Beyond The Darkness: The Shadow Demons Saga, Book 9

by Sarra Cannon

  “Oh,” she said, turning with wide eyes. “I didn’t realize you were home.”

  “Just got in,” I said, smiling.

  I opened the door wider, and the detective stormed in.

  “Where in the world have you been?” he asked. He glanced at Melody, and then gave me a pointed look.

  I took the hint.

  “Melody, would you mind making us some coffee?” I asked.

  She didn’t exactly look eager to leave me alone with this guy, but she nodded and disappeared down the hallway that led to the kitchen.

  As soon as she was gone, the cop grabbed my arm and pulled me into the sitting room.

  “Where were you, Monica? I’ve been going out of mind waiting for word about our next moves,” he said. “I’ve been by every half hour since the day after the fire almost. I think this nurse of yours is starting to get suspicious. What is she doing staying here, anyway? Doesn’t she have her own apartment?”

  “I didn’t want to be alone,” I said. “Let go of my arm. You’re hurting me.”

  He released me and started pacing the floor behind the sofa.

  “I don’t understand what’s going on. Where is your mother?” He stopped, worry flashing in his eyes. “She didn’t leave, did she? If you guys are ready to end this little charade, that’s fine, but don’t leave me here. You promised me that once this whole thing was over, you would take me home. I don’t want to be stuck in this shit decade forever, Monica.”

  I cleared my throat. What exactly was his role in all this?

  “Neither do I,” I said. “Trust me on that.”

  “Then what do we do? How come you didn’t kill the girls this time? This whole thing is a huge logistical nightmare,” he said. “The hospital’s fully expecting that the parents of these poor girls are going to show up to claim them. What do you think is going to happen when no one shows up? They’re going to start asking questions, that’s what. And I can’t afford to have any of this crap leading back to me. You’ve got your magic to help you do whatever it is you need to do, but if I get locked up, I’m stuck here. I’m ready to go back, Monica. I need to know what the plan is.”

  Wow, he was really angry and worried. I certainly didn’t have any answers for him. I tried to think fast, but nothing was coming to mind except to keep bullshitting him until he said something useful.

  “I’m just as in the dark as you are,” I said. “I had no idea the fire was going to be set early this time, and I haven’t seen my mother since the night of the fire, either.”

  “She went home, Monica,” he said, grabbing my arm again. “What are we going to do if she just left us here? Would she do that? She promised me that if I helped her with this little project of hers for a couple decades, she would set me up for life. In the twenty-first century, though. Not here. I can’t live here.”

  I seriously doubted that the emerald priestess ever had any intention of setting this man up with a sweet life in the present day, but he obviously believed she could be trusted. I had probably saved him from a horrible death when he had outlived his usefulness, but I couldn’t exactly tell him that.

  “I went looking for my mother, thinking that maybe she had gone to take care of something out of town before the fire,” I said. “But I haven’t been able to find her. She wouldn’t leave us here, though. I know she wouldn’t. I’m honestly afraid something has happened to her.”

  His eyes widened, and he ran a hand through his thinning hair.

  “Then we have to go now,” he said. “Do you think the portal home would still be there, even if something did happen to her? Monica, I found out that several bodies were discovered in the basement of the hospital yesterday. They were both burned beyond recognition, though. Two girls were unaccounted for, so I assumed it was them down there, but what if one of them was her? What if your mother died in that fire?”

  I laughed and shook my head, but I hadn’t missed his mention of the portal. Did this guy know where it was located?

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. “You know my mother just as well as I do. Do you think a simple fire would kill her? Come on.”

  He tilted his head toward me, and I wondered if I had said something wrong. He definitely was giving me a suspicious look.

  “Maybe a simple fire wouldn’t have been enough,” he said. “But if someone figured out what she was doing here? Or if someone she was working with was tired of what she was doing to these girls?”

  My mouth went dry. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me.

  “What exactly are you trying to imply?” I asked, drawing my arms close to hide the fact that my hands were trembling.

  “I’m just saying that the past few times we’ve killed these girls, you simply haven’t had the stomach for it,” he said. “Last time, you even suggested that you wanted to be replaced with a new doctor. Your mother, of course, would hear nothing of it. You are far too talented at what you do for her to replace you very easily. Besides, you were always her favorite daughter. Everyone knows that.”

  “I adore my mother,” I said, hoping there was enough passion in my voice to make him believe the lie. “I may not have always loved what we were doing here, but I would never have done anything to hurt her.”

  He turned around and stared into the shadows. “Well, if not you, then maybe someone else,” he said. “One of the girls? Maybe one of the ones who was missing from the check?”

  I swallowed. I couldn’t let him get too close to the truth.

  “I’m sure my mother is fine,” I said. “The two bodies that were found were most likely those of the two girls who were missing. But you’re right that we should check on the portal home. If anything did happen to my mother, we need to make sure the portal is still open. If we have to, we’ll go through together and figure out what happened later.”

  He took a deep breath, but finally nodded.

