Deadly Chaos (26 page)

“Okay. Start recording.”

“Is there any one here who would like to speak? Come forward. I don't want anything from you. I’m just here to help the family that lives here figure out what you want. What do you want?”

She didn't hear anything, save the pounding of her own heart. “This isn’t working.” Chaos felt searing pain around her ankles. Suddenly her feet were yanked. Dragged to the center of the room, she heard the door slam shut. Her walkie was too far away. “Sheila!” She yelled. “Sheila, help. Son of a bitch, this is not happening again.”

Chaos clutched her flashlight and swung at her invisible assailant. She felt her hand move through cold air. The room filled with the stink of Dead Bill's cologne. Dread filled her. This couldn’t be happening. He was gone. They’d sent him into the light. She thought about how vulnerable they were without Linda here. Kat, Sheila, and Dakota were all at risk. If Dead Bill did anything to them she’d never forgive herself. She could hear his muffled laughter, as if he were standing right over her. “Show yourself, you fucking coward!”

She could hear Sheila pounding on the door. “It’s stuck, Chaos. Let me in.”

Dead Bill appeared before her. Holding down her legs, he was already unfastening his belt. “They can't save you now,” he laughed. “You’re mine. You’re finally going to get what's coming to you.”

Chaos felt his cold hands scraping at her body. He was under her shirt, inside her pants and she couldn't get away from him. The weight of him pressed down on her until she couldn't breathe.

The door splintered. Dakota, Kat, and Sheila were breaking it down. She felt Dead Bill’s tongue trace up her neck and across her face. How could she feel this? Where did he get the energy? More wood spewed from the door. She could see Dakota’s arm reach through and pull the wood away. The anarchy at the door had zero effect on Dead Bill. Stronger than she’d ever felt him; he was solely focused on Chaos. Maybe she could use that intense focus to her advantage. Maybe she could use it to buy some time.

“Ghosts can’t fuck, Bill. What are you going to do, whisper in my ear? Tell me what you want to do to me? You’re impotent. You’re dead.” Dead Bill reared back as if she’d slapped him. “You can’t hurt me now. You’re dead. Do you hear me? You’re dead just like you deserve.” It was working. Dead Bill was so focused on her that he wasn’t paying attention to anything else. He hissed in her face. Chaos knew it was impossible but swore she felt spittle on her cheeks.

Dakota burst through the door. The look on his face said it all. He was furious and terrified. Without leaving her, Bill raised his arm and Dakota flew across the room. She watched as his body hit the wall. He slid to the floor, unconscious. She saw his beautiful spirit rise from his body. Chaos fought tears as Cheveyo, Dakota’s spirit warrior rose upward. The room filled with a blinding blue light. A tornado of colors swirled around him. Like a fierce angel without wings, Chaos saw him focus his attention on Dead Bill. For a split second she had hope. His energy wavered like a television picture adjusting itself. She watched as he got fuzzy but then came back stronger and more vivid.

“Fill him with light”, Sheila yelled. “Linda says fill Bill with your light.”

Fill Bill with light? Sheila must be misinterpreting the message Linda was sending.

“I’m not misunderstanding the message. Linda says fill him with light now!”

Clenching the waist of her jeans, determined to keep them on despite Dead Bill’s unearthly strength, Chaos ignored the scraping of Dead Bill’s fingers across her bare stomach and closed her eyes. She inhaled through her nose like Linda taught her. She filled her chest with cleansing light and pushed it out of her body to create a shield of light around her. Now came the hard part. She had to channel that light from her body into Dead Bill’s. It was difficult enough when you liked the person but she hated Dead Bill with every fiber of her being. Sending something so pure and personal into him felt wrong.

“Chaos! Dakota’s in danger. Please hurry.”

Chaos opened her eyes. In the center of the room, Dakota’s spirit stilled. The wind no longer whipped around him. His colors began to fade. It was as if the energy were being drained from him. Closing her eyes again, Chaos refocused.

“Compassion,” Linda whispered in her head. “Find your compassion for him.”

Easier said than done, she thought.

“He’s dead,” Linda said. “He’ll never walk through a garden or see the sunshine. He’ll never hear the birds chirp or see people dancing and laughing together. He made a poor decision.”

