by D.L. Miles
Chapter 19
“Hell?” I repeat. “How do you know that?”
Beth looks to her bookshelf, a tall stack of shelves filled with various knick knacks and novels. Some books look brand new while others look ancient; I imagine they’re the ones from her family. The ones that keep track of the hunters over the centuries.
She stands, her legs a little shaky, and heads over. She removes two of the newer books, and reveals a second row. Her hand reaches in to pull out a wooden box; I recognize it as the one she bought a few years ago at a craft fair. But it’s different now; it’s covered in strange carvings and markings I don’t recognize. Just looking at it makes me uncomfortable.
Returning to the bed, Beth opens the top and passes me a silver pendant. It’s a cross, with more swirls and carvings etched into it. “Wear it.”
I shake my head. “It looks expensive,” I say, “why are you giving it to me?”
“Because it’ll stop Vetis from taking you,” she explains. “Demons have been known to…become attached to certain bloodlines. Usually witches.”
Delilah doesn’t laugh, but she makes a disapproving noise under her breath. “She isn’t a witch, B.”
“I know that,” she argues, “but maybe one of her ancestors was. We don’t know why Vetis is focusing on you, but it’s clear that he’s going to be in Hollow’s Point until he gets whatever it is he wants. I think that’s you, Willa.” She thrusts the pendant at me again. “Wear it.”
I don’t try to argue with her because I really don’t want to. A demon is after my soul, what else is new? I don’t want to be possessed again. I put on the necklace, finally able to touch a cross without burning. And without the presence of Vetis.
“Are there any demons that can touch a cross?” I ask quietly. When I am with Cain—or Vetis—I never burn. Is he immune?
Beth swallows loudly. “I need to ask. As far as I know that isn’t possible…unless they’re too old maybe…too powerful.”
Delilah and I say nothing, because there is nothing to say. There’s a knock on the door and I quickly tuck the pendant inside my shirt; it won’t do any good if someone sees.
Dad walks in. “Sweetheart it’s time to go; you all need to rest.”
“I can’t stay?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “It wouldn’t be good to impose right now.” He looks to Beth. “I’m so sorry, Bethany.”
She nods. “Thanks.” Looking to me she adds in a whisper, “Be careful.” Her arms give me a tight, desperate hug. I’m not sure how scared I should be, or if I need to worry right now because of what happened.
If Vetis is after my soul, why didn’t he just take it before? He could have easily possessed me when Ithinara left. I only have questions, and nobody to ask. As I leave I give one last look to my best friends, and question just how much Beth will tell her parents. I imagine they won’t be pleased if they find out I’ve been possessed for so long.
Dad puts his arm around my shoulders as we walk out into the rain, puffing up his black umbrella to keep us dry. He walks me to the passenger door of his car and lets me in first before running to his side.
From the car I can see the light is still on in Beth’s room, the shadow’s moving back and forth. She’s pacing.
“Dad?” I ask.
“Yeah?” he says back, pulling out of the driveway.
“Can we visit Mom soon?”
Dad pauses, unsure of what to say, I guess. “Of course.”
He sounds like he is about to cry, and I don’t blame him. I’ve never gone to visit her in the fourteen years since she died. But now I can. Maybe Dad will want to go more often now.
I feel like crying, but I hold it in. The tears are brimming along my lashes, so I look out the window and watch the street lamps pass by. These tears are not really for Joe, but almost for myself. How wrong is it that I’m happy right now, because of all I can do, when my best friend is in pain? It isn’t right. I’ve no right to be excited about the possibilities of a future, when someone no longer has one.
I resist a hiccup and put a hand over my mouth. I continue to look out the window as we pull into our own driveway, listening to the empty thumps of heavy raindrops. Dad turns the car off.
“The police are doing everything they can,” he tells me. “I’m sure they’ll find the person soon.”
If only they knew it wasn’t a person. I nod and suck in a breath. We walk into the house and shut the door. Before I walk up to my room my dad gives me a kiss on the forehead. My eyes fall down, meeting with the glass cabinet by the door. A space is crying out to me, a noticeable difference against the black cloth. A blade is missing. Dad’s knife from the Boer War that I shoved into Cain’s neck.
I almost start to panic at the thought, because what if the police find it before I can? They’ll think Dad did something, or I did. Dad pushes me towards the stairs, and I force my eyes away from the cabinet. I don’t want him to notice the missing blade.
I don’t know what to expect tomorrow.