Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Dylan
I’d only just made it to work when my phone rang, Rino’s name on the screen was enough to make my heart beat faster, my nerves tightening with worry. This couldn’t be good.
“Hello?” I said, dreading his next words.
“Mike fainted and he keeps mumbling your name. Can you get here?”
“Where is here?” I asked, knowing fully well that their location was a secret. Why? I still had no idea, but no one outside of the mediums were allowed to visit.
To my surprise, Rino texted me the address and asked me to hurry. Like I wouldn’t break all the speeding laws getting there.
I knew telling my boss I had to bail would mean losing my job, but I couldn’t care less as I drove like a mad man to get to Mike.
He’d mumbled my name while unconscious. It shouldn’t make me all smug and pleased to know that, but it did.
Mike had wanted me there. Knew I would help him. And I would. Soon.
The location my GPS led me to was a mansion, which, okay, was a surprise.
I’d figured it would be some kind of prison looking building with guards patrolling the area, very area 51 like.
And yeah, maybe I’d seen too many sci-fi series lately, but a regular mansion?
I was a little disappointed to be honest.
I’d only just parked when Pete came running out the main doors, looking worried as he ran over to my car.
I hurried out, meeting him halfway. Pete had resigned as a medium so him being here was a surprise.
Had Rino called both of us, and if so, how the hell had he beat me here?
Was there a secret short cut I didn’t know about?
I didn’t get to question him, as he just grabbed me and hauled me with him.
“I don’t know what the hell is happening between you and my brother, but he’s a whimpering mess and only mumbles words we can’t decipher and your name.”
I smiled, not even bothering to hide how special that made me feel. But my smile soon faded as worry took over.
“He’s in that much pain?” I asked as Pete maneuvered me through dimly lit hallways.
“Yes, he’s really out of it. Rino has never experienced anything like it.”
I hated that for Mike. He just wanted to be able to live his life again.
I knew he wished he’d never gotten his abilities, but this was the first time I’d wished for that, too.
What would happen if it never got better?
Mike would need to stay in areas where no ghosts would be.
His entire life would be limited, like his own personal prison.
A bright soul like Mike, who’d dreamed of travelling the world, didn’t deserve to live in a prison not of his own making.
And I would do whatever it took to help him out.
The door we were headed towards had a golden name plate on the wooden surface and I already knew this was our goal. My Mike was only a few steps away now.
Rino was in the room, sitting next to Mike’s body on the floor. “Please touch him,” Rino urged, and who was I to deny the boss.
The room was otherwise empty, which I appreciated as I kneeled next to Mike’s body, grabbing his head and resting it on my thighs.
I started to card my fingers through his brown locks, adding a bit of pressure to hopefully relieve some of his tension.
Rino and Pete were silent as I continued to work my fingers over his scalp.
Mike’s whimpering had stopped once he was resting on me, though, so I hoped whatever I was doing worked.
“Interesting,” Rino observed, his tone awed. “I’ve only seen this with three other mediums.”
“Seen what?” Pete questioned.
“Mike is showing clear signs of having chosen Dylan as his anchor, I had my suspicions, but now I’m certain.”
“Anchor?” Pete and I both asked in unison.
Rino just nodded his head. “Most mediums don’t need an anchor, partly because most are born with their abilities, but some need help regulating their energy. Mike is the worst case I’ve experienced, so it makes sense that he latched onto you for help.”
“What can I do then?” I asked, then clarified, “As his anchor, I mean.”
“He’ll need you beside him when he works. Whenever he starts to feel overwhelmed, he’ll need your energy to boost him.”
Pete stepped closer to me, eyeing me with a mix of worry and intrigue. “Just how close have you two gotten?”
“What’s with the look?” I deflected instead of answering.
Pete just kept staring at me almost as if he saw through me. Then he turned to face Rino. “Bonds like an anchor don’t just appear, they have to have already formed an emotional attachment, correct?”
