The Devil's Third (27 page)

I took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I will always love the Brayden I grew up with and dated, but the person you are now . . . I don’t trust.”

“I’m still the same person. If you can just stop being stubborn long enough to see things through my eyes, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.”

Brayden’s relentlessness exhausted me, and I was through with this conversation. I placed my hand on the doorknob. “You must go now. When you come to your senses, look me up. But until then, I don’t want to see you.” Despite what was going on, a terrible ache went through my heart, and unfortunately it manifested in my voice when I said those last five words.

“You don’t mean it,” he softly said. “I know you better than anybody. Yes, you want me to leave, but the part you’ve been denying since I’ve been back . . . the part that still loves me . . . is crushed to send me off on my merry way.”

He was right, but I wasn’t about to admit it. “Just go.”

He lifted his hand and trailed the length of my cheek with his finger. I closed my eyes, remembering his all too familiar touch. The girl I once was longed for those days when we were carefree and mortal. But those days no longer existed, and now I had my new life with Nathan. I was no longer blind. I now knew what was going on beneath our noses, whereas most humans were under the spell of smoke and mirrors. They had no idea immortals existed and dark spirits walked among them in soulless humans. I opened my eyes. Brayden was looking at me, his features set in a loving, yet determined manner.

He nodded. “I’ll leave, but know this: I’ll never give up on us, and I’ll always keep an eye on you. One day you’ll realize we were meant to be together, and I’ll be there in the shadows waiting for you.” He then planted a soft kiss on my forehead and left.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Nathan

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“What happened?” Ameerah wanted to know, sounding anxious. “Did you find her? What did she say?” She was on her knees beside the edge of the rug next to my side. She placed her hands on the floor and leaned forward, closer to me.

The candles flickered around the room, creating shadows on the walls, pulling my attention away from Ameerah. I watched in fascination as they took the shape of people. Ameerah followed my gaze, and her lips parted in wonderment when the silhouettes linked hands and began dancing. My eyes followed them as they glided along the walls, circling us. Their feet and legs were moving rapidly while the upper part of their bodies remained stationary. I realized then, they were performing some kind of Irish dance.

“I must be on my way,” Jade said behind me, rising to her feet. She nodded to the entertaining group. “They’re letting me know the channel of energy, which opened this doorway into your world, is ebbing. They’re trying to keep it ajar long enough for me to say my farewell to you.” She smiled fondly at them.

I extended my hand toward her. “I cannot thank you enough for your help. I am in your debt.”

She took my hand and shook it. The corner of her eyes crinkled when her smile deepened. “My assistance requires no payment. It was my pleasure.”

Ameerah scrambled to her feet. “Wait.” She moved to us. I stepped back so she could have Jade’s full attention. The room filled with soft, lyrical whispers. I tilted my head to the side, trying to decipher what the dancing figures were saying, but even my immortal ears couldn’t make out their words. All I could gather was chorus chanting. “Do you know if I’m forgiven, and have you seen Nadia?”

Jade placed her hand on Ameerah’s shoulder. It sagged beneath her touch. “You must do what’s right and forgive yourself, Fallen One. There is no harsher judgment than self judgment. Your thoughts and actions and the true nature of your heart”–she touched the center of Ameerah’s forehead– “which is actually the ‘third eye’ but in a human is felt here”–she pressed her palm on Ameerah’s chest– “will determine what plane of existence you will dwell in once you abandon this realm.”

Ameerah swallowed hard and rapidly blinked back the welling tears. “Nadia?”

The corners of Jade’s mouth turned down. “I do not know of her. If it’s your quest to rejoin her, you’re now on the right path to do so.” She turned to me. “My time here has come to an end, but before I leave, I must relay a message to you to give to Paige.”

“What is it?” I asked, my pulse thumping against my skin as a sudden fear of bad news assailed me.

“In the future, her guide Moradin will be taking her on a journey.”

“Where?” I wasn’t sure if this was good or bad because the tone of her voice reflected no opinion either way, like someone saying the grass needed to be mowed.

The figures on the wall halted, but the rhythmic chanting continued. Two of them unlinked their hands and moved aside, creating a gap.

