by Sean Michael
“You’re the gentlest man I know,” Will said. “Of course you wouldn’t hurt them. It’s because you look like Angus and they’re ghosts. I can’t explain this stuff as well as Blaine can, but ghosts don’t understand the passage of time. It’s like they’re stuck at the moment they died, yeah? They don’t get it. Didn’t get it, because with any luck they’re dead and gone for real now.”
“Have you seen something like this before?” Payne asked. It would help to know that Will and the others knew of other cases.
“You mean vengeful spirits like this? Sort of. That hospital case we mentioned, the ghost wanted revenge on his brother, who kept him from being with his lover. But never one with so many like your ghosts. It makes sense, though, if they all died together or around the same time and for the same reason, that they’d mesh together into one big nasty mob of ghosts.”
“Do you think they killed my gram? Or was that her great-grandfather?”
“I don’t know. Neither option is very appealing, is it? But my guess is that Angus wasn’t still around. Why would he be? And what good would it do him to kill her? I think she stayed around because she knew about the ghosts in the basement and wanted to protect you. Because she loved you.”
Payne mulled that over for a minute. “I guess so,” he said finally. “She picked kind of a scary way to do it, though. Was it her moving things around and throwing things, or was that the bad ghosts?”
“We may never know for sure, but I think that was her.” Will shrugged. “Blaine says ghosts have a hard time communicating. Maybe she was trying to scare you away from the house at first, and when that didn’t work, all she could do was try to keep you from going down to the basement. It seems like the angry spirits were contained down there. They could affect things through us mentally, like they did with me, but they couldn’t do anything physical upstairs. We all thought it was the bad ghosts trying to keep you out of the basement at first. But look how they went after you when you did get down there. No, I bet she was doing everything she could to keep you out of harm’s way.”
“I saw her, you know,” Payne told Will. “She was downstairs. She helped me.”
Will squeezed Payne’s hand gently once more, and even though Payne’s hand was pretty sore, that squeeze sent warmth all through him.
“Okay,” Will said. He raised his phone and started messaging. “I’ll tell the guys you want to be there.” He grinned. “You know, you’re our honorary team member this time around. We’ve never had someone not part of the group doing everything with us before. Of course this was our first time in a building that wasn’t abandoned.”
“I just want to have peace. Did you get anything for your show?”
“I’ll be shocked if we didn’t. I’ll ask the guys when we’ve figured out when and where we’re meeting and stuff.” Will kept texting, fingers flying over the keys.
“Right.” Soon he’d be home, alone in the house, trying to put things back together.
The waitress came by to drop off their drinks and take their order before Will was done with his message, but he stopped long enough to ask for the Full Farmer’s Breakfast. Payne placed his own order, and she promised them it wouldn’t be long.
Will finally put down his phone. “They’re going to meet us at the house after breakfast. So we can give you your all clear as soon as possible.”
“Okay. What… what happens then?” Did Will just disappear from his life?
“Then the Supers will get out of your hair, and Jason will work on editing what we’ve got into a cohesive show. For my part, I hope you’ll let me continue to prove that we have something together that has nothing to do with the house. Just you and me.”
“Yeah?” Because that was important. “The you-and-me part.”
“Unless you don’t want to.” Will frowned like that idea had only just occurred to him. “In which case, I’ll be spending time trying to convince you to give me a chance. I really do care for you, Payne. I know we’ve only known each other short time, but our relationship was forged in the midst of turmoil, and that always cements things faster.” Will stopped talking and nudged his leg under the table. “Put me out of my misery and tell me you are serious about me too.”
“I am. I want to give you all the chances.” He wanted Will in his bed.
“Thank God.” Will laughed softly and took his hand, holding it gently. “I want to know if our chemistry works in your bed as well as it does at the hotel.” Will waggled his eyebrows. “Hell, I’ll even be happy to invite you to mine, although it’s a hovel compared to your house.”
“I’d like you to fall in love with the house. It’s honestly a magical place.”
“Yeah? That doesn’t surprise me, because the man who owns it is pretty damn magical in my books.”
“Flatterer. It’s going to be all right, isn’t it?”
“I want it to be all right. I think that counts for a lot. You’re not a client to me, and you’re not just a friend with benefits. I care about you. And I want you to be happy. I want you to live in a safe place. Hell, I want to live in a safe place, and I have to admit to hoping… that you’ll have me.”
“Yeah? After two days?” Because he would, and not because he was scared to be alone either.
“I know that’s what people are going to say, but our relationship was…. What’s that expression? Forged in fire. And I feel like I know you better than I know a lot of other people who I’ve known a lot longer. So yes, after two days. And if you need more time, that’s cool. I have faith in how I feel, and I have staying power.”
“I have a lot of room, you know. You could… have an office even.”
“An office? You mean for the Supers? Like, an honest-to-God office?”
“Yeah, I mean… is that too much? I’ve never fallen in love before….”
The wonder in Will’s face morphed into joy. “You’ve fallen in love with me? Because I’m falling in love with you.”
“People are going to say we’re insane.” Not that he cared, but it was true.
“Professor, me and my friends hunt ghosts. I’m used to people thinking I’m insane.” Will grinned and bounced in his seat like a kid. “You’re giving me an office for the Supers. And you love me. And I’m moving into your house with you. I get to wake up with you every day.”
“Even if it’s haunted by my meddling gram?”
“Are you kidding? Your gram loves me.”
Payne tilting his head. “She does?”
“She was the first one to put us together. You remember being locked safely in your room for a day? That was totally her.”
