Read Immortal Memory (Book One) for Free Online Page B

almost couldn’t resist stealing a
quick kiss. Shaking off such tempting thoughts, he focused on his
mission in this world.
    He did not return to this world to fall
in love a second time. Zach would not allow himself to become
distracted again. If it was wrong for him to love Lucinda, it was
wrong to love Simra. He only needed Simra's assistance in stopping
Azazel and communicating to their mortal parents.
    However, Simra must be protected so she
would live to fulfill her duty. That duty was to help him destroy
the demon. His heart twisted in regret. A bigger part of him wanted
to protect her for another reason.
    He hated to admit how much she affected
him. And worse, he knew how much he affected her too. She was
falling in love with him. She was making the same terrible mistake
as Lucinda years ago.
    Zach arrived at his old lake house and
stepped onto the porch to unlock the door. The strong aroma of
cedar suffocated him with aching memories inside the house. The old
floors creaked beneath his feet. Huge oil paintings of the
mountains hovered over breakable figurines of bears and wolves.
Large evergreen candles stood beside the porcelain figures on wide
cedar shelves. The decorations lavished the inside of the
place.
    His parents kept it just as Zach had it
before he left his mortal vessel. The scent in the house with Simra
there caused his heart to ache. His past in this house with Lucinda
would always haunt him. Forcing his gaze back to the young woman,
he realized he must focus on his mission with her now.
    Zach lit the candles to bring more
comfort inside the house when Simra awoke. He studied the sleeping
woman after lighting them. Enduring these dangerous encounters with
Azazel must have drained her delicate human body. After her lashes
fluttered open, her gaze traveled to Zach. Mistrust and rage
seethed from her hazel eyes.
    “Zach, where am I?”
    Remaining calm, Zach explained about
protecting her. “I’ve brought you to safety so Azazel can’t get to
you and hurt you. He can’t come inside my lake house. It's been
protected for years. I prepared my house on the Lake o’ the Pines
to protect anyone against a demon. A pastor was asked to recite
sacred prayers all around the outside and inside.
    "I asked him just before your
grandmother came from Farmerville, Louisiana. This home belonged to
your grandfather's Aunt Cathleen. I bought the place when I
returned in the modern days. I persuaded my mortal parents into
keeping it as their camp. They kept their promise to
me.”
    He gazed down as regret filled him. “I
didn’t have the chance to tell my parents to take precaution of
Azazel. He murdered my mortal vessel before I could tell them. My
death was made to look accidental. I think my brother wants to
murder our parents in my presence.”
    Simra bolted up from the chair with her
hands balled into fists at her sides. “Take me back to my
grandmother! Tristan might still be there. How could you leave her
there with someone like him?”
    Zach stood from the chair. “She’s fine.
You’ll be fine. I defeated Azazel and said a prayer of protection
to keep him away from Lucinda for the time being. God’s protecting
her for now. You can inform your cousin and the nurses of bringing
your grandmother here to stay with us if you’d feel more secure.
Have faith that we’ll endure this and destroy Azazel.”
    Simra took slow steps away from him and
walked around the house. She stopped to gaze toward the yard and
the shed outside the kitchen window. “Why would I want to bring her
here to stay with someone who’s collecting her soul? I don’t see a
lake. You certain Tristan can’t come inside this house?”
    He couldn't control a grin from forming
across his lips. Simra seemed somewhat more trusting of him. Azazel
was the cause for her mistrust. Sympathy filled Zach for the poor
woman and what she endured with his demon brother.
    “Yes. I won’t collect her soul until
the curse claims her life. I’m not doing