Lana's Calling: A Golden Hills Legacy Novel

by Nancy Glynn

  ***

  She stood in front of his bed in her nightgown, smiling. Watching him stir in his sleep, she whispered his name. “Hunter.”

  His head thrashed back and forth against the pillows as if dreaming. He opened his eyes and gazed at her, not believing his eyes. “You’re not real. You’re really a succubus. Go away!”

  “No, darling. It’s me.” She slid on his bed and crawled up to kiss him. “I’m turning. When my cross burned my chest, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I did in my sleep where this is possible. I can come to you in your dreams.”

  Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and pulled her to him, kissing her back. “It is you. I’d know your flowery smell anywhere. Oh, my God. I thought I’d never see you again. What do you mean you’re turning?” he said between kisses, then cradling her head to his chest.

  “My cross burned me, leaving a mark. Maybe after we were together. I’m not sure. It doesn’t matter anyway. If I’m immortal to be with you, then I’m fine with that.” She nuzzled his chest, arousing him to dizzying heights.

  His shallow breaths came short and hot on her skin. “What if he comes?” He clawed his fingers through her hair, licking her face, thrusting his tongue against hers. “Hell, I don’t care if he does!” He hiked her nightgown up and ripped her underwear off, connecting her body to his.

  She felt one with him…one body, one heart, one soul. Forever. They moved against each other, struggling to pull life back into their bodies, slow at first and then with an urgency. “I love you, Hunter.”

  “I love you, too, angel. I feel so much love inside for you that my heart wants to burst,” he whispered hoarsely. He sat up so their chests could touch, skin-to-skin, her legs wrapped around his back, holding steady, forehead-to-forehead, nose-to-nose, eye-to-eye.

  He rocked faster, pushing himself deeper, her head falling back. His hands dug in her hips as she gyrated against him. A moan rumbled from her throat as he lay his head against her breasts.

  “I hear someone,” Lana said, and disappeared, leaving him to go back to sleep. She watched from the recess of her mind as Jack walked in the room to find Hunter asleep.

  Smiling, she slipped back in her body and opened her eyes to the restrictive confines of her room. “I’m joining you, my love.”

  ***

  The door flew open and Eric walked in, all smiles. “Good morning, Lana girl. Today’s a great day for a wedding, isn’t it?” He drew the heavy curtains back to let the sun welcome her.

  “I’m so tired.” She palmed her eyes, trying to see more clearly. When her focus came in better, she could see Eric stand at the foot of her bed, wiping his glasses on his shirt. This was the day she could take her revenge and join Hunter in the afterworld. A great day for all.

  “That’s better. I haven’t seen you smile like that in a while,” he said after placing his glasses back on. “Diana’s so nervous. She was looking for you to stay with her last night, but I told her you didn’t feel well. How’s your headache?”

  “Much better. Just a little tired. I’ll call her.” She whipped the blankets off and headed for the bathroom and closed the door.

  “Yeah, she’d like that,” he yelled through the door. “I’ll come back later to escort you. Drake will already be there with Jack, so he’s asked me if I would.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You two buddies now?”

  “Drake? He’s all right. We can all hang out after the wedding. You know, go on double dates. It’ll be a great life, Lana. My dreams are all coming true.”

  “You mean that list you wrote?”

  “Have you seen it?”

  “No,” she lied.

  “Sure you haven’t. I’ll see you later, probably around two.”

  She heard the door close and silence.

  As she pulled her nightgown off and looked in the mirror, she noticed the mark more inflamed and pronounced, deeply embroidered into her skin. Her pupils dilated, enlarging at her reflection. “No,” she whispered, hanging her head to the sink. And then she remembered Hunter, and she stared back into the mirror.

  That dream she had last night of her with him, making love to him, had to be real. She was so heavily sedated that she must have found a way to him in her changing ways. Her pulse quickened at the thought. She wasn’t sure about this new world, new way of life, even next to Hunter. She didn’t want to replicate what was in that painting.

