Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee, October 31, 1985

Someone had cranked the outdoor thermostat to “Hell,” and Memphis lay baking under the merciless glare of flat, white sunlight. Beale Street should have been a bit cooler given its proximity to the Mississippi River, but it seemed the light just reflected off the muddy water and added to the sweltering heat. The tall buildings that lined both sides of the street blocked any errant breeze that might have blown in off the stagnant river. Only the humidity made it in. The plethora of Halloween decorations displayed every square inch in preparation for that night’s upcoming pub crawl were like a bad joke. One hundred degree temperatures were not synonymous with Halloween.

Adam Greene, the charismatic former singer of the rock band Shadowed Knight, lifted the hair from the back of his neck, hoping for a little relief, but the gesture was in vain. All it did was allow the heat to reach even more exposed skin. He cut his eyes sideways at Stuart Brady, the band’s former keyboardist and bass player, and Adam’s longtime friend. Adam permitted an irritated glare to cloud his face when he noticed Stuart’s expression screwed up the way he did just before he broke out into a tirade of bitching about something. This little jaunt had been Stuart’s idea, but the man had done nothing but complain about how uncomfortable he was since they’d left the cool sanctuary of The Peabody Hotel. Only Adam had given in to Stuart’s pleas to “experience” the city, since even the luxury and grandeur of The Peabody couldn’t stop his cabin fever. Their friend and former guitarist, Jay Carey, had been the smart one, electing to stay out of the heat and relax in the splendor of the hotel.

Adam let his hair drop back down on his neck and repressed a sigh. Perhaps this trip to Memphis wasn’t such a good idea. It had been the brainchild of Nicky Majors. Shadowed Knight’s rhythm guitarist had suggested that if they all got away together, away from managers, publicists, and the distractions of life in general they might be able to rekindle some of that old rock ‘n roll magic. The idea was to write new music, maybe even record a new album. But first they needed to get used to each other again. After all, the band had split up a dozen years ago, and while Jay, Nicky, and Stuart had remained in touch, none of the group had attempted to create music together. Adam himself had concentrated on his successful solo career and stayed away from his former bandmates. After all, it was his dramatic and unexpected exit from Shadowed Knight that imploded the group and caused its demise right at the height of their popularity. Too, as far as Adam knew, their drummer hadn’t contacted any of them in the past twelve years. George had been content to live off the huge royalties their music still generated without the hassle of being in the spotlight. Until that past July, that is.

Their Live Aid performance had been dismal, to say the least. Though they were overjoyed to be included on the bill, all of them had been a bundle of nerves, listening too much to the hype their reunion appearance generated. Adam had decided to calm himself before the show with a few chemical relaxation aids. He overdid it, though, the way he tended to overdo anything he attempted, and as a result, he’d been toasted when the band took the stage. It had not been the stellar comeback everyone expected, and the finale was the worst part of it all. Adam’s throat had been dry and scratchy, and no matter what he did he sang off-key throughout the entire song. He still gritted his teeth when he recalled the annoyed looks tossed his way by Jay. It was clear some practice was in order before Shadowed Knight attempted any further reunions.

Adam guessed Memphis was as good a place as any to meet up. It was the birthplace of the blues, and the birthplace of rock and roll. If a band couldn’t pick up on those vibes and glean inspiration then it wasn’t much of a band, right? Even though they’d have to find a new drummer since George had refused to join them, they should still be able to least get a start on something new.

“I can’t believe it’s so fucking hot.” Stuart’s voice intruded into Adam’s ruminations and derailed his train of thought. “I told you we should have gone down to Rosedale today. After all, they say that’s the real birthplace of the blues.”

“Yes, I’m sure it’s much cooler one hundred miles further south.” Adam didn’t even try to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

“At least it’s open country there,” Stuart muttered. “Besides, the vibe would be much better. You could even stand at the crossroads tonight and wait for some inspiration.”

Adam was reasonably sure the devil wasn’t into giving voice lessons. Besides, despite the Live Aid fiasco, Adam didn’t need lessons from anyone. His voice was still stellar, and he did say so himself. False humility wasn’t one of his failings. Heat stroke, however, looked like a distinct possibility.

His headache increased by the minute, a constant throb that almost made him nauseated. He grabbed Stuart’s upper arm as they passed a small club. It looked to be as deserted as the rest of Beale Street. Obviously, the middle of a weekday during a heat wave wasn’t prime tourist season. But at least the club was dark and out of the sun.

“In here.” He nodded toward the club as Stuart turned to him in surprise. “I’m about to pass out, and I’m sure they have something cold to drink.”

For a moment Stuart looked as though he were going to protest, but something in the steely glint of Adam’s eyes obviously made him think better of it. He shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled through the door into the club.

As their eyes adjusted to the dim interior, Adam realized the term “club” was being kind. This hole in the wall was a bar, a dive, a honky-tonk. And a deserted one, at that. Just as he began to rethink his decision to stop there, the icy flow from the air conditioner struck his overheated body. In that moment he didn’t care if they’d stumbled into a meeting of the local Ladies’ Sewing Circle and Bible Study Extravaganza. At least they were out of the heat.

