Mystically Bound (Frostbite 3)

Once again, silence drifted throughout room and I glanced between the stunned faces. After a long irritating pause, I finally settled on Zach, who stared at me incredulously. I waggled my eyebrows, gesturing toward Caley in encouragement.

He shook his head, frustration darkening his face. “What will happen to her?”

“What will happen to me?” Caley spat, jumping up on the bed into a kneeling positing with her arms folded. “You’re not honestly considering—”

Zach raised his hand to silence her, then to Gretchen he said, “Go on.”

“Not much of anything,” Gretchen replied. “When Alexander enters her body it will be as if she’s sleeping. She won’t remember what has happened in the time of the possession. When he leaves her, she’ll likely stay sleeping because he’ll drain her energy. Once she’s restored, she’ll wake up.”

Caley cursed some incredibly nasty words before she said, “This is disgusting. I cannot believe I’m even having this conversation.”

I nodded at her in pity, since it did suck and royally so. “Gretchen has said there are no lasting effects and we can order him out of you at any time.”

Her glare intensified. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Sort of,” I admitted.

As her eyes burned with hell’s fury, I hurried along. “Okay, I realize it’s gross. I wouldn’t want to do it either. But it’s a means to an end. You said it yourself, you want this over with, and this is the way to do it. Alexander will hopefully have the answers to help Kipp or help himself, which will mean Wayde will give me the Lux.”

When practically the devil stared back at me, I scooted toward her and took her hands. “I know I’m asking a lot. Trust me, I know. But we are out of options. Please do it, for me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Playing the best friend card, huh?”

I smiled tightly. “Is it working?”

She studied me for a long moment, then snorted. “Yes. I hate you.” Blowing out a very loud breath, she turned to Gretchen. “I’m perfectly safe doing this? No weird ghost bits left over and there’s no chance he’ll want to keep my body?”

Gretchen shook her head, standing from her seat and staring at Caley dead-on. “I’ll ensure you have protection against all of that. I won’t let anything happen to you. Promise.”

After Caley cursed another few impressive words, Zach lay across the bed and placed a hand on her thigh. “This is tough, yes. But that ghost will have answers that will help.” His expression softened. “I’ll be proud of you.”

Her narrowed eyes lowered into slits. “Now the boyfriend card?” At his sheepish grin, she glanced between Za

ch and me, and then she frowned. “I seriously loathe you both, you do realize this?”

We nodded.

“Good Lord, I cannot believe I’m agreeing to this.” Her firm gaze shifted to mine. “I will do this for you. After this is over, you will kiss my ghost-haunted butt for months.”

At my nod and big-ass smile, she flicked her hands as if creepy crawlers were invading her blood, then she jumped off the bed. She stared me down with a look of retribution. “Fine. Let’s go. But if he takes over,” she glared at Gretchen, “you exorcise his dead ass!”

Chapter Seventeen

To say boredom had set in while looking at the swamp was an understatement. If I never heard a bullfrog or smelt stinky water again, that would officially be a good night. But considering what Caley had to do, I did my best to put on a happy face and pretend this wasn’t going to be horrible for her. “Nice night, isn’t it?”

Caley gazed at the swamp with a scrunch to her nose, clearly not enjoying the musky smell either. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m thinking about.” Her glare nearly set me on fire. “How beautiful of a night it is.”

The beam of her flashlight swept out from side-to-side as it fought through the darkness. The cloudy night made the area by the swamp pitch black. After she examined the spot behind her with a good hard look, she asked, “So, is this ghost here?”

I looked off to her side to the ghost, who presently smiled at me and stood by the tall swamp grass. “He’s right beside you.” Alexander had arrived within minutes of our arrival. While I worried he needed to stay away to preserve energy, he didn’t seem as concerned, giving me a shake of the head when I asked if he had to leave.

Caley looked to her left, eyeing the spot next to her, and I added with a bite to my voice, “No, Alexander is on your right. But there’s another ghost on the other side of you.”

“There is?” Caley gasped, jumping to the side and placing herself right into Alexander, which she didn’t realize.

Alexander smiled at me, his head showing overtop of Caley’s, since he was a bit taller than her. He removed himself from standing within Caley’s body by stepping to the side and out of the way.

I blinked, shaking my head at that oddity, then I turned to the ghost, who happened to be a young man, early thirties, and cute to boot.