Cherished by Ghosts Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Cherished by Ghosts (Ghost Crews, #3)

  GC 231 Book 2 | GHOST CREWS BOOK 3 | DAGMAR AVERY & AURORA MARIS

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  AUTHORS NOTE:

  GC 231 Book 2

  GHOST CREWS BOOK 3

  DAGMAR AVERY & AURORA MARIS

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cherished by Ghosts (Ghost Crews Book Three)

  Copyright© 2022 Dagmar Avery and Aurora Maris

  Cover Artist: Stella Price

  Interior text design: Stacee Sierra

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  AUTHORS NOTE:

  While this book is #3 in the GHOST CREWS Universe, It actually the second part of the duet and final book FOR that duet with Captured by Ghosts. You will have had to have read Captured by Ghosts to understand whats going on here in this book.

  We had decided to break the story up, and give it two books because there was a clear cut where things could end. If you are someone that prefers the longer books out there, know that an omnibus version of this book will be in print soon... so both Captured by Ghosts and Cherished by Ghosts will be in one massive print volume. Its why it’s the same cover, just different names.

  We hope you enjoy the conclusion of Noori’s story with the 231. It was a wild ride for us.

  Love, lust and tentacles,

  Dags and Aurora

  Prologue

  Glencaraig Castle, Scotland

  12: 43 PM

  The day he had been waiting for was here. Waking up, Blue looked into the mirror across from his bed and didn’t notice any physical changes, but felt a tightness in his face, jaw and body. Things were happening already, things that would change him forever.

  It was six hours into the birthday of his twenty-sixth year and his transition had already begun. He wasn’t sure what was happening to his body, but whatever it was, he wasn’t even sure he was ready. His fathers, all three, were Monstera, his mother predisposed to the faction, so it was a safe bet he would turn Monstera, too. The last few years he had wondered what flavor he would end up. Something visceral and unnerving like his father Balthazar, physically imposing like Thorn, or a goddamn legendary menace like his other father, Atticus?

  Whatever he was he had felt his body start earlier than his birthday, his internal clock changing ever so slightly so he was waking up later and later, and staying up later as well. The entirety of it led him to believe he would end up on the darker side of the spectrum, but what it would be was anyone’s guess.

  A knock at the door sounded and then his mother, Sybelle, walked in. “Good morning,” she said, crossing to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tight,” he said as he yawned. “Tired. Anxious.” He had a special relationship with his mother, the woman determined to ensure he came through all of it unscathed. After the hell his fathers had gone through, he could see why.

  “All expected. Your father wants to isolate you,” she said. He knew which father, too. Atticus was worried that whatever Blue turned into, it might be as devastating as he had been when he transitioned. Atticus had killed over a handful of people and he still carried that guilt to this day.

  “I appreciate his worry but it doesn’t feel like he said his felt.”

  Years later, the three of them had recounted their transitions to him, and Atticus had said that the day before his birthday he had been tired, but in a horrible mood, and had lashed out at people. He had been cold, and had felt a yawning darkness. Balthazar had the tight skin, the itching, and the burning in his extremities. Thorn’s bones hurt, as well as his gums and his eyes. Aside from the tightness, Blue wasn’t feeling anything close to what they went through.

  “So what do you think? This is your transition, love. I’m willing to do what you want, and make sure you get it.”

  He had been thinking about it a lot for the week before. Being at Glencaraig, they had turned the castle and the grounds into a Monstera stronghold, and had been bringing men through the change almost as long as Blue had been alive. They had the facilities to handle it, and the personnel as well, seeing as everyone that lived there were either Monstera or a female predisposed to their faction. “I think I wanna do it here,” he said. “Alone.”

  She nodded. “Then let’s get you up and showered and fed, then we will lock you in.” She palmed his cheek. “Oh, Blue...”

  “It’s going to be okay, Mum. I’m strong. Just like them.”

  **

  6: 13pm local time

  VIP transition Room 3

  Lying in the dark was best. He was sweating, but it was less now that he was in complete darkness. Their prep had been a few hours long the day before. Waking up meant the staff at the castle preparing his suite as he had showered, then had a birthday meal breakfast, and cake, chocolate, with his family. He knew he was lucky; his fathers had not been afforded the opportunity to be with anyone but each other before their transitions, and when they had it had been rough for them.

  Then they had walked with him to the transition suite, a gallows walk almost. They hugged him and told him they loved him. Sybelle had been adamant that she was staying close, and they had assured him that until he opened the door himself, or three days had passed, they would leave him to it. Sybelle had kissed his forehead, her eyes filled with tears as she let him go.

  Gods, he didn’t want to see her upset. Being the son of worldwide heroes, the first child to be born from one of the only three Legendaries that they knew of, the only male born, had been tough on him, but now, now they were all hoping for something grand...and good.

  Fuck if he didn’t want to disappoint them.

