“Cassie, where are you, Darlin’?” I hear Logan yell from downstairs. “I’ll drive you to the hospital, you’re upset and shouldn’t be driving.”
I stand still, hoping he thinks I already left. No such luck, I hear him come up the stairs and head for my room. “Cassie?” he asks, “are you up here, Darlin’?” He comes into the room, stopping when he sees me standing there with my clothes in my hand. His eyes turn ice blue, “What the hell are you doing, Cassie? Running away?”
“I can’t stay here and wonder which one of the people I love he is going to hurt or possess next. Dammit Logan, what if it’s you? I couldn’t stand it!”
My laptop on my desk flips open and the screen lights up. Logan turns and looks at it and turns back to me grinning.
“I don’t think you are going anywhere, Darlin’,” he says, turning the computer so I can see what is on the screen: Don’t let her go he will kill her.
I continue packing, knowing that Logan won’t let me go without a fight, dreading leaving him.
“Your Gram is right, I can’t let you go. He’ll find you wherever you run, Darlin’.” He comes over to me and grabs my arms, “I won’t let you leave.”
“Let go of me, Logan. You can’t make me stay.” I can’t hold back the tears, “I am not going to stay around here and watch the people I love become the tools of a demon! I would rather he kill me!”
I hear someone come in the door downstairs. “Reggie, are you still here?” James yells.
“Up here, James,” Logan yells.
“Traitor! Why don’t you let me go? I am doing this to save everyone I love, including you! Let me go, Logan!” Logan lets me go and stands there with his arms crossed, looking like he’s chiseled out of stone.
James walks in the room and surveys the clothes strewn around and Logan standing there like a pissed-off statue. “What is going on in here? Cassie, what are you doing?”
“She’s got it in her head to protect us by leaving. She has this crazy idea that she will keep us safe by facing this all by herself.”
“Are you nuts? What put that into your head?” James asks.
I sit on the bed, knowing I’m going nowhere unless I can convince these two that it will keep me safe. “Something that Matt said. He was getting bad headaches before that night just like Dan. I bet Mel will say that his eyes were glowing green, too. I can’t take the chance that you could possibly hurt Marie or Olivia because of me. I won’t let that happen! Please, let me go. It’s the only way to keep you all safe.” Tears are now running down my face, “Quit making this harder than it has to be. Let me go!”
James comes over to me and takes my hand. He stands in front of me, looking about has happy as the stone-faced deputy a few feet away. “There is no way in hell I’m letting you face this on your own. You’re family and family sticks together no matter what. You try to run and I’ll hunt you down and bring you back. You know I’ll do it, too.”
“I have to agree with him, Darlin’, there is no way that you are dealing with this alone. I promise, we will keep Marie and Olivia safe.”
“Yes, we will. I’ll send them to visit Marie’s mother tomorrow. According to Janet, this demon will get stronger the closer it gets to Halloween, which is in two weeks. We can keep you safe for that long, so no arguing about it, you’re staying!”
Chapter 42
It’s been two weeks and nothing has happened. I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin. Maybe that’s why I feel sick. My nerves are stretched so tight, it’s no wonder. I’ve been avoiding Logan, afraid I will see green in his eyes, afraid it will possess him next.
It’s 8 a.m. and it’s time for me to head to the bookstore. I have given Mel the time off she needs to be with Dan. Fortunately for him, there is no permanent damage and Mel has refused to press charges. I’m glad for that, since I know it wasn’t Dan that beat her up. I can’t tell her, she’d never believe me.
Logan has been sleeping in the guest room again. I can’t stand for him to be close to me. I’m too afraid of what might happen. He still ends up in my bed; he comes when he hears me scream myself awake. The nightmares have gotten worse, now it’s both Logan and James coming after me. I cake on the makeup, hoping to hide the dark circles and bags under my eyes. I walk past the guest room, almost opening the door. I miss arguing with Logan, he’s barely talking to me now. I hear murmuring from the guest room, “No, no, no, no! I won’t!”
