Synergy of Souls: Web of Hearts and Souls #8 (See Book 3)

By Jamie Magee

I’m still hunting Bianca. Silas still looms protectively. Draven’s tested. These are demons I know. The ones I don’t know are here now, our time to leave this dimension came long before I was ever really ready.
Special note to the reader: This Novel is part of the “Web of Hearts and Souls,” a massive story where more than one series connect. The series can be read separately or together.

COMBINED WEB OF HEARTS AND SOULS READING ORDER: Insight, Embody, Image, Whispers of the Damned, Witness, Vital, Vindicate, Synergy, Enflame, Redefined, Rivulet, Imperial, Blakeshire, Derive, Emanate, Exaltation, Disavow, The Witches, Revolt, Scorched Souls.
*If you are a fan of Adult Paranormal Edge (Season 1&2) can be read with the Web of Hearts, before of after Exaltation--the stories share the same characters. Season 3 can be read after Scorched Souls

INSIGHT READING ORDER: Insight, Embody, Image, Vital, Vindicate, Enflame, Rivulet, Imperial, Blakeshire (Drake's Story), Emanate, Exaltation, Disavow.

SEE READING ORDER: Whispers of the Damned, Witness of a Broken Heart, Synergy of Souls, Redefined Love Affair, Derive (Aden's Beginning), A Lovers Revolt, Scorched Souls.

EDGE SERIES READING ORDER Alphas Rise, Dark Lure, Sacred Betrayal, Risen Lovers, Fall of Kings, Queens Rise, Stolen Son, Disloyal Souls, Aftermath.

We all fell hard for Twilight. We lost ourselves in the teen angst of Vampire Diaries, Fallen, and Hush, Hush. We found courage in the pages of Hunger Games, Divergent, and the Maze Runner. Our imagination was on fire inside of Mortal Instruments, Throne of Glass, and The Red Queen. We fell back into our childhoods with the likes of Cinder. And now we have the compelling, enigmatic, character driven thrill ride of the long reaching contemporary fantasy series INSIGHT.

Fans of contemporary and paranormal fantasy you cannot go wrong! Looking for ghosts? Angels? Demons & Devils? Witches? Gods? How about action and adventure wrapped around the romance of soul mates? Do you like to dive into the mystics? Science Fiction elements found in our own realm? Past lives or the zodiac? Ancient and modern civilizations? Spirituality? A setting that is contemporary, urban, and otherworldly? How do you feel about psychics? What about gothic elements? All of this and so much more is wrapped in this long reaching teen series. Insight is the foundation for not only its self titled series but also as a thread in the Web of Hearts and Souls Series, where several series intertwine to offer a mind-bending experience for the reader. If you're looking for originality and one hell of a deal this series is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jamie Magee
• Release date: Apr 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301716012

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Copyright © 2010 Jamie Magee

All Rights Reserved

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

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EDGE SERIES READING ORDER

Alphas Rise

Dark Lure

Sacred Betrayal 

Risen Lovers

Fall of Kings

Queens Rise

COMBINED WEB OF HEARTS AND SOULS READING ORDER:

Insight

Embody

Image

Whispers of the Damned

Witness

Vital

Vindicate

Synergy

Enflame

Redefined

Rivulet

Imperial

Blakeshire

Derive

Emanate

Exaltation*

Disavow

The Witches

Revolt

Scorched Souls

*If you are a fan of Adult Paranormal Edge can be read with the Web of Hearts, before of after Exaltation--the stories share the same characters.

