Before I can respond to Cian music explodes in the room and I jump. I swing around trying to find where it’s coming from and spy an old radio on a table at the back end of the dining room, behind a wall of boxes. I arch a brow and look around.
“Can you turn it down just a bit?” The music instantly lowers to a volume that’s not likely to shake the decor off the walls and I take a deep breath to slow my speeding heart rate. “Thank you.” A rush of air flows around my hips like a caress and I laugh. It seems like both of my new friends want to play today.
“Can you pick a song for me? Maybe… maybe something to tell me how you’re feeling, you know, sharing your house with me.” I hold my breath and try not to get my hopes up. I’ve never had anyone dedicate a song to me, and the more these revelations start piling up, the easier the hurt over Kyle is to let go of. I don’t need to hold onto people who are bad for me.
The jazz music that was playing stops abruptly and my mouth falls open when a familiar song comes through the speakers. Iwas not expecting a cute little indie love song about crushing hard on someone. Maybe like… Frank Sinatra or something? I laugh and start to dance around, warmth blossoming on my cheeks and inside my chest. The air around me starts to swirl and curl my hair, and I giggle like an idiot. I’m dancing with a ghost. A ghost who has a crush on me. The wind blows more persistently against my hips, and I feel the outline of a hand against the small of my back. My nipples harden and I lean into the touch… and suddenly I can see him. I can feel him!Holy shit!He’s gorgeous… his eyes are closed and mine quickly trace the dimples on his face, before ping-ponging around to soak in all his features. He’s literally my dream guy… and he’s here… and dead. I frown at that intrusive thought at the same time that my eyes catch on the bulge in his pants. I feel the flush spreading from my cheeks down my neck and over my ears, the pounding of my heart drowning out the music.
And before I can do anything more, he’s gone. The wind has stopped and I’m standing in my dining room surrounded by boxes, alone, trying to get my bearings and slow my racing heart.What the hell, Casper.
Chapter ten
New Tricks
Cian
Fuck! What the hell iswrongwith me? I mean, aside from all the increasingly concerning new abilities… ugh. I watch Trissa look around for me, the crestfallen expression she wears makes me feel even worse. I had only meant to try and have a little fun with her, to dance with her and make her smile. Unfortunately, when she leaned back into my hand our contact turned me corporeal. Also, unfortunately, when I’m close to her my body reacts like an animal in heat. The little frown on her face as she stared at my raging erection cut deeper than I’d like to admit. Of course, she has every right to be annoyed or upset. Every time she’s actually seen me, I’ve had a boner. I groan in frustration and glare down at the bulge in my pants. How am I supposed to get to know her if I’m constantly hard and on the verge of embarrassing myself?
Trissa’s eyes sweep the room, a thunderous look on her face as she says, “Listen, Casper… I’m getting kind of sick of you disappearing on me. We’re both stuck in this house, and our options for company are kind of slim, right?” Trissa’s shouldersslump and she takes a deep breath, “Am I reading this whole situation wrong? I’ve never been good at guessing games… and one-sided conversations do not make for great communication, ya know?” I eye her with disbelief… she’s angry I didn’t stay? If she wasn’t upset about my erection, then why had she been frowning at me? I move toward her quickly, still nervous, but buoyed by a fresh wave of hope.
I hover just behind her and lean in to blow on her ear. She shivers and turns her head to the side, her eyes closing as goosebumps break out over her arms.
“Casper… please…” I groan at her gentle, pleading words and let my feet touch the ground just behind her. I take a deep breath to steady myself and step forward, eliminating the space between us. I snake my arms around her from behind and rest my forehead against the back of her head, closing my eyes as I feel my body become tangible. Trissa gasps but leans back into my embrace, her hands lifting to rest on my own, which are now possessively locked around her waist.
My heart is pounding and her scent is all around me, intoxicating me. I inhale deeply, pulling her heady aroma of sweet peaches, white jasmine, and cherry blossoms into my lungs and holding it there like a drag from a potent drug. I moan at the dizzying bliss consuming me, and Trissa’s breath hitches. Can she hear me? I want to talk to her, to whisper in her ear and tell her how good she feels, how sweet she smells… but I’m not sure how to control the texting and I don’t want what I say as Casper to get sent as a text from Cian. Chrissake… I couldn’t have made this more complicated if I had tried. Maybe I should just tell her…
“See? This wasn’t so…” Trissa’s voice is heavy with desire as she grinds her luscious backside against my erection, “hard,mmm.” I choke and my hands reflexively tighten on her hips, desperately trying to hold on to my pittance of control. I wantto rock my hips into her soft flesh and let my hands roam her tantalizing curves, but I also want to actually talk to her…focus, you dolt.My pulse is racing like the wings of a hummingbird, and my stomach feels as if it’s lined in lead, but I have to take the chance.
“Oh, it's plenty hard, love. You are temptation personified.” My voice rasps out into the room, and I start at the rough sound of it. Trissa’s eyes fly open as a shiver runs down her spine.
“C-Casper? I can hear you!” Trissa’s voice is breathless and quivering as she turns her head slightly, angling her face to try to see behind her.
