By week two of cohabitation, an exit plan seemed to recede into the distance. "Here are the rules to sharing a living space with me." I smacked my Attack on Titan themed notebook on the marble island in the kitchenette and confronted the root of my malcontent.

Aurie rested her chin on her palms, elbows on the slab. In the background, my apartment was in shambles. Books were on the coffee table. My game console was on the floor with cords in a haphazard knot. Game discs were everywhere, and vinyl records were scattered.

"How do you clutter up a minimalist apartment, Yokai? I don't mind you wearing my clothes, but please put things in the hamper," I lectured as I picked a t-shirt from the back of the barstool and handed it to her for clean-up.

"I have a maid at home."

"Had, spoiled brat. Gah! I hate dishes in the sink!" Moving to the other side of the island, I slammed bowls on the counter in frustration.

"You should own a dishwasher," Aurie said in a bland voice behind me.

"Why do you even eat and drink? You don't need to! Sometimes I wonder if you're intentionally trying to get under my skin. Like when you leave my phone on Facebook to piss me off. Nobody uses Facebook anymore!" I turned and brandished a serving spoon for emphasis but dropped it with a frown. "Is any of this getting through to you?"

Aurie couldn't have looked less interested. Growling, I stormed past her to get ready for a client. "Yes," she said. "You don't want me here. Call Zyr and take me home."

"You know the Council runs the timetable, but we are definitely getting you out of here as soon as possible."

"When, though?"

"Oh, gods! As soon as possible, Aurie!"

"Right." She rotated the stool to face me at the closet. Her eyes glossed, and she turned back. My bitching and moaning aside, the news of the council meeting being pushed to the end of September was taking a toll on her.

At the sound of her sniffles, I bit my fist. "Please don't, Yokai." I sighed.

"I just want to go home!"

"Aurie—"

Thwack! My favorite coffee mug hit the wall and shattered. Aurie covered her mouth, giving me a horrified stare. Yes, it was her fault, but she hadn't touched it. It had flown by itself, which clearly shouldn't have been possible. I studied the broken ceramic shards as she buried her face in her arms and burst into tears.

I disposed of the mess. Then, sweeping loose tendrils of hair from her face, I flashed a soft smile at her to show I wasn't angry, and she squeezed me in a fierce hug. It wasn't easy living together, but if the flying mug was any indication, she needed my help more than ever.

Ensuring the rest of my glassware wouldn't suffer in my absence, I stepped outside to call the detective. "We've got a problem," I said as I paced within the zone of the door's enchantment. "You know when a ghost loses touch with reality, they go haywire."

"Yeah, I learned the hard way on a poltergeist case for the Council, why?"

"Aurie's already exhibiting signs," I said.

"Wait, that takes decades, minimum."

"I know! I know, but premature madness could be a symptom of her anguish at haunting a strange place. You have to admit she's not getting the Afterlife she deserves. I mean, anyone would lose their shit over being stuck in one room for weeks without reprieve."

"Yeah, but you'd think she would keep it together better than her sister," said the detective.

"What about Haley?"

"I—I don't have time to get into details. I've got Mayfield up my ass about some stalker kid on Instagram. Meanwhile, Cyprian's lawyers delivered an alibi tight as a tick for him. I swear that vampire remains too many steps ahead of this case for my comfort."

"I can take Aurie to see the crush," I suggested. Zyr expelled a breath, ready to say no. "Detective, there's an unstable ghost in my kitchenette breaking dishes. Unless you're prepared to keep her at your home, you need to let me take her to complete her unfinished business."

"Damn it," he swore in a contemplative whisper. "I want her to wrap up her business, too, but it's risky taking her out. Let me ask you something. The other night you said you didn't sense trouble. Your...Empathy...tells you when danger is near?"

"More or less. I sense people's intentions. Don't worry. If I feel anything that makes me remotely spooked, I'll contact you and get out of there."

"Good. I'll put a squad car on standby for you for the next few hours," he said.

"No, not tonight. I have a date tonight. How about tomorrow?"

"A date?" he asked. Too casually.

"Yeah, I'm an escort."

"A sex worker?" He coughed in surprise. "Okay, we'll talk about that later."

No, sir. I smiled. "Nothing to talk about, Detective. Other than Aurie and the case. I'll hit you up in the morning to coordinate her trip."

I ended the call with boundaries intact. I didn't let myself think Detective Zyr Ravani felt anything but a passing fancy, nor did I need his intrigue. In the right light, curiosity like his had a way of drying up faster than a puddle on a hot summer day.

