Retriever of the Lost Souls (Retriever Series Book 1)

by Brian

“Aw Geez, a woman? I have to learn from a woman?” he groaned, sounding like a little child.

  “Well, see you later, dude. Let’s do this.”

  Eoin put his arms around Gohlcan’s shoulder and began to pray to God that Gohlcan would be taken up to heaven. He heard Gohlcan give a loud yell. “What the hell…oh crap that’s really warm”

  “Just give into it buddy” Eoin yelled “You are being sent to heaven... “.

  Suddenly Isabella’s body slumped, and Eoin quickly caught her. “Oh, Thank God! Thank you, God, thank you, God!” Eoin muttered as Isabella stirred.

  “What happened?” she asked groggily.

  “Gohlcan went up! Praise God!”

  “That’s Awesome!” Isabella replied very groggily, her energy taken away more than usual due to Gohlcan’s anger. Catching her before she dropped, he hugged her closely and put her to bed. He was too wound up to sleep, so he called Talitha. She appeared in an instant as if she had been waiting for his call.

  “I am here. What is the matter?” Talitha asked quietly.

  “I don’t know. I feel restless. I feel like a piece that was missing from me is now back. I feel almost whole again. What does that mean? What part of me has been put back?” Eoin asked Talitha.

  “I don’t know. I don’t understand what you are saying.” Talitha looked at him with puzzlement in her eyes.

  “Never mind, I’m glad that Gohlcan went up. I am pleased that this is over. I hope this war will be over soon.”

  Talitha looked at Eoin and quietly said, “It is almost over. When it is you will no longer see me.”

  “WHAT! I’ll always have you near me, won’t I?”

  “When the war is over, I’ll go up. I don’t think that I’ll be able to see you any longer.”

  She began sobbing. All Eoin could do was hold her and try to comfort her.

  “How will I be without you?” she said. “I have come to love you so much. I can’t do this. I can’t.” Then without warning, Talitha said, “I must go.”

  She was gone, and Isabella was back, just as sound asleep as she had been before he called Talitha.

  The next morning Eoin and Isabella went to breakfast. They wanted to spend a day alone on this vacation and this day started well.

  Isabella looked at Eoin and paused before speaking “there are some things I need to say to you. I want you to be quiet till I’m finished. Do you agree?”

  Eoin didn’t know whether to dread this conversation or not. He finally answered “Yes”

  ‘We’ve been together on and off for the last year. I tried my hardest to make you happy, but time after time you’ve cheated on me, whether it was with someone here on earth or a spirit. I need your word that I will be able to trust you. I want you to tell me if you can’t, and we will end everything right now.

  “No…I…” Eoin interjected.

  “I told you not to say anything till I was done. Anyway, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I’m telling you right now, right here. Should it happen again, there will be no more chances. Can you understand that?”

  He didn’t answer, waiting for her to give him his cue.

  She smiled “Go ahead and answer now.”

  “Yes, I can. I am a changed man. I will do everything I can to never hurt you again Isabella. I love you too and want to spend the rest of my life with you too. You can trust me.” Eoin answered vehemently. He suddenly became quite and said, “The only question I have is what about Talitha?”

  Isabella didn’t know how to answer him. She and Talitha had become very close and she knew that Talitha was very much in love with Eoin as well. She felt a bond with Talitha, almost as if they were one.

  “I guess I’m okay with that. I almost feel like when you two are together sexually, I can feel it also. So aside from her there will be no one else?”

  “No one at all.” Eoin said grinning.

  With that they were able to smile at each other and spend the rest of the day happily together.

  Chapter 53

  The following day, Isabella went home but Eoin stayed a few extra days to visit his family, and since spirits only came through Isabella, Eoin knew he’d be free for the duration of his trip. Martha had extended the ring of protection around Isabella until his return, giving her a break as well.

  Isabella was nervous as she and Eoin had decided to take the next step in their relationship by moving in together and wondered what direction it would take them. How would they adjust? How would Cassie and Philip get along? These questions persisted in Isabella’s mind and she tried to keep them at bay by focusing on packing her belongings. By the time Eoin returned, she and Cassie would have the apartment organized. Isabella was also concerned about Eoin’s fidelity, considering the debacle with Lilith, but believed him when he said that he was a changed man.

