Chapter Two:

"You should come out with us tonight," Sarah said, inspecting the rack of SkinnyPop. I slid a bottle of Merlot into my cart, shaking my head back and forth.

"That's a bad idea, and you know why." Two tubs of Greek yogurt, or one? I eyed my ever-expanding midsection mournfully. One. But I'm hitting up the ice cream section next, and don't you dare try to stop me, Buddha-belly!

"Emma, you can see spirits. Do you realize how rare a find that is in a ghost hunting group?"

"Can you keep your voice down?" I hissed, eyes darting around the store. "I don't want everyone in here to think I'm bat-shit insane, alright? I have a gift, sure, but I'm not a fan of every soul in that cemetery making a move on me for the sake of our group. You don't have to live with this every single day, Sarah," I added as she opened her mouth to protest. "You don't know what it's like to have a life and not have a life, all at the same time. There's a reason I try my best to block them out, and why I haven't been with you on a single investigation so far, despite your pestering."

"One hour," she begged, tugging my shirt sleeve. "One hour in the cemetery with us, and afterward, you can go home and watch as many Originals re-runs as you want to."

I groaned, rolling my eyes skyward as we turned down the next aisle. I didn't want to tell her how freaked out I was by the thought of willingly romping through a place I knew would be jam-packed with souls, who would probably like nothing more than to overwhelm me like they did last year when a group of souls surrounded me in Laurelhurst Park, or make me toss my walls up again like I'd been attempting to do every day for the past eight years. Sarah wasn't a great friend by any stretch of the imagination; I wouldn't go as far as to call her a toxic friend, though some of the things she said and did to me fit the profile, but with the spirit world constantly on my tail, and with Grandma popping in and out of my life randomly, keeping friends wasn't as easy as it should be for a normal person, and she at least pretended to care most of the time.

For a normal person.

Gods. What crazy-ass mofo decided I was worth giving these gifts to? Did they think I'd actually use them? Why?

"One hour, then I'm out," I said as she smiled gleefully. "You're obnoxious."

"You love me, just admit it," she said as we approached the checkout line. "I'm stealing your Wheat Thins." She grabbed the box from the belt as the checker glanced from her to me and back again.

"She's not, she was kidding," I said, giving her a thin-lipped smile as I tried to wrench the box out of Sarah's grip. She tore the top off, plunging her hand into the bag. "And, awe, love you too, Sarah, about as much as a plantar wart. You owe me four dollars."

"Technically, she owes you eight," the checker said, pointing to Sarah, who was busy attempting to stuff a whole sleeve of doughnuts into the pocket of her sweatshirt. She caught my annoyed glance and smiled, wheat goo oozing between her teeth. "You love me, right?"

***

I parked my car along the curb, idling for a minute as I stared out across the cemetery grounds. My recorder lay on the passenger seat, along with my Maglite, hoodie and waterproof jacket. I didn't like the odds of coming away from tonight unscathed, especially since I was still drained from my run-in with Grandma and Hades in the park. In the two days since the incident, I hadn't been able to do any earth magic, though I tried several times. It wasn't gone, I could still feel it simmering in the background, waiting for me to want it, but based on what happened last time, did I want it to come back? And now, on top of it all, I was willing to subject myself to a cemetery's worth of energy-sapping souls? Nuh-uh. I should've said 'no' to Sarah. I really should've.

The other team members hadn't arrived yet, and I was tempted to tell Sarah that something had come up last minute, knowing that it probably wouldn't work. She knew me too well, but dang it, I was scared. The souls here could seriously hurt me, and if they tried, there wouldn't be anyone around to help me. It's not like Sarah, Kayla, Maddie or Kyle were going to start swinging at invisible souls, though the thought made me briefly smile.

If you keep thinking that way, though, you're just as powerless as the souls want you to be, and you won't be able to separate the good ones from the uglies. That would be bad.

I squared my shoulders and stepped out into the street, slamming the car door behind me, the sound bouncing off nearby gravestones. I felt a presence, one more powerful than your typical cemetery-variety soul and clutched my cellphone so hard I thought it might break. Not good, not good. The urge to turn back and drive away as fast as I could was nearly overwhelming. "You're not allowed to take my energy and if you try, I'm leaving and never coming back," I said, voice breaking nervously.

Laughter wrapped around me, propelling me up and over the curb. "Step inside, Emma. What are you waiting for? We'll take care of you, we promise."

