GhostlyPersuasion

by Dena Garson

  She turned to Seamus. His face was set in a stony mask. If he was half as shocked as she was that Shanna’s boyfriend no longer appeared to be a ghost, his world had to be off-kilter.

  “We need to go,” Seamus told Katie.

  “But—”

  “Now.”

  Without another word, Katie followed Seamus out of the Dungeon and back to her room.

  When they were safely inside, away from anyone who might be listening, Katie finally asked, “How is it possible that Shanna’s boyfriend used to be a ghost but now he’s not? It’s not as if he can be suddenly undead.” She hesitated then asked quietly, “Is it?”

  Seamus was pacing near the windows, obviously agitated by what they’d seen. “No, it’s not possible to suddenly be undead. But how is he suddenly not a ghost?” He sat on the bed next to Katie. “He died in the hotel. I remember the accident. And I remember how upset the Chichesters were.” He looked at Katie. “But what did he do to regain his mortal body?”

  “How about if I ask Riona? Maybe she’ll have an explanation,” Katie offered.

  He nodded. “That’s a good idea. I think I’ll talk to a couple of the ghosts I do know. See if they know anything.” He shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he found a way to regain his body for a short time.”

  “Maybe.” Katie’s mind whirled with things she’d like to do if Seamus could regain his body. Even if it were only for a little while. “But I really don’t want you to run off tonight.”

  “Why not? I’d like to find out if there is a way.”

  Katie reached for Seamus’ arm but, as expected, her hand passed through. “After everything I saw in the Dungeon tonight, I really don’t want you to leave me alone, Seamus. Please stay. At least until I fall asleep.”

  The heat and desire flickered to life in his eyes. It mirrored what was probably reflected in hers.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so used to watching that I don’t get as excited by it as I used to. I forgot it was all new for you.” He leaned closer and slid his gaze down her neck to her breasts then up to her face again. “Did what you see excite you, Little Katie? Did it make you burn to be touched?”

  Her lips parted and her eyes dilated. She nodded. “Yes. I want you to touch me, Seamus.”

  He got up and moved to stand in front of her at the end of the bed. He put his hands on her knees. The coolness of his spiritual body contrasted with the heat radiating from Katie’s core. “Take your shirt off for me, love.”

  Katie toed her shoes off then reached for the hem of her sweater. She pulled it up over her head and let it drop on the bed beside her.

  Seamus’ eyes devoured her.

  “That too.” Seamus pointed to her bra.

  Katie reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. She held his gaze as she pulled her arms out of the straps then dropped the garment on the bed with her sweater. Part of her wished she’d invested in sexier undies, but really, she doubted Seamus would notice them for long. He seemed far more interested in her being naked.

  She watched as he reached forward and ran a hand over her breast. The nipple perked in response to the cold and the tingles from their merging. He cupped his hand around her whole breast, or tried to anyway. Then he brought his other hand up to cup her other breast.

  Katie’s mouth fell open and her breath sped up.

  He flicked both thumbs over her nipples, making her tremble in response. Then he ran his hands down the sides of her chest, down her belly to the waistband of her jeans.

  “Will you take those off as well?” Seamus pointed to the closure of her jeans.

  Katie noticed his accent was thicker. It did that whenever he became aroused.

  She reached for the button and popped it loose then slowly eased the zipper down. Since he was standing in front of her she couldn’t get up to slide her jeans off, so she lay back on the bed. His eyes darkened and a muscle jumped in his cheek. She eased her jeans over her hips, pulled her knees up so she could slide the jeans the rest of the way off then dropped the jeans onto the floor beside the bed.

  “God, what I wouldn’t give to be able to run my hands all over your body,” Seamus groaned.

  “I can do it for you,” she said quietly.

  She wasn’t sure where this bout of daring was coming from but decided not to question it.

  “Do it,” he commanded from his place at the foot of the bed.

