14. Aster
Chapter 14
Aster
I n the car, I glance at Hudson, mentally stuck on a few issues. How the fuck am I going to deal with Chester? How will I keep Hudson safe in the meantime? And the big one—how do I ignore the strange pull I’ve felt towards him for the last few hours?
It seemingly came out of nowhere. Yes, I found him attractive at first sight, but I’ve seriously got bigger issues to deal with than that. It’s just that ever since he had that episode at his house where he checked out for a bit, I’m more aware of him, more drawn to him. So weird.
“You told me you’d explain how you found me on the drive back,” Hudson says, turning to face me. “So tell me.”
Crash appears in my rearview mirror, leaning on the headrest of Hudson’s seat. He’s grinning and wiggling his eyebrows.
“The big reveal. Dun dun dun.”
I shake my head. “I’ll tell you, but you have to do your best to believe it. It’s pretty wild.”
“Okay.”
Crash taps my shoulder. “I’d leave out the part where you were dead. Might ick him out if you’re planning to tap that.”
“Tap that?”
“What?” Hudson asks, confused.
I clear my throat, rolling my eyes as Crash laughs.
“Nothing. Sorry.”
“Knock boots?” Crash adds. “Bump uglies? Bang? Or my personal favorite: fuck.”
“That’s not gonna happen.”
Hudson scowls, crossing his arms. “I take it you’re not talking to me.”
“I’m super sorry. My guide is being a pest right now.”
“Is it something I should know?”
“I’d say so,” Crash says. “He has a right to know you want to get into his pants.”
I blow out a breath, biting back my response. How the fuck does Crash know that anyway?
“Anyway—” I glance at Hudson. “—it’s not important information.”
“Okay,” Hudson says. “How did you find me?”
“The best way to describe it is that it’s a job I was offered. I was assigned your case because of Chester getting out so quickly.”
“Getting out of what?”
“The Below. Um, the underworld.”
“Like hell?”
“It’s not called that. That’s a Christian concept. It’s just the place everyone goes when they die.”
“Wait.” His face scrunches as he scowls. “We all go to the same place?”
“Not exactly.” I pause, biting my lip as I contemplate how to explain it. “Okay, imagine a house. A really big one. A mansion.”
“A mansion.”
“Yeah, and there are tons of rooms, right? Some of those rooms have innocent souls, like kittens and puppies and kids.”
His brow creases but he nods.
“Other rooms have souls who died of natural causes or old age.”
“And there’s a room with souls like Chester? Evil souls?”
“Yes. They’re called Horrors, and it’s my job to get him back where he belongs.”
“Why? Are you gifted? You said you were something like a medium.”
“I have some gifts.” It’s not untrue. “Like I can see them and I can talk to some of them.”
“You’re doing great,” Crash says from the back seat with his feet propped up on the door.
“Okay, so how did you know Chester was coming for me?”
“There’s a tracking system. We knew it was breached and we had some ideas of where he might go. Do you remember the first day I asked about two people?”
“Yes.”
“We weren’t sure which one was coming to you, but we knew you were a target. I don’t know much about that system so I’m not sure how it really works, I just know I was assigned to help.”
“Do you like it?”
I pull up to stop at a light. I have no idea how to answer so I glance at Crash for guidance.
“Ooh, tough one,” Crash says. “Do you admit you’re new and freak him out or do you lie and tell him you love the work?”
“I’m not lying.”
Hudson narrows his eyes. “I didn’t say you were.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Honestly, I can’t answer that yet. All I can say is that I’m committed to resolving it.”
Hudson nods. “Okay. I don’t know you, but I believe you. As weird as it is, it’s the only explanation that makes any sense.” He reaches over and touches my hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
The light changes and I drive on. Hudson stares out the window until we arrive back at his house. From the driveway, we both stare at the seemingly peaceful house, but we’re aware of what’s inside waiting for us.
“Do you know what he did?” Hudson asks, his voice soft. “To me?”
“Not entirely.”
“He tried to kill me. He was almost successful. He beat and strangled me until I passed out. Luckily he thought I was dead. My neighbor called the police and then he blew his brains out in my kitchen.”
“Oh my god, Hudson.”
“He stalked me relentlessly for sixteen months. When I moved to this house, I thought I’d got away, but he still found me. To this day, I have no idea why he was so obsessed with me. I don’t know why he wanted me dead. We barely dated.”
“People like that don’t make sense. Mental illness isn’t always logical.”
Hudson nods, meeting my eyes. “I want my life back, Aster. I want to go to sleep and not have nightmares. I want to take a shower or a walk or check my mail without looking over my shoulder. I want to learn to trust people again.”