  This house was imbued with ghosts of the past, reaching their necrotic hands out to her soul and dragging her down with them. And she was falling, falling so fast and hard that there was no saving her now. This would be her life. What Jack had always wanted. What her grandfather had wanted.

  Fate had carved a little place for Lana in the town of Golden Hills. It was clearly in the stars, as Jack had put it, and it was clearly her destiny. What else could she do but accept it and embrace this calling.

  A calling to stand and deliver, to bring forth a new world, to be the high priestess she was destined to be from the very beginning. It was a path of untold truths, a path that would lead to redemption and build this town up to what it was always meant to be.

  She now knew what she needed to do today at Eric’s wedding, a blessed event of sorts. Vows to be spoken out loud and in black silence. A vow to love and honor. A vow for justice.

  Turning on the shower, she stepped in to cleanse not only her body, but her soul and prepare for the abyss she was about to merge into.

  ***

  In the narthex, Eric handed Lana off to Drake to walk down the aisle. She looped her arm through his while holding her flowers, catching his stunned look.

  “Wow. You are absolutely gorgeous, Lana. Again, I am one lucky man.”

  “Thank you. You look very nice yourself,” she said, taking in his matching gray suit and silk tie. She smiled and held her head high. Her silver-gray dress snugly outlined her curvy form, sparkling in the light of the church. There were no windows to carry the sunlight through, just dark walls and torches shadowing them. A colorless world.

  The shielded faces hid in the pews, obscured under white hoods this time, white for renewal. Their heads bowed as she passed them, lowering her eyes in acknowledgement as they did each time.

  Drake guided her to the altar where the wedded couple would meet. She walked to her side and stood with her bouquet filled with red roses and lilies. Diana even had a few daisies sprinkled in there for her. Always thoughtful, she was. Such a good friend.

  The organ began to play as Jack took center stage on the altar, dressed in his black top hat and tuxedo. She ignored how handsome of a man he was, reminding herself not a man at all. She returned his smile after he bowed, tipping his hat to her.

  Everyone stood as Diana stepped into the aisle in her halo of white silk and tulle, her ten-foot train following behind her, and her arm through her father’s, a man who hated being here. Diana had told her how he begged her not to marry here and to go to their church in downtown Chicago, but she wanted to please Eric.

  Diana’s mother sat in the pew, holding a handkerchief to her face. Crying out of happiness or sadness, Lana couldn’t tell. The look of love glowing on her friend’s face made Lana smile. She wiped away the tear that slid down her cheek, and caught Drake staring at her with an intensity that made her shiver.

  A strange melody began to play, a mixture of instruments. From the corner of the altar, a beautiful young woman sang, but not with words, only sounds, a haunting cascade of sorrow and joy. A violinist played next to her, his eyes closed as his arm moved back and forth to her soprano tones.

  As Diana approached the altar, she glanced at Lana with a flicker of what in her eyes? Hope, despair, love, fear? She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was there, dancing beneath the blue globes. Lana smiled and winked back, trying to relax her.

  Jack raised his arms and began the ceremony, asking them to repeat their vows after he spoke them. The one part Lana didn’t like was when he asked them to give their life for each other, s
omething she’d never heard in any traditional wedding vows.

  He concluded by saying, “Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wessington!”

  The congregation stood and clapped, cheering and stomping their feet. Lana followed and clapped, feeling queasy and ready to vomit. She sucked in her breath and looked upward to breathe in and out, in and out.

  “I have a private gift I’d like to give the couple before everyone retreats outside. Please give us a moment,” Jack said, looking into Lana’s eyes.

  Her heart began its slow, steady knock on her chest, sweat trickled down her neck and back, her palms moist. She watched the happy couple follow Jack like little puppies, holding hands and laughing. The sunlight basking on Diana’s face as the doors opened, smiling at her beloved, a man she trusted with her life. The doors slammed shut, leaving darkness behind.

