Gods & Ghosts
“A perfect mix of mythology and the supernatural”
“Captivating from the get go... can’t wait for the sequel”
“Just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, the book takes an unexpected turn... Loved it”
Gods & Ghosts - book excerpt
Prologue
Eva McRayne
June 24th
Elliot Lancaster is trying to kill me.
You know Elliott. I've written about him before - first, when we were friends, then as he became my enemy. But for the sake of documentation, I will write of him again. We became friends in college - the University of Georgia, English Literature 101 to be exact. He started showing up wherever I was on campus. I was flattered at the time - I'd pretty much kept myself hidden away except cheerleading, which I was forced to do for my scholarship.
Flattered and naive. I didn't see the warning signs of his madness. How his sudden appearances were more attuned to stalking than friendship. One thing led to another and after graduation, I took the job as his co-host on the television show, Grave Messages.
Things spiraled out of control real quick. Elliott became jealous then downright hateful. He began sending me to locations where I had to fight for my life against beings I had no business dealing with. All for the sake of the show. Things came to a head last year when he betrayed me.
Yes. Betrayed. Like in an old novel or television show. See, I became the Sibyl four years ago. To put matters simply, I can talk to the dead through mirrors. I was granted immortality thanks to Apollo.
The Apollo. The Olympian Apollo. As fate would have it, he is also my biological father. A fact I learned two months ago and am still grappling with.
Why am I rehashing all this in my own journal? Why, since I wrote about the events as they happened? Maybe it's to keep things straight in my own mind. Or maybe, it's to better understand Elliott's motives.
He has done horrible things to me over the years. We have a history that I don't understand. A history riddled with hateful words and violence.
I'm on a plane at the moment. Elliott and by extension, Theia Productions, has sent me to Rome, North Carolina to film Grave Messages in an old house that has been abandoned for over a decade. There are even bodies buried in the basement - disturbing, I know, but it adds to the creepiness factor. It's the perfect location for a paranormal reality show.
A little too perfect.
I shouldn't be so anxious about all this. I know what I am doing. I know what I have survived. The last time Elliott attacked me directly, I'd physically died. Hermes - the god, not the handbag - gave me a choice. Pass over into the ether or return to the living.
I'm on a plane flying to North Carolina so you know the choice I made. If I can survive getting shoved out of a four-story window, then I can survive anything.
I hope so, though Cyrus - my mentor for this whole Sibyl thing - is not happy with this trip. Apollo is insistent that I stay at a place called Grannison-Morris estate. It's a huge compound of sorts, filled with ethereal beings. That is one of the main reasons why Cyrus isn't happy. He swore he is friends with the proprietor of the estate, but he doesn't care for the students who live there.
My Keeper won't explain why. As far as I know, he's never met them. Then again, there's a lot about Cyrus that I don't know. He is literally ancient - an immortal who has served Apollo since the days Socrates and Plato roamed the earth.
I'm writing so much because I'm nervous. I tend to ramble when I'm anxious. If there are people at this estate, then I'm putting them in danger by being there. I don't know if I'm strong enough now to protect them. Maybe Cyrus was right. Maybe we should have just taken a room at the local hotel.
It's too late now. The proprietor of Grannison-Morris is expecting us. It would be rude to turn down his invitation while we were flying to our destination.
One week. That's my filming schedule. I can survive one week.
I hope.
Chapter One
Jonah Rowe
At this moment, Jonah couldn’t help but feel like he’d gotten the shaft.
It was summer, which was always when the Grannison-Morris estate was at its emptiest, and the only residents left were the eight to nine people who everyone else had affectionately dubbed the “skeleton crew.”
Only this time, that wasn’t the case.
