Contemporary Paranormal Fantasy Book Series

Gods & Ghosts by Cynthia D. Witherspoon & T.H. Morris

Series Excerpt

Jonah was pissed.

But it was a multilayered thing.

So, he had encountered the Sirens. The Sirens. He’d always found them creepy when he read about them as a kid, but he always wrote it off as mythology.

Well, that same mythology had just entered his consciousness and screwed with his emotions. He even had cuts and scrapes on his lower legs from the experience.

Why did those psycho bitches have to go into his mind and do that? Anyone who knew him knew all about his writing troubles. So for them to go inside his mind and fabricate an illusion of his success infuriated him hugely. After what he’d gone through with the 49er and the Haunts, he had pretty much had it with people messing around in his head.

He’d managed to fight them off and win. He remained safe because something “tethered him to the truth,” as Cyrus put it. It had been quick thinking on his part to throw out that quote that his Nana used to say. That part was true.

But it wasn’t thoughts of Nana that saved him. The truth would remain in his head, though. He’d be damned if he discussed that with Cyrus and Eva around.

Eva…

Jonah sighed. He had been certain that his disdain for her would remain absolute. He hadn’t viewed her much better than he viewed Turk Landry. It also didn’t help matters that the first thing she asked for when they got to the estate was a drink. But his disdain had been shaken by Jonathan’s and Cyrus’s explanations.

He was now convinced that the whole “bitch” thing was a front. He didn’t know at first, but when she said that she could relate to how he felt as the Blue Aura, a glimmer of her true self shone through. It happened again when she looked on Joey’s phone and saw that her eyes were green again. That scared the shit out of her. So much so that her mask slipped again. Eva had that bitch mask on to hide fear.

This Elliott guy, the murderer, had Eva so frightened that she had to piss people off to hide it.

What had she gotten them into?

Terrence stood up and extended his hand.

"You owe me twenty bucks."

"What? What for?"

"You know what for. That psychic was right on the money. My money. Pass it over."

"Hell no," Jonah scoffed. "She said I'd fall in love with her. That I'd be rich and get a golden parachute. Superstar doesn't look like she's about to give us handouts."

"Come on, J! You just met her!" Terrence began to tick off his points with each finger. "Blonde? Check. Golden eyes? Check. Gold? Olympus counts, so check. Insanely wealthy? Also check. And did I mention famous? Triple check."

"I'll see you, and I will raise you." Jonah ticked off his own fingers. "Blonde? Coincidence. Golden eyes are kinda green now. Olympus. Eh. Wealthy and famous, but on T.V., not movies."

"Fine. I'll raise you." Terrence seemed to be getting way too much amusement out of this. "Blonde? Natural. Golden eyes? Green came and went so that don't count. Olympus? It's real, dude. T.V. famous is still famous. The woman never said movie star, just entertainment. You were the one who threw in movies. And how are you gonna explain why you keep stealing glances at her? You already falling, and you know it."

"Falling? I'm on watch." Jonah shrugged. "This lady is a magnet for trouble. Plus, she is afraid and doesn't want us knowing. I'm not stealing glances. I'm observing."

"Uh huh. Ok," Terrence nodded. "Then you won't care if I try to take my shot. You know how many magazines I got saved up just because she does pin-up shoots? That girl is sexy as hell."

"Shoot your shot, brother," Jonah said. "Hopefully, she'll be enthralled. Cyrus won't approve, just so you know."

Terrence raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't the response I was expecting."

"I know what you're trying to do here. It ain't happenin'. Besides, I got Vera-"

"Who runs off every chance she gets and barely gives you the time of day." Terrence snorted. "Reena! Tell J. to give me my money back."

Reena abandoned her conversation with Joey and approached them.

"What money?"

"The twenty bucks from the psychic. J. doesn't believe that Eva is the one she was talking about and he won't listen to reason."

Reena laughed. "Yeah, J. You lost this one. Pretty decisively."

"Ok. Look, there's absolutely nothing there. Nothing."

"Yeah? I'll believe that when pigs fly." Reena smirked. "You two keep playing the 'I hate you' game to hide the fact that you just want to rip each other's clothes off."

"Reena!"

"It's true." She shrugged. "I know that look on a woman's face. She got hit by lightning when she saw you. Now, she don't know what to do about it."

"Hit by lightning?" Jonah frowned. "She's been a Mean Girl...a Karen ever since we've met! For the smart one, you kinda overshot that one."

"It's a front, J.," Reena rolled her eyes. "I told you that she's scared. On that same note, you've been an asshole to her. Why? Are you trying to deny how you feel or something?"

"Hell no," Jonah muttered. "I saw her asshole, and matched her. It was that simple."

"Ok." Reena nodded. "So if she came over and kissed you right now, you'd push her away? Or would you get into it?"

"That's never going to happen."

"That's not an answer."