  Everyone chatted while waiting, their hoods down and laughing at little jokes, bile threatening to bubble up in her throat again. The doors then slammed open, the wind briefly blowing the torches out after the flames licked the air, hissing in her ear.

  The signal to join them.

  Diana’s parents carried a look of dead fear as they stumbled to the door, a hurtling scream echoing through the building. Lana ran behind the mass of guests bolting for the door. Nothing could prepare her for what was before her.

  She took slow, agonizing steps, as if she were in quicksand, before picking up speed, hiking her gown up to run faster after taking her heels off. The Dead Tree stood strong and tall, with its latest victims swinging, their feet steady on the wooden stool.

  Their hands gripped the noose around their necks, Diana’s and Eric’s pleading eyes piercing Lana’s. She strode for Diana before Jack jumped in front of her, leaning his foot on the stool, ready to topple it over. His grin covered his darkly handsome face. His yellow eyes glowed, daring her to move one inch closer.

  “Go ahead, my love, do it. Here’s where your part of the deal comes in. I own you.”

  “You didn’t live up to your end of the bargain. You killed Debra.”

  A squeal came from Diana at the words of losing her friend. Her head hung, giving up, her dark hair hanging around her once happy face.

  Jack stared at her. She stared him back down. “Do it,” he ordered.

  Lana circled around him before she walked farther out. She smiled at everyone watching, hoods pulled up, faces hidden. Drake stood off to her side, waiting to see what she was up to, cocking his brow in anticipation.

  “Well, I have a deal for you, Mr. Red. Get ready because I think you’re going to like it.”

  He squinted his eyes, retracting his leg, actual fear spreading on his face. His eyes lowered to where her hand dropped.

  Sliding her dress up, she glanced briefly at him before aiming her attention to the Bowie knife hidden in her garter belt, the knife that belonged to her grandmother. Lana pulled it out and pointed it at her heart, her eyes on Jack. “This really shouldn’t hurt me too much if I’m immortal like you say, right?”

  His eyes widened, his nostrils flared, and he began to walk toward her.

  “Stop. I’ll do it.”

  “You know, don’t you?”

  “Know what, Jack? That I believed another one of your lies?”

  He folded his hands behind his back and looked down before returning a wicked smile. “Oh, Lana. You please me so. You’re saying that with this knowledge you’ll still go ahead and hurt yourself?”

  “No. I’ll kill myself.”

  “You’d rather kill yourself than kill one of these insipid fools?”

  “Yes, you arrogant bastard.”

  Drake started to walk toward her until she touched her breastbone. “Stay away, Drake.”

  “Lana, please don’t do it,” Diana begged. “It’s not worth it.”

  “Listen to your friend here, Lana,” Jack warned.

  Hungry looks broke out on the congregation’s faces, wanting something to happen to feed their dark appetite. They swarmed around the tree in a circle, holding hands. “Hail Lana,” chanted over and over.

  A gang of wolves howled in the woods. Lana turned and caught sight of her wild gray friend Taz staring at her through the trees. They stared in silent communication before she plunged the knife deep into her heart. The blade sliced through her like fire, burning her chest, making her feel dizzy and lightheaded.

  “No!” Eric and Diana screamed together.

  Blackness surrounded her, cold blood filling her mouth, so cold and numb as she collapsed to the ground, Drake running to her to pull the knife out, and Jack’s face…Jack’s face…Jack’s face.

  Chapter 18

  Lana walked across the gravelly road, wearing her pink construction helmet, in the heat of the autumn day. Not even her shorts and loose top were enough to keep her cool. She reached the table, men working overhead, walking on scaffolds, and the drilling and buzzing sounds making her cringe.

  She opened the brown sack and laid out the carefully made sandwiches, grapes, orange slices, Snapple, and waited. He was usually on time, but she always worried if a minute late. That would never go away.

