Immortal Memory (Book One) (16 page)

Ms. Hanley walked back inside with
medicine and a glass of water. She gave Simra a warm smile. "This
should help the pain, but it might make you sleepy. You probably
need rest anyway."

Without hesitation, Simra took the
painkiller. However, she did have questions about it. Did Tristan
bring this Lortab to the lake house? After all, he sold it on the
streets. If so, how did Ms. Hanley know about the
Lortab?

Ms. Hanley kissed Simra on the cheek as
though she was her own daughter. "You should get some rest while I
finish cleaning house. You look so tired."

Simra returned her smile. "Thank you,
you're so kind."

Ms. Hanley paused before walking out
the door. "I'm so sorry for what Tristan's doing to you. I see why
he chose you. You have the most loving heart, and you're the most
beautiful young lady there is. If only you and Zach could be
married. You two are perfect for each other." Ms. Hanley smiled and
left.

Simra began to respond but stopped when
Zach entered the room. "I'm in full agreement with Mom. You're the
most loving and beautiful woman I've ever seen. If I was a mortal,
I'd marry you right now."

Her heart thudded with rapid beats, and
she felt her cheeks flush. "Instead, you'll break my heart like you
broke Grandmother's. I won't allow it. You won't hurt me like you
did her. So don't even bother saying such things. You're wasting
your time."

"That's not my intention,
Simra. I only want you to know that I feel the same as you do about
me. I
would
ask
you to marry me if I was human. However, you and I both know it
isn't possible since I'm an angel of death. I'd give anything if
things were different."

The image of Zach and Lucinda in this
same bedroom repeated in her mind. It was happening again. This
time, he did it to Simra. She fought tears from misting her eyes.
She refused allowing him to see the hurt he caused her. "I'm sure
you would."

Simra cast her eyes downward when he
stood over her and framed her face. "I would. I know you have
questions about Azazel."

He sat beside her with his steady gaze
piercing into her. “My dad was prescribed the Lortab when he broke
his arm several months ago. An accident happened on the boat while
fishing. He kept the pills when he and Mom stayed here. Dad got
hurt last autumn. I promise. Azazel's never been inside this
house.”

Relief filled Simra, but pain
overwhelmed her. “Tristan sold many of them as drugs. I found
several bottles of painkillers in his coat pockets. I saw them
during the last days of our relationship. He claimed he took them
for a severe injury in his lower back that happened before I met
him. Your brother never told me about the injury in the beginning.
Instead, he informed me when I discovered the drugs and when he
began disappearing.”

Zach nodded. “I know. He did
the same to our mortal parents. He placed them in much pain. They
didn’t deserve it.
You
didn’t deserve it.”

"I still ask myself why he chose me and
Grandmother. I'll never understand. He's so obsessed with me. Why
us?"

“He's evil, Simra. He’s always served
Satan. He's obsessed with you because he was obsessed with Lucinda.
You're just like her. He chose Lucinda because of her loving heart,
determination, strong will, and beauty. The same qualities as
you.

"Another main reason he chose you two
is because you didn't have a relationship with Christ at the time.
Lucinda didn't either until after she stayed here at the lake house
years ago. You're beginning to get close to Christ too. Soon,
Azazel will also lose you. He knows he’s getting destroyed soon.
God's purpose for you is to help me end this.”

Simra gazed at the floor with regret.
Tristan could be so devious. “You’re right. We need to work
together. I just want everything to return to normal.”

Zach’s eyes lit into raging flames in
an instant. “My brother’s trying to win back your heart. That’s
part of the reason why he kissed you. I saw the place he took you
meant something to both of you.”

“Yeah.” A deep shame filled Simra from
being with Tristan in such a way when she didn't love him
anymore.

Zach rested a gentle hand on Simra’s
cheek with his gaze intense on her. “Don’t be ashamed. You couldn’t
stop him. He’s a powerful demon. I’ll start protecting you much
better.”

