Calling on his gift again, he parted the veil and they stepped into the world of the living. Fox dragged in a deep breath and gave a little shudder while he loosened his hold on the vampire. Winter immediately missed the warmth of his touch, but it was time to focus on what they’d set out to do in the first place. Winter needed answers.
“What’s the plan, Mr. Science?” Fox teased.
Winter smirked and slapped the braided white rope into Fox’s open hands. “Hold that, smartass.” He pulled his sling bag around and pulled out a pair of walkie talkies and some handcuffs.
“I take it back. You are the kinky brother,” Fox muttered.
Winter winked at him as he snapped the handcuffs carefully around Fox’s wrists. “You’re the one whose magic demands locks. These just happened to be handy.”
“Uh-huh. Most people when they need some kind of lock go for like…I don’t know…a padlock,” Fox mocked, his tone oozing sarcasm. “But you think handy, and reach right for the handcuffs. Go ahead, tell me you’re not kinky.”
“You’ve also got rope. I could be a magician,” Winter joked.
“Not helping your case here, David Copperfield.”
Winter snorted as he flipped on one of the walkie talkies and placed it in Fox’s hand while grabbing the rope. He turned on his walkie talkie and shoved it into the pocket of his cargo pants. “So, here’s my plan,” he started as he began uncoiling the rope. He placed one end in Fox’s hand and smiled. “You hold this end and remain right here. I will hold the rest and walk away from you until I start seeing ghosts.”
“That way we can get an exact measurement of how far the Fox Effect stretches,” Fox said.
“Exactly. I’ll also try talking to a ghost and then moving away to see if I can still hear them while in your bubble.”
Fox nodded. “Makes sense.”
“When we get that figured out, I’ll radio on the walkie to use magic to get out of the cuffs.”
Fox nodded again. “Gotcha.”
Winter stepped closer, touching Fox’s chin with his empty hand so that the young man looked up to meet his gaze. “And if you see anyone—human, vampire, or whatever—I want you to contact me on the walkie immediately.”
A smirk lifted one corner of Fox’s lips. “How long is this rope? You’re not going to be that far away from me.”
“If I can’t touch you, I’m too far away,” Winter said in a deadly serious tone. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Do you understand?”
Fox swallowed hard, his brilliant green eyes so wide they threatened to swallow Winter up completely. “Yeah, we got this.”
And then, Winter didn’t want to let Fox go. He didn’t even want to walk the few dozen yards away he needed to see ghosts. His brain knew Fox would be safe, but something in his gut was screaming to stay close. Damon wanted Fox. And the prophecy. Fox was only safe when he was in Winter’s arms. It wasn’t logical or particularly sane, but that was where he stood.
Fox forced a laugh. “Okay, Big Sexy. Go do this and we can get sushi for dinner.”
Yes, dinner and then video games and maybe sex. Back to their little hideout away from the world.
Winter pulled the walkie from his pocket and quickly checked that it was working. He wasn’t taking any chances with Fox. Satisfied that he’d hear the witch, he tucked it away. He carefully uncoiled the rope as he started to walk into the grass away from Fox and toward where he’d seen the two ghosts having a picnic. His heart thudded hard with every step he took, a mix of worry over Fox’s safety and excitement that he’d found an answer at long last to his problem with hearing voices. Two hundred years of struggling and it all came down to an adorable man with bright-red hair.
He was halfway across the field when the first glimmer of white hit his vision. Slowing his steps, he didn’t stop until the two ghosts sitting on the grass solidified as much as they could. He glanced at Fox to see him giving the thumbs-up sign. He was maybe a couple dozen feet away. Grabbing the knife strapped to his waist, he made a little notch in the rope. When they returned to the loft, he’d more precisely measure the distance.
First test complete.
With one last glance at Fox to make sure he was okay, Winter turned his attention to the ghosts, asking them about their day and the picnic, making simple idle chitchat. The man in the summer suit and straw boater hat smiled at Winter as he politely answered. Winter took a couple of steps backward, moving inside the Fox Effect bubble again. Not only did the ghost disappear from sight, but his voice was instantly silenced.