by Crymsyn Hart
The bond between them began to take hold of her mind. All she could think about was making love to him. But she gathered her wits and rested her head against his chest. After drawing in a few breaths she could focus again. He kissed the top of her head.
“I’ll worry about you anyway, but I trust you. Go and have fun.”
She nodded, and he was gone. After packing her clothes, she went downstairs. Scott was in the living room examining the brick work of the large fireplace. “See anything interesting?”
“I was looking at the bricks. These are old. Well, this whole place is. You know it’s going to need a lot of work. Can you handle that all by yourself?”
“I’m going to try. I needed a fresh start. So, ready to go?”
Scott nodded. She followed him out and climbed into his truck. While they turned out onto the road, Dustin appeared at the edge of the property line, watching her go. They rode a distance in silence with Scott fiddling with the radio. She could tell he was nervous. All the station changing made her antsy. She clamped down on his hand. Her pull toward him blazed along her flesh. He glanced at her.
She wondered if he saw how she reacted to him. Already her panties were soaked from her thinking about seeing him naked. His eyes once again were amber in the moonlight. Their sudden change in color snapped her out of her reverie. He flashed a nervous smile.
“What’s the deal? You weren’t so jumpy before.”
“I’m not sure you really want to know.”
“I’d rather you tell me than me trying to read your mind. Look Scott, if something is bothering you, please tell me.”
“It’s about your house. There are many unquiet entities there. Some of them roam in between the spirit worlds. Honestly, I’ve never been inside, but today, I could feel one in particular that’s trapped. It’s almost like he’s not really dead. And when you were upstairs, I heard you talking to someone. I know you’re alone, so I can only assume you do believe in ghosts now.”
She sighed. “Yeah. You probably heard me talking to Dustin. He’s a little protective and wanted to be sure you had good intentions.”
Scott’s laughter boomed in the truck. He pulled up outside of a modest cabin. The light was on inside. She slid out of the truck and followed him inside. Glancing around, she saw a mishmash of different things hanging on the wall from stuffed animal heads, to woven blankets, to paintings of landscapes. The atmosphere was warm, inviting and comfortable. He started moving around in the kitchen and getting out pots and pans. “The shower is down the hall if you want to hop in. Once you come out, we can eat. I hope you don’t mind, but all I have is water and beer to drink.”
“Water is fine. Thanks for the shower.” She walked down the hall and into the bathroom. Setting her bag down, she went into the shower and let the hot water wash over her. It was nice to be clean.
After stepping out of the shower, she dressed in the pair of jeans and t-shirt she packed. Brushing her hair out quickly, she left the bathroom and smelled a variety of herbs and the distinct aroma of cooking meat. “Whatever you’re cooking smells awesome.”
“Hope you like venison. I went hunting the other day. I have a ton of it.”
“I’ve never had it, but I’m willing to try anything. Do you need any help?”
“Nope. You’re my guest, so sit down and relax. You’re water is on the table.” He flashed a smile and then went back to cooking.
Natalie took the water and went into his living room. He had a stone fireplace with a large mantle. On it, he had several old photographs of other Native Americans. She figured they were his family. A large medicine wheel hung above the chimney.
Her gaze went over the shelf he had filled with books; crime novels, history, biography, books on herb lore and shamanism.
“Ready?”
She jumped when he popped into the living room. “Yeah. Thanks.”
He led her to the table and pulled out the chair for her. Along with the venison, he had mashed potatoes and a mixture of vegetables. She dug into the meat and savored everything. “This is really good. You should go professional.”
He smiled. “I am. Or well, I was.”
“Seriously? Why did you stop?”
“Long story. Family stuff. I do some catering on the side though. It keeps me busy.”
Natalie laughed. She enjoyed having him for company. He was easy to talk to. She took a few more bites. “So I take it you’re all right since I kicked you.”
Scott choked on his food and had to take a sip of water. “Ahh-yeah. Sorry I wasn’t expecting you to ask me about that. Everything is functioning properly. And what about you? Do you enjoy living in a haunted house with a defensive ghost?”
“I don’t mind it. I’ve lived in haunted houses before when I was younger. I just tried to ignore it now that I’m older. At the house, you said the place was filled with an unquiet spirit, as if he wasn’t dead.”
“Yeah. Your protective spirit is strong. It’s like he’s stuck. Why?”
She poked at her potatoes. “Hypothetically, if a person was near death, but didn’t die and got caught up in a curse on the property, kinda like being sucked into another dimension like Poltergeist, is there any way to bring that person back?”
He leaned back in his chair and stared at her. “There’s a ceremony that can release spirits so they can continue on to the other side, but I don’t know about bringing them back. Is that what happened to the spirit in your house?”
Natalie nodded. “That’s what he told me.”
“Natalie, you have to be careful. Spirits are tricky. They can lie to you so they can take advantage of you. They can draw off your energy and manifest themselves to make them appear to be flesh. I wouldn’t put my faith in what he says. A lot of tragedy has occurred on your property. I would be wary of doing or saying anything to the ghosts that appear before you.”
“What about your ancestors? You trust them, don’t you?”