Any and everybody had somewhere to go for either half the summer or the whole season. This one saw Liz and her family trek to Las Vegas. Her parents rewarded her for achieving the Dean’s List for the second consecutive time, as well as a consecutive 4.0 grade point average. Liz happily accepted the gift, and it also didn’t hurt that Bobby and Vera went along with her family as well. Spader was off doing…something. No one really wanted to know. Douglas had been forced to spend summer with family he didn’t even like. Even Malcolm, the most reserved of them all, was occupied for the summer. He’d given some carpentry insights that had been so invaluable that he’d been invited to teach a couple wood shop summer courses.
So, everyone had something to do.
Everyone, that was, except for Jonah, Terrence, and Reena.
After the ordeal that they’d experienced, everyone felt the three of them should have the luxury of being bored. Liz, for one, thought that it was a courtesy to allow the three of them to rest and not have to “expend mental energy.”
Malcolm threw in his two cents right before his departure. “You can’t possibly recharge your batteries while out having fun and running yourself ragged,” he’d said. “Sometimes, sitting back and taking perspective is the most advantageous thing.”
So, here the three of them were, in the family room of the estate, bored out of their minds. This wasn’t relaxing. This wasn’t battery recharging. This was—
“Bullshit.” said Terrence aloud. “This is total bullshit. Why do we have to be stuck here like this? This feels like kid’s table crap.”
Reena rolled her eyes. “You know that’s not the case, Terrence. We weren’t left out. Everyone felt like they did us a kindness and an honor to leave us to rest.”
“Not helping anything, Reena.” murmured Jonah. “Don’t even pretend like you want to be here with us. We all know that you’d rather be locked up in some hotel room with Kendall right now.”
Reena took a breath and closed her eyes. “Not possible at the moment,” She grumbled. “Thanks to Jonathan. He felt like I needed to get my emotions in order. Let’s just leave it at that.”
“It wouldn’t be so bad if we weren’t the only ones at the entire estate,” complained Terrence. “I hope that that was luck of the draw. Surely that wasn’t done by design—”
“Would it be that huge of a matter if that was the case?”
Jonathan was there. Their mentor and trainer always looked the same, button down, tan duster, and infinity medallion around his neck. This image was so commonplace to Jonah nowadays that he barely noticed it. He certainly didn’t notice it right now, as he’d fastened on to what Jonathan just said.
“What did you say, Jonathan?” He queried. “You isolated us on purpose?”
“It wasn’t isolation.” said Jonathan, “I sincerely believe that the three of you need to have your spirits replenished. But I never intended for you to sit here slothfully doing nothing at all. I have a simple task for you all. Should be easy as can be.”
Jonah glanced at Terrence and Reena. What the hell would this be?
“What’s that, Jonathan?”
Jonathan pocketed his hands. “Have you ever heard of Eva McRayne?”
“No,” said Jonah and Reena at once.
“Hell yeah!” exclaimed Terrence, who hopped up from his seat. “She’s awesome! The centerpiece of Grave Messages!”
“Grave what?” asked Jonah.
Terrence looked at Jonah in disbelief. “Seriously, Jonah?” he breathed. “You’ve never heard of the Sibyl?”
Now Jonah was really befuddled. “Wait. Sibyl? What’s she got to do with Eva?”
“They are one and the same, Jonah,” clarified Terrence. “Eva McRayne is the Sibyl. Grave Messages is her show. She is the best. Smart, intense, and smokin' hot—”
“Whoa,” interrupted Jonah, “Grave Messages is a TV show? You guys know me well enough to know that the only thing I watch on TV is Supernatural. Everything else is Netflix. What, pray tell, is this show about?”
Now Terrence looked a bit sheepish. Jonathan spoke up once more.
“It’s best if I take over now, Terrence,” he said. “Eva McRayne is a superbly talented spiritual conduit who communicates with—”
Now Jonah was the one that rose out of his seat. His meter went from zero to octane in a nanosecond.
“Forgive me, Jonathan, but are you out of your damn mind? After everything that happened with Landry over the past few months?”
Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. “Mind your tone, Jonah,” He said with quiet authority. “This is an entirely different situation. Miss McRayne is no charlatan. She has a spiritual gift.”
