by Casey Lane
His expression turns contemplative. After a few seconds he says, “Yes, I think I would like that.”
My eyes widen. “You would?”
“Yes.” He looks around. “There is nothing more for me here.” He straightens away from the wall. “I am ready for the next big adventure.”
“Great.” I walk toward him, seriously praying he isn’t drawing me in only to try and possess me. To be on the safe side I reach behind me. Instantly Asa takes my hand. The connection with him grounds me. “I’ll call my porter and you’ll be on your way.” The ghost nods. “Hal.”
The pink light appears, elongating and stretching. When the door slides open it takes all my will power not to laugh. Hal is wearing a pink floral tunic, lime green satin harem pants, and gold slippers that curl up at the toes.
“You’re looking very… colorful today, Hal.” I glance at Vikram, who’s eyes are as round as the gold coin I’m holding. “This is Vikram and he’d like to cross.”
Asa clears his throat and I glance at him. My gaze narrows. “Can you see Hal?”
“Uh, yeah.”
I don’t know why. Maybe it’s when he’s touching me. Maybe it’s because he’s pretty close to being dead himself or maybe it’s just a vampire gift. “Takes some getting used to, eh?”
“That’s an understatement.”
“I assume you have payment, Lady Reaper?” Hal says.
Well, that’s a new name. I’m sure it won’t be the last. I toss the coin and he catches it with one hand. “Very nice.” He pockets the payment and turns to Vikram. “Your transport awaits, sir. Can I interest you in a turn around the fourth circle of Hell?”
The ghost scowls. “Thank you for the kind offer, but no.”
Hal strokes his black goatee, sizing up Vikram. “Perhaps a quick stop in Shangri-La?”
“That’s not a real place,” I say. If it is I want to go. Hal’s tendency had always swung toward the circles of Hell. It hadn’t occurred to me there were other places to visit. “Is it?”
He peers at me over the rim of his purple-tinted glasses. “You will not know until it’s your turn to take a ride.”
I harrumph but don’t pursue the subject. No way am I getting in that elevator just so I can see one of the most amazing places of myth.
“That I would like very much,” Vikram says. Without my assistance, he enters the elevator. “Thank you, Lisa Carron. This is a very good thing you’re doing.”
Pride ripples through me. “You’re welcome, Vikram. Have a happy journey.”
With that the door slides shut and the light compresses. I blow out a breath. “That was easy,” I say.
Asa releases my hand and I instantly miss his touch. “I wish they were all like that.”
“Me too, but let’s not get our hopes up.”
“Yeah, we still have Emiko to reap.” He veers off down another tunnel. “She’s a nasty piece of work.”
“Great.” I follow him, completely lost now. I couldn’t find my way out of these tunnels if my life depended on it. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that. “Can’t wait. Maybe we could save her for last.”
“We probably won’t have any choice. She was cunning when alive. I imagine she’s just as wily dead.”
I like how Asa says things like they are, not candy-coating. At the same time I want to bash him in the head until he’s unconscious. These reaps are bad enough without prior knowledge of a lunatic ghost. I refocus on the thousand dollars I just made by reaping Vikram. In all honesty I feel guilty taking that bonus. He was as pleasant as spirits come and practically did my job for me. Still, I’m not telling Constantine that.
As we pass a room on the right I slow. “What’s this?”
Asa backs up, peers in and smiles. “That’s where Bunny and her kids stayed.” He glances at me. “She’s human but her husband, Paul, was turned during Ivan’s reign of terror on the resort. He’s down in Argentina right now with the rest of the seethe—that’s what we call a group of vampires led by a master. We had to keep Paul’s family down here when the hunters went after the visiting werewolves.” He shakes his head casually like he’s relaying the neighbor’s trashcan was turned over by bears.
The fact that a human was married to a vampire takes me aback. “And they’re okay now?” I stop inside the room for a better look. “I mean, it all worked out?”
“It was just a safety precaution, mind you.” He shrugs. “The hunters were taken care of quickly.”