  And then she saw him. She watched as he shook hands with a few of the workers while holding a smile for her. Butterflies fluttered in her belly and not just from the baby. Standing, she walked into his strong arms, his lips on her temple. “Sit and eat.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Hunter complied, popping a grape into her mouth. “How’s my growing family today?”

  “Growing. He won’t stop. I’m huge for five months!” She rubbed her swollen belly, chewing on her grape.

  “You’re perfect. I still can’t believe we’re here after everything that happened. You saved my life, Lana.” He held her hands across the table.

  “I can’t believe we’re here. I had only hoped it would work, and it did.”

  “All because of that list you made?”

  “Jack said it himself. If it’s in the stars, it’d happen.”

  Hunter waved to someone over her shoulder, waving them to the table. “They’re here.”

  Lana turned and smiled. “Hi, guys! Oh, you have it!”

  The couple laughed and joined them. “It’s hot for September!” Eric complained, hugging Diana close to him. “How’s the little one?” He rubbed her belly.

  “Extremely active.”

  They all laughed at her obvious discomfort.

  “Yes. I went to the bakery this morning,” Diana said, displaying a chocolate round cake and lighting the candle stuck in it.

  “Happy birthday, Dad,” Lana said, blowing out the candle. September Fifth was more special to her this year than his other birthdays because of what she’d accomplished, even if he weren’t here to celebrate it.

  “Happy birthday, Christian.” Eric poured champagne in three glasses and Snapple in Lana’s. “Cheers,” he said, clinking glasses.

  A few workers stopped over and said hello, bowing before walking away.

  “Have you seen Drake lately?” Diana asked, cutting the cake and passing it out.

  Lana nodded. “Yesterday for a meeting. He’s still under Jack’s thumb.”

  “It’s good he’s let you go so easily. I just don’t get it,” Diana said, shaking her head.

  Lana smiled at Hunter with a knowing look. “Who knows? I’m not all that special. I hear he’s thinking of proposing to Jennifer.”

  “So strange.” Diana ate her cake. “I’m just glad to be married and not to have had any problems like that. Our wedding day couldn’t have been more perfect. Right, babe?”

  “Absolutely,” Eric agreed.

  Again, the two shared a secretive glance.

  ***

  In bed that night, Hunter held her, wrapping his whole body around her. “I never want to let you go again. That’s crazy how Eric and Diana don’t even remember anything. How again?”

  Lana laughed and nuzzled his neck. “I guess when I wrote that list, some things on it came true.”

  “But yo
u stabbed yourself in the heart! How?”

  “I knew I was changing, in the middle of here and there. Taz showed up and gave me the courage to go ahead with my plan. It’s like he knew it would be all right. Speaking of which, I want to go see him tomorrow. I miss him.”

  “Fine. Continue.”

  “Bossy thing! The last thing I remembered was Jack’s handsome face morphing into something I never want to see again. And then the next thing I remember is waking up in my room and hearing you humming in the shower. It was sweet music to hear you. I rushed to the mirror and saw I was completely fine. Something told me to look at my list, so I got it out of my drawer and cried, remembering what I’d written.”

  “Jack’s still in our lives, though. You’re still the high priestess, Drake’s still the high priest…”

  “He wants to step down and give it to you. That’s what our meeting was about yesterday. He wants no part of it and just wants to be with Jennifer.”

  “Me…a high priest? I don’t think so.”

  “I want you by my side, Hunter Bane. We had a small wedding ceremony in my grandmother’s garden, officiated by Papa, but I want to run this town with you.” She kissed his cheek and then his lips.

  “What will our son be?”

  “I’m not sure. Probably the next heir to run Stone Manor and Golden Hills, maybe even Bane Group.”

  “Sounds nice. I have a big day tomorrow so should probably try to get some rest, but I’m making love to my wife first.”

  “How would tonight be different from any other night?” She rolled over on top of him and slid her tongue in his waiting mouth, his hands cradling her voluptuous body to his.

  ***

  Lana’s Wish List

  · To bring good to Golden Hills

  · Bring in teachers that will teach selflessness and to serve others