Stolen Portrait Stolen Soul: A Shadow Slayers Story (Shadow Slayers Stories Book 2)

by Nellie H. Steele

  Also by Nellie H. Steele

  Shadow Slayers Stories:

  Shadows of the Past

  Cate Kensie Mysteries:

  The Secret of Dunhaven Castle

  Murder at Dunhaven Castle

  Holiday Heist at Dunhaven Castle

  Maggie Edwards Adventures:

  Cleopatra’s Tomb

  Stolen Portrait Stolen Soul

  A Shadow Slayers Story

  Nellie H. Steele

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2020 by Nellie H. Steele

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  For my Family

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Gone Synopsis

  Gone Excerpt

  Acknowledgments

  A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped get this book published! Special shout outs to: Stephanie Sovak, Paul Sovak, Michelle Cheplic, Mark D’Angelo and Lori D’Angelo.

  Thanks to Kaddour Boukaabar who graciously agreed to review my French phrases and provide feedback and corrections. Thank you for making sure my French was correct and sounds like a native speaker!

  Finally, a HUGE thank you to you, the reader!

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  The Immortals

  Celine Devereaux Buckley – A two-and-a-half centuries old powerful supernatural entity who has the ability to open time portals and revive the dead. She lived as a human until she was sixteen when Duke Marcus Northcott saved her life with his blood. She then turned immortal by drawing blood from Marcus. She lived again as a human for almost twenty-five years when she was Josephine “Josie” Benson.

  Grayson Buckley – A centuries-old supernatural entity. Grayson Buckley is married to Celine Buckley, having met her after her transformation. Grayson has spent his immortal life aiding Celine in her battle with Duke Marcus Northcott, who hopes to possess her power for himself.

  Alexander Buckley – A centuries-old supernatural entity and cousin to Grayson Buckley. Alexander Buckley transformed from human to supernatural creature in the 1700s along with Grayson. He, too, spends much of his life aiding Grayson and Celine in fighting Duke Marcus Northcott.

  Celeste VanWoodsen – Older sister to Celine Devereaux Buckley. Celeste achieved a supernatural transformation before her sister, Celine. She hoped her sister would join her in the supernatural realm, joining forces with her good friend Duke Marcus Northcott.

  Theodore VanWoodsen – Husband to Celeste Devereaux VanWoodsen. Theodore is a centuries-old supernatural entity who joined the ranks of Duke Marcus Northcott.

  Duke Marcus Northcott – A centuries old powerful supernatural entity and leader of a dark coven. Marcus Northcott’s full abilities are not known. He hoped to gain Celine Devereaux as an ally to his cause, saving her life with his own blood on her sixteenth birthday, however she refused to join his dark cause.

  The Humans

  Damien Sherwood – A computer-savvy history buff and near genius. He is Josie Benson’s cousin, who followed her to Maine when she returned to her life as Celine Devereaux Buckley. He, along with friend, Michael Carlyle, traveled to 1786 to help a young Celine in her fight against Duke Marcus Northcott.

  Michael Carlyle – A savvy international businessman and Josie’s former boyfriend. He followed Josie to Maine with Damien Sherwood and the two traveled to 1786 to assist a sixteen-year-old Celine in stealing The Book of the Dead from Marcus Northcott.

  Dr. Amelia “Millie” Gresham – A doctor and full-time resident at the Buckley estate. Dr. Millie Gresham monitors and assists with the physical and mental health of both the supernatural creatures and humans in the household.

  Charlotte Buckley-Stanton – The current owner of the Buckley estate. Charlotte Buckley-Stanton is a descendent of Grayson’s brother, Aiden Buckley.

  Avery Hughes – Daughter of Charlotte Buckley-Stanton. Avery Hughes has two children, Max and Maddy.

  Chapter 1

  Celine sat on the swing under the gazebo, overlooking the cliffs and the ocean. It was her favorite spot on the property. She listened to the waves pounding the rocks below. Six weeks had passed since she, with the help of her family, banished her archnemesis, Duke Marcus Northcott, from walking the face of the earth any longer.

  She smiled thinking of all of them, her family, both new and old, now together. Mere months ago she had been living a quiet life, sharing a home with her cousin, knowing nothing but a normal existence. She was called Josie Benson in that life. She had been raised by a normal family to live a normal life.

  Then the nightmares started, growing more and more frequent until they became unbearable. After that, the visions began. She presumed she was losing her mind until Gray, her husband, found her, and guided her back to her true existence. After hitting her head, her memories as Celine re-integrated and she remembered who she was and how she had become Josie. Despite her reluctance to return to her supernatural self, to being a “witch” as most common people referred to it, she did so to save her sister after the Duke had her murdered.

