Touched by Darkness (Young Creator Trilogy)

by Christiane Shoenhair

  “Why don’t we all head back to the hotel for a few hours? Then we can look for her together,” Aunt Tisi suggests.

  How could I say no, especially when I crave nothing more than to fall into a nice warm bed and shut my eyes? I nod my head and we head back to the hotel, agreeing to meet back up in five hours. I fall into my bed, still completely dressed, and am instantly asleep.

  I wake up to a gentle poking in my shoulder. I roll over and find Riley sitting on my bed with a huge smile on her face.

  “You’ve got some drool on your face.” I quickly wipe at my face while she continues to poke me.

  “Okay, okay,I’m up.” Stretching my arms over my head, I sit up, feeling great. I think this may have been the first restful sleep I’ve gotten in a while. I jump out of bed with a new spring to my step, ready to take on the world.

  “You were out!I have been poking you for the last ten minutes.” That explains the look she had when I woke up, which does seem pretty comical. I glance at the clock on the bedside table, happy to see that we have twenty minutes before we are meeting up with everyone.

  “I’m gonna take a quick shower,” I tell Riley, who walks back over to her bed and throws a pillow against the wall. Plopping down on the bed with her feet dangling off the side, she picks up the book that was underneath her pillow and starts reading.

  When I get out of the shower we still have ten minutes to spare; it really is a timesaver to just imagine yourself in fresh clothes versus having to put everything on. Riley looks over the edge of her book, but then continues reading.

  I walk over toward her and tilt the book so that I can read the cover. The Hunger Games. I read it a few months ago, and found it to be a great book. The character is so strong, even with everything that happens to her and she has to go through. I wish I could be more like her; she always knows what her goals are and how she feels, whereas I feel like I’ve been all over the place with my emotions, especially when it comes to Keagan. I wish things were more black and white, but it seems that my life is always gray. My mind tells me one thing while my heart tells me something else, and just when they match up something happens to throw everything off again. I guess life would be boring without all the craziness in it. I look at the clock again and see that it’s time to go.

  “Riley, we gotta head out.” She holds up a finger and flips the page. I see her eyes moving really fast over the page. We are probably going to be a few minutes late, but I get how it is to be sucked into a good book, you have to find a spot that you can walk away at. That book is definitely one of them. Two minutes later she dog-ears the page she is on and puts it under the pillow. I hate folded pages in books; I know it might be stupid, but I feel like it is almost disrespecting a book. I used to go to the library to borrow books back in Florida, but hated when I found books like that. I mean, seriously, do people not have any respect for the next person that is going to pick up a book?

  “What?” Riley asks, and I realizeI’ve been mean-mugging her.

  “I hate it when I pick up a book that has been dog-eared,” I explain.

  “What are you talking about?” She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

  “You know, when you fold the corner of a page to mark your spot in a book.”

  “Seriously? That’s funny.”

  “Sorry, just a nit-pick.” She shakes her head and opens the door.

  “You ready to go find your crazy sister and kick some butt?”

  “I guess,” I say with a huff.

  “You guess? What’s wrong,Trish?”

  “You know when we went to meet with Allecto, it was to stop her and save Chelsey. I never even thought twice about the choice of going to stop her, but this is different. My sister has to die to save humanity. I know it’s the only way,but it just doesn’t feel right.” I can tell that I have stumped Riley as emotion after emotion crosses her face. She looks at the clock, but then rolls her eyes, grabs my hand, and pulls me to the bed to sit down.

  “Yes, Haddie is your biological sister, but she isn’t your family. Chelsey, Keagan, Tisiphone, your mom who is kicking some serious butt in Haven… those people are your family. I think I’m more of your sister than Haddie is. You don’t owe her anything, least of all any sort of loyalty just because you shared the same womb. She is bad! Her heart is black and she is bent on hurting people, whichis why she needs to be stopped.” What she says makes sense, and I feel a little bit better about what we are planning on doing. She’s right,I don’t owe Haddie any loyalty, and I shouldn’t feel bad that she has to deal with the consequences of her actions.

