Page 20 of Ghost
“We’ll see.” Damen didn’t sound at all frightened. “I wouldn’t count onhisgood-natured feelings. Dr. Stephens has only less than pleasant things to say. I doubt that he’d blame me if I found you less than pleasant to work with.”
“Hold on.” I latched onto Damen’s arm, looking up at him. I had to take control of this situation before he did something he’d regret. “Dr. Stephens, yourmentor? Damen, you can’t exorcise his friend.”
“Watch me.” Damen didn’t seem to be conflicted about this at all.
“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not that traitor’s friend,” Mr. Weaver replied at the same time. “I have the unlucky fortune of being his brother.”
That was even worse than being friends!
“Damen!” I tugged more urgently. He was going to lose his internship, all to defend my honor. “Damen, don’t—”
The tension in his crossed arms relaxed slightly, and after a moment he sighed. “Fine. But another demeaning word toward Bianca, and I won’t hesitate.” He uncrossed his arms, and before I even had time to register what was happening, he pulled me back into his embrace. “Not ever again.”
Even despite the situation, I couldn’t help but melt into his hug. There was something different about the way he held me this time. There was something new there, something that I couldn’t quite place.
But now wasn’t the time to try to make sense of it. It was more important to focus on the bigger picture. Such as the warmth of his skin, his spicy scent, and the way his body seemed to engulf mine.
It was a nice feeling, to be honest. And if the situation were different, I might have considered responding a little. In about ten years. But now I knew the whole situation, I couldn’t. Because what I previously had thought was a test of my resolve, was demonic possession instead.
Kasai was clearly trying to get him to desecrate the holiness of his body.
It made sense. He was from a family of holy people, his body must be too pure for a complete possession. So the demon was trying to use my presence as the means of Damen’s downfall. If I faltered, I would doom Damen to a fate worse than death.
Mr. Weaver and Damen continued to speak. But none of that mattered. I had to make plans to save Damen’s soul.
“Abernathy!”
The conversation around me halted, and Damen’s hand twitched as a police officer stepped onto the porch.
The man was pale, dark-haired, and had a handlebar mustache. “Seth collapsed, and he’s not waking up. I think he’s been poisoned. I have to take care of things. Can you—”
“Right,” Damen groaned, releasing me slightly as he reached into his jacket. “I’ll take care of it. Thank you, Jamie.”
The man nodded and disappeared back inside the house. Damen was already on the phone, speaking to a male who sounded just as calm and collected as he did.
Completely unlike me in any kind of emergency.
What happened to the bystanders in situations like these? I supposed we’d be asked to provide a testimony. Or even become the primary suspects. Being caught on the scene where a police officer died seemed like a pretty big deal.
My breathing began to pick up as I wondered,Will I go to jail?
“I’ll see you in a bit.” Damen’s smooth voice continued, ending his emergency call on a familiar note. “And Titus, Bianca is here.”
My tumbling thoughts froze. Kasai, Mr. Weaver… everything faded.
He returned his phone to his pocket, before his arm suddenly stiffened around me. A moment later, he was in front of me. Gazing down into my eyes. Now, at least, he seemed to be more concerned about the situation. “Bianca, what’s wrong? Did you eat something too?”
“What’s wrong?” My voice squeaked. “I thought you were calling paramedics! Why in the world did you call Titus?”
Damen frowned, confusion entering his expression. “Are you still afraid of him? I thought the two of you worked that out.”
I wanted to pull out my hair in frustration. Besides, how had he known about my fear of Titus—it was one of my most well-kept secrets! “No,” I snapped. “For a psychologist, you’re pretty dim. I’m talking about the dead police officer! What does Titus have to do with any of this?”
“Don’t worry,” Damen waved his hand, turning back toward the house, “Seth isn’t dead. And what did I tell you about relaxing? Your cortisol levels must be extremely high.”
“Whose fault is that?” I retorted, racing after him. “But poison… He could die, right? Why aren’t you worried?”
“Poison won’t kill him,” Damen responded dryly, gesturing me past the doorway ahead of him. “In fact, it would probably do him some good.”
