by Kristen Day
“I’ll be sure to sleep with one eye open,” he laughed at me and kissed me one last time, leaving me gasping for air all over again.
Chapter 5
While Finn hastened down to the control room to right our course, I strolled back out onto the deck. From this viewpoint I could see only water, but as the yacht made a wide left turn, a thin strip of land appeared. A towering lighthouse rose majestically from the sand, silently watching over the Cape and surrounding ocean. The black and white diamond design told me that this was in fact the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Past the regal lighthouse, long expansive beaches were backed by massive rolling sand dunes and a forest of trees that resembled the live oaks on Bald Head. The lighthouse was the only sign of civilization I had seen thus far. There were no vacation homes, shops, or sunbathing tourists dotting the beaches. I leaned over the rail trying to pinpoint our exact destination, only to find more vacant beach and cresting waves.
With a thrilling rush of excitement, I dashed downstairs to join everyone else. I found them on the bow of the boat admiring the untouched landscape.
“This part of the Cape is actually called the Shackleford Banks,” Liam pointed out to us. “It’s still mainly uninhabited and looks exactly like it did in the time of Blackbeard.”
“Who was Blackbeard?” Phoebe inquired, still gazing at the beach.
“He was a pirate who frequented the waters around North and South Carolina. Eventually his ship, The Queen Anne’s Revenge, ran aground sailing into Beaufort Inlet which is just north of here.
He was killed in a bloody battle at Ocracoke Island,” he explained further as his eyes turned wistful.
“Wow,” Phoebe marveled, eyes wide. Willow was eyeing Liam with glowing admiration and I could tell she was impressed by not only his good looks, but his mind as well. I smiled to myself and searched again for our elusive destination.
The yacht slowed and came to a complete stop in a seemingly random spot. The sound of the anchor dropping had us all looking at the other Sons standing on the deck with one question on our faces.
“How are we going to get to the beach?” Carmen was the first to ask, skeptically measuring the distance between the yacht and the beach.
“We’ll just have to make a swim for it,” Ricker said as he shrugged his shoulders with a twinkle in his eye.
“Swim?” Phoebe peered over the side of the yacht apprehensively. “But won’t our stuff get wet?”
“Then, I’ll be staying on this perfectly dry yacht,” Carmen clipped; regarding Ricker with a chilly expression. The massive yacht still wasn’t large enough for both of them. They were too much alike.
“Be my guest,” Ricker stepped towards Carmen with hostility apparent in his tone.
“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Not to be outdone, Carmen stepped towards him as well.
“As a matter of fact I would,” he challenged her.
“Good. ‘Cause I’m not staying anywhere near you!”
“Oh, my feelings are so hurt!” He pretended to clutch his stomach, then narrowed his eyes at her, “You think I want to stay anywhere near you?”
“Well, good! I don’t want to hear your annoying voice and smell that god awful cologne that’s been making me gag for the last six hours!”
“You think that’s bad?! How about hearing you complain and whine for the last three ye-”
“Nobody’s making a swim for it,” Finn interrupted him; appearing behind us, “so stop fighting about it.” He shot a look at Ricker who immediately looked down at the deck and stepped away from Carmen. It still surprised me how much the other Sons revered Finn. Liam threw his strong arm around Finn’s shoulders and smiled wickedly at everyone.
“Who’s ready for a little James Bond action?” he wiggled his blonde eyebrows at us. The guys took off towards a miniature elevator, while the girls trailed behind uncertainly. After three trips (it was a really small elevator) we all stood in a snug, darkened room. Someone hit the lights and a nice sized dinghy materialized before us. It was completely black and matched the stealth appearance of the yacht it was housed in.
