by Terry Spear
“No. I don’t see them all the time. Only when something catastrophic seems to be headed my way.”
“And if you altered your plans, do you ever truly change the outcome?”
“Yes. Sometimes. I can’t say that it’s a better outcome though.” Celeste hated that she couldn’t give Hunter better news, but that was the problem with having future visions.
“Then we don’t take the train,” Alana said. “Simple as that.”
“When will this occur?” Hunter asked.
“I don’t know. It could even be while we’re taking the train back here. Or at some other time, but soon. I don’t have future visions of happenings that occur too far into the future.”
“What if we leave Jared off with his uncle to visit, and then we take the train to see Alana’s dad? That way we don’t delay our trip—like we’d planned. You could even stay with Jared so we’re assured not all of us will be on the train. I’d leave Samson behind too, but…”
“I’m going with Alana.” Samson shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes narrowed as he gave Hunter a caustic look.
“Right.”
“But…what if, by us changing what we do—we go early, Jared and Celeste stay behind, that’s why she sees the train wreck, and our not being together any longer?” Alana asked.
Hunter looked at Celeste to see her take on it.
“Could be. It’s not an exact science. I see bits and pieces.”
“Okay, so the question is, what do you do about it?” Jared asked.
“What do you mean by what do I do about it?” Celeste said, frowning at him, as if she could just wave a magic wand and change the outcome.
“I mean, you’re a Camaran demon. You are drawn to danger. I doubt if the train were derailed, you’d just do nothing. What do you do?”
“I would look for everyone, of course. If I could.” She thought that was a given. Except there was one little problem with that. She was pinned under the train in her vision. “Hey, if I lose Hunter or Alana, or both of them, I’m stuck here. Same as you and Samson are, you know. Only they can open the portals. So, of course, I’d look for them. Frantically. If I could.”
“And?” Hunter asked.
“And…what?” Celeste asked, throwing up her hands in exasperation.
“You don’t see anyone? You haven’t located anyone? You’re alone?”
“I’m not alone. There are dozens of demons screaming in pain. Some, I’m sure, will die.”
Hunter released his breath. “But you don’t see any of us.”
“It’s a whiteout. I can barely make out the train.” Celeste didn’t realize what a hassle it would be to have psychic abilities and share them with people who believed in her. They were so clueless, it was impossible to get the point across that her visions were vague, not something that were so detailed that they’d know when and where and why things happened the way they did.
“You’re on the train?” Alana asked.
“I’m off it. I don’t know if it’s because I was on it and it crashed, or because I was nearby and saw it.”
“Which you couldn’t do because it’s a whiteout,” Hunter reminded her.
“True.” Celeste folded her arms. “Okay, so maybe I don’t look for anyone,” she admitted. “It’s…worse. I’m pinned beneath the wreckage and in terrible pain.” She hadn’t wanted them to change their plans because of her.
“That’s why you were crying,” Hunter said.
Celeste scowled at the Matusa. As if she would cry over a thing like that. “I thought…I’d never see you again.” Then she quickly amended her statement. “Alana, the others.” She motioned to them, leaving Hunter out of it.
He gave her a dark smile. “And me.”
“That I’d be stuck here.”
“I think we should send you back to Dallas, Celeste, to keep you out of harm’s way,” Hunter said.
Celeste considered the notion for a second, then shook her head. “I want to be there for all of you.”
“You said you are pinned beneath the train!” Hunter ran his hands through his hair, looking exasperated. “Okay, maybe we should all just go home.”
“No, I want to see my uncle,” Jared said.
“I want to see my dad.” Alana frowned. “If we’re going to be here for a while, it might be another day, not even today. I say we stick together. It was sunny out, cold, but it wasn’t snowing when we arrived.”
“All right,” Hunter said, then looked to see Celeste’s take on it.
“All right.” Celeste hoped this wouldn’t be a disaster, but she didn’t want to return to Earth world and have to tell Alana’s mother that her daughter had been lost in a train wreck in Seplichus, when she knew about it, and left Alana behind, just to keep herself safe.
They again headed for the doors to the hall of records and saw two Elantus demons enter, brushing snow off their parkas, and stomping their boots on a rug.
“Man, freak weather.”
They glanced at Celeste and her party and frowned. “It’s cold out there. You better not be traveling that far in this whiteout, being dressed only like that.”
Everyone looked at Celeste, and she let out her breath. “Okay, so should we, uhm, return to…you know where, and pick up some winter clothes first?”
“Yeah, we’d better.” Hunter waited for the men to enter the computer room, then he opened a portal. “Let’s go.”
They ended up by their hotel, and he quickly closed the portal. Then they piled into the rental car, and Alana directed him to the nearest shopping mall.
“I should have let my uncle know we were going to be delayed,” Jared said.
“Let’s just hurry. I should have done the same with my dad, but I’m sure he would realize we were delayed for some reason. Celeste and I’ll go to the junior’s department. You guys can stick together.”
Samson was going to object, but Hunter said, “Unless you want to stay here, or freeze to death because you didn’t bother to shop for warm clothes, then you’ll come with Jared and me.”
