The Curse of Redwood (Ivy Grove #2) - Jaclyn Osborn Page 0,79

him.

He took it in his and closed his eyes as his fingers traced the lines on my palm. That strange poking and prodding returned as I got the sense I wasn’t alone in my mind—or body—anymore. My arm muscle spasmed uncontrollably, as if trying to jerk out of Callum’s hold, but he held on tighter.

When his eyes opened, I saw the worry he failed to mask. “Just as I feared,” he said. “You’re in the final stage of possession.”

“What does that mean?” Ben asked.

“It means that the entity has hold of him, but the claim over his body isn’t complete,” Callum explained. “Not yet.”

“Over my body?” My voice shook like crazy.

“What most spirits want more than anything is to live again,” Callum said. “By possessing a human vessel, they can eventually take complete control. Your body then belongs to them, and they can do with it what they please.”

“So, I’ll die?”

“In a manner of speaking. Your resolve will weaken. Eventually, you will be subdued in your own body as the entity completes the possession. If that happens, there is nothing I can do. You will be lost. You will not die, but you’ll wish you could as you become a prisoner in your own flesh.”

My vision blurred with frightened tears as his words registered. It was a lot more serious than I had thought. Philip and I weren’t just linked; he was trying to seize control of my body.

The kettle whistled on the stove, the sound piercing the silence in the room. Callum stood and removed it from the burner before dropping teabags into it.

“We’re here for you, C,” Taylor said, placing his hand on my forearm.

Ben gripped my shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “You’ll get through this.”

How could they be so sure? I sure as hell wasn’t. My mind conjured up nothing but the worst-case scenario. One of the biggest questions bouncing around in my head was why. Why was Philip doing this? Callum had described him as a dark entity. But Zeke had said he and Philip had been in love.

What had turned him into a monster?

“Tell me what you’ve experienced so far,” Callum said with his back to us.

“Last night, the ghost spoke through me. It’s the first time anything like that’s happened. Up until then, it’s mainly been dreams. But they felt more like visions. It was so vivid and real. They were also things I shouldn’t have known. Like glimpses into the past.”

Callum turned from the stove and nodded. “It was the spirit. Possession doesn’t happen all at once. It comes in stages. The visions you speak of were more than likely the spirit’s memories. That must have been when the possession strengthened.”

“How did it start?” I asked, trying to pin the exact moment when I had started to feel different.

“Just like with demon possession, there has to be a catalyst. Something that opens the door for them to reach you. It could have been an item you touched or even a person. That moment of contact was what allowed them to first dig their claws in you.”

“A person?” I asked, feeling the blood wash from my face. “What about the ghost’s former lover?”

“That might do it.” Callum brought over a tray with four cups of tea, a pitcher of cream, and a bowl of sugar. “If the spirit felt strongly for this person, then there’s a good chance that’s what caused this. It might also explain the rage I sense.”

“What about my headaches?” I asked. “The doctor said they’re migraines, but I don’t know. It’s just weird.”

“Another sign of possession,” Callum explained, before adding sugar to his tea and taking a drink. “You’re weakening. The body isn’t meant to hold two souls.”

“Can you help him?” Ben asked.

Callum cocked his head at him. “I don’t believe I ever officially introduced myself. Apologies for my rudeness. I’m Callum Gray, and you are?”

“Ben Cross.” He held out his hand for a shake.

Callum froze as their hands touched. Was he seeing into Ben’s mind? Could he do stuff like that? Then, he gave a polite smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cross. To answer your question, yes, I can help Carter. However, it won’t be easy. The entity that has hold of him is strong and filled with rage. I have never felt anything like it before.”

“That’s just my luck,” I said, curling my fingers around the hot cup of tea. I felt so cold all of a sudden. “I never do anything half-ass.