Before Limbo (After Life Book 1)

by Isabelle Crusoe

  “Mira! Get down.” The twang of a string followed the barked order. Before I could think, I was on the ground, someone pressed heavy on top of me. Honey and vanilla folded around me, drowning out the moldy smell of the attic. Chin raised, I trailed the red lines on the floor to Daniel’s body crawling backwards, his torso twisted, body dividing into two separate moving parts. Bile clawed through my mouth. At the second twang, I pressed my eyes closed, and bit my lips around a whimper. Daniel was no more. The stupid key had claimed his life, and it was my fault.

  “Mira?”

  The wood floor pressed on my chin. Dust tickled my nose with every inhale. My body was numb, my nails dug into my palms. Don’t look. Don’t open your eyes. The pressure on top of me disappeared, and I was gathered into strong arms, cradled against a broad chest.

  “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

  Stop it. Don’t act like an idiot. The feeling of having to be carried tasted bitter in my mouth. I struggled out of the grip. Legs shook, unsteady, on the floor. “I’m fine. I can do it.” I inhaled, and opened my eyes.

  Aris' concerned face studied mine, like I was a hurt puppy, lost in the woods. I ripped free from the gentle hold on my arm. “I said I’m fine.” Another brick. “His mom was here just last week. She won’t be back for a while. How do we… deal, with this?” Nausea swirled in my gut at the words rolling off my tongue. So vicious. No time to feel. Be practical.

  Cas kneeled by the body, and I fought the urge to tell him to get away. Daniel’s face, twisted in pain, but no trace of the demon’s features left. Two bolts stuck out of his chest, red puddles pooled around them.

  “I feel horrible for saying it,” Aris started. “But with Caroli and Bjorg still missing. Should we let him go missing with them?”

  Cas hung his head, shoulders tensed. “We can have Rigel heal the wounds, and stage a suicide.”

  “No,” I gasped. The bricks rattled inside me. I steadied myself and waited for the storm behind them to calm down. “Not that. Let him go missing.” When I stalked to the door, a thought hit me. “What happened to me? How’d I end up in here, with… that?”

  Cas rose to his feet, and turned to me. A mask of rage pulsated, raw on his face. “Lux.”

  “Calm down, okay? If you start something, we can put Mira in danger. You have to calm down. Last time… “

  A hand lifted to stop Aris from continuing. “I know. Unlike my brother, I can control myself.” The muscles popping in his jaw told me it took enormous effort for him to do it. “But I need to have a talk with Lyra. They need to stop what they’re doing.” His face softened when his eyes found mine. “Go find Beid, stay close to him, whatever happens.”

  I nodded, and left them. Thoughts pounded agony into my mind. Good thing I’d stopped hanging out with Kaito and Salma, or it might had been one of them in there. I shuddered as fear spiked along my spine. My gut clenched. I needed to stay away from them, away from everyone. Why hadn’t Aym told me demons could do that?

  “Oh, sorry,” I said to the shoulder I bumped into, lost in my thoughts.

  “It’s fine.” Paola’s voice was like a band-aid on my heart. “You look tired, Mira. Is everything okay?” She’d stopped behind me, phone resting in her hand. Her shimmering eyes met mine, and worried creases lined her forehead.

  “Yeah. I’m good. Just need to rest.” Visions of demons taking over her body, clawing it apart from the inside, incased my chest in ice. “I have to go.” They couldn't see me talking to anyone. I spun on my heels and beelined for Beid’s room, mine still unusable after the Breakers. The quiet room felt like sanctuary when I walked in, and I dropped on his bed, pulled a pillow over my head, and let the cruel reality fade away.

  Chapter 39

  "You’re moving to Aris’ room. Sorry I haven’t been able to get a hold of someone to repair your window.” Cas leaned against the frame of the door, arms crossed over his chest. I groaned the last of the sleep away from my head, and rolled from the bed to my feet.

  “It’s fine. Let me just grab my things.” I scanned the room. “Oh, right. Wrong room.” I padded into the bathroom, picked the toothbrush from the sink, and went back to the waiting Cas. “Done.” I waved the toothbrush in the air, and stifled a yawn. “Did you solve the…” The lump in my throat tightened around my airways. I followed him into the hall, one last glance over to Lux’s door.