“Heaven is what humans call it,” she answered, turning away to join what I presumed were her friends. “I don’t care for the word, because of the narrow views attached to it and false conjectures. It’s not one place. The enormity of realms spirits camp cannot be measured. Just know that Moradin will be taking Paige to some of them, and she will be safe.”

“Why?” Ameerah choked out in desperation when Jade stepped into the open space on the wall between the two silhouettes.

The right half of Jade’s body disappeared. She glanced over her visible shoulder and gave a heartfelt smile that reached her lime green eyes. “So Paige will get a better understanding of herself and how things work. She’ll be going through an orientation. It’s already been decided among her council.” She turned and stepped the rest of the way into the wall.

The chanting stopped, and the figures unlaced their fingers with one another. I bowed to them, and to my surprise, they did the same. Then they dispersed, greeting Jade’s shadow with hugs and handshakes.

A blinding, white light flashed through the window as if a nuclear bomb went off. Instinctively, I raised my hand, shielding my eyes, closing them. A buzzing noise filled my ears, but then vanished, along with the brightness against my eyelids. I dropped my hand and looked about. The room was bare, the wood floor worn and covered with a thin layer of dirt. Black residues coated the stone fireplace. The corners of the hearth were crumbling. The only sign of Jade’s visit was the lingering smell of incense.

“You never answered my questions,” Ameerah said in a flat voice.

I turned. She was standing where we last saw Jade, with her arms across her chest. Something inside my brain jolted, and my focus was now on Paige–sharp and unyielding. “I found her,” I replied. “We were on some gloomy subplane. I told her I knew why she left me, and she told me where she was.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s at Timberlake Lodge with Brayden.”

Ameerah groaned. “I think I’ll stay behind.”

“I won’t allow him to cast you out,” I told her, remembering when we were at Gnat Creek, and Brayden had her by the neck, poised to drive her out of the human she dwelled in.

“Yeah, I know,” she said, shrugging. “But I didn’t intend to go with you anyway. I figure I can meet up with you and Paige after she destroys the incantations. She can then contact Nadia and if I’m forgiven, help me crossover where Nadia is.”

“I can’t promise you Paige can do such things,” I said.

She waved a hand in the air, unconcerned. “Paige can do it. I’m not worry about it. But in the meantime, you’re welcome to borrow the Jeep. I just need a ride to where this human I’m occupying lives. I’ll give you my cell phone number. You can call me when Paige is ready to help me.”

“I appreciate it and accept your offer,” I answered, heading out. Ameerah followed, and when we reached the Jeep, she tossed me the keys and got in the passenger’s side. After I put the seat back and slid behind the wheel, I noticed her holding the grimoire in her lap. “I thought Jade destroyed it.”

“Me, too,” Ameerah said, shoving it in her bag. “I’m glad she didn’t.” She paused. “Do you want it? Since I plan on blowing this popsicle stand, I won’t be needing it.”

“Where do you want me to drop you off?” I asked, making a U-turn. She told me, and then I answered her. “Why don’t you hold onto it in case I’ll need your help. You can give it to me when Paige and I meet up with you.”

She reached in her bag and pulled out a pen and a small notebook. She opened it and wrote something. “Good idea,” she said, ripping a piece of paper out. She folded it, and handed it to me. “Here’s my cell phone number.”

 Keeping my eyes on the road and trying not to speed, which was difficult, I stuck it in my front pocket. “Thanks.” I sat straight and gripped the steering wheel tighter. I felt like I had an itch inside me I couldn’t scratch. All I could think about was getting to Paige and the possibility of her not being there.

What then?

What would I do?

“You and Paige know where the incantations are, don’t you?” Ameerah asked, jolting me out of my worrisome thoughts.

I glanced at her. Her eyebrows were raised in an expectant manner. “We do, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I prefer not to tell you.”

She shrugged like it was no big deal, but I could see the hurt in her eyes before she looked away. “I understand. I knew Paige was in trouble when I heard the rumor saying the ‘old one’ was also known as Bael and that he gave her an ultimatum.”

“He did,” I confirmed. “Tree was there, and Bael threatened him as well.”

