Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle)

by Wheaton, Kimber Leigh

  “Gavin!” I cry out, my cheeks flaming from his remark.

  “I got a lecture before Dad left for the weekend,” Gavin says with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You can’t have boys in after midnight and no closed doors. In exchange, I get to be in the same house as a group of teenage girls all night.”

  “Yeah, Dad didn’t think this through,” I mutter under my breath.

  “Double standard alert,” Celia yells from the floor where she’s painting her toenails blue.

  “Just for that, I won’t let Jake up, princess,” Gavin says, staring at Celia’s bare legs with what looks suspiciously like a leer.

  “Jake’s here?” she squeals, her hand flying to her hair. “But I’m a disaster!”

  “You look adorable, princess,” Gavin says, ogling her. “You girls worry too much about looking perfect and together. Guys like that just-rolled-out-of-bed sexy look.” He ducks out the door and disappears down the hall.

  “Gavin thinks I’m sexy?” Celia asks with wide eyes. I cringe at the tiny smile on her lips. Oh, no. No, no, no! Not my brother. Eww!

  “Gavin is hot,” Raven murmurs, flashing me a knowing grin.

  “I so don’t want to hear it,” I mutter, resisting the urge to put my hands over my ears. “He’s my annoying brother.”

  “Well, to the girls here, he’s a sexy college guy,” Raven says, pointing toward the three enraptured faces.

  Closing my eyes, I drop my face into my hands. Celia, I understand, I mean she’s boy-crazy. But Michelle and Rebecca too? I almost feel betrayed. My torment is interrupted by the arrival of three noisy guys. Jake races across the room, pulling a squealing Celia into his arms.

  “We won, babe!” he shouts over her excited cries. “We’re heading to regionals.”

  “Congrats, Jake,” I say but am drowned out by Celia’s excited shrieking. Well, at least she forgot about Gavin.

  “Got permission from your brother to stay the night,” Logan says as he plops down beside me on the sofa.

  “But he was just in here saying no boys after midnight,” I reply with a skeptical glare.

  “Yeah, well, anything paranormal freaks him out,” Logan says shrugging. “He’s afraid you’ll have a vision and he won’t know what to do.”

  “I think I can help her through a vision,” Raven says, tossing her hair. “I’ve been having them as long as I can remember.”

  “Good to know,” Logan says, his tone somewhat icy.

  “Don’t mind my friend,” Daniel says, lowering himself on the sofa beside Raven. He gives her his come hither stare which tends to turn those of the female persuasion to jelly. “He has trust issues.”

  “As well he should,” Raven says, giving Daniel a hard glare which he ignores.

  If I didn’t like her before, I sure do now.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to come across so… uh,” Logan trails off.

  “Neanderthal?” Raven asks, tipping her head to the side. “Or do you prefer alpha male?”

  “Oh, sweetie, Logan isn’t an alpha male,” Daniel says laughing. He places his hand on her leg, right above the knee.

  “Don’t call me sweetie,” Raven bites out as she shoves his hand off her leg. “I’m a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a black belt in Judo, and a blue belt in Krav Maga. If you like your manly parts, you’ll back off.”

  “Wow, why so many different disciplines?” Logan asks with wide eyes.

  “I’m a monster magnet,” Raven says, shrugging her shoulders. “Dad started my training when I was four.”

  “I’m sorry,” Daniel says with sad eyes. “For everything but especially the monster magnet part.”

  “What’s a monster magnet?” I ask. Logan and Daniel are quite upset by her remark.

  “There’s something in my blood that attracts monsters,” Raven says, leaning back against the sofa with a loud sigh. “It’s like they can smell it a mile away. Vampires, werewolves, all sorts of creepiness will crawl out of the woodwork after me.”

  “That sounds awful,” I say, trying to keep the pity out of my voice. Then one of her words finally registers. “Wait… vampires exist?”

  “I’m a vampire hunter, have been for years,” she says with a dismissive shrug. “Makes the job easier, I suppose.”

  Daniel gasps. “You’re actually a hunter?”