  I lean over and hug Riley, but jump when there is a loud pounding on the door.

  “Probably my love-struck brother, checking to make sure that you’re all right.” I roll my eyes and go to open the door, to not only find Keagan but also the rest of our group piling into the doorway.

  “You two all right? We waited, but got concerned when you didn’t show up,” Keagan says, sweeping into the room and looking around.

  “Yeah, sorry. We had some things to talk about, but we’re good to go now. Nothing to worry about,” Riley assures Keagan.

  Keagan, like the trained Guardian that he is, has to make a full sweep of our room before he is satisfied. Nick joins him in searching the room, opening every door and looking under our beds. Riley and I glance at each other and burst out laughing, making the guys look at each other in confusion.

  “Like Riley said, we’re ready to go. Sorry about being late.” Everyone looks at me for more of an explanation, but I head out the door, making my way through them. Riley and the guys on my heels. “I think we should start at the Eifel Tower. I feel like we will probably find Haddie there. It’s where she was when she visited me in my sleep.”

  Everyone agrees that the Eifel Tower would be a great place to start. I’ve seen many pictures of the structure, but my one experience visiting it so far has been terrible. I know that it was only in my sleep, butit’s always vivid and real when Haddie does her little trick. We get into a van, which Chris or Maximus must have rented, and head over to the Eifel Tower. Everyone is quiet and staring out the window, taking in the scenery, lost in their own thoughts. I pray that today will be a success with no casualties. Looking around the van, I can’t even imagine losing any of them. I know Ihaven’t known Chris or Nick for very long, but they seem like good people,and with what Chris has been through I don’t want any more suffering for him.

  We arrive at the Eifel Tower, and all of us get out of the van. The tower is massive. I believe I read somewhere that its 1063 feettall … crazy. Standing next to it I feel so small, and thinking about all of the stairs that we have to go up I groan out loud.

  “What’s wrong?” Nick wants to know.

  “So many stairs,” is my reply, which has Nick chuckling.

  “Do you want me to justgo to the top and see what I can find?” Nick suggests.

  “No, but thank you. I might be complaining,but I think once I reach the top I won’t even remember the pain of climbing however many stairs it has.”

  “Over three hundred, just from the first to second level,” Nick states.

  “Ugh, why did you have to go ahead and do that?” Nick laughs and I push him.

  “What’s going on?” Keagan wants to know.

  “Your friend over here just had to share how many stairs it is to the first level of the Eifel Tower.”

  “I think it’s like three hundred to the first level, and another three hundred to the second level.” I groan again and roll my eyes, wanting nothing more than to have them stop with the talk of stairs. I would rather run a marathon than walk up all of them.

  “Did you know that the Eifel tower was built in 1889 as the entrance to the World Fair?” Nick continues.

  “Yeah, that’s right, and I think over 250 million people have come to visit it since it opened,” Keagan adds.

  “Wow, you are such nerds! Leavethe poor girl alone,” Riley cuts in, pulling me away from the two
… who are still talking Eifel Tower facts.

  “I think a few of us should go up there, and the rest should walk around to see if they can find anything down here,” Chris advises.

  “I think that’s a good plan. Trish, where did you say those two young people lost their lives?” Maximus wants to know. I look around before pointing to the spot that I recognize from the other night. Maximus nods and looks at Tisiphone.

  “How about you and I look at things down here, boys you head to the first level, and you two head to the top,” Maximus tells Riley and me. Everyone nods and Chris says he is going to check out the other side of the tower for clues.

  The four of us head to the line that is waiting for their chance to get on the tower. It’s really long there must be a hundred people in front of us. After waiting for five minutes, I get restless.

  “Can’t you just transport us to the top?” Keagan asks. I must not be the only restless one. Contemplating his words, I take a look at the platform of the first level. It is clustered with way too many people to just materialize out of thin air.

