The Devil Within

 

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Dedication

This book is dedicated first and foremost to my amazing husband, Jeff.  Thank you for always believing in me and for encouraging me to do the things I love.  I couldn't have done this without you.  Secondly, I would like to thank my parents and my sister, Kayla.   Harley, Melissa Sims, you have inspired me in ways you will never know.  And to you Kitten, Bells...Megan.  So much of this book would have never gotten done without you.  I am thankful to have someone like you in my life.  We might not be blood, but you are family.  No matter how many miles seperate us.  Thank you for allowing me to use Aoife.  I know how precious she is to you.

 

Lastly, I would like to dedicate this book to my papa, James "Jimbo" Boggs.  You told me I could be anything I wanted.  Thank you.  I love you and I miss you.

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Bells.

Love it xx <3

Prologue

    I never thought it would end this way.  I never thought that dying would hurt this bad.  I can see their faces flashing in front of me and I know that I would die a thousand times over if I could save them.  It isn’t like the movies.  My life isn’t flashing before my eyes.  I walk willingly into death.  I see my father and mother.  Aoife.  Keiran.  I feel the touch of Tristan’s hand on my cheek.  The sound of his voice in my head and the feel of his breath against my ear as he whispers “I love you.”

    This is for him.  I surrender so that he might live.  So that Kieran might life.  “You’ve made your decision,” I hear a voice that sounds darker than I’ve ever heard it before.  I look up at him.  Our eyes meeting for the first time since I entered the room.  “I have,” my voice doesn’t shake though I am terrified.  I know that this is the right thing to do.  To die so that they might live.

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Chapter One

Salem, Massachusetts

     There is something to be said for fall in New England.  It’s cliché but still beautiful.  The way the leaves turn and fall.  The smell of pumpkin in the air.  October in Salem is especially festive.  The home of witches and ghost.  Where so many lost their lives on the word of a girl.  A dark hour in our past, but we must learn to live and adjust.  I still feel out of place here at times.  The way I talk and the mannerisms that I still have that link me to the South, where I was born and raised.  It has become a game to those who know me.  They jest at words that I have forgotten make me draw.  Simple words like country, stop, and the ever present y’all.  Despite it all, I wouldn’t change a single thing about my life. 

    Many people question what it is they want to do with their lives.  For me, the decision was simple.  I wanted to be immersed in history.  Salem was a place that I had always dreamt about.  It was shrouded in mystery and drew me to it.  I have been here for six years and I have never looked back.  There are times that I miss home but I have built my life here.  I especially love October in Salem.  I can’t help but smile as I think about the bewitching season upon us.  It is perhaps the reason I forget that I’m not alone.  “You are doing that thing again,” the soft calming voice draws me from my thoughts.

    My eyes drift over towards Nathaniel Wilson, my boyfriend of a year.  Nathaniel is handsome in that boy next door way.  He is almost a foot taller than me and his curly dark brown hair is gelled back.  He smiles down at me as he places a steady arm around me to shave the wind off of me.  “What thing,” I ask as I lean into the warmth of his body.  “The thing where you are a million miles away,” he spoke as he turned to face me.  The absence of the light made his hazel eyes had a browner tint as I looked at his face.  He wore that charming grin that I had come to love about him.  He was the kind of man that a girl dreams about.  The white knight that rides her away on his steed.  He was one of the first people to accept me when I moved to Salem.  A smile widens over my face.  “I was just thinking about how excited I am for Halloween.”

    The admittance of thought brings a wide smile to his face.  I can feel the pad of his thumb on the apple of my cheek.  His hands are warm against the cold of my skin from the brisk fall wind.  “There are only two types of people who are excited about Halloween.  Ten year olds, and those who wish they were still ten years old,” he laughed releasing me from his gentle grip.  Gently, I pushed him sticking out my tongue in true ten year old fashion.  “How do you even pass for a responsible adult,” he joked holding the door to the pizza place for me.  “That’s my secret to keep,” I jested as I walked in.  As always, I walked towards the booth where we always sat.  The booth where we had first met.  The memory brings a smile to my face and I think Nathaniel knows exactly what I’m thinking about by the way his arms envelope me.  “Have I told you how amazing you look today,” he whispers in my ear as Susan, the owner walks towards us.  “Look at you two all cuddled up,” she beamed at us.  “What can I get you two tonight,” she asked as I felt the vibration in my jacket.  I could feel eyes on me as I reached into the jacket and pulled out the iPhone.  I felt the color fade from my face as I looked at the name.  “Everything okay,” Nathaniel asked his hand rubbing my shoulder.  “Perfect.  Just give me a second.  Let me take this outside.  Go ahead and order for me.  You know what I like,” I feigned calm as I started out of the booth and towards the door.  I stared at the words on the phone face.  Breezy calling.  I sucked in the air around me and slide the bar to answer.  “Hello?”

          I listened and waited for the voice on the other side of the line.  It wasn’t that my sister never called me.  We talked often.  Well, as often as we could.  She was a college student and I was a working professional.  I knew her schedule and she knew mine.  Perhaps that’s the reason that my stomach was churning knots as I listened for any noise on the other side of the line.  “Bree?  Bree, are you there,” I finally asked when nothing was said.  I could hear the scrambled voices in the background.  Great, I’m sitting here freezing my butt off and my baby sister is drunk dialing me from some party, I thought as I prepared myself to hang up the phone. 

          “Sel.”

          It was one word.  One broken word.  But it was enough to for me to hold on.  “Bree, are you okay,” I questioned trying to keep the concern out of my tone.  “Selene, please.  Help me.  I don’t know what to do.”

          She was crying.  I could hear the terror in her voice.  “Bree, what’s going on,” I asked keeping her engaged while keeping my own thoughts furthest from the worst.  Her voice cracked and I could hear it.  She was running.  “He’s following.  I’m scared.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean any of it.  Please, please don’t let him find me,” she begged and my heart wrenched inside of me.  “Aoife, who’s following you?  Where are you?  Are you still on campus,” I rambled as my hand shook.  My eyes travelled back into the restaurant where Nathaniel engaged in happier conversations than the one I was having.  “Aoife, listen to me.  Stay on the phone and get to campus security or the police station.  Do you hear me?”

    “So sorry, Selene, but it appears that your little sister has other plans.  Don’t worry, you’ll hear all about them soon enough, I’m sure.”

    I froze in my spot.  The voice.  It was familiar to me.  The tone.  The way it spoke.  It was as if the person knew who I was.  Terror was welling up inside of me as I frantically dialed back.  Voicemail.  I could feel the invisible walls around me closing in.  Something was terribly wrong.  

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Chapter Two

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Chapter Three

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