“Relax, Charlie,” Keeper instructed, closing the bag and returning it to his belt. “I have no intention of adding you to my collection, regardless of what you choose.”
“Well, that’s good to hear,” relief dripped from Charlie’s reply. “Your magic is powerful, but so is Karma’s. I can’t say who would win in an all-out fight, but I’m terrified at some point we’re gonna find out.”
“Are you saying those are Angels?” Clarisse interrupted, having finally found her voice. “In those jewels, that’s where you had me trapped when I was in your prison?”
His voice softer, Keeper almost sounded as if he were explaining something to a small child. “Each gem is a collected being. Their essence; the energy of their existence compressed to its truest form. I wear them at my side that they may be safe at all times while in my care.”
“And how do you get them that small? All that matter crammed in such a small space, that bag must weigh a ton!” Charlie observed, his thoughts churning at the possibilities wielding such power could provide.
“That’s how it works,” Keeper advised. “Energy and matter are virtually interchangeable. E equals M C squared.”
“Einstein,” Charlie grimaced, glancing at his wife.
“I do not understand,” she answered in a small voice. “What does magic have to do with Einstein?”
“It’s not magic,” Charlie supplied, “it’s science.” Addressing Keeper, he demanded, “Is that what this is all about? Dividing the planes and keeping humans in line, one way or another? Smoke and mirrors, is that all this is?”
“To some, science is as good as magic.”
“Yeah, bull shit,” Charlie spat. “You know, I’m tired of you sidestepping the issues. You came here to talk, so spit it out already.”
The deep brown eyes glanced at Clarisse from beneath the hood, mentally assessing her. Frozen, she stared back, falling into what appeared to be a trance.
“What have you done to her?” Charlie demanded, noticing her altered state.
“She’s fine,” Keeper breathed, “It is better if my words stay between us, my son.”
Charlie stiffened, “I’m not your son. I’ve already told you to stop calling me that!” Standing up straighter, his arm dropped from around the girl and he stomped after Keeper as he sauntered down their private beach.
“Don’t be angry,” Keeper hissed. “I’ve only come to discern if you have finally found that which you seek; the truth about our world.”
“I’ve found enough, yes,” Charlie snapped.
“Then you are ready to declare your allegiance to me?”
“No,” the younger man scoffed. “I’d be crazy to cross Karma; as soon as I even seriously considered it, she’d strip away my protections… an’ I have other people to think about.”
“Your wife and child,” Keeper nodded, pausing to enjoy the breeze.
“My wife and -” Charlie almost shouted. “How did you know about that?”
“Keeper knows all,” he grinned more than usual for the second time, cutting Charlie a quick glance as he referred to himself in the third person. “Our alliance is critical. Do not worry about Karma’s discovery of the truth; she will not know. You will carry on, performing your tasks. Help her fill her house and make plans for the next phase.”
“Next phase,” Charlie puckered his lips, fighting the rage that welled inside him. “I’m gettin’ really tired o’ bein’ told what to do by you lot. An’ what phase would this be, anyways?”
“That is not your concern,” Keeper turned and moved down the edge of the water once more. “Remain focused, Charlie. You have been chosen for this task; you must help Karma fill her house. Only then will the divide be broken, with human and angel united once more.”
Charlie felt as if he had been punched in the gut, knocking all the air from his lungs. “You’re serious. You’re going to take off the blinders? Do you have any idea how much panic that’ll cause when people find out that aliens are here an’ what all you can do? Magic or not, they’ll be terrified!”
“It is the way things must be,” Keeper nodded. “When the time comes, you will understand the price that is to be paid; and the rewards that await us.”
“Great, more riddles,” Charlie muttered under his breath. “What if I don’ wanna be chosen for this? Get someone else t’ be your lackey, how ‘bout that?”
“This is your path to walk,” Keeper stated calmly, glaring across the water. “No other may fill your shoes.”
In an instant, the dark figured disappeared, leaving Charlie alone. Struck by a moment of fear, he turned to face the direction they had come. Seeing Clarisse still standing in her previous location, he trudged towards her, knowing he would do as Keeper had asked. I don’ got a choice, he rationalized to himself. The best I can do is help Karma like I promised and hope she don’ ever find out I’m not really on her side. Of course, he wasn’t on Keeper’s side either; if I could find a way to get rid of them both, I would damn sure take it!
Keeper of Lies
A Summer Spirit Novella
Volume 8
Samantha Jacobey
Lavish Publishing, LLC ~ Midland
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
KEEPER OF LIES. Copyright 2017 ©
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Lavish Publishing, LLC.
First Edition
Summer Spirit Novella Series, book 8
Ebook Edition
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States by Lavish Publishing, LLC, Midland, Texas
www.LavishPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Prologue
Heart of Darkness
The Blackest Rose
Flash from the Past
By the Fist
Keeper of Lies
Dante’s Deception
Momma’s Arms
Hidden Within
The Great Beyond
Strong Enough
Prologue
Charlie stared down at the sleeping beauty beside him. In the distance, the first light of dawn created a pink glow in the sky, streaking the blue that hung over their beloved ocean. “I love you, precious,” he whispered against her hair before tearing himself away.
