A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

paused, my heart
drumming in my ears. “Given my worth, I hope you’re accommodating me in a five
star hotel.”
    “Congratulations on winning the gift. You
outsmarted everyone,” the girl said.
    I smiled. “No applause, please. But I’m
glad to see you’re not a sore loser.”
    “It’s so nice of you to share,” the girl
said. She sounded as though she believed every word. Was she serious?
    “Like I have a choice. But yeah, I’ll play
nice.” The race was played out every five hundred years. Clearly, I was born in
the wrong century. “So, what happened to the limo, caviar and wine? I like to
travel in style when I win a trip. This vacation blows already.”
    “Shut up,” the driver said. The girl shot me
an apologetic look. Who did the idiot think he was? No one told me to shut up.
    “So, guys, do you want me to try and summon
up a spirit, or something?” I waved my shaking hands in the air. “Who shall I
conjure? Elvis? Marilyn Monroe? You just name it.”
    “No,” the driver said.
    A scaredy cat? I
smiled. “If there is any spirit from the light who wishes to communicate, please
make yourself known.” No one answered. I touched my forehead. “Wait. I can
sense a presence. Yes, it’s strong. Something with P.” I peered at the driver. “Anyone
having an aunt going by the name of Petunia or Prudence?”
    “Angel, shut her up now, or else I will,”
the driver hissed toward the girl.
    “Do it and I’ll summon Bruce Lee,” I said.
    “Just keep quiet for a change,” the driver
said.
    “See what you did?” I snapped. “You broke
my concentration and now the link has been severed. Now your aunty will never
know that you’re okay.”
    The girl leaned into me whispering, “I’m
Angel, by the way. My mother had a very strange sense of humor.”
    Whoa, they sent someone called Angel to
help me feel comfortable? Angel—as in a winged white being greeting one
in the afterlife? Now I was scared.
    “This isn’t the place for this,” Angel
continued.
    “You’re right. We lack the right ambiance.
Just roll down the windows so we get the wind effect. Maybe one of you has a
lighter that could replace the candles. And I’ll start calling our friends.” I
held up a hand. “Wait. The spirits are talking again. I need what?”
    Angel cocked her head and whispered, “Are
they talking to you now ?”
    I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Shush.
They’re asking very clearly for specific items.” I started to rock back and
forth, barely able to suppress my laughter. “Sorry spirits, go on. This ritual
can’t be performed without what? Ghastly jewelry? That’s an easy fix. The
driver’s wearing the most hideous ring I’ve ever seen in my life. Very Asian
meets gangsta rap. And what else? Talk to me, spirits.” I rocked harder. “You
need the medium to wear a bright scarf, big hoop earrings and gypsy clothes. Well,
okay then. I’ll be in touch soon. Thanks for joining us and go in peace.” I
opened my eyes and regarded Angel. “They want a crystal ball, too.”
    The driver shook his head. “Out of all
people, how did you end up with the
prize?”
    I leaned back and smiled at the impressed
girl, proud of my performance. It might not be worth an Oscar, but one day I’d give
Whoopi a run for her money. “Talking to the dead drains a girl. Anyone got a
sandwich?”
    “What’s it like talking to the dead as well
as dating them?” the driver asked, sarcastically.
    A low blow from a snarky little man. He just
had to drive the point home that Aidan was dead. I shrugged and glared back at
him. “Aidan’s cuter in death than you’ll ever be in life.” He pressed his mouth
tight. Angel giggled.
    We drove in silence for a while, before I
asked, “Where’re we going?” The driver’s glare hardened. Angel gave my hand a
reassuring squeeze. It would’ve been more comforting to know where we were
headed.
    The moon had risen to a large crescent in
the sky. I leaned my head against the window and peered out at the passing
trees. We seemed to travel north along the shoreline. Every few minutes, we passed
a house or two, barely larger a cottage with whitewashed walls. After a while,
all I could see was vegetation stretching on forever.
    The car took a sharp right onto unpaved
terrain, then halted in front of high gates. The driver signaled with the
headlights and the gates opened to let us through. The street wound several
times before the driver stopped and killed the engine. Opening