Page 57 of The 13th Daughter

A wave of black rage swept through me. Destroy the Book? Destroy my Book?

"No one will ever destroy my Book."

He looked at me sharply. "Your book?"

"It's mine," I snarled. "Whoever shall try and take it from me will suffer my wrath."

His eyes went round. "CJ, honey, why don't you sit down?"

"Where is it?" I demanded. "Where did you put it?"

"I don't have it, honey. I swear it upon my oath as Coven Master. I didn't touch it."

The rage drained out of me as suddenly as it came. I fell into the chair. What was going on? "Daddy, what's happening to me? I don't understand. I've never even seen that Book, but I...it...what's wrong with me?"

"Shh, honey, it's okay," he soothed. "Why don't you try and get some sleep? You look tired." He muttered something and my eyes became heavy. I needed sleep. It overrode everything else. I was so tired. I blinked. What had we been talking about? My eyes fluttered. Sleep.

"Yeah, you're right, Dad," I mumbled through a yawn. "I just need to sleep."

He helped me up and half carried me to my room.

"Sleep, sweetheart." He kissed my forehead and pulled my old, worn out throw around me. He left, pulling the door closed behind him.

My eyes fell closed and I drifted on a warm lulling breeze of darkness. Sleep.

The blare of my phone woke me.

"Hello?" I slurred.

"CJ, thank the Fates," Billy sounded frantic.

Kay screamed.

Chapter Nineteen

"What's wrong?!"I shouted into the phone, wide awake.

"I don't know! She was asleep and she just woke up screaming. I can't get near her, CJ. I don't know what to do."

The dream. She'd told me it was getting worse and that she was having it every day. I could hear her screaming and sobbing in the background. This was very bad. "Where are you?"

"We're on the boat." His voice shook. "CJ, please. What can I do to help her?"

"Just talk to her. Bring the boat back to the dock and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I can't! The damn thing stalled. I've been trying to get it to start. It's why we're still out here instead of home."

"I'm coming, Billy. Just do what you can."

I jumped up, surprised to see my shoes were still on. The clock told me I'd been asleep for hours. It was almost midnight. My parents weren't home either. Crap. Where were they at this time of night? I needed a car. Double crap. I needed a boat and we didn't own one. Where could I get a boat at this hour?

Jeff.

I found his number in my phone and prayed he'd answer. If his battery ran low, he never answered the damn thing.

"CJ?" His voice sounded sleepy. I must have woken him up.

"Jeff, I need your boat."