  Her entire family had come together to help her defeat Marcus Northcott, or as he was generally known throughout the centuries, the Duke. Josie’s cousin and her ex-boyfriend, along with Gray, his cousin, Alexander, her recently resurrected sister, Celeste, and her sister’s husband, Theodore, all played a part in making sure Marcus Northcott was banished from the earth after his centuries-long reign of terror.

  Now, she was left to enjoy the fruits of centuries of labor. Her lips curled into a smile as she gazed out over the horizon, dark with threatening storm clouds. A cool breeze blew over the cliffs, rustling the leaves on the trees. Celine tugged her sweater tighter around her. Fall was on its way. She hoped that was all, that the crisp air only foretold of stormy weather, not stormy events.

  Despite having banished the Duke, they had failed to find the painting of Wilhelmina Buckley. The painting, which had stood in the foyer of the Buckley home for centuries, went missing shortly before the terrible events of the past few months. The legend was that the house and its inhabitants were safe from harm as long as the painting graced its walls. With it missing, uneasiness hung in the air.

  The c
ommon theory shared by the family was once they had vanquished the Duke they would find the painting. However, after six weeks of searching, they had not found it and therefore had not returned it to its rightful place in the house.

  “Hey, don’t you think you should come in? It’s going to storm,” a voice questioned from behind her.

  “Hey, D,” she said, turning to smile at her cousin, Damien Sherwood. Technically, he wasn’t her cousin, he was Josie’s, but then again, technically, she was Josie. “I was watching the clouds roll in, I’ll be in soon.”

  He joined her on the swing. “Reflecting?”

  “Yeah, reflecting,” she answered.

  “Want to share, Jos, eh, Celine? I’m sorry that really will take some getting used to. I’ve been calling you Josie for twenty-five years!”

  She laughed. “It’s okay, D,” she said, patting his hand. “Just random thoughts. Our move is mostly under control, but there’s still a great deal to do. By the way, thanks for handling the house listing. And I still haven’t figured out what to tell Josie’s… well, my mom.”

  Damien gave her a tight-lipped smile. “No problem, Celine. I’ve been trying to keep everything on the down-low from Aunt Monica. I don’t envy you figuring out how to handle that. Is there any way I can help?”

  Celine shook her head. “No, I’ll figure it out. Thanks, though.” She placed her hand on his, patting it.

  “Is there something else?”

  Celine didn’t respond for a moment. “You’re worried, aren’t you? That something is going to happen?” Damien continued.

  “Perhaps it’s an old habit. But yeah, I’m worried.”

  “But that Duke guy is gone, right? I mean, that whole ceremony thing worked the way you wanted it to, right?”

  “Yes, it did and yes, he’s gone, but I can’t shake this feeling.”

  “Perhaps it’s that painting thing. We’ll find it! I know we’re close.”

  “It is strange that it hasn’t turned up.”

  They sat for a few moments in silence, each contemplating their own thoughts on the matter. “Perhaps…” Damien began after a while, “perhaps you’re just tired from everything. Worn out. Maybe you just need some rest. It’s been a big change, learning the truth and then us moving up here. It’s a lot to process.”

  “I’m a supernatural entity, D, I don’t get tired,” she chuckled.

  “Well, you can still get overwhelmed, right?”

  Celine stared out over the vast ocean, silent for a moment. “Yes, I can still get overwhelmed. Perhaps that’s it,” she said, smiling at him.

  He returned her smile, rubbing her hand. She hadn’t told him the entire truth, but she didn’t want to get into it all with him. Even if he wasn’t her blood, she still viewed him as family, and she wanted to protect him at all costs. If anyone was overwhelmed, it would be Damien. He had lived through an unbelievable set of events, learning that his cousin, Josie, was a two-and-a-half-centuries-old supernatural entity with a vast array of paranormal powers named Celine Devereaux Buckley. He traveled through time to meet Celine when she had been a normal human to retrieve a book that could banish her arch-nemesis, Duke Marcus Northcott, back to the depths from which he came. On top of that, he was in the midst of moving from New York to Maine, to stay close to Celine.

  Gray’s approach interrupted their conversation. “Hey, it’s going to storm, don’t you two suppose you should come in?”

  Celine smiled at him. “Just enjoying the last few peaceful minutes,” she answered.

  Silence filled the air for a moment before Damien stood. “I’m going to head in, I don’t want to be caught in the storm, I’m only human, after all,” he joked with a wink.

