Dreamwalker (Persephone's League of Immortals)

by Andrea Heltsley

  For a while, Boone just held me. He could feel the state of shock that I was in and he gave me some time to digest. But after a while, he spoke with reluctance.

  “What happened? You have to pull yourself together. I need you.”

  That jolted me out of my shock. He needed me. Autumn needed me. We had to do something and fast.

  “It was Madison again. August was there too,” I choked out in broken sobs.

  “What? Are you sure? Is Autumn ok?”

  “Clark and Graham are dead and Autumn was captured,” I said in a hollow voice. My red rimmed eyes met Boone’s empathetic ones and I broke there in the comfort of his arms.

  From behind me I heard a familiar voice, none too welcome. It was Wren, again. I really wanted to kick the shit out of her now more than ever. Remembering the force she treated my sister with brought venom to my voice when I spoke.

  “You stupid bitch, I will see your head on a silver platter for what you have done to my sister. If you lay a finger on Autumn, I swear to it.”

  “Tsk, Tsk little dream walker, that’s no way for a lady to talk. Didn’t Rita and Jason teach you better?” she taunted.

  That just infuriated me and I was up and swinging before Boone could get a grip on me. I missed by just mere inches and felt slight satisfaction knowing she was finally going to get what she deservedS. I went to swing again, but Boone was pleading with his eyes for me not to pick this particular fight. I ground my teeth in reluctance, and then backed off.

  “Oh, lucky your guard dog is so smart. We wouldn’t want you to do anything you would regret, and you would regret it,” she stated in a menacing tone.

  “He’s not my guard dog. He doesn’t tell me what to do. I have had enough of your shit. Let’s go right now, you and me.” I said more brazen.

  Before I had a chance to step forward or even change stance, she hit me. Her fist connected with the hard tissue of my cheek with such force that I was down, in the grass.

  My consciousness was waning and all I could make out was Boone coming at her with pure rage. The last thing I heard before I reached oblivion was the yelp as Boone collapsed by my side and the unmistakable voice of Madison.

  Chapter 18: Persephone’s League of Immortals

  When I came to, we were being thrust into a cell with enough force to bring me to my knees. I expected the imprisonment, but not the roughness. It was probably for pissing off Wren, the bitch. I was a candidate according to August damn it, I should be treated like one. I was about to complain but realized I was in the same cell as Sam.

  It was Sam in the flesh for the first time in twelve years. She gave me a weak smile and I rushed to embrace her in a hug. God, I missed her so darn much.

  It felt like a dream to finally be face to face with the only other member of the Maristolla family and heir to all things psychic. I didn’t even mind the smells from being neglected in a cell for all these days. I was too happy to have a piece of my life back.

  “God sis, I missed you,” I said, brushing tears from her face.

  “You have no idea! I have been torturing myself ever since that day I left you at Autumn’s twelve years ago,” she replied as she winced slightly at the sting of her own words.

  “I forgive you, Sam. Just never do that to me again. You, me and Autumn are a team ok?”

  She looked relieved and I pulled Autumn in for a hug.

  “Are you ok? I couldn’t get to you in time. I was puking my guts up from the snap in snap out visions I was graced with. I saw almost everything,” I told her.

  “Clark.. and Graham..” she began before the sobs took hold again and she sat down on the cold cement floor.

  “I know, and I am sorry. It was horrible.”

  I turned my attention to the other person in the room, but couldn’t face him. I should be ashamed for the mess I got myself in. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face him just yet.

  Against my better judgment, I looked up, tears forming in my own emerald eyes when I felt the conflict warring in full force from within. Jared and Boone were both reaching to comfort me and I was reminded of my own follies. I had strung both along and still couldn’t seem to pull myself away from either of them. Boone however, understood and read my warring feelings. He stepped back and gracefully allowed Jared to comfort me.

  It seemed strange after these few days with Boone to feel Jared wrapping his arms around me in support. I was embracing Jared but my eyes were trained on Boone and the hurt I read in his stormy eyes. Jared and Sam were oblivious and Autumn was nice enough to distract Boone as she wiped the tears away from her own blue eyes.

  “What are we going to do now Boone? Do you have a plan C?” she asked with a quiver in her voice.

  “Hmm, afraid not, we were intercepted before we could get away. I didn’t exactly see this coming.”

  “Madison is already immortal, what is her endgame? I don’t understand why she would turn traitor after all these years,” Jared said.

  “Unless she was a plant from the start,” Autumn said, using her sleeve to wipe away the remainder of her tears.

  “I wondered at the first safe house, how we managed to slip her when we were escaping. I should have focused on it a little harder I guess,” Boone replied. He looked stressed and conflicted as he reached into his pocket to retrieve a cigarette and his lighter.

  “It would have made it so much easier to pick us off and isolate us. It is brilliant really. Then we lead her here and she gets us all. We are all incredibly talented and would be assets to PLI,” Autumn said.

