Torn From the Shadows (27 page)

“Can you feel it?”

“Feel what?”

Lavie stamped her feet. “Can’t you feel the thumping from below?”

She was right because the humming beneath our boots was now a constant thump, like the bass line in a rock concert where the music seemed to come from within your body instead of onstage.

“Yeah, it’s like music.”

“What if we accidentally summon something?”

I had no intention of invoking any goddesses, gods or monsters. Our world had enough of those already, and my life was swamped with them. “No, we’re not. We’re going to find out why this spot is so important.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. It’s where Burr meets us, which makes me think this is the only place he can appear. It’s also where he reckons I can open a path to the shadows, and a spot spooks are attracted to. There has to be a reason for all this paranormal activity.” I was sure spirits of the dead weren’t the only things who took refuge here, but I wanted her to understand what I was saying.

She nodded. “It makes sense, but I don’t think it’s because this area is important.”

“Check your phone signal.”

She did. “No signal.”

“There’s something about this spot…”
 

“Yeah, there’s no access to any of the mobile phone towers.” She pointed overhead. “The power cables have been cut off for years.”

Lavie made a valid point, but I thought there was more to it. “Something ancient runs through this place.”
I’m sure of it.

“How are we going to find out?”

I wrapped my fingers around the boline strapped to my left thigh. “Did you notice what they plan to call the apartment complex that’s going to be built here?”

“No,” she said.

“They’re calling them the Legion Apartments.”

Her eyes widened. “That has to be a coincidence.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences, not anymore.” I pulled the boline from its scabbard and Lavie took an instinctive step back. “Relax. I’m not going to stab you.”

“I’m not worried about you stabbing me, Sierra.” Her eyes remained on the blade. “I’m more concerned about what else you intend to do with the boline.”

“This.” I raised my left palm and was about to slice it open when Lavie caught my wrist.

“Wait!”

“What’s wrong?”

She twisted my hand at an awkward angle, leaning closer as she inspected the sharp metal. “Where did you get this?”

“It was a birthday present from Papan.”

“Do you know where he got it?”

I shrugged. “He didn’t tell me and I didn’t ask because I was too excited at the time. The handle is made from moonstone and the pommel has a pretty design on it.”

She turned my hand over so she could look at both sides and furrowed her brow.

“You can hold it if you want.”

“No.” She released her grip and stepped back. “This weapon is a very personal thing.”

“I know,” I said with a smile. I hadn’t said anything to Papan but I’d secretly decided the key on the blade symbolized me and the Goddess was for security. “It’s for protection, right?”

“I’ve seen a knife similar to this one before. I know who made it.”

“Really, who do you think made it?”

Lavie looked away, towards the other side of the street.

“What’s going on, why are you acting so weird? Just tell me who it was.”

Lavie started pacing, her boots kicking at debris.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense.” The tickling on the back of my left hand made a wave of foresight sweep through me.

“Seere made it.”

“I have no idea who that is.”

“Saul. Saul made it.” She met my gaze. “He goes by several names, but Seere is his real one.”

“Oh.” I probably should have been more surprised.

“You were right, by the way. It is a protective symbol.” Lavie looked thoughtful. “He’s always told me Hecate was the Goddess who invoked him into our world. Like I said, he’s got a weapon similar to this one but his doesn’t have a key, it’s got a light. You two must be connected.”

I licked my lips. “Connected, how?”

She shrugged. “Usually humans can only be connected to demons or deities by a summoning or binding, but there are other reasons.”

“I didn’t summon him, didn’t even know him until you introduced me…” Even as I said the words and wanted to remain in denial, I couldn’t shake Professor Spooker’s words from the ghostly patch.

“She also ensured you were touched by the demonic when you were just an infant.”

“Sierra, are you okay?”

Her voice sounded tinny, as if it was coming from a distance even though we were still standing close. Was this the answer to my grandmother’s strengthening ritual? Had she connected me to this particular demon? And if so, why had Saul acted so nonchalant upon meeting? Yet, in spite of his aloofness, I’d felt something when our palms met. And he’d said it was nice to see me again.

“Sierra?”

I looked at the back of my left hand for a moment.

“Sierra, you’re scaring me.” Lavie shook my shoulders.

Her fingers dug into my skin and managed to shake me out of my stupor. “I’m…I’m fine.”
No, what I really am is confused.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lavie’s wide hazel eyes were too close and peering right into mine. “We’ll find out what this means. Saul wouldn’t wish you any harm. After all, Jason trusted him enough to fashion this for you, right?”

I nodded. Did Papan know about any of this?

“Now, what’re we doing here?” Lavie released her grip on my shoulders and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Something’s starting to feel different.”

I looked up at the utility pole and noticed a few sparks.

“Yeah, let’s get this done.” After our conversation, I decided to slide the boline back into its sheath and grabbed my trusty boot dagger instead. I ran the sharp double-edged blade across my left palm, making another cut to cross the silvery scar.

“What are you doing?”

“Watch,” I whispered, closing my hand so the blood dribbled onto the dirt beneath our feet. I didn’t have a dowsing rod with me like Oren had when we’d done this, but I wasn’t looking for a specific location. I was pretty sure this would be enough for what I wanted to find out, especially if my connection to this place was really as strong as it felt. “We’re going to see if any ley lines run through here.” The blood drops were sucked into the earth, causing the thumping to increase. “Don’t move.” I squeezed my hand tight as I walked around Lavie until we were enclosed inside a dodgy but compact circle.

