Soul Screamers, Volume 1

“Two. But I think part of this is shock.”


Nash exhaled deeply, frowning. “Grab another Jolt for the road.” He wrapped one arm around Regan’s shoulders and led her toward the door. Addy ducked into the kitchen while I snatched a pair of oversize, super-dark sunglasses from the bar between the living room and kitchen, sliding them in place over Regan’s ears right before Nash pushed her gently over the threshold and onto the porch.

Addy sat by her sister in the back, and I slid into the passenger seat, buckling my seat belt as Nash started the engine. I resisted the urge to take another look at my ankle because I didn’t want Addy or Regan to see it.

I didn’t really want to see it, either.

“Regan, can you hear me?” Nash asked, as we took the on-ramp back onto the highway.

“Yeah…” Regan said, frowning slightly.

“Here, drink this.” Addison popped the top on the drink can and held it to her sister’s lips.

“No…” Regan pushed sluggishly at the can, and Addy pulled it back to keep from spilling.

“We need you coherent, Regan,” I said, wishing I had Nash’s Influence rather than my own much harsher abilities. “Don’t you want to get your soul back?”

Regan shrugged, and I couldn’t even tell if she was looking at me from behind those huge sunglasses.

“Keep making her drink.” I settled into my seat, concentrating on the pain in my leg to keep from falling asleep.

My eyes were just starting to close when my phone buzzed in my pocket. My dad had called me twice more on the way to Addy’s house, but I checked the display just in case. It was Tod, calling on Nash’s phone.

“Hello?” I jabbed Nash’s arm as I answered, then mouthed his brother’s name.

“Kaylee? I found him. If you guys get here before he leaves, this might just work.” Tod sucked in a tense, worried breath. “But, Kay, this place isn’t like the stadium. It’s…busy. You’ll have to cross over in the parking lot, then bring everyone in through the side door, because the building’s still closed in the human world. And be careful. Don’t touch anything—”

“Like I haven’t learned my lesson on that one…” I interrupted.

“And don’t let Addy and Regan touch anything, either. Or talk to anyone.”

“We’ll be careful.” I was as eager as the next person to walk out of this alive. “Make sure he doesn’t leave. We’re about fifteen minutes away.” Fortunately, we were too early for morning rush-hour traffic, and most of our fellow highway drivers were truckers on overnight routes.

“I don’t think he will. Everyone’s here to absorb the bleed-through of human life force, and they’re not going to leave before the workday starts. That’s when the energy here will go through the roof.” Another pause. “But hurry, just in case.”

“We’re going as fast as we can.” Without getting splattered all over the highway.

By the time Nash pulled into a spot on the bottom floor of the Prime Life parking garage, Regan was starting to come around, either because the pills were wearing off, or because the Jolt was kicking in. Or maybe the importance of our mission was finally starting to sink in.

Her hand trembled as Nash helped her out of the car, and she rose unsteadily, almost knocking her sunglasses from her face when she tried to wipe her eyes. I stood, intending to help him with her, but the moment my right foot hit the ground, the echoes of my previous pain were swallowed in a wave of fresh agony so fierce I almost fell on my face right there in the parking lot.

Addison caught me. “What’s wrong, Kaylee? Are you okay?” she asked, as I regained my balance and stepped carefully away from her.

“Yeah.” I eased weight onto my injured leg, wincing as flames of pain flashed as far north as my hip. “I hurt my ankle earlier, and it’s getting worse.” I glanced up, smiling at Nash to assure him that I was okay.

“Let’s get this done so we can take care of your leg,” he said, one arm still around Regan, and I could only nod in agreement.

Moving slowly because of my limp and Regan’s chemically induced stupor, Nash led us to the locked glass doors, where we both turned to face Addison and Regan. “I’m going to cross us all over,” I explained, “kind of like Bana did for you both, by holding your hand. When we get there, it won’t be like last time. Tod says Prime Life is…populated this time of day in the Netherworld, so there are a couple of ground rules you need to follow, at all costs.”

Both sisters nodded, Addison’s fake-blue eyes wide with both fear and determination. I couldn’t see Regan’s eyes through her glasses—not that it would have mattered if I could—but I knew from the thin line her lips were pressed into that she was listening and taking me seriously.

Thank goodness.