Dark Spirits (31 page)

As I changed into my clothes and dried my hair, I redirected my thoughts to Nathan and me. The tension in my shoulders lifted as I revisited my daydream about us having a wonderful and happy life together.

When I entered the living room with a goofy grin on my face, all three of them were casually standing around. I noticed the hat and glasses I had worn the night Roeick kidnapped me in Carrie’s hand. I pointed at it. “Where did you get that?” Nathan’s face broke into a proud smile. I looked at him cautiously. “What?”

“Max found these in the parking lot at his dad’s restaurant.” Carrie handed the items to me.

The left lens was cracked, but I put the glasses on anyway. I placed the cap on top of my head, tucking my hair in it like I had done that night. All three of them laughed.

“I remember that Halloween when you dressed up like a dead librarian. Those are the same glasses you used, right?” Tree asked.

“Yeah, they are.” I took the glasses and hat off and set them on the coffee table. “I was trying to disguise myself, but stupid me forgot about the light some of the dark spirits like Roeick can see inside me.”

Nathan curled his arm around my waist. “But you were thinking outside the box, so you should give yourself some credit. I’m impressed you not only thought about it, but went through with it as well.”

“By the way.” Carrie shot me a pointed look. “When Max called Tree and told him about what happened, and Brayden wouldn’t tell Max shit, I called Nathan right away. Because for one, we were crazy worried about you, and two, we wanted to say the right thing to Max to keep him away from the truth.” She popped her hip out and placed her hand on it, looking all smug. “So you did need our help after all, and we came through with flying colors.”

“She’s right,” Nathan told me, smiling. “She and Tree did the right thing by calling me.”

“So what did you two tell him?”
Carrie wasn’t going to let me forget about this for a while.
But I was thankful they were able to relieve Max’s curiosity so he wouldn’t go noising around and discover the truth. I mentally shuddered at how disastrous it could have been, especially when he had a bright future ahead of himself.

Carrie shook her head in disappointment.
What the hell was her problem?
“We told him you went to Phoenix right after we graduated to investigate your father’s death, which by the way, you never told me you were actually planning on going to Arizona before Nathan came into your life.”

“Wait a minute,” I said, ignoring her last comment. “I told Max I had been on an island for the summer.”
Great. He probably thought I was a liar now.

“He mentioned it,” Tree answered, “so I told him you did after your trip from Arizona.”

“Anyway,” Carrie said, “I told him you’d discovered your father was murdered, but didn’t have the actual proof. However, you stirred up a hornet’s nest, and the guy who kidnapped you was one of the guys involved in your father’s death.”

“Did he believe it?” I hoped she kept the story simple. Otherwise, it would sound too farfetched, like a spy movie. “And how long was I asleep?” I added when the thought entered my mind.

“Just a day,” Nathan replied.

Carrie nodded. “He believed it and was impressed you had the balls to do it on your own. I think he has the hots for you.” She winked and grinned. I could feel the heat in my cheeks and decided to ask a question before she said more about it.

“Did he ask you what happened to the guy?”

“We told him Nathan found you,” Tree replied, “and beat the living shit out of the guy and then called the cops.” He paused. “Oh, and I told Brayden what we told Max, just in case Max starts questioning Brayden more about it. That way our stories collaborate.”

I shook my head and smiled. I hated to admit it, but they did excellent jobs covering for me. I guess I was going to have to except them as part of this dark world now because it seemed like I would need their help after all.

“You guys are amazing. Thank you.” They beamed as if what I said meant everything to them. “And I’m sorry if it seemed like I was trying to control you. It’s just I love you two so much, and I want to keep you safe. However, I realized tonight it’s
your
life. It’s not right for me to tell you how to live it. Besides, I think I will need your help in the future.”

“We love you too, Paige,” Carrie said. “And we promise we’ll always be careful.”

Tree gave me a three-finger salute with the thumb holding down his pinky and palm facing me. “Scout’s hon--”

The sound of Tree’s voice dimmed, and the room suddenly disappeared. A small part of me felt somebody gripping my arm, but even that faded when the environment around me came into focus. It was the same place as the last two times this had happened to me but much clearer now. Darkness surrounded me. The air was thick and humid with a strong earthy smell. In the distance, I heard water dripping, just like before. I was underground, and alongside me I saw a stream. There were arched portals, columns, and pillars carved out of what looked like limestone rock. I heard flapping noises from above. When I looked up, bats flew around the high eroded ceilings.

Then I was being pulled away, like I was being sucked backwards through a tunnel. As the room got smaller and smaller, I had a strong sense of where I’d been. And although I didn’t know the exact location of the cave, I somehow
knew
what continent it was in.

My heart leaped in my chest, and I drew in a sharp breath. I fell backwards into something hard and warm beneath my armpits.