  Katie watched his face as she bent her arm and brought one hand up to her shoulder. He was riveted on what she was doing. She trailed her fingertips along her collarbone, down her breastbone to her bellybutton. Then reversed direction and moved back up to her breast. She stopped just as she reached the bottom curve and waited.

  His eyes flicked from her hand to her face then back again.

  Finally he raised his eyes to meet hers. “Go on.”

  She smiled. “Just making sure I have your attention.”

  “Believe me. You have my complete attention,” he assured her.

  A giggle slipped out before Katie could stop it. “Very well.”

  She moved to cup her breast then lightly stroked around and over the nipple. Drawing her other hand in, she slid it over her hip and over the top edge of her panties. Seamus’ eyes were drawn to the motion.

  After seeing so many erotic images in the Dungeon, Katie was primed and bolder than usual. She slipped her fingers into her panties and teased the top of the narrow band of hair that covered her mound.

  “Don’t torment me, love. Let me see you touch yourself.” He pointed to her pink-and-white panties. “Take those off as well.”

  Katie lifted her butt off the bed and pushed the narrow piece of cotton over her hips and down to her knees. She pulled her knees up and wiggled her legs until she had maneuvered her panties down to her ankles then dropped them off the end of the bed at Seamus’ feet.

  His eyes tracked the fabric’s fall to the floor then quickly returned to Katie’s body.

  A flash of embarrassment swept through Katie but she stamped it down. After all, she had just witnessed a dungeon full of people doing all sorts of kinky things. There was no reason she shouldn’t please both herself and Seamus.

  “You are so beautiful, Katie,” he whispered.

  His admiration was enough to shatter the last of her inhibitions. She ran her hands up her ribs to her breasts. She pushed them together and pinched the tips lightly. Then she moved one hand down her belly to her pussy.

  Using one finger, she parted her folds and dipped it into her pussy to wet the end. She drew the moisture up to her clit and circled the nub, around and around. The combination of Seamus watching her closely and the physical stimulation ratcheted her need higher, making her squirm.

  “I really wish you were the one doing this,” Katie said quietly.

  “So do I.” His voice sounded hoarse.

  “Of course, it’d only be fair if I were taking care of you too.” She drew more of her juices up to her clit and increased her tempo. “Since I can’t do it for you, will you make yourself come, Seamus?”

  Surprise flashed across his face but he quickly masked it. Without further prompting, he unfastened his pants and let them slide down his thighs. Katie angled her body so she could see him better.

  His beefy hand closed around his cock, preventing her from being able to see him in his full glory, but what she could see was just about right. It was a shame she couldn’t see more of his delectable chest and body. It was an even bigger shame that she couldn’t lick it all over.

  “You better not take too long.” Seamus drew her out of her reverie. “Seeing you spread out on that bed pushed me close to my limit before I ever started.”

  Katie let her eyes roam all over Seamus as she continued to work her clit. She used her free hand to play with her breasts. Pinching, pulling and stroking them. Adding more sensations to what she was already feeling.

  Waves of pleasure built inside her. Her heels dug into the mattress and she fought to keep her eyes open so she could
watch Seamus.

  “Almost…” she panted.

  She bit her lip as she struggled to take that last step over the cliff.

  Without warning, Seamus leaned forward and touched her pussy. The shock of the cold and the tingles from where their forms merged was enough to send her over the edge. She cried out and her legs shook from her effort.

  Somewhere in the back of Katie’s mind it registered that she had heard Seamus groan with his own release. The sound of their mutual heavy breathing was the next thing Katie was aware of. Rational thought, however, was beyond her for a bit.

  Seamus lay down on the bed next to her. Surprisingly he’d managed to fasten his pants. That was more than she was capable of at the moment.

  As she tried to catch her breath she asked, “So you really are able to, um…” She turned her head to look at Seamus.

  He smirked. “I should think that would have been obvious.”

