Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1)(142)

And finally Alistair and Cash, both immobile, heads tipped back, Alistair’s mouth agape, Cash’s jaw set.

Then Vivianna moved.

She trailed the length of the mantel, her phantom arm out, melting through the vases and figurines it displayed. Some of them rocked, several fell crashing to the floor.

Then she picked up speed, whipping through the room in a ghostly frenzy, causing screams from the edges of the crowd who had not yet acquired escape. She shot through the light fixture hanging from the ceiling rose in the room’s centre. The fixture swayed alarmingly, the crystals jingled, dust drifting down.

After that, she darted forward, toward Cash.

Abby strangled back a scream and barely checked an urge to dash forward as Cash released his restraining hold on his uncle. He bent into him, covering his uncle’s body protectively as Vivianna descended and made a pass. Abby was so terrified, she didn’t process the fact that she saw Vivianna’s trailing skirts drifting over Cash’s body, like they were real, not through it, like they were ethereal.

Vivianna’s speed sent her through the fireplace and she disappeared.

Cash came up quickly, bringing Alistair with him. He whirled, sending Alistair flying several feet but he didn’t watch his uncle move.

His eyes immediately turned to Kieran.

“Get the women out of here,” he ordered.

“But Abby has to stay. She has to go up to the gallery.” Only Mrs. Truman would argue with a Cash Fraser who looked ready – no, more to the point he looked like he wanted to tear someone limb-from-limb.

“Kieran, get them the f**k out of here,” Cash repeated, his glance going back to the fireplace, his addition of the f-word boding bad tidings.

“Abby has to stay!” Mrs. Truman shouted.

Cash’s torso twisted and he shouted back, “She’s on the ground floor! She’s not f**king climbing steps when that thing is loose.”

Kieran was on the move, hustling Abby and Jenny toward the door and they moved with him quickly as Fenella and Honor guided a stunned Nicola in their direction.

Suzanne didn’t move. “I’ll stay with –”

Cash cut her off with one word, “Go.”

She looked at him. “Cash, I can help.”

He leaned into her and roared, “Move!”

At that, as anyone would, Suzanne moved.

They were closing in on the exit when Vivianna reappeared, forming in front of them rapidly, her spiteful eyes on Alistair. Then they swung to Abby and her gaze was so poisonous the entire assemblage skidded to a halt upon viewing its venom.

Then without hesitation she zoomed toward Abby. Fenella let out a choked scream and before Abby could take even one step back, Vivianna swept low to the floor, her body swirling around Abby’s ankles and then up.

Abby stood frozen, not because she wanted to, but because she was stuck and even though she told her legs to move, for some supernatural reason, they didn’t.

Before terror could fill her all of a sudden an arm hooked at her waist. She was jerked back and then half-dragged, half-walked backward. Cash’s arm was about her, his body tight against hers.

Vivianna stopped her swirl and hovered, eyes narrowed on Cash and Abby.

Or more accurately, Cash’s arm held protectively around Abby’s body.

Then she opened her mouth and screamed, the sound far louder and far, far, far more terrifying.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” Fenella shrieked, hands to her ears then she pointed one finger at Vivianna who had turned to her and Fenella screeched, “Why don’t you leave them alone? Why can’t you just go away?”

Vivianna’s scream stilled and she aimed a twisted smile at Fenella before she darted toward her. Abby saw Fenella’s body brace but Vivianna sifted right through her and then she turned, curling around the room.

Cash took the opportunity and moved, half-carrying, half-dragging Abby, he sprinted toward the door but Vivianna zipped in front of them and they collided with her.

Abby and Cash flew backward like they’d hit a wall, bright white and red sparks bursting from Abby’s chest as they did so.

Vivianna reeled back as well but caught herself, ready this time for Abby’s protection, and made a mad dash back toward Abby and Cash. His arm curved tighter around her, his upper body leaned into hers, forcing her forward and to the side, preparing to shield her from impact but before he’d accomplished his task, in front of them the body of a straight, tall, immensely handsome, see-through man appeared.

When it did Vivianna’s face became startled and she tried to halt her progress but she slammed into him and his arms immediately went about her, imprisoning her in his grasp.

Abby, half bent, Cash’s chest pressing heavily into her back, her head turned to the action, stared in stunned disbelief at the ghost of Anthony Beaumaris, Cash’s father, standing before them, subduing a struggling Vivianna.

He turned, his eyes on Cash, and his mouth formed one word, a word heard shimmering through the air rather than emitting from his lips.

“Gallery.”

Then he and Vivianna disappeared.

Before Abby could even begin to process this Cash yanked her up then, with a hand at her wrist, whirled her around. His fingers still around her wrist, he pulled her arm out, bent double, released her wrist, his shoulder went into her belly and she was being lifted. Once he had her in place, he began running, her torso hanging over his back, her legs down his chest.