“That is true,” Rino nodded.
“But what happens when they get partners? Anchors are often couples, not just friends,” Pete asked. “They won’t be able to be apart now; how will this work long term?”
I understood Pete’s worry but was growling on the inside.
He was talking as though this miracle I’d been handed was something that wouldn’t work, and why?
Because Pete thought we would meet other people and had to live together while in relationships with other people?
I couldn’t even blame Pete for thinking that.
Mike was probably not as straight as I’d first thought, but Pete still believed him to be, and I’d never spoken to Pete about my crush on his brother either, because hello, awkward.
Rino gave me a soft smile before he answered Pete’s question. “I don’t think you have to worry about them finding other partners.”
“What do you mean?” Pete demanded, looking at me with that odd look again.
“I mean, I've never once heard of a medium and their anchor being just friends. It’s always mixed with romantic affection. Don’t ask me why, but the fact that family members can’t act as anchors should be answer enough.”
Pete’s eyes went comically wide. “Oh, my, God!” His gaze shot to mine. “Are you two fucking?!”
I didn’t like the way he’d asked that. Pete was likely in shock and felt betrayed because neither of us had said anything, but what Mike and I had wasn’t just fucking, mainly because no fucking had happened.
I had feelings for Mike and Pete made it sound like Mike wasn’t the most important person in my life. And he was. Mike was everything.
I just glared at Pete. I wasn’t about to tell him how perfect I found his brother while he was resting his head on my lap, his body drained and hurting.
“Pete,” Rino warned, and somehow just that one word of warning had Pete slumping and moving away from us, approaching Rino instead to give me some breathing room.
“Sorry, Dyl, I was just surprised.”
I sighed. “Mike is important to me, but that’s all you need to know at the moment.”
My fingers kept stroking Mike’s hair, and I selfishly enjoyed myself. I could watch and touch Mike without him knowing about it. Okay that sounded creepy even to me.
“Let’s get the two of you home,” Rino decided.
“We need to pick up some burgers on the way,” I decided, smiling down at Mike’s relaxed expression. “He’ll need it when he wakes.”
I was mother-henning hard, but I didn’t give a single fuck. Mike was sleeping in his bed with Erik spending time in mine while Mike recovered. I’d undressed Mike down to his boxers, and was currently tucking him in like he was the most precious kitten in the litter.
I was his anchor.
The thought kept popping up in my head, reminding me how much Mike was depending on me from now on.
I wasn’t even mad about it. Maybe I should’ve been.
Anchor bonds couldn’t be broken; Rino had said as much when he was driving us home.
He seemed to speak more plainly once Pete wasn’t with us.
Perhaps Rino had sensed I preferred the facts rather than some half-spoken truths.
Once I’d learned Mike was stuck with me, things had settled inside of me.
Although I worried that Mike would reject me, or, worse, think he was cursing me to live the same life as him.
I knew Mike would hate to bring the bother that was ghosts to my life, but I, myself, was all for it if it meant keeping Mike.
Also, Rino had said in a not at all subtle hint that Mike would need to be attracted to me before latching on.
Which was the best news in the world, honestly.
I just had to make Mike realize we were perfect for each other.
That wouldn’t be as easy as comforting him was.
I already knew as much. Vera had done a number on his emotions and how he perceived himself as a man.
Her ick with men crying was just a cruel ridiculous thing that likely would take me months, if not years, to erase from Mike’s conscience.
And even with the knowledge that Mike was indeed into me, I had no idea if he knew it himself.
That’s where project temptation came in.
I would need to seduce Mike. Show him how irresistible I could be in every way.
Cooking, offering comfort, snuggling, and of course, my tight leather pants because my ass was amazing in those.
When Mike woke up, he would be fed burgers and fries that hopefully still tasted better than the sweet potato soup. Then I would begin tempting him.
A wide grin formed on my lips as I got undressed, too, and joined him in his bed. I hoped Mike was ready to be swept off his feet.