Lexi had been improving her knowledge of John Milton when Josef appeared in her sitting room.

"Hello, Lady Lexi," he said, smiling down at her as she sat in her reading chair.

"Oh, Josef. You shouldn't be here."

"I know, but you looked so lovely and peaceful reading your book, I couldn't help myself."

"You were watching me read?"

"Only for an hour or so. I see you're reading the poem I mentioned." Josef moved gracefully around the room, stopping at Lexi's dressing table to inspect a bottle of lemon verbena lotion. "Do you wear this?" he asked.

"Every day. It's my favorite scent."

"And Hades's favorite, as well?"

"Yes. Can you smell it?"

"No, but I can sense the vibration of it; floral with citrus and evergreen."

"Wow. That's a unique skill. Is it something you learned to do, like how you've learned to make your body solid?"

"Yes, but I would prefer to have my sinuses do the smelling. Powerful scents can trigger the libido. It's a primal mating tool. But since my death, I have learned to use my other senses for that."

"What other senses?" Lexi asked the question even though she knew they were embarking on another personal journey.

"My sense of sight. I am aroused by beauty." Josef walked toward her as if on gossamer wings, stopping when his toes came to rest against hers. This triggered a chill that traveled the length of her legs all the way up to her...

"Any other senses?" she asked before he noticed her distraction.

"Of course. The most important senses. Touch and vibration. Believe it or not, I hear the vibration of your voice rather than your voice itself. It took me a long time to use vibrations to speak, but you seem to have no trouble understanding me. The same goes for my ability to touch and be touched."

To demonstrate, Josef reached out and trailed his fingertips across the back of Lexi's hand where it rested on the book cover. Again, her skin rippled with chill bumps, and she rubbed her arm to remove them. It didn't feel right to let another man give her chills, even if that man was dead.

"I suppose you could credit your senses for helping you survive as a spirit this long," she said. "Do you ever get lonely?"

"My lady, I am never alone. Some humans even acknowledge me, although most of them think they're crazy for talking to a ghost and are happy to keep my presence a secret."

"What about other spirits? How often do you see them?"

"I often meet other spirits, but I choose to avoid them because they think I am an angel and expect me to lead them to heaven."

Lexi smiled as she imagined Josef with wings. He did look heavenly. "Well, you do have that angel vibe going. You're very pleasant to look at."

Josef busted into an indulgent grin. "Thank you, Lady Lexi. I am truly flattered."

"Of course, you don't have the wings of an angel, so spirits probably figure that out eventually, right?"

Josef flinched like he'd been slapped, and he bit on his lip. Had she insulted him? Did he wish he had wings? Damn.

"Angels are just another interpretation of a spirit," she went on, covering her mistake. "I've learned that wings are a human invention to make the angels seem more awe-inspiring." Lexi watched Josef fight a frown, and she reached out to take his hand. "I hope I didn't just dash your hopes about angels."

"No, of course not. I have seen spirits with wings, although they are not called angels."

"Oh? Enlighten me."

Josef stared at their clasped hands, still worrying his lip like he had chosen the wrong subject. "The proper title is incubus or succubus, depending on gender, but I don't know if they are the only spirits with wings."

"I've heard of them, but I don't know much about them either. How many have you seen?"

"Three; two male, one female."

"Do you know how a spirit becomes an incubus? Did you ask any of them?"

Josef looked uncomfortable again, but he had brought up the topic, so it was all on him. "From what I understand, they are spirits made immortal by magical means. Dark rites are performed at the time of death to resurrect the spirit into its incubus form."

"And that form exists on the energy of others," Lexi said as she dredged up the small detail she remembered on the subject. "Draining the life force by engaging in intimate activities with their victims."

"Victims?" Josef cringed as he repeated the word. "I don't think that's a fair description. If you're looking at it from the viewpoint of the incubus, it is survival. And, very often, the partners are willing."

Lexi's curiosity surged, and she pushed Josef further. "It sounds like you found a good resource. Did an incubus tell you that personally?"

A wide smile broadened Josef's mouth. "You could say I have personal knowledge that this is true."

Lexi wasn't sure how she felt about the smile that lingered on Josef's lips, but it didn't keep her from staring at his lovely features without shame. She could tell he enjoyed being admired.

