“That’s better,” I said, even though the image was anything but better. He swayed side to side, rocking himself faster and faster. “Do you know where Eammon is?”

“Noooooo.” Drawn out more this time, the voice was not . . . well damn, it was not human, but it wasn’t aggressive either.

This was not just an actor dressed in a costume to freak me out. This was the real deal.

Holy crap.

“Fine. I don’t know where anyone is either, so here’s the deal: you’re going to help me find them,” I said.

The gate rattled behind me, and I did a half turn, seeing someone I knew stepping through, although he hadn’t noticed me yet. Tall, broad across the shoulders, a very distinctive jaw I had thought about all last night as I lay in the room he’d let me have in his loft. Corb was Himself’s black-sheep cousin, as previously mentioned, and about the only person who offered to help me get back on my feet. That being said, he hadn’t wanted me to so much as talk to his buddy and co-worker, Eammon, when they’d had their visit the day before. Which was why Eammon had taken me out for tea unbeknownst to Corb.

I had a feeling my current roommate didn’t know about the interview and wouldn’t be thrilled to find out.

Which meant him catching me here, at said interview, was not good news.

Basically, this was about to turn into a turd tango.

“What is your name?” I didn’t have a lot of time before Corb caught up to me, and then the yelling match would happen.

The creature that may or may not have started as human swayed faster. I snapped my fingers at him twice, once with each word. “Name. Now!” A trick Gran had used in front of me more than once to make people sit up and take notice.

His shoulders hunched a little. “Robert.”

“Robert.” He was probably lying but whatever. “You stay here until I get back.” I pointed with the flashlight at the gravestone and he put his hand out . . . only it wasn’t a hand. It was a skeleton with bones for fingers and not much else. And I just stared because I wasn’t sure I could do anything else. My brain shut down a little, and I might have peed myself just a tiny bit.

Here’s the thing. Believing is one thing; seeing is another, altogether. Don’t believe me? The first time you see a ghost or a bogey, you and I can discuss the physiological effects. And while it was not my first time, it was the first time in a long time.

As it was, I just turned on my heel and strode toward the gate as if my body weren’t totally freaking out. “Corb.”