Plain Fear: Forgiven: A Novel

by Leanna Ellis

  Joe drove, one hand on the wheel, not worrying about the speed limit. From the seat behind him, Samuel could see the speedometer’s needle pushing ninety. Most of the time, he closed his eyes to ease the invisible talons digging into his skull.

  “Roc told me,” Joe said to Father Anthony, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, “that you’d been missing yourself. You don’t have the signs, so I know you’re not a vamp. So what happened to you?”

  Father Anthony held a bottle of water in his hand. “It’s a long story, my friend.”

  “We’re not exactly friends,” Joe answered in his gruff way. “But we have time.”

  “Joe,” Samuel argued, “you don’t have to—”

  “It’s all right,” Father Anthony reassured him.

  “Yes, I do.” Joe clenched his teeth. “I’m not taking him all the way to our base camp without knowing more about him. Some vamp could be following him…us right now.”

  “Multiply that,” Father Anthony chuckled, “and you’d be closer to the truth. I understand Joe’s precautions, Samuel. He’s a smart warrior. One thing you should all know right from the start—never trust anyone. Not anyone.”

  Joe switched lanes, swerving around a slow-moving truck. “So why should I take you to our one safe place? Where innocents could be killed?”

  “You’re a fool if you think any place is safe. But Roc has trained you well.”

  “So what gives? Where have you been?”

  “Where haven’t I been?” Father Anthony spoke more to himself than Joe. “I wasn’t aware that I was missing actually. But I have been out of touch with Roc for a while. The last I knew he had been sent to Pennsylvania on a murder case. I suspected vampires were involved, but he wasn’t ready to hear the truth. Not then. I’m glad to know he has seen the light, so to speak.”

  He gave a grim smile, untwisted the cap on a water bottle, and took a sip. “I have been studying these creatures for many years, reaching outside the confines of the church for answers. It was somewhat ironic that I would find answers then within the church. I came into contact with another priest in Italy and went there to learn from him and just recently returned. In fact, I was just landing in New York when the Lord prompted me to travel outside the city.”

  “Is that how you found me?” Samuel asked.

  “Yes. And no. Actually, a parishioner in a friend of mine’s church had deep concerns about her teenager. This parent contacted my friend, who then called me. Many within the church community have ostracized me for my radical beliefs. Then again, when supernatural things begin happening, I’m the first one they call in desperation.” He shrugged a narrow shoulder. “We all come to knowledge and wisdom in our own ways. Still, I did not know Samuel or that he was in trouble when I went to that house on Long Island. I went to break up an occultist ritual, where I suspected a sacrifice would be made.”

  “Would they have really killed me?” Samuel said, remembering Andi’s dark gaze devouring him. But she had promised to save him.

  Father Anthony glanced back at Samuel. “You do not know what they are capable of. Even those who are not vampires, they take all sorts of drugs. They believe they are vampires, whether they are or not. They drink blood. And they have been known to kill. They do all sorts of abominations. None of it should be taken lightly. They are dealing with evil.”

  “No, you don’t understand.” Samuel leaned forward. “My girlfriend…really ex-girlfriend,” he corrected himself, “said she would protect me.”

  “Is that the one who took you to that place?” Joe asked.

  “She wanted to show me—”

  “She wanted to change you,” Joe said. To Father Anthony, he added, “Samuel has not finished his training.”

  Defensive, Samuel challenged Joe. “You don’t know what she wanted.”

  “And you do?”

  “This girlfriend,” Father Anthony interrupted. “She’s a vampire?”

  “I-I…” Samuel shrugged. “I think maybe so.”

  “Is she the one who bit your neck?”

  Reflexively, Samuel touched the tender flesh. “Yes.”

  “She would have changed you,” Father Anthony confirmed. “That or killed you straight out. Better that I rescued you. Or now you would be hunting us.”

  “I wouldn’t—”

  Father Anthony shifted to hold Samuel’s gaze. His blue eyes pierced. “Yes, you would.”

  Samuel felt his face swell as blood pumped furiously through him, but he drew a steadying breath. He owed this man much for saving his life. “Thank you, Father Anthony. I do appreciate your good timing.”

  “The Lord’s timing,” Father Anthony corrected gently. He shifted back around in his seat. “Anyway, in Italy I learned these creatures are not the walking dead, as I had once believed them to be. No, these creatures are simply inhabited bodies.”

  Joe glanced from the road to Father Anthony. “What do you mean?”

  “I went to Italy to study the art of exorcism.”

  “The art?” Joe asked.

  “Exactly. Almost a lost art now. Very few priests practice it. Even fewer are allowed to openly. It is a travesty the church has allowed. A travesty.”

  “Allowed?” Joe repeated. “You have to get permission to perform an exorcism?”

  “Of course.”

  “Why?” Samuel asked. “Is it so difficult?”

  Father Anthony took another sip of water and dabbed his mouth with the back of his sleeve. “Modern man doesn’t like to look to the spiritual, for spiritual matters are deep and quite often unseen. Over the years, modern science and psychology has taught us we must see in order to believe. So we have put names and labels on conditions in our effort to understand…and control.

