“Dex!” I yell, running to it, my hands on the knob, trying to turn it.
He pounds on the door from the other side. “It’s locked! I’m locked in!”
The knob won’t even turn.
Fuck.
“Okay, don’t panic,” I tell him, even though I’m seconds from panicking myself. He might be in that room, but I’m in the rest of the house, alone.
The door starts to jump as he throws his weight against it.
“Wait, hold on!” I yell at him. “Let me try to pick the lock before you break down a door in a heritage house.”
I stick my flashlight in my mouth and open my purse, looking for my lock-picking paraphernalia, which I know I packed for exactly this reason. “Are you okay? Are you alone?” I ask him, trying to speak over the flashlight, my words coming out muffled.
“What did you say?” he asks through the door, but at least he’s stopped trying to break it down. The weird thing is, with his strength, he could have broken it already. I’m guessing it’s not a normal door.
I take the flashlight out for a moment. “I’m looking for something to pick the lock with. Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he says. “I’m alone in here. At least I fucking hope I am. Are you okay?”
“So far, so good. Just hang on.” I put the flashlight back in my mouth, wishing I had at least organized my purse a little better.
That’s when a cold breeze flows over me.
And I mean COLD. Like stepping into a freezer.
Not good. Not fucking good.
I lower the flashlight.
“Dex?” I ask, my voice cracking.
“Yeah? What? What?”
“Are you feeling a cold spot in there?”
“I don’t think so? Are you?”
I’m about to tell him yes, but then the cold dissipates. “I just was. It’s gone now.”
“I’m going to break the fucking door down if you don’t hurry up. Atlas can bill us later.”
“I’m trying,” I tell him.
Then I drop the flashlight.
“Shit,” I swear under my breath, crouching down to pick it up.
I straighten up once I have it.
And feel a cold breath at my neck.
I open my mouth to scream, but a hand goes over it, pressing gently but firmly, the smell of cinnamon filling the air.
Oh my fucking god. No.
I scream anyway, the sound blocked by the cold hand, and as panic and adrenaline course through me like a runaway train, I bring my elbow back sharply.
And strike something. Hard.
“Ooof,” groans an oddly familiar voice that makes my head spin. My first thought is that this isn’t a ghost at all, but a person, maybe Atlas, I don’t know.
But then the person keeps talking, even as I squirm, trying to get free.
“I’d forgotten what a fighter you can be, little lady.”
Little lady?
WHAT.
THE.
FUCK?
I stop moving, my body as stunned as my brain, which is trying to process whose voice this is, and every single cell in my body telling me my brain is totally right.
“I didn’t mean to come upon you like this, it’s just better that Dex doesn’t know for now,” the man says in his drawl. “He can’t hear me or see me anyway.”
And then the hand is removed from my face and I gasp for breath, wheeling around, shining my flashlight erratically.
I expect to see nothing at all.
But I do and I gasp again.
Towering over me, well over six feet, dressed in boots, worn jeans, and a flannel shirt, is Ginger Fucking Elvis. He looks pretty much as he did before he died, thankfully not after he died, since that was a sight I hoped to never see again.
“What the fuck?” I whisper, my hand at my chest, heart trying to punch through.
This is not happening.
“Perry?” Dex says from behind the door. “What are you doing?”
Maximus folds his arm and gives me a crooked smile. “I didn’t think you’d be so surprised, Perry. I know you saw me at the window the other day.”
I blink, trying to focus on him. “This can’t be real.” My voice is barely audible.
“Can’t fully say if I’m real or not,” he says, pulling up his sleeve and giving his skin a pinch. “But I feel real, if that helps.”
I try to swallow, shaking my head. “No. No that doesn’t help.”
I close my eyes, trying to breathe in through my nose, feeling like I’m not getting enough air. This is all an illusion, it’s all in my head. I’ve finally lost it.
“Perry!” Dex yells and starts throwing himself against the door again.
I open my eyes, expecting Maximus to be gone but no.
He’s still right there.
Clear as day.
Staring at me with an amused twist to his mouth.
“How is this possible?” I whisper.
“Because it is,” he says, taking a step toward me, running a hand through his red hair.
“You’re…you’re dead. I saw you die.”
“Very true.”
I remember the demon that was in Michael, Dex’s brother, and how easy it was for it to take his form. “How do I even know it’s you? This isn’t you. This can’t be you.”
“I reckon I can prove it,” he says, green eyes glimmering.
Before I know what’s happening, he leans in and kisses me on the lips.
A hard, wet kiss.
Oh my god.
Okay, so it does kiss like him, and really this is such a Maximus thing to do.
“What the fuck?” I cry out softly, pushing back against his chest. Even in death, he’s still built like a tree and isn’t going anywhere. “I’m married now, you jerk.”
“Perry, what is going on?” Dex yells.
You don’t want to fucking know.
Maximus smirks. “I’m well aware that you’re Mrs. Dex Foray now. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate that tattoo you got on your ribs. Very touching. Guess I meant more to you than I thought I did.”
I can’t even with this.
I lick my lips, trying to find my voice again. “You did. You do. I mean…just try not to kiss me again, okay?”
Like, holy fuck. Is this really him?
Tears spring to my eyes and Maximus gives me a sympathetic look in response.
“Perry?” Dex says again, his voice more worried now. “Who are you talking to?”
“No one. Just a minute,” I tell him, disappearing into my head now, making sure my thoughts are blocked from Dex.
Tell me again why I can’t open that door and let Dex see you? I ask Maximus. Why can’t he know you’re here?
Because only you can see me, he answers.
Then how do I know this is real?
Want me to kiss you again?
Don’t you fucking dare.
He grins. I have a connection with you and you alone.
You have a connection with Dex. A much deeper one.
Not in the way I have with you, he says, giving me a heated, poignant look. If you catch my drift.
What? I say, trying to think. Oh my god. Why, because I had sex with you?
He shrugs. You have a way about you, Perry. You have no idea.
I shake my head. I slept with Maximus, like ages ago, when I wasn’t even in my right mind, so now I have a connection with him? Is that…is that why I was able to get Dex back from Hell? If I had done the same for Max, would that have worked too?