Twisted Sisters (The Orion Circle Book 2) Read online

  “Could you tone down the cuteness a little?” Raven asks as she settles on the chaise end of the sofa beside my elevated leg. “It’s way too early, and there isn’t enough caffeine in this house.”

  “Logan was assaulted by ghosts yesterday. I think he’s earned a little TLC.” Kacie sticks her tongue out at Raven before popping a glazed doughnut hole in her mouth.

  “True, sorry,” Raven mumbles, staring at the paper plate in her lap.

  “If everyone’s ready, I’ll start,” Rebecca says in her authoritative, take-no-prisoners tone.

  “Actually, I have something I need to share first,” Daniel says in a shaky voice. He crosses to the center of the room and leans against the brick fireplace. “I need to get this out before I lose my nerve.” His arms fold across his chest as though trying to shield him from… something.

  “Floor’s yours,” Rebecca says. She pats him on the shoulder and sits down beside Carl.

  Carl sits up a bit straighter and puffs his chest out while watching for her reaction from the corner of his eye. When she doesn’t seem to notice, he deflates a bit. Poor guy. He needs to be open with his feelings. I think he’s been pining for Rebecca for two years now.

  “I don’t know where to start,” Daniel says, pacing the floor. “It’s really hard to talk about.” He stops his restless movement and stares at the floor.

  “You aren’t on stage or giving a presentation in class,” Kacie says, pushing up from the sofa. She takes Daniel’s arm, leading him back to sit beside her. “Take a deep breath and relax. We’re all here for you.”

  I’m completely torn. Part of me is so proud of her, of the care she shows my best friend. The other half is jealous of the attention Daniel is getting. The words of the spirits from yesterday echo through my mind. Lies. I know the spirits were lying, and yet… the way Kacie comforts Daniel makes my traitorous mind wonder. She turns to me with another one of her breathtaking smiles before resting her head on my shoulder. Yep, I’m a grade A jerk.

  “Some of you know about my family, some don’t. I’m going to mention it briefly because it’s important to the situation last night.” Daniel sinks back into the sofa‌—‌an unconscious attempt at hiding. “My dad is a world-renown psychiatrist in the field of schizophrenia and delusional disorders. Three… no four years ago, my abilities went a bit haywire. I thought he could help since he knew so much about the mind. I was young and scared and alone.”

  When he doesn’t continue, Mrs. Kincaid says, “Psychic abilities do tend to wreak havoc at the onset of puberty.”

  “Yeah, no shit,” Daniel says, scrubbing at his face with his hand. “I told my dad, and he thought I was nuts. I offered proof. Things I couldn’t possibly know… but his mind was closed to the possibility. I was sent to shrink after shrink. My dad put me on some nasty anti-psychotic meds. After some awful side effects, which my father chose to ignore, I started flushing them. He still thinks I’m taking them.”

  Raven jumps to her feet. “That’s sick. That, that’s child abuse.”

  “Raven, you come from a family with abilities,” Mrs. Kincaid says in her calm, soothing voice. Raven drops back to the sofa, drumming a staccato beat on the cushion. “Not everyone believes in psychic talent. To Dr. Westin, Daniel’s abilities were a problem with his brain‌—‌a delusion. Continue, Daniel.”

  “I finally learned to pretend, to keep my powers to myself. But my father couldn’t or wouldn’t let it go. He would bait me, still does to this day, trying to get me to slip up. It’s like he knows I’m lying. Maybe that’s his psychic gift, a human lie-detector. It would explain lots of things in my past and also where I got my powers.”

  “I know that’s one of my mom’s powers,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  “Yeah, well, yesterday he used me again in a lecture at UTSA about delusions.” Daniel sighs, a heavy, defeated sound. “He rehashed the whole lecture at the dinner table. Then had the gall to thank me for being so pathetic. His words, not mine.”

  “I’m sorry, Daniel, but your dad sounds like a prick,” Blake says from his spot across the room. “I mean, who picks on their kids like that. It’s wrong on so many levels.”

  Daniel rises and paces back and forth a few times. “Yeah, but that’s beside the point. After dinner I was really upset, like wanted-to-throw-everything-in-my-room-against-the-wall upset. To distract myself, I pulled out the spirit board. Big mistake.”