When the last drop sealed us in, I felt lightheaded, but it was worth seeing the pink neon lines appear. I’d expected one, maybe two, but what lit up weren’t even lines. The pink traced the circle of blood, causing it to disappear and spread into bigger rings before weaving a series of intricate curves all the way around the middle of the crossroads.

It wasn’t until the circles reached the streets that the lines spread out beyond the chain-linked perimeter.

“No way,” Lavie whispered.

The humming beneath our feet had a familiar rhythm—
thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump
—like my heartbeat.

“This network of ley lines is amazing,” I said in awe. “These crossroads are the junction.”

Lavie’s eyes were bright. “It’s more than that. Sierra, this is a magical power grid.”

“A magical what…” I knew about ley lines but had no clue what she was talking about.

“This is where all the ley lines meet. Any magic done here is amplified by a thousand, a million even. Crossings like these are rumored to be located all over the world, especially around the bigger cities. This is amazing, but if what you suspect about the
Obscurus
and why they’re developing this site is right, it means their plans are bigger than we thought.”

“We can’t let them do this.” I looked down at my palm. It was no longer bleeding but a faint pink line extended from the middle and continued to the ground, like a cord connecting me to the glowing grid. “What’s this?” I moved my hand this way and that, causing the strand to move with me but it was still plugged into the road. And the goddess’s wheel etched into my pommel was now reflected below my feet, highlighted with pink neon. What did this mean?

Lavie gasped. “You’re connected to it! Sharing your blood has somehow made you a part of it.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing.”

“I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but I think we should go.”

“How do I make the lines fade?” I didn’t want anyone else to see this.

“You don’t. We just walk away, don’t look back and it will fade on its own.”

I nodded. “Let’s go.” Without the blood circle keeping us in, we headed down the street.

“Your nose is bleeding.” She dug around in the front pocket of her backpack and handed me a tissue.

“Thanks.” I wiped the drops as we made our way across the intercrossing pink lines and continued down Wallace Street, heading out the same way we’d come.

As Lavie ducked beneath the chain-link barrier, I noticed another spark on the closest utility pole and it was heading straight for us. I quickly bobbed under, seconds before a white arc raced along the top of the metal fence.

“That’s strange,” Lavie said.

“Everything we’ve just seen is strange.” As we headed for my car, I heard the rumble of an engine and caught the tail end of a black car leaving in the distance. Paranoia was starting to eat at me. What if the sparks were Mace spying on me? No, without working electricity he wouldn’t be able to travel. Still, this could’ve been him trying.

My head was going to explode if I kept thinking about this.

“Is everything okay?” Lavie stopped near the passenger side of the car.

“I’ll be a lot better when we save Gareth.” I glanced at my left hand and the pink cord was still there, a lot lighter but still feeling physical.

“I hope we can save him.”

“Me too,” I said, climbing into the car so I could unlock the door for her. I waited until she’d buckled up before starting the engine.

As I drove away, I peeked into the rearview mirror and although the pink grid was completely gone, I could still feel a slight tugging along my palm.

Chapter Twelve

Even after turning onto my street, the heavy feeling didn’t fade from my left hand.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Lavie asked from the passenger seat.

I snuck a glance her way. “It’s the only idea I’ve got.”

“We can still entrap the demon instead of banishing it.” She clutched her backpack tighter. I knew she had the exorcism kit Sally had given her—a ziplock bag filled with dry herbs, tokens from a bunch of religions, charms secured by a round ring, and a few other things I didn’t recognize. Including what she’d referred to as a witch’s bottle, or witch bottle.

Henry mentioned this might be the only way to capture Mace, but I couldn’t think about him. I needed to concentrate on Gareth.

“I don’t want that demon anywhere near me.” Its sexual obsession made my skin crawl. The sooner we got rid of it, the better. “Besides, I don’t even know if Gareth will come over. Not after I stabbed him.” I’d left Gareth an ambiguous voice mail, one I hoped he would respond to by popping over.

“I’m sure he will.” Lavie didn’t sound as sure as her words, and I wondered if she was still freaked about what happened at the crossroads.

“I hope you’re right.” I turned into my empty driveway.
Guess Gareth’s not here yet.
I switched off the ignition, jumped out of the car and headed for the front porch.

Lavie slammed the car door. The sound echoed around us. The protection shields itched at my skin more than usual. Ignoring the spike of energy, I headed for the house but paused when I caught movement in the shrubs.

I pulled out my silver dagger, backtracked and made my way towards the disturbance.

“What’s going on?” Lavie whispered.

I charged forward dagger-first, stopping in my tracks when the culprit sat up.

“Oh my God, don’t kill me!” Michael held a hand out in front of him, one eye closed.

“Michael? What the hell are you doing hiding in the bushes?”

He looked paler than I remembered and was clutching his side. “Please, stop pointing silver at me.”

“Sorry.” I lowered the dagger, tucked it back into my boot. “What’s going on? Why aren’t you inside with Willow? Did you contact your parents?”

He cringed. “No, I didn’t.”

“Michael, what’s going on?”

“Sierra, who are you talking to?” Lavie asked behind me.

I ignored her for a moment because everything was crashing down around me. My pulse sped and I struggled to fill my lungs with air.
Get a grip!

The first thing I needed to do was get Michael out of the bushes, and since he was bare-chested, I assumed he wasn’t wearing any clothes at all. “Lavie, can you run inside and get me a towel from the downstairs bathroom?”