Coveted - Book 3 in the Gwen Sparks Series by Stephanie Nelson

said, “That’s the most action I’ve had in ten years.”
    “Awesome,” I deadpanned. Making ghosts frisky was on my do-not list. Yuk! Ignoring the amazed naked man, I turned and began walking at a brisk pace. I lost track of Eddie and now needed to sense him again. I tagged four more ghosts on my walk, their transparent bodies forming as soon as I made touched them.
    The crunch of footsteps behind me had me pausing. Looking over my shoulder, I scanned the area but no one was approaching. Swinging all the way around, my eyes tracked the darkened landscape. Gravel being shuffled under someone’s feet sounded to my left and I turned my body in that direction. I latched onto the spirits around me, connecting with their energy and ordering them to my side. Multiple translucent bodies floated forward, circling around me like phantom soldiers.
    “Someone is here,” I whispered to my team of ghosts. I didn’t like taking away their rights and controlling them, but if it meant saving my life then I would do it. Their bodies hovered stoically as they waited for my command. The buzz of my magic still ran beneath my skin, though not very strong. I concentrated on it and forced it to my hands. I would use what little I had left while I still had it. It might not faze the rogues but I could use it to throw objects at them, and I was pretty sure getting smacked upside the head with a granite tombstone would stop their attack on me. Or at least I hoped it would.
    “I see you’re finally taking precautions,” Dorian said, stepping from out behind a tree with vampire Barbie. My body sagged from its tense position and I glared at Dorian. A thought occurred to me and, I’m a tad embarrassed to say, it brought a smile to my face. Ignoring both of them, I channeled the connection to the spirits and began whispering my orders. One by one they floated away from me and toward Dorian and Lauren. The vampire couldn’t see the spirits but Dorian could. Everyone could see ghost if they chose to show themselves, but these guys were staying hidden from Lauren. Dorian’s right eyebrow arched, peeking over the rim of his sunglasses.
    Lauren was flung back, landing hard onto the ground. The ghost lingered around her, waiting for her to regain her footing. She snapped up in a blur, her blond hair whipping wildly around her head as she searched for the threat.
    “What the hell was that?” she snarled, reaching beneath her pant leg and extracting a silver dagger.
    “That,” I said, stepping closer, “was all the security I need. How are you supposed to defend me when you can’t sense all of the threats?” I crossed my arms and stared at her with a satisfied smile.
    “The rogues aren’t ghosts, Gwen,” Dorian supplied.
    “You’re right,” I told him. “They’re worse, they’re demons. Can she detect those?” The ghost swirled around her, a haunting breeze stirring up her hair. Lauren’s eyes darted in every direction, her knuckles tightening around the handle of her blade.
    “You’re being petty,” Dorian reprimanded. “Yes, they are demons, but they’re in a host body. Lauren will not have a problem fighting them.”
    He was right. But I didn’t trust the Playboy vampire. Whatever wiles she used on Dorian weren’t working on me. I eyed both of them, my gaze landing on the skittish blonde and then back to the Dorian. His defense of her soured in my stomach a little, and I tried my damnedest to ignore the unsavory feeling. Dorian and I were friends, and I had no claim on him, or him on me. Still, that didn’t stop me from smiling at the fear on the badass assassin’s face. She talked a good game, but when her threats were invisible she looked about as menacing as a baby bunny. Her big blue eyes were wide orbs as she listened to the whistling of icy cold wind surrounding her.
    “What the hell?” Eddie appeared beside Dorian, his hands crossed in front of his chest. “You guys are gossiping like a bunch of girls while I