Brush With Death by E.J. Stevens Read Free Book Online

wool.  I was definitely sensing a ghost and it smelled like
roses and lanolin…and something else.
    The third smell was harder to place.  I closed my eyes and
used a yoga breathing Cal had taught me, and the focusing techniques Simon had
drilled into my head, to center my thoughts on the smell impression.  Bird song
faded as everything dropped away, leaving only the ghost and its complicated
smell.
    An acrid chemical smell itched at my nose.  It had a slight
vinegar-like odor, but it definitely wasn’t the pure vinegar scent of Jackson’s
ghost.  The third scent may not be Jackson, but the smell was familiar.  I
spread out my awareness, trying to take in more of the smell impression. 
    I was like a sommelier at a wine tasting, breathing in the
psychic sent and rolling it along the tongue.  If I let my concentration slip
and thought about how gross it was to have a ghost in my mouth, I’d probably
vomit.  This part of working with ghosts was totally gag-worthy. 
    But I was getting better at it.
    My mad ghost smelling skills finally unearthed the mystery
scent.  The chemical smell with a slight vinegar tang reminded me of the school
darkroom.  I had been in there often enough with Emma and Gordy to recognize
the smell, but couldn’t be sure if it indicated developer or stop bath
chemicals.  Either way, I now knew more than I did before.
    This ghost had some connection to photography.  Interesting.
    “Hey, Rose,” I whispered.  The ghost smelled mostly of
roses, so Rose it is.  Well, until I find out what its real name was.  “Do you
need help?”
    Stupid question.  My head filled with the cloying scent of
roses and I wretched.  Of course it needed help.  It was a ghost.
    I gripped the handlebars of my bike with sweating hands and
pushed down the urge to hurl.  Okay, Yuki.  Just figure out what the smelly
ghost wants.  Then it’s painting time.
    “Um, can you back off just a little?” I asked.  “I can’t
help you if I pass out.”
    The weight on my lungs lifted and clean air rushed in.  I
opened my eyes to see a golden shimmer hovering above a trail to my left. 
There you are.
    “Okay, I’ll try to follow you,” I said. 
    The glow brightened and the smell increased.  Apparently,
that was exactly what the spirit wanted to hear. 
    My boots found their way onto the pedals again and I started
down the shadowed hiking path, leaving the duck pond behind.
     

Chapter 16
Simon
     
    “B ack off,”
Calvin growled.
    “Is that an order?” I asked. 
    I could feel my lip curl as my wolf gnashed its teeth.  Over
the past few weeks, I had watched Emma become more and more upset as her
friends betrayed her, as my alpha betrayed me, with their harsh disapproval. 
    Yuki and Calvin were supposedly the perfect bloody couple
who no one else could possibly equal, until now.  Well they set the bar too
sodding high now didn’t they?  The two soul mates who had been judgmental of
our relationship from the start had their own issues.  Yuki was suffering and
Calvin, who claimed to be so in tune with her feelings, had no idea. 
    I had been struggling with my feelings for weeks and now I
had an outlet for my bottled up anger.  I was itching for a fight.
    “No,” Calvin said, shaking his head.  “No it’s not an order. 
I’m sorry.  I don’t want to fight you.”
    If he wouldn’t fight, then I had to run.  I needed to feel
the wind on my face…and blood on my muzzle.
    I stalked away, nearly taking the door off its hinges in my
rush to get outdoors and unleash my wolf.  I shifted in a flash of silver fur,
bones aching as I hurried the transformation.  I ran into the woods, away from
Calvin, away from Yuki, and away from the reminders of my tormented past.
    Spittle formed at my mouth and flew behind me as the wind
hit my face.  I raced through the forest, dodging trees and boulders at deadly
speed.  I should slow down.  Braining myself on a rock or tree wouldn’t do me
any good, but my