Chapter 17

“Kasey, we’re going to be late,” Chris called from the bottom of the stairs and then turned to see her jogging from the temple room.

She stopped in front of him. “I borrowed some oils of yours. Is that okay?” She chewed her bottom lip.

“Anything you need.” He grinned down at her. “Are you taking your giant dish?”

“Oh! I almost forgot it.” She went running towards the dining room.

“It’s in there now?” He didn’t get an answer until she came back out with it.

She nodded as she struggled with the large piece of copper. “It looked great in that empty corner.”

He took it from her and followed her to the door. “Everyone’s going to be waiting.” He admired the way her jeans hugged her hips and bottom as she opened the door for him. Amazing was all he could think.

Kasey jogged down the steps and went and opened the car door for him. “I still can’t believe we’re doing this at the Doc’s.”

Chris put the dish inside and then closed the door and turned, pulling her against him. “He has an empty carpeted basement. It will be perfect.” He grinned at her. “But first I need something.” He kissed her, hard and breathless. Lifting his head, he grinned again. “Much better.”

She smiled up at him. “We need to do a lot more of that when we get home.”

He watched her get in the car. “Anything you need.”

“Oh, this is perfect!” Kasey squealed and ran to the other end of the large room. Stopping and spinning around before she ran back towards the others. “I need my bag.” They all watched her fly back up the stairs.

Chris turned to Leena and grinned. “Does she run this line at work single-handed?”

Leena laughed. “Pretty much, her team just stays out of her way and tries to pitch in from time to time.”

Dade laughed and smirked at Chris. “How the hell do you keep up with her?”

Chris lifted his eyebrows at him. “Like this.” He stood to the side at the bottom of the stairs as she came through the door at the top. She ran down the stairs digging in the bag with her head down. When she was two steps from the bottom, he reached out and pulled her against him by her waist. She shrieked and grabbed around his neck, laughing.

She kissed him and then smiled at him. “Hi.” He set her back on the floor slowly. “Thought those were planned for when we get home.”

“Then too.”

Steven cleared his throat. “Focus!”

Rachel laughed. “Yeah, you two are not allowed to be beside each other this time.”

Kasey blushed and walked quickly over to the edge of the copper dish. “Does everyone remember what to do?”

Owen nodded. “We’re doing it exactly the same as before?”

Kasey was reading a folded piece of paper. She shrugged. “Pretty much the same. I’m going to be doing something slightly different than last time. Hopefully it will show us more. But all of you do the same thing.” She looked over at Chris quickly, then away. “And let’s be sure not to touch each other this time.”

Cora, who had been sitting quietly with her head down, looked over. “Are you using the same stones? They worked so well last time.”

Nodding, Kasey stood up rubbing oils into her palms. “Uh-huh, I recharged them.”

Chris watched her carefully for a moment. What was she doing? Why was she so nervous? He walked over with the intention of massaging some of the tension from her shoulders.

She jumped away from him and then smiled. “No touching. I need to focus this time, Chris.”

Everyone stopped in their preparations to turn and look at him.

Chris held up his palms and went to stand by the dish and wait. “Okay.” What oils did she have? The scents were familiar, but he couldn’t quite place them. It was a mix, but of what? He smirked. She was probably trying to increase her vision strength. He had to shake his head to not laugh out loud and distract everyone. If she gained any more strength in her magical abilities, he was going to be in serious trouble.

Kasey sat a few feet from the dish with her head down, breathing deeply. The salt was down, candles burning.

Leena moved quietly, lighting the incense.

Owen came over with the smudge. Kasey shook her head, refusing. “I’ve taken care of that another way.” She moved to kneel by the dish. “Owen, I’d like you on my right and Cora on my left.

Chris jerked his head up and looked at her, searching her face. With her eyes closed, he couldn’t see her thoughts. Inhaling, he took in the scent of the oils again. A sweet smell, it was so familiar, but what was it?

The water was dark and glossy.

Everyone was in place and began to chant quietly with a smooth rhythm, increasing in volume each time.

Kasey opened her eyes and looked into the dish. Let me see something to focus on. She needed something personal, something direct.

A calendar floated to the top of the dish. This was no surprise to see the Lammas date was circled.

The hand wearing the ring was holding something in it. Breathing deeply, she focused on the hand, trying to bring it closer to the surface.

