Demon (22 page)

Rebecca nodded. So that was why Justyn had run off with Frankie for the day. He was giving his mother time to work her magic. As Darlene started digging through the large carry bag she’d brought with her, pulling out candles and crystals, Rebecca started to feel the very first glimmer of hope. If anyone could fix what was broken inside her, it was Darlene.

“Now, I’m not saying that this one day is going to be a cure-all,” Darlene continued. “This type of wound takes time to heal, and it will leave a scar, just like that cut on your arm. Our goal here today is to help you open your heart to the healing the very universe can provide. But you have to be open to it, Rebecca. You have to
want
to heal.”

“I do! Oh, Darlene, I do!” Rebecca sobbed. “I just want to be
me
again! Not some mindless zombie going through the motions, afraid to feel anything real.”

Darlene nodded. “Then we should begin. I’m going to smudge the whole apartment to remove the negative energies. Then I have a few things to set up. While I’m doing that, I’d like you to bathe.” She handed Rebecca a vial of bath salts sprinkled with lavender and scented with frankincense. “Take as long as you need. Feel the element of water embracing you. Let it wash away any impurities.”

Darlene’s whole posture changed as she began her preparations. As soon as she took on the persona of the High Priestess, she was no longer just Justyn’s mother or even the exotic belly dancer, Tempest. She was the embodiment of the Goddess, and she shone with an almost ethereal light. It made Rebecca believe that anything was possible and that small glimmer of hope began to shine a little brighter.

Rebecca slipped into the bathroom and let the door click shut behind her. Even as the tub filled with warm liquid, she already began to feel more relaxed. The smell of sage and incense drifted in under the door, giving her an almost heady feeling. As soon as she sunk into the water, that scent blended perfectly with the soothing lavender and frankincense essential oils that she soaked in. Darlene had taught her a lot about the power of visualization. As the water enveloped her, she imagined the dirt and grime that she felt clinging to her body and soul being scoured away by the warmth and healing within the bath. She floated, feeling as though she were in the very womb of the Goddess.

She wasn’t sure how long she stayed in the tub, wrapped in that soothing, watery embrace. When she finally emerged, the steaming water had cooled to a dull lukewarm. Rebecca stepped from the pool and wrapped herself in a white towel, feeling warmed inside and out. The sweet scent of the oils still lingered on her skin long after she dried. As she breathed in the refreshing aroma, she realized that for the first time since the attack, she felt clean. That feeling of removal was enhanced as she watched the soiled water drain away, taking with it the negativity she had released.

When she dressed, she took Darlene’s lead and chose a white sundress embroidered with lace, feeling that the color of purity was the best choice for what they hoped to accomplish. She wore nothing else. No stockings or undergarments to bind her. No shoes to keep her from being able to ground against the earth. Nothing except for the silver pentacle and the ammonite pendant she had never taken off since Justyn had gifted them to her. When Rebecca returned to the living room, Darlene looked her over with approval.

“You’re looking better already!”

It was obvious that while Rebecca had been bathing, Darlene was hard at work herself. The living room had been transformed into a sort of temple. Light harpsichord music was streaming through the CD player. The lights were dimmed, but dozens of white and light blue candles cast the room in a peaceful, luminous glow. A perfect circle of quartz crystals was spread out in the heart of the room. In the center of the circle, Darlene had placed a portable altar where she laid out her tools: a wand, dagger, cauldron, oils, and herbs. There were a few sticks of incense burning in each of the four corners of the circle, along with an appropriately colored candle to represent the different Guardian elements. After casting the circle and inviting those elements, Darlene picked up the still smoldering smudge stick from the abalone shell and gestured for Rebecca to enter the circle of quartz.

“Before calling on the Goddess, we will ask the elements to aide us in our work. Element of air.” Darlene raised the smudge stick back and forth down the length of her body, sure to cover every inch, even the heels of her feet. Rebecca closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and let the energy flow with the sweet smelling smoke. “Element of air, may the power of your winds blow away all fear.”

