The Ghosts

Chapter Nine, Part Two

This one isn't long but the next part of this chapter will be longer. I'm editing it right now!

Unedited.

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“Who are you?” Olivia asked.

I was surprised she didn’t already know. I met Olivia through Michael and during my vacation at Hilton Head.

Jon smiled at her, a wicked grin. “Jon Winter.”

“I’m getting you a name tag,” I muttered.

He just smiled at me. I was about to smack him in the arm when a wave of emotion came through the bond. It was strong and since I wasn’t used to it anymore, I had to stop and brace myself against the wall as the bond tried to suck me through.

Michael was pissed and not like he’d ever been around me. This was something I’d never felt before, not from him. It was the closest thing I’d ever felt to a murderous rage and there was no way I was going to allow it, him, to take me over. Not now.

“Gee, are you…?”

Jon stepped in front of me and gripped my chin, tilting my face so he could look me in the eyes.

“You’re fighting it. Don’t.”

“I don’t have time for this…” I hissed.

“I’m here to help you. If you don’t listen to me, it will get worse. You don’t want it to get worse. Trust me.”

“What will get worse?” Olivia asked. “Are you sick?”

“Oh I wouldn’t say that,” Jon said. “Ana, do it.”

I let the bond suck me through until I was nicely settled in Michael’s head. His anger was thick as he stared at his Uncle who was sitting behind a desk looking a little worse for wear. Michael had obviously done a number on him before I managed to make my way here.

“I think you’ve forgotten, Nephew, that you don’t have authority over me.”

Yeah, if that wasn’t true then what the hell happened to his face? I felt Michael smile. “And I think you’ve forgotten what happened the last time you tried something like this. It appears the reminder wasn’t good enough.”

What the hell is going on? I asked. Just pick up the damn letter opener, stab him in the head, and be done with it. Not that hard of a decision, Michael.

Shh.

“Are you threatening me, Michelangelo?”

“I thought that was already clear. The Coven’s been calling for your head, Uncle. I’m inclined to give it to them if you don’t call off this ridiculous bounty.”

“It’s for you,” Judas said snidely. “You came back from your time in the human world soft. It’s taken you a year to get to this point and I do like this dark side of you. The only problem is you’re using it the wrong way. Imagine what it would be like if she was…” he shrugged “…gone.”

“She’s harder to kill than you think. Call off the bounty or I will finish what I started.”

Michael whipped his arm out and a knife protruded from the back of Judas’s chair, a thin cut running across his cheek. Judas slowly raised his hand and touched it, looking very annoyed when he saw his fingers covered in blood.

“I’m trying to help you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“She’s a disadvantage, nephew, a hindrance. A Vampire with your breeding should never appear weak and that’s what she does to you. I’m not the only one who sees it.”

“Leave her alone and call off the bounty. This is your last warning.” Michael pushed away from the desk and walked out. He was in a bar it looked like and he didn’t say anything to me until he went outside and got in a very large white truck. I would think he was compensating for something if I didn’t know better.

“What are you doing here?”

It’s good to see you too, Michael. Like a warm blast of sunshine. I know we said we would keep the bond open but this is ridiculous. Either learn to control your emotions or I’m closing it off again. I think you almost gave me a brain bleed.

He frowned and looked at me in the rearview mirror.

“I’m fine.”

Yeah because that awesome display of testosterone tells me you’re swell.

“Georgiana…”

Send me back. You know I’m not good at this. I think next time I’ll just follow my instincts and ignore Jon.

“I’m sorry, Αγάπη. I’m doing everything I can.”

I told you to stab him in the head. He’ll never remove the bounty. You know that.

“I’m giving him the chance.”

Just don’t give him too much time. Jon has already made a…splash in my life as it is.

“I’m sorry but he was the only one I trusted with this.”

Why didn’t you just ask Luke?

“I needed someone you trusted but didn’t like very much. Last thing I need right now is you sweet talking whoever I send into letting you do something stupid.”

My sweet talking doesn’t work on Luke and just so you know, I’ve been taking care of myself for a while. Send me back now please. I have better things to do than be in your head.

“What’s wrong with you? You seem agitated.”

I’m not used to this anymore and quite frankly I don’t like it. And I don’t think you do either.

“What makes you say that?”

I just stared at him. What did he want me to say? There was a reason behind him closing off the bond, same for me, and I wasn’t convinced this was a good idea. Jon had to talk me into it. What would happen when this was over? Michael would probably shut off his end again without a single word. Just like he did last time. No matter the consequences to me, how it would leave my psyche, he’d do it because he thought it was the right thing. Truth was…opening the bond again wasn’t the right thing. I would have to start the coping process all over again when this is over.

Just send me back.

He cocked his head to the side and his eyes softened. Maybe he knew what I was thinking, maybe he didn’t. At this point…I didn’t want to know.

I felt the pull to go back and I let it take me to my own body.

Jon came back into view, albeit a little fuzzy a first.

My ears popped and I shook my head. Olivia had a weird look on her face but she didn’t say anything, well, not until I could stand on my own and I said, “I really—hate that.”

“Does this have something to do with Michael?”

I looked at her sharply. “What?”

“Oh you know…rumors. They say you’re bonded to a Vampire so I assumed it’s him. Is he ok?”

 “He’s fine.”

“What about you? Your eyes are fixed and dilated.”

“She’ll be fine,” Jon said tilting his head to the side. “For now. Later, maybe not so much.”