“Someone’s going to die. We have to stop this,” I said.
Hudson rippled next to me, and Dave smacked his chest. “What this situation doesn’t need is a prehistoric tiger causing more hysteria.”
A loud bang sounded out, making me jump and the rest of the room freeze. Part of the ceiling dropped to our feet as Karen, holding a smoking shotgun, shouted, “Everyone, calm the fuck down!”
The scary shadowy things paused and sort of melted to the ground like they’d run out of batteries. No, not batteries—panic. It was like heightened emotions fueled them.
Karen pointed at a couple of ranch owners, big burly fellas who could scare the shit out of people with a single look. “Gary, Mike, open the fire exits and make sure everyone can leave calmly. If anyone tries to push or jump the line, knock them out. Beatrice, man the entrance doors and do the same. The rest of you, walk, don’t run. If someone needs help, you will damn well fucking help them. Everyone stays calm, everyone leaves healthy.”
“But there are things,” a guy shouted. There was a rumbling around the room, and the shadowy entities started vibrating with energy. They were definitely feeding off the panic.
“You live in White Castle, and in doing so, you accept and expect that shit gets weird. Don’t act like you haven’t noticed. Nothing is going to hurt you unless you panic, and then I will be the one doing the hurting. So I repeat. Walk, don’t run, and be a decent human being.”
Everyone marched toward the exits, and within five minutes, The Pit was empty. Nobody ran, nobody panicked, and the scary as shit entities scattered around the room waited behind and didn’t follow. I’d never seen anything like it. Nobody elseshould be able to see them either. These weren’t ordinary ghosts; something was very, very wrong here.
Harry caught my eyes and echoed my thoughts with creepy accuracy. “There’s something wrong with these spirits, Miss Roberts.”
“Now what?” Karen asked. “Because these things have already cost me a ton of money on my most popular night.”
The creepy shadows twisted as if they were facing us, which was a stupid notion, given I couldn’t discern a face.
“Now,” I said, glaring at the spooks, “we call the actual experts. Congrats, Karen, you’ve officially made it in White Castle. Your premises are about to undergo a cleansing.”
“Whoopie fucking doo,” she muttered. “Just clean up the sage when you are done. I hate that shit.”
She spun and stalked off, leaving the three of us blinking after her. Karen, it seemed, was a woman with secrets. I knew I liked her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Only idiots and vampires taunt the universe.
“What did you do?” Aunt Liz asked as she quirked a brow at the shadow creatures. Sebastian had driven her and my newly arrived Aunt Dayna to The Pit. They’d arrived less than two minutes ago, and I was already getting the blame.
Dave and Hudson snorted in unison, making me narrow my eyes at the pair. “I did nothing,” I snapped. “Why would any of this be my fault? Am I responsible for all dead shit? No.” I yanked my phone out of my pocket and waved it around. “If you want to know more, call my dad. He’s on speed dial under favorite number five.”
“Who is one?” Hudson asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Sebastian.”
“As I should be,” my vampire best friend said. He raised a brow at Aunt Dayna, who was walking the perimeter with her arms outstretched.
“So I’m number two?”
“No, Dave is.”
“What? Why?” Hudson growled.
“It’s based on who I met first and has nothing to do with importance or love.”
“So I’m three.”
Umm… “Sure.”
“You are not three,” Dave helpfully added.
“Uncle Lucifer is,” Sebastian said with a grin.
Hudson snarled, and the shadowy creatures shifted.