  So he lay there, the sweat cold on his clammy skin. Everything was annoying, and his patience was wearing thin. He got off the bed and paced the room, noticing that his eyesight in the darkness was better than it had been an hour before when he had done the same thing. Okay. His senses were sharpening...well, not all. But he could see better, and hear better. But his other senses...they felt duller right then. His sense of taste was almost nonexistent, smell and touch both just muted. Not that there was much to smell or taste, aside from the water mixed with the electrolytes. He yawned once again and then felt wobbly. Deciding to sit, he did so and then a wave of dizziness hit him and he lay back down, everything around him falling into nothing.

  Eyes shooting open, Blue took a deep breath, and felt...different. He turned his head, looking at the bedside counter. It had been two days since he passed out, the numbers on the counter bright as day even though there was no illumination behind them. The room was dark, blessedly, and he had this feeling...an itch in his bones and body.

  He sat up, swung his feet to the ground and looked down at his hands. No changes. His feet were still feet, legs still legs, hands and arms still hands...though the nails on his hands and feet were much darker than normal, almost blue in the blackness.

  But no other changes.

  “Huh,” he said, though his voice sounded...different. Gravelly, and distorted. “Oh, this isn’t good,” he hissed. “There goes my singing voice.” Standing to his
full height, he stretched and felt everything in his body pop, then sighed as it settled. Damn, that felt good.

  The itch, though...it was still there. He walked around the bed, went to the side table and poured himself a glass of water, downing it, half of it washing down his chest. Okay, that was interesting. He went to touch his face, and then felt the urge, the need to...

  Getting on his hands and knees, he just missed seeing the light that blinked on in the corner. It showed him the darkness hiding under the king-size bed. Drawn to it, he crawled and then was swallowed by the darkness, the shadows there.

  Closing his eyes, he let the shadows cover him, and the itching in his bones stopped abruptly as he realized he was not on his hands and knees anymore, but standing, and there was something beyond his field of vision. He took a step and was in another darkened room. Sure it was not his own, he cautiously took another step and then gazed down to the bed there, a bundle in the center sleeping, though the crease between her eyes told him she was dreaming...and it was bad.

  Instinct, impulse, he didn’t know which had him kneeling beside the bed, his hand going to the face there. A girl...couldn’t be more than nineteen, black hair in braids, her face a study in uncomfortable need. He touched her, his thumb going to that little space between her eyes and felt a jolt. Soft skin, long lashes that fanned her deep tawny skin. The purity, the innocence made his heart hurt. He inhaled, the scent of her running through him like electricity.

  Sounds. Footsteps. Murmured words beyond the closed door.

  “She asleep?”

  “Out like a light. It was a rough day for her,” a masculine voice said. “She will get through it. Davis wasn’t right for her.”

  “Still I worry. Taqui left, I just hope...” a woman said.

  “She will find her place. They both will. Now, off to bed with you,” the male said. “I’ll look in.”

  Blue was off the ground and caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror as he passed, just making it back into the closet he had come out of before the bedroom door opened.

  What the fuck?

  In the span of a heartbeat, he was walking out of a deep shadow in his transition suite’s closet, the buzzing, pain, heaviness, itchiness, gone. Completely gone.

  But he had seen what he looked like.

  Fuck. Fuck. He knew what he was and it was almost as rare as his fathers. And they would use that to their advantage, the Ghost Crews Organization.

  But where did he go? Who was the girl? Why did he go there?

  Grabbing his shirt, he put it on and then changed out of his shorts, and hit the intercom. “Dad?” he said softly, unsure about his voice, and what it could do. He knew that Shadowea Monstera, the ones already created and identified, all had different specialties, and some of those were vocal.

  "Yes?" Atticus came back over the intercom. "Everything okay?"

  “I...I made it through,” he said, his voice a ruined mess. “I don’t want Mom to see...”

  "Oh, son...you know she'll love you whatever you are," Atticus told him. "Just look at us. Batty is ugly as fuck when he's in is other form.”

  “Hey! I’m not a ruin of tentacles!”

  “Whatever you are can't rival that and your mum still thinks he's sexy. None of us are going to judge you. You want me to come in?"

  “The three of you...just...not Mom, not yet,” he said. “Code 45324.”

  "Are you sure? She's going to be pretty hurt."

  “I don’t...I don’t think she can actually look at me yet.” His voice got a serious growl to it.

  “It’s okay, kid,” Balthazar said on the intercom. “She’s going to wait out here, till you say.”

  He heard the keypad beeping as the code was entered and backed up into the shadow as his fathers all walked in, without his mother, and the door closed. He walked out of the shadows and swallowed as his fathers saw him.

  “Okay...I can see why he’s apprehensive,” Balthazar said. “Shadowea. Damn, kid...”

  "That is not what I expected." Atticus hesitated for just a second before striding across to Blue and embracing him firmly. "I'm just so fucking glad you survived the transition. And Shadowea is an awesome addition to the family. I can't wait to find out what powers you have! This is going to be fun."

  Blue embraced his father, the feeling of his face, the large mouth of teeth that took up the bottom half of his face, starting to recede. Tears leaked from his eyes as his father held him tight, and then the other two were there, hugging him as well. They were a pile of limbs and heartbeats, and he felt everything recede, and moved his jaw as the wholeness to his face returned.