“So you say,” said Reena, equally as riled as Jonah. “If she is authentic, then where exactly did she get this gift?”
“That’s the best part!” said Terrence. “It’s the show I told you that I started watching once I checked out on ScarYous Tales. It’s nothing ethereal—I mean, nothing that deals with us! Like Jonathan said, she ain’t a charlatan! She said that it comes from Apollo.”
Terrence’s words left dumbfounded silence in their wake. Jonah ran his tongue over his teeth, like he always did when he heard bona fide bullshit.
“Please, Terrence,” He supplicated, “Do not tell me that you mean Apollo Apollo.”
“The very same, Jonah,” said Jonathan. “Apollo, the god. Patron of Delphi, symbolized by the lyre, healer, prophetic deity—”
“I know the stories, Jonathan,” interrupted Jonah. “I’ve done book reports on mythology. Mythology. As in lie. If she fancies herself to be aligned with Apollo, then I suppose she’s calling herself Sibyl after the Sibyl no one ever believed—”
“That was Cassandra, actually,” corrected Reena.
“And that woman was a prophetess. Eva is a medium.” Terrence added. “Dude, you gotta watch-”
“Whoever,” spat Jonah. “Point is she’s lying. And if she’s on TV—”
“Jonah, stop,” said Terrence. “And while you’re at it, calm down a bit, alright? We’re supposed to be de-stressing, recall that?”
With difficulty, Jonah desisted. Yeah, Terrence was right, but that was before Jonathan mentioned this fresh hell.
Reena, who seemed to have successfully put a lid on her own thoughts, directed her attention to Jonathan.
“Sir, clearly, we’ve gotten way off the point,” She said as in level a voice as she could muster. “Your initial question was whether or not we’ve ever heard of this woman. Why does that matter?”
Jonathan smoothly moved his weight from one foot to the other.
“She is coming to Rome,” He replied. “Today.”
“So what?” Jonah raised an eyebrow. “What’s that got to do with us?”
“Miss McRayne’s patron god is a friend of mine.” Jonathan explained. “In light of recent events, he contacted me to offer her haven as they film a new episode of Grave Messages here in Rome. When I had another protector guide support the suggestion, I agreed.”
Jonah shook his head. “You cannot possibly have said yes, Jonathan.”
“I did indeed say yes,” Jonathan responded.
Jonah threw his hands in the air. What was Jonathan’s deal? After everything that had happened with Landry and ScarYous Tales of the Paranormal, why was he subjecting them to this Grave Messages crap? And this McRayne woman would be crashing at the estate? For the love of God, she could probably buy out a hotel floor! Why the hell did Jonathan have to lodge her?
“Back up.” said Reena. “You said someone else suggested this? Who?”
“Akraia,” answered Jonathan. “She is another Protector Guide. Apparently, she got wind that Grave Messages’ production company was interested as Rome for a potential filming site, so she contacted me after I had spoken to Apollo. This is part of my sphere of protection; therefore, I have the right to know any and everything that goes on around here.”
“Huh,” said Terrence, who looked intrigued. “That Akraia guide must have been around Elliot Lancaster if she got wind of that—”
“Who?” said Reena and Jonah simultaneously.
“Elliot Lancaster,” repeated Terrence like it should have been obvious. “His dad runs the company that does Grave Messages. He was a presenter on the show, but now he’s the day-to-day producing consultant, something like that. I think he scaled back his responsibilities for that Helakos woman.”
“What are you talking about, Terrence?” questioned Jonah.
Terrence sighed. “I read that Elliott’s supposedly messing around with this billionaire heiress who’s recently moved to Beverly Hills named Juno Helakos.” he said. “They spend a lot of time together—she’s been labeled a cougar. Eva’s got a new partner on the show. It’s a blind guy named Leyton. Well, he was her new partner. But his dumb ass left for ScarYous. ”
Jonah eyed Terrence intently. He noticed that Reena, and surprisingly, Jonathan, did too. Reena was the one who broke the silence.
