11. Jay

11

JAY

I wasn't particularly keen on watching Cade leave. For several reasons.

Firstly, the man had wheedled his way into my heart by the way he'd looked after Sam. Anyone who took that much time and care with my boy got big points from me. Didn't hurt any that Sam had taken a shine to him too. It had only been a single day, and one very frightful night for Cade Ivanov to make a lasting impression.

Secondly, despite our short-lived and interrupted tryst last night, one where I didn't get nearly enough adult time, I couldn't stop thinking about… Pam, not Cade. The way those ghostly fingers had pushed through her skin, from the inside , and then pulled her flesh apart still sent a shiver down my spine every time I thought about it. And for whatever reason, my brain was determined to keep reminding me of that horrific scene. Cade managed to quell those thoughts, however briefly. Something about his presence kept the nightmares at bay.

Thirdly, whatever time wasn't being spent thinking about ghosts, which are real — holy shit, who knew — Cade's fucking sexy bulking, hairy torso as I ran my hands over his body also kept percolating to the top of my memory. Despite the furry pec muscles, a thick beard, and a voice deep enough to make my knees wobbly, Cade was a decent human being.

The big-city medium wasn't ripped and cut like me. And I had never liked that in other men. I wanted a teddy bear, and Cade fit my ideal to perfection.

A little plump, solid like a good farm boy, naturally muscular like a football player, and beefy enough I could climb. Cade was all of that.

In short, Cade was husband material. At least in my mind he was. It was way too early to be thinking of such things, wasn't it?

Pam…her eyes glassed over and milky dead as those fingers burst through her throat…

Still, it would be nice? As much as Sam is my entire life, it would be nice to have someone else to share it with. And I'd gone too long without that someone.

Cade's bright brown eyes and thick, rough beard nuzzling my neck.

The ghost thing that had me on edge.

The half-rotted spirit pushing its way out of my assistant.

And Sam.

Poor kid. The way he'd gone so white last night…

Cade brushing past me to save my kid.

I shook my head and went about cleaning the kitchen after making such a large breakfast. It would take me hours to put this all right, but I didn't care. I would do it again and again if it meant Cade and Sam were happy.

As I plunged my hands into the dishwater, running the sponge over the greasy baking sheet that had cooked the bacon, I peered out the window.

The sun was trying hard to break through the cloud cover that had returned after the storm had finished, but the shiny bright orb wasn't being entirely successful. This morning had started off bright and cheery, if not a little cold. The thermostat I had attached to the outside window said minus thirty-five Celsius. That was frigid.

Wind whipped the freshly fallen snow all around into mounting drifts, the tops of which would crystalize and form a crust over the next few hours. New snow had started to fall again, meaning my chore of shovelling the drive, next on my to-do list, would be difficult. The storm's remnants would be even heavier, and deeper as new snow began to fall.

My mind continued to wander off into a myriad different trains of thoughts, many of which circled around this bear of a man I couldn't shake and his beautiful body, great smile, endearing eyes?—

"Dad!" Sam screamed from his bedroom.

I dropped everything.

Water splashed across the counter and up the window.

I wiped my hands across my pants as I rushed across the house toward Sam's bedroom from where he had yelled.

As I entered the room I saw the faint outline of Olivia. Not as easy to see in the daylight, but she hovered around Sam, reached toward him, then blinked out, only to reappear in another spot close to my son, and she reached out again. Over and over, Sam swatted at each intangible appendage, yelling in pain at every ghostly grab.

Tears ran from his eyes as he continued to scream and sob.

I didn't know what the fuck to do.

"Dad, she's hurting me!"

"Goddammit." What had Cade said? "Son, grab that eyeball, or whatever the hell it is."

Sam did as told.

Olivia reappeared. Her face contorted in rage. She lunged toward Sam, mouth open. The black rot and row of misshapen and missing teeth was enough to make my flesh go numb and cold.

I couldn't imagine the ramifications this would have on Sam.

The minute his tiny fingers wrapped around Cade's amulet, Olivia stopped, snarled and hissed. She halted her assault, but continued to flicker in and out, dancing around the space, looking for another way to get to Sam.

Salt is a natural purifier.

That sentence rang through my head.

I ran back to the kitchen and slammed open the pantry door, scouring the shelves for the damn box. Had I been cooking, I would have known exactly where it was, but in the heat and stress of the moment, I couldn't see it.

Seconds ticked by, and I could hear Sam yelling at the entity who had once sat on his bed and read comics with him.

Of that, I was 100 percent certain now. That night, only days ago, I'd actually seen Olivia, or her spiritual presence.

Sam had been entertaining the dead for a lot longer than I cared to admit or acknowledge.

"There you are, you little bastard." I reached out and snatched the box, and while sprinting back to Sam's room, I pried open the little metal spout at the top.

As I entered into Sam's room I flung the salt all over the place, casting the white crystals everywhere. Fuck a line around Sam's bed. I was gonna coat his room in this shit.

With salt raining in Sam's room, Olivia turned and glared at me. Her decaying mouth dropped open, too far, distended like some kind of snake attempting to eat something far too large, and let out a shrill screech.

I will never be able to purge the vision of a dead, rotting child screaming at me. That will live in my brain forever. But it made me mad, like seeing red with rage.

