“I’m afraid only one can ride with her,” the EMT said.
“It’s all right,” Sarah spoke up. “Meet me there. Have Therman drive you. I’ll be fine.”
The hospital staff ran her through at least ten different tests which included sight and hearing. When they wanted to give her a cat scan she refused and went home.
An uneasiness came over her as she rode in the back of Therman’s Lincoln. Something had happened to her, nothing physical, but there was a reason why she’d been on the mountain. All the doctors had agreed that it was stress. She had after all, just ended a marriage and started her own business. But Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be something more.
Maggie was waiting outside the store when she arrived home.
She was dressed in jeans and a tank top. “What happened to you?”
Sarah flipped over the open sign in the window. “I was hoping you could give me some answers.”
Maggie was silent.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I was supposed to meet you for lunch, but I cancelled. Do you remember why?”
Sarah shook her head. “You never said.”
“I can’t remember why either.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Sarah had been gone a month by the time Nathan finally figured out how to transport himself back to Earth. His whole family begged him not to go. Ma and Anne had cried. Pa and John had threatened to disown him. But he couldn’t stay away.
He hated Michael for sending Sarah back that day. Sarah hadn’t been prepared for it. She hadn’t even decided when she wanted to go back for that matter. Michael gave her no choice. When Nathan had confronted him on it, Michael had forbid him to go to her.
Nathan been removed from her case, tried, and found guilty, not for failing at his mission because that, thanks to Cole, had not been his fault. Nathan was found guilty of bringing a mortal to heaven before her time, and he was forbidden to try to contact Sarah. She already had another person assigned to escort her to her own very modern heaven.
Nathan had no other choice than to contact Sarah. He would not, could not, stay away. Sarah was destined to die if she didn’t do something to correct her health. All memory of heaven and everything Michael had told her had been erased when she returned to Earth. The cat scan she’d refused the day she’d been found on French Mountain would have told her about the clot growing in her brain.
Michael said it was over, that nothing could be done to stop Sarah’s death. Nathan refused to believe that.
He transported himself into her store, found her working in the back room amidst a pile of unshelved books.
She was beautiful, despite the oversized smock she wore over her jeans and sweatshirt. Her hair was piled on top of her head and held in place with a pencil. Another pencil was held between her teeth as she took inventory.
His longing for her was almost physical pain. He recalled the day he’d first met her—collided into her, to be exact. He had thought her overbearing, annoying, and plain. How he’d ever thought her anything less than perfect, he had no idea.
Worry lines darkened her features. Her head hurt. He could see it in her aura. It was like a dark cloud passing over her, only it didn’t pass. It remained and grew darker by the minute like a time bomb waiting to go off.
Nathan tried to read her thoughts; a skill he’d learned from his time in heaven, but her mind was like an iron door, locked and unable to let him in. That was likely because he’d been removed from her case.
“Sarah.”
No answer. She continued working as if she hadn’t even heard him.
He moved in front of her but she looked right through him.
“Sarah, sweetheart. Speak to me.”
Desperation clawed at his sanity. He was no longer assigned to her case, but he refused to believe that she could not see him. Michael wouldn’t be that cruel, would he?
He reached for her, but his hand passed directly through her as if she were made of thin air.
Despair racked to loneliness beyond anything he’d ever known. Their relationship had come too far for Sarah to know nothing of him, for it to all to be in vain. She’d made him love her, and for what? To be left here to live an eternity with this heartache?
“Let it go, Nate.”
Nathan turned in the direction of the voice.
“Henry.”
“You’re in enough trouble already. If they catch you—“
“What are you doing here?”
“I was put on this case.”
Nathan felt as if the wind had been knocked from him. Henry was the last person he would have expected to be assigned to Sarah. Henry had been the one person he could count on, the least person he’d ever expected to betray him.
“I haven’t made contact with her yet.” Henry shifted, as if searching for the right words. “She’s scheduled to die this month.”
Those were not the right words.
“Look,” Henry moved closer. “I didn’t volunteer for this job.”
Nathan bit down on the inside of his lip until he should have tasted blood—only he was dead and no longer bled. Still, it left his mouth with foul bitterness.
Possessiveness was taking fast control of him. Henry had no right taking Sarah anywhere. He knew nothing of her life, of her losses and hopes. He certainly had no right taking her life.
Henry put his hand on Nathan’s arm. “You have no place being here. If the Elders catch you—“
“Don’t touch me.” He pulled away. He didn’t need his compassion.
“Go home, Nate. Your family’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.”
“We fought in the same battle. We practically died together, for Christ’s sake!”
“Nate, this isn’t a betrayal to you.”
Nathan ignored Henry and vanished from the store. He had to leave before he did something he’d regret. He reappeared at the shores of Lake George.
He stared off into the mountain range that cradled the mirror-smooth water. It was beautiful and peaceful, innocent of all traces of anger. Everything he was not.
From his vest pocket, he removed the ring he’d given Sarah in heaven when he’d thought they would be together always. Now there was no always. There was nothing but an eternity of broken dreams and emptiness.