“You read all this, you say,” she said slowly, “do you mean…as in…tabloid gossip?”
“Dear Lord,” said Jonah, who now questioned his best friend’s sanity. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
“I read celebrity gossip!” said Terrence, unabashed. “So what?! It’s not like I’m living these crazy lives, I just read about them!”
“It’s not so much that, Terrence,” said Jonah, “it’s just that one would think that—”
“Look,” interrupted Terrence with a trace of heat in his voice, “I’m well aware of what happened. You think it’s possible that I’d forget? Turk Landry can go to hell for what he did and is still doing. But Grave Messages is good TV. I love it, and I ain’t ashamed of it. It’s a part of all the TV that I watch. I’m a janitor, remember? So, any release that I got from nasty teenagers, clogged sinks, and shitty toilets is a blessed one. TV and celebrity gossip provide such releases. Sorry for the swearing, Jonathan,” He added hastily.
Jonathan waved a hand, but regarded Reena, who looked pensive. “What’s on your mind, Reena?” he asked.
“It’s just…weird,” She murmured. “Juno Helakos? Her surname is Greek, and Eva McRayne claims to be blessed by a Greek god. The name Juno is from Ancient Rome, and we live in Rome, North Carolina. It’s just a bunch of coincidences, and they just—stirred in my brain is all.”
Jonah looked at her. Reena made some crazy connections there. He hadn’t even noticed those things, and he probably should have. Emotions clouded his rationale at the moment.
“Might be an alias.” suggested Terrence. “Lots of rich folks have those.”
“True indeed,” said Jonathan, “but Ms. Helakos is not the issue here. Miss McRayne’s flight will land at a private airport in Raleigh in two hours, and I want the three of you to meet her and her people there. You have my authorization to use the Astralimes, and Akraia has seen to it that a car will be there to collect you all and bring you back to Rome. I personally would have preferred if you all could simply use the Astralimes to come back, but with the Phasmastis Curaie’s strictures on Tenth Percenters using ethereal travel, it’s just better that you ride back in the car. Road trips clear the mind. You guys go ahead and get dressed.”
“Wait. Hold on for just a damn minute.” Jonah held up his hands when he faced Jonathan. “You said in light of recent events earlier. What the hell does that mean?”
“You haven’t heard?” Terrence looked shocked. “Jonah, it’s been all over the news.”
“Netflix, remember?”
“Eva tried to commit suicide after her parents were murdered.” Terrence shifted on his feet. “Or at least, that’s what the news has been reporting. She survived and was still healing up. In fact, I didn’t think she would be back on the show for a while.”
Terrence grinned when he whirled around to face Jonathan. “This is her first show back, ain’t it? She must be back one hundred precent, then!”
Terrence bounded the stairs so exuberantly one would have thought that he needed the toilet. He must have a crush on this Eva McRayne. Dear Lord. Reena ascended the stairs more slowly; she was probably deep in thought about more random coincidences, as well as these new people about to be introduced to the estate. Jonah let them head upstairs, and then turned back around to Jonathan.
“A suicidal spiritual conduit?” Jonah narrowed his eyes. “Really?”
“The girl is not suicidal.” Jonathan folded his hands together in front of him. “She was in the middle of a fight with the one called Lancaster. It was he who harmed her.”
“Don’t tell me you watch this crap, too.”
“No.” Jonathan gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I have much more reliable resources than television.”
“I still have strong feelings about this, Jonathan,” he said in a sharp whisper.
“I would be surprised if you didn’t, Jonah,” said Jonathan calmly. “I do, too.”
Jonathan’s response stunned Jonah. “Then why did you green light this?” he asked. “Surely you don’t believe in this Greek gods and monsters sh—stuff, right?”