  “Yes. I’m so sorry you lost a friend.” He massaged the back of his neck. “If you need to talk… I know it’s a stupid thing to say, and probably doesn’t sound sincere, but I mean it.”

  “I’m fine.” Strangely enough, that was true. I knew Daniel was gone and that he wouldn’t be, if it hadn't been for me, but the brick layers had done an excellent job in closing off my heart. For a moment, I feared the coldness inside me. I knew what I should feel, and how I should act, but it never reached deeper than a thought, an intellectual response to an emotional question.

  “You feel different, Mira. Are you sure you’re okay?” He’d stopped outside a door, his hands on my shoulders.

  “I am. I’m fine.”

  Cas' eyes widened in horror. And then glowed with rage. “He didn’t.” He released me and backed away. “I’m going to kill him.”

  “What? Who?” I burrowed my brows over my eyes. “You’re not making any sense.”

  “He did it again, didn’t he?” Cas spoke more to himself than to me. A hand rubbed over his face. Desperation screamed from every twitchy movement.

  “Whatever you do, don’t leave this room. I’ll send Aris over as soon as I see him. Lock the door, and don’t open for anyone. Not even Aris. If it’s him, he’ll teleport in.” With those words, he pulled the door open, shoved me inside and slammed it shut on my nose.

  “Weird.” I flopped down on the bed, and waited. Lucky for me, Beid had been so busy looking for the missing girls, he hadn’t had time to nag me about telling Cas about the glowy thing. What I couldn’t figure out was how Cas had missed it.

  No more than ten minutes later, Aris appeared in the room.

  “Hey? What’s going on?”

  “Just stay there.” He put up a hand to stop me from getting off the bed. A knock sounded on the door, and Aris opened it to let in Rigel, closely followed by Lyra.

  “You have to stop what you’re doing. It’s affecting Mira," Rigel explained two steps through the door.

  Furrowed brows over clear blues. “It can’t be. That’s not how my power works.”

  “What’s going on?” I studied them curiously under raised brows.

  “It is now. You have to reverse it,” Rigel said.

  “Reverse what?” I asked.

  “How long has he been doing it?”

  “Ever since she was little. He had to, you know that,” Lyra said.

  “Can you stop talking over me?” No one paid any attention to me or my questions, so wrapped up in whatever mystery caused the worried looks on their faces.

  “Well, something’s gone wrong. You need to reverse it. Right away.”

  Lyra's face paled, and she stuttered, “I… I can’t.”

  “So, he did it again, the selfish bastard.” Beid growled from the door. “Cas warned him, but he did it anyway. Just like my brother did.”

  “What’s going on? I feel fine.”

  “But you shouldn’t. Can’t you understand that?” Rigel felt his way over to the bed, and pulled me by the hands to a standing position. His orbs of white met mine in eerie precision. “I apologize, Mira. This is going to hurt.”

  Suddenly the white disappeared. My stomach hitched to my mouth, chills ran down my legs, and nails began to hammer into my chest. The brightest blue eyes I’d ever seen stared back at me, and then burning steel rods dug into my brain. Needles splintered, lodging themselves deep inside my skull. Wounds bleed into my soul, dragging the sharp pieces across the inside of my body. I curled under the pain, my hands reached for support. My broken soul gathered into a warm harbor of safety.

  Tear
s forced their way through lashes, as sobs rattled through my chest. I pulled in my trembling hands and curled into myself, bucking to get away from the agony taking over my body. Darkness was swallowing my soul. It was being ripped apart.

  “Make it stop,” I screamed.

  “He did too good a job, I can’t do more than that. Hopefully she’ll reconnect. Give her a few hours to get through this, then join us at the trial,” Rigel said, and a door closed.

  Chapter 40

  I startled from my sleep, the alarm ringing in my head. I was alone in the bedroom. Aris was away at some kind of meeting. He’d left after I’d calmed down enough to fall asleep. I felt unshielded, bare. With the shattering pain still lingering in my skull, I rolled out of bed. No clue what Rigel had done, or what they expected from me. I snuck from the covers, and tip toed to the bathroom. I flicked on the light over the sink and hissed. “Aym?”