The bartender stepped forward with a smile, probably glad to finally get some business. His smile widened when he got a good look at them.

“Hey! I know y’all. I mean, I know who you are.” He held out a hand. “Watched your Live Aid show on TV. What are y’all doing in Memphis?”

It was nice that he recognized them. That kind of thing never got old. The mention of the Live Aid performance brought about a mental wince, though. Adam prayed he wouldn’t elaborate on it.

“Dying of heat and humidity.” Stuart answered the bartender’s question with a laugh. “Couple of draughts would be nice.”

They sat at the bar and sipped the cold draught beers. The mugs were only drained halfway when their moods improved. Adam’s headache receded, and Stuart’s comments changed from complaints to a light-hearted ramble about their upcoming visit to Graceland. Their after-hours tour was scheduled for later that night, and they, along with Jay and Nicky, were looking forward to seeing Elvis’s home.

Stuart kept a running commentary of jokes about running into The King’s ghost that night, and Adam, bored with the subject, let his eyes wander around the cramped interior of the small building. A litter of tables and chairs crowded the floor, and the place was eerily silent. There wasn’t even a jukebox to muffle the hum of the coolers behind the bar. A sudden flash of white in the dark far corner caught his eye, and he leaned forward, trying to make out what was there.

His eyebrows shot up when he realized it was a girl wearing a white blouse, the source of the flash he’d seen. She looked far too young to be sitting in a bar on Beale Street. Surely she was no more than seventeen. She was looking right at him, and the shocked expression on her face was clear even from across the room. Pretty thing, even with her wide eyes and open mouth. A quick glance at the chairs surrounding her assured Adam she was alone. In fact, she was the only person in the room other than the bartender, Stuart and himself.

He was arranging his expression into the come-hither look that always garnered results, when Stuart’s elbow nudged him in the ribs. He turned, irritated at the interruption.

“Have you not heard a word I’ve said?” Stuart sounded amused.

“What? No, I’m sorry.” Adam turned back to where he’d seen the girl. “What were you saying?” Stuart’s voice once again faded from his consciousness when Adam realized the girl was gone. He looked around the small space but didn’t spot her anywhere. The flickering neon sign that advertised the location of the bar’s restroom area was too far away for her to have ducked in there in the brief moment his attention had been diverted. She’d just…vanished. Damn it. And she’d been just what he liked, too. Young, innocent looking, and apparently in awe of him.

Adam shook his head and turned to face the bar. Perhaps he really was getting heatstroke. He could’ve sworn there was a girl in the corner, but… He held two fingers up in front of his face to check his vision.

“Two more comin’ right up.” The bartender, having mistaken Adam’s gesture, was already filling two more mugs from the tap.

“You’re that thirsty, are you?” Stuart grinned and shrugged. “Whatever you say. Hey!” He addressed the bartender as the two mugs thumped down in front of them. “It’s usually not so hot here this time of year, is it?”

The bartender raised his shoulders in a brief shrug, the material of his green T-shirt tightening over his biceps. “It can be. Most of the time it’s kinda nice on Halloween, but we did get snow a couple of years. Bein’ so hot this time will bring lots of folks out for the pub crawl tonight. You guys comin’?”

“Nah.” Stuart shook his head. “Don’t think so.”

“Probably not the best idea.” The bartender grinned. “I can’t see you two passing through that undetected.”

Adam listened with half an ear, trying to imagine Shadowed Knight at a Beale Street pub crawl on Halloween, when an icy finger of awareness slid down his spine. Someone was standing behind him. He spun around and found the girl from the corner about three feet from him, a small smile on her lips. The moment of fright he’d felt when he became aware of her presence faded, and he smiled back.

She was even prettier close up, with wavy, light brown hair that brushed her shoulders, smooth skin, and large, light-colored eyes. He couldn’t be sure of their color in the dim lighting of the bar, but her expression was easy to read. She was looking at him with a mixture of surprise, interest and excitement. Adam was familiar with the look. He’d seen it lots of times. But there was something else there. Some emotion he couldn’t recognize lay deep in her steady gaze, and it intrigued him.

“Hello.” He gave her his most engaging smile.

“Hi.” Her reply was soft and almost questioning, but her smile widened.

Stuart spun around at the sound of her voice. “Well, hello there. I didn’t know anyone else was here.”

Adam shifted on his barstool, the slight movement putting more of a barrier between Stuart and the girl. She already looked ready to bolt, and Adam didn’t want to give her any excuse. Stuart was a good bloke, but there were times he came on too strong. Besides, three was a crowd, wasn’t that what they said? Adam held out his hand to the girl in invitation. “Would you care to join us?”

The girl’s eyes flicked to Stuart, looked him over, and dismissed him as effectively as if she’d spoken. She smiled at Adam again, and slid onto the barstool next to him, avoiding his hand. “Thank you.”

Adam barely registered Stuart’s sound of displeasure mingled with amusement, and inspected the girl with a practiced eye. Young, yes, but with a curvy little body accentuated by her sleeveless white blouse and snug jeans. He repressed a smile at the way she sat as far away from him as she could without falling off the barstool. That, coupled with the way she’d taken care not to touch his hand, sparked his imagination. Perhaps this heat-soaked trip wasn’t a waste after all.

