Chapter 5
Chapter Five
CONNOR
Ever been hated by a foxy redhead? It’s a new one for me, but so far I’m really enjoying it.
Red—sorry, Kieran—is the sexiest thing I’ve seen in a long time, a pressure cooker of passion wrapped up in a delicious package.
I want to lick every one of his freckles, preferably while he’s giving me that fuck-you glare with the greenest eyes on the planet.
What I said about his aura is absolutely true: he telegraphs his every emotion to the psychic universe, even while he physically locks them all down so tight, it’s a wonder he doesn’t have an ulcer.
It’s hot.
Right now, though, as much as I want to wind him up a bit more, I really do need to see the gateway.
If necessary, I can get all the background later—if it turns out I can’t close it.
Which I hope I can, because there were a lot of people here today, and Josh told me weekends are even busier.
This isn’t a great place for an open gateway, especially not an unguarded one.
Kieran leads the way out of Josh’s super-nice apartment.
The ghosts blink out, presumably to meet us wherever we’re going.
The rest of us amble down the narrow attic stairs in a little convoy.
It’s the weirdest convoy I’ve seen in a long time, and considering my field of work and the people I come into contact with, that’s really saying something.
There’s Kieran, the repressed business major who looks like a wet dream but probably irons his underwear; Josh, who tries to be feisty but is a little wounded inside and really just wants to be loved; Ewan, who worships the air Josh breathes and is a complete softy despite looking like he could rip your arms off and like it; Skye, who actually is feisty and could rule the world with an iron fist but looks like an adorable kitten with rainbow hair; and Daniel, who has the most perennially happy and friendly aura I’ve ever seen on a human being in my life, ever, paired with a protective streak so strong, it glows.
It’s like… if I tried to hurt one of his friends, he’d take me down with a shovel, but he’d smile and say, “No hard feelings,” and offer me a beer after.
So yeah, weird.
We traipse along the hallway, not seeing anyone. Because they’re all at dinner. I didn’t see anyone on the way up, either, but Josh bundled me into a tiny elevator and then whisked me up the stairs to the attic so fast, they may have been there but I missed them.
I can tell where we’re going long before we get there.
The gateway is established. It’s definitely been more than four months since it was opened, because it’s firmly entrenched in a way that only decades can ensure.
How the hell has this whole area not been overrun? How has nobody noticed this before?
Kieran pauses by the door and swipes a little blue tag over the electronic lock. It beeps, and the light changes from red to green.
“Who has access to this room?” I ask. If I remember how electronic locks work, anyone with access to a fob and the computer can code themselves an entry key, which probably means most of the staff.
“Just us… and Arissa,” Kieran says, gesturing to the group. His other hand is on the doorknob, holding it down so the lock doesn’t reengage.
“You met her this morning,” Skye reminds me.
“Yeah, I remember. Are you sure? Nobody else can log on to a computer and give themselves access?”
Kieran lets go of the doorknob and turns on me, his face pink with emotion. Rage, probably. It’s cute, but also makes his freckles fade, so win-lose.
“I’m sure, thanks very much. Access to create a key to this room is passcoded, and the only person with that code is me. It’s randomly generated, changed every week, and I don’t write it down anywhere. Despite what you clearly think, I’m not an idiot.”
Oh man… all this needs is… yep, there he goes. Hand through the hair, mussing it up. I’ve known him for less than an hour, and already I can tell this is what he does when he’s nervous or agitated.
But…
“I don’t think you’re an idiot, and I’m sorry if I’ve given that impression.
” I actually mean that. Most people piss me off just by existing, and more so when their actions fuck things up that I need to fix.
But I get the feeling this lot here are just doing the best they can with the limited knowledge they have, and so far, they haven’t killed anyone.
Which means they’re winning. “I just wanted to double-check. My job is to make sure people are safe.”
“Can we talk about that?” Daniel asks behind me. “What is your job, exactly?”
“After,” I tell him, then look back at Kieran and gesture to the door. “When you’re ready.”
With a sharp look meant to remind me I’m the reason for the delay, he swipes his fob again, the door unlocks, and he pushes it open.
The energy hits me in the face before I even step in, and my stomach sinks. This isn’t going to go the way they all clearly want it to. But I keep my mouth shut for now and enter the room.
