THE SHADOWED ONYX: A DIAMOND ESTATES NOVEL (23 page)

Uh-oh. Bea had her there. If Sue didn’t know …

“His name is Pete.” Sue held back her panic.

Joy shot a glance at Tom. As long as he didn’t correct Sue, they’d be fine.

“Come home with him, Bea.”

“Okay, Mama.” She walked to the snowmobile, and Tom helped her climb on. “Thanks, Pete.”

Tom winked at Joy and got on.

Joy straddled the back of the bench, put her arms around Beatrice, and clutched Tom’s jacket. Well played.

“Here we go. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, so hang on.”

J
oy put her ear to her parents’ bedroom door, part of her hoping they were sound asleep and she’d have to come back tomorrow. But television sounds buzzed through the wood. They were awake. She took a deep breath, then knocked.

“Come in.”

Joy pushed the door open a few inches and spoke through the crack. “Mom, Dad, can I talk to you guys for a minute?” She opened it a few more inches so she could see their faces.

Mom put her Bible down on the nightstand and sat up against the headboard.

Dad flipped the TV off with the remote and set it on the bed beside him. He removed his glasses and glanced at Mom, then motioned Joy into the room.

Guess they were waiting for the next bomb to drop. Could she blame them?

“Come on in and have a seat.” Mom patted the floral comforter beside her.

The mattress squeaked as Joy sat on the corner. It slumped toward the floor. She’d have been more comfortable standing, but it was too late now. “I have some things I want to say, but mostly … oh man, I don’t know how to say this….” Joy looked up at the ceiling.

“You’re making me really nervous. I don’t think I can take anything more.” Mom’s voice shook.

Dad reached for her hand and squeezed it.

Joy jumped up and paced across the room. It was too much responsibility to have as much power over two grown people as she did over her parents. Everything she did affected them so much. She hadn’t asked for that.

“You need to spill it. What’s up?” Dad raised his eyebrows, waiting.

“Well, with all that’s gone on … it’s hard for me to explain …” Just say it. Joy took a deep breath. “There’s the stuff you know, but there’s a lot of stuff going on that you don’t even know about.” That you wouldn’t want to know about. “If you could see inside my head … well … I’m scared.”

Mom maintained her stoic expression. Was she even breathing?

Dad nodded. “Go on.”

“There’s been some weird stuff happening.” How far to take it with them? Too far, they’d freak. Not enough info, and they wouldn’t know what kind of help she needed. “Um, I’ve been messing around with some spiritual things, like a Ouija board …” She could never just come right out and tell them that her spirit guide tried to kill her after she prayed a pretend prayer to God. They’d lock her up in the psych ward for sure.

Mom gasped. “No. Joy. That’s dangerous stuff.”

Joy nodded. If they only knew. “I know. I need help with it all. At least, I think I do.” If help were even a possibility. “I guess I’m going to need someone who knows what it all means. Do you think we can find someone or do something to help me figure out this mess I’m in?” Joy wrung her hands together. If only she’d let that Mark guy tell her what to do while he’d been right there in her house.

Why didn’t they say something? What were they waiting for?

Joy needed help. But then again, did she truly want it? “The thing is though, I want someone who can tell me what’s going on and answer the questions I have that sent me searching in the first place.” Joy threw her hands up. That sounded hopeless. It probably was. Maybe she would spend her whole life searching for meaning, but never find it. “I mean, I can’t just empty myself of everything again and have nothing to fill the hole. But I can’t go back to what I was before all this either.”

“That is the wisest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Dad put his glasses back on and stood up from the bed. He reached his arms out and pulled his daughter close. She let her arms hang by her side while her daddy squeezed. Too spent to move.

“I love you, sweetheart.” He stroked her hair. “Your mom and I will move heaven and earth to help you through this.”

That did it. Heavy tears plopped onto his light gray thermal. She reached her arms around him and breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t in it alone. Then again, they had no idea what they’d signed up for.