  It was my turn to ask for information. It was the one thing I have been grey on this whole time. I knew who was right and wrong and the general concept of the two groups, but not much more beyond that.

  “PLI, why do they collect people with abilities if they are immortal?”

  Sam was the one to answer my questions. It was clear she had been well researched when it came to this.

  “Persephone uses them for slaves in the human world in exchange for a chance at immortality. As queen of the underworld, she has power others can’t touch. Every year, when she descends for her time below, she chooses a select few to accompany her. They gain immortality and have the ability to move through realms during those times when the veil between them is the thinnest. Samhain is the descent.”

  “What? Today is Samhain,” Autumn stated in a panicked tone.

  “Yeah, I know, Myotis lucifugus, which is why I cried May Day. We were too late though. They have us and now Madison, Wren and August will have what they want,” Sam said in a somber tone.

  Jared was stroking my hair and I couldn’t help but still feeling so conflicted. I could see the ignorance in Jared’s eyes, but I also saw the hurt in Boone’s. I felt like crap. How could I be that girl? Now I was trapped with two men I couldn’t choose between. At this point, I would like to just disappear into vapors.

  Having Jared in real life was just like the Jared in my dreams. I also couldn’t deny my feelings for Boone. He was perfection wrapped up in one sexy package. Worst of all, I didn’t want to break up what Boone and Jared had. I just felt cruel.

  I looked up, wiping tears from my eyes and moved to Sam. “Can I talk to you, over here?” I asked head tilting to the corner.

  “Sure,” she replied, brows furrowed in confusion.

  I moved to whisper in her ear, making sure no one else can here. “I don’t have the box but I have my bracelet.”

  This was apparently good news, because she thrust me into a huge hug and thanked me.

  “Where is it?” she asked in a hushed tone.

  “In my bra, along with a protection charm from Jared,” I whispered.

  “Keep the coin; it could be useful if the magic is still good. Pull the bracelet out. We can use it to astral project for help. It only works with both of us though,” she said.

  I hesitated but she nodded encouragingly. “Please, Noel it may be our only chance.”

  I saw the others looking curiously at us and
I reluctantly pulled the bracelet from my bra. I noticed both men looked way too interested in my actions. Autumn let out a gasp since she knew what was about to happen, but didn’t stop me. Boone was soon furrowing his brow trying to assess the power radiating from this new artifact. Jared’s eyes went wide as he recognized the item.

  “That’s it, what do we do now?” I asked Sam.

  “Now we sit cross-legged facing each other. We place our hands palms to one another and the bracelet goes over the wrist of each of us,” she said.

  Jared interjected. “Who are you going to contact? Do you need someone who can help?”

  I hadn’t thought about that and it was clear that Sam hadn’t either. We looked at each other and she sighed. “You can join us since you are a clairvoyant also and contact Mr. Greene.”

  He looked stoked to be included and wasted no time sitting down to my right, forming us in a triangle. I was not sure what was going to happen or how but I sat, and placed the bracelet over my left wrist, binding mine to Sam’s. We closed our eyes and a few deep breathes later, it happened.

  It felt like we were being zapped from our bodies, our souls stripped. Everything was zipping by at extreme speeds until we came to a stop in a large office overlooking the Mississippi river. A man turned around that I recognized, Mr. Greene. He was sharp and polished in his tailored suit and tie. He was also clearly surprised to see us. And then his look turned serious.

  “I would say it is nice to see you all, but I doubt you are coming to me this way for a celebration,” he said candidly.

  “We are all locked up by PLI, both Graham and Clark are dead,” Jared explained gravely.

  “I told Yoseph we needed more help on the case. He thought you guys could handle it. Where are you?”

  It was my turn to chime in. “Under Groovy Days on the Loop, Madison betrayed us.”

  “And tonight is Samhain. We don’t have enough time. Our window for catching Madison is dwindling and I don’t know what they have in store for you all. This is not great news.” Then he seemed to take in our astral forms and smiled.

  “Sam and Noel have the bracelet I am guessing. At least one thing is going our way. After this call, hide it again. Don’t let them gain possession of it. We need every advantage we can. I will do what I can from here.”

  Jared gave him a nod of respect and then Sam and I gave him a wave goodbye. I closed my eyes and I was once again being lurched through the ether. I was snapped back into my body with little residual effects and rushed to remove the bracelet and tuck it back inside my bra.

  I heard footsteps and we all stood to attention in apprehension of our upcoming company. They did not disappoint. Wren, August and Madison were standing there in front of the cell together, looking smug.

  I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but all I could think about was wiping that damn smug look off of each and every one of their faces. I felt insulted by it, mocking me and my own stupidity. I didn’t get the chance to do anything though because Wren spoke in her icy tone.

