Earl cleared his throat softly and averted his gaze, which immediately drew Gabriel's attention.

"We would be very much obliged if you could tell us what you know," my brother said in a voice suddenly full of charm. It had the usual hypnotic effect.

"Yeah, I know a thing or two 'bout that place," Earl said hesitantly. "But I ain't sure you wanna know."

My brother and sister leaned forward eagerly.

"Trust us," Ivy encouraged, flashing the man a smile that made him wobble on his feet. "We'd appreciate anything you can tell us. We haven't been able to find out much ourselves."

"That's 'cuz everythin's been locked up there for a spell," Earl said, mopping his brow again.

"What do you mean?" Ivy frowned.

"When you work at a gas station for a livin' you hear things," Earl continued in a conspiratorial voice. "A lot of folk come through here and they talk. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I sometimes hear things without meanin' to. That abbey you're talkin' about-I got a bad feeling about it. Something ain't right there."

"What makes you say that?" Gabriel pressed, his voice low and intense.

"It used to be a real nice place," Earl continued. "We used to see the sisters 'round town all the time, visitin' folk and teachin' Sunday school. But 'bout two months ago we had a nasty lightnin' storm, worse than we ever seen. After that, the sisters didn't come out no more. They said one of them fell sick from the storm and couldn't be disturbed so they shut themselves up inside the abbey. Not a soul's been in or out since."

"How could a lightning storm make anyone sick?" Xavier asked. "That's not possible, unless the woman was physically struck by lightning."

"Sure, it don't make a lick of sense," Earl replied, shaking his head sadly. "But I drove past the abbey one night when I was a makin' a delivery out that way. I tell you, ain't nothing natural 'bout what I saw."

"Can you tell us what you saw?" Gabriel had stiffened and his expression told me he already knew the answer and he didn't like it.

"Well." Earl frowned and looked embarrassed as if the others might be on the verge of questioning his sanity. "I was headin' back into town when I passed by the place and I thought I heard someone screamin', only it didn't sound like no noise a human could make. It was a howlin' like some kind of wild animal. So, I got out of my car, wonderin' if I should call the sheriff and I saw all the top floor windows had been boarded up and there was scratches on the front porch like somethin' was tryin' to get in ... or out."

Ivy twisted her head to look at Gabriel. "He could have warned us," she said in a low voice and I knew she was talking about Michael. "We are underprepared for this." I saw her gaze fall on Molly, who was applying a coat of lip gloss, using the car window as a mirror.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to alarm you," Earl added as an afterthought. "I might just been an old coot losin' his mind."

"No, I'm glad you told us," Ivy said. "At least we know what to expect."

"Perhaps you can help us with one more thing," Gabriel said gravely. "The sister who fell ill on the night of the storm ... what was her name?"

"I believe it was Sister Mary Clare," Earl said solemnly. "Shame-she was a real nice one too."

THE rest of the trip was more subdued as Gabriel made his way to the motel. Even I knew they couldn't barge into the abbey guns blazing until they'd thought of a strategic plan of action. To Ivy and Gabriel the source of disruption at the abbey was painfully clear, but Molly's and Xavier's confusion showed on their faces.

The motel was called the Easy Stay Inn and was situated just off the main highway, too far from the township to attract many tourists. As a result it was fairly shabby and badly in need of some maintenance. The parking lot was empty and the neon sign only flashed every few minutes, the rest of the time emitting a whining, static hum. The brown bricks had been painted white, but exposure to the elements had left them peeling and weathered. Inside the motel was only a small improvement, with dark paneled walls and brown carpet. A TV was blaring in one corner and a woman sat behind the reception desk, painting her nails and snickering at a Jerry Springer rerun. She was so stunned by the group's arrival she spilled her nail polish, but recovered quickly and stood up to greet the visitors. She wore tight stonewashed-denim jeans and a tank top. Her red hair was curly and scraped away from her face with a floral headband. Up close, I saw that she was older than she first appeared. A crookedly pinned name tag told us her name was Denise.

"Can I help you?" she asked uncertainly, clearly thinking they had lost their way and were looking for directions. My brother and sister stepped forward to deal with the formalities. I realized how they must look; like a golden couple, too perfect to be real. I had to admit the four of them looked strangely out of place in this setting. They stood close together, forming a secure unit, like a barricade against the rest of the world. It struck me that Xavier was starting to act more and more like one of us. He used to be more relaxed in the company of people, interacting with them easily, charming them as if it were second nature. Now he looked detached and reserved; every so often a frown creased his brow as though he were agitated by something unseen. My family had all made an effort to dress like average travelers, Gabriel and Xavier in dark jeans and black T-shirts and Ivy in her fawn trench coat. They all wore dark sunglasses to keep from drawing attention. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. The woman behind the desk stared at them as though she had suddenly found herself in the company of some rather gloomy film stars.

