Page 7

L uke was in a limousine for the first time. It was fancy and elegant, and he doubted he’d ever be able to afford one for himself. At his side was the owner of the vehicle, Clark Marwood. The necromancer was discussing security with Gabe. Or that was what Luke assumed they were talking about.

The sad truth was he didn’t care what was on their minds because Luke’s entire focus was on the other passenger in the vehicle. In a pair of snug black pants and a paisley shirt in a dark smoky gray, Richard was mesmerizing. He wasn’t even doing anything remarkable. In his elegant tattooed hands was a slim cellphone, and his thumbs were gliding across the screen.

Who was he talking to? Did Richard have a significant other? Despite the fashionable attire, artfully applied cosmetics, and perfectly coiffed hair, Luke refused to assume Richard’s sexuality. But some growing part of him hoped to hell Richard was into men. Which made him an idiot. Luke had no business thinking about his boss and the son of the couple who owned the Marwood empire, let alone daydreaming about being alone with Richard. Not to mention the fevered images Luke had woken up to that morning in his newly leased condo.

It was in a building that exclusively housed inspirits like him. Everyone was kind, and a part of Luke he hadn’t known existed was relaxed when he was there. For the past ten years, he’d drifted around the country with a constant need to hide behind a backstory. It was impossible to explain to humans that his life had started on a random afternoon when a necromancer had summoned him.

He’d had to lie about a nonexistent childhood and adolescence. Many of the details he’d stolen from what he knew of Foxe’s upbringing because he wasn’t a creative fibber, nor did he like to deceive anyone. Luke was already dreading life away from the kind inspirits he now called neighbors and coworkers.

At least Luke had heard from Foxe. The messages were brief and had mostly been questions about Luke’s first paycheck, but he refused to judge. Unlike Luke, who was in paradise, Foxe was likely running from motel to motel. Luke didn’t even know how he was getting from place to place without a car. The necromancer’s future was murky, and Luke would feel better once he had some money to send to Foxe.

What would Foxe think of Richard?

The car took a slow turn, and Luke ripped his gaze away from Richard to watch a mansion come into view. It was like much of the other southwestern architecture in the area—muted earthy tones that went well with the desert landscape found in Vegas. Terracotta tiles adorned the raised roof, and large windows were everywhere, which probably brought in plenty of bright Nevada sun.

Richard’s head popped up from his phone as the limousine cruised to a stop, and Luke forgot the house existed as the necromancer aimed a smile at him.

“It’s okay to yell for help,” Richard commented. “Gabriel can sneak you back out to the car and get you home.”

“Why would he need help?” Clark asked.

“You never know,” Richard replied to his father. “Douglas should be here in about ten minutes. He had to stop for gas.”

In the past week, Luke had seen for himself that Douglas and Richard not only led conference services with efficiency but shared what appeared to be a tight friendship. It made for a welcoming atmosphere, and Luke had yet to hear any complaints from his coworkers. Maybe once he’d earned the trust of his fellow employees, the tongues would loosen and they’d gossip freely, but he hoped everyone was as content as they appeared.

“There’s no need for him to rush,” Clark commented. “We aren’t going to start dinner without him.”

“I already told him that, Dad.”

Gabe unfolded his brawny frame from the car, and Luke tried in vain not to notice the round curve of Richard’s bottom as the necromancer climbed out in front of him. Luke mentally slapped himself and exited the vehicle. If Luke didn’t know better, he’d swear Richard was a siren. And he was losing his desire to fight the urge to lust after the stunning man.

Luke followed the Marwoods through the tall front door of the mansion, and he noted the dramatic black-and-white interior reminiscent of the hotel, but he was soon enchanted by exquisite piano music. Then he stepped into an elegant great room dripping with silver accents and his special talent pinged so loud in his mind he halted in his tracks.

The dark-haired man bent over the piano keys was destiny-touched and a powerful one at that. Foxe’s warnings screamed through his head. Luke needed to run far and fast. Trouble followed the destiny-touched.

“Everything okay?” Richard asked.

Luke gathered his scattered wits and noted that the music had stopped. “Yes. Yeah. Sorry. The music was incredible. Really moving.”

Richard’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t comment. The destiny-touched necromancer was hauled up against Gabe. That meant the man in question was the youngest Marwood sibling and Gabe’s soulmate. No wonder Gabe was jacked and had a green gaze constantly scanning for danger.

