driveway. The drive home took twenty-five minutes when it should have only taken fifteen, and she felt like she’d sped the whole way. Stumbling from the car, she forced herself up the porch and into her house before she collapsed on her hands and knees in the foyer.
Her mom rushed to her side. “Claire? Oh, Claire! What’s wrong? What happened?” She helped her up the stairs, helped her undress, and tucked her into bed. Never had anything felt so wonderful. The cool sheets hugged her legs and the smooth silk of her pillowcase cradled her face. She rolled to her side and mumbled that she needed rest.
Her mother smoothed back her hair. “Yes, Claire. You rest. I’ll bring some dinner up later.”
Exhaustion overcame her, and she couldn’t stop her eyelids from drooping closed.
18
~Mounting Frustrations~
Alisa
I couldn’t explain what happened, but Claire had taken control away from me. It was a shock, and I was stunned, but I’d stood back—so to speak—and watched quietly, observing her reaction.
She’d raced home, terrified, and gone straight to bed.
At that point, I easily took over again. I didn’t want to fight her, and even though it was cool to have a body, I knew I couldn’t stay here like this. As fun as it had been, guardians didn’t possess. That was what a demon would do, preferably without the charge knowing… but for once, this wasn’t my fault, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get out… maybe.
I sat up in the dark of Claire’s bedroom, my head pounding and my belly roiling with nausea. Weakness left my arms and legs hanging, fatigued, and I thought I might throw up. I lay back down, hoping to keep the contents of my stomach right where they were.
Then the memories came rushing back.
All thoughts were washed away by what mattered most.
Brecken
He didn’t remember me. I pressed my fist to my chest in an effort to ease the ache, but it didn’t help. Nothing could. After all we’d been through… the hopes I’d had… I couldn’t let it end like this.
Rolling over, I closed my eyes, willing myself to forget.
The clock on Claire’s nightstand read 2:03 AM. I was wide awake but exhausted. If I lay here for another four or five hours, I’d go nuts. It was enough to drive me to my feet. Tiptoeing down the stairs, I headed to the kitchen. The streetlights in front of the house shined brightly through the windows, lighting my way. In the kitchen, I got a drink of water and looked around. I wasn’t afraid, even though this wasn’t my house. The shadows were unfamiliar, and the creaks and groans were different from my old house, but the feeling was kind of the same.
I was safe here.
As I leaned against the counter drinking my water, I noticed a light glowing under the door to the basement. I had a firm belief about basements—that all things evil or haunted happened there. Nothing good ever came out of a basement except canned fruit, but I was curious, so I ventured forth anyway, tempted to see why the light was on. Sometimes, I liked the thrill of fright. It was a rush, and maybe it would make me tired enough to go back to sleep.
The door squeaked as I pulled it open. I stopped, listening for any sounds from upstairs. After a few seconds of silence, I deemed it safe to proceed. One foot after the other led me down into the deep, dark basement. I left the door open at the top of the stairs just in case I had to turn around and run for my life. A lone light bulb hung in the center of the open room. It glowed softly, but cast dark shadows past the shelves of stored food and into the deep corners where anything could hide.
I shivered instinctively and then noticed a low table, or more accurately, a bench, that stood against the far wall. It held candles with cold, melted wax at their base. It wasn’t until I moved closer that I remembered this room. I’d been down here watching Claire when she’d done her ceremony. That was when I’d been forced into her
Her mom rushed to her side. “Claire? Oh, Claire! What’s wrong? What happened?” She helped her up the stairs, helped her undress, and tucked her into bed. Never had anything felt so wonderful. The cool sheets hugged her legs and the smooth silk of her pillowcase cradled her face. She rolled to her side and mumbled that she needed rest.
Her mother smoothed back her hair. “Yes, Claire. You rest. I’ll bring some dinner up later.”
Exhaustion overcame her, and she couldn’t stop her eyelids from drooping closed.
18
~Mounting Frustrations~
Alisa
I couldn’t explain what happened, but Claire had taken control away from me. It was a shock, and I was stunned, but I’d stood back—so to speak—and watched quietly, observing her reaction.
She’d raced home, terrified, and gone straight to bed.
At that point, I easily took over again. I didn’t want to fight her, and even though it was cool to have a body, I knew I couldn’t stay here like this. As fun as it had been, guardians didn’t possess. That was what a demon would do, preferably without the charge knowing… but for once, this wasn’t my fault, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get out… maybe.
I sat up in the dark of Claire’s bedroom, my head pounding and my belly roiling with nausea. Weakness left my arms and legs hanging, fatigued, and I thought I might throw up. I lay back down, hoping to keep the contents of my stomach right where they were.
Then the memories came rushing back.
All thoughts were washed away by what mattered most.
Brecken
He didn’t remember me. I pressed my fist to my chest in an effort to ease the ache, but it didn’t help. Nothing could. After all we’d been through… the hopes I’d had… I couldn’t let it end like this.
Rolling over, I closed my eyes, willing myself to forget.
The clock on Claire’s nightstand read 2:03 AM. I was wide awake but exhausted. If I lay here for another four or five hours, I’d go nuts. It was enough to drive me to my feet. Tiptoeing down the stairs, I headed to the kitchen. The streetlights in front of the house shined brightly through the windows, lighting my way. In the kitchen, I got a drink of water and looked around. I wasn’t afraid, even though this wasn’t my house. The shadows were unfamiliar, and the creaks and groans were different from my old house, but the feeling was kind of the same.
I was safe here.
As I leaned against the counter drinking my water, I noticed a light glowing under the door to the basement. I had a firm belief about basements—that all things evil or haunted happened there. Nothing good ever came out of a basement except canned fruit, but I was curious, so I ventured forth anyway, tempted to see why the light was on. Sometimes, I liked the thrill of fright. It was a rush, and maybe it would make me tired enough to go back to sleep.
The door squeaked as I pulled it open. I stopped, listening for any sounds from upstairs. After a few seconds of silence, I deemed it safe to proceed. One foot after the other led me down into the deep, dark basement. I left the door open at the top of the stairs just in case I had to turn around and run for my life. A lone light bulb hung in the center of the open room. It glowed softly, but cast dark shadows past the shelves of stored food and into the deep corners where anything could hide.
I shivered instinctively and then noticed a low table, or more accurately, a bench, that stood against the far wall. It held candles with cold, melted wax at their base. It wasn’t until I moved closer that I remembered this room. I’d been down here watching Claire when she’d done her ceremony. That was when I’d been forced into her
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