“How about a dance, girl?”
“Don’t call me that!” Riddhima snapped. Looking up, she belatedly registered the stricken look on her boyfriend’s face and groaned. “I’m sorry, Rudra. It’s been a tiring day. I don’t feel like dancing.”
She had been nursing a drink in her hand, staring off into the distance. The liquor warmed her insides in the chill night air, but her mind kept going in circles over a certain ghost’s words. This bonfire night was so not going as she had anticipated.
Her classmates were dancing around the fire, raucously dancing to Mika Singh’s Mauja Hi Mauja. Couples were sneaking out to make out in the dense foliage. Some guys were passed out on the couches, intermittently waking up to chug another pint to their friends’ cheers. It was the whole fun college vibe before they would part ways into corporate life. She was supposed to have been a part of all this fun. But here she was, musing over her ghost problem.
Riddhima Sharma, the most normal girl in their entire batch, the one whose phone number all her friends’ parents dialled for emergencies. The real Sharma ji ki beti. She had a freaking ghost problem. Fck her life. She swigged a big gulp of brandy, tasting the bitter liquid on her tongue.
“What is going on, Riddhima?” Rudra sat down beside her, genuine concern in his eyes. “You have been acting strange since you disappeared on us earlier today. Come on, you can share if something is bothering you.” He nudged her, winking mischievously. “That’s what boyfriends are for, eh?”
Biting her lip, she wondered if her guilt was evident on her face. What could she even tell him? That she was bound by blood to a crazy spirit intent on exacting a hundred-year-old revenge? A handsome ghost man that she had nearly kissed today, forgetting she had someone called Rudra in her life? Rudra with the kind brown eyes and mischievous smile. The one who had waited patiently for years for her to reciprocate his feelings. Rudra, who was most importantly, human?
She had been so immersed in her studies that her dating life had officially hit rock bottom. When he had asked her out again after the final exams, it had felt like everything was falling into a predictable and happy rhythm in her life. First studies, then career, then dating and then shaadi. She hadn’t factored in any occult issues into her life’s plan.
“You booked this place, didn’t you?” she enquired, trying to keep her tone non accusatory. It wasn’t his fault that she had decided to play Nancy Drew in an abandoned building today. “It’s a little off the beaten path, isn’t it? How did you know about it?”
Rudra swelled with pride, eager to tell the story. “My friends and I had heard of this spooky old town that was now in ruins. Apparently, its inhabitants were cursed by a coven of shamans to return to dust when a witchy member of theirs fell in love with the landlord. Something about practicing necromancy, which is considered forbidden magic. You can’t play around with death, you know?” She nodded and smiled ruefully, encouraging him to continue. “Anyway, we had come here on a dare last year and found this darling old row of treehouses. The owner lives abroad, and the caretaker was willing to rent it to us at a dirt-cheap price. I expect he doesn’t get many such requests. We got here, explored a bit. Even went inside a supposedly haunted haveli. It’s just near where we were playing today.” Riddhima inhaled sharply, taken aback. Rudra had also gone inside the mansion of doom?
“Don’t get scared. There’s nothing much to see there,” he grinned, misinterpreting her expression. He shrugged and kicked a stone near his foot. “Just some sketches on walls and shit. Not even a bloody chair to sit on. This whole place doesn’t live up to its haunted legend but sundar bahot hai yaar! The forests, the river, the whole vibe…Did you know that a couple miles down the river are real shaman’s cottages? They tell your future and everything! Some even claim to interact with the dead ones. How cool is that, huh?”
She stared at him, wondering if the world was mad today or this was fate intervening on the ghost boy’s behalf. Wasn’t this where Vansh wanted her to go to find some magical priestess? “There are shamans ahead? Like a whole magical bunch of them?! Tum mujhe leke jaa sakte ho?”
“Woah, Riddhima!” his eyes lit up in pleasure. “I never thought you were actually into the whole voodoo stuff.”
