Chapter 15

"The cemetery?" I balk as we file out of our cars, and I take a look at the place Cooper has dragged me off to for our so-called hot date.

Although to be fair, he did say this place could scare the socks right off of me. But still, not the aphrodisiac I was hoping for.

Honey Hollow Cemetery sprawls before us, shrouded in a misty veil of the dead and the damned. Tombstones jut out from the ground like crooked teeth, casting long shadows in the fading light of the moon. Wisps of fog snake among the graves, lending this place the exact otherworldly charm it deserves.

Watson and Spooky wiggle and jiggle, excited to be at what they probably think is another dog park—the exception being this place has a lot more bones.

A throng of bodies, all of them upright and moving, chat away to the right, and there's a woman decked out like Morticia Addams holding a lantern that glows red as she prattles on about something to the crowd.

"Welcome to the Graveyard Jaunt," Cooper says with a touch of pride. "Looks like we made it just in time for the nightly tour of all things haunted. I've always wanted to do one of these but was too afraid to do it on my own."

"So he lies, too," I say to the dogs and Cooper rumbles with a laugh.

People are milling about, dressed in an array of creepy costumes that range from ghoulish ghosts to sinister clowns. The air is alive with the chatter of excited thrill-seekers, eager to embark on the Halloween tour of the cemetery. And, sure enough, there's a large sign set up on a tripod with glowing green letters that reads, Welcome to the Honey Hollow Haunted Graveyard Jaunt! Please leave a donation in our tip jar! Or risk being haunted for life.

The tip jar set at the base of it glows, too—or more to the point, the skull sitting inside of it is shining like a jack-o'-lantern.

"I don't know about this," I shiver as I say it. "I'm not exactly dressed for a night among the dead."

"Ah, come on, Effie." Cooper flashes a devilish grin my way as he takes up my hand. "You're going to love it. And besides, you've got me to protect you."

My lips press tight as a jolt travels up my arm as his hand warms mine.

"And who's going to protect you?" I tease.

"What do you think we brought the dogs for?"

Cooper leads us onto the grounds as we do our best not to step on any of the granite grave markers, but with the way Watson and Spooky stop off at every other one to tinkle, you'd think they were aiming for the poor souls. Although, after all I've done in my life, I'd probably deserve a tinkle or two on my grave.

Despite my reservations, Cooper leads the way and soon we come upon a makeshift stand offering haunted hot chocolate. The entire setup is adorable, with its purple and green twinkle lights wrapped around it, and the three women working the stand look as if they've just stepped out of a crypt themselves with their hair white as snow and scraggly, their pale faces and dark gaunt eyes. But those dusty, musty period dresses they've donned with the high collars and full bustles look simply to die for and something tells me they might have done just that.

The line moves quickly as the scent of warm cocoa and spices wafts toward us, mingling with the crisp autumn air. Soon enough, Cooper pays up and we're both holding a hot cup of chocolate dreams in our cold little hands, complete with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

"Just what we need to warm up," I say as I take a sip of the rich, velvety liquid warming me from the inside out. "Mmm, this is delicious."

"Glad you like it," he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and once again I'm warmed from head to toe. "Now, let's go see what Honey Hollow Cemetery has in store for us. Who knows what spooky surprises await us in the darkened corners of the graveyard?"

"Detective?" a disembodied female voice chirps from our left and I look that way and frown.

"Speaking of spooky surprises," I mutter as Naomi Turner makes her presence known. She's decked out as a vampire, complete with a luscious black satin cape with red velvet lining, and what looks to be a French maid's uniform underneath that. And for once she has her head sitting right where it's supposed to be.

"Well, well, well, look who's haunting the graveyard tonight?" I sneer at her. "How about showing off your brand new party trick and taking your head off its base?" And as soon as she does, I'll show off my soccer skills and kick it right into Leeds. But with my luck, Watson and Spooky would chase after it and bring it right back.

"Hello, Detective Knox," Naomi purrs, ignoring my charming segue into polite evening chatter. "Fancy meeting you here." Naomi takes a moment to gesture at my attire. "I didn't realize they were casting for a B horror flick. It's practically typecasting with you, Effie."

"I know what you're here for," I say, gesturing to her attire as well. "Just another trampy vamp yearning for a moment in the moonlight. You can go home. They're not casting triple X films in this place either."

"I'm here for the haunted tour," she spits my way.

I liked her better with her head off its base. And if she keeps snipping at me, that can be arranged.

"Well, we're here because we're on a hot date," I say, not hesitating to link my arm to Cooper's.

"Bringing a lady to a haunted graveyard tour?" Naomi chortles. "How positively romantic." She winks his way, undeterred by my presence—or that fact we're connected like a couple of Lego pieces. Naomi's flirtation clearly knows no bounds.

Cooper chuckles. "What could be more fun?"

I can think of a few things, and I'm pretty sure they're illegal to do in a cemetery. Just my luck again.

"Well, count me in on the fun," Naomi says, wiggling her chest his way. "My sister, Keelie, and her husband talked me into coming with them. But I was starting to feel like a third wheel." She cozies up on the other side of Coop. "Thank goodness I ran into you."

"Because nothing says not a third wheel like crashing a hot date," I mutter.

"Oh hush, you," she's quick to reprimand me. "Who could blame me for not wanting to miss out on the chance to spend time with such a strong, handsome man who can protect me from all the spooky ghouls and ghosts."

"Yeah, but who's going to protect you from me?" I'm only half-teasing. If we happen to come upon a freshly dug hole in the ground, not even Cooper can stop me from giving the wench a good shove.

And if he's a smart man, he'll pick up a shovel and help keep her there.

The woman leading the tour is dressed as if she stepped right out of some long ago haunted era herself, complete with a flowing gown that looks as if it's made of gossamer, long black hair that's frayed at the edges, a deathly pale face, and blood red lips that gleam with a wicked smile.

She introduces herself as Madame Morticia—knew it—and quickly welcomes us to the Honey Hollow Haunted Graveside Jaunt where she assures us we'll be stumbling upon the dead and asks us not to break a hip while we're at it.

I glance over at Naomi and glower. I'd like to break something, all right.

"Welcome, dear souls"—Morticia continues—"to the most ghoulish graveyard ghost walk you will ever embark on. Tonight, we journey through the shadows of time, where love and loss intertwine like vines upon a tombstone. Are you ready to unravel the mysteries that linger in the whispers of the night?" She raises a hand dramatically and unleashes a glitter bomb that has half the crowd gasping with delight. "Our first tale takes us to the forlorn grave of Lady Genevieve, whose heartache echoes through the ages. Legend has it that her spirit still roams these grounds, searching for her lost love. Alas, some poor souls are simply doomed to walk the planet alone."

I give Naomi a look and her mouth rounds out in horror.

"You wish," she hisses my way while linking her own arm to Cooper as well.

I'll give her a pass, considering we're traversing the crypts with the cryptkeeper herself. But as soon as we're back in the land of the living, I just might use her for target practice.

"But beware, dear travelers"—Morticia says as she leads us deeper into the realm of the dead—"for not all love stories have a happy ending. Some are tinged with betrayal and deceit, like the tragic tale of George and Grimilda, whose love turned to madness and murder."

I nod. "Now that's something I can sink my teeth into."

"Easy, girl," Cooper says and sets my insides on fire once again.

Who knew Cooper in a cemetery could get me going?

Me. That's who.

Now if I can only put Naomi Turner some place where she can't bother the two of us.

I slice her a dark look that suggests I'm about to do just that.