Page 44 of Let The Devil In

That’s all conversation for later.

“I can’t leave yet,” I tell her, remembering why I was in the basement. “Kellen, Lukan and Roan are here and they’re trying to get some book away from Aunt Laura’s ghost upstairs.”

Mom blinks. She stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, and maybe I have.

“Honey, Aunt Laura’s dead and ghosts aren’t real.”

Mom has always had a strange belief around the supernatural. She believes in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, everything else kind of falls into the fiction realm of things. But I don’t have time to explain.

With her shouting after me, I hurry through the kitchen. My feet slap across wood as I round the corner and jog to the foyer. On a whim, I peek at the clock — nine — but I don’t stop as I scramble up the stairs.

Mom grabs me on the third step. Her hands fist into my cardigan and pull me forcibly back. I nearly crash to the floor as my feet slip out from under me.

“We don’t have time for this,” she barks through gritted teeth. “The storm is getting worse and ... think of your father.”

I stare into her soft, round face with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

“My boys are up there,” I tell her firmly. “I need—”

She blinks and I realize my choice of wording is about to start a conversation.

“Rina, you can’t trust them. They have been lying to you.”

It’s my turn to stare.

“What are you talking about?”

“Get your hands off her.”

Kellen, Lukan and Roan stand at the three points of exit. Kellen at the top of the stairs. Lukan in the doorway leading to the dining room and Roan on the threshold of the sitting room. None of them look pleased. There is a pluming darkness coiling off them that seems to fill the air. It tangles with the light, stealing what’s left filtering through.

“Now,” Kellen orders, moving down the stairs with slow, booming thumps. “Or I’ll make you.”

Outraged by his behavior, I straighten and put my arm out across Mom, shielding her. “Hey, that’s my mom—”

“Baby, come here,” Roan murmurs gently, but with a firmness that leaves no room for disobedience.

“What’s going on?” Mom cries, clutching my arm. “Rina? Don’t leave me with them.”

The situation is spiraling out of hand. They don’t remember her and probably think she’s something creepy from the house.

“Guys, it’s okay. It’s just my mom,” I try to explain.

“No, sweetheart, she isn’t,” Lukan murmurs.

“What’s going on?” Mom grips me tighter, terrified. She’s scrambling back, taking me with her and I can’t blame her.

“You’re scaring her,” I snap. “Of course it’s my mom. Look at her.”

“Rina, there’s a storm outside. How would she get here?”

“He’s lying,” Mom whispers. “You know nothing would stop me from getting to you.” That’s very true. “Don’t let them hurt me, Rina.”

I put a hand up when Kellen takes his final step off the stairs.

“I think we just need to calm down,” I attempt at reasoning. “We should—”

“She’s lying to you,” Kellen says sharply.