Vampire Memories #5 - Ghosts of Memories by Barb Hendee Read Free Book Online

around his ears down to the nape of his neck. His face was narrow, and his eyes were almost clear, with just a hint of sky blue. He wore a wine-colored shirt and a black sport jacket, which seemed an odd contrast to the thick gold ring in his right earlobe. Something about his expression and facial structure reminded Seamus of a silver fox.
    But the man’s companion was even more striking, and she held Seamus’ attention longer.
    She was lovely, small and delicate. Her hair was fine and white-blond, similar to Wade’s. She wore it nearly to her shoulders, with the bangs tucked behind her ears, and a small jeweled clip held about half of the length pulled back at the crown of her head. Long silver earrings dangled from her lobes, glinting in the candlelight. Her eyes were green and slightly slanted, and she wore a burgundy V-neck evening gown.
    “Do we have enough for the circle, Christian?” a short, stocky woman in a purple caftan asked him. “I can always call in a few servants. They won’t mind.”
    “No, Vera,” the male vampire answered. “Six is a perfect number.”
    His accent was French.
    Vera clapped her hands cheerfully. “Good enough, then. Shall we begin?”
    Seamus took a better look at her. She had short hair, dyed orange-red, and a string of huge blue stones around her neck. The other members at the table comprised a middle-aged man in a suit, a slightly younger man—also in a suit—and an attractive woman about thirty years old. Both of the younger people looked distressed, but the middle-aged man looked more…annoyed, as if he was wasting his time and would rather be someplace else.
    Christian leaned forward, looking at the three of them in turn, beginning with the middle-aged man. “Richard…Nathan…Laura, you understand how this will work?” His voice was soft and comforting, as if he wished for nothing in the world but to help them. “I will call upon your mother, and when I reach her, she will speak through Ivory.” He gestured to the delicate woman beside him. “In this way, I can ask questions, and she will be able to answer.”
    Seamus wanted to roll his eyes. Were these people paying good money for this show?
    As he took in the sight below in its entirety, the whole scene reminded him of several episodes of a terrible television show Wade had forced him to watch on DVD—called Night Gallery .
    “Yes, yes, of course,” Richard answered absently, still seeming annoyed at the prospect of being here. Perhaps he was the only one with any sense.
    “Reach out and join hands,” Christian said, closing his eyes. The table was so large they had to reach out to touch one another, but he joined hands with Vera on one side and Ivory on the other.
    In spite of the ridiculous sham playing out below, Seamus found himself curious about what would happen next. Would chains rattle? Would the candles go out? Would eerie voices wail? He couldn’t wait to see.
    But none of those things happened.
    With his eyes closed, Christian called softly, “Althea, I call to you from the other side. Hear me. Come to us now.”
    Oh, for heaven’s sake, Seamus thought, wanting to roll his eyes again. Fortunately, no one looked up to see him peering down at them through the ceiling.
    “Althea?” Christian said, opening his eyes. “Is that you?”
    Laura gasped sharply. “Have you reached her?”
    Christian smiled. “Yes, she is with us. She is standing beside you…a tall woman, about sixty, but her hair is still long and black. She’s wearing a wool skirt with a light blue sweater set.” He squinted slightly. “And a charm bracelet.”
    “Yes,” Laura breathed. “That’s her.”
    “What is it you wish me to ask her?” Christian said.
    Nathan shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Her will was read last week, and she left everything to Richard. All three of us would like to know why.”
    Christian focused on the empty air beside Laura’s chair. “Althea, why did you cut your two younger children