  “My mom was killed by vampires when I was eight. My dad’s been obsessed with revenge. He trained my brother and me to hunt as well. The monsters were coming after us whether we liked it or not… better to be prepared.”

  Her voice is hard, but that edge doesn’t reach her eyes. Sadness and regret are reflected in her eyes for a brief moment before she covers it up with a smile.

  “I like hunting,” Raven says shrugging. “There’s something about ridding the world of a dangerous predator that just feels right.”

  “Hey, on that note, I brought season one of Supernatural,” Logan says, rising from the sofa. “Who’s ready for some good hunting?”

  “So, uh, Raven?” Daniel asks, his voice a bit shaky. “The Samhain Gala is next weekend. I don’t have a date, and I’m guessing you don’t either since you just moved here… want to go together? As friends,” he adds in a rush.

  “As friends?” she asks in a skeptical tone.

  “Promise. As friends,” Daniel agrees, smiling. “I happen to like my manly parts where they are.”

  Raven’s reply is drowned out by the booming of the theater speakers. Grabbing the remote, I turn it down from deafening to just loud enough to shake the walls. Cheers erupt around the room at the first glimpse of Sam and Dean Winchester. Yep, the fictional Winchester boys are honorary Orion Circle members. Logan vaults over the arm of the sofa, landing beside me. After he wraps his arm around me, I snuggle into his side for a night of great TV.

  As I begin to wake from a sound sleep, the first thing I notice is the stitch in my neck. Sharp pain jolts me awake when I move. My eyes fly open, meeting Logan’s sleepy golden gaze. A flush steals up my neck and into my cheeks. I can’t believe I just spent the night sleeping in his arms. With a shy smile, I sit up stretching my sore neck and back. Sprawling across a guy’s chest all night isn’t as comfortable as one might think.

  Shaking my head in disbelief, I take in the sleeping forms of my friends, including Jake and Daniel. Gavin did an excellent job keeping the house boy-free. He better hope Dad doesn’t come home early and see this.

  Dad!

  He’s supposed to be home late this morning. What time is it? Maybe it’s late enough he’d just think they came over this morning. No, can’t take the chance.

  “Get up!” I call out a bit more frantic and louder than I intended. My command is met with snorts and groans, followed by a shriek.

  “No!” Celia shouts, running for the door. “He can’t see me like this.”

  “And that’s why I’m not high-maintenance,” Raven mutters through a yawn.

  Her hair is a wavy, sleep-mussed mass. I’m guessing every guy in the room finds it attractive. My hand creeps to my head, smoothing out my hair. Then I return to my senses—my appearance won’t matter if I’m grounded until I turn eighteen.

  “Dad could be home any minute,” I say while pushing Logan up from the sofa. “You guys all need to clear out!”

  “Whoa, sis, calm down,” Gavin says, sauntering into the room. “Dad sent an email. He won’t be back until tonight.”

  He’s wearing the same clothes from last night, though his t-shirt is on backwards. I wonder if he has a girl hidden in his room. If the smile lighting his face is any indication, the answer is yes. He arches his body backward in an exaggerated yawn.

  “Now, I’ll be getting back to my room,” he says winking. “Try to keep it down, Kacie. Your shrieking kinda kills the mood.”

  He ducks out the door just as I throw one of the pillows at his head. It bounces off the doorframe. Laughter echoes down the hallway while he walks away. Oh
God, he’s headed back to his room and his flavor of the week. We have a connecting bathroom… I really hope they’re quiet. I don’t think my poor heart can take overhearing Gavin in the throes of passion.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Six Dress Shops Later

  Gavin is not on my good side right now. Between his flame of the week taking up my bathroom for over an hour and his Spongebob Squarepants marathon with the guys—which just had to include a cereal fight—I’m ready to end his pathetic existence. What four grown guys see in that yellow sponge is beyond me. Maybe it makes them feel smart by comparison.

  Michelle pulls her packed SUV into the parking lot of a huge bridal store, our sixth shop this afternoon. I haven’t told my friends, but this is the last store. If I don’t find something here, I’ll wear jeans. Rebecca found her dress in the second shop we went to. If it had been my decision, I would’ve bought that pretty blue dress in the first store and been done. But I have five other girls with me who seem to be on the quest for the perfect dress. Like it exists. I’ve tried on at least eight perfectly fine dresses, yet the search for ‘the one’ as Celia likes to call it continues.

