Dark Hauntings: A Paranormal Times Novel

by C C Solomon

  I nodded slowly. “Yeah, me too. Anyway, I’m actually here to get your help on the town. And to stop some doppelgangers.”

  He propped his elbow on the arm of his chair and rested his cheek against his fist. He gave me a look of boredom. Something told me he wasn’t going to be jumping up and down to help us out. “Beware of doppelgangers. They are harbingers of death.”

  “One that looked like Felix fooled me. I couldn’t even tell it really wasn’t him.”

  Herrod sat up at that. “That would make it a strong doppelganger. It is a possibility that your Felix may die then.”

  My heart dropped. “What? Don’t say that.”

  Herrod raised his brows but no sympathy showed on his face. “I’m sorry, my daughter but that is usually the way that it is. You must get rid of it if you wish to avoid the fates.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “By ridding yourself of whoever conjured it.”

  If that was Yasmine, I’d have no problem with that. “It might be the demon lady from St. Michaels. Problem is, we can’t break into the town to get to her. That’s where I was hoping you’d come in to help.”

  Herrod chuckled. “I know you like the boy but perhaps things are better this way. Getting into a whole messy affair with another demon is a waste of my resources.”

  “Olivia is there.”

  He gave me a confused look.

  So, he wanted to play dumb, huh? “Sir, Olivia. The demon you held captive. Felix’s mother. Which I think you knew. Why are you holding women in cells?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “You have no idea who Olivia is. She played human very well around that son of hers but she is far from it. It is a long story and we have more important matters to discuss. Just know she is not your friend and she means nothing good for you. Stay far from her.”

  I frowned. “Uh, I’d like to hear more about that. She’s a demon, they aren’t known for meaning good for anyone. What did she do that made you want to lock her up even though she’d left that world and was being a mother?”

  Herrod rubbed his head as if I’d asked something ridiculous. “Oh, daughter there is so much to teach you. I will say this, Olivia is a higher echelon demon. I tried to weaken her and she’s probably a bit rusty from being in hiding before that but with this freedom she has, she’ll get back to her old glory in no time.”

  That sounded foreboding. What kind of woman was Felix’s mother? That she was siding with Yasmine definitely made her morally questionable. However, I had worked for Misandre and Alister so I couldn’t throw stones too hard. The major point was if my father didn’t like her and saw her as a threat then he should have been agreeable to helping us. “So, you will join us in taking down the ward?”

  “My dear, that is still more trouble than I’m willing to direct right now. If push comes to shove, then I suppose I can help as a favor to you. However, I think you’ll be able to do away with that Yasmine just fine. If I go, I’m only going for one thing: Olivia. Are you ready for the consequences of me killing that boy’s mother?”

  I sighed and put my drink down on the coffee table. Why did it have to go so far and right now? Couldn’t he hold his anger for another day? What had this woman done to him? If I allowed my father to help us, knowing he would kill Felix’s mother, Felix would never forgive me. I could be conflicted about my feelings towards him all I wanted but I knew that him hating me was not what I wanted. No, if I made the decision to get Herrod’s help, I’d have to tell Felix everything and prepare him for that possibility. Maybe that might get Olivia to get off her ass and disappear from the town, and take her wards with her?

  I glared at my father. “You are being difficult.”

  He waved a hand at me. “Fine, fine. I suppose I can gift you this for all our time apart. I can break the ward for you. But the rest is up to you. If you call me to do more just know what I will do.”

  I clapped my hands and shook them. “Thank you.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather hear why I was going to contact you?”

  Oops, I’d forgotten that part. Of course, I did. I figured if he’d wanted to reach out to me, it was to give me more information I needed to know. “Sure.”

  He smiled slowly. “I can return your memories. All of them.”

  I blinked several times, my heart speeding up. “Uh, could you have led with that?”

  He raised a shoulder. “I tried.”

  “Not hard enough. How?”

