to see if I’m telling the truth. Does this look like your wife? Did she ever do that to you?”

  Karey had curled her hand up around his neck, and was tugging, trying to pull him down to kiss her all too tempting mouth, slightly parted for him. “Yes,” he said flatly, and gave in to her demands.

  In front of Foret he kissed her, took her as he had dreamed of for months, as he’d sworn to himself he never would again. He showed her how much he wanted her in his kiss, delved into her mouth, caressed her and held her close. But he couldn’t reach Karey. The stranger responded, clutching at him with eager hands, molding her body to his in a parody of desire. He tore his mouth away and looked over her head at Foret. “I’ll take her upstairs now. Don’t try anything.”

  Jordan bent and lifted Karey into his arms, never taking his gaze from his rival’s. Foret’s full mouth curled in a sneer. “Call me when you need me. You won’t get Susannah out of Karey’s head without my help.” Turning his back, he strode away into the office.

  Jordan carried Karey upstairs, his mind on Foret’s last remark. He didn’t bother with the key, opening the door to his room with a touch on the knob. He heard the lock turn while he was laying his wife on the bed.

  When he drew back, she reached for him, her lips pursing into a parody of a kiss. He stood up and deliberately took a step back, shaking his head. “I want Karey,” he said.

  “No, you want both of us.” The accent wasn’t Karey’s clipped tones but the languorous tones of the Southern belle. Even the voice sounded pampered. From Susannah’s history, he knew she’d never wanted for anything material, spoiled by her parents and her husband, who, guilty at his frequent affairs, showered her with gifts. The Blue Star had merely been the last of many, and the most significant. “Come here. We’ll show you the best time you ever had.”

  Husky, deeply seductive, Jordan was tempted, but only for a moment. This was part of the magic. The sex would bind them in some way, he knew it. Some vampires practiced sexual magic, and perhaps this was part of it all. If only Didiane hadn’t kept him so carefully isolated he’d know more, cope better.

  After half an hour Jordan admitted he was worse than a novice, if that was possible. Nothing he’d tried had separated Susannah from Karey’s body. Nothing. She lay on the bed gazing up at him with Karey’s eyes and Susannah’s soul, smiling her invitation to sin. He was terrified, worse than he’d ever been in his life and he could feel Karey beating at her prison, trying to get to him, as terrified as him, but her indomitable spirit wouldn’t let her give in. She fought still harder.

  He reached in the pocket of his discarded leather jacket for his cell and found the small square of pasteboard he hadn’t yet bothered to throw away. He consulted it once and punched in a number, trying not to breathe out too hard in relief when she answered. />
  “Sarah? I need your help. Someone’s worked magic on Karey, and I can’t get through to her.” He was so distressed he forgot to identify himself, but she seemed to know anyway.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Jordan.” She sounded concerned. At least she hadn’t blown him off, as she had every right to do at this hour of the night. “Tell me what the trouble is.”

  “There are two of them inside her. Susannah Sharman, and Karey, and Karey is locked inside. She can’t get out, though I can feel her trying. It’s happened before, but that time Susannah did it on her own. This time she’s stronger, and someone else has helped her, strengthened her will. Do you think I’m mad?”

  “Far from it, mon cher. I’ve come across this before. The caplata has done this to her. Do you know who this person is?”

  “It has to be Bernard Foret. Do you know him?”

  She paused, then said, “Yes. I remember him. He must be a caplata of some power.”

  “Should I fetch him and make him undo what he has done?”

  “No!” The answer was instant and vehement. “He will most likely do something worse. You have no experience with his ways and you cannot tell what he is doing. He may lock Karey inside herself forever and nobody can undo that. You have powers that can overcome his spells. It is better if we try those rather than turning to vodun. Do you know what those powers are?”

  “If I knew that I wouldn’t be calling you,” he snapped. “I’ve tried everything I can think of.”

  “Not quite. You are very powerful, but still newly made. It takes time to come into your full strength.” Her voice turned soft and intimate. “Have you tried making love to her?”

  He shuddered. “We’re separated, Sarah. Nearly divorced.”

  “This is no time for human values. You are no longer the person you were, Jordan. You must learn to think like a vampire.”

  “I thought I was.”

  “You’re doing very well,” she said soothingly.

  A sudden thought blinded him. “Sarah, are you a vampire?”

  “Yes.” Her answer came simply

  Jordan gripped the phone harder. “Thank God!”

  “Maybe,” she said calmly. “I know what it is to have killed the person who made you. I know what the bloodlust feels like, and I’ve remained a mambo, although I could have even more power if I turned caplata. Jordan, do you still love Karey?”

  He glanced at the woman on the bed, watching him with her bottom lip caught between her teeth in a seductive pose that did much for his groin but little for his self-control.

  “Yes, I still love her.” Had Karey heard him? God, he hoped not. He was still determined to walk away at the end of this, but only after he’d ensured Karey’s safety.

  “Good. Then love her. But use all your senses, not just the sixth sense. You won’t get through to her with that. If you love Karey, you will know when she is speaking to you, so concentrate on that, and ignore the other. This should drive Susannah away, but it will prove an ordeal for you. If you fail, call me again and I will come but my cures are more drastic.” She paused and Jordan waited, holding his breath. “We may have to consider conversion. That will drive the spirit out for sure.”

  He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll do it if you think it is the only way.”

  “It will mean your death.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Very well.” Another pause. “Don’t do this thing alone. If you choose this way, call me and I’ll mentor her until she can cope for herself. Now you know what I am, contact me telepathically. Reach out. I’ll come.”

  “I will.”

  After wishing him luck, Sarah cut the connection.

