When Brendon woke up, he was instantly reminded of how cold the room was. He pulled his blanket tighter around him with a shiver.

There was a noise behind him, making him stiffen. Slowly, he reached under his pillow and pulled out his gun. He brought it close to his chest before quickly rising and aiming it. He lowered his weapon just as quickly, remembering that he hadn't been alone when he went to sleep.

Dallon sat up with his back to Brendon, combing his fingers through his hair. Brendon stuffed his weapon back under his pillow and stretched. "Morning." He said, casually, as if he hadn't just been holding a gun to Dallon.

The taller man turned, wiping something from his nose. He grinned at Brendon. "Morning!" He replied cheerfully.

Brendon raised an eyebrow. "Sleep does quite a bit for you, doesn't it?" He asked, cautiously. Dallon was way too happy for someone who had just lost his girlfriend and left everything he knew behind.

"Boy, did it." Dallon continued to grin.

"Okay..." Brendon slid himself off of the bed. "Listen, I'm gunna take a shower real quick and then we can talk game plan, cool?"

"Cool." Dallon nodded. He watched as Brendon moved past his bed and into the bathroom.

Brendon let out a sigh of relief once the door was shut. Something other than a good night sleep was up with Dallon. He turned on the shower, quickly stripping to jump under the warm water. He sighed with relief happy to have some sense of warmth in this freezing room.

Freezing.

Brendon scrubbed soap on his arms and across his chest. His hand slid over his upper bicep, just below his shoulder, where his anti-possession tattoo was marked on his skin. The tattoo kept demons out but... Could it keep ghosts out as well?

When he had first opened the shower curtain, there had been a cold that practically went through his bones.

Brendon swore as the soap suds were washed down his body. He didn't even think twice about the cold because of the story Hayley had given him. He should have known better. He should have checked for emf around the room.

He quickly washed himself off and turned off the water. "Cold. Cold. Cold." He muttered, toweling himself off before throwing his clothes back on. Once dressed, he reopened the bathroom door.

Dallon still sat on the bed, watching cartoons. He didn't pay Brendon any mind, even when Brendon walked in front of him to get to his bed.

Brendon pulled his duffle bag out from under his bed. He dug through it for a moment, grinning to himself when he found the emf detector. He clicked it on, earning an instant spike. That caught Dallon's attention.

"What's that?" He asked as Brendon turned to face him.

Brendon looked up, catching something dark dripping down from Dallon's nose before the taller man could wipe it away. "You sure you don't know?"

Dallon tilted his head at Brendon. "You sure you want an answer to that?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Brendon internally swore. Not only had Dallon just lost his girlfriend and become wanted for questioning, but now he was possessed by a ghost. "So, you like games?" He asked. As he did, he put an arm behind his back. He felt around in his duffle bag while keeping his eyes on Dallon.

"I'd like you to keep your mouth shut so that I can watch TV." Dallon growled.

A new wave of cold washed over Brendon. He shivered violently, but didn't stop his blind search through his bag. "Yea, sorry, I'm a bit of a big mouth." He flashed a smile.

Dallon scowled at him. "I tried to possess you, but I guess you weren't warm enough." He held out his arms. "This guy was just right."

"So you were hiding in the shower." Brendon nodded, "Horror movie fan?"

"It's the only warmth this hell hole had until you two." Dallon's scowl twisted into a grin. "I could show you if you don't shut up."

Brendon discovered what he was looking for in his bag. "Think fast!" He shouted, tossing a crowbar at Dallon.

Dallon caught it and immediately screamed. He fell back on the bed as the ghost was expelled from him. Brendon turned, grabbing a tub of salt from the corner of his bag and jumped to his feet. As fast as he could, he surrounded Dallon in a circle of salt and hopped into it.

Dallon groaned, reaching up to hold his hand against his head. "Look alive, sunshine." Brendon said, tapping his chest. "Time for a lesson in hunting."

"What happened?" Dallon asked, opening his eyes with tired blinks.

"Apparently, a very active haunting." Brendon replied, noting a flickering manifestation near the bathroom door. "Remind me that you need to get a tattoo soon."

"A what!?"

Brendon ignored Dallon's response. He was patting his pockets and looking around the salt circle. He needed his rocksalt shotgun where was his... he stopped mid-thought and turned to look at his duffle bag. "Son of a bitch!"

"Brendon, what's happening?" Dallon asked, pushing himself upright. He looked at Brendon with wide eyes full of uncertainty.