“Would you like something to drink?” He smiled at the quick shake of her head, and determined to put her at ease. “I’m Adam.”

She bit her lip and grinned. “I know who you are. I’m Kelly.”

“Hello, Kelly. Your accent is lovely.” He thought her voice was like honey; slow, thick and golden, and just as sweet. He’d had a weakness for American southern accents ever since he met Jay’s wife Katie. Even though Katie had broken his heart, or at least he thought so at the time, a sweet Southern drawl could still get his engine running.

Kelly laughed, a fresh, uncomplicated sound. “I was going to tell you the same thing!” She looked rather amazed that she’d laughed out loud, and it caused him to smile again.

“Sweetheart, I have to ask. Whatever are you doing sitting alone in a bar?”

Kelly shrugged. “Just passing time, I guess. What are you doing in here?” Her tone of voice made it clear she didn’t want any more questions about herself.

“Trying to find some relief from the heat outside.” Adam kept his voice light, not wanting to alarm her, but determined to know more. “Are you certain you don’t want something to drink? Or are you even old enough to drink?”

“No, I don’t suppose I am.” Catching the question in his eyes, she gave him a resigned look. “Seventeen.”

Perfect. Old enough to avoid any messy legal problems, but still young enough to mold, to shape, to learn from him. “And when will you be eighteen?” he asked, just to keep the conversation moving.

Kelly cleared her throat. “Oh, sometimes I think I’ll be seventeen forever.”

A few more well-phrased questions brought out that she didn’t go to school, and that she was on her own. A brief suspicion that she might be a professional crossed Adam’s mind, but he dismissed it immediately. She didn’t have the jaded, hard look most hookers wore, and her reluctance to let him touch her in spite of her obvious interest in him wasn’t an act, he was sure of it.

“Did you grow up here in Memphis?” Adam usually didn’t care to know so much personal information about the girls he picked up, but this one had captured his attention.

“No, I’m from a little town in Arkansas. Buttram. You’ve probably never heard of it.”

“I haven’t, no.” Adam shook his head. “But then, you’ve probably never heard of Aldbury, either.” He chuckled at her confused look. “That’s where I grew up.” He dismissed both Albury and Buttram with a languid wave of his hand. “How long have you been here?”

Kelly’s brows drew together as if she were trying to solve a difficult mathematical problem. “I just got here.”

“Then you haven’t seen Graceland, have you?” Perhaps if Kelly were to spend some time with him in a semi-public place like Elvis Presley’s home, she might get over her shyness. “They’ve arranged a private tour for us tonight, and I’d like it very much if you came with us.”

It took a bit of persuading to get Kelly to agree, and Adam was surprised at himself for trying so hard. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t find a more willing companion. If her hard-to-get act had been just some kind of a come-on, he’d have been finished with her already, but she wasn’t playing with him. He was up for a little challenge and was quite confident he’d win her over. She finally agreed to meet him in the lobby of The Peabody at seven-thirty that evening.

“I have to go now.” Kelly slid off the barstool and took a step toward the door.

Adam was stunned by the abrupt change in the conversation but hid it behind a charming smile. “Alright, then, love. But I’ll expect you at 7:30 tonight.”

Kelly nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Adam watched her walk toward the door and admired the gentle swing of her hips. He cut his eyes toward the end of the bar where Stuart had moved to chat with the bartender. When he looked back at the door Kelly was gone. Damn, whatever else she was she was fast.

Stuart didn’t seem pleased at learning Kelly would accompany them to Graceland that evening. Their walk back to The Peabody was filled with his efforts to get Adam to change his mind. He freely expressed his opinion that he found her rude, and he wasn’t happy about her age. “I’m surprised she’s free tonight. Doesn’t she have plans to go trick-or-treating with her little friends or something?”

Adam bit back a sharp retort and forced a laugh. “Don’t worry about that. I’m sure she’ll get her treats.”

Stuart snorted in poorly-disguised disgust and left Adam at the door to his hotel room.

Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, 8 o’clock that evening

The soft flicker of candlelight wavered across the stone porch of Graceland from an array of expertly carved jack-o-lanterns, adding to the already smothering heat. A tour-guide welcomed the Shadowed Knight party at the front door, his white shirt embroidered with the Graceland logo over his left breast, along with his name, Steve.

Adam glanced at Kelly as Steve began his spiel about the history of the house. She was still wearing the same white blouse and snug jeans she’d worn earlier that day, and something about that pleased Adam. It reinforced his opinion that Kelly was as young and untouched as he’d suspected. A more experienced girl would have shown up wearing new clothes and would have at least applied a little make-up.

Kelly had still not let him touch her, either, sitting as far from him in the van as she could on the ride over. That, at least, was going to stop, and soon. A little shyness he could understand, but this was getting ridiculous. He saw his opportunity as they all crowded into the rather small entranceway of the house. Everyone was jostling for position when Adam stepped up behind Kelly and slipped his arms around her waist.

