“Nathaniel!” he shouted. “Get up and be useful. Find me some knives. We only have minutes before the possession takes and she goes insane forever.”
The sensation of wriggly worms changed to that of fire ants swarming under the layer of my skin.
I wept.
“Tara, it’s going to be all right,” Asher whispered. He kissed my forehead, then the side of my head. “It’s going to be all right.”
A double pair of footsteps pounded up the stairs.
“Nathaniel, what did you find me?” Jerrick shouted. “Quick.”
“Holden had these in his dresser,” Nathaniel’s voice was almost a whisper.
He swished past me.
“Perfect!” Jerrick said. “Officer—give me your hand.”
Despite the sensation of fire ants burning all over me, I opened my eyes, wanting to know what was happening. Jerrick held a dagger in one hand while gripping William’s hand.
“Give me your source! Doesn’t matter which kind.”
Jerrick’s using William’s source for alchemy.
The blade of the dagger turned a bluish-silver with an underlying glow. William’s eyes grew. Nathaniel and Asher both gasped.
“Nathaniel, give that to Asher.” Jerrick thrust the dagger at Nathaniel, then picked up a second from a black case that had a third.
“What am I going to do with this?” Asher received the dagger.
“Become a demon slayer.” The second blade gleamed silver.
How all this must look to Asher and Nathaniel.
“I didn’t see anything,” Asher said.
“You will,” Jerrick handed the second dagger to Nathaniel. “For you.”
“What?’ he cried, voice squeaking.
Jerrick grabbed the third blade.
My breathing grew heavier and heavier. Asher ran a finger up and down my cheek.
As the final blade turned, Jerrick released William’s hand. “Get into place.” Jerrick placed his hand on Nathaniel’s forehead as William scrambled to kneel beside me.
With a gasp, Nathaniel jumped back. Jerrick knelt in front of Asher, repeating the same gesture. “Your turn.”
Asher tensed up as if in pain. “What’d you do?”
“Gave you sight. Now you’ll see.” Wielding a dagger, Jerrick backed up. “Asher, Nathaniel, get ready to kill the suckers. These guys are relentless.”
William picked up my hands. “Tara.”
I lifted my gaze to his. Light and kindness beamed from his eyes. His positive source seemed to radiate off of him. At his touch, the imps inside became a swarm of angry bees.
“They’ll go for you as soon as her source is gone,” Jerrick said.
William nodded, then whatever positive and negative source that lingered in me transferred into him.
Knowing that calm was the key to neutralizing my source, I closed my eyes and breathed in and out. With William draining the source left in me, it was far easier than I expected.
“Asher, you have to let her go,” Jerrick said.
“But…”
“Now!” Jerrick demanded. “Your touch creates positive source in her.”
He laid me on the ground and scooted backward. As he left, I felt cold. In his absence, I struggled with a surge of negative, which the imps loved. I took a deep breath to control the influx.
Then, as William finished drawing source out of me, for the first time in my life, I knew what it felt like to have no source.
Barren. No good or evil.
With nothing left to consume or be empowered by, the flock imps released my spirit and sprang out of me. A dozen imps swarmed the hall.
Scrambling to my feet, I backed against the wall, gasping for air. William retreated down the hall with the flock imps surging after him. Asher and Jerrick blocked their way. Jerrick sliced at the first, and it instantly dissolved into a puff of darkness.
Asher, entirely unnerved and terrified, kicked one of the imps against the wall, then stabbed at another, which dodged the blade.
In contrast, Jerrick with a determined expression grabbed one, gutted it, then thrust his blade into another.
Seeing the boy I was growing to love next to the guy I once crushed on created a striking image in my mind. Asher had won over my heart completely, though Jerrick’s valor was returning.
As the imps escaped down the stairs, they chased after them.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel went after the couple of flock imps that had tried to escape down the hall toward Oops’ room. He looked so bewildered but determined.
Negative and positive source swirled its way back into me. With it stirring again, I didn’t want to chance a repeat possession, so I headed for the bathroom. Nausea from being possessed swarmed me and a wave of dizziness made me pause. I struggled not to throw up all over the floor.
I looked up as a flock imp crept its way toward me. Using the wall for support, I took a trembling step forward.
Someone pounded up the stairs.
“Tara!” Jack rushed to my side, kicking the imp away as it was about to latch onto me. Obviously, he could see it. He didn’t look at all freaked out. And he carried a pocket knife.
“Jack?” My stomach was ready to hurl. “When did you get here?” I gasped.
“Two minutes ago.”
Nathaniel arrived with a dagger in hand, and the two worked together to back the imp into a corner.
As they did, I escaped into the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet.
The black, pasty fluid that came up tasted acidic, burning my throat. It kept coming, thrust after thrust until finally I felt cleansed.
Lying on my back, I stared up at the ceiling. I never wanted that to happen again.
“Flock imps?” Clarity descended. That’s what Jerrick had called them. Dad had told me once about them. Said they were non-intelligent demons that drove their host permanently insane once they took over. They needed a pure alv shepherd to guide them.
Which meant, an alv was behind their presence here.
