Paranormally Yours: A Boxed Set

by Alisha Basso

  “I just don’t see how. I can’t stop thinking about all the killing I did. How can He forgive that?”

  “There’s your problem, Nikolas. You can’t stop thinking about it. It’s not God that won’t forgive you. It’s that you can’t forgive yourself. Until you do that, you won’t be able to live as you would like to again.”

  He turned to look at the old woman. He saw no recrimination in her eyes. He saw no revulsion or horror. Was the witch right? Could God really forgive him if he could forgive himself? And there was someone else he needed forgiveness from.

  Ariel smiled at him and said, as if she had read his mind, “Tessa doesn’t need to forgive you. She loves you and accepts you as you are. Go to her, Nikolas. Let her help you heal.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t deserve her.”

  “Of course you don’t. No one deserves a love like that. But we’re lucky we can have it anyway. Dry your tears, child, and start living again.”

  Nik watched the old witch as she rose from the pew and started back down the aisle. When she got to the door, she turned and looked at him again. She smiled, and for just a moment, Nik saw something beautiful in her. Then she was gone.

  Nik lifted his eyes back up to the statue of Jesus hanging on the cross. “Thank you,” he whispered.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Tessa turned the ornate chalice over and over in her hands. Just as the old witch had said, the chalice had been here in the things that hadn’t been unpacked yet. It was a beautiful piece, gold with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds set into it. She suspected the gold was real, but she wouldn’t know for sure until an analysis was done. There would be no analysis, though, would there? She hadn’t catalogued the piece, knowing the witch would come for it sooner or later. Giving Ariel the chalice would be the most unethical thing she had ever done, but it had been a matter of life or death.

  Tessa hadn’t heard from Nik in the two weeks she had been back. She had repeatedly called him, but to no avail. Was he still on the island? Or was he at home avoiding her calls? Neither scenario was good. She had gone by his house once, but there had been no lights on. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to do that again.

  She heard footsteps in the hallway, coming toward her door, and she turned to see who was there. Ariel was standing in the doorway, waiting for Tessa to invite her in. At Tessa’s gesture, she entered the room and looked around, almost as if she was ignoring the chalice on purpose.

  “Do you enjoy working here among all these fascinating relics?” asked the witch.

  “I do. Even more so now that I know the stories about them are mostly true.”

  Ariel’s eyes flicked to the chalice and back to Tessa. “I see you have it.”

  “Yes. It’s beautiful.”

  “It is, isn’t it? Will you hand it to me, please?” asked Ariel.

  Tessa frowned at the odd request, but picked up the cup and handed it to her.

  “Ownership passed to you when the one who stole it gave it to the museum. You had to physically give it to me. Now it belongs to me.”

  “There was no paperwork on this piece. Usually, the person who donates or sells items to the museum will have paperwork documenting where they found the piece and a little bit about it if they know it. I have no idea where this came from.”

  “The one who stole it doesn’t want it to be known. The demons who guard their treasures in the dimension this came from are very…unforgiving.”

  “This came from another dimension?” asked Tessa, surprised.

  “Child, most of the artifacts you have here come from other dimensions. Many of them find their way here; some are sold or given away, some are kept.”

  “I didn’t know. Am I or the museum in danger by possessing them?”

  “Not necessarily. Most demons can’t cross over to this dimension because of protection that surrounds this world. A few have gotten through, but it’s very rare.”

  “So, this chalice…what does it do?” asked Tessa.

  Ariel grinned at her. “I was going to wait until I left. But if you really want to know….”

  Ariel said a few words over the chalice, and it filled with a clear liquid Tessa assumed was water. Her eyes not leaving Tessa’s face, Ariel raised the cup to her lips and drank deeply of what was inside. Suddenly, there was a lovely aura surrounding Ariel, the lights twinkling, and Tessa was reminded of the Aurora Borealis. Tessa watched in fascination as the wrinkles in Ariel’s face began to smooth out, and her white hair began to curl into exquisite waves. When the colors had dissipated, there was standing in front of Tessa the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Gossamer wings sprang from her shoulders, fragile looking, like a dragonfly’s. Her eyes were a startling blue, and her skin shone with good health.

  “Y-you’re not really a witch, are you?” stammered Tessa.

  “No, child, I’m not really a witch. Although, I am very, very old. Thank you for restoring our life force back to us.”

  “But, what are you?” asked Tessa. “No human can be so beautiful!”

  “It’s a secret that we keep very close. But I think you’ve earned the knowledge after the things you went through to save someone you cared for. You must promise to keep the knowledge to yourself always.”

  “I will,” promised Tessa.

  Ariel smiled, and the radiance of it almost brought Tessa to her knees. “I’m a fairy.” She was out the door before Tessa could respond. She sat down at the work table, her legs barely able to hold her. She felt like she had been in the presence of royalty.

