Undertow by K.R. Conway (1st book in trilogy)

Chapter 15

A few hours later,each of our two immortal guardshad gotten a chance to . . . feed. Ick.

I told them about what Ana and I had accomplished and a clearer version of Elizabeth's death. They were confused when they learned that Elizabeth allowed Rysse to touch her, and that her own power appeared to have killed both of them, though whether by accident or not we didn't know.

According to Raef, Elizabeth would have never allowed someone like Rysse near her, nor would Rysse be dumb enough to approach. We could come to only one conclusion: Rysse, and possibly Elizabeth, didn't plan to die that night. It seemed that my dream lead only to more questions and no answers.

Unfortunately for Ana, reading my mind caused her to acquire a slamming migraine and she had crawled into the recliner, spent. Kian took up residence near her, watching her sleep. I eventually crashed on the couch, torn between wanting to scream in frustration or kiss Raef until my lips fell off.

When I woke the next morning, Dalca was still gone, though she did call leaving instructions for the five of us to get back to my house and locate Elizabeth's diary. She said that she was positive Elizabeth kept one and it should give us much better insight into what I needed to do to protect myself.  With her reassurance that she would be back that evening, we all headed out to my house.

Once at 408, I led my friends up the front porch and unlocked the door, walking in. Ana followed me with MJ, in his furry form, trotting past us into the living room. I realized that I would most likely be seeing him as a dog a lot more, now that we knew there were Mortis in the area. I turned to talk to Raef, but both he and Kian were still standing just outside the threshold of the front door.  They were both looking at the mahogany frame.

            "What? What is it?" I asked, alarmed.

            Raef cleared his throat, "It's uh, just that we are playing a whole new ballgame now and neither of us ever thought we would be entering your house.  We didn't plan for it or for much of what is happening." He continued to look warily at the rectangular opening.

            "What Raef is trying to say is that you need to invite us in.  We, being what we are, can't enter your house without being invited," said Kian flatly. "It's a life-thief thing."

            "Oh," I said, a bit surprised. "Well, then, come on in." I gestured dramatically to the long hallway behind me. Both Kian and Raef looked at each other, but didn't move.

            "Well, here's the thing," said Raef, clearing his throat. "If Elizabeth was a fraction of the goddess she was supposed to be, then this house is . . ."

            "Booby-trapped," finished Kian, darkly.

            "What do you mean, 'booby-trapped'?" I asked, instantly thinking of strings attached to bowling balls and poisoned arrows.

            Ana stepped next to me and looked more closely at the door. "He means that they might be crispy critters the second they step inside, whether they were invited or not." She ran her hand down the woodwork lining the door. The two boys watched her carefully.

            "What are you looking for?" I whispered, as if the door could hear me.  I bent down next to her, as she was now running her hand along the bottom threshold.

            "A way to cast the door against a formidable foe.  A back-up security system, in case you let the wrong sort of soulless person inside," replied Ana, the tips of her fingers following a groove near the corner bottom of the door. "Bingo!" she said, satisfied. "I need something to pry up the wood on the threshold.  I think there may be something underneath."