It couldn’t have been Jerrick. Could it? He saved me. Or was this planned to get me to trust him again?
The door banged open, and Asher knelt by me. “Tara.” He helped me sit and pulled me into his lap.
“Don’t leave me,” I said.
“Why would I leave you?”
“Any sane person after seeing that would run as far from me as possible.”
Asher tilted my chin toward him. “Not if they loved you.”
After leaving the bathroom, we found Jack in Nathaniel’s room, sorting the mess.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“You left your purse at my house on Sunday,” he said. “Mom thought it was Rosalind’s, so she tucked it aside.” His brows furrowed together. “This is a mess.”
“How is it you could already see the demons?” Asher asked behind me. “Where’d the pocket knife that was already charged with source come from?”
“Tara’s dad.”
The silence that followed was a stark contrast to the chaos from before. Numbness spread through me.
“My dad?” I repeated. “He gave you demon sight?” But that would have been six years ago.
Jack picked up fluff from a pillow. “Yes, but he didn’t call them demons. He told me there was a man who might send monsters after you. Since we were always together, he asked if I could protect you against them. He gave Rosalind sight also, since she was always watching you.”
Asher wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
Uneasiness made dark source twist around my stomach. Still weak in the knees, I leaned into Asher. “Someone was after me? Who?”
“I don’t know. That’s something you’ll have to ask your mom.”
I nodded. Was it the same person who sent them now? But why would they wait until now? “Thank you, Jack.”
“Well, can’t say I’m excited about finally seeing the monsters your dad was talking about. I really thought it was crazy at the time.”
“We should definitely talk more.” More than anything, I wanted to curl up and sleep, but not in a house that had been invaded by demons. I took a deep breath. “But right now, we should figure out who sent them here.” I folded my arms. “I doubt it, but it could have been Jerrick.” I looked at Asher. “Maybe this was his way to get a foot back in my door.”
“I don’t know,” Asher said. “He was terrified when he saw the demons.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Proceed with caution,” Jack said. “His record is against him.”
Jack stayed behind to clean the mess the imps created in Nathaniel’s room. Down in the kitchen, William had a first aid kit and cleaned Nathaniel’s scratches.
“Now do you believe in demons?” I asked Nathaniel.
“You really weren’t joking.”
Jerrick waited near the microwave as something heated. “How’d you have so much positive source?” he asked William.
“Well,” William glanced at us as we entered. “I wake early every morning to read scriptures and pray, then I jog while listening to classical music. Before coming home, I make our elderly neighbor breakfast, take his dog out for a walk, and help however else I can. Serving others always generates more source. I find when I start off positive, the negative has a harder time forming.”
“I should try that,” I said.
As the microwave beeped to signal the timer’s completion, Jerrick opened it and pulled out a mug. He handed it to me. “Some warm chocolate milk. It should help you feel better.” He backed away.
“Thank you,” I said, surprised. For six months, I’d harbored feelings of betrayal against him. But now, here he was not only saving but nursing me. Maybe his apology last week had been sincere. My suspicions that he was the orchestrator of the demon attack waned even more.
His phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket. “It’s Cam. Give me a minute.”
“Wait!” Anxiety shot through me. Last time I’d seen Cam was when he’d visited in the spring to make sure I wasn’t possessed. “You can’t tell him about this.”
“Tara, demons didn’t randomly show up in your home.”
“But I got possessed. You tell him that, and it’ll get to Holden’s father, and he’ll drag me off to the Facility.”
“The Facility?” Asher asked.
“Daniel won’t let that happen.” Jerrick answered the call. As he paused, I hoped he’d missed it, but then Jerrick said, “You need to come home. Without Holden.”
Cam responded.
Asher took my arm, pulling me to him. “What’s the Facility?” Anxiety burned in his green eyes.
“Cam,” Jerrick was saying, “it’s not something I’m discussing over the phone.”
The rumble of the garage announced Mom and Daniel’s arrival home.
Tension stole over me. Too much was happening at once.
How will they react to finding out?
“Tara, what’s the Facility?” Asher asked.
“It’s not something we need to worry about.”
His brows furrowed. “But I am.”
Daniel entered from the mud room without Mom. Meanwhile, the roar of the car backing out of the garage signaled she must be leaving again.
When Daniel’s gaze settled on Jerrick, confusion furrowed his brow, but seeing Nathaniel, his eyes grew wide. “What happened?”
“Someone brought flock imps into your home,” Jerrick said.
“Flock imps?” Daniel’s face ashened, then reddened with anger as his gaze settled on Jerrick. He grabbed Jerrick’s collar and thrust him against the fridge. “What game are you playing at, Jerrick?”
Whoa.
Jerrick’s eyes widened in fear, and he grappled at Daniel’s hand. “Mr. Schuster,” he gasped, “it wasn’t me.”
“Daniel, it wasn’t him,” I spoke up. “He helped save me.”
“Save you?” Daniel released Jerrick. “What do you mean?”
“They...possessed me.”
“Wait. How?” Fatigue replaced the anger, and Daniel rested a hand on the island, as if he needed its strength to stand. Cringing, he looked out the window. He took a deep breath, rubbing his chest.