Samson glanced at Alana, and she smiled, motioning for him to stay with them. Then Celeste and she hurried off to find warm clothes for their next adventure.
“Do you ever get tired of all the guys from the demon world being attracted to you because you’re a Kubiteron?” Celeste asked Alana.
“Nope. No one was interested in me in school, until I met up with our own kind. Well, sort of our kind.” Alana began trying on coats, found a warm, white parka, but Celeste shook her head.
Celeste tugged at brightly-colored coats. “We’ll never find you if you’re dressed in white in a whiteout.”
11
Alana found a bright pink coat, something she’d probably never wear again, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry, if the others could see her wearing it.
“Better.” Celeste found a bright purple coat.
Then they shopped for hats, gloves, leggings, to wear under their jeans, and boots. Everything was on huge spring discounts because Dallas’s cold weather wouldn’t last long.
When they were done, Alana used her witch’s skills to tell the clerk they’d paid for them. Though she’d also handed her a library card, to make it appear to others waiting in line that she was using a credit card.
Then she and Celeste found the guys in the men’s department picking out dull gray winter parkas.
“Bright colors, guys,” Alana said. “Otherwise we’ll lose sight of you.”
Samson obediently picked out a bright blue ski jacket. Jared found a red and blue one that was nice and colorful. Hunter was balking at picking out anything showy. Alana pulled out a bright green one. He shook his head. Then an orange. Same result. She showed him a bright yellow.
“I’d look like a banana.”
Everyone snickered.
“You can’t wear gray, or blue gray, or black. Dull colors. We need you to wear something bright so that you will stand out against the snow.”
&nbs
p; “What did you get?”
Alana showed him her pink coat.
He shook his head. Then he grabbed an aqua coat. “You find one to match mine, and I’ll get this one.”
“The things I do for you.” She and Celeste trudged back up to the junior’s section and found an aqua coat, not the same color exactly, but close enough, and exchanged the pink one with that. She would wear this one again.
Jared had paid for the guy’s clothes, using his parents’ hefty allowance.
Then they drove back to the hotel and entered one of their rooms. They removed price tags on all the items and began dressing in the warmer clothes.
“We stick together,” Alana said, feeling way overdressed for the Dallas spring weather as she stood in the hotel room watching the guys pull on their boots.
“Right,” Hunter said.
She thought he looked cute in his aqua parka that matched hers so well.
“We’re going to stand out, you know,” Jared said.
“That’s the point. We can see each other in the snow,” Celeste said.
“I mean, among the demons. They’re going to notice us,” Jared clarified.
“They always stand out,” Samson said, waving at Alana and Hunter. “Even if they wore white, the other demons would notice them.”
“Is everyone ready to go?” Hunter asked.
Everyone agreed. Hunter opened a portal, and they all looked at the green and blue lights for a minute, before stepping into the demon world, and into the hall of records. Now, they looked like they were ready to brave the cold. Luckily, no one was in the corridor when they opened the portal. Hunter shut the portal.
“Let’s go.” Hunter took Alana’s hand, and she swore he was more worried about her than he’d ever been.
Alana said to him, “Celeste says she loses sight of the rest of us, but it doesn’t mean the rest of us lose sight of each other.”
Celeste agreed.
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Hunter looked somewhat relieved.
Then they were hurrying down the street in the blinding snow, following the directions that Jared’s uncle had given him, sticking close together, so they wouldn’t lose each other in the maelstrom of a winter storm.
“Should be here,” Jared said.
“But?” Hunter said.
“The house number isn’t right. And there’s no other house in the vicinity with the same number he gave me.”
“You don’t think your uncle was afraid to give you the right number because you were bringing me, do you?” Hunter asked.
“He did give it to me after I mentioned you were coming with me.”
Out of the white mist of snow, they saw a demon materialize—Wendell. “Hey, I was headed over to the hall of records to see what you discovered. But…you’re here. Wearing winter clothes.”
“Luckily, Celeste was able to tell us that a winter storm was coming,” Hunter said.
“I borrowed some of my uncle’s winter clothes,” Wendell said.
Alana hadn’t thought the Camaran demon would seek them out. She figured once they’d brought him safely here, he’d run off and they’d never see him again.
“My aunt and uncle wanted to invite you to dinner.”
“We’re going to see my dad for dinner,” Alana said, “but Jared’s uncle is supposed to live around here. He gave him the wrong house number though.”
Wendell looked at the name and the house number. “Great! He lives four doors down from us. I’ll show you the way. I wonder why he gave you the wrong house number.” He glanced at Hunter, as if believing he was the reason.
Alana didn’t want Jared’s uncle to fear Hunter, which is why she thought it was best if they stuck together and saw him.
“Hey, I’ll let them know Celeste saved me and promised to bring me home, but only Hunter and Alana could do it. That way they’ll know you are all right,” Wendell said.
Alana was glad that Wendell had come to help them out. Jared was glum about his uncle not giving him the correct house number.
Wendell knocked on the door, and a dark-haired man answered it. He first looked at Wendell, because he was so close to the door, but he immediately glanced at Hunter and Alana, then surveyed the others.
“I’m Jared,” Jared said, “your nephew.”
