Craving (16 page)

Sitting up, I glared at him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Her husband. What did he look like?”

Suki joined us, holding out a hand to pull me up. When I stood upright she wrapped her arms around my waist from behind and watched Dante over my shoulder. “Tall, slim, dark hair, goatee beard. I can get you a picture.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Can you see him?
Here
?”

“See him?” There was a hysterical note to his voice. “He’s been fucking following me round for the past two days.” He scrambled to his feet, leaned heavily against the wall and braced on one arm. “Always in the corner of my eyes, just a flash of dark hair. But now, man, he’s here all right.”

Suki’s fingers burrowed into my shirt. Her voice a whisper. “Please, Dante. Can you make him go away?”

7.8 Dante

The spirit—
Gabriel—
stomped around the kitchen, hovering near Suki then stepping up to Josh and getting right up in his face.
Jeez
, this was one angry spirit. If this was how he behaved in the afterlife, what had he been like alive? It would be useful to know his story, but right now, I needed to get some basic protections in place. I welcomed the distraction. Thinking about Kitten—what I’d done—would undo me. I’d come back to that later.

I dispatched Kitten to my bike, to retrieve my dwindling stock of sage leaves while I raided the cupboards for salt and candles. None of either. I stared at the empty shelves, aware that Gabriel was trying to get my attention. At least now I’d acknowledged his presence, whatever he’d been doing to drill holes in my skull had stopped. How the fuck had he been doing that? In a world full of everything-weird-and-freaky, he’d just raised the bar even higher.

Doing my best to blank him, I rattled out a shopping list for Josh. Salt, as many bags as he could get. Fresh sage—either leaves or preferably the entire plant. Tea-light candles. My gaze fell on Suki, white faced and highly stressed.

“This is a long shot, but some Lapis Lazuli would be good. It can be used as a charm. Psychic protection, you know.”

“I can get the rest at Sainsbury—thank God for decent supermarkets. But where the fuck can I get Lapis Lazuli?”

“The garden center on the road to the airport.” Kitten joined the conversation. “There’s a craft shop inside that sells beads and jewelry. I’ve bought crystals and stuff there.”

“Brilliant.” I squeezed her hand. “Why don’t you go with Suki? I’ll stay here with Josh and we’ll get ready at this end.”

He nodded assent too. “I’ll tell the movers we’re done for today.” Pulling Suki to him, they embraced briefly. “Hurry back. I want to get this done.” They drove away, Josh waving from the front door and then he turned to me, arms folded and muscles taut. “Tell me the truth. Can you do this? Can you get rid of him? Is this going to be an exorcism?”

“Fuck knows.” I blew out a breath. “I’ve never tried an exorcism, I just talk to them. But yeah, we can try.”

He nodded slowly. “What else do we need? Holy water? A Bible?”

I shrugged. “How about we talk first and take it from there? I could do with my Talisman back now.”

Moments later, my Talisman was securely in place again, while Angry-Gabriel sneered at me from his position at the bottom of the stairs. I focused on Josh. “Did he have a special place here? A favorite room? Would you even know?”

“His basement. That was his den.” White lines bracketed Josh’s mouth, but he looked more determined than scared. “Follow me.”

Angry-Gabriel turned up his venom a notch when we entered the sprawling basement room. Josh flicked a switch and the area flooded with light. Warm, clean and spacious. Plenty of room for the séance. “We could do with taping this,” I spoke absently as I walked across the floor. “How long will your phone work on the video setting?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Taping it’s not a problem.” A hint of a wolfish smile. “You could say that’s what I do.”

* * * *

By the time the girls returned, we’d prepped the basement. Cushions on the floor for us to sit on. A series of miniscule camcorders linked to a central laptop. And the house to ourselves. With Kitten’s help, I set out the candles and two salt rings, one inside the other, then slowly walked through the house with a bundle of smoldering sage leaves to do my smudging. They’d bought four ropes of lapis lazuli–assorted sizes of stones loosely strung together–and I carefully knotted one rope around each of our throats.

