Page 17 of A Wicked Dance of Obsidian and Light (Echoes of Darkness #1)

Jane’s Diner is one of the oldest restaurants in Ashville. It’s quaint and cozy, squeezed between two Victorian-style buildings in the oldest part of town, on a small street not too far from my apartment. It’s the place I always go to when I feel like eating a burger. It’s also one of the places we used to hang out before, Noah and I, and sometimes even Sam would join us. But that was before Noah and his family left the country five years ago.

“This place hasn’t changed at all,” Noah says as he opens the restaurant door for me to enter. He parked a few streets over, and we walked to the diner. In the car, he asked me a lot of questions about my life since he’s been gone, and about Sam’s flower shop and business. All that while still holding my hand and me pretending a ghost/freaky hallucination wasn’t following every step we took. He even rode in the car with us, making non-stop comments from the backseat about how hot Noah is.

Jesus, the craziness in my life keeps stacking up like a bad game of Tetris.

“Thank you, sweety!” Tony chirps happily at Noah, throwing him a megawatt smile as he floats right through my body to enter the restaurant before I can. A shudder passes violently from the tips of my hair all the way to my toes.

“Can you stop doing that?” I hiss under my breath at Tony. He turns around and sticks his tongue out at me.

“What?” Noah asks dubiously from behind me.

Noted. I probably shouldn’t talk to the ghost since I’m the only one able to see it, and I don’t want to look certifiably insane. I clear my throat and turn my head toward Noah. “I said, yeah, it’s the same. Nothing much has changed here in Ashville since you’ve been gone.” I shrug, following Tony through the door and looking at the restaurant’s interior.

The walls are covered in white-washed oak panel wood, the bar and tables made of a darker cherry wood, and the floor is in a navy and white tile checkboard pattern. A few tables are occupied, and a group of girls start giggling loudly and whispering while looking at Noah.

“Oh my God! He’s so hot!” one of them says to the others as we pass their table. I roll my eyes at that and peek at Noah, who seems to ignore them completely. Maybe he’s being polite; the girls are so loud, there’s no chance in hell he didn’t hear them.

We take a seat at one of the orange leather booths, Noah sitting across from me, with Tony squeezed between him and the window. He’s looking at the menu over Noah’s shoulder, pretending to be invested in picking something to eat. I pinch the bridge of my nose hard and try to understand how in the world I’m seeing a ghost that just doesn’t want to go away.

Donna, the waitress who’s been working here since the first time I stepped foot in the diner a few years back, approaches our table. “Hey, Iris! Will you be having the usual?” she asks me with a big smile. She is a middle-aged woman with beautiful oval-shaped hazel eyes, thick lashes, and chocolate brown hair pulled in a low ponytail, with a few strands of gray showing through.

“Hi, Donna. Yes, thank you!” I smile back at her.

“And what about you, handsome? What can I bring you?” she asks Noah with the same warm smile—the kind that forms deep wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

“I’ll have the Texas chilly burger and a beer. Thank you, Donna!” Noah says as he lifts his head from the menu.

“Christ on a cracker!” Donna exclaims loudly, her eyes bugging out of her head. “Noah, is that you? When did you come back? Look at you! I almost didn’t recognize you. You’re all grown-up!” She shakes her head and sighs while fanning herself with her pad. “If only I were fifteen years younger.”

“Back off my man candy, lady!” Tony hisses at her. I roll my eyes because there is nothing else I can do.

“I just arrived yesterday,” Noah shoots back with a lopsided grin.

“Well, I hope you’re not going to be leaving again; otherwise, some other man is going to swoop right in and snatch Iris here and leave you in the dust.” She winks at me. “She did bring some of her dates here, but none of the guys were as handsome as you,” she whispers conspiratorially to Noah. “There were also no repeats, so I think you’re lucky.” She winks again, this time at Noah.

“Donna,” I scold her and blush fiercely.

“I’m not planning on leaving, and trust me, I know I’m lucky,” Noah says as he places his right hand over mine on the table. All humor is gone from his face, and his gray-blue eyes sparkle with resolve as he looks deeply into mine. A fresh wave of heat scorches my cheeks while I clear my throat in an attempt to break the intensity that seems to shimmer in the air between us.

“Oh, you two look like the perfect couple,” Donna gushes over us. “I’ll be right back with your orders.” She backs away from our table, making a beeline for the kitchen.

“I’ll have a Noah, please! Two hot buns and Noah in the middle with a side of mayo,” Tony yells after her. Then, he resumes what seems to be his favorite activity: batting his eyelashes dreamily at Noah with his head propped on his hand.

I clear my throat again and slide my hands from under Noah’s. “I’m going to the restroom. I’ll be right back,” I say as I stand up from the booth.