"Excuse me." Josef disappeared into a puff of vapor, and a knock immediately followed his hasty exit.

"Lexi, I need to speak with you urgently," Hades called from the hallway. "May I come in?"

Lexi jumped out of her chair and waved her arms through Josef's lingering aura. No way would Hades not pick up on it, and the longer she hesitated, the more suspicious he would be.

"Yes, of course."

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I know you value your reading time," Hades said, walking briskly inside. Lexi hurried to meet him before he reached the spot where Josef had been.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I believe there is a spirit still in the palace."

Lexi hugged the book to her chest, and a flood of guilt poured in as she noticed the sash wrapped around his hand. Hades glanced across the room, zeroing in on the chair where Lexi had been reading. "I think the spirit is here. I feel his aura. Male. Sella was correct?"

Lexi knew this was her signal to come clean about Josef. She had intended to do it as soon as she woke up. Instead, she let Hades brood in his study. He often had his best ideas in the study. Oh, who was she kidding? She didn't want to bring it up because she knew Hades wasn't going to let Josef leave. She had known it all along.

"He was just here. He spoke to me."

"What? He communicated with you? What did he say?" Hades gripped Lexi's hand forcefully, probably not realizing how tightly he had done it.

"He's afraid of you, Hades. He's afraid if you find him, you'll make him leave his happy afterlife."

Looking both confused and suspicious, Hades held Lexi hostage with his hand and his fiery gaze. "And where did he say he was enjoying this happy afterlife?"

"Pittsburgh."

"I see. How long has he been doing this? Did he tell you that?" Hades's voice deepened as he put Lexi on total lockdown.

"Since the ninth century."

"The ninth century! That's impossible! He would need supernatural help to exist that long. He would need someone with...magical...resources... Melinoe."

"I'm afraid so. She's using him. She brought him to the underworld to be part of her scheme to release spirits into our home and destroy my tree in the grove. He's innocent."

Although Lexi knew Hades had heard every word she said, he didn't appear to be listening as he interrogated her further. "What does this spirit look like?"

"Long, golden hair, broad shoulders, gray eyes, Norse dialect and ancestry."

A scowl deepened the crease between his eyes. "It seems you got a good look at him. And how did he appear to you? Clothed or unclothed?"

Lexi answered before her cheeks could flush. "He's wearing a cloak. Not like the grim reaper. Like an angel."

"An angel? Does he have wings?" When Lexi didn't answer right away, Hades squeezed her hand tighter. "Dammit, Lexi. Does he have wings?"

"He doesn't have wings. Geez." Lexi finally yanked her hand free and shook the tingles out of it while Hades ranted on.

"Where did he go? Through which wall?"

"He just puffed away."

"Puffed away? He didn't float through a wall?"

"No. He vanished in front of me and left a faint vapor. No floating, but I have seen him float."

The fire in Hades's eyes flared. "How many times has this spirit appeared to you?"

Lexi tried to shrug her innocence off, but she blew it when she swallowed. "Three times?"

Hades's composure snapped, and he tugged her out of the room. "This conversation is not over. But, right now, I need you with the children while I look for the spirit. If he's as old as you say he is, I'm sure he'll give me hell before he gets caught."

"What will you do when you find him? Will you take him to the Lethe to forget?"

Pursing his lips, Hades stopped at the staircase landing to snag her again with those golden orbs. "That is my job, Lexi. To see that spirits are taken to the Lethe. Given that Melinoe is involved with this spirit, I have to assume his motives are not honorable."

"But I told him I would help him. Couldn't we talk it out once you find him? Maybe there's another solution."

Hades narrowed his eyes as a grimace formed on his handsome face. "This spirit could be dangerous to you and our family. There will be no talking it out."

Leaving Lexi with his final words, Hades stalked away. She knew he was right to be protective of his family and suspicious of Josef. She had not forgotten about the spirit's naked intrusion on her personal space, but Josef had proven his worth since then, and she wanted to help him if she could. But how? Where had he disappeared to? Was he still inside the palace, or had he escaped outside? She knew Josef could not hide forever, and she knew Hades would not give up. It seemed Josef's chances for surviving his afterlife were dwindling fast.