WeirdNights (8 page)

He bent over to unlace his shoes. It simply wasn’t possible.
First off, it was early morning. Hauntings didn’t happen at six in the morning.
They stopped. Second, he was in Foy’s house and although he’d forgotten it in
his dream, he knew in his waking life that Foy’s house was so well guarded from
supernatural things—incantations, prayers and spells all worked together to
make it the safest place on earth to not have an encounter with dark things.

Jonah shook his head. He was losing his mind. Nothing had
moved. First, he needed a shower. Grinning, he walked over to Mindy. If he was
going to get wet, so was she.

With him. Under the spray. Forget moving cacti and his eyes
playing tricks on him.

* * * * *

It had been a long day. After taking Mindy in the shower
he’d had to let her go home so he could teach a few classes for Foy. When his
two-year shift was done he was going to enjoy being free of his responsibility
to the man. Studying with him had been different. Back then the man had been
attentive and helpful. These days, however, he was distant and more removed
than ever.

Things had started to change after Master’s divorce. Jonah
shook his head. It had to be hell to lose your woman in the midst of all the
crap they dealt in. Having Mindy now made him understand that.

“Can I take your order?” Jonah looked down at the couple
that had just been seated in his section. Young, attractive and hip. They were
dressed in outfits that looked as if they should be on the cover of some kind
of magazine.

The restaurant was busy but then again the restaurant was
always busy. That’s why he did so well in tips. No restaurant got to remain the
hot spot forever. Sooner or later the crowds would move on and then so would
Jonah.

Still, he hated the work. He wanted to be back in New
Orleans opening his own studio as Foy had done. Now Christian had also
accomplished the feat. While Jonah counted days in Chicago.

Only Mindy made it bearable now.

The couple was having a hard time deciding on a bottle of
wine and Jonah left to get the sommelier to help them. In the meantime he
needed to check on another table’s desserts. They should have been out two
minutes ago.

Jonah walked past an empty table. It wouldn’t be that way
for very long. They were booked all night.

The vase on the table shifted. He stopped and stared at it.

Any number of things could make the vase move. It was a busy
restaurant. Cars drove on the street. They were running major equipment in the
kitchen. Things sometimes shook.

He rubbed his head and kept moving. There was no time for
him to lose his mind. None.

“Get it together, Jonah,” he muttered to himself.

Two minutes later, he was back on the floor, desserts
delivered, bill dropped off, and back with the couple who at least now knew
they wanted red not white. If it was his restaurant, he would fire the
sommelier. Instead, he got to smile and not say a word against the man.

“Tell you what. Why don’t you guys start with some cocktails
and then we’ll move on from there? Are you guys martini drinkers?”

Just as he asked the question, their napkins, still on the
table and not on their laps, caught on fire. They screamed, darting from the
table as Jonah stood there open-mouthed, staring at the red flames.

Well. That was not normal. Goose bumps erupted on his arms. Spontaneous
combustion was officially a new thing for Jonah. And that was saying a lot.

Mindy drove up to the restaurant and took a deep breath. She
really, really hoped Jonah liked her hair. She touched it. Her locks were now
cut right above her shoulders and dyed to a shade closer to her former color,
blonde. Before she’d whitened, she’d been a little more honey shaded but they
hadn’t been able to re-create it exactly.

It had to be better than the white mess she’d been for
months. Still, she worried. Maybe it made her a ridiculous girl but she wanted
him to think she was beautiful. Surprising him at the end of his shift had
seemed romantic.

A fire truck drove away from the restaurant and Mindy’s
heart fell into her stomach. The daughter of people who died suddenly, she knew
everything could be over in a mere second. Had there been a fire in the
restaurant?

Jonah’s form caught her attention. He walked out of the back
of the restaurant, head down, seemingly caught in his own thoughts.

She rolled down her window. “Jonah.”

He jumped and turned around. After a second, his eyes widened
and he walked to the car. “You dyed it?”

That didn’t come across as unabashed adoration for the
change she had made. Still, she tried to paste a smile on her face. “As you
see.”

“You’re gorgeous.” He smiled. “A real sight for sore eyes.
Feels as if it’s been days since I saw you instead of hours.”

“Let me turn off the car.”

He shook his head. “No. You need to stay away from me for a
while. I’m not safe. You go home. I’ll see you later.”

Mindy shook his head. What had he just said? “I don’t
understand.”

“I’m not safe to be around. Stay away. I’ll call you when
it’s good again.” He tapped on the outside of the car and nodded, which she
didn’t understand, before taking a step back. “And your hair is really hot.
Going to give me nice dreams.”

She slammed open the car door and nearly got run over
getting out of the car. The vehicle that almost hit her honked while it passed
and she resisted the urge to flick them off.

Jonah rushed to her side and pulled her against him. “Are
you out of your mind?”

“Maybe.” She pounded on his chest. “Because I believed you. When
you said last night that you wanted me and you didn’t want anyone else to have
me. I’m just a moron. You’re already done. I did this to my hair because I
thought you’d like it. I’m such a fucking idiot.”

