Forever... Read online

  “Where are the others?” he asked.

  “Safe for now.” Walking close to him, she held out a little stick that he hadn’t seen, and she ran it down his rib cage. When she reached the place that was injured, she gave a little push.

  Adam almost blacked out from the pain, but he willed himself to stay alert. “Where are they?” he asked again.

  The woman, this “Sally,” turned her back on him and walked away. There was a heavy oak table in the middle of the room, and she put her little stick on it. Adam could see that the thing was steel, and, like the dagger, it had markings on it. What manner of evil object was it? What had she used the thing for in the past?

  “Did you know that I raised your sister as my own daughter?” she asked. “She never wanted for anything. She had the best that this worthless world could offer.”

  “Except freedom,” Adam said, then cursed himself for being so stupid as to antagonize her.

  “True,” Sally said, turning to smile at him. “She didn’t have that. And she had no men. Did you know that you and that other one are the first men she’s seen up close? But it doesn’t matter now. She’ll be punished, just as she knew she would be. She knows she’s not to defy me.”

  “How can you hurt someone who’s been like a daughter to you?” Adam said, trying hard to think of something to say to reach her. “You must love her very much.”

  Sally seemed to consider that. “No, I don’t think I do. But then, she’s never loved me. If I told you what I’ve had to do to make her behave. . . . Well, perhaps I’ll wait and show you. Yes, I’ll let you see what I do to your sister.” For a moment she cocked her head as though listening to something. “Now I must go. Something has come up.”

  “Darci’s mother,” Adam said, wanting to say or do anything to gain some time.

  “Yes,” Sally said, giving a little smile. “She says she is the source of her daughter’s power, but she will not demonstrate it until I release the daughter. She is, of course, lying, but I must be sure. In another two hours it will be midnight and I must finish with this little witch who came with you. She—”

  “No,” Adam whispered, then his head came up. “Look, I’m rich. My family is very, very wealthy. We can pay you anything you want. You’d never have to work again. You could live in luxury and—”

  He broke off because Sally was laughing at him. “Rich? You have no idea what wealth is. I could buy your entire family with the cash in my wallet. No, power is everything. Did you know that I can take her power from her and keep it for myself? I have a way. If the power she has doesn’t leave the earth, then I can take it. You see, that’s the key. I’ve read all the books that that man Taylor Raeburne wrote. Did he tell you that if the chain is broken, if there isn’t a direct descendant, then the power goes to the person who takes it? At least that’s the legend. I do hope it’s true, because I plan to find out tonight.”

  With that she walked out of the room and shut the heavy oak door behind her. And when she’d gone, Adam let out a cry of agony that nearly brought the ceiling down on him. He pulled on the chains until his wrists and ankles were bleeding.

  Adam? he heard, and calmed himself so he could listen to Darci’s voice inside his head.

  Adam, are you there? I wish I knew. Are you still alive? Can you forgive me for walking out without telling you?

  “Yes, oh, yes, Darci, my love,” Adam said. “I forgive you anything and everything. Don’t think about it. Just get out of wherever you are.”

  Did you see who she was? Darci sent to him. Remember that I told you that she reminded me of the witch in “Hansel and Gretel”?

  “Yes,” Adam whispered as tears began to flow down his cheeks.

  I’m in a room underground, and they’ve put me in a white gown. I look like I’m ready to go dancing and chanting around Stonehenge.

  Pulling against his chains with all his might, Adam smiled through the tears that were flowing freely now. Jokes, Darci always could make jokes.

  But I guess I’m in white because I’m a virgin. But I’m that way only in my body, she sent to him. I can attest that my mind isn’t virginal. Oh, Adam, are you there? Can you hear me? She hasn’t killed you, has she?

  “No, my love, I’m here. I’m near you,” he shouted as he pulled frantically on the chains.

  I’m not going to think that anything bad has happened to you. You’re going to burst into this room at any moment and save me. You’ll be like one of your medieval ancestors and rescue the fair maiden, won’t you, my love?

  With tears on his face, Adam tore at the chains until the cuffs had cut into his flesh. “No, no, no,” was all that he could say.

  Adam! Darci sent to him. I hear them. They’re coming. Oh, God, stay with me. Adam, I’m afraid. I want to— They’re here! The door is opening. Oh, Adam, I love you. I love you with all my heart. I will love you always and forever. Whatever happens to me, I will love you forever. Remember that. Forever. I—

  “Nooooooooooooo,” Adam screamed and tore at the chains until there was no skin left on his ankles or wrists. But no matter how much he pulled, he couldn’t get away.

  When Adam awoke, he had a headache to end all headaches. Groggy, disoriented, he moved his hand to run it over his face.

  “You okay?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

  Adam had to work to sit up. His ribs hurt like hell and now his head was splitting; his ankles and wrists were raw and bloody. “Yeah,” he managed to say, then looked into the deep blue eyes of a kid. A big kid. He was looking at a very large young man who had the freckled face and stick-up blond hair of a mischievous boy, but the body of a line-backer. “Who are you?” Adam rasped out, his hand on the back of his neck.

  “Putnam,” the young man said.

  Adam’s eyes opened wider. “You—” he began, then lunged at him. With all that Darci had told him about the Putnams—father, son, town—Adam wanted to destroy the lot of them.

  “Hold on there, old man,” the boy said, putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You’re in no shape to be wrestlin’ anybody.”

  “I’ll show you—” Adam began as he pushed himself away from the wall.

  “Your energy would be better spent elsewhere,” came his sister’s voice, and Adam had to bend sharply to look around Putnam. Boadicea and Taylor were sitting on the floor on the other side of the room.

  Adam knew she was right. Slowly, testing to see how badly he was injured, he pushed himself up along the wall until he was standing.”Where are we? What happened?” he asked, looking around.

  They were in a large, underground room that seemed to have no outlet. The room had dirt walls, but since it was egg-shaped, with a domed ceiling, they wouldn’t be able to climb up the walls. Only when he looked upward did he see that far above their heads was an opening with an iron grate over it. When he looked back down, he saw that the room was bare, with just its dirt walls and floor. Boadicea was sitting on the floor, close beside Taylor, and he had the mirror on his lap.

  “What are you doing here?” Adam said, looking back at Putnam.

  “Jerlene wanted to come save her daughter so I came with her. Darci and I are gonna get married.”

  “Over my dead body,” Adam said.

  “According to the mirror,” Taylor said dryly, “that is exactly what’s going to happen.”

  Adam ran his hand over his face and tried to calm down.”I was chained to a wall. I saw the witch. And I heard Darci. But then I blacked out. What happened next?”

  “You were thrown through that hole,” Putnam said, looking up. “And I caught you. I’m not sure, but I think we’re supposed to stay in here until we die.”

  “Nice thought,” Adam said, turning his ankles and wrists to see how much damage had been done. He could still stand, still walk. “So how do we get out?”

  “We make ourselves into a ladder,” Boadicea said, looking upward, then back down at Putnam. “I believe he can hold all of us.”

  “Sure can,” Putnam said,