“That’s different.”
“Really? How is it different? They are specters aren’t they? They could appear to you and lie about what they’re doing.”
He set his fork down. A cold gust swept over her and then a shiver ran down her back. “Let me see your hand.”
“Why?”
“Because it will let me see what path your life is going to take. It will help me figure out what we need to do with your house.”
She stretched her hand over the table. When Scott touched her, a pleasurable zap went along her skin.
She drew in a quick breath and watched his expression change. It seemed something, or someone else, inhabited the same space he did. He looked at her with his eyes, but also ancient ones. The being sitting inside of him had long silver hair and Scott’s facial features began to change. He grew older. Her breath caught in her throat. The tiny hairs along her arms stood up.
“Child, you are of the spirit people. Your ancestors watch over you. You come from a troubled past to a troubled land. The path ahead of you is laden with great joy and hardships yet to come. Two wolves walk beside you. You are drawn to them, but do not know which one to choose. Together and not apart is where you will find absolute harmony. Even if they fight this revelation, it is what must happen for your lives to be balanced. Before this can be realized, you must face the darkness to step into the light.”
“What about the spirits on my land and the ones in my house. One is trapped who shouldn’t be. Can he be freed?”
The ancient spirit inside of Scott gripped her hand tighter. “He can be freed, but it is up to you to cross into the spirit world and bring him back. Once you do that, he will be as he was. You can only do this when the night surrenders its fight to the day and the sun starts its reign in the sky once more. That is your journey. Once you do, all others will be free. And then you shall be able to look toward a joyous future. May we meet again, Granddaughter.”
Scott drew in a deep breath, and slowly, his features began to return to normal. When he did, he gave h
er small smile and ran his hand through his hair. “I was channeling a spirit, wasn’t I?”
“Yeah. He called me Granddaughter and told me in order to free the spirit I had to step into the spirit world myself then all the phantoms on the property will be free.”
“That doesn’t sound too appealing. Although it might be the only way. Of course, you’ll have to have someone there to bring you back. We might be able to arrange that.”
“I’m not ready to go traversing some other plane. I was only wondering if it was possible to free him. That’s all.” She got up and went into the living room. Hearing Scott tell her how she could free Dustin was a little unnerving. She didn’t know how to take the knowledge.
She felt his hand on her shoulder. Turning, she looked into his dark eyes. The primal urge she had to be closer to him kicked in. She drew in a deep breath and looked back. He steered her all the way around and ran his hand along her cheek. His fingers trailed lower to her collarbone over the scar. The feel of his finger on her flesh hammered her heart. It stole her breath. Her panties were already wet. It was hard to stay focused.
“What happened to you?”
“Ex husband sent me through a plate glass window. I almost died from blood loss.”
“That makes sense then.” He drew her a little closer.
“What does?”
“I saw you among the spirits. Not the ones at your house, but the ones who have passed on. You were touched by their gifts when you returned. Your destiny changed. The bonds were broken from your husband and you were set upon a new path. One where you are now intertwined with me and another. I’ve seen you in my dreams, Natalie. I didn’t want to believe you were the one, but you are. There’s another connected to you, too. I’m not sure who it is, but all three of us are meant to be together.”
“What are you talking about?” Natalie tried to make sense of what he said. It rang true in her mind for some reason, but she wasn’t sure why.
“I’m babbling. I’m sorry. It’s just so hard. When I saw you in the bar, I knew immediately who you were.”
Natalie watched his lips move. They were full and enticing. The heat from his body warmed her. The food made her sleepy. His dark eyes bore into hers and his kindness drew her to him. She leaned up a little more to taste his lips. He pressed his mouth against hers in a light kiss, but pulled away before she had time to enjoy it.
“This isn’t right. I want you, but I can’t take advantage of that. The spirit in your house already has a mark upon you. I don’t want to tear your heart in two, but—” He began to back away, but she grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him toward her.
Natalie couldn’t explain it, but she also felt she was connected to him too; the way she was with Dustin. She knew now from touching him that things weren’t going to be the same. There was more to it when he took her hand and contacted the spirit world. She knew that. Both men had a place in her life. Her dream flashed in her mind, only this time the wolves were gone and in their place were Dustin and Scott. Maybe Dustin is the other he’s talking about. Maybe we’re all three supposed to be together.
He collided with her lips, and she kissed him hard. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Kissing him felt right. The way it had with Dustin. His hands slid over her sides and along her back until he broke the kiss again.
“Why?” Scott asked.
“You’re dream was right. I had a similar one last night. With two wolves standing beside me. Only one of them reminded me of you. We’re connected in a way I don’t understand.”
“How could any man share you? I won’t take any liberties, not until we know this is certain.”
“But you just said we were meant to be together. Isn’t this what you want?”
“It is, but I won’t push fate. I think I should get you back home.” He collected the plates and set them in the kitchen. Sadness weighed on her soul when she left his house. She didn’t want to be parted from him. The more she contemplated his words, the more they made sense to her.
During the ride back, neither of them said anything. The closer she got to home, the more she wanted to see Dustin. Her attraction to Scott was more than that. She could tell. God, I’ve never wanted two guys before at the same time. I move up into the mountains to escape my life, and I find a whole other side to me.
