The Shadow Guide (Challenging the Fates)

by Victoria Smith

  Jana laughed. “You have not won. You will never win. Doesn’t guiding suck? Take the deal and I’ll make it stop.” More of the icky mist filtered through the wall.

  Alaina didn’t know if she had enough energy to withstand another shift. Jana stood between Alaina and Patrick. As Patrick moved toward her, Jana raised a hand and sent him crashing into the wall. Alaina sorted the entities that would form from the mist before they had the chance. Jana swore, beginning the siege again.

  Jana reached for her, but Alaina made a quick move to the right, jumping over the edge of the hole and reaching Patrick before Jana could stop her. She placed her hands on his chest and locked eyes with him as the three-headed visitors’ words replayed in her head.

  “‘It high revenger’”. I know what it means. It’s an anagram.” She yanked the chain from Patrick’s neck as Jana grabbed her hair.

  Alaina kicked backward, knowing there was no way she could physically defeat Jana. She’d have to stop her with wits and the little bit of knowledge she’d gained since beginning her guide duties. Alaina stumbled, trying to switch her ring for Jana’s before Jana realized. When it didn’t work, she stuffed Jana’s ring in her pocket.

  “I guess we’ll do this my way now. I gave you the chance to do this easily. Now you’ll suffer.” Jana pushed her against the wall, immobilizing her while wrenching the ring from her finger. With Alaina’s ring off, Jana turned to Patrick.

  “You want her alive, you’ll have to trade for her. You have ten seconds.” She slapped the ring on the table with a smile of satisfaction.

  ~ ~ ~

  Patrick’s heart hurt. He’d known on some level Jana had purposefully summoned the demon that took her. Up until now, he hadn’t wanted to face the truth. Still, he wished he’d never left that night. Maybe he could have done something to save her and their son.

  Then again, maybe not. The evil residing in Jana couldn’t only be the result of her deal with whatever demon she’d sold her soul to. To adapt to her new life so quickly, there would have had to have been a significant amount of negative energy already there. He remembered her uncaring comments about the shadows of the disabled and how she automatically placed them with the darker spirits.

  Alaina squirmed, kicking out at Jana as she held her against the wall. If he didn’t agree to go with Jana, Alaina died. The problem was Alaina would be dead no matter what he did. If there was a chance he could save her, he’d take it—even if it meant killing the woman he used to love. He met Alaina’s eyes. She nodded and winked.

  “Okay. Fine. I’m yours.” He stepped forward.

  Jana squealed and threw her arms around him, the negative energy flowing from her almost choking him. He saw the necklace Jana wore. No wonder he recognized the amulet around the fake Della’s neck. Jana wore the exact same one. She’d told him her mother had given it to her as a pregnancy gift. Realizing the woman he’d loved for so long had arranged this funhouse ruse to try to take his soul and kill Alaina eliminated his lingering guilt over Jana’s death.

  He endured another hug from Jana, this time a groping one, as he watched Alaina take something out of her pocket and make a dash for the table where Jana had placed Alaina’s ring. By the time Jana squeezed his butt, released him, and grabbed his hand, Alaina had returned to where Jana had left her.

  ~ ~ ~

  “I win. They said I wouldn’t. They said you were too powerful, but they were wrong. I told you guiding was a stupid life. Of course, you won’t know the taste of freedom. I’ve changed my mind. I can have it all now with the addition of your soul. Can you imagine how revered I will be to have brought you down? My associates have been gunning for you for years. Any accident you’ve ever had was caused by one of us in the hopes you’d die.”

  Alaina pretended fear. “Why?”

  “I have supporters. They don’t want the balance you’re supposed to bring. The big guys think it’s a good idea, but most of us like interacting with the real world. There are a lot of desperate people out there—the kind of desperate where they willingly sell their soul for an easier life. It’s fun.” Jana went to the table where she’d placed the ring.

  She picked up the silver band, raising it over her head with a smile. As she slipped it on her finger, her face contorted. Jana turned to Alaina. “What did you do?”

  “You wanted your ring. I hate to tell you how yours is more powerful than mine. If you had bothered to pay attention, you would know the ring is only a focus tool. Eventually it’s not necessary, though most guides continue to wear their rings out of habit. My ring does nothing for you. But yours . . .”

  Jana screeched as she tried to wrench the ring from her finger. “What did you do?”

  “You used your power for evil. You might have been a formidable force with all the souls you’ve harvested and the power you’ve gained. But you see, the very thing you hated and wanted to escape from is also the thing that will stop you.”

  Alaina grabbed Patrick’s arm and dragged him with her to the other side of the room. Jana continued to try to get the ring off while screaming curses at both of them. Smoke surrounded her, flames finally erupting to engulf her body. When the final flame died out, the only thing remaining was a faint black ash.

  Patrick took a deep breath. “How did you know what to do?”

  “The three-headed thing wasn’t out to hurt us. They were trying to help us. Only they communicated in anagrams. ‘It high revenger’ means ‘give her the ring.’ She wanted my ring so badly, I figured they meant hers. I didn’t realize you wore Jana’s on your neck. I always thought it was her wedding band.”

  “How did you decipher the anagram?” Patrick kept his gaze on the spot where his wife had disappeared.

  “I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure I had some help. Maybe Gram gave me the clue.” Alaina tried not to let Patrick’s sorrow fill her.

  “Or maybe I helped a little.” A dark shape stepped into the room from the closet.

  “And you are?” Alaina asked, unafraid.

  “I’m offended. We’ve met already.” There weren’t any distinguishable features. Only a solid-looking shadow.

