Ghost (The Halloween Boys #1) (33)

We stopped in her driveway, but she didn’t get out immediately. “You’re wrong about all of those things. And you might not want my help, or my idiot friends’ help, but you’ve got it. We aren’t about to let someone bully one of our own.”

“I’ve only been in Ash Grove for a few weeks.”

“I don’t care.” I watched an orange cat trot across the lawn.

She huffed suddenly and crossed her arms. “You called me a kid.”

I grinned, glancing over at her. I didn’t even remember calling her that, but clearly, she did. She remembered things I said. “Everyone’s a kid to me. I’m ancient.”

Shaking her head, those beautiful brown eyes glittered. “You’re only seven years older than me. You’re hardly Mr. Moore. He sweeps the street, Ames. Everyday, he sweeps it.”

I chuckled. “How do you know I don’t do the same?”

The grin etched across her face made me wish I could remove her mask and see her without all of her coverings. “Give me your phone number. I’ll text you so you have mine. If you change your mind about a place to stay, text me. I’ve got a spare bed. It’s not a problem.”

She took my phone and typed before handing it back. “Do you want to take my car home?” was all she asked. No, I want to take you home.

“I already called a ride and they’re waiting down the street.” I got out and made my way around to open her door. She took my palm as I helped her out, and her gaze shot to mine for a moment. Dropping her hand, I readjusted my thick glasses, letting my hair fall over the frames. Straightening my other mask. The good guy masquerade. She didn’t recognize me from earlier, did she?

If she did, she didn’t say, and I had a feeling she was the kind of person who would call my deceitful ass out immediately. “Hey, how’d you know where I live?”

Shit, in my fit of rage, I forgot to pretend to be normal and not a fucking stalker. “I’m an old friend of the Moores. He told me you were staying here a few weeks back.”

She nodded.

We walked silently around to the side entrance, a faint purple glow emanating from the sheer curtain on the door.

“Lava lamp,” she said, fidgeting with the lace on the end of her corset. “It came with the room. It’s like a seventies time capsule in there. Do you . . . want to come in?”

Yes. No. I want to take you back to my place and fuck you, not in a basement. But I couldn’t do that. This couldn’t happen. She wasn’t just a girl to fuck. I wasn’t capable of love. Not after all I’d done. I didn’t deserve it. I sure as hell didn’t deserve her.

I gave her a dopey smile and shoved my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “Thanks, but my ride’s waiting. I should get going. See you around . . . kid.”

She huffed a small laugh as she opened her door. “Goodnight, Ames.”

The door closed and I let out an exhale. Breathing out who I really was. The Ghost. “Goodnight, Blythe,” I whispered to myself. Of course there was no ride waiting. I wasn’t going home. As I turned to leave, motion in the trees behind the house caught my attention. I stopped and peered into the darkness.

There was no monster in there scarier than me. The fact that I couldn’t sense this criminal, deadbeat motherfucker was what was pissing me off. I couldn’t wait to get him under my blade and venom and make him squeal like a pig. He may be invisible to me, but the fucker would still bleed all the same. I looked forward to ensuring that happened. Slowly. Painfully.

If he were hiding in the woods right now, watching me, all the better. A rat wandering into the viper’s pit. Glancing over my shoulder, I checked to make sure Blythe wasn’t within sight. My Little Ghost had disappeared into her purple glow. I strode into the darkness. All forests grew dark, but Ash Grove’s woods . . . the darkness here . . . was different. Deeper, heavier, with a fullness that could cause even the bravest of men to quicken their steps. I fucking loved it.

Ten yards into the forest and anger gripped my chest. Motherfuck—

A slash of wide paws and dripping fangs tackled me to the ground. I grabbed the beast’s snout, having to use two hands and more force than I was proud to admit to close his snarling maw. “Get the fuck off of me, Wolf,” I hissed.

When I stood and picked up my glasses, he was only a dark mass. A black shadowy outline of a monstrous wolf. And then the shadow took the form of a man, and the black faded into my bone-headed friend. “Someone’s got their undies in a twist tonight. I wonder why?” he said, tone dripping with sarcasm. “Sounds like jealousy to me. When was the last time you shifted?”

“What are you doing out here?” Onyx’s voice drifted near, and I spotted him carrying an armful of firewood.

“What am I doing here? What the fuck are you two doing outside Blythe’s . . . ,” I trailed off. “No, absolutely not. You can both go fuck right off. I’m watching her tonight. And I don’t need to shift. I’m not some carnivore with zero control on my urges.”

Wolfgang huffed and took a seat on a mossy stone. “Sure, whatever you say. And like hell am I leaving that girl all night.”

“Just some girl, huh? Some girl you invited into your goddamn pack after knowing her all of a couple hours. Typical, overeager canine—”

His answering snarl threatened me with another shift. And as much as I liked kicking his ass, I wasn’t in the mood to wrestle a beast tonight.