INSIGHT READING ORDER:

Insight

Embody

Image

Vital

Vindicate

Enflame

Rivulet

Imperial

Blakeshire (Drake's Story)

Emanate

Exaltation

Disavow

SEE READING ORDER:

Whispers of the Damned 

Witness of a Broken Heart

Synergy of Souls

Redefined Love Affair 

Derive (Aden's Beginning)

A Lovers Revolt 

Scorched Souls

CONTEMPORARY NOVELS

Deploy

Disengaged

Impulsion

Friction

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. Ella Wilcox

For every soul this daydream was meant to find…

Chapter One

Fear. Fear of the end of existence consumes me, and I don’t know how I know, but I know it’s my fault. The ash is thick, so thick that I can’t see more than a few feet in front of me. The screams of the women and children shred into my soul. I’m running, but I can’t breathe, the air is toxic. I keep telling myself only a few more feet and I’ll be safe, I’ll beg for forgiveness and this will be over, we’ll all be saved, but I stumble on the hollow rocks that are falling from the sky. A woman reaches to help me up. I can’t understand her, but I see the pleading in her eyes. It’s as if she knows I can stop this. I rise to my feet, grab her arm, and run again. Just as I reach the door I wanted to find, I feel a powerful hand on my shoulder stopping me. Darkness comes. Death comes. All is lost.

That’s when I wake coughing, drenched in sweat, on the verge of crying. I keep thinking that if I can reach the door in my dream that maybe I can solve this nightmare. I don’t know if it’s a warning, if this has happened, or if it’s just symbolic to what’s going on in my life. I know one thing, though: I feel Silas there. The darkest part of me tells me that he’s the death that’s calling, that behind that door is Draven, and that I’m never in time to save him. With that thought, the tears that I’m too stubborn to let fall begin to glass over my eyes, my heart races, and dread comes over every inch of my trembling body.

Two weeks ago, I turned eighteen. It was the day that followed the night that I fought Bianca in The realm and helped Draven through his test. Silas had warned me that the light that I was, or the light that was in me, would become too bright to be resisted, that the fate that I’d dreaded would finally be here. The only thing that changed on my birthday was the birth of the nightmare that I have each and every time I dare to close my eyes. Beyond that, it’s been quiet...almost too quiet.

Draven has spent every day, all day at the school. I guess you could call it an arts center by now. He and the others were writing, playing for hours on end. We’re rarely alone, and when we are, it’s tense. We ignore the elephant in the room. We ignore that though he’d passed his test and stayed in this world that now he was officially an dark angel, that his instinct was telling him to pull energy to him, to create darkness. He hadn’t given in to that call, but I swear at times I could see the thirst in his eyes.

I would try to hold him, talk to him about our past in this life. I still can’t remember most of it, but he can, and I knew if he thought of those happy moments that his emotions would be in balance and the anger would stay at bay. That thought process would work for a while, a few hours at least, but then he’d slip inside himself and the grief for what he thought would never happen again, our happiness, would take over. At that point, he always left my side as quickly as he could, making it clear that I was a temptation that he was fighting, that this unseeable war of light and darkness had placed a permanent divide between us.

Those weren’t the only times he blocked me out. He never wanted me near him when he was writing aggressive songs that pulled those dark emotions out of him. I didn’t want to make anything harder on him, but not writing with him, knowing he was writing with Winston and Grayson instead, always left me bitter.

I felt like I was his part-time girlfriend, allowed to see him calm, almost happy, but not at any other time.

I tried to keep myself busy with school, spending most of my time at the library prepping for finals, which was all I had left to do for the semester. Madison was always with me, but she wasn’t studying for school. She was studying something much more interesting, darker. She’d pulled books on every folklore or myth that had ever been written. She had notebooks full of symbols. She was trying to find something that could protect us, some kind of peaceful barrier we could use. I helped when I became bored with school.

I hoped within the pages of all the lore that perhaps I would learn of herbs or something that I could wear or do that would make Draven feel more at ease around me, but it’s hard to mask who you are, and no one should have to around the one they love.

Grayson had told me that Draven now saw things differently. Saw me differently. That when I was happy, my aura shifted, became brighter, and that shade was what was so inviting to dark angels. Knowing that, I found a way to hold those emotions in around all of them. That’s harder than it sounds because the only time I’m really happy is when Draven’s with me. When I know he’s safe.

I hadn’t seen Silas, but I could feel him when I left my home. From time to time, I’d see a butterfly dance by me and I would always think of him. I wanted to talk to him, but I knew that it would just be the same argument. He would promise me that he’d end Draven’s life the moment he had an excuse. I just didn’t want to hear that.