The doorbell rang.
Who’s bothering us now?
Seeing his discomfort, I said, “I’ll answer that.”
“No, you stay here,” Daniel said. “We all need to talk.”
I trailed behind Daniel, lingering in the hall.
Daniel looked through the peephole, glanced my way, then opened the door a couple of inches, like he was trying to keep me from view.
“Hello, Bob,” Daniel said.
I stiffened. What’s Sam’s father doing here?
“Is Tara home?”
“She’s with friends.”
True.
“I know she’s not your daughter, but you’re her guardian…”
Jack appeared from upstairs where he’d remained to clean Nathaniel’s room and came down a few steps, glancing my way with concern.
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” Daniel attempted to interrupt.
“I think she needs help.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I’m busy…”
“She belligerently lied today and accused Samantha of a cruel joke. She slandered Samantha’s reputation last year. She’s done enough harm already. It’s time to…”
Jack scurried down the steps, his face flaming red like his hair.
“Mr. Darcy…” Daniel again tried to interrupt.
“She needs to be stopped.”
Jack grabbed the door, opening it so he could stand in view. “Stopped? What do you mean by stopped?” he butted his way into the conversation. “You think she’s some unstable delinquent? Are you worried she’s going to show up at school and attack Samantha?”
“Well, with the way things are…”
“You’re crazy!” Jack shouted.
“From my perspective, Bob,” Daniel interrupted, putting a hand on Jack’s shoulder. The icy edge to his tone was chilling. “Tara’s reputation was chopped up far more than Samantha’s for something she never did. Today, she was the one who got kicked out of school for being tripped, and yesterday, she was the victim of bullying, and if she accused Samantha for it, which I know she didn’t, Tara had every right to think that Sam might have had something to do with it. Don’t ever tell me how to raise my kids again, especially when you need to pay more attention to what your brats are doing. Now get away from my house. No! I don’t want to hear anything else from you.”
Daniel slammed the door shut and locked it. Turning around, he looked at me. “That may have been a mistake,” he whispered. He leaned against the door.
“Thank you, Daniel,” I said.
Daniel gripped at the left side of his chest, wheezing for breath.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, hurrying forward.
He sank to his knees and clutched his shoulder. “I can’t—” he clenched his teeth, looking ashen.
He’s having a heart attack. My mind blanked.
“William!” Jack yelled. “Will!”
He was there before Jack finished, with Nathaniel and Jerrick behind him. I moved out of William’s way, feeling useless but desperate to help somehow. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “I think he’s having a heart attack.”
“I don’t have any positive source left.” William pulled out a walkie talkie.
Struggling not to break down, I covered my mouth. I don’t have any to help either. Dark source surged instead, and the world spiraled around me.
“Where do you keep medicine?” William asked.
I can’t lose my dad again.
“Tara, your medicine?” William demanded.
“Above the fridge.” My teeth chattered.
Talking into the handheld, William ran down the hall.
This is my fault. All the stress I put on him, my fight with Sam. “I’ve killed him,” I whispered.
“Tara,” Asher tried to pull me into a hug. At first, I pulle
d away, but then realized the embrace inspired a positive source. Even a little might help, so I sank into Asher’s embrace, and let his solidarity keep me from cracking into despair.
Jack knelt by Daniel, whispering something, and moved Daniel to sit with his knees bent and back against the wall, away from the door. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead, and he struggled with breathing.
William raced back again. He forced something into Daniel’s mouth and told him to chew slowly.
I pushed back against the wave of guilt bombarding me, and its accompanying dark source. Desperate for more positive to give Daniel, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of Asher’s faded woodsy cologne. Positive source fluttered like a snow flurry inside me. Is it enough?
Outside Oops’s bus rumbled as it pulled up. Jack, followed by Jerrick and Nathaniel, slipped outside to meet her.
Despite still not having much positive, I collapsed by Daniel and reached under his shirt to rest my hand on his chest over his heart. Someone had already embedded dark source within, planted there to weaken his heart. “Daniel, there’s this poisonous source in you.” Immediately, I began to draw it out, like pulling a sliver from someone.
He groaned, and his mouth moved wordlessly.
I’d never felt anything so sinister from dark source in my life.
Outside, ambulance sirens blared.
I finished pulling the dark source from Daniel, barely having time to take it out before the door opened and the EMT personnel rushed in, displacing me.
Regret pained me. I hadn’t been able to give him my positive. I grabbed his hand and shot some into him before being ordered away.
Wherever the dark source came from, it now made me sick. Struggling down the hallway, I collapsed against the island. Seeing the precious bowl of apples there that no one ever ate, I grabbed one. My touch rotted it. And the next. And the third. Finally, the poisonous source was cleansed, and I dumped the rest of my negative source into the remaining apples.
Who put that inside Daniel?
Asher followed, stood by, and waited.
Drained of dark source, left to a cleared mind, the fact that mine and Sam’s fight had spurred Daniel’s heart attack slammed me like a truck, and I began to sob.
Asher tentatively reached for me. I sank into his embrace, burying my face in his chest.
The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1) Page 33