Gone: A Shadow Slayers Story (Shadow Slayers Stories Book 3)

by Nellie H. Steele

“I bet. That place sounds awful,” Michael agreed.

  “It’s not the place. I just… what if she tried overnight, and I wasn’t there? When will she try again? What if she can only contact me at night? And I keep taking the sedative and she tries and tries and I’m never there.”

  “If Celine doesn’t make contact in the next day or so, we’ll switch your sleeping schedule,” Gray suggested. “Let your mind be receptive during the night and sleep during the day.”

  “Oh, good idea,” Damien replied. “Okay, that makes me feel a little better.”

  “Only a little?” Michael inquired.

  “Yeah, I’ll be worried until she contacts me. What if she can’t get to me for some reason? Or what if she needs me sooner? Ah, I hate this. I won’t be unstressed until she’s home.”

  “If she does contact you during the day today, don’t forget to tell her the plan. Daytime contacts only,” Gray reminded him.

  “I won’t forget,” Damien assured him. “Although, that leads me to another worry.”

  “What’s that?” Alexander questioned.

  “All the other times she’s contacted me, I’ve been asleep. Or hypnotized. What if she can’t get through to me when I’m awake? And now she can’t get through to me when I’m asleep because of the sedative. What if we can’t make contact?”

  “Perhaps you should nap a lot?” Michael suggested.

  “I can only sleep so much!” Damien countered.

  “All the research we’ve done suggests that perhaps you weren’t asleep when she contacted you,” Alexander informed them. “You may have assumed you were asleep, particularly because the incidents occurred when you were attempting to sleep. However, if we are correct, you were not asleep, merely relaxed.”

  “So, he’ll just need to keep his mind relaxed and, in theory, Celine should be able to communicate with him, right?” Michael queried.

  “Correct,” Alexander responded.

  “Oh, that’s just great! Relaxation is such a specialty of mine!” Damien mocked, alluding to his anxious nature.

  “Never fear,” Alexander assured him. “Plenty of games of chess…”

  “Walks around the property,” Gray added.

  “Music,” Millie chimed in.

  “And we’ll have your mind relaxed enough for Celine to communicate,” Alexander assured him.

  “See, they’ve got it all taken care of!” Michael agreed. “All that’s left for you to do is relax!”

  Damien nodded, unconvinced but unwilling to argue. He sipped at his coffee, his mind wandering to Celine. Celine, he mused, are you there? Can you hear me?

  “Perhaps you should put me under hypnosis again,” Damien suggested. “That worked before.”

  “No,” Gray answered without hesitation. “That’s far too dangerous.”

  “I agree,” Millie concurred. “The last time you were under hypnosis, we lost contact with you. We cannot risk that again.”

  “You have no contact with me when I’ve been in Shadow World before, what’s the difference?” Damien countered.

  “The difference is Celine controlled your other visits there,” Gray contended. “Hypnosis somehow forced you into the realm without her calling you there. If she doesn’t realize you’re there, you could die.”

  “And quickly,” Alexander added.

  “We can’t take the chance of not getting you back before something happens if Celine isn’t there,” Gray finished.

  Frustrated, Damien crossed his arms, resting them on his chest. He heaved a sigh. “Then we wait.”

  “Yes, we wait. I don’t like it either. I want Celine back, but I won’t risk your life to do it,” Gray informed him.

  Damien enjoyed a quiet morning. He waited for Celine to contact him, but she did not. He played a few games of chess, passed the time with some reading and listened to some music. His mind felt anything but relaxed. It stretched and contorted, searching for any sign of Celine contacting him. Every stray noise, every passing thought he wondered if it was Celine. He began to drive himself crazy.

  After lunch, he suggested a walk outdoors. With the planned relaxation already driving him crazy, he needed an escape. Gray and Michael accompanied him. They wandered the pathways throughout the estate. Damien spent time peering over the cliffs to the ocean. They made their way to the beach. Damien watched the waves crashing against the rocks, hoping it lulled his mind into a state suitable for Celine to make contact.

  As wave after wave rolled in, he allowed the sound to fill his ears, muting anything else. He called to Celine in his mind. She did not respond. He kicked a stone across the beach, frustrated with himself.

