Whispers in the Woods (Firemountain Chronicles Book 1) Read online

“Why are you doing this to me?” she shouted.

  “Mssthss norss thass,” it hissed.

  She turned and fled down the stairs. It drew more blood and batting and grew with unerring speed.

  Dinah slid to a stop by her car and fumbled to open the door.

  It was huge now, filling up the whole house. It was more than the blood and mattress batting; it was turning into a tree. Great roots dug into the soil. Windows shattered as branches snaked out through them. The roof groaned and was ripped off as the tree grew.

  Branches waved toward Dinah. She threw her car into reverse and sped out of the drive. To whom would she report this? She would ask Jake when they had dinner.

  ***

  Her ordeal had shaken her. With trembling fingers, she drew a bath and added salts. Should I tell the sheriff? How would I explain what happened?

  She took a long bath, soaking in the warmth, and enjoyed the scented bath salts Leontine had left on her tub.

  When she was done, she wrote a quick article about the tree. After she entered it into the database, she read the file on Caedon.

  The journal sat on her desk. Dinah didn’t want to look at it just yet. The autopsy photos were very clear—Caedon’s heart had indeed been cut out. The report stated that a rib spreader had been used to open the chest cavity. The cut that removed his heart had been made in one clean stroke and the victim was still alive when it was cut out. She shivered when she closed the file.

  In addition to the police report, there were a number of clippings containing articles that the Tribune had published concerning his death, along with copies of the reporters’ notes. Apparently, Caedon had studied a new preternatural threat, but hadn’t gotten very far at last report. The police had no suspects. However, Caedon had been investigating a stone quarry near Chehalis. There were rumors of midnight meetings, and several pets had been reported missing and then turned up dead with their hearts cut out. The paper had been drawing conclusions that the events were connected, and wondered what was going on and how this would impact Firemountain.

  “Miss Steele,” Leontine called. “You have a visitor.”

  What now? Dinah thought, closing the file. “Coming,” she called.

  She headed to the main floor. “Janelle, what are you doing here?”

  “I felt a disturbance in the force, young Jedi.” She furrowed her brow in concentration.

  “You believe? I mean, you really believe that something is out there and wants us dead?” Dinah stopped and sat down abruptly on the stairs.

  Janelle swept over to her, her multicolored skirt swirling about her ankles. “We Wiccans are sensitive, perhaps more so due to the proximity to Mount St. Helens.”

  “I know I didn’t start seeing things until I was here on the campaign trail.”

  “Well, you need to believe in something here. If you don’t, this place will eat you up and spit you out. The police, the reporters, even the scientists at Crenellain University believe… or drink.”

  “Drink?”

  “Yeah, it strengthens the mental resistance to horrible things. Now tell me, what did you see tonight?”

  Dinah told her about the tree that was reaching to attack her.

  “That sounds like a manthalla tree. I will summon the coven. Perhaps we can destroy it.”

  “Or perhaps make it stronger. Listen, I promised Jake I would join him for dinner. Can we get together for lunch tomorrow? I would like to hear more about this tree.”

  Janelle smiled and stood up. “Meet me at the diner at

  noon and I will get you caught up on all of the news.”

  Dinah returned to her room and grabbed her purse, the quickly freshened her makeup.

  She ran a comb through her hair and pinned it back with a large barrette. She took her wallet and keys out of her bag, and put them in a smaller purse and headed for The Broken Oak.

  The Broken Oak was as quiet as she remembered it. Jake waved to her from one of the booths. She slid in opposite him. “Coffee, please,” she told the waitress.

  “The beer here is good.” Jake smiled at her.

  “I know, but I don’t think that drinking right now is a good idea.”

  “You’re probably right,” he said, taking a sip of his own beer.

  Dinah sipped her coffee. It was good and warm and reminded her of when she was growing up. “The coffee’s so good in Washington. Is the entire state like that?”