“I’m just curious, I guess,” she smiled tightly. Apparently ‘getting into the voodoo stuff’ was going to be her life till Vansh wrote her off his revenge saga. “It is not every day that one runs into a spooky town, after all.”
Rudra nodded, putting an arm around her and squeezing her shoulder sympathetically. “Yeah, I guess you would be fascinated with the dead people stuff. What with your parents and the accident kuch saal pehle.”
Riddhima felt sucker punched, a slow ringing in her ears drowning out Rudra’s voice. An old ache rose in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Shrugging off Rudra’s arm, she ran up to her room angrily, ignoring his fervent apologies. People were not supposed to just flippantly spring something like this out of the blue. They were supposed to lead up to facts slowly, so that she could brace mentally.
She sank onto the bed, covering her face. This year was supposed to have been a new beginning for her. She had got fantastic grades, a dream job and locked a decent guy as her boyfriend. Her Dad would have been quietly proud, run a hand through her hair and patted her cheek. Her Mom would have gone ballistic praising her daughter’s achievements at numerous kitty parties.
Everything was going perfectly as per her plan, before she decided to be more adventurous in life.
A knock sounded at the door, breaking her reverie. She ignored it in favour of staring blankly at the ceiling. If anyone knew what it felt like to lose one’s family in a snap, it was her. In a single night, she had lost both her parents to a vehicle collision on the highway. They had been returning home from a relative’s wedding, the fog on the roads making it hard to see ahead. She had been away at college when she heard the news, the shock turning into a constant thrum of ache and loneliness that she had felt ever since. She could imagine the sort of pain Vansh must carry at losing all his loved ones to premeditated murder. And for a person to be buried alive! Could life really be so cruel? Did such evil people exist? Kabir -whoever he was – deserved to spend his eternity in torment. But how could she put everything in her life on hold for a ghost’s vengeance?
“Well, its not like I have been given much choice” she muttered under her breath. The knocking grew louder, annoying her. “Fine! I’m coming.”
She opened the door, the ire clearly written on her face. “I’m really sorry, Riddhima. I was buzzed, you were so beautiful…Hum itne dinon baad aise baatein kar rahe the. I made a complete ass of myself. That was tactless of me. Can I come in?”
“It’s not a good time, Rudra. I just want to sleep now. Can we take this up tomorrow morning…preferably, when you aren’t buzzed?”
Rudra caught her hands, raising wounded eyes to hers. “I will make it upto you. I will take you to the shaman cottages myself tomorrow morning. I promise. Please give me another chance?”
“Yes, okay. Thank you. I would just like to rest now, please,” she stated tiredly. He pecked her quickly on the lips and left, walking unsteadily on his feet.
“Charming,” spoke a deep voice dispassionately behind her. Her heart leapt to her throat as she turned slowly. The door slammed shut behind her.
“We had a deal,” she spoke flatly, looking at the suited man lounging on her bed casually. “You were to leave me alone for one fcking night!”
“What do I do, Riddhima? I am a spirit. I get bored.”
“So what now? Main tumhe entertain karoon all day and night?” she crossed her arms, anger flashing in her eyes. “Why don’t you find someone else to harass while I reconcile to being stuck with an insufferable shadow, huh?”
Vansh sat up, his hair mussed from her bedding. For a moment, he looked less ghost man and more human without his perfectly set hair. Though this just made him seem even more cute to her. “Why do you complain, sweetheart? You clearly find me cute…and should I add – irresistible? I am certain we could find something interesting for both of us…to do tonight.”
Colour rose to her cheeks at his insinuation. The arrogant little…! Vansh chuckled, clearly having an all access pass to her thoughts.
