THE SHADOWED ONYX: A DIAMOND ESTATES NOVEL

by NICOLE O’DELL

  Joy peered at his name tag expecting it to say something like Zeus or Pegasus. Huh? It read KYLE. Really?

  Kyle’s dark eyes widened. “Hey Raven. How’s it going? Haven’t seen you in here for a while.”

  “Yeah, haven’t really needed anything but to save money, so I just stayed away.”

  “I hear that.” Kyle turned his gaze onto Joy.

  “This is my friend, Joy. She’s new. I just thought I’d show her around.”

  Why did she have to say she was new? How embarrassing.

  “Great. Well, poke around—recent additions in the back. Let me know if you need anything.” He turned back to his customer.

  “So what is this place, exactly?” Joy whispered.

  “It’s an unofficial consignment store of sorts. People share, trade, sell, or barter for the things they need to help them get in touch with the spirit beyond. You can get Ouija boards, crystals, and other beads and things like incense and candles to help you connect.”

  Joy felt the edge of a leather journal. “But how do you know the difference between what’s legitimate and what’s commercial?” She picked up a furry rabbit’s foot. Come on, seriously? A rabbit’s foot?

  “Good question.” Raven seemed to think through her answer as she held up a silver necklace with a five-pointed star dangling from the center. “Well, you need to understand that connecting with the spirit world isn’t about the actual game board or the bead itself. It has nothing to do with the individual crystal. It’s all about the faith you ascribe to a specific token or trinket. So if you truly believe the incense wafting through the air and the crystal shining in the candlelight is going to help you clear your mind and release yourself over to what’s beyond, then it will.”

  Joy nodded. That helped, actually. She didn’t have to put her faith in a piece of glass. It was about her faith, not the glass … or whatever the item was. Made perfect sense.

  “Remember the day we used the Ouija board and heard from Melanie?”

  Joy winced. How could she forget?

  “Lucas and I had complete faith we were being contacted by a spirit, so it makes it easy for it to happen.”

  “Yeah, but I had zero faith, so why was I able to see?”

  Raven grinned. “That’s the cool part. It was our belief at work allowing you to witness the truth.”

  That sort of made sense. But really, did Joy need to fully understand it in order to accept it? She’d seen the very principles Raven described at work right before her own eyes. Unlike the churchy faith she’d been witnessing all her life. Apparently from afar.

  Joy picked up a pack of incense and a few long candles. Was she ready for her own Ouija board yet? No. The thought of being at home alone in her bedroom while contacting spirits made her skin crawl. Evidently she wasn’t there yet.

  Something told her it wouldn’t be long.

  Chapter 11

  Joy pulled back the bright blue tarp sealing the dusty kitchen off from the rest of the once-abandoned house and peeked inside. She moved aside so Raven and Luc could follow her in. The three of them scanned the space with flashlights.

  Wow. Joy had to admit someone had been working hard. Wallboard was up where it had only been studs the last time she’d seen inside. The floor had been laid, at least in the downstairs common area, and the fireplace was in. Her parents had made a ton of progress toward making the Lake McConaughy rehab the Christiansons’ new home. But for now, it had another purpose.

  She let the plastic fall and wiped the chalky drywall dust onto her jeans. She peered through the haze at the empty family room. Three ceiling fans hung from the rustic wooden beams of the vaulted ceiling. A huge fireplace with a stone chimney ran all the way up the back wall. Picture windows overlooked the private dock. Well, the space that would eventually hold their private dock whenever Dad got around to building it. Joy supposed the bathroom would come first—even though the dock would be way more fun.

  Then again, the daydreams she and Mel had of languishing on a pontoon boat as they floated across the lake were never going to be realized. It wouldn’t be nearly as fun alone. Nothing would. Maybe she and Raven could be friends like that one day. But would Joy ever be able to let her guard down enough to let someone in to the same degree she had Melanie?

