Jared POV:

"Jay?" Erin asked quietly, but I paid him little mind. My mind was spinning with possible ways to deal with this jerk-off of a ghost. Any hope that possession hadn't actually occurred disappeared the second I'd caught sight of West. The man was still wrapped in a sickly red-black aura, the same as this Ross asshole. 

My main problem right now though was that I wasn't a spirit fighter, let alone an exorcist. My abilities lied in the sensing, communicating, and interacting with the Spirit world, so to speak. The realm that normal humans couldn't usually see, hear, or sense. I had some small powers of second sight, telepathy, and psychometry, but my main powers were those I usually used for the show.

Using that power, I could view a strange, black chain which had latched itself onto Adria the moment Ross had paid her any attention. Covered in something I could only describe as a thick, black sludge, it had wrapped around her light, dampening it when he started to panic about her being around another guy. 

"This investigation is over, guys," I spoke quietly, firmly. Murmurs of protest from West were quickly silenced by April and Erin, as my best friend eyed me in worry.

Turning my attention away from the Living, for now, I sucked in a deep breath. Here goes something stupid.

"Adria, I allow you to attach yourself to me. Break the chain that keeps you here and leave this place." I spoke the words slowly, and with as much power as I could place in them. From what I'd observed, it appeared Ross was using Adria's odd strength of energy to power himself. I'd only seen something like this twice before, but never to the level this had developed to.

When I squinted, I could just make out a shocked expression on Adria's "face". Trying to use words that technically did and did not describe another person in a way that my own mind could understand had always been a bother. But at times I could see the impression of a spirit's body as projected from their own memories. Of course, I wasn't the only one who could see these things. Anyone who had seen a ghost—whether they chose to believe it or not—had witnessed the same thing. 

The others quickly began to panic, but a cutting glare from me returned the room to silence...for them at least.

"What did you just say, you motherfucker? Adria leave?! No! She's mine! I marked her—"

"I don't care what you think or did in the past, Ross. Even dead, Adria is her own person. You can't keep her here, abusing and draining her for your own amusement." My voice was cold and hard. I didn't give a shit about what this jackass had to say. "Adria," I cleared my throat, softening the harshness I'd addressed Ross with. "I know you are strong, far stronger than I've ever seen before. But you're stuck here because Ross is stuck here. All you have to do is borrow my own power to break away from his hold and then you'll no longer be trapped," I promised quietly.

In the back of my mind, I was panicking. After all, being the recipient of a spirit attachment was never a good idea. No matter if the spirit themselves weren't a malevolent spirit, there was always at least some negative issues that cropped up regardless. But damn it, this was the only way I could see to end in a more positive result for everyone involved. 

With Adria no longer around to power the other spirits in this house, they would drop down in activity by leaps and bounds. And with how strongly Ross had tied himself to Adria, he might eventually fade out for eternity. That's usually what happened to spirits who had no ties to their haunting. 

Nothing was assured though and who knew what might actually end up happening. Still, getting Adria out of this place had to be better than her remaining. I wasn't sure why it was so important to me, but knowing she'd suffer bothered me in a way I didn't like in the slightest. Strangely, it was like imagining that a close family member of mine was caught in a toxic relationship. Wouldn't I do everything in my power to get them out of it?

"I...I can leave?" Adria asked in a soft, amazed voice. "I don't...have to stay?"

"Don't listen to this asswipe," Ross growled, moving closer to her. The chain wrapped around her, squeezing her light tightly, blocking out more and more of it's bright, warm glow. "We've been together since you became mine and we'll stay that way...It's how we're meant to be." Sickenly, his voice began to soften, like he really believed that was how this worked.

Sorry for the news flash, but...

"Why not make a choice for yourself? You've been locked in this place for so long you've forgotten who you once were. You're a strong person, someone who can fight their own battles. But we all need help at some point and that's what I'm offering right now."

Please, God, let me get her out of here. Let me get all of us out of here safely. That's all I'll ask for tonight.