Zach placed his hands on her injured
leg and closed his eyes to whisper a prayer. Simra prayed a silent
‘thank you’ to God while the angel did this. The Lord brought her
away from Tristan to safety. The shame building inside Simra
vanished.

Warmth flowed through her soul. The
overbearing pain in her leg became numb. Simra opened her eyes to
see Zach’s compassionate stare. His gentle touch caused her to melt
with delight.

“Feel any better?” He asked, taking her
hand.

Simra returned the angel’s warm smile
and squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I think I can walk on it now.”
She stood up and took several steps around the room. "It doesn’t
hurt to walk anymore!”

Sliding into his powerful arms, Simra
hugged him for a brief moment. Although his physical traits haunted
her with memories of Tristan, she never felt safer with anyone
else. God sent Zach only to help her destroy Tristan, but she loved
him.

Her feelings for the angel of death
were stronger than they ever were for Tristan, but it was wrong.
Zach would return to heaven after they destroyed her ex-fiancé.
Then, she must continue with her own life.

Simra also remembered how the angel
wanted her grandmother’s soul. She forced away those horrifying
thoughts. His mind could be changed, and there might be a cure for
the curse. The curse might be broken when they destroyed Tristan,
and everything would return to normal.

Realizing no future existed between
them, she pulled away from him. “Thank you again, Zach.”

Her heart hammered in her chest when
Zach lifted her chin with a finger. The angel’s eyes burned into
hers. “You’re a good woman, Simra. Never be ashamed of your
involvement with a demon. You were deceived by his
charm.”

Simra drew away from him to not become
anymore involved with Death. Tristan’s brother. “Yeah, perhaps I
should stop feeling so ashamed. He lies so well, but none of this
would’ve happened had I just not spoken to him the night we met.
What should we do now? I didn’t realize it’s already evening. Mandy
and Grandmother will be arriving any moment.”

A strained silence fell between the two
of them, and much pain entered Zach’s eyes. Darkness slipped
through his voice. “Call Jeff. Ask him to send the other cops to
search for Quint. He must concentrate on finding Azazel's
corpse.”

“Of course. The sooner we find it, the
better.” Simra dialed the number to Jeff’s phone until he
answered.

“Sim! Where are you? I’ve been worried.
You told me you’d call back earlier today. What
happened?”

Simra raked her long fingers through
her hair. “Sorry for not calling you earlier. I got caught up in
something, but I'm safe now. Mandy and Grandmother should be
arriving any moment. Quint murdered Mr. Hanley, and Tristan’s the
one who released him from prison. Can you ask the other cops to
search for Quint? Zach wants you to just concentrate on finding
Tristan's corpse.”

“I’ll do that, Sim, but I’m concerned
about you, Mandy, and Ms. Reece’s safety. The drug dealer's looking
for you at all times. Quint will find wherever Zach has you hidden.
You realize that, right?”

Simra paced around the bedroom. “Zach
will take care of Quint if he shows up. We just need to find
Tristan's corpse so I can destroy it. It’s the only way to end all
this.”

“I’ll get right on it,” Jeff replied in
a rush of words. “Listen, don’t go back to work until Quint’s
arrested and Tristan’s destroyed. We’ll find the drug dealer soon.
Call you back later.”

Simra hung up, and her heart dropped
when Zach ran toward her to grasp her. His eyes were wild with
panic. Melting against the angel’s hard chest, her body grew limp.
She couldn’t find the strength to struggle free from
him.

“What are you doing, Zach?”

Simra blinked once, and hard rain
slammed against the windows. The lamp flickered several times. It
all started in only an instant. The thin walls vibrated from the
booming thunder, and the ceiling creaked.

Zach's mom rushed in the room. "What's
going on out there?"

Zach lunged for Ms. Hanley and gave her
a shove onto the bed. Zach pulled Simra onto the bed and held her
close when the floor began shaking with violence. Simra screamed
when the strong winds picked up and whistled. Chills breathed down
her spine from the power circling in on them.