  As we approach the door, my spirits lift. This store is huge! There’s bound to be something in here that we’ll all agree on. Once we’re through the doors, we all peel off in separate directions to root through the endless gowns. After a few racks, I grow discouraged again and plop down on a nearby settee. A loud whoop draws my attention to the back of the store.

  “This is it!” Celia says in a loud squeal. “Kacie, you have to try this one on.”

  I follow the sound of her voice and we nearly collide as she races toward me. My eyes fall on the dress cradled in her arms. No. I can’t wear that color! It’s not hot pink, not quite purple… maybe fuchsia? Fuchsia… why does that sound so…

  It hits me hard. Mother and her vision—she mentioned me wearing fuchsia at the end of her rant. Is it a sign? An omen? The dress is exquisite, elegant and simple, something I would pick out were it green or blue.

  “Try it on, Kacie,” Celia urges, steering me toward the fitting rooms. “I think you’ll be surprised by how good this color will look on you.”

  I glance around, taking in the enthusiastic nods and grins of my other friends. Only Raven looks somber. Taking the dress from Celia with a dramatic sigh, I stomp into one of the large fitting rooms.

  “And you better come out and let us see,” Celia warns, thwarting my plans to keep this fashion disaster to myself. What if they actually like it?

  “Yeah, yeah,” I mutter while pulling my clothes off.

  As I slip the satin dress over my head, I can’t help but notice how nice it feels against my skin, cool and silky. It drapes around my body, falling to brush the floor. I’ll need heels for sure with this dress. Sucking in a breath, I turn to face the mirror. My breath leaves my lungs in a surprised gasp.

  The dress is gorgeous. I love the way it hugs my body, accentuating the small curves I have. The neckline plunges in a deeper vee than I like to wear, but it makes me look like I have boobs. Yay! A satin sash the same color as the dress winds around my waist making it look so tiny.

  When I spin around, the dress flares around my ankles. But the color… it’s so vibrant, and it makes my pale skin almost glow. It’s so much brighter and bolder than I would normally consider.

  I step out of the fitting room to startled gasps and squeals. My nervousness turns to something different, something I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. I feel elegant, girly, and pretty. With slow measured steps, I make my way to the raised dais in the center of the room. My image reflects in multiple mirrors, showing the dress from all angles. I feel like a princess.

  “This is it!” Celia says, covering her mouth with her hands like she tends to do when she’s overly excited. “I never would’ve picked this one. Raven, you’re a fashion genius.”

  “It wasn’t fashion but ESP that made me pick this one,” Raven says with a thoughtful look. “When I brushed against it, I had a premonition. It was really hazy, but something tells me that Kacie is meant to have this dress.”

  “A premonition?” I ask, spinning to see the back of the dress.

  “Hmm, yes,” Raven replies in a soft voice.

  “And you can’t elaborate?” Rebecca asks in a rather critical tone.

  “No, I’m sorry,” Raven says, glaring at Rebecca. “It doesn’t work that way.”

  “Geez, Rebecca, back off,” Yolanda says, crossing her arms. “How many times has Mr. Kincaid told you to go easy on the talent?”

  “Talent?” I ask, cringing from the rising tension in the room.

  “Psychically gifted,” Michelle murmurs. Her eyes are closed and her brow is creased. Being an empath, the tumultuous emotions in the room must be painful.

  “I’m sorry,” Rebecca says, sounding contrite. “It’s hard for me to understand and sometimes I get frustrated.”

  “That’s ‘cause you’re a control freak, Rebecca,” Yolanda says.

  “I’m pissed off about this Foxblood Demon case,” Rebecca says, throwing her arms in the air. “I’ve spent hours, maybe days researching and have come up with nothing. I guess I got a little jealous when all Raven had to do was touch a dress.”

  “I didn’t get anything useful,” Raven says watching me.

  “Are you kidding?” Celia asks in a startled gasp. “You managed to get Kacie out of jeans and into a gorgeous dress. You, my friend, are a miracle worker.”