Suki and Kitten stood together. Josh fiddled with his laptop, and I risked another look at Angry-Gabriel. He grinned at me, cocky and arrogant, and not even slightly disturbed by my preparations. He held one hand to his ear, thumb and little finger cocked in the classic phone-call mime and I frowned. My phone vibrated inside my pocket.
What the fuck
? Angry-Gabriel winked at me. My phone buzzed again, and I reached to answer it. Nobody paid me any attention as I scanned the LCD display.
Caller Unknown
. Well, there’s a surprise. This could
not
be Gabriel. Spirits couldn’t do that. He smirked some more, and I pressed the ANSWER button, not taking my eyes off him.

This was not normal
. Every sense screeched at me as I muttered a greeting.

“Dante.” A horribly familiar voice. “This is Alistair. We have some business to attend to. Midnight. Outside the club. Don’t be late.”

D
ante moved into the inner salt circle and sank to the floor, sitting cross legged on one of the cushions. “Let’s do this.” His voice sounded hoarse.
Who had he been speaking to?
He looked stricken, his face so leached of color I thought he was about to keel over again.

Suki and Josh took their places on the floor while I moved around, lighting the candles, as Nanette had done in the control tower. Ten tea lights in the outer circle with another eight making up an inner ring. They burned easily with small, steady flames in the still room. A myriad of shadows danced on the walls. I sat between Dante and Suki, clasping their hands, our knees touching in the tight circle. Dante gave me a ghost of a smile then took a deep breath and slowly dropped his head forward.

Silence stole upon us, and then I heard little noises creeping in: the pulse banging in my ear; Suki’s uneven breathing; Dante’s long, slow breaths; a distant pattering sound, rain perhaps. I hung onto Dante for reassurance. His hand felt warm and dry, while Suki’s felt clammy. I squeezed her fingers. Trying to summon my mum, whom I’d loved dearly, had been nerve-racking enough, and I couldn’t imagine how Suki might feel. The little she’d told me about Gabe made him sound like a monster.

Dante’s breath hitched. He flinched, and a shudder ran up my arm. As he lifted his head I felt the temperature plummet. The candles nearest to him flickered and bobbed as though in a breeze and I shivered, chills oozing down my neck.

“Hello, Gabriel.” Dante sounded polite, respectful. Beside me, Suki gasped, her fingers closing tighter around my hand. One by one, the candles flickered and stuttered, the flames waved crazily and almost blew out, before righting themselves. It looked as though an unseen child crawled around the room, puffing at each one in turn. I shivered and tucked my feet in tighter, huddling into myself to keep warm.

“Please show yourself to the circle. Come and talk to us, Gabriel.”

I wrinkled my nose. What was that weird smell? Like rotting meat.

The outer candles shimmied in turn, but faster now. Dante spoke again, calm and measured. “Gabriel. I summon you to the circle.”

Suki’s chest heaved, her eyes wide and scared in the dim lights.

The candlelight steadied. Dante’s hand relaxed a fraction, and he sucked in a deep breath. Was this it? Would Gabe appear? The stink faded, and I turned my head to look at Dante just as Suki squealed and a tiny spotlight in the ceiling exploded.
Poof
. One by one, the recessed bulbs sparked and shattered, tiny glass fragments raining down on us.
Poof
. Josh swore under his breath and I sought my voice.
Poof
.

“Don’t break the circle, keep your hands linked.”
Yes, I’d taken Nanette’s role
.

Poof
. Slivers of glass in my hair. I gripped Dante ever tighter. I kept my head down to avoid the falling glass, but focused on him through the curtain of my hair. He stared at the far wall, his face a mask. I looked too. A column of mist hovered in front of the door, tendrils snaked along the floor and washed around the circle, nudging the salt lines.
It’s trying to get in,
I realized, my heart speeding up.
Poof
. The final spotlight blew out, leaving us illuminated only by candles. I shivered, trembling from head to toe. My teeth would be chattering in another minute.