Mindy shoved at Jonah and was rewarded when he actually took
two steps backward. She really must be getting stronger.

“Damn it, Mindy.” He pulled her up against him. “I’m not
breaking up with you. I did mean that. You’re
mine
. Do you understand? I
am trying to protect you.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs. “You didn’t feel so
invested in protecting me this morning.”

“That was before,” he hissed, pulling her with him until
they headed for his car.

“Before what?”

He shook his head before he opened his car door. Jonah
stopped and motioned for her to get in. “I don’t want to talk about this on the
street. If it’s all the same to you.”

Mindy supposed she could give him that much. He had after
all just called her
his
and her stupid girly side had loved that. She’d
pushed him and he hadn’t even mentioned it.

She slid into his car and he closed the door behind her. In
a few seconds, he’d come around the other side and climbed in the driver’s
side. She opened her mouth but never got to say anything because Jonah kissed
her. Hard. Anyone else would be hollering at her for shoving him and yelling.
But all Jonah did was press his lips to hers and turn her insides into mush.

Finally he pulled back. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m not
safe.”

“I shouldn’t have shoved you. Totally not okay.”

Jonah smiled and her heart turned over. “I like to know I
inspire that much passion from you. How could you think I was ending it?”

“Because I don’t understand what’s going on and you make me
feel vulnerable. I never did that particular emotion very well and now I’m
clearly a mess over it.”

Jonah shook his head. “I don’t want you vulnerable. I want
you strong, safe and away from me until I’m not dangerous anymore.”

“How are you dangerous?”

All levity disappeared from his gaze and he swallowed,
clenching his jaw. “Something has attached itself to me.”

“What?” She shook her head. “
Something
has attached
itself to you?”

“The restaurant caught on fire. Things are moving that
shouldn’t be. I have something either following me or attached to me or else
things have really gotten fucked up.” He pounded on the steering wheel. “I can
deal with this. It’s my job, my passion. But I need you safe. So you stay away
from me while I work it out.”

The man could be so pigheaded. She shook her head. “Alone?
You think it makes sense to try to handle this by yourself if you are somehow
being haunted?”

He shook his head. “Hauntings are places, not people. I’ve
really got to get you to read one of those books on the subject. I think we are
still dealing with the poltergeist from before. Only now it’s attached itself
to me.”

“How did it do that?” This was not how she’d imagined the
evening ending. Of course, she probably should have considering everything they
had been through together.

“I don’t know. I think it must be the kids. Damian and Mary.
They’re the only ones I’ve encountered who could have placed something on me.”

“Then we have to go to them. Figure out what they’ve done
and stop it.”

“Foy has incredible connections.” Jonah leaned his head
against the back of the seat. “But I’m not getting to those kids—connections or
not—until at least tomorrow. And in the meantime, I think it would be safest
for you if you would stay away from me.”

The car jerked forward. Jonah looked left and right. “Shit.”

Mindy gripped the door. “Did you do that?”

“No.” He looked up at her. “Mindy, get out of this car.”

“But I….”

He interrupted her, hollering as he reached over her to open
her door. “Get out of the car.”

Jonah pushed her arm and she fell to the right until she had
no choice but to grab the door and pull herself out of the car. She gasped when
the door closed and the car took off down the street.

“Jonah!” She screamed his name. He did not have his hands on
the wheel. The car screeched down the street, nearly colliding with a
motorcycle before rounding the corner away from her.

Mindy rubbed her arm where he had shoved her. She’d be
bruised but it was a small price to pay considering she was pretty sure he had
just saved her life. Tears welled up in her eyes. Where had the thing
controlling that car taken him?

She grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number. It rang
and then he picked up. “I’m okay. Shit. I have no idea where I am going but I’m
not dead yet. The thing seems to have figured out how to drive it so we’re not
likely to have an accident.”

“That’s good. Listen, stay on the phone with me. I’m going
to get in my car and follow you. I’m…” The other side of the line went dead. He
wasn’t there. “Jonah.” She screamed into the receiver just for good measure and
then hung it up.
Shit. Shit. Shit
.

Mindy needed help. One way or another she was going to get
the person who could give it to her to help. Whether he wanted to be lost in
meditation or not.

* * * * *

Mindy stormed into Foy’s residence. After this, he’d likely
revoke her key privileges. Hell, he’d probably fire her. She didn’t care. One
way or another she was going to find Jonah. Foy could find him. That much she
knew.

Her hands shook and she put them in her pocket. He would
probably be able to know she was nervous even if she hid it completely. The man
had psychic powers or something. He’d helped to bring Christian, Dodie’s
fiancé, back from the dead. Or near death. Or whatever.

She shook her head. For now she’d settle for him giving her
an address. Whatever she had to do to get the poltergeist away from Jonah she
would. It was her damn fault it had targeted him to begin with. Since she
hadn’t been able to leave good enough alone.

