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Samknew her little sister was lonely—she’d only had a few relationships in the past and every guy she ever dated dropped her because they thought she was crazy.Itwasn’tHanna’sfault—it was just herGiftpopping up in extremely inconvenient places.Noman wanted to be with a woman who might gasp or squeak or scream at any moment because a ghost had suddenly appeared to scare her or a malignant spirit had pinched or poked her.
Samknew that her sister tried her best to control her responses to these paranormal encounters but she couldn’t always keep herself from reacting—especially if a cruel spirit was tormenting her.
“Well, it was nice—morethan nice—amazing.Butit’s over now,” she toldHanna. “Hesays theBeastinside him wants me too much and it’s not safe for him to be around me now.”
“Wait—he has a beast in him?Likewhat kind of beast?”Hannawanted to know.
Samshrugged.
“Asfar asIcan tell, he turns into a kind of werewolf creature during the full moon.Orhe would if he’d let himself.He’sbeen suppressing it for ages and now he’s afraid that it wants me and if he gets too near me, it will get out and, er, hunt me down.”
“OhmyGod!”Hannaexclaimed for the third time and looked really alarmed. “Maybehe was right to leave,Sam—that sounds really dangerous!”
“Idon’t know—Ikind of like big, scary animals.”Samsighed. “Anyway, it’s a moot point now.Hewent back up to theMotherShipand he’s not coming down again.”
“Butthat leaves you without aProtector, since you sent his replacement away,”Hannapointed out. “Whatare you going to do about that stalker guy who keeps making those awful remarks on yourSocialMedia?”
“Ignorehim,”Samsaid firmly. “He’slike all the rest of the freaks out there—all talk and no action.”
“Whatabout whatAuntLunasaid, though?”Hannaprotested. “Youknow she felt like you were going to be in danger.”
“Maybeshe was having feelings aboutR’orn’sBeast,”Samsaid, shrugging. “Idon’t know.ButIdoknowI’vehad enough of being followed around and treated like a porcelain doll.I’llbe fine—Igot myself some pepper spray—the really heavy duty kind.Look.”
Openingher purse, she pulled out a small black canister with a skull and crossbones and a notation that said,TwoMillionScovilleUnits!on the side.
“Thiswill stop anyone in their tracks,” she told her sister firmly. “AndI’mkeeping it with me at all times.I’llbe fine.”
Hannasighed deeply.
“Isure wish they made some kind ofpsychicpepper spray.Icould really use some right now.”
Samfrowned, already on the alert.
“Why?Isthere a spirit bothering you?Tellme where he is—I’llgive him a piece of my mind!”
Hannashook her head, her long, golden brown hair swishing over her shoulders.
“It’snot a spirit you could see or communicate with,I’mafraid,” she said in a low voice. “It’snot a ghost.Ithink…Ithink it’s something else.ADarkEntity,asAuntLunacalls them.”
Hervoice had sunk almost to a whisper and her eyes darted around the room in a hunted way, as though she was afraid that the thing that was terrorizing her might hear her talking about it and come to hurt her.
“Oh,Hanna!”Samscooted closer and put an arm around her little sister.EventhoughHannawas taller than she was by half a foot, she still felt protective of her.Backwhen they were in school together, she’d gotten into so many fights protecting her sister when people called her a “freak” for jumping at the spirits she always saw.OnlySamcould see them too and she was quick to defend her sister when anyone threatened her.
Butthis was a threat she couldn’t helpHannawith.Shecould see ghosts, but onlyHannacould see the darker spirits that sometimes stalked her.Andshe seemed to have a hard time defending herself against them, though theirAuntLunahad taught her some tricks.
“Hemainly comes at night.”Hanna’seyes looked haunted and for the first time,Samnoticed she had dark circles which she’d tried to cover with concealer.
“Didyou try smudging your room?” she asked. “Drawinga circle in salt around your bed?”
“Yesand yes—none of that seems to bother him.”Hannamade a shooing gesture with one hand. “It’snot that big of a deal—he just likes to scare me and give me bad dreams.That’sall.”
“Ishe touching you?Hurtingyou?”Samdemanded.
Hersister shook her head, but not very convincingly.
“He’strying but…butI’mokay,” she said at last.
“Youought to go up and stay withAuntLunafor a while,”Samtold her. “Youknow she says the spirits of the departedKindredaboard theMotherShipare almost all happy and content.Andmaybe thatthingcouldn’t follow you up there.”