Jonathan contemplated Jonah’s question for a minute or so before he answered. “The realms of life are infinite, Jonah,” he said at last. “We know that life never ends; what other secrets does life hold? With the vastness of life, who am I to refute the possibilities? Is Eva McRayne the genuine article? I do not know, never having met her. But it’s far from impossible. But the thing that I do know is that I am a Protector Guide over everything in this region that I survey. Miss McRayne is a new element. I don’t know if her presence is blessing or threat. Events will unfold right here—where I can do something about either eventuality.”
***
Jonah, Terrence, and Reena awaited Eva McRayne and her crew at the private airstrip in Raleigh. Reena simply changed out of her relax clothes, which meant her new outfit didn’t have paint splattered all over it and rearranged her hair into a tighter ponytail. Terrence was clad in Dockers, loafers, and a snug black polo shirt. Jonah didn’t change a damn thing. He didn’t view this as important enough for changing. Plus, he didn’t care if McRayne or her buddies judged him based on appearance. It wasn’t like they would be friends. Though he had given the Grave Messages website a glance so that he wouldn’t be completely in the dark.
He got the website and more. Terrence wasn’t kidding when he mentioned McRayne had been all over the news. Article after article detailed the gruesome murders of one Janet and Martin McRayne, followed by more propaganda regarding the woman’s suicide attempt. It was deemed a miraculous recovery based off her so-called immortality.
Yeah. Right.
“Why would she come here?” He wanted to know. “RDU is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.”
“Jonathan said that they wanted to be incognito,” Reena reminded him. “Celebrities, influential people—they all want the smaller airports so that they can avoid paparazzi and psychos and all that. A commercial airliner doesn’t allow privacy for anyone, but in remote places like this? Famous folks can call ahead, and the airport powers-that-be can arrange transport.” She gestured to the stretch limousine that had been there before they showed up. “The people land, get in, and put road behind them with almost no one being the wiser.”
Jonah thought on it. Made sense. Enough.
Terrence paid no attention to any of their words. He bounced on his heels like a kid and watched the sky as though he could will the arrival to be sooner. Jonah looked over Terrence’s outfit once more and had to admit that he was pretty sharp. Despite that, he just didn’t think that it would impress a celebrity. But he wasn’t about to tear down his friend. Jonah had a feeling that it would happen soon enough.
“Showtime.” announced Reena and Jonah threw his eyes skyward.
A private jet descended, made a smooth landing, and taxied to a point not very far from the limo. Jonah had expected to see some fancy words emblazoned across the jet, but McRayne—or whoever handled transportation—did the thing properly. It still didn’t sit well with him. It wasn’t like everyone had jets to fly them everywhere, and limos to whisk them away the minute they landed. Why did McRayne need all the secrecy? Wasn’t shouting from the highest mountain all a part of the celeb protocol?
“Take off the dampener, Reena,” said Jonah as the jet doors lowered. “Do us a favor and peg these people right now.”
“That isn’t the way I do things, Jonah,” said Reena in a blunt tone. “You know that. No advantages. We all need to be on even ground. That’s always the best way to make a first impression.”
Jonah shook his head. “Reena, do you realize that you’re saying this about a suicidal woman getting off of a private jet?”
The occupants of the jet quickly descended the steps. The first guy seemed a bit happy-go-lucky, but at the same time, it looked forced.
“That’s the camera dude,” revealed Terrence. “Don’t really see much of him, obviously, but the Theia Productions website sings his praises. I think his name’s Joey.”
After Joey, a positively hardcore-looking man made a quick scan of the airstrip like an attack was imminent. That could only be Eva’s bodyguard. Damn, was the guy retired Special Forces or something? It would probably be best to stay on his good side.
Lastly, Jonah got his first official look at Eva McRayne. It was weird. She appeared to be a contradiction. On the one hand, she fit the profile of a vapid, spoiled celebrity to a T: Honey-blond hair with every strand in place, athletic figure, and that indefinable air of someone who had no money problems whatsoever. But on the other hand, there was something different.