Dante gasped, and his head lolled forward. I blinked as the room began to dim.
Oh God
. One by one, the outer candles winked out, invisible fingers pinching the wicks. I could feel Suki’s terror, the trembling cascading down through her hand. I tried to stay calm. Just the inner eight candles left. The stink of rotting meat returned. I wanted to cover my nose, but daren’t break the circle. And then Dante spoke in a voice I didn’t recognize.

8.2 Josh

Dante stared directly at Suki, his face strangely blank. When he spoke, it was in a voice I hoped I’d never hear again.
Gabriel
.

“Hello, Suzu.” Silky, seductive. Compelling.

I tightened my grip on her hand. I would
not
let this bastard terrorize her again.

She gazed back, lips falling open and a choking noise in her throat.

Dante cocked his head toward me. “Joshy-Boy.”
Jeering
. “How’s business these days?” He snapped to the left, fixing Katherine in his sights. “And Katherine, the little lost girl.”
Smug
. “What a pleasure this is.”

I knew it was Dante sitting next to me. I still wanted to pound him into submission, to stop the words pouring from his mouth.

“Little lost girl.” He sighed, as if pleased, his lips lifting in an imitation of a smile. “I know what you’re looking for. Tell me, how much are you willing to give up for it?”

His head swiveled back to Suki, but Katherine spoke first. A low warning. “Don’t let him wind you up.”

“Suzu. I can’t believe you’re still with Joshy-Boy. You know how much I loved you.”

“No,” she croaked, her voice cracking. “You didn’t love me, you
possessed
me. There’s a big difference.”

I felt a wave of pride at her courage. She’d resisted him while he lived, and he wouldn’t subdue her now either. “And Joshy-Boy,” he sneered the nickname when I scowled. “The things I could tell you. In fact,” he paused and chuckled. I felt ice trickle along my veins. “The things I
will
tell you, when I see you. Because, Joshy, I’m waiting for you.”

I blinked, unsure whether to reply. Realization came knocking. With Dante out of play, it was down to us to communicate with Gabriel. There was no doubt in my mind. This was Gabriel—talking through Dante’s body. I shoved my fear to the side and channeled my anger instead. When he turned back and pinned Suki with those pale, luminous eyes, I was ready.

“Suzu, darling. I’m always with you. When you’re sleeping
and
you’re awake. We’re meant—”

“You’re
meant
to be in
hell
,” I snarled. “I don’t care what stone you crawled out from, you’re going back there. Your time abusing Suki is over.” Dante’s head swayed, his shoulders rippling. I pressed on. “I’ve had enough of you, Gabriel.
I’m
with Suki now. No matter what you think, what little snide threats you try, you won’t keep us apart.”

In a fit of possessive fury, I leaned to the side and claimed her lips. Dante whimpered. He quivered, shaking violently as though being electrocuted—his hand began to work loose in mine.

Katherine gasped.

“Don’t let go of him! Keep him in the circle!” I gripped so tight I feared his bones would be crushed, and I could see Katherine clinging to his other hand. One final groan, his back arched rigid and he howled in pain, then slumped over. Silent. I froze.

Was he still breathing? Had Gabriel gone?

Nobody moved. Suki swallowed hard, her breathing unsteady. I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles, drawing a tiny smile. “Katherine?” My question came out as a whisper. “Is it over?”

She shrugged in reply, her face tight and worried, her eyes on Dante. I was about to speak when he sucked in a great huge breath, panting and gulping in air. His eyes flicked open and darted left and right, before he relaxed.

“Dante?” Katherine’s voice quavered. She looked close to tears.

“Uh-huh.” He nodded, still laboring to breathe. “I’m back.”

“Good, that’s good.” A tremulous smile crept across her face. “Can we let go?” A weary smile accompanied his brief nod and she dropped his hand at the same time as me.

“
Suki
.” I turned to face her and she burrowed into my embrace. I held her close, stroking her hair while Katherine leaned over Dante, her arms wrapped around him.
It must be over
. Thank God.

“We did it, Suki.” I nuzzled her ear. “He’s gone.”