She walked stiffly to the table and poured herself another glass of brandy. This would go down a lot better with some liquid courage. She could feel his eyes on her back, running down her body. Feeling flushed and a little too warm, she turned towards him. “Listen, I have thought over this. I will help you get rid of that monster spirit. With or without your blackmailing.” She watched his eyes darken in response. She had his attention. Good. “But we need to set some ground rules here. I am hitting pause on my regular thriving life to move along your afterlife. I want you to be respectful and grateful for my willing participation. That includes not creeping up on me out of the blue, giving me the privacy of my thoughts and not invading my space…like this.” She gestured weakly to his sprawled form on her bed and took another big gulp of her drink. Was she negotiating with a ghost?
He continued to stare intensely at her, making her feel self-conscious. Were her pajamas too pink to be taken seriously? Was there something on her face? Oh my God, her nipples weren’t playing peekaboo in the chilly air, were they? She resisted the urge to look at her chest, downing her entire drink in one go. “You really should take it slow, girl,” he advised, earning him a glare as she poured another glass. She just refused to function sober tonight. After a long pause, he finally said, “I will try to not creep up on you. Though in my defense, you do startle easily. And I will refrain from the mind reading. Mushkil hoga mere liye. Some revelations have been quite interesting…” He smirked meaningfully, making her yearn to dump the drink on his head. “And absolutely no promises to the third request. No reason necessary.”
“Why, you-” Riddhima banged her glass on the table, her mind made up on hauling his ghostly ass out the door. Consequences be damned. “You’re the most obnoxious, arrogant –oof!” He never heard the rest of her fabulous tirade as she went flailing over the carpet, trying to grab the air for support. In a flash, cold hands caught her, steadying her against a thoroughly masculine chest. A delicious scent of sandalwood and smoke teased her nostrils.
“Oops, little girl. Looks like you are a bit of a lightweight when it comes to liquor.”
She raised dazed eyes to Vansh’s amused ones, feeling his arms go around her waist. She was holding onto his shirt for dear life. The world was spinning, and this man’s hundred-year-old suit was her anchor. “I am a lightweight literally, mister. I am only 62 kgs.”
“Is this an invitation, sweetheart?” he grinned, rubbing his thumb soothingly against the curve of right hip. “Should I carry you to bed and check how much of a feather you are?”
“Are you calling me a liar?” she huffed, pushing herself unsteadily on tippy toes and sliding her arms around his neck. “Maybe you should. Yes, I think I would like that very much.”
She was flirting recklessly, the alcohol in her blood doing its job. His eyes darkened, the light-hearted mood of earlier dissipating. “Riddhima…What did I say about tempting me?” he growled in warning.
“You would keep me here forever?” she whispered, mesmerized by the play of emotions in his eyes. What would she do if he took her up on her dare?
He exhaled and bent his head, his forehead touching hers. She could feel him striving for control in the way his hands flexed on her waist. His scent of sandalwood and smoke intoxicated her reeling senses. “You are drunk, Riddhima,” he stated, his cold breath washing over her parted lips. Oh yes, that she was. Drunk on his scent, his touch, his voice. She had to…needed to get closer. Caressing his nose with hers, she raised her lips slowly towards his.
With a guttural groan, he entangled his hand in her hair, pulling her head back. “Stop this. You have no idea what you are asking for.” She trembled as his eyes glared down at her, the darkest black she had ever seen. He bent his head and ran his nose down her throat, sending delicious sparks shooting through her body. She felt him trace her collarbone with his lips, pleasure coursing down her spine. Then a sharp pain brought her out of her lust induced state. “Ouch!”
“You-you bit me,” she gasped out, her senses on overdrive, desire pooling between her legs.
“Yes, I did,” he answered hotly against her skin, making another especially sharp bite that made her moan in a mix of pain and want. “This should remind you in the morning that you shouldn’t play such dangerous games.”
“Vansh…” He lifted her suddenly, making her squeal and clutch him tighter. Carrying her to the bed, he dumped her unceremoniously, knocking all breath out of her.
She looked up at him aghast as he loomed over her. His features were harsh with unnamed emotions. “Sweet dreams, Riddhima.”
And before she could curse him, he was gone. “Bastard,” she muttered anyway, falling into a dreamless sleep.
***