I open the door, and see Logan tossing and turning in his sleep, mumbling. I go over to the bed and put my hand on his arm and shake him to wake him up. He must be dreaming. He grabs my arm tightly, pulling me down onto the bed and straddling me. His hands come up and go around my neck and he starts choking me. I hear Princess howling and scratching at the door.
I start hitting him, as hard as I can. I can’t breathe! My vision is going gray at the edges when my hand finds a glass on the nightstand and I break it against his head as I lose consciousness. This finally wakes him up.
“Holy shit, Cassie! Cassie, baby, come on baby, breathe for me! Dammit breathe!” He starts mouth to mouth and I finally start breathing again. I open my eyes and see Logan sitting on the edge of the bed looking like he’s going to be sick, his hands shaking.
“Logan?” I croak, and he turns to look at me.
“God, Cassie. What happened? I woke up with my hands around your neck and you weren’t breathing. Scared me to death! My head is pounding and I feel sick. What the hell is happening?”
“Water,” I croak, not sure I can say anything else. I was afraid something like this was going to happen.
Logan brings me a glass of water, pulling me into his lap. I look up and see that he is crying. “I thought you were dead, Darlin’, I thought I had killed you!”
“I was afraid of this,” I whisper, afraid to look into his eyes, afraid of what I will see. “The headaches have started, haven’t they? He’s trying to possess you, trying to use you to get to me.”
Logan suddenly gets up and runs towards the bathroom, I hear him being sick.
I try to stand up, swaying while the world tilts and whirls around me. I’ve got to get out of here, it’s all my fault! I fall to my knees, willing myself not to be sick. The next thing I know I see Logan’s worried face looking down on me and there is a damp cloth on my forehead.
“Hey there, Darlin’. Feeling better now? I guess almost getting chocked to death was a bit much for you,” he says, trying to smile.
“I guess so,” I whisper, trying not to cry. If I start crying now I may never stop. “How long have you been having the headaches? Have you had any blackouts?”
“I’ve woken up with a headache the last two days. They are so bad they make me physically ill, as you heard. No blackouts. I don’t think he can get to me while I’m awake, I’m too strong for him. Both Matt and Dan started drinking after the headaches started. I wonder if the demon was coercing them to drink, so that they would be easier to possess.”
I nod my agreement, sipping the water to soothe my throat.
“You are not going to the bookstore today. I’m taking you to the clinic.” He picks up his cell phone and hits a few buttons. “James, glad I caught you. We need to talk, there was an incident this morning.” He listen to James’ reply, “we’re both fine. We’ll see you in a few.”
He closes his phone and looks at me. “God Cassie, you look terrible! After we get done with James I’m taking you to the clinic. I want to make sure you’re OK.”
Just what I want to hear from the love of my life, that I look terrible. Tears start rolling down my face, I can’t seem to help it.
Logan pulls me back into his lap, just holding me close. He stokes my hair telling me everything is going to be OK. We’re going to get through this. I hear the front door slam and James running up the stairs.
“What happened? Is Reggie OK?” he asks. He looks at me and sees the bruises starting to show on my neck. “Get your hands off her, Logan! How could you do this to her?”
he yells, putting his hand on his gun.
Logan lifts both his hands, I stand up between James and Logan. “Don’t you dare James, just listen.” I croak, “Logan, tell him what happened, my voice isn’t up to it yet.”
“Yes Logan, tell me what happened. This better be good!”
Logan tells James everything that happened this morning, including him getting sick from the pain of the headache and coming back and finding me passed out on the floor. James goes from furious to concerned back to furious.
“How can we fight this? How can we kill this thing?” He looks at me, tilting my head back to get a better look at the bruises forming on my neck. His voice cracks as he says, “God Logan, you almost killed her. Come on, Reggie, you’re going to the clinic right now. You too, Logan. I need to know that there isn’t a medical explanation for your headaches.”