There was a preternatural air about her. It wasn’t anything he could see. It was something that he sensed. Her features seemed a bit haunted, but if she’d just lost her parents, that was no surprise. And her eyes—wait, were they gold? Terrence hadn’t mentioned that one. The eyes had an interesting effect, and Jonah caught himself wondering that maybe there was something to this lady.
What the hell was he thinking? They were fake, duh. Granted, he had never seen golden eye contacts, but she probably had them specially made to accentuate her whole “Sybil” image. The fact that she lost her parents was terrible. But the woman could probably buy her way out of her grief. She had the jet and limo, after all.
The woman stopped halfway down the stairs and stared at him. In that moment, the strangest thought hit Jonah like a brick. No, not a thought.
A memory.
Three weeks before, he'd joined Reena and Terrence on a road trip to the coast. On the way home, they had stopped at a small county festival outside of Raleigh. It was a chance to stretch their legs after the day on the road and somehow, they ended up in a small booth where a woman claimed to be able to tell you your future for twenty bucks
Yeah, right. Jonah had been skeptical, but he went along when Terrence damn near dragged him over to it. The woman told Terrence that he would continue to explore his love of cooking and eventually, make it his career.
No surprise there. Jonah's informal brother was a master with food. He had even wearing his favorite t-shirt to barbeque in, so he smelled a little like smoke and sweet sauce. For Reena, the woman divined that she would focus more on her art and her family. Again, no surprise. Even after days on the road, Reena still had paint from her latest project buried under her nails.
But Jonah wouldn't be so easy to read. There were no clues for the woman to use as he sat across from her. He passed over his twenty bucks and she took his hand to study his palm.
"Oh," She breathed. "Your life is about to change."
"Yeah? How is that?"
"I see...I see a woman. You've met before, though you don't realize it yet. She is your soulmate. The one you've been waiting to return to you."
Jonah snorted. Clearly, she was talking about Vera Halliday. He had been in love with that woman since he met her, but nothing substantial had happened between them.
So again, no surprising breakthroughs. He had half a mind to make Terrence pay him back the twenty he just wasted.
"Um, ma'am? I already know. I'm working on it."
"No." She shook her head. "No, you don't. I see..."
The woman pauses then frowned. "There is something about gold. Gold hair? Gold eyes? I can't tell. But you will be transferred into a whole other world. A financially wealthy one. You will have much strife, but the rewards will greatly outweigh the hardships."
Jonah had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud.
"I think you just described a reality show, ma'am. Or the plot to the Beverly Hillbillies. I'm a lapsed accountant who works part-time at a library. The only reason why I ain't panhandling is because I have free room and board. So unless you're counting the denominations on the fake poker chips I use with my goth friend, you might have some wires crossed."
"You laugh because you don't see what I see."
"I laugh because I know the truth of my situation."
"Your current situation, yes. I am talking about the future. The near future."
"Alright, fine. Tell me what to look for so I can identify this savior of mine."
"Gold. I know that for certain. She is...entertainment? In entertainment? Yes. I see that. An actress, maybe."
Jonah nodded. "Okay. A vapid, vacuous movie star is my soulmate. Okay."
"I'm serious-"
"So am I. Terrence, give me my twenty dollars back."
"Listen," The woman tightened her grip on his hand. "Look for gold. Look for fame. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and if you miss it, you will both suffer."
"Noted, ma'am," Jonah muttered. "Thanks for the entertainment."
He rose from the table. "Terrence, you will pay me my twenty back, and I want two large cheesesteaks. Understand?"
"Fine. Mock me. But you will see. You will remember my words when the time comes."
Jonah led the way out of the booth without another word. Terrence muttered under his breath as he took out a twenty and passed it to Jonah.
"You gonna give me that back if her words end up being true."
"They won't."
"How do you know?"
"I don't like blondes."
