Southern Spirits (The Southern Series Book 3)

by Shelley Stringer

  “No, stop it! Stop, Lucien will be mad! Don’t do this,” Noah pleaded, trying to drag Ben away. Ben pulled away abruptly and wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve.

  I cried, closing my eyes tightly. He would be no help because he was more animal than human.

  His eyes glowed even brighter as he turned violently around to face the door. He dragged his breath in, ragged and wet, making a hissing sound each time he breathed. I watched, horrified he would turn and come back for me or the babies. After a moment or two he turned back to me, seeming to be in better control. His fangs were still, no longer throbbing in thirst for blood.

  “I won’t come back here. I will keep my distance, and try to help, if I can,” he said, sounding more like Ben. “I’m sorry, Andie. I’m not Ben anymore. Ben is dead,” he stated coldly as he swung the door open and then slammed it behind him with finality.

  I sobbed into the foam mat as Noah sank down beside me.

  * * *

  The babies’ soft cries woke me. I opened my eyes and made out their forms in front of me. I couldn’t focus enough on them to tell which one was Matty and which was Elly. Tears sprang to my eyes as I realized the last time I’d kissed them might have truly been the last time I would see them clearly. I pushed up and couldn’t find Noah. I ran my hand down my stomach, realizing that Noah had dressed me in another pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. When had he done that?

  I focused on a brown form beside the pallet I lay on and reached out to touch it. It was the basket the young Orco girl had brought the bottles in. I felt around in it and located two full bottles. Pulling them out, I then held my breath as I pulled them over to me.

  “Mommy,” one of the twins had crawled closer to me and placed a hand on my leg. I knew it was Matty.

  “Baby, here. I know you are hungry,” I whispered as I placed a bottle in his hands. He lay back and nursed hungrily. Elly’s form lay still across the pallet from him, and for a second, my heart stopped as I realized she wasn’t moving. I reached over to pick her up and she turned toward me. I breathed a sigh of relief as I painfully placed my hands under her. I struggled and held my breath, but I couldn’t lift her. My ribs were broken in such a way that I couldn’t push with my arms enough to lift anything.

  I began to sob as I realized I couldn’t even pick my babies up. “Come here, Elly. Come to mommy. I have your bottle, baby girl,” I urged as I sobbed. Elly flopped over and crawled toward me. As she reached my leg, I pulled her arm and managed to pull her up my body into my lap. I felt Matty’s hand on my leg as I placed the bottle in Elly’s hands. I tried desperately to focus on them as they nursed. Elly began to whine softly, as if she knew I couldn’t see her. I wondered if their eyes were glowing… with my eyesight compromised I couldn’t tell. I placed a finger inside the edge of Elly’s diaper to check if she was wet, but found her dry. Noah must have been here recently and changed them. I wondered idly where he was.

  “Miss, are you hungry?” Noah’s voice came out of the darkness.

  “Noah! I thought you’d gone,” I gasped.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. You slept a long time, another day. You need to eat, I will bring you something,” he said. I heard his footsteps retreating.

  Another day! We’d been at sea four days. I wondered how many days it would take us to reach Somalia. I hoped at least as many more. My greatest fear now was the ship docking, and the Orcos taking my babies ashore. Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks as I searched again for the hundredth time for a way out of this.

  I closed my eyes…they ached anyway from trying to focus. I buried my face in Elly’s hair. I knew it was my imagination, but I smelled Banton’s cologne. I cried silently as I pictured his face. Banton - my beautiful, loving husband. He’d promised to love, honor and cherish me all the days of our lives. I held my breath. How could he possibly ever want to touch me, after…

  “Aargh!” A large sob escaped, my anger pooling and exploding. Anger at what Dante had done to me…to us. Yes, what he’d done to me, he had done to Banton.

  “Miss?” Noah had returned and knelt down beside me.

  I looked up at him, unfocused.

  “Do you require blood?”

  “I have to drink some animal blood, because I’ve almost fully transformed. Why?” I asked huskily.

  “Because your skin is so pale, almost blue. I will bring you some, with the babies,”

  “No! I can’t. I won’t drink human blood,” I muttered as I clutched Elly close to my chest. But you are making your children drink it, I thought bitterly.