For a moment, it was if he held nothing but air. Before he could reflect on the insubstantial feel of her, she was real and warm in his arms, and her start of surprise almost knocked him backward. He tightened his grip on her and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “There now, that’s not so bad, is it?” Kelly’s body relaxed against his, but he could feel the rapid knock of her heart against his arm.

The rest of their party clustered near the velvet rope stretched across the doorway to the right, but Adam didn’t want to move, not until his was sure Kelly wouldn’t bolt away from him. By craning his neck he could see the living room, and beyond it, the music room. The furnishings weren’t to his taste at all, but they weren’t as gaudy as he’d been led to believe. The stained glass panels that separated the two rooms were interesting with their large blue and yellow peacocks. He thought they might look quite nice in a different setting.

He turned his head and was checking out the generic-looking dining room to his left when Kelly’s voice made him freeze.

“He died right above where we’re standing.”

Adam’s hand had been stroking her forearm but stilled its motion at her words. He twisted his head to try to catch her eye. “What did you say?”

Kelly was gazing at the ceiling above their heads, and Adam couldn’t help but look up, too. “It’s where he died, right up there. Most people don’t know that.”

This little bit of information was unnerving, to say the least. Adam felt a shiver pass through him and understood why the tour guides left this out of their repertoire. His gaze jerked downward as he thought he saw something pass by on the roped-off staircase in front of him. Nothing was there. Oh, fuck’s sake, he was getting freaked out over nothing. Next thing he knew, he’d be expecting monsters to leap out from the closets.

As the group moved toward the left to peer into the dining room, Jay looked at him, brows raised. Adam managed a smile in response before pulling Kelly toward the living room. “Where did you hear that?”

Kelly shrugged. “I heard it. Somewhere.” She looked past him toward the staircase, and Adam felt another spasm of apprehension. He couldn’t make himself turn his head to look and settled for giving her fingers a squeeze.

Kelly lifted their linked hands between them, and the incredulity on her face as she stared at them made Adam smile. He pressed his mouth to the back of her hand, and her lips parted with a quick in-drawn breath. All thoughts of eerie shadows on the stairs and dead rock stars above their heads vanished as his mind turned to a different kind of thing that went bump in the night.

“Adam? You coming?” Adam turned his head to see Nicky beckoning to him from a doorway just past the stairs. Towing Kelly after him, he joined the group in the kitchen. It had been cutting edge in the mid-70s but now looked dark and archaic with its hideous linoleum floors, huge microwave oven, and gold formica countertops. The room held little interest for any of them, and Steve was quick to lead them down a narrow staircase into the basement.

Ah, the famous T.V. room. Adam was stunned at how tiny it was. The stories that had been told about things that went on there had made it seem enormous. The huge sofa that took up most of the room made it appear even smaller, and the yellow vinyl padded wet bar crowded it even more. Just looking at it made him claustrophobic.

As they moved into the game room, he found himself growing annoyed. The out-of-date fabric that covered the walls and ceiling made this space seem smaller, too. Steve pointed out a tear in the felt of the pool table, and his reverent tone as he recited who had caused it and when was too much. Adam was bored. Bored, bored, bored. He’d enjoyed meeting Elvis back in the 70s and had enjoyed the show Shadowed Knight had attended. But this traipsing through the man’s house now he was dead seemed pointless and insulting to Elvis’ memory. Adam began to plan how he could get out of the rest of this tour.

With a jolt, he realized he was no longer holding Kelly’s hand. He spun around in time to see her disappear through an open doorway almost hidden in the corner. A surreptitious glance at the others assured him no one else had seen her. Shit. He’d brought her along and supposed he was responsible for her. Repressing an irritated sigh, he stepped through the doorway to fetch her.

“Kelly? Kel—” Well, this was different. In fact, this was nice. The door led to what looked to be a study of some kind. A cheerful fire burned behind a brass firescreen in a stone fireplace, the light glowing on the mahogany wood of the bishop’s panels on the walls. The comfortable-looking leather chairs and sofa made it clear this was a part of the house that had been redecorated for use and not kept in the condition it had been in at the time of Elvis’ death.

He looked around for Kelly and saw her standing at another doorway across the room, her hand on the doorjamb.

“What is this place?” Her voice was full of wonder as she gazed into the second room, but Adam didn’t want to delay getting out of what was obviously a private space.

“Kelly, come on, love. I don’t think we’re supposed to be in here.” He held his hand out to her as she turned to face him, but she didn’t take it. Instead, her eyes were riveted on something behind him, wide and fearful. Remembering his momentary fright in the entranceway upstairs, he was loathe to turn and see what had brought that look to her face, but he steeled himself and looked behind him.

Nothing was there.

Nothing at all, except the smooth wood panels of the wall. The door was gone. He clenched his hands into fists and tried to will himself into a state of calm. It wasn’t easy since his heart was galloping in his chest and sweat stung on his forehead. He drew in several deep breaths and forced his hand up to touch the wall. Smooth wood met his fingertips as he trailed them across the surface. He gave an experimental push on the panel, hoping the door was a hidden one and would spring open at his touch. But the wall remained solid, as though the doorway had never existed.

