Joy’s shoulders slumped. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that other people could suffer under the weight of her decisions. She sure didn’t want her parents to be haunted or whatever. What if they got assigned their own wolf … or lion, tiger, or bear? Oh my.
“I’ll be right back.” She went to her room and lay on the floor by her bed. There wasn’t much under there, most of her reading was done on the computer. She pulled out a few magazines from Kyle’s store, a box of incense, and a picture book of white wolves.
She hopped up and strode toward the door with her findings. Oh! She’d almost forgotten Raven’s Ouija board. Joy hurried back to her closet and pulled the old string hanging from the single light bulb then felt on the top shelf among her sweaters where she’d hidden the game. Ah. There it was. She pulled out the well-worn box held together by rubber bands.
Should she call Raven and get it back to her? Joy couldn’t very well burn someone else’s property, could she? And at least it would be out of the house. But she really didn’t want to have a confrontation with Raven. She just wanted to disappear.
Speaking of Raven … Joy looked at her hand, the onyx glinting on her finger. She should probably turn it over to Mark. But it was hers. It had been a gift. She’d keep it as a memento of all she’d been through. It didn’t mean anything unless she gave it meaning, right? Well, it was only a ring. That’s all the power she’d let it have. A piece of jewelry.
Joy pulled the onyx off her finger and slipped it into her front pocket. No, that wouldn’t do. She might lose it. How could she keep it with her but concealed? Ah! She scrambled over to her dresser and plowed through her unpacked socks until her fingers found what they searched for. She pulled out a long chain, slipped the ring onto it, and then clasped it around her neck. She dropped the ring down her shirt and felt it bump against her sternum. It would be safe there.
Better get back to the others. Joy hurried back to the family room where she set everything down on the floor in front of the fireplace. “This is all of it.”
Mark looked the pile over. “Are you sure? No other books, movies, magazines?” He searched her eyes while he rattled off the possibilities.
“Nope. Nothing.”
“What about jewelry? Any trinkets, necklaces, bracelets?”
Joy shook her head. “No. I’m not withholding anything on purpose, if that’s what you mean.” At least he hadn’t said rings.
“Okay, because this is very important.” Mark waited again.
What? Did he think she was lying? “I can’t think of anything else there would be. But I do have one question. What about something that’s borrowed? Don’t I need to give it back to the person I borrowed it from since it’s not my property?”
“No, in my opinion, this stuff is so dangerous that even if someone did own it, it’s okay and even good to destroy it. You’re doing them a favor.”
Seemed like convenient logic to Joy. But whatever helped him sleep at night was fine with her.
Mom peered down at the contraband. “Um. You have a Ouija board? I don’t understand how you could have something like that going on in our home.” She sighed and shook her head.
“Would you believe it’s not mine?” Not that it mattered whose it was.
“It’s in our house … might as well be yours.”
Mark cleared his throat and raised an open Bible in front of him. Where had that come from?
“I want to read to you from Acts nineteen. It says, ‘Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.’”
Whoa. It was like whoever wrote that could see them standing around the fireplace.
Mark glanced at Joy. “Any doubts now that God is against all of this?” He gestured to the floor.
Joy shook her head. Oh, she already knew God would be against it all—if He existed. But if He were real, then she and God were on a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately basis. And it didn’t look good for Him.
Mom rubbed her temples. Her eyes drooped like she might nod off to sleep right there in front of the altar of evil. Dad put his hand on her neck and squeezed. Joy stood alone. Except …
“Well, if this is it …?” Mark turned to the fire.
“Wait.” Had she said that out loud?
Mark spun around. “Yes? Did you think of something?”
Oh no. Joy’s heart thudded like a drum. Her parents were going to kill her. But worse, she was doomed with Silas’s face engraved on her body forever. She couldn’t get away even if she wanted to. “I did something I don’t think can be burned away. And I don’t know what to do about it.” Then again, maybe it was a good thing. Maybe she should keep it to herself.
