Free Soul Taker by Karen Michelle Nutt

down at her
nametag. "Beatrice."
    "Harrison, is that you?"
    "Looks like your girlfriend finally showed."
Beatrice nodded toward someone behind him.
    He frowned, wondering which ex-girlfriend
thought ghost tours were a fun way to spend the evening. He turned
with a few excuses for why he was here, but when he spotted the
woman in question, the excuses fled his memory. "Isabella?" Then he
caught sight of Johanna beside her and his heart stopped and
started again. It pounded against his ribcage as if looking for an
escape. He made his way around a couple to reach them. "What brings
you two lasses here?"
    Isabella gave him an easy smile. "Johanna's
in the process of buying a flower shop on the wharf and we thought
we'd celebrate."
    Isabella was pleasant enough, but he knew by
the way she stared him down that she wanted to talk to him—alone.
He'd outed her as being a Necromancer then didn't follow up
on it. He was still working on convincing Garran they needed her on
the team. Until they came to an agreement, he couldn't reveal
everything they had on the case. He probably shouldn't have opened
the door to her curiosity when he couldn't allow her in.
    "You're celebrating by taking a ghost tour?"
His brows rose and his gaze shifted to Johanna.
    She chuckled nervously and tucked her hair
behind her ear. "Dinner was celebrating. This is... curiosity."
    If Johanna bought a shop here in Salem, she
probably wouldn't frequent the restaurant much. What did it matter?
It wasn't like Johanna and he would ever have a future. She feared
him. If she knew he was one of the Mac Tíre… Well, a werewolf
tended to freak out most people. "That's great about the shop," he
told Johanna, feeling the loss already.
    "Thanks." Johanna actually smiled and met his
gaze.
    Isabella looped her arm through Johanna's as
she spoke. "She coerced me into taking this silly ghost tour when
we could be enjoying dessert. I was thinking of something sinfully
rich and definitely chocolate."
    "It's time to get started," Beatrice—their
ghost tour guide—announced. "If you will move closer," she waved
her hands in a come-hither fashion and the crowd merged forward in
unison. "Please keep up with me, I'd hate to lose anyone." She
pinned her gaze on Isabella.
    Isabella's lips twitched. "Looks like I
offended her." She lowered her voice so not to be overheard.
    "I wouldn't let it bother you," Harrison
leaned near to whisper. "This is all in fun. Besides, if there's
real trouble brewing, I'll protect you fine lasses."
    Both Isabella and Johanna chuckled, causing
Beatrice to send them another annoying look before she turned and
led the group forward.
    Beatrice's steps halted in front of the Burying Point Cemetery . She spoke of Hawthorne's ghost
walking the grounds at night in hopes of seeing his ladylove,
Sophia.
    "I could think of a better place to meet than
in a graveyard," Isabella commented.
    "It's eerie and beautiful," Johanna's gaze
touched Harrison's for a brief second before looking away
again.
    Harrison agreed with a nod. He often had
thought the same. "It has its charm: beautiful etched stones,
benches to sit upon and flowers, trees and plants aplenty."
    Johanna's lips slid into a sweet smile.
"Exactly."
    Conscious that he'd been staring at her, he
cleared his throat and glanced away. He had to stop his obsession
with Johanna. The woman was leaving Boston. Salem wasn't far, but
his chances of running into her were slim to none. Besides, she had
a boyfriend now. He frowned as he realized he hadn't met the
elusive boyfriend. "How come your boyfriend didn't come with you?"
Subtle had never been one of his fine attributes. He wanted Johanna
to be happy, but he also wanted to know if this guy was
worthy of her.
    "He's away on business." Her face flushed and
she looked away, the comfortable magic of their moment gone.
    It seemed this was the only response he
managed to drag out of her, when he'd much rather have her
frustrated and hungry for him. It would only be fair