Misfortune Cookie (5 page)

“Auras. Perfectly normal,” Luca offered.

Tamzin landed on a chain-link fence enclosing an abandoned house. Nothing screamed, “Here’s the neighborhood crack house” like the overgrown vines and shrubs that had overtaken most of the shabby structure. No telling what lay inside since most of the windows were boarded over.

We pushed through the rampant vegetation. I resisted the urge to ask if I could get ticks in the spirit world. Tacked on the front door was a faded yellow ‘condemned’ notice, the smaller print too blurry to read.

Luca put his fingers to his lips and deliberately moved me behind him. The idea that we could sneak up on a ghost seemed kind of silly to me. I kept the comment to myself and watched as Luca crouched in front of the door and whispered what I assumed to be a spell. The door shimmered, then faded until it was virtually transparent.

Without saying a word, he entered the house. I followed suit. As soon as we both were inside, the door turned solid behind us, plunging the room into total darkness. Luca’s hand grasped mine and he snugged me close to his body. For a second, I caught a glimpse of eye shine, like my cat when he moved around at night. Luca placed a finger on my forehead and I could see. Instant night vision.

Almost immediately, I wished he’d take it back. To say the house was trashed didn’t do it justice. ‘Pit of despair’ and ‘shit hole’ were both apt descriptions.

Filth covered every available surface. Glistening slime covered the furniture, walls, piles of boxes, magazines, and other trash strewn about the floors. I sucked in a shallow breath, expecting a vile stench to match the unsanitary conditions. Nothing. No smell whatsoever. Thank goodness.

I gingerly followed Luca’s path through what I guessed was the living room, careful not to brush up against anything. When we reached the kitchen, a heavy pot clattered to the floor.

A solid mass crashed into Luca, knocking him against me.

“You’re not taking me!”

I expected to see a fully formed spirit like Julian. Instead, there was a ragged mess. Where Julian looked photo real, this guy resembled a smudgy streak. Like an unsteady camera shot.

“Do not fight us,” Luca said. “You are fading. If you don’t go back to the Hereafter, you will cease to exist.”

“No, I don’t believe you! You’re here to eat my soul.” The man wielded a ladle and jabbed it toward us.

My fingers and palms itched and burned. The brands ignited with hot white light.

The soul screamed, “Get back, demon!” He bounced into the stove, then flung the ladle at Luca. When Luca’s hand shot out to deflect the spoon, the man lunged at me.

Icy fingers clawed my throat with crushing force. Luca ripped him off me smashing him into the ceiling. Gasping for air, I struggled to my knees. Who knew a ghost could hurt me?

The ghost melted into the woodwork.

“Damn it!” Luca thrust a metal object into my hand. “A stun gun. When I shove him through the ceiling, zap him with it!”

He left me before I could say anything. I didn’t know how to use a Taser. I aimed it where the ghost had disappeared, hoping I had the business end pointed away from me. Loud thuds shook the house. Flecks of white plaster sprinkled down like toxic snow.

I shifted from foot to foot, switching my aim to whatever spot banged the loudest. Another louder boom sent on overhead light fixture onto my head. Stunned, I lay motionless for a second, trying hard not think about the gooey puddle I’d landed in.

The ceiling in the kitchen cracked and bowed. Wood and plaster cascaded downward. I scrambled to untangle the broken lamp and finally freed my hands.

“Radiance! Now!” Luca roared.

The ghost popped through the debris and streaked toward me. I pulled the trigger. Tendrils shot out and connected with the ghost’s neck and chest. Vivid blue lightning arced through his body, convulsing him with stunning force.

“Whoa!” I said. “Is that supposed to happen?”

Luca came up behind me. “Yes.”

Voltage spent, the ghost dropped to the floor.

Luca tugged me forward. “Place your hands on him.”

Both hands glowed obediently. I hesitated. “Do I have to?”

“Yes. Quickly before he comes around. Please. Just do it.”

Not wanting to find out what would happen if I didn’t cooperate, I approached the man. Calmness settled into my belly. Certainty, a sense of rightness filled me. Something clicked in my head when I touched him. The white light from my right hand combined with the black glow from the left. Silver energy washed over him.

