Raven and the Ghost

Raven and the Ghost Curses of Midnight Springs Valerie Jo Copyright Raven and the Ghost: Curses of Midnight Springs Copyright © 2023 Valerie Jo All rights reserved Cover Design by Miblart.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America eBook ASIN: B0BZ5PGYLD Paperback ISBN: 9798393551902 Hardcover ISBN: 9798393552398 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content. Books by Valerie Jo Books by Valerie JoThe Curses of Midnight Springs Series:Brooke and the WolfRaven and the GhostJuliet and the AssassinHolly and the Unseen Contents Dedication Prayer 1. Raven 2. Nash 3. Raven 4. Nash 5. Raven 6. Nash 7. Raven 8. Nash 9. Raven 10. Nash 11. Raven 12. Nash 13. Raven 14. Nash 15. Raven 16. Nash 17. Raven 18. Nash 19. Raven 20. Nash 21. Raven 22. Nash 23. Raven 24. Nash 25. Raven 26. Nash 27. Raven 28. Nash 29. Raven 30. Nash 31. Raven 32. Nash Assassin Disclaimers Cursing: “Bad” words will have **** and will not be spoken aloud in the audio version. “Bad” is, of course, subjective. What’s bad to me might not be bad to you, and vice versa. Religion: I am a Christian and that influences everything I do. However, my characters may or may not be. All of my characters are faulty, and none are modeled after Jesus. Instructional or Fiction? Totally fiction. If my character makes a stupid decision, it does not mean that I’m condoning it or suggesting you do it. Are any aspects of the book true? No, they are not. When I write a paranormal romance novel, it’s because I had a crazy dream that I decided to spin into a story. If you’re looking for real life, read my memoir about my grandparents or my nonfiction books on business. Romance: PG-13. Characters are going to kiss and “do stuff.” It’s going to be swoony, maybe steamy, but never spicy. Intended Age Range: 15+. My main characters are usually between the ages of 18-23. Dedication Prayer L ord, I am so thankful for the opportunity to write this story and share it with others. I pray that you extend peace and comfort over everyone reading this book. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen. 1 Raven In the living room alone, I waited until 2:00 a.m. for my dad to come home before retiring to my bedroom. Though I had been expecting them for hours, the square headlights of his old car never flashed through the window. I laid down in my bed wide awake until sleep finally conquered me at 4:00 a.m. There was still no sign of him—no rumble of a car engine, no jingle of his keys through the many deadbolts on the door, nothing. My dad, the worrywart, the man who thrived on structure and control, didn’t come home for the first time in my entire life. I didn’t have to be the genius I was to know something was very wrong. “Can you give me a ride to school?” I asked Brooke on the phone the next morning as I stared at the empty space where my dad’s car usually sat. It was unlike him to leave me home alone for a few hours. The fact that I had stayed overnight by myself was definitely not something he did on purpose. “Are you serious?” she said through a mouthful of cereal. I could barely understand her. “Your dad would never let you get in a car with me. In fact, I think you told me his exact words were ‘Absolutely not. Never. Don’t ask again.’ ” “He isn’t here,” I said, hoping to conceal some of my fear from her. “I haven’t seen him since he dropped me off at home after school yesterday.” She crunched on her cereal wordlessly for a while, mulling this over, then finally she said, “That’s weird. Do you . . . do you think he’s okay?” “I don’t know,” I said honestly. I wasn’t honest often, but I tried to be with Brooke . . . as much as I could. It was hard to tell the truth when lying came so easily to me. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Michael and Millie are riding with me today, too,” she warned, knowing that would change the dynamics of everything. Millie was Brooke’s ten-year-old sister. Both had been put in foster care at the beginning of the school year and lived with Michael and his parents. I groaned as I hung up. If Michael and Millie were there, I wouldn’t be able to openly discuss anything with Brooke. Not my worries about my father, not about Brooke’s supernatural wolf-shifting boyfriend, none of it. I needed the freedom to talk to Brooke about all of these out-of-the-ordinary things. She had still yet to convince the logical side of my brain that the wolf-shifter was real, even though I knew without a doubt that every word out of her mouth was the truth. It was weird getting ready for school without the warden there to check me. He always made sure my clothes were appropriate before leaving the house, as if I were the type of girl to hide a miniskirt in my closet and try to sneak to school in it. He bought every piece of clothing I owned. Everything in my closet was dull and sensical. If