Page 36 of Deadly Blooms (Psychic Unraveled #1)

A knock at the window shot a jolt through my heart.

I turned to see Graham standing on the porch, looking fine as ever in the low glow of the porch light.

He gave a small wave and crooked smile. I wiped my hands on a tea towel, ready to open the door—until Katie scampered over, beating me to it, practically bouncing as she let him in.

He stopped at the edge of the kitchen, leaning against the post that connected the ceiling to the half-wall. He wore a dark flannel shirt over a cream Henley, black jeans and dark leather hiking boots.

“You came!” I smiled, surprised he actually showed. Honestly, I didn’t think he would.

He gave me a quick once-over—but his eyes lingered just a moment too long on my breasts.

Oh god. Was I trying too hard?

“Figured I’d better show if I wanted you to drop it,” he said, flashing those perfect teeth in a smile that made my knees weak.

Pull yourself together, Maggie.

“Well, you weren’t wrong.” I put my focus back on the charcuterie board, not wanting him to think my entire focus was on him—even though it was. I opened a can of mixed nuts and dropped them dead center—anything to keep my hands busy.

Graham stepped down and leaned over the butcher block to get a closer look. “Looks great,” he said, eyes locked on mine—and for a second, I wasn’t sure if he meant the food or me.

Those eyelashes! Why didn’t I notice them before? They were so long and gorgeous. I’d kill to have them .

“I didn’t know we were eating, or I would’ve brought something.” He offered, eyeing up the salami.

I could almost see him salivating.

The corner of my mouth twitched into a smirk.

“Oh, it’s mostly for after. Katie gets worn out performing a séance, so I thought some snacks would help her regain her strength.” I said, noticing his eyes still on the circles of meat.

I grabbed one slice and handed it to him.

“Ooo, thank you.” He said, promptly popping the whole thing in his mouth.

Katie poked her head in, “Derek’s just about ready in the attic…” She paused, gave him a slow once-over. “Oh—you’re right, Maggie. He does have a really great ass.” She said before bolting upstairs.

I sucked in a breath and froze stiff as a post. Eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi. I could have died. My cheeks burned and were probably the same color as my cardigan now. “The uh… attic’s this way.” I squeezed past him and led him up to the attic door.

I’d have to kill Katie for that.

“Over here,” I said as I held the black door to the attic open, Chester had followed me up like a bouncing toddler on a mission to help Mommy.

Graham smirked, a faint blush still on his cheek. “Your ass ain’t half bad either,” he murmured, crouching to scratch Chester’s head.

I could have melted right there—but somehow, I stayed upright. I shut the door behind me and followed him up the stairs, pulse doing double-time.

Graham

The attic smelled like a pagan incense shop caught fire. Smoke coiled from the bundle of burning herbs Chad was waving around like he was blessing the goddamn Vatican.

Katie was curled up on the couch, cradling a tiny silver vial like it was her flask of liquid courage. Laila perched beside her, chipper as hell for someone about to call in the dead. I eyed the bottle and narrowed in on Maggie.

I pointed at her with a scowl. “Just so we’re clear—I’m not here in any official capacity. The captain finds out I came to this circus, I’m screwed.” I jabbed a thumb at Katie—“And if she plans on doing some illegal shit, I’m out.”

Maggie raised her hands like she was trying to calm a pack of wild dogs. “It’s not drugs. Not the kind you’re used to, anyway.”

“Geez, Maggie. Make him think I’m a crackhead.” Katie handed me the bottle like it was supposed to ease my nerves.

I popped the cap, took a whiff. Immediate regret. My nose burned, my stomach turned, and I almost coughed right in her face. I slammed the cap back on. “What the hell is that?” It smelled like burned lawn clippings and the air-freshener aisle of the dollar-store. I shoved it back at her. “Christ.”

“You know, mugwort, yarrow, angelica—bunch of hocus-pocus plant shit to help me talk to ghosts,” she said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“No. I don’t know.” I looked between them. “You people hear yourselves?”

“Sit down.” Maggie pulled the sheet off a chair like she was unveiling a prize. “I’ll explain.”

I sat—because clearly, I’d lost control of the situation already—and folded my arms. “Okay. Go ‘head. Weird me out.”

She tried to make it sound all scientific. Magical herbs, spirit realm, transfiguration—Katie was about to go full Casper right in front of us.

I barked a laugh. “Yeah, right,” I scoffed, leaning back. “You guys are seriously going through all this trouble just to get me to admit I saw some ghost the other night?”

Derek lit the final candle in the center of a pentacle drawn on the floor in chalk. No big deal.

“Don’t worry,” he muttered. “He’ll believe us soon enough.”