I braced myself for the onslaught of thoughts. Instead, a kind of movie played in my head, moving too fast for me to process. The silver darkened then turned black. I dropped my hands automatically.

Unbidden, words formed on my lips. “This soul has been judged.”

“I commend him to the other side,” Luca said, eyes burning. As if to match my hands, one pupil was light, the other dark before both turned coal black. He drew a dagger across his palm deep enough to draw blood.

Luca placed the bloodied palm on the center of his chest. A whirling black vortex opened in place of the brand. The soul floated up off the ground, picked up speed then slammed into Luca. He flung out his arms and held his ground. The dark whirlpool sucked the ghost inside like a soft drink pumping through a straw.

The vortex winked out of existence. Luca heaved in a long, ragged breath, buckling at the waist.

I rushed forward. “Are you okay?” I traced my fingers along the lines of the brand, feeling his solid skin, warm and alive. The muscles of his well-sculpted pecs twitched ever so slightly. It didn’t escape my notices that he had a serious six-pack going on.

“If you keep doing that, I may insist you buy me dinner first.”

Shit. Heat scorched my cheeks. I pulled my hands away and made the mistake of looking at his face. His hooded gaze trailed down to my mouth. As if magnetized, my fingers twitched upward. I wanted to touch his body again.

I licked my bottom lip. He smiled. Lust rippled over me. I saw a gleam in his eye. I’d seen that look before in men. It said—dessert.

An overhead ceiling beam shifted with a rending crack, breaking the moment.

Irritation shattered the spell between us. I stepped backward and whacked him in the arm. “Was that your idea of on the job training?”

“Don’t blame me. You ran off before I could explain.”

“Yeah, well next time, we need a better game plan. And some warning that he could hurt me would’ve been nice!”

“Did you think we’d be chasing clouds of vapor?” Luca bent down and retrieved the stun gun, winding the thin cords with precise economical movements. “Or that these souls would willingly be captured?”

I brushed ceiling grit from my hair. “I think this whole thing sucks. No amount of money is worth this shit. Why can’t you leave these souls in peace? Sure he was living in filth, but he seemed to be minding his own business when we barged in here.”

Luca tucked in his shirt. “Is that what you think? That he was innocent. Let me show you something.” He tugged me outside and took my hands into his.

With a whoosh, we fell and reformed inside another house. A foul stench slammed into me. Bile burned my throat. I covered my mouth and nose with my hands.

“Look at this!” Luca demanded.

“Oh God!” My vision caught up to what my nose already knew. A slaughter had taken place in this house. Blood, tissue, and body parts decorated every surface of the room. Small moans escaped my throat at each new horror. A shredded teddy bear. A severed foot encased in a blood drenched shoe. No matter where I looked, a new fresh hell greeted me.

“This is what an escaped soul can do to the living if left alone. This was a family. Two adults, three children. Shall I tell you their names? Their ages.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks and I sobbed quietly into my hands. This was my fault. I had refused to listen. Not once, but several times. When I pulled my hands away, I noticed blood coated my palms and fingertips.

I stared at my damp clothes. The liquid, what I’d assumed was slime, was actually gore. The puddles, rivers of blood. Short breaths puffed out of my lungs as I fought to control my sanity.

Luca put his arm around my shoulder and whispered into my hair. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let my temper get the better of me. I merely wished you to know that you serve a higher purpose. That your sacrifice will help save others. I know you want to be free, but consider the cost.”

“You’re right.” I swiped away the tears. “This is my fault. Tell me their names so I won’t forget them.”

Luca studied my face. “As you wish. But first we must alert the authorities and leave this place.”

No argument there.

The following morning I woke up dry-mouthed and exhausted. I’d tossed and turned all night, unable to forget the horrors of the last twenty-four hours. At least once, I considered seeking out Luca, but discarded the notion of alone time with him. Showing up by his bedside in the middle of the night, clad in only undies and a T-shirt, confused about my feelings was a recipe for trouble. Until I figured out why my body sang like a harp for his, I needed to steer clear.