He turned to face Kelly again and found her still standing just outside the door to the other room. “Kelly, what happened to the door?” He was relieved to note his voice sounded firm and in control.

Kelly shook her head. “It was there. And then it wasn’t. Just like before.”

Adam’s heart gave a lurch, and he swallowed hard. “Just like before?”

“Today. I walked through a door in my hometown and found myself in that bar on Beale Street. When I turned around to go back, the door was gone.” Her eyes jerked to his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do this.”

Adam reached behind him and placed his hands flat on the wall. He leaned back against them and felt better for the solid wood holding him up. He’d have much preferred the door, but at least his shaking knees wouldn’t give way now.

“Did you do this?” He forced himself to look her in the eye.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “If I did, I’d take us back. I didn’t mean for anything like this to happen. All I wanted was to be with you. You’re special.”

“Special,” Adam muttered, and leaned his head against the wall. “Aren’t I the lucky one.” He’d always been sure he’d be able to handle anything paranormal if it were to happen to him. After all, he’d been a student of such things for some time. But nothing had prepared him for the reality of being trapped in a room with a being who apparently wasn’t quite human, a being who thought he was “special.” He looked through his lashes at Kelly and sighed. “Have you ever done anything like this before?”

“No.” Kelly shook her head. “But you were first person to see me. I think that’s why it happened.”

That caught his attention, and he raised his head. “What do you mean the first person to see you?”

Kelly dropped down into one of the chairs and looked down. “I mean that you can really see me. No one’s been able to see me in eleven years.”

“Kelly,” he whispered. “What are you?”

She looked up. “I think I’m dead.”

TheJungle Room, Graceland

All in all, the Jungle Room wasn’t too bad, all things considered. Jay Carey thought it looked rather inviting, if one managed to ignore the furry furniture and the bar mirror framed with feathers. He revised his opinion when he happened to glance up at the ceiling and found it covered in green shag carpeting. He couldn’t wait to point this out to Adam. He turned, anticipating some acerbic comments on the interior decorating, but Adam wasn’t there.

Jay frowned and looked ahead at the others. No, it was just Stuart and Nicky, and Steve the tour guide. No Adam. And no Adam’s girlfriend. Jay turned and made his silent way back down the stairs to the basement. The museum full of Elvis’ furniture and clothes appeared to be deserted.

“Adam?” He quickened his steps toward the game room. “Adam? Come on, where are you?” His voice got louder as he reached the T.V. room and realized no one was in the basement but him. With one last searching look, he turned and sprinted back up the stairs.

Everyone had moved to the far end of the room and seemed to be engrossed in Steve’s recitation of how the teakwood bar had been constructed. Jay reached out and tapped Stuart’s shoulder. He waved him back from the others a short distance.

“Any idea where Adam’s got off to?”

Stuart looked surprised as he surveyed the room. It was clear he hadn’t noticed Adam wasn’t with them. “No, I thought he was here.”

Jay’s voice was tight. “Well, he’s not. I’ve just checked downstairs, and he’s not there, either.”

A worried frown drew Stuart’s brows together. “What about that girl? Kelly?”

Jay shook his head. “Didn’t see her, either.”

“Gentlemen?” Steve beckoned them forward. “If you’ll just come this way¼”

Stuart stepped forward and grimaced. “Steve, I’m afraid we have a bit of a problem.”

Somewhere in Graceland

Adam took a cautious sip from the bottle of Jack Daniel’s he’d discovered on a cherry-wood bar in the corner. It slid down his throat and built a small, cheery fire in his stomach that dispelled some of the chill around his heart. He waited a moment to see if he’d fall dead from some hidden poison, but nothing of the sort happened. Shrugging, he poured a dollop of amber liquid into a squat crystal glass. He was tempted to just take the whole bottle, but knew he’d be blotto in no time if he did that, given the current circumstances. And he needed to keep his wits about him.

He carried the glass back to the grouping of chairs and sat down, choosing a seat near Kelly. He wasn’t exactly afraid of her, and she hadn’t shown any indications of leaping on him and tearing his throat out. Dead or not, she seemed nothing more than a confused, scared teenaged girl, and those he could handle.

He settled into the chair and crossed his legs. “Okay, then,” he said, picking up the conversation where they had left off. “So all you did was say, ‘Mary, Mary, come out to play,’ and that was it?”

Kelly had calmed down a bit as they talked, and she nodded her head. “Yeah, that’s all we did. And then that little girl came out from behind one of those tall stones.” She sighed. “Man, we thought it was all a joke, or we never would’ve done it.”

Adam was tempted to offer a stern lecture on how most legends and ghost stories had their basis in fact, but he figured Kelly had already learned her lesson. Besides, he needed to try to get himself out of this place and back to the real world, and furthering Kelly’s education wasn’t likely to help.

“What happened to your friend after the little girl appeared?”

“I don’t know.” Kelly frowned. “I never saw her again. I just remember the car wouldn’t start, and that little ghost girl started knocking on the windows. Then I was back home.” She swallowed. “Everyone was crying, and the police were there. I kept trying to tell everyone I was there, but no one could hear me. No one saw me.”

