The fire in my veins is instantly reignited, all rational thought disappears, and the growl has returned. All of a sudden, the built-in sound system throughout the house starts blaring a popular pop song.
Barbie screams while the guys all cover their ears. I stand there, with a death glare aimed at the blonde interloper. If looks could kill, she’d be nothing but ash right now. Lucky for her, I don’t even have a solid body let alone super-death-powers. But I do have enough energy zipping through me to add a little extra oomph to my usual bag of tricks.
I concentrate on my power. Holding my hands out in front of me, I wave my right hand to the side, and a portion of the silver cases on the floor start to slide toward the far wall. Doing the opposite with my left hand, the remaining cases slide to the other wall. With each step I take toward the door, I spread the sea of cases.
“Shit!” Cole exclaims over the loud music.
His gaze follows the cases that are seemingly moving by themselves across the beautiful hardwood floor. “Thad. Levi. Get Mandy outside. Now! We’ll follow in a minute.”
Dipshit or Wankstain – not sure which is which – tries to pry Barbie’s fingers from the front of Cole’s shirt. When she’s finally detached, she struggles to stay with Cole and ends up over one of the twin’s shoulders, crying hysterically. I don’t even have time to react to the contact before they rush her outside, shutting the door behind them.
The effect is immediate. The angry haze that has been consuming my vision clears, and the addicting power running through my body slowly diminishes. I’m left standing in the middle of the foyer, shattered glass around my feet, with the music still belting out a last warning that everyone will get what’s coming to them - before suddenly cutting out.
Talk about perfect timing on my part. Yes! #GhostGirlFTW
And…silence.
No one makes a move or says a word, too stunned to come up with anything coherent. Or at least that’s my excuse. Not sure what the guys are thinking.
It’s Macklin that breaks the standoff.
“Holy shit! That was epic!”
Cole turns to scowl at him and then faces Knox.
“Knox?”
“Nothing. It’s like all the intense anger and irritation just disappeared. I sense a little bit of confusion, maybe, but that’s it. She’s still really close. Not sure where exactly, but definitely close.”
“Any ideas what the hell that was all about, Mack?” Cole asks.
“For whatever reason, it…” Macklin starts.
Back to it now, am I? My fingers spark in response.
“Whoa! She doesn’t like that at all,” Knox states with a light chuckle.
Why is he amused? I’m sure as hell not.
“Um. Ok. Sorry! Uh. For whatever reason, she…” he pauses, looking at Knox who surveys the room for a second, gauging my reaction.
Satisfied, I give them two thumbs up. Like they can see it. Which they definitely can’t so I just look ridiculous. Ugh. #GhostGirlProblems
Knox nods to Macklin, giving him the all clear. This whole thing is just too weird for words.
“Right. So she definitely has an issue with us being touched. Why that is, I can’t say. Maybe it has something to do with why she’s stuck here? Some sort of incident from her past that’s stirring up all of these feelings. We’ll have to dig deeper for answers,” Macklin finishes.
“Okay,” Cole starts, “let’s work on getting everything set up as soon as we can. We need to start documenting our experiences and digging into the history of the house. Mack, walk Mandy’s bag out to her and make sure she’s ok to drive home. If not, drive her car and I’ll have one of the boys follow you.”
My temper flares at that, but before it can escalate, Knox cuts in.
“Yeah. She doesn’t like that either. Apparently it’s more than just the touching she has an issue with. How about we get Mandy a taxi if she’s still shaken up?” Then he proceeds to look around as if he’s waiting for my approval.
A warmth spreads through me at his words. For the first time in too long, I can communicate with someone else, even if it’s indirectly. His thoughtfulness causes a pang in the region where my heart would be, if ghost girls had beating hearts that is, and a small smile finds my lips.
“Uh. Yeah. Okay. I think she likes that idea,” he says, then clears his throat.
No doubt he’s feeling all of these mushy feelings coursing through me and doesn’t have any idea what they’re about. I suppose that’s for the best. Because right now, I don’t have any idea either.
To say tonight was a clusterfuck is an understatement. I’m exhausted, both mentally and physically. After the chaos of earlier, there is nothing I need more than the drink in my hand and the surprisingly comfortable leather seat under my ass. We’re all trying to settle down now that the house is somewhat in order – the broken glass cleaned up, furniture uncovered, and the bedrooms situated enough for one night.
Macklin was able to get a fire started in the large, ornate fireplace in the study, and its crackling warmth is enough to calm even the most restless soul. The room is massive, with bookshelves on the far wall, a woven rug that covers a majority of the dark wooden floor, and leather sofas that are arranged in a U-shape in the center of the room facing the large window seat overlooking the front lawn and circular drive. Most of our equipment is still sitting just outside the study door. Untouched after being moved by an unseen hand.
Once the glass stopped exploding, slamming doors quieted, and the music went silent, it was as if she just vanished. The onslaught of emotions diminished with the distance, and I was left feeling oddly…hollow. It may have been mere moments out of this long life I’ve lived, but the connection was more powerful than any I had encountered before. It was as if I experienced every nuance of what she felt, when she felt it.
Most don’t understand my unique abilities. They don’t believe that I can see the aura of those around me, both the living and the dead still on this plane. They can’t fathom that I hold the power to see the essence of who a person or spirit is on the inside. Whether that’s because they’re naturally skeptical or they don’t want to accept the fact that I may be able to see the real person beneath all the lies, I can’t be sure.
A person’s aura is like a misty haze that surrounds their body, changing with their emotions, but also with a core of stable color based mostly on their inner self. A yellow haze, for instance, usually represents happiness or a friendly nature. Red can signify anger or strength. Green is health or jealousy. Every color has its own meaning, and I use that to my advantage when meeting new people.
She didn’t have an aura, unlike every other entity I’ve encountered. The spirit that seems to reside in this house just exists, and I can feel her in the very center of my soul.
I take another drink of the dark amber liquid, the ice cubes clanking against the glass. The warmth flows through me and smooths out the concern that wants to rise again.
Who is she? Why is she here? What is she doing to me?
Cole walks in with a tower of pizzas that he unceremoniously drops onto the coffee table. Thad follows with a stack of paper plates and napkins, and his twin, Levi, with the bottle of Jack I helped myself to earlier.