“How are you in my head?”

“Focus.”

Chaos thought about all the things she loved about being alive. She loved the sunshine on her face first thing in the morning. She loved looking up at the moon at night. She loved the feel of a spring breeze on her cheeks or the smell of freshly ground coffee. Bill would never experience these things again. Maybe he’d never appreciated them in the first place but he no longer had the opportunity to change. To experience the joy of being alive and connected. Heaviness settled on her chest.

“That’s compassion,” Linda said. “Use it. Send it to him.”

Chaos used every ounce of strength she had to push the light into Bill. Working from the outside in, Chaos slowly began to replace the darkness that was Bill’s essence with her light. She could see him engulfed in the light but couldn’t permeate his core. His entire body framed in a golden glow was black as coal on the inside. She needed more help – something or someone stronger than herself. Dakota.

As if reading her thoughts, Dakota’s spirit warrior stood in front of her. Chaos knew she had to give him permission. He wouldn’t enter her body without it. “Now, Dakota.”

Unprepared, Chaos gasped as he simply folded into her. She could feel Dakota all around her. His thoughts were her thoughts. She felt love, power, and serenity all at once. The sensation was distracting. Like a warm blanket on a cold day, she felt the urge to curl up inside the feeling and revel in it.

“Focus, Chaos.” Dakota’s words mingled with her own. “Fill him with your light.”

“Party pooper,” she said. Chaos felt him chuckle. Gathering her strength, she let the feelings of love and compassion swell. She envisioned her hands holding the emotions – a golden pulsing sphere of unlimited bliss. Instead of offering it to Dead Bill or filling him with her thoughts, she simply pushed her hands into the blackest part of him. The light exploded.

“Oh my god,” Kat said.

Chaos’s eyes popped open. She saw Dead Bill vanish in a blink. A black cloud remained. An older woman emerged from the cloud. Stunning both in beauty and ferocity, the woman had long lustrous black hair that reached her waist. Sharp green eyes sat wide on her round face and her honey colored skin stretched taut over high cheekbones.

“It’s her,” Sheila gasped. “Your father’s mistress.”

“Witch,” Kat groaned from the floor. She was slowly inching toward them. Kat pushed herself to her knees. “Sheila, what’s her name?”

Sheila shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. Oh, God, she’s getting stronger. What do we do?”

Chaos remembered. She’d never forget the name of her father’s mistress, the woman who had killed her mother. It’d been with her since that reading with Sheila. “It’s Mae.” The woman’s misty image began to solidify. “Back in your body, Dakota. Everyone, protect yourself.” Chaos didn’t know what the woman wanted or what she was capable of but it was clear she’d been the one giving Dead Bill all his power. She’d been with him all along. Chaos remembered Linda’s guidance for protection. She filled herself with light, imagined a bubble of protection around her and then believed that it would keep her safe. That was the real trick and until right now, she’d never been able to believe. After joining with Dakota for that split second and fighting Bill, she had no doubt. There were things beyond her comprehension and powers that ruled the universe. If she couldn’t believe in them, what could she believe in?

The woman pointed her finger at Chaos and took a step toward her. Chaos braced herself. She emanated menace, yet Chaos wasn’t afraid. She watched in awe as the woman’s green eyes turned golden. They glowed like an animal in the night. Mae dropped to the floor on all fours. No longer a woman, the coyote lifted her head and howled before vanishing.

“Did you see that?” Sheila whispered.

“I did,” Chaos said, pushing herself up.

“Skinwalker,” Kat hissed.

“How do you know about Skinwalkers?” Dakota asked. “It’s a quiet legend. A Navajo secret.”

She waved her hand at him, “Nothing’s a secret on the internet.”

Chaos could tell Kat was embarrassed about her knowledge. She’d been trying to learn more about Dakota and he was too thick to get it. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” Chaos said. “We know who the coyote was in Dakota’s dreams.” She turned and looked directly at him. “She’s not gone.”

Dakota walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. “No, but she can’t hurt us now. We know what she is and how to fight her.”

“You two were amazing,” Sheila chirped. “What a great team! I didn’t know you could do that.”