“What do you mean?” Mom’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Well …” What could she say instead of what she’d intended? Nothing else seemed to fit that description. “I mean, I made promises. You know?”
Mark nodded. “Go on.”
“Just like a commitment, kind of.”
“You’re right. It’s definitely a commitment. That’s what we’re doing here. Severing those ties. Breaking that bond.” Mark watched Joy’s expression. “You okay with that?”
The doorbell rang. Saved by the bell?
Mom glanced at Dad. “That would be your father. Want to let him in?”
Joy, Mom, and Mark stood silently waiting. They heard the door open and a loud voice boom down the hallway.
“Dad. I’m so glad you could come.” Then a moment of silence.
Joy could picture the two men embracing. She imagined Grandpa’s eyes laced with sadness.
“Come on back. Everyone’s in the family room. It’s kind of somber—we’re sort of in the middle of something.”
As Dad and Grandpa arrived in the room, Mark clasped his hands together. “Well, let’s do this thing.”
Mark stood before the fireplace and lifted one of the Duraflame logs in the box beside it. He turned it over in his hands and tried to read the instructions. He was probably used to real wood for his fires. He flipped the flap up at the seam to see the instructions beneath.
Dad lifted his head out of his hands and gazed at Mark’s attempts. He stared for a moment then shook his head as if snapping out of a thought. He jumped to his feet and took three strides toward Mark. “Here. Allow me.”
Mark nodded and turned back to the group. “Okay, Joy, last chance. You’ve collected everything I suggested?”
Eyes on Dad, Joy watched as he lit the two arrows and waited for the log to catch, brightening the room almost instantly. Joy shook her head. “No, that’s it.”
Mark turned to Mom. “How about you? Can you think of anything in the home that could have attachment to evil? Anything?” He waited. “I’m sorry if it seems like I’m driving this point too hard. I guess I just don’t feel a release to move on. In my heart, I feel as though we aren’t ready for the next step.”
Oh great. He was psychic, too.
Mom shook her head. “No, I can’t think of anything …” She gasped and held up a finger. “Just a sec. I’ll be right back.” She tore off down the hallway to the guest room.
Joy looked at Grandpa and shrugged. What could Mom be up to? Grandpa and Stella were the last people to stay in that room. Oh … unless Mom thought Stella …
Mom came back in the room holding a few of the little statues Stella had lined up on the dresser. “These are going to have to go.”
Joy peeked at Grandpa. He closed his eyes and nodded. Hmm. He was in the thick of it, too, wasn’t he?
“Okay, well here’s what we’re going to do, folks. I’ll pray, and if anyone else would like to say a prayer, you’re free to do that. Know that the power of God is in the name of Jesus …”
Silas barked. The hair on his back stood straight up.
“… and every spirit bows at the very mention of His name, so we’re claiming authority in the name of Je
sus. We’re not hoping for victory, we’re claiming it.”
Joy fought the urge to roll her eyes. It just sounded so ridiculous. Cage fighting made so much more sense. Put two guys in a cage; the stronger one wins. The spirit world was probably the same. Put a demon in a cage with an angel …
Mark lifted his hands into the air. “Father God, Holy Spirit, we invite Your presence into this space. We claim victory over the evil that assails this family. In the name of Jesus I command evil spirits to leave this place, amen.” He lowered his hands and waited.
Dad cleared his throat. “Lord, as the father and the husband in this household, I repent of my weakness and my blindness and ask You to forgive me for lowering my guard and allowing this to happen under my watch. Please give me the strength to see what’s going on around me with my family. Lord, please heal my daughter and bring her back. We claim victory, and I command all evil spirits to leave the presence of my family in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Mark nodded and turned to Joy. “In agreement with what’s been said, take each of your items and toss them into the fire one by one.”