Mom sat up straighter. “So are you leaving this up to us? Will you do what we think is best?” She held up a finger. “No. Better question. Will you embrace what we think is best?”

Interesting distinction. Joy stared out the window at the still falling snow. Embrace did hold a completely different meaning than simply doing. But, if she wanted true and lasting results, she’d have to give herself over to whatever process. No matter how scary.

“You tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.” At least she’d try. Joy dropped her head. “I’m really sorry all this happened.”

Mom gave two sharp nods. “Your Dad and I love you. We forgive you of course. Now, just so you know, I’m jumping on this without looking back. It can’t wait another day.” Mom eyed her with intensity. “Agreed?”

Joy nodded. Oh boy. She knew that look. Circumstances were going to spiral out of her control faster than she could imagine. Like when Adam Samuelson followed her into the girls’ restroom in eighth grade. She almost hadn’t told Mom about it. But then she did, and everything turned upside down within minutes. Mom didn’t fool around when she got it in her head to take care of something. And Joy’s mess was likely to get the full-scale treatment.

“Then with the first light of day, I’m on the phone with Mark Stapleton from Diamond Estates. I’m going to get his advice, but I’m pretty sure I know what he’s going to say. You ready for that?”

“I think so.” What other choice did she have?

“No matter what?” Mom pulled her glasses off and chewed on one of the arms.

Joy nodded. She’d do her best. Hopefully that would be good enough.

“Good.” Mom put her glasses back on and picked up her Bible.

She’d better get out of there before Mom started reading out loud. “I’ll see you in the morning. I’ve got to get some sleep.” Joy pulled the bedroom door closed. If only she could hear the conversation they were surely having on the other side.

Now what? Bed? No. She was too pent up, too anxious. She needed air.

Joy slipped into her coat and boots, felt the pocket for her gloves, and grabbed her keys just in case. She stepped through the front door and breathed in a gulp of the crisp air. Inhale. Exhale. Her body relaxed with each breath.

Would she get in trouble for leaving the house? Definitely, but really, what could they do to her? Besides, they’d never allow her to leave, but there was no way she was staying inside. In this case, forgiveness was easier to get than permission.

She moved off the porch and turned right at the bottom of the driveway. Just walk. The powdery snow kicked off the tops of her boots with each step. The moon reflecting off the snow made the night bright.

She’d promised herself she was ready to do whatever they said, no matter how scary. Did she mean it?

No matter how scary. The sight of Silas chasing her with foam dripping from his mouth, the fury in him as he ran in circles around her to trap her in, the fear she’d felt caused by the one who was supposed to always protect her.

What would he do to her if she pulled further away?

But he wasn’t real, right? He couldn’t actually, physically get at her from the spirit realm, could he? She’d felt his warm breath before, but hadn’t ever ruffled her fingers through his fur. And he hadn’t touched her when he was all worked up—even though he looked like he wanted to kill her.

Wait a second. He had tugged on her, she felt the pressure of his strength, and it did move her body. Did that mean he could get physical with her? Or not? Who would know the answer?

Joy reached down to the hem of her coat, just near the zipper where he’d clenched his teeth to pull her.

She gasped as the bottom corner of her coat dangled in four-inch-long shreds.

About exactly what it would look like if a spirit wolf crossed into the flesh and attacked her.

O
UTSIDE UR HOUSE CAN U COME OUT
2
TALK?

Joy touched S
END
and dropped the phone onto the passenger seat beside her. She rested her head on the headrest. One o’clock in the morning. After the past two days she’d had, she should be cuddled up in her bed sound asleep. But she needed to see Raven. Now.

Her phone buzzed.

B
RIGHT THERE
.

Still warm from her midnight walk, Joy tugged at the collar of her coat and fiddled with the knob to turn down the heater. She stared at the front door. Come on. Where was she?

Movement caught her attention as a shadowy figure crept from around the back of the house toward the car.

Who was it? Joy fumbled in the dark and pressed the L
OCK
button as she squinted at the form. Where was Silas when she needed him?