Adam took a sip of his drink before responding. “And you’ve just stayed there for the past eleven years?”

“No, not at my house. My family moved away, and I didn’t want to go with them. It hurt too much to see them like that, and for them not to see me at all. But I stayed in town.” She shrugged. “It’s not like I had a bunch of ghosts show up to teach me how to act or anything, so I just wandered around. Until today.” Her brow creased, and confusion made her voice higher. “So how come you could see me and hear me, but no one else could before then?”

“I couldn’t tell you that, love, as I don’t know.” Adam gave her a wry smile. “Just lucky, I guess.” He immediately regretted his comment when she winced. “I’m sorry, Kelly. I shouldn’t be flip. But I’m a little rattled by all this.”

Kelly smiled for the first time since the door disappeared. “I can understand that.” Her smile faded as fast as it appeared. “I am sorry.”

“You know,” Adam murmured, “I don’t really think any of this is your fault.”

Kelly’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You don’t?”

“No. It’s not as if you searched me out and made some decision about this.” He drained the rest of the liquid in his glass as a sudden thought occurred to him. “Tell me this. Did you have a funeral?”

“A funeral?” Kelly looked blank. “I don’t remember one. Why?”

“Just a thought.” Adam looked her over. She had been seventeen in 1974 when she’d met the ghost of Mary, and she was still seventeen eleven years later. But. He’d touched her, she’d been warm and soft in his arms. And he’d felt¼ Adam sat up straight as he remembered the feel of her heart beating against his arm. Her heart? He stood up and beckoned to her. “Come here, Kelly.”

Kelly’s steps were hesitant as she drew near, but he reached out and caught her hand, bringing her closer. Her fingers tightened over his, and her skin was warm and real. He lifted his other hand and rested it against her cheek. Kelly leaned her face into his hand, her eyes closed.

A rush of tenderness swept through him when he thought of how it must have been for her. No one to talk to, no one to acknowledge her presence, no one to touch her. He couldn’t imagine not feeling the comforting touch of a human hand for eleven years. His gaze swept over her face and down her neck. Yes, there it was, the beat of her pulse in the hollow of her throat. So he hadn’t imagined it. His hand slid from her cheek down to rest over her heart.

He felt Kelly’s start of surprise, and gripped her hand tighter as she tried to pull away. “No, no, baby. It’s okay.” Adam kept his voice soft and soothing and could tell when the tension left her body. “There, love, everything’s fine.” He felt her heart beating under the palm of his hand. He shook his head and pulled her into his arms, obeying an instinct he couldn’t name.

Kelly’s hair brushed his face and breathed in the scent of…could that really be Clairol Herbal Essence? It had been years since he’d smelled that scent. He didn’t think they still manufactured that particular shampoo. But it had been on the market in 1974. It seemed most of the girls he’d known then had the bottle of green shampoo with the bohemian artwork on the label and had gone round with their hair smelling like a meadow. Amazing that the scent had clung to Kelly for over eleven years.

He was pleased when her arms crept around his waist, and in response he stroked her back through her blouse. She was taller than average. That became apparent when she attempted to lay her head on his shoulder but had to settle for nuzzling her face in his neck instead. A fine tremor ran through her body, like electricity loose under her skin. Her breath misted warm on his neck, and…

Her breath? Ghosts didn’t breathe.

Still obeying instinct, Adam took Kelly’s chin in his hand, pulled her face to his, and kissed her.

Front porch, Graceland

Stuart sat on the top step, his head in his hands. The only thing he was grateful for in the whole wide world was that the Presley family wasn’t home. He shuddered to think what they’d do with the police swarming the house and grounds looking for Adam and Kelly.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump like a cat.

“You’re going to have to calm down.” Jay lowered himself next to Stuart on the step.

“Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down?” Stuart glared at Jay. “In case you haven’t noticed, two people disappeared into thin air tonight, right under our noses.”

“I’m quite aware of that, Stuart. Thank you for that brilliant update.” Jay’s voice was dry. “But your falling to pieces isn’t going to help matters. We’re going to have to come up with some way to keep this out of the press, but if you keep up your histrionics, it’ll be all over page one in the morning.”

Stuart exhaled through his nose. If this wasn’t a time to give in to hysteria, he didn’t know what was. Fucking Adam. Strange things happened around him all the time. Usually it was no more than a blip on Stuart’s radar, as he didn’t care to delve into the specifics. But this was something that couldn’t be ignored. He glanced over at Jay again. “So what do you propose, Sherlock?”

Jay lifted his face and gazed at the night sky. “I’m sure there’s some logical explanation for what’s happened. I don’t for a moment believe they’ve been whisked off by the ghost of Elvis.” He looked at Stuart with derision. “I can’t believe you said that to the police.”

“Well, what else am I supposed to think?” Stuart made a wild gesture that encompassed the house, the grounds, and the whole situation. “I mean, what do we know about that Kelly girl? What if she’s some kind of witch? It is Halloween, you know!”

