Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Guy rolled his neck and shoulders then looked around the room. He was sitting on the floor with all of Carley’s scrolls and books scattered around him. A small smile appeared on his face as he pictured Carley, the way she had looked when she was alive, sitting in her wheelchair a few feet away with an open book in her lap.

Rubbing his eyes, Guy picked up the book Carley had originally pointed to and started ruffling through the pages again. It was difficult to find a particular spell in this book due to its thickness.

It was older than dirt… literally the binding was nothing more than rawhide sewn to keep the book itself from falling apart. The front and back covers were fashioned out of animal skins that had hardened over the centuries into stiff-as-wood leather.

But that wasn’t what frustrated Guy about the book… it was the fact that it contained more than one thousand pages full of spells that had no order to them. He and Carley believed that this was the very first Book of Shadows ever written. It had been a gift from Storm, so it was hard to say to whom it had belonged or where it had come from and the siblings didn’t bother to ask.

After a few more minutes of searching, Guy tossed the book onto the floor in front of him and glared. “This is impossible,” he growled at it. “It would be a hell of a lot easier if you could just tell me where to look.”

A soft breeze drifted in through the window and started ruffling the pages of the ancient book. Guy watched as the pages began to slowly turn, the breeze actually picking up a little strength, causing the pages to turn faster. The curtains blew in, trailing eerily through the air above Guy reminding him of the ghost movies he’d seen a few times at the theater.

Abruptly, the breeze stopped blowing and the last page of the book stood upright for a moment before falling silently to the next. Guy frowned and pulled the book to him again, his eyebrows slowly rising into his hairline at his discovery.

“I’ll be damned,” he whispered then smiled at the book. “Thanks.”

Looking over the spell that had been revealed to him, Guy took in everything that he would need in order to perform it. Setting the book down on the floor, he got up and went into Tiara’s bedroom. It didn’t take him long to find what he needed… her hairbrush hadn’t been cleaned before she left the last time and he took a few strands of her long hair from it.

Stepping out into the hallway, he started back to his room when he saw Jason coming toward him without Zachary.

“Back already?” Guy asked.

Jason shrugged, “Yeah, Zachary wanted to stay even though we didn’t find anything. Not even the ghosts have seen her.”

Guy nodded, “The fact the ghosts are still there proves she hasn’t been back. If she had there probably wouldn’t be any souls left for you to question.”

Jason cocked his head to the side when he saw the long strands of silver hair dangling from Guy’s hand. “What are those for?”

“Since Carley went out to look for Tiara on her own, I’m stuck here trying to find a spell that will locate Tiara a little faster,” Guy answered.

“Anything I can do to help out?” Jason asked as they walked back to Guy’s room.

Guy shrugged, “It’s really simple so I don’t need any help but you can sit in if you want.”

When they shut the door behind them, Guy went over to the desk and took out a laminated map from one of the drawers and spread it out on the table in the center of the room.

“Get me that clear flask of water sitting on the night table.” Guy said pointing to his side of the room.

Jason retrieved the item and placed it in Guy’s outstretched hand. “What will this do exactly?”

“It’ll help us find Tiara,” Guy answered with a shrug. “The ring you’re wearing will tell you if she’s in danger but that’s all it’s going to tell you. This way we’ll have her exact location and won’t have to go rushing in blind.”

“Sounds to me like you’re not in the mood to wait,” Jason said as he sat down across from Guy.

“I’m not,” Guy said honestly. “Storm is too busy with the other hunters and Trevor’s off taking care of the police stuff… so that leaves me, you, and Zachary and he’s about as useful right now as a squirt gun against a forest fire.”

Though Jason hated to admit it, Guy was about spot on. However, after seeing Zachary at the cemetery, he could sympathize with the fire starter.

“Zachary has his problems too,” Jason defended softly. “He’s more torn up about Tiara leaving than the rest of you realize.”

Guy uncorked the flask and poured a few drops of water onto the surface of the map creating a small puddle. Jason narrowed his eyes at the liquid realizing that it had a soft electric blue tint to it. When he’d picked it up, it looked like ordinary water but now he wondered what it really was.