  “Miss, you have to or you will eventually die.”

  “Noah, call me Andie, please. You had to take care of me. You bathed me. You can call me by my nickname, for gripe’s sake,” I retorted hoarsely.

  Noah sounded relieved as he replied, “You are better, I can tell. You speak more words than you have in days. Here, please eat,” he urged me, placing a tray beside me.

  I shook my head. The thought of food was nauseating.

  I faintly remembered Noah giving me water during my twenty-four hours of sleep.

  “Noah, is there water to drink?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry, here.” He handed me a cool bottle. I ripped the top off and drank and drank.

  “I’m sorry. I forget humans require water,” he mumbled, sounding embarrassed.

  “Noah, it’s okay. You have taken good care of us. I can never repay you,” I sighed as I sank back against the wall. I wanted to lie down, but the effort on my ribs was too great.

  “Is it nighttime?” I asked him.

  “Almost morning. As soon as the sun rises I will get some blood for you and new bottles for the babies.”

  “Noah, I can’t drink it,” I protested again.

  “But you will die without it,” he argued.

  I shut my eyes. It would be a peaceful way to go. It occurred to me, I’d rather die than have Banton know what had happened to me. All I wanted now was for my babies to be safe.

  “Then I will die. Just promise me, you will get my babies safely back to my husband or the SEALs. Promise me?” I asked wearily.

  “No! An…Andie,” he tried my name out and then continued. “Andie, do not give up. Do not think about what Dante has done to you. He will wait to see if you have bred before he tries again. He knows he endangers your life each time he does.”

  I shuddered and heaved, sick at the thought of his touching me.

  “You are safe, for a time. Your husband and the SEALs, they come for you. Do not give up,” he said adamantly.

  “How can you know that?’ I asked, knowing it was only hope on his part.

  “Because I have a gift. I see things in my dreams. God gave me this gift, my mother told me.”

  “What did you dream, Noah?” I asked as hope sprang up inside me.

  “I dreamed I would help you. I dreamed of this ship --and now, here you are. I dreamed last night the ship was sinking and there was fire. I dreamed of the Navy men and of Sam. Sam pulled me out. Sam and the Navy men saved the twins. They were safe,” he said, with the most reassuring tone to his voice.

  I realized I was crying. He said the twins would be safe.

  “And Banton? What about Banton?” I cried out, needing to know he would be all right.

  “Your man, Banton, he will be with them. He will try to save you,” he assured me.

  His words washed over me as I repeated them again and again in my head.

  He will try to save you. He will try to save you. The words were heavy on my heart. But he will fail, I finished for him silently.

  Noah was quiet, and I was strangely calm. The babies would be saved from the awful fate I’d been imagining for them. But the untold damage that Dante had done to me...I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And instead of Banton having to deal with it, I favored death. Death would be easier.

  My grandmother’s voice came back to me as I fell asleep against the wall. We’d been sitting in her old recliner as she read
the bible to me. I’d ask her what happens to your body when you die.

  “Baby-girl, there are things worse than death. Don’t ever fear death. As Christians, we should celebrate the day when we meet our Lord. What a glorious day that will be.” She’d burst out in the old Baptist hymn of old. “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be…when we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she cackled her loving granny laugh. Her tummy jiggled with the sound, and it always made me giggle. I laid my head against her warm, soft chest, playing with her antique broach she pinned to her apron.

  “There are things in this old world that are much, much worse than death. Like watching my babies cry because they were hungry, and I had nothing to feed them; Like watching your own baby die in your arms, while the doctors can do nothing to help.” She’d taken a deep breath, and stopped. “Yes, there are things much worse than death. Don’t fear death, baby-girl. And don’t fear it for me! I can’t wait for that great gettin’ up morning!”

  Maw Maw Irene was so comforting. She always smelled of lilac face powder, pancakes and soap. The smells drifted around me as I dreamed of death. Death would be peaceful. Death would be comforting, my mother and grandmother waiting with open arms to greet me.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Explosions rocked the world my cargo hold had become. Rapid fire sounded overhead, and the whining sound of a rocket being fired woke me. The ship shuddered, the engines falling silent. Noah sat up and turned to me, grasping my upper arm. I winced in pain, but said nothing. His touch was comforting.