I hadn’t given up on leaving for Chara. I would even see my way there at least once a day, standing on the hill and watching the house that I knew belonged to Willow and Landen. I’d yet to find them at home, though. I assumed they were in that dark place called Esterious, but I couldn’t bring myself to see my way there, to see that dark prince. His image haunted me.

When Madison was in deep thought, her hands were always sketching, and that prince’s image would come to life with little effort. When she realized what she was doing, she’d rip it up. I’d look away and block the thoughts I had about him, the moment I’d seen him in that dark world. I was afraid that if she left for Chara with me that she’d see him. I didn’t think she was ready for that, but at the same time I didn’t think I could leave without her. I was torn on what would be the right thing to do when that moment finally came.

When Madison wasn’t with me, she was with Britain. Though they weren’t officially a couple, I could see how he made her happy. It was a shallow happiness, though, because according to her, she was on a spiritual journey, one that had no room for a boyfriend.

I assumed that thought process came from the books she was reading, the ones that spoke of illumination, finding your truth. Over the last few days, we’d debated the idea that life was nothing but a dream created by our thoughts and intent, that everything before us was nothing but a distraction to what life, existence really was.

The debate was that she’d pretty much committed to that belief, that she was seeking answers on a deeper level. My argument was that life was too real to be a dream. That even if she were right, this theory of hers, we were lucid in this dream. I did agree that most of the world was not, but the shadows, the darkness that we’d helped all of our lives, led me to believe that dream or not, we had a purpose, one that would bring change to all of existence, one that would correct the wrong that was once done.

I feared that her newfound spiritual path had allowed her not to fear Britain, as she should. She seemed to accept what he was without question. Madison told me that she not only had to accept him, but also the shadows if she were to raise above dualities, the idea that one thing is right or wrong. Madison thought that we were all right and all wrong, that we only saw something as dark if it wasn’t as we believed. Once again, I both agreed and disagreed. I was happy that the anger she had for the shadows we were forced into helping was gone, that she now helped with compassion and patience – but at the same time, I couldn’t rise above my hatred for Bianca, or others like her.

When Madison spoke harshly about her or when we went to The realm to hunt her, I would tease her about her new moral standing with dualities, and she’d counter that she was new at this and that some hate takes time to die. Basically, she hated her as much as I did and sought revenge as if it were her heart, her boyfriend, which was tempted by Bianca. I assumed it was her sixth sense that fueled this, the fact that she could not only see, but also feel my emotions as if they were hers.

I was afraid that Austin would come back and either Draven wouldn’t tell me or he’d tell him that we weren’t ready, so I made it a point to see Wesley every day. We’d become friends, jogging buddies, at least. Every morning we ran two miles around the town of Salem. The workout helped me release all those built up emotions and some of the stress.

I reached for my phone to see that it was now 5:55 AM. Those numbers haunted me, and I didn’t know why. I felt like they were a sign. I even had Madison look them up for me, and what she found was both reassuring and frightening. Those numbers stood for change; they were a message from our spirit guides (if you believe in such things) that a life-changing event or events were near.

I threw back my covers and sat up as I grudgingly rubbed my hands across my face. The gentle sound of my father’s guitar elevated as if to say hello. I smiled slightly.

Bad dreams, Dad. I nodded at my phone. 5:55 again...are you trying to say something? Is it almost time to leave?

The sound of the guitar didn’t change. I sighed as I stood and half-heartedly pulled my covers over my bed before walking down the steps to my old room. Lately, my father had kept his distance; there wasn’t room for him in my dreams with the nightmares, and he rarely appeared in my waking hours. I almost felt like he was preparing me for a goodbye by not letting me become dependent on him, on his direction.

When I reached the bottom stair, I found Madison’s bed empty, but Monroe was in hers, and she wasn’t sleeping soundly. She was drenched in sweat, and she was thrashing her head from side to side as if she were witnessing something horrible. I ran to her side, grabbed her shoulders, and shook her awake. She shot up, letting out a deep gasp of breath. Her dark eyes were wide as she tried to gauge where she was.

