A serene smile curls the corners of his mouth. “It’s nice to meet you, Lisa. I am Vikram.”
Some of the tension eases from me. The guy doesn’t appear to be threatening. “Hi, Vikram.” I inch forward. Asa is practically pressed against my back. “Would you like me to help you?”
“What is he saying?” Asa whispers.
“We’re just getting to know each other.” I smile at Vikram. “He can’t see you.”
“Obviously.” The good-looking ghost cocks his head. “I think he likes you.”
I keep my face passive. “Really?”
“Yes, he’s been very attentive since you arrived.” His smile spreads. “More than I’ve seen with anybody except Vivian. And of course, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter with her.”
“He’s just helping me clear the spirits.”
Vikram’s words make butterflies erupt in my stomach. I want to believe Asa is attracted to me but that might be more ego than reality. “So, what do you think? Can I help you cross?”
His expression turns contemplative. After a few seconds he says, “Yes, I think I would like that.”
My eyes widen. “You would?”
“Yes.” He looks around. “There is nothing more for me here.” He straightens away from the wall. “I am ready for the next big adventure.”
“Great.” I walk toward him, seriously praying he isn’t drawing me in only to try and possess me. To be on the safe side I reach behind me. Instantly, Asa takes my hand. The connection with him grounds me. “I’ll call my porter and you’ll be on your way.” The ghost nods. “Hal.”
The pink light appears, elongating and stretching. When the door slides open it takes all my will power not to laugh. Hal is wearing a pink floral tunic, lime green satin harem pants, and gold slippers that curl up at the toes.
“You’re looking very… colorful today, Hal.” I glance at Vikram, whose eyes are as round as the gold coin I’m holding. “This is Vikram and he’d like to cross.”
Asa clears his throat and I glance at him. My gaze narrows. “Can you see Hal?”
“Uh, yeah.”
I don’t know why. Maybe it’s when he’s touching me. Maybe it’s because he’s pretty close to being dead himself or maybe it’s just a vampire gift. “Takes some getting used to, eh?”
“That’s an understatement.”
“I assume you have payment, Lady Reaper?” Hal says.
Well, that’s a new name. I’m sure it won’t be the last. I toss the coin and he catches it with one hand. “Very nice.” He pockets the payment and turns to Vikram. “Your transport awaits, sir. Can I interest you in a turn around the fourth circle of Hell?”
The ghost scowls. “Thank you for the kind offer, but no.”
Hal strokes his black goatee, sizing up Vikram. “Perhaps a quick stop in Shangri-La?”
“That’s not a real place,” I say. If it is, I want to go. Hal’s tendency had always swung toward the circles of Hell. It hadn’t occurred to me there were other places to visit. “Is it?”
He peers at me over the rim of his purple-tinted glasses. “You will not know until it’s your turn to take a ride.”
I harrumph but don’t pursue the subject. No way am I getting in that elevator just so I can see one of the most amazing places of myth.
“That I would like very much,” Vikram says. Without my assistance, he enters the elevator. “Thank you, Lisa Carron. This is a very good thing you’re doing.”
Pride ripples through me. “You’re welcome, Vikram. Have a happy journey.”
With that the door slides shut and the light compresses. I blow out a breath. “That was easy,” I say.
Asa releases my hand and I instantly miss his touch. “I wish they were all like that.”
“Me too, but let’s not get our hopes up.”
“Yeah, we still have Emiko to reap.” He veers off down another tunnel. “She’s a nasty piece of work.”
“Great.” I follow him, completely lost now. I couldn’t find my way out of these tunnels if my life depended on it. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that. “Can’t wait. Maybe we could save her for last.”
“We probably won’t have any choice. She was cunning when alive. I imagine she’s just as wily dead.”
I like how Asa says things like they are, not candy-coating. At the same time I want to bash him in the head until he’s unconscious. These reaps are bad enough without prior knowledge of a lunatic ghost. I refocus on the thousand dollars I just made by reaping Vikram. In all honesty I feel guilty taking that bonus. He was as pleasant as spirits come and practically did my job for me. Still, I’m not telling Constantine that.