  “Should we head back?” Gray questioned.

  Damien shrugged. “I guess.” He checked his watch. It was nearly two in the afternoon. No contact from Celine in over twenty-four hours. Worry settled on him. “Mind if we go back through that clearing in the trees?”

  “Sure. Whatever you want, buddy,” Michael answered.

  They climbed back up to the cliff’s top, selecting the path to Alexander’s that passed through the clearing of trees. As they approached the spot, Damien slowed. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt close to Celine here. Perhaps it was because she had experienced one of her painful memories here while walking with him, and that incident was emblazoned in his brain. Either way, he wanted to take a few moments, surrounded and hidden by the trees, to relax before returning to Alexander’s.

  They stepped into the clearing. Damien stopped, taking a deep breath. He glanced around, recalling Celine’s attack. Now she was worse off than she had been then. Poor Celine, he mused. She never received a moment’s rest. He focused his gaze on the trees around him. Pine needles scented the air. Birds chirped overhead.

  Damien stared at the tree in front of him. His brow furrowed in bewilderment. Was the tree diseased? Something was amiss. He glanced to the sky, blinking a few times. White clouds rolled by, but their blue background appeared like water. It ran like a stream, melting to the horizon below. Damien lowered his eyes, focusing again on the tree. The green dripped from the needles onto the ground.

  What was happening? Was this a side effect of the sedative? A shiver shook Damien’s body, and he collapsed to the ground.

  “Damien!” Michael shouted as Damien pitched forward. He reached out, catching him mid-fall and easing him to the ground. Gray rushed over. “He’s freezing, shaking all over. What’s wrong with him?”

  Gray removed his jacket, placing it over Damien. “It’s Celine. She’s called him into Shadow World. We need to keep him warm.”

  Michael pulled his hoodie off, using it to cover Damien. “Hang in there, buddy,” he said. “We’re right here waiting for you.”

  Damien blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the colorless world. The bitter cold struck him, and his teeth chattered. He focused his mind, realizing where he was. “Celine?” he called out.

  “I’m here,” she answered. Damien followed her voice, spotting her racing toward him. She wrapped him in her warm arms.

  “Celine!”

  “Did you tell them, Damien?” Celine inquired.

  “Yes. I told them Shadow World. Celine, they are giving me a sedative at night, so I don’t slip in here without you. You can only contact me during the day.”

  “I understand. I have another message then you must go. You cannot stay any longer.”

  “Okay. I’m ready,” Damien replied, his teeth chattering from the cold.

  “It’s Marcus, Damien. Marcus has returned. You must tell them, Damien. And you must be safe. Now go.”

  “The Duke? No, wait, Celine!” Damien cried, desiring more information.

  “Go, Damien, we’ll talk tomorrow. GO!” Celine shoved him away, and he tripped backwards, falling into a black pit. He fell for a moment before he hit the bottom. It knocked the wind out of him. He gasped for air, shooting up to a sitting position. He struggled to visualize anything near him.

  “It’s okay, buddy, you’re ok
ay,” Michael assured him.

  “It’s all right, Damien, relax,” Gray added. “You’re back. You’re safe.”

  Damien gasped for air, shivering all over. Exhaustion surged and nausea passed over him in waves. He crawled onto his hands and knees, retching.

  “This one took a toll,” Gray noted. “We need to get him back to Alexander’s.”

  “Can you walk, Damien?” Michael asked.

  Damien collapsed onto the ground, still recovering from the nausea. “We’ll have to carry him. Help me get him up to standing,” Gray stated.

  Michael nodded, pulling Damien up with Gray’s assistance. “Got him?” Gray asked.

  “Yep.”

  “All right, let’s go.” They dragged Damien back to Alexander’s house. Gray shouted for Millie as they entered. Alexander met them in the foyer, assisting them in getting Damien settled on the couch. They covered him with blankets as Millie entered the room.

  “What’s happened?” Millie inquired as she took Damien’s pulse.

  “Celine contacted him,” Gray replied. “He collapsed, shivering, gasping for breath, same thing he did under hypnosis. When he came out of it, he was sick.”

