Crimson Moon - Leah Crowe (best mystery novels of all time .TXT) 📗

I was worrying all day long and you are just standing there, acting like it’s nothing! How could you?! Why didn’t you pick up your phone? Why did you skip school? Are you alright? Did something hap—“ She was cut off because Phillip had pulled her to himself and embraced her. At first, she stood; rigid in his arms, but soon she caved in and was hugging him back furiously! He gently pulled her face up to look at his own and kissed her passionately. She had longed for this secretly and happily kissed him back, twining her arms around his neck. He stopped put his fingers to her lips. “I’m sorry to make you worry but when I travel via the Underworld, I get pretty tired because I must go between dimensions and in this human form, it puts a lot of pressure to this body.” He said. “I understand. Just please tell me if something happens to you! I don’t want to have to worry like that again!” She replied and kissed him again. “Well, what do you say about going out somewhere tonight? I’m all rested and you seem a little too fidgety to sit still for long.” Phillip said smiling down at Beth. She tried to scowl, to show him she was still mad about not calling her, but his laugh in reply to her face was contagious and she found herself grinning. “Where do you want to go?” He asked. Beth looked up with a gleam in her eyes. “Surprise me.” She said simply. Phillip looked lost in thought for a moment before replying. “Hm. Is there any homework for school today?” “Nope, the teachers are going light for some reason.” Beth said, “Now are you sure you’re ok? You looked really bad last night and I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Phillip just laughed! “I’m a god remember?” he said still chuckling, “Although that hurt a bit, I recover quickly enough. It was just traveling through dimensions that wore me out. I’m the only god that can access the Underworld from anywhere but it’s never easy. It’s not natural.” “I don’t really understand.” Beth said, rather confused. “That’s alright. You don’t need to understand. Just know that I’m fine.” Phillip said. Beth bit her lower lip to keep back from chastising him further. Phillip thought it to be rather endearing and he pulled her close and kissed her.

~Chapter 8~

Winter had run it's course and the snow was starting to thaw. Beth hopped out of bed before the alarm even went off. She was unusually cheerful. She quickly dashed across the cold floor to her closet to pick out something to wear when she happened to glance at the calender nearby. It had been about five months since she had first met Phillip in the graveyard. Although that day had started out sour, Beth now only remembered happy things. Phillip was like that. When she was around him, everything made sense and he was a pretty cheerful guy for being the Lord of the Dead. She was slowly getting over the loss of her mother and she wasn't on such horrendous terms with her father. Mr. Tidwell really liked Phillip, too. Once dressed, Beth raced downstairs and quickly grabbed a poptart. Backpack in hand, she leaped out the door and to her car. As she drove into the school parking lot, she found the reason for her happiness standing in front of her, smiling. Beth hopped out of the car, not even bothering to turn it off and ran into Phillip's arms. He quickly embraced her but then told her that it would probably be a good idea to turn off her car. Rolling her eyes, Beth did as she was told and they walked into school together, Phillip carrying her bag for her. Over the past few months, they had become inseparable. Sometimes odd, unexplainable things would happen to Phillip but Beth was used to it. Her Phillip was different. Her Phillip... Beth felt eyes on the back of her head and realized it was him. He sometimes did that. Phillip would stare at her for minutes at a time. It was a tad unnerving but also made her swell with love. How could she, Bethany Tidwell, have gotten a god for a boyfriend. Literally. Tiffany walked by and rolled her eyes. At first, she had flirted with Phillip 24/7 but it was obvious that he was a dead end. Not that he was ever impolite, he just never showed any interest. After that, Tiffany had started annoying Beth. It was easy to forget her though, because Phillip rarely left Beth's side. Beth looked over at him and saw that he was looking out the window. His pitch black hair was slightly tousled and his pale skin glowed. The muscles in his arms rippled and his shirt was stretched rather attractively over his broad chest. He looked amazing, as usual. Then, he turned to look at her and his whole face lit up. A light seemed to shine out of his dark eyes and his lips curved in a smile. Beth couldn't help returning the look. They just stood there in the hallway, smiling at each other when the bell suddenly rang, sounding the beginning of first period. Giggling, Beth ran to her locker, tossed her first period books in and grabbed Phillip by the hand, dragging him to the library. "What are you doing Beth? Class is the other way." Phillip said, rather amused. "I don't want to go to class." Beth said smiling. Phillip rolled his eyes, but didn't try to stop her. Once at the library, Beth pulled him down some aisle filled with dusty old books no one read. He looked at her and, like magnets, they moved closer to each other at the same time.