"Come on, J!" Reena looped her arm through his. "You never know what's going to happen."
"Reena, every single blonde I've met, not counting Liz, has been a bitch. Every. Single. One." Jonah sniffed. "Priscilla was a bitch and the last straw. So if there is a blonde in my future, she had better dye it and take the secret to her grave."
"You're no fun." Reena laughed. "You didn't even mention how we're in the middle of nowhere. What celebrity is going to come to Rome?"
"No one," Jonah said. "The last celebrity was Turk Landry, and he was an ass. And oh yeah, blonde."
"Dude, that was the worst blonde dye job ever," Terrence said.
"Still," Jonah murmured, "He was blonde."
And yet, here he was on the side of a landing strip watching a blonde celebrity pull down her sunglasses from her head to hide her golden eyes.
No. No way in hell was that psychic right. Jonah shook the memory away. In no time at all, McRayne, her muscle, and Joey were face-to-face with them. Joey and Terrence high-fived like they were already bosom buddies, but it was clear that Terrence’s attention was on Eva. The bodyguard shook Reena’s hand, and unless Jonah was much mistaken, they were sizing each other up. What was the deal with that? Did this man assume that Reena was the muscle of this trio, and gravitated to a kindred spirit?
For some reason, the thought kind of offended Jonah. He wasn’t the one who needed the bodyguard, after all. That was the woman who was in front of him at the moment, shaking his hand with neither zeal nor thrill.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eva,” welcomed Jonah in a practiced voice. “The name’s—”
“I know your name, Country,” said Eva in a terse voice. “Jonah Rowe. Former accountant. Current—what do you do again? And that’s Terrence Aldercy, standing by Reena Katoa. Despite what you may believe, I’m not stupid. Do you really think I would stay with people and not know who they are?”
Jonah pulled away his hand, narrowing his eyes. That was yet another check on the list of criteria for a spoiled celebrity brat.
“If you know who I am, then you know not to call me Country,” He replied. “And I wouldn’t talk if I were you. I looked you up. You’re from Charleston, Superstar. You’re just as Southern as the rest of us.”
Eva turned pale at the mention of Charleston, but she rolled her eyes when she spoke.
“So, you’ve seen the show. Read a couple of websites. You think you know everything there is to know about me. Country and a fan boy? Cyrus, great job setting up our living arrangements. Really.”
“Wait, what?” said Jonah, caught off-guard, “you got it wrong, Terrence is the one who—”
But Eva wasn’t interested. With a scoff, she turned her back on Jonah and got in the limo. Joey, Special Forces dude—whom Jonah overheard say his name was Cyrus or something—and Terrence were already heading that way.
Terrence hadn’t noticed anything past Eva already knowing his name, so conversation with him was out. Jonah still had Reena, though. He noticed that she hadn’t entered the limo just yet. She stared at it, shaking her head.
“I’m in full agreement,” He grumbled to her. “She is quite a little—”
“No, Jonah,” said Reena, “McRayne is scared. Terrified. Something isn’t right.”
Jonah blinked. “I thought you had your dampener on,” he said.
“Oh, I do,” confirmed Reena. “I know it because I’m not stupid. I didn’t need my essence reading to know that.”
Jonah wasn’t convinced. “How can she be afraid of anything with Cyrus the Action Figure following her around like a shadow?”
“Damn if I know,” said Reena with a shrug. “I just met these people.”
She lowered herself into the limo. Jonah approached the door and sighed.
“Goddamn, Jonathan,” he said under his breath. “De-stress, my ass.”
Book Details
AUTHOR NAME: T.H. Morris & Cynthia D. Witherspoon
BOOK TITLE: Gods & Ghosts (Gods & Ghosts Book 1)
GENRE: Fantasy
SUBGENRE: Contemporary Fantasy
PAGE COUNT: 412
IN THE BLOG: Best Free Fantasy Books To Read, Best Fantasy Book Series
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