  “You four were a pain in the ass to catch. I was not pleased when you cracked that dream too soon last time dear Noel. We almost had you. Luckily, Madison kept good enough tabs on you. Thanks to us, it seems we may be in for a ceremony after all tonight.”

  “Ceremony?” we all echoed.

  “Yes, ceremony, we are all going to be chosen by Persephone herself to go to Eleusis, for the immortality ceremony. This ceremony takes place only once every five years. She wants you four for some god forsaken reason and I just want to get what I deserve,” Wren said.

  It is I who spoke up next. “Why did you betray us Madison? I understand why August and even Wren, but why you?”

  She gave a little laugh, showing a hint of fang and replied. “I want to go to the underworld. I am bored of this life. I want my time in the house of Persephone. I was promised things, and I want them. Now is my time to cash in.”

  “You all were so easy. I didn’t even have to worry about catching you, you came right to me. I had you in the palm of my hand,” Madison bragged.

  Then she continued on, “As soon as Boone brought you to us I knew this would be your fate. It was so simple from there. Once you effectively split yourselves from Mr. Greene and the others, I was even surer this would go down.”

  Wren stepped forward, continuing where Madison left off. “Besides, with Noel’s blood coursing through Madison’s veins, it was like GPS. We were able to tap in anytime we wished.”

  I wanted to curse myself for letting Madison bite me now. I had no idea that she could track me on top of reading my thoughts. I couldn’t believe she betrayed us just for a change in scenery.

  They didn’t give us even a sliver of a chance to respond. They had sealed our fate and we didn’t even get a word in edgewise. It felt like total bullshit.

  “I am going to take Sam and Jared to get cleaned up. The rest of you better behave,” Wren said.

  A few guards slipped into the cell and flanked Sam and Jared. They gave us one look behind them and then were escorted away. My breath caught in my throat at the thought of being away from my sister.

  When they left, it was silent. Only Boone, Autumn and I were left in the cell. Immediately, Autumn came up to me and whispered in my ear. “Talk to him, you need to figure things out.”

  I whispered a “thank you” in return. She went and sat in the far side of the cell and attempted to meditate. When I turned around, Boone was inches from me. I took a sharp intake of breath as he pulled me to him.

  His kiss was gentle yet seductive. He was telling me that he wanted me and at that moment I couldn’t argue. His lips on mine felt amazing and I almost forgot the rest of the world as we stood there locked in a very hot embrace.

  When he finally pulled away, his eyes searched mine. He could feel my desire rolling of me in waves, yet he also felt that small pocket of hesitation. I wish it wasn’t there, but it was and I had to deal with it soon.

  “I told you I would fight for you, and I intend to. You are too amazing to slip through my fingers without a fair fight. You have only actually spent real time with Jared once. We have spent all this time together and laughed as teens, adults and the elderly. You can’t deny our connection Noel.”

  I nearly stopped breathing at his admission. He wanted me in spite of all the trials we had been through. He wanted me at every age, even when I was old. My heart melted just a little bit and my eyes peered into his as I reached up and gave him a chaste kiss. We didn’t have time for much else when we heard shuffling.

  The guards were carrying Sam and Jared back to the cell. I swiftly moved away from Boone and a guilty blush rose in my cheeks. I was relieved that they were alright; I wasn’t sure for a minute there. They were clean and dressed in generic clothes. I was sure they were better than the dirty and tattered ones they were wearing.

  Once again, I wanted to say something to them. Unfortunately Wren had returned with more guards.

  Then with a tilt of her head, Wren called forth the guards to our cell. They were swift to unlock it and had appeared by our sides in the blink of an eye. I didn’t see what happened to everyone next. I felt the quick pinch of an injection and the whole world fell to black before I knew it.

  I felt groggy and disoriented when I stirred. The blindfold was removed and I saw nothing but blackness until my eyes adjusted. When they finally came in focus, I stifled a gasp. We were in a temple. There were so many people here. A sea of people flooded the temple, making the air stifling.

  The whole temple was lit by candlelight, flickering amongst the gathered. It appeared that we were at some sort of altar encompassed in a circle of chalk. Our hands were loosely bound in front of us and we all looked at one another as we regained consiousness.

  The situation was definitely dire. We all realized with dismay that help was not coming to rescue us this time. I could read it on everyone’s defeated faces. There were just too many people here. No gift or power that we as individuals or as a col
lective could save us now.

  We were actually here, Eleusis. Greece was a far cry from home. All the myths were real and we were smack dab in the middle. I had only read about this place in history and Greece myths.

  I always wanted to visit Greece, but never imagined it would be under these circumstances. I was still not sure how they managed it so quickly but have to live with the knowledge that it has happened. The gravity of the situation settled in the pit of my stomach.

  Immortality was a heavy word. Persephone planned to grant us immortality tonight. What does one do with an offer like that? It was flattering yet scary at the same time.