  “I’ve been working on it. I thought I said? I finally have a potion that I believe will work. I was told it might take a while for all of your memories to come. Apparently having them all come crashing back to you at once might be overwhelming for your body.”

  I looked around the room as if it would hold the secret to regaining my memories. “Well, let’s get this show on the road. Where is the potion?”

  Herrod glanced down at my drink. “You drink too slow.”

  I pointed to the brown liquid. I had just taken a couple of sips. It tasted like scotch. “This? Did you poison me?”

  Herrod gave me an incredulous look, adjusting in his seat. “Do you still not believe that you are my daughter? Why would I do such a monstrous thing?”

  “Is there anyone else who I can trust who can verify your story?”

  He let out a breath. “No, because we were keeping you secret. If you’d just drink that potion, you’d remember it all.”

  I sucked my teeth not sure I believed him. I couldn’t quite figure out his angle for lying but it didn’t mean there wasn’t one. “What if that’s a potion that manipulates my mind?”

  “It’s possible.”

  He didn’t elaborate and I glared at him. He blinked but kept quiet and we engaged in a short starring match until finally I swore and growled. Curiosity and maybe desperation had won out.

  “Fine. But if I die or turn into some mindless robot, there is a rather large half-angel/half-demon that will come here and ruin your world.” Did I know if Felix could really kill Herrod? No, but he’d defeated Alister so it wasn’t a reach. I picked up the drink and gulped it down quickly without waiting for any confirmation from Herrod.

  I put the glass down and paused, waiting for some type of feeling to overcome me. Nothing. “I didn’t taste anything.”

  Herrod stood up. “You wouldn’t.” He offered me his hand. “You’re going to be very sleepy so let’s get you to a bed.”

  I still felt fine but I stood up anyway. “No, I don’t want to sleep here. I need to be ho-“ A sudden dizziness racked my brain and I stumbled slightly. Herrod gripped my hand and he led me through the dark halls of his mansion to a guest room. The walls were a pale pink and the bedspread was white with white and pink pillows over it. There was a dollhouse off to the left near a tall bay window.

  “Was a little girl living here?” I asked, sitting down on the bed. My vision was starting to blur and I fell back on the pillows. I hated sleeping in strange places but some part of me felt this place wasn’t so foreign. I felt way too vulnerable. The only good thing is that others knew I was coming here, including Nadia.

  “Yes, there was for a short time,” Herrod answered, taking my shoes off and putting them near the bed. “You.” He kissed my forehead and my eyes closed.

  That was oddly tender of him. Was it possible he really was my father? Could I really trust him? It was too late to second guess myself now. My mind clouded over before I could think of any other questions to ask.

  Chapter 25

  I was in a dream or a memory, I couldn’t tell.

  I was sitting on a couch, a beer in one hand and fries in another. I was laughing, staring at the TV. An elbow lightly nudged my arm and I looked to my right.

  Felix pointed at the screen. “This is funny.”

  “You do realize I am watching this with you,” I muttered, shaking my head. “You always point out the funny parts like I can’t see that it’s funny.”

  He gave me a toothy smile, nodding. “I know. I like annoying
you,” he replied before taking a swig of his beer and looking back at the screen.

  I studied the profile of his face. He was, at this time, clean-shaven. His hair wasn’t as long as I knew it now but it was long enough to push behind his ears. I smiled. I loved his face. His body was amazing but it was his face. Those kind smiling eyes and strong jaw, which I could now see without the beard, and those full lips. I’d always thought he was handsome but I tried not to look at him too often. If Alister ever caught me even glancing too long at Felix he would kill him. That was one of many reasons why I had to break up with the demon.

  Felix didn’t know I was going to do so. I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him. He’d think it was because of him. Maybe he was a reason. I’d realized for a while that my feelings were shifting for him. My stupid heart would beat faster around him at the most random of moments. Even then as I watched him, I could feel butterflies forming.

  I shook my head quickly and stuffed several fries in my mouth, staring back at the TV.

  “You’ve been looking at me a lot. Why is that?” Felix asked.