A pill bottle...it was a pill bottle! His thumb covered the name of the medication. Leaning forward, she focused on the image. “Take me there.” Humming under her breath, slowly trying to focus more, and reach further inside the vision. Let me see the name. Who was the prescription for?

The hand set the bottle down. No, pick it up! She began whispering the chant she’d memorized under her breath, and then added, “Take me there. Let them see...”

Pick up the bottle. She pushed the thought towards the image of the hand that now rested on top of a Bible.

Pick it up! Look at the bottle! Show me the name! The hand moved off the Bible. Kasey felt the sweat run down into her eyes. “Show me!” she hissed. The hand stopped in front of the bottle it clenched, then opened a few times. “Show me!” she whispered. There! Lawrence C. Pr.

The hand dropped and picked up the knife beside the Bible, gripping it so tight the knuckles were white.

Chris looked up at her suddenly. He knew the incantation she was mumbling. He closed his eyes and tried to remember.

Bayberry mixed with astral oil? Chris jerked his head towards Kasey just as she collapsed onto the floor.

“No!” He slapped a hand into the water, splashing it everywhere, and went quickly to her. “Kasey!” He ran his hands down her arms gently. “Kasey, let go! Come back!”

Steven dropped to his knees and checked her pulse. He looked up to Chris. “What has she done?”

Chris’s hands were shaking. Looking over at the bag she’d pulled from her purse, he reached over and grabbed it. Quickly dumping the contents onto the floor, he pushed the oil bottles to see the names on the labels. “No, Kasey, why did you try this alone?” he whispered. Careful not to jar her, he pulled her into his arms and held her gently to him.

He knelt there stroking her face softly. “Come back, sweetheart. Let it go, and come back.” Tears ran down his face as he looked up at the others.

Leena dropped down beside him and ran a hand across Kasey’s sweaty brow. “Chris, think! What do we need? You know. How do we bring her back?”

He tried to focus on her face through blurred eyes.

Cora crawled over to her and placed her hands on Kasey’s arm. She gasped and pulled them away. “Chris, where is she?”

The tears rolled down his face. He looked down at her pale face. She looked only to be sleeping. “In between,” he whispered.

Rachel was shaking as she put a hand on his face to make him look at her. “What do we need, Chris? Tell us what to do. Help us bring her back.”

He looked around at the fear in everyone’s expression and closed his eyes for a few moments. “We need… ahh!” he spat in frustration. “Uh... vervain, plant or oil will work, and dittany.” He looked at Leena. “Tell me you have your case of herbs with you?”

Leena nodded, looking to Owen. “It’s in the back of the Jeep.”

Owen nodded and ran up the stairs just ahead of her.

Chris let out an unsteady breath trying to stay calm. “I haven’t done this in years.”

Rachel moved closer. “Chris, you are the only one that knows about this. What else do we need?”

He reached for the paper Kasey had been reading and opened it with one hand. Holding her against his chest, he read what she’d written. “Kasey, why did you try this alone? I would have come with you, to watch over you,” he whispered again. Turning, he looked at Rachel. “We’ll need four white candles and four blue ones.”

She looked up at Steven.

Steven nodded. “I’ve got those. I’ll show you where.” He knelt and checked Kasey’s pulse again, nodding to Chris, and then got up and went with Rachel.

Dade knelt in front of Chris. Looking down at Kasey, he whispered, “I have the ability to see spirits, as you know. I’ll see her coming back until she reaches a certain line.”

Chris looked up from the soft skin he’d been caressing. “Can you guide her back?”

Dade shook his head. “No, it’s too risky. I might not get just her.” He looked over at Cora and then back to Chris. “I can call those that have crossed over but not one that has a living body.”

Chris nodded. “Watching for her will be enough.”

Dade nodded. “I’ll go get my rattle from the van.”

Cora touched Chris’s arm briefly. “What else can we do?”

Chris glanced around. “Move the smudge closer.” His hand was shaking as he ran it though his hair. “We’ll need black salt. Can you see if anyone has any?”

He wished for the supplies in his temple room. “I’ll need a moment.”

They both nodded. Taking Cora’s hand, Dade walked to the stairs.

