The phone rang just as Galen plopped himself down behind his cluttered desk.
In the months since moving in with Rachel,his cottage had become the unofficial headquarters of the asylum’s renovations and was now in use solely for that.
Glancing at his phone, he was surprised to see Enid Morris’ number. She didn’t phone often, having complete trust in him and his team to get things done, so this was quite piquing his interest. Ever since they succeeded in crossing over her mother and ridding the asylum of the dark spirit, the old lady had spent most of her time travelling, leaving the majority of her day to day business dealings to Anita to see to.
“Mrs Morris,” he answered,”so nice to get a call from you.”
“Galen,my dear. It’s been too long. How have you been? And Rachel? I do miss you so much. I know I have been tardy when it comes to checking in on you.”
“We’re al
Black candles flared into life as Rachel walked into the darkened cave. Her feet were bare,taking in the sensation of utter cold from the harsh stone floor.“Where am I?” she whispered into the darkness.What was this place? So cold, so forbidding…“Rachel…”The voice which spoke her name was female,guttural and filled with malice. Dear God, what was this nightmare? Her body tensed and she felt her breath coming in short gasps. It was almost as if she could no longer move of her own free will.“Who are you?” Rachel asked, trying her best to keep her voice steady. She shouldn’t show her fear, that was what all darkness fed upon. “Why have you brought me to this place?”“To watch him die,” the voice said spitefully. “To have our revenge.” 
Rachel’s interest was piqued by what Becca said. If they could find a spirit to carry a message to Gabi wherever she was, it would make things so much easier. Gabi risked a lot coming to her in the first place and was surely keeping a low profile until the dust settled. Reprisals were surely at the top of her list of things to worry about. As an angel of death it was her duty to keep the cosmic balance in the cycle of life and death, not to pass on warnings to her mortal friends. “Gabi might be difficult to track down, Becca. She broke a lot of rules to warn me in the first place.” “I know Rachel, but this is our only option. To send a spirit after her. It’s not like we can just lift the veil and find her ourselves.” “And the spirit you think can help us? Can they be trusted with this?” The momentary look of concern on her sister’s face wasn’t lost on Rachel. It almost seemed as if Becca was hiding something from her about the spirit she wanted to use
She was falling… She was floating… A downward spiral into the open grave… Midway down, Rachel was overtaken by a sense of hesitant peace. The fall down was not what she expected. She’d envisioned herself making a swift fall and an even more swift connection with the cold, hard earth waiting for her below. Instead she found herself floating gently, with no fear, no trepidation and absolutely no horror to speak of. Some dark spirit had pushed her into an open grave. Was this how it would end for her? With no one around her to say a final goodbye? No Mom, no Becca, no Buck and no Galen? Her heart wrenched at the thought of her loved ones, left behind once the spirit killed her. Would she not even hold Galen one last time? Rachel closed her eyes and fell deeper into the waiting abyss… When she opened her eyes, she found herself laying flat on her back, on a marble floor, in a cold empty room. She sat up, stretching and trying
Black widow… Rachel braced herself against the accusing tone in the spirit’s voice as she pulled her gaze away from Galen’s animated corpse. This was a trick, nothing more, designed to throw her off guard. “I know none of this is real,” Rachel said, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. “I grow tired of your games.” Her words were met with a bitter peal of laughter as the doll looked at Galen and reached out its fingerless, stitched hand, to smear the bloody tears across his face. “Perhaps,” it answered, “or maybe a foretaste of what’s to come. Watching your life fall apart is almost more pleasurable than killing the wolf.” Enraged, Rachel reached out to grab it, but it was lightening fast. It was out of her reach in a split second. “Twisted bitch! What do you want from us?” Rachel spun around at the sound of its almost maniacal laughter. It was sitting in the front pew, intently gazing at her. When its laughter final
The life- altering night of the accident, Peter wasn't leaving on a business trip as everyone assumed. He was abruptly ending their marriage. He was on his way to meet the skank he'd been carrying on with for the last eight months, when he'd lost control of his sedan. He veered off the road and slammed into a tree. He'd lingered in hospital for a few hours, just long enough, not to ask her forgiveness, but to tell her that marrying her was the worst mistake of his life."Did you ever love me?" she asked, too broken to even cry. He'd attempted to smile arrogantly, but it was more of a smirk. His lower lip had been ripped apart."Never, " he croaked hoarsely. "You were a means to an end. . . "Before she had a chance to respond, he'd gasped his last breath, amid an air of cruelty.
"You're not interested in hearing what I have to say?" Peter asked.Rachel paused. She usually was, when crossing over the dead. She listened to their final words, and passed on their messages to their loved ones, but in her husband's case, all she wanted to do was get away from him. Even in death, he was bent on making her life difficult."If you expect me to carry a message of undying love to your whore, then think again, Peter.”In a split second, he was before her, blocking her way. He was dead of course, so she could have just walked through him, but that would bring a fresh set of complications. Walking through his ethereal form, would give her access to his emotions and she didn't feel like reliving the contempt he felt for her. "Mindy's a good woman, Rachel. "Rachel scoffed. "Mindy. . . what is she?A stripper?Even her name sounds trashy.I’m surprised she isn’t here,j
Galen Munroe yawned as he turned off onto the dirt road leading to Cranston Asylum. His rickety old pickup truck struggled to maintain an even pace on the dirt road and the jolting, irritable as it was, served to focus his concentration. He'd been driving for six hours to reach this place, situated deep in the woods of Colby's Cove and knowing he was going to be alone, brought a smile to his lips.He couldn't wait to shift and run free through the woods. His wolf cried out for release inside of him and he hadn't hunted in almost a week. That's how long he had been outcast from the pack. It had been one week, since his family had turned their backs on him."You are a disgrace to this pack and this family,"his father had said, disgust in his voice. "How will you lead someday if you allow your heart to think for you?" It was hard to look at the dark-blond man with green eyes. It was almost like looking in a mirror.
The sun was setting when the golden-brown wolf returned to the cabin. Galen howled as he shifted back into his human form and ran, naked, into the cabin. It was small, but comfortable and it had all the basic amenities. Earlier, he'd found the keys exactly where the owners had said they'd be, hidden under the welcome mat at the door.Galen jumped into the shower, allowing the hot water to soothe his aching muscles. He'd pushed himself to the limit during his hunt and far from being dissatisfied with his aching body, he felt free.For so long he'd been bound to his parent's pack, following orders and this was his first real taste of true freedom in all of his thirty years. He no longer had to bow and follow; he was coming into his own and could finally live his own life.When he stepped out of the shower, Galen wrapped a towel around his waist and reached for his cellphone. He had a signal and remembered