Next Darlene moved to the candles, picking up one of each color. She explained that the light blue was for healing and the white for purification and strength. “Element of fire, warm our hearts from the chill of fear and anger. Guide us with your eternal flame.” As she spoke, she outlined Rebecca’s frame with the candle flames, coming so close that she could feel the heat of the fire against her skin. It made her flesh tingle, and she felt warmed, inside and out. Then, since she had already bathed and cleansed her outer body, Darlene handed her a mug filled with tea when they moved on to the element of water.

“Calming Tea,” she explained in a hushed whisper. “Made from sage, thyme, marjoram peppermint, and chamomile. Drink this to cleanse your inner body and let all that is negative go from you when you release your water.” Rebecca nodded and sipped the tea while Darlene sprinkled her with purified water from a bowl that had been blessed and charged under the full moon. “Element of water, wash away all insecurities. Fill us with the mighty strength of your ocean waves so that we may overcome all obstacles that stand in our way.”

Finally, Darlene picked up two vials of all-natural sea salt, one black and one white. “Element of earth,” she intoned as she sprinkled the white salt atop Rebecca’s head and around the circle. “Ground us with your strength that we may stand as tall as the highest trees amidst diversity.” Then she switched to the black salt, which Rebecca remembered was used for protection. “Mother Earth, may your strength banish all that is evil so that our path is clear. Guard and protect us.”

After all the elements had been properly honored and thanked, they turned to the divine forces of spirit and divinity. Darlene picked up the bottle of healing oil from the altar and with the utmost gentleness and love, preceded to anoint Rebecca at all of the seven chakras, starting with the root chakra in the small of her back and ending with the crown chakra. Each time, before making the sign of the pentacle with the oil, Darlene kissed her three times. “May the Goddess protect and heal you. May you find purification in the light of Her love and the shelter of Her womb.”

Rebecca was filled with an inner peace she thought could never be escalated when the last of the oil was distributed. Yet, Darlene had only just begun. After the cleansing, the High Priestess walked her through a beautiful meditation and breathing exercise in which she was able to release even more of the feelings that were holding her back. Not only the fears and memories from the recent attack, but even lingering emotions about the ordeal with Debbie came to the surface and effortlessly drifted away. Darlene recited a prayer to Diana, an aspect of the Goddess in the form of the pure Virgin Huntress, asking for her aid and strength in the days to come. With her eyes closed in concentration, Rebecca swore she felt Her embrace. The Goddess cradled her against her breast, until finally the unbearable ache she had tried so hard to ignore settled to a dull throb that was actually bearable. With tears of relief running down her cheeks, Rebecca opened her eyes to find that Darlene was the one cradling her.

“You are cleansed,” Darlene whispered. “So mote it be.”

Then the ritual was over. Darlene released the corners and the Gods to their realms, and Rebecca found herself alone with just her boyfriend’s mother. She was still enchanting, but not quite so unearthly. Around them, darkness had already fallen. It hadn’t felt like the ritual had taken hours, but time always did move differently in the sanctity of the circle.

Together, they cleaned up the ritual tools and packed them back into Darlene’s bag, which reminded Rebecca of the bottomless carpet bag of
Mary Poppins,
it was filled with so many endless wonders. Once everything was cleaned up, Darlene ordered Chinese takeout, and they sat and watched
Practical Magic
and
The Mists of Avalon.
Both the meal and the movies helped to ground them and bring them back to the physical world.

“Unless my third eye is out of focus, I think I sense a definite change in your aura,” Darlene told her with a satisfied smile as the credits began to roll on the second film. “The dark patches have faded, and you seem bathed in blue light.”

Rebecca wasn’t one hundred percent sure what that meant without consulting her book on auras, but she definitely did feel completely different. Again, her eyes grew moist, but this time, it was with an almost desperate relief. She felt clean, pure and … whole. She felt like herself again. She was no longer weighed down by fear. Yet, she was so overwhelmed with emotions, she could barely speak.

