Between Worlds (Pendant Series Book 3) Read online

  Lilly took a deep breath and shook her head, as if she had heard enough and no longer wished to continue this conversation.

  “Well, brother, it was a good thing I was not far behind you. I found the Snake and made a deal of my own. He was to repair my face and in return I was to bring him back the soul of Eve.”

  She took a step toward me and Adrian put his body between us yet again. “No.”

  She shrugged her milky shoulders. “A debt is a debt.”

  Adrian gripped the golden handle of the dagger. “I’ll never let you hurt her.”

  Lilly’s smile never broke. “Here we stand, brother, in the face of death and betrayal once more.” She glanced down at his dagger. “What shall it be this time? A simple slice to my cheek surely won’t stop me that I assure you.”

  She pulled back the lever on the silver revolver and pointed it at me. I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer. This was it.

  Click.

  The gun was now cocked and ready to fire.

  I suddenly felt sad for the life I would never get to live. I was not going to be a coward. I opened my eyes and stared directly into the barrel of the gun as time stood still.

  Lilly announced her final intent. “Life wouldn’t be precious if it lasted forever. Goodbye, Eve.”

  As she began to squeeze the trigger, Adrian lunged forward, knocking her back, which caused the gun to shoot straight up in the air, hitting the cement blocks and sending crumbles of mortar down upon us.

  I ducked and shielded my head as the pieces fell, and then I felt Ray’s strong arms around me. “Come on, we need to get out of here now.”

  I took Ray’s hand as he led me toward the steps. I still couldn’t tear my eyes from the spectacle taking place on the floor of the McAllister mausoleum. Adrian and his sister rolled around, struggling for the gun.

  Suddenly, Lilly let out a yelp in pain and became deathly still. Her eyes were wide open as she coughed up a puddle of blood. Her floral print kimono slowly stained deep vermilion. Adrian’s ruby-handled dagger was prominently sticking out of her.

  Slowly and painfully she forced a smile on her now pale lips. “You still lose, brother. Look at her finger.”

  And then, Lilly Lavelle took her last breath.

  Chapter 9

  I’ll Let You Live

  It had all happened so quickly I don’t think there was any possible way I could have stopped it.

  Yet…

  I played that gruesome scene over and over in my mind and the cinematic picture moved so slowly I had to second-guess myself and believed I could have done something to change it.

  I could have saved him…

  As soon as Lilly breathed her final words, I attempted to hide my ring finger in my pocket but Ray had had enough of this circus. He firmly gripped my left hand in his and allowed Adrian’s eyes to drink in the sight of the large diamond that weighed down my hand.

  His eyes shone bright, but these were not the soft emerald eyes of the man whom I’d fallen in love with. These were a fiercely jealous green with a molten fire in them. Burning with rage, they almost looked black. Big, dark eyes contrasting against his porcelain skin.

  And now it seemed that all of Lilly’s craziness had transferred into Adrian’s being.

  “You’re marrying him?” His words exploded in my face.

  I was overwhelmed by the power of his temper, so I shifted my gaze to the floor and stared at the comforting solace of the bricks as I meekly nodded in affirmation.

  He softened. “You can’t just forget me, Sidney. We were at our best last night. You can’t deny that.”

  I cringed at his response. I had told Ray that I slept with Adrian but I failed to mention it happened just last night, following his proposal.

  Ray squeezed my hand, reminding me of his earlier speech. “Nothing either of us did mattered prior to him placing that ring on my finger.”

  My question was, how about after he had placed that ring on my finger?

  Did that matter?

  I looked up at his face and his warm expression confirmed it; Ray was willing to accept me as I was, flaws and all.

  Next, I turned my attention back to Adrian. I had to end this madness once and for all, even if it meant accepting the truth, however distorted it may be.

  “I know who you are, Samael. I remember you in my dreams. I even love you in them. But the conscious time between my dreams, when I’m awake, I love Ray. I cannot deny that.”

