Ghost of a Chance

by Jade Falconer

  James coughed a little, whispering in Ryan's ear, “Welcoming? Is that what they called it then?"

  Sophia gave a little sniff. “You always were indiscreet. But that Maximilian is evil.” She turned to Ryan. “You must guard yourself against him."

  Ryan's lips twitched at James’ comment, and he tried not to laugh. “Yes, ma'am,” he said respectfully. “But can you not move on because Percy can't move on?” he asked. There had to be a way to resolve their issues.

  "I told her to go ahead. It's not as if she's doing me any good. There's nothing he can do to me now,” Percy said.

  Sophia's mouth set in a stern line. “We spectres may not be able to affect each other, but the coward does avoid me,” she said disapprovingly. She turned back to Ryan. “It is not up to us to decide when to move on,” she explained. “There have been other ghosts, and they do move on when it is their time.” She floated closer to Percy. “It is a small comfort at least that my son is with me now. You have no idea what it was like to see him dead...” She gave a soft sob and turned away.

  Ryan started backing away a little. “Well I guess we'll just leave you be, then. It was nice meeting you.” He tugged James along with him, back towards the door. There was nothing that could be solved by being in her melancholy presence. He was sure that if they could find a way to let Percy move on, his mother would follow.

  As they left, Sophia drifted closer to her son. “Percival,” she began in a disapproving tone, “Have you been meddling again? Those boys knew who you were..."

  As Ryan backed out of the room with James and shut the door, he could still hear them talking quietly behind it. He turned to James in the hallway. “We have to talk to Maxim again,” he said quietly.

  James groaned. “Why, so he can tell us we're both perverted?” he said, shaking his head. He glanced around.

  "No, to find out about Percy's death! Maybe we can get rid of all of them. Wouldn't that be rad? C'mon, please? If it gets scary we'll stop, okay?” He looked into James’ eyes pleadingly.

  James looked back into Ryan's wide eyes and melted. “I can see how easily you're going to be able to manipulate me,” he said. “One look from those eyes and I'm mush.” He sighed. “All right. Now?"

  Ryan beamed at him. “We don't have to do it right now, but if we got it over with, then we could just relax for the rest of the evening.” He raised an eyebrow. “And I mean that in the dirtiest sense of the word."

  James smirked. “You're completely unscrupulous, you know that?"

  Ryan laughed and led James back downstairs. He'd put the ouija board supplies away in a drawer and when they reached the drawing room, he took them out again. He spread the letters back out on the low coffee table again, and put the glass upside down in the center of the table. “We should get that flashlight, just in case,” he said, lighting some candles around the room with the matches from the fireplace. “I'll light a fire. Could you go get it?"

  James started to go to the kitchen to get a flashlight, then paused. “Maybe I should get an extra glass,” he suggested. “You sure you want me to leave you alone?"

  "Yeah. I'll be fine. Remember what Percy said. And anyway, you can't babysit me twenty-four-seven.” He smiled at him as he crouched down in front of the fireplace, stuffing some pieces of kindling under the larger logs.

  James was about to go, but his gaze went automatically to Ryan's ass as he bent over. Ryan's shirt had ridden up and the jeans pulled down, and a good portion of his pale skin showed, including the top of his ass. James stepped back into the room, distracted. “If you want me to go, you shouldn't do that,” he said, a little hoarsely. “Can we skip to the relaxing part?"

  Ryan looked around, confused for a moment, but then he saw where James was looking and he straightened up, blushing. “You perv. Hurry up. Maybe we can get this over with quickly,” he laughed.

  "You made me a perv,” James shot back, but he went to retrieve the flashlight. He returned with a flashlight and a spare glass in case the ghost had another tantrum. He set them on the table and went to stand by the now-roaring fire.

  Ryan knelt next to the table. “You ready?” he asked. “I think we'll be able to get him pretty easily, under the circumstances.” He looked up at James, smiling, his eyes roving over his body just briefly.

  "Under the circumstances?” he asked, coming to sit across from Ryan.

  "Well with so much activity going on, I meant.” He put his fingers on the glass and waited for James to do the same. He pushed the glass around in a circle a few times before letting it come to rest in the center of the table. “Are there any spirits in the room?” he asked softly.

