Page 72 of Shadows of the Soul

“There, you were told to let in a named demon, to crack open the wards that guard Cora and this house. Who have you let in?” my grandmother asked. This was important for the exorcism. Without a name we had about a twenty percent chance of getting rid of the demon and keeping Aunt Liz alive. With a name we could target the exorcism, and that probability rose to eighty percent.

Aunt Dayna thrashed as much as she was able to in her restraints, her mind resisting the intrusion. Blood seeped from her right nostril and down her cheek. “Grandmother,” I warned. Eloise Roberts grimaced and pushed her power with a punch that gave the psyche smasher its true name. My knees buckled and Hudson’s body pushed me against the bed, holding me up when I couldn’t.

“She’s been bound,” my grandmother gritted out. “There will be a figurine close by. Most likely at a crossroads.” She glanced at me as I searched my mind for likely places. There were several. My rooms, but I would have noticed a freaking voodoo doll making the magic wonky. There was under the house itself, in the vaults. They were literally built on such crossroads. But again, how the hell would Lucifer have gotten onto my grounds? My brain settled on something few people knew about Summer Grove House.

Aunt Dayna convulsed as my grandmother’s magic wound tighter. “Any time now, Cora,” my grandmother snapped.

“The stables,” I said, shifting my gaze to Dave. “Probably near the back door. You are looking for a miniature lead coffin.”

“What do I do with it?” Dave asked.

“Open it and unbind the hands and feet of the figurine,” my grandmother said. “Under no circumstances break that figure.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask,” I muttered as I met my grandmother’s eyes. Dave flew out of the room and I kept taking the pain from Dayna as best I could. The clock on the wall counted seconds, which seemed to be in slow motion.

Dayna suddenly relaxed on the table, and her mind became free of the entity which surrounded it. “Bune,” Dayna rasped. “His name is Bune.”

My grandmother’s power slithered from Dayna’s mind, retreating into its owner. Dayna sighed and passed out cold. I released her ankles and slumped back against Hudson.

“Is it over?” he asked as he scooped me up, bridal style.

“Put me down,” I mumbled. Damn cat enjoyed carrying me around like a weakling. My limbs were like noodles and my struggles were akin to a newborn kitten clawing at a tiger.

“Hardly,” my grandmother stated. “The good news is there are no further suggestions. The bad news is, Bune is no lower level lackey. He’s a duke of hell, best known for moving the dead.” She stepped away from the table and cocked her head at me. Her gaze narrowed. “Which begs the question, granddaughter, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

The office door burst open and in flooded vampire royalty. Sebastian’s feet paused on the threshold. He waved a pen drive at me with a frown. “What the hell happened?” He eyeballed Dayna’s unconscious form then swung his gaze back to me.

“Eloise Roberts happened,” Hudson growled.

“My grandmother figured out who is possessing Aunt Liz and ascertained there are no more instructions lurking in Dayna’s mind.”

“That’s good,” Sebastian said. “I’m confused. Why is the cat carrying you?”

“Jealous?” Hudson said with a smirk.

I groaned. “Not now, please. We have enough going on without your alpha bullshit posturing.”

“Is that the footage of my daughter’s rendezvous?” my grandmother asked.

She snapped her fingers at Sebastian. He blinked and handed her the drive.

“Nearest computer?” she asked me.

I waved a hand at my desk. “Second drawer on the left.”

She stalked to my desk and retrieved the laptop before placing it on the desk. I smacked Hudson’s chest. “I’m fine, let me down.”

His brow furrowed, then he gently set me on my feet. I wobbled a little before finding my footing and making my way to the laptop to help my grandmother. She folded herself into my chair like she belonged there. I refrained from rolling my eyes. It wasn’t even posturing. She simply believed she had every right to be in the seat of power, no matter the room or audience. I spun the laptop toward me, turned it on and tapped in my passcode. My grandmother slid the drive into the side as I slumped in the visitor’s chair. Hudson stood at my back, Rebecca joined us in the chair next to mine, and Sebastian stood behind her. My grandmother’s gaze roamed over us.

“What?” I asked.

“Manners,” she scolded.

I sighed and sat up straight. Lord knows I didn’t want my posture to be in question as well as my upbringing. “Apologies. I was wondering why you were looking at the four of us.”

She grinned. “You make quite the powerhouse quad. At some point, Principal, you are going to have to explain to me why my granddaughter is not worth your time or effort. Was it just the chase you were interested in? I thought you wiser than a teenager.”

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