  I nearly choked on my fries and covered my mouth, coughing. Felix reached over and patted my back. I took a swig of my beer and swallowed before answering. “I think it’s all in your head.”

  I glanced over at him and he wasn’t smiling now. He looked contemplative as he studied me.

  “What?” I asked, leaning back.

  “Break up with him.”

  I knew he meant Alister. I definitely couldn’t tell him my plan now. Even when I broke up with Alister I couldn’t go to Felix. The demon would kill him, assuming he was the reason, no matter what I said. And with everything in my being, I wanted to protect this man. Because I–

  I woke up to a dark room but as my eyes adjusted, I could see it was the same child’s room I’d passed out in. Memories crashed into my mind like a jackhammer and I closed my eyes tightly. I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my hand to push away the pain but it was fruitless.

  Images continued to flash before my mind’s eye. Me running around in a garden. Hiding behind bushes and yelling, happily, when a little boy popped out in front of me. Marcus. We were playing tag.

  More images. Me sitting at a long table in what appeared to be a fancy dining room. A grim-looking but handsome older man with a well-trimmed white beard sat at the head of the table cutting his food as he spoke. Closest to him was a beautiful woman with eyes like mine. My mother. She nodded her head, talking back. Across from me sat a boy a few years older than me with shining dark blue eyes and light brown skin. He stuck his tongue out and flicked food at me. I wiped my face and tossed a biscuit at him.

  Another image of a man that looked an awful lot like Herrod picking me up and swinging me in the air. He had a squinty eyed smile and I was giggling. I couldn’t have been more than five.

  More images. My father and mother in an embrace as the three of us sat outside staring at the field of purple flowers.

  Another one. My mother crying, walking down a palace hall. I followed closely behind, picking up a chair and tossing it against a wall.

  Then us living in a small two-bedroom apartment. Me screaming at seeing a cockroach. Me bullied by a tall girl. Me having my first kiss at 15 with a drummer in the school band. Me starting college and pulling all-nighters with my roommate.

  I saw my mother in a hospital bed. Her grave. I remembered the Event and magic flooding my body. Me hiding in buildings, scared.

  I remembered Nadia and I gossiping in our shared apartment. Meeting Alister, then his profession of love. Felix. I remembered Felix. My core flooded with feelings. Love, lust, happiness, sadness, anger, fear.

  I remembered it all.

  Tears flooded my eyes as my headache persisted. I bent my body forward in a tight ball, grinding my teeth as the memories continued. How long would this go on?

  “Go back to sleep, daughter.” Herrod’s voice cut through the darkness of my pain.

  A soothing warmth spread through me and darkness entered my mind.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I woke back up. It was brighter in the room so I assumed it was daytime. I yawned and sat up, rubbing my eyes. My headache was gone but my memories and the emotions were still there. I had memories now that I’d forgotten well before the angels wiped my mind. My father was right, my mother had erased my mind of my prior life. I was twelve then, how had I not questioned that? She must have implanted other memories but those did not come with me this time.

  The door to the room opened and Herrod walked in holding a tray of food. He placed it on my bedside table before sitting down at the foot of the bed, eyes not showing emotion as he looked at me.

  “You’re my dad.”

  He nodded. “You remember me.”

  I smiled. I remembered loving my father. I loved the man who adopted me but I’d loved Herrod too before we came to the human world. Shame crashed over me for being so cruel to him earlier but hell, I hadn’t known know him then.

  My eyes watered again against my will. I had so much emotion for him. I hadn’t seen my father in over fifteen years. I wasn’t an emotional person but something pushed me to crawl over and give him the tightest hug I could. “Dad.” I couldn’t say anything else. I was feeling too much. All the memories coming back to me at once were now attacking me with emotion and throwing me out of whack.

  Herrod hugged me just as tightly. “Baby girl.”

