“But it was effective,” Lou said.
I leaned one hip against the counter as I studied each of their faces one by one. Lou was definitely excited; her cornflower-blue eyes sparkled. Jesse was not quite as excited as his sister, but it was close. Jonathan was a little harder to read. His expression seemed to be a mix of concern and something else that I couldn’t put my finger on, but my emotions went haywire every time our eyes met.
Claire was definitely worried. I wondered why.
There was another flash of lightning and clap of thunder. Jesse reached out and popped another olive in his mouth. “What’s it going to be, Charlie? Are we going upstairs, or should I just park myself here and eat?”
“Let’s do it,” I said. At this point, it would be silly not to. After all, that’s why everyone had come.
“Yes,” Lou said. “I’ll get the candles set up.” She slung the bag over her shoulder and left the kitchen. “Jesse, want to grab my wine?”
“Sure,” Jesse said, picking up her half-empty glass. “Do you want a refill?”
“What do you think?” Lou called out.
“Claire, I think you forgot to tell me the part of the story where you guys were slamming drinks during the séance,” I said drily, watching Jesse pour wine in Lou’s glass. Jesse grinned at me.
“I definitely forgot that part,” Claire said.
“You guys coming?” Jesse asked, putting the wine bottle down.
“Right behind you,” I said, picking it back up. I gave a brief nod to Jonathan, who was hovering by the door. “Just want to top off my glass. Claire?”
“Sure,” she said, coming closer to me and holding out her glass.
Jonathan reluctantly followed Jesse out of the kitchen. I heard their footsteps as they went up the stairs, and Jesse’s voice as he said something to Jonathan.
I leaned closer to Claire as I poured her wine. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I asked, my voice low.
Claire’s face was pale, and her eyes were stressed, but still she forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just ... there’s something about that room I’m not sure of.”
“Are you worried Mad Martha’s ghost will jump out at you with a knife?” I asked with a teasing grin, trying to lighten the mood.
She didn’t smile back. “That’s the thing. It wasn’t Mad Martha’s ghost I saw in the closet.”
My hands shook and I quickly put the wine bottle down before it could slip out of my fingers. “Was it Nellie’s?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure not. It was a young girl.”
“A girl?”
“Yeah. She looked too young to be Nellie.”
I swallowed hard. “What did she look like?”
“Like she stepped out of Little House on the Prairie. She had a long muslin dress and one of those sun bonnets.”
My stomach dropped to the floor. In my mind’s eye, I saw the little Holly Hobby girl from my dream standing on the front porch pleading for me to leave.
Claire reached out and touched my arm. “Hey. I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe it was Nellie. I didn’t get a good look. Maybe she wasn’t as young as I thought. Or maybe it was one of the other servants who lived here.”
“Maybe,” I said, hoping my voice sounded normal.
Be careful with that room.
Everything inside me was screaming to stop—that this was a bad idea.
But how could I stop now? Everyone was upstairs waiting for me. What excuse could I give?
And why did I think it was bad, anyway? The girl in my dream had been trying to help me.
Hadn’t she?
Claire was studying me. “Are you feeling okay?”
I gave my head a quick shake. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just kind of threw me.”
Claire didn’t look convinced. “We don’t have to do this, you know?”
At that moment, Lou’s voice floated through the air. “How long does it take to pour a glass of wine?”
“No, it’s fine,” I said. “Let’s go see what happens.”
We headed up the stairs as I desperately tried to ignore the pit of ice in my stomach.
Chapter 29
“Nice of you guys to join us,” Jesse said.
The three of them were sitting cross-legged on the floor with the six long, thin, tapered candles placed in front of them. There were three purple and three white, and they were arranged in a circle of alternating colors.
Lou patted the floor next to her. “Turn the light out and sit next to us, so we make a circle.”
I went to the space between her and Jesse, not wanting to be close to Jonathan. It was only when I sat down that I realized I was directly across from him.
Claire snapped the lights off and moved to sit in the circle. The rain drummed on the roof and splashed against the window. Lightning flickered across the room.
“Now we light the candles,” Lou said, her voice sounding odd in the dark. “Do you want to do it, Charlie?”
She offered me a lighter, which I awkwardly took. The candles were dark lumps in front of me. “Is there an order I have to follow?”
“No, just light them.”
I fumbled with the lighter for a moment before I got it lit. Flame burst out of the end, brightening up the room far more than it should have.
“You probably want to do the candles away from you first,” Jonathan said, as I went to light the one in front of me.
“Oh, duh,” I said. I had to get to my knees as the candle was too far away for me to reach, and I felt clumsy and inept as everyone watched me struggle with it.
Finally, I got the first candle lit, trying not to think about how close I was to Jonathan. I moved to the second and then the third, watching each of them of them flare to life.
Once I finished, I moved back to my spot and sat cross-legged.
“Now, we all hold hands,” Lou said, holding hers out. I grasped hers as Jesse took mine. His hand was warm while Lou’s was cool.
“Charlie, do you want to start?” Lou asked.
“I don’t know what to say,” I said.
