My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (16 page)

I
closed my eyes and when I opened them I was pulling up to the accident site in
my Camaro. I saw you were very shaken up.
 
I pulled you into me and held you there. I could feel you melt into my
arms. You are powerless against me aren't you?

You
mumbled something about a purple flower, before collapsing in my arms. No one was
looking when I slipped you into my car. You were so serene laying there, you
looked like an angel. Thank goodness the driver wasn't hurt. How many more
people will shed blood for this mission? I have got to get more information out
of Nehemiah.

When
you woke up I tried to distract you with the only thing that seems to render
you incapable of anger, my smile. And it worked for a moment but then you start
drilling me with questions. You are so adorable when you get all riled up. I
pretended to grow angry and it worked, you stopped the interrogation. I’ll have
to make it up to you tomorrow night at the party. ~

Wow, Elijah has so many powers I cannot even begin
to understand what he just did. The president of hell is my lead assassin,
isn’t that just my luck?
 
How did he
blink himself a real car? How does his cell phone work if he is invisible? I
just remember accosting him after the accident. I feel horrible for not
trusting his intentions now. Why couldn't I just leave things alone? And now he
is gone. In all likeliness they have banished him. That weighs on my conscious.
I am drained though I can't sleep in this strange house and strange bed,
especially knowing what’s after me. All night I toss and turn. My mind just
won't shut off. Finally, I fall asleep at four in the morning. Too few hours
later the alarm on my phone plays, “Wake me up when September Ends”. It never
ends for me, I think, before hitting the off button.

I am meeting with the insurance company at eight. I
have no clothes. I take a walk in Elijah's expansive closet. His clothes hang
in neat color coded rows, really? I never pegged him for the anal retentive
type, but here lies the irrefutable evidence. I put Emily's sweats back on.

After meeting with the insurance adjuster and the
contractor I learn that the repairs will take months. I don't know how long I
can stay at Elijah's house, what sort of divine lease agreement he holds. I
suppose if something goes wrong there's always Em's. It's noon when I pull my car
out of the garage. I have got to go shopping for some clothes. At least the
insurance will pay for all of the losses. I will end up having to replace all
of the upholstered furniture, rugs, drapes; the list went on and on. I never
really thought about how much care my grandmother took making the house into a
home and now I am faced with the challenge. I have to bring her all of the
forms to sign later today as well. I wonder how that conversation will play
out.

I spend the rest of the afternoon shopping. Grateful
for the reprieve it brings from my heartache.
 
My car is filled with bags in no time at all.
I stop by to visit with Grandma and bring her some soup from the cafe around
the corner.

“Hey Grandma, how are you?”

“You are my granddaughter?”

“Yes I'm Brennen, William's daughter.” My
grandmother eyes me suspiciously.

“Here I brought dinner, would you like some chicken
noodle soup?”

“That sounds good, thank you.” I take the containers
out of the bag and set them on her small table. She walks over and sits.

“Grandma, I have some bad news to tell you.” She
looks up at me and I take a deep breath, worried about how she is going to
handle the news.

“Last night there was a fire in your beach house. It
was badly damaged, but they are going to start working on it tomorrow. It will
be good as new soon enough.” She sips on her soup and at first I don't even
know if she heard a word I said. Finally she looks up at me.

“No dear I don’t live on the beach, you must have me
confused with someone else. I do sincerely hope no one was injured. I will say
a pray for them tonight.” She goes back to eating her soup.

“Grandma, maybe you don’t remember this but you
bought this house back when your son William was first stationed in Virginia.” How
am I going to get her to sign these documents for a house she doesn’t believe
is hers?

“It's just stuff Brennen, it can all be replaced.
You are the only thing precious in that house.” Wow, I don't know what it is
about homemade soup, but I’m positive it has its own magical properties. I
quickly have her sign her name before she regresses.

***

Back at Elijah's house, I unpack all of my shopping
bags and find the other half of his dresser is empty. I leave his belongings
exactly as I found them, like they have the supernatural power to bring him
back.

I familiarize myself with his kitchen. His cabinets
are full of gourmet foods, expensive chocolates, Mexican vanilla, and truffle
oil. I wonder if this has anything to do with my four year obsession with the
Food Network channel, watching me, watch TV, now that had to be boring.
 
There isn’t a frozen meal or can of processed
soup in sight. Okay this could be a good thing. When I am stressed I cook and
right now it’s no exception.

Four hours later I have eight dozen muffins made
from scratch: blueberry, pumpkin chocolate chip, lemon poppy, and white
chocolate chip coconut, plus a batch of chocolate chip cookies I am about to
pull out of the oven. I bet I still don’t smell like half of the confectionary concoction
as Elijah did.

I plop on the sofa with a plate of warm cookies and
dial Emily’s number.

     
“Hey
Bren, what’s up?
         

     
“Oh Emily,
I think I have to break up with Sam.”

     
“What, why?”

     
“Because
I think I am in love with Elijah and it's not fair to Sam.”

     
“Wow I
can't believe you finally admitted it.” Her comment takes me aback.

     
“What do
you mean?”

     
“Brennen,
you have been smitten with Elijah since the first day of school, you two
couldn't fool a blind, deaf, mute.”

     
“What
should I do about Sam? He told me at the dance he was falling in love with me.”

     
“That boy
is head over heels for you Brennen. You’d better talk to him, and if you do end
things with him, be gentle, he's a good guy.” Emily hangs up the phone on that
note. I stare at my screen in disbelief. She never says goodbye.