He rolled the delicate band over his knuckles, ran his thumb over the smooth, worn pewter. This ring was a token of hope. First Jane, then Sarah. Neither had given him anything more than disappointment, but losing Sarah hurt beyond explanation. Knowing she would lose her life was worse than losing her love. He could endure losing that if he had to. Sarah wanted to live. She was young and vibrant and too strong-willed to die. The world would be at a loss without her in it, and he wanted to shout it out to the world.
With all the rage left in him, he heaved the ring into the lake.
He didn’t realize Henry was watching him.
* * *
Exhausted, Maggie dragged herself into her apartment, threw her keys on the stand next to the door, and checked the messages on her answering machine. Just two work related calls. Nothing concerning Sarah or anything which would give her a hint of what she couldn’t remember.
Something had happened to Sarah, but for the life of her, Maggie had no idea what. Then there was the reason Maggie couldn’t come to lunch. There had been a reason why she’d stood Sarah up. A very important reason. Maggie just couldn’t remember what it was.
She went to the bathroom, drew herself a bath and soaked for over an hour. When she came out, she fixed herself a cup of tea to settle her nerves.
She turned around and ran straight into an entity.
She shrieked, then mentally chastised herself for doing so. She hated it when they snuck up on her. Hated it even more when she showed them her fear.
She held her shoulders back. “Who are you?”
“Nathan McGraw.”
She stared at the apparition. Ghosts were nothing ne
w to her. She’d been seeing them her entire life. This was one she’d never met. She didn’t like unexpected meetings, which was how most of them went, after all. They left her exposed, gave the entity the upper hand.
“You have no recollection of me either?”
When she shook her head, the entity slammed his fist down on her countertop.
“Please respect my home.” She was used to entities destroying her property. It came with the gift of being able to communicate with them, unwanted as it was.
“You don’t remember canceling your lunch with Sarah. You did so because a demon named Cole Turner threatened you if you did go.”
Maggie set her tea down. “How do you know that?”
“I’ve been to heaven and back twice. You couldn’t comprehend the things I know right now.”
There was a desperation in the entity’s expression that warned her to be careful around him. She’d had countless visits from entities. None had even mentioned anything about her personal life. They were usually so wrapped up in their own problems all they cared about was how she could help them.
Never in her life had an entity scared her so badly that she would cut off a friendship with someone. The spirits who came to her were never demons, simply lost souls. The thought was unsettling.
“Your friendship with Sarah happened only because of my presence.” Nathan continued. “You don’t remember, do you?”
Maggie tried to recall how she’d first met Sarah. She knew it had been just months ago, but exactly how they had met, she had no idea. She recalled John Fallows, an unforgettable spirit who had come to her over four years ago. He had been confused and deranged and unable to talk to much less help. Maybe Nathan McGraw was the same.
She snatched her glasses from the counter and took her Entity Log down from the bookshelf.
Nathan followed her. “Your papers are worthless if you can’t remember anything.”
Maggie no longer heard him. She couldn’t believe what she was reading. Nathan was in her log. Every last detail of him and Sarah. Maggie didn’t remember any of it, but she had written it all down. This was her handwriting.
She stared at him. “What do you want from me?”
“Sarah is dying, and you have to help.”
* * *
Nathan transported himself to French Mountain. He wasn’t surprised to find that his cabin had vanished. All the land he’d cleared was gone too. The trees were all back, standing just as straight and healthy as if they had never been cut down at all.
Depression was almost unbearable. It was all for nothing. He’d convinced Maggie to go to Sarah. Maggie still didn’t remember him, which was the work of Michael and the Elders, Nathan was certain. But Maggie did believe in her Entity Log, and Nathan was logged in it. Even if she didn’t have all of her memory, Maggie had her book, and she trusted it.
Of course, Sarah still couldn’t see him. Maggie had shown her the log book with Nathan’s entry and the details of his time on Earth. Maggie told Sarah she was dying and had practically begged her to go to the doctor. Sarah had refused and had ended up asking Maggie to leave.
He’d used up all his options. He didn’t have any other choice.
He wouldn’t let Sarah die. Not just because he loved her. Sarah’s death was unnecessary. If she knew of the aneurysm something could be done and she would live.
Nathan refused to see her die.
“Cole Turner!”
Nathan wrestled with the silence. Off in the distance, a crow squawked and broke through the trees. He heard several twigs snap, but it proved to be nothing more than a gray squirrel. He called for Cole again but was answered by the wind. Hollow and raw like his own soul.
“Cole Turner, in the name of all that is holy, I command you to appear!”
Laughter ended the stillness. Nathan turned, saw nothing. He couldn’t even make out the direction the laughter came from.
Cole suddenly appeared not more than a foot from him. Nathan backed away, stirring Cole’s laughter again.
“Of all that is holy,” Cole mocked. “That’s a good one.”
Cole was immaculately dressed in modern attire. His hair had grown considerably and was tied back low at his neck. His height had grown to well over six feet. Muscles that had already been well defined were larger, harder, like solid horsepower.
