“We’ll figure it out later,” Alex said.
Avery’s brow furrowed. “Figure what out?”
Alex and Rosie exchanged a troubled glance. “Later,” Tina said. “I think we should go now.”
Avery had to agree. Turning away from them, she stepped over the scattered chess pieces and skirted the board games as she headed for the door.
CHAPTER 29
“I don’t believe it,” Avery whispered as she took in her surroundings.
They were back in the elegant sitting room where they first encountered Regan. Her gaze landed on a circle of whirling colors beneath the staircase; she hadn’t noticed it before as the ivy mostly blocked it.
“What is that?” she asked and pointed at the circle.
Rosie stepped next to her; her hair hung in tangled strands around her chin and a large bruise marred her round cheek. Shadows surrounded her bloodshot, sky-colored eyes. “That’s what we came through to get here.”
Avery picked out the colors of silver, pink, purple, and yellow among the mass. The coven had used their dust to open a portal into Regan’s world, and they could use that portal to leave. “You should all go back; I’ll find the others,” she told them.
“I’m not leaving you here,” Tina said from where she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.
Alex set Landon gently on the floor and knelt beside her. He rested his hand on her shoulder as his fingers caressed her cheek.
“Regan won’t hurt me,” Avery said. Their eyebrows shot up at this statement, and their gazes ran over her battered body. “Okay, he’ll inflict some damage, but he won’t kill me. He said he cares about what happens to me, but he’s willing to lose a few to the game. I don’t know why things are different for me, and right now I don’t care because it means you can get to safety while I stay.”
She hated the idea of being alone in here again, but she far preferred for them to be somewhere safe. No matter what it took, she would find the others and get them out of here too.
“No,” Rosie said. “I’m not leaving you here.”
“Landon has to see a doctor,” Avery said. “You especially need to go back, Tina; you’re the most vulnerable one here.”
“We made a vow to stand by the members of this coven and to risk our lives for each other. I will not break it,” Alex said.
“Coven?” Tina inquired, but Avery didn’t have time to fill her in.
“What about Landon?” Avery pressed.
“Tina can take her back,” Alex said.
Tina glowered at Alex. “I’m not leaving!”
“You are the most vulnerable,” Rosie told her.
“I don’t care,” Tina said. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but Avery was my friend years before she was yours, and I’m not leaving her here.”
“Tina—” Avery started.
“No!” she cried. “I’ll take Landon through, but I’m coming right back.”
“We can’t leave Landon alone over there if she has a concussion or something,” Rosie protested. “One of us has to stay with her.”
They glanced at each other before focusing on Tina again.
“Our powers could be necessary here, and we have a better idea of what is going on,” Alex said to her.
If looks could kill, Tina would have stabbed him more times than Michael Myers stabbed people on Halloween. “That’s only because you haven’t told me what’s going on here,” Tina said. “But between coven and powers, I’m starting to put it together, though I’m not sure how any of this is possible.”
“I’m not sure either,” Avery admitted, “but it is best if you go back and stay with her.”
Tina opened her mouth to protest further before closing it and biting her bottom lip as she surveyed them. “Fine, I’ll stay with Landon,” she relented. “Maybe she’ll explain everything to me when she wakes up.”
“I’m sure she will,” Avery said.
“I don’t like this. And if she”—Tina trust a finger at Landon—“doesn’t tell me what’s going on, you better do it when you get out of here.”
“I will,” Avery promised.
When Rosie gave her a look, Avery glared back at her. They weren’t supposed to reveal what they were to people outside the coven, but she wouldn’t keep it from Tina after all she’d gone through in here. She would also tell Karen everything when they found her.
Tina turned to Alex. “Will you carry her through?”
He gently lifted Landon and walked toward the circle. Tina stopped to embrace Avery, and Avery leaned against her friend as they hugged. She didn’t want to let Tina go, but at the same time, she was tempted to shove her through the circle and to safety.
“Be safe,” Tina whispered.