  The tiny imp shimmered into view on the shelf.

  “Thank god you’re here. I haven’t seen you for so long. Are you okay?” I whispered. “Aym?” I paused, and studied him. His body shook in deep sobs. And then my hand flew to my mouth. My stomach churned, my heart shattered in my chest and tears spilled over as I reached for him, but I was too afraid to touch him. “Oh my god, Aym. I’m so sorry.”

  His beautiful wings were ripped from the bone. Pipes now stuck out, broken and bare on his back, and a stump was all that was left of his beautiful tail.

  “No. I’m sorry.” He sobbed, and raised his tear-filled eyes to me. What?

  A hand snaked over my mouth, and my intestines hurled into my mouth, body spun like water in a bucket until I couldn’t tell up from down, or in from out.

  I slammed into the ground. Bile fought its way up my chest, and I swallowed to keep it down, crawling to my knees. Darkness surrounded me, the smell of rotten eggs scratched the inside of my nose.

  “Aym?”

  “He’s not here. It’s just you and me. Give me the key.” The owner of the voice circled around me, fading in and out.

  My hand flew to my chest, closing around the key, hard, nearly imprinting the shape in my skin. “No.”

  A cry of agony burst from my lips, and pain ripped through my body. Something rapped across my back. I could barely breathe. Fear splintered my heart. Cas! Another lash, but I bit down on the scream. Arms shook under me when I crawled forward.

  “You think you can escape?” Another rap sliced across my back, followed by a vicious laugh.

  I screamed in agony, and flesh burned. My vision blurred. Nausea numbed my limbs. Fingers brushed against cold stone walls. Mold and moss wafted in the air.

  “I’m so happy you said no.” Fabric ripped from my body at the next lash. I clung to the uneven stone, legs fighting to get me on my feet. Every movement of muscle sent sparks of pain through my back.

  “That gives me the right to do as I please with you.” He grabbed my hair and forced my head back. A sickly breath slithered along my cheek. “First. I’m gonna whip you to submission, and then…” He snickered with anticipation. “Then I’ll have my fun picking apart your body.” He threw my head forward, and lightning shot through my forehead when it hit the wall.

  Iron fingers gripped my ankle. “Piece by piece, until you bleed out.”

  I was pulled away from the wall, into nothingness. Nails ripped from my fingers as I raked the dirt, praying I could escape. A sliver of hope appeared when the grip released and footsteps faded away. On shaking arms, I hoisted myself up to my hands and knees. Then the fourth lash hit, and I shrieked when flesh split open. I collapsed and gasped into dust. Whimpers slipped from my lips, then screams clawed through my throat at the next hit, and the next. Cas! My mind screamed his name. My body screamed for relief. I gasped for air, shaking in pain, the taste of blood in my mouth.

  My body jerked with every lash. The world faded in and out around me, darkness of varying levels. I was turned over, and a weight moved on top of me. No. No. Please. I whimpered, fingers twitching. My back, an open wound, rubbed against the gravel. Tears stung my face, but more fell as my shirt was ripped open. The key was snatched from my neck.

  “Here, you have what you wanted." The breath on my cheek reveled in my stuttering gasps. "Now leave us.”

  A door creaked. “I’m going to enjoy this.” Fingers trailed up to my stomach, my chest. They wrapped around my neck, and pressed slowly. Less and less air made it passed his relentless grip. Panic tore through me. Legs kicked, fingers clawed at his hands. My head pulsated, and my lungs screamed for air. My heart pounded against my ribs in protest. Lightning flickered as my eyes rolled back into my head. His grip released, not by much, but enough for air to trickle into my lungs.

  “This is going to be so much fun.” Lips pressed against mine. Limbs numb, I couldn’t fight anymore. Tears slipped from the corner of my eyes. Why couldn’t he hear me?

  Blinding light flooded the room. Screams echoed between the walls. I struggled against the darkness taking over my mind.

  Chapter 41

  The musky dark ceiling greeted me when I clawed my way out of the darkness. A splitting headache attacked the back of my eyes. I threw my legs over the edge of the bed. Wet moss spiked the air, tickling my nose. I squinted against the dim light, and struggled to my feet. With a steady grip on the bedframe I wobbled to the door. What happened? A soft hint of honey wafted from the bright green t-shirt, and warmed my heart. Voices traveled through the cracks of the door. I paused, hand poised over the handle.