  That evening Eoin called to speak with Isabella. After a few minutes of talking to her, he asked if he could speak with Talitha. Isabella was surprised but said she would try. Isabella closed her eyes and called out to Talitha, who quickly answered her in her head. She asked if she wanted to speak to Eoin on the telephone. Talitha wished to talk to him but was scared. She had never spoken to anyone with the box before. Finally, after much hesitation, she took over Isabella, speaking hesitantly into the phone.

  “H-hello” Talitha stuttered with nervousness.

  “Hello, my love. How are you today? I miss you,” Eoin told her.

  “I am well. I miss you too. When will you be coming back?” Talitha asked.

  “Very soon, my love. How is Gohlcan? Is he still sleeping?”

  “Oh, no. He woke up a few hours ago. Martha says she has never seen anyone wake up so quickly,” Talitha said.

  “Oh goodness, I can’t believe he is already awake, that’s great!” Eoin was excited to hear this news.

  “I must go now. I don’t like talking into the box,” Talitha said quietly.

  “She doesn’t like talking into the phone,” Isabella said, laughing.

  “He’s awake, Isabella! Gohlcan is awake,” Eoin said excitedly.

  “No way. That was fast. I can’t believe it!”

  They spoke for a few moments more before they ended their call. Isabella went back to caring for her new family, while Eoin sat in his room pondering the reasons for his affinity of Gohlcan. He had not felt like this about anyone from below other than Talitha and even though he was happy for all the others that had ascended, for some reason he couldn’t get Gohlcan out of his mind. Giving up on it for the night, Eoin finally fell asleep.

  The next morning, he said goodbye to his family and boarded the plane. He was excited about getting back home, not only to see Isabella but also to see Talitha and find out more about Gohlcan’s reaction to being above.

  When he arrived at the airport, Isabella was waiting for him and jumped into his arms. He knew that the ring of protection would go away the instant he returned home. When they were leaving, Isabella suddenly slumped up against a support pillar. Putting his arms around her, he quickly made his way toward the exit desperate to avoid another episode like the one he had with Alaya.

  When they got to the car, it was Talitha who spoke.

  “Hello. I am happy to see you.”

  Eoin breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Hi, baby! I missed you,” Eoin said enthusiastically.

  “I am not a baby! Why do you keep calling me that?” Talitha said with a frown.

  Eoin laughed. “I’m sorry, I won’t call you baby anymore.”

  Talitha reached over to hug him, but Eoin could only lean in as he was driving.

  “I’ll give you a big hug as soon as we get home. We will be able to see each other much more now that Isabella is living with me.”

  “I am very glad of that, but how will Isabella feel about this? I do not wish to try to take her place. She and I are like sisters of the heart, and I do not want to lose that. Perhaps I should take my leave once the war is over.”

 
; “No, No, No! She and I have spoken about this, and you and I will be together as well as she and I.”

  “That is very good. I have also come to tell you something very important. You must be wary of the Other."

  “The Other? You mean Lilith?”

  “The Other that you see at times, the one with whom you are also intimate. She does not have good intentions for you, and you must be wary.”

  Eoin didn’t say anything, but his mind was running. What did she mean? She didn’t seem dangerous, and he had almost married the girl. Lilith had appeared to understand his going back to Isabella. The only thing that troubled him was that every time he saw Lilith, he felt an inexplicable pull to her, almost as if she was a magnet and he was a piece of metal.

  Talitha told him she had to leave and when Isabella came back, Eoin didn’t want to discuss with her what Talitha had told him, so he only spoke of his trip and her moving into his apartment. When they arrived home, they quickly went upstairs to make love when Eoin felt someone come into Isabella.

  “¡Hola! Handsome. Quite a welcome home, isn’t it?”

  Eoin was not sure of who he was speaking to.

  “Who are you? Why do you come in without being asked?” Eoin growled.