Look at me! Look at me! I said loudly as I pushed her wet hair out of her eyes. Just a dream, I said caressing her hair, just a dream...you’re fine.

She shook her head from side to side, telling me I was wrong. I sat down next to her and tried to hide the concern in my eyes.

Did you dream of ash? Screaming?

She looked down. Father, she whispered.

I tried to remain calm, but my eyes grew wide. Monroe had never talked about her father. None of us knew who or what he was, or even where, but we had our suspicions that he was in The realm somewhere. Madison even thought he was controlling it somehow. Grayson and Winston didn’t offer much insight on the matter either...well, at least I think they didn’t; for all I know, they could have told Draven since they were all best friends now.

What happened? I asked gently.

He wants me to come.

Come where, Monroe?

She looked away, avoiding my eyes.

Listen, you aren’t going anywhere you don’t want to go, you hear me? I’ll protect you—I swear.

She swallowed hard. He’ll hurt you.

No one is going to hurt me. I promise.

Tears streamed down her face as she moved her head from side to side.

Monroe, listen. I trust your insight. I believe you, and if you tell me that we need to go, right now, right here, I’ll go to Chara and knock on every door and find someone to come for us. Is that what you want me to do?

She grimaced. No. They’re coming.

Who’s coming, Monroe? Willow and Landen, more dark angels, or both?

Everyone, she said as she buried her face in her hands.

As terrifying as this moment was, I felt my heart flutter with the promise that meeting Willow and Landen would finally be fulfilled.

Then we’ll be fine. Listen, you’re the boss. You say go. We go. You say wait. We wait. I won’t let your father or anyone else hurt you. Do you understand me?

She didn’t answer me. I reached my arm around her and rocked her from side to side. A moment later, Madison came out of the bathroom and looked at me like I was insane.

What happened? she asked, kneeling in front of Monroe.

Did you not notice she was sweating, tossing, and turning when you got in the shower?

No, she was sleeping safe and sound, Madison said, sure of herself.

I was relieved that whatever dream she had or torture she went through didn’t last that long, but at the same time I wasn’t as confident as my words were. Something told me that it took a lot to cause fear in Monroe, and the amount of fear I saw in her eyes would bring a chill to the bravest soul. Knowing Monroe, we still had some time before this happened, maybe enough time to stop it.

I decided then to find a way to talk to Silas that day. It was easy for me to see that he and Monroe had some kind of bond. He’d promised to protect her, and Monroe had pretty much told me with the color of purple that she trusted and loved him.

Did she dream about ash, too? Madison asked.

No, Daddy Dearest.

Fantastic, Madison mumbled. Come on, girly, let’s get you some water, breakfast.

Monroe stood and went with Madison down the steps. Though Monroe never spoke to Madison, or anyone else, for that matter. It was easy to see that Monroe liked Madison, especially Madison’s sarcasm. Madison made it a goal to make her smile at least once a day.

I gathered my running clothes from the closet, then locked myself in the bathroom. I braced myself on the counter as I stared into my dark eyes. I told myself to have no fear, to not open that door for evil to walk through. I was safe. I was strong. No one was going to hurt me, or the ones I loved.

Downstairs, I found Kara making pancakes for breakfast. Monroe was at the table, she looked calmer, but still terrified.

Where’s Madison? I asked.

Breakfast date, Kara said, looking over me. How did you sleep?

Better than Monroe, apparently, I said as I grabbed my bag and keys.

That’s not saying much, Kara mumbled. You want to eat first?

No. I don’t want to run on a full stomach.

Oddly, she didn’t argue with me.

I put my hand on Monroe’s shoulder. I’ll be back in just a little bit.

We won’t be here, Kara said. She has testing today at the school, and remember, I’m staying in the city this weekend. The kitchen is stocked, but I’d really rather you guys stay at Nana’s.