Brendon wanted to ignore him and get to working the case he had been thrust into. He wanted to jump out of the circle and get it over with. When he locked eyes with Dallon, however, seeing the fear deep in his blue iris, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Ghost." Brendon responded, "Took a temporary joyride in you, don't freak out if black stuff comes out of your nose, but it's out now. For now, I need you to hold this," he gave Dallon the salt container, "and stay inside the circle. Ghosts can't cross salt. You'll be safe."

"What are you going to do?" Dallon asked.

Brendon grinned. "Working to bust a ghost." He replied before hopping out of the circle. He landed between the beds. He bent over to grab his duffle bag, but instead found himself being blown to the side by a freezing force. He landed hard against the dresser, dropping to the ground with a groan.

The flickering image of the spirit had moved from the bathroom door to where Brendon had previously been standing. The spirit was... Short. Brendon couldn't tell if it was male or female but, from the expression he could make out, it was angry.

"I just want to be warm!" It screamed, sending a wave of cold out in all directions.

Brendon was knocked back into the dresser and Dallon was knocked off the bed. Dallon held on to the salt, however, and quickly reestablished his protective circle where he landed.

"Freezing us to death won't help that!" Brendon yelled, trying to fight his teeth from chattering together.

The ghost vanished from where I stood. It reappeared, crouching next to Brendon. "They said they'd keep me warm if I did what they said." The ghost whispered.

Brendon pushed himself up, looking at the flickering face in front of him. "Who?"

The ghost just flickered to nothing.

Brendon took the opportunity to crawl over to his duffle and pull out the salt gun. "You alright, Dallon?" He called out, cocking the weapon.

"Fine." Dallon called back, "You?"

"Peachy." Brendon responded. He popped up to his feet and turned in Dallon's direction. "I think we should get out of here."

Dallon looked down at the salt circle before looking back at Brendon. "I thought it wasn't safe."

"It isn't." Brendon held up his weapon, "It's gone for now, though, so we should get somewhere you won't freeze to death."

Dallon stood hesitantly. "Just me?"

Brendon nodded. "I think I need to pay the check in receptionist a visit before we go." He gestured Dallon over. "We're moving to the car. I'll salt you in to keep Elsa out. I've got your back if you have mine."

Dallon gulped, but nodded. He stepped out of the salt circle and hurried over to Brendon. Once over to him, Dallon held the salt in the air. Brendon couldn't help the small grin that found it's way to his face with the action.

"As soon as we get out, toss me the salt & get in the car, got it?"

"Got it." Dallon nodded.

Brendon began moving towards the door with Dallon close behind. The room was still cold, but their breath wasn't visible. Yet.

Brendon threw the door open. "Salt." He instructed. Dallon tossed it to him and bolted to the car. Brendon opened it was he hurried after Dallon. He tilted it down, running around the car as Dallon shut the passenger door. Just as he finished the circle, he let out a breath that clouded in front of him. "Shit."

He spun around, dropping the salt to get a better grip on the salt gun. The form of the ghost flickered to life just outside of the motel room. It snarled, shooting forward towards him. Without missing a beat, Brendon fired the weapon in his hands. The apparition vanished.

"Stay put!" Brendon yelled, tapping the hood of the car before running towards the motel office. Though it was still cold outside, it was a definite improvement from the room. When he made it to the office, he tore the door open and stepped inside.

Hayley sat in the same spot as before, scrolling on her phone. She looked up with a bored expression that shifted to surprise when she saw Brendon. "Oh, you're still alive?"

"Are you?" Brendon asked, raising his weapon at her.

She grinned at him. With a blink, her eyes turned black.

Before Brendon could react, she waved her hand towards the wall and sent him flying in that direction. The weapon fell from his hands and he was pinned to the wall.

"Lucky me." Hayley licked the corner of her mouth, "Got a hunter in my web."

"What's a demon like you doing in a place like this?" Brendon asked. He struggled against the invisible force that held him Up against the wall.

She grinned. "Soul collecting." She shrugged, "I leash the ghosts and hell gets whoever they take out."

"What a deal." Brendon choked, feeling a pressure on his throat. "Who put you up to that?"

She laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She asked, stepping around the reception desk. "Maybe you can ask him about it when I send you down there."

Brendon gasped as the pressure on his neck grew tighter and Hayley's smile grew darker. "Won't be long now." She laughed.