  “Andie, get up. I think your SEALs are here,” he exclaimed excitedly as the door to my prison swung open.

  “Noah, come quickly! Lucien wants you now!” a voice rang out. Noah rose and ran to the door and it shut behind him.

  I was terrified of being left alone. What if Noah didn’t come back?

  It occurred to me that the ship was sitting still in the water. The engines were silent, and I could hear the shouts of the Orcos over and around me. Sunlight streamed down through the grating overhead, signaling it was midday. Another burst of gunfire rained over us, and I could hear bullets pelting the boxes of cargo in front of us. I pulled the twins closer to me, and they scrambled up into my arms.

  Fully awake now, I realized this was it. I would have to be ready to fight if I had to. I tested my legs and could move a little easier than the day before, but I hadn’t tried to stand on my own.

  I placed the babies down beside me as I felt the boat begin to list in the water. Were we taking on water? I had no way of knowing how low we sat to the waterline, there were no windows. I pushed unsteadily up the wall. I was able to stand, but my legs were like jelly. Good. No broken bones in my legs, it seemed. I sat back down and noticed I could see Matty and Elly more clearly. Their eyes glowed with fear. I pulled them close to me again, and they both pushed up into my arms and grasped me around my neck.

  “Get those babies in here with me, now!” I heard Dante bellow through the wall. “You, go and get them ready. I will restore my other half. I will retrieve my dead brother’s soul. I will sacrifice them on the ship if I have to.”

  My heart stopped. No! NO! What could I do? I searched around frantically. I could hide, but they would find me easily. I knew our scent gave us away.

  “What about the girl?” I heard a female voice ask.

  “Leave her. Let her drown,” His deep voice sent chills through me. Let her drown? I knew it, the ship was sinking. I couldn’t panic now. My immediate fear was the babies.

  I looked down at them, and it occurred to me.

  “Elly, play peek-a-boo. Can you hide from mommy? Hide from mommy, Matty, please. Peek-a-boo!” I gasped, desperate for them to understand me. I wished silently we’d never scolded them to fade back. They were scared to do it.

  “Please, please…babies…Peek-a-boo!” I said in as stern a voice as I could manage. “Peek-a-boo!” I ground out through my teeth. Elly looked up at me, her blurry image was clear enough I could see her eyes were wide and that I was scaring her. To my relief, both of them faded completely.

  I whispered to them. Hide babies…that’s good. Stay hidden,” I pressed a kiss to Elly’s head as the door swung open. I lay my head back and dropped my arms. A small female entered, followed closely by Ben. The female searched the pallet beside me.

  “Where are the babies? What have you done with them?” she demanded as she walked closer. I prayed they wouldn’t look at my chest too closely and make out their forms.

  “Noah took them earlier…I don’t know!’ I cried out, hoping I sounded believable. She stalked back toward the door as Ben leaned over and dragged his gaze down my body. His eyes widened as I held my breath. He’d spotted their outlines. I still couldn’t see clearly enough to gage his reaction. He stood upright, and then left silently through the door behind the girl.

  I let out a sigh as tears pooled in my eyes. Ben was going to keep my secret.

  “Oh, darlins’, you are so smart. That’s a good girl, Elly,” I cooed to them as they remained perfectly still against my chest. “You are a brave, good boy, Daddy’s boy,” I praised Matty as I felt him look up at me. I kissed him on his forehead as I rocked them gently to and fro. I could hear more gunfire in the distance, and I could hear shouting, but couldn’t tell if it was humans or Orcos.

  I lay perfectly still, trying to get a sense of anything going on outside. I felt him. I could feel his rage…anger, love, devotion. I could feel his desperation. Banton was outside.

  Tears burned my eyes as I looked down at my babies. “Daddy’s here, darlin’s. Daddy is here to get you,” I assured them as I rocked.

