My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (17 page)

“What no Keeper to save your pretty little soul now?
Did you really think they’d give you one forever?” He claws my thigh with his
nails leaving a trail of red stripes all the way down to my knee. I cry out in
pain and struggle relentlessly to get out of his grasp. My father’s voice calls
out to me reminding me of what he taught me. I manage a knee to the groin and
he just grins but he was at least caught off guard and I pull one arm free and
shove the heel of my hand up toward his nose. He catches it before it strikes
and bends my wrist back painfully.
 
 

Just then, a man appears next to us out of nowhere,
grabbing Sam by the neck and throwing him against the wall with such brute
force, the wall cracks. Sam lies crumpled at the stranger’s feet. He turns to
check on me.

“Are you okay Brennen, did he hurt you?” I shake my
head pulling my knees to my chest, trembling uncontrollably. Adrenalin ebbs
into my fingers, running out its course. Who was this guy? He was easily 6'4
and built like a Mac truck, dark skin, black as coal, and pale golden eyes make
him even more of a sight to behold.

“My name is Will by the way, I'm your new Keeper.” Will
lifts Sam off the floor pinning him against the wall while choking him. He is
tactical in his movements. “I don’t ever want to see your face near her again.
Do you understand me? I will kill you.” I watch as the scene plays out like a
movie that isn’t real. I see Will’s mouth moving like he’s talking in high
speed but I can’t hear any words at first, I look closer. Sam was fighting,
clawing at Will’s hand on his neck. However, it looked like he was hurting
himself more than anything. Then I’m sure I can make out one word distinctly
out of Will's trembling lips…demon. Oh my God, I knew it, he’s performing an
exorcism. When he stopped, Sam’s rage left him and he went as limp as a rag
doll, he slides down the wall, lifeless. Is he dead? Some part of me wants to
go to him. My hand is outstretched reaching for him.

I am motionless on my sofa, still encompassed in
shock. All of a sudden, I feel a strong pair of hands lifting me up by my torso.
Pain tore from my ribs as the unseen force crushes in, I’m in midair when I
look to Will for help, it all happened so fast. I’m so scared in that brief
moment the only sound I make is the squeak of air I have left being extruded
from my lungs. In the next instant, the cold hands violently throw me towards
the wall on the other side of the room. I hit the wall hard, with such force
that it knocks the wind out of me and my head cracks against the wall. I see a
fuzzy image of Sam haphazardly running out the front door before the light dims
and my world goes black.

     
My alarm clock blares out
an angry song in my ear. I wince as the pain from my head throbs to the beat. I
smack the snooze button. My whole body aches with agony. I feel around my scalp
trying to find the source of my tender head. I find a small scab on the back of
my crown. It was very tender and I knew I didn't want to touch it again. I
blink my eyes trying to focus on my surroundings, wondering how I got into bed.
I was still in my dress from last night and as I sat up to get out of bed, my
head swam causing me to grip the nightstand. Once I regained my equilibrium, I
made my way to the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror almost scarring myself at
the horror that stared back at me.

I peeled my dress off and examined the bruises on my
ribs, arms and wrist, the dried blood under my nails. Was it Sam’s? The dark
circles under my eyes. I tried to remember which ones Sam gave me and which
were from an unseen force. The claw marks on my legs had already almost healed.
Had Will healed my body some last night? All I know is I should be in much
worse shape than I am. It was all a bit hazy. I turned on the water and hoped a
bath would ease the soreness in my muscles. I scooped a handful of bath salts
from the glass apothecary jar and dumped them in the water. I eased into the
steaming tub and closed my eyes.

What was I supposed to do about Sam? I can't be sure
but I believe he was possessed. I know he would never intentionally hurt me. If
this would have happened before I learned that there are supernatural ethereal
beings in our world then I would be calling the police right now. But the fact
is
,
I do know what horror lies among us. I was
attacked by a demon last night and I have the gruesome handprint bruised onto
my torso to prove it.
 
