Haunted Devotion

3.

Showing up to the Elrod's, Gina and Thomas Elrod come out to welcome me in as their son Linus sits drinking, not greeting me like he was told to. 

"You get lovelier each time we see you, isn't that right Thomas?" Gina says in a charismatic tone. 

Thomas nods while shaking my hand leading me to the dining room table where Linus is now swishing his drink around in a small whiskey glass cup.

"I'm here only because you pestered me to, so what is this deal you want to bring to my attention?"

Taking a cup, I poured some wine that was placed at the table, then looked at both Gina and Thomas, ignoring Linus.

"We want Linus to be involved in the Relish Organization just like that Hunter boy, Ivy Wallace's son," Thomas says.

Tilting my head back then scoffing, I downed the wine then stood, facing the both of them sternly.

"Your son would actually dance at what I do instead of actually HELPING. He is not ready to be anywhere near the Relish Organization, let alone take over if that's what you're implying."

Gina clutches her pearls feeling disrespected at my tone towards the both and says, "Your parents made us a promise before they kicked the bucket. Linus is to be a part of the Relishes once we see fit."

Now this is where I laughed and walked away, swearing at the fact Yerlin might have been right about this situation for once.

"We have written proof of it! You can't deny Linus this opportunity that they approved before they became deceased!"

Stopping in my tracks, I turned letting my anger rattle out of me as I got into both their faces saying, "Speak of my parents like a token you can throw around to get your way again and I will make sure none of you will live in a days peace like you are right now," Holding both their stares, I turn again, making it back to my car and leaving without saying anything else.

I looked up to Gerald in the rare view telling him, "Black list them from any type of business with our name attached to it and remind me to not be so naive again when it comes to the Elrod name."

Gerald nods understanding and drives me back to my estate but something grabs my attention as rain starts to pile in onto the roof of the car, thunder marked deep in the sky as it was now covered with dark gray clouds. All of a sudden a hand print appears on the backseat window and my heart tells me this was because of what I did by using that relic. Gerald sees my breath quicken while looking out the window but can't see the hand print like I could. "Everything alright?" He asks worriedly as I keep my eyes fixated on just that window waiting for something else to appear.

"How many miles are left until we're in front of the house?" I say now, prying my eyes away and looking at him.

Checking, he lets me know there's about a mile left but then a tire pops, having Gerald to pull over.

"I'll get it fixed Miss," Parking the car and heading to the trunk to get a spare tire, I see someone walk past him entering the car, locking the doors from the inside out.

Fixing the rear view mirror, they catch me looking then turn around slowly.

"You're what's attached to me aren't you?" I say serious.

The person lets out a small smile then shrugs finally saying, "You asked for me...so here I am."

Shaking my head, yanking the door handle to open, he shakes his head now.

"There's no take back, love," Looking forward, the car starts by itself having it drive off with Gerald swearing loudly as I'm trapped inside.

Remembering the saying on the relic to reverse the come to me spell, the person somehow steals my words making me feel as if I had a padlock on my mouth.

Must be a century or so spirit since they know the oldest tricks in any relic book.

"We can get to know each other more once we get to my house," They say as we pass my estate and onto another.

Once we got in front of a house, he let the locks open and me out with me swearing directly at him for doing what he did.

"Nolan, you can call me Nolan or something else to your liking as I am yours now," He bends down to help me up as I landed on the white gravel as I was leaning on the car door when it opened.

"How can you have the appearance of a human being but be supernatural?" I say, not really understanding how he has a home, power like a spirit but surprisingly humanly normal.

Taking hold of my hand showing me he's definitely of flesh and not an illusion, I move back now ready to run in the opposite direction.

"You don't know what you asked for did you?" He says now leaning on the car.

Not wanting to know I just closed my eyes just telling myself I was in a dream, this all had to be some crazy lucid dream.

"Love, it isn't a dream. It's really real." 

I re-opened my eyes, "My mind...you read my mind? Are you demonic? Or Casper's cousin or something?"

Nolan chuckles low, "We're connected," Moving closer to me, he takes my hand and places it on his chest, "I feel what you feel, I hear what you think and I know your deepest fears and desires," Looking as his chest rise and fall, I inch up more to see him already looking at me and not where my hand was.

"I'm completely lost," I say hoping he would sum it up nice and easy but he doesn't.

Instead he just took me inside his "home" having me look around as he said it was designed to my liking.

"How long does this last?" Is the only thing I could come up with as I keep looking around amazed at the detailing, even to my favorite flowers, colors, texture.

Sitting on a spread out couch with silver trimming, he says, "Until your heart stops beating, until your heart gives out and you join this side."

"So...until I die?" I say with furrowed eyebrows.

Nolan nods and a cigarette appears in between my fingers already lit for me to take a drag but I just let it burn as his words dangle in my head ferociously.