  Jake laughed. “I’m glad to hear you talking about something so mundane. The coffee in Seattle is much better, depending on which coffee house you visit. As a general rule, though, Washington has good coffee just about everywhere.” He took another drink of his beer. “However, I wouldn’t always trust eastern Washington. It’s been a little harder for them to catch up, except for maybe Spokane and Pullman. Spokane is a bigger city, and Pullman is a college town.”

  “What was that thing?” Dinah asked, taking another sip of the coffee. “How did you know what it was?”

  Jake swallowed his beer, looking uncomfortable. “I know you’re looking to me for answers and I wish that I had them. I read my uncle’s journal and figured it out from that. Apparently, he’d awoken it once before and subdued it with the cross. The statue’s been connected to the cult out of Chehalis. Uncle Caedon recovered it when one of the members wanted out, and came up here for help. But other than stealing the statue, he didn’t know much.” Jake ran his fingers along the glass, leaving marks in the condensation. “He was murdered shortly after that.”

  “But this time it went for Ward. You didn’t pick up the cross until after it came out. If you knew that the cross could stop it, why didn’t you have it when Ward tried to photograph it?”

  Jake frowned for a moment and cocked his head. “I don’t know. I should’ve figured it out, but I don’t know…”

  “And why did the cross work so well with you? Do you believe in it?”

  “Ah, that one. That is one of the great mysteries. By all accounts, the cross shouldn’t be working. The theological theorists that still believe in the magic of the Christian faith say that these things work because of two thousand years of people believing they’ll work. I mean, really believe in things like demons and the miracles. Most of the modern-day world likes to think of these things as allegories or metaphors.”

  “So even if you aren’t Christian or you don’t believe in God, it will work because for centuries other people believed it?”

  Jake nodded. “Those who do hunt these things put great effort into acquiring actual blessed medieval crosses and crucifixes. They’re the most powerful because they were usually blessed by priests that did believe in the existence of demons. Modern holy water and blessed crosses do work, but medieval crosses work much better.”

  “There must be more to it than this.” Dinah took another drink of her coffee. “Why was it so alive and active?”

  “I wish I had more answers. In many ways, I’m just as new to this town as you are. I’ve lived most of my life away from Firemountain. I think that’s why Laya asked me to work with you. We can look at this with fresh eyes.” He finished off his beer and motioned for the waitress to bring over the bar menu. “Come on, let's get something to eat and change the subject. We need a break for the rest of the night, and I want to learn everything I can about Dinah Steele.”

  Dinah smiled and took the menu from the waitress. For the next hour, they chatted. Dinah told him about Logan, her former boyfriend, and how he’d left her because she wouldn’t marry him. It was eight o’clock when she glanced at her watch. The shadows were lengthening outside as the sun started to go down. “Crap, I need to get home. Leontine was very clear that I needed to be home by ten.” She stood up and grabbed her purse.

  “You could always stay at the manor.” Jake’s eyes pleaded with her.

  “I don’t think so. It’s all so fresh to me.” She slipped the strap of her purse over her arm. “Could you walk me to my car?”

  “Can we get together tomorrow then?
”

  Dinah nodded, and Jake threw a couple of twenties on the table and waved off Dinah’s attempt to cover her share of the bill. They were making their way back to the cars when Dinah rested her hand on Jake’s arm. Across the street, several robed figures entered the park. Jake motioned for her to be quiet and they crept to their cars.

  “Who are they?” she whispered.

  “Not sure.” He winced when the alarm on his car chirped. Dinah’s key slid silently into the lock. “I saw them near Lasher’s service station the other day. I think this is the same group that attacked me before.”

  Dinah scrunched herself into her seat and looked out the back window. Finally, the last of the robed figures entered the park. She heard chanting. It started low, almost a whisper, and then grew louder and more frenzied. It filled the night and drowned out the normal night noises.

