The Haunting (Immortals) (25 page)

For several seconds, she sat perfectly still and listened, but only heard the sound of her own breathing.

Hoping a cup of hot tea might relax her, she headed into the kitchen. While she waited for the microwave to heat her water, she leaned against the counter, staring at the mirror above the table without really seeing it.

Lost in thought, she didn’t at first notice the glass clouding over. When she did, it was as if she were watching it in a dream because she stared at it from across the room, feeling no alarm, no curiosity.

The cloudy spot grew larger and a streak appeared on the glass. Then another. Only this time, instead of letters written in steam, these were written in a bright red liquid.
Blood
.

Instantly, Mai was fully awake—and too afraid to move. She watched in fascinated horror as the letters slowly spelled out their message.
Help me
.

Small tremors coursed through her as she stared at the message. Part of her wanted to scream. Another part wanted to cry. Was this another hallucination? Or had the Keltok returned?

Then another possibility occurred to her. Perhaps this was nothing more than a bad dream.

She knew of only one way to find out. Grabbing a knife, she held it above her open palm. “It won’t hurt if I’m asleep,” she told herself.

At the last second, she changed her mind about slicing her palm and instead, pressed the tip of the knife against her thumb. No pain.

She pressed a little harder.

“Motherfuck—” She dropped the knife as she clutched her bleeding thumb. So she wasn’t asleep. That was good, except that meant everything else was real.

Emboldened by the thought, she moved closer to the mirror. The message stared back at her. She reached out and touched the cold, hard surface of the glass. Standing that close, Mai noticed her reflection disappearing, to be replaced by a white, swirling mist—and something hidden in its depths.

A face.

Frighteningly familiar. “Sarah?” Mai peered closer and saw Sarah mouthing her name.

“Mmmmaaaiii. Heeelllppp meee.”

It was just like she’d seen in Jenna’s memory—Sarah trapped on the other side of the mirror.

Heedless of her bleeding thumb, Mai pressed both hands against the mirror frame as Jenna had done. But unlike Jenna, Mai wasn’t a witch. She couldn’t cast a spell to get Sarah out.

“How do I get you out?” she hollered.

Sarah looked at her with pleading eyes, her mouth working, but the words indistinguishable.

“Think. Think,” Mai ordered herself, still staring into the mirror. A darker shadow loomed in the background and she knew instinctively that if that shadow reached Sarah, it would be bad.

“Damn it.” She looked around for something heavy to smash the mirror. She lifted one of the dining table chairs and tested its weight. If she struck the chair against the glass hard enough, it should shatter.

She raised it, ready to strike, but a motion from Sarah stayed her hand.

“Okay, got it. Can’t break the glass,” she muttered, setting the chair back down and belatedly remembering what had happened in Jenna’s dream.

She pulled the mirror away from the wall and looked behind it. There was no opening on this side. If Mai had had any lingering doubts that the mirror was some magical portal, they were gone now.

Behind Sarah, the shadowy form drew closer. “I wish it were as simple as reaching in and pulling you out,” she muttered, fighting her rising panic.

No sooner had she uttered the last word than the glass
vanished and Mai was looking directly into Sarah’s frightened face.

“Jump, Sarah,” she shouted, reaching for the girl’s hand. With a mighty tug, she pulled the woman through the opening and they fell back against the dining room table. Sarah scrambled to her feet.

“He’s right behind me,” she cried, pointing into the mirror. “Throw your necklace.”

Mai grabbed the lightning bolt, but hesitated. The words she’d uttered before the glass vanished along with bits of Jenna’s memory and the blood on her thumb formed a clear picture of what she needed to do. Touching her bloodied thumb against the mirror’s frame, she said, “I wish the mirror to seal.”

Instantly, the glass reformed across the opening. Through it, Mai saw the dark shape lumbering forward. When it hit the glass, however, it fell back.

“Can it escape?” she asked.

“Not if we destroy its only way out,” Sarah said. “Stand back.” She grabbed the nearest chair and slammed it against the mirror.

Mai threw up her arms to protect her face as shards of glass flew everywhere. After a second, she lowered her arms and looked around. The only thing left of the mirror was the frame and the million tiny pieces of glass stuck in the carpet.

Still reeling in shock, Mai turned to get a good look at the girl. “Is it really you?”