Curiosity got the best of him. “What is that?”

“It’s water that’s been blessed by the high priest of the Knights Templar years ago,” Guy explained. “There’s holy water and then there’s Holy Water… this is the latter.”

Jason looked up at Guy, “What’s the difference?”

“A lot of people dismiss the amount of holy power the Knights Templar high priests actually possessed. They were completely human, don’t get me wrong, but the souls of those individuals had been completely pure with no shred of darkness in them.”

“I still don’t get it.” Jason said.

Guy leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees. “Then look at it like this… if this water were human… it would have been declared a saint.”

Jason’s eyes widened, “Damn,” he whispered then leaned back at the dark look on Guy’s face. “Sorry.”

Guy took a few of the hairs he’d collected from Tiara’s room and coiled it on top of the water.

“Wouldn’t doing something like this with Holy Water be considered wrong?” Jason asked.

Guy shrugged and gave him a half-hearted smile, “Probably, but desperate times and all that.”

“Well, at least your heart is in the right place,” Jason concluded and leaned forward watching Guy work.

The water on the map began to ripple when Guy started whispering a few words over it. It swayed back and forth for a moment before molding into a gumdrop shape. It began moving slowly across the map as though searching for something.

“Now what?” Jason asked unable to take his eyes off the moving water.

“Now we wait until Tiara uses her necromancy.” Guy answered. “The water will continue to move around and when she surfaces, it will point out her exact location.”

*****

Tiara looked around her again as she walked through the graveyard wondering if Nighthawk had left her. All she could see were souls and they were paying no attention to her because she was making sure her necromancy was turned off as far as it could go.

‘I am still here,’ Nighthawk whispered knowing she couldn’t locate him by his voice because it was coming from inside her mind. If he had emotions, then he would assume this would be funny.

‘More practice?’ Tiara asked getting used to the mental conversation part. It was the part of not being able to see him and not knowing if he was there that was distracting her.

‘I will watch you… not the other way around. You will learn that I am always there,’ Nighthawk informed her in an even voice.

Tiara smirked. She was starting to catch on to the fact that he wasn’t being heavy handed with his words. But, just because he had lost his sense of humor didn’t mean she had lost hers. ‘Okay, but if I catch you in the shower with me… your fired.’ She moved a little faster when she saw Craven in the distance.

Nighthawk felt a spark of humor caused by her words but it vanished before he had a chance to really enjoy it. He stared at Tiara’s back as she walked toward her uncle. She may be learning how to put souls to rest… but she would be the one who brought him back to life.

Craven waited patiently as Tiara closed the distance between them. It seemed as if she was traveling alone but he knew that wasn’t the case. Now that she had a Night Walker, he would be far less worried about her… frailties. He also found that he was surprisingly anxious to see her use her power up close.

“Thank you for helping me,” Tiara said, really meaning it. Her first instinct was to hug Craven while saying it, but she forced herself to stop several feet away from him.

“Show me,” Craven instructed not wanting to delay her training.

Tiara looked around for a moment and took a deep breath. She felt like she was performing in front of a talent agent but knew it needed to be done in order for Craven and Nighthawk to start teaching her. What better place to do that than in Beverly Hills? She tried to hide her smile at her own private joke and take this seriously.

Tilting her head back, she felt the graveyard for the lingering souls searching for a way home. As soon as she touched them, Tiara knew she’d once again found her reason for taking this seriously. There was nothing funny about being lost.

Abruptly, she released her power and felt it instantly spiral out of her control. The lingering souls were already being pulled toward her and she couldn’t stop the sudden rush.

Craven watched in amazement as Tiara’s power shot out in a huge wave over such a large area. He was transfixed for a moment and decided Deth was an even bigger fool than he’d first believed. What demon would leave such a powerful child in the hands of humans? Despite that, Craven knew Deth would be very proud of his daughter.

When he saw the first beginnings of the vortex swirling around Tiara, Craven stepped up behind her and pulled her body flush against his. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he began drawing the surging power back in toward them. His other hand cupped her chin and tilted her head back against his shoulder.