"We require two twin share rooms for the night," Gabriel said stiffly, handing the woman a shiny gold credit card.

"Here?" Denise asked in disbelief before realizing she wasn't helping business much. She gave a nervous laugh. "It's just that we don't get many folks through this time of year. Are y'all here on business?"

"We're on a road trip," Gabriel explained hastily.

"We're hoping to visit the Abbey of Mary Immaculate," Ivy said. "Is it walking distance from here?"

Denise wrinkled her nose. "That old place?" she said disdainfully. "It gives me the creeps; no one's been out there in a long time. It ain't far though, other side of the highway, just down a dirt road. You won't see it straight off on account of all them trees."

As she spoke, she inspected Ivy with an envious gaze and I tried to imagine how things must look from her perspective. Ivy's tumble of golden hair reached halfway down her back and her face was glowing and radiant despite the gravity of her expression. Her skin was translucent and her perfect, sculpted features barely moved when she spoke. She was like a stunning illusion you felt might fade away if you got too close. Denise turned to Gabriel, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "So, are you wantin' a honeymoon suite for you and your wife?"

I heard Molly snort from the green vinyl sofa and knew she was wondering what the motel classed as a "honeymoon suite," seeing as it resembled a highway shack with as much atmosphere as a toolshed.

"Actually, we're not ... ," Gabriel began, but stopped himself just in time when he saw the sudden gleam of hope in Denise's eye. The last thing he needed was to waste time fending off the clumsy advances of another infatuated female. "We're not fussy," he finished carefully. "A simple room will be fine."

"And for you two?" Denise asked, inclining her head toward Xavier and Molly.

"Ew!" Molly burst out. "No way am I sharing a room with him."

Denise looked sympathetically at Xavier. "Lovers' tiff?" she asked. "Don't worry, honey, it's the hormones. They'll pass."

"He's the hormonal one," Molly replied. "Moody as all hell."

"Do you need any extras?" Denise asked. "Towels, shampoo, Internet access?"

"How about a gag?" Xavier muttered, casting a dark look at Molly.

"Oh, that's real mature," she said tartly.

"I'm not going to talk about maturity with a girl who thinks Africa is a country," Xavier countered.

"It so is," Molly insisted. "Like Australia."

"The word you're looking for is continent."

"If I hear one more word out of you two ... ," Ivy warned.

Denise shook her head, mildly amused. "I wouldn't be a teenager again for all the money in the world." Her attempt at lightening the mood was met with blank stares from both parties. She waited for the tension in the room to ease or at least for someone to express some kind of normal sentiment like exasperation, exhaustion, irritation. But they all just stared vacantly at her; too caught up in their own private worries to pay her much attention. "Well, enjoy your stay," she said falteringly.

Gabriel leaned forward to take the keys and credit card Denise was holding out to him. I saw his fingers accidentally brush her hand and watched her body react to his touch. She seemed to lean involuntarily toward him and her hand flew to her mouth. Then she sagged against the desk as though that one bolt of intoxicating energy had left her thoroughly exhausted. She looked up into his eyes like molten silver and shivered. Gabriel brushed away the white blond hair that had fallen into his eyes and took a step back. "Thank you," he said politely and strode from the lobby, Ivy floating alongside him like a fairy. Xavier and Molly followed wordlessly.

A diner adjoined the motel and seeing as it was nearly evening, they all found themselves gravitating in its direction. The diner was empty save for a lone trucker sitting in the back corner and a surly waitress chewing gum and lazily wiping down the countertops. Both looked up in surprise when the door jangled and Gabriel and the others entered. The trucker looked disinterested, too worn-out to study them properly and the waitress looked first shocked and then distinctly annoyed at having four new customers to attend to. Like Denise, she was clearly used to having time on her hands.

I took a moment to look around the diner; it was simple but clean and welcoming. A counter ran along the length of one wall where plump round stools were arranged in a line. The floor was black-and-white linoleum and the booths were upholstered in a burgundy vinyl. A blown-up poster of Elvis Presley was displayed on the wall above the counter; he smirked down at us wearing an upturned collar and a wicked gleam in his eye. The far wall was papered with a collage of newspaper clippings relating to local Fairhope news. The four chose a booth farthest away from prying ears and settled down.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on?" Xavier asked immediately.

"Michael didn't tell us much." Ivy sighed. "We're going into this blind so we really need to focus now."