“Okay,” Noah replies, looking at me, a soft smile turning up the corners of his perfectly shaped lips.

“Oh! We are finally alone! What do you want to do?” Tony squeals ostentatiously at Noah as I shuffle to the bathroom.

I quickly text Sam while I wait for the person in the restroom to come out. It’s a very small bathroom that can only accommodate one person.

Me: Can yo u talk?

Sam: Shoot. I’m no t busy.

Entering the restroom, I lock the door while tapping my finger over Sam’s contact. I wait for her to answer as I look at my reflection in the mirror.

“So, how’s Prince Charming?” Sam’s voice travels through the phone.

“What the fuck did you put in that thing you made me drink?” I ask, my tone dripping with ire. “I’m having hallucinations, Sam! Did you fucking drug me?” I whisper-yell.

“Whoa! I didn’t put anything in it to make you hallucinate. I promise. I would never do that, weirdo. Not on purpose, anyway. What kind of hallucinations?”

“I’m seeing a ghost! A bare-chested, gay black ghost only wearing a pair of sequined gold pants. He followed Noah and me from the national park to Jane’s diner. He is now sitting next to Noah in the booth, batting his eyelashes at him.” I run my hand over my face at how stupid this sounds.

There is a big pause on the line. I’m pretty sure Sam is shocked by all the insane that just spilled from my mouth. “I honestly don’t know what to say to that. Are you the only one that can see this presumed ghost?”

“Yes! His name is Tony. I couldn’t make this shit up even if I tried. Am I going crazy?” I ask with desperation in my tone.

“Tony? Who names their kid Tony? It sounds like the perfect name for a forty-year-old Italian mobster.”

As if summoned by our talk, Tony suddenly appears in the bathroom at my back, scaring the living shit out of me. I scream loudly into the phone as I clutch my chest with my free hand.

“Uh ruuude! Why are you gossiping about me?” he lifts his nose in the air, seemingly offended. “If you really want to know, my mother was obsessed with The Sopranos when she was pregnant with me.” He rolls his eyes dramatically. “Trust me, I’ve been bullied enough over it.” He sticks his tongue out at me before he disappears abruptly. Oh, God . Now I have upset the ghost. I’m feeling weirdly guilty about it.

“Miss, are you okay?” a man’s voice travels through the door as someone knocks.

“I’m fine! I just saw a spider,” I reply, trying to still my rapid pulse.

“What just happened?” Sam’s urgent voice catches my attention.

“He appeared in the bathroom, Sam. He was upset we were gossiping about him. He said his mom was obsessed with The Sopranos while pregnant. I’m losing my marbles, aren’t I?”

“Oh, that makes sense…about the name,” Sam observes calmly. “What if it really is a ghost? I didn’t put anything weird in that hangover cure. I swear. Maybe those demons did something to your brain when you were attacked in the woods.”

“And how can I test that out?”

“Well, you can try throwing some salt at it. If it disappears, it truly is a ghost; if not…you’re fucked.”

“I think I’m fucked either way. I mean, how could I be seeing a ghost? I’m just a hellseeker,” I exasperate as I massage two fingers into my temple, trying to keep the imminent headache at bay.

“Calm down. Try throwing some salt at it first, see what happens, and then if he doesn’t disappear, we will cross that bridge when you come to it.”

“Okay, I can do that.” I blow out a breath, trying to regain some normalcy and crawl out of the crazy pit I found myself in. “There’s also something that doesn’t sit right with me. Immediately after Tony appeared in front of me, he asked for my help, saying that he waited a long time for someone to finally notice him. He said his friend is in danger but that he can’t remember her name. He also said something about people watching her, and then all of a sudden, he started flickering. When he materialized again, he seemed to have had a personality transplant and started fawning over Noah like a love-sick puppy. I even asked him about it, but it was like I was talking to a different person. Do you think he suffers from a multiple personality disorder, or should I check myself in at a mental hospital already?” I ask as I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Hmm, interesting,” Sam mumbles, and I can almost hear the gears turning in her head. “Grammie had a friend who was a seer. She died last year, so I can’t call her to ask about this. However, I remember her telling me a few years back that ghosts are supposed to pass over to the other side quickly after their death, but some remain anchored to the human world because of unfinished business. Unfortunately, because they’re not supposed to be here anymore, the longer they remain on Earth and refuse to cross over, their minds will slip further away until there is nothing left but a shadow of their old selves. That’s why most of the ghosts that spend too much time on Earth turn into poltergeists; they eventually go mad, forgetting why they stayed in the first place.”

“Wow, that’s really sad…and it fits with Tony’s sudden memory loss.”