Sarah’s lips trembled as she fell into Mai’s embrace.

“It’s okay,” Mai soothed her. “You’re safe now.”

“It was horrible,” Sarah cried.

“What happened?”

“I was standing here, waiting for you to bring me that book, when a hand came out of the mirror and pulled me in.”

“What grabbed you? What was that thing?”

Sarah’s eyes were closed against the memory. “It was a genie.”

Mai wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly. “Like Aladdin’s magic lamp genie?”

Sarah scowled at her. “This one is not some childish cartoon. He is ancient—and powerful.”

Mai thought he’d have to be to have kidnapped Sarah and kept her trapped in a mirror all this time. “Did he hurt you?” she asked.

“I’m fine.” A slow smile spread across Sarah’s face as she looked around. “I can’t believe I’m finally out.”

Mai took Sarah by the arm and pulled her farther into the living room, away from the mess on the floor. “We were worried about you.” They sat on the couch and Mai stared at her hands, hating to dampen the girl’s high spirits, but the sooner Sarah knew about Jenna, the better.

“I’m afraid I have bad news for you,” Mai began. “It’s about Jenna.”

Sarah’s smile vanished as she bowed her head. “I know. She saw me in the mirror and tried to save me with her magic, but the genie came and they fought.” She paused, taking a shuddering breath. “He killed her.”

“No, she’s not dead.”

Sarah’s head snapped up. “She’s not?” She looked around the room. “Where…?”

“She’s in the hospital. She’s…” Mai hesitated, not sure what to say. The last thing she wanted to do was weigh Sarah down with more worry and stress, not after what she’d just been through. There’d be time enough tomorrow to deal with it. With any luck, what ever it was that Nick had done to help Jenna while they were in the dream realm had worked and Mai wouldn’t have to tell Sarah her sister was in a catatonic state. “She’ll be glad to see you,” she said instead. “Maybe tomorrow we can go—”

A knock at the door made both women jump. Taking a deep breath, Mai rose from the couch to look out the peephole. Immediately, she relaxed.

“It’s Nick.” She unlocked the door and opened it. “What are you doing here?”

“I know it’s late, but what I have to tell you can’t wait until tomorrow.”

Mai wasn’t listening. “I’m glad you came back,” she said a little breathlessly. “Something wonderful has happened.”

“What?” He followed her into the apartment, stopping when he noticed Sarah. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”

“Nick,” Mai said a little breathlessly. “This is Sarah Renfield.”

Nick looked surprised, but quickly moved forward to shake hands. “You had us worried. Everything all right? Does Jenna know?”

“When you disappeared, Nick helped us look for you,” Mai explained to Sarah. Turning back to Nick, she saw his gaze fall on the broken mirror. At his silent question, she nodded. “Sarah’s story is—bizarre. Wait till you hear it.”

As Mai told the story, she couldn’t help thinking that if this part of Jenna’s dream had been true—the part about Sarah being trapped behind the mirror—then the rest of it must be true as well. Which meant that Jenna had used magic to make her parents disappear. Mai felt sorry for the woman. It was tragic—but now wasn’t the time to deal with it.

When she finished the story, Nick shook his head. “A genie? I didn’t know they existed outside of folktales.” At Mai’s look, he went on. “You remember I told you that one of the spiritual dimensions is the wish dimension?” She nodded, so he continued. “When we were kids, our parents would tell us about an evil genie who lurks in the wish
dimension, waiting for unsuspecting children to enter so he can take them prisoner. The stories were scary enough to keep us out of the wish dimension, but I never thought they were real.” He turned to Sarah. “This genie—he didn’t…hurt you…did he?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“I wonder how long he’s been haunting the mirror?”

Mai had been wondering the same thing. Maybe she was right in thinking there was another explanation for her hallucinations besides being crazy. Instead of a Keltok demon, though, it was a genie. Now all she needed to do was figure out how to stop him.

“We need to make sure he doesn’t cause any more harm,” Nick said, echoing her thoughts. “We need a way to stop him—or control him.”

“I could call my friend Heather,” Mai offered. “She’s a witch. And if she doesn’t know what to do, I’m sure someone in the Coven knows. Plus, now with the Immortals back, we have other resources.”

Nick slowly nodded, deep in thought.

“Or we could go see Will,” Sarah suggested, drawing curious looks from Mai and Nick. “He’s the one who summoned the genie in the first place.”