  Jordan stood and gazed at the woman on the bed, steeling himself for what he had to do. Maybe he should perform the conversion now. His life meant little to him any more, since he’d lost everything he cared for. Sacrificing his life wouldn’t prove difficult, especially for the woman he loved.

  But if he did it, Karey would suffer the kind of guilt she’d never forget, marring her life the same way as his. He’d pass on guilt. Even worse now he knew Gillespie wasn’t a renegade, and he was saving nobody from nothing. Merely fitting in with the devious plans of a selfish bitch.

  Karey/Susannah gazed at him, her hair tumbled across the pillows, her eyes half closed in a sybaritic invitation to sin. Her lips parted a little and her tongue swept across her lower lip, too calculated for his wife, too blatant.

  He began his campaign. “I want Karey.”

  “She’s here,” the Southern belle drawled. “Tucked away at the back of our mind. I’ve never felt like this before, y’know. I used to think about what I should do, not what I wanted to do. Now I don’t have to think that way. Thomas is here, too. He wants me, but I won’t let him in.”

  Jordan extended his senses, but couldn’t sense the malevolent presence of Thomas Sharman. What do you mean? He’s not here.”

  “Your lady is a perfect vessel. He entered her earlier and sent her this wonderful feeling.” She stretched languorously, curving her legs, opening them and sliding one foot up the covers so it touched her thigh. “I don’t know what to call it.”

  For a moment she sounded like Karey. Jordan concentrated on that. He recalled Sarah’s advice. He must ignore this stranger. He had to find the woman he loved and make love to her, not to the other.

  “Karey love, you’ve been invaded and used. I want you back.”

  She pouted. Not a Karey expression. “You don’t want me?”

  He didn’t deign to answer, but moved to the bed, his hands on his heavy, studded belt. “I’d better get rid of this. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Her eyes lit up. Still not Karey.

  He let the belt drop to the floor and gave her the words that had made her giggle, something else Karey rarely did, but he had made her do it in the past. “Scoot over.”

  His heart swelled in recognition, and he undid the first button on his burgundy shirt in reward, letting it fall open to the middle of his chest. When he saw her lascivious leer he knew Susannah had returned. He felt like buttoning the garment right up to his neck. He resisted the temptation and slid on the bed next to her, turning to take her in his arms.

  She was exactly what he’d missed for the last six months. Karey, warm, loving and his. But he had work to do. He couldn’t relax, not for a moment, not if he was to get Karey back. He needed to watch every nuance, every movement.

  She curved toward him and he drew her close. “Karey, you know I want you. If you want me, you have to come out to play.”

  He felt cruel, but he had no alternative, if he wanted to get Karey back. Otherwise, Susannah would get what she wanted. He couldn’t trust Foret not to lock the two women closer together, so the only way would be to persuade Susannah to allow Karey through. A battle of wits with sex as the weapon.

  Susannah curved into him, rubbing against his burgeoning erection. “Won’t I do?”

  He withdrew. “Karey, are you there?”

  “Yes.” That wasn’t Karey, but he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, before drawing back to gaze into her eyes. He saw his wife, vulnerably gazing back, so he bent for a deeper embrace.

  With his eyes closed, he spread out with his other senses, smelled her, tasted her. Her mouth opened for him and he accepted the invitation, slowly entering her with his tongue, savoring every moment. So long, so fucking long.

  When Susannah returned he tasted her first, then felt her tongue curl around his. Susannah had a different scent, too, sharper, not as spicy as Karey. He peremptorily broke the kiss. When she opened her eyes, he saw no one he knew in the green depths. He pulled away.

  “Come back! What did I do wrong?” Her wail wasn’t Karey.

  Propping himself up on one elbow he talked to her instead. “We should have taken more time with each other, Karey love. Do you remember the first night we made love?”

  Bewilderment blinked at him. Jordan watched, fascinated, as Susannah allo
wed Karey through again. Another small victory. He drew her closer and enjoyed her smile. “Of course I remember. Typical that it was in the office!” No fool, Karey knew what he was up to, calling up memories only she could reach, asking questions only she could answer.

  He chuckled. “It was typical then. Not now.”

  “What are you doing now?”

  He smoothed his hands up her dress. “Nothing that requires an office. I’m catching up with myself, Karey. There’s no need to hurry. Sit up, mon ange.” He helped her to sit, then felt for her back zipper, tugging it slowly down, his attention on her face.

  The transition was smooth, but he was waiting for it this time. When he laid her back down on the bed, Jordan made no attempt to remove her dress. “I didn’t know you had dresses like these, Karey. Classy and seductive.”

  Susannah simpered. “I have some wonderful gowns.”

  He remembered what Sarah told him. It wasn’t only terrifying; at another level it frustrated and annoyed him to have the spoiled Susannah interrupting them. He wanted Karey, not this other person. He continued as though he was talking to Karey, his hands still on her body. “You have some business suits, and lots of jeans. I like this dress. Is it new?”

  Karey smiled, and Jordan smiled back. “Yes. I decided I wanted a change, too. I let my hair grow and went shopping.”

  “I love your new look.” Jordan stopped short of the ultimate statement, so easy with Karey. It was always easy with her, perhaps too much so. They had fitted together from the moment they met.

  He kissed her again, sweet and long and Karey remained with him all the way. When he rolled to one side, he drew her close, and pushed her dress down. She straightened her arms to allow him to slide it off her body.

  Underneath she wore more silk, a champagne colored slip that made his mouth water. He could just see the lacy tops of her hold-ups, peeking out coyly from under the short garment. His libido increased. His cock pressing against his clothes. He stopped to savor the sensation. Every moment he was with her, he wanted her more.