Altered Souls (9 page)

“It seems more so with you here.” His lip turned up ever so slightly. “You still want to sleep alone?”

“How do you always manage to turn things around?” I put my hands on my hips, scowling at him.

“That’s what I thought. I’ll go grab our bags out of the car and bring them in. I can lock everything up over there too. Turn on the alarm and stuff.”

For some reason this revelation of him leaving made me freeze. I hadn’t really been alone since one of the spirits was conjured at the cottage, and since then, some pretty creepy things happened. Never being the type of girl who was frightened easily, I was kind of irritated with my helpless reaction. Nope. I’m not going to play that card. I’ve got the fear thing handled.

“I’ll come out with you and grab some of the bags to make it easier and then you can lock up,” I offered. “I can’t be afraid of going outside. I’m not going to let
him
or anyone start having that kind of control over me. That’s not my style.”

“Agreed,” Logan said smirking. “I don’t think your father has a clue what he’s up against.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said smiling.

“I caught that,” Logan laughed.

Mortified, I realized I had been gazing at the bed without realizing it.

“I’m just exhausted. We’ve had a long trip.”

“Uh-huh, I’m sure that’s it.”

“Whatever,” I shot back at him grinning. “Let’s get on with it.”

With my newfound bravery, I decided being cautious was still a must.

Scanning out the downstairs window, I saw nothing and gave Logan the go ahead for us to go out to our car. The evening was quite chilly since we were on the lake, and it made me hustle as I gathered everything I could.

“One trip?” I asked surprised.

“I think so,” he replied.

Heading back to the guesthouse, I saw a car driving down the street slow down. It was only in my head. People were allowed to drive slowly in a neighborhood.

Logan locked the car doors and we were back inside and my paranoia dissipated.

We dumped everything off in the great room, and I sprawled on to the couch while Logan locked the deadbolts.

“I’m gonna go get the rest of the house locked up. I’ll leave the door in between the two open if you want.” He bent over and kissed my cheek, but I pulled him into me letting my lips wander to his.

“Don’t be long,” I whispered, letting go of his shirt.

“With a sendoff like that, you have nothing to worry about.” He gave me a quick kiss and headed back to the main house.

I looked around the space and was happy to be staying on this side of the property. The other was gorgeous but it was huge, and with my nerves on edge this place fit my imagination much better.

On the long car ride to Illinois, I spent a lot of time studying the spell books from my side of the family. I had no idea what was going to be waiting for us in Saranac Lake, but I didn’t want to put us at any more of a disadvantage with my skill level compared to Logan’s.

I grabbed the spell book from my bag that I was in the middle of studying and sat back down. I started skimming the pages, hoping Logan would get back soon. I didn’t really feel like studying. My mind flipped back to Aunt Vieta. Could she really be responsible for some of these things? I couldn’t even begin to guess what would have happened to her to make that choice. I hoped I was wrong. Forcing myself to push those thoughts aside, I focused on something useful.

I had tagged some spells that had to do with brainwashing and started staring at the different descriptions. Maybe that’s what happened to my aunt too. More tired than I realized, I had to fight to keep my eyes open and finally sleep won.

Shoot
.
I wanted to be alert for Logan’s return.

Leaving the in between stage and landing in a place where my mind took over, I felt content. Relaxed. I enjoyed every second of the peace — until I became trapped. My body was hot with worry. What was I seeing? This couldn’t be real. I wanted to wake up.

“How could you have done that?” Ellsy screamed. Her back was up against a stone wall. It looked like something from the middle ages. I couldn’t see who she was talking to. “He was my everything, my world. Logan’s world.”

Oh no. Please let this not be…

“Besides his son, he was the only real threat I had,” my father responded. “I couldn’t allow that type of opposition.”

“Did Veronica know?” Ellsy choked on the words.

Silence was returned.

“Did Veronica know?” Ellsy screamed at my father, charging at him, but something held her back. The sound of clanking bounced off the walls. Her feet were shackled to the floor. What was this place?

