Stolen Portrait Stolen Soul: A Shadow Slayers Story (Shadow Slayers Stories Book 2)

by Nellie H. Steele

  “My guess is the photograph changed after the Duke was banished. Was he masking it somehow, so no one discussed where, or when, to search for it?”

  “Hmm.”

  “Anyway, that was the theory,” Damien finished, unable to read Alexander’s reaction.

  “I quite agree with you and Celine. It seems probable.”

  “Really?” Damien asked, encouraged.

  “Yes. What were Michael and Gray’s objections?”

  “That it was impossible for the Duke to both open the time portal and enter it. And what would happen if he did, since he already existed there. And it really fell apart when I suggested we go back and retrieve the painting from that time period.”

  Alexander reflected on the misgivings voiced by Gray and Michael. “I’m not convinced he didn’t find a technique to travel to the past. We haven’t any insight on what occurs when someone returns to a time they exist in, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to achieve.”

  “That’s what Celine said. But she agreed with everyone else about not rushing into time travel.”

  “I understand her hesitancy. I imagine it has more to do with her desire to protect you than any misgivings she has with your theory.”

  “I guess. I just want to help. This may be our only chance to find that painting.”

  “You may be correct. I support you in the endeavor and I will tell Celine as much.”

  Damien’s eyes brightened. “Thanks! Now if you could only convince Michael. He refused to even consider the idea. He’s not been himself lately.” Damien shook his head, recalling the scene he witnessed last night.

  “Having trouble with the adjustment?” Alexander asked.

  “To say the least.”

  “Is there cause to be concerned?” Damien shrugged, unable to vocalize anything. “Damien?” Alexander pressed, meeting his gaze.

  “Uh… I just… he’s… there was…”

  “Has something happened with Michael that’s disturbed you?”

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “I realize we’re not close friends, although I do hope we become better friends, but in the meantime, is there anything you’d like to share?”

  “I think… I think Michael is having an affair with Celeste,” Damien blurted out, glad to have it off his chest.

  “What?” Alexander seemed shocked at the admission. “What makes you suppose so?”

  “I spotted them meeting last night. He’s been so sketchy the past week, disappearing and stuff. Anyway, last night, I just… right place, right time. Or maybe wrong place, wrong time. Anyway, I was walking off some frustration and came across them on the cliffs.”

  “Perhaps it was a chance meeting.”

  “Uh… people don’t cuddle like that at a chance meeting.”

  “Oh my,” Alexander responded. “I understand the reason for your concern, yes.”

  “Whew, I’m relieved to have that out. I didn’t know what to do. But I had to tell someone. It’s been on my mind since it happened, and I just didn’t want to tell Celine. I’ve been avoiding her. She can read me like a book. She’ll know something is wrong and then I’ll blurt it out to her. And then I’ll be the person who tells her that her ex and her sister, her very married sister, are having some torrid affair. Then she’ll have something else to be upset about and worry over,” Damien babbled.

  Alexander held his hand up, trying to soothe Damien’s nervous jabbering. “Leave it with me, Damien. I shall handle it.”

  “Oh…” Damien paused, confused as to what he meant. “What are you going to do? Don’t tell Celine, she’ll be so upset. She just made up with Celeste, I don’t want to ruin it for her. She just got her sister back.”

  “I will not discuss this with Celine without speaking to you first. But I will handle broaching the subject with her if the need arises.”

  “Do you think we should tell her? I can tell her. I’m not… afraid, I just don’t want to see the disappointment on her face.”

  “Not just yet. I agree the timing isn’t appropriate. Let’s not disappoint her unless we have to.”

  “What should we do?”

  “I’ll speak with Celeste. We’re not the best of friends, but I am better acquainted with her than you.”

  “Eh, okay. I will not fight you on that. I don’t really know Celeste and she’s kind of scary.”

  Alexander chuckled. “Put it out of your mind, Damien. I’ll take it from here.”

