Paranormal Word Series Box Set (Books 1-3 and Novella)

by CC Solomon

  “How’d whoever get your lamp?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “They had someone break into my house, I suppose. The lamp appeared one day but I didn’t realize its significance until it was too late.”

  “Who is ‘they?’”

  “The ones who have wanted you since they learned of your existence. You aren’t easy to kill and they certainly don’t yet have the strength to do anything against you themselves.”

  “And ‘they’ would be?”

  “The first soulmates.”

  I really wanted some dramatic music to follow that announcement because this was huge. My mind raced with questions.

  “So, the first soulmates want us dead?” Phillip asked. “What’d we ever do to them? They want top gun, they can have it.”

  “I don’t know what they want,” Ahmed replied. “They have been asleep for centuries and only awoke when magic came back. I believe there can only be one set of soulmates at a time. At the very least only one set with full strength. They tried to keep you apart but—”

  “We met in our dreams,” Phillip cut in.

  Ahmed nodded. “Everything that you have gone through is due to them. Amina, your imprisonment. Phillip, your altered mind which I cannot change. They were all wishes that I granted. Another was that I withhold their identities and location. And yet another was to have you subdued. The unseelie, or dark Fae, who attacked you are separate from me but are followers of the soulmates.”

  “Wait a minute. You were the asshole behind getting Charles and me kidnapped? Did you help David escape hell so he could kill my brother?” I cried.

  “I apologize for what I was made to do regarding your imprisonment. If you survive this ordeal, I will be indebted to you. However, I played no role in bringing back a being from the underworld. I suspect the original soulmates had someone do such a thing. Their powers are limited right now, in part because of you both. They need followers to grow in strength. Therefore, many of the acts against you were not done directly by them.”

  “Why wouldn’t their first wish be to kill us, instead of going through all of this?” Phillip pushed.

  “I cannot explain why they did not immediately want you gone. I’m not sure they want you gone now. I don’t know all of their motives. They aren’t exactly confiding in me. I am an unwilling party to their plans. And they do have plans. They also have many followers who will keep coming for you.”

  “Where are they?” I asked. “These original soulmates?”

  Ahmed shook his head. “Only one is moving. The other is still confined to their land of origin. That one does not have the strength to move. All of their energy went to the other first, who still isn’t at their full strength. You take them on now and you would possibly defeat them, but that window is just about to close. I can tell you nothing specific of their locations, except you being away from home is highly ideal to them. Your support is fractured and your friends are focused more on where you both are than preparing for any impending war or what the mobile soulmate is up to.”

  “What are they?” Phillip asked. “Witches, like us?”

  Ahmed stopped pacing. “No. They are something much older.”

  “Like?” Phillip asked impatiently.

  Ahmed began to pace again. “That would be tied to their identities, which I cannot share.”

  “How are we supposed to fight them? We were told there is a great evil coming and that humans will shift again. Are the soulmates behind that?” I asked.

  Ahmed stopped pacing once more and faced me. “I do not know. I simply know that they see you as a threat to any plans they may have.”

  “I don’t get something,” Phillip cut in. “Why’d it take so long for them to find us, if they know where we are all the time?”

  “You ask me questions I don’t know the full answers to. They are not at full strength. They are not ready for battle. And I cannot say they always knew where you both were. I certainly lost you.”

  “How’d you find us again?” I asked. “And why’d it take so long? Ireland is a small country and with half the population gone, it shouldn’t have been that difficult.”

  “One of our followers, a witch, was finally able to locate you. That’s when the Fae first attacked you. You proved a bit much for them that first time. To your second point, I was not in a hurry to get to you.” He smiled, looking at us both. “The soulmates never gave me a time limit to finding you. I’m sure partly because they aren’t strong enough to subdue you yet.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t really want to do this?”