“Feel your power,” Craven whispered in her ear. “Do not fight it little one, accept it. It is a part of you. Pretend it is your breath. You have breathed out… now breathe it back in.”

Tiara concentrated, comparing her breath with her necromancy by attempting to suck it back in, then release it again. Instead of coming all the way back inside her, the necromancy just became a touch smaller… but she was catching on. She could now feel the waves like one felt the warmth around a heat lamp. She tried to turn it down.

“You can’t dim the power,” Craven whispered in her ear as he let his thumb caress her bottom lip in an attempt to lessen the hunger for now. “But you can control what it touches.”

Tiara relaxed back against him as she continued to draw her power in. She felt so safe with Craven that she ignored the souls for a moment and studied the flow of her own power. At this moment, she felt closer to Craven than she had ever felt to Myra.

Craven smiled feeling Tiara’s aura wrap around him in an embrace, though he was sure she was unaware of what she was doing. Many humans were under the impression that a demon was incapable of love, but the truth was, some of them had been born with human hearts without mutation. It was their Fallen blood that made them so possessive.

He enjoyed helping her transcend the souls that were caught up in the vortex… protecting her. By doing this, he was also giving her time to learn how to put a stop to the vortex itself by reeling in her necromancy.

Tiara felt the outline of the power crawling across the ground. Her eyes lit up knowing that was what she’d been searching for.

*****

Zachary was lying on the roof of a huge crypt staring up into space. This wasn’t the biggest building but it was the tallest in the graveyard… tall and slim, just about the size of the row of stacked coffins that were layered beneath him. Beverly Hills was an odd place with odd people who would want to be buried in such an odd structure like this. He wasn’t going to pretend to understand.

He was tired of the ghosts looking at him… reminding him of what he’d lost… so he’d come up here to hide. At first, part of him wished Jason had stuck around, but now he was glad the newest member of PIT understood his need for solitude. Even the souls in the graveyard were keeping their distance but not for the same reasons.

The only one who had the nerve to follow him up here was the little boy Jason had befriended. He’d started to send him away, but the boy wasn’t watching him… maybe he had just wanted to sit beside someone.

Zachary felt the numbness crawl over his skin as he blocked everything out on purpose… or had he blocked it all in? He couldn’t tell the difference, but feeling nothing for a little while was helping him keep Zach from emerging. It was best for everyone if he didn’t feel anything right now.

He figured if he’d just stay out here tonight alone, then maybe he would have the strength to go back to PIT tomorrow and pretend everything was fine… that he was fine. Even if he could pull it off, it would be his biggest lie.

The little boy who had been sitting beside him rocking back and forth suddenly stood up. Zachary lifted his head to look at him.

The little boy smiled brightly in Zachary’s direction before leaping off the side of the tall structure.

Out of curiosity, Zachary leaned over the side of the building and looked straight down. He frowned when he didn’t see the boy and slowly let his gaze travel outward, scanning the cemetery. His thought process shut down for all of two seconds when he saw Tiara standing in the distance… within the arms of the demon who had taken her from him.

The air around Zachary sizzled as he brought his legs up into a low crouch, ready to jump off the building when a voice stopped him.

“Don’t do it,” Carley warned as she appeared beside him, sitting down on the edge with her legs dangling off the side. “That demon is her uncle. She asked him to teach her how to control her power so it doesn’t go haywire and create another cyclone like it did the other night.”

Zachary gripped the edge of the building to hold himself firm and turned his darkening gaze on Carley. Even though he was no longer looking… he could still see that demon touching her. He felt his alter ego rise up within him with a vengeance. But instead of Zach taking over, it was more of a merger… both sides of him were obviously pissed.

“With him,” Zachary hissed in a dangerous voice, “she’s with him?”

Carley shook her head seeing that Zachary was struggling to contain his fire. “Wait. Craven won't hurt her. She’s his brother’s child, and to him that makes her his child too.”

Zachary held her gaze not believing that was the extent of the demon’s motives. “You knew exactly where Tiara was during the meeting… didn’t you?” Zachary accused harshly.

