by Deanna Chase
I pulled away slightly to glance up at him. With his history, from being a ghost for a century and being in and out of limbo much of that time, I supposed he could believe just about anything.
“What are we going to do?” I asked. “You can’t live like this, with him taking over whenever he feels like it.”
“You’re right.” He stroked my hair absently. “He’s not leaving until he has answers, and he’s relying on me to find them.”
A cold chill ran through my veins. “He wants you to solve Vienna’s murder?”
“Yes.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but Julius’s body tensed and he took a step back, putting distance between us.
There was more. I felt it deep in my bones. “And?”
His jaw tightened. “He’s determined to get revenge.”
17
Garlic wafted from the plate of mashed potatoes and perfectly prepared filet. Julius, who was for the time being in full possession of himself, was to my right, Jade to my left, and Kane across from me. After our lunch of cocktails and gossip, we’d desperately needed food.
I was halfway through my steak before I glanced up, noticing Kane staring at me with an awed expression on his face. “What?”
He glanced down at his plate. The fish he’d ordered hadn’t yet been disturbed. “I’m just impressed at your Hoover abilities. And your metabolism. For a woman as tiny as you, that’s quite the show you’re putting on.”
“Kane!” Jade swatted his arm. “Be nice.”
I waved a hand, indicating I didn’t care what he said. “You’re just jealous of my girlish figure.”
Julius let out a chuckle and quickly covered his mouth with a napkin.
“If you say so,” Kane said, smiling.
“I’m going to need a side of truffle fries,” I said to no one in particular. “Someone wave a server down, will you?” Conducting a ten-year-old murder investigation through ghosts was hard work.
“We found something interesting,” Jade said, suddenly all business.
I put my fork down and gave her my full attention. During the appetizers, we’d already filled them in on the fact that Razer was the one sharing Julius’s body and that we’d “met” him today. And we’d made a plan to hunt down Xavier and Cydney the next morning. “What?”
“The paranormal activity in room 1538 started not long after Vienna’s death. Six months maybe.” Jade slathered a generous portion of butter on a piece of herbed bread.
I sat back in my chair. “So? It’s a weird coincidence, but six months is a long time for activity to start if it has anything to do with her murder, isn’t it?”
Jade shrugged, but Julius and Kane were both shaking their heads.
I glanced at Julius. “It’s not?”
“No,” Kane answered for him. “Spells, especially dark ones, take time to settle in and start to break down.”
“Right,” Julius added. “It’s quite possible the spell started to deteriorate around the six-month mark, leading to complaints that slowly escalated over the years.” Julius was quiet for a moment, appearing to concentrate on something across the room. Then he blinked. “Razer says at some point the magic binding him started to unravel, and that’s when he first started trying to escape.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “You’re talking to him?”
Julius nodded, his expression somber. “Yeah. We’re still adjusting, but he can speak in my mind while I’m the dominant player. I suppose I can do the same if he takes over.” A small shudder ran through him as he closed his eyes. “Not that I’ll let him gain control again. If I hadn’t been half-drunk, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
I opened my mouth to protest but closed it, realizing he was probably right.
Jade leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with interest. “Does he know how he got there?”
Julius shook his head. “No. All he remembers is going after Vienna’s killer. The person had the necklace she always wore. The one her mother had given her right after her first paying gig. She never took it off. The rest of the details are vague both before and after.”
Jade pressed her lips together in a thin line. “I’m really interested in why he was trapped in that room. It’s unusual.”
“Razer’s a witch, right?” I speculated. “As a ghost he can wreak plenty of havoc, I’m assuming. I suppose he was trapped as a way to keep him under control.”
“Maybe,” she said quietly.
“While I agree it would be interesting to know those details, there’s something else,” Kane said. “Room 1538 was assigned to Muse during that trip. Not Vienna and Razer. They were on an entirely different floor.”
I sucked in a sharp gasp of air. “She knows something. I’m certain of it.”
“And she’s refused to stay not just in that room, but on that floor every year when she comes back for the anniversary,” Kane added.
We were all silent as we let that sink in. The waiter came back around, filling our water and wineglasses. The new information had me distracted, and I forgot to order my truffle fries.
As he walked away, I raised my hand to call him back but gave up when Julius said, “Razer needs to talk to her.”
“Now?” I stared at my half-eaten steak, disappointment settling in.
“After we finish eating,” Kane said and shoved a forkful of crab-stuffed flounder into his mouth.
“Thank goodness.” I dug into my food and didn’t come up for air until my plate was clean and I’d finished off the flourless chocolate cake that had magically appeared on the table.
“Wow,” Jade said. There was a teasing smile on her face as she eyed my empty plates. “That was impressive, even for you.”
I grinned. “Good food. Good company. And I was starving.”
“Did you get enough?” Kane asked seriously.
“I think so. At least for now.” I chuckled to myself. Ladylike wasn’t exactly high on my priority list, though I did know how to turn on the charm when it was necessary. Dinner with the Rouquettes and Julius wasn’t one of those times. They got the real me, no filters, and I loved them for loving me anyway. Standing, I held my hand out to Julius.