Jay sighed. “For someone who purports to be as well-read as you, you’re incredibly ignorant. Samhain isn’t some creepy night when witches summon spirits out to kidnap humans. It’s an ancient festival to honor the dead, not use them as puppets. This whole trick-or-treat business is completely irrelevant. Of course, there are suspicions attached to Samhain. One I like in particular is peeling an apple without breaking the peel. If a girl throws it behind her, it’s supposed to form the initial of her future spouse.”

Bristling at Jay’s condescending tone, Stuart snorted. “I don’t need a history lesson on Halloween, damn it! None of that tells us what happened to Adam, does it?”

“No, it doesn’t. Which means the fact that this is Halloween has nothing to do with it.”

“So you say,” Stuart muttered. He wouldn’t risk saying it aloud again, but he still thought Elvis’ ghost was loose in Graceland on this Halloween night, and he was sure it knew what had happened to Adam.

Somewhere in Graceland

Adam kept his arm around Kelly as he bunched a pillow behind his head. He pulled the sheet up higher, the sheen of exertion that covered his body giving him a chill. He might have thought that having a bed in this hidden place was a coincidence, but not this time. From the moment his lips had touched Kelly’s, he’d accepted that everything that was happening was Other-directed, and he knew enough not to question it.

And why should he? He’d wanted her since he first saw her in that dingy little bar, and nothing that had happened in the interim had changed that. If he were being honest, the more bizarre aspects of the situation had only served as an aphrodisiac. He couldn’t ever remember having been so aroused.

Kelly had of course known the bed was in the second room because she’d already seen it. But she made no protest when Adam led her there. She responded to him with a depth of sensuality he’d never have suspected from her earlier actions. She’d accepted his hands and mouth on her body with no reservations, opening to him fully. Her inexperience was only betrayed by the clumsiness with which she touched him. Any awkwardness on her part had been outweighed by her eagerness to feel him, to taste him, to be with him. Adam had let her have her way with him, and now he smiled at the memory of the gentle nips and kisses from that lovely little mouth. She’d pushed him to the limits of his control until at last he pulled her long legs over his shoulders and plunged himself home.

Adam looked down as the rhythm of Kelly’s breathing changed and discovered she’d fallen asleep. Well, that clinched it. Ghosts didn’t sleep, so there was no way Kelly was a ghost.

“Of course she’s not a ghost.”

Adam looked over at the far corner and was not in the least surprised to see the ghost of Elvis Presley sprawled in a floral armchair. Young Elvis, too, all in black leather, shining black hair swirled into a pompadour with one lock falling over his forehead, heavy-lidded eyes bright with amusement, and white teeth showing in a devious smile.

The familiar voice drawled again. “Ghosts don’t sleep, they don’t have heartbeats, and they don’t breathe. Oh, and ghosts don’t bleed, either.” At Adam’s shrewd look, Elvis motioned toward the bed with a sly smile. “I’ll make sure the sheets get changed after y’all leave.”

Adam arched a brow. “You didn’t sit there the whole time and watch us, did you?”

Elvis managed to look shocked, though his eyes still twinkled. “Hell, no! I may be dead, but I’m still a southern gentleman.”

Adam snorted. “I’m sure you are. So. If Kelly’s not a ghost virgin, or was a virgin, what is she?”

“Just a girl. A lost little girl.” One foot shod in a snakeskin boot propped itself on a black leather-clad knee. “Let me put that another way. She was lost. Now she’s not.”

“Lost where?” Adam frowned.

“Between.” Elvis sighed. “You know as well I do what happens when folks go around messin’ with stuff they don’t understand. Well, Kelly here was one of those folks. That little ghost girl out in that graveyard didn’t get her, so Kelly didn’t die. But she did get caught between worlds.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “How did she get here?”

“Oh, I brought her here to Memphis.” Elvis shrugged. “I ran across her a couple of years ago, and I’ve been keepin’ an eye on her ever since. You know, to make sure nothin’ bad came after her. She kinda stuck out like a sore thumb, all bright and shiny, you know? So I kept her safe even though she didn’t know I was there. When I heard you and your friends were comin’ by the house tonight, I knew it was time to bring her here.”

“Why?” Adam demanded, sitting up.

Elvis’ upper lip curled into a grin. “Because I knew you could help her come all the way back. Now, I know we didn’t talk much when we met before, but since then I’ve, uh, come into a lot more understanding, if you know what I mean.” One eyelid dropped down into a conspiratorial wink.

Adam looked askance at Elvis. “I have a pretty good idea.” He glanced down at Kelly for a moment, then back at Elvis. “So she’s just a normal, human girl, then?”

“Yep. One thing, though. You can’t take her back to her home. You know that, right?” The King had a serious look on his face.

Adam sighed. “No, I don’t suppose I can.”

“Her showin’ up lookin’ just like she did when she disappeared would cause a lot of trouble.” Elvis shook his head. “And, too, her family doesn’t need it. They’ve grieved for her, accepted it and moved on.” His voice dropped to a softer register. “It’s best that way.”

Well, yes, Elvis would know about that. “So you’re saying I should keep her with me?”

