Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Oh, he knew ghosts were real. He’d heard the stories of Winter Varik walking in the dead world and talking to the ghosts, but this was the first time he’d actually heard a ghost or even seen evidence of a haunting. This was seriously creepy shit.
But he was a vampire, dammit! He was fucking scary when he needed to be. And no one could terrify Gideon. Not even a ghost.
“Is—” He had to stop and clear his throat. His voice wavered, and he could not appear unnerved in front of Gideon. “Is this the first time you’ve noticed anything weird happening?” Ryder asked.
“Hell, yes!”
“Not even little things? Creaks? Lights flickering? Odd smells?” Because that rose scent was definitely coming from the ghost.
“No, nothing! This is the first time.”
The giggle rose from the living room and there were a couple of soft knocks, followed by a sharp slam. But not just any slam. It sounded as if someone had lifted the lid of the trunk and allowed it to fall shut.
Fuck. A ghost was haunting Gideon’s treasured trunk.
“I think we brought the ghost home with us in the trunk,” Ryder said.
“What?” Gideon gasped. “Are you insane?”
“The haunting didn’t begin until we brought the trunk up.” As if to agree with him, the ghost made that creepy, childlike giggle and knocked on the trunk, as if trying to lure them closer.
“No! But…no!” Gideon whined.
Ryder crossed to the living room and Gideon whimpered as he followed. Steeling himself, Ryder gripped the top of the trunk and pulled, but nothing happened. It wouldn’t open. Sighing, he checked to make sure it wasn’t locked or buckled. He tried again. Still the same. He pulled a third time, and the lid flew open. As he stumbled, a rose-scented pillow jumped out and hit him square in the face.
That…could have been worse.
“What the fuck is going on?” Gideon shouted, sounding as if he were inching closer to hysteria.
Ryder stifled his chuckle and wrapped Gideon up. He looked so fragile in Ryder’s shirt as it tried to swallow up his thin frame.
Lowering his head, Ryder nuzzled the top of his head. “I don’t think she means any harm. She wants to play.”
Gideon shook his head against his chest. “No. No. No. I can’t have ghosts here. I won’t be able to sleep.”
“I think she’s attached to the trunk. We can get rid of it. I can move the trunk outside and—” Ryder stopped talking because Gideon was staring at him as though he’d suggested killing his firstborn child. Apparently, getting rid of the trunk was not an option. “Or we can go to my place and call Winter. See if he’s got any ideas.”
“Okay. I like that idea,” Gideon said, nodding several times.
With the vampire cuddled into him, Ryder ushered Gideon out of the condo, flipping off the lights as he went. When they reached his place, Ryder hesitated. His sofa wouldn’t be delivered for a couple of days. The only place Gideon would be comfortable was in his bed, but that didn’t feel right.
No, it sounded wonderful and amazing, but it was wrong after Gideon’s scare. Maybe he could tuck Gideon into his bed and crash at Gideon’s place for the night.
Except Gideon didn’t even give him the chance to suggest that. His new sleepover friend pulled off the borrowed shirt and socks and crawled under the covers when he reached the bed. The second he was comfortable, he patted the empty side of the bed.
“You’re not leaving me alone, are you?”
Well, that was a fucking evil question.
Stuffing down a sigh, Ryder climbed into bed and settled the blankets over both of them before grabbing his phone off the nightstand.
Gideon placed his hand over the screen. “Maybe we should wait until sunset. It’s dawn. Fox and Winter have probably fallen asleep. I don’t want to wake them.”
“Okay,” Ryder agreed. He was in no mood to piss off Winter. He put his phone on the nightstand and flipped off the light.
As the darkness fell around them and they snuggled in the bed, Ryder willed his heart to slow. Gideon could hear it and think it was strange that he was freaking out because Gideon was in his bed. There had been some situations over the years where they’d been in some less-than-ideal conditions due to various threats, and he’d held Gideon as he slept at dawn. He’d watched over the vampire. But never had he been in bed with him.
Hell, this was the first time he’d been in bed with a man.
It didn’t feel weird. Just nerve-wracking and exciting.
“Do you think Winter will be able to talk to her? Get her to leave the trunk?” Gideon asked quietly.
“Probably. Winter can see ghosts. I’m assuming he can talk to them.”
“Did the ghost scare you?”
“No.”
Gideon let out a bark of laughter. “Liar. I can hear your heart racing. That ghost scared you, too!”