“No. Of course not. She wouldn’t have approved in her prior state.”

“Her prior state? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see soon enough, my dear,” my father said.

“You better not touch my son, Nicholas.”

“Come on, Trevor. We should let her rest,” My father replied.

Ellsy’s screams were all I could hear. They were all that echoed through my mind.

I didn’t want to be stuck in this nightmare. Please let me out. The uncontrolled sensation of falling ran through me, visceral and terrifying. Why wouldn’t my eyes open? There’s nothing more to see. I want to be done.

A light tapping began and its persistence allowed my mind to slowly break free. My forehead was damp and my body behaved as if I’d been out for hours, but I’m sure it was only minutes. Staring up at the ceiling, I tried shaking off my foggy frame of mind. There was nothing worse than finally getting some sleep only to have it stolen by nightmares. The tapping continued and it was kind of aggravating in my current state.

“Well, that was fast,” I hollered to Logan, hoping that would make him stop.

He didn’t respond.

“Logan?”

I texted Logan, but his phone buzzed from one of the bags we brought in. That has got to be a new rule we implement. No more leaving phones. He must still be at the other house. I’ve got to calm down. The noise was probably an animal or something.

The tapping became more aggressive, and it wasn’t coming from the stairwell. Light scratching replaced the tapping, and it was coming from the front door. Fear outweighed my curiosity. Maybe I was still asleep. It was the only hope I had, false as it was.

Chapter 10

Their unearthly cries were filled with fury and disappointment. The message was clear and the sender even more so. With every hiss and howl, the walls felt like glass ready to be shattered, and the safety and security of the double bolted door felt like a distant memory. The rattle of the lock echoed into the air as the creatures continued their entry attempt. A quiet beat of metal began next, overtaking the fear that had buried its way into my psyche from the screams. The constant rhythm was a reminder of how close they were to entering. This noise was far worse than their hollers.

Keep focused. Keep focused.
My eyes scanned one of my family’s spell books — the one that stayed out of the coven’s library. Flipping page after page, I desperately searched for the spell that I had come across only days earlier. I needed to send these spirits back to where they came from and this time with a message of my own.

Scanning the pages, my heart was pounding so fast until I found the spell I needed. Then it was like my world stopped.  As I tried to memorize every part of the spell, their screams began replacing the pounding. They seemed to be getting frustrated at their inability to break down the door.

I couldn’t allow myself to get distracted. There were three different chants listed on the page, depending on the type of spirit. I had to find out what kind I was dealing with.

Not allowing the terror to debilitate me, I stood up from the couch, clutching the spell book, as I made my way to the window next to the door. This was how I would defeat my father— head on. Even though every breath I inhaled was shaky with fear, I knew I could do this. I needed to see what I was faced with. Pulling the drapes to the side, I immediately recognized the beasts from the drawings in the book. I had hoped they were Lonely Souls, but they weren’t.

Two of the creatures noticed the curtains move and immediately turned to face me through the glass. They let out nefarious shrieks into the dark sky as if signaling the world that a fight was about to take place. There was a large group of them. I had no idea how many my father sent, but I was ready, and I wanted to do this alone. I took a deep and steady breath, analyzing what set these creatures apart.

Instead of staring into eyes that were recognizable, I was looking into cavernous holes that led to the creatures’ withering souls. There was no doubt that these malformed beings staring back at me had been called from the underworld. They were pieced together from dark sorcery. They were manmade. I could defeat them.

Their clay-like flesh clung to a human silhouette without joints.  Opening their gaping mouths in unison, I braced myself for the shrill round of wailing they wanted to shower on me. Their mouths, dark at first, revealed a fiery tunnel of destruction. I needed to end them before they unleashed what they were sent here for. My gut told me it wasn’t me who they were told to destroy.

Sliding the spell book on the floor away from me, I was ready to send these messengers back. These weren’t Lonely Souls. They were one step beyond. There was no saving them.

Taking a deep breath in, I looked directly into the horde knowing what I needed to do before they got to Logan. I yanked the curtain closed and stood back from the door. I needed to invite them in.

