Prologue
I’d gotten some pretty interesting presents in my lifetime. I’m sure we could all say that and have more than a few good stories to tell. But this? This had to top them all.
I stared down at the snow globe in my hands with no idea how to respond.
On the surface, it was a very nice gift. Unlike some of the truly cheesy snow globes I’d seen, this one had a crystal in the center with powdery white ‘snow’ swirling around. It rested on a polished wood pedestal, with a wooden top to match, and it was extremely elegant and tasteful.
The contents posed a problem.
Normally, I’d try to give the gift-giver in question a smile and play it off, but there were two problems with this approach. One: my poker face sucked. Two: this wasn’t really something I could just play off and stick in a closet somewhere to be long-forgotten. Ye little elves, I really couldn’t do that. But still, it was awkward in the extreme to say anything right now.
Christmas was at full swing at my place. We had both the Havili and Bane families—minus their sister, Sammy, who was with her fiancé’s family—gathered around the living room, and some of them were more in the spirit of Christmas cheer than others, due to the punch. (I don’t know who spiked the punch. I suspected Brandon, but really, it could have been Natalie. Neither sibling was to be trusted.) We lounged on various couches and chairs, Skylar on the floor near the tree and acting like Santa’s elf, passing out presents to each person. We’d chosen to open presents on Christmas Eve so we could all sleep in and do individual Christmases on the day itself. With such a large group, we’d also chosen to draw names from a hat to keep the expenses down, and Brandon had drawn my name.
I’d not expected him to get anything to my taste. We didn’t really know each other, since we hadn’t spent much time together, but truly, he’d done rather well. It was just, um…
Of course Donovan picked up on my hesitation and leaned into my side, looking at the snow globe. “You don’t like it?”
“No, it’s quite nice,” I assured him, then caught Brandon staring at me in growing concern. He looked so like his mother, with those amber brown eyes, that it was hard to take that expression. And it was even harder because he sat directly across from me, so there was no real way to avoid his eyes. “Truly, it’s quite lovely. Probably the best snow globe I’ve seen, and I’m short on Christmas decorations, it’s just….”
Oh boy. I shot Donovan an apologetic smile, wincing in anticipation as I said, “Haunted.”
Donovan left the chair so fast, air vacuumed in his wake. He was on the other side of the kitchen bar before I could say ‘boo,’ and even then, he looked ready to hightail it out the back door. Aaron looked ready to join him, as did Alani, but the rest of the family crowded in to get a better look.
“I can’t see anything but snow and crystal,” Skylar complained. “Are you sure?”
“Oh, quite sure.” Dammit. I was accustomed to putting my foot in my mouth and ruining a moment—that was just the story of my life—but this had to be a first.
“Brandon, what the hell!” Donovan whined from the relative safety of the kitchen. “Don’t bring haunted stuff home with you!”
“Dude, how was I supposed to know it was haunted?” Brandon shot back. “I was on a trip, and I saw it in a gift shop. It didn’t come with any warning labels.”
He made a fair point.
Kanye came around to pat Brandon on the back. “It’s alright, son. Only Jon or Lauren would have been able to tell. Well, this is a fine pickle.”
“Hang on,” my mother said, already pushing up the sleeves on her sweater, her expression going business-like. “Let me talk with her.”
I gratefully handed the snow globe over to her expert hands. Mom’s specialty lay in speaking with the deceased, after all. It was harder for her to channel anything without a body present, but she could read an aura no matter what. It was just fainter and more challenging when there was no body.
I couldn’t follow the conversation at all, because that’s not how my talent rolls, but we got Mom’s side at least.
“I see. You went in because it was pretty. I don’t blame you, it is quite lovely. Hmm? No, we’re not going to force you out, but wouldn’t you rather move on? No, dear, I’m not an expert in that, but I’m sure we can find someone to help. It might mean another trip on your part, is that alright? Oh.” Lauren turned and regarded Brandon thoughtfully. “You were at a gift shop in a hot springs hotel in Arkansas?”
“Yeah, stayed there overnight.” Brandon frowned at the snow globe. “She went in because she likes how it looks?”
“She’s been deceased a very long time,” Lauren said gently and with a sympathetic smile aimed at the globe. Or more accurately, the spirit residing inside it. “She doesn’t really remember why she was there, just that she was, and the swirling snow inside the globe attracted her attention. She barely remembers her name: Emma.”
Well this just got better and better. I frowned at the globe because really, I wasn’t an exorcist. I could see ghosts and sort of read their aura—they didn’t have meridian lines anymore, just a vague sense of self—so I was as far from an expert as one could get while still being in the general field. I really, truly didn’t know what to do in this situation.
Lauren looked at Emma—or I assumed she did—and asked gently, “Do you want to move on? I thought as much. Then we’ll do what we can to make that happen. No, bless you dear, I’m not an exorcist. This is far outside my jurisdiction. But fortunately for you, we have an FBI agent right here.”
We all looked from her to Brandon, and while most of the room was puzzled, I realized what she meant after a second. Ah. Right, of course. That would be the proper way to tackle this.
Brandon drew a breath, as if he could inhale patience like oxygen. “What does me being an FBI agent have to do with anything? And may I remind you I’m still technically a proby?”
True. In fact, he was in training with Donovan and me. Brandon was to shadow us for the next three weeks and learn all the basics of being an anchor. The FBI was really gunning for him to be partnered up with someone. Of course, he was still learning all the ins and outs of being in the psychic FBI department.
“Yes, but you still have the power to report to a superior when you see something,” I reminded him. “You’re going into that division, after all.”
He blinked at me. “Oh. Really?”
“Yup.”
“Maybe he gets it,” Aaron said patiently, “but can you explain to the rest of the class?”
Focusing on my brother-in-law, I explained, “So you know how the FBI has their own department for paranormal-anything? Mostly, that’s where the psychics are.” He nodded, showing he was following, as did the rest of the family. “Okay, so there’s a specific division inside that department that deals with hauntings. They’re mostly mediums and exorcists, and that’s all they handle—demons and ghosts. I’ve only met one of them once, and she was amazing. Like seriously badass. I’d have fallen for her if I were straight. There’s not many of them in the department because it’s a rare talent. Brandon’s in training right now to be a possible anchor to a medium because he’s got the right skillset and attitude for it. He’s in the right position to call and fast track this. Gonzalez will probably be able to get us in contact with the right person.”