Just Lucky that Way (12 page)

"Fine," Alex grumbled, standing up. "What's the plan?"

"We just walk, I guess. No flashlights, batteries, provisions. We just go." Zed cast a glance behind him. Nope, no Opal there. "You got your phone on you?"

"Yup." Alex took a deep breath. "Ready?"

Zed grabbed Alex's hand. "Let's see what happens."

Within seconds of walking, perhaps ten steps, the air became icy cold. Zed clung tighter to Alex's hand, the only warmth between them. "Don't let go; just keep walking."

"Don't plan on letting go." Alex strengthened his grip on Zed's hand.

"You said you wouldn't leave." Opal shimmered in front of them.

"Just going for a walk." Zed pulled on Alex's hand for him to keep going.

"I think you've walked enough."

"Fine." Zed tugged Alex's hand. "C'mon, run."

They took off, long strides covering more ground. Opal's mocking laughter reached them just as several huge old pine trees crashed down in front of them, the ground reverberating from the impact. The road ahead was effectively blocked.

"Is that the best you can do?" Zed called. He let go of Alex. "Give me a leg up, we'll go over."

"Zed, don't..."

Zed looked behind him. Alex was swaying on his feet, and he hadn't had that much to drink. But he'd had a hard day, being at the beck and call of the girls, running back and forth. And being flung against a stall by a ghost probably took a lot out of you. Quite basically, he looked beat. If Zed didn't get him back to the presumed safety of their bonfire, he'd curl up by the felled trees and sleep like a puppy.

"If we clear this who's to say she won't throw more in our way?" Alex reasoned. "I'm tired, and we've both drunk more than we should for an escape." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "We'll try in the daylight."

"She can still hear you." Zed laughed. Fuck, that shouldn't have been funny. "Let's go back and sleep under the stars by the fire. S'posed to be romantic."

"That's the second best idea you've had all evening." Dropping his arm around Zed, Alex steered them toward the fire.

"What was the first?"

Alex settled back on the blankets. "Making our camp out here, with food and drink included."

"Ah, so it's all about comfort with you. And they call me a spoiled brat."

"No, I call you a spoiled brat. But I've known you long enough to know you are."

"And that's how I know we're not going to be here this time tomorrow."

"Hell, yeah." Alex stretched out. "I'm not spending my birthday with a love-sick, temperamental ghost."

"And sex will be had on your birthday, lots and kinky. I don't mind if it's public, either. But I'd rather a ghost wasn't around to lob you somewhere or drop trees on us."

"We won't get outta bed for at least a week. We have a lot of making up to do." Alex yawned. He patted the blanket next to him. "Sleep."

"Not tired." Zed leaned over and gave Alex an upside-down kiss. "I'll just read for a while."

"Don't do anything stupid."

"What constitutes stupid in this situation?"

Alex smiled. "Being here. But as we can't help that, wandering away by yourself."

"What if I need to piss?"

"It's only us two here. Just don't wander far. It's not like you really need to go behind a tree or anything."

"Good point." Another kiss and a brush of fingertips along Alex's jaw. "Night, love. Sleep, I'll keep us safe."

***

His sixth beer finished, and Zed was definitely on the happy side of drunk. Why he'd chosen to read Camp Hell by Jordan Castillo Price was totally beyond him. Maybe it had to do with his self-destructive tendencies and the alcohol. He knew Vic was a PsyCop -- a medium no less, one that could see and talk to ghosts -- and he'd still chosen that one out of all the other titles on his Kindle. But, in the novel they were doing an exorcism. It certainly seemed easy enough. Salt, cinnamon sugar and pepper. Well, maybe not cinnamon sugar. He wondered how much research this Jordan Castillo Price had done into exorcisms. Because, no matter how real these characters were to him, they were living in the author's head and could only do what she wanted them to.

Did Tania have any of these spices in her make-shift kitchen?

