by Viola Grace
Life is busy when you are half-ghost, half-human, and fully booked rescuing the haunted from their loved ones.
Hecate knew she was never supposed to walk in the world. She hadn’t been an afterthought. She was an act of desperation.
Growing up in a small town was rough, but having her family pretend that she didn’t see ghosts made things harder. As soon as she had enough money, she bought a place out of town and got to work.
All day, every day, she had her phone on, and she waited for the call that would summon her to someone whose deceased loved one was draining them or terrifying them. Each one called for separate techniques, and she got very good, very quickly.
Her sister’s engagement complicates Hecate’s life as she is suddenly visible to the paranormal society at large with her introductory visit to Oak Point Way. The Nexus Guard is friendly, the gnomes are frisky, and the pixies are a flying menace. Ghosts were a breeze next to the paranormal.
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Hot and Haunted
Copyright © 2019 Viola Grace
ISBN: 978-1-4874-2744-3
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc
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Hot and Haunted
Wakeman Grimoire, Book 1
By
Viola Grace
Chapter One
Hecate whistled softly as she drove through the city. She wasn’t a fan of the traffic, but her navigation system calmly gave her orders, so driving was mindless.
The panicked call had come to her just as she was washing up after dinner. She had left her dishes in the sink, and when the payment cleared her account, she headed out to remove the dearly departed Arthur Worring from his memorial in his wife’s back yard. His ghost was no longer required.
Hecate pulled up at the Worring house and didn’t bother whistling. It always seemed to be the very wealthy who called her on weekdays. The poor waited until the weekends after they had tried everything else.
She pulled out her medical bag, checked to make sure that it had the appearance of a magical kit, closed it, and headed toward the back of the property. The pale woman with the shock of white hair came toward her, looking left and right to see who had noticed Hecate coming in.
Hecate sighed. She dressed to be unremarkable, her vehicle was unremarkable, her skin was light brown, her hair was straight, dark, and there was nothing worth commenting on in her entire appearance. As her mother always said, some babies were born to blend in.
She kept her voice low. “Good evening, Ms. Worring.”
“Please, come this way. Will it take very long?” The widow was stressed. She wanted to be rid of her husband, and she had just gotten the nerve up to do it.
“It depends on him, but I am not here to waste my time or yours.”
She turned the corner and saw the issue immediately. “You loved him very much.”
“I did. I do. I miss him so, but I can feel him constantly, and it is driving me crazy. My hair is falling out, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. It was either call you or leave my home. I love it here.”
Hecate smiled. “I understand. This is a beautiful garden. You both tended it?”
“No. It was my husband’s pride and joy. I have tried to hire someone to take care of it, but he said there was nothing to do.”
“Right. When I remove your husband, the garden will fade. You will want to keep that gardener’s number handy.”
The woman nodded. “You can really do it?”
“I can.”
“He will be completely gone?”
Hecate looked at her and saw the tears shining in her eyes. “Would you like part of him to remain with the flowers?”
“Can you do that?”
“I can ask him if he is willing to part with that portion of himself.”
“You can talk to him?”
“Ms. Worring, you have to let me into the garden to find him. Then, I can relay whatever you want.” She smiled, and the elderly client let her into the lush green heaven that had been created by very deep love.
The chill of autumn in the air belied the fragrant blooms. No rose should be staring at her at this time year.
She searched and found the pillar of energy that was Arthur. Hecate knelt near him and pulled out the small objects that folk always expected to see. “Arthur.”
“Who are you? Why are you with my Winny?”
“I am Hecate Wakefield, counsellor to ghosts and those who have been affected by them. I am here because you are killing your wife.”
His energy flared brightly, and she continued to look at him. He paused. “You can see me?”
“I can. And I can speak to you. You have had your time, Arthur. It is time to let Winifred go.”
“She needs me.”
“She is losing her hair, losing sleep, and losing strength. You are taking that from her, Arthur. Your ghost is running on her energy, and she has none to spare. You are killing her.”
He looked to his wife. “Can she hear us?”
“No. We are speaking at the speed of thought. She just knows that I knelt and I seem to be doing something.”
“I want to stay with her. I need to stay with her. Ask her for me, can I stay?”
Hecate sighed and turned to her client. “He wants to stay.”
Her client sobbed. “I want him to stay, but I am so weak.”
Arthur looked at Hecate. “What did she say?”
“She wants you to stay, but she is so weak. I have a compromise.”
“Tell me.”
