This is why I don’t like to come here is all I can think as I squash yet another mosquito on my forearm. The addition of the heat and extra humidity isn’t helping, either.
It’s just gross.
Under my instruction (though they didn’t need much coaxing, let me tell you) Shay and Maxwell remain in the air-conditioned safety of his bug-free Prius whilst I trample down a half overgrown trail in search of clues. There isn’t much here. I reach out farther and try to seek out the location of Elias’ lair. It requires a lot of concentration to do so and ensure I remain undetected.
A mosquito buzzes in my ear and almost makes me lose the trace amount of energy I finally pick up, but I hold strong and manage to keep track of it. I follow it deeper and deeper into the swampy marshland until I spot an odd structure on a small crop of seemingly firm land.
It’s far, but not too far that we can’t drive a bit more south if this road holds firm and I can get a better idea of the places layout and occupants.
I sludge back to the car, now more mosquito bite than woman.
“Did you find them?” Shay asks.
“Yeah, go further south a ways. We’ll stay out of their reach, but hopefully be able to get them within mine.”
“It’s a good plan.” Maxwell agrees with a strong smile and stifled yawn.
“All I know is that we’re hitting that Starbucks on the way home.” Shay adds in as he cranks the wheel and his car bounces back onto the dirt and gravel road. “Maybe even two of those bitches.”
We settle down so I can concentrate. The moment I sense something I motion for Shay to pull over. He finds a secluded area and parks the car out of sight. I step back out into the mosquito ridden humidity and focus harder still.
It’s not just Elias—though I never expected it would be. It’s not as many as I thought there’d be, either. At least that’s a good sign. This many I’ll be able to take down easily.
I hop back in the car as I swipe yet another bug off of me. “Okay, Shay. Get me the hell out of here, please.”
“As always, milady, your wish is my command.” With absolutely zero hesitation Shay points the Prius in the direction from whence we came and we high-tail it out of there.
It’s not so much that the drive home is long it’s that it’s monotonous. I argue with Shay and Maxwell that I can likely poof us (and the damn car) home in literally no time flat, but Shay won’t hear of it. If so much as a little nut or bolt was out of place he’d freak, so I acquiesce. At least the Starbucks helps.
After what seems like hours Shay drops me off. He waits for me to get inside before he drives off with Max. I’m halfway up the stairs when I hear a knock at the door. When I go back down a few steps and see who it is, I freeze.
Gabe.
“Can we just talk?” He asks. He looks like shit.
Well, good. “No.” I state flatly and return to my stair ascension. Screw Gabe. How dare he?
The knocking persists. At first I figure he’ll give up soon. When I get out of the shower and he’s still at it, I dress in my most comfiest pajamas and relent ever so slightly. I pad barefoot down to the bottom step and sit down, looking up at him through the glass in the door.
“Please go away.” I almost beg.
“I need to speak with you.” Gabe pleas.
“About what, Gabe? The woman I saw you with?” I ask coldly. “About the baby we lost? You’re free now, Gabe. Go do your thing.”
“Lettie, I can explain.” He begins.
“Maybe I don’t want to hear your explanation, Gabe. Have you considered that? Maybe I saw what I saw and for me that was it. The end. Done. Do you get that now?”
Gabe nods sadly. “I guess I have to.”
“You’re right, you do.” I stand up. “Now leave. Before I make you.”
I don’t wait to see if he listens or not. At the top of the stairs I crumble to a ball on the floor and begin to sob quietly. A couple weeks ago things were so very different. How can so much change so quickly? I mean sure, maybe it’s better it happens now than years down the line, but only one thing dwarfs the pain of Gabe’s betrayal is the loss of our child.
It’s all too much. I manage to crawl into bed and cry myself to sleep, hoping that tomorrow Mom and Maddy will tell me that we’re good to go and I can bring Elias down for good.
Fire rains down as the world before me burns. I keep thinking I should feel more—do something, only I can’t. I can’t find it in me to care.