  “There is no way. Too many people.” We slowly make our way in line, and after about thirty minutes Aunt Tisi, Chris, and Maximus join us. There are angry mutters from the people behind us, who must think that they are cutting in.

  “Still waiting I see,” Aunt Tisi remarks. Before I can even blink,I’m standing on the top level of the Eifel Tower with Riley next to me. The view from up here is awesome; I feel like I can see all of Paris, and the many bridges spanning across rivers. There are buildings everywhere, and right in front of the Eifel Tower is a large grassy area that looks like squares stacked on top of each other. I take it all in, but then immediately go on alert and start observing my surroundings. At first I don’t see anything out of the norm as I slowly walk across the steel grate that makes up the floor I’m walking on.

  “It must be broken. I can’t move it away from the cemetery. I wonder who would have it focused on that.” The words catch my attention and I spot a family fidgeting with a scope that is mounted to the railing of the tower.

  “Hi, you said that the scope is broken. What did you say that it is on?” I ask as I walk over toward them.

  “I think that it’s the Suresness, which is an American Cemetery. You here on vacation, too?Isn’t Paris amazing,” the young woman, who is holding her toddler on her hip, gushes.

  “It is pretty awesome. I’ll make sure to let someone know about the scope.” I give her a smile and make my way over to Riley, nodding to her to let her know to follow me. We make our way down the stairs to the first level and spot the guys; Nick is chatting up some girls and Keagan is looking around for clues, I suspect. The guys spot us and make their way over.

  “I know where we will find her,” is all I say before heading in the direction that will get me off this thing.

  “So whereis she?” I hear from behind me.

  “I will tell you guys as soon as we meet up with the others!” We make our way down the tower and find Aunt Tisi, Maximus, and Chris.

  “Anything?” Maximus asks as we approach them.

  “I know where she is. Let’s go,” I tell them as I walk in the direction of the van.

  “Do any of you have a phone or something that we can look up information?” Chris hands me a sightseeing guide, and I quickly look through the index until I spot what I’m looking for. “This is where she is.” I point at a picture of a black gate with gold circles, which is slightly opened to reveal a driveway that leads to a large white structure. On either side of the driveway are white crosses.

  “She’s in a cemetery?” Riley asks with disgust in her voice.

  “What better place to hide an army of the undead,” Aunt Tisi replies, and I nod my head in agreement.

  “Let’s wait until it closes before we go and find her,” Chris states, looking at the page and then his clock. “We have another hour before they close, let’s get something to eat and then make our way over there.”

  I look at him like he is crazy, but to my surprise Aunt Tisi, Maximus, and Nick are all for it. I guess that there is nothing better to do, and at least we will have a full stomach before facing Haddie. Chris knows of another fun little place and we head to it. The food is really good; I have to say that I love French food. Keagan, on the other hand,doesn’t seem as thrilled. Nick ordered escargot, which are snails, and after him holding out his fork to me I finally took it and ate it. To my surprise, it was actually really good. The herbs and butter making the escargot melt in my mouth. Nick also gets Keagan to try it, and the look on his face is priceless; we all laugh when he discreetly spits it into his napkin. All too soon it’s time to go, and that overwhelming pressure on my chest of all the weight on my shoulders overcomes me.

  Riley must notice and gently rubs my back while we drive to the cemetery. The gates look just like those in the picture, but are closed. Chris parks, and as we exit it, Nick quickly makes his way over to the gate. He peeks through the cracks and pulls his sword, pushing the gate with it. It swings open on freshly oiled hinges without making a sound.

  Chapter 23

  Touched by the Truth We all wait, expecting something to happen as we crouch around the gate. The sun is setting and the whole place looks gloomy and abandoned. I expect something to jump out at us at any time, but as we wait nothing happens. We are all dressed in dark clothes, and with the limited light it’s going to be hard to see where everyone is if we split up. I decide to get things rolling and step into the middle of the open gate, sword in hand. I hear a silent curse and several,“What are you doing?” but I don’t listen to them. As I take a step, I hear my footsteps echo on the walkway. Lights flood the cemetery and I shield my face from the bright light. Squinting into it, I almost miss the ball of electricity that is hurled at my head, but just in time get yanked to the side by strong arms and pulled into a warm chest. I find myself in Keagan’s arms, and when I look up at him he gently smiles at me. I wish I could stay like this for just a moment longer, enjoy the warmth and safety of his comfort. He gently sets me away from him and lifts my chin.

