Unbound Spirits Read online

  Very slowly, Michael spoke the words of the Lord’s Prayer again. Or rather, he began, and Ariel and Audrey chimed in once more, their voices growing stronger with each syllable. And Michael bent and dabbed holy water on Kayla’s brow, and her eyes opened.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  Ariel broke into relieved laughter — although that laughter had a tinge of hysteria to it, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She moved toward the bed, but Michael raised a hand.

  “One last thing,” he said. “I need to bless the room and everyone in it, so we know the demon is truly gone. Then it should be safe to untie your daughter.”

  A nod. “Of course,” Ariel whispered. “Whatever you need to do.”

  He gave her a reassuring smile, then sprinkled holy water on the bed again, and touched a few drops to Ariel’s forehead, just as he’d done to her daughter. She let out a relieved breath, as if she’d been worried that the demon had decided to jump to her next.

  And, to be honest, Audrey couldn’t help but experience some of that same relief when Michael came to her and placed a finger on her forehead, smearing some holy water there. He stood very close, and more than anything, she wished she could reach out to him, even though she knew this was not the place or time. For now, she’d have to be content that he was all right, that he had come out okay on the other side of this, just as Kayla Vargas had.

  Michael went over to Colin, who rolled his eyes but submitted to the same ritual placement of the holy water. Then he turned to Susan, who sent him a rueful smile.

  “I really don’t think that’s necessary,” she said.

  “But it is,” he told her. “Even if you don’t think so.”

  Her smile grew a little tight. “Is that purified water? Because I have really sensitive skin — almost everything makes me break out in a rash.”

  “Susan, it’s just a dab. Here.” And before she could utter another protest, he reached over to her and touched his fore- and middle finger to her forehead.

  Her response was immediate. A terrible scream tore itself from her lips, too like the ones Kayla had been uttering just a short time earlier to be a coincidence. Even as Michael took a step back in shock, Susan hurled the boom mike at him, catching him full in the chest with such force that he staggered backward and fell to the floor.

  And then she fled the room.

  Audrey had stood there for a few seconds, frozen in shock, before she realized what must have happened. The demon had left Kayla’s body…only to take up residence in Susan’s.

  Without thinking, she grasped the remaining vial of holy water and ran after the possessed woman. There she was, pounding down the hall toward the staircase. Her foot was already on the top step.

  “Stop!” Audrey shouted.

  Just for a second, Susan paused. Or rather, the thing that had taken control of Susan paused. Her mouth twisted in a snarl, and a terrible reddish light glowed from her hazel eyes. “You can’t stop us, fool. We always win.”

  Instinct drove Audrey forward. She didn’t even know exactly what she planned to do. From behind her, she heard a jumble of voices — Colin shouting, Michael calling out for her to wait. But she couldn’t wait. Even now the Susan-thing had turned away and resumed its flight down the stairs. There was no way they’d be able to catch up with her before she reached the bottom of the steps and freedom.

  Audrey had only this one chance.

  With shaking fingers, she pulled the stopper from the vial, then leaned over the banister and flung the holy water downward at their possessed sound operator. The thing inside Susan shrieked in pain, clawing at her eyes, then stumbled and went down, tumbling over and over until her body hit the floor at the bottom of the steps and was still.

  No…oh, no….

  Audrey pounded down the stairs, vaguely aware that Michael and Colin were now in the hallway and coming toward the staircase as well. When she got to the bottom, she knelt next to Susan. With icy fingers, she reached toward Susan’s throat to see if she could feel a pulse, even though her neck was twisted at such a terrible angle, there was no way…there was no way….

  Suddenly, Michael was crouching beside her. “Wait,” he said. From an inner pocket, he drew out yet another vial of holy water. Hand shaking, he sprinkled some of the vial’s contents on Susan’s body. She didn’t move, didn’t stir.

  It was hard to breathe. Tears blurred Audrey’s eyes, and then Michael was helping her stand, pulling her away so she could sit down on an antique bench placed up against the wall next to the stairwell. Colin was there as well, leaning down to close Susan’s eyes, which stared sightlessly up at the chandelier that hung in the foyer. When he stood back up, his expression was curiously blank, as if he didn’t quite know how he was supposed to react to all this.

  “Bloody hell,” he said at last. “She’s dead.”

  Audrey and Michael’s story concludes in Unholy Ground, releasing in April 2019.

  Also by Christine Pope

  PROJECT DEMON HUNTERS

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Unquiet Souls

  Unbound Spirits

  Unholy Ground

  Unseen Voices

  Unmarked Graves

  Unbroken Vows (March 2020)

  THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Sympathy for the Devil

  Charmed, I’m Sure

  A Wing and a Prayer (February 2020)

  THE WITCHES OF CANYON ROAD

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Hidden Gifts

  Darker Paths

  Mysterious Ways

  A Canyon Road Christmas

  Demon Born

  An Ill Wind

  Higher Ground

  Haunted Hearts

  THE WITCHES OF CLEOPATRA HILL*

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Darkangel

  Darknight

  Darkmoon

  Sympathetic Magic

  Protector

  Spellbound

  A Cleopatra Hill Christmas

  Impractical Magic

  Strange Magic

  The Arrangement

  Defender

  Bad Blood

  Deep Magic

  Darktide

  Books 1-3 and Books 4-6 of this series are also available in two separate omnibus editions at special boxed set prices. Chronicles of Cleopatra Hill includes the series’ two “back in time” novellas, Bad Blood and The Arrangement.

  Or get the entire series in one enormous, specially priced boxed set! (Not available on Amazon.)

  THE DJINN WARS*

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Chosen

  Taken

  Fallen

  Broken

  Forsaken

  Forbidden

  Awoken

  Illuminated

  Stolen

  Forgotten

  Driven

  Unspoken

  Books 1-3 and Books 4-6 of this series are also available in two separate omnibus editions at special boxed set prices!

  THE WATCHERS TRILOGY*

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Falling Dark

  Dead of Night

  Rising Dawn

  The Watchers Trilogy is also available in a specially priced boxed set!

  THE SEDONA FILES*

  (Paranormal Romance)

  Bad Vibrations

  Desert Hearts

  Angel Fire

  Star Crossed

  Falling Angels

  Enemy Mine

  Get the first three books of this series in an omnibus edition, or read the complete six-book series in one super-low-priced boxed set!

  TALES OF THE LATTER KINGDOMS*

  (Fantasy Romance)

  All Fall Down

  Dragon Rose

  Binding Spell

  Ashes of Roses

  One Thousand Nights

  Threads of Gold

  The Wolf of Harrow Hall

  Moon Dance

  The Song o
f the Thrush

  Books 1-3 and Books 4-6 of this series are also available in two separate omnibus editions at special boxed set prices.

  THE GAIAN CONSORTIUM SERIES*

  (Science Fiction Romance)

  Beast (free prequel novella)

  Blood Will Tell

  Breath of Life

  The Gaia Gambit

  The Mandala Maneuver

  The Titan Trap

  The Zhore Deception

  The Refugee Ruse

  Books 1-3 of this series are also available in an omnibus edition at a special boxed set price!

  STANDALONE TITLES

  Hearts on Fire

  Taking Dictation

  Night Music

  Golden Heart

  * Indicates a completed series

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in grade school. Her work includes paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and science fiction/space opera romance. She makes her home in Sedona, Arizona.

  Don’t miss out on any of Christine’s new releases — sign up for her newsletter today!

  Christine Pope on the Web:

  www.christinepope.com