“You’re just asking,” Lou said.
“Lou, why don’t you start?” Claire said.
Lou nodded and paused. The rain continued hammering on the outside of the house.
“Redemption,” Lou said, her voice firm and loud. “We’re here to today to ask you to help protect Charlie, our newest member, from Alan. Keep her safe from harm, and if Alan is alive, protect her from him. Can you do that?”
“Maybe you should ask if Alan is even alive,” Jesse suggested.
“Do you want to do this?” Lou asked him.
“Well, I’m just saying. If Alan isn’t alive, then it doesn’t even matter.”
Lou huffed out a sigh. “Redemption, is Alan alive?”
She paused. The rain continued to fall. The flames danced on the candles.
I looked around for an answer, not sure if I was excited about or dreading actually getting one, when I caught a glimpse of the mirror over the bureau. Small, bright yellow dots twinkled in the reflection.
Suddenly, all six candle flames flared up, like someone had dashed lighter fluid on them. Someone gasped; I thought it was Claire. Then, the flames shrunk back to normal, and Jesse’s grip tightened on my hand.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” Lou asked, a trace of excitement in her voice. “Redemption,” she continued, without waiting for an answer. “Will you protect Charlie from Alan?”
A jagged bolt of lightning slashed through the room at exactly the same time thunder crackled and boomed. Everyone jumped. My hands were sweating and uncomfortable, and I wanted to let go, but then my eyes were drawn back to the mirror.
That’s when I saw it.
The writing deep in the mirror, written
in smoke and blood.
Beware. It’s coming.
Then, several things happened at once.
There was a loud crash in the room, as if something had fallen to the ground and shattered. At the same time, a black shape leapt into the center of the circle with a loud yowl, like a demon escaped from the pits of hell.
Then, all the candles went out.
Everyone jerked back, letting go of hands and scrambling to get away. The black shape was in the center of the circle, hissing.
The overhead light snapped on, blinding us for a moment.
Midnight was sitting in the middle of the circle.
As soon as the light flooded the room, he sat back on his haunches and started to clean himself.
“Midnight? What are you doing here?” I asked.
“That was a cat?” Jonathan asked.
“You have a cat?” Lou asked.
Claire was still standing by the light switch, leaning against the wall as if her knees couldn’t hold her up. “When did you get a cat?” she asked.
“He, uh, sort of came with the house,” I said. “He was Helen’s.”
Lou pressed her hand against her chest. “He almost gave me a heart attack.”
Midnight stopped cleaning himself and looked up at me, his dark-green eyes meeting mine. He got to his feet and sauntered over, rubbing his face on mine, his purr loud and deep.
“Well,” Jesse said. “After that excitement, I definitely need another beer. And a snack.”
“So do I,” Lou said mournfully, her eyes on the floor. “Charlie, I broke your wine glass. I’m so sorry.” There was a puddle of pink White Zin on the floor soaking into the shards of glass.
Jesse got to his feet unsteadily and went over to Claire, who was still leaning against the wall. She looked like she was trembling.
Jonathan crouched down in front of me. “Are you okay?”
Midnight rubbed my face one last time and sauntered away, tail straight up in the air, as if to say, “My work here is done.” “Yeah,” I said, feeling a little dizzy. The smell of spilled wine mixed with the acrid smoke of the candles was making me a little nauseous. I wanted to ask if he had seen the message in the mirror as well, but then I remembered his back was to it.
He smiled. “That was quite a show.”
“That’s for sure,” I said, offering a tiny smile back as I met his gaze.
It was a mistake.
I couldn’t look away.
His eyes were a dark, rich brown, but this close, I could see flecks of amber, sparkling like the inside of a geode rock. I felt like I was drowning in them. I had never experienced anything like that—a connection so deep, so binding, it was as though I had found the other half of my soul and was finally complete.
From a far distance, I could hear Lou’s voice saying something, but I didn’t understand a word. Nor did I care. All I wanted was to pull Jonathan to me and intertwine myself with him.
“Charlie,” Lou’s voice was so loud. Both of us leaned back, the spell broken. “I’ve done my best to pick up the glass, but where are the rags?” In her wet hands, she held broken shards of glass that twinkled in the overhead light. Wine dripped from her fingers onto the floor.
“Uh,” I said, blinking. “There’s a linen closet over there.” I pointed.
“Thanks,” she said, weaving her way past the candles. “Hey, Jesse,” she said, as she passed Jesse and Claire, who were still frozen in the same spot near the door. I couldn’t help but notice them gazing at each other with the same hypnotic “spelled” intensity Jonathan and I were under. “I thought you wanted another beer. Why are you just standing there?”
“Uh,” Jesse stammered, taking a step back. He reached up as if to rub his forehead, but he was still holding his beer can and ended up hitting it against his temple. “Yeah, I’m coming.”
Lou stared at him for a moment in disbelief. “What is with everyone?” she muttered as she disappeared into the bathroom, presumably to throw the broken glass out.