"But it's the answer you got," Jonah said. "She's got the old guy, anyway."

"I think that's just for appearances sake." Reena tapped her fingers against her chin. "Notice how they barely interact with each other? That doesn't scream red hot romance to me."

"Why are we even having this discussion?"

"Because its fun to torture you?"

"Funny."

"I'm gonna go talk to her. See if I can shoot that shot we talked about." Terrence clapped Jonah on the shoulder. "Since you don't mind and all."

"I don't," Jonah said heartily. "It's just...she has Old Dusty. Brace yourself."

"Where'd she go?"

"She went out to get some air." Jonah responded. "The front porch. Probably."

"Good. That means she's alone." Terrence grinned. "Wish me luck."

Terrence started to walk away, but got ten steps before he threw up his hands and stormed back over to them.

"What? I thought you were going to shoot that shot."

"And I thought you were going to try and stop me! What the hell, J.?"

"Why would I stop you?" Jonah said in an innocent tone. "I'm interested to see if she shoots you down, or lovingly lets you down. Because it ain't gonna work."

"And why is that, exactly?" Terrence crossed his arms over his chest. "Because of the old dude? If she's the vapid celebrity type, then the old dude don't matter."

"She just...seems like she needs a Hollywood type," Jonah said. "Not you know, us bumpkins. For God's sakes, you invite her to a barbecue, she'll probably shoot it down and say she only eats grass-fed, free-range cardboard."

"Stop torturing me, J.! Alright. Fine. I'll go talk to her for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah. I already told her that you weren't really an asshole and that we've been through a lot lately. When I walked her to her room." Terrence grinned. "She thanked me for my insight of removing all the mirrors so she wouldn't have to worry about a spirit trying to come through. Cause I - unlike you - recognize a good thing when I see it."

Jonah shrugged, feeling a relief he didn't understand. "This has been fun, y'all. I'll be in the weight room. If you shoot your shot or what have you, you can come by and tell me how good it went."

"Will do-"

Terrence stepped back in a moment later with a frown on his face. He crossed over to them.

"That was fast."

"Eva's not outside." Terrence shook his head. "At least, not on the porch. You didn't see her come through, did you?"

"Haven't seen her, brother," Jonah said. "I'm sure she wouldn't be in the gym."

"She would have walked right by us." Reena tugged her ponytail down then put it right back up. "Maybe she went for a walk on the grounds."

"Dammit," Terrence sighed. "I just got my courage up. I'll try again tonight. Maybe I can walk her to her room."

"Maybe she'll invite you in." Reena grinned.

"Have fun, man," Jonah told him, oddly relieved again. "And when you're disappointed, come find me. We can game, okay?"

"I'm not getting under your skin at all, am I?"

"Would it make you feel better if you were?" Jonah asked.

"Yes because then I would know I'm right and you would give me my twenty bucks back!"

"Terrence!" Reena laughed. "So your whole schiek has been to get twenty bucks? What would you have done if she said yes?"

"You know what I would do, Re." Terrence pulled out his phone and showed them a screenshot of Eva. It was an obvious photoshoot, but she was dressed in nothing but a tiny skirt as she walked down a beach. "I'd take care of things."

Jonah took a breath, but shook his head. "That's stalker-y, man."

"It's only stalkerish if I actually tried to contact her. Who knew she'd show up here?" Terrence tucked his phone away. "I mean, other than that psychic."

"You better lock your phone," Jonah said. "If she sees that, she'll put you away in the prison everyone wanted to put Kevin Spacey in."

"She'll never see it." Terrence shrugged. "Just like Charlize Theron will never see her pictures on my phone. Or-"

"You have more than one?"

"I'm a man, Re. Of course I do. And we're getting off topic. How are we gonna actually set Jonah up with Eva so I can get my money back?"

"Dude, if the twenty means that much to you, I'll PayPal you," Jonah said. "You will not be my gilded pimp."

"I'm not gilded, I'm golden." Terrence grinned widened. "I think you're afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that something might happen to make you happy. You get nervous when shit gets too good, J."

""I'm good, brother," Jonah insisted. "No nerves. Though I'd like to know why she's so scared."

"I think it has to do with Elliott."

"What's his story anyway?" Jonah shook his head. "I don't get how someone who is immortal could be afraid of anything."

"Elliott is just an ass, dude. He's pretty much known for it." Terrence shook his head. "He's the creative director and co-host of the show, so he determines their locations. But he is forever sticking Eva in situations where she ends up either hurt or traumatized."

"Traumatized?"

"Yeah. Like, in their first season. One of the clients died of a heart attack right in front of her. The season finale? He had her be bait for a rapey spirit who turned out to be a flesh and blood employee of the hotel they were at. You know that shit had to leave its mark."

Jonah frowned. "And the boss of the show...agrees to this shit? What kind of people does she work for? Good ol' boys?"

