Just Lucky that Way (14 page)

"Wanna go and make coffee, Rhys? Me and Alex have to work out who's going to wear the pants."

Rhys gave an exaggerated sigh. "When we left last night, you were clothed. What happened? Alex rip them off you and throw them away in a fit of passion?"

"Uh-huh." Zed wriggled so the blanket inched further down, exposing more of his ass.

"Would you like me to fetch you some clothes?"

"That would be awesome."

"I have no idea how he lost his clothes," Rhys said to Thad as they walked away, their voices fading. "It won't be a simple explanation; it never is with Zed."

Ignoring it all, Zed turned onto his side and wrapped his arms around Alex. "Did I wish you Happy Birthday last night?"

"Twice." Alex rolled his hips against Zed. "Shame we can't have a repeat performance."

Zed lay back down and pulled Alex on top of him. "We can, you'd just better be quick."

"I'm not in the mood for an audience today. Besides we have to figure out how to get the hell outta here before the bitch comes back."

"Boo." Zed laughed anyway. He knew there was no way he'd get sex with people around. Things were different in the light of day. "Wanna get dressed? Is he cute?"

"If you like them like that."

That piqued Zed's interest. "Like what?" He tried to sound like he didn't care.

"Oh, you know... a bit alternative."

"Stan alternative or the guy that works in 'Art of Beauty' alternative?"

"The 'Art of Beauty' guy."

"Mmm, nice."

Alex kissed Zed, his knee settling between Zed's thighs and a hand slipping between them to wreak as much havoc with Zed's cock as it could in the few minutes they had. "You're a slut, Zed Roxbury."

Thrusting into Alex's hand, Zed laughed. "All yours, love."

Alex groaned. "Maybe I should just put a ring on it; save you for later."

"Are they coming back?"

"Mmm-hmm." One last kiss and a hard pull on Zed's cock, and Alex moved away to grab his shorts. He pulled them on while staying hidden under the blanket and was standing by the time Rhys and Thad got back.

Rhys dropped clothes on Zed's head. "C'mon, Zed. Up."

"Already am," Zed mumbled.

"Rhys, do me a favor and check him over?" There was a definite hint of mirth in Alex's voice.

"Why?"

"Um... Opal tried to drown him last night."

The laughter was gone. Completely. In fact, Alex's voice was quivering. No wonder, really. Alex had done the impossible and fought his phobia to save Zed. He was probably wondering how the hell he'd done it.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... dunno. Yes. I just want to get us both... all away from here."

Zed shook out the black tank top and sniffed it. A whiff of Chanel made his nose itch, but at least it didn't reek of the perfume. "Thanks, Rhys."

"No worries, Zed." Rhys touched Alex's arm. "You're sure you're okay?"

"Yes, thanks." Alex turned away and walked up to the house to help Thad brew a pot of coffee and maybe make some toast.

"I'll just get my kit from the car. Need to check your lungs. Though, if you haven't dropped dead yet, chances are you're not going to."

"Oh, good." Zed was sure that he was fine. He'd survived sex and a sleep, but he knew Alex worried about him. It was kinda sweet, actually. Even though, when he worried about Alex, Alex hated it.

He pulled on the pair of cargo shorts and tank top that Rhys had grabbed for him, then sat and willed his semi-erection away just a bit more.

By the time Rhys loped back, Zed's creative thinking about Opal and cold ponds had just about done its job.

"So," Rhys started, and sat on the blanket. "Tell me what happened."

"I went for a swim, and Opal tried to drown me." Well, fuck, didn't that sound stupid? Knowing what they knew about the ghost.

Rhys just nodded, as if he expected Zed to do something like that.

"What?"

"Nothing. Then what?"

"Alex rescued me and resuscitated me, and I'm fine."

"Resuscitated? You stopped breathing?" Rhys picked up Zed's hand and felt for his pulse, counting the beats. "You're determined to die young and stay pretty, aren't you?"