“I will,” Avery said.
“I will see you soon.”
Tears filled Avery’s eyes as Tina reluctantly pulled away and followed Alex into the spinning circle. She watched them walk for a few feet before they disappeared as if they’d never been there. Avery blinked her tears away as relief filled her; at least Tina and Landon were safe.
“I’m telling them,” she said to Rosie.
“I know,” Rosie said.
“I don’t care if it breaks a vow.”
Rosie touched her arm, and Avery looked down into her caring eyes. “Neither do I. I didn’t mean it to seem like I did care; it’s just that we’ve never told any outsiders about us before Lila, and she figured it out. There have always been rumors about us in town and at school, but nobody has ever confirmed those rumors, and my first reaction to you telling more of your friends was fear, but”—her eyes returned to the swirling circle—“I have a feeling your friends can handle it and won’t betray us.”
“I trust them with my life,” Avery assured her.
“That’s good enough for me,” Rosie said with a small smile.
Avery turned her attention back to the circle as she waited for Alex to return. “Where does it go?”
“Lila’s bedroom.”
“How did you know where I was?”
“It was obvious Regan was a spirit, so we knew he took you to a spiritual plane. Lila had your crystal, and the bond you have with it, and us, was strong enough for us to find you. Before we located you, we cast a spell to open the walls between the spiritual planes and our world. We had to make sure to put up plenty of protection to keep any unwanted spirits from entering our realm, and when we finished, we let your crystal lead us to you. The spell is part of the reason our powers are so drained.”
They were all here because of her, were staying for her, and she had betrayed them by allowing Regan to kiss her again. Avery had never hated herself more. She didn’t deserve such loyalty, but she was going to do everything she could to earn it throughout the rest of this ordeal.
The next time Regan came around, she would remember them and everything they’d sacrificed for her. She didn’t know how he did it, but she couldn’t let him affect her again.
“You cast this spell in front of Tina and Karen?” Avery asked.
“Yes.”
“So they already know about us?”
“They know we’re not normal, but that’s about it. We didn’t have time to explain everything to them. Although, I’m sure they’re aware magic and spirits exist now.”
Avery snorted with laughter. “I’m surprised you let them come through with you.”
“We didn’t have time to argue with them, and Tina can be pretty stubborn. All your friends can be.”
“That they can,” Avery agreed before focusing on the spinning circle again. “What would happen if I tried to go through that?”
“I honestly don’t know. You weren’t present on the other side, so you had no part in opening it. You could end up getting ripped to shreds, you could find yourself on a completely different plane, but more than likely you wouldn’t be allowed to travel into it.”
Avery shuddered at the possibility of being ripped to shreds and loo
ked at Rosie. “What happens if Regan decides not to let me leave?”
Before Rosie glanced away, Avery caught the apprehension in her eyes. Avery’s heart sank; she tried not to think about the possibility that even if they won this, Regan might decide not to let her go. She might lose her freaking mind if she thought about it too long.
“What do you know about these spiritual planes?” she asked.
“We don’t know much about them or how they work,” Rosie said. “The only reason we knew they existed was because of some entries in the Books of Shadows, and they only told us that spirits and other creatures inhabit these planes.”
“Creatures such as demons?”
“Such as demons,” Rosie confirmed.
Only a month ago she hadn’t believed in witches, herbs, crystals, or magic. Now, she was on a completely different plane of existence with some asshole spirit who enjoyed torturing them. Her life really had taken an abrupt turn.
“How many spiritual planes are there?” she asked.
“No one knows for sure,” Rosie said. “One of my Books had names for some of them, but the Book also stated there could be an infinite number of planes.”
Infinite!
“I think we’re on the Nightmare plane,” Rosie said.
“Nightmare?” Avery squeaked.