I hum into her hair and turn my head slowly blowing a line of cool air in my wake, delighting in how my light teasing is making her tremble in my arms. My nose hits the back of her ear and I nuzzle it briefly before whispering, “You asked me to be clear about my intentions, so I’ll tell you plainly what I want. You.” Trissa moans as I continue, “I want you to be mine. To keep you.” My heart is still pounding, but I smirk at the dazed look on her face. To be honest I’m a bit stupefied myself… I’ve never had a silver tongue, but for once, words are flowing easily.
Trissa’s pretty pink tongue darts out to wet her lips and she takes a breath. Her eyebrows scrunch up and it’s so damn adorable I almost don’t hear thedingjust as she opens her mouth to say something.Fuck.My heart stalls and I swiftly pull out of our embrace, desperate to turn off the overwhelming surge of adrenaline that’s attempting to choke me. Trissa whines at the sudden lack of contact and it takes everything I have not to go right back to her, but I can’t take my eyes off that damn phone. I don’t even care so much at this moment if I get exposed—I just can’t handle the powerful onslaught of feeling. Being corporeal when feelings change rapidly is an agonizing sensory overload, like everything is amplified after being dormant for so long.
“W-Wait! Wait, don’t go…” Trissa sighs with resignation as she slowly grabs her phone and runs a hand through her hair. I float close enough to see, my anxiety climbing higher with every inch that disappears between us. Sensation flows under my skin like an electric current. Our proximity now is almost torturous as I grit my teeth and shake with the effort to hold myself together. I just need to know if the text is from me…
Gabbi: Hey girl, call me when you get some time. Nothing is wrong, don’t panic! I just want to chat. Luv ya xx
A small smile pulls at Trissa’s lips, as a wave of relief crashes through me. I huff out a shaky breath.Jesus, Mary and Joseph.Trissa glances around the room quickly before dialing Gabbi. Her shoulders sink a little as she purses her lips and raises her phone to her ear. I linger long enough to listen to Gabbi’s rich voice come over the line, and then slowly let myself float up to the attic. Listening in on conversations with that dolt Kyle is one thing, but not allowing her privacy to talk with her friend feels decidedly underhanded in a way I’m just not comfortable with. Plus, as titillating as our exchange was, it completely drained me.
As I reach the familiar comfort of my attic the last bits of tension have faded and I feel a bit less discombobulated. I float over to my favorite window and settle down, looking out at the old oak tree over the driveway in an attempt to center myself so I can think. I should call for Seth. I should have told him to begin with, asked him about these abilities like I’d originally intended. The witch-bound stuff distracted me the first time, but I’ve had opportunities since then and I haven’t taken them. I sigh and clench my jaw. The trouble is I’m afraid of the truth.
I was always a bleeding-heart type while living. It’s what got me into this whole mess in the first place. I don't know exactlywhat Lee saw to feel the need to make me witch-bound, but the timing of it in retrospect is impossible to ignore. Leona may have done the ritual without cluing me in, but I asked her to look into my future for the sake of love. Over time the memories and all of that idyllicbull shiteslowly faded away behind a wall of cynicism. Every season adding another brick to that wall, and in all these long years, deep down, nothing has fucking changed. I’m still that same soft-hearted ninny hoping myspecial powersare a sign I’ve met my soul mate. I spent fifty years building up defenses that crumbled to dust at the first glimmer of hope. I’mdead,for Chrissake, what kind of happy ending can I really hope for? I huff with annoyance and slam my fist against the window, watching the glass splinter. Before I can even move my hand away the small lines of cracks have started to recede until they disappear completely. I feel heat gathering behind my eyes and groan in frustration.
The rippling sensation is back, and I glance down at my chest. Little waves of green slime are undulating from between my pectorals. I scoff and try to push it back into place, but the cool material seeps around my hand and circles my fingers. Out of all the things that have started happening since Trissa moved in, the ghost goo is my least favorite, by far. I scowl and flick my wrist, sending the goo scattering in the air in front of me before it slowly slithers back to reform near my chest. How is this happening so far from Trissa?
My brows scrunch together as I watch the goo flow and billow in front of me. I tilt my head to the side and raise my hands, an idea beginning to take shape in my mind. I’ve never been able to play around with any of these abilities because they always seem to happen while I’m near Trissa. I concentrate on the goo, channeling the same mental link I used when I was controlling the gusts of air with my hands, and try to… sculpt it. A blast of air shoots out and spears the goo and I watch as it dispersesand reforms. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and chew on it while I rub my hands together, mentally preparing to try again. I roll my shoulders and spread my hands off to either side of it, closing my eyes and focusing on an image in my mind— willing the energy that’s gathering in my palms to help my mind bring the image to life. Tentatively, I peek at my progress andsweet mother above!It’s working! I laugh as I stare at the long appendage swirling around in front of me. Granted, it still needs some work, there are no suckers or other accouterments… but it’s a fucking tentacle. I made a ghost goo tentacle. A slow smile stretches across my lips as I work on further perfecting my project. Once I get the looks down, I can figure out control. Now, this is a distraction I can latch onto.Heh. Heat flares in my groin as I think about Trissa’s reaction to my newest trick. Maybe this slime stuff won’t be so bad after all.
Chapter eleven
Operation Ghost Cock
Trissa
“So, how are things going at the casa de los fantasmas?” Gabbi’s voice is teasing, and I roll my eyes as I carry another box up to my bedroom, my phone balanced between my face and shoulder.
“Good, actually. Casper is…” a small sigh escapes me before I can think better of it and Gabbi tuts at my hesitation.