  “Please , be careful. We still need to have that talk,” he tells me, and releases my chin from his warm, firm grasp. We both face the direction that the ball had been come from. I watch as Haddie saunters her way into the light, dressed in all leather with her hair pulled into a high ponytail. It creeps me out every time I see her.It’s like looking into a mirror, but not;it’s just so surreal.

  Cackling in her usual way, she stands with legs firmly planted and reaches her arms out, away from her sides, electricity crackling in between her finders. I watch in horror as more and more bodies appear behind her; it looks like she has amassed an army of the undead.

  It seems as if there are thousands of them. I see some with limbs missing, and others are completely covered in dirt and partially decomposed. I swallow down the bile and look around the cemetery. Other than a few statues of winged lions and graves, the cemetery is completely empty. I watch as Haddie makes her way closer to us, stopping but a few feet away from me. I see that the burns on her face are still there, and wonder if she if choosing to keep it that way to remind her of what was done to her.

  “Sister , how happyI’m to see you in person. Look at all the new friends you have brought me! They will be a welcome addition to my army.” Her eyes skim over the people in my group, but when her eyes land on Keagan she spits and her face quickly changes to one of rage. “You!You’re going to die today, and this time my sweet, sweet sister will not be able to bring you back. I’m going to cut you into pieces and wear your fingers as a necklace. You took Kia from me.” She uncurls a whip from around her arm and holds it out. “You see this beautiful weapon? Well,let’s just say that I went through a lot to gain it and the reward it will bring me is death that will be permanent.” She lovingly glances down at the whip, and I notice it has wickedlooking teeth all along it.

  I take the sword that is in my hand and swirl it around. “I acquired a
nice new weapon, too.” Haddie’s eyes are drawn to my sword, and I can tell that she is surprised to see that I succeeded in gaining this particular weapon.

  “When I kill you I will make sure to take that sword from you. It suits me so much better than it does you.I’m fire where you are the air, but enough talk! Let’s start this game, I’m ready to get my hands on some more power.” She motions toward us and an army of undead move in our direction. As soon as the first of them approach me, I start swinging and they fall down, but get back up. Instead of attacking me, they go for the others. I see Haddie’s red hair in the mass of bodies making her way towardme. It’s as if all hell has broken loose. Aunt Tisi is launching electricity balls into the throngs of undead, while the rest are taking off heads—which they quickly found out was the only way to make the undead permanently dead—with their weapons. I know that they will need some help; there are just too many of them, and once Haddie reaches me I will be far too busy to keep the undead from overwhelming my friends.

  I remember the statues of the winged lions and turn in their direction. I ’ve never done this before and really hope that it will work. I know that Aunt Tisi has told me in the past that my gift was not to be taken lightly, but I really think this may be the only way to make sure they stay alive. Closing my eyes as the undead pass by me without acknowledging me, I pull the power to me. I focus it on the statues and picture them full of life. Opening my eyes, I watch as one of the statues shakes itself and comes to life as the stone shell falls off. It turns its bright glowing eyes to me and bows. I nod my head and point it in Riley’s direction, letting it know to protect her. It flaps its massive wings and flies over to Riley, who screams when it lands next to her. The creature starts tearing into the undead, and when Riley has too many bearing down on her, it picks her up with its paw and places her on his back. I glance back at the remaining statues who are awaiting my request and nod at each individual I want them to protect and help. They fly off to do my bidding.

  “So you bring some statues to life and think that that will help protect your friends. Do you have any idea how many bodies there are in this cemetery?” I turn my attention to Haddie, who has now made her way up to me. In one hand she is holding a sword, the other wields the deadly looking whip.