Light the Shadows (A Grimm Novel)

by Clay, Michelle

  Anna followed her up the stairs and looked around as though someone might see her lurking in the hallway. “Let’s just go, Micah. You’re supposed to meet your mom and dad for dinner tonight, remember?”

  “This will just take a minute,” Micah said as she jimmied the door’s lock with two bobby pins.

  “How the hell do you know how to do that?” Anna asked as she followed Micah inside.

  “Maybe I was a burglar in a past life.”

  “We shouldn’t be here.” Anna drifted along behind her, casting wary glances all around. “What if the shadows come back?”

  “Then I’ll deal with them.” Micah hurried to the study. There was a book that had caught her eye last time she was here, a journal of Thomas’s life as a Grimm. She snatched it up then tucked the thick book beneath her arm. “Thomas, if you’re here, I really need to talk to you.”

  She and Anna turned in a tight circle to survey the room. Micah smoothed a fingertip across the frame of a fallen photograph. It depicted a smiling Thomas and a smirking Sully in what appeared to be a bar. Thomas’s arm was thrown around his friend’s shoulders, and he was holding up a pint of beer in salute. She would find Thomas, damn it. Maybe then Sully would see how much he meant to her. Sure they’d only known each other a short time, but somehow he’d gotten under her skin. Like it or not, she needed him in her life. She just needed to make him see that.

  “Thomas? I’m not here to harm you.” Micah waited a heartbeat before trying again. “I have questions. Please?”

  Anna stepped backward and bumped against Micah, sending a cold chill up her spine. She said, “We have company.”

  A girl of about twelve, the same one they’d seen before, stood just inside the other room. She simply stared at them, a neutral expression on her young face. Running hands over her dirty, bedraggled dress, she took a step forward. Micah gasped then backed up so fast that she stepped through Anna. The residual feeling made her shudder. Anna cast a scornful glance in her direction.

  The girl’s bruised arms and throat appeared dark against her nearly translucent skin. Dark hair hung in limp strands around her oval shaped face. What Micah had first thought was dirt on the youngster’s dress now appeared to be dried blood. Her dead doll eyes turned toward Micah. “Why have you come here?”

  “I’m looking for Thomas St. Clair.” Micah said. “I need to speak with him.”

  The girl’s mouth quirked in an odd little smirk. “He’s no longer here.”

  Another shadow separated itself from the dark corner near the bookshelves. A middle-aged man with miserable eyes shambled toward her. There was an indention along the left side of his skull, and dried, crusty blood ran from the wound all the way down to the front of his shirt. Tears left trails of clean skin down the man’s cheeks. “I hoped you would come back.”

  Micah’s gaze flicked between the two shadows. When she looked to Anna for clarification, her friend met her with wide, wary eyes. Her voice was quiet and full of reserved fear. “We need to get out of here, Micah. Right now.”

  The girl remained where she was, but the man moved closer. Although an overwhelming amount of sadness rolled off of him in waves, Micah didn’t sense any menace from him. The little girl wasn’t close enough for her to get a “feel” of her emotions, and her face had remained expressionless so far.

  “I don’t want to be here anymore. They’re all gone. Everyone I ever cared about is gone.” He swiped at his eyes then glanced at Micah. Desperation swept over him and leaked over her. “It’s not fair. I didn’t know it would be like this.”

  “What did you think it would be like?” Anna asked, with just a hint of snark.

  The guy glanced in her direction and sniffled. Instead of answering the ghost, he took several quick steps toward Micah. His features softened. “Please, I want to see the white light.”

  “And what about you?” Micah asked the girl. The kid was seriously creeping her out with those dead, black eyes. “What do you want?”

  The girl’s answer was a snarl, and then she took two steps closer.

  Micah didn’t like the thick, suffocating malevolence that suddenly seemed to ooze into the room. Goosebumps had risen on her arms, and a chill trembled down her spine. The dagger slipped into her hand, and she marveled at how it had just appeared when it might be needed.

