My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) (36 page)

“
Shall we go explore this new world and find out what kind of gifts you both have
,
” Elijah asks them.

“
Duh
,
” They chime out in unison, and I throw my head back in laughter.

That weekend the five of us discover the twins have a knack for many useful gifts. Seeing Elijah interact with them warms my heart ten times over, and I ca
n’
t wait to spend every chance we can here. I can tell they already love him. I never thought I would get to see this day. My mother and I watch as Elijah teaches William how to move objects with his mind. William plucks a coconut from the forty foot tree and chases Elara with it. She runs screaming, and then freezes the giant brown nut in midair while we look on as they battle out the fate of its path with only their minds.

“
Elijah, do
n’
t let someone wind up with a fractured skull please
.
”

“
I would
n’
t dream of it
.
” He gifts me a wink, and I sway a bit as I bite my lip. My mother shakes her head as if we are incorrigible. This is the beginning of our beautiful new life. I know it wo
n’
t be perfect and at times
I’
m sure it will be filled with worry and danger. My children are now the hunted ones, and that makes home a terrifying place to be. Knowing Elijah will be there protecting them gives me a little peace. The larger picture finally makes sense.

All of the bad things that happened in my life were needed to get me to the exact point I am now. Had Sam not been possessed by Malphas, he would
n’
t have injured me. I would have gone on to have children with Sam and not Elijah. William and Elara would
n’
t have been born. 

“
So that day before I married Sam, when you showed me the oracle, it was going show the same outcome no matter what choice I made. Was
n’
t it
?
”

“
Yes
.
”

We ca
n’
t outrun our fate. We can only choose how we look at the obstacles in our path. If I had let myself be defeated the very first time they stole Elijah from my life, I would
n’
t be here. My so
n’
s ocean blue eyes would
n’
t be checking to see if
I’
m watching his latest accomplishment, and Elar
a’
s little green eyes would
n’
t mirror my own as she rolls them in annoyance right along with me.

Our name was written on
His
hand long before the Sun was commanded to burn, before the moon was told how far to stand, and before the angels were given their wings.
He
knows how my story will end, and
I’
ve learned to trust
Him
above anyone else. All I can do is hang on and enjoy the ride.

Sam
~

My last thought was of them. I saw the moon glistening off the ever nearing open ocean before our plane slammed into it. That is all I remember. But right now, somehow I am back in the kitchen of the White House. Brennen and my sisters are crying at the table, each touching the other trying to comfort and console one another with tear streaked faces. I try and go to Brennen, but my hand passes right through her. Why is she crying? Why are Mia and Maci so upset? Then I see Elijah appear behind Brennen. He glides an arm over her shoulder. His face longs to help ease her pain. He looks up and looks straight at me. I swallow hard. “Can you see me?” I blink back.

“Yes Sam. I can.”

“What happened to me? Why am I here?”

“Your plane went down, Sam. You are about to leave for your next journey, but you are being allowed a chance to say good bye. It’s a gift. They can’t see you or hear you. But I will give Brennen the message when she is ready.”

“You’ve been here this whole time. Haven’t you?”

“I was assigned to protect the children, but Brennen doesn’t know. You two deserved a real chance, and I know I made the right decision. You’ve made her life so happy, Sam. That is all I ever wanted for her.”

“Well at least we can agree on one thing,” I say as I let out a laugh.

“She needs your comfort right now. Go ahead and hug her. She will feel it.”

I ease over to her, and though I cannot feel her, I imagine the way she used to feel in my arms. She always fit so perfectly. I can almost perceive the warmth emanating off of her. I close my
eyes and try to draw it into me. I try and inhale the scent of her hair, and I almost imagine I do. I keep my eyes closed and kiss her cheek. “Good bye baby. I love you,” I sigh out, and Elijah watches me with care.

“When she is ready, I want you to tell her that I never regretted a single moment that I had with her. I can’t read her mind, but I know she still holds onto so much guilt. You find a way for her to let that guilt go, Elijah, if it’s the last thing you do. I know her, and now that I’m gone, she is going to wallow in it. She is going to amplify it in her mind until it consumes her. Don’t let her. Everything happened just as it should have, everything: the affair, the children, and the life and death circumstances. In the end, it’s what brought us together.”

Elijah puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll tell her Sam. She’s going to be okay.”

“I know she is, Elijah because you are going to make sure she is. You may be immortal, but I will kill you a few times over if you let her down.”

“Duly noted, Sam.” Elijah eyes light up with a smile.

“It’s time Sam.” I glance behind me at the deep voice and see Will. He walks up to me and puts his arm over my shoulder. Brennen fades away, and the next thing I know, I am standing in front of the entranc
e to what I can only assume is heaven. The sorrow I felt a moment ago is replaced with a love and warmth, like a father’s hug. The feeling seeps into me and before long I have a smile plastered on my face.

“It’s good. Right, boss?” Will laughs out.

I join in and agree. His laugh is contagious. “It is very good, my old friend.”

Brenne
n
~

“How did you get in
here?” I ask the man who long foretold of this very scene back when I was only a teenager. His eyes caress my face as if he could possibly care, as if he could somehow fathom the idea of it. I lay in bed as weak as a kitten, and he sits beside me.

“Elijah is still off
protecting your two spawn while you lie dying. How inconsiderate,” he slithers out his words. 

“What did you do to
Elena?” My eyes drift close as I fight to stay conscious.