“Are you all right?” Nathan’s anxious voice jolted me back to him. He stood me on my feet with his hands under my arms. “What happened?”

I blinked to reorient myself. Carrie and Tree were looking at me with wide, curious eyes.

“You were glowing again,” Carrie said. “Just like you did at Mom’s store the other day.”

“Did the same thing happen?” Tree asked.

I glanced at Nathan apprehensively. I wasn’t sure if I should reveal to Carrie and Tree what I’d just found out. I mean, it could jeopardize their safety if they were to know. His eyebrows knotted together, his eyes dancing across my face. Then understanding dawned in his eyes, and he slowly nodded.

“Don’t even think about it, Paige,” Tree said, using his uncanny ability to read through me. “We’re in this with you,” he reminded me.

“Yeah,” Carrie piped. They moved closer to us like teammates huddling before a game.

“Okay. Fine.” I turned to them, feeling the excitement bubbling inside me. I couldn’t help but grin, which drew smiles from their own faces. “But remember. You can’t tell
anybody
this. Not even Brayden.”

Carrie sighed. “We
know
already.”

I took a deep breath and said, “I think the incantations are in a cave. In fact, I
know
they are. I don’t know how I know. I just do.”

“Omigod! Really? You know that for sure?” Carrie gaped at me.

“Yeah, I do. I was able to see it clearly this time.” I could still recall it and wished I was an artist so I could draw a picture of it for them. I wanted them to see how awesome it looked inside.

“Cool,” Tree said, but then his forehead wrinkled. “I don’t mean to dampen your spirit, but there’s a shit load of caves around this earth. How are we going to find the right one?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Nathan told him. “But I’m sure we can narrow it down since she remembers what it looks like.”

“How?” Carrie sounded perturbed, and I couldn’t help but smile because they were talking as if I weren’t in the room. She glanced at me and playfully squinted her eyes. “What are you smiling about?” The corners of her mouth twitched.

All eyes were on me now, and I could feel their anticipation swirling around me.

“I don’t know exactly where the cave is, but I do know what continent it’s in.” I think everybody had stopped breathing because a hushed silence engulfed the room. I took a second to look at their shocked faces, briefly savoring the moment I’d been waiting for since I’d become immortal. Soon, I’d find those incantations, destroy them, then be able to build a future with Nathan. I was almost beside myself with joy at the very thought of it.

Nathan took my hand. “Where is it?”

I grinned at him and said, “Africa.”

Preview:

THE DEVIL’S THIRD

Keep reading for a preview of
The Devil’s Third,
the captivating sequel to
Dark Spirits
. . .

THE DEVIL’S THIRD

Chapter One

Paige

Nathan, Carrie and Tree stood, staring at me–slack jawed. An ominous wave of energy seemed to roll into the living room, crashing through the middle of our loose circle. Something inside me buzzed, my flesh breaking out in goose bumps.

I said it again,
“Africa.”

A loud boom shook the house and rattled the windows, causing Carrie to shriek, startling me. At once, a steady flow of rain battered against the rooftop like an army of tiny feet running into battle. Then a deafening crack erupted above my house, flickering lights before plunging us into darkness . . . well, Carrie and Tree. Nathan and I could see in pitch black conditions–one of the many perks of being immortal.

The hair on the nape of my neck rose, and I couldn’t help but laugh nervously at how like a crazy, scary movie this moment was. I thought how coincidental and creepy to have mentioned the name of the continent King Solomon’s incantations were hidden in, only to have it punctuated with Mother Nature’s display of power.

For thousands of years immortals, dark spirits, and a handful of humans had been searching for Solomon’s ring and incantations, which together could control the dark spirits. It was believed the invocations couldn’t be found without the ring first. Therefore, finding it was top priority, but now that Bael had it and was the oldest known dark spirit of them all, unrest settled in my murky world. Lucky me, I happened to be the only one who could find the incantations, thanks to my ancient bloodline of witches, and my grandmother Kora who transferred Solomon’s power out of that ugly piece of jewelry into me. Trust me. It was a fugly piece of ornamental wear. I saw it when Bael showed me, and now he knows I hold the power instead of it.

“Did you do that, Paige?” Carrie asked, the whites of her eyes gleaming.

“No,” I said, feeling a bit scared, thinking this might be an omen to what was to come. Nathan wrapped his arm around my shoulders, holding me close.

“Cool,” Tree said. “It was like Thor just slammed his hammer down as if to say ‘Hell, yeah, they’re there!’”

Carrie made a face. “You’re such a dork.” She laced her arms around his waist and leaned against him. “But you’re my dork, and I don’t like this. Turn the lights on, Paige.”