  There are no more interruptions as Daniel continues to pace restlessly from the kitchen to the fireplace.

  “There’s nothing special about the board. The girls got it at the outlet mall. Just a standard issue game. My guess is one of them has spiritual power she’s unaware of. Anyway, they managed to create a portal with the board, and our trio of vicious spooks came through.”

  “Do you know where the portal is?” Mrs. Kincaid asks.

  “The portal is somewhere in the sorority house… but the board acts as a window. The sprits can travel through it,” Daniel replies with a frown. “Weird, I know, but there it is.”

  “How do you—”

  Daniel cuts off Mrs. Kincaid. “How do I know? Those spooks visited me last night. Tormented me. Endlessly.” He turns away, staring at the fireplace. “Hours of hell. They knew everything… like they could read my mind or something. About my dad, my anxiety, and my fear.” When he turns back to face us, I’m taken aback at the look of abject dread on his face. “They taunted me for hours. Told me my dad was going to lock me away in a loony bin. They knew my deepest fear, and they used it.”

  “They did the same thing to me,” I murmur, meeting Daniel’s sorrowful gaze. “I was in a bad place yesterday, because… well you know. They knew, and they used it against me. It was worse than the physical beating.”

  “What are you talking about?” Rebecca asks as she walks around gathering empty plates from everyone.

  “I walked in on Daniel and Kacie kissing in the club room.” I glance at Kacie, flinching at the hurt on her face.

  “They were just rehearsing,” Rebecca says like it should be obvious to everyone. Maybe it should’ve been.

  “Yeah, well, they were all alone in the club room in each other’s arms and I freaked. I’m not proud of it.” The last sentence comes out a mumble.

  “That’s all beside the point,” Kacie says, resting her hand on my thigh. “We have a trio of ghosts who have no qualms about physically and psychologically bullying anyone who crosses their path. We need to find a way to end this and soon.”

  A beep sounds from the other room, and Mr. Kincaid leaves without a word.

  “Wait a minute. Those three had me pinned to a ceiling. They threw Logan into several walls. Why aren’t you hurt?” Raven asks, giving Daniel a dark glare.

  “Easy, Raven,” Daniel says with a nervous chuckle. “The board may act as a window, but the spirits are still tied to the house where they died. They didn’t have anywhere near the power they seem to have at home base. It’s nice to know how you really feel about me, though.”

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “Do you have the board with you?” Rebecca asks, returning to her seat on the floor next to Carl. “Can we contact them?”

  “Not a good idea,” Mrs. Kincaid says. “I’d rather not introduce them to my house. They might decide to stay.”

  Silence fills the room while everyone considers our options. If we return to the house, we’re risking life and limb‌—‌not to mention our psyches.

  “I found out a bit about our ghosts last night,” I say, breaking the long silence. “I sent the info to Rebecca, so I’m hoping she got more than I did.”

  “I sure did—”

  Mr. Kincaid enters the room and cuts Rebecca off. “Okay, but before we continue with this case, I need to give out a new assignment. I just got word that the Austin Circle chapter is expecting Devon, Michelle, and Yolanda for the investigation at the Capitol building.” The room erupts in loud grumbles. “It’s bad timing, but you know how hard it can be
to set up a nighttime investigation at a government building. This is a one-night-only deal. Figure out who or what is causing the nightly vandalism.”

  “Yes, sir,” Devon says with a small salute. “We’re on it. When are they expecting us?”

  “As soon as possible,” Mr. Kincaid replies, handing a small stack of paperwork to Devon. “I’ve already notified your parents, so you just need to go home for an overnight bag.”

  “I always miss out on the fun stuff,” Yolanda mumbles. She grabs her purse, swinging it around in frustration. “I hope the Austin ghost is worth missing this drama.”

  Michelle snorts. “If it’s even a ghost at all.”

  Devon, Michelle, and Yolanda walk out the front door to head to their new assignment. Silence fills the room again, the only noise the clacking of Rebecca’s laptop keys as she works on her notes. Kacie pats my leg, then leaves to help clear the breakfast platters from the buffet table.

