The Price of Power (The Price of Secrets Series Book 2)

by Ashley Drake

  Dear Diary, We had a blast tonight! It felt like we were normal teenagers just hanging out and having a good time. No shadow demons or living impaireds. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a living impaired in awhile (I’m not complaining). Just me, my boyfriend and our friends. I think Chase and Phebs are going on a date tomorrow night! I’m so happy for her. She has done so well getting over the whole Brad incident on her own. So, I know Chase wouldn’t be a rebound for her. They looked so cute Christmas shopping together. Speaking of Christmas shopping, I now only have Jaycee’s and Daniel’s left to get. Yay me! Ummm, what else? Oh, I was able to convince Jaycee to hold off on telling Mike that she is a witch. But for how long, I don’t know. They are in such a good place right now, I would hate for that to change. I almost forgot, I have to tell about Jaycee trying out a spell, right there in the middle of the mall! Well, right in the middle of a store in the mall. And it kinda backfired on her. We were looking for this sweater for Kayla and…

  Chapter 5

  “Any other school day would have went by slow, but no, not today. I still can’t believe that I got paired up with Megan for a stupid English project. Mrs. Bumgarner could have drawn Daniel’s, Jaycee’s, or heck, anyone else’s name. And who even cares what Edgar Allan Poe was trying to convey, or whatever, in his writing? Hey, I know! I could just find him, take him in for show and tell, and ask him. That would get me a one way pass to crazyville. But then again, I wouldn’t be wasting a Friday night with Megan, at her home no less!”

  I complained to myself while searching Spruce Street for Megan’s house. I was already running late. I had told her I would come over after school, and technically I am. I just made a detour in the school parking lot talking to Daniel and some friends, and then to get gas even though I still had over half a tank, and the drug store to see if there was any new makeup I might need.

  After finding the address Megan had wrote down for me, I turned my little Volkswagen bug into the long driveway. I put my car into park and two thoughts popped into my head. One, this is not where I pictured Megan to live. I guess I expected to find her living in the sewer tunnels, or under a rock, or in a cave where she slept upside down. Anything but in this older, white, farm style house.

  The second thought I had was that there’s something off about this place and that I’m being watched. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck had already started to stand on ends. There was also a faint ringing in my ears, which I’m use to but this time it felt more like runaway warning bells.

  Before I had the chance to change my mind and put my car in reverse, Megan opened the front door. It was kinda weird seeing her outside of her element. Maybe it was because she had already changed clothes and she was wearing sweats and a t-shirt. For a moment she looked like the Megan I use to know and liked. I reluctantly got out of my car.

  “You’re late.” She crossed her arms across her mere five foot frame trying to look intimidating. Ok, the moments over. “Come on inside and lets get started so maybe I can salvage the rest of the night. This did, however, get me out of having to go see my aunt and uncle with rest of my family.” She walked back into the house.

  Following her, I started to cross the threshold, and hesitated. My body, or mind, did not want me to enter.

  “Are you gonna stand there all day? I know you hate me but I wont bite, Hannah.”

  Against my better judgment, I entered the house and into the living room. “I don’t hate you. That’s a strong word.” I had planned on adding something witty, but the man standing in the far corner of the room caught me off guard.

  I knew instantly that he wasn’t alive, but what throwing me off was that he didn’t feel like a living impaired.

  Don’t acknowledge him. The voice, that first came to me the night we freed Samantha, whispered to me.

  Why she whispered inside my head I don’t know. Unless she thought someone or something might hear. Wait, she? That felt right. Whoever has been talking to me is female. Good to know.

  I diverted my eyes to the family portrait hanging on the wall beside the man. I bravely walked up right next to him to study the picture. “This is a great pic.”

  “Yes, we are just one big happy family.”

  Okay, note to self- family is a touchy subject for Megan.

  The man leaned over to me and he, I promise to God, sniffed me! What the crap am I supposed to do with that? I tried to focus on Megan and pretend that I hadn’t just been violated by a dead guy.