And now I have a
new keeper named Will, who better be giving me the same privacy that the
previous one did. My anxiety level is still on high alert. I jump at the
slightest noise. I miss Elijah so much. I am so scared without him here to
protect me. I keep imagining all of the details of our last night
together.
 

I emerge from the tub still sore but feeling much
better, like I can possibly even face the day. I pick out a sea green cashmere
sweater hoping to hide the bruises on my arms and a white bohemian skirt. I
slipped into a tan riding boot. I meander into the living room, afraid to
appraise the damage done last night.
 
I
see the six foot crack in the sheet rock where Sam was crushed. I don't know
how he was able to run out of here last night. I turn and examine the place
where I hit. A frame is missing off the wall but there is no broken glass
anywhere, I suppose Will had something to do with that. I glance at the sofa
and recoil at the thought of what almost happened there. A wave of nausea sends
me to the bathroom. I empty the bile and rinse my mouth out. I need some fresh
air. I grab my keys and take the top off of my car. I wind my hair into a bun
and secure it with a pencil. On this cool morning, the fog will linger well
into the day. Traffic is light and I pull into school with time to spare. Time
I use to construct enough courage to go inside, afraid to face him. How will I
ever look at him the same?

I sit at my desk in first period wondering if Sam is
going to show up and what will I say to him if he does? I guess I need to find
out what he remembers. If he wasn't possessed then I will be pressing charges, he
had to be, I recall his words about the fire and worry that his words could
have just as easily come from a jealous boyfriend gone too far over the edge,
or a demon. I mean I have only known him a couple of months. It wouldn’t be
unfathomable that his family moved here to Norfolk just because he was a wanted
fugitive in Texas. He could have followed me home, seen me with Elijah, set my
house on fire in a fit of rage.
 
No that
thing last night knew Elijah was a keeper. The bells sound, and still no Sam.
Maybe he is on the run. I sigh. I am desperate for some answers, not that I
could talk about it here anyways. Even though he injured me last night I can't
help but worry about him. I mean if a demon had taken over his body then it
wasn't him that hurt me, he may not even be aware of anything that happened, he
may even be lying dead in a ditch somewhere after the beating Will inflicted on
his body. That guy was so strong; he took down Sam as easily as flicking dirt
from his fingernails.

I wonder how Elijah would look in the heat of battle
and it warmed me from the inside out. I feel like he is still in existence
somewhere in some alternate plane, or where ever he is from. I think our souls
are connected somehow and I have the overwhelming sense he is trying to
communicate with me.

In Government I was elected president and today. I
have to give a speech about my proposed immigration policy the only problem is
that I never wrote the speech. I walk up to the podium and stare at the blank
cards before me. I take a deep breath and the words flow effortlessly from my
lips. Fifteen minutes later the class is applauding and I don't even know what
I just said. I smile politely and sit back down. Why did I even come to school
today? After class Mr. Potter asks to speak with me for a moment. I stand at
his desk while the rest of the class spills out of the room.

“Ms. Hale with your permission I would like to
recommend you for the internship award with the governor’s office this summer.
Your ideas are refreshing and well thought out. I will be sending a DVD of your
speeches along as well. I think the Governor will be impressed.” Okay how the
heck did I pull that off? Maybe I should ask to review the video first because
I honestly don’t know what I said.

“Mr. Potter, thank you that is very kind of you. Do
you think I stand a chance, at my age?”

“I recognize potential in you, and without doubt the
Governor will see it as well. Good luck, Brennen.”

At lunch, Emily joins me under the tree. I bite into
an apple as she asks me how Sam took the news last night. I chew the fruit slowly
so I can delay my answer and so I can pass the food over the large lump growing
in my throat.

“I think he took it kind of hard, but at least I
said what I needed to. He just needs some time to accept it.” It sounded like
how things would have went down had Sam actually been a part of the
conversation. I wonder at what point he became possessed last night. Before I
get involved in anymore lies, I change the subject.