Mai and Nick exchanged glances. A visit to the super was definitely in order.

They considered waiting until morning to approach Will, but the more Nick thought about what Sarah had gone through—what they’d all gone through—the madder he got. According to Sarah, the genie had only done what Will had told it to do. And Will had told it to kidnap Mai. Nick felt the slow burn of simmering rage. The man had threatened Nick’s spirit mate. In Nick’s book, the offense was unforgivable. Just the thought of someone hurting Mai made him crazy.

He’d wanted to go see Will alone, but Mai and Sarah had refused to stay behind, so now the three of them stood at Will’s door waiting for him to answer Nick’s knock. After a minute, Nick knocked again, this time a little louder. Finally, they heard the sound of shuffling feet on the other side of the door, followed by the click of the dead bolt being thrown back.

“What the hell?” Will demanded, opening the door and running a hand through hair that needed brushing. Despite wearing jeans and a T-shirt, he looked like he’d just crawled out of bed. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Yeah, but this is important. We need to talk,” Nick said.

“Can’t this wait until morning?” Will eyed them suspiciously, but when his gaze fell on Sarah, he seemed genuinely surprised—and a little relieved. “Sarah! How…You’re back!”

“Now, there’s an interesting story,” Nick said, sarcastically. “I’m sure you’ll appreciate hearing it.” Without waiting to be invited, he pushed his way past the super and into the apartment.

The place was furnished with expensive but mismatched pieces thrown together without regard to color or style. Hanging on the walls was a collection of expensive reproductions. In one corner, a large flat-screen television dwarfed the room. Beside it stood a state-of-the-art stereo system. In the opposite corner, a Bowflex home gym looked unused.

Material wealth seemed to be the common decorating theme and Nick wondered how Will could afford it all on a super’s salary. He gestured around the place. “The genie help you get all this?”

“What are you talking about?” Will asked.

“Don’t bother with the games,” Nick continued. “Sarah heard you talking to the genie.” Nick gestured to the mirror on the wall and started moving toward it. “This what you use to communicate with it?”

Will glared at them. “What is it you want? More money? A new car?” He turned to Mai. “Nice new jewelry, maybe? To graduate without having to take any more classes?” This last was directed to Sarah. “Fine. I’ll make sure you get those things.”

“No,” Nick protested. “What we want is for you to seal the portal so the genie can’t get out again.”

Will waved them aside. “He already can’t get out.”

“What do you mean?” Mai asked.

“He’s bound to the dimension by the laws of magic. He can’t get out.”

“Then how did he manage to kidnap Sarah?” Nick growled.

Will shrugged. “I didn’t say he hadn’t found a way to stretch his tether, but he’s not getting out.”

“How can you be so sure?” Sarah asked, sounding nervous.

“Don’t worry,” Will said with confidence. “He’s not that strong—or that smart.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Sarah said softly. “I think he could have escaped at any time.”

“Then why hasn’t he?” Will demanded.

“Because if he left the wish dimension without a genie—then not only does the wish dimension collapse, but all those touching it collapse.” She seemed to realize they were all staring at her. “That’s what he told me.”

“Are you telling us that the genie purposely hasn’t escaped from his dimension because he cares about the safety of the world?” Nick’s tone was heavy with sarcasm.

“You don’t think a genie is capable of such a noble gesture?” Sarah demanded.

Will openly scoffed, drawing Sarah’s anger.

“Well, he is,” she snapped. “Or at least he was at one time.” Some of the heat in her look subsided. “He told me how he used to be like you and me—free to move about in
the physical plane. Then he was lured by the creature that was the genie at the time. The genie switched places with him—bound him to that dimension—and then escaped. That was over a hundred years ago.”

Nick shot Sarah a glance. “After what he did to you, I’m not exactly shedding a tear here for him. Sorry.” He turned back to Will. “Do you control the genie or not?” Nick asked, getting back to the point.

“Of course I do,” he said, sounding smug. “I summoned him.”

“How? And don’t lie to us,” Nick added.

Will scowled. “If you must know, I found a spell in
Kingsley’s Book of Magic
. My grandfather left it to me when he passed,” he explained. “After his funeral, I was leafing through it and found the spell. It was simple, really. All I needed was a mirror and some blood.”