  He gave another shrug. “I am prolonging it. Jinn or not, all this death and destruction weighs on my soul. I was never a deeply religious man, but I wonder if what I am would matter to Allah.” A brief look of sadness washed over his neutral face and he looked away, appearing deep in thought.

  I nodded slowly. “I’ve had similar thoughts.” I sighed. I didn’t want to fight or kill this man. He was as much a victim in all of this as us.

  “If you have no other questions, I suppose we must get to it.” He looked to us quizzically. “You have no other questions, correct?”

  By his look, I felt that we should have more to say.

  “What if we offer to get your lamp if you hold off on trying to kill us?” Phillip quickly asked, taking the hint that I’d clearly missed from Ahmed.

  Ahmed tilted his head. “How would you find such a thing? You don’t even know where she is.”

  “So, one of the soulmates is female and she has the lamp?” I said with urgency in my voice.

  He raised his eyebrows but said nothing. I’d take that as a yes. Clever man, giving away a hint indirectly. Of course, that only remotely helped. She could be anywhere in the world.

  “I’m assuming if you did agree to this deal, you wouldn’t have much time to give us. Your Soulmates are going to be patient for only so long,” I stated. “But unfortunately, we’re subject to a fairy curse that won’t let us teleport out of this country. We haven’t been home in months. And trust me, we’ve tried everything. And even if we could leave, we’d need some type of hint on how to find your lamp.”

  Ahmed crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes in thought. “You are soulmates, and as such, you can tackle any form of magic. One benefit of soulmate magic, and what helps you find your mate, is being able to sense and tap into many forms of magic. That magic isn’t strong, but being able to harness even just a little can be helpful. Like getting you home from a banishment. You just have to focus on the form of magic. I can help you with that.”

  “How do we know which magic is what?” I asked. My mind was spinning. He was essentially telling us that we had the sparkly shoes all along to get home. We just needed to find the equivalent to clicking our heels.

  “Your witch magic works in various ways, correct?”

  We nodded eagerly.

  “You use spells, potions, and you sometimes just think of something and it happens. I’ve seen that. So, think of the magic that you want in your mind.” He pointed to his head. “Then when you do, break your curse with that magic. With your powers combined, this should be doable. I’ll give you two weeks. You should make quick work of finding my lamp. The next time I see you, I might have to kill you. That would be a shame, as I would greatly like to know the new soulmates. If you’re going to be successful with finding my lamp, you must return home.”

  I frowned. “I’m confused. What about the location of the la—”

  Phillip touched my arm. He whispered, “It’s in the States with the female soulmate.”

  Ahmed did not acknowledge him and instead dissipated into a cloud of smoke.

  Chapter 23

  Phillip snapped his fingers and dropped the ward.

  I walked over to the others and recapped what we’d discussed.

  “Do you trust him?” Mercy asked, folding her arms. “How do you know he won’t double-cross you and just try to kill you once he gets the lamp back?”

  I s
hrugged, but Phillip said, “Yes, I trust him.”

  I looked at him and asked, “Why are you so sure that he will abide by his word?”

  “I did a truth-seeking spell when he was calling off his plant goons,” Phillip answered with an indifferent shrug.

  “Well, aren’t you smart?”

  Phillip looked over his shoulder and winked at me. “I think he’s a good man. I also think we need as many powerful allies as possible. These soulmates have their followers already; we need supporters too. He told us how to go back. We should try it.”

  “So, it’s time for us to go to America now?” Ed asked.

  I sighed deeply. “Yeah, I guess.” I looked at the group. “Wait, you’re coming, Ed?”

  “Bloody right, I am! I’ve never been to America, so why not go on a free holiday?”

  “Who’s going to run the show while you’re gone?” I asked.

  “I have a second that I trust and Mercy will keep everyone in line too, right, darlin’?” He asked, tilting his head to the woman.

  She gave him a glare. “Don’t call me darlin’. And yes, nothing to worry about here. After we’ve mourned our dead, you can go. Time to stop these arseholes from hurting anyone else.” She said with a sour face.