  “Demonic possession has been rationalized and explained away by psychosis and other psychological maladies, remedied by prescription drugs. At least sometimes. But many, many cases never see positive results. Many mental disorders cannot be solved by simply popping a pill. The church, I am sorry to say, has bought into all of this modernity. It has forgotten we are in an ancient battle. Not against flesh and blood.” His tone deepened. “But against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Naomi felt a catch in her chest, her heart hiccupping.

  She stood inside Rachel’s house, staring out the window as the van pulled into the drive. Rachel rushed outside. Smiles were passed around, hugs exchanged as Samuel climbed out of the van.

  The early morning sun cast red-tinted light across the yard, but Naomi’s gaze was transfixed on Samuel. His hair appeared golden, his shoulders broader than she remembered. He wore a small patch of a bandage on his neck. Was he hurt? Had he been wounded somehow? She remembered cupping his large hand in hers and bandaging the blisters and stripped flesh. He shook hands with a couple of the men. One wrapped his thick arms around Samuel and lifted him off his feet. Naomi smiled with them, even if from a distance, and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.

  The baby fussed, and Naomi went to check on him. David was standing in his crib, his little legs wobbly, making him bob and weave. He wore a proud smile on his face.

  “And what have you done there, David?” She smiled.

  Cooing, he bounced until his legs buckled, and he sat down hard. His blue eyes widened.

  “Wanna try again?” She held out her hands for him to grasp. The baby wrapped his little hands around her fingers and she pulled him up until he stood, jouncing and swaying. “There you go!” She smiled at his eagerness. “Happy now?”

  He made a squealing noise as he tilted sideways. She caught him and lifted him out of the crib.

  “You’re a strong one.” She hitched him on her hip. “I bet you’d like a little snack, huh? Your ma
ma and I made some bread. It’s still warm.” She carried the baby into the kitchen and set him in his high chair. He pummeled the plastic tray while she cut a slice of bread and spread some butter on it. Pinching off little bites, she scattered them over the tray. “Here you go.”

  The back door opened and Samuel walked in. Her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to rush to him but held back, unsure. Did they have that kind of relationship? Her heart jerked crazily at the sight of him. Maybe the memory of the woman who’d come to see him…had taken him away…stopped Naomi from throwing her arms around him and kissing him. There were too many questions and not enough answers for her to reveal her heart.

  Samuel locked gazes with her and swallowed hard.

  She gave him a warm smile but remained where she stood. “Samuel, it’s good that you are back. We were awful worried.”

  “Feels good to be home.” He closed the door behind him, and Naomi realized Rachel wasn’t coming inside.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  He cleared his throat. “Can we talk?”

  “Of course.” Her gaze drifted toward the window, but she could no longer see Rachel or any of the men outside. David was gumming the bread and his cheeks and mouth glistened with the greasy sheen of butter. She wiped her hands on a dish towel.

  “Rachel will be back soon,” Samuel said. “She went to make a new member of the team comfortable in the bunkhouse.”

  “I see.”

  He approached the table slowly. “It was nice of you to come and help her. I hope it will not cause you trouble with the bishop.”

  “I’m not worried.”

  He leaned onto the back of a chair. “I wanted to explain what happened.”

  “You don’t owe me an explanation, Samuel. We are all glad you are home safe. That is enough.”

  “I need you to understand.” He crossed his arms, then let them fall to his sides. “That woman…the one who came here. Andi. That’s her name. She was my…we used to see each other…sort of…but not anymore. Not anymore,” he emphasized. “Not since I left Ohio. She had information about Jacob. That’s why I went off with her. Not for any other reason.”

  The tension along her neck and chest eased. There was something incredibly sweet about his awkwardness. He was making it very plain there was nothing between him and that English woman—at least not anymore. He looked like a lost little boy when he spoke of Jacob. The raw need to know more about the brother he’d lost forever touched Naomi’s heart. “And did she?” she asked, her voice soft. “Did you learn more about Jacob?”

  Samuel gave a slight shrug. “I don’t really know. It was…” His voice trailed off and he finally said, “Not good.”

  Her gaze shifted toward the bandage on his neck. “You were hurt.”

  He touched the edge of the bandage. “I’m okay.”

  “You’re sure?”

  He nodded. “I learned a couple of things while I was gone.”

  She waited, her hand folding over the top of a chair that stood between them.

  “I learned I couldn’t trust her…Andi.” A hardness glinted in his eyes.

  Had the woman betrayed him? Hurt his heart? “I’m sorry.”

  Samuel gave her an odd questioning look.

  “I know how it feels to be betrayed. And well…I am sorry.”

  “It wasn’t the kind of betrayal you might imagine. But, Naomi”—he moved forward and took hold of her hands—“I also learned there are some things worth caring about…worth dying for.” His words pierced her heart, and she felt a charge in the air humming between them.

  David gave a sharp cry, and Naomi startled, focusing on the baby. “What is it? Oh, are you thirsty?” She hurried to the cabinet and pulled out a sippy cup and filled it with apple juice. The baby guzzled the juice, and she turned her attention back to Samuel.

  “Things?” she asked.