  “We are so proud of you,” Balthazar said. “We can have you mentor under Angus,” he offered, the only other Shadowea they knew. “He should be able to help you figure it all out.”

  He nodded and wiped the tears from his face and then smirked. “I should have known it was going to be something fucking nuts,” he said. “Having the three of you as fathers...”

  "Just be glad you don't have tentacles," Atticus laughed. "Your mother loves them but they're a lot harder to hide than a few sharp teeth."

  Laughing, he massaged his jaw and moved it back and forth. Whatever happened to him in his change...it wasn’t unpleasant, but it also was extremely daunting. “I still think tentacles would be cool, Pop.”

  “You straight? Can we send her in?” Balthazar said. “She’s worried, kid.”

  He nodded. “I just didn’t... I don’t know what my powers are and...”

  “We get it, kid,” Balthazar said. “You were worried for her, not because of how you looked.”

  He nodded.

  "I'll go get her," Thorn said, "But I love you, kid. Always have, always will, whatever your new skills are."

  Balthazar smirked. “I’m sure ‘that thing with your tongue’ has new meaning now.”

  He chuckled and then smiled as Sybelle walked in and ran to him, hugging him. “Oh, my clever boy!” she said. “What...what happened?”

  “He’s Shadowea,” Balthazar said.

  “I didn’t mean to exclude you...” he said and she shook her head.

  She waved it away. “Nonsense...I understand.”

  They all embraced and talked a few minutes more and then they left Sybelle to talk to him for a few moments. She helped him change out the sheets, and he started to relax.

  “Well, was it okay? I mean, I can’t ask your fathers about theirs, it’s...too painful.”

  He nodded. “It was weird.” He told her about how he woke and then sliding into the shadows.

  “And where did you go?”

  “I don’t know, but it was a girl’s bedroom. She looked to be about nineteen. Beautiful...dreaming in sleep. A nightmare.”

  She nodded. “What happened?”

  “I touched her and she soothed...and I heard people talking. I only had a few moments, after getting a look at my face.”

  “And the girl?” she asked, watching him carefully.

  “Beautiful. Braids, deep tawny skin, high cheekbones... Stunning really.”

  She smiled. “Wonder why you went there?”

  “I don’t know...but I left, and I’m here now,” he said. “For how long remains to be seen.”

  “They are going to want you back at headquarters, to declare your discipline. Just...be careful with it.”

  “Mum, there is only one job they are going to accept me for with this...” Shadow walkers were so few and far between that they almost always ended up as assassins. They had demons that could do some of what a Shadowea could, but not to the same extent. He was going to be in demand.

  “I know,” she said. “Just...be careful.”

  He nodded. “You know I will.”

  Chapter One

  Galen’s room was airy and open, huge windows dominating the wall across from the bed, the canopy of trees and foliage letting diffused sunlight in through the heavy glass panes. The bed sat in the center of the wall across from the windows, a large bookc
ase filled with pictures and other knickknacks on the wall across from the entrance, and several large comfortable looking chairs tucked into the side corners. He even had what looked like an anteroom, complete with a seating area and low coffee table. Galen lay on the bed as they all filed in, clad in a pair of loose grey shorts, no shirt, his golden skin in stark relief to the white sheets.

  And he looked like a grumpy, sexy god in slight repose. Noori’s eyes roamed his body, unashamed and interested as hell. This man was going to be hers as well. Maybe. Sweet shit. The man was hot, painfully so, even sick, covered in sweat and miserable. But that wasn’t on the table, at least not now. Now...well...

  “Yah, boss,” Zeke said as he went to Galen and took his pulse, checking his vitals. “Wakey, wakey.”

  "What time is it?" Galen mumbled, rousing slowly and rolling to his back. "Gods, I feel like shit."

  “Just before sundown,” Zeke said as he checked his vitals. “You need protein, and vitamins D and B12.” He opened up his small med kit and loaded up a syringe. “Can’t do anything about the protein right now,” he said as he stabbed Galen in the arm with the needle. “I’m not going to hit you with an NG tube unless we’re desperate, but the vitamins? I got you, bud.”

  “We should get you a few more steaks,” Blue said.

  “And a bean salad...good protein in that,” Noori offered, watching the big man gingerly sit up as Zeke helped put pillows under his back and head.

  "I'm guessing there's a reason you're all in my room," Galen said when he was settled and comfortable. "Did you forget that Blue is in charge when I'm out of action?"

  “Come on, no one wants that reality, least of all me,” Blue said. “My father called.” He relayed what they had been told, minus the back and forth about Blue’s personal life. “So, we have an opportunity, in a few weeks, as far as Atticus figures it’s going to take to get shit handled. We didn’t want to make any decisions, to see how you think your recovery is going to go.”

  "If I have a deadline of three weeks then I'll be ready in three weeks," Galen said bluntly. "Now that we know what that motherfucker is and how to kill him, you bet your asses that we're taking this job."