Free Nightwish (An Echoes of Eternity Novel Book 1) by Sydney Bristow Page A

existence. I retract that statement: we’re the only extra-sensory individuals in America. Darius has traveled the world for decades searching for other beings with special gifts, but he’s come up empty. But that doesn’t mean they’re not out there.”
    I walked over to the window, lifted it up, and said, “Come on in.”
    “I prefer to walk in. Not climb in like a rebellious teenager.”
    I blinked, and he disappeared. I walked past Grams, tiptoed to the front door, and opened it.
    Darius stepped inside.
    “Come on,” I said, gesturing him to follow me back to my room. When he entered, I closed it without a sound. “Okay,” I said to Grams, “I need more answers. How do I find out what abilities I have?”
    “They’ll present themselves in due time.”
    “Grams, I love you, but you’re not helping me. Can you tell me anything? Are there more demons out there?”
    Darius nodded. “They slip past the veil when there’s a power vacuum.” He eyed Grams then remained silent.
    “What?” I asked Grams. “Say it.”
    “Nothing could prepare you for what’s coming. I’m sorry I didn’t do things differently.”
    To see Grams second-guessing herself cut me up inside.
    “There is a sword in The Antique Boutique . You need to find it. It’s important for what you need to accomplish.”
    “A sword? We’re not in feudal Japan. Samurais don’t walk the street. I don’t need a sword.”
    “It’s the same one you practiced with during your martial arts training. I gave it to Master Nakamura the day you first entered his studio.”
    “That reminds me of all the weapons in the secret room. Why are they there? Why did you collect them?” My bedroom doorknob rattled, so I stopped speaking.
    “I’ve got to go,” Grams whispered. “Pretend you never saw me.”
    I reached out for her, but my hand went right through her as though she were nothing more than a projected image.
    “I’ll see you soon,” said Grams. Then she vanished.
    I glanced around for Darius, but he too had disappeared, having obviously gone through the window.
    I lay on my bed, popped the earbuds into my ears again, grabbed an issue of Entertainment Weekly off my nightstand, and began flipping through the pages.
    The door opened, revealing The Intruder . “I thought I heard voices.”
    Since I hadn’t hit play in a while, the MP3 player had turned off to save the battery. I pretended to hit the pause button. “Yeah, sorry about that. I must have been singing Maiden too loudly.”
    Puzzled, the phony Grams stared at me for a long moment. “Maiden?”
    My nerves throttled under my skin, so I worked on calming my pounding heartbeat. “Iron Maiden,” I said. “They’re a heavy metal band.”
    Now she glared at me.
    “You sang to a song…that is captured inside that tiny box?” she asked, motioning to my iPod.
    “Yes.”
    She looked suspicious. “Am I to believe the music travels through the wires and into your ears?” She snickered with disbelief. “Which song last played?”
    “Huh. What song? Oh, um, ‘Number of the Beast.’”
    A smirk split her lips. “That sounds like a pleasant song.”
    Yeah, it was about the Devil, so of course, this lunatic impersonator would love it.
    “Well, carry on then,” she said, turning back to the door. When she reached it, however, she spun around again. “And Serena?”
    “Yes?”
    “Be careful, darling.” Her warning came with a severe glare. “I would hate to see you on the receiving end of a spell gone wrong.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
     
    After The Intruder left, I expected to lay awake for hours, contemplating a new reality that contained the various creatures I encountered. I must have fallen asleep though because soon enough, I felt my ears ringing as whooshing sounds passed by me, my body feeling heavy as it vibrated at a different frequency than I’d ever felt before. A green haze obstructed my view as I passed through walls and crossed streets. Soon enough, I felt light