“We didn’t know it either,” Dakota said, still holding Chaos tightly to him. “It was Chaos’s idea.” Releasing his hold on her, Chaos stepped back and met his eyes. The love and admiration in them filled her soul. They were a team and they were going to survive together. It was the first time Chaos ever felt like she truly belonged. Like her future may not be in New Mexico after all. A knifelike pain pierced her head. As if Linda’s thoughts were still inside her, she felt Linda’s heart slowing inside her body. “We’ve got to go. Linda’s in trouble.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

A Funeral for a Friend

The rickety folding chair hurt her back. Chaos stared at the poster of Linda at the back of the garden. It was positioned by the fountain, almost exactly where they’d found her dead. A heaviness pressed upon her. A million thoughts filled her mind. She’d spoken to Paolo this morning and given him the business. He’d reluctantly accepted it. It was the least she could do after all he’d done for her and she was glad she’d found a suitable way to repay him for his kindness. She didn’t know where she was going or what she was going to do next, but she knew New Mexico was no longer her home. She turned as Dakota sat down beside here.

“You cut your hair.”

“I did.” She touched her head. It felt weird. Lighter. “In honor of Linda.”She’d cut it off in the hotel last night in the hotel sink. She was starting a new life and letting go of the old Chaos seemed like the first step. Of course, she wasn’t going to let go of her nickname. She’d learned to love it. People didn’t know what to expect when your name was Chaos.

“I like the new look,” he said. “It’s hot. It’s kinda biker pixie.”

“I like that.” It reflected how she felt - tough and fragile at the same time.

“Biker pixie with a hint of magic thrown in. I got something too.”

Chaos swooned as he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. He turned his back to her. Across his shoulder blades in beautiful black script, she read,

“
A woman's highest calling is to lead a man to his soul, so as to unite him with Source. A man's highest calling is to protect woman, so she is free to walk the earth unharmed
.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a Cherokee proverb but I thought it was perfect for us.”

Chaos wiped a tear from her eye.
Us
, one word with so much power, a word she never thought she’d be able to use.

Here,” he said. He handed her a plastic bag, a book and a folded piece of paper with her name on it. “Linda wanted you to have this.”

Chaos unfolded the paper and read.

Dear Chaos,

Your mother’s necklace is clear. You can wear it again and feel all the love your mother had for you. Ask Sheila to do another reading for you when you’re ready. I believe you mother has a message for you. As for the curse, it’s gone. I took it with me when I passed. The witch will never hurt you again. You and those you love will always be safe. It was my final act on this planet and I’m glad to have been able to do it for you. In return, I have a favor to ask.

Stay.

Dakota, Sheila and Kat need you.

They will continue their work without you but with you they’re safe. You have an amazing gift to fill others with your sunshine. You can clean someone with a simple thought. It’s far more powerful than anything I’ve ever been able to do and with you on their side they’ll be in good hands. The book I’ve left you will guide your way.

A word of warning. As your skills improve and you begin to master your full gifts, don’t trespass into areas that your subconscious tells you not to. If you get a warning, heed it. The human brain isn’t designed to handle all that you may ask of it. Push too hard and you could end up in the ground before your time. Together the four of you can accomplish our mission. Always remember you’re part of a team.

Blessings,

Linda

Chaos folded the letter and tucked it into her pocket. Taking the necklace out of the bag she handed the necklace to Dakota. “Will you help me?” He draped it around her neck and fastened the clasp.

“Does this mean you’re staying?”

“For a little while.” She couldn’t commit. Not completely. Dakota was the reason she wanted to stay and the reason she felt compelled to leave. The curse on the necklace may be gone, but Mae still wandered and she wasn’t done with Chaos. Not yet. Chaos didn’t trust that death and mayhem were gone for good. If she sensed that she was a danger to anyone on her team, she would be out of here faster than they could say boo.

“Guys,” Sheila said running up to them. Her eyes were wild with excitement. “I had a vision. Your sister, Chaos. She’s in real trouble. We’ve got to help her.”

“I don’t have a sister,” Chaos said. The last thing she wanted to deal with was one of Sheila’s visions.

“You do. She’s your half-sister, the coyote woman’s daughter, and she needs your help.”