He had dark smudges under his eyes, and his face was paler than usual. Exhaustion must’ve been setting in. Living with someone else in your skin really took a toll. The fact that he’d waited for me to finish my dinner without complaint made my heart swell with admiration. He had to be anxious for answers.
“Ready?” I asked him.
He nodded once as he stood. He slipped his hand into mine, and we followed Jade and Kane out of the restaurant.
I slowed my pace, putting distance between them and us. When I was reasonably certain they were out of earshot, I wrapped my hands around Julius’s arm and gazed up at him. “Are you sure you’re doing all right?”
There was a bit of weariness in his eyes. “I’ll be fine. Just need some rest.”
I placed my head against his shoulder, wishing I could do something more to help him. “Now that we know Razer is a ghost and not a lost soul, we could ask Jade if she can try a couple of spells to separate you.”
He let out a breath. “We could, but I don’t think I want to.”
I stopped, surprise rooting me to the floor. “Why not? I know how hard that is. I’ve been there.”
“Because I know what it’s like to be a ghost. To fade in and out of consciousness. To be one step out of reality. To not have a real sense of time. And Razer needs to see this through. I’m pretty sure given enough time, he’ll remember important details or be the key to solving this murder. And without me, without my stability, he could be lost again. We might never learn the truth, and neither of them will be at peace.”
Tears burned the back of my eyes at the emotion in his gruff tone. His time as a ghost had been rougher on him than I’d imagined. And even though he was here now, he’d never forget and wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t help Razer. “You’re a good man, Julius.”
“Not really.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “I just have a debt or two to pay forward.”
“No, you don’t.” I knew he’d always feel responsible for the death of the women he’d failed to save the night of his first death. But we both knew it wasn’t his fault. She’d come back as a ghost and had confirmed that just a few weeks ago. That didn’t change the fact he’d gotten a second lease on life and wasn’t going to take that for granted. My heart swelled with pride and something very close to love.
He started to say something, but I cut him off. “I firmly believe you don’t owe anyone anything for what happened all those years ago, but I understand being grateful and doing what you can to help Razer and Vienna. And I admire you for it.”
“Not nearly as much as I admire you and your strength,” he whispered and bent to kiss the top of my head. “The lengths you go to in order to help people is remarkable. Especially since you don’t have magic. Most people wouldn’t.”
I didn’t think that was true at all. In fact, I preferred to believe that most people were kind and willing to do a lot more than they were given credit for. Unfortunately, we were always dealing with the bad guys, and that tended to cloud our judgement. “I think when the crap hits the fan, most people would surprise you.”
“They surprise me all right,” he grumbled.
I chuckled. “I meant in a good way. Lightly tapping his forearm, I jerked my head toward the Rouquettes, who were now waiting for us near the elevators. “Come on. Let’s catch up. We have a rock star to talk to.”
I glanced at the room number. 1901. Was it just the night before when we’d found Muse falling-down drunk? Hopefully she hadn’t spent the day throwing back shots at the bar like we had. We really needed a coherent Muse if we wanted to get anywhere.
“You’re sure this is it?” Julius asked.
Jade nodded. “Positive. We saw her come out of this room last night and the manager of Guest Services confirmed it. I have the room numbers for the entire band and anyone on board who might have known Vienna. But Muse’s room is by far the best starting point.”
“All right then.” Julius stood with his shoulders straight as if he was braced for something and then rapped on the door three times.
I heard a rumbling on the other side of the gray door but then silence.
He knocked again, this time harder, as he called, “Muse?”
The door swung open. Muse clutched the door, her ankles wobbling on her too-high boots. Her eyes were glassy and she had a sloppy grin on her face. “Hey! Looks like the party found me.”
“Um, not exactly,” Jade said.
“Oh sure you did.” She held the door wide open, teetering dangerously to the left. She wore a short leather skirt and a beaded silver top. Just the type of outfit one would expect from a rocker. “Come in. I’ve got plenty to go around. Just opened a fresh bottle. Drinking’s not destructive if it’s social, right?”
Jade and I shared a worried glance as we stepped into her oversized suite. She was already plowed.
“Drinks for everyone!” Muse swept her arm out in a grand display, sending three bottles crashing to the floor. She stood there for a moment, staring at the mess, a blank expression on her face.
I let out a sigh, and together Jade and I bent to start cleaning up the broken glass.
Muse started to giggle. “Oops. That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Julius? Can you grab the trash bucket from the bathroom?” I asked.
But he didn’t answer me. His eyes had turned brilliant blue again and he was moving straight toward Muse with his arms out.
She stumbled back a step, clearly taken by surprise.
But Julius—or rather Razer—didn’t stop. He swept her up in his arms, lifting her off her feet as he gave her one hell of a bear hug.
She let out a startled shriek. “Hey! Put me down.”
Razer just laughed and twirled her around. “Damn, are you a sight for very sore eyes.”
“Can I get some help here?” There was panic in her tone now. And before I could move, she started kicking and screaming. “Let me down, you creep. I don’t know who you think you are, but this is unacceptable.”
He quickly put her down and held his hands up as he backed away. “It’s me, Musey. Razer.”