We piled in along with our luggage and Finn hit a few buttons on his phone. Suddenly, we were drenched in sunlight as a ramp slowly lowered from the back of the yacht, providing immediate access to the ocean. Sharing a tentative look with Phoebe, I held on tight as a conveyer belt below the dinghy moved us to the top of the ramp. I heard myself shriek as the boat flew downward, landing hard in the water. With another command via Finn’s smart phone, the ramp lifted; disappearing into the bottom of the yacht. He started the dinghy’s small motor and we were on our way. As we neared the breakers, Finn leaned over and dragged the tips of his fingers through the water. The waves ahead of us immediately stilled, providing a smooth channel of passage leading to the beach.
Finn’s gaze flickered up; meeting mine. His deep blue eyes danced right across that small raft directly into the depths of my heart. Our friends, the raft, and the ocean disappeared when he smiled, and an explosion of tingles shot through my body.
“Is that the house?” Phoebe exclaimed. Her voice broke through my thoughts and I followed her awestruck eyes. Past the wide beach and expansive sand dunes, a sprawling estate blended in perfectly with the landscape.
“That’s it!” Ian smiled with pride. We all lurched forward as the raft ran up onto the beach.
We gathered our things and trudged up the sand toward the house’s boardwalk. We walked above the dunes and small brush that skimmed the bottom of the wooden slats. The full estate came into view and my first thought was that it belonged in the Hamptons, not on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
The white cedar shake exterior complemented the mass of trees that skirted the grounds, and we followed the winding stone path around a sparkling pool and up to an inviting patio. Ian stepped forward, produced a set of keys, and we entered an elaborate sunroom furnished with lush plants and wicker patio furniture. A glass door led us to the main living area.
“Wow,” Willow gasped, and I agreed with her astonishment whole-heartedly. Crisp shades of white, cream, and brown greeted us as we took in the overflowing couches, chairs, and pillows. I was immediately drawn to the substantial wooden coffee table sitting amidst the furniture. I ran my fingers along its length, mesmerized by its beauty. Surprisingly, it sent that familiar tingle up through my arm that typically only sea animals could evoke. The wood itself was dark, very weathered and smooth to the touch. I could tell the wood of the table was extremely old - this was only one of the many identities it had taken during its long life. I looked around the rest of the room and noticed several other pieces made from the same wood.
“This place looks like a Pottery Barn showroom!” Phoebe chirped; coming to stand beside me. “Did you see the kitchen?”
We explored the rest of the residence and were blown away again and again by each new room we entered. We eventually found the bedrooms which were quickly claimed. Willow and I would be sharing a room, while Carmen and Phoebe commandeered the one across the hall. Finn and Liam grabbed the next one, while Ricker, Ian, and Cage immediately headed for a loft overlooking the main room that contained several beds and one massive flat screen on the wall.
“Oh my god you guys, come look at this deck.”
I followed Carmen’s voice out to what I thought was just a patio, but after stepping outside, it was anything but. An outdoor gathering area constructed of stone was spread out before us. The biggest grill I had ever laid eyes on was encased in gray stone, and faced an elaborate fireplace that reached at least ten feet tall. A litany of beautiful couches and chairs had been set up for conversation and relaxing. Past the deck was an extensive back yard full of colorful gardens that were divided by winding walking trails. They overflowed with everything from hydrangeas to impatiens; the array of colors was magnificent. A small gray stone bridge crossed a sparkling creek that ran along the outside of the property and disappeared into the yaupon trees beyond.
As my g
aze drifted to the elaborate fountain that adorned the center of the gardens, my heart stopped as my blood ran cold with fear. She was wearing a blue dress that skimmed the top of her bare feet. Long blonde hair fell below her shoulders, untouched by the summer breeze, and her thin arms hung limp at her sides. The pale skin of her face offset the bright green eyes that were staring straight at me. Not completely opaque, I could actually see through her body and onto the stone path behind her. Expressionless and unblinking, she stood completely still while a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
“Are you okay?” I vaguely registered Carmen’s voice next to me.
