“Tell me this is not true, Rolan.” Lawrence leaped to his feet. “How did you learn of this?”
“I am the one your father chose to remain close to him while he lived out his years waiting to become a man. When his spirit left to begin the transfer of souls I kept my energy attuned to his.”
“We must tell my grandfather of this without delay.” He hastened his steps towards the cave entrance, his effeminate voice sounding breathless in his fear. “He will have no choice, but to send this woman away, now. The family must be together. We cannot have an outsider knowing how many people live on this estate. Especially, since the police are now aware of the disappearance of so many of the parish’s children.”
“It is almost as though those already in the Light are coming forward to blanket our wrath.”
“When my grandfather learns what new injustice has befallen his son? This parish will learn the children are only the beginning.”
When Lawrence and Rolan walked into the living room they were surprised to find the room empty.
“Now what do we do?” Rolan asked.
“We will have to interrupt his dalliance with his lady of the manor,” Lawrence told him over his shoulder as he climbed his way up the wide stair case. “This cannot wait until morning.”
“Rafael will be very angry if he is interrupted. I will go with you. Perhaps, between the two of us, we can stay his rage.”
“Believe me he will be even angrier if we don’t tell him what has happened.”
Lawrence tapped on Rafael’s bedroom door. When there came no reply he tapped again. Stronger this time.
An angry Rafael yanked open the door to step out into the hall. “This had better be important, Lawrence. You know better than to bother me after I have retired for the evening. And, especially, now that Christina is here.”
“I apologize for our intrusion, Grandfather, but this concerns my father.”
“Give me a moment.” He went back inside his room. When he reappeared he wore a robe and slippers and the anger was now gone from his voice. “Let’s go downstairs and you can tell me what is going on.”
“Can there be any doubt about what you have told me?” Rafael poured them each a large amount of Brandy.
“None,” Rolan spoke up. “I witnessed it all in my mind’s eye.”
“And you did not send for the legions of darkness to intercede on Jonathan’s behalf?” Rafael’s voice rose in his anger.
“You must temper your anger, Rafael. We are not alone tonight. The Legions of Darkness are not strong enough to go up against the Legions of Light. You know this.” His tone was bitter at being forced to speak the truth.
Rafael threw the liquor down his throat and reached for the bottle of Brandy to replenish his thirst.
Rolan pulled the bottle from his hand to put it back on the bar. “You cannot allow your senses to be dulled, Rafael.”
Rolan braced himself for a confrontation. “I always believed you would never allow a woman to come between you and the family. What has happened with Jonathan is unforgivable and must not be allowed to go unpunished.”
The coldness in Rafael’s eyes, simply fueled Rolan’s anger.
“Christina is not just any woman. She is the woman I have given my heart to and she is the woman who will be my wife.”
“Then you intend to make her one of us? For we both know she cannot be a part of this family unless she is. She would put all our lives in danger”
“I will take care of my affairs without any help from you, Rolan. Until our enemies are made to suffer for what they have done to my son, no one will escape my wrath.” Rafael’s anger flared at being refused what he desired, then relaxed as Lawrence poured him a glass of white wine. “I will tell Christina tomorrow, she must return to her own house for now. Our people must come first.”
“I knew you would see the wisdom of keeping the family together, Grandfather,” Lawrence breathed, thankful to have some of the stress removed for the time being.
Chapter Thirty Eight
“Donavan, are you sure you’re gonna be safe while I’m gone?”
“Jack, one of us has to get back to the job.” Donavan relaxed back amongst the couch pillows, propped his slippered-feet up on the footstool. “Besides, you’re the one who’s going to be where the action is.”
“You gotta point. I just hate leavin’ all of you here without some backup.”
“I know you do, Jack, but right now, with all the shit coming down in the parish, everyone is needed on the job.” He pulled the afghan from the back of the couch to spread it over his legs. “Remember, I had a heart attack not a stroke. My shooting hand is just fine.” He laid the .44 Magnum in front of him on the coffee table. “I could say it’s because of my recent heart attack that I’ve come back home, but that would be a lie. I’m not leaving my family for anyone right now. I appreciate you and Seelah putting up with us when I left the hospital, but there is just nothing like being in your own home surrounded with your own things to make you feel better. I know you can handle anything that needs taken care of. So while you’re out saving the world I’ll stay here and look after our families.”
“Fine with me. I’ll feel better knowin’ you’re here. The fact my son’s safe has gone a long way to relieve a lot of my fear.
“I bet it has. It sure relieved a lot of the tension in this family. I’m glad that evil son of a bitch is in hell. God might think he’s worthy of another chance to do good, but I sure as hell don’t. I can’t help but feel bad about not being able to protect Christina though. For all we know Rafael Hindel may have put her in some kind of trance.”
“I doubt that was the case, Donavan. She told me herself she’s very much in love with our hairy friend.”
“Yeah…well…she seemed to be all right with being here. I just feel bad for her.”
“I don’t. I told her flat out Hindel’s under suspicion of killin’ her own daughter and Paul Statler. You’d think that alone would keep her from wantin’ to jump into the sack with him.”