“Aperto ostio,”
I hollered.

The door flung open with such force a gust of wind pushed me back. The spell worked!

Instead of the creatures rushing toward me like I had prepared, they turned toward the hallway. They
were
here for Logan. I had to stop them.

“U
nguibus pugionibus
,”
I recited quickly.

The mob of creatures froze and turned to stare at me.

My fingertips burned as claws replaced my nails. This had to work. If they were a form of Golem, I could do this. I could end them.

Unsure of their thinking capabilities, or attention span, I wiggled my finger at them, hoping I could distract them from their initial goal.

“Tsk, tsk,” I uttered. “Your master would be disappointed.”

One of the creatures quirked its head to the side and opened its mouth.

“How sharp are your teeth?” I asked.

A gurgling response was evoked from the being. It started moving toward me with lightning quick speed. I held up both hands amazed at what I saw. Each one of my fingertips carried a shimmering razor-sharp claw. Perfect for shredding these creatures to bits.

“
Recipio vestris malis interserit. Pelle conditori fallaciis et conminuito in eius excitate
,”
I hissed
. “
Ego praecipio tibi ut dimittas
.”

As long the spell worked, these beings would deliver my message.

The first creature ran right into my claws. The flesh turned to dust, collapsing into a pile in front of me. It was a Golem. I lunged toward the group, thrilled to reach the next victim. They opened up their stance, inviting me into their circle. My excitement turned to fear.

I slowly pivoted to greet every single creature whose gaping mouths did little to alleviate my worry. Some of them moved slower than others, but they all had a robotic quality. Driven by a task. They walked around me slowly, squawking, pointing. Facing the uncertainty of what these creatures wanted, my courage began to fade. The circle of beasts moved counter-clockwise in slow, deliberate steps. It was almost hypnotic.

“
Recipio vestris malis interserit. Pelle conditori fallaciis et conminuito in eius excitate
,”
I repeated
. “
Ego praecipio tibi ut dimittas
.”

I needed to do anything to keep my mind and body active. One of the creatures tugged on my hair from behind, which allowed an opening for one of the larger Golem to throw itself at me. I dove out of the way only to be left attached to the creature gripping my hair.

My heart raced and there was no denying I might have bit off more than I should have. If only these creatures would get in arms reach, I might be able to get my claws in them. Unfortunately, I made a lesson for the one I took down and they were staying away out of my reach.

The creature tightened its grip on my hair and threw me down to the ground. Motivated by desperation, I kicked my feet and tried to escape, but with each movement, the hair on my scalp pulled and tugged without freeing.

One of the Golem staring over me reached out giving me an opportunity to grab its wrist and pull it toward me. The creature tumbled on top of me, and I dug my claws deep into its flesh. The pile of dust fell on me. The others took a step back, except for one.

In a gesture of defiance, he stared at me with pitted eyes, opening the slit where his mouth should’ve been. Flames began spitting toward me. My claws were digging into the wooden floor as I braced myself for whatever might be coming.

“
Corvorum mundi venire et providere auxilium ad me,”
I whispered, hoping my connection with nature wouldn’t fail me now.

My neck muscles were getting tired from the force of the Golem holding me down and my own body fighting against possible fate. The heat from the Golem’s mouth burned my flesh, but I stayed focused.

“
Corvorum mundi ven
ire et providere auxilium ad me
,” I repeated.

Wind began swirling through the room. The chill was coming from the front door. Arching my back, I attempted to see what was causing the change in the air, but the Golem had me pinned. I couldn’t move.

I closed my eyes and heard a faint sound of swooshing and flapping of wings. They were on their way. My call for help worked. I had very little time now. I needed to tell the Golem my message.

“Please tell my father we’re coming for my mother. We will bring her home no matter her condition. I’m not afraid and neither is Logan. We will bring our mothers home, and we won’t be stopped by such a cowardly man or his followers.”