“So how are things with Chris? You two seem happy.”
She takes the bait and spends the rest of lunch giving me all of the mushy
details of their romance. I nod and smile in all the right places but my mind
has left the conversation. The smells of fall are in the air, the leaves already
changing and the air is cool and crisp. It reminds me of the wine Elijah and I
shared and I let my thoughts drift to the memory.

“Brennen?”
I hear Emily ask in an exasperated tone.

“Hmm?”
I open my eyes.

“Um are you going to class, the bell rang like two
minutes ago.” I glance around and notice the crowd trafficking their way to
class. She grabs my hand and pulls me up. I wince as the pain in my wrist rings
alarm bells under my sleeves. I think she notices, I retract my hand back and
turn to pick up my bag. She turns and walks off, never saying goodbye. I like
the way Emily puts up with my crazy. She never calls me on it but ever so
subtly shifts my focus to a more sane behavior.
  

***

I park my car in the garage and make sure the door
is closed before getting out. I am still petrified about what happened last
night. What if one of those things comes back to finish the job? What if Sam
does? I feel isolated in this small house with no neighbors on either side. In
fact there are few residents who live here year round on this block. Most have
left for the winter by now.
 
I go to the
bedroom and take out all of my books. I have a lot of work to do. It is my only
coping mechanism. Thank heaven for my A.P classes. They keep my brain hostage
for hours on any given night. The wind kicks up around the house and it starts
to poor buckets of rain outside on the metal roof. The noise makes me on edge.
I pull my ear buds from the night stand and listen to my slow songs and sing
along to Yellow. The music ebbs my fears away and helps to brighten my mood
marginally.

It's after two a.m. when I finally crawl under the
covers. I find a picture of Elijah on my phone and fall asleep looking into his
eyes. I wake with a start, it’s still dark out, but in the darkest corner of
the room, two yellow eyes blink back at me, like the caution light before the
railroad crossing. I blink in response, and widen my eyes, and then they're
gone. I sit up and turn the lamp on. The room is empty. Diaphanous white
curtains blow in the wind, and I realize the window is open. The storm is still
raging outside. My heartbeat kicks in gear, hammering raucously in my ear. I
reach under my bed to pull out the baseball bat I keep there, and then I
remember I’m not at my home. Suddenly afraid that the yellow eyes may belong to
someone who is now under my bed, I snatch my empty hand back up as the image of
it being sliced off haunts my thoughts. I look at the window knowing I want to
close it, but what if
it
is waiting
for me?

“Will! Elijah! One of you better
get
your soul keeper-CIA butts in here and fix this, now!” I wrap my arms around my
legs and wait. “I mean it!” The wind gusts through the curtains blowing them
into billowing flags. “Fine, you know what? I am going to close the window and
if they want me, they can come and get me. I am tired dang it.” I pad over to
the window and use one hand to close the window, the other to hold back the wet
curtains. I try to go back to sleep but it is futile. I keep seeing the sulfur yellow
eyes, so full of hate it poisons the very blood that runs through its veins.

What could be so important about my destiny? I don't
get it. Elijah thinks I will become president, which I doubt, but even if
that's true I don't believe that any other presidents had demonic encounters
and assassination attempts on a routine basis. Other than being highly
influential, the president doesn't have that much power.
 
It's basically like being a glorified
cheerleader. The President has no control over the elected members of the House
and Senate, whose majority approval is required, to enact any public policy.
Therefore, the most effective President is one who possesses the political
skills to persuade (i.e. -cheerlead) the House and Senate that his or her
policies are worthy of enactment.

I get out of bed and go down stairs to start caffeinating
myself; I am going to need it. It's only five in the morning and dark as night
out. I wonder if Sam is coming to school today. I still wonder if he is dead in
a ditch somewhere. He did do me the courtesy of checking on me the other night
when my house burned down. I am going to do the same. I trod to the bedroom and
throw on jeans and a tee- shirt and tie up my hair into a ponytail. I brush my
teeth and grab my purse and book bag and head out the door.