  “Will this do?” Joy spread her arms and glanced at Raven and Luc. Was it too risky to have brought them here for their meeting? Maybe the empty house was too creepy even for them. It should be for her. But strangely, she felt … um … expectant.

  Expectant. Yeah, that was the word. With Raven and Lucas at the helm, Joy knew something big was going to take place tonight.

  Raven’s eyes explored the space from floor to ceiling. She grinned and looked at Lucas.

  Lucas made a fist and punched it up in the air. “This is perfect. You have no idea how great this space is.” He closed his eyes and stood still for half a minute. “I can feel the energy here. It’s humming with activity.”

  Was that a good thing or a bad thing? If only her fear would catch up with her resolve.

  Luc opened his eyes and searched Joy’s. “You sure you want to do this?”

  Surprisingly sure. Joy nodded. “I’m more positive than I’ve been about anything in a long time.”

  “Cool. Here’s the deal.” Luc surveyed the space like an architect. “We need to clear space on the floor. A circle big enough for the three of us, but not much more than that. You have the candles?” He turned to Raven.

  She slid six black tapers from the sleeve of her jacket and held them up. “Of course.”

  “Great. Those will go around the perimeter of the circle along with the incense I brought.”

  “Uh-oh. Incense? That’ll leave a smell, right?” What if Mom or Dad came out here before the scent wore off? They might assume it was pot or something.

  Raven waved a dismissive hand. “We’ll open some windows and turn on the fans when we’re through. It’ll be fine.”

  “Okay. Sounds good to me.” Joy dampened a cleaning rag with water from the bottle she’d brought with her and dropped it on the floor in the center of what would become The Circle. Using the toe of her black Converse, she spread the rag in a wide arc, three hundred sixty degrees around her. When the perimeter was drawn, they set to work clearing the inside of dust and debris, leaving a gleaming bull’s-eye on the otherwise pasty walnut floor.

  Raven placed six golden candlestick holders evenly around the edge and set one long, black taper in each. Between them, she set a golden dish with a cone of incense in the center. She lit them, one by one, and the room took an eerie glow as the flickering of the candle flames danced on the walls and their faces. Soon the hint of cloves mingled with musk as the different incense buds let off their aromas.

  Lucas’s eyes reflected the brightest light as he crossed his legs and lowered himself just to the left of center in the shiny circle. Raven stepped over the candles and sat down beside Luc, their knees touching of course. Joy moved around the candle nearest her and sat just across from them, facing the center, careful not to let her leg touch the flames. The flickers reflected off the drywall dust and looked like a mist swirling around them, engulfing them.

  “We have a few important things to do, a few items to dedicate, and then a special request to make for Joy.” Lucas clasped his hands in front of him. All business.

  “I have a question,” Joy whispered. “Who exactly are we talking to when we make this request? Like, are we praying to God? Or what?” It was the or what that made her really nervous.

  “We’re talking to the universe, calling out to the spirit world that exists all around us. They’ve always been there just beyond your consciousness waiting for you to call on them.” Lucas grinned and shook his head. “Oh, how your life will change. You’ll have faith like you’ve never had it before. Your thinking will become clear as the blinders fall from your eyes. You’ll come face-to-face with what’s already been proven to you. What you accepted as true your whole life
will manifest itself to you in ways different than you’ve known, but beyond what you could have imagined even in your dreams.”

  It sure made sense. So much more than the religion and church stuff Joy had had shoved down her throat her whole life. Something niggled at her though. Movies and stories of people selling their soul to the devil were considered horror films for a reason. Surely she wasn’t doing that. How could something that felt so good and comforting be bad for her? Well, no matter, really. She was in far too deep to back out now. “Okay. I’m in.

  What’s next?”

  “Did you bring the letter?” Raven whispered.

  Joy nodded and pulled a well-worn sheet of notepaper from her jacket pocket. It had been crumpled and wadded then smoothed out and reread many times during the past week since she got it back from the investigator. She smoothed it flat for the final time.

  Every note like this starts off the same way, and apparently I’m no more creative than everyone else. So if you’re reading this, it means I’m gone.

