Paranormal After Dark

by Rebecca Hamilton

  Every word they said sounded strange. I could hear their heartbeats and everything was so vivid. If I turned my head to the side, I could hear their shallow breathing from across the beach. My own pulse raced, pounding in my ears. A million different scents assaulted my nose and every hair on my body stood on end with unseen electricity.

  “Give. It. To. Me!” Samell said, squeezing their necks harder. His voice sent shivers down my spine and I saw Sterling’s eyes bulge as Samell twisted his neck and applied more pressure. He had them both in a vise-like grip and a moment of panic settled over me. I felt like an animal caught in a trap. I felt defeated.

  “The answers are inside of you, Selena.” I could hear my mother’s voice, whispering to my soul. What the hell? How was that possible? Was I going insane? I spun around, searching for the voice. My eyes watered and my throat grew tight. No one else was there on that beach! I begged the goddesses above to help me, I had no idea what to do!

  As I watched the life being sucked out of my friends, a strange calm settled over me and I knew the answer to all of my questions. I didn’t need help or guidance from above or the great beyond. Nothing mattered except saving Kelly and Sterling. I knew without question what had to be done.

  I yanked the crystal off of my neck and held it in the air, watching as it turned black. Storm clouds gathered and lightning struck all around me. The thunder shook the ground with magnificent glee and Samell’s smug, demonic face looked unsure, panicked even.

  My crystal emitted a high-pitched noise, worse than any high-frequency feedback I’d ever heard. The stone pulsed with energy and danced inside, casting brilliant strobes of blinding light all around us. I threw it at Samell as hard as I could. I saw my friends crashing to the sand the moment I let go of the crystal. Samell was so intent on gaining those powers, he wasn’t concerned with Kelly and Sterling.

  I no longer cared what happened to the power yielding bauble and I rushed to my friends on the shore. Above the crashing waves and storm, I heard Samell mutter words in a strange voice. In his hands, he held the crystal, the power he craved, the power he’d desired for years, the power he’d created me to obtain and a giant wind lifted him into the air as he chanted and mumbled. Samell hovered high above us over the sand. I shielded Kelly and Sterling with my body as best I could as Samell rattled on and on in his own demonic language.

  The waves grew and swirled under his feet before they crashed back into the huge ocean. Wind tore the clothing from his body and lightning destroyed each piece as it fell away from him. Serpents and reptiles poured out of his flesh and his eyes, full of fear and confusion met mine. I held onto my friends for dear life.

  He screamed “Selena!” just before he vanished in a deafening explosion of flames.

  That was the last thing I heard. At that exact moment, everything disappeared and I do mean everything. There was no light. No sound. I floated on a sea of blackness, alone.

  Chapter 28

  AFTER THE EXPLOSION, I wasn’t able to remember much of what had happened. Kelly’s throat had taken quite a beating and she lost her voice but Sterling was kind enough to tell everyone every detail. According to his story and Kelly’s emphatic nods, I had partially shifted. A brand new thing no one had ever experienced and therefore, yet another quirk unique to me. In the words of my beloved cat, I ‘kicked some serious demon ass!’ No one has heard from Shawn, Roberta or Samell so I’d guess it’s safe to say we won.

  When I woke up after all Hell broke loose, literally, my mother was holding my hand. Aunt Elizabeth and Katherine were smiling ear to ear.

  “Welcome back, Kitten” and of course Keith was right by my side.

  “What happened? Are we all dead? Did I kill us all?”

  “No, sweetheart” Mom said. “You saved us.”

  “But how? I gave him the crystal.”

  “Yes, but it had your demon powers in it. When Samell released them, he was devoured by your magic. Your powers surpassed his!” My aunt said.

  “My demon powers?”

  “Yes, dear. You’ve had your magic this entire time. We never took that away. Just in case you needed some help. We knew you’d do the right thing.”

  Tears flowed down my face as I stared at them in disbelief.

  “So, I’m no longer a demon? Or half-demon?”

  “Technically, yes. But, you no longer have demon powers and abilities as you did before. Your blood however is still mixed with Samell’s. Being bitten by Keith has helped dilute it some, though and you will still be able to keep tabs on other demons when the need arises. Call it ‘demon radar’ if you wish.”

  “Great.”

  “I know it isn’t what you wanted to hear, Selena. But according to Kelly and Sterling, you are one wicked bitch!” My mother said and everyone erupted in laughter. Of course, mother blushed at her use of such a profane word but laughed right along with us. I knew they’d all been dying to say something about me being wicked and who better than my mother to do just that?

  Aunt Elizabeth and my mom shared more information of Summerland and its history with me. I eagerly soaked up every bit of everything they said. I finally understood how important all of this was and it was up to me to keep everyone safe, both here in Summerland and back at home in Salem Ridge. My father, Joseph, told me how proud he was of me and said he knew I would come around. According to him, I’m just like my mother.

