Wait Until Dawn by Bailey Bradford (book club suggestions .txt) 📕

“Unless what?”

Chris shook his head. How could he explain the sense that kicked in sometimes and had him peeking at auras, like he had Rich’s, Severo’s and Laine’s? Sometimes he just had to, so he did. “There are things I don’t understand, things I think we’re not meant to understand. But I need to know what’s going on here. That—with Rich, that wasn’t him, I know that. I could see his aura, and it was ugly. Rich isn’t ugly, he’s hurt, he’s scared, and he’s—” Possessed?

Severo seemed to know where he was going with that. “I don’t think—well, I didn’t think possession was possible. I thought we could be influenced, but that in your big rig? That was not influence—that was something that calls for more knowledge than I have.” Severo patted the couch and looked at Chris expectantly.

Chris itched to go see Rich, to reassure the man he didn’t blame him, but he sat down and nearly moaned with how good it felt to do so.

“Yeah, it’s a great couch, good for lotsa fun things.” Severo wriggled his eyebrows and Chris was afraid he might be sitting on something he’d rather not be. “Scotchgard.”

“Not sure that makes me feel any better,” Chris groused, though really, he’d sat on worse.

“Don’t be a big pussy,” Severo teased then turned serious again. “So that’s McAlister in Rich, in case you weren’t sure. All I can figure is, Rich was almost dead by the time the ambulance got there, and he died twice at the hospital before stabilizing. I guess th— You look like you’re ready to hit someone. Remember, I’m a lot smaller than you.”

Chris tried to unclench his jaw and loosen his fists but it just wasn’t happening. He closed his eyes and found his center, plowing through the anger and worry and fear that tried to keep him off balance. Several deep breaths and a soft chant later, he felt the peace flow through him, chasing away the negativity of earlier.

“That’s a really neat trick,” Severo said, leaning forward to peer intently at him. “Can you teach me how to do that? I try to meditate and crap like that, but my attention span can be a bit…spotty.”

“There are things that can help with it—crystals, salts, chants and—” Chris stopped and had to glance away from Severo’s entranced look. For some reason it made him want to burst out in giggles, and giggles were something Chris hadn’t done since he was a baby, if even then. “My mom is a Wiccan High Priestess, in case you’re wondering how I know all this stuff. She’s the real deal, and I think she might be able to help us out with this possession thing. I’ve put off calling her because, well, she is going to be cackling with glee when she hears her prophecy for me came true, and no one likes to hear ‘I told you so’, especially from a parent.”

Severo’s eyebrows couldn’t possibly get any higher. Chris only grinned as Severo sputtered for a second then snickered. “I don’t know why it’s hard to believe what you’re telling me, considering what I do.”

“I had the same thought myself a while ago. Now—” Chris stood and brushed at the seat of his jeans before wincing. Scotchgard. “I need to talk to Rich, make sure he’s okay—”

“He’s not, and he, uh, he doesn’t…”

Chris expected it, but still, it hurt. He didn’t let Severo see that, though. “And when he said he didn’t want to see Laine or anyone else, how’d that work out for him?”

Severo flashed a quick grin before bobbing his head. “Yeah, I see your point, and besides, Conner’s been nagging me to make you hang around. He wants to see your PA.” Severo’s honey brown complexion couldn’t hide his blush at the mention of Chris’ Prince Albert piercing. Chris thought it was adorable, then he felt that ghostly hand cupping his package.

“Conner needs to get it through his head it doesn’t give him permission to cop a feel,” Chris said calmly, trying not to squeal and bat at the touch. “If he asked nicely I might invite him to watch me jerk off.”

Conner was gone before Chris finished the last word.

“Shit,” Severo muttered. “That’s not… I think I want one of those, maybe.”

“Do some research first,” Chris advised. “I had an easy time of it but not everybody does. And you need to talk it over with your partner. It’s not a good idea to spring it on someone you’re with after it’s a done deal. Severo?”

Severo looked up from frowning at Chris’ groin. His cheeks darkened more but Chris blew it off. Severo hadn’t been looking at him with lusty thoughts, more like trying to figure out how the piercing would actually look. “Two things—if you talk it over with Laine and he and you want to kind of check it out, I’m not shy and I won’t take it as anything other than curiosity if y’all want to see it. And who was the other spirit or whatever that was in Rich?”

“I don’t know,” Severo muttered, “but we’re trying our best to figure it out with a little help from Conner.” Severo jumped and glared over his shoulder. “Okay, a lot of help from Conner, who’s going to be sucked into a vacuum cleaner and disposed of the next time he pops me on the ass. Grabby damn ghost.”

Chris didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much he could do to find anything out either. He nodded and walked back to the door to the guestroom. The door was locked, but a soft snick from the other side and a phantom touch on his shoulder told Chris that Conner was probably asking nicely in his own spirited way. It worked for Chris. He turned the knob and entered the room, shutting the door quietly. Rich was on the bed, curled into a tight ball on his