Her bare feet became transparent as she turned languidly and drifted away. I contemplated going after her, but the grotesque sight of her back stopped me dead in my tracks. Her skull appeared caved in and her blonde hair was matted with dark blood. The back of her blue dress had been shredded; revealing long jagged gashes in her skin. A blood curdling scream began to fester in the pit of my stomach, but I clamped a hand over my mouth before it escaped.
“Stasia?”
As she disappeared amongst the trees, I deliberately turned my head towards Phoebe; not trusting my legs to remain where they were. They wanted nothing more than to run as fast as possible back to the yacht and back to Lorelei. I lowered my hand and took several deep breaths.
“Please tell me you guys saw that,” I managed; my tone deadpan.
“Saw what?” Phoebe glimpsed back and forth between the back yard and my still panicked expression.
“The girl.” I stared at them wide-eyed, and realized I was alone in my terror.
“What girl?” Carmen wrapped her arms around my shoulders and led me back into the house.
“Come on, let’s go inside.” Once inside, my phone began to ring in my pocket, so I found a quiet hallway and answered it. Shock still fresh in my system; I reminded myself I had to talk.
“Hello?”
“Hey girl, how are you?”
“Hey Kira!” I attempted to sound chipper.
“Are you okay?” Apparently I’m not a good actor.
“Um…yea, yea I’m alright,” I stumbled, “I just have a lot on my mind,”
“You didn’t go home for Fall break?”
“No, we actually decided to come to Cape Lookout with Finn and his friends to stay at their beach house for the weekend,” I explained.
“Really? I’ve heard it’s beautiful out there,” she gushed.
“I love it so far, but we kind of have an ulterior motive for coming somewhere so remote.” I went on to tell her our plan for the weekend and my attempt at contacting my mother.
“Do you think it will work?” she asked; her tone full of doubt.
“I don’t know. But Finn seems to think it will, so I’m going to give it a try.”
“Just be careful, okay?”
“I will, I promise,” I assured her. “I’ll come see you as soon as we get back to Lorelei.”
“I want to hear all about it and if you need me, don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thanks Kira.”
* * *
“Are you sure we can’t just Google it?” Phoebe threw out to the group. After stuffing ourselves with the delicious lasagna Willow had made for dinner, we were all hanging out in the living room discussing the unfortunate nuances of my ever-complicated life. Finn and I explained my most recent dilemma: not knowing my true birthday and its effect on when I would make the journey to the Underworld. Phoebe was completely convinced that we could figure it out using the internet, but I think she was just trying to make me feel better.
“Why can’t you just ask her?” Cage, who had been quiet for the entire conversation, asked Finn.
“You know that’s not how it works,” Finn retorted, his voice clipped. My memory sparked to life and I recalled a conversation that Finn and I had about my mom. He told me that she had been ecstatic that I had chosen the name Anastasia when I came to Lorelei. So…he obviously had a way of communicating with the dead.
“That’s right! You said you’d talked to her before. Why wouldn’t you be able to talk to her about this too?” I asked him, hopeful.
“I didn’t say I had talked to her, I just said she was happy about you choosing Anastasia.
Someone else had relayed that particular message to me.” As Willow, Carmen, Phoebe, and I stared at him in confusion, he sighed in defeat and continued.
“I can’t talk about anything that I see or hear in the Underworld. It’s not that I don’t want to.
I physically can’t.” He ran his hands through his hair, clearly uncomfortable.
“Oh my God!” Phoebe gasped, “You’ve actually been to the Underworld!?”
“Of course he has, he’s the-“ Ian started to explain before Finn shot him a steely look that instantly quieted him.
“I’m not getting into that tonight. Right now we need to concentrate on Stasia and figure out when she was born. Unfortunately, this is the only way.” Finn took my hand and squeezed it, but it did little to ease my anxiety surrounding his solution. The fact that I had been able to see my mother before that first fateful vision had given Finn an idea. He believed that I could contact her somehow during a reverie and communicate with her. Obviously, I wasn’t too optimistic about my chance of success, considering I didn’t even know how to control my reveries. I had no idea how to contact my mom and communicate with her. The only thing that gave me an ounce of confidence was Finn’s unfailing conviction. If he believed it would work, I would give it everything I had. Where that would get us, we’d just have to wait and see.