“I can’t. The power is out.”
Even if I could, I wouldn’t.
Not after what happened the last time I turned them on with my mind, how sick and nauseous I’d felt. No thank you. I didn’t want to experience that again. “Why don’t you and Tree sit, and I’ll get some candles.”

“I’ll get them.” Nathan squeezed my shoulder and went into the kitchen. I could hear him rummaging in the drawer and thought about him living in the 1800s without electricity. I bet he felt a bit nostalgic right now. He didn’t seem put out like Carrie did trying her cell phone.

“Damn it.” She dumped it back in her purse and frowned at Tree. “No cell phone service.”

“Good,” Tree said. “At least we won’t be distracted by calls while we talk about why Paige thinks Solomon’s spells are in a cave in Africa.” He led Carrie to the love seat, and they sat.

“My phone isn’t a distraction,” Carrie muttered. “And I love it.”

I sat on the couch across from them while Nathan placed candles around the living room, lighting them. The orange flames flickered erratically, casting shadows on the walls. Carrie anxiously looked around, appearing on edge with the howling wind rattling the windows and the rain whipping across them. It was odd behavior for her; she’d never been afraid of the dark or storms before.

Tree placed his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay,” he whispered in her ear, then answered my questioning eyes. “Ever since she got Aosoth’s memories of where a dark spirit goes when they’re cast out, she’s afraid of the dark and storms.”

“Why storms?” Nathan asked, sitting beside me, resting his hand on my leg.

“Because they can be violent and unpredictable,” Carrie answered with a shudder.

I could totally sympathize with her, remembering when Nathan, Ameerah, and I went to the negative place Nathan sent Aosoth to. I remembered not being able to stand the feeling of being heavily weighed down, and it felt like I was in a pit of thick, gooey mud. Not to mention, I was uncomfortable as hell. I didn’t feel any pain though, or what it was actually like for a dark spirit to experience that, but with Aosoth’s memories, Carrie could.

Poor Carrie.

Then I thought of something Nathan and I should have caught when Carrie told us about having those memories. Aosoth once informed Nathan and me she had never been cast out, so how could she have those memories? Then I remembered Carrie telling us when Aosoth inhabited a Nazi, she got shot, which hurled her out of the body straight to a dark area. So that place had to have created the memory. I decided to ask Carrie to make sure. “Carrie, was Aosoth ever cast out by an immortal before, besides Nathan that is?”

Carrie shook her head. “She likes to switch bodies a lot and has been too crafty to have that happen to her. But remember, I only have some of her memories.”

“How do you know it’s in Africa?” Tree asked me, changing the subject.

I shrugged. “Just a feeling.”

Nathan turned to me. “Can you describe the cavern?”

 “I was underground,” I said, looking into his dark blue eyes, then shifting my gaze onto Carrie and Tree. “Alongside me was a stream. There were arched portals, columns, and pillars carved out of what looked like limestone. The ceilings were high and eroded.”

Carrie gave me a doubtful look. “Are you sure it was a cave?”

 “Yeah, I’m sure.” I wished Carrie would trust me, and Tree looked just as skeptical. I glanced up at Nathan, and he smiled. There was no doubt in
his
face. Well, at least Nathan had faith in me. “You two don’t have to believe me,” I said to them, hearing the hurt in my tone. “But I know it’s a cave, and it’s somewhere in Africa.”

Tree shifted in his seat. I could tell he knew they had hurt my feelings by the guilty way he moved and the
I’m sorry
look he threw at me. “It’s not like we don’t trust you, Paige,” he said. “I know there are holes in the earth like what you’ve described, but it sounds like a place in a fantasy book where goblins would live.”

I grounded my teeth and made a face, appalled at his comment. “I can’t believe what you just said after everything you and Carrie now know!” My voice was raised in annoyance. I leaned back, then yelped. My back was still sore from the bullwhip Roeick used on me. The throbbing pain had finally gone away, but the sucky part was forgetting about the wounds until something touched them.

“Are you okay?” Nathan asked.

I nodded and fixed my eyes back on Tree, my temper flaring “–Like dark spirits inhabiting soulless humans,” I continued, “me being able to communicate with animals, me being able to turn the lights off and on with my mind, portals around the earth, and huge apelike creatures crossing over from their world to ours. So just because the cave sounds like something straight out of a Tolkien novel, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist!”

Tree raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too” Carrie said. “It’s just sometimes hard to believe this stuff is true.”

I sighed and rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. “I know what you mean.”

A bright flash sparked behind the curtains, followed by another loud peal of thunder. It was still pouring outside, and I could hear the rain pounding on the ground and a channel of water rushing down the street. I wondered mindlessly how long this storm would last and about the outside of Nathan’s house being a muddy mess. He would have to build a walkway or something, after everything got back to normal.