I pluck a picture of an abstract dog off the wall and smile. It reminds me of Bryce and suddenly I want to be home.
“You miss your kids?” Asa’s breath is warm against the back of my neck and I want to lean into him.
“Every dirty, noisy inch of them.” I hang the picture back on the wall. “Now ask me in a week and my answer will probably be the opposite.”
“You’re lucky.” He reaches up and rubs his index finger along my cheek. “Don’t ever forget that.”
His expression tears my heart. As if he longs for something he can never have. A lump forms in my throat and I have to take a deep breath to get my riot of emotions under control. “I won’t forget.” Trying to lighten the mood, I cock a brow and smirk. “And if you ever get the overwhelming urge to play house you can always come and babysit my kids for me.”
He lowers his hand and smiles. “Is that a threat? Because I just might take you up on it.”
“Threat, offer, you decide after you’ve been with them for a day. I’m just sayin’, you vamps ain’t got nothin’ on a couple of eight year olds and a teenage girl. They make a deadly combination.”
He holds up his hands in surrender. “I’ve been warned.”
“Damn skippy.” The kids certainly aren’t ready for a man in my life but I was fairly certain Asa didn’t stray too far from the inn anyway. Not that we had a thing, as much as I might want it. Something about this guy gets me all kinds of hot and bothered. I repress a sigh at the thought of running my hands over what I’m sure is a perfectly sculpted eight pack. “All right, we should get on with this.”
“I guess.” He ushers me out of the room and down a tunnel. After ten minutes of solid walking and mind-numbingly confusing turns he stops and points to the ceiling. “We’re here.”
What looks like a round hatch is situated above us. “Great.” I pause and prop my hands on my hips. “You go first.”
He gives a snort of laughter and climbs the ladder. After twisting the huge handle, Asa pushes open the hatch. I jump when screeching echoes down the corridor, certain I’m about to be attacked by another maniacal spirit.
Chapter Eight
Asa
“Yeah, that’s not creepy or anything,” Lisa says, a slight tremor in her voice.
“Sorry about that. Probably needs a little WD-40. Don’t worry, you’re safe.” I’m tempted to add with me on the end, but considering how much I want to grab that luscious ass of hers she might hear the lie in my words.
I climb through the trap door, reaching down to offer the cute reaper a hand. The smell of what she bathed in taunts me, tempting me to lean in and take a deep sniff of the lingering hints of citrus.
Sniff her? What are you, a freaking dog?
I stifle the inner nasty voice and concentrate on getting my bearings. Once Lisa and I exit the closet, I make a beeline for the light switches. The ski chalet has been closed for the summer, just like everything else at the inn.
Light floods the space, drawing the eye to the lavish accommodations. A long, polished wood bar for serving anything a skier might desire, hand-carved tables and chairs, and dark leather furniture studded with brass nail heads arranged in front of a fireplace large enough to roast a boar.
“Wow,” Lisa mumbles under her breath, a hint of awe in her voice. “I can’t get over how upscale everything is. I get why the ski slopes are closed, it’s almost June—but why is the rest of the inn closed? I thought it might be because of the ghosts,” she snorts. “But clearly, you guys aren
’t even aware they’re here.”
“Due to the,” I clear my throat, “unique nature of our primary guests, the hotel’s open season is winter.”
Lisa turns to stare at me. “Holy cow. An Alaskan resort this fancy and remote that is open in the winter and it doesn’t cater to a dog sled race? Unreal.” She shakes her head and checks out the rest of the main room. The hand-cut wood beams soar overhead and the decor looks straight out of an elite Swiss ski lodge. Of course, all the windows are shuttered at the moment or she’d be able to see the sloping hillside, too. “I was wondering. What does a night at the inn cost?”
“Umm…” I stammer and look away, uncomfortable with telling her exactly what this place costs. Until I received my bonus after Emiko’s hunt last winter I never would have been able to afford it. “The cheapest rate is in the main building—and it’s a lot.”