In agreement with what’s been said? There was the rub. If she threw the magazines or the incense into the fire, she was saying that the prayers Mark and Dad had prayed were her own. Such a tough call. Was it? What if she wasn’t sure? She wanted her answers—like she’d told Mom. She wasn’t going to run from one side unless she had somewhere else to go.
Problem was, they all stood there staring at her. She had to do something. She couldn’t very well say she wasn’t going to burn her stuff because she had doubts. If she didn’t throw everything in the fire, they would freak out, but if she did, Silas would freak out. Joy looked at Mark and shrugged her shoulders.
Mark leveled his gaze and locked eyes with Joy.
Silas stood panting. Waiting.
Joy shook her head.
“I can’t.”
Chapter 25
The Explorer turned onto I-76 and pointed toward Colorado. The next three-plus hours were sure to be awkward.
Joy stared out her window and watched the mile markers fly by. One at a time.
Who’d have thought she’d be riding in a car next to Mark Stapleton, a relative stranger, whom she’d just thoroughly disappointed and probably embarrassed, on what would’ve been the most emotional day of her life—who left home at seventeen? But she had to keep it together. No way she’d start emoting in front of a stranger. At least he didn’t seem bent on filling every moment with some spiritual conversation like he might have done if he weren’t so angry with her. Ooh. Hidden bonus to the fire debacle: Maybe he would let her travel in peace.
Joy pulled out her iPhone and plugged in the headphones. She pressed the ear buds in and set the playlist to random—all she needed was the noise. Joy could read to fill the time. She toggled to the Kindle app.
Studying Mark out of the corner of her eye, Joy felt him inch a bit closer and peek over the console at her screen. What would he say if he noticed she was reading Twilight? Mom and Dad both read it, but it was one of those unspoken things they didn’t admit around their churchy groups. But if Mark could tell what it was, Joy was sure he’d have some kind of comment. Or at least he would have before she shot him down at the bonfire.
Ugh. She’d really made a mess of that experience. The others might have thought she enjoyed their discomfort as she whispered “I can’t,” but the disappointment on Mom’s face wouldn’t be something Joy soon forgot. Mom had gasped and covered her mouth when Joy said she couldn’t go through with burning her things. Mark had said it was normal, that they shouldn’t worry. He offered to take care of it.
What had he said when he reached his hands out to Joy and asked her to surrender her things to him? “I will take care of them, but this is not symbolic of you turning them over. This is simply me taking them from you. Eventually, you’ll have to make the choice for yourself before you’ll be able to reunite in fellowship with God.”
Reunite in fellowship with God. What did that even mean? It didn’t sound fun at all. But none of that really mattered in the moment. At least she’d avoided making the choice that day. And Silas was happy. At least for now. Maybe she could figure things out better before she’d have to deal with making Silas mad again. It would be great if her final spiritual awakening was some kind of combo platter of all the good stuff from every belief system, with Silas right in the center.
Speaking of her wolf, was he with her in the car? Her eyes roved the small space beneath her feet. No Silas. Where had he gone? Did his absence mean he wasn’t coming with her to Colorado? On one hand, that would free her from a lot of issues, but on the other … what would she do without him?
Silas appeared in front of her and put his chin on her leg. He looked up at her with sad eyes. Is this an apology for Ash Hollow, boy? Joy spoke with her thoughts even though he probably couldn’t hear them. She smiled. Good boy. Sure would be nice to have him with her on this adventure. At least she wouldn’t be alone.
But now she’d better figure out what happened with Bella before they arrived at Diamond Estates. Thank goodness Mark didn’t seem bent on drawing her into conversation for the entire drive. Probably figured he’d get her back to his lair before he spun his web around her, trapping her forever in his world. Too dramatic? At one time she’d have thought so, but not anymore.
Joy raised her phone to eye level and scrolled to the spot where she left off. Something told her books like that wouldn’t be allowed at Diamond Estates. So if she was going to learn all about eternal love, vampire-style, she’d have to do it now.
