Gray

Chapter 8

Kota

"Where the hell am I?" a soft voice muttered as I sat up from the bed. She was breathtaking and quite naked. Her silver hair spilled down her shoulders, and she looked completely confused.

"Hello there little ghost," I said gently, not wanting to frighten her.

Her eyes went wide and she tried to cover herself. I quickly stood and handed her a blanket. "Th...thank you. Um, where am I?" she asked, covering her body. My eyebrows raised when I noticed the freshly placed bond marks on her neck. Well isn't this getting more and more interesting by the moment?

"Well, I'm not sure exactly where we are as this is a camper and we're driving down the road, but I'm fairly certain we are headed toward your home." Her eyes widened again, then narrowed suspiciously. "Maybe I should explain," I laughed. "It seems you are having an out-of-body experience right now. If my guess is correct, you are Gray and those marks on your neck are from my friends Silas and North. I'm assuming the three of you, um, well, sealed your bond."

Her nose scrunched in the cutest way and she said, "Is that your fancy way of saying we had sex and bit each other?"

I choked back my laughter. She was fiery - I liked it. "Well, that's a shorter way of putting it, I suppose. Did either of them bother to explain what was happening? You do realize you just bound your soul to them, correct?"

She sighed, "I took that assumption. I, um, I'm not entirely ignorant of the supernatural world. I've just never been quite this involved."

I paused, "Could you explain that, please?"

"Sure, um...what's your name?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm Kota. We are all heading to your town to try and help out." I guess a naked woman showing up threw my manners for a curve.

"All?"

I sighed, "They haven't told you anything. Yes, all. There are nine of us in total. We've been bound by the gods for several thousand years now. Each of us are sylphs, but some of us have other abilities as well. For example, I can see the dead - which is what you are right now."

Her face blanched, "I'm what? Damnit, not again."

"Well now I need to know," I laughed, "and perhaps I should send the guys a quick text. No telling how long you've been out and they're going to panic. Hang on, please." I grabbed my phone out.

Kota: Hey Silas and North, your girl is rather beautiful. Keep her warm and dry, she'll return soon.

Silas: What the fuck! She's dead, but how?

Kota: Not sure, but based on the conversation, this isn't the first time. I'm trying to figure it out, but don't worry, her soul isn't going anywhere.

North: Local lady said she'd had near-death experiences several times. He showed up and she saw him, Kota.

Kota: Well fuck, that complicates things. I'll let you know when she's on her way.

Silas: Thanks man

North: Yeah, thanks

Kota: No worries - the view is flawless 🙂

I sat and watched her for a few moments as she looked around the room. She had paused by a small photo of all of us. A soft smile crossed her face as she traced over the image.

"Hey Kota, any preference on where we stop for food?" Nate asked, still looking at his phone as he walked into the room. He looked up and froze. I saw his pupils dilate and his chest rise rapidly. His hand gripped his phone so tightly I heard it crack. Oh yeah, he's a goner.

"Nate this is Gray, Silas, and North's bond, and apparently yours as well," I said gently. He took a hesitant step forward. "Slowly, she's um, dead at the moment."

His head snapped toward me, "Who did this to her." His voice was a deep growl as his beast pushed forward demanding to protect his bond.

Gray giggled, "I think the sex is to blame." Nate's shoulders dropped as he looked at her like a puppy. "Silas, North, and I were, um...and then I woke up here."

"I was just trying to find out a bit more about our ghost here. Seems this isn't her first time dying," I explained.

Nate sat down on the bed like he was in a trance. "What do you mean I'm his bond too?" she asked as she looked at him curiously. I could see her fingers twisting against the blanket like she wanted to reach out and touch him.

"Well based on his reaction when he saw you, it's just a guess. I'm also guessing you feel a pull as well," I told her. She nodded, her dark eyes staying trained on him. "Well before you two lose all control, we should address the issue of your recurring death, Gray. Can you explain that to me?"

She blinked for a moment, "Oh that, well, um I guess it started when I was born. I came out blue with the cord around my neck. Doctors even called time of death, but then I took a breath and my mama said I screamed to the rafters scaring the daylights out of everyone. Then when I was about six, I fell off Lister's bridge and supposedly drowned until I sat bolt upright in the ambulance. Damn near made the driver crash. There've been about four other times, five if you count now."

"Interesting. Do you remember going somewhere each time or just this one?"

She had edged closer to us, only a few steps from the bed now. It was like an invisible string pulling them together. "Only a couple of times. When I fell off the bridge, I woke up in a very dark place. There was a figure, but it never spoke. I just remember feeling cold. Then when the wreck that killed my folks happened, I woke up in the same place. I was in a coma and flatlined a few times. Each time I would end up in that same dark place with the person. I never saw them, and we never spoke. This is the first time I've interacted really. Wonder why?"

I smirked, knowing exactly why, but I'd let her figure that out for herself.

She reached her hand out and her fingertips grazed along Nate's cheek. He let out a low groan and I cleared my throat. "Um, perhaps this is the time for me to step out." They were so lost in each other's gaze they didn't even notice me leave.

"Where'd Nate go?" Luke asked as I came into the front of the camper.

"He's a bit busy right now," I chuckled. "Seems Gray is a deathwalker and didn't even know it. She's um, well, she and Nate are getting better acquainted."

"Nate? But I thought she was Silas's..."Luke started to ask, but Nate's roar stopped his question as his eyes widened. "Oh fuck, is she?"

I just nodded and grinned, then leaned over and turned up the radio.

Author's Note:   Nate makes three...