Immortal Memory (Book One)

by Sylvia Frances

  Mandy searched everywhere for Simra. She fought back a sob from the thought of never seeing her cousin again. Sim never returned to the lake house like she said would. Mandy tried calling her cousin, but she didn’t answer. She drove to Sim’s home, work, and contacted her cousin’s friends. No one heard anything from Sim.

  It was almost like she vanished from the face of the earth without a trace. The demon must have captured her again. Hopefully, Jeff would find her at the abandoned house and bring her back to safety. Then again, what if Tristan took her somewhere else this time?

  Shivers crept down Mandy’s spine. Sim might be dead. Desperation consumed Mandy to find her. She would not sleep until she found her cousin!

  Mandy rushed into the Alzheimer’s home to drop off their grandma. Lucinda was going crazy! Mandy met Jeff upon arriving at the facility. Lucinda’s behavior worsened since Sim disappeared. Lucinda flew off the handle whenever Sim got captured by Tristan.

  The nurses were unaware of the problems. Mandy and Jeff agreed to meet up at the facility after searching awhile. Quint remained under closer observation in prison after Jeff completed the paperwork.

  The detective walked inside the home. Much concern filled Jeff's chocolate brown eyes behind his glasses. “Anything?”

  Mandy shook her head in despair but admired Jeff's concern. She didn't fall for him until recently. Mandy reached for the detective and held him with a tight grasp. She resisted the urge of tears misting in her eyes.

  “Let's go to Grandma's room.” Mandy explained how Lucinda behaved each time Sim was in danger.

  Jeff followed her toward Lucinda’s room and spoke in a hushed tone. “Ms. Lucinda has a connection to Sim and Tristan. Everything Sim’s told us has happened. I wish we could see Zach. I bet he knows where Tristan has her.”

  Mandy nodded. “I agree. You checked the abandoned house?”

  Jeff turned toward Mandy and scratched his chin in deep thought. “Yeah. I smelled the corpse, but the house was empty. That’s where they were last time. Sim never called me to come and meet her there.”

  Lucinda paced the floor with her hands trembling, and Mandy took her hands. “Grandma, what is it? You worried about Sim?”

  Lucinda’s eyes widened in dismay, and anger reeled in their depths. Her grandma mumbled until her words became somewhat clear. “Hhh. Hsss. Hsss. His house!”

  Mandy turned to Jeff and couldn't control her lips from parting with surprise. The surge of tears fell from Mandy’s eyes. “Impossible! What about it, Grandma?” Mandy grasped her grandma’s shoulders with gentle hands.

  Lucinda framed her granddaughter’s face in her fragile hands, and the old woman’s eyes grew wider. “Take….me.”

  Mandy placed her hands on Lucinda’s, and tears streamed from her own eyes. “It’s dangerous, Grandma. I’m sorry, but we can’t. You might get killed.”

  Although Lucinda seemed petite and delicate, she jerked Mandy closer from her towering height. She cried into her granddaughter’s ear. “Take….me!”

  Jeff interrupted the two ladies. “I believe it’s a good idea to take her, Mandy. We’ll keep Ms. Lucinda safe. Prayer and faith can protect us. She could lead us to the body. Tristan's distracted with Sim right now. We should find it.”

  “Are you insane, Jeff? Tristan’s crazy! I don’t want our grandma anywhere near that place. That hideous monster almost killed us in car wrecks and cursed our grandma. Something could happen.”

  Jeff grasped Mandy’s shoulders and gave her an intense look. “I promise I’ll protect Ms. Lucinda. Besides, we have the angel and God on our side. Pray about it, and have faith. Remember how the Lord saved our lives in the wrecks? He’ll protect us as long as we believe. We need your grandma there. The demon’s body is somewhere in that house. Ms. Lucinda may find the exact location of the corpse. I know she has Alzheimer's, but she's aware of a lot about Tristan.”

  He paused and added, “Sim can’t find the body because of Tristan’s constant interference. He’s too possessive of her. After we find the body, we can find Sim. Sim can destroy him. Then, Sim can return to her normal life.”

  “I don’t like that idea, and Sim’s going to be furious. But... I agree about Grandma leading us to the body. Sim couldn’t find it anywhere inside the house. I bet Grandma knows where the thing’s hidden. Keep her safe, Jeff. Promise?”