  “We should go together,” he said. “I don’t want you going through without me and closing it behind you. Besides, the only reason I haven’t checked on it yet is because I didn’t want you or your mother to find me there and think I’d betrayed you.”

  I nodded. “Of course,” I said. I had no idea where the portal was, but hopefully he knew exactly where to find it. Of course, I couldn’t go through with him and leave the girls and Brooke here, but I could figure that out when we got there.

  “I need to take care of a couple things down at the station, but as soon as I can get away, I’ll come back to pick you up,” he said. “We’ll go together.”

  I shook my head. “No, I’ll go with you now,” I said. “I can’t have you heading there without me.”

  He narrowed his gaze at me. “Now you don’t trust me?”

  “Right now, I’m not sure I trust anyone,” I said. “We go together, and we go now.”

  “What about this nurse?” he asked. “Should we kill her before we go? She might already know too much.”

  “She’s harmless,” I said, my mouth dry. “I’ll make up some reason why I need to go down to the station to answer a few questions. She won’t think a thing of it. You don’t need to worry about her.”

  “If you’re sure, I guess we can leave her alive for now,” he said. “Grab whatever you need to grab and let’s go. It’s already getting dark, and the road to the cabin is hard to find in the dark. I’ve only been out there once without your mom telling us where to go. I just have to have a simple phone call first.”

  I swallowed and nodded. “Of course,” I said, showing him to the phone. “I’ll be right back.”

  As I walked away, all I could think was this guy better remember how to get to this supposed cabin. This was my best shot at finding my way home, and I wasn’t going to let it slip through my fingers.

  This Didn’t Feel Right

  Harper

  “Where are you going?” Brooke asked. “What is he doing back here? Does he know something?”

  I moved her into the pantry where I hoped he wouldn’t be
able to overhear our conversation.

  “He suspects that maybe something happened to my dear mother,” I said in a whisper. “But Brooke, he knows where the portal is. He said something about driving out to the cabin to check on it. I’m going to get him to take me there.”

  “Oh my God, Harper,” she said, putting her hand over her mouth as she realized she’d spoken a bit too loudly. “Do you think this could really be it? What will you do if he wants you to go through with him?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t been able to think that far ahead. I’ll have to try to convince him to go through without me. I’ll give him some excuse about needing to make sure Mother doesn’t come back for me. I’ll think of something once we get there, but I need to get going before he leaves without me.”

  “I’ll wait here,” she said. “Did you find your friend in Chicago?”

  I nodded. “And he gave me a bunch of healing and memory potions that should help most of the girls get their memories back,” I said, my body buzzing with hope. “I stashed it in my bedroom. See if you can get to Nora, Mary Ellen, and the others who know the truth first. Get them to start glamouring themselves as parents of these patients. There’s a list of everyone and which hospital they’ve been sent to upstairs. We need to restore as many of the girls’ memories as possible and get them back here. If the portal is open, we’ll have to move quickly.”

  She grabbed my hands. “I hope this is it,” she said. “I’ll take care of the girls.”

  “Okay, I’ll be home as soon as I can,” I said. “Be safe, and I’ll see you soon.”

  I stepped out of the pantry to find the detective standing at the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

  “What were you two ladies doing in the pantry?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “I could hear you whispering.”

  “I was instructing Melody on what to do if we don’t return this evening,” I said. “The girls will have to be taken care of at some point. It will be easier for Melody to gain access to them than anyone else. You know what to do?”

  “Yes, Doctor,” she said.

  “Wonderful,” I said. “Are you ready, Detective?”

  He narrowed his eyes, as if he didn’t quite believe me. My stomach coiled into knots.

  I just needed him to take me to this cabin. I could deal with his suspicions later.

  “Let’s get going,” he said. “I can go back and finish my work at the station later tonight if I need to. Should we take your car?”

  I paused. How in the world would I explain not having the car anymore?

  “I’m having some trouble with it,” I said. “Plus, I don’t feel up to driving. It’s been a long few days.”

  He nodded. “We’ll take mine, then, if you don’t mind riding with me.”

  “Not at all,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  “Did you need to pack anything?” he asked. “You know, just in case?”

  “No, I have everything I need,” I said, thinking of the master stone still strapped to my leg. The only other thing I might need would be a weapon, but I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  “Melody, if I don’t return, take care of the girls and destroy any evidence,” I said.

  “Of course, Doctor,” she said. Her eyes reflected my fear and excitement. Could this really be the answer we’d been looking for?

  The cop led me out to his police cruiser in front of the house. It was an old black and white Ford of some kind, and compared to the sleek cop cars of the modern day, this thing was positively massive.

  He opened the door for me, and I slid in. There were no seat belts, so I folded my hands in my lap and waited for him to cross around the front and get in to drive.

  “Do you really think it’s still going to be there?” he asked.

  “I don’t see why it wouldn’t,” I said, my stomach in knots.