Her brow furrowed, and a flash of anger lit her dark eyes. “This isn’t funny.” She turned to me. “You people are terrible. Get out!”
“Muse—” Jade started as she moved toward her.
“No. I want you to leave now.” She bent over and stumbled, falling to one knee, but still managed to grab a stray stiletto and held it up, brandishing the heel in our direction. “You’re sick and twisted. Razer—” Her words got caught on a sob and she shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“Listen.” Razer bent down so he could stare her in the eye. “I know this seems crazy. But look at me. Really look at me.”
There must’ve been something in his voice or gentle tone that calmed her, because she did as he asked, staring into those brilliant blue eyes. She let out a small gasp and slowly lowered her shoe.
He gave her a tiny, wry smile, and pushed up his sleeve, revealing the distinctive dragon tattoo. “It’s me, Bella Muse. I’m here.”
Her mouth worked as her eyes darted between Jade and me. “How…” She reached up and gently laid her fingertips on his stubbled cheek. “What happened to you? Where have you been?”
“I’ve been here all along, my friend. Just detained.” He stood and held a hand out to her. “Come. There’s much to talk about.”
Uncertainty clouded her expression, and she gave a tiny shake of her head as the fierceness returned to her steely gaze. “I’m not going anywhere with anyone. You might have Razer’s eyes and his tattoos, but I know better than to believe anything without proof.” Her hand tightened around her stiletto again as she pushed herself to her feet, surprisingly steady after her recent drunken display.
Razer raised both eyebrows, and then without a word he retreated to the couch and sat down at the end. “Proof? How about your birthday is June twenty-first? We were officially introduced to each other at a studio session Vienna put together when she wanted to record ‘Naked Souls.’ But we first met at a frat party at LSU two years before. You were dressed up as a sexy Glinda the Good Witch. Vienna was dressed as the Red Queen. And I’d been trying to get a date with you for over an hour before you blew me off for Gerald Veauxzoo. Ten minutes later, Vienna took pity on me and bought me a beer. The next day you took off for New York City, and by the time you got back, Vivi and I were already living together. You told me once I was the nerdy guy that got away right before you left the bar with a man in a kilt. You told us we didn’t want to know what he was wearing underneath because adult diapers—”
She let out a squeal of delight and launched herself at him, wrapping both arms and legs around him, holding on so tight I thought she’d strain something.
He laughed, holding on just as tightly.
I cleared my throat. “Um, guys? I don’t want to ruin the reunion, but we do have some things to discuss.” It wasn’t that I was jealous, exactly. I knew Razer and Muse were overwhelmed and excited to see each other. But it was still weird to see Julius’s body wrapped around another woman.
Razer stood, and Muse slowly slid down his body. She kept her hand on his cheek as she stared up at him. “Where exactly have you been? I thought…” Her lower lip turned white as she bit down. “Why do you look like some hipster douche?”
Jade let out a startled giggle. I sucked in a sharp breath, not appreciating at all her assessment of Julius’s old-school 1920s look. There was nothing wrong with cuffed pants, a white button-down shirt, and leather shoes. In fact, I thought his checkered suspenders were just the right amount of quirky fun.
Razer’s expression darkened. “It’s a long story, but the short version is I battled Vivi’s murderer and lost. My business wasn’t at all finished, and I immediately came back as a gh
ost. But the other witch spelled me into the walls of your room, 1538.”
Muse’s entire body had gone stock-still as she stared at him, but when he’d said 1538, a noticeable tremor shuddered through her.
He reached out, rubbing her shoulder as if soothing her. “I’ve been there ever since, until last night when Julius here broke the spell. Something strange happened, and the next thing I knew, we were sharing his body.” He glanced down, something between a grimace and a wry smile tugging at his lip. “Old-school suspenders and all.”
Her lips quirked up into a small half smile. And so did his.
After a moment she reached for him but then froze as her face went completely white and she grabbed the back of the chair to her left. She clutched so hard her knuckles went white.
“Muse?” he asked, wariness clear in his tone.
A pained expression washed over her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, she choked out, “You have to leave. Get away from me. It’s not safe.”
“What?” His brow furrowed as he reached for her again.
But she took several steps back, violently shaking her head. “He’ll know. And he’ll destroy you all. All of you.”
“Who?” I asked, my breath getting caught in the back of my throat. Holy hell. Was the killer on the ship? Had he been here all along? I leaned in, impatient for the answer.
But all she did was shake her head. “I can’t tell you.”
“Of course you can. Who is he? I’ll protect you,” Razer said, glancing around the room as if the threat was only a few feet away.
“No. I mean I physically can’t. He spelled me.” Tears shone in her defeated eyes. “And if you stay on the ship, I’ll have no choice but to tell him you’re here.”
Jade peered at her and let out a small grunt of frustration. “He’s definitely here then. And I’m guessing a simple silencing spell isn’t the only nasty thing he’s hit you with.”
Muse nodded, then grabbed her head and screamed bloody murder. When she finally stopped, her face had gone from white to green and she shook her head violently. “No. Just go. Get off at the next port of call. There’s nothing for any of you to do.”