  Jeff framed Mandy’s face in his hands and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “I promise, Honey. You and your family mean everything to me. I’ll do everything in my power to protect all of you from danger. I’ll save you-especially from a rampant demon like Tristan. In fact, I’ve made up my mind on staying in Longview.”

  He paused and added, “I’m not returning to live in Dallas ever again. I want to be with you. Let me protect you, Sim, and Ms. Lucinda. We’ll settle down after Tristan’s destroyed. I came back to Longview to sort out my feelings and decided I belong here with you.”

  Mandy returned his tender kiss, and tears stung her eyes. “You’re staying? Oh Jeff, I’m so happy! I want to spend the rest of my life with you too.” She turned toward her grandma again and framed the woman’s face. “We’ll take you to Tristan’s house, Grandma, but please be careful.”

  Lucinda grasped her granddaughter’s hand and rushed out the door with Mandy and Jeff. The detective led them to his car once they stepped outside.

  Mandy helped Lucinda into the backseat and snuggled against her. “Grandma, I love you so much. We’ll break this curse and destroy Tristan. I promise.”

  Jeff drove in the direction of the house. Lucinda’s hands trembled, and her words jangled together. Mandy’s heart bled for Lucinda. Her grandma’s emotions must be raging with agonizing pain.

  Mandy’s stomach twisted in knots just thinking about how the demon wanted Sim all to himself. She squeezed Lucinda in her arms, and a deep yearning devoured Mandy’s heart. She'd die to protect her loved ones from that horrid monster.

  Jeff turned to grab her attention. “Mandy, we’re here. You all right?”

  Mandy almost didn’t hear the detective. “Just scared."

  "Let’s pray before going in there.” He took Mandy’s hand and placed the other on Lucinda’s knee. “God, please surround us with Your protection. Watch over us as we enter this house, and let Your will be done. Amen.”

  Lucinda grabbed Mandy’s hand and hurried out of the backseat. The woman continued mumbling. Mandy squeezed her grandma’s fragile hand. Tremors slithered down Mandy's spine as she studied the two-story plantation home.

  Shadows embraced the house; it seemed the place had a dark secret hidden within that haunted Lucinda. Mandy couldn’t imagine how Sim stayed with the demon so long in such a place. A deep regret gnawed at Mandy’s insides for not finding her cousin sooner. Sim ran to the courthouse with such terror in her eyes. Mandy couldn't imagine what her cousin and Lucinda endured and swallowed back a heavy sob of despair.

  The detective paused at the front door. Jeff’s hand rested on his pistol in the holster. “Ready?”

  Lucinda hissed and kicked the door open. Mandy’s grandma allowed nothing or no one to get in her way. The woman slid through the entrance with her hands compressed at her sides.

  Mandy followed her grandma inside with Jeff. Lucinda’s intent gaze remained on the wide staircase. The woman wrenched her hand from Mandy’s and walked ahead of them.

  Silence filled the house, and Mandy only heard her own painful heartbeats. The rooms overwhelmed Mandy with gloom and hopelessness. The demon must have brought her cousin to a more evil place than this the second time. Tristan created nothing but chaos for Sim.

  It weakened Mandy’s body to think of losing her. How did Sim endure it so long? The silent, empty house carved a hollow hole in the pit of Mandy’s stomach and almost sickened her.

  Mandy blocked Lucinda from going upstairs. “Grandma, no. We can’t go upstairs. Why don’t you let Jeff go up? You and I will wait here.”

  Lucinda hissed in defiance and jerked fre
e from her granddaughter’s grip. The woman began walking up the stairs anyway. Her grandma barely made it up each step. Mandy placed her hands at Lucinda’s tiny waist. She helped Lucinda take every step without falling. Her grandma risked her own life to save Sim.

  Jeff steadied Lucinda and helped her up the stairs. “Dynamites do come in small packages, don’t they? Ms. Lucinda, allow me to carry you up there. It’ll be much easier for you.”

  Lucinda mumbled in response to the detective. She wrenched away from him and continued her slow steps up the staircase. The floor boards creaked beneath their feet.

  Jeff gave Mandy a puzzled glance. Lucinda ignored them with her gaze intent on the steps below. Sim inherited her strength, determination, and independence from Lucinda.