  ***

  Nik paced the floor of his library, his mind still trying to deal with the guilt that had slammed into him when his soul was returned. He was hoping for some kind of peace, but until the situation with Tessa was resolved, there would be no peace for him. He had prayed for hours even after the witch had left him, but those hours hadn’t been as full of agony as the hours before had been. He accepted the fact that he couldn’t change any of the horrendous things he had done, and he also realized wallowing in guilt and self-loathing wouldn’t accomplish anything. He vowed to spend his life doing as much good as he possibly could. But there was Tessa. What was he going to do about her? Regardless of what the witch had said, he didn’t think she could possibly love him after all the things he had done. It was bad enough that he had bitten her and could have killed her. But if she found out about all the people he had killed in a feeding frenzy with Marianna, she would look at him as a monster. He had to tell her, though. It was only fair that she knew everything.

  Nik drank down another shot of Scotch then set the glass down hard on the table. This wasn’t a good way to start his life as someone dedicated to helping others. Getting drunk would be counterproductive, and he had a feeling God would be frowning on it. He went into the kitchen and made himself a pot of coffee. He tried to fool himself into believing he was doing it to sober up when, in fact, he was just putting off seeing Tessa. After drinking half the pot, he sighed and picked up his car keys.

  ***

  Tessa made herself a cup of tea and sat down in the living room, but she didn’t turn on the television or pick up a magazine. She was too busy marveling over all the things that had happened recently that turned her world upside down. Vampires, witches, fairies…she would never have believed such things existed. Now they were very much a part of her world. Especially the witches, since her best friend turned out to be one.

  Tessa heard a soft knock on her door, and she turned toward it in surprise. Who would be calling on her at this hour? She got up and went to the door and called out to her visitor.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me…Nik,” said a familiar voice on the other side.

  Tessa’s stomach did a somersault, and suddenly she was scared. Not of Nik or what he had been or done. She was scared that he was coming to tell her he didn’t want her anymore. He had been out of touch for so long, she was sure that was the case. She stood there, postponing the inevitabl
e.

  “Please, Tessa, let me in,” Nik said.

  She finally opened the door to him, her heart racing, her mouth dry. He stepped inside, and she took her time closing and locking the door. She was afraid to turn and face him, but she knew she had to, no matter what he had to say. This thing needed to be finished.

  “I wasn’t expecting you,” Tessa said. “I’m sorry I’m in lounging pants and a t-shirt.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You always look beautiful.”

  She blushed at the compliment, wondering if he was just softening the blow. She looked up at him and realized he was close enough that she could reach out and touch him if she wanted to. And oh how she wanted to! But she refrained from doing it because it would just make things worse.

  “Tessa, we need to talk about some things.”

  She turned her eyes from his gaze. “Yeah, I know. And I want you to know that no matter what, I don’t regret helping you. I’ll never regret that.”

  “And I’ll always be grateful,” he said, his fingers gently turning her face back to look at him.

  “Nik, I know it’s going to be hard for you to say what you came to say. You don’t want to hurt me, I get that, but it’s better to just say it and be done with it,” said Tessa in a trembling voice.

  He frowned. “Why would I hurt you? I think that’s going to be the other way around after I tell you some things.”

  “You aren’t going to tell me you don’t want me anymore after you became human again? You are human now, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, I’m human. But why would I not want you? Tessa, I want you more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. But you have to know some things about me. Things that will probably make you not want me anymore.”

  She looked up at him with wonder in her eyes. He wanted her! Her heart filled with a joy she hadn’t known she could feel. She reached up and touched his face, willing him to kiss her. She ached to feel his lips on hers, but he stepped back, out of her reach. She looked at him in confusion.

  “Tessa, you have to hear me out first. You have to know everything before you make any decisions.”

  “Okay, Nik, whatever you say. Come and sit on the sofa with me.”

  They both sat down, and she could tell he was nervous. She took his hand and smiled at him in encouragement.

  “I…I killed some people, Tessa. I even almost killed you, but there were some….”

  “It’s okay, Nik. I know the dark side of you took over a couple of times. But that side of you is gone now.”

  “But you don’t understand. Marianna and I…we went on a killing spree. Tessa, we killed dozens of people. And we didn’t just bite them. We were cruel. We tortured some of them, and at the time it felt good. I felt so powerful. When I got my soul back, all those memories slammed into me, and it almost drove me crazy. I prayed and prayed, but it wasn’t until the witch came and talked to me….”

  “Ariel talked to you?” Tessa said in surprise, her face pale from the things Nik had told her.

  “Yes, she helped me understand that life goes on. But I can’t ask you to…Tessa, I don’t deserve you or your love. What if I start having those cravings to kill again? What if that’s still inside of me?”

  “It’s not, Nik,” said Tessa, although her voice was shaky. She imagined Nik covered in blood, biting, killing, torturing. Could she bear it?

  “I hope not. But I can’t ask you to be with me or love me after what I’ve done. It would be better if I just….”

  Tessa put her finger to Nik’s mouth to stop his words. He closed his eyes and kissed her fingers, and it sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.

  “Nik,” she whispered. “No matter what you’ve done in the past, I love you. Can we put that behind us?”

  He looked deep into her eyes as if he were searching out the truth of her words. He slowly bent toward her and brushed his lips across hers, and she trembled at his kiss. This was the human, not the vampire, and he was every bit as exciting.