The voice, both male and female combined, caressed my body like a lover's embrace as I stared through the dark cemetery, heart racing. The light over the garage door of the utility shed, set in the middle of the grounds, flickered to black and back on again, illuminating the faces of several souls, who stepped towards me through the night and I blanched in fear, legs shaking.

"I need to wait for my friends; they'll be here soon."

I pulled against the hands that reached out, grabbing my arms and shoulders, but they held on tight. Heeeeelp!

"Why don't you join us, just for a minute? What do you have to lose?"

My life, I thought as my foot touched the grass, and I gasped. Hundreds of souls danced around me, twirling and swirling their way through pillars and around towering fir trees, their forms nearly solid, like humans, but whenever the evening breeze touched them, they wavered, like a TV channel set to static for a couple of seconds. I jumped when one of them flitted her way to me, running her hands through my long curly hair.

Why are there so many souls here?

"Why are you all so happy?"

The girl leveled her dark gaze with mine, blonde hair rippling around her heart-shaped face. "Because he's coming to see you, and that means we get to play."

I shuddered at the dark promise in her voice as my eyes swept the cemetery warily. "Who are you talking about, and why would he-"

"Emma."

A masculine voice sliced through the night air, crackling with undeniable power and raw strength and the girl smiled, fading from view.

"If you're going to mess with me, I'd rather just leave, alright? I'm not in the mood," I called out, voice breaking, and heard rusty laughter in response.

"You shouldn't be out here in the first place." Hades detached himself from the utility shed, walking towards me with panther-like grace.

Great, just great. What the hell is he doing here? "I don't have anything else to say to you."

"How about 'I'm sorry that I came out here at night, all alone, to a cemetery crawling with souls'? Or, even better, 'I'm sorry I'm here, but I promise to go home like a good girl before I'm hurt or killed'?"

I bristled at the commanding, authoritative tone, crossing my arms over my chest in what I hoped was an intimidating stance. "I really don't like being told what to do, something you'd know if you, well, knew me."

He leveled his gaze with mine, bright green eyes glowing with an unearthly light, and I had the presence of mind to be slightly afraid of him in the moment. God of death. Right.

"You don't know what you're doing. Not yet, anyway, and if you're not careful, they'll take advantage of you."

I whirled around, stepping so close to him that I could smell his aftershave, like a honey-dipped cinnamon stick, as he raised an eyebrow in warning.

"I don't want to be here, okay? If I hadn't promised my friend that I would meet her and her group of ghost hunters, I'd be home right now, so you can just stop with the mightier than thou attitude because it's starting to piss me off."

"Ghost hunters?"

"What use would they be? They can't see us, not like she can!"

"Run for it!"

The souls dispersed, vanishing from sight, and I sighed heavily, hand on my hip.

Hades watched me carefully as moonlight illuminated his pitch-black hair. "Your friend doesn't have your best interests at heart. But you knew that already, didn't you?"

"And you do?" I retorted, trying for a lighter tone when the corners of his mouth deepened slightly. "Look, I know how toxic she can be, but she's the only friend I have, so for now, I can put up with it."

"You're basing your friendship with her off of a need to be wanted, even if it means she uses and abuses you in return."

"What's your point?"

I didn't like him picking my life apart. It felt too raw and personal for someone I just met.

Plus, it killed me that he was right.

"It doesn't seem fair," he said, eyes narrowed.

I turned when I saw headlights bouncing off nearby gravestones, throwing wicked-looking shadows over Hades' face.

"You need to go, now."

"We're not done with-"

"I don't care. If you stay, Sarah will see you talking to me, and I'll never be able to explain how I know you, or why you just disappeared into thin air, which you should most definitely do."

He muttered something unintelligible under his breath as I pushed and pulled him back towards the utility shed, clicking my Maglite off before shoving it into the front pocket of my sweatshirt. I was going to make up a story to placate the group before I made a hasty retreat; tell them I hadn't seen anything yet and probably wouldn't. In other words, I was going to lie to them, and it made my heart pound straight through my chest.

Hades blended in with the shadows and I straightened, tucking a few pieces of hair into place as I walked as calmly as I could towards the street, waving at the team members who piled out, grabbing equipment. Sarah caught up with me first, and I shook my head as her face fell, a dejected light flashing through her eyes.

"Not even a baby one?"

"It's incredibly creepy, and a little Shining-like that you actually look forward to the prospect of ghost children in the first place," I said. "But I haven't seen anything since I got here. Sorry. This is good practice for the newies, though, if you wanted to teach them how to use the EVP, thermal and motion detectors."

I moved to brush past her and her hand shot out, wrapping around my upper arm.