Jonathan offered his hand to me to help me up. The heat and electricity from his touch was intense. It burned me all the way up my arm and throughout my body. I could feel it rising in my chest, my neck. I quickly let go, afraid of what might happen, of what I might start, with no care as to who was in the room.
Jesse ran his other hand through his hair. “Yeah, we should probably go down,” he said, taking a few steps away from Claire, who nodded.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” Claire said, but she didn’t immediately move.
I started to leave as well. Jonathan was right behind me. I could feel his breath against my neck, barely a whisper across my skin. I shivered.
We all trooped downstairs as Lou went back into the room to clean up the wine. I refilled everyone’s drinks as we waited. Jesse made a half-hearted attempt at eating. It was all very awkward and uncomfortable.
“Well, that was interesting,” Lou announced walking back into the kitchen. I handed her a new glass of wine. “What do you guys think?” she asked, picking it up.
“That cat nearly killed me,” Jesse said.
“Oh my God, isn’t that the truth,” Lou said. “Probably knocked ten years off my life.”
“It was certainly intense,” Claire said.
“Was that like the other ones?” I asked.
They all shook their heads. “There was something ... different,” Jonathan said. “It felt different.”
“More powerful,” Jesse agreed.
“Which probably means it worked,” Lou said.
“Something shifted,” Claire said. “I’m not sure if it means it worked or not.”
“Well, what else would it mean?” Lou asked. “Of course it worked. Especially since it seems you were right, Charlie. Alan did fake his death.”
“If you believe candles flaring up indicate a ‘yes,’” I said. “I’m not fluent with candle language, so I’ll have to rely on you.”
Jesse hid a smile.
Lou put her hands on her hips, giving all of us look. “What is wrong with everyone?” Her voice was exasperated. “We did something great tonight. Why is everyone acting so down?”
“I’m not down,” Claire said. “I’m just tired. I think I’m going to call it a night.”
Lou’s eyes widened. “Already?”
“I have an early shift,” she said.
Jesse put his beer down. “I better go, too.”
“Yeah, me too,” Jonathan said.
Lou shook her head. “I don’t know what has gotten into you all,” she said.
“Maybe it’s a side effect,” I said. “Because I’m exhausted, too. Maybe it’s a sign of how strong it was. It took a lot of energy out of us.”
“Why aren’t I as tired then?” Lou demanded.
“Maybe it will hit you later,” Jesse said. “You were the one doing most of the talking. It would make sense if it affects you differently.”
That seemed to mollify Lou a little. “That could be. So, if that’s the case, maybe it’s a good idea I take off, too.” She drained her glass and put it on the counter. “Claire, do you need a ride home?”
“No, I can walk,” Claire said, looking at the ground.
“But it’s still pouring out,” Lou said.
“You know, I’ve always liked walking in the rain,” Claire said, with a ghost of a smile on her face.
Lou threw her hands in the air. “I give up. You guys are all acting way too weird for me. Hopefully, everything will go back to normal once everyone has a good night of sleep.” She turned and headed for the door, the rest of the group trailing behind.
I hung back, saying goodbye to each of them as they disappeared one by one into the rain. Jonathan was last, giving me a meaningful look before turning to jog off into the night.
The night smelled crisp, c
lean even. I breathed deeply, thinking it must be what a fresh start smells like.
A storm is coming. Beware.
I closed the door and leaned against it, unable to hold myself up anymore. My legs felt hollow and weak. I wondered if I would have enough strength to drag myself into bed.
When the knock on the door came, it wasn’t a surprise. I opened it, and Jonathan was standing there, soaking wet. His hair was plastered against his face and his red shirt stuck to his chest.
We stared at each other.
I took a step back. “I’m not this kind of woman,” I said.
He took a step forward. “I know.”
I took another step back. “I don’t sleep with married men.”
He took another step toward me. “I know. I’ve never cheated on my wife, either.”
I took a third step backward. “We shouldn’t do this.”
He took a third step inside, kicking the door closed. “No, we shouldn’t.”
He closed the distance between us in two steps, sweeping me up into his arms and crushing his mouth against mine.
The Reckoning
Book 5 in the Secrets of Redemption series coming December 2020!
She was supposed to be safe.
For the first time in her life, Charlie felt like she belonged.
She loved living in Redemption, Wisconsin. She had everything she ever wanted: a home, friends, a new business, a new love.
However, nothing is ever what it seems in Redemption. And you should never, ever, discount the darkness hiding under the surface.
Author’s Note
Hi there!
I hope you enjoyed reading The Summoning as much as I enjoyed writing it! (And if you did, I’d love it if you left me a review on Amazon.)
I suspect you may want to know what happens with Charlie and Jonathan and the rest of the gang, and I promise you, it’s coming. Book 5, The Reckoning, is currently available for preorder and will be published on December 29, 2020.
I also want to invite you to check out my other books on my blog: MPWNovels.com. Along with lots of fun things to read (like notes about my journey as an author, book reviews, short pieces of fiction and more) I also have book club questions you can print and bring to your next book club meeting.
The Summoning: A gripping psychological thriller (Secrets of Redemption Book 4) Page 24