  Lashes lowered, the child’s dark eyes were downcast as she studied the floor between the toes of her once shiny shoes. “More. I want more souls.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  The smallest smile tipped the corner of her mouth up. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me,” Micah said in challenge.

  The girl dashed forward, her tiny fingers hooked like claws.

  The man gasped and watched with frightened eyes. He shouted, “Natalie, no!”

  Anna screeched a warning then flickered. She didn’t fully disappear, but she was more translucent than before. She dashed in front of Micah, but the girl burst through her.

  “Stop. Stay back!” Micah stumbled backward.

  The girl’s lips pulled back from her teeth in an ugly snarl full of hatred. She roared in anger as she tried to grab Micah’s arm. “I will rejoice as you draw your last breath.”

  Micah’s arm whipped up, and the book tumbled to the floor. The dagger arced toward the child. The tip of the blade nicked the girl’s palm, and the separated skin shimmered as if fire burned within the girl. Just as quickly, the puckered skin sealed and was restored.

  Micah’s voice trembled when she said, “What the hell?”

  The girl’s chin tilted upward in defiance as she cradled her injured hand against her chest. She took several hurried steps backward, her scuffed Mary Janes tapping on the wooden floor. “You’ll be sorry.”

  Micah narrowed her gaze on the shadow. Things were starting to make sense now. The dagger hurt the shadows, destroyed them when delivering a killing blow. She suspected it was only to be used as a last measure, or at least she hoped so. Pointing the dagger at the girl standing only feet from her, she said, “I don’t want to use this on you, but I will.”

  “You and that Reaper don’t stand a chance.” The girl laughed. “We’re getting stronger.”

  “How?”

  “Our numbers are increasing. Our abilities grow stronger.” The girl pursed her lips. “We’ll bring as many of you as we can over to our side.”

  “Why?” Micah struggled to understand. Were the shadows gearing up for a war with the living?

  Anna planted her hands on her hips and sneered at the dead girl. “You’ll still be dead.”

  With a frustrated growl, the girl’s spirit disappeared. This only left the sad-eyed man.

  Micah turned to face him, and the dagger disappeared. His gaze traveled from her now empty fingers to her face. He licked his lips then met her gaze. “About that white light…”

  “Not so fast,” Micah said. “What are the shadows up to?”

  “I’m not sure,” the man said. “They’ve been preying on the weak, convincing them to take their own lives. Or even worse, commit murder.”

  Micah cast a concerned glance at Anna then returned her attention to the man. “What’s the end game?”

  He shrugged. “I just do what I’m told.” When he noticed Micah’s frown, he said, “But I don’t like it. I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”

  Anna touched Micah’s arm. “I think he’s telling the truth.”

  “I just want it to be over,” the man said in a soft, remorse-filled voice. “Will you help me?”

  “Of course.” Micah held her hands out to him, palms facing up.

  His hands slid against hers, and he shut his eyes. He took a deep breath, let it out then said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

  Micah allowed her shoulders to relax as light encompassed them both. It swirled around her arms then fully surrounded the man. Within seconds he was gone, and Micah was left with a sense of peace and contentment. It was a strange feeling, knowing
she had sponged it off the spirit she’d just helped.

  When she turned to find Anna, she was waiting on the balcony. Apparently, the shepherd didn’t like getting too close to the white light. Micah didn’t blame her. Who knew what might happen to the friendly ghost?

  “Are you okay?” Micah asked as her friend came back into the study.

  Anna nodded solemnly. “Yes, that was a little too close for comfort. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Moments later, Micah parked outside the real estate office. She’d left her planner at the office, and truth be told, she felt a little lost without it. It might also prove useful if she got the visitors’ guide out of the lobby and acquainted herself with the area’s attractions. The client she was scheduled to meet tomorrow was from out of state, and it would be awesome if she could at least point them toward a few neat things to see and do. She’d have to hurry though. She was due at her mom and dad’s anniversary dinner in less than fifteen minutes.

  Micah unlocked the door and moved quickly toward her office at the back of the building. Once she was in the hallway, she heard something within Ben’s office. Something had fallen from the desk, and then someone moaned. Was he hurt?