  “We’ll be in soon,” she said, realizing that Damien had been making an excuse to leave the couple alone to talk.

  Gray sat on the swing next to Celine, taking her hand in his. She smiled up at him again before resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “It must be nice for you to have Damien here after living for so long without any family,” he conjectured.

  “It is,” she answered.

  “But?” he asked.

  “But what?” she evaded.

  “You don’t sound very enthused. But I don’t imagine it’s Damien that’s the problem, or Michael for that matter.” Gray was referring to Michael Carlyle, Josie’s ex-boyfriend, who was also entangled in the mess with the Duke. He had been instrumental in helping them defeat him and also decided, after the incredible events he had experienced, to move to Bucksville. It wasn’t surprising given the enormity of the experience that he shared with Celine and Damien. And, despite the tricky circumstances of their relationship, Celine was glad to have another strong ally close by.

  Celine shook her head. “I’m happy they’re here, but I worry about them. Wrapping their minds around all this new information must be difficult. I just want them to have an easy transition.”

  Gray snickered. “I know you better than that, Celine. Those worry lines on your forehead are not about Michael and Damien having an easy transition. Although, I’m sure your concern for them is adding to it.”

  “Are you saying I have wrinkles?”

  “Stop avoiding, Celine. What’s bothering you?”

  “The continued attacks in town. There was another last night.”

  “Oh,” he said, turning his gaze to the water and away from Celine, “you heard about that. I didn’t realize you had.”

  Celine’s eyes narrowed. “It’s been in the town’s newspaper. So, you knew, and you didn’t tell me.”

  “I didn’t want to upset you,” he said.

  “Upset me or not, it has to be dealt with.”

  “You’ve just gotten five minutes to breathe, Celine, without being chased by that madman. I wanted you to enjoy it.”

  “I had twenty-five years to breathe, Gray.” Gray was silent. Celine continued, “I won’t break. I won’t leave again.”

  “I didn’t say you would,” he said with a sigh.

  “No, but you’re keeping things from me because you are afraid I might, you don’t want to overwhelm me. I appreciate that, Gray, but it will not happen again. This is on me, I did this. I couldn’t face that it was my fault before, but now I can.”

  “Stop putting it all on yourself. You did the best you could. Now it’s up to us, all of us, to work together to fix things. With the Duke gone, it should be a breeze.”

  The surf of the ocean thundered against the rocks below. The storm was approaching, its arrival announced by the crashing waves. “It’s hard to believe he is finally gone.”

  “Well, believe it,” Gray said, smiling at her. “Because he is. Now, let’s get out of this weather before we’re caught in the storm.”

  “Okay, but, in all actuality, I don’t mind being caught in a storm with you,” she grinned, winking at him.

  “You’re becoming as big a flirt as your sister,” he said, pulling her off the swing.

  Celine rolled her eyes. “That’s taking things a bit far,” she said, allowing herself to be pulled under his arm as they made their way back to the house. She took one last glance back toward the sea as black clouds pushed up the coast. No matter what the future held, it was good to be home.

  The deluge of rain began soon after they walked through the front door of the house. “Made it just in time,” Gray said. “Did you plan it that way?”

  “Sorry, I don’t control the weather. At least not all the time,” Celine answered, laughing.

  Gray gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I need to talk to Millie before dinner,” he said, referring to Dr. Amelia Gresham, a family friend and permanent resident at the Buckley estate.

  “Okay, I’ll be in the sitting room,” she replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

  Celine crossed the foyer to the sitting room. She found Michael inside, nursing a scotch as he stared out one of the large windows overlooking the property.

  “Back from the house
search already?” Celine asked, pouring herself a drink.

  “Yep,” he responded with a sigh.

  Celine raised her eyebrows. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Gave me a lot to consider, I guess,” he responded.

  The evasiveness of the answer did not escape Celine. Something was troubling him, but she wasn’t sure what it was. “You realize there’s no rush, you’re welcome here as long as you like,” Celine said, sipping her brandy.

  Michael studied his drink as though it held the answers to life. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

  “So, if you haven’t found anything you like yet, there’s no real rush. Wait until something comes on the market and move then,” Celine said.

  Michael didn’t respond. “Unless there’s some reason you want to move right away?” she prodded.

  “I imagine it might be best for me to live elsewhere.”

  “Are you regretting your decision to stay?”

  “No, it’s not that. I…” He paused. “After what we experienced, I can’t imagine going back home and living a normal life.”

  “Then what is it? Something is obviously bothering you, Michael.”