Wanting to check, but not wanting to leave the safety the fire offered, Zed figured he'd just have to wait. Besides, the house loomed; dark and unwelcoming. He called himself a coward and went back to reading.

"You don't really want me to go away, do you?"

Odd, no chill. Yet it was definitely Opal. No visual though. "Wouldn't you be happier if you could move on?"

"Then I'd have to leave you."

At least she knew she was dead. That had to be a good thing. "We can't be together, anyway. And you know I'll be leaving here at some point." Never to return. Never ever! Not all the promises of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in the world would get him back here.

"Why can I communicate with you? I've never been able to talk to other, er... ghosts."

"Have you tried?"

"No." Stupid question. As if.

"Maybe because we are destined to be together."

Zed couldn't argue with that. Well, he could, but it would be a waste of time. Opal had made up her mind and to try to sway her decision might make her dig her heels in more. So, once again. Why him?

"How can that be if you died, like, sixty years before I was born?"

"It doesn't matter, you've come back for me."

"Why do I prefer men, then?"

"So you didn't fall in love with another woman before we reconnected. You said I am the only woman you've ever loved."

Zed had to admit there was a certain logic in that, twisted as it may be. He still couldn't see himself loving Opal, though. He shook his head and a wave of dizziness hit him. "It's so hot, still."

Opal giggled. It surrounded Zed, high and thin, sending shivers through him. His world tilted and righted itself just as quickly. Wow, the beer had hit him hard; must be the heat.

"You could go for a swim. I promise I won't peek."

"Probably not the smartest thing to do." Even though a swim would be the best thing in the world right now, the cool water against his hot skin, washing away the day's dirt and hassles.

"The water will relax you, soothe you."

Fuck, that sounded tempting. But Alex... Nah, Alex didn't like the water. Would Alex be okay if Zed left him? Zed stroked Alex's cheek. Surely staying here and protecting him from the Opal was more important than a cooling swim.

"I won't hurt him."

"You did before."

"He's sleeping."

"I know."

"No need to wake him."

"He is cute when he's asleep, I've always thought so."

"Not as handsome as you." Opal's voice circled Zed. "Let's go to the pond. It's so pretty with the moonlight sparkling on the surface. You have to see it."

"He's the artist, not me." Zed laughed, but stood anyway, swaying a little at the change of position. Probably better if he went for a walk to work off the alcohol. "Are you coming with me? I don't like to swim alone." Don't like to be alone, hence the reason I'm talking to a ghost. Perhaps, when they got back, Zed reasoned, he might have to go and see that shrink at the hospital again. Or maybe get a referral for another. Whatever, inviting people who had been dead for over eighty years to go swimming wasn't a good sign that all was well.

"Of course I'll join you."

"Do ghosts swim, then?" Zed started off to the pond, hoping that Opal was following and not staying behind to cause mischief.

"I can do anything I want to. Don't you remember how we used to swim naked at midnight?"

Zed shuddered. Of course he couldn't remember, but he didn't need the mental image, either. Probably better not to comment to that one. Not that Opal wasn't an attractive woman, she was. Probably a stunner in her day. But a lot of beautiful women had tried to pick Zed up. He liked females, loved them -- they smelled nice and had lovely hair and skin and dress sense -- but he didn't want to fuck them.

When he reached the pond, Zed stripped his shirt off, choosing to leave his shorts on. Opal was right, the water sparkled.

Zed stepped one foot into the pond. Still as warm as a tepid bath, but cooler than he was. Like silk, the water wrapped around his calves and thighs. If Alex's hands had been caressing him instead of the water it couldn't have turned him on anymore. The water felt like fingers; it was the oddest sensation, reminding Zed somewhat of that disastrous Christmas night six months ago. Hands and fingers touching, brushing -- feather-light skims across his skin. He couldn't deny its pleasure -- now or then -- but it made him wonder if Opal had conjured water sprites... or maybe they existed anyway on magical nights like this. His cock didn't care, nor think. Maybe once he'd waded waist deep into the water, he could get rid of the shorts and have a wank. Surely Opal wouldn't notice that. She couldn't really swim with him, could she?

