Page 38 of Purrfectly Haunted

Shirley laughs. “I think we’re turning some heads.”

James and Luigi are looking at us intently from the street corner, not even pretending to talk anymore. James looks a little annoyed, and Luigi looks hungry.

“Oh...”

“Which one do you want me to distract?” she asks.

I grin. “Both?”

“Hey now, I’m good, but not that good. And James is like a dog with a bone.”

I laugh. “Have your fun with Luigi. I can handle James.” I hope.

“Very well. I volunteer as tribute.” She slides out of my arms as we near the others and grabs Luigi instead. He looks absolutely delighted.

But James... James stands under the street light, dark hair gleaming and his intense eyes on me, and he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.

Nevermind. I really can’t handle him.

He opens his mouth to say something when Lana suddenly approaches.

“Boys!” she says, hooking both her arms around our elbows and walking with us. “I can’t thank you enough for your help with my ghosts. You’re my saviours.”

We walk by a park, and the wind whispers in the trees, shaking off the first autumn leaves from the branches.

“It’s our job,” James says. “We’re getting paid, don’t worry.”

She laughs, her unbound hair tickling my hand. “I know, but still. They’re quite a piece of work. It’s a crying shame we have to evict them, but my poor house is on her last leg.” She snorts. “Wish that she could walk away like the house with chicken legs in that old fairytale. But no, she’s stuck here in Edinburgh, and I can feel her groan and shake at night. The years weigh on her and she needs a little help facing the adversity.”

We turn around a corner. The other four are walking in front of us, their laughter echoing down the quiet street we took as a shortcut to the busier part of New Town. The nights are turning cold as we enter autumn, but compared to winter, they’re almost balmy.

“You all talk as if the house is a person,” James says to Lana with a chuckle.

“Yes, because she kind of is. Haven’t you noticed?”

“What?” I say, just as James shakes his head in gentle disbelief. We’re all drunk, after all.

Lana sighs. “I didn’t want to tell you right away and spook you. I thought you’d have figured it out by now. You’re the experts!” She giggles. “Lynch house is sentient. She’s been for a while now, I dare say. Or maybe all buildings have a soul, and it just takes a while before they wake fully. I don’t know the mechanics of such magic. But you’ll feel it mostly during the quiet hours. She groans and whispers. Doors open and close, stairs gain or lose a few steps overnight. She watches over us, and so I decided to watch over her too. She’s mine and I’m hers. And we care about each other.”

We both have stopped walking, interrupting Lana’s momentum.

“What?” James asks this time. “Are you being serious?”

Lana nods, giggling again. “Dead serious. Haven’t you realised my cats are special?”

James tenses. “The cats? What now?”

“They’ve become the house’s little helpers. Her minions, if you prefer.” She’s grinning. “Some of them were old when I inherited the house, but they got their energy back, and they seem almost immortal now.” She sighs. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to move out if I want to keep my cats. Oh well, I love my house anyway, so that’s alright.”

Shirley is waving at us from the end of the street, gesturing at the busy line outside the nightclub. Lana lets go of our arms and saunters away.

I exchange a glance with James, heavy with stupefaction.

“Sentient house...” he mumbles, grabbing my hand. “Of course. Our sober selves will deal with it tomorrow. Come along, the night is still young.” He drags me along, his touch branding my skin.

nine

Home is where your weird friends are