by J. C. Diem
The color scheme was soothing cream wallpaper with a faint silver pattern and deep brown carpet. A chocolate colored blanket covered the bed. I lay down to test the mattress and found it to be comfortably soft. “I could get used to this,” I murmured.
“I’m glad you’re taking your imprisonment so well,” Jonah said moodily, scaring ten years off my life when he materialized next to me. “I’d give anything to be able to leave this mausoleum.”
I sat up and leaned against the headboard, studying his morose expression. “How did you die?” I asked.
He plucked at the blanket, but it didn’t move beneath his restless fingers. “I can’t remember,” he confessed.
“Why are you wearing that suit?”
He looked down and smiled ruefully. “It was the height of fashion in the seventies. I think I was at a party that had been thrown in this house, but the details are fuzzy. All I remember is that my name is Jonah.”
“So, you’ve been stuck here since you died?”
He nodded and pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. “I’ve tried to communicate with everyone who has lived here over the decades. It took me twenty years or so to learn how to use my energy to manipulate light switches and open or close doors. Even doing something small like that tires me quickly, so I don’t do it very often.”
“That must have freaked the residents out.”
“It did,” he confirmed sadly. “The house has been bought and sold many times. When Quin and her team moved in, I knew straight away that they were different. It took me a while to figure out they were supernatural creatures. Seeing Connor turn into a panther the first time was a shock. Watching Mirra scream a rat to death will live on in my memory forever.”
“She can use her voice to kill things?” I asked in shock.
“Why do you think Connor moved so fast to put his hand over her mouth when she found out you were a vampire?” he said dryly. “If she’d shrieked at you, your eyeballs would have burst and your head would have exploded.” My mouth dropped open, but nothing came out. He laughed at my expression. “Just kidding. That happened to the rat, but you’d probably be okay. I’m sure vampires are a lot tougher than rodents.”
“You should have seen the rat-things Connor and I encountered,” I told him. “Even Mirra might not have been able to scream those things to death.”
“Connor called Quin and told her about that when you two were at the Archives,” he said. “She did some research and this is the first time these things have ever been seen.”
It was disturbing that a new species of monster had appeared seemingly from nowhere. The fact that they’d used magic made it even more troubling.
Quin knocked on the door and pushed it open, interrupting my thoughts. “Dinner will be ready in half an hour,” she informed me, putting my bags on the floor. “Feel free to explore the house until then.”
There was really only one place I wanted to go and I turned to Jonah. “I’m going to take another look at the library.”
Quin looked over her shoulder on her way out the door, then realized I was talking to her invisible team member. It must have been disconcerting to see me addressing thin-air, but she just muttered beneath her breath and kept walking.
“I’ll meet you there,” Jonah said and vanished.
Leaving my duffle bags full of clothes and backpack full of weapons on the bed to be unpacked later, I ambled downstairs again. The walls were largely bare, but I could see where paintings or photos had once hung. The mansion was showing a bit of wear and tear, but it had been well maintained over the decades. It had to be at least a couple of hundred years old. It creaked and groaned like an elderly lady sinking into a hot bath as it settled for the night.
Jonah was waiting for me in the library when I walked in. The room was dark, so I flicked the light on. “Boo!” he shouted, leaping at me from the shadows.
“Nice try,” I said dryly. “I saw you before I turned the light on.”
“Oh.” Crestfallen, he plonked down on a recliner. “I guess you can see in the dark.”
“Yep. It’s one of the perks of being part-bloodsucker.”
“What are the other perks?” he asked as I took a seat across the coffee table from him and curled my legs up.
“I don’t really know yet,” I confessed. “This is all still pretty new to me.” Thinking about it, I came up with a short list. “I’m stronger, faster and I can heal really quickly now.”
“That’s the only perk about being dead,” he said in a glum tone. “Nothing can hurt me anymore.”
While that might be true physically, clearly his mind was still susceptible to harm. “Oh, come on,” I said with a grin. “There’s got to be other advantages.”
“Such as?” he asked.
“You can spy on anyone without them knowing about it.” It was just a guess, but he hunched his shoulders and looked around guiltily. “I bet you’ve peeked at Mirra when she’s in the shower a few times,” I said with a grin.
“She’s a siren, so she prefers to soak in the tub,” he said sheepishly. “Don’t tell her,” he pleaded in a whisper, forgetting that the others couldn’t hear him.
“Your secret is safe with me,” I vowed. It was kind of fun having a friend no one else could communicate with very easily, but I could see how lonely Jonah must have been all these years. Speaking to the team via a séance had to have been a chore. “How often do Quin and the others speak with you?” I asked.
“Once a week or so,” he said with a shrug. “It takes a lot of energy for me to manipulate the planchette on the Ouija board. I always need a few days to recover afterwards.”
“Well, you won’t need to use your energy while I’m here.”
He looked at me and his eyes shimmered with tears. “You have no idea how nice it is to be able to talk to someone again, or to have someone able to actually see me. I know it’s horribly selfish, but I’m really glad you’re here, Ari.”
I smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say. It was nice to make a new friend, but this beautiful old mansion was a prison. If I couldn’t prove that I wasn’t a danger to humans, I wouldn’t be leaving this place alive.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jonah and I talked until dinner was ready and Connor called us to the dining room. The ghost disappeared and I found him seated at the table. Long and wide, the mahogany table was large enough to seat twelve people. The surface had been polished to a high shine. “This is fancy,” I said, noting the silver candlesticks and silverware.
“Quin’s Mom came from a wealthy family,” Mirra said as Connor entered carrying two delicate china plates. “She was raised with a silver spoon in her mouth.”
“Aren’t were-creatures allergic to silver?” I said to Quin. She sat at the head of the table, with Mirra to her left. A place had been set to her right, which I assumed was Connor’s spot. I took the seat next to the siren that had the only other setting in place.
“We are,” she confirmed and held up her knife so I could examine it. It was stainless steel. “So are vampires,” she reminded me.
Connor placed the plates in front of Quin and Mirra, then trotted back into the kitchen. He’d cooked steamed fish and vegetables. It looked and smelled delicious. He returned with our plates and sat down. Looking at the cutlery, I tentatively picked up the fork. At first, nothing happened. After a few seconds, a burning sensation made holding it uncomfortable.
Jonah sent me a sympathetic look from his seat at the far end of the table. He watched us eat in envy. Connor saw me wince and put down the fork and left the table. He returned with a stainless steel knife and fork. “Thanks,” I said. The pain receded along with the faint burn marks that had appeared on my fingers.
Quin paused with her fork halfway to her mouth to speak. “It will be interesting to learn what your strengths and weaknesses are.”
“Sunlight isn’t immediately deadly to her,” Connor reported. “Although she needs to move into the
shade after a few minutes.” He’d been paying more attention to me than I’d realized, which was disconcerting.
It wasn’t easy to pretend to be a lady. I was used to wolfing my food down, but I knew that sort of behavior in front of Quin and Mirra would only bring me scorn. Even with my restraint, I finished before everyone else.
“That was excellent as always, Connor,” Quin said. He nodded at her praise and we carried our dishes into the kitchen.
“I’ll clean up,” I offered. Mirra handed me her dishes without a word and left. Quin nodded and left as well. Connor stayed to watch as I rinsed the plates and cutlery and stacked them in the dishwasher. “I do know how to operate one of these, you know,” I said as I switched it on. “Or are you watching me to make sure I don’t steal any of the knives?”
“You have plenty of knives in your backpack,” he replied. “None of us think you’re a thief.”
“No. You’re just worried I’ll turn into a homicidal maniac,” I said with a hint of bitterness. I saw Jonah hovering just outside the door, listening in.
“Can you blame us?” Connor asked in a level tone. “Vampires are at the top of the list of some of the most evil things that exist. The fact that you share a lot of their traits is troubling.”
“Quin is more dangerous than I am,” I muttered. Her training was far better than mine had been. She was also faster and stronger. Now that I knew what she was, I realized she’d been holding back during our fight.
“I’m not so sure about that,” he said quietly. “You were weak from blood starvation. You’re still a fledgling and everything we know about vampires tells us they only get stronger as they age.”
While they grew older, their appearance never changed. They were forever frozen at whatever age they’d been when they’d first been turned. Since I was a hybrid, I wasn’t sure if the same rules applied to me. The thought of never growing old was appealing, but living forever wasn’t. Only time would tell whether I would share that trait with bloodsuckers as well.
Connor sauntered away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the ghost that he hadn’t even known was there. “Do you want to talk in the library?” Jonah said when he popped his head through the wall. He’d been alone for so long that he wasn’t ready to relinquish me just yet.
“Sure,” I replied. He vanished and I trudged back to the library to find him seated in the leather recliner again. “What do you remember about your life before you ended up here?” I asked after I curled up on my chair.
His expression turned thoughtful. “Only bits and pieces. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle that I can’t quite piece together.”
“Do you remember your last name?” I asked and he shook his head. “Your parents’ names?” Again, his head moved from side to side. “Your dog’s name?” I joked.
“Fletcher,” he replied, then looked surprised. “He was a black Labrador.”
“I guess that means you’re a dog person,” I said wryly. A lot of people seemed to care more about their pets than they did their own families. I wasn’t sure that this was the case this time. It was probably just a random memory that had popped into his head.
He stared into the distance pensively. “I remember flashes from my childhood. I think I had a couple of siblings because I was rarely alone.” He looked at me and I read long-suffering anguish in his eyes. “Sometimes, I see a girl. Her face is familiar, but I can’t remember her name.”
“What does she look like?”
“She has hair the color of honey and blue eyes,” he said, staring past me as he recalled her face. “She’s young, about eighteen or so.”
“Maybe she was your girlfriend,” I suggested. “Has Quin ever done any research on deaths that have happened in this house?”
“Yes. Several deaths have been reported over the past two centuries. None of the deceased were called Jonah.”
It was a puzzle that I wished I could help him solve. Hopefully, he would recall more details that might help up piece his life together. Finding out who he was wouldn’t change his circumstances, but it might at least give him some peace of mind.