"Yeah. Elliot is the son of the CEO and founder of Theia. Their staff have all been there forever, so they go along with all kinds of things. As long as Grave keeps bringing in the big bucks, nobody dares to step in."

"So the more successful Eva is, the more danger she gets put in," Jonah said. "Great."

"Exactly." Terrence glanced back at the front door. "Forbes reported that she takes home nearly three hundred thousand per episode now. That's before her percentage of the ad revenue. And each season is twenty-two episodes long, so you can do the math on that."

"No wonder she's rich as fuck," Jonah said.."I hope she invests most of it."

"What she doesn't invest, she gives to charity. It's that Hollywood liberal influence."

"Are you seriously talking like that's a bad thing?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying that there's more to her than her looks, is all."

"Uh huh," Jonah said. "They believed the same thing about Miley Cyrus. Then she released Bangers, and everything went to shit."

"You can't put those two in the same category." Terrence shook his head. "Eva lays low, which is why the paparazzi love to ambush her. Her only scandal has been this supposed suicide attempt which we all know was false."

"What happened exactly?"

"Nobody except Eva and Cyrus really know. She was in Charleston for her parents' funeral back in the fall. The papers reported that she jumped out of a four-story building, but there's holes in that story."

"Holes?" Reena decided to rejoin their conversation. "Like what?"

"She had a wicked stab wound in her side right where her mark of the Sibyl is." Terrence leaned in like he was giving them good gossip. "And there was evidence that she had been in a physical fight prior to that. Busted face, fist bruises, shit like that."

"Well she's immortal, supposedly?" Jonah said. "In Greek mythology, the only thing that could injure an immortal was Athena's Blade. Assuming, of course, that's real. So unless Elliott shanked her with that, she'd be hard pressed to prove her story. "

"What do you know of Athena's Blade?"

The three of them turned to see Cyrus standing close by. He studied Jonah with a cold expression.

"I've read mythology." Jonah shrugged. "That was one thing that stuck with me."

"What happened in that hotel room, Cyrus?" Reena frowned. "Seriously?"

"Eva is a very...fragile...individual." He responded. "It would be best for everyone involved if our worlds did not mix together."

"Dude, we ain't the one that mixed us together," Jonah reminded Cyrus. "That was your boy Apollo. So if you're butthurt about that, kindly don't take it out on us."

"Besides all that," Terrence said with a frown, "What's the deal with that, man? If l didn't know any better, I'd say that you're telling us Eva can only have friends you give her permission to have. Please tell me I'm assuming wrong."

"It is my duty to make sure Eva is protected." Cyrus gave them a tight smile. "Anyone who attempts to become friends with the Sibyl must be vetted and they must be able to hold their own."

"You are the one who does the vetting?" Reena asked. "Sounds like that's a job for Apollo, don't you think? It just seems like a weird thing that you would be the final say on that."

"Then allow me to clarify." Cyrus sounded annoyed. "Eva doesn't have friends. It is far too dangerous for her and for them. I ask that each of you keep your distance from her while we are here. Jonah's dream of the Sirens is proof enough of how dangerous it is to be under the same roof with her."

"Ain't happening, bro," Jonah said. "Jonathan brought you guys into our zone. There will be no reticence on our end. If Apollo declared it, whatever, but...and no disrespect to you, bro, but...your word isn't enough. Eva has no friends because you call it? Uh uh. Sorry."

"We shall see."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said." Cyrus stuffed his hands in his suit pants pockets. "If Apollo deems it so, then we will follow his directive. Yet, that directive will be over soon. If you must aid Eva in filming her show, then so be it. But don't expect anything further than that."

Jonah's eyes narrowed. Something about that way Cyrus said that didn't sit well with him. "No expectations either way, man. I'm just saying that Eva is a grown woman, with her own mind, and own opinions and viewpoints. I say this with full respect, no one here needs to talk to you first. If you were her publicist, yeah. But you're the muscle. Nothing personal. Just a different set of rules."

"Muscle, yes. I suppose so."

"Speaking of," Terrence spoke up. "Where were you when Elliot pushed Eva out of that window?"

"You are assuming Lancaster was involved."

"Eva said-"

"Eva says a lot of things in an attempt to keep her public persona intact, Terrence."

"Oh," Reena said in a knowing tone. "It's like that."

"Like what, dear Reena?"

"Don't call me, 'dear,'" Reena said, "And it's like the situation where you prefer the narrative controlled as much as possible. Why is that, Cyrus? Why do you feel that Eva needs to be micromanaged?"

"As I said, my charge is an extremely fragile individual," His eyes darkened as he turned to Reena. "And given the dangers she faces on a daily basis, it is imperative that as much control as possible is utilized to ensure her safety. Eleventh Percenters face dangers, yes, but not to this extreme. I would prefer that you not put ideas to the contrary in the Sibyl's mind. My job is hard enough as is."