Darker Days (25 page)

Chapter Thirty-four

Three hours left…

I was still stewing over my own stupidity when the alarm went off. Meredith had called close to six a.m. and instructed me to meet her at eleven with Lukas, the box, and the other Sins. We’d fallen asleep on the couch going through Mom’s book again. And again.

I slipped out of the office and made my way upstairs. We had three hours ’til we needed to meet Meredith. She’d set up shop in the old Morgan House—a bed and breakfast on the edge of town that closed three years ago because of a fire. It was good luck. I knew the layout of the place fairly well. We’d gotten rid of a few ghosts from the fire over the years.

There was still a chance to make this all work. I had Greed, Gluttony, and Sloth plus Lukas—she had Lust, Pride, and Kendra, AKA Envy. There was still a chance to save Kendra and the last two people if we could put the Sins back into the box before the time ran out. And Lukas…well, I still had no idea what to do.

Digging into my closet, I started yanking out supplies. Obviously, the traditional stuff wouldn’t work in this case. Fairy dust, fire, binding spells—I had a feeling those things would only make Meredith giggle with a case of the tickles. But under all that power and insanity, witch or no witch, the bitch was still human. And humans, no matter how powerful, had their frailties.

I pulled out the gift Dad sent for my sixteenth birthday. Shiny and new—still in its antique case. Most girls my age would’ve gone for the potpourri or lavender incense to calm their nerves—but not me. The smell of new steel was comforting.

It smelled like home.

Once I was dressed and heavily armed, I pulled the last item from the closet. An old book of wards Kendra had given me a few Christmases ago. Meredith could work some pretty badass mojo. Anything I could do to negate even a little bit increased our chances. Sure, Valefar had agreed to help free my parents—no matter what game he was playing, he couldn’t go back on his word—but that still left the last three Sins and their innocent rides to deal with. And of course, the queen of crazy herself, Meredith. Something told me Valefar wasn’t going to do any extra work.

“It’s almost time to go,” Lukas said from the doorway.

Moving to my desk, I picked up the chalcedony crystal and stuffed it into my pocket, then pulled out a black Sharpie and opened the book. Tapping the page, I handed the marker to Lukas and pulled my shirt forward.

“You need to draw this on my back.”

He flushed a little, but didn’t question. There was a small
pop
as the cap came off, and the slight whisper of marker on skin. The cool felt point was an epic contrast to the fiery tips of his fingers as both glided across my back. Round and round, I could almost picture the intricate design taking form. He was an artist and I was his art.

After a few minutes, the tip of the marker lifted, leaving only the warmth of his fingers. They retraced the design, skimming feather light across my back from shoulder to shoulder. Up the back of my neck, then down my spine.

A shiver ran through me, and I tried to turn around, but Lukas stopped me. “Wait,” he whispered, voice sort of hoarse.

The tip of his finger went to work again, this time in specific patterns. Letters. The first one was easy. It started behind my right shoulder.

I

A few inches over, the next.

L

“For the first time,” he whispered. “I feel no regret.”

O

I closed my eyes to keep the tears from spilling. This wasn’t fair. I wanted more time with him.

V

E

“Lukas…” I didn’t want him to finish. It’d only make things harder.

Y

“Shh.”

O

U

I turned to face him. He knew how I felt about the “L” word, so he’d found a way to tell me without actually speaking it. “You’re going back in the box.” A stupid thing to say in the middle of my first, hot, semi-naked moment with a guy, but it was the elephant in the room. The big-with-bells-on, stupid, death row elephant.

“I know. But, I’ve accepted it. You need to do the same.”

I closed my eyes and leaned into him. “Kiss me.”

With a whisper-light touch, his lips brushed mine then pulled away. For a moment, I was sure that was it, that he was done and would leave, but a few seconds later, his warmth returned, and my world exploded.

He spun me around and lifted me onto the desk, hands everywhere all at once. I let my shirt fall to the floor, oddly uncaring that I was sitting up in my room, kissing the hottest guy in existence—also someone technically old enough to be an ancestor—in nothing more than my black sports bra and favorite monster mashing jeans.

Fingers skimmed my bare arms from shoulder to wrist, then back again before trailing up my neck to tangle in the long strands of my dark hair. These kisses were different than before. Greedy. Laced with anger and passion and need. The intensity of it all scared me a little, but more than that, it drove me higher than I ever thought possible.

I wrapped both legs around his waist in an attempt to pull us closer together. No space. I wanted nothing between us. Suddenly, my jeans, his clothing, it all felt too restricting. I made a move to tug at the edges of his T-shirt, but he stopped me, instead capturing my wrists in his hands and tucking them away behind my back.

