Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Sven had to actually go searching for Flo.
She wasn’t in the library when he came to find her.
For one second, he panicked that she forgot who she was and retreated back to her room, where he’d have a hard time getting to her.
He would’ve come to find her sooner, but Erickson would not stop talking.
Sven kept listening on the off chance he’d say something important.
He didn’t.
It was mostly about how he watched his carcass rot away, and then how the house was built up around him and how he saw that he and Magnus were cursed, but he was frustrated about how he couldn’t communicate with them.
He tried to ask guided questions of Erickson, but it didn’t work well. Eventually, he freed himself from his former shipmate and went looking for Flo to see how she was making out. Except she was gone from the library.
It didn’t take him long to find her in his apartment, out on the widow’s walk, where he often stood at night. She was standing there and looking out toward the lake.
“Here you are,” he announced, stepping outside.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, smiling, her green eyes twinkling. “Sorry, I just wanted to enjoy the sun. It’s been a long time since I wanted to do that.”
“Don’t be sorry.” Sven leaned over the railing. “It’s a great view. It’s one of my favorite, in fact.”
“I can see why. I stood out here and I remembered the lake.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You did?”
Flo nodded excitedly. “I did. I remembered swimming there when I was a girl, with my siblings…I think.”
“That is promising. I mostly kept hidden during the day back then, so I can’t really fill you in on the day-to-day of your life of Harmony Glen.”
“I understand. I was just glad the memory came back. I wish I could leave the property and go to the beach.”
“Have you ever tried?”
“Yes,” Flo responded soberly. “And it was painful. I was pulled right back here. In general, then to that room where I was cursed. What happens to you again if you leave the town limits for too long?”
“I rot. I can’t die, but it’s not pretty what happens, and it takes a long time to recover.”
Flo made a face. “Oh, I see. Maybe that’s why it hurt me to try to leave the property.”
“I know, it sounds horrible, and I’m sorry you felt pain.”
“It’s fine.” She shrugged slightly. “I am discovering curses are weird.”
“Indeed. Speaking of curses, I thought you were doing research in the library?”
“I was.” Flo’s spine stiffened. Something was clearly bothering her. “I realized it was futile because I found nothing, but I did talk to a spirit.”
“Oh?” He was interested to know why she thought it was futile, but he also wanted to know who she talked to, and he really hoped it wasn’t Erickson.
“Lottie is my great-great-grandmother. She was there the night I was cursed.”
“Did she give you any information?”
Flo shook her head slowly, the twinkle in her eyes dimming.
“Not really. Other than she suspected my father had something to do with the evil witches and wizards in Tallowfield, and that they were there the night I was cursed. Oh, and that they dragged me down to that speakeasy. They, the spirits, can’t go down there.
Every time they tried, they would get sent back, but they did try to help me. ”
“I thought they didn’t like you?” Sven asked, confused.
“I thought so too, but they were more concerned about me because I was so nervous. They gave me space.”
“And you’re not nervous now?”
“I’m trying not to be. I don’t know what changed…” Pink stained her cheeks again as she gazed at him through her long lashes, bashfully, like she always had. “Maybe it was you?”
He smiled, thrilled, and moved closer to her. “I would like to think that it was me.”
“Would you?” Her eyes sparkled in the daylight.
He beamed down at her. “Of course. Flo, I loved you.”
“Loved?”
“Love still.” Sven took her hand and placed it on his chest. “I know I don’t have a beating heart, but it’s yours. It always has been. Even if you never get your memory back and we’re stuck like this for all eternity, I don’t care.”
He pulled her close slowly and brushed his thumb over her cheek, staring down into those green eyes he loved so much before tipping her chin up and pressing a soft, chaste kiss against lips he remembered so well.
It was hard to hold back. He had a century of pent-up kisses for her.
As he sank into the kiss, she let out a soft sigh and her arms slipped around him, just like they had always done before.
There was a moment of energy, but he ignored it as he loved the feeling of her, tasting her and holding her.
“I like your kisses,” she whispered softly, pressing her forehead to his chin. “Something about them feels so right.”
“I’ve missed your kisses.” He smiled down at her, running his hands over her soft shoulders.
“I would like another one,” she said shyly.
“You never have to ask.” He cupped her face and kissed her, but this time deeply, like they used to.
