Eternal Island (Book 1 in the Eternal Series) (17 page)

“Hello, Michael,” Julia said to the spirit.

C
HAPTER 23

Ariana woke suddenly. She had this weird feeling something was wrong. She threw back the comforter and made her way into the bathroom. She splashed her face with cold water and leaned on the vanity. She took a few deep, calming breaths.

Her stomach kept doing flips and she just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen, something related to her.

Deep slow breaths, deep slow breaths.

Something like a movie clip slammed into her head so fast it knocked her body against the bathroom door jamb, where she fell to the floor, half in, half out of the bathroom. Ariana’s head landed on the soft carpet of the bedroom and her vision continued.

“I love you, Ariana.”

Ariana turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin as she stared into the ghost-like eyes of Michael. She could see through him, but he was definitely there with her, and talking to her.

“Oh my God, Michael! How can you be here? Am I dreaming?”

He was still wearing what he had when he left for work, the day of his accident, Levi jeans and a green t-shirt with the company logo on the breast pocket.

“You’re not dreaming. I’m really here. I had to make sure that you were okay. I’m sorry that I died and ruined all our plans. I know you really wanted to go away on vacation for a while. I really wanted to give you that.” Michael looked around. “I guess you did get to go away, I just didn’t get to come with you, did I?” He smiled and dropped his gaze from her eyes.

“There is so much that I need to tell you. I’m a witch, Michael, and this island that we’re on is run by vampires. Please say that you believe me,” Ariana pleaded.

Michael walked closer and put his transparent hand on her cheek. It felt as if her skin was wet and a cool breeze blew upon her face. “After what I’ve seen, I’ll believe anything you tell me. I wish so much I could feel you in my arms again.” Michael bent down and placed his lips on top of hers, but again all Ariana felt was her lips getting cool. It was really starting to freak her out.

Ariana moved back and sat on a bench. She realized where she was now. She was behind the palace, in the gardens, in a maze of flowers, bushes and trees. The bench she sat on was in the middle of the maze.

“This has to be a dream. I was in the bathroom a few minutes ago, washing my face. I don’t remember coming out here.”

“I called to you.” Michael smiled. “Your body is in there,” he said as his gaze moved toward the palace. “Your spirit is here, with me.” He looked back into her eyes.

“Great, now I have ‘out of the body experiences’! I can’t keep up with all that’s happening to me.” Ariana looked down at her hands in her lap. She didn’t want to hurt Michael’s feelings, but she wasn’t sure she could handle him hanging around as a ghost to remind her every day that she couldn’t really have him again. She needed to grieve and go on.

“Will you be staying long or were you just checking up on me?” She raised her gaze, only to see that Michael’s features were pained.

“I feel, all of a sudden, as if you don’t want me to stay. Have you moved on so soon, Ariana?”

Ariana jumped to her feet. Her pent-up frustration flared out of control at Michael’s words. “What am I supposed to do with you? I can’t touch you, feel you touch me. How could this work? I have mourned for you and I mourn for you still, but you can’t stay and expect us to have what we used to have. Did you come to make sure that I’m okay, or to see if I’m okay without you, because I can answer both of those questions in one: I’m fine!” Ariana closed her eyes and willed her mind back to her body.

This was déjà-vu. Becky was shaking her and yelling at her to wake up.

“Oh, God. Finally. You are scaring me to death tonight, Ariana. I think we need to take you to the island’s clinic and have the Shaman check you out.”

Ariana sat up on the bedroom floor and started to cry.

Becky knelt down beside her. “What’s wrong, girl? What happened to you?”

“Michael is here. I mean, his spirit is here. He called for me, and my spirit just jumped right out of my body and went flying to him. I got mad and said some things I shouldn’t have said, and then forced myself to return. I don’t know if he’s staying and I didn’t even say goodbye.”

“I know you didn’t mean it.”

Ariana and Becky both jumped as Michael walked over to Ariana.

Becky stared in amazement. “Damn, he’s hot, too, Ariana. I mean he’s hot, not that you’re interested in anyone else that’s hot. I think I’ll leave you to it and go talk to our new neighbor. Jonah moved in next door and I haven’t thanked him properly for the dress yet. I’ll see you later, girl. Nice to meet you, Michael.” Becky slipped through the door, leaving Ariana alone with Michael’s ghost.