His uncle inclined his head in greeting.
“I’m Wendell and my aunt and uncle live a few doors down from you. They saved me.” Wendell motioned to the gathered group. “And returned me home to our world. Without their help, I would have been dead.”
“What if the Matusa is forcing you to say this?” Jared’s uncle cast Hunter a wary look.
“Why would he?” Alana asked. “He’s half human, and so am I, which is part of the reason we can open a portal, but also, I’m a gate guardian. Jared has been searching the hall of records for a couple of years, looking for any sign of his family. Can you help us? Or not?”
He opened the door wider to allow them entry.
“Thank you,” Alana said, shivering. She wasn’t used to this cold, and she didn’t want to stand out in it any longer than necessary. She was glad that Jared’s uncle finally let them in.
He led them into a living room where he had a warm fire going. Nobody else appeared to be here, and she wondered if he had a mate, or had lost one.
They began removing coats, hats, and gloves, and piled them on a chair, then everyone took a seat in the living room.
“I’d offer some of my wine, but it’s a demon brand, and you might not be able to handle it.”
“No, I’m fine, thank you. We’re going to my dad’s place for dinner,” Alana said. “He’s also a gate guardian, but we have to take the train to get there. Though it might not run with this storm raging like this.”
“It always runs, no matter the weather. Jared, your parents, my brother and his mate, were summoned into Earth world. You weren’t even born yet. You must have been born there. I didn’t know they were going to have a son. We were having a birthday celebration for my brother and me. Your mom and dad were holding hands, leaning over to kiss each other. Suddenly, the blue and green lights were there, and then they were gone. Your parents, the lights, all of it. We knew what it meant. We cursed the summoner who had done it, wishing that he, or she, had summoned a Matusa and the demon killed the summoner for it instead of ripping our family apart. I had no hope to ever see them again.”
“My parents are in Earth world?” Jared asked, hopeful.
That wouldn’t explain why he’d been adopted by a childless human couple, Alana thought morosely.
“As far as I know. Unless they’re dead at the hands of their summoner.”
Jared quickly said, “Were they taken from here?”
Which would mean they could be in the Dallas area.
“No, West End. The stop before Porto, the storm city. I can give you directions to their old home. Another family lives there now. I kept it for them for three years, but I knew it was futile. That they’d never find their way back. The money from the proceeds of the house is in a bank account set aside for them, if they ever returned.”
Jared looked at Hunter. “I want to go there now.”
“You want me to open a portal to Earth world there so you can see where the portal leads?” Hunter asked.
“Yes. What if they’ve been there all along? Wherever ‘there’ is. I want to go there now.”
But Alana wanted to see her dad.
“My aunt and uncle still want to thank you for saving my life,” Wendell said.
“Will you come back to see me? Whether or not you find my brother and sister-in-law?” Jared’s uncle asked.
“Yes.” Jared gave his uncle a hug, tears in his eyes. “I will. I’ll be back. Hopefully, to return my parents home.”
Alana considered Hunter’s expression. He was frowning, but she was certain that he wanted the best for his friend. And if that meant living in the demon world with his real family, he would let him go.
It wouldn’t be easy, as close as they were to each other.
“Let’s see Wendell’s aunt and uncle, and then we’ll take Jared to the West End,” Hunter said.
“I could go to see my dad, while you do that.” She was thinking Hunter might want some time alone with his best friend.
Everyone said, “No!”
Even Jared’s uncle. “You would never reach your dad’s house without Hunter by your side,” Jared’s uncle said. “He must go with you.”
“Did you want to come with me?” Jared asked his uncle.
His uncle gave a bitter laugh. “Not in a million years.”
Then they said their goodbyes, promising to bring Jared back when he was ready to see his uncle again, and headed over to Wendell’s family’s home.
“We’ll find them,” Alana said, hoping they would.
“Any more premonitions?” Hunter asked Celeste.
She shook her head. “If Jared wants to spend his spring break in Earth world, I’ll help him.”
Hunter looked at Samson.
“I’m Alana’s bodyguard.”
Hunter let his breath out as they kept together in the veil of snowfall and continued to Wendell’s family’s home.
“We’ll take Jared and Celeste to West End and open a portal there. We’ll all go through to ensure it’s a location that you can navigate all right. Not in the middle of nowhere, or something. Then the rest of us will take the train back to East End where Alana’s dad lives,” Hunter said.
“I’ll go with you,” Wendell said. “Not that I want to go back to Earth world, but I’ll help Alana get back to her dad, and my parents live in that direction.”
“Does anyone remember the part about the train derailment?” Celeste asked.
“Train derailment?” Wendell asked, brows raised.
“She’s psychic. Wait, you’re a Camaran demon too,” Jared said. “Are you psychic?”
“Yeah, but I don’t see everything that’s going to happen. You see the train derail?” Wendell asked Celeste.
“Yeah, in a blizzard like this one.”
“We’ve never had a train derail before.”
“If you come with us, Wendell, and you’re involved in it, could you see a vision of it?” Alana asked, hopeful that if he could, but hadn’t, it meant that if they went with him, it wouldn’t happen.