  The tension lifts with Celia’s dramatic delivery. I glance at her and she gives me a knowing smirk. Celia excels at diffusing potential disasters. Maybe she should be an ambassador or something.

  “Oh, I wish I had a guy in the Circle,” Celia says with a loud sigh. “This Gala sounds wonderful.”

  “What about Jake?” Raven asks.

  “Yeah, he’s totally hot,” Yolanda pipes in. “Who cares if he’s in the Circle or not. He’s one of the only starting juniors on the varsity football team.”

  “It must be something special,” I murmur before I can stop myself. Celia sucks in a surprised gasp. “Homecoming was last weekend and you’re still together.”

  “I really like him,” Celia whispers, looking at the floor. My jaw drops. Shyness and insecurity? My God, maybe it’s true love.

  “He adores you, Celia,” I say as I walk over and wrap my arms around her. “Don’t throw something good away out of fear. Promise me.”

  “I promise,” she whispers before pulling away sniffing.

  “So, is this the dress, then?” I ask to draw everyone’s attention away from Celia.

  “Yes!” they all shout at once.

  “Great, then I’m going to buy it, and we’re getting the hell out of this store.”

  The moment I walk through the door, I’m met by Gavin and Logan who share the same frantic appearance. Taking a deep breath, I wait for the tirade that’s about to begin. I’m shocked when Logan pulls me into his embrace, clinging to me like he thought I’d been hurt or something. With my track record of late, I guess that’s not unlikely. It’s even stranger when Gavin yanks me from Logan’s arms, enfolding me in a bear hug.

  “I went dress shopping, not to war,” I gasp the words out as I’m crushed in Gavin’s embrace.

  “What happened?” Raven asks from behind me. She remained behind because she feels another premonition coming on and wants to be near me.

  “Our mother called,” Gavin replies, finally loosening his grip a bit. “Frantic, crazy, sober.”

  “I’m sorry but I don’t understand,” Raven says as she tugs me away from Gavin. “Let’s go sit down and talk.”

  “No dress?” Gavin asks when he notices my empty hands.

  “It’s with Celia. She insists I get ready at her house since her supplies are better,” I say, curling up next to Logan on the sofa in the living room. “Good thing too, or you guys would’ve crushed it.”

  Though my tone is l
ight, I’m terrified inside. What could my mother have said that has the guys acting like this? Logan wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side.

  “So as you probably guessed, our mother had another vision,” Gavin says, wringing his hands together. “I let her talk to Logan since it made no sense to me at all.”

  “She said her vision has changed for the worse,” Logan says, laying his head against mine. “It’s darker now, you’re lost, frightened. She thinks it may be too late to reverse. She was screaming, Kacie. Shrieking and wailing. It was almost impossible to get anything coherent from her. The best I could surmise is that by suppressing your visions, you’ve crippled yourself.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Restoring the Visions

  Raven paces the room. “I don’t understand. Why were you suppressing your visions?”

  “The Foxblood Demon, Yardley, was tormenting her nonstop in these visions,” Logan says with a deep sigh. “The doctor gave her a sleep aid. We thought it best to suppress them since they were taking a huge emotional and physical toll on her. We were afraid he’d try to possess her again.”

  “Again?” Raven gasps. “How many times has he tried?”

  “Twice,” Logan replies. “Both times she was awake. We were afraid he’d have better luck when she was sleeping. We wanted to make sure she was protected when she was most vulnerable.”

  “I haven’t had one since,” I murmur, clinging to Logan. “Even after I stopped taking the medication last week, they never happened again.”

  “You have to understand, this demon was attacking her,” Logan says. He pulls away and kisses my forehead. “We couldn’t allow him to torture her every night.”

  “But he wasn’t the only one I was seeing in the visions,” I say as my chest tightens. “The souls of the kids would appear sometimes.”

  “I think they were piggy-backing on Yardley’s visits to try to drop clues,” Logan mumbles, dropping his head in his hand. “We screwed up royally. Now we’re tapped out on research and are no closer to finding the relic he’s using to bind himself and the children to this plane.”