  James bit his lip and tried to stay quiet. After a moment, they felt a chill in the room and the glass started moving.

  The glass slid over to the piece of paper upon which Ryan had written yes. He took a deep breath as the glass returned to the center of the table of its own accord. “Okay. Is this the fourteenth Earl?” he asked hesitantly.

  The glass moved to no, and James looked up at Ryan, eyes wide. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  The glass moved to the number two and then the number five, and then the t and the h in a row. Ryan looked up at James, his brow furrowed. “Twenty-fifth? Twenty-fifth ... Ohh, twenty-fifth Earl? Is that who you are?” he asked.

  The glass moved again to the yes.

  James frowned and looked up from the board to Ryan. “Which number are you?"

  "Twenty-six,” he said, biting his lip.

  "Whoa,” said James. “So this is the Earl that just died?"

  Again the glass moved to the yes. Ryan stared back at James across the table. “Did you appear at the foot of my bed on my first night here?” Once again, the glass moved to the center and then to the yes.

  Ryan sighed. “This is gonna take forever,” he whispered, as if the ghost couldn't hear him.

  "Yeah, too bad they can't just send an e-mail,” James sighed. “Why have you not moved on?” he asked the ghost.

  The glass started to move again. P-r-o-t-e-c-t-i-n-g-y-o-u-f-r-o-m-1-4, it spelled out. Ryan raised his eyebrows. “So, what's his problem, anyway? Did he really drop a chandelier on Percy?” he asked. He wondered if it was disrespectful to talk to ghosts that way, but he answered. The glass again moved to yes.

  James frowned. “Do you think he did it on purpose, or it was an accident?"

  There was a whoosh of air in the room and then suddenly the ghostly figure of the twenty-fifth Earl of Elgin appeared before the hearth. “Of course it was an accident! An Elgin would never murder another Elgin!” he said, clearly exasperated.

  Ryan nearly toppled over. He scrambled away from the apparition, his back against the couch. “Oh,” he said quietly, trembling a little.

  James moved closer to Ryan, wrapping an arm around him protectively. “Well, this will save time,” he observed dryly. He addressed the ghost. “But an Elgin would try to frighten the hell out of another Elgin."

  "Well, we are ghosts. That is rather part of the description,” he said with an elegant shrug.

  Ryan could only gape at him. He'd only just seen him in the video a few days ago. “So. Why do we need protection?” he asked, leaning against James.

  The ghost drifted a bit closer. He looked much better as a ghost than he had in the video. “Well,” he said, looking a bit discomfited, “accidents can happen. So I thought I might just hang around a bit to ease your way.” He looked at James. “Though it would seem you're finding your way just fine."

  James looked back at the ghost. “Um, pardon my asking, but were you like the other Earls?"

  The ghost's back stiffened a little. “I was faithful to my countess for as long as she lived,” he said.

  "I wasn't implying you'd done anything about it,” James corrected himself. “I just wondered if ... I'm sorry."

  He softened a little at that and gave James a tentative smile. “Quite all right, dear boy."

  Ryan frowned a little. “But do you know
why the fourteenth Earl can't move on? Or Percy, for that matter? I mean, I think Percy's mom would leave if he did.” It was all like a big puzzle and he felt like if he could just find the last piece he'd solve everything.

  The ghost was quiet for a moment, then he said, “I am new to this plane, but I believe I have an idea.” He drifted closer. “Maximillian feels guilty for what he has done. He seeks forgiveness from Percival, though he will not admit it. Perhaps if they would just communicate..."

  "I knew it! I knew that was the problem! He seemed like that type.” He beamed at the ghost and then at James. “So we just have to get Maxim to apologize to Percy.” When he said it aloud it sounded more difficult, and his smile dimmed.

  James looked at Ryan, then back at the ghost. “I don't suppose you have any suggestions on how to make that happen."

  The ghost shook his head. “Maximillian is proud, and stubborn. I will try to speak to him, but he does not like company."

  "Shit. Okay, so maybe it's not as easy as it looks,” Ryan said, sighing. But he looked at the ghost again. “So you stuck around here just to protect me?” he asked.