  “Regional manager?”

  “Very good. You ended things. I tried to get here first, but she used every trick to throw me off. By the time I actually arrived, you had everything nicely in hand. I’m afraid she gained far more power than I knew. Had she won, she would have been unstoppable. I am in your debt.” He bowed.

  “She was your second-in-command. Wasn’t she? Who made the deal with her at the beginning?” Alaina probably shouldn’t ask, but she had no fear of him.

  “He has already been dispatched back to the depths. He’s the one who demanded Patrick’s soul as revenge.” He turned to Patrick. “If Jana had brought it, I would have had to allow the exchange. Our rules are full of loopholes and gray areas, but I guess that’s what you get with chaos.”

  “I’m glad things worked out then.” Patrick finally turned his head from the burnt-out spot of his evil, dead wife.

  “No more glad than I am. There will be peace now. Enjoy your life.” He disappeared.

  As relief spread through Alaina, her knees buckled. She hit the floor, the room spinning. Patrick touched her face, speaking to her though she couldn’t hear a word he said.

  When she opened her eyes again, she was in her bed. Panic filled her chest as she blinked in the soft light of dawn. How’d she get here?

  Patrick rubbed her back, and she turned to face him, surprised he was still there. Despite what Jana had done, Alaina had expected him to leave her. Maybe he’d only hung around to make sure she was okay.

  “Nope. That’s not it at all. Well, okay, part of it. You went down like a ton of bricks. I thought you were dead. I didn’t know what to do so I brought you home. Cedric checked you out. He said since the stress was over, exhaustion
took you out and you’d be fine, but I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t leave you.” He closed his eyes and rested his head against the pillow.

  “Why not?” That was kind of a stupid question, but one she had to ask.

  “Because I love you. I didn’t want to. Lord knows I tried not to, but it happened anyway.”

  “Are you sure, Patrick? I know getting involved with another guide was the last thing you wanted.” She moved away a little, not wanting the closeness of their bodies to affect his decision.

  “I love you, Alaina. I’m here for as long as you’ll have me. I know you might not need my help anymore and that I usually suck in the kitchen, but I make mean lasagna.” He studied her, waiting for her response.

  “I love you, too. I’ll take you for as long as you want to stay.”

  “How about forever?” He rolled over on top of her and kissed her.

  Things were heating up when the mattress dipped and a throat cleared. What the hell? She thought all the freaky shit was over. Patrick moved as she opened her eyes.

  “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I wanted to make sure you are well. I am pleased to know you. You have proven yourself many times over.” Cedric bowed low, his oversized nose scraping the comforter.

  “Thank you. You have been a most helpful guest.” Alaina kissed the top of his head.

  He blushed. “I don’t suppose you have any idea how to free me from this hideous form?” He paced the end of the bed, stroking his white-bearded chin.

  Alaina closed her eyes, searching inside herself for the answer to his question. Damn. She still had no idea how to put the little guy back to normal, and she’d bet she still had a stuffed owl squawking in the cage downstairs.

  “You don’t. I had a feeling such would be the case. Oh well.” He kicked the bottom of Patrick’s foot sticking out from the sheet. “I don’t mind. Not really. I’ll stick around until you figure it out. You have a most lovely home.”

  He plopped himself down on the bed as the television on the dresser turned on. A reality show about college girls on spring break focused on the screen, catching Cedric’s full attention.

  She rolled her eyes at Patrick. “That’s number one on my to-do list.”

  Also from Soul Mate Publishing and Victoria Smith:

  INTO THE FIRE

  In Olivia Sanders’ world, people like her don’t survive very long. Special abilities are a threat to the corrupt government.

  Olivia and those with similar abilities struggle to keep their secrets as new laws threaten them daily. Though hiding isn’t enough for Olivia. A healer and firestarter, she works with the resistance to ensure the safety of the people of her sector, toiling in an unforgiving world without freedom or hope with the goal that someday they will find both.

  Poisoned by someone she should never have trusted and betrayed by her godfather, the former governor, who is using disturbing methods to control the population and grow his army, Olivia is forced to seek help from Luke Jamison, the leader of the resistance. They join forces with his brother, Matt, and Jillian Derrick, a hard-as-nails woman leading a band of "undesirables" to safety.

  As conditions in the sector deteriorate and the death toll climbs ever higher, Olivia and Luke, along with Jillian and Matt, cling to the miracle of found love while facing the horror of a future without each other.

  Available now on Amazon: INTO THE FIRE

  REDEMPTION: SECTOR ONE

  Isaac Hawes lost everyone he loved in the government's attempt to take over their lives, but losing his child to their evil drained the last of his mercy. Or so he thought. When he receives one of their soldiers as a debt payment, his last flare of compassion won’t allow the woman to die. When Casey awakens with no memories except her name, he sees good in her he didn’t expect. Through Casey's self-recovery, he learns she’s the soldier that kidnapped his child. He has to decide if he can overcome his anger to trust the woman he healed, not the soldier who hurt him, and decide if it's worth the risk to use her military-induced enhancements to help him rescue other kidnapped children.

  Casey used to be a soldier. Now she doesn’t know what or who she is. She doesn't even have a last name. Her slowly returning memories of the things she was forced to do devastate her, and she believes her only route to redemption is to convince Isaac to let her help rescue the children everyone thought were dead. As she learns who she is without the government's control, Casey discovers she's not the monster they forced her to be. She can only hope her newfound sense of self is enough to save her.

  Available now on Amazon: REDEMPTION: SECTOR ONE