  She rolled onto her side to face him. “The most obvious sign is a sticky mess. But there isn’t one so I was curious how that works for a spirit.”

  “I’m not sure, really.” He linked his fingers behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. “When I come, I feel the same things I did before the curse. But when it squirts, it just disappears.”

  “Wow. That’s kind of…” She searched her brain for an appropriate word. “Weird?”

  Seamus chuckled. “Less messy though.”

  She grinned in return. “That’s true.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Katie woke earlier than usual with her head full of questions. Seeing it was useless to try to fall asleep again, she rolled out of bed and dressed for the day.

  It would probably be another couple of hours before Seamus showed up. If she intended to talk to Etain, this would be her best chance.

  She’d brought up the idea to Seamus of asking Etain about the curse, but he had shot it down immediately. He said he was never going near Etain ever again and didn’t want Katie around her either.

  While she didn’t blame him, Etain was probably their best chance for figuring out how to break the curse.

  Katie made her way up the stone steps leading to the battlements. At least the steps were dry, despite it being another cloudy day. She couldn’t imagine going up and down the narrow stairway during the winter. Or during an attack on the castle.

  The conditions people had to live with five hundred years ago were mind-boggling. But if they never had regulated heating and cooling or indoor plumbing, they wouldn’t miss them.

  When Katie reached the top of the stairs she sat down to catch her breath. As she rested she scanned the area, looking for Etain’s ghost.

  Alastar, the spirit she talked to in the library, had assured her Etain could be found up here. Apparently Etain was hanged directly below this part of the castle. Guests of the castle and other ghosts had reported seeing her pacing back and forth, particularly on stormy nights.

  Katie was somewhat leery of confronting Etain. Her opinion of Etain was very low for what she had done to Seamus, and Katie was not sure she could hide her feelings. But she needed to ask Etain about the curse. It didn’t help that Alastar said Etain tended to be irrational, if not violent.

  At first glance the battlements appeared to be empty. Katie turned the corner cautiously.

  The wind was blowing harder on top of the castle walls. Katie’s hair whipped around her face, occasionally blocking her vision. From the corner of her eye she saw a figure floating near the shadows at the other end of the battlement.

  She found a corner she could stand in, out of the wind, and watched the figure. The apparition was a woman with long dark hair, dressed in what looked like a crimson gown. She paced back and forth, muttering to herself. Katie couldn’t hear what the woman was saying but she seemed agitated.

  Uncertainty of the ghost’s mental stability—if such a thing were possible—made Katie rethink her idea of approaching. Seamus was going to have a fit if he found out she had come up here. Even Alastar had tried to talk her out of it when he found out why she needed to know about Etain.

  What was the harm in talking to her? After all, she was a ghost. There wasn’t a whole lot Etain could do to her.

  With her courage screwed on, Katie left the safety of her corner and slowly made her way across the battlement. She was only halfway there when the figure spotted her.

  “Who are you? What do you want?” The figure took a step toward Katie. “This is my place. You don’t belong here!”

  “I’m very sorry to disturb you.” Katie kept her voice low and gentle. The same tone she would use if she were speaking to a frightened child. “I was wondering if you are the Lady Etain.”

  Some of the wildness left the figure’s eyes. “I am. How did you know?”

  “The gentleman in the library told me I might find you here.”

  “Why did you seek me out?” she demanded.

  “I, uh… I wanted to meet you.” Katie’s mind raced to find a plausible answer. “I am… I’m apparently staying in what used to be your room.” She added, “In the hotel.”

  “You must be very important to have been given such a fine room.”

  “Well, no, not really.” When Etain’s eyes narrowed in anger, Katie quickly said, “I mean, I’m not, but my mother used to work here and she knew the owner. They were friends.”

  “Ah. I see.”

  The tension eased a bit when Katie saw her explanation was acceptable to the crazy apparition.

  She continued cautiously. “I read a few things in the library about the history of the castle and was curious about your life. Would you mind talking to me about it?”

