“I didn’t quite get it until Orville and the others confronted Cary. History isn’t one of the things my gift shares readily. Apparently, witches and ghosts are bitter enemies. Of course, I didn’t know that when I invited Cary over.”
“Enemies?” I asked.
“Something to do with an ancient sorcerer. He used spirits to his own end, and the witches, unable to defeat him, began forcing ghosts to cross the veil. That’s a practice they still do, even though the old sorcerer was long ago defeated.”
“Aah, and ghosts don’t necessarily like being forced to move on before they’re ready.”
“That’s what I gathered from my insight.”
I stared at him and sighed. “I don’t understand all this. It seems so strange sometimes. Do you just know things?”
Damian shrugged. “I do. It was strange at first, but I’ve learned to just go with the flow. Now, how about going with this flow?” he asked, unbuttoning my shirt.
“Oh yeah, this is the kind of flow I’m all about,” I purred.
Chapter twenty-seven
Damian
The night was glorious.Owen slept snugly in my arms, and although I didn’t sleep, my heart overflowed having him there. Not just that, having had Cary here, as well as Molly, felt right too.
Molly rarely came to my apartment. Mostly because it was in a not-so-great part of town but also because so much of my father had been there, the place never felt like it belonged to me. I think even though my beloved witch-wannabe friend didn’t have Cary's powers, she was intuitive enough to feel uncomfortable.
Tonight had been very different. She’d settled in like she’d been coming over for years. I had expected her to gasp about how quickly the rooms had changed. There was no way a renovation like this could occur in such a short time.
What struck me was she didn’t even seem to notice. If she had, she would’ve known magic had to have been involved.
Cary was a totally different turn of events. I hadn’t understood the significance of him coming over until he walked through the wards. That’s when the alarms went off in my head. Witches are primarily guardians of the light but could change alliances easily enough.
Cary was, of course, no threat to me now or likely ever. He’d been allowed through the wards, but the ghosts had made it clear he wasn’t allowed back into the home without a fight. Even if he came in alone, my wards were still in place and would resist him.
I had no doubt, however, the biggest deterrent to him or any witch entering my home was the incredible power of the spirits who kept my home running.
I knew all that, yet I also knew it wouldn’t be the last time Cary would be invited over. Owen needed friends—more than I did. I could sense that. Cary was definitely a friend in the making for Owen, and if I was being honest, I preferred a strong guardian to be with him when he wasn’t with me.
The dark forces had their own rules they followed, and that usually meant that they wouldn’t come after an innocent. I also knew not all dark forces followed the rules, and from what Owen had told me about seeing the dark not once but twice… That deserved being wary over.
I could sense that something that wasn’t right. Maybe if I wasn’t so new at this, I’d be able to figure it out, but as of yet, I couldn’t quite tell what we needed to fear.
Luckily, Cary and the witches at his law firm would be a significant deterrent. I understood that most dark entities preferred to hate in the shadows, not in the sunshine. That didn’t mean he was completely safe. He couldn’t be with me and ever be completely safe.
I made a mental note to talk to Orville and the rest tomorrow. Maybe if they understood why it was important, they wouldn’t be quite as upset. I almost snickered out loud at how preposterous that was. They hated the witches, and if my understanding was correct, they had every right to.
I rolled over, causing Owen to do the same. He spooned up against me, and I kissed the sweet softness of his neck. I fell asleep with images of us together like this for years to come, and suddenly, my heart was bursting with happiness.
Of all the ways to fall asleep, this had to be one of the best.
When I woke the following morning, Owen was already gone. I thought it strange that I hadn’t noticed him leave. Since I’d begun getting these powers, I was keenly aware of where everyone was, even the ghosts.
I could estimate how many entities were within my walls, and I guessed there were around two hundred at the moment. The basement appeared to be a hub for them. I considered talking to the parchment about that but realized if the old wizard had tolerated it, I could trust that he knew what he was doing.
I got up and showered, then wandered down to the kitchen, where I heard Owen speaking to someone. When I felt theother’s presence, I was surprised. I entered the kitchen, and a very young-looking male ghost stood kneading dough on the counter.
When he saw me, he began to fade, but I held my hand up. “You have no reason to fear me,” I quickly said. “Please, stay, I can tell you and Owen were enjoying each other’s company.”
The ghost flickered in and out a few times, then solidified. Then he nodded to me without speaking. I went over and kissed Owen. “What smells so good?” I asked.
Owen looked at the ghost and winked. “Lucious, why don’t you tell him? I’m going to run to the restroom, but I’ll be right back. Oh, and before you leave, I want you to show me how you did the cinnamon rolls.”