If she hadn’t gone into that house alone. No. She bit down
on her lip. What-ifs didn’t help anything. What happened, happened. Now she
needed help fixing it.

And if she had to kick Foy awake from his extended
meditation, she would do just that.

She raised her hand to knock on Foy’s private study—she
could give him the courtesy of that much manners before she busted through—when
the door flung open.

Braxton stood in front of her. He stared at her hair and
then shrugged. Mindy groaned and pushed past him into the room where Foy sat in
a swivel chair behind a desk. He faced away from her, staring out the window
into the night.

“If I knew where he was,” Foy spoke without looking at her,
“I’d go get him myself.”

“But you do know what happened? Why let it then? Why let
something attach itself to one of your students?”

Mindy’s phone rang and she looked down. Why was her friend’s
husband returning her call so late at night? She wanted to know about Jonah’s
parents but it warranted a return call at midnight?

Foy turned around then and faced her. His skin was pale, his
eyes red-rimmed. “Jonah thinks something has attached to him?” Foy shook his
head. “I think you’d better take that call.”

* * * * *

Jonah rubbed at his head. He must have hit it the last time
the car came to an abrupt stop. Pushing off the floor where he’d been lying
flat on his face, he had no idea how he’d come to be wherever it was that he
turned out to be.

And somehow he’d have to figure out a more specific answer
than somewhere with a wooden floor and the sound of water dripping in the
distance to answer that question.

He stretched his hands over his head to try to relieve some
of the ache in his muscles. The last thing he remembered was talking to Mindy
on the phone. Then…nothing.

Whatever this turned out to be he was going to send it so
far back to the gates of hell or wherever it came from that it would never
bother anyone again. He shook his head. Unless it turned out just to be
something that happened because Damian had mental issues thanks to his parents.

For that, the kid could be forgiven. They’d find him some
help.

This place seemed really familiar. He stopped and looked
around. Nothing on the walls, no furniture. Just a really empty room in what he
presumed, because of the low ceilings and exposed piping on the ceiling, was a basement.

Had he been here before? This wasn’t the place where he’d
rescued the woman from the Satan-worshiping granny. So why did he know it?

Jonah walked around the room. One low-hanging light swung
from the ceiling, casting shadows on the ground. A slight breeze traveled
through the room thanks to a slightly opened window to the left.

He’d have to travel up the stairs to do that, most likely. As
if becoming aware of the ajar window caused the reaction, goose bumps broke out
on his arms. He rubbed them away and made for the stairs.

Whatever entity had taken him must have a reason for wanting
him there. He just had to figure out what that was.

Certain aspects of Foy’s training had stuck more readily in
his mind than others. If something attacked, they were to strike back—over and
over until they defeated it. If a paranormal problem was better solved by
working out a puzzle then they needed to do that too.

This seemed like the latter situation. Or at least he hoped
it was. Jonah didn’t have one weapon on him. He felt his pocket. And apparently
his cell phone had been taken away from him as well.

Damn it
.

Jonah heard a whisper behind him. He whirled around.

Daddy
?

Nothing. No one was there. “I fucking hate hauntings or
whatever’s going on here because this is not acting like any particular
poltergeist I’ve ever been around.” Jonah headed for the stairs. He didn’t know
why he’d shouted that last part. Maybe he wanted the thing to know that it
wasn’t acting the way it was supposed to. What were rules for if not to be
followed?

He tore up the stairs and stopped at the top. There were
voices outside the door. A woman laughed and someone sneezed. The overwhelming
buzz of conversation filtered through the door.

Jonah tried to make out exactly how many individual voices
he could hear but there were too many to distinguish. This was getting worse
and worse. A pissed-off ghost he could handle. Even the demons didn’t bother
him. He’d tangled with a demonic clown in Austin and managed to walk away
relatively unscathed. Hellhounds were no big deal.

But a group of people could be a really big problem.

Well. He had two choices. Break the window and somehow shove
his large form through it, probably cutting himself up in the process, or he
could walk through that door and see who gathered in the house.

Assuming he could avoid getting shot by anything, he could
fight his way out of there pretty easily.

Jonah turned the door handle and walked out, expecting to
collide with a person immediately.

He caught his breath. The hall was empty and from the
peeling paint on the walls this part of the house looked as abandoned as the
basement. “Okay. What the fuck?”

His voice echoed in the hallway. Jonah turned left. Exactly
how much haunting was going on here? One second, he was being kidnapped by a
random poltergeist and the next he’s dropped in a house filled with so many
spirits that it sounded as if there were a party going on.

Mommy
?

The same whisper from earlier resounded around him but this
time calling for the other parent.

Jonah blinked and for a second he could see the house as it
had been before it was dilapidated. The walls were bright colors from floor to
ceiling. Gas lights, used for decoration, not purpose, sat in the corner of
each room. Expensive furniture that wasn’t supposed to be used except when
company came over stayed under plastic.