“Out of all the names in my Book, it makes the most sense. Nightmares come to us when we’re asleep; they invade our minds and are beyond our control. During our waking hours we usually don’t think about them, but sometimes they haunt us while we’re awake. Because it can enter our lives when we’re asleep, the nightmare realm is the one most closely linked to ours. It would be the easiest plane for Regan to use to cross into ours, and think about it, we’ve had to face our worst fears or our worst nightmares here.”
Avery wanted to deny it, but deep inside, she knew Rosie was right. “Wonderful,” Avery muttered. “I’ve had some awful nightmares.”
“I bet none of them were worse than this.”
“No, they weren’t. You said it would be the easiest plane for Regan to use; can the spirits move between the different planes?”
“The strongest ones can, and Regan is definitely strong.”
“That he is. Are you sure the Nightmare realm is where we are?”
“Pretty sure. It would explain why Lila can stand on her own here; in her dreams, she’s probably as capable as she used to be. That would transfer to this world. Also, you know what they say, if you die in your sleep—”
“You’re not saying…!” Avery couldn’t finish her sentence.
“Yes, I am. We’re not sporting imaginary wounds, Avery. Whatever happens to us here stays with us. If we die here, we die.”
A chill raced down Avery’s spine. “Go back.”
“That’s never going to happen. We’ll make it through this. Plus, I don’t think Regan wants us dead; otherwise, one of us would already be toe up by now. There have been many times something could have devoured or crushed us, but though they’re enjoying tormenting and beating us, the things we’ve encountered have held back. Regan’s playing with us for some reason; I wish I knew why,” Rosie said as her eyes took on a distant look.
Avery suspected Rosie was right about that, but there was still a chance someone could die here.
CHAPTER 30
Her attention returned to the circle when Alex started to emerge. Streaks of purple, silver, yellow, and pink highlighted his white-blond hair and danced in his onyx eyes. “Tina’s going to take Landon to a doctor,” he said, “but her pulse is steady, and she’s showing signs of waking.”
“Good,” Rosie replied.
“Where do we look now?” Alex asked.
“I’ve already searched down here,” Avery told them.
“Upstairs then,” Rosie said.
Uneasiness filled Avery as she gazed at the elegant stairwell and balcony; Regan had cautioned her against going up there, but it was the only place left to look. Still, she had a feeling that what awaited them up there would be worse than what they’d already encountered.
Her legs felt like lead weights as she followed Rosie and Alex to the stairs and trudged up them. “If using our abilities drains us, then why was I able to use my powers twice and so close together?” she asked.
When Rosie and Alex exchanged a look, Avery realized they were keeping something from her. “I don’t know,” Rosie finally said.
“Your powers are so new that you shouldn’t have been able to use them again so fast or so strongly,” Alex said.
They arrived at the landing, and Avery stopped moving. Apprehension clawed at her insides as the voice started clamoring in her head again. If she let it, the voice would answer all her questions. However, Avery shoved the voice aside; a part of her instinctively knew the knowledge it possessed could destroy her.
“Are you okay?” Rosie asked.
“Yes,” Avery croaked out through the lump of terror clogging her throat. What was so different about her that Regan, a being more evil than any she’d ever encountered or imagined meeting, wanted her for himself?
“Don’t worry about it now,” Rosie said. “We’ll figure it out later.”
Avery tore her gaze away from Rosie; she couldn’t look at her while a growing sense of unease built inside her.
“Come on,” Alex said. “Let’s find the others.”
Avery focused her attention on the dimly lit hall. The white candles, flickering in their golden holders, cast shadows over the red carpet and paneled walls. Gazing back and forth, Avery saw no end to the hall in either direction.
Reid and the others had to be here somewhere, but it could be days before they found them. A fierce yearning swept her when her thoughts turned to Reid. She needed to see him and hold him; his touch would help wash away the remnants of Regan’s malicious cruelty.
Turning to the right, they made their way down the hall and searched through the rooms. Halfway down, Avery opened the door to reveal a pink bedroom. A twin-size, pink canopy bed was set off to the side with its ruffles dangling to the floor. The closed lids of the toy chests against the far wall revealed teddy bears and blocks with letters painted on them.