Seeing a notepad and pen sitting on a side table, I left my seat and grabbed them. “I’m going to take notes,” I told my new ghostly friend and jotted down the few things I’d learned about him so far.
We talked for a few hours and I wrote down everything he could recall about his past. It didn’t amount to much. He couldn’t remember the names of anyone he’d known, or where he’d lived. It was frustrating for us both, but I didn’t let it show.
“I really appreciate you talking to me for so long,” Jonah said at last when I began to yawn. “It’s late and you should get to bed. Quin likes everyone to rise early.”
Grimacing at that information, I tore off the pages I’d scribbled on and stuffed them in my pocket. I put the notepad and pen back, then turned to the ghost. “I’ll see you in the morning, Jonah.” He smiled faintly and remained seated. I stopped at the door and turned to say one final thing. “By the way, if I ever catch you spying on me in the shower, I’ll never speak to you again.”
He grinned at my mock glower, but he didn’t promise that he wouldn’t sneak a peek. Whether they were dead or alive, all men were cheeky little boys at heart.
Chapter Twenty-Four
My sleep was deep and I didn’t remember my dreams when I woke the next morning. Wondering what had woken me so early, I groaned when I saw it was barely six am. A fist thumped on the door. “Wake up, sleepy head!” Quin shouted. “Rise and shine!”
“I’m awake!” I yelled and heard her chuckle.
“Breakfast is in ten minutes,” she said through the door. “Don’t be late.”
“What is this, boot camp?” I complained to myself when she left.
“It’s Quin’s version of it,” Connor said from his room down the hall. “She runs a tight ship. As long as you follow the rules, you won’t have any trouble fitting in.”
I still didn’t know what the rules were, but I had a feeling I would be learning them very soon. Since I only had a few minutes to get ready, I hurried into the bathroom. I’d never worn a lot of makeup before and only used a bit of eyeliner and mascara to highlight my eyes. With my now nearly flawless skin, I didn’t need foundation, or powder. Running a brush through my hair, I dressed, deemed myself to be presentable, then met Connor in the hallway.
Mirra emerged from the other wing when we reached the stairs. Again, she was dressed in a formfitting dress. This one was midnight blue and matched her ballet-flats exactly. Seeing Connor’s eyes linger on her lush figure, I wondered if they’d ever had a relationship. “Did you two used to date?” I asked.
The siren snorted out a laugh. “Of course not! I’d never date a shapeshifter.”
“I’d never date a siren,” he retorted. “I prefer women who enjoy my company rather than ones who just want me to impregnate them.”
Mirra’s lovely eyes narrowed in anger. “I have not used a man in that fashion.”
“Not yet,” he said. “But the biological urge will kick in sooner or later. Once that happens, all human men will be fair game to you.”
That was something she apparently couldn’t deny. With a huff, she stormed ahead of us. “You two don’t seem to like each other very much,” I noted.
“She’s only been a part of the team for a decade. We’re all still getting used to each other.”
I almost missed a step at his cavalier attitude to the passing of an entire decade. It was a reminder that I was by far the youngest person in this mansion. “How long have you and Quin been in the unit?”
“For a few years, we were the unit,” he replied as we reached the dining room where Quin was waiting for us. “We met sixty years ago on a hunt. She knew straight away that I was a shifter and I sensed the same about her. We were after the same nest of vamps and decided to team up and try to kill each other later if we survived.”
Quin grinned fondly at the memory. “Connor saved my life that da
y, which is why he’s still alive now.”
“What happened?” I asked, fascinated by the glimpse into their pasts.
“The master leech woke up and came at me from behind while I was staking one of his minions,” she explained. “Connor shot him in the head, which gave me enough time to turn around and stake the bloodsucker through the heart.”
Connor took up the story next. “We finished off the rest of the minions, then had a chat. Quin had just been given the job of leading an elite team of hunters. She chose me to be her first employee.”
I did the sums in my head and frowned. “You two were the only members until Mirra joined fifty years later?”
Their expressions became guarded and Quin fielded that question. “We’ve had other members during that time. They’ve never worked out. Connor, Mirra and Jonah are solid. I trust them with my life.”
Jonah appeared at the mention of his name and smiled at being included. “Tell her I love her, too,” he said.
“Jonah wants me to tell you he loves you, too,” I dutifully relayed.
Her cheeks colored slightly and the ghost chuckled. “I knew that would get a reaction,” he said.
I threw a napkin at him, but it just sailed through his face. “Don’t use me to play tricks on people!” I said crossly. It was obvious Quin wasn’t the type to show, or voice her affection for others. We were similar in that respect. Jonah stuck his tongue out at me cheekily, then vanished. “That ghost is going to be such a pain,” I complained as I retrieved the napkin.
Mirra looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, then sniffed disdainfully and took her seat. Breakfast came in the shape of healthy cereal. There was no scent of bacon or anything fatty in the air. Glumly taking a seat, I filled my bowl, poured milk into it and began eating.
“Do you ever chew, or do you just inhale your food like a vacuum cleaner?” the siren asked me.