  Kelly and Sterling were inseparable. The entire time Sterling had been in my life, I’d never seen him so attached to anyone other than me. Once in a while, I felt a pang of jealousy, but it was so nice to see him happy.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s in love.”

  “He is, dear.” My mother was at my side.

  We’d watched Kelly and Sterling walk about the grounds of Summerland day after day. Often, they would go off together and no one would hear from them for hours. At first, I attributed their relationship to the events of the prior week. But after we saw the looks and glances they’d give each other, it became more apparent their relationship was real. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. After all, Sterling was my best friend and he was a cat. How could a cat and a wolf be life-mates?

  “Selena, there are so many things you need to learn,” my mother laughed softly. “I suppose I never had the chance to teach you the truth about familiars and that’s my fault, I know. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it. Sterling isn’t just a cat, he’s a man.”

  “What? You can’t be serious. I’ve shared the last twenty-five years with a man? Undressed, gone to the bathroom and done an incredible amount of private things in front of a man? I think I’m going to be sick.”

  She shook her head and grasped my hand, “Dear Selena, it isn’t like that. Sterling was serving his own sentence. Before you were born, he used his magic to cast a spell on a young lady back In Salem Ridge. Her name was Margaret Wilson, the daughter of a prominent family, a human family.

  “He loved her more than anything,” she continued, “even more than his powers and freedom. However, his spell went wrong and the girl suffered a nervous breakdown. You know as well as I do love spells, if cast on the unwilling, can backfire. She became obsessed with Sterling to the point he could not even go to the store with her flying into some fit of jealousy. Sadly, one night while Sterling was in town playing cards with friends, she committed suicide.

  The council, of course knew of the spell, but at the time they weren’t concerned. They felt the spell would die out and never dreamt such a tragedy would occur. Sterling was so distraught he threw himself on the mercy of the council and surrendered his powers, his life and freedom. He begged them to punish him. Sterling threatened to kill himself, to die and be with the woman he believed he had pushed to suicide. The council felt he was a danger to himself and others, and he was.”

  “Poor Sterling!” It was so hard to imagine my wonderful feline friend suffering like that.

  “They deliberated for weeks while Sterling w
as locked in a cell in the dungeons. He refused to eat or drink and he didn’t speak one word the entire time. The only company he had while incarcerated was a tiny mouse. He cared for that little rodent as if it were his own child. That one act of compassion proved to the council Sterling wasn’t truly ready to die. It made their decision, though difficult because they all cared about and sympathized with Sterling’s plight, a much simpler one to make.” My mother paused, her eyes were full of tears. Her heart has always been huge and any hurt another suffered, she felt just as intensely as the person who felt pain, whether it is physical or emotional. Sure, she’s an empath, but I always teased her by playfully calling her a sap.

  “He was brought before a jury of his peers, much like you were and the elders sentenced him to a lifetime as a familiar.”

  Tears rolled down my cheeks, my heart felt like it broke for my friend. He was so much more than I ever knew.

  “Now, the elders, myself included have been discussing this matter. Yes, he was sentenced to a lifetime without magic. He was allowed to be around it, but it would be impossible for him to practice the craft. Even if he tried, it would not work.”

  “I can’t imagine how difficult it has been for him all of these years! And to be around me when I surrendered my powers and turned my back on the craft! I could have done all of the things he couldn’t and I took it all for granted. He must have hated me for that. But he never showed it.” Somehow, my heart swelled with even more love for my familiar. “So, he has to stay in cat form forever?”

  “Well, we’ve decided his sentence should be ended. The elders, who sentenced him, have since moved on to new lives and we believe he has paid for his actions long enough. His actions since his sentence have been honorable and heroic. To us, he should have his life back. What do you think, Selena? Could you handle not having a familiar? You don’t necessarily need one any longer. You have Keith now.”

  I pondered what my mother said. The thought of living without my best friend felt like it ripped my heart in two. Sterling had been with me my entire life. How was I going to go on without him? But who was I to keep him trapped?

  “Have you asked Sterling how he feels?”

  “Not yet,” my mother replied. “I wanted to speak with you first. It’s your call. After all, he belongs to you.”

  I looked across the garden and saw Kelly and Sterling lying in the grass together. Kelly’s arm reached out and she rubbed him under the chin, while she murmured words of love.

  “She loves him, mom. Kelly wishes her were a real man, she thinks he is perfect. Does she know the truth about him?”

  “Only if he told her, Selena. But I doubt he has.”

  “What would you do?” I looked into my mother’s eyes and she smiled.

  “This isn’t about me, darling. This is your choice. Like I said, all of the answers you will ever need are inside of you. You just have to ask the right questions and listen with your whole heart. Whether you like the reply or not isn’t important. The answer will always be just what you need to hear.” She knew it was not an easy decision and she hugged me as hard as she could.