Scott stopped outside of her house. A light was on in the kitchen window, but her power wasn’t on yet.
“That’s him, isn’t it? The one in between.”
“Yeah. Dustin’s a good guy. I don’t get any bad vibes from him.”
“Well, trust your gut then. Have a good night, Natalie.”
She went to open the door, but instead kissed him lightly. “Think about what I said.” She climbed out of the truck and headed into the house. When she got there, the door opened by itself. A bitter wind blasted through the kitchen and hit her. The sense of sorrow and anger weighed on her shoulders.
“Dustin, please come out.”
“I saw you kissing him.” His voice boomed through the entire house. The anger in it cut her to the quick. “I thought you had pledged yourself to me.”
“I have. I did. Please, it’s complicated.”
Coldness swept all around her. Doors slammed upstairs. The front door opened then it banged shut. Then silence. She didn’t sense anyone or anything at all.
With a sigh, she decided it was time to go to bed. Climbing the stairs, she thought about the events of the night and understood why he would be mad at her. She would have to explain that she wanted them in her life. And she had a way to save him.
Chapter Seven
For the next week, the house was silent of any ghostly activity. Her refrigerator, washer and dryer, and the new stove arrived along with a dishwasher. Once she had them installed and all of her utilities were turned on, she was happy to have them in working order.
The house was still empty. Every day she walked by the door under the stairs she shied away from it, remembering Dustin’s warning. The contractors showed up and began to work on the house. Jarvis had cut all of her firewood. She had completely unpacked.
At first, the workers were renovating the outside and some were going to start in the house. She was waiting for Scott to show up, but he hadn’t yet. Being apart from both men had given her time to think.
A hollow ache had begun to form in her heart. For so long she had been opposed to getting involved with another man and assumed she would be a spinster the rest of her days. Now, the craving to be with Scott and Dustin ate away at her.
She’d had more dreams about her and the two wolves. Each wolf had morphed into Dustin and Scott. She didn’t understand the wolf significance, but seeing the two men bare-chested in her dreams was damned sexy. Trying to fight the attraction she had for them was getting harder. The more she tried to rationalize it away, the more her heart overrode her head. The connections were starting to consume her. Her daydreams flowed from having one of them in bed with her to having the two, sharing their lovemaking.
The heat those visions inflicted upon her made her lust. A deep seated itch began in her soul. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she wasn’t going to be able to stay away from them. Her ideas of not desiring a relationship were fading away and being replaced with dreams of finding a way to make a relationship work with two men.
Another week went by. Natalie sat outside watching the spirit lights and feeling the emptiness of the house. Thanksgiving had come and gone, but she hadn’t celebrated the holiday. The spirit hadn’t moved her.
The only thing she missed was the people around her. She missed Dustin’s presence, and she also pined for Scott. Thinking about them now, a tear slipped from her eye. She had angered Dustin, but he had to understand there was a link between them. Natalie took a sip of her water and set it down on the table next to her.
In the distance, she heard the whinny of a horse. She glanced in that direction and saw the ghostly remnants of a barn. Atop the horse was Dustin. She walk
ed toward them. He had on his long jacket, cowboy hat, boots, and looked so handsome. Her cowboy took her breath away and tipped his hat to her.
She smiled.
“Hi.”
“Hello, Natalie.”
“Are you back now?”
“You know I can’t leave the property.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry about Scott, but there’s something between us I can’t explain. It’s the same with you. I’ve been dreaming about the three of us. I’m not exactly sure what it means. When I had dinner with Scott, he said there might be a way to free you from the limbo you exist in.” She reached out to touch the horse, but her hand passed right through it. A pang of sadness wound through her heart. “Please come inside. I m-miss you.”
The horse snorted. Dustin wasn’t moving. The look in his eyes hadn’t changed. He wasn’t going to bend. She sighed and shook her head.
Natalie headed back into the house and closed the door. She wiped her eyes and splashed some water onto her face. He’s a ghost. I’m not sure why I’ve been thinking I can have something with him. I don’t need to be torn between any men. I need sanity.
“Natalie.”
She turned from the window and saw Dustin standing in the doorway. He was dashing in his duster, hugging jeans, his open shirt, and the hat. “Is everything okay?”
“I’ve been a fool.”
Natalie wasn’t sure what he meant, but when he walked over to her, cupped her face, and drew her to his lips, it didn’t matter anymore. He kissed her softly. Everything in her froze once his lips touched hers. She responded to him slowly and pressed against him, trying to feel the contours of his body. The longer she was around him, the more the craving to be in his arms took hold of her. He broke the kiss and then trailed his finger down her neck.
“I wanted to apologize to you. I didn’t mean to be so cross. I was angered when I saw you with him, but I didn’t have the right to do anything. You have the privilege to choose whatever man you wish. These two weeks, I have watched you from the shadows and heard you sobbing. It hurt my soul seeing you crying. Your fingers brushing the spot on your bed where I had lain next to you. I brought that pain upon you, and that was never my intention.”