  “Tessa, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. I still can’t believe you can love me after everything I’ve done.”

  She kissed him in answer to his uncertainty. He gathered her into his arms and buried his face in her neck, and she could feel him breathing in her scent. She felt his lips moving on her neck, his tongue tracing patterns on her skin, and she shivered in delight. His teeth nipped at her, but she felt no fear, no apprehension, because this was the real Nik, the one she had known all along. His mouth found hers, and she opened to him, letting his tongue enter and explore. The kiss deepened, and Tessa felt like she was falling into a deep sea of pure ecstasy. Was this what it was really like to be in love? His hands explored every inch of her body as his mouth traced a path between her mouth and neck, then back again.

  Abruptly, Nik stopped, his forehead resting against hers, both of them breathing hard. Tessa could feel her heart beating fast, and she murmured a protest against the injustice of being out of his arms. Then Nik smiled, and she looked at him quizzically.

  “What is it, Nik?”

  Instead of answering, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn velvet box. He said, “I brought this along on the slim chance you still wanted me after you found out all I’ve done. I’m trying to be more optimistic.”

  He gave her a grin that made her heart melt. Tessa looked at the box in confusion. When he opened it, she saw a beautiful ring with a large garnet in the middle and small diamonds on each side. What was this about?

  “Nik, I don’t understand.”

  “This was my mother’s ring, Tessa. I know it’s not the typical diamond, but it means a lot to me. I’m asking you to marry me. I’m kind of an old-fashioned guy.”

  She looked at him incredulously. “You…you want to marry me?”

  “Yes, of course I do. When I say I love someone and want someone, then that means forever. I’m not the kind of guy who takes commitment lightly, Tessa. So…what’s your answer?”

  Tessa thought of all she and Nik had been through together. She thought of all the horrible things he had done. Did those things matter? This was a very moral man sitting here beside her. Could she commit to him like he wanted her to? The one thing she did know was that she couldn’t imagine life without him.

  “Yes, Nik, I will.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked anxiously. “Will you be able to forget the things I’ve done?”

  “No, I can’t forget them. But it’s all part of your life and what we went through together. We can’t forget, but we can move on. I’m ready to move on, Nik. Are you?”

  He smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit…that had to be a good sign. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her, his mouth urgent on hers, his tongue insistent. She met his passion with hers as they held each other tightly, their bodies so close they felt as one. Nik’s mouth moved down to her neck, where he bit her skin softly. She moaned as he continued to pay homage to her neck, and then he looked into her eyes.

  “Maybe the vampire in me isn’t completely gone,” he said with a smile.

  Be sure to look for the next book by Lauralynn Elliott, Fire Wizard. A series of fires are being set, but these are no ordinary fires. Finn McLain knows they are magical fires created by a fellow fire wizard. Then he notices a female firefighter who recklessly enters burning buildings, and yet, remains unscathed. Could it be he's discovered the first female fire wizard to exist in a century? Coming September 2014.

  About the Author

  Lauralynn Elliott is an independently published author of paranormal and fantasy romance books, as well as some horror. She started the indie journey several years ago and has never regretted it, loving the freedom to publish what she wants when she wants. You will find everything from vampires and ghosts to elves and wizards in her novels and novellas. She enjoys putting a little bit of a different twist on some of the old ideas about our favorite fictional characters.

  Lauralynn lives in the southeastern Un
ited States with her husband of many years. She has two grown sons whom she adores. Reading, playing computer games, and spending time with friends are some of her favorite activities.

  Books by Lauralynn Elliott

  Other titles by Lauralynn Elliott

  Paranormal Romance

  Haunted Lake

  Dark Relic: Vampires’ Curse (Libby Fox Book 1)

  Secrets of the Wolf (Libby Fox Book 2)

  Search for the Vampires’ Curse (Libby Fox Book 3)

  Vampires’ Curse (The Libby Fox Trilogy)

  A Rocky Path

  Starfane

  Guardian Vampire

  See Me

  Club Blood

  The Beast in the Mirror

  Horror/Thriller

  The Gnome

  Hearts of Evil

  Connect with Lauralynn Online

  Website:

  http://lauralynnelliott.com/

  Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/lauralynn.elliott

  In Cassie's Corner

  By

  Dale Mayer

  Faith and loyalty are tested as a young girl learns what it is to believe – in herself, in her friends, and in life after death.

  Cassie's best friend, bad boy Todd, is gone. Gone as in dead. Gone as in ghost. But she doesn't realize that when he wakes her in her bedroom and begs her not to believe what they say about him. It's not until the next day when her parents tell her about the accident that she learns the truth... The police believe Todd was living up to the family name, drinking and driving and coming to a predictable end. It's up to her to find out the truth and clear his name.

  Todd is shocked at his sudden change in circumstances...and angry. He struggles with his new ghostly reality, realizing all he's lost as he watches his brother build a relationship with Cassie as the two pair up to find out what really happened to him. The truth isn't always pretty, and Cassie has to be stronger than ever before.