"Don't want to be an ugly corpse." Zed tried to keep the mood light, even though it was just occurring to him how serious it had been. If Alex hadn't been there or had hesitated a moment longer... "I'm fine."

"I'll be the judge of that." Rhys pulled his stethoscope from his bag. "It won't take long. Pull your shirt up."

***

"Sure, I can do an exorcism," Thad was saying as Zed and Rhys approached. "I just need a ghost."

"Well, here's the guy that can summon her." Alex held his arm out for Zed to move into his embrace. "Thad, meet Zed."

Zed shook the offered hand. "Hi, Thad. I don't know if I can summon her, she just appears." He smiled warmly. Alex was right; Thad was much like the body piercer at 'Art of Beauty', similar sort of eclectic-punk style. Spiky green hair, green eyes that looked like they missed very little, silver rings in eyebrow, nose and bottom lip, faded black Sex-Pistols tank top that showed off several music themed tattoos, and old blue denim cut offs.

"She tried to kill you?"

Zed nodded. But he'd received a clean bill of health from Rhys. Even if he had been advised to visit his doctor when he finally got home. "Mmm, so I'm in no hurry for her to reappear." He took the cup of coffee that Alex offered and decided that a subject change was in order. "How do you know Tania?"

"She does my hair."

Zed raised an eyebrow. He hadn't thought the salon Tania worked at catered for men with green hair. He'd thought that Suzette's was more of a salon that catered to ladies after rinses and perms. And there was no way Thad was a lady. Pretty as he was, he was still a man. That tight denim testified to that. And the lean body. Nothing soft there; all man.

"You know," Thad started. He was looking at Zed critically. "I checked this Lucky character out online and you look a bit like him. Similar dark hair and eyes. Your build is much the same, but Lucky was a bit shorter and heavier. I wonder if she--"

"Thinks he's Lucky," Rhys finished. "That would make sense, the way she was with him. Obsessive almost. And jealous."

"She did keep saying that Zed had promised her forever and that he'd promised he'd always love her." Alex added his two cents worth and dropped his arm around Zed's neck. "So drowning him is a good way to keep him with her?"

Thad gave a rueful smile and shrugged. "Never said ghosts were logical."

"What do you know about them?" Zed asked. "How many have you seen? How many have you got rid of?"

"I know they're all different, like they were when they were people. They have their own agendas and reasons why they're hanging around. Some don't even realize they're dead," Thad explained. "I've seen a couple and felt a few and managed to get rid of about five. If they're determined to stay, it's harder to move them. And if they don't know they're dead... forget it."

"Opal knows she's dead. And she knows Lucky killed her," Zed said. He poured himself another coffee. It seemed like a day where he'd need a few.

"Do you get the impression she likes being here?"

"I kinda got the impression that she wouldn't mind where she was as long as Lucky was with her."

Thad clicked his tongue piercing against his teeth. It annoyed Zed, although he wasn't immune to the appeal of them. On other people. Stan had opened his eyes to quite a few kinks, it seemed.

"So, where is she?"

Zed shrugged. "Do I look like I care?"

"You might want to if you want to leave here."

"Maybe she's gone," Alex suggested. "Try the cars."

Zed patted his pockets before realizing that the shorts that had his car keys in the pocket were at the bottom of the pond. And there was no way he was going back in there again. Not until he was sure Opal had gone. "My keys are at the bottom of the pond."

"Anyone feel like a swim?" Alex asked.

"Not on your life. Zed probably annoyed her even more. She might be willing to take anybody," Rhys said, as if annoying people was a specialty of Zed's.

"Can you call her?" Thad asked.

"Never tried." Zed sighed. "But you want me to, right?"

Thad nodded.

"She will likely be pissed. Rhys is right; I have that effect on some people."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, but I do have that knack." Zed laughed. "Even Alex says I'm a spoiled brat."

"You are. Hey, maybe we should let Opal have you. She'd throw you back after a few days." Alex laughed.