“Dear Grandson, here’s your man. Love, Gram?”
“You’ve gotta admit—she’s got great taste!”
Payne began to laugh, his tension leaving him in a rush. Will watched him with a sweet, indulgent look on his face.
Before either of them could say anything, their breakfast arrived, plates full of food that smelled amazing.
He thought maybe he could finally relax and eat.
Relax, eat, and then go home. He looked up, finding Will looking at him with a goofy grin.
“Dig in, Professor. Then we’ll go home.”
14
Will was in a damn fine mood. He was behind the camera as they went through the MacGregor house. Blaine was narrating, talking about the differences between yesterday and today.
So far, they hadn’t even felt Payne’s gram’s presence. Of courses, they hadn’t tried to go into the basement yet. He thought that was going to be the real test. And they were headed right for it, now, having cleared the kitchen.
Jason waved for Payne to approach the basement door with him, and Will kept a close eye on his lover through the camera. More to make sure Payne was okay than to film it for the Supers. Which was maybe a dereliction of his duty or something, but he didn’t care. Payne was his priority.
“We’re at the basement door now,” Jason noted. “Payne, do you feel anything strange?”
/>
“No. No, I feel… nervous because of yesterday, but that’s it.”
“Nobody is telling you not to go downstairs?” Jason asked. “No threats to you or your friends if you go down?”
“No. I just feel… like me.” Payne grinned a little. “I’m going to go down and see what happens. I expect saving if I don’t come back.”
Will grunted. Payne was not going down there on his own. No way, no how. Jason and Blaine were right there with him, thank God.
“Oh, we’re coming too. We need to film, and you need the extra flashlight power. You can go first, though, if you’d like.”
That didn’t make Will happy, but he was going as well, so he didn’t complain. He was ready to jump to Payne’s defense, though, should there be even a hint of danger.
Payne looked toward the camera, but Will knew he was looking at him. “Let’s do this.”
He grinned at his man. Look at Payne, taking the bull by the horns and going down to the very place where yesterday God knew how many ghosts had tried to take him out. Will was so proud.
Payne headed down the stairs and they all followed.
He couldn’t breathe for a second as he reached the bottom of the stairs, but it didn’t last. He sucked in air and looked at the other guys, who all seemed to be in the same boat.
Payne surged forward, though, as if he hadn’t been the guy who’d been targeted and almost killed by the ghosts who’d been after the original MacGregor.
A mist built between Payne and the rest of them, a faint shimmer.
“Fuck.” Will headed down the stairs at breakneck speed, pushing past the guys who were ahead of him.
Payne reached for him, chuckling softly. “He’s right here, Gram. He’s here. See?”
“Jesus, I thought you were about to be attacked again.” Will rested his hand on Payne’s shoulder and pressed his forehead against Payne’s. “Does she believe they’re gone?”
“I don’t know, but she’s gone now too, see? She wanted to know you were here.”
Will looked around. Payne was right; the shimmering was gone. “So she left once she knew you weren’t alone?” He was thinking that was better than her hanging around. He had a hunch he’d have performance issues if he knew she could pop up at any moment.
“I think she’s happy. It felt like she was happy.”
“I think that means the others are all gone.” Will turned to the guys. “You hear that? Payne’s gram’s ghost was here to make sure he wasn’t alone, then she left. She wouldn’t do that if there were still any danger, right?”
Blaine nodded slowly, getting that faraway look. “I’d have to agree. The ghosts are gone. I can’t feel them.”
“It’s not very scientific,” Flynn noted. “Going by whether or not someone’s grandmother’s ghost is happy or not.”
“Yeah, let’s do our exploration of the basement with the camera and all the instruments. That way we can draw some educated conclusions.” Jason headed determinedly toward the right.
Payne nodded. “Do what you need to.”
Then Payne grabbed Will and kissed him good and hard.
The other guys all gaped, but Will just smiled and aimed the camera in their general direction as he kissed his lover.
“I think you’re home free, Professor,” he whispered.
“I think we are. Welcome home, Will.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
Will gave Payne one last kiss before focusing back on his camera and following after the guys. They had to keep filming for the show, but it didn’t matter. He knew they wouldn’t find anything. His boyfriend’s ghost grandma had said so.
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About the Author
Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.
Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.
Coming Soon from Sean Michael
SWAK: Fisting in October 2019
In November 2019, look for the first book in a new BDSM series – Nailz. Meet piercer Will and go with him on his journey as he’s wooed by Dom Rick in the first book of the series Pierced.
Also by Sean Michael
Dragon Soul Series
Branded by Flames
Seduced by the Tide
Bound by Thorns
Born of Air
Owned by Fate
Fairytale Shifter Series
Beauty and the Beast
Rapunzel
Little Red Riding Hood
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Kennel Klub Series
Brush and Whip
Pack and Mate
Need Series
Need
Chosen
Shifter Rescue Series
Scales
Claws
Fading
Freedom
Spirit
Soul
Three Uncaged
And One Makes Four
Supernatural Explorers Series
The Supers
The Librarian’s Ghost
Bite Series
Bite
Bitten
Stand Alone Stories
A Private Hunger
Annual Werewolf Ball
The Beast Within
Blowing Smoke
Carved in Wood
Crouching Vegan, Hidden Werewolf
Eternity
Flying With Dragons
Healing Fire
His Very Own Vampire
The Law of the Jungle
The Lost Tiger
Love is Blindness
The Moon
Obedience Classes
Once You Go Demon
Royal Line
Smoke
Two Howls
Ves’tacha
Winter’s Gift
The Wizard and The Thief