Broken Heart 07 Cross Your Heart (12 page)

“Think of shadows as demon lite,” said Phoebe. She was near the trunks, disgust worming across her features as she stared at them. “They’re not as strong or as smart, but they are relentless. They’ll fulfill the purpose they were called for, no matter what.”

“They’re temporary, though,” said Connor.

“What’s temporary mean for demon lite?” asked Tez.

“Couple of centuries, maybe.” Connor pointed to the knickknacks. “These are tokens. They were stolen from the people chosen as sacrifices. Havin’ these gave the shadow control over ’em. Keep an object long enough and it’s imbued with your essence. Even the tiniest bit can give a demon power over you.”

“Seriously,” Tez whispered to me. “This town is really fucked-up.”

“Let’s find out for sure what we’re dealin’ with,” said Connor. He joined his wife and they turned toward the center of the room. Phoebe looked at us and made shooing motions. “Move back.”

Tez and I did as she asked, plastering ourselves against the far wall.

Using hand gestures and uttering words in a language I didn’t know, Phoebe and Connor created sparkly black ropes of light that weaved into intricate patterns above the center of the floor.

“Holy damn,” murmured Tez.

Their magic thickened the air with the scent of sulfur. I felt electrified by whatever they were doing. The back of my neck tingled, and I found myself squishing against Tez. He held on to me, and I clutched his forearm. I could feel the goose bumps formed there.

Then the interwoven ropes drifted to the floor and then… bam! The magic blasted onto the wood planks. The spell revealed a circle etched into the floor. Within the circle were drawn five symbols I didn’t recognize along with odd squiggles and crossed lines in between. Connor seemed particularly interested in the middle symbol.

Then the black sparkles completely dissipated, and everything that had been visible on the floor disappeared.

“Mammon,” said Connor. He turned his gaze to the doorway, which made the rest of us do so as well.

Lenette Stinson stood there. She was a lovely woman with loosely curled red hair and moss green eyes. She wore a long black dress cinched with a wide green belt and underneath the swirled skirt, a pair of black ankle boots. Several strands of necklaces in various colors and lengths hung off her neck; and she wore two rings: on her left, a large emerald set in gold; and on her right, a pure silver band that covered her forefinger from bend to knuckle.

“What kind of moron locks a demon in an attic?” she asked. She pointed from the top of the doorjamb to the floor. “It was amateurish at best, but it did the job.”

“It’s bespelled?” asked Phoebe.

“It was. The seal was easily broken by Patsy. It couldn’t have resisted her innate power. She’s too strong. No doubt she opened the door and walked through it without any resistance.”

Fear feathered through me, but I was tired of feeling scared. I couldn’t control the demon, but I could control myself. And what I did next.

“So,” I said, as I moved away from Tez and gazed around the room. “We are dealing with an ancient demon’s shadow, one that apparently didn’t fulfill its purpose before it was caught.”

“And that’s what it must be doing now,” said Tez. “But what does that have to do with your attacking ghost?”

“You don’t think it’s the same thing?” asked Phoebe.

“No, I don’t. The ghost shows up and tries to choke her to death. Then, when she goes to find the grave, she’s attacked by a real person,” continued Tez. “I’m betting on the Gabriel doppelganger.”

“That’s true,” I said. “Why would the demon use a ghostly form to scare me when he was already pretending to be Gabriel?”

“He knew where she was buried,” said Tez. “He was going to the grave, too, but you found it first.”

“Why would he need to find Elizabeth’s grave?”

“Just another question we gotta answer, princess.”

Lenette stepped inside the room. “Ugh. This place is awful. I can feel my aura shriveling.” She looked at Connor and Phoebe. “Perhaps a cleansing is in order?”

“Not yet,” said Phoebe. “We need to look at everything carefully and make sure there are no traps or spells we’re unaware of.”

“Getting rid of the shadow won’t be that easy,” said Connor. “It would help to know what it’s trying to accomplish so we could figure out the reversal spells.”

“Well, I can add protections to the house,” said Lenette. “Maybe that will slow it down.”

“I think it’s time to leave and let them work,” I said. I dragged Tez toward the exit. I didn’t want to spend another second in the room. I’d had enough of feeling choked, whether by invisible hands or the cloying ick of this location. I felt like the longer we stayed here, the bigger the chance something bad would happen. It was an irrational feeling, one fueled by my fears, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to get as far from the mansion as possible.