“I can anchor you to this stone. You will be here in the garden, but the energy that we release will be untethered, and you can either release yourself from Earth and go and wait for Winny, or you can come home with me and be around if she calls.”
“How can I get to her if she needs me if I am any distance away?”
Hecate looked at him with her body and mind calm. “I can give you the energy to come to Winny’s aid if she needs it. The stone here will pull you back in an instant.”
“Can I do that? She is getting older, and she will need someone nearby to keep an eye on her.”
“Fine. I will ask her.”
Hecate looked at Winny. “Winny, will you accept having him here in the garden, tending it, and keeping an eye on you? He will no longer drain you, and your health should improve immediately.”
“Where would he be?”
Hecate leaned forward and patted the granite that he was already using as a power supply. Granite was great for holding ghosts but not great for letting them focus. There were too many refractive crystals rocketing the energy around.
�
�Okay. If he continues, can you come and get him again?”
“I will take away most of him. I will just leave the garden tending and his affection for you. Is that all right?”
Winny smiled. “It is fine. Does he miss me?”
Hecate looked at the ghost and then back to her client. “He misses you. He wants to be with you and watching over you, but ghost energy isn’t compatible with the living. He ends up taking energy from you via your connection. He doesn’t mean to, but the closer he gets to you, the stronger the pull.”
She nodded and walked to a nearby bench.
“I have been sick, but my decline has surprised even my doctors. The cancer is going to take me in the next year, but I want that year.”
“What is she saying?”
Hecate faced him and filled him in. He flickered and dimmed.
“So, I will split your soul and leave five percent of you here. You will have the thoughts but not the urge to go and constantly be next to her. Watch her. Care for her, and the rest of you can come with me. You just have to get into the doll.”
He nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”
“Hold still, and don’t fight when I grab you. It won’t hurt, and I will leave part of you here. Ready?”
“Ready. Tell her I love her, and her earing is under the hydrangeas.”
Hecate smiled. “Thank you.” She got to her feet and reached forward, her body primed to project enough power to contain the ghost.
Arthur Worring didn’t fight her, but his connection to the land around was extremely strong. Hecate stepped through his ghost and pinned a portion of his energy to the stone. She tore the rest of him free and put him in the poppet. It was a safe place for a ghost and made transport easier on both of them.
Hecate was sweating, and she turned to Winny. “I have him, and a portion of him is still in the stone. If you need anything… anything. Call me.”
Winny blinked and frowned. “How much will that cost?”
Hecate sighed. “My rates are stipulated, and you have paid for the removal of one ghost. There are no other ghosts here, so if you call me for anything, I will return immediately and take care of any part of Arthur causing distress.”
Winny glared at her. “How do I know you did anything?”
Hecate took the poppet and brought it over to Winny. “Here he is. Arthur Worring, your husband for fifty-four years.”
Winny held the doll, and her eyes went wide as the energy flowed out of the doll and into her. “Arthur?”
Hecate gave them a moment and watched to make sure that Arthur wasn’t drawing on his wife. He was attached to the poppet, and it had a solid charge, so he was good.
Winny closed her eyes, and when she opened them, Arthur was back in the doll, and she held it out to Hecate.
“He explained things. Thank you.”
Hecate took the poppet. “Did he tell you about the earing?”
“What?”
“He said your earing was under the hydrangeas.”
Winny started laughing, and the fairy lights around the garden lit up. It wasn’t sundown yet, so the bright twinkles shouldn’t have happened. Arthur was sending a message. He was there, and he was watching.
Hecate took the poppet and placed it and the rest of her accoutrements into the bag.
Winny smiled. “Would you stay for tea?”
Hecate took the woman’s hand and squeezed it, watching Winny’s eyes widen in shock. “I would love to, but I need to get him to a place where he can mingle with other members of the ghost community.”
“Where? Where will he be?”
“He will be at my property, south of the city. I have plenty of room for them to roam around; they don’t interfere with electric or cell signals, and they can all discuss things with each other, including their families.”
“There are others like him?”
“Forty-six at this point. They were all in the same situation that you were but to varying extents. Well, they were the ghosts, and their loved ones are now living happy lives knowing that they were loved and the ghost is in a safe place.”
It was easier than explaining that ghosts got stuck in household items, like their favourite toaster.
“Why are you so cold?”
Hecate chuckled. “I have been around the ghost world so long that my body remains cooler than normal at all times. It drives my doctor nuts.”
They chatted softly as Hecate eased her way to her car. Hecate put her bag in the back seat.