***

     
Sam joins
me under our tree for lunch. Emily has made up an excuse for us to be alone for
this picnic. Sam hasn’t spoken to me at all today. He’s just scanning the
grounds, quietly people watching and snacking on a bag of Doritos and Dr.
Pepper. He crosses his outstretched legs as he leans back on his elbows. This
quite reserve is so out of character for him.

“Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow?” I
ask. I feel like my somber mood is contagious.

     
“I'd like
that, are you sure you’re up for company?”

     
“Yes,
I'll make some spaghetti.”

     
“Sounds good.”
His phone rings and he says hello, I gather
from the one sided conversation that it's one of his twin sisters. They are
talking about the ranch and plans for dinner, he lets her know what time he'll
be home and promises to help her with her math homework. He is so sweet, I feel
awful for what I'm about to do to him.

***

     
After a
long day at school and after that, my SAT prep class, I finally pull into
Elijah’s drive way. Sam and I only made small talk again today and I suspect
from his lack of boyish smile in general that he knows the intention of the
conversation about to transpire between us this evening. I noticed the blue
tarps on the roof at my house, and I suppose I should check on their progress,
although they said they would be at it for months, I can’t help but hope it
will be ready in time for Christmas. I change into a comfy cotton shirt dress
and busy myself in the kitchen. The doorbell rings and my heart sinks down to
my toes. Butterflies swarm inside, I have never dumped anyone before and Sam is
so good hearted. A small part of me wonders if I am making a mistake.

“Hi.” I reach way up and hug his neck. And he hugs
my waist. I turn quickly and head back to the kitchen as I feel a tear being
born. “Come on in, make yourself at home.”

 
Sam offers to
stir the beef as it browns. I cut a tomato up to add freshness to the store
bought sauce. I grab some fresh basil from the little window herb garden Elijah
must have planted. Sam takes his place behind me and hugs me. He puts his nose
down to my hair and inhales. He lets out a little mm sound before kissing my
head. I sigh, hating my life. Sam leaves the kitchen. I put all of my
ingredients in the sauce pan and stir. The noodles bubble away as I ready the
colander in the sink. I set out a couple of place mats at the bar and get two
pasta bowls ready. I am not sure where Sam has wandered to but he returns a few
minutes later just as I serve his plate.

     
“Smells delicious.”

     
“Thank
you, I hope you enjoy it.”

     
“Did you
love him?” His question catches me off guard and I drop the forks.

     
“Who?”
I ask while retrieving the cutlery.

     
“Elijah?
Did you love him?” he
asks,
his tone thick with
animosity.

     
“Sam,
that's what I wanted to talk to you about tonight.” I stand opposite the counter
from him and stare into his hurt fill eyes, which are quickly morphing into
furious daggers.

     
“Are you
breaking up with me?” His stature is large and looming. I have never seen this
side of him. Maybe a more public place would have been a better choice. I feel
about two inches tall under a mighty pine.

     
“Sam, I
really like you, but I did fall for E...” Sam interrupts me before I can even
finish.

     
“What, I… I thought… you liked me,” he
says sounding more like a spoiled child’s tantrum than the gentle cowboy I know
him as. I had never wished I could go back in time more in my life than right
then. I would have never led Sam on.

“I do like you Sam, I like you a lot, but I like
Elijah too.”

“So what are you saying, Bren? Who do you want?”

“Elijah’s gone and… I just don’t want to lie to you
about my feelings.”

“Lie to me?” he seethes, and at that moment, he
stood up as if he’d been struck by lightning.

“If you think that I am gonna let you choose that
jerk over me you are mistaken.” His voice is monstrous and his eyes flash with pure
rage. Sam’s face doesn‘t even look like his own, his eyes fill with animosity
like he hates me, loathes me, like he wants me dead. I cringe away from him but
I’m frozen, too scared to run. He rushes over to me grabbing me by my arms and
pulling me off my feet. My feet kick out, trying desperately to find the ground.

“Ow, Sam you’re hurting me.” My voice so small I
sound like a child. I am so overcome with shock in that one instant I don’t
know what to do.
Scream you have to
scream!
My brain is telling my mouth.

He drags me into the living room and throws me
forcefully down onto the sofa. I try and run but he pushes me back down,
putting his full weight on me, and knocking the air out of me at the same
time.
 

“Sam, stop!” He pins my arms above my head with both
hands and he kisses my lips forcefully. I turn my head away. My heart is
pounding out of my chest as I struggle to get free.

“Stop, why are you doing this?” I tried to scream
but my voice was gone and I couldn‘t get anything out above a low whisper. His
eyes are so full of hate that his face is contorted into a veined stone. He
moves his hands so that he holds both of my wrists with one hand and his other
is free. He lifts my dress, and I immediately knew his intentions, fear floods
my body. No!

“Please stop Sam, stop it. Let me go.” My face is
wet with tears and my hair is plastered to my face in many places. I try to
kick but he is sitting on my legs. A slow menacing smile begins to cross his
face. I have got to get away. I never thought he could do something like this.
Not sweet Sam with two little sisters at home. His usual expressive brown eyes
are now like molten lava, searing into mine as if confirming the fact he is
terrifying the holy living shit out of me.
  

“Where’s Elijah now, Brennen? You are gonna wish
that fire killed you by the time we’re through with you,” he taunts. This is
not Sam, my brain realizes as his hand reaches up and shreds my panties with
one easy swipe. No!

“Ahh!” finally a scream leaves my throat, a raw
desperate plea for help as I fight him with every muscle in my body.