With the candles lit and herbs in place, Chris finally looked up at the others. “I’ll need you to circle the two of us with the salt. Do not cross it, regardless of what you see.”

He took a deep breath. “Circle around us, and clasp hands. I don’t want you to see us. I want you to focus on seeing her return to her body.”

Steven knelt in front of him. “Wouldn’t it be better if she were in the circle alone? We’ll need you outside with us.”

Chris shook his head. “I am not letting her go.” His tone was a clear warning.

Steven nodded and held out his hand for the salt.

“Wait!” Rachel rushed forward and knelt in front of Kasey. She lowered her face to Kasey’s and kissed her cheek. “Come back to us, Kase.” Looking up, she touched Chris’s cheek. “Bring her back.” She stood up slowly and moved back, taking her place in the circle. Steven made the thin line with the salt around Chris holding Kasey’s lax little body in his arms.

Chris kissed her lips lightly and then lifted his head and closed his eyes. He began the incantation under his breath until he felt the flow of it move through him. He looked down at her fragile body as he continued it in his head.

Come back to me, he willed her.

The others stood looking down at them in the center of their outstretched arms. The candles flickered shadows over Kasey. Sweat rolled down the back of Chris’s neck, and his arms were shaking trying to hold his focus.

Dade shook the rattle softly and stared into the air above them and waited, hoping. A light glimmered and then faded. Without moving his eyes away, he whispered in a low voice. “She’s trying to return.”

Chris closed his eyes and concentrated harder, murmuring the chant inside his head faster, clearer! If he had been speaking it out loud, he would have been screaming it loud enough to shake the walls. The body in his arms jerked a few times “She’s almost there,” he heard Dade say softly.

Kasey began to vibrate in his arms, and then he heard a breath escape her small mouth. He continued the chant until he felt resistance in the body he held in his arms. Opening his eyes, he lowered his head and looked down into the most beautiful green eyes he’d ever seen.

Kasey blinked and then tried to lift her heavy head. “Did it work? Did I do it?” she whispered with a voice that cracked.

Chris lowered his head to rest on hers. “I am so very angry with you right now,” he barely had a voice as emotions choked him. He kissed her hair.

She lifted an unsteady hand to hold his head against hers. “I knew, knew, you’d be able to bring me back. I knew you would.”

“Remove the circle!” Dade paced around it.

Lifting his head, Chris held his hand over the line of salt. With a flick of his fingers, the salt flew out and away from them.

Rachel and Cora dropped to their knees and looked at Kasey’s still trembling body.

Rachel leaned over her. “You are in big trouble! You scared the hell out of me!”

Dade glanced over Chris’s shoulder and grinned down at her. “You’re one scary green-eyed witch, Kase, but never do that again!”

Steven was checking her pulse and her eyes as he spoke. “As soon as my own blood pressure returns to normal, I’m going to lock up all of your toys, young lady.”

Owen nodded to that. “You promised to break me in gently, I am not happy.”

Kasey just rested her head against Chris’s shoulder. “I get it, guys. Bad little witch. But what you’re not saying is whether it worked or not.”

Cora stroked her hand down the back of Kasey’s damp hair. “We have part of a name, Kasey. Lawrence C., and the last name began with Pr.”

Kasey opened her eyes. “We can check the lists? See if that’s on it?”

Chris shook his head. “The only thing you’re going to be doing is drinking the tea Leena’s going to pour into you, with a funnel if she has to.” He stood up with weak knees and began walking towards the stairs. “Then you’re going to stay in bed for at least the next twenty-four hours. No work! No, and I mean no magic! Nothing but rest!” He stomped up the stairs.

Kasey slowly lifted her arm up to rest her hand on his cheek. “Oh, Chris, I love you,” she whispered Chris stopped in the middle of the stairs, causing everyone else following to stop in line behind him. Looking down at her with a tear rolling down his cheek, he smiled. “Your timing in finally telling me really sucks, Kassandra.” She smiled faintly as his trembling lips brushed against hers. “You really scared me, sweetheart. I didn’t know what to do.”

Kasey brushed her fingers over his lips. “I knew you would, Chris.” She sighed. “Now you had better move before they start pushing us up the stairs.”

He turned his head to look, having forgotten the others were behind him. Everyone stood there smiling at him, not one in a hurry for him to move at all.