Possessed
Page 19
I turned to face Ivan and thought back to what he had done at the St. Charles hotel and although I probably should have gotten over it by now, I hadn’t. It still made me sick to my stomach and at that second, Ivan’s smug face infuriated me. “This is for trying to sell me into slavery,” I said, as I slapped him across the right cheek. “This is for whipping me,” I said, as I slapped him across the left cheek. “And this is for trying to strangle me with snakes,” I said, as I slapped his right cheek again. “This is for making me see blood everywhere,” I said, as I slapped his left cheek. “Don’t you ever dare try pulling that shit again. I have friends on the other side too.”
He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and grinned. “You’re so cute when you’re angry.”
“Arelia.” I heard Lucus call my name.
I ran to him, gave him a huge hug and sniffed him. I thought about Marie and how Jacques had been taken away from her in an instant. I didn’t want Lucus to disappear before I had a chance to tell him how I felt. Even though I tried to push the feeling aside, deep inside me, something told me that he was going to get taken from me. I gathered my courage and ignored the fact that I smelt like a dead animal and was soaking wet. “I love you,” I whispered.
There was a short silence and Lucus squeezed me tighter and I savored the feel of his sweaty sun-infused skin. He tucked the wet strands of hair that clung to my cheeks behind my ears and looked deep into my eyes. “I love you too, Arelia,” he said, as he brought his lips to mine and gave me a kiss so forceful that it left me weak.
It felt so good finally saying those words and as much as I wanted to hang out by the river and forget about everything else, Sabrina needed me.
I looked up at him. “I have something important to tell you. I don’t know how you’re going to feel about it.”
“Whatever it is we’ll take it on together.”
“Do you remember when you said that there were rumors that your dad may have had some affairs? Well…”
I felt Ivan behind me and turned around to face him and then looked at Lucus again. There was no easy way to say it, so I took the ‘ripping a Band-Aid off’ approach.
“Lucus, say hello to Louis, bound in flesh and bone. Say hello to your brother.”
Lucus stared at Ivan and then back at me. His expression was startled and tight. “Louis? My brother? But how?”
Ivan’s eyes simmered as sunbeams hit them. He looked at Lucus with a ferocity that was so vicious it made my skin crawl. “Hello brother,” he said before tackling Lucus and pulling him down into the river.
“What the hell, Ivan. You said violence is never the answer!” I screamed, as I watched them grapple and pull one another further and further into the water.
“There’s an exception to every rule, queen!” shouted Ivan.
“I swear I’ll do whatever it takes to ease your pain,” said Lucus, as he tried to avoid Ivan’s fist.
“Your mom’s waiting!” I shouted. “We need to go get Sabrina before it’s too late!”
Oddly, watching them fight made me a little happy. At least they were communicating, even if it was in a non-verbal manner. It was kind of normal. Two brothers fighting and splashing around in a river.
My pleas for them to stop fell on deaf ears and I didn’t have time to waste watching them fight. I had done everything Marie had asked of me. I had united Lucus and Louis and now I needed to get Sabrina, and fast.
Chapter 43
What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?
I ran non-stop from Darkwood River to the swamp. The heat was unforgiving and the bugs relentless as they feasted on my damp skin, but the only thing I could think of was Sabrina.
As I ventured further into the swamp, the wind gently rustled through the cypress trees, which promoted the strands of Spanish moss to gently sway. I entered the murky water and immediately headed to where I had left Sabrina’s body.
The rock was bare.
“Marie!” I shouted. “Marie! Where are you? I did everything you asked of me. I made Louis remove the trick and united Louis and Lucus. Their relationship is going to take some time- okay, a lot of time- and it’ll probably never be fully functional, but still, I did what you asked. Give me Sabrina!”
The swamp animals were silent as I continued to shout.
“Marie?” I waded further and further into the swamp, so far that the shoreline was far behind me. “Sabrina! Where are you?”
“Arelia. Arelia. Where has your friend gone? Are you lost, Arelia?” whispered a voice.
“Can you help me find, Sabrina? Where is she? What did Marie do with her?”
“I can help you, Arelia. I can help you for a price. What are you willing to sacrifice? You know spirits must be appeased. They must be satisfied. What are you willing to sacrifice?”
“I don’t have anything to sacrifice,” I said. “Please help me find her.”
“Of course you have many things to sacrifice. I can think of a couple of things. Look behind you.”
“Arelia!” I turned around and saw Lucus. Ivan was right behind him trying to pull him back by his t-shirt.
I ran to them. “Ivan, stop it! For a second can you please grow up! Sabrina’s not here. Your mom took her.”
“Took her?” asked Lucus.
I nodded. “She possessed Sabrina’s body to show me what I needed to see. She promised that once I united you guys she would let her go. She’s not responsible for placing the curse on you. Someone else is.”
Lucus looked puzzled and then relieved. “She’s not?”
I shook my head.
Lucus surveyed the swamp. “She must be here somewhere.”
Ivan was quiet as his eyes frantically searched the swamp. Without a word he started to walk further into the water. “Mother!”
“Oh, silly Arelia. Sabrina is no longer on this side. You haven’t seen all that you need to see. Sabrina won’t be free until you agree to see more.”
“What more do I need to see?”
“Are you willing to find out?”
I nodded. “Yes. Please just tell me where she is.”
“Are you willing to make the sacrifice?”
“Arelia, what is it?” asked Lucus.
I glanced at him and my heart sank. I knew what I had to sacrifice. I smiled at him like Marie had smiled at Jacques. It was a strong and reassuring smile; however my insides were broken and bruised. I looked up at the swirl of fluffy white clouds and knew that at least for a while my world would no longer be fluffy and cheesy.
I pulled him close and brought my lips to his ear and whispered, “Thank you.” I covered his mouth in a bittersweet kiss and prayed that somehow he would remember me.
Book #4
Coming Soon…
kirasaito.blogspot.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter Eight
Chapter 9
Chapter Ten
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
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Kira Saito, Possessed