" Thank you for coming," James said as another set of clients left, again disturbed by the house. At this point, Selassi wasn't sure when she was going to leave so she hit Nina up to let her know that her stay was indefinite for the moment. 

Nina wasn't particularly happy about this, partly because she was worried about Selassi but also because it meant that she had to take on more responsibility at the salon. James plopped down next to Selassi, admiring her beauty once again.

"Don't get any thoughts, James." She said in a disgruntled tone.

" I really don't like how you think so little of me. A simple admiration, a man cannot do now? " James expressed jokingly which caused a little smile to form on her face.

James had been surprisingly helpful to her for the past few weeks as the selling of the house became more and more of an issue.

The house was simply weighing her down with fond memories as well as being an unhealthy reminder of loss for her but James somehow brought a breath of fresh air. She started to feel herself becoming less guarded with as he joked and flirted unsuccessfully with her.

With James being around so much, the thought of Theo only reminded Selassi of betrayal in the worst way.

She should have just avoided opening up to him, look where it had gotten her. His cheating was shocking but honestly, she wasn't really surprised at all.

"Don't worry too much about the house, I'm sure I can get more clients. It's a beautiful home, there is no way it won't sell" He said, seeing that she seemed a bit far away. Deciding to go in for the kill, he touched her hand and wrapped his hand around hers.

Selassi only looked down to see this but for some reason, she didn't feel the need to back away. It felt comforting for her, the need for intimacy was becoming something she craved more than ever, given what had been happening to her recently.

Whatever this eerie force was, it was unrelenting in tormenting her whenever it could and all she knew that source was rooted here in this house. She could feel it wherever she went, the skin-crawling sensation of something breathing, hovering and her stalking her very existence.

She wanted to vent about it but she became weary of who trust especially after Lisa's reading. Knowing that she might be taken of advantage scared her a little because she didn't have a clue who wanted to do it.

The comfortable silence established between her and James made her wonder why she was becoming so cosy with him, his charm may have irked initially but something about his persistence did seem to be an appeal to her bit by bit.

" What do you know about demonic-like beings?" Selassi's eyes focused. But James seemed a little disturbed by the random question, eyeing her with concern.

" Why do you want to know?" he asked tentatively, positioning himself to face her.

" Don't answer my question with a question, I just wanted to know if you knew anything about  it."

" Something you think might be happening is obviously causing you to feel this, that's why I questioned it,"  He said nonchalantly which seemed to trigger Selassi and now she faced him.

"Are you suggesting that I'm imagining what's happening to me?" She asked.

" These things just might be in your head, my sweet." He tapped her nose. All she saw was red as her hand hit his face.

His face contorted in shock at what she had done. 

"I saw what I saw" she left him to go upstairs. 

As she got her room, she flopped down on the bed and her mind started to race with various thoughts. Not hearing the door open, she remained lost in her head as James entered the room and sat next to her.

Grabbing her hand, he looked at her with a look of affection and as she tried to snatch her hand away, he held onto it with the determination to explain himself.

" I apologise for my choice of words. I guess I'm not being sensitive to the fact that you're going through a lot. Forgive me?" He said, stroking her with his hand, looking for reassurance in her eyes but they seemed quite blank.

" I'm not saying you're forgiven but you watch say next time," She said firmly.

"I promise, tell me what's going on." He said, moving closer to her as she sat more upright, something in her made feel compelled to vent to him but there was definitely a niggling feeling that she shouldn't even utter one word.

But against her better judgement, she decided to share some information with him.

"Ever since I got my mum's necklace, strange things have been happening to me. The kind of things that people will say aren't real, you know? Look at this.," She showed him the pendant scar on her chest. He looked at it, slightly freaked out vividly etched it was onto her skin.

" I don't know If I have wronged somebody or my parents did something but I just... want to it...stop" She let out in despair, with choking sobs falling out. Deciding to not respond, he just opened his arms and she fell into his warm embrace as he caressed her lightly.

Her phone rang instantly with Theo's name, she looked at it whilst the ringtone continued to blare. Her mind frame wasn't conducive to hear his voices or his useless excuses about what he did, so she hung up.