  The ghost nodded gravely. “I felt badly that we had never met in life. I fully intended to contact you while I was alive. Imagine my surprise when I woke, and was still here.” The man chuckled dryly.

  "Will you stay until we resolve this?” James asked anxiously.

  "I will. I will stay the course. I should tell you that Percival did not need to lock you in that closet, but I suppose it all turned out right in the end.” He smirked a little.

  James blushed. “Were you all watching?"

  That made him laugh. “No. Good heavens no. That would only have made me jealous."

  Ryan blushed, too. “So, what about the fourteenth Earl? He's not like us?” he asked.

  "He'd like to think so,” the Earl said softly. “But if you ask me, I think he doth protest too much."

  "Thank you for all your help,” Ryan said. He glanced at James. He didn't think the twenty-fifth Earl could tell them anything more, and he wanted to be alone with James.

  "Yes. Thank you,” James added, catching Ryan's look. “You've cleared things up a great deal."

  The ghost looked back and forth between the two of them. “It was my pleasure. I am happy that you two have found each other. But do not forget you must produce an heir. Somehow.” Then the ghost was gone, as if he had never been there at all.

  Ryan leaned against James. “Wow. That's a lot to absorb,” he said softly. It was kind of nice just sitting there on the floor in front of the fire.

  James pulled Ryan closer. “Things are never boring around you, are they, baby?” He smiled and kissed him gently.

  Ryan smiled lazily. “I'm trying to make them just a little less chaotic,” he whispered. “I like it when you call me baby."

  "I like it when you moan for me,” James purred, pulling Ryan onto his lap.

  Ryan put his arms around James’ neck, settling against him. “Mm, you do? Well, I guess we should go up to the bedroom and see what you can do to make me moan, then, huh?” He slid his fingers through James’ hair and kissed him, in no particular hurry.

  James was hard again, and his hands roamed over his boyfriend. He kissed back, fingers sliding under the hem of Ryan's shirt, exploring the smooth skin. Ryan whimpered a little into James’ mouth, swirling around his tongue languidly. His fingers explored the back of James’ neck, mapping his skin, finally massaging his shoulders. Ryan loved touching and being touched, and it was all so new with James he just wanted to wallow in it. He pulled back a little, finally, panting already. “C'mon, let's go get all cozy and naked under the covers,” he whispered, moving off his lap.

  James wasn't about to argue. “Anytime, anyplace,” he breathed, and they stood up. It took them several minutes and lots of kisses, but they finally made it back to the bedroom.

  Ryan tugged James over to the bed and pushed him back onto it, holding up a hand to keep him still. “Just lie back for a couple of minutes, okay?” He smiled flirtatiously and pulled his t-shirt up off over his head, letting it fall to the floor. He licked his lips as he toed off his shoes and unzipped his jeans.

  James lay back and watched Ryan hungrily. He was so hard he ached now. “You're so sexy,” he panted, leaning up on his elbows to watch his boyfriend's body revealed for him.

  Ryan wriggled out of the tight jeans and then kneeled on the bed beside him. He slid his hands up under James’ shirt, pushing it up. “The only question is, do you want to make love?” he murmured, leaning down over James to kiss his neck. “We can wait if you want. It's totally up to you."

  James whimpered under Ryan's touch. “Oh God, I want to,” he said softly, blushing. “But I've never, with a guy."

  "I know,” he whispered against James’ skin. His fingers trailed downwards, unbuckling his belt. “It's up to you. We don't have to do it now.” Ryan wanted James badly, but he knew they could satisfy each other in other ways, too. “Don't be nervous. I love you."

  James looked up at Ryan as he unfastened his pants. “Do you want it?” he breathed. “I want to know, tell me what you want..."

  Ryan licked his lips as he leaned over James, tugging his zipper down slowly and carefully. “I want you,” he whispered. “I want to feel your body pressing me into the bed. I want to feel like our bodies are one, joined together. I want to stare into your eyes as you come inside me, and know that I belong to you and only you,” he breathed.

  James moaned. “God, Ryan,” he gasped. “No one's ever made me feel this way. We were meant for this.... “He lifted his hips so that Ryan could pull his jeans and boxers off. “Want to be inside you, baby..."