"There's something in that convent," Gabriel spoke almost to himself. "Something he expects us to find. He wouldn't send us all this way unless it was a surefire lead."

"Are you saying there could be a ..." Xavier hesitated and lowered his voice. "A gateway we don't know about?"

"Even if there was, there's no way to get it open without a dem-" Gabriel broke off as he cast a glance around the deserted diner. The waitress was busy chatting to a friend on the phone. "Without a demon. They're the only ones who know how."

"But we're going to hit up the abbey tonight?" Molly asked, sounding like a character in a spy movie. It was clear she felt left out and wanted to make some kind of contribution, no matter how inane. Xavier rolled his eyes at her choice of words, but made no comment. I could see he wanted to avoid another sparring match.

"We'll go after dark," Ivy replied. "We don't want to be seen."

"Won't it be kinda creepy at night?"

"Feel free to stay at the motel," my sister said calmly. "Though the convent is probably less frightening."

"Can we please try and stick to the topic?" Xavier was growing exasperated. "You still haven't told me what the guy at the gas station was going on about." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the tabletop. "What did he mean about the lightning storm?"

Ivy and Gabriel exchanged glances. "It might not be the best time to discuss it," Ivy said, looking pointedly at Molly. "In fact, it might be better if you both stay at the motel tonight. Let Gabriel and I deal with this."

"Like hell I'm staying behind," Xavier said. "What are they hiding?"

"You don't have to worry about me," Molly said in a practical tone I'd never heard her use before. "I've seen enough freaky supernatural stuff by now. I can handle it."

Gabriel pressed his hands flat against the table and regarded them both with a measured look.

"This is definitely not something either of you have encountered before."

"Gabe ... ," Xavier said earnestly. "I know you're worried, but we're in this together now. I've got more riding on this than you understand. You gotta trust me ..." He glanced across at Molly and grudgingly rectified, "Trust us."

"Fine," Gabriel said quietly. "The lightning storm, the howling, the scratches on the porch ... it all points to one thing."

"No human could cause that sort of damage on their own," Ivy added grimly. "We're talking about nuns here, sisters who've devoted their lives to servitude. Think about it, what could possibly make these women lock themselves away from the world? What would be the worst thing imaginable in their eyes?"

Molly stared vacantly, but I could almost see the wheels turning in Xavier's head. His clear, turquoise gaze widened when the pieces finally fell together. "No," he said. "Seriously?"

"Looks that way," Gabriel replied.

"Then, we have dealt with this before," Xavier said. "Isn't that exactly what Jake did last year?"

Gabriel shook his head. "That was mild compared to this. They were just spirits; temporarily harnessed to cause damage. This is the real thing and it's a hundred times stronger ... and more vicious."

"Can somebody please tell me what you're talking about?" Molly demanded, clearly fed up with being treated as though she were invisible.

Gabriel sighed heavily. "What we're dealing with here is a case of demonic possession. I hope you're ready."

A weighty silence settled over the table, broken only by the soft tapping of a pencil against a pad as the waitress waited to take their order.

"What can I get for y'all?" she asked. She was pretty in a nondescript way with limp blond hair and too much foundation. Her expression told me she dreamed of a more glamorous life than being stuck in a dead-end diner with nothing to do but watch traffic on the highway.

The somber mood of my family failed to lift, and the waitress raised her eyebrows impatiently.

Molly was the first to snap back to normality and plaster a fake smile across her face.

"I'll have the fried chicken and a Diet Coke," she said sweetly. "Can I get ketchup with that?"

25.

Get Thee to a Nunnery I was surprised when Gabriel and Ivy decided to change and head straight to the abbey after dinner with Xavier and Molly in tow. It was close to ten o'clock and I'd assumed they would call it a night and wait until morning. But something must have made them feel they shouldn't delay any longer.

Outside, the night air was crisp and the sky was a cape of royal blue velvet scattered with stars and wispy clouds. If it wasn't for the threat that lurked behind the woods opposite the highway, I would have felt entirely at peace. The sound of cicadas filled the air and a mild breeze played gently with Ivy's hair before drifting off to ruffle the treetops. There was something about this place, a quiet dignity and a grace from a forgotten time. It held an air of mystery, as if the weeping willows knew something we didn't.

Molly shivered as they crossed the highway and let themselves meld with the shadows dancing among the trees. She pulled her jacket tighter around herself and drew instinctively closer to Xavier. He slung an arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. I was relieved to see a flicker of his former self beneath the brooding exterior. I knew the stress was getting to him more every day, eroding his usual easygoing manner. It was part of the reason he and Molly were always at each other's throats. He was at odds with himself, I realized. Half of him saw Molly as a connection to me as well as a reminder of our old lives at Bryce Hamilton. The other half couldn't help but let his concern for my safety overwhelm him. At times like these I knew he both resented Molly for the seance and blamed himself for not being able to change the turn of events.