  “Monica, we’ve been through this how many times, now? Six?” he asked. “Your mother is meticulous about setting up the deaths of those girls and making sure the fire happens in the middle of the night when it would be easy to explain how everyone was trapped inside. Why would she change things up now?”

  “I don’t have answers for you,” I said. “I’m just as much in the dark here as you are.”

  He turned on a road several blocks up, and I kept my eyes forward, memorizing the names of streets. If the portal was there, I would need to be able to get back there alone. I would also have to find a way to transport nearly a hundred girls over there, so I hoped it wasn’t too far away.

  We rode in silence, and with every turn, I went back through each of the names of the streets, etching them into my brain in the correct order. Right turn on Elm Street. Three blocks down, take a left on Main. About a mile down, turn left on West Turner.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “You seem particularly quiet tonight.”

  “I’m worried. Aren’t you?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one who told me not to be concerned,” he said. “I’ve been suspicious of this whole thing from the minute I heard the institute was on fire. I usually get at least a week’s notice to make sure all the paperwork is ready and everything in my life is wrapped up. I like to at least be prepared to stage my own death in the week after the fire.”

  I did my best not to look surprised. Of course, they had to have some kind of plan for how to explain the disappearances of the detective, the doctor, and the priestess herself. Something that wouldn’t cause authorities to look into the matter too deeply.

  I was curious what their plan had been each time, but I couldn’t exactly ask him. I was supposed to have been through it at least half a dozen times by now.

  “As soon as we see the portal, we’ll at least have some idea of what’s going on,” I said.

  “And if your mother really was one of those bodies found in the basement of the institute?” he asked. “What’s our plan, then? Would that officially mean I can go home for real? My contract completed after all this time?”

  Contract? I was dying to find out how a human cop had gotten involved with the priestess.

  “That’s not my place to say,” I said.

  “Well, if your mother is gone, then it’s you and you alone who holds my contract, Monica,” he said. “I think I’ve more than made up for any mistakes I might have made against your family. You have to know that. I’ve given you guys everything I possibly could. We’re talking about more than twenty years of my life. I haven’t seen my sister in a decade. I just want this to be over.”

  I raised an eyebrow. What the heck had he done to the Evers family to get roped into this gig?

  Of course, with the Order you never really knew. It wasn’t exactly like they played fair.

  Still, he sounded scared, and I doubted Monica Evers would have been very sympathetic. I needed to be careful what I told him, but if the portal was still there, I would probably just tell him to go home. Leave this life behind and forget any of this ever happened.

  It would, at least, be one less person to worry about.

  After several miles on West Turner, he slowed and turned left on a dirt road that held no street sign. I glanced around in the last of the sun’s light and tried to memorize this location. The area was wooded and completely deserted. If I had to guess, I would say we were about ten miles outside the town limits, and so far, I’d only seen one car pass us.

  The car bumped and banged down the uneven road, and I held onto the door, just trying to keep myself in the seat. The detective—I still didn’t even know his name—took it slowly, but I could tell he was anxious to get wherever we were going.

  I held hope in my heart. When the ruby priestess had been to visit me just two days ago, the portal had still been open.

  Maybe it would still be open now. I closed my eyes for a moment and sent up a silent prayer. Just let it stay open long enough for me to give these girls their memories back. Then we could all go home.

  If, for some reason, Rend d
idn’t give him my warning in time, Jackson would need me. I wasn’t sure I would survive it if I failed him now. The portal simply had to be there.

  The car slowed as we approached the end of the rough dirt road, but I shook my head. There was no sign of any cabin out here. The sun had set by now, but the headlights shone on thick forest, not a cabin in the woods.

  I reached for my power as the cop stopped the car and started to get out. What exactly was he trying to pull here? Was this all just a trap?

  I connected to the well of power deep inside me and was grateful, at least, that he had brought me to a place teeming with life. It was early spring, if I had to guess, and even though most of the trees were bare, buds were starting to appear on some of them. They were dormant, but they were alive, and their power would come in handy if this came down to a fight.

  “Are you coming?” he asked, leaning his head back inside the car. “We’ve got a walk ahead of us.”

  Confused, I got out of the car and looked around.

  This didn’t feel right. Did the emerald priestess really walk through these thick woods every single time she wanted to come back to the institute? Every time I saw her, she’d been wearing high heels and a dress. I didn’t really see her walking through these woods in those shoes every couple of days.

  Then again, the tires on her Cadillac had been covered in mud.

  “It’s pretty dark out, already,” I said. “Are you sure we should try to make the walk tonight?”

  I was desperate to know if the portal was open, but I was starting to wonder if I’d managed to walk straight into some kind of trap. Maybe I should have asked Brooke to come with me, but as always, I thought I could handle it all myself.

  The detective eyed me. “What does darkness matter to you?” he asked. “Just conjure one of those lights you can make, and let’s get going. We’re losing time, here.”

  “Right,” I said, mumbling.

  I lifted a trembling hand and conjured an orb of pure white light. The detective nodded toward the woods, as if he expected me to lead the way. Only I had no idea where we were going.