“You don’t think he took her to the mansion, do you? The same place where he killed her daughter?” Donavan kicked a foot outward to straighten the afghan. “My god. That’s a creepy thought.”
“If he did, we’ll know. The mansion’s on our list of places to check out today. Gonna be strange not havin’ you there.”
“Let’s hope that’s the only strangeness you have to deal with. And try and keep in mind, if you do run into Christina? You can’t strong arm her into leaving with you. She’s an adult and can pick and choose where she wants to be. She’s been warned. That’s all we can do.”
He stubbed out his cigarette, dropped a full pack into his shirt pocket. “I gotta get outta here. Do me a favor while I’m gone though?”
“Yeah, what do you need?”
“Try and get Seelah to stay off her feet as much as possible. She’s due to deliver any day now and I want her to get as much rest as she can. I hear first labors are always long and hard.”
“I’ll try, but I can’t be too forceful with her. Right now she welds the upper-hand.”
Standing on the porch, Seelah raised her hand as Jack backed out of the driveway. As she closed the front door she shot a look at Donavan.
“He’ll be all right. He knows the mansion is nothing to play with.”
“He’s going to go to the Hindel Mansion today? Hmmmmmm,” she turned away, “I didn’t pick up on it and he didn’t say anything to me about it.”
“Shit.” Donavan chided himself under his breath. “Aw, don’t worry, he’s tough. Besides, I’m sure Chandra will keep an eye out for him.”
“Yes, I’m sure she will.” Seelah brightened at the thought of having someone with Jack.
“Jack asked me to do something for him today while he’s gone. I thought maybe you could help me to see that it gets done?”
“Oh, Donavan, you know all you need to do is ask.” She perched herself on one side of the footstool.
&n
bsp; “He asked me to see that you stay off your feet. He wants you to be as rested as possible before you go in to have the baby. He has a point. This being your first, you do need to get a lot of rest.”
“Jack is such a fretter,” she told him, unable to keep the happiness from spilling over into a giggle. “I don’t know how he will ever get through being in the labor room with me.”
“We’ll make him leave his gun with me.”
Jenny walked into the room and plopped down beside Donavan. “I was hoping you weren’t going to go to the department with Uncle Jack, Dad.”
“Oh you were, were you? And why is that?” He snuggled her close.
“I want you here where I can keep an eye on you. Make sure you don’t smoke more than two or three cigarettes a day.”
Donavan caught the smug smile flowing between Jenny and Seelah. “I feel like I’m being ganged up on.” His tone held a slight edge of irritation.
“You are, but it’s only because we love you. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep you safe, Dad.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep you save either, Jenny.” He snuggled her closer, then drew in his breath at a picture forming in his mind. A picture of Jenny, lying on an altar, dressed in a long white dress, her arms down by her sides. As he watched, a figure stepped from the shadows to stand beside the altar. The figure was cloaked in a long robe with a cowl. As though aware he was being watched, he reached up, to slowly push the hood back from his head. Donavan recognized him as the man claiming to be Jenny’s teacher that he and Jack had encountered the day before. The picture disappeared as quickly as it had entered his mind.
“Donavan, are you all right?” Seelah reached out a hand to him. “Your face has grown very pale.”
“I could use a glass of water.”
“You stay still, Daddy,” Jenny jumped off the couch. “I’ll get you a glass of water.”
As soon as she was out of the room, Donavan turned to Seelah. “I just had the damnedest thing happen.” He rubbed a shaky hand across his brow.
“What?” Seelah moved to sit beside him on the couch.
“I just saw a picture in my mind of Jenny lying on an altar and the man who says he’s her teacher was there with her. I think the altar was in the cave at the Hindel Mansion.” He clipped his words as Jenny hurried back into the room carrying a glass of water.
“Here, Daddy, drink this. It will make you feel better.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Donavan tipped the glass up relishing the coolness on his parched throat.
Jenny reached out taking the empty glass from his hand. “Do you want me to go get Mom for you?” She was already moving away.
“If you would, yes. Try not to scare her though, Jenny. Tell her I need her to come here for a moment.”
“We’ll be right back.” Jenny patted his arm.
As Jenny left the room, Seelah turned back to Donavan. “Yes, I know who you mean. He is her teacher, but remember, he’s also related to the Hindel’s. What I don’t understand is why you would see something like that. That is what is called a psychic picture. You aren’t psychic. Unless…” her voice dropped to a whisper, “sometimes when a person has had a near death experience, they can become psychic. I’m not getting that though. There could be another possibility at play here.”
“Donavan, Jenny said you aren’t feeling well.” Barbara wrapped him in her arms. “Is it your heart, Darling?”
“No, no. I just felt a little funny for a moment. I’m all right now.”
“We aren’t going to take any chances. I’m going to go call the doctor.”
“I’ll go with you, Barbara.” Seelah left the couch. “Come in the kitchen and I’ll fill you in on what’s going on,” she whispered. “I feel safe in saying I don’t think it’s medical.”
Jenny placed a pillow beneath Donavan’s head, then pulled his legs out straight on the couch. “You just relax now, Daddy, and everything will be okay.”
