The Ghost Files 3 (37 page)
Authors: Apryl Baker
Meg’s hand clutches mine, pulling my attention back to her. Her breathing is labored and her dress
is stained with blood. She puts my hand on top of Dan’s and smiles. He stares down at our hands, covering Meg’s heart. She is forgiving us. We both understand this. She coughs once more, her chest rises and falls, but it doesn’t rise again. She’s gone.
Dan lets out a low moan. He closes his eyes and bends over, a low keening noise coming from him. Caleb sinks to his knees beside him and wraps an arm around him. Eli stays with Paul. They’ve knocked him out, but you don’t leave a threat unsecured. Caleb whispers words to him I can’t hear, but they seem to help.
“Your miracle was granted.”
Eli stares mutely at the Angel talking to him. I can see the guilt in his eyes. He would never have asked for Dan’s life at the cost of someone else’s, but I would have and I did. This is my burden to bear, not his.
“You are right, young Reaper, this is your burden to bear.” Azrael turns his attention back to me. “Daniel’s soul is tethered to yours and it will remain so. Your burden is Daniel’s life. If you die, he dies.”
I swallow. Hard. I’m responsible for Dan’s life?
“I allowed you this one mistake, little Reaper, but no more. If you abuse your gift ever again, you will answer to me. Do you understand?”
My eyes are drawn to his and for the first time since he stepped out of the trees, I can see them. They’re glowing with the holy light of vengeance and my entire body starts to shake. Fear, unlike any I’ve ever known, courses through me. All I can do is nod.
“You’re really an angel?” Eli asks, his voice quiet and hushed.
Azrael smiles. Or at least I think
it’s a smile. I can’t seem to focus on his face anymore. “I do not look the part? We tend to try and blend in with the humans. This is what the modern day human wears and thus, so do I. If I were to show you my true form, you would not be able to bear it.”
Eli nods, awed.
“Daniel.” Azrael’s voice is a command and Dan looks up, his face streaked with tears. “Your purpose in this life was fulfilled. You have been assigned the task of keeping our young Reaper from falling into the darkness she is surrounded in. You were her light and now, you are forever tasked to keep her bathed in the light of goodness. Stand, young Knight.”
Dan only stares at him, but Caleb pulls him to his feet. Azrael nods in approval. He reaches behind him and pulls a sword from an unseen sheath on his back. It looked like a magician
’s trick where he pulls the rabbit from the hat.
“We have charged you, Daniel, with the burden of being one of the Four Knights of the
Holy Swords. You shall wield the Sword of Truth. We have waited a long time to pass this sword onto its true owner. It will help wash clean your sins and purify your soul. When called upon, you must fight. Do you understand?”
Dan nods and accepts the sword. The moment his hands touch it, a flash of white light shines out from it and we can all hear the sizzle of flesh and smell the burnt skin. Dan never uttered a sound.
“Keep her safe, young Knights,” Azrael commands. “She is very important and the three of you are to keep her safe at all costs. Do you understand?” He looks at each of the brothers, gaining their acceptance.
Dan looks up, startled
, when Azrael lays a hand upon his shoulder. His eyes fall almost immediately.
“You knew the consequences of your decision before you made it, young Knight. You knew innocents would die. Had you known it would cost the life of this girl, would you have made the same decision?”
Dan looks at me for a long while before nodding his head. “Yes, I would have made the same decision.”
“Then trust that you made the right decision,” Azrael tells him softly. “If you can tell me that, despite how much you’re hurting right now, then trust that you did the right thing. Do not let this pain tear you from her. She needs your strength more now than ever. Bad things are coming for her and she needs you.”
He nods. “I won’t let this tear us apart. I swear it. She’s mine to keep safe and I’ll do that no matter the cost. Forever.”
Wow. What does a person say to that?
We all turn our heads toward the wailing of police cars and ambulances in the distance. When we look back, Azrael is gone.
We’re left to pick up the pieces.
They’re dead. Meg and Jake are dead.
Dan and I look at each other.
They’re dead because of us.
I’m in a hazy fog. People talk to me and I nod, responding when I need to, but I can’t focus on anything in particular. Shock
, the doctor said. They wanted to keep me, but I refused. The bullet only grazed me and I can’t bear to be in the same place as Meg’s body. I didn’t see her or Jake again. I think maybe Azrael crossed them over. I hope so. I can’t handle that right now. Zeke demanded I go home with him and for once I didn’t even blink. I need to be alone tonight. Mary will hover. I need to think. The police asked me questions, but I don’t remember answering them. Zeke said something about my giving a statement in a few days. Nice to have a dad people are scared of. The cops would never have let me by with that if not for Zeke.
Dan’s quiet. He’s coming to Zeke’s with me. I’m shocked Zeke agreed. He knows Dan saved my life
, though. That changed his opinion of Dan. I don’t know what to say to Dan. How do I comfort him when I did this? When we did this? Meg is dead because of us and it’s something we’ll never be able to forget.
