Haunted Read online

  Haunted

  Danni Price

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2013 Danni Price

  BIN: 06689-02152

  Formats Available:

  Adobe PDF, Epub, HTML,

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  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  315 N. Centre St.

  Martinsburg, WV 25404

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Chrissie Henderson

  Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

  Adult Sexual Content

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

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  Table of Contents

  Haunted

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Danni Price

  Haunted

  Danni Price

  A guy, a girl and a ghost equal one crazy night.

  Quinn loved life. Too bad he’s dead. All in all, dying didn’t get him down. His death had been the thing of bucket lists. In the middle of screwing a knockout blonde, he’d gone out on top. Literally.

  No, the afterlife was what sucked. None of those cheesy shows or bogus mystics ever warned you that you had to spend your death exactly the same way you started it, naked with a perpetual hard-on in a seedy hotel room.

  Virginia hates her job as a medium. When Jake, the hot, but geeky guy next door, enlists her help to uncover the truth about a supposed supernatural sex therapist haunting the local hotel, Virginia thinks the stories are nonsense. Egged on by her best friend, Virginia agrees to spend a weekend in the room and learns, not only is it all true, but the ghost is a total hunk who believes only she can help him move on. Can Virginia help Quinn with his not so little problem and deal with her growing attraction to Jake?

  Chapter One

  Being dead sucked. Being dead in a cheap hotel room with a perpetual hard-on sucked even more.

  Quinn hovered an inch or two above the flimsy particleboard dresser in the sleazy hotel where he’d died. On most days, the afterlife was pretty dull. Times like this were the only time he felt alive, or at least close to it.

  The middle-aged couple who’d taken the room for the night had returned about a half hour ago. Death didn’t inspire him to watch the clock so he couldn’t be sure. The pair, who must be tourists judging by the random knickknacks they’d brought back with them, fooled around on the bed as he watched.

  The portly male half of the duo knelt between the tall brunette’s legs. The man ate pussy like he was afraid it would bite him if he got too close. His tongue snaked out in a quick motion that resulted in almost no real contact.

  Yeah, he’d heard women say even bad head was better than no head, but this one might disagree. As far as Quinn could tell, she was counting ceiling tiles and making no real effort to hide the fact.

  Quinn hopped off the dresser. The tightly woven muscles of his abs clenched in anticipation. Down on his knees beside the man, Quinn whispered, “Stick your face in and lick her clit. It has thousands of nerve endings. Even you can’t screw it up.”

  The living never acknowledged him, but they usually obeyed anyway. Not this guy. Quinn glanced at the wife’s shaved pussy and decided to give her what she needed. He loved women, loved everything about them, but he especially loved making them come so hard they couldn’t think straight for hours afterward.

  He squared his broad shoulders and leaned forward until his mouth was in line with the man’s. Possessing a person was exhausting, but a mouth wasn’t that large a body part. Quinn lapped at her clit with the flat of the man’s tongue until she wrapped her toned thighs around his neck.

  When he sucked her clit into his mouth, she screamed loud enough for the entire motel to hear. Then the moaning started. It wasn’t a shy, trying to hide her excitement, kind of sound, but rather a full-throated cry. His cock twitched in response, but his strength ebbed. And like the first time he made a woman orgasm in this tacky room, everything faded to black.

  Chapter Two

  A spring breeze ruffled Virginia’s hair, loosening a few long, brown strands. She tapped the edge of the wrought iron table with her ring finger and waited for Daphne to arrive. Friends since forever, they’d gone into business together in their hometown of Gettysburg. Virginia ran the occult side of the building, and her friend managed the coffee shop. The strange combination worked well in the small, tourist-friendly town.

  Seated in front of her shop on the patio Daphne had fashioned after an English garden, Virginia pretended not to notice the strange series of looks that Jake, the techy guy from next door, sent her way over his coffee cup. The poor man either wanted her attention or something frightening was caught in her teeth.

  Could this be a pathetic attempt at flirting? It was more creepy than anything else. After five more minutes of his covert glances, she formed a plan. She would face him down. An Internet article alleged it worked on sharks and potential attackers. Okay, with sharks a big stick to poke them with was required. Virginia glanced down at her tote purse and nodded. It would do.

  In a fatal blow to her faith in self-help articles, he stood and walked toward her when she made eye contact. She squinted into the glare of the sun that, massive as all six feet plus of Jake Matthews was, he only partially blocked out.

  “Can I help you?” At five feet five with an average build, Virginia felt petite for the first time in her adult life.

  “I hope so.” He scanned the cafe, before glancing down at her. “Can I sit down?”

  Her mouth hung open as she tried and failed to come up with a response. This was the first time he’d spoken more than two words to her, and considering he serviced their computers every time the antiquated things broke down, it said a lot.