As my surroundings crumble, succumbing to the fury of the flames, I embrace it. I spread my arms wide towards the ball of flame that aims itself at my feet. I long for the freeing release it will bring.
Only it does not. It impacts, it explodes, but it does nothing to me.
Now the sadness kicks in as I realize it’s now just me and this world of fire.
Probably exactly what I deserve.
I shoot upright in bed. I’ve had some jacked-up dreams before, but what in the hell was that? Have I become so callous already?
No. I shake my head to rid the thoughts. No way. I know me. That wasn’t me.
Not yet, a voice whispers in the deep dark recesses of my mind. Something about it makes my cogs turn. As they do a realization hits me.
What if Elias’ plan is to bring me down and use me for evil? To strip away all of my empathy and humanity until I’m as soulless as he is, just so I can rein terror at his will? It’s an awful, diabolical, horror-inducing idea... and yet that’s what makes it so plausible.
That’s just the kind of guy my father is, after all.
What’s even scarier is that he’s done a damn good job so far, if I’m correct...
My thoughts are in overdrive and conflict themselves. And again it’s that one deep dark small voice that seems to come through the most clearly.
You’re grasping at straws in an attempt to soothe yourself, silly girl. So busy being caught up in revenge that you forget the most obvious culprit in your loss.
You.
Something deep within my chest catches and the pain practically paralyzes me. Because what if this isn’t my father’s doing? What if there’s no explanation other than my body failing, my relationship a sham, and my depression real?
It’s five a.m., but I can’t remain stagnant. It’s too much. I need movement. I need distraction.
I need to get a handle on my shit before I go commit my damn self.
Despite the early hour, I find myself wandering the beaches of the gulf coast. I don’t go to Shay’s, instead just freely roaming. I need space. I need to think more, even though it seems to be the only thing that I do lately.
Part of me screams for action, but more of me says to bide my time. It’d be so simple to give in to the rage within me.
“Lettie!” I hear from a distance.
It’s then I see Jack and Bella make their way towards me. My feelings mix. Company is nice and surely won’t hurt... but these feels I keep having seems dangerous—like I should stay away for the sake of others, not myself.
Bella greets me before Jack makes it over and I crouch down to greet her. She’s full of happiness and doggie kisses for me. By the time Jack reaches us I feel a little better despite myself.
“Top of the morning to you, lass.” Jack drawls in that accent. “Not to fit the stereotype or anything.” He adds with a wink.
The smile I feel is the first genuine one I’ve had in days... weeks even maybe. “Hi, Jack. Good morning.”
Bella decides to run into the surf, so I stand up once more.
“Still have that sad about you, eh?” Jack more comments than asks.
I shrug. “It is what it is.”
“That’s usually the case.” Jack concurs. He’s cut off when a beach police patrol zooms past us. A glance behind us shows more follow. “Must be something going on.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, but before I can think more about it, I notice Bella burst out of the waves. She beelines for us, only it’s right into the path of the speed
ing ATVs.
Jack sees it too as he calls out, “Bella, no! Stay, girl.” Only the ATVs either excite her or scare her too much to listen. “Bella, no!”
It’s never a good idea for me to use my powers in public—like ever. There’s always too much explaining left after... or minds to wipe clean. Only in this instance, I don’t care. A split second before Bella would make contact with a seeding ATV, I zap her into Jack’s arms instead.
Jack holds Bella tight for a few moments as the last of the patrols whizz by before lowering her to the ground and clipping her leash on her. “That was too close, girl. Sorry.” Jack fixes his gaze on me. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
“Couldn’t let her get hurt.” I say softly.
“Thank you for that.” Jack says. “C’mon, let me get you some coffee. You won’t take it the wrong way if I invite you to my place, will you?”
“You’re more than welcome and not at all.” I say and take the arm Jack gallantly offers me.
