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Would it soon become three? Brayden still hadn’t indicated what he’d do to me.
He ignored the metal husk and dragged the bike atop it in the newly opened space. Mahoney tried in vain to pull it back out. His ghostly hands went right through it.
I found myself arguing to save it. “Destroying the bike won’t help.”
“Kill the host and the soul becomes untethered.”
“And you know this how?”
Brayden cast me a short glance over his shoulder. “Because I’ve been studying the afterlife.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to be ready in case Mahoney returned. An evil like him doesn’t easily die.”
“What else do you know about ghosts?”
“That they require tethers to remain in this world and that a loose spirit requires a suitable vessel. Something with a connection to them when they were living. An object. A person.” Brayden turned fully towards me. “Given what you’ve already done for him, I’m sorry for what I’m about to do.”
The threat had me swinging. Brayden managed to block the blow, and the next, arm blocks that jarred my attempts to hurt him. All he did was defuse me. His cop training came in handy as he knocked the ratchet from my hands, grabbed my wrist, spun me, and before I could retaliate, had my hands ziptied behind my back.
Slick. And kind of scary because it put me at his mercy.
“Don’t kill me.” I wasn’t above begging.
“I’m hoping I won’t have to.” He tugged me until I sat on the ground, with him crouching in front of me. “This next part is going to be hard, Allie. You need to focus on staying in control. If Mahoney senses weakness, he will dive in.”
“What are you talking about?” I huffed as he headed for the compacter switch.
“Once I destroy the bike, Mahoney’s spirit will look for a new place to hunker. I’ve got the mental fortitude to keep him out.” Brayden tapped his temple. “You have to try really hard to do the same.”
“And if he gets inside my head?”
“Then I’m really sorry.”
The implication chilled me. “Brayden, listen to yourself. Possessed motorcycle. Body-jumping spirit. You’re not thinking straight.”
“There is nothing wrong with me, Allie. You’re the one with a problem. The one who let him in because you didn’t listen to me. But don’t worry. I’m going to fix this.”
“Brayden?” I injected a warning note.
“Be strong,” he yelled as he started the compactor, and the anvil on top descended toward the motorcycle.
I knew better than to do something stupid like throw myself at the closing gap. A bike didn’t merit me losing my life, yet tears rolled down my cheeks because Mahoney stood in front of it, his expression grave—as if resigned to his fate.
“I wish we could have had more time,” Mahoney said with a soft smile.
“I don’t want you to die. Again,” I corrected at the end.
He glanced behind for a quick second as metal began to crunch. “Guess it’s finally my time. Glad I got to meet— Ungh,” he grunted as the bike frame began to compress.
“Mahoney,” I whispered his name, seeing him fade before me. With each creak and snap of metal, I cringed. Until I screamed. “Stop, you’re killing him.”
“Good,” was Brayden’s reply. “Almost done. Guard your mind now.”
A translucent Mahoney scowled. “Fucker. This isn’t over.”
The last thing he said as the bike crushed completely, and Mahoney disappeared. No fade. No last yell. Gone.