  “Um, well, let’s get started.”

  After about two hour of trying to decode life learning lessons from The Fall of the House of Usher, we decided to take a break. (So far all I have been able to come up with is that Edgar was either insane or high while he wrote it.) Megan went to do whatever it is she does, and I pulled out my phone to text Daniel.

  “I know who you are.” The man had appeared right behind me. “I also know that you can see and hear me.”

  It was all I could do NOT to scream, let alone not to relieve my bladder, but I was proud of my external composure. I continued to type my message out on my phone.

  “You think you are so powerful.” His body turned to a limp rubbery mass and grotesquely slithered across the sofa and turned back into a solid form to stand in front of me. “You haven’t seen anything yet. When you leave here, don’t come back.” I was still trying to keep my eyes on my phone while watching him from my peripheral view. In less time than it took to blink, he had his face an inch away from mine. His lips spread literally from ear to ear in a disfigured smile. “You can’t have her, she is mine!” He screamed, then disappeared.

  My hands and knees started to shake as I let myself react to what I just saw. I have never seen a living impaired distort themselves like that. Saying that I was scared and creeped out was an understatement. Why was he so angry with me? Powerful? I don’t think I’m so powerful. I heard the sound of glass breaking coming from the kitchen, so I decided to go investigate.

  Megan was on the floor sweeping up what looked to be the equivalent of half a dozen glasses shattered on the floor.

  “What happened? Megan, are you alright?”

  “The lights started to flicker and the cabinet doors swung open, then glasses started flying out onto the floor.” She was crying. “But I will be told that this is an old house and that is was just faulty wiring and slanted flooring.”

  She is used to this! To make things worse, her family doesn’t believe her.

  “How long has this been going on?”

  “Oh don’t act like you believe me.” I guess she saw that I did in fact believe her when she looked up at me, because she answered. “Years. Sometimes I think that it’s trying to drive me crazy.” She choked off her words. I could tell that she thought she had said too much. She took a deep breath and stood up, smoothed back her hair with one hand, and threw away the shards of glass into the trashcan with the other. “We should get back to work.”

  I half paid attention to the assignment while the other half of me tried to see Megan’s thoughts. Mostly she was trying to focus on our work, but every now and then past events of havoc caused by this living impaired would pop into her subconscious.

  She was right, it had been going on for years. I saw her as young as eight years old in some of her memories. He has even entered her dreams, whispering words of vile hatred, turning her dreams into bloody, violent acts of nightmares. I also saw that the sweet girl I used to know was still in there, deep down, along with a tug of war of right and wrong.

  “What’s it’s name?”

  She stared at me for so long, I wondered if she had even comprehended what I had asked. I was about to repeat myself, when she finally spoke.

  “Mikah.”

  ...How I was able to help finish the project is beyond me, but we did it. I wonder if it wasn’t just a coincidence that Megan picked that particular story to do our project on. Maybe she can kinda relate to it. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I really think I need t
o help Megan! I saw all the damage that thing has done to her. Megan thinks it’s trying to drive her crazy, but I think that this Mikah guy is trying to turn her mean, evil even. I don’t understand why though. I mean, I’ve met living impaireds that have been mischief, down right hateful even, but never have they tried to change me. For the better or worse, they’ve never tried to alter who I am. What if this is why she has changed so much? Her bitchiness might not even be her fault. She has nobody to turn to, her family doesn’t even believe her. I can’t imagine what that’s like. I will need help on this, well I want it, if I need it or not. That guy gave me the serious creeps. I’m sure Daniel will help me. Jaycee, on the other hand, is a different story. Trying to convince her will be worse than having a root canal. I know that I’m not Megan's biggest fan, but Jaycee despises her right down to the core.

  “I didn’t know that Daniel was stopping by.” Mom said as she looked out the front window and saw him pulling into the driveway.