“Thank you, Darlene … you have no idea … I mean … I feel….”

Rebecca could only stutter incoherently, but even if Darlene didn’t have an advanced sixth sense, she didn’t need words to know what Rebecca was thinking. She could read the gratitude in her expression. Darlene pulled her close.

“It will still take time, you know, before everything goes back to the way it was,” Darlene said. “But I think you’ll find yourself more open to healing in all its forms. Just take things slowly.”

Rebecca nodded and fought back a yawn. She wasn’t sure why she was so tired. Darlene had done all the work. Still, it was a good kind of exhaustion. One that was well-earned. Though it was only eleven o’clock and she had slept in that morning, Rebecca found herself yearning for sleep.

Darlene immediately understood. “It’s often draining to invoke such powerful energies. You should get some rest, sweetheart. Tomorrow you will start on a new road.”

Rebecca yawned again before giving Darlene a goodnight hug and thanking her one last time. She didn’t even think to ask if she was spending the night at the apartment or driving back home. She was too tired to plan that far ahead. Giving into the exhaustion, Rebecca brushed her teeth and pulled on a pair of soft flannels. She climbed into her bed and fell into the first peaceful sleep she had known in a long time.

The next morning when Rebecca opened her eyes, it was like déjà vu. She woke up alone in her bed to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee. A peek at the clock told her it was almost noon. She couldn’t believe she had slept for over twelve hours again. However, there was one important difference that kept her from thinking she had somehow lapsed into a bad version of
Groundhog Day
. When Rebecca pulled herself from the bed, she felt invigorated, even happy for the first time in what seemed like forever. She couldn’t wait until Justyn got home so she could tell him she wouldn’t be leaving after all.

When Rebecca walked out into the living room, she expected to find Darlene waiting there. However, all signs of the High Priestess were gone, including her crystals and smudge sticks. Only the lingering scent of sage and incense gave any indication she had been there at all. Instead, she found Justyn standing at the counter, looking divine in his baggy black pants and fishnet sleeves. He watched in silence as the coffee dripped into the pot—something he would only be doing if he was in deep thought. He didn’t even notice her come into the room, which only lent more credence to her theory. Normally, it was impossible for her to sneak up on him
. He
was the one who had the ability to move as silently as a ghost. Rebecca was satisfied if she moved without bumping into anything.

She watched him for a while, almost overwhelmed by the flood of love she felt for him. Not many guys would have been as understanding as he was. Most would have felt bad for her, but thrown in the towel after one or two attempts. Not Justyn. He never gave up. He never lost faith in her. At that moment, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Rebecca took a few steps toward him, and for the first time since the attack, reached for him without fear. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his waist. She laid her head against his back for just a moment, savoring the familiar contours of his body. At first, she felt him jerk in response to the unexpected touch, but then he grasped one of her hands with an almost frantic longing. When he finally turned and looked at her, his eyes were moist with emotion. She smiled softly and reached up to touch his cheek, meeting his gaze without flinching.

“‘Hey there, sir, don’t I … know you … from somewhere
?
’” Rebecca whispered.

It was one of the only meaningful lines she had in the play. It indicated that even in her madness, Lucy recognized her long-lost husband as soon as he stepped off the boat in London. Of course, Sweeney Todd was too revolted by her dirt and rags, and more than likely her smell, to really look at Lucy. Luckily, Rebecca’s boyfriend felt differently. His dark eyes drank her in with an almost unquenchable thirst. She knew in that instant, everything was going to be all right between them.

“Oh, Becca!”

He threw his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest. The embrace was desperate, yet gentle. She knew he was still worried he might frighten her. But though the fear still lingered to some extent and probably always would, it was no longer misplaced. She felt safe in his arms again. It was the only place she wanted to be. They stayed that way for what felt like forever, just holding one another without speaking. Physically they had experienced so much more over the last year, yet that innocent expression of love was one of the most intimate moments they had ever shared, one they both knew had solidified their connection.