  Leaning back, I try to melt into the sofa, wishing I could take a nap. I allow my mind to drift as I listen to the soft click, click, click of the laptop keys. Such a soothing sound… so rhythmic. A gentle tap on my arm jolts me back. Kacie hands me a couple ibuprofen and a can of Coke, along with a sweet smile. Morning light shines through the window, bathing her in an ethereal glow. Her red curls sparkle in the sun, glinting like newly-minted copper pennies. I swallow the pills while gazing up at my angel.

  Chapter Eleven

  Insidious

  KACIE

  As I walk into the kitchen, a strange sensation creeps through me. My arms tingle, making the hair stand on end. The temperature drops. My breathy pants come out a soft misty fog in the sudden coldness. An invisible thread tugs at me, pulling me toward the side door. Do I follow? My bracelet pulses a warning, but I decide to ignore it.

  Not wanting to risk losing the connection, I slip out the door before anyone notices. The energy is stronger outside. I follow it around the side of the house, feeling it pulse throughout my body. When I reach the front of the house, I’m drawn to Daniel’s SUV. I run my fingers over the rear window. Energy crackles through my fingertips. Yanking my hand away, I cradle my sore fingers against my body. Poe lands on my shoulder, chattering at me in what sounds like a scolding.

  “Kacie, what are you doing out here?” Blake yells from the porch. His voice sounds far away or maybe like he’s shouting through a tube. I look at him, surprised at the distorted distance between us. “Forgive the pun, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “They’re messing with me.” I glance back at the car window. “I think their power is growing. We need to stop them quickly before they have a chance to power up more.”

  A gust of frigid air plows into me, sending me flying backward. I skid along the asphalt road. Total déjà vu. The Foxblood Demon did this exact same thing to me two months ago. Do these ghosts know that? Did they pull it from my memories?

  “Damn, princess.” Blake kneels beside me on the street. He inspects my left arm which took the brunt of the fall. I guess I should’ve grabbed Logan’s leather jacket on my way out. “Well, looks like some nasty road rash, but nothing some peroxide and bandages won’t fix.”

  “They knew.” Another cold chill courses through me. “How could they know?”

  Blake hoists me into his arms with a gentleness that belies his werewolf strength. “What did they know?”

  “Daniel and Logan were both terrorized by the spirits over something that deeply disturbed them.” Memories flood my mind‌—‌the Foxblood Demon and his insidious plans for me. “They attacked me exactly the same way the Foxblood Demon did.”

  “Ah, that serial killer ghost I missed out on?”

  “Yeah.” I cuddle into Blake’s warmth. Werewolves run hotter than humans, and right now I could use the heat. If a doctor told me ice water was flowing through my veins, I wouldn’t be surprised.

  “You’re like a human icicle.” Blake tightens his arms around my shaking body. He kicks the door open with his boot and carries me through.

  “What the hell happened, Kacie?” Logan yells when we enter the room. “What possessed you to go outside alone?”

  “Rhetorical question?” Daniel asks with a dry laugh. “I think we all know what or should I say who possessed her.”

  “Her arms are covered in road rash,” Blake says as he sets me down on the sofa beside Logan.

  “Road rash?” Carl’s question comes out a tiny squeak.

  “The spirits attacked her, sent her flying along the road,” Blake replies, staring at Carl with a bewildered look. “Could someone get a first aid kit?”

  “Already did,” Mr. Kincaid says, kneeling down to inspect my arm. “Not as bad as last time.” He pulls out the small pieces of asphalt with tweezers. “At least there aren’t as many embedded rocks this time.”

  “Yeah, she mentioned last time too.” Blake crosses his arms over his chest. “Anyone care to share just exactly what is going on here?”

  “Those spirits invaded my mind,” I reply, closing my eyes against the sharp pain as Mr. Kincaid continues to clean my arm. “I shut them out but not quickly enough. They picked up on the Foxblood Demon and my fear. I’ll never forget what it felt like when he plowed into me… so much evil.”

  Shudders wrack my body, and Logan scoots closer with a small grunt of pain. He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Shh, it’s okay, baby,” he coos in my ear. “I’m here. We’re all here.”