The high-pitched calls bounced off the walls as the bats swooped into the home. The tiny brown mammals dove from every direction, making it impossible to see much of anything. But I heard what I needed to. The Golem had been taken by surprise, and their squeals and screams were nothing compared to the beautiful winged creatures I had roused to my defense. Their sounds were magnificently haunting, and those were only the sounds I wanted to hear.

The flesh of the monsters was picked and scratched to pieces as my winged friends came to my rescue. One Golem after the next dropped.

“Don’t forget my message,” I hollered to the few that remained.

“Triss,” Logan yelled.

“Logan, stay back.” Turning my neck quickly, I strained to see through the tiny mammals hovering in the air.

The strands of my hair began loosening as the last Golem released his grip, and I raised my head toward Logan’s voice. The small brown bats began to exit as quickly as they arrived, but I was still unable to spot Logan.

“Are you okay?” Logan’s voice was closer. He had no intention of listening to my instruction.

Even though the Golems were no longer surrounding me, my body didn’t respond to any request.  I attempted to prop myself up on my elbows and they wouldn’t even budge. This wasn’t a spell, a curse, or any such thing. It was my body allowing the exhaustion of the last several days to sweep through me, and I didn’t mind. The room was cleared. I had managed to pull it off.

“Golems were sent,” I replied, lying on the floor. “Lots of them.”

Logan stood over me now. His eyes filled with rage.

“And you survived,” Logan murmured.

“Don’t look so happy about it,” I said completely perplexed.

He sat down next to me on the floor, running his finger along my collarbone. I watched the rage turn to concern as he thought about what to say.

“I was so worried about you. That you would come in while I was trying to destroy them.”

He raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Worried about me?”

I slowly sat up.

“Yeah. They rushed by me on their way to you. It wasn’t until I taunted them that they stopped to play.” I couldn’t help but feel proud with my accomplishment.

His mouth twisted as he pondered what I told him, and I began wondering why he wasn’t more thrilled with my abilities to wipe out an entire Golem set. This could mean great things once we get to Saranac Lake.

“This was a test,” Logan finally spoke, interrupting my delusional fit.

“A test? How so?” I asked, eyeing him carefully. I wasn’t about to let my achievement get blown to smithereens.

“If the Golem wanted you, they would’ve taken you. They couldn’t touch you.”

“I’m not following you.” I moved so I was sitting directly in front of him with my arms crossed. “They had plenty of opportunity, but I fought them off with the help of some spells.”

A grin covered my face at the last thought. For once, my ability to commune with nature had paid off.

“You’re protected.” Logan’s eyes darkened.

“Protected. Protected from what?”

Logan avoided looking into my eyes.

“If a sorcerer conjures a soul or commands a spirit against someone,” he began, “and that person is righteous, they can’t be touched.”

If it weren’t for the look in Logan’s eyes, I would’ve started laughing, but I could tell he was completely serious.

“I’m far from righteous, Logan. Thanks, though.”

“You’re a pure soul,” he whispered.

I shook my head, thinking back to the horrible things I had acted on, even just recently.

“Logan, you of all people know what I’ve done.” I started getting sick at the thoughts running through me. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to forget the image of the black sorcerer falling to the ground after my arrow etched a place in his chest.

“The thoughts that have gone through my head about hurt—”

“Those are just thoughts. You haven’t acted on them,” he interrupted. “I’m not making this up.”

“I think that’s a fantastical misrepresentation,” I protested. “I’ve
killed
people. I’ve wanted people dead. You can’t tell me there’s anything righteous about that.”

“That was self defense.”

The chill from the open door had become impossible to ignore. I couldn’t stop shivering and gestured toward the opening. Logan closed it and helped me over to the couch.

“I’m so proud of you. I really am,” Logan said, while he tried unsuccessfully to warm me up. “You were so brave and the spells were flawless, but it wasn’t enough.”

“I threw so much at the Golem. How can you be so sure that it wasn’t my spells that did it?”

I looked down and saw that one claw still remained in the place of a finger.

“See?” I said waving it in front of him.

Logan pulled me into him, pressing his lips on my head. The pace of his breathing shifted.