After Dark by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online

gotta wait,” Renny called out behind him.
    â€œI warned you that being a messenger was a high-risk job,” Emmett said. He walked off into the fog.

5
    L YDIA WAS NOT sure what it was that awakened her. It could have been Fuzz shifting his weight at the foot of the bed. She lay unmoving and opened all of her senses.
    The unmistakable aura of psi energy vibrated in the air around her.
    â€œDamn.”
    She knew this prickling sensation all too well.
    â€œFuzz. Don’t move.”
    The dust-bunny made a low rumbling sound, not a purr but a hissing growl. Lydia sat up cautiously, searching the shadows swiftly for what she knew had to be there.
    The bedroom was not very dark. After the Lost Weekend incident, she had altered more than one routine. These days she left the light on in the adjoining bathroom all night long. In addition, she slept with the curtains open to allow the reflected glow of the streetlamps and some moonlight into the bedroom. There had been other changes, too. She wore one of her personalized amber bracelets to bed and kept half a dozen others scattered around the apartment.
    Forty-eight hours in the catacombs had left their mark.
    She saw Fuzz’s eyes first—his second pair, the ones he used for hunting. They glowed a fiery gold in the dimly lit room. Fuzz was seriously concerned. That meant that she was not overreacting.
    She swept the rest of the bedroom, seeking the telltale glow.
    Nothing.
    The whisper of energy shimmered again in the air. Lydia concentrated. No doubt about it, a ghost had invaded her bedroom. But it had not yet materialized.
    â€œJust a tingle. A small one, Fuzz.”
    Of course it was a small ghost, she thought, desperately trying to reassure herself and the dust-bunny at the same time. Here in the Old Quarter, psi energy leaked freely out of unseen cracks in the Dead City. Nevertheless, even a strong ghost-hunter could summon only a small manifestation of dissonance energy outside the catacombs.
    But the conclusion was obvious. If there was a ghost in the vicinity, there was a ghost-hunter somewhere nearby. Unstable Dissonance Energy Manifestations did not appear on their own outside the catacombs. And the only folks who could manipulate energy ghosts were ghost-hunters.
    A shadow moved on the balcony outside her window. Lydia turned her head quickly, but she caught only a fleeting glimpse of a figure.
    â€œPervert!” she shouted.
    The shadow disappeared from sight.
    She longed to give chase, but she had to deal with the ghost first. Even small UDEMs could do a considerable amount of damage.
    She eased aside the bedclothes, got to her feet, and scooped Fuzz off the quilt. The dust-bunny did not relax in her arms. His hunting eyes were twin flames in the shadows. His small body trembled. Lydia caught a glimpse of fang. He was staring at the space above her pillow.
    The ghost began to materialize. Acid-green energy pulsed erratically. Lydia edged back toward the door. Fuzz hissed.
    â€œTake it easy. There’s nothing either of us can do except stay out of its way until it vaporizes. It really is pretty small. I doubt it will last more than a few minutes.”
    She did not turn her back on the ghost as she retreated into the hall. The green glow of the coalescing form grew steadily more intense.
    â€œThat bastard out on my balcony probably thinks this is very funny. If I find out who it is, I’m going to turn him in to the cops. Summoning ghosts outside the Dead City is illegal, and everyone knows it.”
    But the vow was a waste of breath. Even if she managed to discover which of the neighborhood toughs had pulled this vicious trick on her tonight, the police were unlikely to get involved. At most, someone would contact the Guild authorities and report the incident. The Guild might or might not take action.
    Fuzz growled again. His hunting eyes gleamed more fiercely.
    In the air above her bed, the green ball of energy started to move.