Beth ran her fingers through Phillip's hair and forgot to breathe. It was perfect. It didn't matter where, just being with him made everything right for Beth. She bent her head up to kiss him when something caught her eye. On a bulletin there was a flyer. It read: Mother's Day! Show your mom some love!

Beth broke off from Phillip, a great sadness had washed over her. Her mother. Beth would never see her again. At that moment, Tiffany walked into the library, looking bored when she happened to see Beth's face. Looking in the direction of her vision, Tiffany saw what had caused the sadness and sneered. "Still missing you mommy?" She said, coldly, "Honestly, she died like, forever ago!" Beth began to shake with silent fury. "Aw, look. Now I've made her mad. Oopsy!" Tiffany said, laughing falsely. Beth, at a loss for words, sank to the floor in despair. That had hit a nerve. In the blink of an eye, Phillip had crossed the room to where Tiffany stood and towered over her. "I think you should leave. Now." He said, dark power radiating off him in waves. Tiffany whimpered and scurried out of the library. Phillip turned back to see that Beth was still on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Mom, she kept mumbling. Phillip raced over and picking her up. "Oh Beth! Tiffany was being a jerk." He said with sympathy. Mom, mom, mom, she kept saying. "Beth?" Phillip said uncertainly. She snapped out of her faze. "I miss her so much. I thought I was getting over her. Tiffany was right. I need to get over her." She whispered. Phillip nearly shouted, "No! Beth, you must understand that death takes time to recover from! These things cannot be rushed. What Tiffany did was horrible. She shouldn't have said that. You were doing fine." Beth just stared forward into space. "I want to see her." she said she she turned to look at Phillip, "Can you please take me to see my mother?"

-Phillip-
I grabbed the most precious thing on the mortal earth to me and held her close, reminding her to keep her eyes shut and not to breathe in anything. I outstretched my hand and the ground parted to envelop me and take me home. Home. A place where I actually belonged. For the millionth time, I thought of giving Beth ambrosia and nectar and changing her into an immortal. The thing that stopped me every time was Persephone’s face. I knew I would never force anyone to change for me ever again. We sucked through the particles of space and time and suddenly we were there. Wispy spirits floated all around, some in a line to get on a ferry to cross the river into Hell. The only sounds to be heard were the clanking of coins as they rattled in Charon’s hand as he led ghosts onto his boat. They were presently in a dark cave. Despair dripped off the stalactites on the ceiling. A pitch black river flowed but there were no waves, for there was no wind. The river was called the Acheron or river of woe. I passed the swarms of dead and flicked my wrist. The river parted and I walked across with Beth still in my arms. Traveling had made her unconscious and I was determined to make the first sight of Hades to be somewhat pleasant. This was hard to do for although I thought the place to be beautiful in a dark sort of way, most saw the place as a place of horror and death. I was known to be cruel and unmovable. Well, there was one who could move me and she didn’t even know it. I had vowed to myself that I would never bring Beth here but her agony over her mother was too much to bear and I was swayed. I thought of the most beautiful place and was instantly transported there; skipping over Cerberus and all the other ways a spirit must go to enter my domain. Elysian Fields was where we had landed. It was the place the fortunate ones went to in the afterlife. It was a place of rest and peace and I thought it to be beautiful. Beth started to squirm in my arms. She slowly opened her eyes and gasped.


Beth slowly opened her eyes and gasped. Before her stood miles and miles of flowing, tranquil fields. Whispery spirits floated just above the swaying grass, moving through the sparse trees. The whole place seeped out peace. Beth found herself falling under its sway. She began to feel tired and yet content when she realized that someone was holding her. She looked up, saw Phillip, and was instantly awake. He was beautiful! If she had thought of him as handsome on Earth, it was nothing compared to how he looked now. His every pore seemed to ooze of power. His face was glowing and he looked so happy, so content as he stared off into the distant field. She held her breath, not wanting to disturb him. He looked so perfect, standing there, watching his kingdom. This was his home. This was where he belonged... She heard barking in the distance and snapped out of her reverie. Beth turned slowly, still in Phillip's arms, and assessed her surroundings. It was very dark. Behind them was a narrow path cut straight in the middle of a giant wall of black granite. Flickering torches lit the way. There seemed to be no ceiling. It was utter darkness as she looked up. Everything seemed to be cast in a shade of grey. There was no sun or moon, yet the room stayed light enough to see. Beth snuggled into Phillip's arms. He finally seemed to notice her to looked down smiling. "This," he said, "is Hades. The Elysian Fields to be exact. It's where all the good boys and girls get to go when they die." Beth just stared, frozen. Her