  I nodded and looked to Phillip. “So, when do we go?” I asked.

  He gave me a weak smile. “I was thinking I should stay behind.”

  “With me?” Mercy asked with an overly-delighted grin.

  Phillip gave her an uncomfortable smile. “I guess?” he asked more than said.

  Mercy put her sword in the sheath hanging from her belt hook. “Yea! Stay with me. Let Mina leave alone. She doesn’t need you, as long as you don’t die. It’s okay!” she exclaimed, bouncing.

  “Well, then you’d have to take good care of him, love,” Ed said with a wink.

  Mercy smiled wickedly. “Oh, that wouldn’t be a problem.”

  I cocked an eyebrow and looked at Phillip. “You sure you want to stay?”

  He gave an embarrassed cough. “Yes. Yes, I’m staying.”

  “I thought we both had to do the magic together to get back.”

  He ran his hand over his face. “I need time, Amina.”

  I sighed but held in my growing annoyance with a tight voice. “We’ve had plenty of time. I need you to come back, Phillip. You have to help us find the lamp and other stuff I’m too tired to think about right now. We only have two weeks before that Jinn comes back and kills us. And, yes, I know you can help from here, but you have to redeem yourself. Look, Phillip, if people in Silver Spring are going to believe us about this threat and that we are the new soulmates, they have to see us together. We can, together, heal the people you’ve maimed.”

  “He maimed folks?” Ed muttered. We’d told him some of how Phillip used to be but not the full details.

  “He’s so hardcore,” Mercy whispered in awe, gazing at Phillip with a look of longing.

  “Phillip, let’s go back to the house and talk this over. It’s freezing out here and we’re beyond the ward,” I stated.

  “Take your time with the decision. If you have the power, you can go home any time. Maybe after people aren’t so mad at Phil, here, for being a massive psycho,” Ed cracked.

  Phillip rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

  “I don’t want to take my time. This isn’t a hard decision for me,” I stated. “No offense, I really have come to like you guys and this place. Even though the sun seems to want to stay out of sight. But I have a brother, friends, a gu—”

  “Who’s probably with someone else. You think after all this time, he’s still pining for you?” Phillip asked.

  “If you want me to hate you, then keep saying things like that. Besides, it’s not just about Erik and the others. We have a mission. We have to get ready for these beings coming for us and we can’t do it well here.”

  “We’ve done well so far.”

  “It’s called luck. Not to mention, some of Ed’s people have lost their lives helping us. We can’t keep putting them in danger. We have to leave here. As long as either of us remains it’ll be no good for them.”

  Phillip looked away from me. “I need time. Please don’t hate me.”

  I turned my back on him. “Whether I hate you is entirely up to you.”

  Phillip was resistant to talking about returning for the rest of the day. The next morning, I discovered that he’d left early to do who-knows-what around town. I’d gone past worried, to fuming. Here we finally had a way to get home and he was dragging his feet.

  When he finally returned home that evening, I was livid. I met him at the door and kicked him in the shin.

  He leaned over, cursing and rubbing his leg.

  “You are an asshole. Silly me, for thinking you were getting better,” I yelled. “I want to go home, damn it!”

  He frowned and limped to the kitchen, sitting down at the small table.

  “I like it here,” he said quietly.

  “It’s cold here.”

  “It’s cold there, too. It’s called winter.”

  “People love you there, Phillip. Without you controlling them, they liked you. Yes, you’re feeling shameful about what you did. So, atone. Don’t hide. That’s not sexy.”

  At the mention of ‘sexy’ he seemed to perk up. “So, if I returned you’d find me sexy? Just like you did in your dream?” He gave me a devilish grin.

  I instantly wished I hadn’t said the word. I slumped into a chair across from him. “Phillip Leal, if you don’t help me get us home, I will hate you forever.”