Jack leads me to a small bungalow style house not too far from the beach. Bella bursts through the door and happily relinquishes her restraints upon entry. Once she’s got a bowl of water Jack looks at me foolishly.
“Turns out I have no coffee here. In my defense, I am a bachelor. I don’t do grocery stores if I can help it.”
“I know a good shop not too far from here if you feel like walking.” I suggest.
“I always feel like walking, darling. Been doing it for a few hundred years now.” He boasts.
I pause mid-step on my way to the door. “Wait—how old are you?”
Jack thinks for a moment. “Roughly... three hundred and seventy years old or so—give or take a few years, of course.”
“Of course.” I mumble through my shock.
“C’mon, we can walk and talk.” Jack nudges me through the door.
The sun helps once I’m outside, but the cogs in my head begin to turn. “So you must really know a lot.” I say.
“Eh, I know what I know just like anyone else.”
“I bet you know of my father.” I say darkly.
“I remember you told me his name the once I think, but the name itself escapes me.”
“Elias.” I say more to my feet than Jack.
He stops mid-stride. “Wait. Elias? Like...”
“Yeah.” I say, somewhat embarrassed by the association.
“So then your mum is...” I can see Jack putting it all together in his head.
“Yeah.”
“And you’re...”
I nod.
“Well, fuck. I should’ve put two and two together sooner.” Jack says. “No wonder you’re so stressed out all the time.” We reach the coffee shop and he holds the door open for me. “Let’s get our coffee and go back to my place. We have a lot to discuss that regular ears shouldn’t be hearing.”
And somehow these simple words help me to feel better.
“I’m sorry, lass. I should’ve put two and two together sooner.” Jack says as Belle leaps around us in expressive joy over our return.
“It’s not your fault. It’s not like I spelled it out or anything.”
“Still no excuse for being a twit,” Jack practically scolds himself. “Anyway, so you’re Elias’ daughter. Something of a fairy tale yourself for a long time, you know that?”
“Explain.” I ask because his words confuse me.
“Surely you know the tale—what having lived it and all—but from what I know, up until recently everyone was certain you weren’t real. Elias hid you so well, he virtually erased you from existence.”
“Up until last year.” I murmur.
“Yes. So the question isn’t the how—but the why.” Jack stresses. “Why then? Hell—why now? What does that shiesty bastard have up his sleeve?”
Jack’s points are very astute and my cognitive cogs crank into overdrive. “I have this one theory, but it’s stupid.” I say.
“No theories are stupid.” Jack assures me.
“It feels stupid.” I shrug, but continue on anyway. “What if... what if Elias just wants to use the power in me to destroy—well—everything?” I take a brief moment to fill Jack in on my dreams—especially the most recent ones. “...but... well, that makes everything about me, and that’s what makes me feel so stupid, I guess. It seems very egotistical of me.”
Jack laughs. “Lettie, you silly girl—don’t you realize it’s always been about you?” Jack says. “You get that, right? I mean, in the past few months alone you’ve done more good than any of your predecessors. You’re the game changer everyone is worried about. You’re the wild card that can change everything.”
“It feels so... surreal I suppose.” I confess.
“Well, of course it does.” Jack grins. “Anyone in their right mind would surely feel the same—if they have half a brain, anyway. I can’t imagine it from your perspective, love. All that on your shoulders—no pressure or anything, am I right?”
“Yeah,” I admit because his words hit so close to home that I’m in a bit of a state of shock. “Yeah, you are.”
“Lettie, for millennia this world and others have been at war. This time we all stand at the same crossroad of our ancestors and those before them—yet something has changed. Something is different—and that something is you.”
“What if I don’t want it?” I ask softly, afraid of Jack’s response.
He comes over and lays an arm across my shoulder. It’s a gesture of compassion, nothing more or less. “Lass, I won’t lie to you. I’m sure it sucks, but it is yours, like it or not.”