  After a few more moments of conversation, the two parted ways, leaving Damien in the library with a renewed interest in his research project. Celine snuck in moments later, tapping Damien on the shoulder and startling him.

  “Geez, you scared me!” he exclaimed.

  “Sorry,” Celine answered, “I didn’t mean to. I wanted to check in with you. Doing some work on the painting search?”

  “Yeah, I am.” Celine smiled to herself. It seemed his conversation with Alexander had improved his mood. “I don’t presume I’m wrong, Celine.”

  “I’m not sure you’re wrong either. I would prefer to be more certain before we do anything bold, that’s all. Time travel is uncertain and unpredictable. I don’t want to risk your life.”

  “I realize that. Alexander said the same thing. But you don’t have to protect me.”

  “I’ll always protect you, Damien, whether or not you want me to.” Damien smiled at her. “So, you discussed this with Alexander? What did he conclude?”

  “He deemed it a probable solution given the evidence and despite the holes in the theory Gray mentioned.”

  “Gray can be a little quick to judge,” Celine admitted. “Plus, he’s a fan of being more cautious. He doesn’t want to risk your life for nothing either.”

  Damien made a face. “I’m not sure he’s that interested in protecting my life.”

  “He is. He realizes how important you are to me. Which makes you important to him. But even if you are correct, the prospect of returning to the past doesn’t please Michael.”

  Damien bristled at the mention of Michael’s name, afraid of giving away some detail about what he had witnessed. “Yeah,” he stated, not willing to say anything more.

  They were silent for a moment. Then Celine said, “Okay, so show me what evidence prompted you to conclude this theory is correct. If we go through your thought process together maybe we can sew up those holes and convince everyone or come up with another solution.”

  “Okay, Celine, that sounds like a plan.” Damien and Celine spent the next several hours wading through every piece of research and evidence he amassed in his two-day quest. They stopped just before dinner. After reviewing everything, Celine was convinced the theory was solid and probable. While they hadn’t nailed down the exact details on how the Duke had achieved his own time travel, she was sure he had the ability to achieve something on this scale. She agreed to present the evidence again to Gray and determine if he was more receptive to the theory after giving it some consideration. They would also need to approach Michael again if Michael and Damien were going to travel back to retrieve the painting. While Gray assumed they did not need the painting with Celine back, she would have felt more comfortable with the painting returned to its rightful place. They had commissioned it for a reason.

  Dinner conversation was kept light with Charlotte, Avery and Millie attending. Michael was absent, a growing trend for him. They spent some time after dinner chatting with the entire group. Despite wanting some closure on the painting mystery and the next course of action, Damien enjoyed the distraction. It allowed him to escape any awkward conversations with Celine in which he may spill the beans about Michael and Celeste. He retired for the evening exhausted and proud of himself for not admitting the tawdry details to Celine.

  Chapter 8

  Alexander waited in the darkness outside the abandoned house. In a few moments, he expected to see Celeste emerge. He had witnessed Michael enter the structure earlier. He had spent a few hours inside before em
erging, traipsing down the path toward the main house without detecting Alexander’s presence.

  So, Damien was correct in his assessment. Michael and Celeste were involved. Celine would not be pleased. Her nerves were already on edge, something disturbed her. Perhaps it was this very thing. But there was no reason to upset her if the situation could be resolved without her involvement.

  Movement caught Alexander’s eye. Celeste emerged from the front door, descending the stairs from the porch onto the pathway below. As she approached his hiding spot, Alexander stepped onto the path, blocking her passage.

  “Celeste, might I have a word with you?” he said.

  She rolled her eyes. “Just one? Could I be so lucky?”

  “Do you imagine your latest course of action wise?” he asked, launching into his demand unbuffered.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m sure whatever it is it’s none of your business. If you’ll excuse me.” She stepped to her left to move around him.

  He side-stepped to block her. “Oh, Celeste, I’m sure you do. I saw Michael leave just before you did. Michael, Celeste, really? You could find no one else?”

