Ghost Perfume | ✔

Chapter 7: Deal with Me (Part 1)

Their voices were low and soothing, almost inaudible.

"... can't keep this up.''

"I'm not happy about it.''

"We have to show our faces today. And she has school, and her brother.''

"It doesn't mean it's a good idea, Gabriel.''

"You said to trust her. She doesn't seem concerned. She survived this long on her own without us.''

Murmuring. I strained and caught "... like she accepts everything that happens to her.''

"She'll trust us eventually.''

A long quiet. I sensed the death portal, and thought I detected a sting of impatience in its usual glow; yes, it's been longer than usual that I haven't helped a ghost pass, I thought. I know, I know. Were the ghosts okay? The inner eye swiveled, checking on Lena there some distance to my left; Carl, some distance to my right; that friendly ghost who'd appeared last night, she floated far above my head - was she over the roof?; and a fourth red-threaded soul, who must have appeared sometime during the night, hovered in the direction of my feet. All their threads were in normal shape, knotted or fraying, but no worse than I usually saw them.

But today I'll have them pass the portal, I thought fiercely. Today I call to Jackal and let my allies go.

I couldn't sense Jackal, though I spread my awareness far, as far as the inner eye could see; no, he wasn't in range.

Someone huffed out a breath in the quiet room.

"If it happens one more time ...'' Michael said.

'We change direction,'' Gabriel agreed.

"Going forward, someone is always at Alexander's house,'' Michael said.

Gabriel snickered and started to say something, but he cut himself off and they both were silent. I realized my breathing had changed as I strove to hear them. Had they noticed it?

"Rose?'' Michael said, his voice closer.

I turned in the sheets, opening my eyes. He stood by the bed. The morning sun, filtered by the closed curtains, highlighted a halo round his hair; his face was in shadow. I could make out the hard line of his jaw, his high cheekbone.

"Good morning,'' he said lightly.

Handsome, so handsome.

"Morning,'' Gabriel said, standing at the foot of the bed. He scratched his eyebrow, that self-deprecating smile crinkling his eyes. I watched the slight flex of the muscles in his forearm.

So so handsome.

"Morning,'' I said. I cleared the huskiness from my voice and pulled myself to sit up.

Now they both smiled at me like I was the most charming vision that had ever appeared. Their approval made my stomach flip over. I tugged up my shirt; it had slipped down my shoulder.

Michael opened the curtains and the room brightened. From the window I could see that snow lay on the earth, smooth and innocent. It was a little country scene. The trees here were evergreens, and snow clumped like clouds on their bristling arms.

"So, Rose,'' Gabriel said, "have you got a phone?''

I blinked at him. "Of course I do!''

"Sorry, never saw you use one,'' he said with a teasing smile. "We wondered if we might set up a system. We have to let you go, don't we? But will you text us every day that you're alright?''

I nodded, my eyes widening.

I'd have their numbers!

"Will you wear this?'' Michael asked, taking what looked like a watch out of his pocket. "Pressing its face will send us an emergency signal and your location. One of us will always be not far from you, and whoever it is will come.''