“I sure as hell hope so, because this is fuckintastic. I’ve never felt this way before in my life. Hell, I never even knew something like this even existed until tonight.”
“I know, I never want it to end. But Gideon will do everything in his power to stop us and that’s just scary.”
“I have other things to do tonight, and talking about Gideon Meriwether is not on the list.”
CHAPTER 11
RayeAnn’s hands were sweating so badly she wiped them nervously on the front of her blue jeans as she paced in front of the door. When the knock she was expecting finally came, she jumped anyway. What do you say to a psychic medium that he doesn’t already know? Ryker had already warned her not to give him too much information, he liked to know as little as possible before coming into the house. She opened the door slowly, peering around the side before opening it all the way. She was astounded that he looked very normal, though what she had expected she had no idea.
“Hi. I’m Everett Daniels.” He held out his right hand. “Are you RayeAnn Trenton?”
“Yes. Please come in. It’s nice to meet you.” She wiped her left hand, then her right hand one more time before shaking his.
“Is Ryker here, yet? I was hoping he could help me out, my regular assistant is sick tonight.”
Ryker walked up behind RayeAnn right on cue. “I’ll be happy to help. I’m Ryker and I take it you’re Everett. Thanks for coming on such short notice.” He reached out his hand and shook the medium’s briefly.
“Well, you indicated this was an urgent situation.”
“Yes, it is. We’re being assaulted by some kind of entity. Both RayeAnn and I have been physically attacked and injured. We’ve had a few small tornados in both the library and dining room. The odor is still lingering in the dining room from the other night.”
“Show me the rooms the attacks occurred in first. We’ll proceed from there.”
Ryker took over the grand tour while RayeAnn hung back, trying to decide if this guy was the real thing or not. He certainly wasn’t what she thought a psychic medium would look like. His mannerisms were perfectly normal for a man in his mid to late fifties. Polite and attentive, he listened to Ryker’s synopsis of events in each room, asking appropriate questions when necessary. When the tour was over they settled in the library to discuss the best course of action.
“First of all, I will begin by saying that I do sense more than one entity here. One of them is very angry. He insists on controlling everything and everyone around him, both living and deceased. He’s your violent force, that’s for sure.” Everett closed his eyes, breathing deeply while he gathered more information.
“This man is used to getting his way, no matter the means, and he’s keeping the other spirits from speaking to me. They’re afraid of him. In life they feared him, and as they passed over he was waiting to take control of them again. I’m not sure he even realizes that he’s passed and no longer has a physical body. Certainly the others believe he can still do them harm, which is where he gets so much of his power.” He opened his eyes, looking right into RayeAnn as if he could see her soul.
“You have a connection to one of the female spirits present in this house. She’s counting on your help to find her true mate, something the evil spirit wants to prevent, and it’s working. Whoever this female is looking for won’t come near this house until the evil is gone. It’s very possible that in life this evil entity caused or at least expedited his death.” With a start Everett suddenly turned his focus onto Ryker.
“You’re connected to the entity that won’t come in. Have you had dreams about him in the past?”
“Yes. I witnessed what I believe to be the beating that caused his probable death, all through a series of dreams.”
“I see. RayeAnn, is that how you’ve come to know this spirit you’re connected with?”
“Yes, although the first time I dreamt of her I didn’t even know this house or my aunt existed. I was doing research about a historical society and brought books home with me. That was the first time I was contacted by Charity.”
“Wonderful! You know the names of the spirits involved, then. That’s a tremendous help. Tell me everything you know about them.”
RayeAnn left the explanations to Ryker while she went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. By the time the coffee was ready Ryker was calling her back into the room.
“Rat? Where’s that letter from Aunt Juliet?”
“On the desk, and don’t call me Rat.” She shook her head as she heard his laughter make its way back to her. The man knew how to push her buttons, in both the negative and positive sense.
After reading the letter and doctoring his coffee Everett continued with his questions.
“Tell me what you were doing when you were both attacked.”
“I was sleeping but having a terrible dream about Gideon beating Charity with a horse whip. I woke up huddled in the corner and Ryker was shaking me awake. I felt the burning in my back as soon as I was awake.”
“And you, Ryker. What were you doing?”
Ryker cleared his throat before speaking, tossing an embarrassed look toward her.
“We were, um, kissing on the bed.”
“I see. I take it our spirit didn’t take too kindly to that.”
“That’s the way we interpreted it.”
“First thing we can do tonight is cleanse the house from top to bottom. RayeAnn, the success of this will rest with you. Since you are the legal owner of the house, only you can demand that he leave. Ryker and I will use sage and anoint all the doors and windows as we move through the house. You will be praying along with us, and I’ll have you splash some holy water around while you’re praying.”
“Will this get rid of all the spirits or just the evil one?”
“Depends on what you want. If you want them all to go, don’t single out any one entity. On the other hand, if you only want the evil one gone you must call him by name during the cleansing.”
“How will I know when he’s gone?”
“Simple, you’ll smell a fresh, flowerlike scent instead of the fetid one present now. Plus, you’ll sense a lighter, less oppressive feel to the house. Sort of like airing it out after a long winter.”
