Rock N Soul Read Online Free PDF Page A

bellboy. I work here.”
    “Oh.” He pushed his foot through the floor again before straightening up and squaring his shoulders. “Well, I guess that’s it, then. I’m dead.”
    “Yeah.” I shifted uncomfortably. “So I guess you’ll be wanting to . . . move on? Or whatever?”
    “I don’t know how,” he said. “That’s why I thought there would be an angel or a guide or something.” His gaze slid around the room. “I don’t see a light to go towards.”
    “Do you see a flame?” I asked, then wished I hadn’t.
    To my surprise, he laughed. “No, not one of those either. Although I guess that would be more likely for a guy like me.”
    I smiled, and he smiled back.
    It was at that moment it hit me: I was talking to a ghost.
    The screaming started again.

I only screamed for a few seconds, but by the time Malika rushed into the room I was crouched in the corner of the suite, hugging my knees to my chest and rocking back and forth. It was actually a little pathetic, and I was glad it was Malika who found me, because Vic or Natalie would have given me so much shit about it that I would have been forced to leave the country. Anyway, Malika saw me and ran over, falling to her knees beside me dramatically.
    “Tyler! What’s wrong?” She reached for my arm, and I yanked it out of her reach. Frowning deeply, she tried again. “Do I need to call an ambulance?”
    “No,” I whimpered, hoping she could hear me through my knees. “It’s him.”
    “It’s who?” Malika’s eyes flitted around the room. “Mr. Kingston? Did he hurt you?”
    “No!” I summoned all of my strength and lifted my head. Chris was standing behind Malika, his brow knitted and his arms crossed tightly against his chest. I pointed at him. “ Him .”
    Malika turned and scanned the room behind her, then looked back at me with a ridiculously calm expression. “There’s nobody there, Tyler.”
    “He’s there.” I pointed harder at Chris. “Can’t you see him?”
    She glanced around again, checking for longer this time before slowly turning back to me. “Maybe you should lie down. I’ll help you to an empty room, okay?”
    I stared at Chris. “Let her see you.”
    “I don’t know if I can.” He frowned for a minute, then shrugged. “Doesn’t seem to work.”
    Malika pursed her lips a bit. “Tyler. Who are you talking to?”
    “Chris Raiden,” I said. “He’s here.”
    “Oh yeah,” Chris said, rolling his eyes. “If she can’t see me, she’s totally going to believe you.”
    Malika got to her feet. “I think maybe I should call that ambulance.”
    “No!” I glared at my legs and tried to will them to straighten out and agree to support my weight. “I’m okay. I’m just . . . maybe you’re right. I should lie down. I’m just . . .” I glanced at Chris again and then tried to act like I wasn’t seeing an apparition in the room. After all, I’m too pretty to go to a psych ward. I swallowed hard and turned to Malika. “It’s been a long day. I’m just tired.”
    She narrowed her eyes.
    Chris poked her experimentally. His hand went through her neck.
    “I’m going to lie down,” I said. Even though this was our largest, most luxurious room, it suddenly seemed claustrophobic. “Is 612 empty?”
    “Yeah. Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “I’m good,” I said, finally managing to scramble to my feet. “Can you just throw some sheets on this bed for me?” She nodded, and I gave her a bright smile. Really, it was probably a few shades too bright, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances. “Okay, then. I’ll be fine in a bit. I just need a little nap.”
    “Okay,” she said. “I’ll come check on you in an hour if you’re not up by then.”
    “Thanks.” I forced my feet to move. After a few steps had proved to me that I could walk on my own without face-planting, I sped up and went to room 612 at a trot, then passed the management key through the room card reader and went inside.
    I