  “What is your point, Alexander?”

  “My point is the pain you will cause to your sister when she inevitably finds out the truth. Do you assume she’ll forgive you again? She has only just forgiven you for your involvement in what happened to her centuries ago.”

  “The pain I will cause my sister? Have you no concern for the pain my sister has caused me?”

  “Any pain she may have caused you was unintentional.”

  She rolled her eyes again. “Always so quick to defend her. What will happen when Saint Celine slips from the pedestal you all set her on?”

  “Keep to the point, Celeste. You must end your involvement with Michael now!”

  “Why? He is nothing to her. Unlike Damien. And I didn’t touch her precious Damien.”

  “He is her friend. She will not tolerate this, I assure you.”

  “Really?” Celeste said, eyeing him, “Perhaps you should run along and tattle to my sweet baby sister. Let her deal with me herself.”

  “I am giving you a chance, Celeste. A chance to stop before you ruin your relationship with Celine, again.”

  “Stay out of my business, Alexander,” Celeste warned before pushing past him down the path.

  Celine wandered through the woods. She rose before dawn and completed some of the work for her business before she exited the house, needing fresh air to clear her troubled mind. Something was off. Something weighed on her mind. She loved the way the trees hid her from the rest of the world. It made her feel safe as she meandered without direction.

  She stepped off the path into a thicket of trees, allowing them to envelope her in complete privacy. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with the odor of decaying leaves and pine scent. Overhead, birds chirped from their high perches. She closed her eyes, breathing deep again and listening to their songs.

  After a moment, she noted another scent on the wind. Thick and musky, it filled her nostrils. She snapped her eyes open. Pain shot across her forehead from temple to temple. Her mind jumbled, random memories shot across her brain. She doubled over, suffering from a sudden wave of nausea.

  Within moments, the sensation passed. She sniffed several times, but no longer detected the musky odor. The pain in her head passed and her queasiness ceased. She tried to recall the memories that had filled her head in that moment. They were so fleeting, she had trouble bringing them back to the forefront of her brain.

  She concentrated hard, trying to induce her brain to revive them. She closed her eyes, focusing her energy on retrieving them. After a moment, she unlocked them in her mind: her confrontation with Celeste and Marcus on the beach that fateful night where she became what she was, Celeste’s dead body on the foyer table, Celeste arriving to the beach ceremony where they banished the Duke.

  Why had these memories flooded her mind? And why had pain accompanied them? She had experienced something similar before, when she had been Josie, when she had been human. While her memories as Celine tried to push their way into Josie’s human mind, Josie had experienced pain, confusion, nausea. Why was she continuing to experience these symptoms? These memories were not new. Her mind was not integrating the memories of two lives.

  She had no explanation for the incident. As she opened her eyes and glanced around, trying to solve the mystery, she realized she was close to Alexander’s house. She wondered how the conversation with Damien had gone from his perspective. She needed the diversion from her own strange experience. She pushed ahead through the trees, intent on thrusting her painful memories from her mind and replacing it with a conversation with Alexander.

  Celine knocked at the door, blowing air into her clasped hands to warm them as she waited. “Good morning, Celine,” Alexander greeted her after opening the door.

  “Good morning, I hope you don’t mind another visit. I wanted to see how your conversation with Damien went yesterday.”

  “Not at all, come in.” He showed her to the sitting room. She sank onto the couch next to him.

  “So, how did it go? He seemed to perk up after you left, so I’m assuming it went well.”

  “Quite well, I judge. I expect we shall be good friends.”

  Celine smiled. That was encouraging news. “Good. He needs another friend, someone to talk to. Did he tell you his theory about the painting?”

  “He did. I found it plausible, although, I do understand your reservations about sending him back to 1791 to recover the painting.”

  “I don’t want to send him at all. However, it may be the easiest and fastest solution. But I worry.”

  “I understand your worry. Speaking of, how are you feeling? Any more ominous impressions?”

