Ghost Perfume | ✔

Excerpt 2 from book 2, Ghost Silk

A/N: I'm so grateful for the response to ghost perfume! here is another excerpt from book 2. The book is currently a bit over 200 pages. It should be about 350 pages when it's done

Unrelated but I read a quote I really like in this book November Road that I started today: 

"The only poor decision was a decision you allowed someone else to make for you." 

It made me pause .. the main character is a terrible person so far, but, speaking as an indecisive person, it's a good point 😂

I started reading it because it's set in New Orleans, and I'm going to visit there soon 

anyway, hope you enjoy this snippet :)

~ ~ ~

Tons of sticks littered the forest floor behind the house. And there were several hundred yards of clearing between the start of the trees and the house, so we had plenty of space to run.

Strangely - although, I'd never had a pet, so what did I know - neither Raider nor Invader chased the first stick I threw. They only watched me with disturbingly intelligent eyes.

I ran after the stick myself, snatched it up, and ran back to them, holding it out. "See? Okay, now you." I hurled it as far as I could throw.

They both exploded after the stick.

They reached it at a gallop, neck and neck. At the last second Invader rammed into Raider so he could claim the stick alone.

He turned to come back to me, and Raider leapt at his back, taking him down.

"Stop!" I ran forward, persuasion leaking out. "Stop fighting, you idiots!"

They panted as they obeyed. Raider had managed to get the stick in the scuffle. He had it clasped in his mouth.

As I glared, Invader slowly reached over to clamp his teeth around the end of the stick. He surreptitiously tugged.

Raider let out the scariest growl I ever heard.

"Everybody loses this round," I let them know. "But that was my fault for only throwing one stick. Gimme." 

I broke it in half. 

"Raider, you chase this one." I threw it as hard as I could. He took off. 

"Invader, you get this one." I hurled it and Invader rocketed away.

They adored the game. They ran so fast I scarcely had time to throw one stick before the other would be returned.

My right arm tired and I had to switch to my left, but they didn't like that as much, because I couldn't throw as far with my left.

Eventually the left arm tired too.

"I think we're done," I said, rubbing my bicep and refusing to take the stick that Raider held out. He dropped it and howled pathetically.

"You're so smart, how you understand me," I said fondly. "I promise we'll play lots more times."

Invader shoved the other stick into my leg. I took it and let it fall, patting his head. He rose onto his back legs to place his front legs on my shoulder in a mock threat. I stumbled back, laughing. He pushed harder and I fell on my back under his weight.

"Hey, ow!"

Drool speckled over my face.

"Rose!" "Princess."

Jane and Jackal floated above me.

"What, hi! I didn't sense you."

"You weren't paying the slightest bit of attention," Jackal berated. How sweet - concern from Jackal. Maybe I'd gotten to him more than I realized. "Shouldn't you stay vigilant against the big bad wolves? Where the hell are your so-called guards? I thought we left you with two, and they were not canine."

Holy crap, the two ghosts I waited for were hovering at a greater distance, watching suspiciously. A teenager and an old man.

The two revenants besides Jackal who had managed to escape, who remained in the material world.

"Hi," I called. "Invader - get off -"

The big dog finally moved so I could sit up. I scrambled to my feet, brushing earth and pine needles off my butt and wiping drool off my face.

"Hi," I called again. "I believe we met. Briefly. My name is Rose."

The mastiffs looked around. Their ears were pulling back.

Clever as they were, they couldn't see the dead, but they understood enough to know that I was talking to someone.

"This is Ilium, and this is Astor," Jackal said. He turned to them with an annoyed air, calling louder. "What's this? I brought you as you asked, you're just gonna stand there?"

They came closer.

Disdain began to show in Astor's ancient eyes. Ilium was as close to expressionless as one could be, his gaze flickering to the portal and back to me.

I must've looked a mess, and I didn't even want to know what my hair looked like. I cleared my throat, hoping that appearances indeed didn't matter.

"I think you lied, Jackal," Astor said.

Jackal scoffed. "Lied - how?"

"This dirty child is the radiant one from the clearing? This one that gets bullied by a dirty dog?"

It was possible that appearances mattered a tiny bit.

"I suppose you don't recognize the thread or the portal," Jackal gestured, but he shot me a look that said, you fool.

Astor scowled, thin lips cutting into his jowly cheeks. His dark eyes glittered dangerously. He merely looked me up and down.

I saw greed, deep in those small glittering eyes, but it was restrained and cautious. He wasn't going on the attack.

Yet.

Jane and Ellie, high-strung and trying to hide it, edged closer to me.

"Well, I am the same person." I made them a short bow, my thoughts racing. "Here I am ... I guard this death portal. I'm at your service."