“I hope so.” She pressed her face against my chest, soothing me and muting my murderous instincts and the desire to make Gabriel pay.

When Dante finally stood up on shaky legs, one arm looped around Katherine, I rose to my feet and clasped his hand. “Thank you. I don’t know what to say. He’s gone now, yeah?”

Lines of exhaustion cut over his face. He looked as though he would fall over at any moment. When he spoke, his voice was little more than a rasp. “I wish. We’ve only just started this.”

Suki tensed in my arms. All eyes were on Dante. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.

“You pushed him back, but he’s not gone. You really pissed him off, man.” He shivered, his face screwing up. “It’s hard to explain, but he doesn’t
feel
right. Like… he’s not working alone.”

8.3 Katherine

I slumped on the sofa in Josh’s hotel room while the events of the past hour swirled through my head and threatened to overwhelm me. The séance had been scary on a whole new scale, and Josh insisted that I stay in the hotel with them tonight and was trying to persuade Dante to stay as well.

Josh held up a keycard. “I’ve booked you the room next door.” I nodded, too weary to talk at the moment, with an equally exhausted Suki beside me. “How about you, Dante? Do you live round here somewhere?”

“I usually stay with friends when I’m in Manchester.” He glanced at his watch, stared at me for a long moment, and then sat down at the table. “I have to go out soon. There’s someone I have to meet.” His voice sounded husky in the quiet room. “Let’s talk now.”

Josh sat as well, his full attention on the man before him. “So Suki is being haunted by Gabriel.” He blew out a noisy breath. “Her nightmares—it’s actually
him
.”

A nod in reply.

“What the fuck
can
we do about it? How can we stop it?”

“I don’t know. I’ll ask around, try to come up with something.”

“Your spirit guides,” I breathed. He flashed me a quick, tired smile.

“Look, I appreciate what you tried to do tonight.” Josh held out his hand. “Suki means everything to me.”

They exchanged a look as they clasped hands.
Was Dante going to see Nanette?
The question burned on my lips, but I swallowed it back. Did I want to know the answer? I blurted it out. “Where are you going?”

Dante fiddled with the leather bracelet on his wrist, unable to meet my eyes at first, then he caught me in a brilliant blaze of silver. “I owe some money—a lot of money. And the guy I owe has called me in to see him.” His eyes and words held a warning. I ignored it.

“How much?”

“A lot.”

“A loan shark?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

Josh cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Are you behind or something? Are you in trouble?” When Dante didn’t answer, Josh scowled. “What can we do to help?”

“You can’t.” Dante shrugged and looked away.

This didn’t feel right. Who had meetings in the middle of the night? It troubled me that he didn’t trust me enough to tell me—or maybe I needed to trust him first. I stood up and went to take his hand. “How soon do you leave?”

“Half eleven. I could do with some sleep first.”

Only three hours. But it was three hours without the risk of my father barging in. “Thanks Josh, Suki. I appreciate this.”

Josh shrugged. “Come and see me before you go, okay, Dante?” I picked up the abandoned keycard and tugged Dante’s hand.

“He will.”

* * * *

Dante sank onto the double bed with a drawn out groan. “Fu-uck. Are you okay, Kitten?”

I perched on the edge nearest him. “I should be asking you that.” I took a deep breath and braced myself. “Are you planning to come back, or is this the last time I see you?” A look of pain flashed over his face, and he held his arms out to me.

“Baby, I hope not.”

“So will you tell me later, about this loan of yours?” I held myself back, even while I longed to snuggle into him.

“Yes.” His tone deadly serious. “I promise.” A hint of a smile. “Now come here.”

I melted into him and buried my nose in his T-shirt. It held traces of the sage we’d burned earlier, a woody fragrance that suited him well. Enclosing me in the strength of his arms, he leaned back against the pillows, carrying me with him. He gazed up at me where I lay across his body, and I propped myself on one arm, feeling my pulse quicken at the warmth blazing from his eyes. One hand drew lazy circles on my lower back, the other cupped my chin in a gentle movement, the fingertips stroking my face.