  “Ben? Are you all right?” Micah asked as she pushed the door open.

  Her stomach dropped past her knees, and bile rose in her throat. Karla was bent over her boss’s desk, skirt bunched at her waist and panties around her ankles. Ben was at her back, pounding against her so hard that everything on the wooden surface shimmied and rolled.

  Backing away, Micah turned to run down the hallway.

  “Micah, wait!” Ben yelled behind her. “I can explain.”

  Karla said, “That’s just fucking great. I thought you said no one would be here?”

  Micah flew out the front door then practically dove into the Mini Cooper. Anna was there, brows lifted in shock. “What’s going on?”

  “I just saw Ben and Karla doing it on Ben’s desk.” Her hands shook so badly she could barely steer the car away from the curb. “Diane thought he was having an affair, only she guessed the wrong girl.”

  “What are you gonna do?” Anna asked, twisting to look at the building as Micah sped away.

  “She has to know,” Micah said, picking up the phone. Diane didn’t answer, so she left a short message, stating it was important and that she needed to speak with her right away.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Micah looked up at the massive stucco home that should have held a lifetime of memories. She took a deep breath and released it through her nose as a wave of sorrow washed over her. She was sad, not because this house held no memories of a childhood here, but because she held no memories of a past life whatsoever.

  Not knowing what to expect, Micah wished that Anna was here to provide moral support. The shepherd had been called away to guide reaped souls into the light, or whatever it was she did after they went through the door, so Micah was on her own.

  She dialed Sully’s number as she walked up the stone walkway. It went straight to voicemail again. Damn. Now she knew how Ben felt, sort of. Since she’d walked in on him and Karla, he’d left about a dozen messages. Not wanting to hear any lame-ass excuses, she’d ignored his calls and allowed them to go to voicemail.

  The front curtains fluttered, and Nancy peered out. She seemed relieved when she spotted Micah meandering up the walkway. Roger ushered her inside and swept her into a bone-crushing hug.

  “I’m so glad you made it, honey,” Nancy said then kissed her cheek.

  Micah wandered around the house, following Nancy as she pointed out photos of family members and those chronicling her childhood. It was painfully droll in a sad, pathetic way. Old Micah had worn thick, ugly glasses as a child. Her hair had been too long and lacking in style through her pre-teens. She had a smile full of silver braces, and she looked miserable in all of the photos.

  When she reached what must be her old bedroom, judging by all the ghastly pink and glitter, she spotted a framed photo on the bookshelf. In it, a dark haired man was holding a laughing girl of about two or three. Micah picked it up and examined it, thinking this was one of the few photos she’d seen where old Micah really looked happy.

  Nancy smiled and took it from her. She smoothed a finger across the glass then put it back on the shelf. “That was always one of your favorites. You and your dad were so close.” She sighed, unable to make eye contact.

  Nancy sat heavily on the pink and lime blanket. She swiped at her eyes and smiled at Micah. “You were only thirteen when cancer took him. You just weren’t the same after that. There was no way you could deal with what had happened by yourself, but you refused to let anyone in. You were so closed off, and everything, including your personality, changed.”

  Micah smoothed a wrinkle on the kaleidoscope bedcover. “Did I go to therapy or anything?”

  “Yes, but you wouldn’t open up to her either. We stopped making you go after a while. You were just coming back around before the accident.”

  Micah sat next to Nancy, unsure of what she should say or do. Perhaps losing her dad explained why the old Micah was so weird, unhappy, and friendless. She must have pushed people away to protect her stunted emotions. You couldn’t get hurt if you didn’t allow yourself to care for anyone. What a sad, lonely existence.

  Nancy studied the posters on the wall. “I thought you were gone, that I’d never see you again.”

  Experiencing this woman’s pain was so awkward. Yet, Micah felt an emotional pull at her heart. Perhaps they had lost their daughter, but there was no reason she couldn’t fill that void. Roger and Nancy had no idea the old Micah was gone. And Micah had no way of knowing if she’d left a mother, a family, behind when her real body died. Would it cause harm to fill that role here and now, with these people? Especially when they all so desperately needed it?