She sat up and turned toward me. “Really? I didn’t hear that. What happened?”

I told her the details, and before I knew it, I was on Lewis and Clark road. I pulled onto a long driveway in front of a two-story garage, built out of the same wood siding as the ranch style house tucked behind it. Tall trees surrounded the spacious property, and in the distance, a dog was barking. Ameerah yanked her bag out of the backseat and said she’ll be waiting for my call. I thanked her for her help, and then I was off, squealing the tires as I turned northeast toward Youngs River Road.

The ride there was uneventful, except for my reeling thoughts on what I would encounter when I saw Paige and how we were going to get inside the Sof Omar cave. Then I thought about Pip. He would know people who could pull some strings, so I called him.

“Nathan, how the bloody hell are you?” he asked.

“I need your help again,” I answered before outlining my current situation to him, careful not to give too much away. I told him Paige and I needed complete access to the Sof Omar cave in Ethiopia. We didn’t want any trouble, and the villagers or anybody for that matter needed to know the cave and surrounding area was off limits. I didn’t tell him we thought Solomon’s incantations were in there, and he didn’t ask. He told me he’d see what he could do and would get back to me.

When I pulled into Timberlake Lodge, I parked and dashed to room 22. When I lifted my hand to knock, the door flew open.

“Nathan.” Paige leaped into my arms, locking her hands around my neck. “I’m so happy to see you,” she said as I walked her backward into the room, closing the door behind us.

I pulled back and brushed the hair away from her face, slowly trailing my fingers down her cheek. “Thank God,” I whispered and kissed her. But then I stopped. My eyes darted to the untidy bed, and I smelled a spicy, musky scent lingering in the air–Brayden’s.

“What’s wrong?” She followed my line of vision to the bed. “We didn’t do anything,” she quickly said. “When I fell asleep, Brayden crawled in beside me.” She nudged my chin so I had to look at her. “I told him I was in love with you and made him leave.”

“What did--”

Her lips were hot against mine, breaking my train of thought. Her hand moved to the back of my head, pulling it to her. She parted her mouth, freeing her tongue, kissing me deeper. I groaned when she bit my bottom lip, my concerns of our precarious situation gone. Something hot and primordial pushed against the walls of my stomach, demanding to be appeased. Huffing in my mouth, she grabbed a fistful of my T-shirt, tugging us closer.

I wanted her.

I’d
always
wanted her.

She reached behind her and yanked the brown bedspread off the bed to the floor and pulled me down with her. I braced myself above her, but then she flipped me over on my back. The gesture was quick and aggressive. She had a little smirk on her face, and her eyes were bright with desire. This behavior was new to me, but I liked it. Paige was finding the strength within her I always knew she had–a confidence in her immortality and self.

I kicked off my shoes as she fumbled with the buttons on my pants. Lifting my hips, she pulled my jeans and boxers off. I sat up and removed my shirt while she stripped in front of me. I marveled at her beautiful body, a perfect hourglass. She sat on my lap and wrapped her legs around my back. I lifted the hair off her shoulders and trailed soft kisses down her neck. Arching her back, she moaned when my lips found her breast, and my fingers touched the delicate folds between her legs. They plunged through the slick barrier, causing her to rock back and forth. Her moans grew louder, her breaths short and thick. My chest rose and fell in time with my own rapid breaths. The heat beneath my skin caused it to prickle, energy begging to be released. As if she knew, Paige took me inside her. In those moments, nothing existed or matter but her and me.

Afterward, we made our way to the shower. In the back of my mind, I was aware we were being careless with our time, but I promised myself we’d get back on track once we got dressed. There was so much Paige and I needed to talk about; however, I pushed those thoughts aside and made love to her again.

***

While Paige and I told each other everything that had happened from the time we were in the hospital visiting Carrie to now, I ordered myself a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. Paige of course ordered another cup of coffee. She was stunned when I filled her in on what Jade had shared with me about Carrie, and she couldn’t stop grinning. “Do you realize what this means?” she asked, her voice raised in excitement. Before I could answer, she continued. “Carrie will be able to protect herself from the dark spirits.”