“Eric Marwood, this is Luke Wynnter,” Gabe said, bringing his soulmate close to where Luke still stood like an idiot.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lucas,” Eric said. Luke wondered why Eric chose to use his full name despite Gabe’s choice to shorten it in his introduction, but he wasn’t fussy. The Marwoods could call him whatever they wanted.

With a genuine smile for the man who’d be hunted for eternity, Luke shook his hand and noted he’d tattooed his skin on the arm without the mark of destiny. Had Richard chosen to add similar artwork to his skin to fool necros pursuing innocent people like his brother? If so, Luke appreciated the instinct to protect.

Eric resembled his brother and parents. But unlike Richard’s sharp blue eyes, Eric’s had a dreamy quality. He also had several inches of height on his brother. He was a handsome willowy man who glanced at Gabe with such love written on his face that Luke immediately envied him.

Soulmates were real. That was becoming abundantly clear. So, how the hell could Luke find his?

“The pleasure is mine,” Luke answered honestly. Eric had not been given an easy path, and Luke hoped there was enough security built around him to ensure that no one would harm him. It was unfair for anyone to be chosen for death because of who they were.

“Do you hate working for Richard yet?” Eric asked with a mischievous smile.

“Nope, not yet,” Luke replied.

“Well, if his persnicketiness gets on your nerves, you can call any of us to vent,” Eric said.

“That is not a word,” Richard countered as he tugged his brother into a tight hug. “And at work, my perfectionism is an asset.”

“Wait until he decides to work from home one day,” Eric told Luke. “He’ll call everyone a hundred times. Turn your phone off and wait for Douglas to update you on whatever detail Richard is obsessed with.”

Luke smiled. “Will I get fired if I take your advice?”

“Absolutely not, few people on the planet can deal with Richard when he’s in a snit,” Rosalind remarked as she sauntered to them with an inspirit at her side. “Lucas, this is our dear David. David Marwood, this is Lucas Wynnter.”

“Nice to meet you, Lucas,” David commented as he extended a dainty hand without making any eye contact. Some instinct Luke immediately trusted told him to tread carefully around the shy man.

“Thanks for having me as a guest,” Luke responded with the briefest of handshakes.

“Can we get you something to drink?” Clark asked. “We have beer, wine, or between David and Richard, they can mix you up about anything.”

“An event planner and a mixologist, huh?” Luke asked Richard.

Richard shrugged. “I like to learn things that interest me. We also have non-alcoholic options, if you prefer.”

“Like milk,” Eric replied with a gagging gesture.

“Ignore him, he doesn’t know what’s good,” Richard said. “He eats cereal dry.”

“I think you’re the one who doesn’t know what’s good,” Luke countered. “Cereal tastes better dry.” Luke didn’t mention that he’d learned to eat it that way because he could rarely afford to buy milk and cereal together. Thankfully, he liked it, and he could buy big generic-brand bags of it to keep his tummy full when things were especially lean.

“Keep it up and you’ll be lucky if I fetch you anything but a doggy bag with your meal inside it,” Richard taunted Luke.

The sass was a surprise, and Luke immediately approved.

“Richard, be nice,” Rosalind chided. “Lucas, ignore him. He was born with an acid tongue. What will you have?”

Since it was inappropriate for Luke to go with the voice in his head demanding that he get more familiar with Richard’s tongue, he slapped a grin on his face as he privately wondered what Richard tasted like. “A beer would be great, thanks so much.”

“I’ll grab one for you,” Gabe said.

“While our Gabriel gets your drink, why don’t you have a seat and tell us a bit about yourself,” Rosalind invited.

Luke plopped onto a black sofa with striped pillows and ignored the tension between his shoulder blades. Talking about himself was not desirable, but the Marwoods were providing him with everything.

“Well, I was resurrected ten years ago, and since then my necro and I have drifted around,” Luke remarked, happy to stick with the truth for once. “I wanted financial security, and we learned from a passing necro about your family. I took a chance that he was being honest and called. Now I’m here, and I’ve spent a week learning the ropes from Richard, Douglas, and their staff.”

“Are you enjoying event planning?” Clark asked as Gabe returned. He’d ditched his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Luke took the beer and thanked him.

