My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (26 page)

“Now for my next sur
prise, you have to wait inside,” he says taking up his guitar and strumming a chord.

“What could possibly top that?”

He throws that devastatingly handsome smile my way and I forget how to breathe in and out.

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

I return to the cottage and freshen up while he’s gone. I think I’m wearing something from my mother’s closet. I’m in a gauzy white dress with a low v in both the front and more so in the back. Small tan vines are embroidered around the neck line. I brush my hair which falls in soft waves down my back. I hear Elijah open the front door.

My eyes do a double take when I enter the living room.

“Daddy?” My father stands there with his arms wide open and I run to him.

“Hey, baby girl.” He picks me up into one of his spine crushing bear hugs and I relish every bone breaking second of it.

“Daddy.” Tears blur my eyes and he wipes them away with his hands.

“Look at you, you’ve grown up. How long’s it been?”

“Just a few years, but it seems like ages. How’s Grandma?”

“Psssht, they can’t get enough of her.” We both laugh.

“I hated knowing that you were all alone in the world.”

“I’m alright, Elijah takes very good care of me. At one point I had five of them including my mother, taking care of me. They’ve sort of adopted me I think.”

“Thank you son, for letting no harm come to my baby girl.” Daddy reaches out and shakes Elijah’s hand. Elijah hesitates for a moment and I wonder why.

“I’d lay down my life for your daughter sir.”

“Emmagen filled me in on how you did just that Elijah, and I want you to know how grateful I am to you for everything you’ve done.”

“With all due respect, I love her sir.”

“You realize that I have to kill you now.” Daddy says with a serious expression.

“Yes, sir.” Elijah says just as grave.

“Daddy, quit teasing Elijah.”

“What? I’ve probably missed out on threatening many, many of your dates over the years. You can at least let me have this one.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.” I giggle out.

He smiles. “Except I have hair again, that’s a bonus.” He runs his fingers through his shaggy brown waves.

We spend the rest of the evening sitting around the fire catching up. My eyes start to get heavy and I can’t stop yawning. I’m ready for a good night’s sleep, but I don’t want him to go.

“I’d better let you get some rest. Emmagen promised she’d get us a few more visits in the near future. So don’t worry, you’ll see me again.”

“I love you”

“Love you too. Oh and happy birthday. I brought this for you.” He pulls a small box from his pocket.

Inside I find the silver angel wings charm. “Is this the same necklace?” I had forgotten all about it. After my memory returned, I figured the Keepers took the necklace when they stripped me of my powers.

“Whenever you’re ready to have yo
ur gifts back, it’s your choice,” he explains. I hug his neck for a long time. Then he fades away right in front of me. Elijah pulls in next to me and puts his arm around me.

“Are you alright?”

“I miss him all ready. It was such a relief to see him though. He seemed happy. I guess I just wish he could be in my life.”

“Do you want to sleep here or go back home?”

“I’m not ready to face Sam yet.” I don’t blame him for the attack, nevertheless, I’m not sure I can ever be so trusting of him again. As the night comes to an end, the more I feel like I may never be able to face Sam again.

Elijah blesses me with a ki
ss to my forehead and a much needed hug. He pauses at his bedroom door, and I know he intends to sleep on the sofa. I shake my head and lead him inside. His lids lower and he gives me a wry grin.

I miss sleeping tangled in his silky flesh, his gentle breath on my neck, and the steady cadence of his heartbeat strumming against my own. I change into a pair of cotton pajamas and slip in next him. My fingers swirl over his chest for a short while and I drift off in his arms.

The next morning, Elijah and I stand by Sam’s bed and watch as the Keepers turn him over. My mother parts his hair gently at the base of his neck.

“It’s gone.” I say with my hands over my mouth, wringing my own chin. The tiny inverted white cross
, no longer mar’s Sam’s beautiful body. It no longer signals that he is an open vessel, ready and open for demonic hospitality. Sam’s soul is no longer bound by the chains of fate that had doomed him to hell.

My mother hands me the lead box containing the spirit of my tormentor.

“Can’t we just keep him in here? Sam is safe now, right?”

Elijah’s eyes turn up
, and I know the answer is no. “A deal like this is binding. If we don’t follow through on our part, Sam’s mark will return.”

Elijah and I return to my beach in Sandbridge. Will follow
s with Sam, who will awake in bed with a nasty hangover and no memory of how he got there. I examine the heft of the container in my hands. Scrolls and strange markings surround an onyx cross. The lid is hinged on one side and I know it’s my hand that has to set him free.

The waves roll in the morning tide as if it were any other day. A strong breeze blows in from the pier carrying with it the scent of fried funnel cakes and the overly dulcet whiff of cotton candy.  Elijah stiffens his body readying himself in full warrior mode. The sound of his wings ruffling in the wind, frightens away a flock of gulls.

I crack open the lid. A thick black smoke that should naturally scatter in the wind, pours out as if it were liquid instead. The substance builds upon itself and a form begins to take shape. Malphas appears, he’s bloodied and gravely wounded. He grips his unattached jaw in his hands and places it where it should go. He sneers as I bury my head in Elijah’s arm, smiling at me through bloodied teeth.

“Be seeing you.”

He vanishes into the air and I stare at the impression in the sand where his feet stood only seconds ago.

“I will never let him hurt you again Brennen.” Elijah says fully convinced of this fact.

“I just wish Malphas was as sure of that truth as you are.”

We’re finally alone. Will is no longer needed. Elena decided to stay behind and help train Jesson. A cool breeze hails in from the ocean and kicks up the waves, washing Malphas’ foot prints
away. This is our fresh clean start. Elijah and I gaze into one another’s eyes for a long while. I don’t think either of us can believe we made it through the entire ordeal.

“I still don’t know if I can face Sam. Every time I see him I remember the pain, the maleficent look in his
eyes. I know he’d never hurt me, but…”

“Don’t worry love, you’ll forgive him. He makes it easy for you to forget.”

My gaze lingers over Elijah’s face wondering how he can possibly be giving me advice that would help me stay with Sam. I break away from his hold and begin the walk back up to the house.

What will tonight hold in store for us? I can hardly picture the three of us having dinner or watching a movie together.

Daddy used to always ask me, “Baby girl, did you know the words, “
Do not be afraid
,” is written exactly three hundred and sixty-five times in the bible. It’s
His
daily reminder to us to live our lives without fear.”

The reminder of his words is all that I need to pick my head up, and hold it high as I enter into the unknown.

The End

             
Thank you for reading and for your continued support. I hoped you enjoyed the third book in the Soul Keeper Series as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please take a moment and leave a review on the Amazon website. For updates on future books including, My Soul Laid Bare, the fourth and final book in this series, please visit my blog
Whispered Secrets
.

My Soul Laid Bare is scheduled to be released in early January, but I promise to post regular teasers on the blog just for fun
.

Stay
~ Rhianna

Low~ Flo
rida

Wanted ~ Hunter Hays

Candyman ~Christina Aguilera

Just the Way You Are ~ Bruno Mars

Blurred Lines ~ Robin Thicke

If I Didn’t Have You ~ Thompson Square

Sexy Back ~ J.T

Elijah ~
The Christmas Song ~Nat King Cole

Brennen ~ O Holy Night ~ Carrie Underwood

Sam ~ Away in a Manger ~ Josh Turner

Elena ~ Santa Baby~Eartha Kitt

Inara ~ Silent Night ~Beyoncé

Will ~ Blue Christmas ~ Elvis