The face glanced up, and moonlight reflected off Raven’s pale skin. She pulled her winter coat tight around her as she clomped to the car in black sweatpants and what appeared to be her father’s shoes.

What was she doing coming from the back? Almost gave Joy a heart attack.

Raven slid into the passenger seat and turned to Joy, her eyebrows furrowed. “What’s going on? You okay?”

Joy shook her head. “No. Nothing is okay. I’m in big trouble, and I’ve got to get out.”

“What do you mean? What kind of trouble?” Raven chuckled. “Can’t be any worse than the other night at the cemetery. I mean, really.”

“No, not that kind of trouble. Worse. Look, I tried to take Beatrice for a hike yesterday. We got stuck in the blizzard out at Ash Hollow.”

“Yeah. You told me. It must have been really scary.” Raven’s concern was laced with annoyance.

“Well, what I didn’t tell you is …” Joy glanced around her. No sign of Silas. Was he there, but invisible to her now? Maybe he’d always been able to go invisible. Or hopefully he just wasn’t there at the moment. “I spoke out loud and asked Silas to guide us to the car.”

“Smart. Did he?” Raven yawned, exposing the fillings in her back teeth. Gross.

Joy held up a finger. “Just wait. Beatrice heard me and totally freaked out. It was like she knew I was praying or talking to a spirit, but not God.”

Raven rolled her eyes and stifled another yawn.

“Seriously, she freaked out and wanted me to pray. So I started to say a supposed prayer to God, and Silas came totally unglued. He was like foaming at the mouth and having a fit … and Beatrice wouldn’t follow me because she thought I was evil. What do you make of all that?”

“Of what? Your cousin is a little nutty about that God stuff, but we knew that already.”

“I mean about Silas. Why did he turn on me?”

“Why? Well, you turned on him first.” Raven shrugged. What, that was supposed to explain it?

“I didn’t. Unless a five-word prayer is turning on him.” Joy tried to tone down her own irritation. She needed Raven’s help.

“Apparently it is, or he felt like it was.” Raven grinned. “Spirit wolves have feelings, too, ya know.”

“I’m glad you can joke around about this. But I’m scared.”

“Oh, you have no reason to be scared. Just tell Silas you’re sorry and make up. It’ll be fine.” Raven patted Joy’s leg. “Everything will go right back to how it was before you messed up.”

“That’s the thing. What if I don’t want it to?”

Raven waved her hand. “Oh come on. You don’t mean that. You’re just a little freaked out. That’s normal. You made a commitment. It’s a for-better-or-worse kind of thing.”

Trapped. That’s what Joy had been afraid of. “But Beatrice …”

“Beatrice doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and it’s not like she’s the sharpest tack in the box. You can’t go making decisions based on what she senses.”

Joy blinked. How dare she insult Beatrice? “Ray. Don’t even go there with me. You should know better than that.”

Raven nodded. “Yeah, I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have said it. Beatrice is awesome. You know how I feel about her.”

Did Joy know? How could she? It wasn’t like Beatrice and Raven spent all kinds of time together. “I guess. I don’t know. I’m just saying she’s not a target.”

“Point taken. Again, sorry. But back to your problem …”

How to describe it? “Well, I thought I’d gotten answers. But now I just have more questions.” She couldn’t tell Raven about going to her parents for help. Not now.

“Okay. What kind of questions?” Raven slid down in her seat and pulled her jacket up around her chin.

“Starting with this. Can you explain this?” Joy lifted the tattered corner of her jacket.

Raven’s eyes grew wide. “Who did that?”

It was a
what
, not a
who
. “Silas.”

J
oy pulled the covers over her head to block out the sunlight. And the noise. What was that banging, and why was it so close? Wait a second—was someone in her room?

She threw back the quilt and popped up on her elbows. Mom stood hunched over Joy’s dresser, rummaging through her underwear and sock drawer. “Mom? What are you doing?” Joy stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Was she dreaming?