My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (18 page)

Sam lives northwest of me. I was supposed to meet
him here the day that Elijah got taken, and well that never happened. I wonder
what his surprise was going to be. I don't know what I am going to say to him, I
just need to know if he is alive and if
he
is the one who attacked me. The dawn is breaking and the sky turns from navy to
lilac. I reach the address and pull into the iron gates slowly. It is a very
long tree lined drive way that curves delicately to the front of the house.
Yard after yard of fenced in pastures make up the majority of the east and a
large stable sits high on a hill in the west. There are already farm hands
milling about, and I hope I am not waking up the entire house.
 
The house is a large colonial style home with
red brick and large white pillars adorning the front. The landscaping is lush, one
hundred year old oak trees dot the scene, which creates quite a picturesque
setting.

It's about six a.m. when I ring the doorbell. Sam's
father, a handsome older man answers the door. He is wearing a stiff white
shirt and a black Stetson, the epitome of what Sam will resemble when he ages.

“Brennen, what brings you by at this hour?”

“I apologize; I don't believe he was expecting me.”

 
He smiles,
warming me with those same dark chocolate eyes, and shakes my hand. He opens
the door and shows me to the living room.

“Please dear, make yourself at home. I'll get my
boy.” I take a seat on the plush leather sofa. The house is decorated in a
traditional style that is both timeless and worldly. I see two blonde heads
peeking from the stair rails upstairs and I wave at the girls. They run off
giggling in unison. My knee begins to bounce from the flood of nerves welling
inside. The night plays back in my head causing me to shudder.

With the help of his father, Sam makes his way down
the stairs one agonizing step at a time. Wearing only pajama bottoms, his ribs
are wrapped in bandages and his neck is an ugly shade of eggplant.

“Brennen, what are you doing here?” he says in a
barely audible whisper. His neck must be so sore. I cringe just looking at it.
Mr. Montgomery leaves us alone.

“I just needed to know you were okay, I can go.” He
takes my hand, wincing as if that slight movement was unbearable.
 

“No, I don't want you to go.” I can feel four tiny ears
straining in the distance to hear our words.

“Is there someplace we can talk?”

“Yes.” He leads me outside to a tree that shades a
beautifully carved bench and we sit.

“What happened the other night Sam?” He looks off at
the house with his face full of anguish.

“I was hoping you could tell me.”

“What do you remember?” I ask. He lets out a sigh
and then takes a deep breath.

“One minute I was helping you in the kitchen and the
next some guy is beating the shit out of me. Are you okay? Did he hurt you? I must
have blacked out. I woke up in the cab of my truck to my dad banging on the
window. He had to take me to the hospital. I have three broken ribs and a
severely bruised trachea. What happened? Who was that guy?” He swallows, and I
can tell it's with great effort. I notice how he takes short breathes between
every few words.

I think about what I should tell him. I don't want
to put him in anymore danger than I already have. I also don't want to hurt him
anymore than I already have. When I look at Sam, I still see that rage filled
monster that tried to hurt me in the worst way possible. The tender bruises on
my ribs bear his hand print. I remember the violation I felt when he almost...
 
ugh I can’t even think of it. Yet here I sit
next to him, like I still care about him. Because I know that wasn't really
him, it was a demon, an evil bastard sent to suck any hope I have left from my
soul. My sweet Sam is not capable of even an ounce of malice. He is the most
charming, kindest, lovable, gentleman I have ever met.

“Sam I don’t know how to tell you this but that guy
that beat you up, was protecting me.”

“Brennen, what do you mean?” Confusion fills Sam’s
eyes. I have to tell him a least a partial version of the truth. He may not
even believe me. But I can’t keep lying to him.

“Do you believe in God?” He nods his head. “Well
then you need to know that there are also angels and demons.”

“Sam, the reason you don’t remember the other night
is because you were possessed.”

“Bren that is not even funny to joke about.” He
gives me a pensive stare.
 
I pull back
the sleeves of my sweater and reveal the bruises. I lift my shirt and take his
hand in mine. He sees the ugly hand shaped bruise on my ribs and splays his own
fingers to an exact match.
 
He sucks back
a breath and tears fill his eyes. He makes a fist and clutches it to his lips.
“No, I would never hurt you,” he says and I shake my head.

“It wasn’t you Sam, I know it wasn’t you. I know you
would never hurt me.” Tears spill over my lashes. I hate this. I hate hurting
him with the truth.

“What did I do Brennen? Please?” I shake my head
again as tears fly off of my cheeks. I wipe my face with my bare hands. I don’t
want to tell him, it is too awful. Sobbing breaths take over my voice.

“Brennen, please tell me I didn’t hurt you.” Sam is
crying out. I can’t say it. It will cause an irreversible chasm between us,
forever severing any hope of a friendship.

“Will, arrived just in time to help you. He is in
the CIA and is sort of protecting me.”

“Hang on, do what?” Sam asks as he wipes his eyes
with the back of his hand.

“I haven’t told anyone this, not even Emily but I am
under surveillance and being protected by the CIA. Will’s father knew how to
perform exorcisms and talked Will through it.”
 
Sam rubs his hands through his hair as he leans over his knees. I realize
I have just dropped two bombshells on him and it may take a moment for him to
process. He probably thinks I am crazy.

“How do you know I was possessed? And second, why do
you need the CIA?” His accent comes out even thicker after he cries.

“After Will did the exorcism, the demon that was
inside of you, picked me up and threw me against the wall. To answer your other
question, it is classified but has to do with my father’s death.” Sam mouths an
expletive after the first revelation. He gently takes my wrist in his hand and
examines the bruises.