  “There was a man who came many years ago, asking questions too. I sent him away.” Etain took a step closer to Katie, her ghostly hands balled into fists. Katie immediately took a step back. “Men are ignorant fools. They do not understand that which makes us do what we do.” Etain placed her left fist over the place where her heart would have been then took another step closer. “But you. You should understand.”

  Katie forced herself to remain in place. “Um… Yeah. Okay.”

  Once again, some of the wildness left Etain’s eyes. “Your manner of speech is unusual. You are not from Ireland?”

  “No. I’m from America.”

  “I have heard of this place. People below,” she waved to the courtyard and bailey below the battlements, “have spoken of it. It is a long way away, is it not?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you are a guest here.”

  “Yes, that’s correct,” Katie said as she kept one eye on the exit. She hadn’t realized craziness carried over into death and obviously Etain’s mood could turn in a split second.

  “What is it that you wish to know?”

  Katie tried to think of the best way to ask about the curse put on Seamus, but suspected launching into that topic wouldn’t get her anywhere. “You were married to a lord, correct?”

  “I was.”

  “What was that like?”

  A peaceful look passed across Etain’s face. “In the beginning it was nice. I had lovely dresses and he gave me lots of jewels. He told me I was the most beautiful woman in the land.” Her face fell as she remembered the past. “But the workers were always coming to ask for help or they needed him to settle some dispute. The late nights working in his solar became more frequent. Then he started traveling to check on the other estates. Leaving me here, alone.”

  She looked directly at Katie. Some of the wildness had returned to her eyes. “I didn’t like to be left alone.”

  “Wives have complained about their husbands’ jobs getting more attention for centuries.” Seemed like a safe response and seemed to satisfy Etain’s need to be heard, if not understood. Then Katie was inspired with a way to broach the subject. “Long separations sometimes lead wives to look elsewhere for affection.” Knowing she might be pushing it, she added, “Did you ever have someone fill that void for you?”

  A dreamy
look passed over Etain’s face. “There were others,” she said enigmatically then floated away from Katie. At least she acted embarrassed by having taken other lovers.

  “Were any of them more special than the others?” Katie’s pulse skipped and she resisted the impulse to hold her breath.

  “One,” Etain said quietly. Her face fell and her eyes strayed to the edge of the battlements. She floated to the short wall then stared off in the distance as if remembering something.

  Katie asked quietly, “What was his name?” She needed to be sure who Etain referred to.

  “His name was Seamus. He was a lowly woodworker but he was beautiful and strong. But he…” Her voice dropped and her shoulders slumped a little. “He didn’t want me.” Etain lifted her head. “I tried to get his attention by dressing prettily when he was around. I always wore my best jewels and made sure my hair was perfect. I ordered refreshments for him when he worked. I even tried to make him jealous with other men.” She turned her head to look at Katie. “But nothing worked.”

  “What did you do then?” Katie urged her to tell more.

  “One of my maids told me about a woman who sold love potions.” Etain turned her gaze to the fields outside the castle walls. “I had heard of the woman before. She was a very powerful witch. So I went to her for help. I wanted something to make him fall in love with me.” Etain faced Katie with wildness in her eyes once again. “But she refused to help me. Me!” Etain’s chin lifted a notch. “The Lady of Tullamore.”

  “Why would she refuse you?” Katie asked.

  “She said she couldn’t force anyone’s will. The potion she created would only enhance feelings that were already there. If he were attracted to me, it would make him desire me more. But if he didn’t love me, it might make him hate me.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I took the potion.” She smiled a wicked grin. “And her book of spells.”

  “Why?”

  “So I could make my own potion,” Etain snapped, as if she thought Katie should have known the answer already.

  “But did you know how—”

  “It wasn’t difficult to do. The book had the ingredients and the way to prepare them. I just mixed a couple of spells together to make sure I got what I wanted.”