Cole had gained back most of his powers over the months. Nathan knew now that the horse thing that had nearly killed them had been Cole. Cole could now shape shift and read minds; powers only bestowed upon demons who were gaining favor with the Dark One. Cole’s looks had also changed. He’d been handsome before. Now his features were flawless, chiseled perfection almost bordering on beautiful; a finely tuned thoroughbred capable of impossible destruction.
Nathan fought the overwhelming urge to hit Cole. “Why didn’t you put a hex on Henry Schuyler?”
“I don’t quite follow.”
“You know damned well what I’m talking about, you son-of-a-bitch.”
Rage flickered behind Cole’s gaze. It warned Nathan not to push Cole too far. Nathan accepted the challenge. He’d already lost everything. He had nothing more to lose.
“I will admit I was after Sarah’s soul,” Cole answered. “But it is no longer needed.”
“Why?”
“I found another one.”
Cole’s grin was nauseating. It entered him, rotted inside of him, filled him with the sickening filth that made up Cole. All the rage Nathan had built up suddenly dissipated. In it’s place came fear, depression, desperation beyond words. Cole was doing something to him, putting another spell on him, and Nathan was helpless against it. Cole was taking his soul, and there was nothing Nathan could do to stop him.
“Don’t be so negative.” Cole was reading his mind. “You’ll still be able to be with Sarah. Maybe not for an eternity like you wanted, but this very day her memory will be restored. She will get the medical help she needs, and you two will live together until the day she dies.”
The pressure Cole was instilling on him suddenly eased off. Nathan dropped to his knees. He gasped for breath, suddenly realizing that he had been unable to breathe the whole time.
Cole circled him. “I apologize for that. I don’t like being called a son of a bitch. My mother has nothing to do with our quarrel. You see, I’m back now. My mission was to catch a soul. I came for Sarah’s but my supervisor is just as pleased with yours. More so, perhaps. Your soul has spent over two hundred years in heaven. Think of the torture possibilities.”
“So you’re just going to take mine.” Nathan rubbed his neck. It felt as if someone had tried to strangle him.
“Oh, no, soldier boy. You have to give it to me. Sarah’s what…thirty? So we’re talking maybe forty, fifty, even sixty years you guys could have together. Sounds like heaven to me. Either way, she will die. If you give your soul to me, you’ll make her live a while longer.”
“And you’ll leave her alone?”
“I told you,” Cole knelt beside him. “I need a soul. I originally came for Sarah’s, but I was unable to get to her because your protection for her was so strong. It still is. Her soul, yours, it doesn’t matter as long as I get one.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Henry Schuyler did not have much time.
He’d been following Nathan ever since retrieving Nathan’s ring from the bottom of Lake George.
His only idea was a shot in the dark, with no guarantee it would even work. Nathan’s ring had spent time in heaven. If Nathan put the ring on Sarah, maybe she would remember him. And if she remembered him, maybe she could talk Nathan into going back to heaven and avoid getting himself in any more trouble than he already was.
Of course Henry himself was already in violation. His mission was to escort Sarah to heaven, her own heaven. He hadn’t made contact with her yet, which Michael and the Elders likely suspected by now. But if he did so now, he wouldn’t have enough time to take her to Nathan without scaring her. One thing he knew was t
hat the deceased couldn’t make contact with a mortal all at once. It had to be a gradual thing. That was why he needed the aid of her friend, Maggie.
He appeared in Maggie's apartment. He hoped it wasn’t too late already.
* * *
Nathan had no choice. Giving his soul to Cole was the only way to save Sarah.
He stared at Cole’s outstretched hand. A handshake was a man’s word. It was as binding as any contract, as far as Cole was concerned.
All he had to do was take Cole’s hand. And Cole’s superior would own him.
“Don’t do it, Nate.”
Henry slowly approached them. Sarah and Maggie were behind him. Sarah, only capable of seeing Maggie, thought that Maggie had somehow transported her to the top of French Mountain. Maggie had hold of Sarah, and Sarah was struggling to break free.
“Why did you bring me here?” Sarah’s voice was on the edge of reason. “Where am I?”
Maggie released her. “Calm down, Sarah. I know this is hard for you to understand, but—“
Sarah started to run, but Maggie caught her.
Henry tossed something to Nathan. “Put it on Sarah’s finger.”
Nathan watched the ring catch the sunlight as it sailed through the air. He held out his hand, but before it landed, Cole knocked him to the ground.
Pain stabbed him from his wrist to his shoulder. He smelled the scent of burnt linen and flesh. At first, he didn’t realize he was the one who was burning.
He saw the ring land in a patch of ferns, but before he could crawl toward it, Cole shot another line of fire at him.
“It came from his hands.” He heard Maggie say. “How is that possible? That’s not possible. He shot fire from his hands.”
Nathan felt his shoulder go up in flames. The back of his shirt was burning. Unbearable pain hit him, but he kept crawling toward the ring.
“Turner, over here.”
Nathan saw Cole go after Henry. Nathan crawled toward the ring. Uncertain whether he was still on fire or just smoking, he found the ring. Unable to stand, he turned to Maggie.
“Bring Sarah here.”
Ghost Of A Chance Page 19
