Geist Read Free

Geist." 
    "It is what I am." 
    "Sounds German. What did you do for Sophia?" 
    He took in a deep breath before he answered. "I kept her informed of what the Revenants were doing—set up contacts and surveillance within the Physical plane as well as the Mental and Astral planes—though very little ever happens on those planes. I also told her what the Ethereals were doing, when and where, and what places in the Physical they had contact with the beings that inhabit those areas. I shared reports—" 
    "Whoa," I held up a hand. "You report to someone else too? Like someone other than me?"
    "I am Geist. I am the Ghost. I exist in all planes, and in all realms. I give equal information to both aspects of the universe. As I said earlier, you are part of the three governing entities." 
    Uh oh. "You mean you tell the Seraphim the same thing you tell me?" 
    "Yes." 
    "So...anything I do, you tell it?" 
    "No. The Seraphim has never directly asked me to keep an eye on you. Nor has the Seraphim ever asked me what it was you are doing." 
    "What about Sophia? Did it ask about her?" 
    "Yes."
    So that's how the Ethereals knew what Sophia was doing in reguards to the Revenant deaths. Because of this Geist thing. "So—you take orders from either of us?"
    "Yes." 
    "Does one command supplant the other?" 
    He frowned. "I would suspect the first command would always override the second." 
    "Geist—" I wasn't sure this was going to work, but I was starting to understand why Sophia started thinking the way she did. "I'm giving you an order right now—you are not to tell the Seraphim—or anything else within the Ethereal plane—what it is I am doing, or will be doing. Ever . Understand." 
    "Yes Zoë." 
    I blinked. And then I blinked again. Did—was it that easy? "So you're really not going to spy on me and report back to the Seraphim?" 
    "Not unless you tell me I should." His expression relaxed. "You do not seem to understand the purpose of the Geist."
    "Not one damn bit," I watched him for a few minutes. "What else did you help Sophia do?" 
    "I taught her how to ease her loneliness. I showed her how to be powerful." 
    I liked the sound of the being powerful part. "You did. Would you show me something if I asked you to? And answer my questions?" 
    "Yes Zoë." 
    Test time! "Did you know I could move out of body while in this egg?" 
    "Yes, Zoë." 
    "Is the reason why I keep snapping back into my body because I'm actually astrally traveling back into the Physical Plane from the Abysmal?" 
    "Yes. Your physical body cannot replenish itself without the soul—your ghost, so to speak. To extend the periods of time you remain in the Physical, you would need to find a suitable host." 
    Host? I licked my lips. "What does that mean?" 
    To my surprise, the Geist put his arms behind him and moved back and forth in front of the egg. His actions reminded me a bit of Joe. He always did that when he was working on a case. 
    And just like that—the Geist resembled Joe. Only it was the Joe I'd first met in the morgue when it looked as if I'd died. God...how long ago was that? Last November? 
    Geist was wearing Joe's red plaid shirt, tight jeans, and spiky hair—but no smirk. His face remained expressionless. 
    He stopped and looked down at himself. "This is a much better appearance for you I believe. Yes? " 
    "Why did you?—how did you?—" 
    "I am not sure. My original appearance—what you referred to as Ordinary Guy—has been the only one I have ever known. I can only assume that I have changed forms to accommodate your direct request." 
    This was nuts. And I had no 'effing idea what it was I was doing. "So...can you change forms again?" 
    He paused, and abruptly he was the Ordinary Guy. "Apparently so." 
    "Go back to Joe. That was easier." 
    He did. And then he frowned again. "But there is a different physical shape that brings to mind more authority in your memories—" 
    Abruptly he was Captain Ken Cooper—Daniel's