I reach over and grip his hand. “You will. You’ll have all that. Chester can’t stay here. I’ll make sure of it.”
He blinks, nodding, then exhaling slowly. “I guess we can go inside now.”
“Yeah.”
I gather my things while Hudson scoops Otto out of his car seat. Crash trails behind us, his eyes focused on the house.
“Oh boy,” he says, lingering behind me while Hudson unlocks the side door.
“What?” I whisper.
“He’s big mad. Be ready.”
My heart sinks. “Awesome.”
We step inside to find the mudroom silent, but as we walk in farther, it’s clear that the house is anything but peaceful. I hurry through the kitchen into the living room to find books, vases, and other decor spinning in the air.
The other spirits of the house cower in the corner, except for one. The spirit appears to be a young girl, maybe around sixteen or seventeen. She’s wearing a long cream nightgown, and her long golden hair hangs in a single braid down her back.
She rises off the floor and lets out an ear-shattering shriek that sends both Otto and Hudson into my arms. The windows rattle but the items in the air drop to the floor and the thickness in the air eases.
Crash appears beside me. “Impressive. She’s had enough of our guy Chester.”
“Wh-what just happened?” Hudson asks.
“We have some help.”
The room falls completely silent except for the sound of our breathing. The other spirits glance at me as they dissipate, but one of the males hovers in front of me.
She used all her energy to push him back for now. He’s getting stronger.
I nod. “I know.”
Don’t leave the author alone.
“I won’t.”
Hudson clings to me, his body trembling as he clutches my dog. I wrap an arm around him, offering what little comfort I can. I may need to talk to Farnsworth.
I turn to Crash. “Can I ask to see Farnsworth?”
“Sure. He’s not the most open guy, but he might offer something helpful.”
“How do I do that and not leave Hudson?”
“I can guard him. Otto will help too.”
I turn toward Hudson. The fear he feels is all over his face and my heart aches for him. “I’m gonna get some help. More help.”
“You’re not leaving me, right?”
“You won’t be alone. Otto is here and so is my guide. His name is Crash.”
That news doesn’t seem to help. “But I can’t see Crash.”
“He can see you. He’s standing right next to me.”
Crash blows a kiss and Hudson’s breath catches as his hair flutters. “I felt that.”
I nod, smiling as I smooth his hair. “I know this is scary. I get it. You have every right to be afraid, but I’ll only be gone a second.”
Hudson nods, but makes no attempt to release me or move back. His gaze softens though and as his lips part, the urge to kiss him overtakes me. It’s all I can do to stop myself. He seems to be feeling something too as he sways toward me, catching himself at the last minute.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he exhales slowly. “Sorry. I… I feel weird. I don’t know what this is.”
Crash gasps before descending into a giggle. “Oh no. You’ve got yourself a matchmaker.”
“What?”
Hudson tilts his head.
“Not you, Hudson,” I say.
“Do you feel weird too?” he asks.
“One of the house spirits,” Crash explains. “His name is Dalton. He’s a hopeless romantic and he happens to know the two of you share an attraction. He’s manipulating your resistance.”
“Well tell him to stop,” I grit through my teeth. “We don’t have time for that right now.”
“I’ll do what I can.” Crash disappears through the wall.
“Do I want to know?” Hudson asks.
“No. To answer your question, I feel weird too. There’s a lot of… energy in your home. It’s old and a lot has happened.”
“I know, but except for Chester, it’s safe, right?”
“Yeah. You’re welcome here.”
He blows out a breath. “Good. Okay. You really have to go?”
I put my hands on his shoulders. “The sooner we deal with this the sooner you can get on with your life. I trust Crash to keep you safe, and time is different there. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Okay.”
Several other spirits appear, making a half circle around Hudson. I sense their protectiveness, which makes me feel a lot better.
“You’re definitely welcome here, Hudson.”
Without thinking, I brush his hair behind his ear. His breath hitches as he fixes his gaze on me. I can’t believe that on top of dealing with his dangerous ex, now I have a spirit trying to get us to hook up. Things just keep getting weirder and weirder around here.
“Crash?”
“Present,” he says, popping up right in front of me. “I’m on duty.”
“How do I get there?”
“Page four of the handbook.”
Closing my eyes, I mentally call it up, scanning the page. Oh. That’s easy.
“Request to speak with Farnsworth please.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I jolt backward and land on my ass. When I open my eyes, I’m back in the Below. Farnsworth is standing nearby with a clipboard in his hand. He glances down at me.
“I need help.”
He nods. “Let’s discuss.”