  He shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s true. I think you care about me more than you want to admit. You can’t hate me. And that scares you. It scares you that you’re starting to have feelings for me.”

  “I have zero feelings for you, you crazy person. The binding got me all confused is all.”

  His grin widened. “No, you think that if you continue to stay here with me, you might fall for me in real life. Maybe do something you really regret.”

  I got up. “A dream from my subconscious where we made out doesn’t mean I don’t care about Erik anymore. I just got a little confused. And we had just bonded. It won’t happen again.”

  Phillip sighed and slowly stood up. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

  “So, are you coming back with me or not? I don’t think I have the power to get back without you, Phillip.”

  “If I don’t help you, you’ll hate me?” His eyes seemed genuinely saddened.

  “It would make things strained between us. Which we don’t need as soulmates to fight off this big bad coming.”

  He looked up at the ceiling. I could see the internal struggle on his face.

  “For you, mi corazón, I will return,” he said in a quiet voice, still avoiding my eyes.

  I blinked several times. “Just like that? You’ve changed your mind?”

  He nodded. “Everything you’re saying is right. Our happy home couldn’t last too long.” He looked over to me and gave the saddest smile. “Let’s go face the music.”

  I sighed. “Thank you.”

  I looked to Phillip. “If this doesn’t work for us, I’m going to be so embarrassed,” I said. We’d said our goodbyes. I’d even gone to visit Andy. He tried to drown Phillip again but I think he really was just playing around. Of course, Phillip didn’t see it that way and threatened to blow the sea creature up. We had one last lesson from Liz, made several potions that the villagers could use for future healing, and made our way to the backyard of our cottage to leave.

  Mercy and Liz stood with Phillip, Ed, and I to see us off. Mercy clung to Phillip, wrapping one of her arms around his like a loving girlfriend. He stood stiffly, seemingly afraid to move away.

  “Don’t be a stranger to us, dearies,” Liz stated. “Next time you come here, you won’t be stuck, so don’t be scared of visiting.”

  “I’m not,” Phillip replied, giving Liz a tight hug. “I might be back sooner than yo
u think.” He winked at her and the older woman smiled coyly, waving a dismissive hand at him.

  She then turned to me. “There’s a friendly fairy that you met. You’ll see her again.”

  “How’d you know about Francesca?” I asked with wide eyes.

  “I just do.”

  “Who is she? Why did she help me?”

  “She’s on our side. Tell Felix to watch out for her.”

  “What does he have to do with this?”

  Liz leaned in and hugged me. “Everything. He’s a special man, just like the rest of The Six.”

  “Do you know what he is?”

  “I have my theories. Nothing is coincidence.”

  I nodded and turned to Phillip who was being captured in what looked like an air-depleting hug by Mercy.

  “You ready, partner?” I asked Phillip.

  He gave me eyes that seemed to scream for help, but I only chuckled in response. “I guess,” he grumbled.

  I gave him a curt nod then held out my hands to both men. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Mercy reluctantly let go of Phillip and backed away from us.

  The three of us locked hands and Phillip and I closed our eyes. I focused my mind’s eye on the Fae and what I’d seen them do. I thought of Lisa and her magic in action. My fingers itched and I tightened my grip. I heard Ed wince and I relaxed my fingers. The itch grew up my arm and it felt like thousands of ants were covering my body. I wanted to drop and roll back and forth on the ground but resisted the urge and bit my lip tightly. I tasted blood. I itched so badly I didn’t even feel the pain. This was worse than when I became Erik’s mate.

  A thick wetness rolled down my cheeks and onto my lips and neck.

  “You both are bleeding from the nose, ears, and eyes, mates,” Ed said, a note of concern in his voice. “Perhaps you’d better stop.”

  “No,” I replied in a strained voice, gritting my teeth as a throbbing ache attached to the base of my skull.

  I sucked in a deep breath and focused on the fairy magic. The blue and ice of the Fae. I would have some of it and form something new.