Chapter 1

1

The spirit plane was generally one of the most peaceful places Samuel Jones had ever been. The first time he crossed from the mortal plane, he immediately felt it. And that hadn’t changed in the hundreds of cases he’d taken over the past twelve years. Every time he died and became aware on the spirit plane, he took a few moments to just soak it in. It was a shadow of the mortal world, so it was comfortable and familiar, but also inherently other. Sam loved it, and he loved his job as a ghostwalker.

Sam also had a penchant for going after the hard cases—not spirits who were in immediate danger of turning malevolent. Those spirits were handled by a team of ghostwalkers who worked together. And not the children his brother Blake had an affinity for. No, Sam’s focus usually fell on reluctant spirits who liked being in limbo just fine. Those souls needed coaxing and time, and Sam often spent days or weeks meeting with them again and again until he could convince them it was better to rest than to wander. Those spirits would eventually go dark if they didn’t cross, as resentment at the living always wormed its way in. But the ones Sam chose had plenty of time before they got to that point. He could revisit them as often as needed until they moved on.

“Back again?”

Sam smiled. He didn’t need to turn to know the voice. Thomas Picciano was one such spirit. He’d been lingering for more than a year, occasionally popping up on a medium’s radar. His file held a long line of comments from mediums throughout the country, whenever his aura caught their attention.

“Well, you haven’t crossed yet. I’ll come back until you do.” Sam kept his gaze fixed on the forest they were standing in. He always found Tom there, as the man had been an avid hiker and bird watcher in life. Actually Sam was surprised it had taken him so long to find Tom on this trip. While time moved differently on the spirit plane, Sam was certain he’d been there for hours.

“Pshaw. Ain’t nothing or nobody waitin’ on the other side for me.”

Tom had said that before, but Sam couldn’t believe it. There was alwayssomeone waiting on the other side.

“You really think that, Tom?” The question was out of Sam’s mouth before he could stop it. He knew Tom didn’t like being confronted, and the first time Sam encountered Tom’s spirit, he’d made that mistake. It ended their meeting before Sam could blink—not that he needed to on the spirit plane. He’d been careful ever since to keep the dialogue open and to be subtle while he pushed Tom to go on.

“I know it.” Tom made a sound like a sigh, even though he didn’t actually have any breath. “How’s things going with your guy?”

Sam’s frown was immediate. He regretted mentioning that tidbit to Tom ever since it tumbled from his mouth in an unguarded moment. He’d been trying to make a connection with Tom, who was relentless and liked to put the focus on Sam rather than himself.

“I told you, he isn’t mine. It’s not going to work between us.”

Tom moved into Sam’s field of vision. “But you keep hoping.”

Sam shrugged and made a concerted effort not to drop his gaze. “Maybe a sliver. An itty-bitty, tiny sliver.” Sam made the habitual motion of expelling breath. “But he’ll never allow it.”

“Because he’s older’n you?”

“That’s one of his reasons, yes.”

Tom made a thoughtful sound. “Or is it really because he’s your boss?”

“That’s what he says.” He fought the urge to kick at the ground like a petulant child.

“So you’re giving up.”

Sam shrugged and shook his head. “It’s not giving up. It’s…accepting the inevitable. Nothing I do or say will change Michael’s mind. I should move on.”

Tom’s eyes lightened. “A-ha. See, you keep telling meto move on, but you don’t do it yourself.”

The laugh was involuntary, but Sam didn’t check it. Though their situations were very different, Tom had a point.

Sam had been half in love with Michael King pretty much from the moment they met. But he also knew it was a fruitless longing. The ten-year age difference meant nothing to Sam, but Michael held it between them like a shield.

Michael was his boss, and a Guardian—an anchor who not only carried the anchor gene but had also developed telepathic abilities. That should be enough to keep them apart.

Sam respected that. Mostly. Until the day several months back when his anchor, Dom, called in sick, and all other ghostwalkers were called to an emergency on the spirit plane. They had to help one of their own cross over. So Michael anchored Sam himself, and when Sam came back to life, he saw affection on Michael’s face.