  With those final words setting in, Adrian turned his full attention toward my fiancé. They both stood, facing off like some scene out of an old western movie when the cowboy kicks open the saloon doors to challenge another to a gunfight at noon. They both stood there, neither one backing down. It was now Ray’s turn to shield me, as he stood in front of me to protect me from this crazed lunatic now possessing Adrian’s body.

  But it wasn’t me who needed protection. Adrian was never after me. It was Ray he wanted.

  “Adrian, calm down,” I said as I jumped around Ray, ready to run to Adrian’s side and comfort him, but something told me I shouldn’t.

  My thoughts were bouncing all over my brain. I should just stop. Leave him alone. Let him get over me. I shouldn’t interfere in his life anymore. It’s not fair to him. It’s not fair to me.

  “Do you know what it’s like to be second best, Sidney?” he replied with another one of his riddles.

  Deep in his eyes, I saw the pain behind the rage. There was so much pain. All caused by me. I looked down at the ground in shame. But as I did, I noticed something glisten in the light…

  It was a blade.

  Adrian was still holding onto his dagger. The same dagger he had just used to murder his own sister.

  As panic began to set in, I quickly scanned the brick floor in search of the gun Lilly must have dropped during the struggle. I needed it for protection, but just as I spotted it and before I could reach it, Ray lunged toward Adrian, in a valiant attempt to wrestle the knife out of his hand.

  That’s when pandemonium broke out.

  It seemed Ray would be able to take Adrian, he was almost a head taller and much more robust, but that wasn’t the case. Adrian was just too strong, and before I knew what was happening, he had managed to turn Ray around and had the knife pressed against his throat. He was holding the knife with his left hand, and in his right, he held a fistful of Ray’s golden hair.

  Adrian held on tight to Ray as he pulled down on his hair causing his head to tilt up and reveal his Adam’s apple. All the while, he was staring at me, looking like some kind of wild animal.

  I ran across the room and gripped the pearl handle of Lilly’s pistol.

  “Adrian, stop it!” I yelled as I pointed the gun directly at his head.

  I had never shot a gun in my life but I remembered the last time I had set my aim on something; I ended up smacking Ray directly in the eye. I could take Adrian out if I had to. My hands may have been shaking with fear but I knew I would not miss.

  Adrian stared back at me, smiling, tilting his head ever so slightly as if he were examining a newborn baby.

  “Oh come on, Sidney…is this really necessary?”

  “Let him go,” I ordered, but Adrian did not budge. “Go ahead and shoot me then.” He paused, waiting for the bullet that I couldn’t bring myself to discharge.

  I wasn’t a killer. “You can’t do it, can you?” Adrian mocked. “Because you love me.”

  Adrian pointed to me with the knife before placing it back against Ray’s throat. “She loves me, Ray. And she’s going to let you die rather than kill the man she loves.”

  I planted both of my feet firmly on the ground as I repositioned the gun and once again, prepared to kill Adrian. But I hesitated.

  I closed my eyes and attempted to get a hold of myself and just as I opened them, he did it. In one swift move, he pulled his left hand down and opened Ray’s throat.

  “Noooooooo!” I shrieked.

  My piercing scream must ha
ve sent a vibration throughout the universe that was strong enough to shatter the invisible veil that stood between our world and the next, because all of a sudden I was standing in that other world watching myself trying to help Ray.

  I watched as the flesh on Ray’s neck opened like a zipper and the thick red fluid slowly began to pour out like hot water boiling over. I watched in horror as Adrian let go and Ray slowly dropped to his knees. He didn’t even try to stand, he just fell to the ground like a limp doll.

  “Don’t worry,” I heard myself cry. “You’re going to be okay.”

  But my voice was laced with so much uncertainty there was no way anyone would believe me. With that shaky voice, I would be doubted even if I stated that George Washington was our first President.

  I was in shock.

  But I felt nothing. I couldn’t allow myself to be a part of what was taking place. I was alone in that other world. I was only a witness as I watched the actors play out their final scene.

  This was not my life. This was nothing more than one of my silly little dreams. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Please wake up,” I whispered.