The three of them made their way up into the attic and began the cleansing ritual.
“Our father, who art in heaven…” Ryker and Everett spoke in unison while RayeAnn watched nervously.
At the opening of each doorway Ryker poured a thin stream of oil all along the floor of the threshold. Above each door he drew cross in the center of the opening, reciting, “Father, son, and the holy spirit. Amen.” Then he joined back into the prayer with Everett, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”
RayeAnn followed behind Everett and splashed holy water with a rhythm to match their speech. In her mind she followed along with the Lord’s Prayer. Give us this day, our daily bread.
One of the old steamer trunks began to shake and vibrate across the floor, heading straight for them. RayeAnn sent desperate looks to both men for guidance and joined in the prayer, “…as we forgive those who trespass against us.” She resisted the urge to yell at the top of her lungs.
Everett and Ryker chose to simply ignore the phenomenon, continuing with their prayers as if nothing were strange at all. After considering the alternatives, which were exactly none, she joined back in with her prayers. Separately the two men made their way through each room and were joined only their voices.
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…” RayeAnn shuddered when she felt a chill crawl down her spine, as if someone were running their fingernail down her back. She looked behind her, sensing someone was there, yet she couldn’t see anyone.
Each room that they entered gave up some sort of protest. Pictures flew off walls, dressers shimmied across the floors, sheets and pillows went flying out of the room and over the railing to fall silently onto the foyer floor. Somehow they survived, refusing to stop for what amounted
to the temper tantrum of a ghost.
“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory that is yours. Forever and ever. Amen.” After taking a deep breath she joined back in with Everett as he began the prayer again.
“Our father, who art in heaven…” His booming voice left no doubt he was serious and not simply saying the words. Without a doubt he meant every word and syllable.
Fear coursed through her body at the thought of entering the kitchen, knowing how many knives and other sharp pointy objects awaited them. Even as they approached she could hear the drawers and cupboard doors slamming open and closed. Metal objects hit the floor with such force that some of the knives were sticking up straight out of the floor. RayeAnn covered her ears. The copper pots and pans hanging from the ceiling rack clanged together as if someone were using them as a drum set, denting some of them before hurling them across the room.
All Everett and Ryker did was increase their volume, “THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE…”
Everett and Ryker bobbed and weaved their way through the room, never stopping the chanting rhythm of the prayer they recited. RayeAnn used the holy water freely, hearing the sizzling sound of it hitting a normally cool surface. Never in her life would she have believed this possible if she weren’t witnessing it with her own eyes.
“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD…” All three of them were yelling now.
Though she was always a skeptic in the past, the last few months had made her do an about- face on the whole ghost theory she had worked out in her mind. Although she believed that some of the supposed ghost stories were manufactured by clever or very bored people with nothing better to do, this was not one of those circumstances. Will I even believe it all really happened if I go back over my journal and read about these events years from now? The human mind can play many tricks on you, even convince you that what you saw was only a dream. Right then and there she vowed to try to keep everything real in her mind and not try to justify it all away. This was really happening, and she needed to remember that ten, twenty, even fifty years from now.
Relief flooded her body as they left the kitchen and started down the steep, dark steps into the basement. A chill ran down her spine while she desperately clung to the rough hand rail, taking the stairs slowly and carefully, fighting the urge to run right out of the house through the French doors of the walkout basement.
When she looked through the French doors she suddenly realized that the sky outside had turned dark and turbulent. She could feel the thunder shake the ground under her feet.
“FORGIVE US OUR TRESSPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US…”
Objects began to vibrate on the rough wooden shelves, falling to the ground noisily. Pounding echoed around the room as the door to the old coal chute clanged open and closed. She could hear the wind from outside trying to make its way into the basement, sounding like a train coming down the tracks with its horn blaring loudly.
They were plunged into darkness. Could the storm or Gideon be causing the malfunction of the lights? She dared not ask and risk breaking the concentration of the men and the link they all forged. In hindsight, it really didn’t matter. They plowed through, regardless. Everett lit a second sage bundle which gave off a red glow and smoke that he forced into every corner using a sacred Native American feather. She had to admit he covered all the bases, combining several different methods of cleansing all at one time.
The storm outside began to rage angrily at the house. RayeAnn could hear the vibration of the windows as the wind pelted fallen leaves and twigs at them. They were almost finished, just half the basement to go, and then she’d be free of Gideon Meriwether forever, sending him into the hell of his own making.
Outside the French doors black clouds formed and broke apart quickly, unable to maintain their shape for more than a moment. As Everett approached the final corner of the room, chanting prayers he signaled RayeAnn to banish the spirit for good.
“AMEN.” He pointed at her to begin speaking.
“GIDEON MERIWETHER, YOU LEAVE THIS HOUSE NOW. GO TO THE HELL YOU CREATED FOR YOURSELF WITH YOUR EVIL DEEDS, AND DON’T EVER COME BACK. I COMMAND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. GET OUT. NOW.”
She closed her eyes tightly, afraid of what she would see when she opened them.