"There's no coming back from where she wants to take me." Might as well get it over with. The sooner Opal manifested, the sooner Thad could send her to where ghosts go and the sooner they could go home. "Opal!" Fuck, he felt like an idiot.

"Are you ready to come with me?" Opal appeared in front of Zed. Her striking violet gaze held him.

Zed shook his head, breaking the semi-hypnotic gaze. "Nope."

"When will you learn that we were meant to be together -- forever?" Opal whipped around to look at the others, stopping at Alex. "Your friends can't help you."

"Hopefully," Zed looked pointedly at Thad, "they can." He nodded and widened his eyes in question.

"I'll give it my best shot." Thad nodded.

"You can't harm me. But --" Opal smiled. It held such malice that Zed took a step back. "I can harm you."

"No!" Zed shouted, as Alex was lifted several feet into the air and slammed back down to earth. With a cry, he dropped to his knees next to Alex's unconscious body. Rhys was there almost as quickly, checking for a pulse and broken bones.

"I'll start with him. No one can replace me! Together forever you said. You promised nothing would come between us!"

"You've got a lot of power for a little thing," Thad said.

Opal, who had been floating near Zed, turned and drifted over to Thad. "You weren't here before."

"No."

"Why are you here now? You can't have him."

"Neither can you if he doesn't want to be with you."

"But he does, he always has. Until -- she came and ruined everything."

"Who came?" Thad asked.

"Rose, that harlot! Seducing my Lucky!" Opal turned her attention back to Zed, who was keeping half an eye on the conversation between Thad and Opal and half an eye on Alex. "And you... You said there was nothing going on between you two. But I caught you... You lied to me!"

"Fuck's sake," Zed muttered. "Is it any wonder I can't be bothered with girls?" He addressed Rhys. "Alex'll be okay?"

"We really need to get him away from here. Or you need to keep away from him." Rhys answered, with sound logic. "She's picking on him because she's jealous." He nodded. "I won't know 'til he wakes up, but I think he'll be fine, just sore."

Zed considered that. Of course Opal was jealous. So jealous that she might kill Alex? Zed sincerely hoped not. He'd been hoping that when Opal saw that he wasn't interested in her -- or girls for that matter -- she'd back off. But it seemed she wasn't one for giving up. Eliminating the competition could be her way of getting what she wanted. Zed briefly wondered what had become of Rose, the harlot.

He stroked his knuckles down Alex's cheek and vowed to ignore their relationship until Opal had been dispatched. He hoped Thad worked quickly.

"What if I don't want you?" Zed asked Opal. "What if I want... someone else? You can't make me love you."

"Yes, I can!" Opal snapped and disappeared as quickly as she'd arrived.

Thad raised his eyebrows. "Feisty." He turned to Zed. "Seems you do bring out the worst in people."

"Not all the time, I hope. Besides, she's not a people." He glanced over at Alex, who'd opened his eyes but was still lying on the grass. Rhys was talking to him quietly, urging him to stay put.

"Rhys is right, I think. Maybe you'd better stay away from Alex for now. I have to wonder if Opal killed her rival." Thad reclaimed Zed's attention.

"I wondered that, too. Think you can get rid of her?"

Thad nodded. "Shouldn't be a problem once I figure out what she needs." He laughed. "No, not you."

"Good." Relieved, Zed grinned. "Is this your job? Ghost hunter slash exorcist?"

"Nope." Thad laughed. "Not enough work in it, except for those guys on TV. I work in a New Age store in the mall."

Zed nodded, figuring that gave Thad all the qualifications he needed. "Same mall where Tania works?" Great, small talk when they should be setting up an exorcism.

Thad nodded. "Okay, let's get this done. Hopefully it won't take long. Depends how much of a struggle she puts up, I guess."

"Do I need to do anything?"

"Nope, but I'll probably use you anyway. There's a bit of planning to do." Thad turned and walked back to the car.