“Yeah?” She quirks an eyebrow. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
I glance at her quickly and drop my gaze, lowering my voice when I respond. “Five thousand a night.”
Lisa’s face reddens and she coughs. Instinctively I reach out to touch her, but hold back at the last second. If my hand makes contact with her warm back, I’ll want to pull her into my arms again. Damn, she felt so good in the tunnels. Soft in all the right places with heat radiating off her. What I wouldn’t give for one night with her.
Her coughing subsides, and she glares at me. “Don’t try and help me or anything. I’m good.”
Belatedly, I realize I could have done something that didn’t require me to touch her. “Can I get you some water?” I move toward the bar, eager to make amends for my slip.
She waves me off, seemingly ready to let go of my rudeness. “Too little, too late.” She smiles to lessen the sting. “That’s a freakin’ outrageous price, even by Alaskan high standards.” She wanders deeper into the room, her steps muffled on the thick Persian rug. “Just like those tunnels, this whole place would have cost a lot to build.”
Recalling that very same thought occurred to me when I first met Vivian, I shrug. I finger the last gold coin in my pocket, all too aware we’re going to have to call my boss to see if she has more coins. I should have thought of that last night. Dammit!
Well, if you hadn’t spent so much time trying to convince yourself not to hit on Lisa…
I don’t want her to hate me like the others. And I’m not sure I could resist…
Biting her or fucking her?
Both.
What a fine mess I’m in.
“What I wouldn’t give…” She trails off and catches herself. “Wait, now that I know about vampires and werewolves… there’s a lot I wouldn’t give.”
Her words mirror my earlier thoughts about wanting to spend the night with her. One night with a woman where I wouldn’t cause her pain. That’s all I want. Geez. If Pat and Eric heard me now they’d be ripping me apart with ribbing and insults.
“Trust me, I understand.”
Her breath catches in her throat. “Wait, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re a nice vampire. I don’t know if they’re all like you. I’d like to hope they are, but that’s probably me being naive. It’s just…” She shrugs. “I’ve got my kids to think about. I can’t go wishing on a star for an expensive vacation. There’s so much more I’d do with the money.” Warmth colors her checks. “Hockey equipment costs a lot…”
She trails off and there’s anxiety on her face, like she’s afraid she’s hurt my feelings somehow.
Impulsively I blurt, “You’ve got everything in life I wish for. I envy you.”
Her face softens, and she smiles. “You envy me? I never would have imagined that.”
I ache to step forward, to hug her and point out everything she should be grateful for in life. But I hold back. If anything, my limited experience has taught me you can’t make someone value what they have, they must value it on their own or they will never appreciate it.
I shove down the remorse and watch Lisa’s rounded bottom sway across the room, toward the darkened windows, as she explores. My palms itch to cup her butt and haul her close.
Damn, I’m a sad case. I seriously need to get laid.
“So, you said Sanji was killed outside?”
“Yes.”
“Was it a violent death?”
“Does that matter?”
Puzzlement crosses her face. “I’m not sure. My partner normally handles the violent crimes, so I’m not really sure why I was ‘gifted’ this assignment.”
“For what it’s worth, yes, Sanji died violently. There was a sword fight between her and Emiko. Sanji was a paid guest, here to hunt down a rogue vampire. If she’d caught Emiko she would have drained her and gained strength from her death.”
Lisa pales. “Ugh. A little too Game of Thrones for my taste.”
“You watch that show? I love it.”
The reaper shakes her head. “Read the books. Plan to watch them next.” She reaches past the heavy drapes for an indoor shutter and cracks it open. Her back straightens and she leans for a closer look. “Hey, I thought you said there’s no guests on the property now, right?”
I nod, realize she can’t see me with her attention focused outside, and say, “Yeah. After the big game hunt went horribly wrong we decided to close the resort for the summer. It’s an experiment anyway.”
Lisa turns toward me. “‘Horribly wrong?’ Now that sounds like an interesting story you’ll have to tell me later.” She motions with her head toward the window. “Then there’s no chance an Indian woman would be walking around bundled up for the cold?”