“The first thing we have to do is practice, so that’s what we’re going to do tonight. I’ll take her down near the lighthouse so that there aren’t any distractions,” Finn maintained.
“No way. We’re going. What if something happens?” Willow disputed.
“The less people around her, the better; and besides tonight will only be practice. I promise she’ll be fine. You have my word,” Finn declared. Willow sat back, but crossed her arms; not completely convinced.
“You guys, I’ll be fine, really. Chances are I won’t be able to do it anyway, so you’d just end up getting really bored watching me sleep,” I quipped, hoping to elicit some smiles, but my roommates weren’t finding the humor in the situation.
“Tomorrow night, when we try it for real, you all can be there. But tonight she needs to concentrate,” Finn attested. He stood abruptly and walked towards the kitchen, signaling there would be no further discussion.
“So, what are the rest of us going to do tonight?” Phoebe’s green eyes lit up as she surveying everyone else. I took the opportunity to go after Finn. The whole contacting-my-mom-thing didn’t damper the fact that I was going to spend time with him on the beach all night. I discovered him in the hall collecting blankets from the walk-in linen closet.
“You ready?” he smiled at me with obvious enthusiasm. I could tell he had no doubt I would be successful. I wished I felt the same way.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Chapter 6
“Control is all about awareness. You have to be cognizant of everything around you at all times; that means your body and especially your soul.” Finn and I had arrived at the Cape just after sunset. Traces of orange and pink still enveloped the sky, but the world around us had grown increasingly lurid. I made sure to inspect the beach for any signs of unwanted, bleeding ghosts. So far, so good. I really wanted to mention it to Finn, but I didn’t want him to think I was completely unstable. Ghosts weren’t real! I was probably just hallucinating. Maybe I’d had a mild sun stroke?
It could happen. I wiped her ghoulish face out of my mind and tried to focus on the task at hand.
The night air was heavy with moisture, with only a slight breeze blowing in from the ocean.
Brilliant stars sparkled down on us from above, silently observing my first of many lessons. We sat Indian-style; facing each other on a soft fleece blanket just below the sand dunes of
the beach. The imposing Cape Lookout lighthouse stood to my left, hypnotizing me with the slow rhythm of its revolving light that methodically scanned the ocean. To understand exactly what I was about to attempt, Finn was in the process of telling me exactly how reveries work. He held my hand in his as the skull and crossbones trace on his forearm shimmered in the light of the stars.
“Close your eyes.”
“Close my eyes?” Was I going to sleep already? He nodded, so I shut them and tried to sit up straighter in hopes that I would be prepared for whatever he was about to throw my way.
“Now tell me what you see,” he instructed.
“Um…nothing,” I heard him snicker. I frowned but kept my eyes closed.
“Just because you have your eyes closed, doesn’t necessarily mean your eyes have stopped seeing. So, try again. Tell me what you see.” After a long moment of awkward silence, a flash of light swept across my eyelids and they flew open.
“The lighthouse! I could see its light!”
“Good, now close your eyes again, but this time tell me what you hear,” he told me calmly. I listened closely, but the sound of the ocean drowned out the possibility of hearing anything else.
“I just hear the waves crashing.”
“Good, now tell me what you feel,” he prompted without missing a beat. I concentrated on my bare skin that was in direct contact with my surroundings.
“The softness of the sand…and the wind,” I claimed, opening my eyes again. I took notice of how oddly exposed I felt with my eyes closed.
“Good. Just like humans, your five senses are attached to your physical body. So, when you want your soul to be in your body, you concentrate on those five physical senses. Whether it’s sight, touch, or hearing, latch on to whichever one is strongest at the time,” he paused to make sure I understood, then continued. “But with the addition of essence to our souls, we have another sense that humans don’t have.”