  “Hey back down big doggie! Don’t bite me,” she laughed. “It’s Amaryl, from Vegas! Or wasn’t I good enough for you to remember?”

  Eoin smiled.

  “Of course, I remember you. You’re from the middle. I thought you were passing through that night. What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to be with you again. You are muy delicioso.”

  She began to kiss him, stroking his body. Eoin could feel himself becoming aroused, but knowing his promise he had made to Isabella, he pulled away. His words came out stuttered as he said “I think you are very sexy, but I cannot be with you anymore. I am ready to marry another, and I need to be faithful to her.”

  “She does not need to know amor mio…I can take it away from her mind. Look at my body, do you not like these curves, my mouth is full and delicious, and my…”

  “Amaryl! It is not you. It is me. I want to be faithful to her and show her that she can trust me. Do you understand?”

  “Ay si amor, I do understand. Yo quiero un hombre like you, who will love me forever.”

  Suddenly remembering Isabella, he asked “Are you sure you’re not from below? You aren’t going to hurt Isabella in any way, are you? “

  Amaryl had the grace to look affronted.

  “Of course not, I enjoy sex, and I look for it where I can get it.”

  She tried again to entice him with her mouth and hands, but Eoin firmly pushed her away. Pouting prettily, she finally accepted that they would no longer be intimate. Looking at Eoin she asked him about his life. After telling her a few things, Eoin, curious as always, asked Amaryl questions about her life, specifically how and when her life had ended.

  “I was a saloon dancer and had taken a man upstairs. As we were shaking the sheets, the door flew open, and the man’s wife was standing there pointing a shotgun at me.

  He was the local preacher and tried to explain to his wife that he had taken me upstairs to pray with me and teach me about God, but that my heathen powers overtook him and seduced him. The last thing I heard was “You Heathen Whore!” then I heard a bang. That is the last I remember until I woke up in what I now know as ‘the middle’

  “Wow, I am sorry,” Eoin told her.

  “Hey, don’t cry about it, I don’t. No se Vale. It’s not worth it.” She said in her Spanish accent. “Ya me voy… I’ll see you later.”

  She was gone, and Isabella was back, confused.

  “What happened?”

  “That was Amaryl from Las Vegas. She, um, followed us here.”

  “I’m scared, Eoin.”

  “Don’t be. She’s harmless.”

  “I hope you’re sure about that. I don’t feel as confident about it as you do. “

  Chapter 54

  Magus’ coven had lost two vital pieces of its infrastructure with to the rescue of Talitha and the defection of Gohlcan. Replacing them would be difficult for the Inner Council. Magus’ domain was slowly beginning to crumble, and with each fight lost, the fissures grew larger.

  One evening Talitha excitedly announced that one of the thirteen locked rooms was about to collapse and that when it did, those souls inside would rush out in haste to leave. Most would go above; others would either roam the Middle or choose another coven.

  Magus knew the tide was turning against him, so he sent one of his sizeable guards, Papa Grandé, to fight Eoin. Eoin watched the transformation. It was obvious that this spirit was trying to shrink so that it could fit into Isabella’s body. His eyes opened and quickly narrowed into slits as he spewed curses at Eoin in Spanish.

  Interrupting him, Eoin angrily said to him, “speak English, hombré. I don’t understand you. What is your name, asshole?”

  “Mi nombré es Papa Grandé,” he said.

  “Well, fatso, I won’t fight you if you don’t speak English.”

  “Why insult me so? I was told you speak Spanish.”

  “Well, moron, you got bad information. I speak muy poquito Español.”

  Displaying extreme speed and agility for somebody his size, Papa Grandé flew across the bed, grabbing Eoin by the throat. He stood up so that Eoin’s toes were barely touching the floor. Suddenly, Eoin felt his mind split. Part of it was rationally thinking about how to get out of this predicament, while the other part was desperate to remove the giant hand from his throat. Then, an idea occurred to the rational part. Even though the body was a female, a male occupied it, so Eoin cocked his right knee back and plowed into Papa Grande’s crotch. The fighter howled in pain and with a mighty shove, sent Eoin flying into the wall, then followed by the nightstand and bed, before finally landing on the floor.

