Good Will Ghost Hunting: Demon Seed [Good Will Ghost Hunting 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (8 page)

After several weeks in Tampa, Kal received news that the network had set up a huge out-of-town shoot in Gainesville. Kal had never been there before. They would investigate two locations over several days. She packed for the trip, relieved to know she’d be riding with Aidan. She’d come to look forward to road trips with him, enjoyed the hours spent laughing at his goofy sense of humor and their playful banter.

All in all, in the time she’d been part of the Otherworlds crew she’d spent maybe a total of six hours in close proximity to Will Hellenboek. All of that time with his stony, unsmiling gaze trying to focus anywhere but on her.

The Great Brooding One really was a mystery of epic proportions. Perhaps the show should investigate
him
.

Kal had learned to not ask Aidan too much about Will, because he wouldn’t answer and it made him uncomfortable ducking her questions. Instead, she observed. She got good at eavesdropping on their conversations in the office and watching Will’s interactions with others in a group. Will never smiled, but no one got the same chilly reception she did.

She was the only girl on the crew.

Come to think of it, the only times she saw Will interact with women were in restaurants or with hotel staff. Even those conversations he kept to clipped, short exchanges, the bare minimum needed to complete a transaction. Oddly enough, fans didn’t seem to be an issue. When she went out alone with Aidan—which was most of the time, because he’d apparently adopted her—it wasn’t unusual for their meal to be interrupted by a fan looking for an autograph. Will’s chilly essence kept fans away, almost to the point they didn’t seem to recognize him in public despite his wild popularity. Kal couldn’t ever remember seeing a fan approach Will. Aidan, and to a lesser extent Purson and Gery and some of the investigators, were always asked to sign autographs or have pictures taken.

They reached their motel and settled in for the evening. Her room was next to Aidan’s. After eating dinner with the crew and other investigators—this time all men—Aidan invited himself over to Kal’s room for a few games of poker.

He delighted teaching her the game, and she admitted she enjoyed it. They never played for money, although Aidan couldn’t help teasing her about one day coaxing her into strip poker.

She got the distinct impression he only teased though, and wasn’t seriously flirting.

No surprise, Will didn’t eat breakfast with them the next morning. Kal spent the day with Aidan, scouting the locations and taking notes, coordinating with the film crew for B-roll opportunities and setup shots. Lunchtime, no Will. Aidan assured her that The Great Brooding One was fine and simply holed up in his room taking care of other business. But from the set of Aidan’s jaw and tone of voice, Kal knew he was covering for Will. Again. Most likely Will was staying away because of her.

On the one hand it irritated her, and she took it personally. Was she so horrible to work with that he couldn’t bear the sight of her? She had no problems with any other crew members or investigators. That left Will as the common denominator.

He’d have to suck it up or he’d have eleven miserable months ahead of him.

Will blew off another preproduction meeting before dinner. Then the crew took an hour of free time before heading to the first location.

Kal rode from the hotel with Aidan. She knew he hadn’t told Will she’d be on location tonight—Will thought she’d be working with the second film crew at the other location—and hoped the fireworks would be kept to a minimum.

“I’m sick of this,” she groused. “What is his deal, anyway? Just tell me and get it over with,” she demanded as a way of breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a terrible liar,” she said.

She couldn’t read the emotion behind his smile. “So I’ve been told.”

“Then answer my question.”

“What question?”

“What is. The deal. With Will?” Not that she expected Aidan’s answer to be any different than all the other times she’d asked him that exact same question.

“He’s a very private guy, sugar. He’d have my balls if I talk to you about him.”

“Why doesn’t he want women on any of the shoots? I deserve an answer.”

Aidan nervously shifted behind the wheel. She knew his fidgeting was more than trying to get comfortable. “He just doesn’t. It’s a personal thing for him.”

“He’s not gay, is he?”

“Do we really have to have this conversation?”