“We’re headed up the mountain and will be at Diamond Estates very shortly.”
Joy blinked as her eyes tried to focus on her blurry surroundings. Mark Stapleton tipped his head up a snowy lane as the car’s wheels gripped the pavement through the slush. How long had she been asleep? Had she snored, or worse … drooled?
Mark smiled. “Welcome back to earth. He handed her the iPhone. “You dropped this when you nodded off.”
So, had he scrolled through her pics and read her texts? She totally should have set up one of those password locks. “Thanks. I don’t know what came over me. I just crashed, I guess.”
“I’m thinking you’ve had a rough couple of days and probably needed the sleep. Besides, it made the trip super fast for you.” Mark smiled.
Which was supposed to be a good thing?
Joy’s eyes instinctively hunted for Silas. There he was, tucked behind her feet, almost under the seat. What would he do when they arrived at Diamond Estates? As long as he stayed on her side, it would be fine. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
“Hop on out. I’ll grab your bags.” Mark opened the back door of the van and reached in for the two suitcases Mom had packed. Joy shouldered her backpack and picked up her carry-on. She climbed from the vehicle and planted her feet on the crunchy snow.
Her eyes were drawn upward as she gazed at the elaborate stone structure that stood before her. And that had probably stood there for centuries. “This is it? This place is amazing.”
Mark nodded and smiled. “Welcome to Diamond Estates.”
Joy turned in a complete circle. The forest to her back. The snowy mountainscape that spread for miles in every direction. Then back at the place she’d call home for the next little while.
She took a step closer, taken in by the stained glass windows, each depicting a scene from the Bible. “Those are beautiful.” She stepped among the shrubbery near the front window and reached a hand up to touch the colored, hand-laid glass. Her fingers danced over the flowers and greenery of the Garden of Eden then rested on the shards that formed the serpent. The sunlight bounced off the amber, giving the snake a golden glow. Mesmerizing …
Joy snatched her fingers away and glanced at Mark. Had he seen?
“Yeah.” Mark stared at the rainbow over the arc at the top of the window by the garden scene. “They’re my favorite part of this whole p
lace.” Mark gestured her toward the front door.
Joy stepped up onto the porch, Silas glued to her side.
“Now just so you know, this is the main house, but you won’t be staying here right away.”
Joy eyed him. So, she’d be in solitary confinement?
“We have a new outbuilding that we use for newcomers and people who are in need of some intense or more individualized time with us. You’ll be camping out there for a little bit, but you’ll move over here sooner than you think.” He swung open a wooden door that had to be twice as tall as him. It creaked as it opened. Creepy.
How awesome. Joy turned and took in the wall sconces and the ornate chandelier. The portraits on the walls reminded her of a haunted mansion—if their eyes moved … she was out of there.
The entire place was right out of some kind of old horror movie. Looked like Joy may have jumped right out of the frying pan into the fire when she arrived at Diamond Estates.
“What’s that room there?” Joy pointed at a cavernous space surrounded by stained glass windows on all sides, beanbag clusters throughout the room, and mats on the floor. She moved into the entrance and gazed up at the wooden candelabras that hung from the ceiling.
Mark smiled into the room and patted the framed entryway. “This is where the magic happens.”
Joy leaned her shoulder against the arched frame. The stained glass windows captivated her. The crucifixion scene, the garden scene she’d examined from the outside, all the stories she’d been told as a child in Sunday school, in beautiful stained glass. Amazing.
And there was the Nativity. Baby Jesus lay in the center window, pure and proud, while His parents looked down in awe from just behind Him. Gazing at their son, who would claim to be the Son of God. Did they know that then? Joy felt herself drawn to that window, to that baby. She took a step forward…. How could she have been a part of that burning? The sacrifice of something so innocent. Symbolic or not.
THE SHADOWED ONYX: A DIAMOND ESTATES NOVEL Page 18