The ride to my house is full of a heavy silence. I asked Zeke to take me there first so I could pick up some things. I don’t have anything at his place I need. Plus
, I want my sketchpad. I have a burning urge to draw before the dam inside bursts and I hurt someone.
When we arrive, Zeke opens the door and steps out of the limo. “Do you want me to go in with you?”
I shake my head. I’ll only be a minute.
Mary and her mom aren’t home yet. That’s why I find it odd the downstairs lights are on. Frowning, I head to the kitchen. There’s a briefcase laying open on the island. Curious, I go over and look inside.
There’s a picture right on top. I blink just to make sure I’m seeing what I think I see.
It’s the picture of me and my mom, the one I have upstairs in the shoebox in my closet. I turn the picture over and read the inscription.
For my darling, Lawrence. Love Mattie and Claire.
Lawrence? I glance at the papers in the briefcase and my eyes land on a business card. Dr. Lawrence Olivet. Why does the Doc have the same picture of me and my mom that I do? How did he get into the house for that matter?
“Mattie?”
He’s standing in the doorway, holding my sketchpad, staring at me.
“I can explain…”
“Why do you have this?” I demand.
He tilts his head, assessing me. I can see the calculations being made in his head, the decision in his eyes. My insides freeze up. My instincts kick in and I bunch my muscles to run. For the first time since I met the Doc, I’m afraid. There’s something in his eyes, something I’ve only ever seen in Silas’s eyes.
His answer floors me.
“Because your mother gave it to me.”
The End of Book 3
Acknowledgements
(Pst…If you’re reading this, you’re awesome! I love it when people read about all the wonderful people who helped make the story they just read and loved (hint, hint) and are going to leave me an awesome review on Amazon!)
This time again already? Can you believe how far Mattie and Dan have come since he first met that scared little girl in the hospital? It has been quite a ride for all of us, let me tell you! I’m sure Mattie and Officer Dan are both ready to strangle me for all the nonsense I’ve made them suffer through. (Please hide me when they come back for volume 4!)
First and foremost, Maggie, you’re awesome and never fail to help me edit this beast I call The Ghost Files. You always manage to focus me when I’m flailing and push me in the right direction even when I don’t always take the advice. I know, I’m a glutton for punishment and should just do as I’m told!
As some of you know, The Ghost Files has been optioned for film and we are hopeful of going into production in 2015. This would not be possible without all the wonderful people who read my books. You proved that an Indy author can do great things with help – the help of the fans! I love you all and appreciate each and every person who reads my books more than I can ever tell you.
Ang, Sheree, Susan, Ann – as always props to my girls! You keep me inspired!
I’ve made some really wonderful friends this last year who have helped me tremendously with all the crazy stuff that goes on while I’m writing.
Penni Taylor, you rock! I would have fallen on my face in trying to promote these books without you! You rallied the troops, created a street team, and managed them! That helped me more than I can say. You are awesome and I don’t know what I’d do without you!
Kelly Ann Blount, you have listened to me rant and rave for months struggling with so many things. You listened, cheered me on, and gave me a good swift kick in the butt when I needed it! And yes, we will be like those silly cat emoticons you like to torture me with sitting in the movies, snacking on popcorn, watching The Ghost Files and Grishma during their premiers in Hollywood!
What can I say about all the folks over at Limitless Publishing? You took a chance on me when no one else would. You’ve supported me, been there to listen to me rant and helped me when I needed it. Jennifer, Jessica, and the rest of the staff, thank you!
Got to give the family props for putting up with me when I was half-crazed trying to fix plot lines. You shoved food through the crack in the door and made sure I was alive every few days! Thank you and I love you all.
Big shout out to the fans of The Ghost Files – you are the absolute BEST bunch of fans a girl could ever hope for. I love you guys so much and to The Reapers of my Street Team – you make me
laugh and you keep me inspired by how hard you work! Thank you all so much!
And last, but certainly not least, I have to thank God for blessing me with this crazy huge imagination that never shuts up. You have me a gift even if it took me a while to figure that out. Without it, I think I’d be lost, so thank You, for all the blessings you’ve bestowed upon me and mine.
And please if you’ve read this far…please, please, please leave an awesome review on Amazon, B&N, or Goodreads, and/or Kobo!
Thanks so much!
~Apryl Baker
About the Author
So who am I? Well, I'm the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn't love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep.
Growing up in a small town, I learned a lot of values and morals, I also learned parents have spies everywhere and there's always someone to tell your mama you were seen kissing a particular boy on a particular day just a little too long. So when you get grounded, what is there left to do? Read! My Aunt Jo gave me my first real romance novel. It was a romance titled "Lord Margrave's Deception." I remember it fondly. But I also learned I had a deep and abiding love of mysteries and anything paranormal. As I grew up, I started to write just that and would entertain my friends with stories featuring them as main characters.
Now, I live Huntersville, NC where I entertain my niece and nephew and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce...lol.
I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories.
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