Andrei Cuza and Dean Marshall celebrated their tenth anniversary only to have their happiness shattered by a random, insane event: On his way home from closing a business deal, Dean stops on the parkway to help a young mother with her flat tire, and her ex arrives, murders them, and takes off with his two kids.

Ghosts have haunted Andrei all his life. He bears the guilt for his sister being stuck in limbo, because ghosts are frozen at the moment they died, unable to adapt to the changes in their living loved ones. When Dean returns to Andrei as a ghost, the double punch of losing him and having to watch him founder if he doesn’t move on is almost more than Andrei can bear.

Despite dangers in limbo””Jackal Wraiths that devour souls are hunting him””Dean isn’t going anywhere until he helps Andrei track down the missing children. Andrei is in danger as well when he pays dearly to feel Dean’s touch one last time. Time is slowly running out as Dean and Andrei try to say good-bye while they track a killer who’s more than happy to kill again.

*****

One of the things that I loved writing about Ghosts in the Wind was exploring the deep connection between Andrei and Dean. They’d been friends for years before they’d become lovers and they’d just celebrated the tenth anniversary of their commitment ceremony when Dean was murdered. It takes Andrei awhile to accept the fact that Dean’s a ghost. He’s had plenty of experience with ghosts since his older sister’s ghost has been following him around since he’s a little boy. And he’s all too familiar with the dangers ghosts face when they remain behind. That’s not going to stop either of them from taking every last moment they have with each other and savoring that extra time.

This story isn’t just about the bond between Andrei and Dean, it’s also about the bond between siblings, the love a mother has for child, and the bonds of friendship.

In this excerpt, Andrei has spent the last four days continuing to search for Dean’s killer and the missing kids, all the while not knowing what happened to Dean or his sister Ileana when they’d disappeared with the Jackal Wraiths chasing after them.

*****

DEAN let Andrei pull him closer and closed his eyes at the warm brush of Andrei’s lips over his own. Such a simple touch and coming from Andrei, it soothed the raw places inside of him, wearing away the edges so it didn’t cut so deeply into him anymore. Dean couldn’t resist that closeness, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Andrei again. Putting a distance between them would do just that.

Andrei was strong. He was a survivor. And as long as he didn’t show any weakness from Dean’s touch, Dean was more than content to let it continue. He soaked up the simple, loving touches like a man left too long in the dark starved for the light.

“You guys kissy face a lot.”

Dean turned toward Ileana, trying to appear unconcerned all the while wondering just how much she’d seen of them over the years. It was acutely embarrassing. “Ummm.” “That’s what couples do when they’re together.” Andrei picked up Ileana and set her on his lap, smoothing the tangles from her hair with his fingers. “I hope you had manners enough to leave when we did. Remember our talk about privacy?”

Ileana rolled her eyes and snuggled in closer as Andrei worked from the ends of her hair up. “Duh. Watching you kiss each other is boring.”

Dean chuckled and tapped the end of her nose, relief flowing through him. “And you are a little minx.” It was good to see her looking so secure in Andrei’s arms and the sparkle start to return to her eyes. What he wouldn’t give to be in Andrei’s arms himself.

“What happened?” Andrei asked quietly, braiding one section of hair before moving on to another.

Dean shook his head and mouthed “later” over Ileana’s head. He didn’t want to unburden himself to Andrei while she was still awake, and he desperately needed to do just that. “Why don’t I finish your hair, Poppet, and we’ll let Andrei eat before his dinner gets stone cold.”

“Okay.” Ileana slipped down after throwing her arms around Andrei’s neck and giving him a kiss on his cheek.

Andrei sighed and without a word, they both scooted their chairs closer to one another. Dean smiled at the unspoken gesture. “How many days has it been?”

Andrei shot him a sideways glance, the fine lines around his eyes and mouth deepening as he tensed. “Four.”

Dean closed his eyes as he fiddled with the long strands of Ileana’s hair. Four days lost to them while those monsters had chased him down. Andrei touched his hand and then slid his fingers up Dean’s arm. “You’re here now.”

“Yeah, I am.” Dean smiled at him. No regrets. They had such little time left together, and he didn’t want any ugliness or guilt to mar that time. “How goes the investigation?”

“Blake’s at a campground in this town. I’m pretty sure of it.” Andrei pulled out the map of the park and showed Dean the areas that he’d already searched. “I’ll start again tomorrow just as soon as it’s late enough that I can walk around without raising suspicion.”

Dean stared down at the map, frustration and worry tangling inside of him. He’d be able to answer the question of where Blake could be found in a heartbeat. He could follow the putrid taste of the man and come back and tell Andrei exactly where Blake had disappeared to with those kids. Inez and Tristan would not have to spend one more night in his company.

Only, he didn’t trust himself. The two times he’d confronted Blake he’d been overcome with rage, and it had almost gotten him torn apart. He didn’t even think he could summon up that kind of anger right now with how worn down he was, and he still didn’t care to risk it. Too much was at stake.

“Do you think Inez and Tristan are still”¦.” Dean glanced down at Ileana, half-asleep in his arms, and let the rest of the sentence trail off.

“They are. Someone in town ID’d them. Though Blake is trying to pass off Inez as a little boy. At that age it’s easy to do.”

Dean breathed in a sigh of relief and rose, cradling Ileana against him. “Where should I put her? She’s exhausted. I’m pretty shagged myself. I never thought a ghost could get tired, but jumping all around takes energy.” And putting forth the energy to make sure Andrei could see, hear, and touch him took even more.

Andrei tossed his paper napkin on the remains of his dinner. “The couch will work. I’ll get the extra blanket from the closet.”

“We’re not gonna leave again, are we?” Ileana asked sleepily as Dean laid her down and straightened her sundress. “We’re gonna stay and be a family, right? I’ve wanted a family again for the longest time.”

Dean smoothed his hand over her head. “We are a family, Poppet. No matter where we are.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead as Andrei returned, shaking out a blanket.

Dean stepped back, watching as Andrei tenderly tucked the blanket around her. He’d always loved watching Andrei with their nieces and nephews. He had far more patience with them than he did with any adult, and it always made Dean ache because he had wanted so bad to raise kids of their own with that man. There were so many children out there alone and neglected, just like Andrei had been.

“Sing “Nani, Nani’.” Ileana twisted her fingers in Andrei’s shirt as she cast him a look of appeal through her lashes that would’ve melted the hardest heart.

His cheeks flushing, Andrei glanced at Dean. Dean couldn’t remember Andrei ever singing, not to anyone, not along to the radio, not even in the shower. And he understood why the moment the first words passed Andrei’s lips. His partner was as tone deaf as they came, and he was clearly embarrassed at having Dean witness him singing. It didn’t seem to bother Ileana one bit as she fell asleep with the first true smile on her face in days. And damned if listening to Andrei butcher a lullaby didn’t make Dean fall in love with him all over again.

Andrei quieted as he watched her sleep and then looked at Dean over his shoulder with a wary expression. “Go ahead and say it. I know you’re dying to.”

“You definitely aren’t going to win American Idol, babe.”

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