  As she continued to fumble with the English language, he fidgeted with the folder in his hands. “So, can I sit?”

  She glanced at the entrance to the shop. If Daphne didn’t get here soon, Virginia would kill her, slowly. “I guess.”

  A broad smile spread across his face as he dropped into the seat opposite her. A somewhat rumpled manila folder landed on the table between them. Printed on the front in block letters was the name Quinn DePaul. “My name is Jake Matthews. You may not remember --”

  She held up her hand. “Yeah, you’re the computer guy.” Quinn DePaul? Gorgeous Quinn, who all the girls lusted after in high school, including Virginia. “Isn’t he…” She looked from the folder to find Jake studying her with sad eyes.

  “Yes, he died last year. And that’s why I think you may be the only person who can help me.” He remove
d his glasses and wiped the lenses with a napkin. With a start, she realized he was handsome too, but in an understated way with his black-rimmed glasses and conservative clothes.

  “And how is that?”

  He stared down at his hands. “You’re a medium, right? Everyone and the sign on your shop says so.” With a sigh, he pushed the folder toward her. “I’ll be honest. I never believed any of this supernatural stuff before, but something weird is going on.”

  She pushed the folder away at the realization it was going to be one of those conversations. “So if you don’t believe, how am I supposed to help you?” Better yet, why would she want to?

  “My friend died about a year ago.”

  Poor Quinn. People didn’t die at twenty-eight, especially not handsome, athletic ones. “I’m sorry. I really am, but I’m not accepting new clients.” Not since the proceeds from her occult shop afforded her sufficient income to avoid doing so. Someday she hoped to give up working as a medium entirely.

  “Can you at least hear me out? I don’t have anyone else I can go to.” His large hand rested on the folder, fingers splayed. He pushed it forward again. His gaze captured hers. “Please.”

  Her reserve weakened at the waver in his voice. She snatched the folder and flipped it open. The contents started out innocently enough. Quinn had died from a brain aneurysm on a visit home to see his family and friends. Yes, it happened at a value hotel while he screwed some random woman, but nothing looked out of order. Quinn’s promiscuous behavior was a well-known fact in the small city.

  She glanced up at Jake. “I don’t see what the issue is. Yes, it’s tragic he died, but it happened naturally. Souls don’t generally linger on Earth without a reason.”

  The big man with the mocha eyes and caramel-colored skin blushed. Something about him made her want to pounce, tongue first. Either she wanted to sleep with Jake, or reducing him to his food-like qualities meant she wanted dessert. Hell, who was she kidding? She wanted both, preferably at the same time. As if on cue, Daphne arrived to save her from delving too deeply into sticky fantasies.

  Gorgeous in a curvy blonde bombshell kind of way, Daphne attracted men with zero effort. When she came on the scene, Virginia all but disappeared where men were concerned. His gaze flicked over Daphne in her flimsy pink sundress, but returned to Virginia.

  “Please read the whole folder and call me. My contact information is included on the last page.” With one last furtive peek in Daphne’s direction, he jumped up and shoved a hand at Virginia.

  She reared back at the violation of her personal space but shook his hand nevertheless. His touch, so gentle for a man his size, awakened her senses. There was something mesmerizing about the sight of their hands joined. His hand, large and tanned, made her pale skin with its pink undertone appear exotic. Her stomach flip-flopped.

  He didn’t shake her hand, only held onto it a second too long. When Daphne coughed, reality smacked Virginia in the face, and she jerked her hand away.

  The glorious blush returned to the top of Jake’s cheeks in full force. “Okay, thanks. Bye.” Eyes downcast, he murmured a few words in Daphne’s direction and bolted. By some miracle, he returned to his table and threw a few bills down without running into anyone.

  Virginia frowned down at the folder. The last thing she needed was to be dragged into someone else’s emotional train wreck.

  “So are you going to have sex with him, or can I have a go?” Daphne’s over-the-top question pulled Virginia back into the present.

  “What?”

  “Tall, dark and bumbling. You get first rights of course, but since you seem to have no interest in the male gender --”

  “Who says I’m not interested? And he’s not your type. I didn’t hear him objectify a woman once during our conversation.” The idea of Daphne exploring whatever lay hidden under Jake’s geek chic clothes bothered Virginia. And by the devilish twinkle in Daphne’s eyes, the woman knew it.

  “Hey, maybe I’m turning over a new leaf. He’s kind of nerd hot.”

  Virginia rolled her eyes. “It’s a moot point. He wasn’t asking me out. I think he wants me to try to contact his dead friend.”

  Daphne stuck her tongue out. “Bleh. That sucks. Nothing ruins the mood like a corpse.”

  Virginia waved at the nearby waitress to let her know they were ready for their drinks. “Tacky much?”