Too crowded over there. We’ll be fine here, I said, squeezing Monroe’s shoulder. Call me when you’re done, and we’ll plan something fun. We have the house all to ourselves this weekend, I said to Monroe.

She reached up for my hand, and with her touch I saw crows, hundreds of them, circling in the air. I felt danger, my stomach tightened, and escape was all I wanted. When Monroe’s hand fell from mine, the images left, along with the fear.

OK, I said as I let out a gasp. Run from birds. Got it. I said, trying to sound confident.

Her eyes grew sad as she looked down. I knew she didn’t trust me to do that, either that or she didn’t think it was possible.

See you in a bit, I murmured. Have fun with your friends this weekend, I said to Kara.

In the garage, I found the silence. The whispers weren’t absent again. They just seemed to have broader boundaries. I thought maybe it was my dad’s spirit that was keeping them at bay around my house, though I didn’t understand why it would have changed recently.

When I reached the end of my driveway, I heard the whispers begin. I’d reached the end of whatever invisible boundary they had. I put the car in park, prepared to help a few of them before I drove. When I did that in the past, they were always more agreeable, more patient with me.

Today was different, though. I didn’t hear my name; at least, I didn’t think I did. It sounded like there were millions of them; the sound was a harsh, violent hiss. It was so loud that I covered my ears and squinted my eyes closed. The pain was agonizing. It felt like my eardrums were going to burst from the powerful vibration of the hiss. The whispers weren’t angry; it was more like a warning, like they were trying to tell me to stay at my home, but I didn’t care for anyone telling me what to do. Especially shadows. Just as I went to say, Show yourself, they stopped and just as they stopped, an exploding white light consumed everything around me.

Chapter Two

My heart was beating so violently that my chest hurt. As I shielded my eyes with my hands, I felt a peaceful bliss come over me; it was so calm that it nearly stopped my heart. It was as if every shadow had been helped at once and the light that they simultaneously became was so vibrant that it was blinding. It diminished just as quickly as it appeared. I focused on the bliss that I thought I felt, but it faded with the light as well. I tried to think if I’d thought or done something differently than I normally had done, but there was nothing.

I glanced from side to side, wondering if Silas was near, if perhaps the thought that I had to speak to him today had somehow reached him and he was lurking in the shadows, playing the part of the silent hero.

Nothing. Not even a sign of a butterfly in the air. A horrid feeling of foreboding settled in my gut, telling me to turn back, but I couldn’t bring myself to listen to it.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I put the car in drive and took in a deep breath. I scanned the side of the road as I drove to Wesley’s to see if I saw a shadow, a butterfly, an image of Silas standing in the distance, but nothing was there. I was having a hard time shaking this odd feeling I felt...it was like it was the calm before the storm, the illusion that all was well. My eyes could find no reason to be afraid, but my body and soul were screaming at me to be aware. I had that feeling often, usually when I was just feet from Bianca in The realm , when I thought that I finally had her, that I would stop this demon, that collected broken hearts, for good.

Every time I thought I had Bianca in my grip, she’d either fake her death or simply vanish into thin air. I had to find a way to beat her, to end her.

As I pulled onto Wesley’s street, I saw something that seemed to irritate me for every reason and no reason: Aden’s Hummer. He jogged with us every morning, too. He claimed he needed the exercise, but I knew that was just a cover. Twins can never keep secrets from each other long, and Aden knew about Silas. He knew that he wasn’t just some guy that had helped Monroe and me that one night. He knew that Silas loved me, that he wanted to kill Draven, and he made it a point to be with me on this jog simply because he knew that Madison wouldn’t come, that ideally this would be the one time that I wasn’t with one of them. That if Silas were to show himself, it would be then.

Wesley was playing with his dog, Princess, who also jogged with us every morning in the front yard. Aden was on his phone, pacing next to Wesley.