“Yes, I’m learning so much, and I’m curious to experience every aspect of my job,” Luke answered. But could he stay? If Foxe learned Luke had sat in a room with a destiny-touched necromancer or that one was related to the Marwoods, he’d likely insist that they end this little experiment. Disappointment settled into Luke’s bones. He’d barely started his journey at the Marwood resort, and he didn’t want to leave. What was the likelihood of Luke coming to any harm?

Eric didn’t work at the casino, or at least their paths had never crossed until now. If Eric wasn’t around, how could any potential danger find him? Luke needed his job to offer stability to his life and Foxe’s.

Going to sleep in the same bed every night was lovely. A little more than a week had passed since Luke had first met the Marwoods, and he was already growing addicted to the routine of having a normal job. Luke hadn’t known he wanted a steady paycheck and some semblance of calm until this opportunity had literally landed in his lap.

Was he willing to give it up because of the potential of danger around a destiny-touched necromancer he barely knew? Luke’s gaze slid over to the enticing Richard. Why did the thought of leaving Richard behind forever fill him with a desperate kind of gloom?

Luke wasn’t ready to walk away. Foxe was his best friend, but he didn’t need to know everything. He’d wait to tell Foxe about the destiny-touched Marwood until it was necessary. The omission would go unnoticed by Foxe, and both he and Luke needed to make the most of this opportunity.

Without the Marwoods, their lives would be forever frozen in an endless cycle of running. Luke was tired of it. He damn well refused to return to it until he had no other choice.

Trying not to think about another night in a shitty motel or being woken up in the wee hours of the morning to flee yet again, Luke nursed his beer.

“Lucas, are you seeing anyone?” Rosalind asked.

It took considerable effort to swallow his drink, as his instinct was to spit it out over the expensive furniture, but Luke managed it. Where the hell had that question come from?

“Ignore my mother,” Richard stated sharply. “She’s a nosy busybody, and you aren’t required to tell us anything about your private life.”

“Richard, behave yourself, I was being polite,” Rosalind retorted.

Richard slapped a hand against his own chest. “Behave myself ?” he cried.

The doorbell nearly drowned out Eric’s laughter.

“I’ll get the door,” Gabe said, rising from the chair he’d been cuddled in with Eric.

“Don’t mind us, we tend to meddle,” Clark said.

Luke chuckled. “It’s fine. To answer your question, no. I’m not seeing anyone. I haven’t had time to do much of anything but survive for years.”

Those words settled into Luke’s brain, and he wondered why he hadn’t noticed how unhappy he was. Perhaps because no other alternative had existed. Luke needed to build something more for himself and Foxe—whether his necromancer liked it or not.

“Well, that won’t do at all, Lucas,” Rosalind replied, her gaze lighting up in a way that made the hairs at the nape of Luke’s neck rise to attention. “You need to find your soulmate. I keep telling Richard that too, but he never listens to me. It’s important to put yourself out there. They won’t show up at your door.”

Luke shrugged. “My necro mentioned soulmates, but I wasn’t convinced they were real until last week when I sensed Gabe’s connection. Since then, I’ve noticed it from several other people around the casino. But I don’t know the first thing about finding one for myself. How does the whole signal thing work? Like you shake hands and get a weird sensation or something?”

Richard choked on his wine, and Eric rushed over to grab his brother’s glass as he patted his back.

“Um, I think we’ll have Gabriel explain to you how it works,” Clark said. “One inspirit to another.”

“What am I explaining?” Gabe asked as he returned with Douglas at his side.

“Dear, Lucas doesn’t know how to find and recognize his soulmate,” Rosalind remarked.

Gabe’s green eyes widened as he gazed at Luke’s poor self. What the hell was going on?

“Yeah, thanks, I’d love to explain that,” Gabe deadpanned with a peeved expression for the elder Marwoods. “Luke, do you mind coming into the other room with me? I can give you the pertinent details before dinner. Does that work?”

Unsure why they required privacy, Luke went with the flow. He was curious about the whole thing now that he knew it was real. Maybe the information would come in handy someday. With one last glance at Richard to ensure he was still breathing after his battle with the wine, Luke wondered what kind of person the necromancer would wind up with. Whoever they were, they were lucky, and Luke envied them.