The darkness splintered and cracked, blinding light shining through, scattering the chittering twisted forms of the lesser demons that were nipping at my heels. Pain flashed through me as thunder roared and the universe fractured as a tear, in reality, ripped apart the darkness and hell spat me out.

I blinked up at the sky, the full moon shining silver above me through the branches of the trees that rustled and shook in the chill breeze. Nearby was the thumping beat of dance music accompanied by the flashing multi-coloured lights and drunken laughter of the party revellers.

The grass beneath me was wet and cold, seeping through the thin material of my dress. I gingerly raised a hand, noting the painted nails on the ends of slim, almost dainty, fingers. My toes were similarly painted, the deep red of the varnish visible through the straps of the sandals.

A silver pendant hung from a thin chain around my neck. The links were steel and not silver, the quality as cheap as that of the black dress that clung to the slim body I was wearing.

There was pain as I raised my head and my hand went to my neck, feeling the tenderness there. I cleared my throat and coughed, the rasping sound barely audible over the too-loud music from the party.

Strands of blonde hair fell across my face and I swept them aside, irritated. Something had gone remarkably wrong and if the fog inside my head would clear even for a moment then I might be able to begin to understand it.

I had been somewhere else. A place of darkness and pain, torment unending. My mind shied away from that, allowing only flashes of images that faded away when I tried to focus on them. A protective reaction to what had been a great trauma, I knew. Still, it was irksome.

A moment had arrived and I had fled, escaping that loathsome place and leaping into the first body that I could find. Which, as seemed to be the case, was a young woman who had just been murdered.

I rubbed at my neck and tried to clear my throat. It didn’t help. Strangled was my guess.

The body I wore was still fully clothed which suggested that it hadn’t been violated by the killer, which was something at least. Still, it would take much of my strength to heal the damage done which would leave me vulnerable for far too long.

“Jen!”

I turned towards the source of the call and winced at the flash of pain in my neck. Gritting my teeth, I set my jaw and turned my head slowly.

Another young woman stood on the path that ran along the back of the houses some distance away. She was scanning the darkness, her head turning this way and that as she called out that name.

“Jen!”

She was young, perhaps eighteen or nineteen and attractive. Her dress was similar to that worn by my new body, though hers was longer at the hem and lower at the bust, revealing ample cleavage.

A flash of gold at her ears as she turned her head and the heavy loop earrings caught the light. She ran a hand through soft brown shoulder-length curls and called out once again.

“Jen!”

It occurred to me then that perhaps the person she was looking for was the previous owner of the body I now wore. Moving slowly, I pushed myself up and tottered on the heeled sandals for a moment before staggering out into the light of the street lamps.

“H-hello?” I called, wincing at the bright lights. Too long in darkness. I needed time to adjust.

“Jen!” she cried out, spying me. “What the hell are you doing?”

I reached out to the nearby fence to steady myself. This body was shorter by a good three or four inches than my last and the centre of gravity was off. The unaccustomed weight on my chest was a distraction and I had to be careful to maintain my balance, as wobbly as I was in heels.

The other girl was approaching and I tried to form a smile as I raised my free hand in greeting. She slowed her approach, squinting as she studied me in the darkness.

“You’re not Jen.” It was a statement that expected no answer and I studied her in turn. “Who the hell are you? What did you do with her?”

“Clairvoyant?” I asked, “Or necromancer?”

Her fingers twitched and she mouthed the first words of a banishing charm.

Bugger! A necromancer then. That was all I needed. I never seemed to have any luck but bad. I held my hand up, palm out to show that I was unarmed and pretty harmless.

“Wait,” I urged. “Before you do anything rash.”

She hesitated, just a moment, but it was enough. Thank the divines for the small mercies.

“Please,” I continued. My throat hurt when I spoke but I rushed the words out anyway. “You’re a necro, look at me. You can see my spirit, yes?”

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She nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off of me.

“Look deeper. Can you see hers?”

A line appeared on her forehead as she furrowed her brow, then her eyes widened in surprise and horror as her hand went to cover her mouth. I nodded wearily.

“This body was empty when I took residence. The spirit not long departed.”

“I-I don’t believe you. It must have been something you did!”

“No, I swear.”

“It must have been!”

My throat hurt, my head hurt and I could only barely make out the broadest outline of her face as my eyes adjusted to the light. I really wasn’t in any position to do anything to stop her should she finish casting that banishing.

“The neck is damaged and the body was lying in the bushes.” I paused and, painfully, tilted my head towards the bushes I’d emerged from. “Someone killed your friend.”

A shimmer of tears filled her eyes and her fingers flicked through the movements for the charm. I waved my hand in alarm.

“Wait! Please.”

“Why should I?” she snapped. “Get out of my friend's body!”

“Please, just give me a moment.”

Again, she hesitated and I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. A moment’s respite was better than nothing. If she managed to cast me out of the body then I would be well and truly screwed. Too weak to withhold the pull of hell.

“Speak quickly,” she snapped.