  I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I had to do this. So sorry for so many things. I’d like to say I’m doing this for you guys, so you won’t have to deal with how badly I’ve hurt you. But that’s not why. I’m taking the selfish way out. I’m running from my problems and from facing the pain I caused everyone. I don’t know how to make up for it. I’ve betrayed my best friend, and I don’t know how to fix it. I can’t look at the pain in her eyes knowing there’s nothing I can do to erase what I did. I also can’t live with the thought of not being with Austin, knowing the price we paid to get to this point.

  What’s wrong with me? Why do I have to hurt the people I love? And here comes yet another selfish choice of mine … the one I know will hurt you all the most. Yet, I can’t help it. I’m making the wrong choice right now … but then again, that shouldn’t really be a big shock to anyone, should it?

  I’m so sorry to all of you. I’m so sorry that you’ll be left with grief on top of everything else. I’m so sorry I couldn’t face up to what I did.

  I love you all,

  Melanie

  Joy balled the letter in her fist, her nervous perspiration dampening the paper. Her body reacted the same way it had every time she read it. Rage. The whole tragedy should have been avoided. It was unnecessary. Which was why it was so difficult. Melanie should be there. The thought was nothing short of maddening.

  So senseless.

  So needless.

  So stupid.

  Lucas put his hand on Joy’s knee and squeezed gently, pulling her back to the present. “Would you like to say something before we continue?”

  Talk directly to Melanie? That had to be what he meant. Did she want to? If she spoke to her, how would she feel if Melanie didn’t answer? What about if she did? But she had to reach out. She might not have the chance again.

  Joy nodded. “Mel? Um …” Boy, this was hard. “I want you to know I love you. I already told you I forgive you for what happened. It’s been almost a month since you … left. I want you to be free.” I want to be free. “I don’t know if you regret taking your life. I don’t get how it all works. But I want you to know I’ve been so mad at you for leaving me. It’s like a rage consuming me. You took my life when you took your own—and for reasons we’d have worked through. You didn’t give me the chance to forgive you. You didn’t trust that I would. But I love you. I always will. And I’m letting go of the anger. I’m letting go of you.”

  Joy spread the paper on her knee and glanced at the familiar handwriting for the final time.

  So over.

  She held the corner over the flame nearest her. The fire nibbled at the paper then took a bigger bite. Joy lifted it directly in front of her eyes and watched the words burn. The flame engulfed the last word on the page. Melanie.

  When the paper burned down to the last fraction of an inch, Joy let the last tiny ember fall to the floor where it withered to ash.

  “Perfect. How do you feel?” Lucas looked into Joy’s eyes.

  “Good. It feels good.” Not exactly free, but on the way there.

  “Raven has a gift for you. She will dedicate it now.” Lucas nodded at his girlfriend.

  Dedicate it?

  Raven dangled a tiny black velvet bag from her finger and looked deep into Joy’s eyes then clasped her left hand. “The black onyx is the stone of release. It will help you in confusing and difficult times. It’s most useful when you need to let go of the past or release an attachment to someone or something.”

  She opened the bag and pulled out a silver ring with a black stone nestled in the center setting, flanked by two hands that appeared to be lifting it up. Raven closed her fist around the ring and raised it. “May the power of the onyx and the forces of the spirit world join together to release Joy from the bondage of the flesh. Help her to let go of the past and look forward to the future. Protect her from evil and danger, and guide her in the ways of self mastery.”

  Yes. This was exactly what Joy needed. Please be possible. Was an amen appropriate? Joy snuck a look at Lucas. His eyes were closed, and he swayed to a silent rhythm.

  Joy closed her eyes, but they flew open again a second later when she felt Raven’s fingers on her hand.

  Raven held the ring on the tip of Joy’s middle finger. “With the union of the physical and the spiritual, please send a guardian to be with Joy at all times. A protector. A companion. Guardian, present yourself to her”—Raven slid the ring onto Joy’s finger—“now.”