  They stepped onto the second floor, and Jeff turned to Mandy. “We can’t burn the body if she leads us to it. Sim’s the only one who can destroy Tristan. But we'll tell Sim where it is when we find her.”

  Mandy pressed her lips together and eyed her grandma. The body's rotgut stench burned the back of Mandy’s throat. “We’ll find Tristan’s corpse and keep trying to find Sim. I hope and pray she’s still alive,” she glanced at Lucinda, “I don’t believe our family can handle much more death.”

  Lucinda froze at the top of the staircase. The woman tilted her head and focused on the ceiling down the hall. Fury burned in her grandma’s eyes.

  Mandy studied where Lucinda held her gaze. Dust and chipped white paint covered the surface. But there was no opening for an attic. Lucinda kept staring at the bare spot. Jeff and Mandy searched every hall and room for an attic but found nothing.

  “Is his body there, Grandma?”

  Lucinda's eyes widened with a cold and bitter fright. Her mumbling voice cried louder. Mandy stepped in front of her grandma and faced the descending staircase. The front door slammed from downstairs and vibrated the old walls. Mandy’s bones quivered with the violent tremor of the house.

  Heavy footsteps pounded through the place like thunder. Mandy gripped her grandma’s arm tighter. The mad stomps came closer toward them up the stairs. Jeff drew his pistol and prepared for what approached.

  Mandy placed her lips against Lucinda’s ear and cried a soft whisper. She blocked Lucinda from view. “Grandma, stay behind me.”

  Ragged, frigid whispers pricked Mandy’s neck like sharp icicles. Mandy jerked around and screamed when the invisible creature picked up a pallet. The demon placed it on top of her to trap Mandy. Silence filled the house, and Jeff aimed the gun in different directions.

  The detective cried out Mandy’s name when the creature grabbed his ankles and dragged him down the stairs. “Mandy!”

  Mandy winced at the loud thud on the bottom of the staircase. “Jeff! You all right?”

  Mandy’s heart hammered against her chest when the detective didn’t respond. The creature’s footsteps pounded up the stairs toward Lucinda. “Grandma, don’t let him hurt you! Where’s Sim, you monster?”

  Although Mandy couldn’t hear or see the vile demon, the frigid caress of his laugh seemed to crawl down her spine. A painful ache devoured Mandy’s stomach at the thought of losing everyone. Lucinda stood frozen in place with her eyes widening. Fog floated from her grandma’s lips. Mandy’s constant struggles to escape were pointless.

  A numb weakness spread through her veins at the thought of losing her entire family in this house. The enemy caused Mandy to question her faith. Nothing or no one but a miraculous act of God could save those she loved. Fright devoured her heart for their lives so much that trusting God seemed impossible. Mandy’s tears and perspiration burned through her. Never did she believe this kind of day would come!

  Chapter 31

  "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. -John 15:13

  Simra removed the island's curse with holy prayers that Zach taught her. They chased away all evil on the piece of land. A warm breeze embraced her body after completing the prayers. God had answered Simra in an instant. The Lord’s powerful grace filled her heart with tenderness.

  Surely He would save her family again too. She realized how much she did not trust God since she lost her parents. So much had changed recently. The angel followed her toward the center of the island. His eyes sparked into a raging fire. He studied the drugs planted in the center of the island.

  She slid into his arms after they walked back to the shore. “I dreamed of this place many times. It’s strange how the repeating vision became reality.”

  Zach brushed a soft kiss across her lips. “Azazel could’ve caused the dream. Then again, God probably sent you a warning about the future. We’ll stop my brother.”

  The salty breeze caressed her lips, and the waves crashed onto the brilliant white shore. Simra’s head spun with worry about her family. Her stomach twisted into knots. She gazed at Zach with a sob catching in her throat. Reaching around his waist, Simra clung to him.

  Simra buried her face into the angel’s black shirt and inhaled his strong cedar aroma. “I’m so afraid.”

  Simra thought about Zach’s big plan again and got ready to face evil. She’d risk anything to save Lucinda and the rest of her family! “Let’s go.”

  Zach breathed warm kisses against her brow. Gathering Simra into his arms, he began carrying her back to Longview. “Place the note inside Jeff’s car before you walk into the house. If Mandy and Jeff know about our plan while Azazel’s there and not distracted, he’s won. Remember how to shield my brother from reading your mind. Only you can destroy him. The rest of us have our parts.”