  “When are we going back?” Aris asked.

  “We’ll have to get her back to Effulgent, and after that I’ll contact her father for instructions.”

  “We canny just leave her.”

  “We follow orders.”

  “So? What’s your plan, Cas? To leave her unprotected?”

  “Why do you care, Lux? You’re going back no matter what. You saw to that.”

  “I know.” Lux growled. “But we can’t leave her—"

  “Beid will still be there. She’ll be fine.”

  “Ya have to check yerself, Lux. A might start thinking you care bout her.”

  The room outside fell silent, and I pressed down the handle.

  I didn’t know what I expected to find on the other side when I opened the door, but certainly not four guys washing each other. My jaw dropped. The wooden floor was stained by the water splashing over the sides of colorful plastic buckets. Bloody rags were dipped and twisted, before making another trip over muscled backs. Wounds came into view when blood, mixed with dirt, came away from tanned skin.

  Naked.

  They’re frickin naked.

  I couldn’t help myself. I coughed into my fist. “Excuse me.” It was just too easy.

  Bodies turned, and I soaked in the full glory of their physique before faking shock and turning away. I hoped I’d been fast enough to get my hand over my mouth and cover the smile. “Let me know when you’re decent.” I quenched a laugh and waited for them to get dressed.

  The room erupted in laughter.

  “If you think we’re getting dressed, you’ll be waiting for a while.”

  “Aye, we could use some help. So, if ya could get over yerself and… Oh, wait. Cas’ being a gentleman. That’s a first.”

  More laughter.

  “It’s okay. We’re covered.”

  I turned to find them with towels wrapped around their hips. Lux gripped a bottle of whiskey, and took a mouthful. “Okay. I’m ready.”

  Something gleamed in Tell’s hand. A knife.

  “What are you doing?” I rushed forward and closed my hand around the blade. It burned red hot against my palm and I froze. What was I doing? Cold slithered down my spine.

  What the flying Dutchman was I thinking that I could take the knife from him? How? I was holding the blade. The blade!

  Tell met my shocked expression with a calm stare. The hilt of the knife rested in his unmoving hand. “Ya should let go, Bonnie.”

  “Mira?” Lux’s v
oice broke through my petrified thoughts. His hand laced around my wrist. Ripples of warmth spread like ivy along my arm. “Look at me.”

  Beautiful, worried eyes met mine. The cold in my body gave way for a wildfire. I burned, like every nerve in my body moved to where our skin connected. Brows hitched over those deep blue wells. A shaky breath escaped me.

  “Open your hand,” he urged, and I complied.

  “Sorry. I don’t… What happened to you?”

  “Are ya ready?” Tell asked, and pressed the knife to his back.

  “Wait? What—"

  Lux gritted his teeth. The tip of the knife sank into his flesh. A triumphant smile glowed on Tell’s face when he tapped something that looked like a needle from the knife and into a small bowl.

  “Got it.”

  “Are you okay?” The pain etched on his face, Lux managed to smile.

  “There you go again.” He shook his head in amazement.

  “How’s your back? Rigel healed you, but drained before he could finish. Are you in any pain?” Cas asked.

  I blinked a few times to focus. Anxious eyes filled my world. “No. No pain.” Memories flooded my mind, vile, terrible memories. Panic rattled through my bones. I couldn’t breathe. Cas hurried to get a chair under me, as my legs gave way. A steady hand balanced me by the forearm.

  “They got the key,” I whispered. “They have it. I failed.” Aym’s betrayal stung like a million papercuts on my heart.

  “I’m so sorry. Please. Just… I didn’t think…” Lux started.

  I frowned at the shimmer in his eyes, the way his brows rose above his nose.

  “You? Sorry? For what?”

  “Mira—"

  “I’m sorry I let them take the key. I’ll get it back. I promise.” Concerned faces surrounded me, bodies covered in wounds, bruises. They got hurt because of me. Because I trusted an imp.

  “It wasn’t your fault. We’re just glad we got you out.” Cas ringed out a towel, and wiped away blood from his shoulder.