CHAPTER 12
Before opening her eyes she noticed the scent invading her, sweet and aromatic lilies of the valley so delicate and soothing, wrapping her body in an embrace of calm. Slowly she lifted her lashes, taking in the blinding light shining through the room, as if the sun itself were in the room with them. Good, warming white light instilled a sensation of safety and well being. All the anger, oppression and negative emotions had evaporated. All that was left behind was the perfect white light of happiness. Without embarrassment RayeAnn began to laugh joyfully, for the first time feeling the freedom that accompanied the light. It worked. Gideon was gone. She didn’t have to ask if Everett or Ryker noticed the change, they were shaking hands and patting each others backs when she opened her eyes. Tears of delight poured out of her eyes without apology.
She smiled. “It feels so serene. Can you smell the lilies of the valley? This is wonderful. I can’t believe the difference in the atmosphere from one second to the next. Like someone flipped a switch and everything changed.”
“That was the goal.” Everett clapped Ryker on the back, a huge smile spread across his face.
“Ryker, you were right, what a transformation. I’m afraid to ask this but here it goes, how long will it last?”
“Hopefully forever, but just in case, I’ll leave some sage with you. If you ever suspect an evil or oppressive spirit has made its way inside, you know how to cleanse the house yourself. In all my years of experience I’ve never had the same spirit come back after being forced out, but then I would never claim it couldn’t happen. You know the saying, never say never. Everett put his arm around RayeAnn’s shoulder and gave her a quick hug of reassurance.
“Well then, one down one to go. How soon can we join Charity and Nathaniel’s spirits?”
“Why, are you in a hurry to get rid of me?” Ryker put his hand to his heart as if wounded by the question.
“No! I’m just a sucker for a happy ending. Besides, I think they’ve waited long enough, don’t you?” She walked up to Ryker and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Looking up, she kissed him gently on the chin after going up on her tip toes as far as possible. For the second kiss he bent to meet her lips, brushing his mouth gently over hers.
“If you two love birds can pull away for a minute we can schedule a channeling session and see if we can get our spirit friends reunited.” Everett smiled broadly, running his hand through his thinning grey hair. He headed up the steps. Ryker and RayeAnn trailed behind, keeping their arms around each other’s waists as they walked together into the kitchen.
Suddenly reality slapped RayeAnn hard in the face. What a mess she had on her hands. Knowing all the other rooms were in pretty much the same shape, she let a moan escape.
“Well, I know what I’ll be doing for the foreseeable future. I have a confession to make, I hate cleaning. When Bryn and I shared the apartment she did the cleaning. Do you think I could bribe her with a spa day if she’ll help me?”
“Oh yeah, she’d do it for you. Even I know how much she likes to be pampered, and I don’t even live with her…much,” Ryker agreed.
RayeAnn apologized. “Sorry Everett, I’m sure you want to get home and here I am babbling about my own problems. When would you like to hold the…meeting, I guess you’d call it?”
“How about Monday night? I’ve got some other commitments this weekend, and I want to make sure Gideon doesn’t find a way back inside.” Everett offered.
RayeAnn couldn’t agree fast enough. “That would be great. Ryker, will that work for you?”
“Yep,” Ryker agreed. “Everett how many people do you need here for the séance?”
“We
ll, the more the better. We’ll need a lot of energy to pull Nathaniel to us, so the more the merrier.”
“All right, I’ll make sure we’re full up on Monday night. Do you have any objections to our taping this in both video and audio realms?”
“No, not at all. I’ll see you both Monday night, say seven o’clock?”
“Perfect. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. I can’t believe the contrast in the feel of the house. It’s just wonderful.” RayeAnn placed a small kiss on his cheek before walking him to the front door. “I’ll see you Monday.”
As soon as the door was closed she leapt into Ryker’s arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him frantically. He walked her up the steps to her bedroom. Their lips stayed locked in a passionate embrace of their own. Laying her down, he slowly began to undress her, one slow, agonizing button at a time.
“Hurry.” She dove for his shirt, not wanting to take the time to unbutton it, but his hands stopped her as he nodded.
“Nope, not this time, little lady. This time we’re going to slow it down. I’m taking my time so I can devour every square inch of you.”
“But…”
“All right, I can start there if you want.”
His eyes grew dark, his gaze piercing as he moved slowly onto the bed. This was going to be torture. Sweet exciting anticipation crept along her spine, bringing the heat with it. He turned her gently onto her stomach and started at her feet, nipping and sucking his way up, stirring her heated body to an almost painful level of excitement. Never had she been so aroused, so sure she wouldn’t survive his slow assault. She thought for sure she would explode. Her excitement practically shook the bed across the floor. She grabbed the rungs of the brass headboard, trying to brace herself for his anticipated thrust into her body. Instead, he deftly flipped her onto her back and started all over again, this time over the front of her body. His erection was hot against her leg as he worked his way around her painfully tight nipples with his lips and tongue. Did he have no mercy? She thought to beg, but couldn’t get her mouth to form the words. Her chest heaved while she struggled to breathe.
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