  “He just dropped by for a minute. He’s not even coming inside. I’m just gonna go out and talk to him about what happened at Megan’s tonight.”

  I had told my parents the story, leaving out the shape changing and scaring me half to death part. They worry enough about me, why add to it?

  “Hannah, it’s too cold to sit outside. Take him into the kitchen and talk if you want some privacy. There’s fresh coffee if he wants some.”

  Knowing that Mom wouldn’t take no for an answer, I went to the door and motioned Daniel to come inside. Once we were in the kitchen, and I had poured us both a cup of coffee, I told him about my encounter at Megan’s house.

  “That must have been when I got a text from you that had random letter and numbers on it. I thought you were just doing it to avoid talking to Megan or something.” He was sitting on a bar stool at the island and pulled me in between his legs to hug and hold onto me. “My A~li~si told me stories about the Nun-Yunu-Wi, it’s a spirit demon that hunts humans. What is in Megan’s house could be something similar. I want you to promise me that you will be careful and that you won’t go back over there by yourself.”

  With me standing and him sitting, I was able to wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his shoulder easily. “I will promise you that I will try my best. My gut is telling me that this is why her name was drawn to be partnered up with me, so I can help her, and that’s what I’m gonna do. I will get that thing out of her house one way or another. Hey, do you think it’s weird that he is the first living impaired, or whatever he was, since Samantha?”

  “I haven’t thought about that. But I guess your necklace is doing it’s job better than we thought it would.”

  I heard Daniel sigh.

  “Do you wish you had a normal girlfriend?” I asked.

  “Are you kidding? Normal is boring, remember? Plus, I don’t think I could find someone hotter than you, and you know how shallow I am. So I guess I’m stuck with you.” I raised up and tried to give him a stern look. “It’s a chore, a job really.” He continued. “I don’t know how I make it from day to day having to hold your hand, or kiss you, or look into your beautiful brown eyes, or…”

  “Shut up and do your job.” I grabbed him playfully by the back of his hair and pulled him into a kiss. I actually think I made HIS toes curl this time. I pulled away, pleased with myself.

  “I would like to get paid for overtime.” His lips crushed mine, stifling my giggles.

  Chapter 6

  “Hannah, Daniel’s here.” Mom hollered down the hall. I grabbed my purse, keys and blanket then took one last look in the mirror. I went with my hiking boots that I wore to Grandfather Mountain with dark jeans and a white sweater. I left my hair down because I think Daniel likes it that way the best.

  Daniel was in the living room talking to Mom when I walked in. He was wearing jeans and a cream and black plaid flannel shirt with a black tee under it. He so could be a model.

  “Hey you.” Since Mom was in eyesight, I stood on my tip toes and kissed his cheek. “Happy early birthday.”

  “Thanks. Are you gonna tell me now where we are going?”

  “Nope.”

  “Hannah, tell the poor boy where you’re taking him. I’m sure he’s scared enough just at the thought of you driving, he doesn’t need to worry about where to.” Mom was crazy over Daniel. I heard her tell Aunt Elena that she couldn’t have picked out a better guy for me.

  “Ok fine.” I turned to Daniel. “We are going to Cherokee. I thought you would like to see where your Mom’s side of your family is from.”

  Daniel tucked my hair behind my ear. Something he admitted to doing just to be able to touch me. It has become such an intimate gesture between us. “That’s very thoughtful, thank you.” It seemed like he wanted to say more, but again, Mom was in the room.

  “I’ve packed you two some water bottles and snacks for the drive up. Do you remember the directions?”

  “Of course, it’s easy.” Plus she has told me ten times. “Interstate to exit 27, then to exit 74. Pretty much a straight shot. Bye Mom, love ya.”

  “Bye, love you too. Be careful, have fun, and don’t forget to check in with me.” Mom stood at the door and waved at us as we pulled out of the driveway.