  She started her car and pulled out of the parking lot. As if in response to her engine, something howled deep in the park. The howl filled the air and echoed fear and loathing and a hatred of all humanity. She floored the Prius and sped toward the boarding house. Behind her, Jake sped off in the other direction.

  As she sped past the park, something burst out through the trees. It was huge and ran on all fours, its glowing red eyes reflected in the rearview mirror. Just as it was about to catch up to her, someone leaped at it from the shadows. She caught a glimpse of a man in black with a white collar clasped about his neck. A cross flared up with a bright silver light as he crashed into the beast.

  They tumbled off the road, but four more of those things jumped from the woods and started to chase her down the street. She gunned the engine and watched them growing smaller. The boarding house was so close!

  Dinah pulled into the lot with a spray of gravel. Behind her, the creatures howled again with renewed strength. She ran to the front door. It was locked, and she pounded on it. Leontine looked through the window in the door and opened it.

  Dinah darted in just as the creatures rounded the corner to the driveway and she slammed the door shut behind her. She could hear a thump and a strange yelp as the things hit the door and fell back. She slumped against the door, her heart racing.

  “We were getting worried about you, my dear,” Leontine said. Greta joined them from the parlor.

  “I guess you had a good reason. I see why you’ve a ten pm curfew.”

  “Oh, child.” Leontine moved toward her and stroked her hair. “I wish you’d known what you were getting into before you came here.”

  Dinah managed a watery grin. “Well, at least it isn’t boring.”

  Greta chuckled. “Well, my dear, at least you have a sense of humor. That might help you in the long run.”

  “I’m going to my room. Thanks for letting me in, but I need to sort things out.”

  “I’ll bring you some tea if that will help.”

  Dinah thanked her and headed for her room. She sank into one of the wingback chairs next to the fireplace. She got up briefly to answer the door and start the fire. As she sipped her tea, she stared into the flames, and exhaustion started to take her. Shrugging, she rose from the chair and went to bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  ***

  Dinah dreamed again. She found herself in Jake’s study. Only, an old man that looked like Jake slumped in the leather wingback chair. His blue eyes had lines of age and character. He sipped an amber liquid out of a cut crystal highball glass. The fire flared, casting longer shadows that danced in the flickering light. A face appeared in the fire, its features distorted by the leaping flames.

  “You must choose an heir,” it hissed.

  “But how can I?” the man moaned. Dinah suspected this had to be Caedon before he died.

  “You know the consequences of not choosing. Do you want to have that responsibility?”

  Caedon grabbed a pen and clutched it. A stack of legal documents was piled next to him. Written at the top was “Last Will and Testament.”

  “But if I don’t sign, then you will get your reward sooner. It would end, and nobody else would have to pay.”

  The face laughed with ancient cruelty. “Yes, the thought of that many innocent souls at once is appealing, but I am curious to see how long this contract can go. How many more souls can I get? Not many things intrigue me anymore, but this one is interesting. Do you really want to be the one that releases them?”

  Caedon took another long drink from his glass. His hand trembled as he held the pen poised over the line with the sticky note telling him to sign there.

  “I didn’t think so.” The face gave one last laugh that echoed through the night as Caedon signed the will. Caedon emptied his glass and slumped back in his chair. The highball slipped out of his hand and rolled under the sideboard. Hendricks and Robert entered the room and gently carried Caedon out.

  Dinah spent the rest of the night in dreamless slumber.

  Chapter 5

  When Dinah went downstairs the next morning for breakfast, a copy of the Firemountain Tribune sat on her chair, opened to Ward’s obituary. Dinah noticed her name was on the byline. A quick scan of the article revealed it was the written report she had made of Ward’s death.

  She continued to peruse the paper. An article about the death of a family on the outskirts of town caught her eye.

  Family Slaughtered by Maniac, by River Houston

  Firemountain: Last night the police responded to a call from 2368 White Schoolhouse Road. By the time they arrived, the Clemintines had already been victims of a home invasion.