  “Vomiting?” Millie asked.

  “Yes. Just once.”

  “I see. Damien, are you still nauseous?”

  Damien shook his head. “No,” he whispered. “Tired.”

  “Tired. I’ll bet. You are still very cold. Let’s get him some hot tea and dry toast. I’d like to make sure he can keep food down and bring his body temperature up faster.”

  “Here,” Alexander offered, “let’s move you closer to the fire.” He assisted Damien in approaching the fire, situating him in a nearby armchair. Within a few minutes, they plied him with hot tea and toast. He sipped at it, happy for the warmth it brought him.

  “Has he said anything about what happened in Shadow World?” Alexander asked Gray as Damien sipped his tea.

  “Not yet. He was incredibly weak when he awoke and sick. I didn’t push him. I didn’t want to overwhelm him.”

  “I understand. That’s for the best,” Alexander agreed. “His health is our priority.”

  “How are you feeling now?” Millie asked as Damien finished the cup of tea.

  “A little better,” Damien admitted. “Could I have another cup of tea?”

  “Anything you want,” Michael offered, collecting his teacup to retrieve another cup.

  “Your pulse is normal. Your body is warming. How is the nausea?” Millie inquired.

  “Seems to be passed. I’m still weak, but I feel better overall.”

  “Good,” Millie answered.

  “I saw Celine,” Damien responded in a louder voice, craning his neck to find Gray and Alexander.

  Gray joined him by the fire. “It’s okay. Tell us when you’re ready. Don’t strain yourself.”

  “It’s okay,” Damien assured them. “I’m okay. I want to tell you while it’s fresh in my mind, so I don’t forget anything.”

  “Okay,” Gray agreed.

  “She asked if I told everyone about Shadow World. I told her I did. And I told her about our plan. Sedative at night, contact during the day only.”

  “Good,” Gray replied. “Is your mind at ease now that she knows the plan and she can contact you when you’re not asleep?”

  Damien shook his head. “Why not?” Alexander inquired.

  “Because of what she told me next,” Damien responded. His brow furrowed as he recalled her statement.

  “What did she tell you?” Gray queried.

  Damien glanced between Gray and Alexander, then made eye contact with Gray. “She said…” his voice trailed off as he gathered the strength to say the words. He swallowed hard. “She said the Duke is back.”

  “What?!” Michael exclaimed at the door, just avoiding spilling Damien’s cup of hot tea. “The Duke is back? Are you serious?” Gray and Alexander exchanged a glance, vexation clear on their faces.

  “Yes, I’m serious. That’s what Celine said. She didn’t explain anything more. She said I had to go.”

  “Yes, you were there long enough,” Gray admitted.

  “Damn it!” Damien cursed. “Why can’t I stay longer so we can get more information?”

  Michael continued to question the new information. “Is this Duke thing possible? How can that be?”

  “I’m not sure, but Celine wouldn’t send that kind of message if it weren’t true,” Gray mentioned.

  “Perhaps she assumes it’s true but doesn’t have any confirmation,” Michael suggested.

  “No,” Gray argued with a shake of his head, “she wouldn’t conjecture. She’s sure.” He stalked to the fireplace, staring into the flames.

  “It fits with something else,” Damien informed them.

  “What?” Alexander inquired.

  “I didn’t remember until now, but when Celine and I met with the adjudicator, it mentioned him. The adjudicator thing told her to talk to Marcus Northcott. It must have slipped past us because she was so focused on saving me, we never followed up on it!”

  “This is unbelievable,” Michael replied, sinking into an armchair opposite Damien. He ran his hand through his sandy blonde hair.

  “That man is like a bad penny,” Alexander admitted.

  “Damn it!” Gray shouted, slamming his hands against the mantle before stalking away.

  “Gray…” Alexander began.

  “He has her, Alex,” Gray interrupted, his voice unsteady. “Marcus Northcott has Celine. Trapped somewhere. She can’t get away. My God, what has he done to her?”

  They spent a moment in silence as the news sunk in. Each of them reflected on their new reality and worry for Celine swelled. Alexander was the first to speak. “Did she say anything else? Give any indication of where she may be?”