“Look, I need this job, you want this job, so why don’t you work with me instead of against me? Give me something I can use to get into Will’s good graces.”

Aidan sighed. “It’s not you, I’ve told you that.” He was quiet for a long moment. “He doesn’t want to get involved with anyone.”

Kal processed that for several minutes. “What? How does that in any way relate to us working together? He can’t keep his pants zipped around women? He throws himself at them? He’s a male nymphomaniac? That makes no sense.”

Aidan shook his head. “I can’t tell you any more than that, sweet cheeks. Just let me take the lead. You’re right that we all have to work together. That means you have to trust me.” He turned his gaze on her. “Can you do that?”

Frustrated at Aidan’s lack of information, and with no other choice, Kal slumped in her seat. “Fine.”

* * * *

Will was already inside the building and directing setup when they arrived. Aidan took Kal around to a side entrance and kept her presence from Will until they turned a corner and bumped into him while he was adjusting an improperly positioned infrared camera.

Will took a step back. “What is
she
doing here? She’s supposed to be at the other location tonight.”

Aidan stepped between them. “She’s going to hang with me all night. She doesn’t want to be here any more than you want her here, so chill out. She’s got a contract she has to fulfill or she gets screwed. Calm down, dude. Show a little respect, okay? She’s just doing her job. I’ll take care of her.”

Will’s eyes skipped over her face, to the floor, skittered across her again and then to Aidan. Every time Will’s gaze met hers, Kal felt sweet, tingly heat build in places she wasn’t used to feeling warmth.

“Just see you do, Aidan. We talked about this, dammit.” Will glanced at her and dropped his gaze again.

Why the
heck
wouldn’t he look at her?

Will took a deep breath. “I told you, Kal, it’s nothing personal. I’m sorry. I have my own way of doing things, and the network is sticking their nose in where it doesn’t belong. I know it’s not your fault. I’m sorry you’re caught in the middle of all this.”

She’d expected anything but an apology from him. She nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”
Well, that could be called progress, I suppose.

Will turned and quickly strode away as they stared at his back.

Aidan released a long, relieved breath. “See? That wasn’t so bad. Come on. Let’s scope this place out.”

* * * *

Will swore under his breath and walked out to his car. He leaned against it and gulped the night air, tried to get Kal’s scent out of his lungs.

What the
fuck
was it about her that did this to him? His cock throbbed inside his jeans, not an unfamiliar sensation over the years, but it wanted to rip free from his body and follow her and do things to her he hadn’t done in…

He shook his head as another stabbing bolt of pain pierced his soul. This was
way
more than getting a piece of ass. There was something going on, and that fueled his discomfort even more than the obvious feelings she instilled in him. Her voice drilled straight through his brain, in a good way, staying in his memories and refusing to leave. She smelled sooo damn good, too. Fuck, it felt worse than being in a bakery with chocolate chip cookies in the oven. He wanted to bend her over and…

Will squeezed his eyes shut and tightened his fists until his fingernails dug into his palms. The pain eventually brought his brain and other rebellious parts of his anatomy under control.
Fuck
. She could
not
stay on the shoot tonight, not anywhere close to him. Not in the same room, Christ, not even in the same building. He couldn't handle it. He couldn’t stand not burying his face in her hair and holding her body against his.

On the heels of that, the old, familiar pain flared in his soul, agonizing, shredding him from the inside out.

Oh yes.
That was enough to help him focus on his purpose again. To be out of pain would be a blessing even if it meant giving up a beauty such as Kal.

After several more minutes, Will’s heart finally slowed from a wild gallop to a raging trot, and he returned to the base to check the equipment again.

* * * *

Cabrio, one of their longtime volunteer investigators, was a popular guy who usually had a calm, reliable head on his shoulders. He agreed to take on the third floor and didn’t mind working alone when the situation called for it. The building was so frigging big, they had to split up or they’d never get it completely covered in the time allotted.