He ended up sleeping over in my guest bedroom after a brief debate about where I’d spend the night. For me the only answer was my house. Not Ashworth Manor. I wasn’t leaving Brody to fend for himself another day and I wanted—no—needed, to be in my own home. Luca relented but insisted on staying.

After a long hot shower, I dressed in my favorite comfy jeans and an oversized T-shirt emblazoned with the name of my roller derby team. Practice would be starting in a few short weeks and I relished being with my friends. Sure, they’d probably be surprised to learn my identity as an heiress, but I also knew it wouldn’t stop any of them from hip checking me onto the ground. If Luca thought he could stop me from enjoying my life, he could suck it.

Downstairs, the TV blared the latest headlines. Julian loved television. Unfortunately, he couldn’t control the volume all that well. I half listened to the latest political poll results, an update on the war on terror, and some fluff about the latest celebrity brat out of rehab. Thankfully no mention of me. Yet.

My thoughts were mostly about drinking coffee and wrangling my wet hair into a ponytail when one snippet caught my attention. “Prominent millionaire, Jonas Wilson was found murdered late last night in his penthouse. His death, right after the passing of Sebastian Ashworth, a close friend and business partner have some speculating there is a larger conspiracy. Wilson owned numerous businesses…”

I knew Jonas. He was a rich arrogant prick, but even he didn’t deserve to be murdered. I padded down the stairs in time to see footage of EMTs wheeling out his body zipped in a black bag.

The reporter continued. “Police have provided few details and would only confirm it was a homicide. Word from an inside source who wished to remain anonymous is that the scene was a blood bath.”

Red stained my vision. I swayed on my feet, steadying myself by gripping the back of the sofa. After what I had seen last night, it was easy to imagine similar carnage. With a headshake, I buried away the memory, taking Luca’s advice to learn to compartmentalize. Otherwise, I’d go insane.

With Julian nowhere in sight, I clicked the TV off and headed through the seldom-used dining room. A heavenly aroma of fresh coffee and bacon wafted out of the kitchen.

Luca faced the counter clad only in his dress pants. My mouth watered, but not for food. Every sleek inch of his back was smooth and sculpted. His pale skin glowed in the morning sun streaming in from the windows. The light danced on his black hair and for a moment, I swore it turned a silvery white color. I blinked. Neatly folded along his back was the faint outline of phantom wings.

No fucking way. I swallowed and rubbed my eyes. The vision was gone.

Clearly, I needed caffeine. And a CAT scan.

He turned around and dazzled me with a brilliant smile and a view of his gorgeous chest. The brand, evenly centered, looked like nothing more than a tattoo. Even better, he held out a steaming mug of coffee.

“Good morning.” His eyes, not hidden behind those annoying glasses, darted to the corner where the kitchen table stood.

The hair on the back of my neck rose and my skin prickled. Brody, who’d been at my heels, hissed and ran through the cat door, escaping into the yard.
Wish I could follow you, little buddy
, I thought when I realized we had unexpected company.

“Radiance Ashworth.” A neatly dressed woman in a plain navy suit jacket with a cream colored shell underneath was seated at the breakfast table. Her shiny black hair was coiffed in a French knot and her skin was smooth and luminescent. If I had to guess her age, she didn’t look a day over thirty, yet her eyes and regal bearing told me a different story. The wisdom of ages peered at me through her focused gaze, as if she was much older than she looked. Weariness, maybe even bitterness, shone through her measured study of me.

Tough crap if she didn’t like what she saw. I took a seat across from her and offered a thin smile. “I’m sorry, we haven’t been introduced.”

“I’m Joanna Evans. Think of me as your new boss.”

Luca’s hand landed heavily on my shoulder, giving it a warning squeeze. “I was planning on making my report to you this morning.”

“I’d rather meet the new heir myself.” Again, her disappointed gaze raked me up and down. “She won’t last the month.”

“Hey! I’m sitting right here.” The assessment rankled me. What did she expect in one day? Xena, Warrior Princess? “Does your organization have an employee suggestion box? Because I’d like to make one.”

Luca hissed out a long breath. “We will begin training today.”