Music Of The Night — Bethany Sefchick

Ghosts, Inc. �" where the paranormal is normal…

Melanie O'Shea is in exile from Ghosts, Inc. Considered a renegade investigator, she's used the sometimes-radical investigation techniques employed by her cousin, Meghan Kelly, once too often for her boss's comfort. Banished to Southern Spirits, a sister organization to Ghosts, Inc. to “learn proper investigative techniques,” Melanie is miserable, especially since her new boss is a pain the butt, one she could happily live without. That he's obsessed with a local legend about mysterious, so called “Night Music” and spectral dancers is only making things worse, especially since Melanie doesn't believe in the legend at all. Not even a little bit.

Tag - short for Taggart - LeClaire is miserable, too. Not only does he not want Mel as his new partner, it infuriates him that she doesn't even believe one of the biggest claims he's currently investigating �" the mysterious music that can often be heard where the old Sunside Beach Dance Pavilion used to be, just south of the popular Myrtle Beach tourist area. Stories about the music have been part of his family for generations and by dismissing them as nonsense, Tag feels as if Melanie is dismissing him as well.

When Tim Hawthorne, on orders from everyone's boss, Mia Thorpe, forces Taggart and Melanie to investigate together, both of them know that it's going to be anything but an easy night of companionable investigations, each certain that the other hates them beyond reason. Melanie, weary of fighting a battle she doesn't believe she can win, is busy trying to bolster Tag's sagging confidence when she hears it �" the first strains of his mysterious music. Before long, both she and Tag find themselves weaving in and out of time, possessed by the Night Music, and compelled to complete a dance that never reached its conclusion. But can they do it before they end up killing each other or will they find themselves making love until the sun rises again?

This stand-alone 9,400-word short story, is part of the “Ghosts, Inc.” series but can be read and enjoyed independently of the primary series of novels. It is written in the modern, adult romance style for a hotter read and is paranormal in nature. It may not be appropriate for younger audiences. It does not contain vampires, werewolves or other such creatures and instead focuses on more traditional paranormal phenomenon.