  Max Strong, known as the Cascade Rapist, had tied up the father Denis Clemintine and forced him to watch as he brutally raped and murdered Elizabeth and Penny Clemintine, before slitting their throats.

  Dr. Blyman of the Futhark Institute has said there is still one more escaped patient, and to be vigilant.

  The patients have been transferred to Western State Hospital in Lacey until a full investigation is completed.

  “We thought you might want to see your first article in the Tribune,” Leontine said. She poured Dinah a cup of coffee and slid a plate of bacon and eggs under her nose.

  Dinah sipped the rich coffee and dug into her breakfast. “Thank you,” she said after she had swallowed the first bite.

  “What was it like?” Leontine said as she slid into an empty seat next to Greta.

  “What was what like?” Dinah asked.

  “Seeing that thing come out of the fetish,” Greta said, clutching her own cup of coffee.

  “Well, I don’t know. It was scary, and it all happened pretty fast.”

  “Did you fight it?” Leontine leaned forward in her chair.

  “Well, umm… yeah, I guess so. I hit it with a poker, and Jake hit it with a cross.” Dinah did not really want to relive the experience, and shifted in her chair.

  “You know the young Master Willis?” Leontine said, her eyes flashing.

  “Well, I met him yesterday.” Dinah finished her breakfast and drank the rest of her coffee. “Why are you asking me these questions? You read the story.”

  Greta and Leontine looked at each other and leaned back in their chairs.

  “We’re concerned about you. I don’t think that you understood the job when you accepted it. We’re worried that you will get hurt,” Leontine said, patting Dinah’s arm.

  “Well, I told myself I’d give this story a chance. I’ve a month to get out of the contract with no penalty. I want to learn what happened to Caedon. I also want to know what is happening. It seems a lot of things that happened around the world are connected to Firemountain.”

  “Well, be careful. This town’ll eat you up if you let it,” Greta said, taking Dinah’s plate. “Literally.”

  “Thanks for breakfast. Do you mind if I take a cup of coffee up to my room? I’ve some things I need to go over.”

  “Of course.” Greta brought Dinah the coffee pot. “Just be sure you bring it back down with you.”

  Dinah headed back up the stair
s with her cup of coffee. She made a quick call to Klinton, letting him know she was following up on some leads, and then she pulled Jake’s journal out of her bag and reclined on the sofa to read it.

  The pages were made of thick heavy beige paper. Caedon apparently had a love of fountain pens. He wrote in precise, even handwriting where every letter was exactly the same. It was small, but not so small that she could not read it. Most of the journal was thick with theories on heaven, hell, and faith, but the last three entries caught her eye.

  April 4

  I fear that things are rapidly approaching the end. A demon lord, Gleebelix, has risen to take control and has broken through the barrier that Hell itself has erected between the realms of the demons and earth. May God have mercy on our souls, for I fear that we may very well be lost. Our faith grows thin and with that the lords of hell and the Abyss will grow stronger.

  April 13

  I have signed my will. For years I have been putting it off. Jake doesn’t know everything, and I worry about him. He is my only brother’s child, but so many other people rely on me. An unfair punishment visited on us by desperate men. How could I not sign the papers? Jake will also be involved in the ongoing war between heaven and hell. However, before I die, I will discover the source of this cult and stop it.

  May 25

  I have found the cult. They have created their headquarters in a quarry outside of Chehalis. The woman Esmae is their leader, their high priestess. She is no longer completely human but has evolved into something different. Something twisted and evil now occupies her body and her soul. Now that I have declared my heir, I am going to confront them, to stop them. I will take my weapons of iron and stop them from opening the gate. May God watch over me as I take on this task.

  Dinah slowly closed the journal. May 25th was the last day Caedon lived. He had been found the next morning in Grove Stand Park with his heart cut out. So he had been investigating the quarry in Chehalis. She made a note in her book and refastened the clasps on the journal.