She looked up to see James looking at with his usual charming smile, her eyes scoped his face, taking the details of his face. The way his pinkish lips conjured into that trademark smirk or the way his dark orbs seem to entice into doing something she knew would be wrong. 

Something moved behind but her eyes caught it as it shifted to see the Fetish priest lingering by the door, she got up and followed him into the hallway, seeing the door at end unlocking itself and the door opening.

She carefully walked down the hallway as James followed close behind. Reaching the door, she saw the boxes were all gone and the room was filled just dust everywhere. 

She hesitantly walked in, looking around and nothing appeared to be there and it seemed that the strange figure had disappeared to.

" You can come in, James. There is nothing here, I swear that was-" She got cut off as the door slam shut when James attempted to enter the room. 

The room was dark, not a lick of sunlight pierce through the painted windows. Selassi breathing became shallow as she remained her spot by the door, she anticipated anything happening to her at any given moment but nothing did.

It continued that way for hours, she became more restless as she slumped to the floor, reaching for the door but it wasn't there. Battling her tiredness, her hands began to frantically search for the door panelling or the knob but she couldn't feel anything.

Mustering the last bit strength she had, she propelled herself up and used the walls to guide her through the pitch dark room.

Her hands fervently moved up and down as she moved against the wall, no sound could be heard but the weight of something unearthly residing in this room with her was more than she could be bear.

She fought the urge to cry until she realised that she just went around the entire room. Fear was crawling up on her as she froze in her position to see something would happen, anything but once again the deafening silence lingered in the air that any sound would do now to rid of this torment.

Muffled knocks emerged which caused Selassi to move frantically towards the sound and as she reached it, the doorknob could be felt by her hand. Letting out a sigh of relief, she twisted and it swung open with three distressed faces.

She walked a few steps before James held her and they all fawned over her with concern but something made her look back and she saw it's face smirking in delight before the door slam shut, startling them all.

They all went back to her room, Kwame left to handle house duties whilst Auntie Diane tended to Selassi. James sat by her table, with a look concern so deeply etched in his face while Selassi contemplated with staying in Ghana was a wise choice.

Everything had been so bad that at this point, the emotional strain was draining her motivation to sell this house.

"My dear, what happened to you?" Auntie Diane stroked Selassi's hair.

" To be really honest, I wish I could really say but I just don't know how to explain without looking crazy." Selassi said, feeling deflated.

" You know you can tell me anything. I will always be here for you" 

" Now's not the time, I would like to rest, Auntie," Selassi said. Nodding in agreement, Auntie Diane hugged her goodnight and left Selassi and James alone.

James took off his suit jacket, unbuttoning his shirt as Selassi got up, looking at him with confusion.

" What are you doing? Auntie caught the hint to leave, you don't understand or something? " She said, folding her arms under her perky breasts that caught James' attention.  Now down to his boxers, his toned muscles were apparent in an athletic kind of way.

Holding her shoulders, his rich ebony complexion complemented her warm chestnut tone. Selassi couldn't really believe the audacity James kept having, it was like for every remark she made he had a rebuttal in the works.

" I'm in no state to go home right now because me, I'm also tired and after the whole dilemma with that room, what makes you think that I would leave you here alone? " He eyed her with a mix of lust and concern before drawing her in for a tight hug, snaking his arms around her waist and lower back comfortably.

" I'm going to ignore the fact that you're staying because I'm too tired to argue with you.  Just know I will be putting a pillow between us." She let him go and smiling sarcastically.

James only chuckled as he closed the bedroom door and went to lay up next Selassi. The humidity was clearly on a hundred today as they both shifted around to find a comfortable position to sleep in but to no avail.

" You know that pillow is the problem so I'll just remove it," James said cockily and Selassi attempted to reply but she knew he was right.

Instead of responding at all, she simply turned on her side and that's when James got a good glimpse of the curvature of her body, all things he wanted to do with her began to run in his mind. But he knew to bide his time and wait for her reciprocation.

"Night, beautiful." James uttered.

Deciding to be petty, Selassi responding in a timely fashion.

"Night, asshole"

..........................................................................................................................................................

Hey Loves,

Another chapter for you.

Tell me your thoughts.

Love,

TamaraMensah