"You'll be all right," he told her. "We'll all be all right." I saw the faraway expression in his eyes and knew he was thinking of me. He had to believe I'd be okay in order to keep going. I needed him to believe it too. It was his faith that was keeping mine alive. I wondered if I should try and make my presence known to him, but I was too drained from the recent ordeal to be anything other than a passive spectator.

The woods grew thick and fast, but Gabriel's finely tuned senses managed to quickly locate the dirt road Denise had mentioned. It was just wide enough to allow cars to pass through, but had been neglected over the last few months and bordering shrubs were already weaving their way across it. Tree branches hung low, drooping over the road, and clumps of sodden leaves muted the footsteps of visitors. The moonlight shining through the trees bathed the path in a milky gray light. A crescent moon dipped periodically behind the treetops plunging the path into occasional darkness. It was a good thing Gabriel and Ivy radiated light from their skin. It was faint, like the glow of a cell phone in a darkened room, but better than nothing. When an owl hooted from somewhere above, Molly stumbled and cursed under her breath. Almost imperceptibly, Gabriel dropped his pace so he fell into step with her. Although he didn't say a word, she seemed soothed by his presence.

Soon the trees thinned and the looming shadow of the old convent became visible. The Abbey of Mary Immaculate was a three-level, whitewashed Gothic Revival building. It had an adjoining chapel with spires rising to pierce the night sky, a reminder to onlookers of the Lord's lofty presence. There were rows of pointed windows across every floor, cast-iron gates and a gravel path leading to the front door. A lamppost illuminated the front garden with its grotto housing a statue of Our Lady as well as kneeling saints positioned among the tall grass. What was most disturbing was the derelict air of the place-the weeds that had sprouted up and overtaken the entrance to the chapel, the leaves that clogged the path and the boarded-up windows on the attic floor.

"I wonder how many sisters live here," Xavier murmured. Gabriel closed his eyes and I knew he was reaching out and tapping into the history of the place, its life before recent events. He was always careful not to intrude too deeply on the private thoughts or feelings of individuals; he only brushed the surface to ascertain their identity. "There are twelve sisters in total," he said eventually. "Including the one who is afflicted."

"How did you know that?" Molly asked. "It looks like no one lives here at all."

"Now is not the time to ask questions," Ivy said patiently. "You will witness many things tonight that cannot be explained."

"I find it's easier if you don't overthink it," Xavier advised.

"Just how am I supposed to do that?" Molly complained. "I feel like I'm waiting for someone to jump out and tell me I've been punk'd."

"I think they only punk famous people," Xavier said under his breath.

Molly looked annoyed. "That's not helpful!"

"Look." Xavier turned to face her. "Let me try and help you out here. You know when you're watching a horror movie and the character always decides to go into the dark room where the killer's waiting?"

"Yeah?" Molly said blankly.

"Do you ask why the character's dumb enough to go into that room?"

"Well, no, it's a movie. You just go with it."

"Exactly," Xavier said. "Think of this like a movie and don't ask questions. You'll only make things harder on yourself if you do."

Molly looked like she wanted to argue, but a moment later she bit her lip and nodded hesitantly.

The locked gates opened easily at Gabriel's command and the group slowly approached the steps of the abbey's front porch. I saw the concern on Ivy's face intensify-deep, uneven grooves were etched into the timber boards, at least half an inch deep. They extended along the front and veered sharply off toward one of the windows as if someone had been dragged back inside after putting up one hell of a fight. My mind immediately thought of the poor human who had been possessed to act in such a way. The scratches in the porch were deep enough that shards of wood must have been driven beneath her nails. I shuddered to think what other damage had been done to the afflicted sister.

The wraparound porch was long and sheltered with pretty white awnings and posts. A pair of wicker rocking chairs sat beside a table still set for afternoon tea. Insects had laid claim to the biscuits on the plate and the tea in the china cups had grown moldy. A string of rosary beads lay on the ground as if someone had dropped them in a great hurry. The screen door looked scratched and the mesh torn as if someone had tried to rip it from its hinges. Xavier and Gabriel exchanged uncertain glances.

"Here goes," Xavier said with a heavy sigh. He reached out and lightly pressed the brass doorbell. Immediately the sound of chimes echoed dimly from within. For several long minutes they were met with nothing but silence.