“Someone harmed your friend, yes?” It was slow and uncertain but she did nod in agreement. “You do not know who though and have no way of finding out. I can help you!”

“How?”

“You can’t summon her spirit.” She likely knew that but no harm in emphasizing that point. “She was murdered so her spirit will be restless and require time to adjust in whichever afterlife she finds herself.”

Probably a better one than where I had just been anyway.

“But,” I turned the smile into a grin. It wasn’t returned. “If the killer sees this body walking around, they will react and perhaps even try again, no?”

The girl was unsure but I could tell that my words were making sense to her. I bit my tongue and forced myself to silence so as not to push too hard.

“Then what?” she asked. “You can’t keep the body.”

“Only borrow it,” I wheedled. “For a short time. Until I can find my own.”

“Your own?”

“Yes. Ah…” I grinned sheepishly. “What year is it?”

“2023”

My eyebrows rose at that and I bit back a curse. I knew time moved differently in the other realms but not by so much.

“I was killed three years ago,” I said. “All I will need to do is find my body and then I can jump into it and you can lay this one to rest.”

“What do you mean find it?”

“Well… I was murdered. I have no idea what my killers did with it, but I would not have been put in the family crypt.”

The girl stared at me, unblinking, for what seemed to be an extremely long and uncomfortable moment. Finally, she swore and lowered her hand, allowing me to breathe easier.

“I don’t know if I can trust you but if someone killed Jen, I want to know who it was.”

Behind us, the party continued unabated. The drunken revellers hadn’t seemed to notice us and I glanced down once again at the dress I was wearing.

“We were at the party, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“Then perhaps the killer is there.”

I wasn’t exactly eager to help her find the killer since as soon as I did she was just as likely to banish me as help me, but I felt a show of willingness would be a good idea just then.

“Half the people have gone already,” she said. “It’s why I was looking for… for, Jen.”

“Was she your girlfriend?”

She wiped at her eyes and shook her head. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and sniffed noisily. “No, she was my friend.”

“I am truly sorry for your loss,” I lied. “And, I will do everything I can to help you find justice for your friend.”

She sniffed again and nodded curtly. Then she eyed me and shook her head. “This is seriously messed up.”

“Oh?”

“That I’m even contemplating letting some random spirit wear my friend's body like a fucking glove! It feels wrong.”

She should try it from my side. The last time I’d walked the world I had been a six-foot tall male. Twenty years old and with more power at my command than this silly girl could possibly imagine. Now though, well, now, I needed her help just to keep me out of hell.

It was typical bad luck to find the one body that belonged to the friend of a bloody necromancer. One of the few supernatural races that could see my spirit form, even when I was possessing another.

Doubly typical that it was one with morals. Most necromancers that I’d known would have happily dug up their own mothers if the price was right.

“Look, I have nothing to offer but my word. I only want to find my body.”

“Someone killed you. What’s to say that you didn’t deserve it? I’m running low on trust here.”

“Does anyone deserve to die?” To be fair, I had. “I made a mistake and was betrayed by someone I trusted. The only one harmed was myself.”

She chewed her lower lip and I could see the hesitancy in her eyes. She wanted to believe me. Wanted to trust that I would do what I promised and not just slip away as soon as her back was turned.

Which, to be fair, was exactly what I was planning to do.

“Okay,” she said. “Maybe we can do this.”

“Great-“

“But…” she reached into her purse and pulled out a small penknife. It was about the length of her little finger with the blade folded. “If we are going to do this, you will need to swear an oath.”

Fuck.

My heart sank a little at that. Any necromancer worth her salt could bind a spirit to an oath and it would be unbreakable. Depending on what she made me swear, she would have the complete upper hand.

“Well?”

Not like I had much choice. I was weak enough that even a novice necromancer could kick me out of this new body.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “What do I swear?”

She told me and I had to force myself to unclench my jaw before I let out a sigh.

“Do you agree?”

“Yes.”

She stepped toward me and I held out my left hand, palm up. With the knife held in her right hand, she pricked the tip of the index finger on her left hand before repeating the motion with mine.

“Speak the words.”

“I swear.” The words were dragged from my lips as she began to chant softly. “To obey you and to do my utmost to find the killer of your friend Jen. Until this killer is found, I will do as you command.”

“So may it be,” she said, pressing her bloodied fingertip against mine. “Oathbound by blood and words.”

And that was that. I had just signed myself up to damn near eternal slavery to the young necromancer. She didn’t even need a banishment charm now. All she needed to do was command me to leave her friend's body and I would have no choice but to do so.

“Good,” she said. “Now, we should head back. Discuss how we plan to find Jen’s killer.”

“Head back where?”

“Jen’s house is probably best.” She hesitated a moment and held out her hand. “I’m Becca, by the way. Probably going to have to call you Jen from now on.”

“Fine by me.” Not that I cared one way or another.

“What is your name though?”

“John,” I said. “Jonathan Winters.”

“Oh!” Her eyes went round as she put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. “You’re a guy!”