Kissed by a Calamity (Kissed Series Book 4 of 6)

Prologue

Calamity

a disastrous event marked by great loss and suffering.

Laying on the couch with Talion, the snow is falling and I'm almost asleep when the front door bursts open. Mig comes storming through the door covered in snowflakes. Behind him is George, looking just as cold, and when they see me, the two are completely shocked that I have returned.

Mig starts by saying, "You're here! My God Cece, where were you?"

George adds, "We've been looking all over for you. Then, we stopped by the station, a few minutes ago and the police chief said that you just showed up. He said that you were at Rose's house this entire time? Cece, I went there myself and checked that house over, top to bottom."

Looking at Talion, I nod and we both fill them in on what I believe may have happened to me. Both of them look stunned as the story unfolds, but they need to know the whole truth. After all, we've put them through.

As I finish explaining what I know to be true, George says, "Cece, I don't think this demon is going to stop. You need to speak with a priest."

"NO, that is not happening. Never again will I submit or allow someone I love to go through something like that, ever again." Talion shouts, and I can see the traumatized look in his eyes.

"Talion, what happened to you? What did the church do to you, sweetheart?" I ask while thinking the worst.

Taking a deep breath, he answers, "It's not what they did, it's how the priest and his friends handled the situation. That priest tied me down and then threw water on me. The entire episode was horrific and wrong. He had his group of elders scream scriptures at me. This sounds stupid, out loud, but I was a young man, only 17 years old, and they looked at me, strangely. I was very uncomfortable and exposed, with no way of controlling the situation. For hours, I laid there as they put their hands on me. Again, it was not sexual, but I had no way of knowing that until it was over. They tortured me, mentally and I will never go through something like that ever again."

He has such fear in his eyes. I've never seen this vulnerable side to Talion before. He's visibly shaken by this experience and to admit this in front of his friends must be hard for him.

George says, "Talion, from what you've told me, you were acting crazy and completely out of control. The only reason they did this, was because you could feel the evil taking over. If they hadn't helped you, would we be sitting here today?"

Mig looks at him in surprise.

He adds, "You would not have Cece either, and Dan could have been the sane one. I believe that day saved you and it was just a baptism that turned into an exorcism because you said the holy water was burning your skin. Talion, they tied you down because you freaked out and went nuts. Hell, from how you explained it, I even thought you were possessed."

Listening to him, I'm a bit shocked and ask, "You were baptized? Maybe that's why you rose up and Dan did not. You can't just believe half of the story, Talion. If there is hell, then heaven must exist as well. Doing that ceremony may have saved you and possibly protected you from the evil growing inside of your brother."

Talion looks at me and says, "You have no idea how disturbing that was for me and I can't watch them do this to you."

"My love, I have been gone for 5 days, not knowing what was happening to me. Dan was able to take over my mind, and God only knows what I've been doing all this time. If I wasn't in the basement, then where was I, sweetheart? I think speaking to a priest, in a controlled environment, with you by my side, would be safer than allowing Dan to invade my body and do whatever he wishes to me and our children." I explain as he holds my hand.