“I did this? I am so sorry Brennen,” Sam says as he
breaks down in tears again. I lift his chin up with my finger.

“You didn’t do anything wrong Sam. You didn’t put
these marks on me, a demon did.” I know he is torn about what to believe. That
is about all the truth I can give him for today. I can’t break his heart all
over again by telling him about my feelings for Elijah, at least not today.
           
“I have to go. I have a few
tests today I can't miss. Get some rest okay. I'll be by later to check on
you.” He walks me slowly to my car and I let him kiss my lips one last time. It
makes me feel even worse. Why couldn't I just stay invisible?

I make the short drive over to Dr. Kennedy's office
after school. I enter the large glass building and press the elevator button.
When the doors open, a few people filter out and I get in, and press three. My
doctor has a cozy office with a
beachy
cottage theme
running through her décor. From the sand colored sofa to the turquoise glass
seahorses on her desk, she has it covered. Her receptionist greets me with a
warm smile and buzzes the doctor.

“Dr. Kennedy, I have Ms. Hale here when you’re
ready.” She receives conformation. “Please go in.”

I feel a little under dressed for my visit today but
I'm not here to make a fashion statement. I have been seeing this psychologist
since my dad passed away; she has helped me deal with many of my issues.
 
Dr. Kennedy is sitting at her desk wearing a
dark pink sweater set and a beaded chunky necklace. Her light brown hair is
pulled back at the crown with a half twist. She gives a no-nonsense smile that
I have gotten used to.

“Brennen, what brings you by today?” She stands from
her desk and makes her way to a linen arm chair. I sit Indian style on the
oversized ottoman.

“My life has been a wreck since I started my senior
year.”

“Oh why is that? Are the dreams still bothering you?”

“Actually the dreams have stopped all together. The
thing that is bothering me is well, I sort of kissed a guy that maybe I
shouldn't have and then we fell in love, but I already had a boyfriend. Now,
the one I fell in love with is gone and I don't know what to do with my
boyfriend. I tried breaking up with him, but that didn't go so well.”

“So is that the only thing that's troubling you?

“No.”

“Well what is it? You can tell me anything you know
that, right.”

“I can't tell anyone anything.”

“That's right, you can't tell anyone anything, or
you won't be the only one who disappears.” She sneers and slides her necklace
back and forth, much too calm for the maleficent threat she just spat out.

What? My jaw falls open. Oh no! No!

“Who are you really?” I take to my feet, ready to
bolt.

“I'm someone who wants to see you fulfill your
destiny.” Her tones changes back to the caring doctor facade.

“Is Elijah okay? Please I have to know.”

“He has been removed from your guard, but I can
assure you that you are well protected.”

“So is he still an angel?”

“Yes for heaven sakes Elijah is still an angel. He
is fine.”
 

“Prove it.”

“I don't have to prove anything to you.”

“Then I'm done, I won't be anybody's puppet on a
string.” I turn and go toward the door.

“The world is going to end without you on board.”

“My world has already ended Doctor or whatever the
hell you are.” I hold my hand on the knob. Realizing that I have to make a
stand, I walk out of the door, and don't look back. I take off in a sprint and
run. I need to get as far away from that woman as possible. I run past the
parking lot and down the street and keep going.

How is this even possible? I can't trust anyone. I
have been confiding in Dr. Kennedy for years. I replay her cold words in my
head. “
You can't tell anyone anything, or
you won't be the only one who disappears
.” Do they think that threatening
my life will make me more compliant? Do they think taking Elijah away will make
me love him any less? She said he was okay, but I can't believe anything that
comes out of her mouth now, not after lying to me for two years.

I don't know where the stamina came from but by the
time I stopped to catch my breath, night had fallen. I was drenched from sweat
and my tears had long since dried. I looked around to gather my bearings; I was
on a bridge on Lafayette Boulevard, miles from the good doctor, and my car. If
only this bridge were higher and the water deeper. I sit atop the rail and rest,
watching the water flow rapidly under my feet. They think I am going to save
the whole world, and from what, with what? I'm not exactly a rocket scientist
or anything special. I am just a girl whose parents died, whose own mother
didn't want her. The water churns below and I wish I could slip away with it.
The darkness sets in around me.

A car slowly creeps up next to me. “Don't jump, love.”
No! It can't be. I hear his voice. I turn slowly as if the moment isn't real.
He is already out of the car and next to me in a moment. He scoops me off the
bridge and pulls me into an embrace against his body.
“Elijah!” I squeeze my arms around his neck. “You’re back!” I glance over his
shoulder and see Dr. Kennedy in the driver’s seat of a BMW.

     
“Oh
Brennen I can't stay. I just wanted the chance to tell you good-bye.”

     
“What?
No! Elijah you can't leave me again!” He caresses the back of my head down the
length of my hair. His hands on me feel rapturous.
 
           
“
Shh
,
shh
, I know. I promise I will see you again one day.
I've been reassigned.” He pulls me into a steely hug, like the kind my dad used
to give me before he would leave on assignment. It feels like good-bye. “I need
you too. Believe me,” he sighs.

“After you were taken, my house was set on fire! Sam,
he was possessed and attacked me, he almost…I can’t even say the word.”
 
A tear rolls down my cheek as I think of it. I
see the horror cross his features and I know he knows what I mean. “And last
night, I saw one of them in my room.” His jaw clenches into anger. I can tell
he is trying to subdue his emotions, and his tense face begins to soften.

     
“I'll
find a way to get back to you, I promise.” He holds me so tightly, that I can
feel the love undulating off of him.

     
“Why are
they doing this?”

     
“They are
doing this because you are their only hope.”