  Zach carried her quicker than usual. Simra rubbed her eyes when they arrived at the old house. Her head reeled with dizziness. A churning ache knotted her stomach when she noticed Jeff’s brown car parked in front of the home. Someone had kicked open the house’s front door.

  Zach reached for Simra’s arm and stopped her from running inside the place. “Regardless of what happens, shield your thoughts.”

  Simra reached into her pocket and squeezed the note between her fingers. She opened Jeff’s car door and placed the note on the driver’s seat. “He’ll regret ever knowing me if he’s hurt them.”

  Zach lifted her chin with a finger after Simra closed the door without making a sound. “Don’t allow your anger to interfere. Remember, this chaos will end if everything goes as planned. Focus. Focus.”

  Her shoulders squared in determination. Running toward the house, Simra repeated the angel’s words under her breath. “Focus. Focus.”

  Her gaze stopped on Jeff groaning in pain at the bottom of the stairs. “Jeff! You all right? Where is he?”

  He assisted Simra by lifting the heavy board off him. The detective replied in a hushed whisper. “There’s no time to explain. I’m fine. Mandy and your grandmother are upstairs with him. Hurry!”

  Limping up the stairs, Jeff followed Simra toward the demon. Simra gasped when Tristan grabbed Lucinda by her shirt collar. Rushing into Tristan’s arms, Simra stopped him immediately from harming her grandmother. Happy memories with Tristan shielded her angry and fearful thoughts.

  Jeff lifted the heavy board off Mandy’s body. Gasping in disapproval, her loved ones studied Simra clinging to him. Tristan had a vital reason for coming all this way. The corpse was here, and her family must have found the disgusting thing. Its rotten stench stung her throat when she entered the house.

  Simra tightened her arms around the demon as tremors crawled down her back. Refusing to look into his wicked blue eyes, she hid her bitterness. Simra concentrated on shielding her thoughts. Focus. Focus. Keeping her loved ones safe remained her top priority.

  “Tristan, I love you. Let’s return to the island and stay forever. I apologize for everything. I became so concerned about you that I tricked Zach into bringing me here. Let’s go home.”

  Mandy stomped across the wooden planks with her black high-heeled boots. Her cousin’s lips stayed parted in bewilderment. “Are you insane? Where’d he take you? You can’t
go back with him! You love this disgusting creature? How could you?”

  The demon bolted from Simra’s arms and reached for her cousin. Simra caught his powerful arms and stopped him from harming Mandy. Her insides coiled. Simra brushed a soft kiss across Tristan’s lips and hid her anger. Jeff reached for Mandy and prevented her from interfering with Simra.

  Mandy placed a strand of burgundy hair behind her ear and shot Simra a harsh look. Simra’s heart pumped with restlessness. Her emotions ripped to shreds when she looked at their grandmother. Lucinda’s eyes blazed with a consuming fire while Simra clung to the demon.

  Simra resisted the tormenting ache to hold and comfort Lucinda. Why did they bring Lucinda here? Their grandmother shouldn’t be in this place!

  Lucinda latched onto Simra’s arm, and the woman’s tired eyes pleaded with her granddaughter’s. Taking the biggest risk of all, Simra released Tristan. She gave her grandmother an affectionate squeeze, and Mandy pulled Lucinda away from Simra. Resisting to think about the plan again, Simra kept her mind guarded.

  The demon’s eyes flickered into raging sparks, and he took a step toward them. Tristan grabbed Lucinda by the collar of her shirt. His voice lowered into a hideous growl. “Stay away from her and stop intervening. I’ll make your memory loss worse if you don’t. She belongs to me!”

  An itch stung Simra to slap Tristan, and she drew away from her grandmother. Simra framed the demon’s face in her trembling hands and clenched her teeth. She fought each impulsive desire of killing him now. Simra rekindled the flame within her that she felt for the demon so long ago.

  “Tristan, please don’t touch-don’t hurt Grandmother. She doesn’t understand how much I love you. It isn’t right to harm her. Yes, I belong to you, but Grandmother’s only worried about me. Please try to understand….for me. You love me, right? I love you.”

  The demon’s eyes softened and changed back to blue. “Yeah, baby. I love you, but everyone else needs to leave us alone. They don’t understand a love like ours because they’ve never experienced it. Your family and Jeff must leave and never return.”