I thought it would be a bedroom, a guest room, but instead it’s…
a living room? A small one. Maybe a den.
Most of it is filled with a sectional that’s too big for the space, opposite a cabinet with a big TV on it.
Maybe seventy-five inches? It’s on, but I don’t recognize the show.
The ghosts are perched on the sectional, including two I haven’t met yet, but none of them are watching the TV. Their attention is on me.
Ignoring them for the moment, I turn toward the gateway.
Surprisingly, it’s in the closet, the doors open so it can clearly be seen.
There’s a thick ring of salt around it, along with many chunks of quartz.
Their purifying energy sings to me and eases some of my tension.
At least they got this right—the salt and quartz combined should keep most nasties from coming through. Not all, but most.
I study the gateway carefully, noticing right away that there’s some kind of blockage.
The energy signature matches those of the ghosts behind me, and I can’t stop my smile.
Ingenious. Not enough to actually stop anything that wants to get through, but enough to maybe stop beings from noticing the gateway is there.
Some of them, anyway. That and the salt/quartz circle would at least provide a warning alarm.
“This…” I don’t know what to call it. “…door you’ve put in was a great idea.” There, credit where credit’s due.
There’s a quiet murmur as the ghosts speak among themselves, then one of them says, “Thank you. We didn’t know what else to do.”
“It helps,” I assure them. “So do the salt and quartz.” That’s the only good thing I can tell them. This gateway isn’t closing anytime soon.
Sighing, I turn to face the sea of expectant, hopeful expressions. “I’m sorry, it can’t be closed.”
Faces fall, and Kieran closes his eyes and runs a hand through his hair.
“Are you sure?” he asks, pinning me with that so-green gaze.
If the situation were different, I’d think he was just asking to get back at me for the whole key thing, but the truth probably is that he’s desperately clinging to hope.
Which I have to crush.
“Yes. It’s been open too long. Impacted by things that happened here.” I hesitate. “It also was opened quite violently, which would have made it hard to close even if someone had tried minutes after it was opened.” That’s as tactful as I can be. “What can you tell me about it?”
With a huge sigh, Kieran looks around the room. “Is there anything else you need to do here? There’s a lot to talk about, and the guests will come up eventually. I don’t want them overhearing.”
Nodding, I turn back to the gateway and seal the edges more tightly around the ghosts’ door-thingy. It’s not much, but it’s something. I also send an infusion of energy into the quartz, dialing up its power.
“Do you keep watch?” I ask as light flares from the stones. It’s showy, and I can’t help hoping Kieran will be impressed by it. But when I turn back, he seems preoccupied.
“Since we got rid of the demon and closed this room off, there’s always been at least one ghost on duty in here.” The end of the sentence rises slightly on a worried note, as though he’s not sure if that’s enough.
“That’s good.” I don’t see what else they could have done.
“You need to keep that up. Two is better than one.” In case whatever comes through gets the jump on them.
While it consumes or destroys one ghost, the other can run for help.
I don’t say that, though. These people seem very attached to their ghosts.
I get it. Some ghosts are like that. You love them even when you want to strangle them.
Kieran nods. “Two it is.” He looks over at the ghosts. “Your elected rep can join us, but the rest of you need to work out a new schedule. Two ghosts on duty at all times. And…” He sighs. “… I’ll get you premium cable.”
One of the ghosts I haven’t met, a man who’s almost as old as Joe and is dressed like a lumberjack in flannel and jeans, lights up. “With porn channels?”
Kieran closes his eyes and nods once.
“Yes!” Johnny pumps his fist. “Unions work!”
“I’m going on record as saying I’m not answering any questions you might have after watching porn,” Ewan warns.
“This is a mistake,” Daniel tells Kieran, who shrugs.
“They’ve earned it. Just… keep the volume down,” he warns the ghosts. “I don’t want complaints from the guests.”
“I have questions,” I announce, but nobody pays attention. They’re too busy discussing the ghost union porn. Or whatever.
“And you’re definitely not allowed to listen to me and Ewan anymore,” Josh declares militantly.
“As fun as this is,” I say, trying again to interrupt, “could we maybe leave the debate for another time?”
They look at me blankly, as though they’re not even sure who I am.
“Gateway?” I remind them, pointing. “Questions.”