Destiny's Revenge (Destiny Series - Book 2) Straight, Nancy (book club reads .TXT) 📖

“I’m the Beast Master on the Council. Just as Renny speaks to you through your mind, I communicate with Peanut much the same way. Finding you took longer than I had hoped because, let’s face it, there aren’t a whole lot of street signs out this way, and I only had a vague idea of where the two of you had gone. With Peanut in the house, I couldn’t pin point you right away. Luckily there was a piece of mail from the previous tenant setting on the coffee table, and I was able to see it through Peanut’s eyes.”

The Beast Master? He can control Peanut? No wonder Peanut didn’t warn me when he arrived. If he was controlling Peanut, how could I be sure Mike was one of the good guys? Why was he looking for me anyway? A stark realization hit me, and, without thinking, I went into a defensive posture, “This Beast thing that attacked me, did you have anything to do with that?” I stared directly into his eyes, knowing whether or not he could control Peanut, I would be able to tell if he lied to me.

He shook his head and answered, “No, it’s not really a man or a beast, although at times it can look like one or the other.” I could see this question made him a little uncomfortable, and he quickly changed the subject. “I think your location choice was great from a hiding perspective. I can’t imagine anyone who can find the two of you up here, well - other than me.”

A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed, responding sadly, “Max isn’t with me.”

He rolled his eyes at me, “Hello, I was referring to you and Peanut. I know Max isn’t here. He’s back at Ridgeville now. He’s driving Renny crazy, by the way. Renny had planned to check on you herself, but Max called her, came to her house, and followed her around all day today. She told me she could tell that he intended to follow her, thinking she would lead him to you. Rather than take the chance, she contacted me, and asked me to come check on you and make sure you were okay.”

I guessed that he must have meant Rewsna, but to be sure I asked him, “Renny, you mean Rewsna?”

“Yeah, but no one calls her that. It’s too much of a mouthful! But we wanted to make sure you had everything you needed. Do you need anything?”

What, like the death of some crazy beast? The scattering of his demons? My family and friends here so I’m not so alone? I knew none of these answers were remotely acceptable, so I told him, “I think we’re pretty well set.”

“Good, so what’s your game plan?”

I was a little taken aback by his question, not understanding what he was asking me, “My game plan?”

“The only way you’re going to get your life back is to destroy the Beast. Unless you want to live like a hermit for the rest of your life, it might be worthwhile to work on your game plan. The Council wants to help if we can, but we can’t interfere. I’m fairly new, so I’ve never encountered one of these things. Renny said there was one back in the fifties that the media got wind of and dubbed as a serial killer. This one only seems to be focused on you, so with any luck, it won’t go on some killing spree anytime soon.”

Hesitant to respond on so many levels, I didn’t really have a plan. Up until his question, I thought I was doing pretty well living like a hermit. Away from all my family and friends, none of them would be hurt. This had seemed like a pretty decent plan just this morning.

I replayed the last moments with Joe this morning, and my stomach felt like someone had kicked me again.

“Won’t this thing eventually lose interest in me? I mean, if he can’t get to me through other people, and he can’t find me, will he assume I just dropped off the radar and find a new target?”

“Lose interest in you? I know this is going to sound dumb, but you do know who you are, right? I mean, I know you’re trying to live some normal life and everything, but that’s more of a cover, right?” Mike looked so earnest, I was sure there was something I was missing.

I looked him square in the eye, “I’ve given up all hope of ever living a normal life.”

“But you know you’re the Odd-One?” I could tell from his expression that there was something he wanted to tell me. Being called the “Odd-One” felt as though I had just been insulted, and, worse yet, I think he knew more about me than I did.

Mike took a deep breath, “Let me back up just a little. The Council is made up of ten members. You already know Renny and me; each member of the Council is given a role relative to the emotion we bring out in others. The roles never change, but the person whose job it is to fill that role changes in the normal course of life and death, so I was invited to join the Council when my predecessor passed away.”

He had my attention, but how could ten people be everywhere at once? I thought it better to start with an easier question, “So there are ten of you. What roles are assigned?”

Without missing a beat, “The Council responsibilities are Confidence, Joy, Honesty, Love, Friendship, Truth, Conservation, Fidelity, Hope and Light.” His eyes were warm, and I could tell from his body language this was a secret he rarely got to share. I felt almost privileged to have this knowledge, and to my surprise his explanation continued.

“I know that sounds like a big bowl of cherries and everything, but for every Alpha there’s an