Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,108

that also doesn’t mean the poofing thing isn’t startling.” All chips saved and back in the bag, I rolled the top down and placed it on the counter. “Anyway, I’m guessing you have a message you need me to help you with since you’ve crossed over.”

“How can you—” He faded out without warning, and I found myself staring at the empty space again.

A few seconds later, he started to take form, his messy brown hair showing first and his boyish face next. His slim shoulders appeared, as did his waist, but beyond that? I could see the kitchen island where he legs should’ve been.

“Man, I hate it when that happens.” He shuddered. “Makes me feel like I’m made of wind.”

“I can imagine,” I murmured, trying not to stare at his missing lower half. I knew spirits could be...sensitive about these sorts of things. “Look, I can help you, but you need to tell me what you need before—”

“Before I disappear again? I know. That’s why I bounced before. The longer I’m here, the harder it is for me to stay. I can’t really control it.”

I nodded. “It’s because you’re not supposed to be here, at least not for extended periods of time.”

“I know. That’s what They tell me whenever They catch me leaving. ‘You moved on,’ They say. And it’s okay to check on people I care about, but not too much, because I could get...stuck.”

I had a feeling They were whoever monitored the comings and goings of souls. Probably an angel of the Second Sphere. They were kind of like the Human Resources of Heaven. “What do you mean that you can get stuck?”

“I might not be allowed back in or something. They weren’t very specific,” he explained, and I didn’t find that surprising at all.

“Okay. Then let’s get this show on the road,” I said. “Tell me your name and what you need from me, and maybe I can help.”

“There can’t be any maybes—” He glanced down at himself and grinned. “Hey, my legs are back. Awesome. By the way, did you know that dead jellyfish can still sting you if you step on them?”

I was seriously beginning to think that when people died, they developed a mad case of ADD. I would know, since there was a good chance I had that myself.

“No, I didn’t know that.”

“Sorry.” He lifted his shoulders. “Spewing random facts is a nervous habit of mine.”

“Yeah, that was pretty random.”

“Anyway, I need your help,” he repeated. “Please don’t say no. You’re my only hope.”

I tilted my head. “I’m not your Obi-Wan.”

A goofy grin broke out across his face. “Did you just break out a Star Wars reference? I like you. Look, I’ve been trying to get the message across for weeks, but she’s, well, she’s been hard to reach.” There was a fondness to his tone that was kind of adorable. “I love her with all my heart, but man, she’s not the most observant person in the world.”

I put two and two together. “It’s a girlfriend you need to get a message to?”

His smile slipped as his stare grew distant. “Girlfriend? She was almost...she was almost that.”

The gruffness in his tone tugged at my heart. It might’ve been only a handful of words, but they were full of unachieved potential and heartbreak that made the back of my eyes burn.

Man, I could relate to that.

He looked away. “I need you to get a message to her. That’s all.”

I glanced at the door. “I want to help you, I really do, and I’m not saying I won’t, but you have to realize something. If I tell her whatever you want me to, she’s probably not going to believe me. Based on previous experience, she’ll think there’s something wrong with me.”

“No, she won’t. She... Well, she’s experienced some weird stuff in her life. Maybe not seeing-dead-people level of weird, but definitely some extreme weirdness.” He came closer, flickering again. “Please. It’s important. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I can’t—”

“Leave me alone until I play medium for you, or find real peace until this is achieved?” Nibbling on my thumbnail, I looked at the door again. “Where is she? And how am I supposed to find her? I’m not familiar with this city at all.”

“I can show you. It’s not far from here.”

I hesitated, because this wasn’t like Roth dropping me off in a park. What if the spirit got sucked back to Heaven, and I was out there, unable to see