Logan puts on some jeans and a shirt and pulls on his tennis shoes. He picks me up and carries me out to James’ car, gently putting me the backseat. “I can walk, you know,” I whisper to him, “my legs are fine.”
“I know, Darlin’. It just makes me feel better to carry you. Any chance to have you in my arms.”
We get to the clinic and Logan opens the car door, reaching in to pick me up again. “No way! I’m walking in here on my own. I don’t want the whole town gossiping about you carrying me into the clinic. They’ll have me on my deathbed by morning.” That finally gets a smile out of him.
“When you two are done arguing the doc is ready to see you, Cassie.”
“James, make sure he doesn’t beat himself up too much about what happened. This is what I was trying to avoid by leaving.”
“I’ll try, Reggie. You sure he didn’t hurt you?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” And I walk into the clinic to face Doc and all his questions. Crap, I should have asked James what he told him.
Doc walks into the exam room, his eyes narrowing when he gets close enough to see the bruises on my neck. “Wow, Cassie, someone sure did a number on you. If I can believe what James told me it was Logan?” he asks, checking my pupils and my reflexes. Well, at least I don’t have to lie. “Yes, it was but it wasn’t. What all did James tell you?”
“James told me some crazy story about a Reverend and a demon trying to kill you before Halloween.”
“Yes, that’s the truth. I didn’t believe it, either, until it started happening to me.”
“OK. Well let’s do a complete workup just to be sure you’re OK. Let me draw some blood, you’re looking pale.”
“Oh all right. If you think it’s necessary.”
Two hours later I walk out of the clinic with a mostly clean bill of health. No lasting damage from being strangled. Doc is going to call me with the results of my blood tests later today. Logan’s headaches are not being caused by anything in his head, no brain tumors or other signs of trauma. I grab his hand and we head back towards my house.
Later that day, James calls Logan and asks him to come in to work. There have been numerous domestic disturbance calls all day. “You all right to stay by yourself tonight, Darlin’? I can have Steve come and sit outside the house if it makes you feel safer.”
“I’m fine. Having someone guarding the house isn’t going to do any good. Go do your job Logan, I’ll be fine. Princess is here with me. She’ll let me know if anyone comes around.” I pull him into a hug, kissing him with all the love in my heart. I almost admit my feelings to him but something stops me. I step back, not wanting to say goodbye. “Be safe, Logan.”
He steps away reluctantly, searching my face as if he can tell that my heart is at war with my head. “Love you, Darlin’. Call me if anything happens.”
I settle in to watch TV with a bowl of popcorn and a soda. Doc calls about my blood test and gives me some shocking news: I’m pregnant! Against all the odds, I’m pregnant. He wants me to come in first thing in the morning so he can do a full obstetrical exam. I’m so excited I can barely sleep, and I’m worried. What if I can’t carry it to term? What if I lose this one too? I am so exhausted that I fall asleep on the couch. I wake up in my bed. Good, Logan must be home.
Two hours later I wake up from my nightmare screaming, Logan’s after me, he’s stabbing me, and then Logan is there, holding me, making me feel safe.
The next time I wake up, it’s morning. The sun is shining in my window and I hear growling. Growling? I look over and see Princess standing at the foot of the bed growling at Logan. “Princess! What is up with you this morning? You should be used to finding Logan in my bed you silly girl.”
Logan rolls over and Princess growls louder, baring her teeth. OK, so something has her worked up this morning. Then I remember her howling and scratching at the door yesterday morning when Logan was being possessed by the demon. I jump up out of bed with my heart in my throat and start to back up towards the door. Logan starts thrashing about, yelling “no, no, no! I won’t do it, get out of my head!” and then he is awake and Princess is wagging her tail. Logan groans, “God, a headache again,” as he jumps up and runs for the bathroom where he is violently ill.
“You Ok, Dudley?” I ask after a few minutes. “You about done in there? I want to go to the bookstore today for a while.” I fib, planning on going back to the clinic to see Doc as promised. I’m not ready to share my news yet, I want to make sure everything looks good before I say anything. No sense in all of us being excited if it’s not going to last.
