Excerpt from The 13th by Shadow Stephens

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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xeItk8Q3vkQ..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xeItk8Q3vkQ..." /></a></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jade
paused to look at her home. The house had been remodeled several times over the
centuries.  Now it had a Victorian look to it. White, wood siding covered
the exterior, and it was badly in need of paint. A porch wrapped around the
entire first floor, with several French doors prominently located for easy
access. Inside, at the back, stood a three-story staircase that circled around
a steeple like structure.  There were two other staircases in the house,
but they only led to the second floor, although technically, there were four
floors to this house. The kitchen was filled with old cabinets and a cast iron
stove, with a large hood. Jade’s father had converted the stove to gas some
time ago. In the sitting room was a massive fireplace that a grown man could
stand in.  Attached to the kitchen was a glassed in atrium, where herbs
and plants were grown year round. </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jade
walked up the porch steps and into the living room and flipped on the light
switch. The single switch turned on a series of faux candles positioned around
the room bathing it in a soft yellow glow. On the far wall was a bookcase and
she walked to it. She stopped at the spinning wheel that sat in front of
shelves and touched it softly with her hand, slowly turning the wheel. Her
grandmother would sit here for hours spinning wool. </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jade
pulled the clip from her hair and allowed it to cascade down her back. She
pulled a cellphone from her pocket and called her grandmother.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I’m
gonna come over and visit you tomorrow. Yes, I’ll bring lunch.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jade
chuckled as she hung up. Her grandma moved out of the large house when Jade’s
grandfather died, leaving it to her parents. Katherine now lived in a small
house in the center of town.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Walking
up the main staircase, Jade headed for the shower. She let her clothes fall to
the floor before grabbing some towels. The hot water filled the bathroom with
steam. She lathered her hair with shampoo of her own making and scratched her
scalp with her fingers. Without warning, a light bulb above the sink exploded
with a pop and she jumped. Wiping condensation from the glass shower doors she
peered out, but could only see fog. Shrugging it off she rinsed her hair. She
stuck her face under the water to remove any suds. As the water cascaded down
her face and neck the other lights exploded. One by one the light bulbs
shattered leaving her with only a glow from the bedroom lamp. Quickly, turning
off the water she grabbed her towel.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">She
walked carefully, trying to avoid stepping on broken glass with her bare feet.
Bending down she picked up a piece. The light bulbs were all black on the
inside. Jade straightened up and for a split second she saw movement in the
fog-covered mirror, causing her to shriek.  </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Hello,”
she called out.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">She
felt a breath against her ear and whirled around, but could see<span style="color: red;"> </span>nothing there. In two strides she was out of the
bathroom.  She put on some pajamas and shoes and went downstairs to grab
the broom and dustpan. </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Holding
her hands up the broom moved on it’s own accord and the dustpan trailed after
it until all the glass pieces were cleaned up. Jade replaced the light bulbs
and the bathroom again glowed with warmth. </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Being
already on edge, the ringing of her cell made her jump.  She grabbed it
and said “Hello?” in a shaky voice.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Hey
Elf, what’s going on?” Asher asked with a tinge of panic in his voice.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I
just got spooked, I’m fine.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“You
don’t sound fine.” </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I’m
sure it’s just my imagination.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Jade,
you can’t fool me, what is going on?”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I
was in the shower when all the lights in my bathroom exploded. I thought I
heard and saw something, but nothing was there. There’s no reason for a spirit
to be in my house.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“You
need to be careful. Do you need me to come over?”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“No,
don’t be silly. Really, Asher, I’m fine. Why did you call?”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I
felt you were distressed.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“We
should never have swapped blood as kids—now you have to deal with my stress
too.” Jade smiled at the thought.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I
still have the scar to prove it,” Asher said and Jade held up her palm to
examine her own. They had taken her father’s pocketknife and slit down the
center of their hands, then held their hands together, infusing each other’s
essences. </span></div>
<div class="yiv1448355695msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I’ll
see you tomorrow, Ash.”</span></div>
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