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any weirder?—

Chad opened his mouth. “So when do we get to see Katie bang your dead uncle?”

I turned so fast my neck cracked. “I beg your goddamn pardon?”

“What are you, twelve?” Derek snapped.

Maggie crouched in front of me like she was about to beg forgiveness on Katie’s behalf. “Look, she’s gonna do it anyway, I told her not to. We’ll avoid that part.”

“What the hell have I agreed to?” I growled, raking my hand through my hair.

She looked serious now. “Just don’t break the circle. That goes for all of you,” she said, throwing a mom-glare to the neophytes. “Katie’ll be weak afterward. She needs space to come out of it.”

I nodded, even though I still thought this was the biggest pile of batshit I’d ever stepped in.

“You might see things,” Maggie warned, “but trust me. Everything will be okay.”

For a moment, I just stared at her. Part of me wanted to leave and just ignore this side of her. But since she trusted me enough to let me in. I agreed.

Katie downed her weird little shot. She didn’t even get the cap back on before her eyes rolled back and she slumped over.

Derek herded us into a circle, hand in hand like we were about to sing fucking Kumbaya around a campfire or some shit. Maggie’s hand was warm in mine. The second she squeezed, I felt that same itch I’d been fighting all damn day. Want. Fear. Shame.

Had I not been buddies with Derek, I would have thought this whole goddamn house was insane. Maybe I still did.

I shifted my gaze to Katie.

Her body was… different. Not glowing exactly. More like dim moonlight bled under her skin. Faint. Otherworldly.

My stomach twisted.

This shit wasn’t real. I mean, that’s what the school beat into me.

That’s what I’d told myself for the past thirty-five years.

Ghosts were figments of your imagination trying to hold on to something that it couldn’t process.

So then what the hell did Katie drink? What would make her look like that?

“Maggie—” I croaked.

She whispered something. I didn’t catch it.

Every fiber of my being told me not to trust this. It told me I needed to watch for the smoke and mirrors one of them would be pulling out soon. But instead, I threw that to the back of my mind and closed my eyes.

For the first time in years—I wanted someone to answer back.

When I opened my eyes, Katie rose from the couch like she was floating. Hair moving when there wasn’t a breeze. Her body lit from the inside, all glowing veins and translucent skin. She looked… wrong. But beautiful, in that uncanny, eerie kind of way.

She took my hand, looked straight at me with glowing eyes. “Come on, Grahammy, lighten up. You’ll scare our friends.”

Her voice echoed inside my skull.

“Is there anyone here who would like to speak to Graham?”

That’s when I saw her.

White hair in tight curls. That dress—I remembered it. I shouldn’t, but I did. Soft and rippling like water. She stepped through the circle like it wasn’t even there, her eyes fixed on mine.

Nan.

A choked sob escaped my throat before I could lock it down. “I knew I’d seen you. All these years—it was you.”

The attic shrank around me. Light swirled green and strange and alive. My heart pounded against my ribs like it wanted out.

“He’s here. I can feel him, Maggie. It’s Silas.” Katie pulled my hand to Chad’s and connected them as she released us from her grip. She peeled her clothes from her body, dropping them to the floor without care. Silas took form in that swirling light, and I didn’t want to look but—I couldn’t not.

He touched her. Ghost or not, Katie moaned like God had touched her. Silas slid his hand between her thighs.

What the fuck was this?

But I couldn’t look away.

Because Nan stepped right up to me and laid her hand on my cheek. I nearly collapsed under the weight.

“My sweet child,” she said, and everything inside me cracked open. “I know you saw me that day.”

“She didn’t believe me,” I choked out. “Mom said I was lying. Said I wanted attention. She sent me away—to that place?—”

“I know.”

“They beat it out of me. Every time I said I saw someone. Every time I said your name?—”

Tears burned down my face like acid.

She pressed her forehead to mine. “You did not fail them.”

“I did.”

“You didn’t.”

She whispered so only I could hear, “She’s not angry, Graham. Let her go.”

My knees buckled. “No… don’t say that.” I choked out. “No, I can’t.”

“You can.”

She turned to Maggie and brushed her cheek. “Take care of my boy.”

Then, she was gone.

And I broke.

I let go of Maggie’s hand, and everything around me fractured. I hit the floor hard.

“Graham?”

“MAGGIE, TAKE MY HAND! DON’T brEAK THE CIRCLE!” Derek yelled.

Too late.

Katie screamed, moaned—then collapsed.

Silas exploded into green light and shot into the air like a comet.

“Death evolves when crimson blooms,” a voice rasped through the attic.

Then again.

And again.

Then the light dove—straight into me.

The attic vanished in a burst of white?—

Then nothing.

Just a pressure in my chest, like someone else had drawn the breath for me.