Spellbound

Original Edition: Twenty-Five

I had always loved Halloween—the costumes, the candy, and just the overall good nature of people on a night when we can be anything we want. But this year it was my saving grace.

It was peak season at the Reynard and between the continuous guest reservations and preparing the hotel for the holiday, I had been too busy to take care of the finer details of a "relationship." This also meant that it was difficult to get Archer alone to weasel answers out of him, but I hardly had time to dwell on it.

The hotel was quiet as I made my way downstairs well before the sun was ready to peek over the horizon. This was a new habit in my arsenal of Archer diversion tactics. He couldn't blame me for not wanting to have sex if I was totally exhausted at the end of the day. Not to mention, there was plenty to do to prepare for tonight's big ghost tour through the grounds.

Setting my coffee on a side table in the lobby, I unlocked and pulled back the gate from around the front desk. Despite Raven's misgivings, this was a perk to running a mid-sized hotel—no night staff needed, just an emergency number. It also made for good stories from our guests when they roamed around the dark first floor during the midnight hours.

I turned to retrieve my coffee mug and about jumped out of my skin. "Jesus Christ," I yelped, placing my hand over my speeding heart.

Soren was leaning against the grand staircase's banister watching me, one long leg crossed over the other.

Grabbing my coffee, I mumbled, "Don't you ever sleep?"

"You didn't know? Ghosts don't sleep."

"Funny. Is there something I can help you with?"

He pushed away from the mahogany railing and followed me to the desk. "I actually came down to ask you the same thing. For Hazel, Halloween was almost as big of a deal as Winter Spirits; she would always ask us for a few extra creepy favors, just to keep the guests talking."

Ever since I'd heard the conversation between Archer and his brother, I'd come to trust Soren more than I ever thought I would. He had tried to warn me, and I didn't listen. But more than that, he stood up for me against Archer. Of course, I couldn't let him know all the ins and outs of the unspoken truce we'd forged over the past few weeks, but I had to admit it was a relief to have someone to talk to besides Hunter and Archer.

"Actually, yes. I thought of a new tradition I wanted to try this year: Lights Out. All night tonight, starting at sundown, I'm going to shut down all the lights at the breaker, and every guest will have a battery-operated lantern." I took a sip of coffee and raised my eyebrows at him over the rim of the mug. "I already asked Archer, but two of you would be better than one...just freak some people out. Harmless fun, but do a little extra and scare the shit out of them for me," I said with a mischievous grin.

Soren raised an eyebrow and rubbed his palms together. "Sounds like a good time. Are you still doing the séance?"

"Of course. Hazel would turn over in her grave if I didn't. So, you're in?"

"Yes, I'll do it for Hazel."

The compassion and sorrow in his blue eyes spoke to his bond with my aunt. It was easy to see that her death left a gaping hole in him, the kind that ran deeper than just a caretaker and her charge.

I shuffled a stack of papers. "So, were you and Hazel ever..."

"Lovers?" He set his elbows on the desktop and cocked a brow.

"Yeah."

He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. "No. Our relationship for the most part was always platonic in nature."