Rows of shelves lined the walls surrounding them, and at least a hundred clown dolls crammed every inch of those shelves. Grins were hand-painted onto most of the porcelain faces, but a couple dozen sad clowns were mixed in with the others. The multiple colors of the dolls’ clothes glittered in the light from the bedside lamp and danced across the pink carpet. A creepy, glazed look filled their black, green, brown, and blue eyes.
A sense of impending doom descended over Avery as she plummeted into her past. For a second, she was caught between the now and then as she gazed at the familiar room and creepy dolls. Girlish laughter from the past filled her ears, and she could almost see herself and her friends playing in this room.
“It’s a small world after all,” Alex muttered.
“‘It’s a Small World is regular dolls,” Rosie breathed. “This is clown doll hell.”
“Either way it’s freaky,” Alex said. “Let’s get out of here.”
“We can’t,” Avery whispered. “Karen’s in here.”
“How do you know that?” Alex demanded.
Avery gulped; she’d always hated this room and been happy when Karen finally got rid of all the clowns. “This is what her room looked like when we were ten. Fair warning, when we find her, those dolls are going to come alive.”
“Was there ever any doubt?” Rosie muttered.
Avery edged into the room, and Alex and Rosie stepped in behind her. The door swung shut with a click that was somehow more ominous than the bangs of the others had been. Avery eyed the dolls as she walked over to one of the toy chests; they all stared silently back at her, their grins seeming to mock her every step.
Reaching the chest, Avery bent and threw open the lid. Karen’s sandy blonde hair clung to her sweaty face in damp tangles as her eyes widened on Avery. Dried blood dotted the
corners of her mouth as she lunged forward and cried out against the gag. Avery knelt to pull the cloth from Karen’s swollen mouth.
“Thank you,” Karen whispered hoarsely as tears coursed down her face. “I thought I was going to die in here.”
Avery went to work on untying the ropes around her ankles. When she finished, she helped Karen to her feet and they embraced. Karen released her and when she saw the room, she swayed slightly. Avery helped steady her before she fell while Alex came over to untie the bindings on Karen’s wrists.
“It’s my old room,” Karen breathed. “I hated those dolls!”
“We know,” Alex said as the ropes fell away from Karen’s wrists.
“Huh?” Karen asked dully, but no one answered her. With her eyes glued to the dolls, trepidation and revulsion etched Karen’s face as she brought her wrists forward to rub them together. “How is this possible? How can we be standing in my old room?”
Avery didn’t have time to fill her in on all of that, and she wished she didn’t have to tell Karen what was about to happen, but she would find out soon enough. “The dolls are going to come alive,” Avery said.
Karen swayed again, and her eyes darted to Avery. “No.”
As soon as the word left Karen’s mouth, a rustling filled the air. Avery prepared herself for what she knew was happening before she turned to accept their fate. Still, when one of the clowns climbed stiffly to its feet, and its wire joints creaked from the movement, her bladder clenched.
The doll’s once dull blue eyes now glistened with hunger as its wicked smile revealed dozens of pointed, tiny, white teeth. A forked tongue slithered between its parted lips and flicked as it tasted the air.
Bile rose in Avery’s throat; she’d known this was going to be bad, but she’d never imagined this kind of demon doll. The paint on the doll’s face cracked before peeling away to reveal the gleaming, porcelain skull beneath. And running through that porcelain skull were throbbing black veins that made it seem as if this thing was pulsing sludge or something fouler through its body.
“Oh, no,” Karen moaned.
When more dolls climbed to their feet, their bodies cracked as they hopped off the shelves with the grace of a ballerina. Noisy chatter issued from them while they bobbed and weaved forward. As they moved, they left a trail of paint chips that turned the carpet multiple shades of white, pink, and red. The rustles and creaks sounding behind Avery caused her to spin and face the monsters there.
Nightmares (The Coven, Book 1) Page 17