He comes out, looking sheepish. “Sorry about that, guess the demon tried again.”
I run into the bathroom for my own bout with nausea, glad I know why I’m feeling so bad in the mornings. Logan is going to be so excited when I tell him!
I turn on the faucet to start filling the tub so Logan won’t hear me being sick. He’s got so many things to be worried about right now I don’t want to add to it.
I come out later and find a note, “James called, the town is still going crazy. Be safe. Love you, Darlin’.”
He’s so sweet, I hope we can defeat this demon and get on with our lives. I want to make a family with him more than anything.
Three hours later I walk out of the clinic with what must be a giant grin on my face. Doc says everything looks fine. I’m about eight weeks along so it must have been the first time with Logan, when he took me against the wall. He is going to be so thrilled! I decide I’m going to tell him tonight so I don’t have to keep this secret for long. I want to shout it out for the whole town to hear!
I walk down to the bookstore and open for business for the day. Serving everyone with a smile is very easy today, I want to shout my news but I’m saving it for Logan. He deserves to hear it first. About three in the afternoon I get another surprise when Ragan Newlin walks into the bookstore. I haven’t seen her since we graduated from high school. I left to go to New York and she went to LA to go to college, eventually becoming a wildlife photographer. We email each other three or four times a year. “Ragan! When did you get back in town?”
“Last night. I heard about your Gram, I’m so sorry.” She gives me a hug when she sees the tears in my eyes. “She was a great lady. She always let me borrow the photography books whenever I wanted.”
We decide to grab some burgers and onion rings at the drive-in and take them back to my house so we can catch up in private. Ragan says she has something to discuss with me that she doesn’t want the whole town to know about. Something that might be connected to the danger I am in.
We finish up our lunch and make our way to the living room, sitting on the couch facing each other just like we did when we were in high school and wanted to talk about boys. I decide to start by asking the most obvious question, “How did you know I’m in danger?”
“That’s the reason I came back now. I had one of my visions.”
“You still have visions? We used to spend days trying to figure out what they meant when we were in high school. What was this one about?”
“I think it was about you. I don’t know for sure, it’s just
a feeling.” She grabs my hand, looking serious. “After hearing the rumors flying around this town, I’m sure it’s about you.”
“Well, the rumors are true. Someone is after me.”
“You need to be really careful. My vision is of the cemetery. James and Marie are standing off to the side, watching a tall, blond haired man who is kneeling in front of a tombstone, heartbroken. I can’t see the name on the marker but something tells me it’s yours.”
I get up and start pacing. “Is there anything else?” I can’t look her in the eye any longer. I’m afraid she’ll see how true this vision could be.
“Just that the man has lost his ‘Darlin’.”
I sit down as all the strength leaves my legs. “It is about me. The man sounds like Logan and he always calls me Darlin’.” I tell her everything that has happened, explaining that I am being threatened by a demon.
Two hours later we hug goodbye, promising to spend Saturday together. I head back to the bookstore, trying to keep from losing my mind. Thankfully, the bookstore is busy for the rest of the afternoon, keeping my mind off of everything I learned today. I don’t think I will tell Logan about Ragan’s vision, it would just make him worry even more.
I decide it’s time to close at about five. I’m just counting the register when James walks in, looking exhausted. “Hey, Cassie, how was your day?” He pulls off his hat and runs his fingers through his hair. “I think this whole town has gone crazy! We’ve been out on calls all day, some domestic disputes, some are neighbors getting into fights over nothing. It’s just been crazy and I’m tired.” He rubs his head, “and it feels like I’m getting a headache”. I turn around but he is bent over tying his shoe so I can’t see his eyes. He looks up at me and I’m glad to see his eyes and not the glowing green eyes of my nightmares.
“I’ve got some aspirin in the bathroom. I’ll get a couple for you.” And I head to the bathroom.
Saving Cassie (Fairfield Corners) Page 15
