Destiny's Revenge (Destiny Series - Book 2) by Straight, Nancy (novels in english .TXT) 📗

good you didn’t kill him. If I can’t find Max, Samael might be the only. . . one on earth that knows where he is. Killing Samael might have been a death sentence for Max.”

Mike looked more hopeful now. I don’t believe this had occurred to him. As bad as he felt about the whole situation, at least there was a ray of hope that he had done the right thing. Had Mike killed Samael yesterday, when I was so convinced he was Max, I’m not sure what I would have done, or how I would have reacted.

“Are you two done blaming yourselves yet? I didn’t know I was here to attend a ‘Pity party.’ I thought we were meeting to try to figure out how to save Max? Let me know when you’re ready.”

My cheeks flushed, and I was glad to see Rewsna was her usual obstinate self again. We sat at the table together for hours coming up with plans, assessing the likelihood that each one would work, what the risk was, and who we needed to involve. I had stepped away from the table several times to summon my tunnel and try to locate Max, each time finding myself at the same dark place with no idea where it really was. I questioned whether I was losing my edge, that my tunnel vision was somehow on the fritz.

Hiding my thoughts from Rewsna was useless. She was in mid conversation with Mike about putting surveillance outside each of Samael’s houses when she stopped in midsentence, turned to me, and said, “Do not question your gifts. I can feel Max through your thoughts. I too feel him in that basement. The Beast knows how your gift works. He hid Max in a place that would be difficult for you to find.”

Basement? There weren’t any basements in Charleston. He couldn’t be in one. She continued, “Maybe it is a storage shed or a room within a room that is blocked from the sunlight. I, too, know he is alone in the dark, Lauren. You must be his light. I know you can find him. You found him before, you can do it again.”

Rewsna had always been a voice I had heard in my mind. This time as she was sharing her thoughts with me, I watched her face distort. She put both her fingers to her temples, as if she were concentrating on a math formula long forgotten. As I watched her, a burst of light shot through my head, unlike the demon that had tried to possess me before – this flash of light was more like a sunrise bursting through a blanket of clouds, soft and inviting.

I saw myself, but I was dressed strangely, as if I were taking a picture in one of those old time photo studios. I was me. I looked the same, my features hadn’t changed a bit except my hair was tied up in a tight bun. I was walking along a dock, standing by a post as hundreds of people started spilling off the gangway of a large ocean liner. It looked as if I were waiting for someone, and as the influx of people began to diminish, I saw Max walking toward me up the dock. Our eyes locked. He had a different hair style, was in some seriously strange clothes, but it was absolutely him. This image faded and another took its place.

This time I was in a skirt to my ankles, with a thick wool jacket and hat, seated on a train. On my lap I held a large leather satchel as the train started moving slowly out of the station. I heard a familiar voice ask, “Is this seat taken?” I looked up. There he was again. Max, dressed as if he had stepped out of an old western movie, tipped his hat as he stood there. Our eyes met and my blood began rushing through my body.

The vision faded and Rewsna said, “You two have been able to find one another, lifetime after lifetime. This is no different. It just won’t be a surprise this time. Search for him, Lauren. I know you can find him.” The images had been so vivid. I knew they really happened – that this wasn’t our first lifetime together. Max had told me as much so many years ago when he came to me in my dream. Rewsna had pushed those images to me and it worked. Her knowledge gave me the strength to believe that I really could find Max.

Mike and Rewsna finished hashing out the plan as Peanut and I lay on the couch. Peanut didn’t have any leftover guilt from last night, so it was much easier to hang out with him. While I lay there, I decided to search for Max again. I watched the darkness through my tunnel until I wasn’t sure if maybe I had fallen asleep, or if the light deprivation to my senses had somehow anesthetized my mind. I had been sitting in this dark room near Max for a long time with no sounds, or scents, or anything to go on but the darkness.

Then with little warning I heard Max’s voice. It sounded so defeated. “You son-of-a-bitch, where are you? I know you’re out there. You think sliding me food and water and staying hidden in the darkness will save you? Scared of a fair fight, are you? Show yourself. I’ll rip your throat out myself.” It was Max. I could hear him clearly for the first time.

Samael’s voice was smooth and smug, “Those are pretty tough words for someone who begged to be locked up, begged me to leave Lauren alone. I just felt it necessary to tell you I saw her last night.”

“You lying pile of shit. You said you would stay away from her. You gave me your word that if I came quietly you’d never hurt her again.”

“Well, that is a bit of a tricky situation. You see