“Let’s just say, I gave
her the afternoon off. You thought I was making up the story I told you when you were just a girl, didn't you? I told you that you would die in my arms. I may be many things, but a liar is not one.”

He lifts my torso so that I lay on his chest. I can't fight him. There's no use. I'm ready to be rid of this human meat suit, so I can finally go to Amorous and never have to leave. A sudden stroke left me paralyzed a few months ago, and my body has been fighting off pneumonia without much luck. Elijah could have healed me, but I told him I was ready to move our story to the next chapter.

He's even made himself appear to age so that we were able to grow old together. He's still the sexiest seventy year old I've ever seen. He hated to see me suffering so much without being able to heal me. Elena finally had to kick him out; she sent him on tour with Elara's band. My daughter has used her gift of music to influence the world in ways that I can't even begin to believe. She has such an amazing voice. The whole world is in love with her and her songs. Of course it's genius. Our culture weighs the voice of a celebrity much more than any political figure ever could.

William is in his second term as president now, and I feel like we've come full circle. My children have won the fight. The world is more peaceful now than any time in its history. There is less waste and hardly any pollution. I leave this earth knowing that we made a difference.

After my last term as president, Elijah and I moved to the old beach house in Sandbridge with William and Elara. As the children grew and became more involved with their separate activities, Jesson became William's Keeper. Elena was so much happier with this situation. The house was alive and filled to capacity with a real family for once. We had a fortress from evil here, and with three Keepers in the house, I never had to worry about our safety. Mia and Maci bought the house next door and spent every summer with us. They have families of their own now. Mia named her first born Sam, and that young man is the spitting image of his namesake.

Malphas strokes my hair, and I
cringe under his decrepit touch.              

“Why don't you go back to h
ell, Malphas?” It comes out barely a whisper.

“Only if I can take you with me, dear Brennen.”

I cough and sputter for a moment, and I know the end is near. I didn't want William and Elara to be here in these last days. They know what happens next. They know it's not the real end of my life. They can see me in Amorous one day soon. My breaths grow shallow, and I pray that death come quickly. A nasty rattle rumbles inside with every breath I can manage.

“How did you...” I trail off barely able to get the words out, but I have to know how he escaped the spirit trap he was in all
this time.

His chest heaves with a silent laugh. “You remember your old buddy, Nehemiah, the one that liked to scramble brains for
breakfast. Well, it seems our old friend made a deal with Lucifer. He wasn't happy being branded a loser all these years because of you. He was stuck in heaven as a welcome wagon for all of eternity, so he plucked out his pristine white wings for a spot at the top with my master. All he had to do was unlock my trap and fall out of grace.”

He strokes my cheek, and a smile warms my face as the light fades out of my eyes. If I had the energy to laugh, I'd be rolling on the floor. I never doubted Malphas would find a way to make it
to my death bed. So on the floor underneath my bed, Elena drew a symbol that would trap any maleficent spirit here and bind him to this spot for all of eternity, or until he walks voluntarily into a spirit trap all over again. Once my spirit leaves my body behind, Malphas will try to leave, but he'll be trapped forever right here in the bed that I will die in.  At least he's got a good view. The smile in my eyes twinkles in my last glimpse of his face.

In the next instant, I'm surrounded by a soft light, and then I'm standing in front of my entire family. An angel waits with them, and I have to assume he is Nehemiah's replacement. I hug my dad for a good long while. My mother has even come from the In-Between to greet me. My grandmother looks so young. They all do really. I glance down at my hands and notice my skin is soft and supple once again. The body of my youth has been returned to me. However, now I feel more alive than I ever did on Earth. Sam's soft amber eyes catch my attention, and he wraps me in his arms lifting me up for a hug.

I feel so happy I could leap into the sky and soar over this palace. Then suddenly, a rush passes through me, and I'm nearly knocked off my feet. Sam releases me, and a look of wondrous shock crosses everyone’s faces. An expansive pair of feathered wings moves behind me as if they were a part of me. I have no idea how to control them, and I begin to get worried. My mother’s eyes light up as she helps me steady myself.

“Easy there. Try imagining a sleek bird full of
grace like an egret. They will obey your thoughts.”

I do as she says, and the wings fold up
neatly behind me. I thought they'd be heavier. “Why do I have wings?”

My mother smiles again. “
They are a gift so that you and Elijah can soar through Amorous together. Your human body was left behind on Earth. All that remains is your spirit and soul.”

“Speaking of, Elena may be
hurt. You have to send someone to find her. Nehemiah freed Malphas, and I think he did something to her.”

“She's been recovered. She's being healed in Amorous as we speak. She was ambushed by Nehemiah and Malphas together, but
she'll be fine soon. She is going to take Elijah's place when she is ready. Then Elijah can take his much deserved vacation with you in Amorous.” This is news to me. I always thought, even after my death, I would have to share Elijah with whoever he was protecting at the time. This is awesome. This is wonderful. Elena had years during her vacation. I wonder how long we'll have. It'll never be enough, but I'm giddy as a child on Christmas at the possibility. 

Cat comes up, and Sam weaves his arm around her. He looks so in love and elated. I am happy for him. He found his soul mate, and I know they are perfect for each other. The ki
ds were able to visit Sam once we were safely out of the white house. They were about ten then. Every year on their birthday, we would take them to see Sam.  When they turned thirteen, we finally told them Elijah was their father. They both blinked up at us, smiled, and said, “It's about time you felt ready to tell us, but we've known for a long time.”