  Damien shook his head. “No. She made me leave after she told me that. And warned me to be safe.”

  Gray sunk onto the couch, resting his elbows on his thighs. “We’ll find her, Gray,” Alexander assured him.

  “Will we? Wherever he has her, you can bet it’ll be damn hard to locate her. And how the hell did that bastard come back to begin with?”

  “I can ask next time I communicate with Celine,” Damien offered. Gray nodded, silent. “In fact, Millie, can you hypnotize me? I’ll go back now and ask her.”

  “No,” Alexander argued. “It’s too soon. You cannot go back now. You aren’t even recovered yet from the last visit.”

  “Then I’ll go back in an hour or two whenever I recover.”

  “Damien, you can’t. This isn’t a trip into the park. This is dangerous,” Alexander commented.

  “I went before twice in a few hours. I can do it again. I’m with Gray. We need to find Celine now! We can’t leave her with that maniac!”

  Gray stood, recovering a bit. “No. Alexander is correct. You cannot go back. The trips are becoming worse on you. We need you healthy. If it overwhelms you, we’ll have no way of communicating with Celine. We can’t risk it.”

  “But…” Damien protested.

  “The answer is no. I’m as upset as you are about Celine’s whereabouts, but we have to be safe. We’ll find her, it’s just going to take time.”

  “Time she may not have,” Damien surmised.

  “She’s Celine,” Gray responded. “She’ll survive. She’ll find a way. She’s smart, and she’s tough.”

  “She survived three years with that man before she met Gray,” Alexander informed them. “And while no one wishes her to spend even another moment with him, she is capable of surviving.”

  Silence fell over the group again as the afternoon wound down. Damien continued to recuperate. Despite improving, Damien remained tired. Dinner conversation was stilted, a heavy pall hanging over everyone as their concern for Celine eclipsed all else. Following dinner, Millie prepared the sedative for Damien.

  “Perhaps we should skip it tonight,” Damien suggested.

  “No, you need it now more th
an ever. You need to recover from today’s events,” Gray advised.

  “I’m fine. There’s so much to discuss. I don’t want to be sidelined.”

  “I went through the same thing after my… bite,” Michael replied. “Sometimes you need to be sidelined. For your own good.”

  Damien groaned.

  “We can’t take the risk!” Gray countered.

  “Fine, fine,” Damien answered, holding his hands up in defeat. “Go ahead, doc. Stick me.”

  Millie administered the sedative. “You should start to feel drowsy in about an hour.”

  “Then let’s make that hour count. What’s our plan for the next meeting with Celine? And everything in between.”

  “We must find out where Celine is being held. That is the next piece of information we should request from Celine,” Alexander answered.

  Damien nodded in agreement. “Okay. What else?”

  Gray stood staring out the window, his arms crossed. “How the hell didn’t we realize that bastard was back?” he asked. “Celine did.”

  “He’s hiding himself well,” Alexander replied.

  “We need to find him,” Gray answered. “Poke under every rock until we find that bastard’s hiding spot.”

  “I’m all for that, flush him out,” Michael agreed. “Let him know we’re aware he’s here. Strip away his element of surprise.”

  “As much as I’d like to strike out, this is not wise,” Alexander countered.

  “Why?” Michael questioned.

  “If he realizes we are aware of his presence, it may jeopardize any chance we have of finding and rescuing Celine. He may retaliate. Or worse, he may realize Celine is communicating with us.”

  “Good point,” Gray conceded.

  “Why did you say Celine realized he was back?” Damien queried.

  “Her painful memories. It all makes sense now,” Gray explained. “The danger she sensed, the flood of memories, the overwhelming sense. It was him. Every time, it was him. She sensed him but never made the final connection.”

  “The adjudicator mentioned it. Perhaps we should contact it to determine if we can glean any information about his whereabouts,” Alexander suggested.

  “I doubt it would have any information, but it can’t hurt to ask,” Gray agreed. “We must be careful though. No one can realize we’re summoning it if we want our knowledge of the Duke’s presence to remain a secret.”