  She was right. I knew what needed to be done. Sterling should have a life, a real life. With Kelly, he could share what was left of his time on earth and he could experience love, true love. Who was I to stand in the way of that?

  “So when should we tell him?” I smiled and I knew in an instant it was the right thing to do.

  “Whenever you want, sweetie. By the looks of it, I’d say the sooner the better. Those two need to get started on their life together.”

  * * *

  WE HAD A double wedding ceremony in Summerland, surrounded by our friends and family from both the great beyond and Salem Ridge. It was nice to be accepted by everyone again. Well, almost everyone. Janice was missing in action. No one had seen her for over a week and that was just fine with me.

  Kelly and I both wore bridal gowns designed by Amaris. No, they weren’t see-through. She created a long, white, billowy, silk dress with a halter style neck-line that was perfect for Kelly. I’d never seen her look so beautiful. She literally beamed with happiness and love. My dress was shorter, knee-length, strapless and white, of course. The beautiful garment was made of hand-sewn vintage lace from my mother’s wedding gown. To be honest, it was the most gorgeous dress I ever saw. No, it wasn’t the seven-thousand dollar gown created by Janice, but it was worth so much more. Priceless is the best way to describe how I felt.

  Sterling and Keith were more laid back with their attire. Cowboy boots, perfectly cut jeans, button-down shirts and hats completed their look. They were the most handsome men we’d ever seen. Keith with his piercing eyes and rugged physique, Sterling with his dark gray, almost charcoal colored hair and his athletic, lean build, both they were perfect. Sterling, of course fidgeted with the collar of his shirt a lot, but he’d never been one for collars anyways. Kelly and I laughed, grateful some things never changed.

  Aunt Elizabeth presided over the ceremony, while my father and Kelly’s father, Kyle walked us down the aisle. Not one of the pearls or beads fell off of our dresses, none of the lace ripped and neither of us stumbled, so I’d say our wedding went off without any karmic hitches. The only tears that fell the entire day were tears of happiness.

  After we cut our wedding cake, Keith pulled me to the side and we left the many guests to enjoy the party. “Ready for your first full moon, kitten? It can get kind of wild.”

  “Oh, you bet I am wolf-man. The wilder, the better. Just try to keep up with me.”

  “Are you sassin’ me, kitten?” I smiled at his endearing pet name for me and said nothing.

  “You wicked little witch,” he playfully spanked my behind and off we went to our new future without a care in the world.

  * * *

  Want to read more by Madison?

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  About Madison Sevier

  Romance author, Madison Sevier, officially began her writing career in 2011 by going after her lifelong dream and has been having the time of her life ever since.

  Her days are spent homeschooling her daughter and doing the bookkeeping for her husband's business. At night, she gets to become someone else, creating characters who work their way into the hearts and minds of romance readers everywhere.

  Being a coffee-addicted Gemini, Madison is known for doing whatever strikes her fancy at any given moment. Some of her favorite hobbies include; hiking, geocaching, animal rescue, writing, reading, baking, horseback riding and she loves NASCAR.

  Living in what everyone calls 'Kentuckiana' with her husband, daughter, two Chihuahuas, one Saint Bernard and two cats, she's found the perfect paradise to allow all of her stories to come to life. Against a backdrop of the Ohio River and surrounding hillsides, she never knows where a new romance will come from. But you can be sure you're going to hear about it.

  She loves hearing from her readers and meeting new ones, so feel free to contact her anytime.

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  JUMP TO...

  A DOSE OF BRIMSTONE by NOREE COSPER

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  THE COMPLETE BLOODLING SERIAL by AIMEE EASTERLING

  SHE WHO FIGHTS MONSTERS by KYOKO M

  ST. CHARLES AT DUSK by SARAH M. CRADIT

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  UNDERLIFE by MARISSA FARRAR

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  CARPE NOCTEM by KATIE SALIDAS

  A QUESTION OF FAITH by NICOLE ZOLTACK

  UNDERLIFE

  BY MARISSA FARRAR

  Copyright © 2012 by Marissa Farrar

  Thomas Young has no idea where he comes from. Found living on the streets as a child and put into foster care, he always dreamed of having a family of his own. Now a grown man, he has his much longed for family, but his life is tinged with sadness. His son, David, has leukaemia.

  One night, as he's driving home from the hospital, he hits a homeless man, Mack, with his car. Mack knows Tom from his childhood and tells Tom he was once part of London's underground homeless and his son's leukaemia is not all it seems.

  In a desperate bid to save his son's life, Tom heads down into the miles of abandoned tubes lines and stations. But he quickly discovers something far more sinister waits for him than the giant rats, drug addicts and fast trains. There is also something dark and shadowy, and it wants out...

  UNDERLIFE

  eBook Edition

  ISBN 978-0-9571524-8-9

  Copyright © 2012 Marissa Farrar

  Published by Warwick House Press