I stepped inside the disorderly apartment. Aurie looked up from washing dishes. "I promise to be a better roommate. I'm much neater than this, but it's depressing being dead," she confessed.

I gave an exaggerated pout and marched to her with open arms. "And I'm sorry for the delay seeing your family. Me being anal about housekeeping isn't helping. How about a trip to see your crush to take your mind off the wait?"

"Are you serious? We're going to see Willie-Jay?" Aurie squealed the question and literally jumped into my arms.

With an astonished laugh, I caught her, but I lost my balance. We spun from the kitchenette, the momentum carrying us to the bed. We hit the mattress in a breathless heap. Her weight on top of me was sexy. Her hair fanned my face, and she stopped giggling and stared. For a second, the world slid sideways as my stomach flip-flopped.

When Aurie bowed her head, I held my breath. She wasn't doing this, was she? Her lips brushed mine in a shower of electric sparks. She was. The first kiss lit me up like Tokyo. My eyes widened, but I held still. The tip of her tongue parted the seam of my mouth. She whispered my name, and the sound came out muffled and sultry.

I shivered. My eyelids drifted shut. I splayed a hand over her cheek, and my fingers drove through her hair to the nape of her neck to bring her closer. My teeth nipped her lips. I drew the bottom one into my mouth. She gathered my face and sucked my tongue, kissing me deeper.

Sweet lovely fuck, Yokai. My palms coasted down her sides to her waist as my hips involuntarily edged upward, but when she rocked her hips in response, I shoved her body back. "Don't!" I whispered. She was one gyration of the pelvis away from learning my secret.

The voice of reason warned me she hadn't been born Supernatural. She didn't transform like Detective Zyr. Given her past as a normal human, Aurie would never understand my anatomy. What the hell was I even doing?

I flipped her to the mattress and scrambled off the bed. My hair fell over my heated face as I put distance between us, knowing behind me she was frozen with confusion and embarrassment. It flooded my Empathy.

"Finish your chores. I've gotta get ready for work," I said gruffly.

Aurie pushed by me with a scowl. "Whatever, bruh," she muttered. I knew I had hurt her feelings but, like Zyr, whatever this was with her would pass over, and I'd be stuck with the emotional baggage.

She headed for the kitchenette. I disappeared into the bathroom. I stared in the mirror at my mouth, thinking of hers. And his. Gods. I wasn't used to this shit. A half-hour later, I emerged from a cold shower. I did my hair and makeup and donned a cobalt blue suit that could trend either masculine or feminine.

Aurie was sitting at the head of my bed with her arms and ankles crossed. "Why do you push everyone away?" she asked.

"Let's not do this. I have to deal with a John in an hour."

"Fine. Go ahead. Ice me out like you do the detective and everyone else who's apparently given up on you."

"She says in a snarky tone without knowing a wit of what she's talking about. Oof," I narrated in irritation. I gravitated to the door to escape the cramped apartment.

"Oh, I take that back, not everyone," she said. "Somebody's been calling for two weeks, but you send them to voicemail. I figure it's not a client because you'd never leave one of them on read. They're the only people who matter to you."

"Excuse me?" I slammed to a halt and pivoted at her casual derision. I charged at the bed since she wanted to have this conversation now. "Don't insult me, Aurie Edison! If they were the only ones who mattered, you wouldn't be here. Trust me."

The hard line of her mouth softened with contrition. "No shade."

"Bullshit!"

"I'm sorry. All I'm saying is I thought us living together would lead to us being friends," she reconciled.

"Why, Yokai? Simply because we're roommates? We have nothing in common except proximity. You don't even know what I am!"

"And I like you anyway!" she exclaimed. I pulled back in surprise at the intensity of her admission. She blew out a breath and shoved a hand through her hair, shaking her head. "As a friend. I like you as a friend. Don't you have any of those?"

Rubbing my face, I groaned and dropped to the bed next to her to deal with this complicated mess. The kiss. Her confessing she liked me. Me not walking out the door when I had the chance. "My one and only best friend and I are currently not talking," I replied.

"What happened?"

I sucked my vape pen and lifted a shoulder.

"Do they know you're a Supernatural?" she asked.

I shook my head. As my inquisitor grabbed my hand and studied my palm, I tentatively cast Empathy and gathered how she felt for me. Shy attraction. Budding interest. Things I didn't need but maybe...wanted?

"Well, you're not giving me much," she said quietly, "but I advise you to make up with your one and only best friend, and then stop treating people like something you have to endure. I'm not an obstacle course. I'm a woman, Mys."

"I know." I bit my lip.

She whiffled a breath and finally asked, "So, what are you?"