  Ryan stripped James, touching him as he did so, almost everywhere. He took his time, torturing them both. Finally, he lay down beside him on the bed. He reached over to the drawer to the side and pulled out a tube and a foil packet. “I have to, you know. It's been a while since I've actually done it with anyone."

  James’ eyes widened. “You have to what?"

  "I have to prep myself. Like, stretch myself.” He blushed a little at the explanation. “Just watch. A lot of people think it's kinda sexy.” He nibbled on his lip and looked into James’ eyes for a moment before he spread some lube on his fingers and pulled his knees up high and wide. Ryan gasped softly as he slid one finger inside his own body. He watched James’ face, wanting to see his reaction. He quickly slid another finger inside and started scissoring them back and forth gently, twisting them and moving them in and out.

  James watched those fingers, sliding in and out. He looked back up at Ryan's face. “Does it hurt?"

  "Not really,” he answered breathily. He slid a third finger in. “Not if you go slowly at first.” He was just about ready, and he slid his fingers out.

  James licked his lips, paying close attention. “Do you have to do that every time?” he asked. He looked down. “Sorry I'm so stupid."

  Ryan smiled a little shyly. “Depends on how often we have sex,” he said. “You know, you are allowed to touch me."

  James blushed. “Now you're making fun of the poor ignorant straight boy,” he said, jokingly. He reached out and ran his hand down Ryan's chest.

  Ryan tore open the condom packet. “Sorry about this,” he said. He turned towards James a little and ran his hand lightly up his thigh for a moment before curling his fingers around him. He deftly rolled the condom down the length of James’ cock.

  James moaned as Ryan touched him. “I love you, Ryan,” he whispered, hand sliding down Ryan's side.

  Ryan used a little more lube to slick the condom. He knew James was probably just hesitant because he felt like he didn't know what he was doing. So, he rolled over on top of him, knees straddling James’ hips widely, sitting up. He leaned back a little and reached down between their bodies to position him correctly. Slowly and carefully, he eased himself down until the head of James’ cock penetrated him, and he gasped.

  "Oh fuck,” moaned Ja
mes, as the tight heat of Ryan's body enveloped him. He held as still as he could, letting Ryan set the pace, eyes locked to the other man's.

  Very gradually, Ryan eased down until he was completely impaled on James’ cock. He gasped for breath, letting his body adjust. He braced his hand behind him on James’ thigh, still staring into his eyes. “See? It's not so difficult,” he panted.

  James could only look up at Ryan. “You're so beautiful,” he moaned. “I'm inside you,” he said wonderingly.

  The way James said it, so innocent, almost awestruck, did something to Ryan. He moaned and started to move on him, pulling up and thrusting down onto him again, driving James’ cock deep inside his body. “Does it feel good?” he gasped, biting his lip.

  "So good,” James answered in a strangled voice. He put his hands on Ryan's hips, just to feel him. “Better than anything.” He thrust up a little, experimentally.

  Ryan whimpered loudly. It was hotter than anything he'd ever experienced. James’ reactions, both hesitant and lustful, made him shiver. He could hear his own heart thudding in his ears. He started to move a little faster, encouraging James to thrust, grinding down onto him. “Oh, God,” he panted.

  Finally, James’ need overcame his hesitance, and he reached up to wrap his arms around Ryan, flipping them over without breaking their physical connection. Now he was on top, between Ryan's legs, free to thrust. He looked down at Ryan, panting, and he drove in once. “This okay?” he managed to moan.

  Ryan whimpered again. “Fuck yesss...” he hissed. He pulled his legs up to wrap around James’ waist. “Feels so good.” His fingers gripped James’ shoulders tightly. “More,” he moaned.

  Soon James found his rhythm. He stroked more smoothly, more confidently, driving deeper with each thrust. “Ryan,” he gasped. “Tell me how it feels..."

  Ryan's fingers slid into James’ hair and gripped it tightly. “Ohh, f-feels like, uhhnnn, like you're c-claiming me. Feels so fucking perfect, James. Oh, God...” The slight feeling of over-tightness was gone and he clamped his body down around James’ cock.