it’s really important.”
She studied the men, glanced at Purson and Gery, then glared at Will. She dropped her voice. “It’s a purity ring. My father gave it to me when I turned fourteen. I took a vow to remain a virgin until marriage.” There, she’d said it. “I don’t know what your game is, but you need to end it right the heck now.” If Will or the other guys dared give her any hassle about it, she’d show them a really brassed-off woman.
After they took the handcuffs off her, of course.
Will closed his eyes and swore. Aidan put a hand to his forehead and rubbed it.
“Shit,” Aidan said. “Bastard was right.”
Will gripped Aidan’s hand and the men disappeared again.
Kal looked around the room. Surely she was delirious. Despite the restraints the men weren’t hurting her, so maybe this was for her own good, so she didn’t hurt herself and others. Because people didn’t just pop in and out of rooms like that. That was an obvious sign of fever or illness, right?
Purson looked concerned. “You okay, Kal?”
“Oh, sure. I love spending my evenings chained to a bed.”
Gery laughed. “I’m sorry, sugar. It’s the only safe option until they figure out how to fix this. We can’t have you prowling the streets and killing people. This way at least you won’t tear up the joint. Come dawn, we can let you go again. It’s just while the moon’s out and it’s dark. Whatever’s got you is a night creature.”
She tipped her head to the video camera. “What’s that for?”
“Proof,” Purson explained. “You can watch it later and see what happens to you when you black out, and see that we didn’t try to ravish you. We promise, we’re keeping our hands to ourselves.”
She felt something shift inside her, like a presence awakening. She wanted to claw their eyes out. With her next thought came a wave of horror over feeling that way in the first place. There was something wrong with her, all right. Something that made PMS feel like a walk in the park.
“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered, for the first time really scared—of herself.
Purson shook his head, his face serious. “I don’t know for sure. That’s what Will and Aidan are doing, talking to someone who probably does know. As you’ve no doubt guessed by now, there’s more than meets the eye to us and this situation. I’m good at finding stuff out but this goes beyond even my considerable abilities and experience.”
“Where’d they go? Am I blacking out? Is that why they look like they disappear and reappear?”
The men exchanged a glance. Gery finally spoke. “Sure, that’s it, honey. You keep blacking out. Just try to relax. Want me to change the channel? We’ll watch whatever you want.”
* * * *
Ryan still watched the game. Will stood to the side, clenching his fists.
“All right, so she’s a virgin,” Will said. “What do we do? Tell me how to get rid of the wraith.” He’d dealt with a lot of things before, but it had been centuries since he’d dealt with a wraith. Even that one had been easy to get rid of, like any other possession. Not deep like this.
Ryan glanced at Will, then Aidan. “Full moon’s in seven days. If the wraith isn’t taken care of by then, it takes her over permanently, becomes fully embodied, and at that point there’s only one recourse left.”
The other two men knew exactly what that one recourse was. Aidan paled. “Dude, quit screwing around. Please tell us how to take care of her and fix this.”
The game was in the top of the ninth, and the pitcher worked to strike out the second Marlins’ batter. “I know it’s been a while since you’ve dealt with one,” Ryan snarked, “but how much do you gentlemen remember about wraiths?”
So not in the mood for this bullshit. Will didn’t say it. Instead he said, “Short version, please.”
“A wraith can possess someone of weak spirit, but it can be ousted in various, common ways. Can’t get a grip.
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