“Now, call me if you have any issues or just want to talk. If you need a counsellor, I know of several in this area and one who has had a ghost extracted herself.”
“Her husband?”
“Her daughter. If you would like to speak to anyone, let me know. I can email you the information, and you can check her out yourself before contacting her. I am not financially involved beyond this moment. I am making that clear in case your children object to my presence here.”
Winny nodded. “I understand. I will take a few days for this to sink in. Having him in the garden will be a tremendous comfort.”
“I know. He knows. If you need him, he will be there.”
Winny smiled. “I think I know that. He has always been there for me until that last day.”
“He’s still here. He isn’t leaving this world without you.”
Winny smiled again, and then, she lunged forward to hug Hecate.
Hecate held her lightly and let her come to the conclusion that she didn’t feel right. When Winny backed away, she was frowning, but there was a gleam in her eyes. “Thank you again.”
Hecate got back in her car and drove away from the Worring house.
She spoke to her computer and requested, “Call Thessa.”
There was a dial tone and then a click.
“Hecate, what can I do for you?”
“I have had a client who needs to talk with someone on a personal and not professional basis.”
“Did you give them my number?”
“Not yet. I wanted to run it past you first.”
“What was the situation?”
“Elderly widow with cancer being drained ahead of her time.”
“Damn. Okay. Do you have a name?”
“Winifred Worring.”
“I will be ready when she calls. Don’t worry. You have Amber safe and sound, and I appreciate it.”
“She’s working herself up to the move.”
“I know, and I know that you will try and involve me if you can. In the meantime, I can help those who have had a loved one ghost and then stalk them.”
“Thank you. Send me any bills you incur in the process.”
“I am not going to send you a bill. I know what you do and why you have to charge for it. I would never have taken you seriously if you hadn’t demanded payment before you would even show up. It showed me value for money, so to speak.”
“We live in a weird world. Okay. I am on my way home. I will give Amber your love. Have a great night.”
“Goodnight, Hecate. Take care.”
Hecate said, “End call.”
She punched the home button on her navigation system, and she simply did what she was told. She was done working for the night. She was going to get home, show Arthur around, and then get to have a hot cocoa. Getting her body temperature up after working with a ghost was always difficult. She was used to it.
Chapter Two
The phone was ringing, and Hecate groaned and pushed her three heated blankets back to reach for it. “Hello?”
“Hecate, are you still in bed?” Her sister was screeching.
She sat up and looked sleepily down at all the bedding. “Yup.”
“You are supposed to be here! The cake tasting is going to start in an hour, and I need you.” Esmerelda sounded standardly dramatic.
“I will be on my way in a minute. I must have forgotten to charge my cell phone.”
Esmy sobered up. “Drive safely. I don’t want you getting into an accident on the way.”
“I will be safe, and I will be on time. The Cake and Tart on Main?”
“You’ve got it.”
“Will I get to meet your fiancé today?”
“He is going to try and meet us. You are going to meet him eventually. At the wedding, if nothing else.”
Hecate was wriggling into her jeans and turning off her blankets. “I can’t believe you are moving to the middle of nowhere.”
“Says you. You live in the middle of a field surrounded by trees with no cell signal. We are only moving one city over.”
Hecate pulled her pyjama shirt off and wrestled her way into a bra with the phone still at her ear. “Yeah, but you are still moving away from Mom and me.”
“I promise to invite you over for a housewarming. Lake Point Way is a lovely spot, and they are restricting the number of houses to seven in our cul-de-sac. We were so lucky that his parents put in a good word for us.”
Hecate picked out a clean shirt that was somewhat stylish and draped it over her arm while she brushed her hair. “You know that the ghosts report weird shit for that area.”
“I know, but he isn’t concerned, so I won’t be concerned. You have fifty-five minutes, Heck. See you there.” Esmy hung up.
Hecate exhaled, went to the center stone, and powered it up for the day. The ghosts would be able to interact or attend to their own families while she was gone. She got her socks and shoes on, and then, she was out the door.
The ghosts thronged around her the moment that she left the house.
Arthur was the most concerned. “Where are you going?”
Amber stood next to him and put her hand on his arm. “She will be back. Her twin is getting married, and she has to go to the cake tasting. She told us about it last night. Don’t worry. If anything happens with your wife, we can get you there.”
Amber was sweet, fourteen, and born to be a caregiver. She was carrying out that destiny in her afterlife. She couldn’t let her mom go, and her mom felt the same, so they both tried to care for each other with the means left to them now.