Besides, I had a plan to implement.

“You’re right. Everything’s tied to the past,” I said as we made our way out of the deplorable space. “We find that link and we might be able to stop whatever the shadow is trying to do.”

“Think we’ll wrap up in a day, do you?” asked Tez.

I smiled to hide my trepidation. “Of course.”

When we returned to the kitchen, Gabriel was there along with Patrick, Jessica, and Damian. Startled, I stopped suddenly, and Tez plowed into my backside. His hands went around my waist. “Whoa, princess.”

“I’m me,” said Gabriel, his gaze bouncing between me and Tez. One blond eyebrow winged upward, but I ignored his curious look. “Dr. Michaels confirmed my DNA and Lenette did an identity spell.”

“Well, I’m relieved you’re you,” I said. “How’s Patsy?”

He shook his head. “She’s still sleeping. She looks like hell.” His voice was ragged with pain. The poor man looked as though he’d aged a decade or two… and shifters didn’t really age. They weren’t immortals per se, but they did live hundreds of years. Empathy welled, and I wished I could help him.

“Well?” asked Jessica impatiently. “What’s going on up there?”

Tez and I took turns revealing what we’d found out from Connor, Phoebe, and Lenette. I finished up the explanation with, “Connor thinks we shouldn’t do anything magicwise until we figure out what the shadow’s doing. But Lenette is going to add some protection spells.”

“And I’ll put a security detail in the attic,” said Damian. “We already have patrols around the house and garden.”

“Eva and Lorcan are combing through the archives and library again,” I said. “Tez and I are going to my parents’ house in Tulsa to do some research of our own. It’s possible my great-grandfather saved items, maybe even papers, from the time period we’re looking for.”

“Why all the hubbub about old paperwork?” asked Jessica.

“We need to start somewhere. The room is definitely original to the house,” I said. “I have to assume Jeremiah Silverstone built it, and I can’t imagine it served a good purpose. Tez and I have a theory.” I looked at him. I don’t know when I had started thinking of us as a team, but I couldn’t deny that’s exactly how I felt.

He took the conversational ball and ran with it. “Something really shitty happened. And it was so awful everyone who lived here got rid of the evidence and did everything possible to cover it up. Elizabeth told me about Mary McCree. Maybe her death wasn’t a suicide. Or maybe it was, but not for the reason everyone thinks. It may have something to do with the body Ellie found in the woods. And it damn sure has something to do with that demon’s shadow.”

“Dr. Michaels is examining the bones now,” said Damian. He was leaning against the center island, his arms crossed. He seemed a little less hostile toward Tez, but, if I knew Damian, he wouldn’t be satisfied about Tez’s identity or purpose until he’d proven it for himself. “All he can tell me so far is that you were right about the gender—definitely a woman. And the bones are old. He’s running tests now to figure out how old. We uncovered some scraps of clothing, too.” His lips quirked. “He asked about the skull.”

“Oh!” I felt like an idiot. I should’ve handed it over sooner, but, honestly, it hadn’t occurred to me. How strange I felt so attached to some dead woman’s skull. It was rather macabre. “It’s in the car. We’ll drop it off to Stan.”

“So, you don’t know if she was murdered?” asked Gabriel.

“Not yet,” said Damian.

“She was strangled,” I said. “And her name was Elizabeth, too.”

“You sound sure,” said Jessica.

“I am.”

Since we were all paranormal beings living in a paranormal town, no one doubted my surety about this—even though I had no proof. If you learned one thing living in Broken Heart, it was to take a leap of faith. Not much was impossible for us.

“We’re calling a Council meeting,” said Gabriel. “While we figure out what’s going on and Patsy recovers, we must, as she has told me so often, keep on keeping on. Everyone stay in touch. Hopefully, we will resolve our problems quickly.”