I sigh. It’s a full-bodied resounding sound that begins deep within me and reverberates throughout me. “You’re right.”
“For once I’m sorry I am.” Jack says sadly. “But on the bright side, you found me. And I’m going to help you. Belle, too.”
This makes me laugh. “Maybe she should sit out some of the action, though.”
“Agreed. You saw her versus an ATV. That was too close for my liking.” Jack admits. “Besides, we have places to go and establishments aren’t always too keen on my four legged companion here.” Jack reaches into a high cupboard above his refrigerator and pulls out a massive knuckle bone. “Luckily my girl here is easily distracted.”
I finish my coffee before I stand and stretch. “Where are we off to?” I ask.
Jack gives me a once over. “Don’t take offense, lass, but we have to... er... find you something more appropriate to wear first.”
I look down and frown. “What’s wrong with what I have on?” Yet another man in my life ragging on my fashion sense, him and Shay should get along well.
“You’ll see.” Jack insists. “Do you mind if we go to your place, then?”
“Sure.” I relent.
“This is—and I quote, more appropriate?” I ask in slight awe of my current state.
“For where we have to go, aye. It is.” Jack confirms.
My head cocks as I study myself in the mirror. I feel ridiculous, but the chick staring back at me looks tough... and kind of sexy. Whatever. I’m not going to get hung up over an outfit while there’s work to do. “Okay. Whatever, let’s go.”
Jacks grins. “That’s the spirit, then. C’mon, love. Time to visit the supernatural underbelly.”
I follow Jack down the stairs and lock the door behind us. “Wait. This world or Abyssus?”
“Both.”
“Both?”
“Both.”
Huh. “I hadn’t realized there was a supernatural underbelly.”
“Love, there’s always an underground seedy culture. You just have to know where to look.” Jack turns a corner and our surroundings begin to look more worn.
“And you do?”
“When you’ve been around as long as I have, you learn things.” Jack explains. “The good news is that the best information is always found there—not to mention a virtual shit-ton of others Elias has crossed over the years who’ll be eager to rat him out.”
Jack tak
es a few turns through some back alleys. I know where we are, but I’ve certainly never looked twice at any of these buildings before.
“Listen love, I’ll need you to keep a bit of a low profile until I say otherwise, okay?” Jack asks.
“You’re the expert here.” I acquiesce.
“Okay... maybe we should have a code word or something?” Jack proposes.
“Code word?” I say skeptically. Jack must have seen too many movies. “What do you suggest?”
“Gefilte fish.” Jack says while I just stare at him. “What? It’s not something someone just says, so there can’t be any mistaking it then, can there be?”
“No, there most certainly can’t be.” I agree. “Fine. Code word Gefilte fish. Got it.”
Jack shakes his head, but pounds on the door. “For now just be cool.”
I remain silent, but frown. I’m not sure I know how to “be cool” as my experience with such is not a thing, like at all... ever.
The door opens and a large intimidating man stands within it. “Jack.” He says with a nod.
“Marcus.” Jack nods back.
Marcus looks me up and down. His eyes narrow before they widen. “Jack, is that who I think it is?”
So much for blending.
“Aye.” Jack says. “But keep it to yourself, would ya?”
Marcus gives me a small and somewhat scary smile. “I will—but for her, not you. Ma’am.” He says with a small nod to me as he moves his massive form out of our way. “I’d say be careful, but I think you’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, yeah. Have a good night.” Jack mumbles before he leads me inside.
The atmosphere inside this place is a lot of things, but none of them pleasant. A lesser person would’ve left by now. Unfortunately, I don’t have that option. I have matters to attend to.
Jack weaves us through the crowd like he’s done this a million times before—which he probably has, living forever and all. It’s tough to keep a low profile like Jack asks when people continue to stare at me. I’m not certain if it’s because they recognize me or because I’m fresh meat. Frankly, neither option excites me.
“Jack!” A man bellows from a few feet away.
Soul Decisions Page 7