“I’m sorry…”

“I know, and you don’t have to apologize to me. So, you
are
seeing someone else. That’s why you got so upset earlier? I’m not mad at you, Ariana. There really is nothing I can do about it. I want you to be happy, and if someone else can make you happy, then so be it.”

“No, yes, I don’t know. I’m sort of expected to be with someone; that’s why I’ve been brought here in the first place. But I’m not sure I even want to be with anyone else, ever. I got upset because I don’t think I can look at you every day like this and know that I can never touch you.” She started to cry again.

Jonah burst through the door. “I have got to see this. I thought I’d seen everything… and now I have,” Jonah said as he smiled at Michael. “Hey, my man, I’d punch fists with you, but I really don’t see how that’s gonna happen. Nice to meet you. I’m Jonah.”

Michael smiled. “I’m Michael, Ariana’s…”

“Dead husband,” Becky said, and everyone shot her a look. “What? I’m sorry, the truth hurts. What else are you gonna call him? You can’t call him her ex-husband because they didn’t get a divorce, and he is evidently dead ’cause I ain’t never been able to put my hand through any of the guys I dated. I’m just sayin’.”

“It’s okay, Becky. I guess none of us have ever been in this situation before. I don’t even know what to call him. I just don’t think I would have been that blunt.” Ariana smiled and nudged Becky’s arm. “Jonah is a vampire,” she said, turning her attention back to Michael. “He is one of many on this island.”

Michael frowned. “I know, I’ve met one already. The one who summoned me here. It seems to me that particular one could cause a little trouble. I don’t think she wanted me here to do Ariana any favors. She thought it would make her unhappy. Sorry, baby, I don’t think she likes you very much.”

“Julia…”

As Julia’s name came out of Ariana’s mouth Jonah and Becky both grabbed their phones and looked at each other. Becky spoke first, saying “Rainey”; Jonah said “Abe” right after, then their phones were at their ears.

Abe had just got out of the shower when he heard his phone ring. He rushed to it thinking it might be Ariana, but then he remembered it couldn’t be; he hadn’t had the chance to give her a cell yet, with all that was going on. Jonah, damn.

“Yeah.” Abe wasn’t interested in anything Jonah had to say.

“Abe, you’re gonna want to come to Ariana’s room, like, now, dude.”

He didn’t have to say any more. Abe ended the call and grabbed his shirt and jeans off the bed before darting out the door. He could change in the elevator on the way there. He could get there faster if he took the stairs but he didn’t think Ariana would appreciate him showing up in a towel and only a towel, so he took the slow route.

§ § §

Rainey was in a deep sleep, walking toward Kade. She had been waiting all day to go back to sleep so she could see the man of her dreams, literally. Rainey looked up to the sky as she heard the familiar ring tone she’d set for Becky’s calls. Damn, something must be wrong. It’s almost sunrise and she’s supposed to be asleep. She was only yards from Kade when she looked at him, a defeated expression on her face.

“That’s not my cell phone, so I’m guessing you have to go,” Kade said.

Rainey could see his face clearly now and, man, he was something. “I’m sorry, but I think it might be important. Same time tomorrow night?” Rainey asked, hopeful.

“I’ll be here with bells on.” He winked, blew her a kiss and then disintegrated.

“Damn, this better be important, Becky,” Rainey said as she willed herself awake. As she reached for her phone she noticed she had three missed calls, two from Becky and one from Jonah. She threw the covers back and started putting her clothes on as she hit the return call button.

Becky answered on the first ring.

“Get up here now, Rainey. Julia has crossed the line. Abe’s here, too. Hurry.”

“On my way.” Rainey shoved the phone in her back pocket and threw on a tank top as she ran out of her lair.

C
HAPTER 24

Lidia had a lot of unfinished things to tend to but the morning sickness was putting all of it on hold. She couldn’t count the times she almost broke down and told Max about the baby, but he never seemed to be in a good mood. He had really been pissy ever since he found her and Jonah in the pool room the other night.