  His mouth quirked with a half smile. “A leading question, Naomi.”

  Her cheeks warmed and she looked away, but he moved toward her and took her hands in his again. His touch was warm and insistent. “I’m sorry I involved you in all of this.”

  “It was my choice.”

  “Was it?” The smile had left, replaced by a seriousness that unnerved her.

  Nervously, she licked her lips. Would he kiss her now? A longing to hold him, hold on to him, welled up inside her.

  “Naomi.” He spoke quietly. “You should go home. It’s not safe here.”

  His words punched her. What was he saying? She felt a fracture crack open her heart. “Not safe?” She scrambled for a reason to stay. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to be a part of his life. But how? When he apparently didn’t want her… “But Rachel,” she managed. “She needs help. And you…” She was squeezing his hand, not wanting to let go. “I will help you.”

  “There’s nothing you can do.”

  “Yes, there is. I began a prayer chain. We will continue to pray for your protection and of the others. The good Lord has brought you back.” She felt tears rising and struggled to hold them back.

  For a long moment, he stared at their joined hands. “That may be what saved me. That and Father Anthony arriving in time.”

  “Saved you?”

  “Naomi”—his voice cracked—“as much as I may want you to stay here with me, I want you to stay safe. That’s my utmost concern.” He released her hand and stepped away. “We’re leaving soon, the team and I, and so should you. Levi will take you home.”

  Her heart jolted. She felt herself reeling. She placed a hand against the counter. “Where are you going?”

  “After Roc. We’ve had a couple of leads. Randy, Pete, Lance, and Shawn, one half of our team, are tracking leads on Roc.” He balled his hand into a fist. “This is all my fault. And now, the team is split. Roc is gone.” His voice cracked. “We have to get him back.”

  She threw caution out the window and clutched his arm. “You will, Samuel. I believe. But it will be dangerous, ja?”

  “Like dropping into hell.” He covered her hand on his arm with his other hand. “But don’t worry. God willing, I’ll be back. In the meantime, you must go home. Do you understand?”

  She didn’t understand why someone would want to hurt Roc Girouard, but it didn’t matter if she understood or not. She simply knew these men had to help their friend, just as she felt driven to help Samuel. “Do not worry about me. I will be praying for you…for Roc.” She squeezed his arm even as she felt her heart contract. “The Lord will give you the strength you need.”

  “I hope so.”

  She peered deeply into Samuel’s eyes. “I know he will. Believe, Samuel. And bring Roc back to his family.”

  His mouth thinned to a straight line. He started to pull away but stopped and leaned toward her. He tilted his head, and she felt her stomach plummet as her soul soared. The line of his mouth softened as he touched his lips to hers.

  It was the briefest of kisses—soft, gentle, chaste—and yet it flipped her world upside down, turned it inside out. Her heart jerked crazily in response. She longed to grab on to Samuel, to hold him close, and yet she held herself in check.

  When he backed away, he held her gaze. “I’ll return. I promise.”

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  They spent the night at the training center, readying equipment, preparing the van and themselves. The day was muggy, as if the weather was awaiting some sign or cue. By evening, clouds rolled in but no word came.

  “We must wait,” advised Father Anthony, who had been conversing with Father Roberto.

  “Randy will contact us when they’ve discovered something,” Roberto agreed. “Until then, we should rest. There will be plenty to do in time.”

  “Yes.” Anthony looked each team member in the eye. “You will be no good to anyone if you are exhausted. Get some s
leep.”

  Joe stepped forward. “The van is packed. We are ready to move, so everyone hit the sack. Now, while we have time.”

  Solemnly, everyone found a bunk and fell into it. Shifts were established and patrols guarded the grounds. Silence descended, except for the occasional tossing and turning, rustling of sheets, squeaking of springs, and a cough or grunt.

  Samuel stared up at the darkened ceiling, not seeing anything, yet seeing everything he had been missing. His mind churned over the events of the last couple of days. What if Father Anthony hadn’t arrived? What if Andi had changed him? Was she out there, even now, planning another attack?

  For what seemed like hours, he tossed and turned, his mind chasing thoughts like his old dog, Buster, after a rabbit. He worried about Naomi. She had stayed with Rachel, refusing to go home. He worried what Roc was enduring. Or was he already dead? But Roc was prepared for death. He had a strong relationship with the Almighty.

  Words from a story he’d read, one of Jacob’s favorites, came to him. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting…

  How long had he been staring into that darkness, trying to make sense of it? Had it crept into his soul? Or was the darkness there because of an innate bent toward evil? Was he ready to die? He’d already faced certain death once in the last day. And he’d understood his errors. For too long, he’d put it off, but now was the time for a decision.

  Flinging his covers off, he climbed out of the bunk, pulled on his clothes, and quietly left the room where one or two were snoring. He made his way through the darkened training center to the place where Roc used to pray. Several candles, their wicks blackened, sat on the table. Samuel lit one and the light wavered over a leather-bound Bible. Father Roberto’s. Samuel picked it up and flipped through the crinkly pages, landing on a passage in 1 Kings where Elijah, the prophet, competed against the prophets of Baal. Elijah said to the people, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, then follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.”