  Peace and clarity washed over Joy like a tidal wave. She stared at the ring as her breathing slowed to a steady pace. Everything looked the same, but something had happened. What was it?

  Joy felt heat, like puffs of warm air, on the top of her foot and glanced down.

  She gasped. “Silas.”

  The gorgeous white wolf from her dream lay peacefully at her feet. Joy looked into the animal’s beautiful blue eyes and saw all the grief and regret she once carried—now it was on him. She was free.

  “Do you guys see him?” Joy stared at the animal, afraid to look away lest he disappear.

  Raven and Lucas locked eyes. “See who?”

  “The white wolf here beside me.” Joy nodded her head in Silas’s direction. “He’s right here.”

  Lucas grinned. “He’s yours alone. No one else can see him. He’ll be with you always.”

  He was real? He was hers? Joy felt a mixture of gratitude, peace … and fear. The unknown, such a strange reality.

  The tarp crinkled as someone pushed on it from the other side. “Who’s in here?”

  Silas growled, foam seeping from the corners of his mouth.

  Joy squealed and reached for Silas’s collar. “Who’s there?”

  “What is going on here?” Austin poked his head around the drape. “What are you doing?” He locked eyes with Joy.

  Couldn’t he hear that murderous barking even through the gulf between their worlds? Joy leaned down to whisper in Silas’s ears. “It’s okay, boy.” Good thing it was pretty dark in there—just a few candles—so Austin couldn’t see exactly what she was doing. Now, how to answer his question? She couldn’t very well tell him about contacting spirits and talking to the dead. After all, Austin thought she was a Christian since she’d always drawn some pretty strong moral lines in the time they dated.

  Deflect. That was the answer. “Excuse me? What are we doing? The better question is what are you doing here?”

  “I saw the flicker of light and thought there might be intruders. I wanted to check things out in case you were being robbed or something.” Austin looked pointedly at the incense. “Is this what I think it is? You’re not letting these two mess with your head, are you?” His face scrunched in confusion and concern. “I don’t understand.”

  “Well, guess what? You don’t have to understand. It’s got nothing to do with you. In fact, it’s none of your business.”

  Austin nodded. “I’m going to make it my business if you’re messing around with this kin
d of thing. It’s not a game.” He gestured at the dark room. “Do your parents know you’re here? They never let us—”

  Joy watched a look pass between Lucas and Raven. Then Raven rolled her eyes.

  “Austin, there is no ‘us’ anymore. I have nothing to say to you.”

  “That’s not good enough for me.”

  “Look, even if Melanie hadn’t died, things happened I can’t just erase from my memory. We wouldn’t be together even if she were still alive. But with her death, and all that’s happened since, there’s no way I can forget the truth. I have no interest in you, and I don’t trust you.” Joy took a deep breath. Might as well let him have it. “I don’t love you.”

  “Fine.” His eyes flashed. “But I’m still going to have to talk to your parents about all of this.” He gestured at the circle.

  “Ugh, since when did you become so boring? You know, if I had suggested we come out here alone while we were dating, you’d have jumped at the chance. With or without my parents’ permission.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve learned a lot since then. Apparently you’ve done some changing yourself. This is so unlike you.”

  Lucas jumped to his feet. “Man, you don’t know her at all. Just leave her alone. It’s not your problem to solve. In fact, like Joy said, it’s none of your business. Which is probably what’s making you mad enough to spit nails. You have no power over her. You gave that up the day you started up with her best friend.”

  Austin glared at Luc. “Who do you think you are?”

  “Um … invited. Which is more than I can say about you. How about we say good-bye?”

  Chapter 12

  The doorbell rang, but Dad got to the door before Joy or her mother could get there.

  Stella floated in ahead of Grandpa, her billowy shirt like a powder-blue cloud.

  “We’re here and ready for some turkey and dressing!” Grandpa stepped into the house, changing the mood with his first word.

  “Not until tomorrow, Grandpa.” Joy poked her head from behind Mom.