She glanced back. "I didn't say. My mother wouldn't be proud of you asking; I am an embarrassment. I'm not good at spells or casting, but when it comes to lost things I am your go to. I had my own business before moving here." Her breathing labored as she climbed the stairs.
"I need to take a break. I think this box is a bunch of my books."
He nodded. Marci made it halfway up the stairs and stalled.
"I can come back for it once I get these up there. Why don't you go check on Hazel." He was hoping she wouldn't follow him up; he didn't want to be in a room with her - alone.
He sniffed at the static in the air. Something wasn't right, then again it never felt right. He tried to see anything, but there was nothing visible. What the hell was the energy from? Before he could process the blur flying away from where Marci stood, what was about to happen hit him .
Marci propped the box on a step, her shin balancing it." He dropped the boxes at the foot of the stairs as he watched it all unfold.
"Don't move Marci; there's something here," he shouted too late. His heart flew to his throat. Shit.
"Oh." Was all Marci got out as she spilled backward with a crack of wood.
He raced around the railing just in time to catch her before she hit the floor.
"Are you okay?"
Her eyes, as large as saucers, looked back and forth between him and the railing. She finally spoke. "I think so."
He tried to smile, but it was more a grimace. "Up until now, I couldn't figure out why I had to fix this damn thing. The Lowensteins never said much - but I think maybe you just met your ghost. I've never felt anything like that before."
What had he done? He wanted someone to run the place so he could attract business for winter tourism and they needed a B&B for that. He'd just wanted to run an outdoor adventure company, not a hardware store. He hadn't expected a beautiful, young, woman to answer the ad. Granted, he wasn't sure an older person would be able to survive the tricks of the old building. He'd always blamed the pixies, but they hated the human world, and after learning more about the protections of the town, he had to start seeing the obvious - maybe there was more to this place than what he'd been told.
"You can put me down now."
Caleb dropped her to her feet like she was a hot coal.
"Thanks?" Her words seemed confused; her eyes narrowed.
"Yeah. Sure. Sorry."
"Do I scare you or something?"
He crossed his arms over his chest and stood taller. "What? No. Why? Maybe."
"Whatever. Thank you for saving my life."
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Caleb said nothing.
"Right." She clapped her hands together and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Okay. Got it. So that's probably the ghost then. Noted. Let's get the rest of my stuff."
Caleb heard her, but thoughts were spinning at the word ghost. The Lowensteins had left in a hurry, after mishaps that had occurred one after the other.
"Strange." Marci looked up towards where he'd thought he'd seen the wisp of the ghost.
Nothing there now, but the energy still lingered. Caleb didn't like this place, and he didn't like Marci staying here.
"If there's a ghost, maybe you shouldn't stay here. Not until I can find out more." Her hands were on her hips again. He was a colossal fuck-up.
"It's just a ghost. They can't hurt you."
He knit his brow together. "You sure about that?"
"Yes. I am," Marci's words faltered. "Although, I guess in this case the sabotage of the banister would have resulted in harm. It's fine. I have some wards that I always keep with me. I've run into some bizarre things. I had a run in with a demon once; it was fine."
That didn't sound promising. "Okay. I don't like the idea of you here, alone."
Marci pushed up the piece of railing that looked more like beautiful latticework than a safety device. "You can fix this tomorrow?"
He grunted as he realized she was ignoring him.
He didn't want another fight, but he did want her safe. Being here tomorrow he could at least check on her.
The damn woman was so under his skin he didn't know what way was up anymore.
7
Marci's eyes fluttered at the annoying light prodding her to open them. The prick of cold gave her instant frostbite the moment her toes peeked from under the covers. Yanking her foot back, she snuggled deeper into her down comforter.
"So cold. It's so cold here."
The gentle cooing around her the reminder that she had a chicken sleeping in her bedroom. "At least you're quiet in the mornings." She shivered. Focusing on a spell, she tried to project the energy to the fireplace. Nothing. She tried again. At least this time some smoke wafted up.
"Alright, I still suck at that. Maybe I'll find some matches."
A deep breath and the count of three, she tossed the blankets aside. The air instantly hit, and she shivered. "Nope." She jumped back under the blankets.
Her phone chirped in the corner; she didn't think there was anyone in her life worth answering for right now. Not until she could get up without icicles forming in her nose hairs. Using her magic, she mentally sifted through the boxes until she found her sweaters. Third box on the right. That was just poor planning.
"Hazel, didn't we turn the furnace on? Apparently, that needs to be added to crap to fix."
Marci tucked the comforter around her, her face the only thing visible. How long could she hold her bladder before having to get out of the bed? She grumbled at the deceptive sun, shining all cheery in