“Did he mention something about his death? Ghosts with violent deaths are usually the ones who refuse to cross. They want justice.”

“He was mauled to death by a wolf shifter right next to Shadow Lake at a Halloween party. He showed me how his body looked when he died. He didn’t even have a heart anymore, Sam.”

“Shit.”

“I know. But still, Tony didn’t seem to want justice for his death; he was quite blasé about it in contrast to his friend needing help. All I gathered from the conversation is that the friend is a woman.”

“Maybe we can help him cross over,” Sam muses. “I’ll look online, see if I can find something about his death or any information about his family or friends. If he reappears, ask him again about her. Perhaps it will help spark some moments of lucidity. Remember, if he acts crazy, just throw some salt at him. Let me know how it goes. A customer just walked in. Talk to you later. Love you.”

“Love you too.” My fingers white-knuckle the sink as I drop my head between my shoulders. Then, I look up in the mirror. “You are a badass hellseeker. If a souldrake doesn’t scare you, a ghost named Tony should be a piece of cake,” I say to my reflection and get out of the bathroom.

One of the two girls waiting in line huffs loudly, “Finally!” when I come out. I roll my eyes at her and amble to the table. Noah is typing something on his phone, and Tony is nowhere to be seen.

“I was getting worried. I was two minutes away from coming to get you,” Noah says as his gaze finds mine.

“Sorry, I started feeling sick again,” I lie, yet again. Albeit it’s a small one, but I want the lies to stop, small or big. Lying is far more exhausting than I expected it to be.

The sound of Noah’s phone ringing cuts through the thick awkwardness that blankets the air between us. “Sorry, I have to take this, and then I’ll be all yours.” He smiles charmingly at me, melting my insides. “It will only take two minutes.”

“Sure, no worries,” I reply, and he takes long, purposeful strides toward the exit.

“Here’s your food. Enjoy!” Donna smiles sweetly at me as she slides the plates with steaming hot burgers and French fries on the table.

“Where’s my hot Noah burger?” Tony pops out of thin air next to me, scowling at Donna. “The service here is terrible!” He crosses his arms in front of his chest and pouts.

It takes a lot of effort not to flinch at his sudden appearance. “Thank you, Donna!” I say with a brittle smile as Donna backs away from the table to take the order from a couple that just walked in.

I slide my phone out of my pocket and put it to my ear, pretending I’m calling someone so I don’t look batshit crazy to the other patrons as I lock eyes with Tony and say, “Tony, listen to me. I believe you’re still here for a reason. You mentioned a friend of yours needing help. I think she’s a woman.”

A flicker of recognition passes over his features, and the first version of Tony, the one that appeared in the national park, surfaces again as his form ripples. “Yes, she’s my friend. She needs help…they’re coming for her,” he whispers.

His sadness is so palpable it makes my eyes mist. “Who is coming for her?”

“I don’t know. They are lurking in the shadows. I can’t see their faces. But they’re always watching…waiting.”

“Can you try remembering her name? Or some details that I can use to track her down? How did you two meet?”

A few moments of silence pass as his fingers clench and unclench in his lap, and his jaw tenses with visible effort. He starts hitting his head repeatedly with his hands, saying, “I can’t! I can’t! I can’t! I need to help her,” anguish coating every word.

“Calm down, please,” I say in a soothing tone.

He doesn’t seem to hear me as horror fills his eyes as if he remembered something. A silent tear crests his eyelashes before it trickles down his cheek. “He hurt her; he almost killed her. I tried to warn her. I screamed and screamed and screamed, and no one heard me.” The brief moment of clarity seems to dissipate like sand between his fingers as he howls at the top of his lungs, “NO ONE!” like a broken record while he starts flying through the room at breakneck speed, bouncing off the walls.

The overhead neon lights start flickering, and the sound of a plate being smashed to the floor in the kitchen slices through the air. The patrons seem oblivious, though, to the ghost having a meltdown in the tiny restaurant. Their murmured conversation is a humming buzz that fades into Tony’s ear-splitting shrieks. They ring so loudly that I’m surprised blood doesn’t trickle down from my eardrums.

As inconspicuously as I can, I pour some salt from the shaker on the table in the palm of my hand and wait. The moment he passes my table, I throw it in the air at his rapidly moving form.

He halts. “You witch!” Tony screeches, pointing an accusatory finger at me.

At first, nothing happens, and I deflate like a balloon, thinking I’ve got more than one screw loose, but in the next second, his form seems to thin, and static takes over like a bad-functioning old tube TV. He disappears with a bright light and a small pop. Just in time, because Noah walks back into the restaurant.

Huh, so he really is a ghost.

I sigh and thank God.