  She gripped Nancy’s hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I came back.”

  “You were dead, Micah. There was no brain activity. Life support was the only thing keeping your body alive.” Nancy leaned against Micah’s shoulder. “I didn’t want to unplug the machines, but Doctor Egan told us it was the most humane thing to do. He said you were gone, that you were gone from the moment you were brought in.”

  “Mom.” Micah wrapped her arms around Nancy in a hug. Emotions she didn’t quite understand burned her throat and constricted her chest. She couldn’t imagine the amount of guilt this woman must be carrying over pulling the plug on her only child. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  Tears slid down Nancy’s cheeks. “I don’t want you to think we did it without considering all the alternatives. I didn’t want to lose my little girl. I’m so happy you’re back, but I’m also scared. My daughter has been returned to me, but at the same time, you’re a complete stranger. I feel like I’m meeting you for the first time.”

  Micah sucked air between her clamped teeth.

  “Don’t you mourn for the memories you’ve spent a lifetime building then lost?”

  Micah glanced at the yearbooks and photos strewn atop the bed. “Not really. They’re gone, lost to me now. Yes, I’m broken, but I’ve been given a chance to rebuild what’s been torn down. It’s a chance to start over. Think of it this way, Mom. We can make new memories. We can make a new, happier life.”

  Nancy’s gaze was still watery as she smiled up at her daughter. “I love you.”

  Micah stood and pulled Nancy to her feet. “Come on, this is supposed to be a happy day. Let’s go see if Dad has started those steaks yet.”

  “Everything okay?” Roger asked as they descended the stairs together, hand in hand.

  Nancy looked to be on the verge of tears again. Her voice had a crackly quality, and her eyes were damp again. “I’m just so happy.”

  Eager to get away from the suffocating emotions of her new mom, Micah moved over to the countertop where the steaks were. A heavy memory from before she became Micah struck her like a bolt of lightning. She was ten, crouched in a cor
ner of a kitchen and crying because her adoptive mother had accused her of lying, of being crazy. The woman had been scared and angry with her because she’d claimed grandma was still in the kitchen, even after the body had been taken away.

  Micah struggled to tamp down the emotion this brought to the surface. So, she’d seen ghosts even when she was a child? With trembling hands, she opened the cabinet above the stove and selected a few seasonings. Nancy and Roger shared a surprised glance.

  Micah belatedly remembered that Nancy said she used to bring casseroles and snacks she could eat throughout the week. Old Micah probably never helped with this sort of thing.

  “I thought you were bringing your friend?” Nancy said then winked.

  Roger wore a disapproving frown. “Who is this guy anyway? You’ve never mentioned him before.”

  Nancy tried, but failed to hide a smile. “I believe this is a new friendship, Roger.”

  Micah released a calming breath. My God, it was like she was sixteen all over again. Only she doubted old Micah brought home her crushes. Not with those pop bottle glasses and braces. She wanted to make an excuse for Sully’s absence, but honestly didn’t know what to say. “I don’t think he’s coming.”

  Just hearing those words aloud nearly sent her spiraling into tears. She hoped it was only residual emotion from Nancy’s breakdown or the weird memory, but she knew better. She turned away and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to gain control of her rampant emotions. She couldn’t allow herself to become dick-whipped by the first guy to come along. It didn’t matter if he was a gorgeous, talented lover who was on her mind constantly. If Sully didn’t want her, she’d have to move on and not moon over him like some stupid fan-girl with a crush.

  Roger studied her a moment, started to say something, then decided against it. Instead, he put his arm around Nancy’s shoulders.

  The awkward silence was interrupted by the doorbell. Nancy hurried out of the kitchen to answer it. After a few moments, her tittering laughter caused Roger to set the spices aside and wipe his hands. He cast a suspicious glance in Micah’s direction then hurried to see what was going on. He didn’t immediately return.