I had to laugh at myself for even thinking that. What the hell was wrong with me? I would never lead a conventional life again. I’d known that when I accepted immortality, and at least I could be with Nathan, frozen at the age of seventeen, for an immeasurable length of time.

Then, of course, I thought about Brayden. How could I not? Like me, his youth would never fade on this earth–always seventeen. I wondered if he came across Cassondra yet, and if she would tell him Nathan had broken her neck. And if she did, how would Brayden react? Knowing Brayden like I did, he’d probably think she deserved it after what she pulled on me. But then again, I wasn’t too sure because of her being his mentor and him buddying up with Anwar and possibly Bael, which made me sick to my stomach. I mean, how could–

“Hello. Earth to Paige,” Carrie said, waving her hands in the air, snapping me out of my mental babble.

I blinked. “Huh?”

“I was wondering if you had a sudden connection to the spiritual world when you didn’t say anything.” She sounded amused, and when I gave her a blank look thinking
why would she think that?
Her amusement surfaced into a smile. She continued, ticking the examples she laid out on each finger. “You get premonitions you can hear. When you played a song for your dad on your whistle, you visited with him. Your grandmother Kora appeared before you, and your mom whispered to you when we were on Cannon Beach.”

“What about when she saw her parents after Aosoth tried to kill her,” Tree commented, and I felt Nathan flinch. I took his hand, lacing my fingers with his.

“I forgot about that,” Carrie said, tapping her finger on her lips, pondering those events.

I scratched my head, and Nathan sat up. He looked at Carrie, then shifted his gaze to the floor. I could hear his heart beating faster, which told me he was seriously considering this. I didn’t know what to think, and as my mind quickly reviewed the examples she had presented to us, Nathan laughed, startling me.

“Of course!” he said.

“What?” all three of us asked in unison.

He turned to me, grinning. “Remember when you had the nightmare about the dark spirits chasing you, and one of them kept saying, ‘Vos ero pessum ire’?” I nodded, and he went on. “Then Aosoth repeated it to you?”

“Yeah,” I said apprehensively, not wanting to revisit those creepy memories and actually had done a good job forgetting about them so I could sleep at night.

“What does it mean?” Tree asked, trying to repeat it, but failing miserably.

“Wait,” Nathan said, focusing his attention back on Carrie. She was staring off into space, her brown eyes wide with horror. “Carrie?” Nathan asked, his voice soft with concern. “What is it?”

Tree cupped his hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

Noticing the tears brimming her eyes, I jumped up and kneeled in front of her, taking her hand. “What’s wrong?”

She blinked and a tear trailed down her cheek. She looked at Tree. “It means, you will be destroyed,” she choked.

“How did you know that?” I whispered, my heart thudding in my chest. In the back of my mind, I knew the answer but needed to hear it from her own lips.

She sniffed and took a deep, shaky breath. “Sometimes Aosoth’s memories come to me through dreams, and last night I had a nightmare of you stumbling through the forest while black, ghostly entities chased you.” She paused, and I shivered at the memory. It was so weird she experienced the same dream. “Aosoth happened to be one of those beings, but not the one who said those words to you.”

“Who said it?” Nathan asked.

“Volac,” she answered.

Nathan groaned.

I glanced over my shoulder at him, and he had a worried look on his face. “But I thought Volac doesn’t like Aosoth. That’s what Ameerah told you, right?”

“He doesn’t,” Carrie said before Nathan could respond, “but she butted in anyway, wanting in on the fun of scaring you. Afterwards, when Aosoth was laughing, Volac rounded on her. He told Aosoth, unlike her, his intentions toward you were pure. ”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” My voice raised in confusion, and I was silently grateful to Anwar–of all people–for casting Volac out so he wouldn’t bother me for a while. I just wondered how long it would take for Volac to regain his energy. Hopefully a long ass time because I didn’t need him on my tail.

Carrie shook her head. “I don’t know, but then he told Aosoth to leave and never to show her face around him again.”

I combed my fingers through my hair and leaned forward on my knees, dropping my head in my hands. I didn’t understand any of this. I mean, I was dreaming, so how could dark spirits enter my dream? The whole idea of it made me never want to sleep again. I almost felt like I was trapped in a
Nightmare on Elm Street
movie. This was so not good.

“Why didn’t you tell me this?” Tree asked. “And do you know Latin now?”

Carrie turned to him apologetically. “I’m sorry. I was planning to this morning, but couldn’t stomach it. I just wanted to forget about it for a while. And no, I don’t know Latin well enough to speak it fluently. I do understand it when I have one of Aosoth’s memories and Latin is being used, so I’m starting to understand it more.”

I sat next to Nathan and shook my head. “I don’t get any of this.”