At the far end of the third floor, he set up a folding chair in a room pegged as having activity and sat, listening.

If it wasn’t for the fact that his EMF meter wasn’t spiking, he’d swear he felt high levels. A creeping feeling washed over him. When he turned his head, he swore a shadow slid from his field of vision.

After ten minutes of this he carefully stood and slowly backed out of the room. There was something there, and he had to get one of the other guys up there with the FLIR to take a closer look.

* * * *

Cabrio emphatically pressed the issue back at base. “Aidan, I’m telling you, someone needs to go check that room. Seriously.”

Aidan looked at Purs. “What do you think?”

He shrugged. “Gery and I are still working on the other end, we’re not done yet and it’s after midnight. You and Will should go check it out.”

Aidan looked at Kal. “You’ll be okay here by yourself?”

“Yeah. Why?” she asked.

Aidan didn’t want to admit in front of everyone that Cabrio wasn’t the only one seeing shadows. He thought he’d caught a whiff of something earlier, but without any proof he wasn’t about to say anything around the volunteers. Not tonight, because whatever it was, it felt…

Wrong
.

Adrian watched as Cabrio set off to talk to Will. Kal studied him. “What’s going on, Aid?”

He forced a smile. “Too much caffeine and not enough sleep, I think.”

I hope
, he thought.

* * * *

Gery and Purson returned to the far end of the building. Purson looked at Gery. “It’s not my imagination, is it?”

Gery agreed. “Something’s off around here. You feel it, too?”

Purs looked around. “I don’t know what it is. It feels different than it did earlier. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.”

“Not something good?”

Purs shook his head. “No. Not even in the same universe as good.” He looked at Gery. “If it was up to me, I’d shut the shoot down right now. We’re being stalked.”

* * * *

Aidan left the base area to speak to Will. When he did, Kal suddenly felt a warm breeze. That didn’t make sense. They’d set up inside a windowless room, a former office from the looks of it.

Despite the heat, she rubbed her arms as gooseflesh prickled her skin. She felt…watched.

Stalked.

It was creepy, a feeling she hadn’t had on any of the other investigations. Not even the incident in the elevator in Miami felt like this. Tonight it grew progressively worse. In fact, it creeped her out so much she was about to go in search of the others when one of the sound guys walked in. As quickly as it arrived, the feeling disappeared. She chided herself on her nerves.

Probably PWS—putting up with Will’s shinola.

* * * *

Will was sorting through equipment in the van when Aidan walked up. Fortunately, Kal was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is she?” Will growled.

“Chill out. I left her at base.”

Will fought the urge to grab Aidan and sniff his clothes. Will could even smell Kal on him from being in close proximity to her.

Dammit, this is not good.

“You going up to that third floor room with me?” Will asked. “Cab’s about to pop a vein over it. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something.”

Aidan didn’t want to mention his suspicions to Will when he didn’t have proof. “Yeah. Ready?”

Will finally located the other EMF meter. “Let’s do it.”

They joined the camera crew in the lobby and briefly conferred. They followed Will and Aidan up the three flights of stairs to the room. After thirty minutes, neither man felt anything and didn’t catch any data on the meters or with the FLIR thermal camera. They eventually returned to the lobby.

Cabrio eagerly waited for them. “Well? Did you find anything?”

Will shook his head. “Nothing”

“I’m telling you, Will, I saw a shadow in there. You know me, dude. You know damn well I don’t cry ghost. There’s something there.”

“Well, it’s not there now, Cab. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Cabrio ran a hand through his scruffy blond hair. “Look, send someone else up, one more person. Just to make sure, someone who hasn’t been up there. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Aidan looked at Will and shrugged, mindful of the cameras filming. “Send Kal up. Everyone else is still busy.”

Will was also well aware of the cameras. He fought the urge to scowl. “Sure, send her up.”

Aidan went off to the base camp to get her while Will stepped outside for a moment.

* * * *