  The two hour drive went by super fast. We sang off key to my One Direction CD then Daniel tried to serenade the song You and I to me. It was very sweet. We talked about college and our future goals. Of course Daniel is wanting to go to N.C. State because of their veterinarian program. I told him that following in my father’s footsteps of psychology seemed like the natural thing for me to do. He had asked what Jaycee’s plans were, and I told him that she plans on marrying rich. True story.

  While driving through Maggie Valley I pointed out the chairlift that takes people up the top of the mountain to Ghost Town Amusement Park. We decided that we would come back and check it out this summer. Then there’s Santa Land at the entrance of Cherokee, which Daniel would love, because it not only has rides but a zoo also. It was two hours of just being two teenagers in love without any supernatural talk or interference. Well, almost. Daniel did say that he felt a tingling sensation when we drove onto the reservation, letting him know where we were, before I even told him.

  We passed all the hotels as we drove into town. There was a long row of shops on both sides of the road so we decided to park and do a little shopping. The first place we went in didn’t have a restroom so I told Daniel that I would just met him in the next store.

  Something in the display case caught my attention as I exited the ladies room. I looked around to make sure Daniel wasn’t in here yet. Once that I saw that the coast was clear I asked the woman behind the counter if I could see it. When she laid it in my hands I knew it was the perfect birthday gift for Daniel that I had been searching for. It was a bracelet made out of wood and some type of natural fiber rope thingy. The tiny engraving was of a bear on one side and a wolf on the other with mountains in the background. The detail was amazing. I still had money left over from my own birthday.

  “I’ll take it.”

  I had just put the little gift box in my purse when I heard the door chime, it was my handsome boyfriend.

  We walked, hand in hand, in and out of each store admiring the pottery, baskets and carvings, that were locally handcrafted. We then tried on sunglasses and silly hats. Daniel bought his mom a green sweatshirt that had ‘Cherokee’ embroidered across the front. The last shop we went into had a different feel to it. I knew the smell right off the bat. I’ve burnt sage to cleanse my house, and dream catcher Daniel made me, enough times to recognize it. There were different shapes and sizes of crystals neatly displayed throughout the long narrow store.

  “May I help you?” An older woman came out of the back room. She was wearing her black and gray hair in a long single braid.

  “We’re just looking, thank you.” I politely responded.

  “My name is Karen. Let me know when you find what you’re looking for.”

  I wandere
d off toward the left while Daniel was looking at the books that were lined up against the right wall. There were crystal key chains, necklaces and even wind chimes which made me think of the fourth grade art project I left at our old house when we moved. Daniel had found the pitiful wind chime and decided he wanted to keep it.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tall man walking toward me from the back of the store. I glanced up and smiled. “Hello, how are you?”

  Karen looked at me strangely. I found Daniel’s eyes, that were already on me, and he discreetly shook his head from side to side. He was letting me know that he didn’t see anyone else in the shop. I quickly turned back to the man that I had thought to be Karen’s husband.

  “I apologize for startling you.” The tall, old man spoke to me.

  He was just as solid as me. He was Indian, I’m guessing Cherokee from our location. His white hair was as long as Karen’s, if not longer. I’ve never seen a living impaired with an aura, until now. Surrounding his entire body, at least four inches thick, was a bright silver glow. I felt the power from him, yet I wasn’t afraid. I just knew in my gut that he was good.

  “My name is Oganatoga. I’ve been waiting for you, Hannah.”

  “Why? How do you know my name?” I tried to keep my voice down.

  “Everyone in the spirit world knows who you are. Well, everyone with something at stake.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Do you need my help to cross over?”

  He sure didn’t look like he needed help with... well, pretty much anything. But I couldn't think of any other reason he would be waiting on me.

  “Not quite. I’m here to help you. It is my job to observe and to give a nudge only when necessary.”

  “I don’t…” I stopped and looked for Karen. Daniel had her over at the books with him, asking her questions. He was probably trying to keep her occupied for me. “I don’t understand. Why would you want to observe me? I’m just a teenager.”