Wesley smiled at me as I got out and clipped my phone to my running pants. I nodded for him to come, and he made a face, telling me that I was wrong, that I should wait on Aden to finish his call. So, I whistled at Princess, telling her to come; she did so eagerly. I grabbed her leash and took off in a sprint with her at my side, then glanced over my shoulder to see Wesley tapping Aden on the shoulder before he began to run to catch up with me.

Feisty this morning, aren’t we? Wesley asked when he caught up with me.

Not a fan of being babysat, and I didn’t get much sleep. Bad dreams.

Ah...he loves you. I should be the one offended if you really do need to be protected, he said, laughing. Same nightmare?

Yep. Ash. Lots of it.

I told you before: your dreams are you.

Explain that. Like, that’s how I see things in my life? Is that what you mean?

He shrugged his shoulders. Kind of. For most people, yes, but with what you can do, and the fact that you’re curious about your past lives, your mind is trying to give you what you want.

Not a warning; that’s reassuring. Monroe had a nightmare last night, too. Must be something in the air.

Well, I bet I can make you smile.

I stopped my jog. Is he here?

Wesley waved for me to follow him. No, but I bet it won’t be long now.

How are you so sure? I said as I picked up my jog again.

I dreamed of him, and I keep seeing signs.

Signs? What do you mean signs?

He nodded to a parked truck on the side of the street that had ‘Austin County’ on the tags. I bet on this run, I’ll see his name at least three times.

I looked at the tags on the truck again to see the last three numbers of the plate: 555. I swallowed nervously as I tried to balance my air as I jogged.

Is that like a Chara thing? Seeing things like that?

It’s like a human thing, he said, grinning at me. Have you ever thought of someone you hadn’t seen in a long time, and then you start seeing things that remind you of them then they just show up?

Um. No, I said, furrowing my brow. But I keep seeing the same numbers over and over again, fives.

My mother always told me the easiest and fastest way for our spirit guides to talk to us was through numbers. If I remember correctly, five is a good one; change, I think.

So I guess it’s a good thing those plates had 5 on them, too? I said, trying to smile.

I’d say so. Get ready, Chara, Charlie’s coming home! Wesley yelled, looking at the sky before grinning at me.

Tell me this, I said, trying to measure my breath, if you didn’t know me, how would you feel about bringing people that can do what we can do to your home? Should I even want this? Is it fair to your world?

Ah, Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Yes, you have to understand that you cannot hurt my world.

But why is that myth in place then? The one that says the world will reject you, that you’ll get sick and die if you’re not loved by someone?

Look, myths only have the power that you give them. We bring families from other dimensions to Chara all the time. I think that idea, myth, is there just to back up the foundation of the world. That it’s built by soul mates. Besides, even if it is true, I kinda see you like the little sister I never had, and you know Austin loves you guys.

Right, but I’ve been there every day. I’ve seen the sun, the lush fields, felt the peace. I just keep imagining showing up, then the clouds turn gray and the darkness that I am takes over that place. I don’t want to be selfish. I just want help with Draven.

What about Draven? I heard Aden say as he ran up to my left side.

Nothing.

Charlie, Aden said, running backwards in front of me.

How could I keep secrets if someone’s always with me? You see him more than I do. Remember. I’m just a part-time girlfriend.

Ouch, Wesley said, elbowing me as he nodded to a guy in front of us wearing a T-shirt that said ‘Austin’s Bar,’ along with a phone number that had three fives in it.

Ouch is right. He’s just trying to keep you safe; you know that, Aden said, turning to jog at my side again.

OK, well explain this. You’re a light, too, just like Madison and me. How come you get to write with him? How come you get to see him when he’s upset? I sounded like a child but I didn’t care.

Because I’m his brother and I’m strong enough to knock the hell out of him if his dark side comes out.

I rolled my eyes. Yeah. Whatever. Mr. Light. You’re the only one in the band that’s a quote-unquote ‘light.’ In a room for hours at a time with three potential dark angels, crossing the line of The realm daily and yet you’re right here with me, jogging at my side in fear that someone might show up and have a conversation with me.

"Are you telling me that you don’t want me to be with him, to be a constant reminder of what we were before all of this? And don’t play innocent,