“No,” he breathed, lips against mine. “Just be still.”

I obeyed, a sharp thrill shooting like electricity through my entire body. I expected him to do the honors himself, but instead, his hands circled my waist again, fingers digging into the skin. I gasped—not in pain, but surprise—and nipped at his bottom lip.

“Just be…” he inhaled sharply, fingers flexing as I trailed a line of kisses down to the hollow of his neck. “…still.”

“We could…” I managed. “I want to…”

Heart hammering to match my own, Lukas tensed in my arms.

A moment later, an unwelcomed chill blew through the room. The scorching heat and tingles faded all too fast, and I realized he’d moved away.

When I opened my eyes, he was gone. Out the door and already making his way down the stairs.

I started to follow, but a flash of white caught my eye. Something folded—a piece of paper on the edge of the desk.

Unfolding it, my breath caught. In astonishing detail, a sleeping version of me was captured on the paper. One arm tucked under the couch pillow, the other wrapped around a large book. Several strands of hair lay across my cheek while the rest blanketed my bare shoulder. Lips slightly parted as if mid-whisper. The girl looked so young. So innocent. There was something powerful on that page. So deep. Was this how Lukas saw me? This delicate thing that looked so fragile? So breakable? At the bottom of the page, scrawled in elegant cursive, it said,
My Serenity
.

The paper slipped from my hands and fluttered to the ground.

Chapter Thirty-five

One hour left…

Rene Morgan and her husband opened the Morgan house the year I was born. Up until the fire several years ago, it was one of Penance’s only tourist draws. Apparently, some big travel magazine had done a spread on them. Now the formerly beautiful three-story Victorian was a pale, hollow ghost of its glory days.

We were about to start up the walkway when Lukas doubled over.

“What is it?”

He sucked in a deep breath and glared at the house. Straightening, he said, “We have to hurry. Time is short. The box is preparing to call us back.” With a quick glance at my bag, he started forward again. I followed.

I raised my hand to knock, but thought twice. This wasn’t a social call. The lamiae hadn’t knocked when she’d sent them to snack on us.

Adjusting my backpack, I turned the knob. Unlocked. Not a shocker. I stepped through the door, Lukas on my heels. There were a few candles lit around the room—witches lived for candlelight for some reason. They cast odd, dancing shadows on the wall that seemed to follow us with each step we took. I took a breath through my mouth in hopes it would help with the stench. The air was thick with dust, and the place smelled like burnt plastic and mold. It made my eyes water.

A few steps in and my sneaker came down on a creaky board. I cringed as the protesting wood announced our entrance with an echoing moan. So much for the element of surprise.

“What’s this?” Lukas stepped around me and picked a small yellow piece of paper from the floor. “Basement,” he read aloud and turned it around so I could see. It had a big smiley face on the front.

Creaking to our left announced the door—I assumed to the basement—opening.

Lukas snorted. “She always was all about showmanship.”

I couldn’t help smiling. Holding out my hand, I said, “Well, let’s go give her the ride of her annoyingly long life.”

We rounded the corner and started down the dark stairway. Flickering light at the bottom told me Meredith hadn’t bothered magically rebooting power to the house. It made navigation tricky—but not impossible.

“You made it!” she squealed as we reached the bottom. “I was starting to wonder which one of your parents I’d have to torture first.”

Under my T-shirt, the black crystal Valefar had given me lay warm against my skin.
Not yet
, a tiny voice inside my head whispered.
Wait
.

“Okay, so we’re all here. Now what?”

“Where are the other Sins?” she asked casually. She was leaning against the wall at the far corner of the room, grinning like we were all old friends. Around the edges of the unfinished basement were the other three Sins—Amari, Vida, and Kendra. Standing flush against the wall and still as stone, they watched us in silence. At the other end of the room, Mom and Dad sat in a corner side by side. Next to them, a woman lay crumpled and unconscious.

I held up my bag and nodded to my parents. “In the box. Let Kendra and my parents go.”

“Give me the box first.” She turned to Lukas, batting her eyes. “And
you
come stand over here by me.”

Neither of us moved. Meredith sighed and put her hand out, wriggling her fingers. “Come on. Hand it over. Time’s almost up.”

“Kendra and my parents first.”

“Aww. Someone has trust issues.” She snickered. “Fine, then. I don’t have time to do this the easy way.” With a snap of her fingers, Lukas was in front of her, and just like the other day, I couldn’t move.