“You don’t need to worry your head about me, Baby Girl. I’m all right. I do need to talk with your mom and Seelah for a moment, though. Do you think you could go and watch TV in your room for a little while? I’m sure Brandy will be glad to keep you company.” The big German shepherd raised her head at the mention of her name.
“Are you sure you feel all right? You’re not hidin’ anything, just because you think I’m still a kid?”
“No. I’m feeling better. I need to have an adult conversation with your mom and Seelah for a few moments. Mom will come get you when we’re through.”
With some reluctance she got to her feet, but before she walked away, she bent forward to drop a kiss on his cheek. Like before, the same picture flew into his mind with such clarity he pulled a surprised Jenny into his arms. “I love you so much, Jenny. Don’t ever doubt that!”
“I love you, too, Daddy,” she told him, an uneasy feeling creeping over her at the raw emotion sounding in his voice.
Alone now, they discussed what could be going on.
“Donavan, have you ever had this happen before you had your heart attack?” Seelah asked him.
“Not like this, no. But I was having trouble sleeping for a while. And, I was having some really strange dreams.”
“Like what?”
“One night I dreamed I had sex with Chandra and she was all burned and…god it was awful.” He drew a shaky hand across his eyes. “I could actually smell her charred flesh.”
Barbara ran a soothing hand over his arm.
“Was that the only bad dream you had like that?”
“No, they kept coming until I was afraid to go to sleep.”
“Donavan, you never told me that.” Barbara drew back to stare at him.
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Donavan, if you will trust me, I think I can help find out what is going on with you.”
“I trust you completely, Seelah. You know that.”
“What I’m going to do then, is put you in a light trance. You will be aware of everything going on around you. The trance will simply relax you to where you can be comfortable talking about your dreams.”
Within a few moments she could see Donavan’s respiration deepen and she knew he was ready to begin.
“When you had your dreams were they in sequence or all mixed up?”
“They were very vivid. And they were still clear in my mind after I woke.”
“How many of these vivid dreams have you had?”
“Too many to count. I didn’t mention them, because like I said I didn’t want to alarm Barb.”
“Do you recall if the dreams had a certain theme each time?”
“Yes.” His voice lowered, became less distinct.
“Don’t be embarrassed. Just tell me about them.”
“They were always filled with sex and perversion.”
“Don’t feel guilty about what you felt during the dreams, Donavan. You were feeling exactly what you were meant to feel.”
“I don’t understand. Are you saying someone is deliberately making me have these dreams? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It would if you were more learned on how the dark side uses the powers of darkness. If you recall when Jonathan was still alive he could put thoughts and dreams into a person’s mind. For instance the deputy he turned into a werewolf. Then, when we were at Tina and Paul’s memorial? Remember how Rafael Hindel transferred his thoughts to me?”
“You’re right.”
Seelah heard alarm in Donavan’s voice and hastened to bring him out of the trance. “Maybe tomorrow we can learn why you were having these dreams, Donavan. Right now, I want you to put all this out of your mind. You are safe and you know Jenny is safe.”
Jenny drew back, icy chills running down her back. She had never deliberately, gone against her parent’s wishes to eavesdrop on an adult conversation. However, this time it was as though their very lives depended on what was going on around them and that included her. Why woul
d someone want to hurt her dad? It seemed as though her very world was spinning out of control and she had no way to stop the spin. For the first time in her life she had no one to call on. Without warning the face of her favorite teacher, Mr. Lybbert drifted into her mind. Her parents and her Uncle Jack and Aunt Seelah believed he was bad, but that didn’t make it so. He had always made a point of telling her if she ever needed a friend to talk to she could come to him. Since she didn’t have Melinda anymore, she had no one else to call on. Her mind made up she walked down the hall and to the phone in her parent’s bedroom.
Chapter Thirty Nine
Jack and another man stood outside the locked gate. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I hate this fuckin’ place.” He tried to slow his breathing. “Negativity is so thick you can feel it.”
“I know what you mean. If you remember right, I was still a deputy when we learned about Jonathan Hindel being a werewolf. This goddamn place gives everyone the creeps,” Detective Jerome Carpenter said.
“I could have done without that reminder, Carpenter.” Jack gave him a sour look before punching the button on the intercom. “You got company out here, Hindel.”
“Which Mr. Hindel did you wish to speak to, Jack?” Rafael came back to him, his tone complacent.
“Whichever one’s pawless at the moment and can open the fuckin’ gate!”
“Do you have a warrant, Jack? Otherwise we will have to schedule your visit for another time as both Lawrence and I are really quite busy today.”
“Yeah, I got a warrant, Hindel. And a squad of deputies and a full K9 Unit. So, unless you’re ready to rebuild this goddamn gate, I suggest you stop playin’ games to impress your girlfriend and let us in.”
The gate swung outward allowing them to drive onto the property. As the cars came to a stop in front of the mansion, Jack tried to still the images flashing into his mind.
“I got a feelin’ you’re havin’ the same problem I am.”
With brows lifted, Jack turned in his seat.
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