  Daphne opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself when Mary, the very young and innocent waitress they had hired last week, approached the table with their iced lattes. The moment Mary walked away, Daphne pounced.

  “So what did he want, if it wasn’t to molest you, who, may I add, is in desperate need of molesting?”

  Virginia glanced down at the still open folder. “Let’s see, shall we?” She shuffled through a copy of the death certificate and an obituary. Past the official documents, she found a small stack of news clippings. The headlines weren’t familiar, but based on the most outlandish one, Local Couple Claims Spirit Saved Sex Life, she could guess what Jake was after. With a groan, she checked the date of the earliest article and sure enough it was about a month after Quinn’s death.

  “Only me,” she grumbled while stowing the clippings back into the folder -- but not fast enough. Daphne nabbed one. The giggles started five seconds later.

  “How can you not love your job?”

  Virginia scowled. “Because it’s messy, emotional and people get hurt.”

  “Oh, this one isn’t so bad. Actually, it’s perfect. The article claims the ghost acts like some kind of supernatural sex therapist for the living. It’s just what the doctor ordered for you.” Daphne slid the article toward Virginia.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You do kind of have issues with sex. I love you, but it’s true. Maybe the ghost could help.” Daphne nodded with an apologetic shrug.

  “I don’t have a sex life, therefore, I have none of these supposed issues you speak of.” Virginia sipped her iced latte to emphasize her point.

  “Uh, that’s kind of an issue, and I’m sure your neglected lady parts would agree.”

  Damn her for being right. “It has to be fake anyway. I bet the stories are lies made up by sex addicts.”

  “Actually, most of them appear to be normal respectable people, which you’d know if you read the article. No, I think you’re a big chicken.”

  “Don’t do it, Daph.”

  “Is little Virginia afraid?” Daphne crossed her arms in front of her chest and laid down the ultimate challenge. She clucked and flapped her arms.

  Virginia jumped to her feet. “That’s it. Dare me!”

  A smile spread across Daphne’s face that would have made a shark do a double take. “No backing out. Pinkie swear on it.”

  Pinkie extended, Virginia stretched her hand out across the table. Hands joined, they shook once before letting go. Virginia sat back down and waited for Daphne to name her challenge.

  Her so-called friend licked her lips and set her hands down on the table, leaning forward. “You and the hot geek. Alone. In the motel room. All weekend.”

  “No way. He could be a psycho.”

  “Jake from next door? Nuh-uh.” Daphne’s face scrunched up and she shook her head.

  Virginia’s eyes fell closed and she took a deep breath before answering her friend. “And you know him well enough to make that call?”

  “Of course. Who do you think calls him every time the computers go down? Heck, he doesn’t even charge us half the time, which puts him down for sainthood in my book.” Daphne brought her hands together as if in prayer.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, and the best thing of all is he has a huge, and I mean mammoth, crush on you.”

  “Bullshit.” Virginia crossed her arms in front of her chest and ignored her friend’s smirk.

  “No, very true shit. He’s always trying to sneak in ways to ask about you. Like I couldn’t figure it out.” Daphne rolled her eyes.

  “
Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “If you recall, you were obsessed with his friend even though the guy hasn’t lived in Pennsylvania for years. It seemed nicer to let him at least have a shot at being your friend.”

  Virginia nodded. “Yeah, I might have freaked out if I’d known.”

  “Or worse yet, tried to use it as a way to get at Quinn.”

  “True.” Virginia’s shoulders drooped.

  “So, do you accept?”

  With a tight nod, Virginia drew a circle on the folder with the tip of her pinkie. “I’ll call him tonight.”

  Chapter Three

  When Virginia not only called but proposed they spend the weekend together in a hotel infamous for being haunted by a sex-obsessed ghost, Jake almost dropped the phone. The subsequent week raced by, and before he knew it, they’d checked into the hotel room. Perched on a chair positioned opposite the bed, he watched her unpack.

  “So what makes you think this ghost, if there is indeed a ghost, is your friend?” Her rounded backside stuck up in the air as she dug around in the massive overnight bag she’d brought, but he’d hauled up the stairs.

  He ran his tongue against the back of his teeth. How could he explain this without making his best friend since elementary school sound like a lech? “Well, the incidents started after he died, and this is where it happened.”

  “Yeah, but his death, while sudden, wasn’t violent. Based on the death certificate, I’d wager he was in a pretty good mood, aside from the whole dying thing.”

  “I agree, but everything I’ve read about the nocturnal happenings in this room sounds like Quinn. Believe me, I’m the last person to give stock to supernatural mumbo jumbo. But in this instance, I need to be sure. I owe him that much.”

  The girl he’d had a crush on for the past five years scowled back at him. The stories surrounding her about Ouija boards and strange occurrences freaked him out, but he couldn’t think of anyone else to go to.