Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1)(92)
Author: Kristen Ashley

She got to the top of the stairs and they heard a grunt. Honor was there too and Abby, Fenella and Honor looked over the balustrade and down the stairs to see Angus falling, his kilt awhirl, Vivianna drifting after him.

“Angus!” Abby screamed, not thinking and running toward the fallen Scotsman.

When she turned on the landing, she saw Angus was at the bottom, on his side, his head came up and he boomed, “No, lassie! Go the other way!”

But Abby kept moving toward him and Vivianna came at her again. They collided, the purple sparks flew and Vivianna reeled back. Apparently aided by the velocity Abby was going, this time Vivianna went far further, sailing down the stairs, past Angus, into and through the inner hall and right through a wall.

Abby, however, had been ready for it and when they collided, she shoved her foot into the stairwell to keep herself steady and then threw herself forward. She descended the rest of the stairs and crouched by Angus.

“Are you hurt?” she asked as she heard Fenella and Honor come rumbling down the stairs behind her.

“Get her outta here!” Angus roared.

“Are you hurt?” Abby shouted.

“Let’s go. Go, go, go, go, go!” Honor yelled, pulling Abby up but Vivianna had melted back through the wall and was nearly upon them.

Abby’s hand went to the leather around her neck. She yanked the necklace over her head, threw it to the ground and stomped on it with her heel.

A purple mist immediately blew up, enveloping them. Abby bent low, her hands grasping Angus under his armpit, she tugged up with superhuman effort, got him to his feet and the four of them ran, awkwardly, through the inner hall, into the outer hall, out the entrance lobby and into the night. The whole time they ran, the purple mist followed them.

And they kept running, Abby dragging Angus, until they’d gone out the gate at the side of the castle, down the steep hill, through the castle’s outer wall, down a winding path into town and past several storefronts. Once they hit town, the mist evaporated.

There, Angus pulled Abby to a halt and stopped, bent over, hand to his side, and wheezed.

“Are you okay?” Abby asked, crouching low and looking up at him.

“Lassie,” he rasped, took in a deep breath, then panted, “when I say go,” he took in another breath and gasped, “you better bloody well go!”

They heard running steps and Cassandra approached, stopping on a skid.

Abby stood up and Cassandra’s eyes fell on her, dropping immediately to her sweater.

“What happened?” she asked.

“She attacked,” Fenella told Cassandra.

Cassandra looked at Angus. “Did you get her?”

“No I didn’t get her,” Angus snapped, straightening. “The she-bitch bested me,” he looked mortified for a moment then bellowed, “She bested A McPherson!”

“Be quiet,” Honor hissed, “we’re in town.”

Abby turned to Cassandra and announced, slowly, clearly and loudly, “Your… amulet… rocked!”

Cassandra leaned back, put her hands on her h*ps and smiled. “Did the trick, eh?”

“It rocked!” Abby repeated, incapable of further speech.

“I’m good with a charm,” Cassandra informed her.

“Well, you better make sure we all have some,” Angus announced. “Vivianna knows she’s met her match. She might have been surprised Abby had magic tonight, but she’ll no’ make that mistake again.”

Abby looked at Fenella and Honor, her shoulders drooping, and she muttered, “Great.”

“Don’t worry. I have some other tricks up my sleeve,” Cassandra said so confidently, Abby actually believed her.

Then, to her surprise, Angus grinned at Abby, “Lucky for you, lass, now I know what I’m up against. And The McPhersons got more tricks than a spirit-bitch-from-hell, believe you me.”

Fenella got close and put her arm around Abby’s waist. “Well that sounds good, doesn’t it?” she asked.

Abby, who would vastly prefer not to be battling a ghost and that night she’d learned exactly what that meant and it petrified her, had to admit Fenella was right.

* * * * *

It didn’t occur to Abby, until she quietly closed and locked Cash’s front door, that she’d forgotten to phone him when she left the castle.

This wasn’t surprising, considering she was freaked out when she’d left the castle. And this freak out meant she had to concentrate on her driving and, therefore, she hadn’t thought to call Cash. Instead, her thoughts had centred on getting home in one piece.

It wouldn’t do to survive Vivianna only to die in a tragic car accident.

Although it was late, the castle more than an hour’s drive away, she wasn’t surprised to see no light shining from upstairs but a light coming from the back hall.

This indicated Cash was downstairs, likely working, maybe drinking a whisky, maybe getting concerned (or more likely angry) waiting for her call.

She took off her coat and soundlessly hooked it on the banister with her purse and she headed downstairs.

Her shoes were quiet, the rubber soles making no noise.

This was how she could get through the house and down the stairs without Cash hearing.

Or, more to the point, this was how she could get through the house and down the stairs without Cash and Suzanne hearing.

For Suzanne was there.

Abby knew this because, four steps from the bottom, she turned her head and she saw them in the kitchen.

She saw them in the kitchen, embracing.

More than embracing.

One of Suzanne’s arms was locked around Cash’s neck, her other hand in his hair, her body was pressed to his. His hands were gripping her waist just above her hips. Her lips were on his, his were on hers and both of their mouths were open.

Abby felt her heart clench as her stomach lurched and neither of these felt good.

In any way.

So, unfortunately, when she spoke, her voice held a fierce tremor that betrayed her emotion when she asked what was supposed to come out coolly, “Am I interrupting something?”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Abby Tells Cash

At the sound of her voice, Cash threw Suzanne away from him and Abby watched as she flew several steps back, her hands going behind her, she collided with the counter.

Her eyes went to Abby and her expression could only be described as smug.

Then Abby heard Cash ask bitingly, “Where the f**k have you been?”

Abby’s gaze shot to Cash and he was standing, turned to her, hands on hips, staring at Abby, looking angry.