As if some unseen force was dragging him to the ground, Lukas struggled to stay on his feet. “Meredith—”

“If you won’t take my gift voluntarily, I’ll force it on you. You’ll thank me for it later—after you realize you still love me.” From out of nowhere, Meredith produced a small blade. Slicing open the palm of her hand, she held it against his forehead and began to chant. “
EGO dico in phasmatis of Ira, solvo is vultus. EGO dico in phasmatis of Ira, peto tectum in alius cognatio populus
.”

Pale and shaking, Lukas let out a blood-chilling scream. It bounded off the walls and echoed in the small space, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Fists balled tight, he lost his battle with gravity and collapsed under an invisible weight at Meredith’s feet.

“
Phasmatis of Ira, EGO to order vos licentia is somes
.”

The girl. She was going to transfer Wrath to the unconscious girl.

But nothing happened. With more force, Meredith repeated, “
Phasmatis of Ira, EGO to order vos licentia is somes.
”

Eyes blazing, Lukas let out a laugh. The sound rivaled the most spine-numbing cry I’d ever heard. When he spoke, his voice had an inhuman echo to it. “You can’t take it unless I
let
you.”

“
Phasmatis of Ira, EGO to order vos licentia is somes
,” Meredith said again, louder and with more force. Fingers threading through his hair, she was starting to look annoyed.

I could feel the ward tingling against the skin on my back. It was fighting the magic that kept me rooted. Just a little more… Any second I’d be free.

“
Phasmatis of Ira, EGO to order vos licentia is somes
.”

More laughter from Lukas. Only this time, he was standing. With a growl, he knocked Meredith’s hand away and took a single step forward.

Meredith might have been cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, but I could see it in her eyes. She knew a roadblock when she saw one. Expression morphing from annoyed to amused, she thrust both hands out and sent Lukas flying backward without laying a finger on him. He careened through the wooden banister and crashed against the wall, landing with a thud at the bottom of the steps.

Satisfied he was out of her way, Meredith turned to me. “Fine. Your turn, then.”

I laughed. “I hate to tell you this, Mer, but I’m not an angry girl. That transfer mojo won’t work on me.”

She was still smiling. Not a good sign since I’d just poked a state-sized hole through her little delusion.

“For Wrath, you mean? Of course not. He won’t give up the Sin to save a stranger. I wouldn’t expect him to give it up and trap
you
in the box.” Her smile widened. “But someone else is more than willing.”

I tried flexing my arm. No luck, but the fingers on my right hand twitched. Getting there. Just needed to stall things a little longer…

“I don’t understand something,” I mused. “You said, and I quote,
Your fate has been arranged for a long, long time.
If you planned to off me then what was that supposed to mean?”

She started pacing, head tilted in reflection. For once, I was glad she loved hearing herself talk. It might buy me the time I needed. “Well, just between us girls, I wasn’t supposed to touch you. That was the deal. Valefar did me a solid back in 1882 by giving me that spell and a way to gain my freedom. He said he would ask for a favor in the future, but imagine his surprise when he came to collect and found me buried like last week’s trash.”

“Yes. Imagine that…”

She ignored my sarcasm as though I hadn’t spoken. “We have quite a history. He does me a favor—I do him one. It’s all very convenient. I owed him for the spell, and then again for freeing me from Simon Darker’s prison.”

“So he told you I was hands-off and you, what, pretended not to hear? Because this is kind of the opposite of leaving me alone. Just, yanno, FYI.”

Meredith grinned. “He cut me a deal. I owed him two favors, but he would wipe away all my debt if I simply found the box containing the Seven Deadly Sins and arranged to have a person of his choosing open it. A demon named Damien. He told me I was free to exact my revenge on the Darker line with the single stipulation that I leave you alone. He even said I could take Lukas back if I wanted.” She leaned in close and giggled. “I agreed, of course. I was free and got to have my revenge on the Darker line, and I could have another chance with my fiancé. Really, I was making out in the agreement. But then I met you at the school, and I knew there was no way I could do as promised. You insulted me and waved Lukas in my face. He was mine first, and you had no right to him.”

Lukas said Meredith had always been a spoiled child. Obviously, nothing much had changed. She threw away her toy, bored with it, then as soon as someone else showed an interest, she wanted it back. “You put him in the box—or have you forgotten? Why the hell would you care?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I told you I changed my mind about that.”

“So now what? You’re obviously planning to double-cross Valefar. Is that such a good idea? Demons don’t take kindly to backstabbers.”

“I admit, I do feel badly about going back on my word, but there are just some things a girl can’t ignore. I was hoping you’d be open to Wrath.
That
would have been poetic, but Pride will have to do.”

My blood ran cold. The box. She was going to put me in the box.

