Gone: A Shadow Slayers Story (Shadow Slayers Stories Book 3) by Nellie Steele (best books for 20 year olds txt) 📕

“It is open. Time to go, Celine,” Marcus said. He grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the portal.

Celine grasped Damien’s hand, pulling him as he grabbed Michael’s arm, dragging him with them. They entered the portal, passing from Alterra to the in-between. Blackness surrounded them as the portal closed behind them. Damien shivered as the coldness struck them. Celine kept a firm grasp on his hand. “Don’t let go of my hand, D,” she warned. “And don’t let go of Michael.”

Damien nodded, tightening his grip on Celine’s hand and Michael’s arm. “How far do we have to go?” Damien asked, still shivering. Michael trembled against the cold as well.

“It didn’t take us too long,” Celine assured them. “Stay strong, it’s almost over.”

Marcus continued to navigate them through the blackness. Celine noted the tiny traces of their last trip through the in-between that he followed. After twenty minutes, they approached a shimmering rainbow. Celine figured it was their own time band, given that their trail ended.

“This is it,” Marcus confirmed. “As you realize, this will not be comfortable. You may want to warn your friends.”

Celine nodded. “Okay, this is our time band. We just need to pass through the kaleidoscope and back into our time band. It’s not an easy transition through. It will be painful. Whatever you do, do not stop walking until you are through.” Michael and Damien nodded. “You two go first. We’ll come behind you.”

Damien shook his head. “No,” he argued. “We’re not leaving you here with him. No way.”

“Damien, please. We can’t go together. You must go first. I won’t leave you here.”

“Celine, no! He could… abscond with you to another time band and we’ll never find you.”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “I am not going to abscond with anyone.”

“See!” Celine said.

“See what? He’s a serial liar. Who just kidnapped you, I might add,” Damien countered.

“Even if he did, he gave Gray a concoction to pull me back if anything happens. So, even if that happens, you could get me back!”

“Yeah right, like I believe that,” Michael said. “He probably gave Gray something to make sure you disappear forever.”

Celine sighed, frustrated. “Even if any of this is the case, it is still safer for me to go last. I can come back from an Alterra realm on my own. You cannot.” Damien and Michael glanced at each other. “Don’t even start. No more arguing. You’ll go through the portal first, and that is final.”

“But…” Damien began.

“No! No buts.” She turned them toward the rainbow wall. “Go!”

Michael and Damien glanced at each other. “Rock, paper, scissors?” Damien asked.

“Sure,” Michael answered. “Loser goes through first.” They extended their arms, pumping them three times before revealing their choice.

Marcus stared at them, a bizarre expression on his face. “What in the world are they doing?” he asked Celine.

“Playing ‘Rock, paper, scissors’ to figure out who will go first and who will go last.” She glanced at him. He continued to wear the confused expression as he stared at them. “It’s a game. Like flipping a coin.”

“Aw, come on!” Damien exclaimed after losing, his scissors broken by Michael’s rock.

“Good luck, buddy,” Michael answered, clapping him on his back. “See you on the flip side.”

Damien nodded to him. “See you in the real world.” He turned to Celine, “See you in a minute, right?”

Celine nodded to him. “See you soon, D.”

Damien turned toward the shimmering rainbow barrier. He took a deep breath, swallowing hard. He lifted his foot, taking his first step toward his world.

Present day, Bucksville, Original Timeline

Millie leapt from her seat across the room.

“What’s wrong?” Gray questioned.

“Something is happening,” Millie answered. She raced to the monitors near Damien, reading them. His heart rate is spiking as though he’s experiencing severe pain. But his temperature has raised slightly.”

Moments later, Alexander entered. “Millie, something is happening with Michael,” he reported.

“Is it his heart rate?”

“Yes,” Alexander confirmed. “It’s spiking.”

“So is Damien’s. Let me check Michael’s temperature.” Millie disappeared from the room with Alexander. She returned moments later.

“Well?” Gray asked.

“Michael’s temperature is rising, too.”

“What does that mean?” Gray asked.

“Could they be returning?” Alexander suggested.

“What about Celine and Marcus?” Gray questioned.

Millie checked their vitals. “No change in either of them.”

“Something’s wrong,” Gray replied.

“We don’t know that,” Alexander answered. “She would have sent Michael and Damien first. She’d never have left either of them with Marcus.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Gray agreed, tightening his grip on the red vial. “Even if it meant her own demise, she wouldn’t have.” He glanced at the vial.

Alexander noticed his gaze. “Don’t, Gray. We don’t possess any information about the contents of that vial, nor can we trust it does what Northcott says it does. Give her time.”

Gray shook his head, disagreeing, but relented. “Fine, but if there is even the slightest indication that she is in distress, no one will stop me from using this.”

Gray paced the room while Millie kept a close watch on the monitors, scurrying between both rooms to continue to monitor both men. Within fifteen minutes, nothing had changed except the temperatures of Michael and Damien, both continuing to rise.

Gray rested his eyes on Celine, still motionless in her chair. She showed no signs of return, no increased heart rate or rising temperature. His fingers tightened on the vial containing the red liquid.

Twenty more minutes passed. The tension in the room grew thick. Finally, Damien began to groan. “Damien?” Gray questioned, racing to his bedside. “Damien, can you hear us?”

“Easy, Gray,” Millie cautioned. “He is becoming more responsive. I’d say he’s returning to us but let his body do it on its own time.”

Gray glanced across the room. “What about Celine?” he cried. “There’s no change in her. Something is wrong. She can’t still be there. There’s no reason for her to be. She should be returning, too.”

“I’m beginning to agree that something is off,” Alexander chimed in. “Michael’s condition changed moments after Damien’s. If it indicates their return, most likely, Celine followed after them, or should have. But, perhaps,