Zed swam to the deck at the center of the pond. The silken fingers of water caressed him, lingering over his balls. He shivered and trod water so he could peel his shorts off and get his hand around his aching cock. The water wove around his cock like the ribbons Alex had eventually used to bind it last Christmas. Only this was almost better; so smooth and changeable... water bondage. "Opal, what are you doing?" he mumbled as he slid under the surface of the water.

Fuck. Every inch of him tingled with ghostly touch; fluid tendrils twining everywhere. It was too much, sensory overload... and he hadn't even touched himself yet. He kicked out, heading for the surface of the pond, gasping for air when he breached.

"Isn't this wonderful? Just like old times."

Zed pushed the wet hair from his eyes and swiped the water from his face with his hand. The floaty fingers were still moving on him; stroking his feet, ankles, calves, thighs, and up to his ass. His cock was captured by them, the softest cock-cage bondage he'd ever experienced. "How are you doing this?"

Opal floated above the pond, ethereal and still elegantly glamorous. She shrugged as fluidly as the water. "Don't you like it?"

Zed nodded then shook his head. "Yes, no... I mean, yes. Oh, fuck... yes. It's..."

"You always were a hedonist. I'm so glad that hasn't changed."

"Never will." Zed tried to kick his legs up so he could float on his back and maybe get the chance to grab his cock and jerk off. The satiny tendrils were all well and good, but were now becoming annoying. He'd reached a point where he needed more of a rough touch.

His legs wouldn't move. The invisible tendrils tightened around his ankles like steel. Kicking did nothing. "What the fuck?" Zed glared at Opal, all thoughts of erotic water-play by himself vanished. "What's your game?"

"You said you were going to go."

"You can't keep me here, in a pond." Zed tried to keep calm. By taking deep breaths, he knew he'd stay afloat, but he wouldn't be able to keep that up all night. His arms were already aching from frantically paddling under the water, assisting him to stay afloat.

"Of course not." Opal giggled, as if that was a favorite childhood joke. "But I can make it so you'll never leave me again."

"You can't." But even as Zed said it, it crossed his mind that she could. If she drowned him, would he be stuck on this God-forsaken outpost with Opal for company? Was that what she was up to? Fuckfuckfuck, he was so fucking stupid. Some beer and pretty words from someone and he was wandering into danger like he was taking a stroll around the block.

"Alex!"

"He won't help you. He's scared of water."

The contempt in Opal's words made Zed want to hit her, to grab her around that scrawny neck and... well, someone had already done that. Now he knew why. "Fuck off, bitch!"

"Not when you're so close to being mine. You'll still be so pretty..."

"I'll never be yours." For fuck's sake, why did Alex have to be such a heavy sleeper? "Alex! Fuckin' wake up! Alex!"

Zed slipped beneath the water, panicking and struggling back up again in a moment. Gasping for breath, he spat out pond water.

"He won't come."

"He will. He loves me."

"Ha! They all say that -- you said that to me."

"Not me, bitch. That would be the sucker that killed you." Again, Zed sank enough that his nose and mouth filled with water. He'd have to stop talking.

"You said you loved me! We'd be together -- forever!" Opal circled above Zed's head. "You lied! You betrayed me!"

"Zed!" Alex's muted voice filtered through the trees. "Where are you? I told you to stay by the fire. Zed!"

"Alex!" Zed nearly cried with relief. "I'm here!"

"What's wrong?" Alex's voice was getting closer. "You should hav-- Fuck!"

And there was Alex, standing three feet away from the water's edge. "Alex. Thank fuck." Zed spat water out again. Was he getting pulled down or losing energy? "She's gonna drown me."

"Fuck." Alex took a step forward and promptly took a step back.