Lightning struck near the bedroom
window. Simra inhaled the cedar aroma of his warm neck for comfort.
Objects rattled in the house from the violent
earthquake.

Earthquakes were never heard of here.
Tristan must be causing the storm since he couldn’t come inside.
The demon must have been trying to destroy the house. The
earthquake shook the floors with more brutal force. Zach held Simra
and Ms. Hanley with a gentle grip to keep them from falling off the
bed.

Tristan’s mounting fury seemed to grow
fiercer every moment. Simra felt the blood rush from her face. She
realized Mandy and Lucinda might be in great danger. They were out
there with the enraged demon.

Chapter 20

"Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are
with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." -Psalm
23:4

An overwhelming dread flooded through
Simra. Her insides churned from uneasiness. Had she been outside
during this raging storm, she would be dead. The demon's last
whirlwind injured her. Tristan never revealed such powers in his
mortal form. She couldn’t just sit around and not try to see if
Mandy and Lucinda were safe.

Zach framed Simra’s face in his hands.
“Have faith your family will be safe. Don’t worry. Azazel’s only
trying to frighten us out of the house. Let’s pray. Trust in
God.”

Simra took one of the angel’s hands and
inhaled a quavering breath. Praying a silent prayer with him, she
asked for willingness and strength. She also asked for the Lord to
send Tristan away for everyone's safety.

Ms. Hanley cried out when glass picture
frames fell to the floor. They shattered when the earthquake grew
more severe. Simra clung to Zach and his mom. The angel's sweet
cedar aroma was her only comfort in this frightening madness. Her
faith grew weaker until she recalled God helping them earlier. The
Lord caused the storm and Tristan to vanish before her eyes at the
pond.

Simra’s ragged breaths calmed when the
raging earthquake came to an abrupt end. The pouring showers and
racing winds ceased. Crickets and frogs began singing their evening
lullabies outside the window. Zach released Simra from the firm
grip of his warm hands.

He helped Simra to stand, and Ms.
Hanley stood from the bed with her eyes wide from shock. "What
happened, Simra?"

Simra dared peeking out the bedroom
window. The setting sun splayed its orange light over the gardenias
and pink rose bushes in the yard. It was almost like the storm
never happened. The only evidence was the mess in the
house.

Simra ran from the bedroom and looked
out the kitchen window to see if Mandy and Lucinda had arrived. Her
cousin's car wasn't outside. So they must have been safe. Simra
rushed to Ms. Hanley and took her hands.

"Ms. Hanley, Tristan tried to frighten
us out of the house. He wants to kill you and capture me. This
madness will end very soon. I promise."

Tears misted Ms. Hanley's eyes, and the
woman hid a slight gasp behind her hand. "I can't imagine someone
so evil. How'd he come from me and Miles? Where'd we go wrong in
parenting him?"

Zach stepped toward his mom as pain
entered his eyes. "Tell her they did everything right. And he's not
someone; he's something. A demon. His father's the devil, not
Miles. Not God. This is what Azazel wants you both to feel. Guilt,
remorse, and shame. These are all bad feelings caused by him. Don't
give in to them. Live in confidence and faith. Those are from
God."

Simra repeated to Ms. Hanley what Zach
told her. "Tristan's very manipulative and controlling. Zach's
teaching me that we're safer when we draw closer to
Christ."

The front door swung open, and Mandy
called out Simra's name. “Sim? We’re here.”

Her cousin came inside beside Lucinda
with a pink polka-dotted umbrella folded up in one hand.
“Grandmother, Mandy! You’re all right. I got so worried, and
Tristan just caused a terrible storm.”

Mandy hugged her cousin and drew away.
Her eyes searched Simra’s. “Oh my! Are you all right? We just
arrived. It looks like a horrible storm just left. I had to stay
late to do some paperwork.”

Relief swam through Simra after Mandy
told her what kept her a little later than usual. “All that matters
is you two are here and safe.”