Hand still dripping from the cut she made, Meredith reached for me. “
EGO dico in phasmatis of Superbia
—”

From the other side of the room, Mom let out an anguished scream.

That was the moment my knees unlocked. Hand going straight for the knife in my belt, I launched myself at the witch, ready to draw blood.

But as fast as I was, a witch was always going to be faster. She blinked out of existence, reappearing by the base of the stairs where Lukas was just getting to his feet.

“Look out!” I yelled as she appeared behind him.

Lukas swiveled and threw his weight at her middle. Caught off guard, they both hit the concrete floor and rolled a few feet.

With Meredith occupied, I turned and started for the other end to free my parents but didn’t get more than three steps when something hit me in the back of the head. I went down on one knee, catching myself before I tumbled completely, but my bag wasn’t so lucky. It slipped from my shoulder and crashed to the floor a few feet away.

I saw the box a fraction of a second before she did. Throwing myself forward, I shot it across the floor toward Lukas. It skated over the concrete, coming to a jarring stop when it hit his feet. He grabbed it and whirled to the wall. Chained by Meredith’s magic, Kendra, still controlled by Envy, had no place to go.

“I’ll make your eternity more painful than you can possibly imagine,” she snarled.

There was no hesitation. No retort on Lukas’ part. In one swift motion, he had the latch undone, the box opened and aimed. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, as a bright green light began to form, Kendra’s eyes went wide.

“NO!” Kendra’s body bellowed. Her scream was cut short as the light surged up her throat and out her mouth, diving for the box. Finally free from Envy, Kendra, slumped forward, eyes closed and silent.

One down. Two more to go. I left Lukas to recapture the other Sins and was on my feet again, lunging for my parents. Somewhere behind me, I heard Vida scream and saw a flash of dark blue light shadow across the wall. Lust had been banished. Only Pride left.

“Why didn’t you just shadow out?” I panted as I fumbled the knife.

Dad held out his wrists, bound in thick rope. “Soaked in quartz.”

I got the blade to the rope and was about to slice when I was jerked backwards. The knife flew from my hands and clattered to the floor, just out of Mom’s reach.

“Not so fast. We have unfinished business.”

I climbed to my feet. Lukas was inching his way around the room, behind Meredith and over to where Amari—AKA Pride—stood against the wall.

“Your family has been a thorn in my side for over one hundred years. Simon Darker threatened me.” Meredith laughed. “Me!”

She held her hand out and I was stuck again. This time, the ward was useless. She’d underestimated me last time. Not again.

“He told people I’d killed my parents. And Lukas.”

I couldn’t help it. “You did!”

“And then you come along and try to take what’s mine.”

Lukas was almost to Amari.

Meredith glared at me, then, with a smile, whirled toward Lukas. Pointing to Amari, she said, “
Not
that one.” Like it was attached to a giant rubber band, the box flew from his hands and landed in hers.

“
EGO dico in phasmatis of Superbia, solvo is vultus. EGO dico in phasmatis of Ira, peto tectum in alius cognatio populus
.”

Like someone had dropped a building on my shoulders, my knees buckled and I crumbled to the ground just as Lukas had before. With each word she spoke, the pain intensified. Lukas had said it was like being pulled apart and set on fire. That didn’t even come close. It started in my legs, spreading like poison throughout my entire body. A pulling sensation accompanied by fierce heat. A thousand tiny fingers were gripping my skin, tugging hard enough to remove it from my bones. With my eyes closed, I could almost see them. Ripping and shredding my flesh.

Meredith’s palm, sticky and wet, rested against my forehead. “
Phasmatis of Superbia, EGO to order vos licentia is somes.
”

A scream ripped from my throat.

“
Phasmatis of Superbia, EGO to order vos licentia is somes. Phasmatis of Superbia, EGO to order vos licentia is somes. Phasmatis of Superbia, EGO to order vos licentia is somes
.”

Most of the breath left my lungs in a single, painful push. One word. I only needed to be able to say one more word. “Val—” The rest was lost to an involuntary scream as the remainder of the air squeezed from my lungs.

Meredith grabbed a handful of my hair. Jerking me forward, face in mine, she whispered, “
Phasmatis of Superbia, EGO to
—”

I couldn’t gather the air to scream it, but I did manage a whisper. “Valefar…”

Meredith was close. She heard the word and, for a minute, looked utterly confused. She blinked several times before pulling away, eyes wide.

Everything went silent. Mom’s yelling. Lukas’ curses. Even the occasional dripping pipes had stopped. It was like the entire room just…froze.

“Stand, Jessie,” a deep voice boomed from behind me.