"You look great," Jo said again, this time with less preoccupation in her tone. "The quintessential rocker chick."
Erika laughed. "I gotta keep up with all the other groupies."
Jo smiled, knowing that Erika could wear a burlap sack and Vittorio would find her the loveliest woman in the bar. Or anywhere. Vittorio and Ren were nothing if not devoted to their wives.
Would Maksim ever be that devoted to a woman?
Jo rolled her eyes, thoroughly annoyed with the ridiculous train of thought. Who cared what Maksim did?
But even as she said that to herself, she knew she did. She hated it, but she did care.
But she would get over it. She'd gotten over Jackson, she'd get over Maksim, too. Although she didn't doubt, despite the short amount of time she'd actually had with Maksim, he'd be harder to get beyond
Just then, Erika's cat leapt off the arm of the sofa, disappearing around behind the back. Jo couldn't say she'd miss the strange animal with its eerie eyes. But the animal's departure didn't calm her uneasiness. Instead the hair on the back of Jo's neck rose, a chill snaking slowly down her back.
Something was not right. The air seemed to hold a strange thickness. Electricity prickled her skin.
She tried to ignore the sensation, attempting to focus on Erika, who said something about The Impalers playing at a different bar.
Jo nodded in an absent effort to appear attentive. But the strange heaviness in the air seemed to intensify, crowding in around her.
Then out of the counter of her eye, she caught a movement. A shadowy shift, something, or someone, standing at the end of the sofa.
Jo didn't move, not wanting to see or feel what was happening. It was just her crazy imagination. Everything had been her overactive, overwrought imagination.
And it had to be her imagination, because Erika wasn't reacting as if anything was amiss. Erika talked about God knows what, while all Jo could focus on was that hint of something to her left.
"What do you think?"
Jo straightened, realizing Erika was addressing her directly. "I'm sorry?"
Erika smiled indulgently, seeing that Jo hadn't been listening. "I was saying that the band is considering changing bars permanently. And I wondered whether you thought it was a good idea."
Since Jo hadn't heard any of the pros or cons her friend had said, she really had no idea. So she just gave her a vague nod. "Sure."
Erika nodded, too, began to dig through her purse. "I think so, too."
Well, at least she answered that right, Jo thought. But her dubious feeling of relief was blotted out by another movement at her left, this time closer.
And there was a form now, solid—not just shadow. The hint of black hair, of pale skin. Just flashes like watching a person on a subway platform as the train rushes by.
Jo concentrated on Erika, willing her friend to see this person, thing, whatever it was. But Erika merrily searched through her purse, glancing in Jo's direction every now and then. Talking animatedly. And certainly not aware of an unexplained vision near Jo.
Jo opened her mouth, ready to ask her outright if she could see something there. But then closed her mouth. Did she really want further validation she was insane?
So instead Jo sat perfectly still, willing the image away. Willing herself to stay calm.
But both of those goals were quickly abandoned when the image beside her reached for her. A pale hand with long fingers and blunt nails stretched toward her arm, coming into clear, crisp view, even as the rest of the apparition remained indistinct in her peripheral vision.
Jo jumped up, blind panic taking over. She headed for the door.
"Hey," Erika called, confused by her sudden departure.
But Jo didn't stop. She had to get out of there, her only thought to escape the visions and the oppressive feelings surrounding her. She needed air. Breathe. Just breathe.
Erika didn't catch up with her until she was already out on the sidewalk. "What's the rush?"
"Sorry," Jo said, fighting the urge to brace her hands on her knees and lean forward to push away the rush of dizziness making it hard to focus.
Erika touched her arm, and Jo jumped.
"Sorry," Jo said that her own overreaction, laughing, the sound brittle and tinged with hysteria.
"Jo, what's going on?"
Jo supposed it was impossible to convince her friend she was fine now. But she wasn't admitting what she thought she'd just seen. Erika might believe her, being a big fan of all things occult, but telling Erika wouldn't make her feel better.
Jo just wanted to feel normal. Sane.
"I just felt a little dizzy. I need some fresh air."
Erika studied her for a moment, her blue-gray eyes roaming over Jo's face.
"Do you need some water or anything?"
Jo shook her head, relieved Erika wasn't going to grill her further. "I'm fine. Just need air."
Erika regarded her a moment longer, then nodded. "Okay. I'm going to get my purse. Do you need yours, too?"
"Yes. I think it's on the sofa." And she didn't want to go back near that sofa at the moment.
"I'll be right back," Erika said as if she expected Jo to do something rash in her absence. Which probably did seem likely. She clearly wasn't acting normal.
"All right. I'll be right back," Erika repeated, then hurried back toward her apartment.
Jo remained on the street, her arms wrapped around her middle. She paced, keeping her attention on the cracks in the sidewalk.
Then she heard a noise. Against her will, she looked up, following the direction of the noise. On the upper balcony stood the woman from her other trips to Erika and Maggie's. Her pale hands curled around the railing as she watched Jo.
From this distance, Jo couldn't feel the crushing weight of the apparition's presence. No tingle of electricity ran over her skin, but Jo now realized this was who had reached out to her.
The woman watched her with those pale eyes, her sadness and despair stretching out to her, even if her otherworldly vibe couldn't. The tenseness and fear faded a little. This woman needed help.
That didn't make Jo feel better about the fact that she was seeing ghosts. But at least she realized she didn't need to feel threatened by her.
The woman waved at her, as if testing the theory that Jo could really see her. Jo waved back.
Great, seeing ghosts wasn't bad enough. Now you know you've been interacting with them.
"Who are you waving to?" Erika said, reappearing by Jo's side.
Jo glanced at Erika, then back at the balcony. When she looked back, the woman was gone. All she could see was a pair of golden eyes blinking down like a lazy owl halfheartedly regarding a mouse.
"That cat," Erika said, assuming now that was what held Jo's attention. "He is the strangest pet I've ever had."
Jo couldn't disagree with that, especially if her thoughts about the creature were true. Good Lord, was she really debating the idea? That the woman and the cat, a male cat at that, were one and the same?
She supposed once you got into ghosts and shape-shifting, gender juxtaposition was really the least unbelievable part, wasn't it?
"Boris, what are you doing up here?" Erika called to the cat as if the animal might answer.
Then again, he might. Again, that would hardly be the weirdest thing Jo had had happen.
The cat didn't, though, and Jo was admittedly relieved.
"I swear that cat doesn't even like any of us, yet he stays." Erika handed Jo her purse.
Jo nodded, glancing up there again before falling into step with her friend.
"Yeah," Jo agreed, her voice dry, which was better than hysterical, "that cat is weird."
CHAPTER 21
Maksim remained in the doorway across the street, watching. He'd considered approaching Jo when she'd been alone on the sidewalk. She'd been pacing, her movements agitated, nervous.