Novels by Collette Baker

I had to grip my goblet. I felt as though I might drop it. That was the last thing I needed to do. Injure myself again. I sat the glass down firmly on the table and glared at Ben. “Why? Why would you say that? Why would you put that off on me? Stevie and Paulo were with Carrie way before...” “For about four months before you were sent to Yarber Heights.” Richard interjected. I whipped my head around to look at him. “About the time your parents had started to consider sending you there. Honey, we can project into the future within reason. However, sometimes humans can change their mind and throw the projection off course but not in this case. Your friend Carrie did have problems. She was a manic depressive and mildly schizophrenic. She had contemplated suicide. So, her parents had her placed there because they were afraid she would follow through with it. But it wasn’t until George and Sue decided to send you there that Stevie and Paulo attached themselves to Carrie.” I didn’t unders

“So, you have lived many times before? Do you remember any of those lives? Isn’t that kinda the same as reincarnation? But humans can be reincarnated too, can they not?” I knew I had just bombarded him with a host of questions, but there were a multitude of them coursing through my mind. I had just started with the simple ones. “Yes, I have lived many, many times before. I don’t know exactly how many. But we all live and die and are reborn. And we all have a way of finding each other. It’s like we’re linked somehow. This link does have its drawbacks. The Corrupt can find us just as easily as we can find each other and believe me, we don’t want to be found by them. Since the beginning of all of this and the separation of the Fallen angels, into the Virtuous and the Corrupt...” “We align ourselves with the Virtuous, by the way.” Richard interjected. Ben nodded and repeated. “We were divided into the Virtuous and the Corrupt. The Corrupt have determined to seek out the Virtuous and kil

Ben began. “Long ago, before man was ever created...” I squirmed a little. He had managed a sentence, and I was already uncomfortable with how this was starting.He sensed my discomfort. “Please, just hear me out. It is important that you hear this. I really shouldn’t be the one explaining this to you now...and at your age.” I backed away, slightly offended and wholly confused. “I’m only twenty-five!” I barked. “And what does any of this have do with me? What is happening to me?” He tightened his grip on my arm where his hand had rested. “I wasn’t saying you’re old.” He suppressed a laugh. “I will clarify. I am not the one who was supposed to be teaching you, um, explaining these things to you.” He looked over at Richard who was now looking at us but still smoking his pipe. “We all had this explained to us at a very early age. And unfortunately for you, I am not a very good teacher, but I will do my best to explain it to you as it was described to me.” I sighed. I didn’t understand.

I was shocked. Stevie. How did he know about Stevie? He could've read her mind. Although it was crazy, but not any crazier than anything I’d experienced this weekend. Deep down I knew he could read minds, and that was an insane thought. This whole situation, my life, had just became one insane thing after another. But I also remembered Stevie. I remembered how dark and scary Stevie was. Did I want to leave Carrie here alone, knowing that Stevie could do this to her? Knowing that there was a very real possibility that Stevie was actually real. “She will be fine. I promise.” Ben said as he forcefully lifted Carrie's head and lifted me from the swing at the same time. He carefully laid her on the swing and covered her up with the afghan. He then yanked my arm and started dragging me from the porch me to the car, walking in wide strides. I was staggering in pain, punching his arm all the way. Richard sat his coffee down and coolly strolled to the Jeep. I started crying. I couldn’t kee

Evie had fallen asleep in the backseat, so, Ben rolled down all the windows, and we decided to leave her there to sleep. It was a mild, early fall day, and Carrie’s front porch was less than ten feet away from his vehicle, so I felt she was safe. I got out of the car and waved at Carrie, and she came storming off of the porch towards me. I saw her jaw drop when she saw my injuries. “What the hell, Sadie?” she said looking at my foot and staring at the strangers who accompanied me. “You gotta lot of explaining to do.” She said as she eyed the two darkly handsome but unfamiliar men and turned to walk with me back to the porch of her house. It was chilly but sunny. Not so cold that one would need a coat. Leaves were all about the yard. Barney, her dog, came yapping around the corner of the house as Ben and Richard walked up to the porch behind us. I had already explained some of what had happened, at least enough to clarify the presence of Ben and Richard and the injuries on my leg.

Peter looked momentarily frightened as he dropped the rake and backed away. “No. Peter is my ex-husband.” I stated. His expression softened as I got out of the car. No sooner had my foot hit the ground, I heard the beautiful high-pitched squeal of my sweet girl. She came peeling out the front door letting it carelessly slam behind her. “Mama!” she screamed as she came running to me and crushed her body into mine. I yanked her up and held her tight. It had seemed like an eternity since I'd last seen her. I wanted to just hold her forever. To take her, hop in the car, and yell to Ben, “Drive!” But I knew I couldn't do that. I could feel her tiny tears rolling down my neck. She missed me too. “Where have you been? You haven’t called me.” She was hurt. And I was mad. Mad as hell at Peter. “I did call, Honey.” I cooed, gently pushing a loose strand of hair behind her tiny ear. “Daddy just forgot to tell you.” Fucking douche bag. Evie stared at the car that pulled in behind us. My car.