Free Cheating Heart, A Lost Souls Novel: A Lost Souls Novel by Michelle Matkins Page B

arm.  Vienna wondered if the two of them had changed their minds about the just being friends only agreement.  They seemed awfully chummy and touchy feely. 
    “I’m starved,” Kim said, clutching Steve’s arm tighter. 
    “There’s a restaurant at the end of the pier , if you’re up to it?”
    “I’m game if you all are,” James replied.
    “Sure. ” Vienna nodded.  “Sounds good.” 
    Kim and Steve walked ahead of them chatting animatedly reminiscing about old times while James and Vienna trailed quietly behind them.  From time to time, Vienna stopped at the railing and snapped a photo of the ocean with the camera on her phone.  She couldn’t help herself.  It was just so beautiful.  The wind was picking up and the sun beginning to set.  The sky was turning a lovely shade of coral with a dash of pink streaking across the horizon.  As they walked, Vienna listened to James talk about his work for a few minutes and then he changed the subject to his roommates in the dorm.  He mentioned that he was looking for an apartment off base, but the rent in Oceanside was outrageously high in comparison to what he could afford and he didn’t want to have roommates. 
    “So,” he said, “ enough about me.  Tell me, what’s it like living in Sacramento?  I’ve never been there.”
    “It’s okay,” Vienna said, shrugging.  “Nothing too exciting.   I pretty much just work all the time since I graduated from college.”
    James laughed.  “ Yeah, I can relate.  That’s pretty much all I do, too.”
    “Sounds like we both lead exciting lives,” Vienna joked.
    “Maybe I could fly out sometime and take you out for a night on the town.”
    “I’d like that.”
    “Look!” Kim squealed.  “Can you believe it?”  They’d just passed a small bait shop filled with souvenirs.  Vienna knew how Kim loved to shop and wondered what kind of deal she just stumbled across.  But to Vienna’s surprise, Kim wasn’t looking at the souvenirs.  Instead, she was standing next to a large Pelican perched on top of a trashcan. 
    The pelican cocked its head to the side , pointing its long grey beak downwards and studied Kim with grey blue eyes. 
    “His name’s Charlie,” James said. 
    There was a paper sign taped to the side of the trashcan beneath Charlie that warned people not to feed or touch him. 
    “You used to be able to buy bait and feed him , but I guess he must’ve bit someone,” James said.
    “Oh, poor pelican,” Vienna said.  “That’s a shame.  I bet people try to touch him all the time.”  She snapped a few photos of Kim and Steve standing next to Charlie the pelican, and then Kim took a few of her and James with him. 
    “How do you know his name is Charlie?” Vienna asked, when they continued walking toward the restaurant.
    James laughed.  “A few months back they had a sign up saying that his name was Charlie.”
    “ Oh!  I was wondering if you just decided to name him yourself,” Vienna giggled.  “That makes sense.”
    When they reached the restaurant at the end of the pier, Steve held the door open.  Kim and James entered the building.  Vienna took hold of the door from Steve and glanced over her shoulder one last time before entering.  Out of the blue, she had an overwhelming feeling that she was being followed.  She looked around at the people gazing at the sunset or chatting to one another.  No one seemed to be paying her any attention.  She shrugged her shoulders, trying to shake the eerie sensation tingling between her shoulder blades, and let the door close behind her.
    ***
    Just outside the restaurant, Jack stood on the steps leading to the door and waited.  Dark energy had been lurking on the pier pursuing Vienna.  It was the same ghost that had recently taken up residence in Vienna’s apartment.  And since she radiated vibrant energy, he knew the ghost was attracted to it.  It was a task that Vienna had accepted as part of her life’s experience,