“Well now, Adam, I didn’t just bring her here tonight on a whim. I told you that you were the one who could help her, but that’s not the only reason I gave her to you.” He held up a hand heavy with rings as Adam opened his mouth to speak. “You’re a smart man, you’ll figure it out. In the meantime, I can, uh, put you in touch with some, well, we’ll just call them people, who can help with a birth certificate and things like that.” Elvis smiled. “You’ll do alright.”

Adam looked back at Kelly and a smile crossed his face. Yes, he supposed they would do alright. He’d give it a shot, in any case. He turned his attention back to Elvis. “Where are we right now? Are we still in your house?”

“Oh, yeah.” Elvis nodded and gestured around the room. “These two room are in the tunnel. Most people don’t know it’s here, or they think it’s an urban legend or some kinda myth. We found it back in, oh, ’68 or so. We think it could have been part of the underground railroad in the civil war, way before the house was built. There are tunnels all under Memphis.” He nodded toward a partially opened closet door on the far wall. “There a door through that closet that goes into the rest of it. The other end is sealed up. Just because no one knows about it doesn’t mean they won’t find out and then try to sneak in. People will do just about anything they’re not supposed to do. I mean, people tried to steal mine and my mama’s bodies from the damn cemetery, you believe that?”

A corner of Adam’s mouth quirked. “I’d believe just about anything.”

Elvis studied him for a moment. “Yeah, I reckon you would. Anyway. Yeah, we’re still in Graceland. Daddy used to use these rooms sometimes when he wanted to be by himself. No one ever comes down here now.” He slapped his hands on his knees and stood. “I guess that’s just about it. The door’s back where it’s supposed to be,” he cocked a thumb toward the other room, “and y’all can leave when you’re ready. You probably need to come up with some story to tell the police, though.”

“The police? Ah, fuck, you’ve got to be kidding.” This wasn’t good. “How many are there?”

Elvis grinned. “Oh, they’re swarmin’ all over up there. Your friend Stuart really has a touchy panic button.” The King had started toward the other room but stopped and turned back to Adam. “And speakin’ of him… Look, none of y’all really want to do any more Shadowed Knight. Y’all all have your own stuff to do. If I was you, I wouldn’t waste any more time on it, you know?”

Adam knew his face was frozen in amazement, and it appeared his vocal cords were, too. He could only gape at the ghost of Elvis as it stood grinning at him.

“Good luck.” Elvis turned and disappeared into the other room.

After a moment, Adam felt laughter bubbling up inside him. He shook with it, trying to keep it in, but it refused to be contained. It burst from him, echoing through the room, and he let it take him for a moment, grateful for the relief it brought. Slowly, he got himself under control, although errant chuckles still shook him. He bent toward Kelly and gently jiggled her shoulder.

“Kelly, sweetheart?” He kissed her forehead, still smiling. “Wake up, love. We need to talk.”

The front porch, Graceland

It appeared the Memphis Police Department had decided to believe the story Adam and Kelly told of being lost in the basement of Graceland. Steve corroborated most of it by confirming there were secret rooms there, and the doorways were hidden and had tricky mechanisms to open them. It made sense they would have spent hours trying to gain their release.

Kelly had awoken with a ravenous hunger. Eleven years without food had caught up with her. Jay nicked an apple from the kitchen, and Adam spied the two of them bent over the fruit with absorption. As he drew near, he could see Kelly peeling the apple with care.

“Slowly, slowly.” Jay patted her shoulder. “Make sure the peel stays in one piece.”

“But why?” Kelly’s voice was plaintive. “I don’t understand why that’s so important.”

Jay chuckled. “Humor me, love. Oh, look. There! You’ve done it.” He took the small pocketknife from Kelly’s hand and smiled. “Good show. Now just throw the peel over your shoulder without looking.”

Kelly gave him a narrow look. “You’re not trying to make me look like some kind of idiot, are you?”

“Never,” Jay assured her. “It’s just an old, Celtic Halloween tradition.”

Kelly sighed, but tossed the peel over her shoulder. “Now what?”

“That’s it.” Jay looked up to find Adam watching them, his arms crossed over his chest and shaking his head. “Here’s your apple, then.”

Adam didn’t need to look at the peel to see what letter it had formed. Jay’s grin said it all. Kelly walked over to him, devouring the apple.

“Want some?” She held it up to him.

“Thank you, sweetheart, but no. It’s all yours.” He kissed her on the forehead. “The police say we can leave now.”

“Where are we going?”

Adam took a deep breath. “We’re going home.”

“Home?” Stuart’s voice rang out beside him as Kelly climbed into the van. “I thought we were going to stay here for a while.”

“No.” Adam turned to face Stuart. “Kelly and I are going back to London. Just call it a hunch.”

Stuart studied him for a moment before shrugging with apparent disinterest. “Whatever you say. It’s your call.”

“Yeah.” Adam nodded. “You’re right, it is.” He couldn’t resist turning back for one last look at Graceland. A motion at one of the upper windows caught his eye, and he could almost swear he saw the figure of a tall man dressed in black leather behind the curtain.

Adam smiled and shook his head. He climbed in the van and closed the door behind him.

THE END

Happy Halloween! 💕 Juli