  Celine reflected a moment before answering. “No,” she lied, “well, yes, general things, like the worry about the painting and Damien’s reaction to Gray’s rejection of his theory.”

  Alexander opened his mouth to answer but a knock at the door interrupted him. “Oh, excuse me a moment.” He disappeared to the front door. Celine overheard voices. It sounded like Damien’s voice. She rose and walked to the foyer. Damien was walking into the house.

  “Hey, did you get a chance to…” He stopped dead upon seeing Celine. Clearing his throat, he followed up with, “Oh, hey, Celine, fancy meeting you here.”

  “Hey, D,” she said.

  Damien glanced wide-eyed to Alexander. Celine did not miss the exchange. “I’m glad you’re here,” Alexander told Damien, “I wanted to follow up with you about our conversation yesterday. Shall we go into the sitting room?”

  “Uh, o-o-okay,” Damien stammered.

  Celine wondered why he was so nervous. Perhaps he was nervous around Alexander. Yet, he had sought Alexander out to have a conversation. Something was bothering him. That much was obvious. Alexander led them back to the sitting room.

  “I was just speaking with Celine about our conversation yesterday, in fact,” Alexander continued as they sat down.

  “You were?” Damien asked, gulping.

  “Yes. We were attempting to determine another, safer way to reclaim the missing painting. Yet, I’ll admit neither of us had any ideas.”

  “Oh, right, yeah, the painting,” Damien said, nodding. “Yeah, good, I mean not good, I mean… well, you know what I mean.”

  What else could he have thought Alexander was referring to, Celine pondered. And why was he so nervous? “I haven’t had a chance to speak to Gray. Perhaps we can run through everything with him again tonight or tomorrow night. Give him some time to come around.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Damien said. “Maybe tomorrow. Give him some time to adjust to the idea.”

  “Okay…” Celine began.

  “In fact, yeah, tomorrow is better. I might not return for dinner. I have some stuff to do. Alexander and I were going to work on some stuff and whatever…” Damien babbled.

  �
�Oh, I assumed you’d stay here for dinner,” Alexander chimed in, picking up on Damien’s nervous energy.

  “Oh, haha, yeah, that’s right. Sorry, I didn’t remember if we settled that.”

  Celine studied the two men as the strange situation unfolded. Something peculiar was going on between them. While she wanted to learn what it was, she also appreciated their budding friendship and wanted to encourage it. She would respect their privacy. “Well, it sounds as though you two have your work cut out for you. I will leave you to it!”

  “Oh, great. I mean… it’s not great that you’re leaving, but great that we can keep working. Not that we can’t work with you here because there’s nothing that, you know… It’s just…” Damien rambled, stumbling over his words.

  “Let me walk you to the door, Celine,” Alexander said, cutting him off. Celine and Alexander stood. Celine said her goodbyes to Damien and followed Alexander to the door.

  “Good luck with your work. And thanks, Alex, I’m glad Damien has someone he can come to with his ideas.”

  “It is my pleasure, Celine. I hope we can come up with something between us. I don’t want you worrying about this.”

  “With you two on the case, I won’t be!” Celine said her final goodbyes, giving Alexander a hug and kiss on the cheek before departing. She stared back at the house for a moment before strolling along the path back to the main house.

  “Whew,” Damien began as Alexander entered the room again. “Wow, thanks for the save. That was close. I stopped by to talk about Michael and Celeste and then Celine was here and that threw me off and I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I didn’t want Celine to suspect anything…”

  “No problem, Damien. I don’t expect Celine suspects a thing about what you witnessed.”

  “Okay, good, yeah. So, did you talk to Celeste?”

  “I did. I’m afraid I didn’t get very far. Celeste is extremely obstinate.”

  “Reminds me of someone I know,” Damien said, alluding to Celine’s stubborn streak. “Did you call her on it? Tell her we know they are having an affair and we don’t want Celine finding out?”