She pressed her body flush against him, and he moaned, feeling her breasts against his chest. Her mouth opened and she slipped her tongue in his mouth, making him hard with need.
“Flo,” he murmured against her lips.
He trailed his hands down her back, touching her.
“Holy shit!” The shout echoed from below.
Sven broke off the kiss and glanced down to see Mona standing in the street, staring up at him in shock.
Flo followed his gaze. “Why is she so surprised? You usually come out here.”
“I’m not usually making out with someone though.”
Mona cupped her hands. “Sven!”
“What?” he shouted back, annoyed they’d been interrupted.
“I can see her!”
His eyes widened and he stepped back. “You can?”
“She’s fading now. I’ll come in, meet me downstairs,” Mona said.
Flo covered her mouth in surprise. “She can see me?”
“Apparently. Although, she says you’re fading.”
“Did the curse break?” Flo asked nervously. “I would suppose not as I’m fading for her. Maybe your curse broke?”
“I don’t think so.” He touched his chest and couldn’t feel his heart beating.
Then he ran his hand through the stone wall.
He was still able to pass through solid objects.
“Not mine anyway. Definitely not. When Magnus’ curse broke, he couldn’t pass through objects anymore, and his red eyes disappeared. ”
Flo squinted. “Your eyes are definitely red still. It felt like something passed between us though, something more than lust and arousal.”
“I know.”
“Well, if the curse isn’t broken, then how could she see me?”
Sven shrugged. “Let’s go find out.”
Although at this moment he really couldn’t care less, he knew Flo cared, and that’s what mattered.
When they got down to the lobby, Mona was waiting there and talking with Mercedes. Mercedes looked just as surprised. Magnus seemed disgruntled and he knew it probably had to do with the fact that someone else could see a ghost and he still couldn’t.
“Mona,” Sven said, turning solid again after floating down from his apartment. “You saw Flo?”
Mona nodded. “Yes. I was coming to talk to Mercedes about going to Tallowfield to see if we could find out more information, and I looked up and saw you kissing Flo. Well, mauling her would be more appropriate.”
“Yes. I was kissing her.” Sven smiled down at Flo, hovering nervously next to him.
“I’m not happy about their plan to go to Tallowfield. I plan to go with them,” Magnus stated. “Now that I can leave Harmony Glen for long stints.”
“And I’m telling you that Tallowfield is not particularly monster friendly, as you know. You might be mortal again, but you’re still a ghoul,” Mercedes said “I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“Nor I you,” Magnus growled protectively.
“Nothing is going to happen to anybody,” Mona said quickly and rolled her eyes. “It’ll be okay. I haven’t been wrong yet, have I?”
“No, you haven’t,” Sven admitted.
“Whatever happened that night of the séance stopped Flo’s memory from degrading.
She might be getting better, but then again, she might never remember,” Mona said.
“The least Mercedes and I can do is go to Tallowfield’s library because Sebastian said they don’t have what we’re looking for in Harmony Glen’s. ”
“I don’t know if she should go,” Flo whispered to him.
Sven nodded sympathetically and turned to Mona. “Flo really doesn’t want Mercedes going for her.”
Mercedes smiled warmly. “I’ll be fine.”
“Besides, I’d like to know why I could see Flo on the widow’s walk,” Mona stated. “She was like this glowing light, but I could see her and see you two making out.”
Magnus chuckled under his breath, stroking his beard. “Really?”
Mercedes shot him a withering glance before elbowing him in the ribs. “Behave. This is serious.”
“Well, energy passed between us,” Sven explained.
“Yeah, it did,” Magnus teased, and Sven ignored him, as did everyone else.
“I wonder if it had something to do with that zap?” Mona pondered, tapping her chin.
“The zap I gave him at the séance?” Mercedes asked.
Mona nodded. “Yeah, I mean he was shot out of his chair and woke up seeing ghosts. It was pretty substantial, what passed from you to him.”
“Maybe this place is a hot spot for paranormal activity?” Sven questioned. “I mean, think about it, it was a funeral home and it also was a place where gangsters and gin runners seemed to congregate. Maybe it’s caused some kind of rift?”
“I don’t know a whole lot about that,” Mona admitted.
“That’s why we’d better go to Tallowfield,” Mercedes interjected.