  I opened my eyes and all at once I was thrust back into the harsh reality of what was now my world. My own screams pierced my ears as the pain erupted from my chest. This was not a dream, this was reality. My face soaked with tears and my hands drenched in red. All of that blood.

  I cradled Ray’s head in my lap as his stone cold eyes stared up at me, wide with terror. He was holding his throat while moving his mouth but there was no sound coming from his lips. Just a gurgled gasp as he choked on his own blood.

  “It’s gonna be okay, Ray. Just hold on,” I coached. His blue eyes looked into mine, begging for help but unable to speak.

  “I told you that you would choose me,” Adrian said triumphantly. “What have you got to say about that, Ray?” he shouted down to my crumbled rock star, kicking him while he was down.

  I wrapped both of my hands around his throat in a feeble attempt to stop the blood, but there was just too much. It seeped out through my fingers and wouldn’t stay in his body.

  “Call an ambulance, please!” I shouted at Adrian before turning my attention back to my fiancé. “Stay with me, Ray. Just hold on, the ambulance will be here soon,” I consoled him.

  I looked up at Adrian but he just ranted like a madman.

  “Call a goddamn ambulance!” I screamed.

  Then I heard Adrian’s laugh which resonated like a demon from hell. “God won’t save him,” he proudly boasted. “I beat God. I destroyed his perfect Adam.”

  And he began to laugh again.

  I needed to apply pressure to Ray’s injury until help arrived. He was dying.

  I ripped off my tan work shirt and crammed it firmly on his throat. Extending both arms, I pressed as hard as I could, but it seemed to make things worse. There was no way to put pressure on the wound without constricting his airway. But if I sat around and did nothing he would bleed out. It was an impossible situation. I needed a needle and thread to close him back up.

  I cried out in desperation, “What do I do? What do I do?”

  My tan shirt was now a deep purple as it absorbed every ounce of Ray’s blood. I wanted to squeeze it and wring it out over Ray, making every drop go back into his open body.

  The shirt was useless. The task was beyond my ability. I had no idea how to save him.

  Accepting defeat, I slumped my body on top of his and began to sob. “I’m so sorry.”

  I felt something cold against my cheek and was surprised to see it was Ray’s hand. But, it was too cold to be his. He had always felt like sunshine against my skin, and now he felt like a December morning.

  I shook my head in denial, unable to accept what was happening. But then I looked at Ray and his face was no longer washed over in fear. He was accepting his fate. He was giving up, which made me freak out even more.

  “You need to hold on, Ray. Don’t you dare die on me!”

  The light in his eyes began to drain out just as quickly as the blood had escaped. I shook my head as I begged him to stay. “Please don’t leave me,” I whimpered. “We were finally going to be happy.”

  I said the last line almost to myself. But Ray heard it and he forced his lips to curve into an agonizing smile. They were so pale they didn’t seem to belong on his face. His face that always had a natural tan was now as white as snow.

  As pale as Adrian.

  As pale as death.

  And his golden curls were now immersed in a sea of sticky wet substance that dominated them. The liquid was mixing in with his hair, dampening it and turning it darker shades that revealed his imminent demise. Ray was preparing to exit this world.

  “No!” I yelled, and with a renewed voice of determination, I grabbed the damp shirt and began to press it to his wound again. Ray’s eyes never left mine as he struggled to make his mouth move.

  “I love you,” he lipped.

  I knew what he was doing. He was saying goodbye. Before I had time to object, and demand that he continue to fight, it was too late. Ray closed his eyes and didn’t open them again. I looked down at Ray—silent, frozen as I waited for those blue eyes I had gazed into since we were kids to open back up. But they wouldn’t.

  He was gone.

  We sat there together in a puddle of his blood as Adrian laughed like a fevered maniac.

  I turned and angrily berated him. “What did you do?” I sobbed.

  “I did what you didn’t have the guts to do. I ended this bullshit! No matter how many times you got burned, you always returned to him, just like a moth to a fucking flame. You were constantly running back to him, depending on him to sustain you, as if he was the oxygen you needed to breathe.” His voice mocked me.