  “¿Qué estás haciendo a mi - what are you doing to me?” said Papa Grandé, as he grabbed his crotch. “Ayyyyy” he yelled.

  “Balls are balls, hombré. You don’t mess with Eoin! Do you understand?”

  “Why do you refer yourself as another?” he asked.

  “Never mind, it’s not important. What is important is that I kick your butt here and now and send you back to the rock you came from.”

  With the same agility as his opponent, he lunged toward him, but Papa Grande’ sidestepped his attack and Eoin landed face down on the bed. Papa Grandé leaped and dropped his elbow squarely onto Eoin’s back. Eoin tried to move but was pinned down, he twisted and turned but was unable to move, and the pain was great.

  Once again, an idea came into his rational mind. Ignoring the blinding pain, Eoin was able to gain leverage and roll onto his left shoulder. Freeing his right hand from underneath his body, he grabbed Isabella’s left breast and pulled and squeezed with as much strength as he could muster causing Papa Grandé to fall backward in pain.

  Eoin pushed through the pain in his back and crawled as fast as he could to his nightstand to retrieve his cross. He pressed it down as hard as he could over Isabella’s heart. Papa Grande’ screamed with pain, then began kicking and panicking as he felt his energy ebbing. With a final yell, Isabella’s body went limp, and all was quiet.

  Eoin rolled off Isabella’s body and was relieved that she was still breathing. Isabella finally stirred and opened her eyes. “Are you’re okay?” he asked. “Are you hurting very badly? I really gave him a what-for. I hope I didn’t hurt your body too bad.”

  She looked at him and took assessment of her body. “I felt him coming in and pushing me out, so I knew he was really big. I do hurt, but not as bad as I would have expected. How are you?

  “This was a bad fight. I got hurt, but not seriously. I’ll be a bit sore and bruised tomorrow.

  “Yes, I am okay. I feel death. Are you sure you are okay?”

  “I am,” he quietly said.

  Isabella hugged him, knowing how Eoin felt the last time he destroyed a spirit.

 
“Shhh, my love. All is well. Talitha wishes to speak to you.”

  At once, Talitha threw her arms around Eoin and hugged and kissed him furiously.

  “I was so scared for you,” she said. “You are okay?”

  “Yes, Talitha, I am fine. It was a hard fight, but he was no match for God’s power.”

  “Here, lie down. I can help take your pain away. I can sense it in you. Do as I say. Be still and lay on your stomach.”

  Talitha pinpointed the exact spot the fighter’s elbow had landed, and Eoin felt heat like never before emanating from Talitha’s hands, penetrating his back. Eoin sensed himself nearly floating as the pain dissipated from his body.

  “What did you do to me, Talitha?” he asked as he rolled over on to his back.

  She just looked at him and smiled.

  “I can take your pain away,” she said, stating the obvious.

  “I don’t understand.?”

  “As you have your gifts, so I have mine.”

  “Thank you. I feel much better. You must teach me how to do that one day,” he said, chuckling.

  “I must go. You are through for the night, and she will need you.”

  Before he could say anything, Isabella was back.

  “What happened? Isabella asked. “What did you do? Why do I hurt so much in my privates and my boob?”

  Eoin stifled a chuckle.

  “Come on now,” Isabelle implored. “What’s so funny? There’s NOTHING funny about this!”

  “I’m sorry that you hurt. This fighter was a big man who lifted me into the air by my throat. I was barely able to stand on my toes. To release his grip, I had to knee him in the crotch. Then, later, I had to find another way to get him to let go of me, so I squeezed him on the boob. That my love is why you hurt.”

  “Oh, Eoin. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  “I’m better since Talitha took away my pain.”

  “Do you think you could do that to me? I’m hurting this time.”

  “I can try. I know what she did and how she did it. Here, lie still and close your eyes.”

  Eoin placed his hands over Isabella’s sore spots and felt the same heat emanating from his hands. He could see her relax as he felt God’s power flowing through him and into her body. When finished, he laid down next to her, pulled her into his arms and together they thanked God for keeping them safe during their fights.