She needed to make an appointment with the Shaman to make sure the baby was healthy, but besides her, Jonah was the only one who knew anything about it. A regular pregnancy was nine months, but a vampire’s child was born after only seven and a half months. She didn’t know why that was, because the children could go out in the sun and didn’t crave blood. The only vampire traits were a better immune system and slightly increased strength.

As Lidia took a dose of the medicine Julia had prepared for her, Max walked through the door. She quickly put the cap back on the bottle and returned it to its place in the cabinet.

“Your stomach upset again?” Max sounded uncaring, indifferent to her suffering.

Lidia’d had just about enough of him lately and she was tired of playing nice. They were going to have it out and it was going to be now.

“Don’t bother pretending you care! The only time you say anything to me at all is when I ask you a question, and even then I usually have to repeat myself. What’s on your mind that you’re so damn distracted? Answer me that. Do I need to repeat myself, or do you understand? I need a little of your time. Let me rephrase that. I need a little of your time when you’re not pissed off at the world. Is living with me that damn bad? If so, get the hell out!”

Max rolled his eyes and went into the bathroom. Lidia followed behind him.

“I bet I know of one way to get a word out of you. I’m pregnant.” Lidia eyed the back of his head as his body went rigid.

Max turned and looked at her with hatred in his eyes. “You, whore!” Max ran at her.

“It’s yours, Max! I haven’t been fooling around, though God knows you deserve it!” Lidia cried as he raised back his arm.

He hit her so hard, that she flew back fifteen feet into the closed shower door and shattered it, her unconscious body landing in the shower, on top of the shards of glass. Max smelled the blood and realized he was long overdue for a feeding. He stepped over Lidia’s still body and walked out the door. He needed a meeker, and fast. He would clean this up later. He was sure he would have some explaining to do when Abe found out, but he would take that heat when it came. He just hoped he hit her hard enough to get rid of that bastard baby. He had never hit Lidia before and didn’t know what possessed him to do so then, but it was done now and he really didn’t feel that bad about it. Sure, when she came around and was all pissed off, he would have to throw some ‘I’m sorry’s’ and ‘It’ll never happen again’s’ and maybe even cry a fake tear or two, but right now all he wanted was to feed.

Max shut and locked his and Lidia’s chambers and went to the elevator.

§ § §

Rainey walked in the room and stared at the huddle of bodies. As she walked closer, she realized they weren’t in a huddle, but surrounding something… someone on the floor… Ariana.

“What the hell is going on?” Rainey asked as the group separated enough for her eyes to fall on the problem, a see-through problem. “Holy mother of God. You’re Michael, aren’t you?”

Rainey looked at Abe, who was so tense she was surprised he could stand still. Awk-ward, Rainey thought.

“You must be Rainey. Nice to meet you,” Michael said.

“Likewise. Anyone wanna tell me how come Michael is here?”

Ariana cleared her throat. “Julia thought it would be a good idea if Michael came back to see me.” She smiled and then grabbed her stomach. “Ouch!”

“Are you okay?” Abe and Michael both rushed to her. They looked at each other and Abe stepped back.

Ariana screamed in pain, gripping her abdomen.

“Becky, call the Shaman quick!” Abe yelled as he rushed to Ariana again, completely ignoring the look Michael gave him.

“Yeah, but not for me, I’m not hurt,” Ariana panted. “It’s a woman. I haven’t met her before, but she is in a lot of pain and there is blood everywhere. AAAHHHH! Get her some help; I can’t stand this much longer.”

“What does she look like, Ariana?” Jonah asked.

“Thin build, long dark hair in a braid. She’s in a bathroom and she’s laying in the bottom of a shower with a lot of broken glass. Her stomach hurts her so bad, so bad. Someone help her!”

Ariana screamed in pain.

“That sounds like Lidia,” Abe said as he looked at Jonah.

“If Max hurt her, I’ll kill him, I swear,” Jonah spat.

“Are they really on the rocks that bad?” Rainey asked.

“We’re gonna find out. Come on, everyone. You, too, ghost boy,” Jonah said.

Abe held out his hand to help Ariana off the floor, and he turned and smiled at Michael when she took it.

“Do you remember when you said you would like to heal sick people, Ariana? Well, it looks like you might just have to see if you can, at least until the Shaman makes it here.”