"You don't like that? You little bitch. Leave my son alone!" I kept shaking the box in her direction, as the crystals continued to fly in all directions.

"Mine," she whispered in a gravelly voice. Her words a condemnation of my kid. As if she was sent from the devil himself to drag him flesh and blood to the planes of hell.

"Not on your fucking life." I took the salt box, ripped it in half and chucked the entire contents at her.

She shrieked and evaporated.

Ten points for having the strength to tear apart a cardboard box. Thank all the powers in the heavens for big weights and going to the gym on a regular basis. The apparition was gone, and I had saved my son.

"Get bent, bitch. I win." My chest heaved. The endorphins coursing through me made my head spin, but at the same time, I was hyperfocused.

Sam.

He had slumped to the floor, one arm wrapped around his knees, his other arm covering his head.

I went to him and knelt to his level, placing a warm hand on his back.

As soon as I touched him, he flinched.

I grimaced.

"Sam, it's okay. She's gone."

He sobbed, "For now. She'll be back."

All over Sam's arms little welts had appeared, bright red, and slowly turning dark blue.

"Sam, what happened to your skin?"

"She kept pinching me, and biting, and punching. She was so angry."

I got Sam to stand up so I could lift up his shirt.

As I peeled away his T-shirt, my jaw dropped.

His midsection was covered in welts, teeth marks, and massive bruises.

"Oh, Sam." I hugged him to me.

"Get Cade. Please! Make him come back."

"Definitely."

I hugged my little man tight as we sat in a pile of salt.

I was going to have to go to the grocery store and stock up on the shit.

"Hi Cade? I'm so sorry for calling. I know you left us for a family emergency." I apologized. My skin flushed and I didn't know if I was embarrassed because of the rude interruption, or because I was secretly hoping to get Cade back into my paws.

Maybe a little of both.

"Just a second," Cade said.

There was some static and muffled voices, but then Cade came back on loud and strong.

"Cade, really, I'm sorry. I'll call back tomorrow."

"No, no — it's fine, really. Aunt Lavinia died before I got here. She actually visited me in the car on the highway. That was almost shock enough for a car accident."

"Oh my God."

"It's all right. I'm making plans with my uncle for the funeral services. What's going on? You sound a little frantic."

"I am. I was cleaning up after breakfast when Sam started screaming. She came back, Cade. She attacked Sam, and … you should see his torso. Cade, I'm so sorry, but I need you here. I don't know what I'm dealing with. Sam's room is covered in salt, but that seemed to make Olivia angry, not fearful."

"Crap. It's getting so bad. Even Aunt Lavinia was aggressive and scared. She was never scared. It was never part of her personality, but the minute she appeared in my car, she was intent on making sure I knew she was scared. That everyone around her was scared and angry. I don't know what's going on."

"Are we completely fucked? What am I supposed to do? Just let Olivia have her way with Sam?"

"No, of course not. She wants something from him, we know that. I just don't know what. And until we figure that out, she'll continue to hound him."

"Can you come? Sam is desperate and demanding your presence. I didn't want to ask, but I'm at my wits end. I don't know what to do. This…this is so beyond me."

"Jay, of course I'll come. Give me another hour here, and I'll turn around and drive back."

I let out a massive sigh of relief.

"You're amazing."

"Yeah, I know." He laughed a little, which lightened the mood and made me chuckle. But it was a brief respite to the terror still gripping my heart.

Sam walked into the room, "Is that Cade?"

I nodded.

"Cade, come help! Please!" Sam yelled.

I glared at my son.

Her returned the stare and then hoisted up his shirt to remind me how much we really did need Cade. My shoulders slumped. The kid was right.

"You know, I have an idea," Cade said.

"I'm all ears."

"The witch's cottage…your ex's grandmother's place. Go there."

"What?"

"Remember I said there wasn't anything there? That it was quiet? And how the house had been built to ward off unwanted entities?"

"Yup. Sure do."

"Go there. I think you'll be safest in that house. I'll leave here in an hour and be there as fast as I can, but I'm gonna get my Uncle Gally to come visit it tomorrow if that's okay?"

"That will work. We'll see you soon. And Cade?" I said, a large part of my heart had melted knowing that this big bear, who barely knew either of us, was willing to forgo family obligations and help us. "Thank you. I can't begin to say how much I appreciate this."

"I can think of a few ways you can repay me." Again, he chuckled.

My tummy flipped in anticipation, my mind coming up with a variety of scenarios.

"You're incorrigible. But I love it."

"I'm partly kidding, of course. Don't worry. Sam's welfare comes first. We get him safe, and sound, and asleep, then your welfare is next."

I smiled, a touch of mischievousness embedded in it, but more a sense of relief knowing my kid would have protection.

"You're the best." I hung up, then turned to Sam. "Come on, let's go pack an overnight bag."

"Are we going to Edmonton to see Cade?" Sam's face lit up.

"Not quite. Do you remember Great-Grandmother McCauley's place?"

"She was weird."

"Yeah, she was. But she now lives in the long-term care facility and Mom's sister is selling her old house. I took Cade there yesterday, and he thinks it's completely ghost free. We're gonna go hang out there until Cade comes down. Sound good?"

"Sounds great!"

"Okay, let's stuff your backpack." I winked at him, then tenderly put my hand on his shoulder and steered him toward his room.

I would do anything for my boy.