Chapter Six

~ Declan ~

I turned the SUV around and drove back toward the cabin. Julian’s laugh was still in my head. He was close. He wouldn't have called if he wasn't nearby. I pressed the gas and kept my eyes on the dirt road. I didn't think about the debt, I only thought about Norah.

The woods were dark. I reached the clearing and stopped the car near the porch. The front door was open and the wood around the lock was broken. I got out and walked inside.

"Norah," I called out.

She didn't answer.

I walked into the living room. A chair was tipped over. A lamp lay shattered on the floor. Glass broke under my boots as I moved toward the kitchen. The back door was open. I saw mud on the floor. I followed the tracks into the trees and kept my hand on my gun.

"Norah!" I shouted.

A shadow moved near a tree. I pointed my weapon at the shape. Norah stepped into the light. She leaned against an oak. Her dress was torn at the shoulder. Her hair had leaves in it.

"You're late," she said.

I lowered the gun. My heart was hitting my ribs. I stood a few feet away from her.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

"I tripped," she said. She showed me a cut on her palm. "One of them grabbed me. I got away before he had a grip."

"Where are they?" I asked.

"Gone," she said. She wiped the blood on her skirt. "They heard your car. They thought you had the pack."

She walked toward the house. She stumbled over a root. I reached out and took her arm to steady her, her skin was cold and she was shaking.

"We're leaving," I said.

"Where?" she asked.

"Somewhere safe," I said. I led her to the SUV.

I helped her into the seat and locked the door. I walked to the driver's side and found my phone on the floor. A message was on the screen from the unknown number.

She's fast, Declan. But ghosts always return to the graveyard.

I deleted it and I looked at Norah. She was looking out the window, her hands were on her lap.

"Norah," I said.

"What?"

"Don't run from me again," I said. "Next time, I might not find you first."

She didn't say anything. I drove back toward the city. The sun was coming up. I didn't go to the hotel. I drove to a warehouse in the industrial district. I stopped the car and looked at her.

"Out," I said.

"This isn't a house," Norah said.

"It's mine," I said.

I led her inside. The room had no windows. There were computer screens on the walls and a bed in the back. Elias was sitting at a table with a laptop. He looked at me.

"The Kranes hit the south docks," Elias said.

"The shipment?" I asked.

"Burned," Elias said. "They left a message."

He showed me a photo on his screen.

Someone had carved words into the wood of the pier: The Ghost belongs to us.

Norah looked at the screen. Her face went white.

"They're coming for me," she said.

"They're going to try," I said. I turned to her. "But you're going to give them what they want."

"What?"

"You're going back in," I said. "Julian thinks you're scared. We'll use that."

I took a small silver jammer out of a locker and gave it to Elias.

"You'll meet Julian tonight," I told Norah.

"Tell him you're running from me. Lead him to the trap."

Norah looked at the device.

"What if he knows I'm lying?" she asked.

I walked to her. I stopped right in front of her.

"Then you'd better be a good actress," I said.

The metal door of the warehouse screeched open. Men in black clothes ran inside. They pointed guns at me. Julian walked into the middle of the room, he had a gold coin in his hand.

"I told you, Declan," Julian said. "Ghosts return to the graveyard."

He looked at Norah.

"I'm here for my property," Julian said.

He walked forward and looked at the guns. Then he looked at Norah.

"She doesn't belong to you," I said.

Julian threw a paper onto the table.

"Your father-in-law signed this three days ago," Julian said. "He sold the girl to me."

I looked at the paper. It had Norah’s name on it. Her father’s signature was at the bottom.

"It's a fake," I said.

"The pack elders said it's real," Julian said. He grabbed Norah’s arm. "She’s mine by law. Step back, or my men will kill you."

Norah looked at the paper. She breathed fast. Then she stepped toward Julian.

"I'll go," she said.

"Norah, no," I said. I reached for her.

She turned to me, her face was blank.

"He’s right," she said. "I'm a ghost. It's time I went back."

Julian laughed. He pulled her against his side and headed for the door.

"See you at the auction," Julian said. "She's the main event."

The door slammed. The room was quiet. Elias looked at me.

"What now?" he asked.

I looked at the spot where she had been.

"Get the car," I said. "We're going to the auction."