  Tears burn my eyes, and I tamp down the memories, refusing to cry over that evil demon of a spirit. “I know. Just give me a minute. Those ghosts are really good at drawing out the memories and anguish associated with them.”

  “Tell me about it,” Daniel mutters.

  “Well they aren’t ghosts so much as wraiths,” Rebecca says, poking her head up from her laptop.

  Carl scrunches his forehead. “I thought wraith was just the Scottish word for ghost.”

  “It is, sort of,” Rebecca replies, shrugging. “I’d call these three revenants, but they weren’t evil people in life as far as I know. A wraith is a ghost with malicious intentions. They typically feed on human fear and despair.”

  “What are revenants?” Carl asks.

  “Irrelevant,” Rebecca says, giving Carl a hard glare.

  “No it isn’t,” Raven says, turning to Carl. “He needs to learn and it’s a quick answer. A revenant is the spirit of an evil person. They strive to create havoc and destruction in life as well as death.”

  “So, the Foxblood Demon—”

  Rebecca cuts off Carl’s question. “No. See, it’s never an easy answer with him.”

  Raven ignores her and continues the explanation. “The Foxblood Demon was an evil spirit, yes, but not a revenant. Revenants are mindless spirits bent on destruction. The Foxblood Demon was well aware of everything he was doing. He was a demonic spirit. I have a book you can borrow that explains this rather well.”

  “Thanks, Raven,” Carl murmurs, looking like a dog that’s been kicked too many times.

  “Don’t feel bad, Carl,” Raven says. “I didn’t know much about ghosts when I arrived a couple months ago. I just happened to finish that book last night.”

  “Well, if we’re all done coddling Carl…” Rebecca trails off, her jaw clenched.

  Something happened between those two. I peer around Mr. Kincaid who is still cleaning my arm. Rebecca glances at Carl from the corner of her eye. When she sees his hangdog expression, her face softens.

  “Sorry, I’m going on no sleep,” Rebecca says, patting Carl’s leg.

  “I’ll get you a Coke.” Carl jumps to his feet and races into the kitchen. He’s back seconds later. “Here.”

  Rebecca’s fingers brush Carl’s as she takes the can from his hands. “Thanks.”

  Hmm, looks like I’ll need to corner her later to find out what’s going on with her and Carl. I always thought they’d make a great couple.

  “Well, that about does it,” Mr. Kincaid says, inspecting my arm. �
�The elbow took the brunt of it. Can you bend it?”

  I bend it back and forth a few times, wincing at the sharp pain. “Maybe I’ll take it easy for a day or two.”

  “Raven, will you wrap her elbow in a bandage while I clean up the mess?” Mr. Kincaid doesn’t stop long enough to hear her answer. He gathers the bloody gauze and disappears into the kitchen.

  “Rhetorical question, I guess,” Raven mumbles as she winds the gauze around my arm. “Tell me if it gets too tight.”

  “Okay, so Logan and I both found some interesting info that should help,” Rebecca says, her voice back to its normal cheerfulness. Oh, caffeine, the miracle worker. “So we know why the ghosts are gaining in strength. I mean a whole sorority to feed from would give them a big boost. What I couldn’t figure out is why they came through so strong in the first place.”

  “It’s odd, huh,” I say, glad someone is finally voicing my concern. “Most ghosts are weak at first, gaining in strength as time passes.”

  “Hence the normal haunting progression,” Rebecca says with a triumphant smile. “This case fits into my research so well. It’s quite exciting really.”

  “Yeah, you hang out for a while pinned to a ceiling, then tell me just how awesome you think it is.” Raven pulls the bandage too tight, and I hiss in a sharp breath. “Sorry.”

  “No, what I mean is the normal progression of a haunting.” Damn, Rebecca’s in lecture mode. “A family moves in. Weird things start: footsteps, banging, strange sounds. These tend to increase over time as the spirit grows in power until you have Armageddon, and they call us to help. I think the spirit needs time to charge. Many haunted houses sit vacant, so the spirit loses power over time.”

  “It’s an interesting theory,” Mr. Kincaid says. “But this current situation seems to refute your hypothesis.”