  I sat up quickly. I could feel the foam soak under me as my sweats became wet. We were taking on water. I watched in horror as the large crates around the room began to slide toward the back wall. We’ll be crushed, if they slide this way, I thought. Terror gripped me. The water was pouring in fast from somewhere behind the crates.

  I had to get the babies higher. Pushing up against the wall, I moaned. I still hurt all over, and with my ribs broken it made it almost impossible to hold Matty and Elly. I felt I was a little stronger. Adrenalin rush helps too, I thought. I searched up and down, covering every wall that was exposed enough to look. There were no ladders, nothing to get a foothold to climb up to the top. As I leaned against the wall where I’d been on the foam mats only moments before, I looked down in horror. The water was up just past my knees. I looked down at the babies…they were still faded. I’d never find them with my blurry eyesight if I dropped them in the water or got separated from them.

  “Matty, Elly…where are you? Elly, come back to Momma! Ellyson Marie, fade back!” I called out frantically. She immediately faded in as she clung tighter to my neck. She sucked her thumb frantically.

  “Matty, Matthew Gastaneau, fade back! Where are you,” I admonished him. He finally came into focus. As I hugged them to me, I began to search again for something to cling to. Some of the smaller crates were floating, but the larger crates seemed stationary.

  “Okay, babies…we have to climb. Hold on to Mommy,” I gasped as I grabbed a wooden slat on the largest crate I could find. I pulled up and placed my foot on the fourth board. I moaned, the pain in my ribs was so great that I thought I was going to pass out. As I stepped back down, I panicked. The water was now waist deep and rising at a much faster rate. The horrible dream I’d had as a child was coming true, except I wasn’t in a car in the river. I was trapped in a ship’s cargo hold in the Indian Ocean.

  I looked up at the ceiling, almost completely covered in the grating. The water would pour through the top once this end of the ship was level with the waterline. I had a fleeting thought maybe some of the grating would be loose, and I could push through it once the water was that high.

  I grasped the board and pulled again, crying out as I pulled my body up. Inch by excruciating inch, I pulled up, first one hand then th
e other as I checked to make sure the babies held on to my neck. They were deathly quiet, their eyes wide. Once again I worried about the lasting effect this terrifying ordeal would have on them. I pushed the thought out of my head as I reached the safety of the top of the crate. But it was nowhere near high enough to reach the grating. I still needed about ten feet or so.

  I sank down on the top, exhausted from climbing. My ribs ached, and I knew if I thought about the pain at all, I would pass out. I struggled to hear any sounds outside. There had been no sounds at all except some shouting and the slow groans and moans of the cargo ship as it protested its inevitable demise.

  There was a sudden jolt, and the ship listed hard to the right. The crate I was on moved unexpectedly and I realized it was now floating as well. Other crates and debris floated around us, and bumped into us hard as an explosion from somewhere deep inside the ship thrust everything sideways. I lost my grip on Elly, and she plunged into the water beside the crate.

  “NO! Elly,” I screamed, leaning over as far as I could to grasp her as she bobbed to the surface. I grabbed her pajamas and pulled her back onto the crate. She cried out as I pulled her up into my arms with Matty.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry…Mommy’s got you,” I sobbed, heartbroken I’d dropped her into the cold dark ocean water.

  “Mommy’s got you, baby. I won’t let you go again.”

  The water was pouring in now, sounding much like a waterfall. I looked up at the grating, now almost in reach. As we floated closer, I began to reach my arms up to push. Everything was solid.

  “Chaanndller! Andie, can you hear us?”

  “Chandler! Chandler! Where are you?” I could hear more rapid gunfire, and I could hear someone pounding on the ship’s hull, farther away.

  “I’m here! I’m down here, in the cargo hold! Please, we’re here!” I screamed frantically, surprised my voice was so loud, considering how weak I’d been. “Please, the water is rising!” My shrill voice bounced off the walls and the water and echoed. I looked all around, turning first one way and then the other as my head touched the grating. This was it. The water would be pouring over our heads soon, and I could see no way out. I spotted a place closer to the corner where there seemed to be wide spaces between the grating, the panels separated with iron bars. I pushed and tugged at crates around us, trying to move us there.