Carley was once again glad she didn’t have a body… if she had, he would have grabbed it and probably strangled her. She stilled her fight or flight instinct.

“Yeah, I knew where she was and what she was doing.” Carley answered fearlessly. “She was sleeping… and woke up right at the same time you did. Would you like to know whose name she cried the second she awoke?” She leaned toward him and hissed, “Yours.”

“I have to talk to her,” Zachary announced and started to drop off the roof of the building.

“NO!” Carley growled. “You’re going to ruin everything. If you approach her now, she’ll disappear with Craven again and there’s no telling when she’ll resurface. She ran away for a reason Zachary, we all know that. If you don’t wait until Craven leaves, then we’ll probably never see her again.”

Zachary turned a disturbed glare back toward the demon Carley had given a name. “Craven is it? How do you know he is going to leave her side?”

“Because I am the perfect fly on the wall,” Carley smirked. “After he teaches her how not to call every soul at the same time, he will leave her here to practice.” She smiled when Zachary’s body relaxed some, even if he didn’t stop boring a hole in the demon with his gaze.

*****

Nighthawk stood back, hidden by the nothingness in which he had wrapped himself. It appeared that Tiara was a fast learner, which was a very good thing. She would have to be quick on her feet to take in the hard lesson Craven was teaching her.

A slight movement from a few thousand yards away caught his attention and he turned his head to look. The human who had claimed Tiara was on the roof of an old crypt with her ghost companion sitting next to him watching everything. It was good that Tiara’s lover was here. Before the night was over… she would need him.

*****

Guy was staring at the map waiting for the water to stop on a location while munching on a sandwich. Jason was reading one of Carley’s books on the first steps of magic with a light frown on his face and chugging the soda in his hand.

“I thought this would work a lot quicker.” Guy said after a while. “I should have just tried tracking Carley.”

Jason put down the book, “Why?”

Guy caught his slip and mentally slapped himself, but his face remained passive. “She’ll probably have a hell of a lot more luck than I’m having.”

Suddenly, the gumdrop sized bead of water streaked across the map and stopped on a location both men were very familiar with. The gumdrop suddenly started swirling and rose up off the map in the distinct shape of a vortex, the point directly over the Hollywood Cemetery address.

“Bingo!” Guy exclaimed and leapt to his feet.

Jason put his soda can on the table and ran out the door after Guy. They rushed out to Guy’s car and sped off without telling anyone where they were going for two reasons. One, if anyone had any questions all they would have to do is check Guy’s room and see the map. Second, Zachary was still at the cemetery… the first reason didn’t count.

*****

“Pull it back toward you slowly.” Craven instructed after her first couple failed attempts. “Do not yank on it or you will become overwhelmed as you did before. Also be aware that you have gained the attention of the souls who are nearby but not yet within your power’s reach. Can you feel them… there watching you?”

When Tiara reached out to see if she could feel them, her necromancy reached out with her and it caused another rush of souls to surge upon her and Craven.

Craven growled softly and the souls were suddenly pushed backwards until they were out of Tiara’s circle of power. “Pay attention.”

Tiara flinched hearing his warning and without having to concentrate at all, she pulled the circle inward until it was only reaching a very small area.

Craven caressed his cheek against hers, feeling her hunger vanish with his touch almost as quickly as it had spiked due to her mistake. “That’s better. Now, instead of reaching for the souls, call them to you one at a time. If they attempt to rush you without permission, pull the power back inside of you until they behave.”

Tiara took a slow deep breath and reached for the nearest soul with her mind. She smiled softly when a little boy approached before the others and slipped into her body. Another appeared in front of her and vanished in the same manner. One at a time, they came forward but it wasn’t long before they began crowding closer.

“Close the gate,” Craven whispered.

Tiara did immediately as he instructed and the souls began to move away from them as if they had suddenly lost the path they’d been following.

“You are the one in control,” Craven continued. “They must understand that or they will unintentionally tear you apart and take you with them.”

Tiara turned her head to look up into his silvery blue gaze, “Thank you.”

Craven nodded and traced his lips over the shell of her ear as he nudged her face forward, “Now, do it again.”