  We remained in an embrace for a long while before I slowly pulled away. I had so many questions running through my mind even with my memories. “I remember everything. Living in the fae realm with my mother, the man I called father and my brother. I remember hanging out with Marcus. I had a memory of me being at the hospital. I was maybe thirteen or fourteen. I think I had my tonsils taken out?”

  Herrod just nodded his head. “Do you remember how you got your golden sword?”

  I frowned and searched my now healing mind. I raised my brows, spotting the memory. “It was a birthday gift I received. Alister threw me a party and I had a table full of gifts. The sword came from an unknown recipient. Alister was pissed because I loved that gift more than any other.” Wait, why did my father ask me that? I looked over to Herrod with wide eyes. “Did you get me that sword?”

  He smiled. “Yes. I’ve gotten you many gifts throughout the years. When I’d lost track of you, it was devastating. I was thankful to have found you again. Although you were dating that demon, which wasn’t the most ideal, at least I knew you were safe. Alister was an ally of sorts.”

  “Did he know I was your daughter?”

  “He had suspicions but I never confirmed. For all his faults, Alister seemed to really love you.”

  I felt a pang of regret. “Should I have not killed him?”

  Herrod chuckled. “No, you did what you had to do. Just because he loved you didn’t mean he could do as he pleased. He was too possessive. You aren’t a thing to lock up and keep behind glass. As much as I’d like to do that. No, you are a warrior. Plus, he was a prick. Just because he was an ally didn’t mean I liked him.”

  I slumped my shoulders in relief. Seems dear old dad was a bit protective himself. He didn’t like Alister. He didn’t like Felix. “Seems you don’t like my taste in men.”

  Herrod stroked his chin. “I don’t know. I think I like that Marcus fellow.”

  I rolled my eyes. Of course, he would. “You’ll have to get over that. You brought my memories back, dad. And I now remember something I didn’t before.”

  “What’s that?’

  I swung my legs to the side of the bed. “I’m in love.”

  Herrod stared at me for a beat then ran a hand down his face in exasperation. “Have better taste in men, my daughter.”

  I jumped up and put my shoes on. “Too late. Okay, I have to run off. I’ll contact you when we are ready for the ward to come down. You’ll come through, right?” I gave him an expectant look. Now that I knew he was my father, I did have expectations that he
wouldn’t let me down. He wasn’t exactly a dead-beat dad. He had solid reasons for keeping his distance and then there was me going off the grid. Still, I wasn’t too good to make him feel guilty.

  Herrod sighed. “I will clear my schedule.”

  I smiled and leaned down to give him another tight hug. I couldn’t explain how knowing my past and being with my own flesh and blood had just renewed me. I was still jobless and homeless but I wasn’t alone. Okay, my father was a demon King from Hell who had once sided with evil soulmates out to rule the world and had kidnapped and locked up my love interest’s mother but we couldn’t pick our family, could we?

  Chapter 26

  When I arrived back at Faith’s place, she wasn’t alone. Azrael was still there and this time Felix had returned. As soon as I saw him my heartbeat hammered in my ears. I wanted to run to him and have him wrap me in his bear hug and never let go. However, my pride wouldn’t let me. I pressed my lips together and strolled into her living room with as much nonchalant energy as I could muster.

  Felix immediately jumped up from the couch but he didn’t move, just stared at me with wide sorrowful eyes. What was that about? “They told me about the doppelganger.”

  Ah. “I know it wasn’t you now. But it’s still a problem. My father said doppelgangers can be a foreshadowing of death.” I didn’t think to ask him if that death would be the person the doppelganger visited or the person they were mimicking. I’d have to follow up on that.

  Felix gave a curt nod. “I’m sorry about how we left things.”

  I shrugged as I sat down at Faith’s dining room table. I hadn’t realized the last time I visited, but Faith’s place was a pig stye. She had shoes thrown about the place and books scattered across her coffee table. Past the dining room I could see dishes piling up in the sink and dirty pots on the stove. I looked back down at the table and saw it had food crumbs and stains on the wood. How did she not have a roach problem? Maybe she did.