If they didn’t…there might be a few complications.
The spell hinged on their mutual acceptance of what they felt for each other, but if they didn’t accept it…well…
Quite honestly, Rose didn’t know what the consequences might be.
But she did hope for the best.
CHAPTER 15
The last thing Jacob expected to see when he emerged from the bathroom was a ghost, considering the fact that he couldn’t see ghosts, and never had before in his life.
“You’re here to exorcise us, aren’t you?” the ghost said in a morose tone.
“You’re Nathan, right?” he replied.
The ghost cocked his head to the side. “You need to do it and do it quickly.”
“I’ll take that as a yes, you’re Nathan.”
“You need to release me from my misery.”
“Right.” Jacob cleared his throat. “Guess there’s not much chance to let off some steam at the local pub when you’re trapped in a house like this for all eternity, is there?”
Nathan’s expression darkened. “I don’t particularly care for your flippant tone, sir.”
“Sorry, it’s just that I’m not used to having face-to-face time with spirits. Especially ones who seem to know what’s going to happen to them.”
“It’s possible for me to show myself to those who do not have the gift of sight.”
“Amanda can see you,” Jacob said.
“She can. But she can’t help me. In fact, I fear that she may change her mind about exorcising us. And you must make her go through with it.”
“She’s not going to change her mind. If there’s one thing I can guarantee you about Amanda it’s that she does her job to the letter.”
“You’re in love with her.” It wasn’t a question.
“Is it really that obvious?” Jacob studied the translucent man in front of him for a moment. “I have definitely lost my edge. It’s embarrassing, really.”
“The clock worked its magic on you both, didn’t it?”
“It did.” Jacob grinned, remembering. “Thanks for the warning, by the way.”
The barest glimpse of a smile appeared on Nathan’s lips. “Had you not been the one for her there would have been nothing to fear.”
“Which means what, exactly?”
“The enchantment only works to bring those together who were already destined for love. All others it passes by.”
“That’s definitely debatable.”
“You’ve told her of your feelings?”
“At the moment she can read my mind so it’s a little hard to hide something like that, even though I might like to.”
“So she is the one who denies it.” Nathan’s lips thinned. “No wonder you’re still feeling the negative effects of the spell.”
Jacob frowned. “You’re saying we’re feeling the negative effects because she refuses to believe what we have is real?”
“My Catherine denies her heart and the result is our imprisonment in this house.” He drew in a long breath he definitely didn’t need, being dead. “I can’t continue like this. Unable to touch her, only able to see her for such a short time. It’s torture. There is only one answer and that is for us to be exorcised from this house. I know your Amanda can grant us that. It may not give us heaven together but it will finally give us peace.”
“Damn,” Jacob said. “And I thought I was acting way emo this week. You’re definitely the winner.”
“Emo?” Nathan frowned. “What is emo?”
“Emotional. Angsty. Woe-is-me, etcetera.”
Nathan’s gaze sparked. “I apologize if I fail to see the humor in this situation.”
“Obviously.” Jacob shook his head and tried not to smile. Really, it wasn’t all that funny. Well, it kind of was.
Nathan was him, after all. A darker, bitterer version anyhow. In love with a woman who refused to accept her own feelings at face value. Who would push away a chance at happiness in order to stay true to her rigid beliefs.
They were obviously both screwed.
“Please,” Nathan said. “You must make sure that your Amanda follows through with the exorcism. I can’t bear to see Catherine again, for seeing her only reminds me that we can never truly be together.”
“You really don’t think there’s any other solution here?”
“The spell that binds us is strong.”
“We’re planning to destroy the clock hoping that will break the spell.”
“You can try,” Nathan shook his head. “But the magic is already inside of us. It may do nothing at all but take us deeper into despair.”
“Total emo,” Jacob said under his breath.
There was a crashing sound and a short scream that he recognized as Amanda’s. With a last look at the spirit, he turned away and ran down the hall to the drawing room.
Amanda lay on the ground unconscious. His stomach lurched and he ran to her side, falling to his knees next to her. He stroked the dark hair off her forehead. He could see where she’d hit her head, a trickle of blood at her hairline.
But she was breathing and her heart beat regularly which eased his mind a little. He considered carrying her to his car and taking her to a hospital, but just as he began to gather her into his arms her eyelids fluttered before opening up completely.
Her gaze went directly to his but she didn’t say anything right away.
“You hit your head,” he stated the obvious.