“Well, I’ll drive you both,” Magnus said. “There are no guests since the Sullivans checked out. Besides, it’ll be nice to leave town and not have bits and pieces of me fall off.”
Mona made a face. “That’s descriptive.”
“We’ll be back soon,” Mercedes said, looking at both him and Flo. “Try not to worry.”
Sven didn’t say anything else as Mona, Magnus, and Mercedes left Room with a Tomb.
Flo hovered beside him, wringing her hands together. “I hope they’ll be okay. She shouldn’t go. I don’t think it’s safe.”
“They will be fine.” Sven tried to sound reassuring, but he also was worried. Mercedes was right about Tallowfield. It wasn’t exactly the most friendly monster town out there, but if they had a ghost of a chance to find answers, it was likely to be found there.
“Ah!” a voice bellowed out.
Sven groaned inwardly as Erickson strode out of the wood paneling.
“What?” Flo asked out of the corner of her mouth. “Why are you groaning?”
“Nothing. Just an old friend.” Sven squared his shoulders. “Erickson, what can I do for you?”
“I have remembered something,” Erickson said proudly.
“About?”
Erickson pointed at Flo. “Her.”
“Her has a name,” Flo said gently.
“Right. Flo. I remember about that night.”
“Yes, Lottie told me you tried to save me. I appreciate that.”
Erickson nodded, acknowledging her. “Yes, but also something else vastly important.”
“What?” Sven asked.
“Her father was a wizard, but he was cursed as well. It’s why he built the room of iron to repel us.
He was hiding the fact he wasn’t pure-blooded.
He had monster in him. Wraith blood, but then again, his bloodline was not strong, nor was his magic.
The Tallowfield mages only help purebloods. He was ashamed of his wraith.”
Flo gasped. “That’s why he built that room?”
Erickson nodded. “Yes. And why all these ghosts channel here. There’s a barrier. I can show you. It’s plugged, so no one can get out or in. That night she was cursed it became blocked.”
Flo was excited. “I think we need to call Mercedes and tell them what we discovered.”
Sven nodded. “I’ll text Magnus, but I think we also need to see this barrier with our own eyes.”
Erickson laughed heartily. “Good man. I will show you both. Follow me.”
Erickson promptly walked through the wall where he’d entered. Flo was chuckling softly.
“What’s funny?”
“It’s a good thing we can follow him. If it was Magnus or Mercedes…”
Sven laughed. “Right. Well, let’s go see this barrier he’s talking about.”
He took her hand and they followed Erickson through the paneled wall. He was waiting on the other side. Through that paneling was another passageway. This one wasn’t trying to pull him back or lock him in, but there was an energy weakly pulsating through it.
“See,” Erickson said. “This hall.”
“Another secret passage?” Flo asked.
“This was your house first,” Sven teased.
“And do I have my memory?” she quipped right back.
“Come.” Erickson floated down the passageway. “It’s best to stay this way. It can get narrow.”
He was not kidding. Sven didn’t let go of Flo’s hand as they navigated the labyrinth contained within the walls of Room with a Tomb. Then he saw green light glowing through the darkness and heard an audible hum.
“Ooh,” Flo murmured, squeezing his hand. “I can feel that energy.”
Erickson glanced back and grinned. “See.”
Sven peered over his shoulder and saw what looked like a tear in the darkness. He wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but it was there and Erickson was right, it seemed to be blocked by shadow or a veil.
“The spirit world,” Erickson said. “It’s always been here, but it was tiny before this house was built. As evil and death became a part of this ground, it grew, but was never fully opened, and then that night…BAM, a shadow descended.”
“Why haven’t you said something about this before?” Sven asked.
Erickson shrugged. “I forget things. When I was speaking to Lottie about that night, I recalled this.”
“This might be why your father built that iron room,” Sven said soberly.
Flo winced. “I think so.”
“I think if you can unblock this bridge, then Flo will be free, and so will all of us. She is a revenant and they are harbingers of death, allowing for passage.” Erickson crossed his arms, looking pretty proud of himself.
Sven glanced at Flo, who looked just as decidedly worried as him.
What if breaking her curse meant she was allowed to pass through too?
It might mean he’d never see her again. But if she could be free of her curse, even if it means losing her, then it was a chance he was willing to take.