“Daddy!” Three blond whirlwinds shot into the kitchen and gathered around their father, all talking and trying to claim his attention. The triplets were angelic in features, if not temper. Patsy wasn’t the type of mother to dress her triplets in look-alike clothes, but the girls tended to choose the same type of dresses and colors. The boy wore a graphic tee and jeans. MaryBeth leaned against the doorway to the kitchen; she had that same happy, but exhausted, expression I’d seen so often on mothers’ faces. Like me, MaryBeth would not have children of her own; I’d made my choice early in life, but hers had been taken from her. She crossed the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee for herself. She glanced at me and mouthed, “Patsy?” I shook my head. She nodded, obviously concerned about her employer and friend.

Gabriel crouched down so he could hug his children. He spent time talking to each one, and then he shushed them. “How would you like to stay with Jessica and Patrick for a while?”

This suggestion was met with great enthusiasm. At least it explained why Jessica and Patrick were here. Patrick was a member of the Council, but Jessica was too blunt to do well in any political forum. Patsy was blunt, too, but she had learned a lot about decorum and navigating the minefields of politics. Jessica—ah, not so much.

“Where’s Mommy?”

“Napping. You’ll see her soon.”

The voices started again, and Gabriel’s attempts to calm them went unnoticed. Finally, Patrick scooped up the girls and Jessica, the boy. They squealed in delight and then started talking again, asking questions so quickly that neither Jessica nor Patrick had time to formulate answers.

“I’ll pack their clothes and toys and get their car seats ready,” said MaryBeth. She took a moment to place a comforting hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, then followed Patrick and Jessica out of the kitchen.

“Gabriel, is there anything more we can do for you?” I asked. I was feeling inadequate and, vaguely, as if everything unfolding was somehow my fault. I could certainly lay the blame at my ancestor’s door, so in a way, it was my fault.

Gabriel shook his head. “I’ve left messages for Brigid. If anyone can help my wife, she can.”

“Well, if you need anything…”

“You’re doing plenty to help,” said Gabriel. “Thank you.”

There was really not much else to say, so I gave him a quick hug, said good-bye to Damian, and then Tez and I left.

When we got outside, I stopped on the flower-lined sidewalk and took a moment to enjoy the crisp air and the beauty of the night. So much had happened, and there was so much to do yet. I knew the philosophy well enough: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I had a feeling it would take all of us working together to defeat whatever terrible thing was unfolding. It wasn’t like we didn’t know how to handle trouble. Over the years, we’d defeated rogue vampires, Ancients gone bad, a secret military group, and, as I’ve mentioned, demon attacks. However, this new threat was more insidious because it came from the inside. We didn’t know our enemy—and worse, our enemy could wear our faces, and that would make it difficult to fight.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” asked Tez. He took my hand and led me to the Honda.

“Just thinking about how to solve this mystery.”

“Okay, Velma.”

I looked at him. “As in, Scooby-Doo?” Even I was familiar with the cartoon. I blinked. “You think I’m the smart one?”

“I always figured Fred had it all wrong,” he said, grinning. “I like girls with really big… brains.”

“I look terrible in orange,” I said, giving him the snooty-bitch look.

“Will you at least wear the knee-length socks and Mary Janes?”

“Tez!” I lightly slapped his shoulder while he guffawed. “I’m not sure how I feel about you fantasizing about a cartoon character.”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, princess. Completely naked is okay, too.” He was still smiling, his hazel eyes twinkling, and I realized he was doing a good job of alleviating my tension. “You like it, don’t you?”

“Like what?”

“Puzzling out all the pieces, seeing how they fit together.”

Tez’s perception surprised me yet again. I did like to work my way through problems. It was always very satisfying to figure out the appropriate solutions. I’d never thought of myself of the Scooby-Doo and the Gang sort of mystery solver, though.

“You’d make a good cop,” said Tez.

“I’m not fond of firearms.”

He leaned against the trunk of his car and drew me into his embrace. Until I met Tez, I didn’t realize how much excitement my life had lacked. I’d been content to fulfill the role of matron, hostess, and wise old woman. If I felt the creeping tendrils of boredom, I looked to my jewelry making or meeting a friend for lunch or logging on to eBay to see what treasures I could find. It was only at that moment that I realized I had been “living” my unlife the same way had lived my human life. I couldn’t have what I wanted, so I made do with what I had.

What a terribly sad way to spend eternity.

And so, when Tez held me close, his hazel eyes glittering with sensual intent, I didn’t pull away or protest. He was the sexiest man I’d ever met, and I’d once hosted a party that included among its guests Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and Gerard Butler.