Transported across the world in an instant, Charlie dressed himself in comfy jeans and a plain white long-sleeved cotton tee for the cool fall day. Crossing the magical plane, he strolled down the familiar path.
Arriving at the glass door of the Dairy Queen, he pulled the handle and smiled at the familiar sound of the bell as is clanged. David stood at the counter; being the same young man who had greeted him only a few days before, the cashier scowled in recognition.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“Hello,” Charlie beamed.
The younger man only glared at him, patiently waiting for his order.
“Give me a burger with onion rings an’ a giant coke,” Charlie sneered, taking a look around at the deserted place. Paying the tally and taking a seat along the back wall as usual, he rubbed his hands together almost eagerly. He had to admit, handing out justice was what he was best at, and Brett had a lot of justice coming.
Mentally retrieving the list of transgressions that Karma had presented him, he chuckled aloud. It had been in that very diner, at one of the tables
before him, that he had begun the task, of his own accord he might add.
His fingers gently tracing the edge of the table, he recalled how he had tormented the bully; dropping food on him before knocking him to the floor with an invisible hand. It was fun, he admitted to himself with a mild stab of shame; he had been Karma’s Minion long before he ever met her. I’ll do my best not to make Tabs suffer, he added thoughtfully. I’ll find a way to protect her while Brett gets his.
A few minutes later, the young man dropped a red plastic tray on the table next to him. “She isn’t here,” he informed him curtly.
“Yeah, I know,” Charlie shrugged with a sly grin. “Had her baby, didn’ she?”
“Yup. That night you came to see her, in fact,” David grunted, grabbing the chair across from him and taking a seat. “What did you do to her?” he demanded in a gruff voice.
“Do t’ her?” Charlie felt perplexed.
“Yeah, you got her all upset. Her and Brett had a big fight in the office, and the next thing we knew they were rushing her over to the hospital.”
“Oh,” Charlie sighed. “I didn’t know all that.” Knocking on the hard wood of the table, he shrugged. “I didn’t come here t’ upset her, I promise. I really am here t’ make amends,” he lied flatly.
“Well, don’t,” the teenager got to his feet. “Go away and leave them the hell alone,” he commanded as he turned to tend to the new guests who had arrived.
Eating slowly, Charlie considered his words. He knew the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt the girl who had been his whole world for so many years; the friend he could always count on.
However, she had made her choice when she got involved with Brett. She knew what kind of man he was; she had to know what he had coming, he rationalized. Slowly finishing off the rings, he envisioned how the man in question had made both their lives hell. Yeah, she should’ve known better than to cross that line.
Dropping his trash in the bin after the meal, he gave a friendly smile and a wave to the young man and headed out the door.
Heart of Darkness
Strolling down the path, Charlie whistled to himself as he walked towards the place Tabs and Brett now called home. A sick feeling crept into his gut, realizing that it had been the home he had known the longest; the one he never thought he would lose.
Arriving at the back porch, he clomped up the steps and rapped firmly on the wooden portion of the screen door. When the inner door opened, Tabitha herself glared down at him.
“What are you doin’ here?” she demanded sharply.
“Hi,” he grinned from ear to ear. “I told you the other day, I’m not here t’ cause problems. I wanna make things right, Tabs. Let me help you guys out.” Stepping onto the top level, so that he could look down at her, he waited for her to let him in. When it looked as if she might not give in, he gave her a small pout, begging softly, “Please, Tabs. We’ve known each other too long t’ end it like this. At least talk t’ me.”
Her features softening, she didn’t smile, but at least the frown disappeared. “You promise there won’ be any trouble?”
“No trouble,” he held up a hand to swear on.
“All right,” she unhooked the screen and gave it a slight push. “Ash is asleep, so you gotta be quiet,” she said softly.
“Ash,” he grinned broadly. “Is that what you named her?”
“Yeah,” the young woman flushed with pride, “Ashly Marie. Brett’s momma was named Marie,” she added absently.
“Yeah, I remember,” Charlie chuckled. “Have a seat an’ let me help you,” he encouraged, pointing her towards the table while he took over at the sink full of dishes she appeared to be washing. Contemplating they could be cleaned in an instant, including drying and putting away, with a simple smidge of magic, he grinned inwardly. Better take the slow route, he surmised.
Two hours later, he had helped her with the dusting and vacuuming as well, and had finally earned a seat on her couch while she covered herself to feed her restless infant. “So where have you been?” Tabitha asked with genuine interest. “We heard you got in some trouble in California. Then you an’ yur momma packed up t’ move away, an’ that was the last of you until you showed up here the other night.”
