daring him to make fun of her.
"You're pretty strong," he said with an amused glint in his eyes. "I couldn't force my way through it." He picked up the spoon to stir the mix again.
"Since I bought the bike, things have been – weird. I have these really weird dreams about Cora." He took a deep breath.
If the kiss had been fueled by Cora, June could guess what he dreamed about. Cora didn't act like an ordinary ghost; more like a succubus. She didn't comment – this was TMI territory.
"I've been hearing – I don't know – maybe it is Cora." Eric shrugged.
"But today it wasn't just Cora," he dropped his voice again. "I ran into a cop during lunch. He called me Jake. It got worse – Jake told me what to say."
June didn't believe in demons. Wicca didn't deal with demons; they were creatures of the Christian religion. She believed in the rhythm of the seasons, energy in all of nature's forms. Nature was stronger than the pitiful spirits hanging around Eric. They were an annoyance – like mice in a house.
"Both those spirits are part of your motorcycle." June chose her words carefully. "They died with a lot of unfinished business. They are trying to get some kind of closure before they pass on."
"So what do I do about them?"
"They can't do any damage." June thought about Cora – a jealous spirit – and her companion the friendly ghost. Irritating didn't mean dangerous.
"Maybe fate brought us together so I can get rid of them."
June flinched at the word 'fate.' Eric wasn't the kind of guy she wanted 'fate' to bring into her life. Eric was a nice guy, but unemployed, divorced and in deep trouble. He'd crashed into her life – and would likely ride out of it in a couple of weeks.
"Sell the bike. Make them someone else's problem."
"That's not an option." Eric gave her a pained look.
"Get the bike blessed." June shrugged. "It's worth a try."
"Right – bless my bike, Father, for it has sinned." He snickered. "I'd be the one locked up."
"Suit yourself."
"This is ready to pour." Eric tapped the pot.
"I'll get the molds."
"Can you see them?" Eric's voice dropped from amused to serious.
"Who?"
"The ghosts."
"I saw Cora." June rummaged through the molds, taking more time than she needed.
"What about the other one?"
"Not clearly. She's stronger."
He snorted – giving her a look that said he didn't want to believe her – but he didn't want to argue about it. June smiled, giving him brownie points for the effort.
"They aren't anything to worry about," June assured him. "Ignore them. They're just trying to get your attention." She briefly considered telling Eric about the ghostly kiss and the rose petals she hid in her desk. Likely he would tease her to death. If a spirit had a crush on her, it didn't concern him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." June put the molds on the scarred wooden bench. "I've lived with spirits all my life. They can't hurt you. They are just – annoying."
The look he gave her was speculative as he carefully filled the molds.
"So I learn to live with a dead stripper who has the hots for me?" His smile was quirky; he was teasing.
June frowned – the thought of Cora hanging all over him put her hackles up.
"Terrible, isn't it?" She gave as good as she got. "How many guys can say their motorcycle loves them back?"
Eric laughed, shaking his head as he lounged against the work table.
"A story like this will keep me in free beer for life."
"A worthy ambition." June rolled her eyes. "Some of us have to pay for our beer."
They kept up the banter during the clean up. Eric made her laugh, so when she shooed him out the door, she gave him a fond hug.
She locked the doors behind her – grinning all the way up the stairs. There was a light on in her room. The door was partially closed. June frowned before she pushed it open.
Had she left a light on?
"Oh, what happened here?" she said out loud as she crossed the threshold.
The light came from the scented candles on her dresser – her bed was
"You're pretty strong," he said with an amused glint in his eyes. "I couldn't force my way through it." He picked up the spoon to stir the mix again.
"Since I bought the bike, things have been – weird. I have these really weird dreams about Cora." He took a deep breath.
If the kiss had been fueled by Cora, June could guess what he dreamed about. Cora didn't act like an ordinary ghost; more like a succubus. She didn't comment – this was TMI territory.
"I've been hearing – I don't know – maybe it is Cora." Eric shrugged.
"But today it wasn't just Cora," he dropped his voice again. "I ran into a cop during lunch. He called me Jake. It got worse – Jake told me what to say."
June didn't believe in demons. Wicca didn't deal with demons; they were creatures of the Christian religion. She believed in the rhythm of the seasons, energy in all of nature's forms. Nature was stronger than the pitiful spirits hanging around Eric. They were an annoyance – like mice in a house.
"Both those spirits are part of your motorcycle." June chose her words carefully. "They died with a lot of unfinished business. They are trying to get some kind of closure before they pass on."
"So what do I do about them?"
"They can't do any damage." June thought about Cora – a jealous spirit – and her companion the friendly ghost. Irritating didn't mean dangerous.
"Maybe fate brought us together so I can get rid of them."
June flinched at the word 'fate.' Eric wasn't the kind of guy she wanted 'fate' to bring into her life. Eric was a nice guy, but unemployed, divorced and in deep trouble. He'd crashed into her life – and would likely ride out of it in a couple of weeks.
"Sell the bike. Make them someone else's problem."
"That's not an option." Eric gave her a pained look.
"Get the bike blessed." June shrugged. "It's worth a try."
"Right – bless my bike, Father, for it has sinned." He snickered. "I'd be the one locked up."
"Suit yourself."
"This is ready to pour." Eric tapped the pot.
"I'll get the molds."
"Can you see them?" Eric's voice dropped from amused to serious.
"Who?"
"The ghosts."
"I saw Cora." June rummaged through the molds, taking more time than she needed.
"What about the other one?"
"Not clearly. She's stronger."
He snorted – giving her a look that said he didn't want to believe her – but he didn't want to argue about it. June smiled, giving him brownie points for the effort.
"They aren't anything to worry about," June assured him. "Ignore them. They're just trying to get your attention." She briefly considered telling Eric about the ghostly kiss and the rose petals she hid in her desk. Likely he would tease her to death. If a spirit had a crush on her, it didn't concern him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." June put the molds on the scarred wooden bench. "I've lived with spirits all my life. They can't hurt you. They are just – annoying."
The look he gave her was speculative as he carefully filled the molds.
"So I learn to live with a dead stripper who has the hots for me?" His smile was quirky; he was teasing.
June frowned – the thought of Cora hanging all over him put her hackles up.
"Terrible, isn't it?" She gave as good as she got. "How many guys can say their motorcycle loves them back?"
Eric laughed, shaking his head as he lounged against the work table.
"A story like this will keep me in free beer for life."
"A worthy ambition." June rolled her eyes. "Some of us have to pay for our beer."
They kept up the banter during the clean up. Eric made her laugh, so when she shooed him out the door, she gave him a fond hug.
She locked the doors behind her – grinning all the way up the stairs. There was a light on in her room. The door was partially closed. June frowned before she pushed it open.
Had she left a light on?
"Oh, what happened here?" she said out loud as she crossed the threshold.
The light came from the scented candles on her dresser – her bed was
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