  He held up his knife like a magic wand. “But I cut that oxygen supply tonight, Sidney. And you’re going to find that you can breathe on your own without him. You don’t need him like you think you do. Now that he’s gone you’ll see what happiness is. Your vision won’t be clouded anymore.”

  I couldn’t believe what was happening.

  Ray can’t be dead.

  I drowned out the nonsense Adrian was babbling as I violently mourned for Ray. How could I have been so blind, spending my time with a guy who was clearly off his rocker.

  I should have known from our talk on the railroad trestle. All of that talk about life and death being a dream. He was a complete fucking lunatic and now he had just killed my fiancé.

  Ray couldn’t be gone. He just couldn’t…

  I could barely see a thing. Everything seemed to be underwater as I sat on my knees overwhelmed in sorrow. Everything was a blur as my tears tumbled down my face. My sobs were uncontrollable. It was as if Adrian had just ripped my soul out of me. The pain was intolerable.

  Adrian’s face darkened as he listened to my hysterics. It was as if he truly believed he could just eliminate my fiancé, and with his death, all of my love for Ray would simply evaporate.

  He began to have second thoughts now.

  “I should have known not to pursue this,” he yelled as he paced back and forth in the cold, dark room. Turning, he pointed the dagger at my face. “I told you not to pursue it.”

  There was no point in listening to Adrian, so I turned my focus back on Ray, refusing to give up. “Wake up, Ray,” I pleaded.

  Denial is a cruel bitch.

  Adrian now looked like a caged panther as he foolishly reasoned to himself. “I knew better than this. You weren’t ready. Not as long as he was still around.” Gripping his black hair, he hunched over and brought his elbows to his knees in frustration. “I was so stupid to think that just because I killed him you would forget him. You’re too damaged. It’s been too long. I took too long to find you. Damn my father.”

  He dropped the knife and continued to pace back and forth on the cold floor. At that point, my instinct for survival began to kick in and I realized how imperative it was for me to escape.
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  I calmed myself enough to speak. “Adrian. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Collecting my thoughts, I attempted to buy some time. I scanned the room, looking for the fastest way out.

  “I told you not to get involved with me unless you were serious. Did you think I was joking, Sidney?” He gripped my shoulders as he shouted directly in my face. “Does it look like I’m fucking joking?”

  My mind screamed out, Oh God, now it’s my turn. Now he’s going to kill me.

  But my voice was more defiant, “Stop it. Adrian. You’re hurting me!”

  He let go of me and tried to get a grip on himself. “It shouldn’t hurt like this. Love shouldn’t hurt this bad, Sidney.”

  God, he was nuts. How did I not see this before?

  Why didn’t I listen to those warning bells?

  Now I only spoke to survive. “I’m sorry, Adrian. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I said as I slowly began to rise to my feet, reluctantly tearing myself away from Ray’s lifeless body.

  I’ll come back for you Ray, I silently promised him. I won’t leave you here.

  Adrian laughed as he shook his head. “You didn’t mean to hurt me?” His voice was sarcastic now. “Of course you meant to. What did I really expect, though? Looking for love from a girl who doesn’t even know the definition of it. A girl rejected by her own parents left chasing after some loser guy who couldn’t give two shits about her,” he spat in the direction of my lifeless boyfriend.

  I slipped back into the shadows on the cold dark floor, emotionally sinking as low as I had ever been in my life. Nothing he said was surprising; and maybe it shouldn’t even be taken seriously coming from a madman. But his words still cut me deep. How could he be so hurtful?

  Then, he shifted his emotions again.

  He rushed over to the corner and knelt down in front of me full of remorse. The rage slowly faded inside of those emerald irises. But I knew better than to trust this demented excuse for a human being or whatever the hell he was. The lunacy was not gone, it was merely circumvented as Adrian pleaded for me to understand his twisted rationalizations as he attempted to explain away his unspeakable crime. “I-I’m sorry,” he stuttered. “I was out of line. I didn’t mean to say that.”