“Yeah, I know,” he gave her a sheepish grin. “I shoulda kept in touch, but things were a bit outta control for me there for a while. Trouble is putting it lightly. I got in a fight with some guy who was robbing a store. I tried to stop them, or did stop them I guess you could say. But, after I bloodied him up, he died, an’ that didn’t sit well with the police,” he explained as simply as he could.
“Holy shit,” she gasped while moving her babe to the other breast. “Then what happened?”
“Well, we had t’ move out there because of all that, but really mom wanted to go… you know. To get away from dad an’ all those memories. I think she was running from her sadness; maybe we both were.” His eyes darted around him. “Feels weird, you know. Being in this house again, only it’s not really the same.”
“Yeah,” Tabitha giggled, snuggling into a better position and relaxing. “I’m glad you’re here, Charlie.”
“Me too,” he smiled genuinely for a moment. “Anyway, she couldn’ take being here anymore. I got a light sentence, but while I was away she met some guy an’ the rest you could say is history.”
“Your mom took up with some guy?” she gasped. “Are they still together?”
“Yeah. Hard to believe I know,” he nodded. “So now, I got the itch t’ come home. They don’ need me there, an’ to be honest I hate seein’ them together,” he stated with full honesty. “I’m gonna look for an apartment here, or a rent-house, or somethin’.”
“You can stay over the garage,” she blurted without thinking. “We got that little apartment there, an’ Brett could use a hand there in the shop if yur needin’ a job.”
“Who’s needin’ a job?” Brett’s voice boomed as he joined them in the living room without notice.
Grinning up at him, Charlie cut his eyes over to see the shocked fear cross Tabitha’s face; “Me,” he clipped, looking back at his target.
His cheeks stained bright red with anger, Brett’s fingers clinched into fists. “You’re in my house,” he informed their guest when he had calmed enough to speak.
“It was my house first,” Charlie shrugged, content to make passive jabs, for the moment.
“Baby, Charlie’s back in town for a bit,” Tabs cooed. “He’s looking for a job an’ a place to stay. I thought you might like another hand at the shop. You’re always complainin’ that there ain’t enough help…” her voice trailed away meekly.
Something isn’t right, Charlie mused. Watching the couple, he couldn’t place his finger on it, but he knew he wasn’t going anywhere, Karma or no Karma. “Yeah, man; help a brother out,” he grinned at his adversary. “I’ll do whatever job needs t’ be done, an’ the apartment don’ need t’ be fancy.”
“Well, good, cause it ain’t,” Brett stated through gritted teeth.
Staring at the pair of them through wide eyes, Tabitha breathed in shallow pants. Finished with the feeding, she struggled to keep her breast hidden beneath the blanket until her clothing had been righted and she could remove the cover. Lifting her infant onto her shoulder, she patted the tiny back gently until a soft belch could be heard in the eerie quiet as the two males stared each other down.
“So, how ‘bout that job?” Charlie finally prodded, not daring to look at his friend as she moved to care for her newborn.
Cutting his eyes over at his wife, Brett glared at her for a long moment. “Let’s go. I’ll show you the place an’ get you on the clock tomorrow,” he growled with a wave of his hand to move the other man out of his seat and towards the door. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he informed his bride over his shoulder as the screen door slammed behind them.
Marching down the steps behind him, Charlie climbed into the passenger seat of the tow-truck Brett had taken to dri
ving as of late. “So, you got Ben’s old rig,” he said aloud as they pulled out of the drive.
“Yeah.”
“You like it?”
“Nope. But job’s gotta get done,” Brett’s voice remained deep with buried anger.
Considering the man next to him, Charlie thought how Tabitha had portrayed him as a changed man when they had met at the DQ the other night. Looking at him now, he didn’t look very changed. In fact, he looked about as heartless and disrespectful as he had always been; if anything, he had simply learned to cover it up.
“Well, I’ll be glad t’ help,” Charlie forced himself to smile, hoping it lifted his voice into the range of pleasant.
“I bet,” Brett grunted as they exited the cab and climbed the narrow wooden set of stairs that ran along the side of the garage at the station. “This here’s the apartment. If you’re gonna be livin’ here, you’ll be in charge o’ closin’ down the shop in the evening an’ openin’ the doors in the morning. You’ll get a few hours off durin’ the day, but it ain’t a fun job.”
“Yeah, they never are,” Charlie agreed, staring into the black before Brett switched on the light to reveal the ragged sofa on the far wall, with a hallway straight in front of him and beside the couch. To his left sat a wooden table with two straight-backed chairs, probably for dining, such as it was. To the right, a kitchenette held a fridge and cook top with two burners. A microwave on the counter next to it took up what there was of work space, and he had to focus hard not to let his voice give his displeasure away. “Looks nice.”
“It’s a dump,” Brett informed him bluntly. “Bedroom’s back there,” he indicated the short hall leading to the second room. “An’ the bugs should have fun while you’re sleepin’. Good night,” he turned his back, slamming the door as he exited and stomped down the stairs.
The Keeper Set - Summer Spirit Novellas 7 - 9 Page 6