“That sounds like Sanji. She was dressed for the winter temps when she died.” I leave out the part about her coat being sliced up and bloody. If the reaper didn’t see Joanna beheaded and shot through the chest, chances are their ghosts appear as they were right before they died.
Her face shows her excitement. “Score! I’m so kicking-ass at this reaper job.”
I politely refrain from reminding her Joanna tried to pull her into the elevator to Hell and Ivan tried to possess her. The self-confident joy on her face lights her up, making the already attractive woman look more beautiful. Lisa races to the heavy front door and throws it open, locks not needed being in the middle of nowhere—and we also have Jon’s half-wolves on patrol around the property.
I avoid the sunlight streaming in through the entryway and make my way to the partially un-shuttered window. The reaper hesitates fifty feet or so down the gravel walkway, then steps onto the lush grass toward something only she sees.
Fear grips my heart when I realize I’ve still got the gold coin in my pocket. Will Lisa remember before trying to grab Sanji’s ghost? Or will she be able to haul the vampire back here to call her porter?
Lisa’s facing me and appears to be talking to someone. In a moment she reaches out a hand. Panic and fear slip over her features as she snaps her mouth shut. She’s jerked off balance and stumbles. Shit! Sanji must be trying to take her over.
I hesitate for a split second before deciding. If I’m fast enough maybe I won’t die. I race out the door, allowing the sun to voluntarily hit my skin for the first time in over two years. I’ve got to get her the coin and help ground the reaper before it’s too late.
Ten feet past the threshold and I start to feel very warm. I can do this. I’m wearing a tee shirt and jeans—only my arms and head tingle. Twenty feet from Lisa and she sees me, eyes going wide. I thrust one hand into my pocket as I reach her, grabbing the coin.
Unwilling to have her violated and possessed, I wrap my other arm around her and lock my lips over hers. All the pent up passion I feel for her pours into the union, pulling a strangled moan from deep in my chest. Heat races over my skin and I feel like I’m about to spontaneously combust. Jesus it hurts!
Lisa puts a hand to my chest and pushes me back slightly. “Asa? You don’t look so good.”
The pain consumes me. I won’t last much longer. “Call Hal.”
S
he nods, fear in her eyes. “Hal!” She squeaks and looks at something I can’t see.
I thrust the coin into her hand and press my mouth to hers again, afraid Sanji’s strength will overpower her before her eccentric porter arrives.
Smoke starts to rise and I smell it—the sickly sweet aroma of my own flesh charring.
Lisa pulls back and pushes me with one arm, the other presumably holding onto the vampire ghost. “Go, Asa! Let go! You’re burning!”
I refuse to listen until I see the pink sliver of light indicating her porter is on his way.
“Go! Goddammit! You’re going to die!” The horrified look on her face convinces me.
I drop my hold and race back for the safety of the lodge, blood pouring down my arms from the injuries. Once inside, I collapse in the shade, too weak to even shut the door behind me.
I made it. I didn’t die my final death in the sun. Pain radiates from every square inch of my body. I try and move a hand to reach for my phone, only to hear the squishy sound of liquid sliding along flesh.
Holy shit that was risky.
Would you really have died for her? A woman you just met?
How is what I just did any different than laying my life on the line in the Army? You don’t walk away from a problem because it’s hard or the end solution is dangerous. A soldier does what needs to be done. No excuses.
I lower my arm to the floor, temporarily deciding to give up for the moment. Goddamn, and I thought being shot hurt. Fucking idiot.
I’ll be good in a few minutes. Yup. The pain should ease any second now.
When Lisa finishes, I’ll just need to convince her to pry the cell phone out of my blood-covered jeans so we can call Eric and he’ll bring me some bagged blood.
I did it. I survived the sun.
And more importantly—Lisa didn’t become possessed by Sanji.
My slow beating heart stutters in my chest and stops.
Chapter Nine