"Wait a second, where are you going?"

"This isn't my thing, Sarah. Plus I've already been out here for a while, so I'm just ready to go home."

"You gave me one hour, Emma. One. That starts now."

"But we won't see anything, so what's the poi-"

"Uh, guys? There's this thing behind you," Kyle said, pointing at something over my shoulder and I whirled around as Sarah brandished her recorder in front of her like a weapon.

A black shadow mass walked up the path, gravel crunching beneath his heavy boots, and Michelle screamed once, fainting to the ground as Sean and Kayla bent over to help.

I glared at the figure, knowing who it was and hating him for the intrusion again, all at the same time. I was so ready to be done-so tired of the games and started walking across the grounds towards my car.

I heard Sarah say my name but didn't stop, not even when spirits materialized at the edge of the cemetery, forming a wall to barricade me in. They were nothing more than wisps of energy, though, and I shoved my way through, feeling a sick, slimy sensation chase its way through my gut. It was like walking through a plasma ball with weights tied around my ankles and I blanched at their nearness, tossing my things into the car before crossing to the driver's side.

The team still stood right where they'd been moments before, watching Hades float through the night, and I started the engine, peeling away from the curb. There was nothing else I could do; they'd have their fun and then leave, but I might have to turn my cellphone off later. I knew Sarah would be anxious to bombard me with questions the second she could, but I wasn't ready to explain any of this to her.

"Well, I hope you're happy."

I screeched and slammed on the brakes, maneuvering the car to the side of the road again as Hades materialized in my backseat, scowling. "Do not do that again, got it? You just about gave me a heart attack!"

"Your friend managed to get some blurry, insubstantial pictures before I poofed out of existence, so you're welcome."

"I never asked you to do that."

"At least now you can say that you ran away in fear."

I sighed. "Why are you still around? There's nothing else I need, or want, to say to you."

"You need to learn to appreciate and utilize your gifts, and I can help you do that."

"What do you want in return?"

"Drive."

I pulled back out into oncoming traffic, adjusting my rearview mirror so I could see his face.

His cold, calculated, pissed-off face.

"So, what did you want?"

"You told a soul last night to do something anatomically impossible as you banished him from your apartment. Do you remember that?"

"He was rude, and pushy, and I was taking a shower."

"Not only did I have to clean up your mess, but your refusal to help him created a soul-free force field around your entire building."

"Awesome."

Maybe now, I'll have some peace and quiet.

"No, not awesome. Terrifying. Do you know what would've happened to him if I hadn't found him in time?"

"I'm guessing he would've continued to be a complete pain in the ass?"

"This isn't funny," he growled, and the smile faded on my lips. "Like a death deity, souls are unusually attracted to you, but if you continue to ignore them, they could easily turn into Furies. Do you know what those are?"

I shook my head, eyes wide.

"They're vengeful, skeletal beings who wander the earth and realms of the gods, punishing people for their crimes, no matter how large or small. Accidents do happen, but if you were to turn a soul into a Fury, you'd undoubtedly be their first target."

"But if I acknowledge the souls, they'll never leave me alone. I can't even date for crying out loud!"

I slapped a hand to the steering wheel, more frustrated by the reality than I should've been, and saw Hades raise a questioning eyebrow.

"You try being intimate with someone with an angry soul constantly bickering in the background, or giving you unsolicited bits of advice mid-coital. I've completely lost it on three potential boyfriends and I'm pretty sure I have at least one active restraining order in place for chasing my last partner down to tell him about his recently-deceased great-grandma who had an urgent message for him about his health."

"I'm sorry."

"Why do I get the feeling that there's a 'but' attached to that statement?"

"You can't let the bad things stop you from doing good things for other people."

"Oh my god, you did not just say that." I pulled into the parking lot of Jake's, unlocking the door.

"What are we doing here?"

"I need a safe space to think. Emphasis on me aka: not with you."

"Acknowledge the souls, please."

"Not going to happen, sorry."

"Then I'm going to continue to pop up in your life to guide, assist and intervene when necessary. It's my only option at this point, though I wish you'd reconsider." He stepped out of the car. "I'll be in touch."

"Why me? You're going through an awful lot of trouble for someone you barely know."

He smiled, leaning against the doorframe. "Let's just say I'm doing a favor for my sister."

I pursed my lips together as I gathered my things. "You're not going to explain that, are you?"

"Not until you agree to help me with the souls."

"Then I guess you'll be waiting a long time."

"We'll see."

I groaned in frustration as he walked away from the restaurant, whistling softly, before blending in with the night.