But if he wanted Raelyn to open up to him, then he would have to do the same. Even it was just a little bit.
“My father died when I was twenty-two,” he confessed. “My mother, she was heartbroken when he passed away. She died shortly after him.”
“I’m sorry,” Raelyn looked up, giving Julian her full attention. “You were so young.”
Her next question was one that he expected.
“How did he die?”
Julian wanted to be honest with Raelyn, but it was one of the few questions that he couldn’t answer. Partly because he could never reveal his family’s secret, and partly because even he didn’t know what had truly happened to his father on that fateful day. Only Hineker had borne witness to his father’s death, and the demon had never talked about it.
But he could give her an answer that would make her feel more comfortable around him. A response that suggested a sense of camaraderie, convince her that she wasn’t alone in her belief of strange and unusual things.
“I know it was because of something supernatural, but I don’t really know what happened,” he answered truthfully. “What I do know is that his life was cut short by something cruel and evil.”
Julian leaned forward in his seat. “I know that there are things that happen in this world that human beings can’t explain. Forces that defy the laws of physics, events that go beyond the bounds of nature. There’s nothing that you can tell me that I won’t believe Raelyn, no matter how impossible it may seem.”
“If I tell you,” she hesitated. “You won’t think differently of me?” Hope flashed in those beautiful eyes. “You won’t think that I’m…weird?“
“No. I promise, I won’t think that you’re weird,” he encouraged. “What did you see?”
A guilty look crossed her face and she nodded. “I’ve always seen things,” she admitted. “Things that no one else sees.”
“Ghosts?”
“Yes. Well maybe,” she corrected. “I don’t know if I can see all of them. I’ve only ever seen my best friend Trinity.”
“Is she here now?” His eyes scanned the room, as if expecting a ghost to suddenly materialize out of thin air.
“No,” Raelyn said. “She was with me when I was waiting at the bar, but she left when you showed up.”
Julian leaned back in the armchair. It didn’t sound like her friend’s death had been recent, which meant that the sudden appearance of the ghost of her dead friend wasn’t what had frightened her back at the bar.
“You saw something else, didn’t you?” he prompted.
“My friend isn’t the only thing that I can see,” Raelyn confessed. “I can also see auras.” She rushed to explain. “It’s the energy fields that surround people. I can tell what they are feeling when I look at them. If they’re happy, sad, lying, that kind of thing.”
He shifted in his chair, pondering the new information. This pretty little woman was a clairvoyant empath? It had certainly been a while since he’d run into one of those. Having the ability to see and feel emotions is a burden. Especially if one has never learned how to safeguard themselves. It can be difficult to balance the energies and manage the emotional chaos it brings.
Suddenly, her behavior back at the bar began to make a lot more sense. If Raelyn was highly sensitive, it would explain why she’d been overwhelmed when the crowd panicked.
However, it didn’t explain why she’d been so scared.
Sensing auras and seeing ghosts were two different types of abilities, and Raelyn had already admitted that she had both skills.
What else could she see?
“What’s my aura?” he asked, testing her abilities. To a clairvoyant empath, he should appear auraless. To ensure the safety of his master, Hineker’s magic shielded Julian’s energy. This prevented demons from using the demon master’s personal energy for their own gain. No human had ever been able to see past the enforcer demon’s protective shield.
She stared at his face for a moment, then her eyes moved slowly, scanning him from head to toe. “You don’t have one.” She inclined her head, curious. “I’ve wondered why. You’re the only living person I’ve ever seen without one. Well, you and your personal assistant.”
“Maybe I’m just different,” he suggested. He recalled Raelyn’s love of mystery books and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Her curiosity was moving their conversation into dangerous territory.
He had to redirect it, fast.
“At the bar, was it the auras?” he asked, turning the conversation back to Raelyn and the events at the bar and away from himself.
“That was part of it,” she admitted. “I’ve been working on focusing my attention, but crowds are still overwhelming. It’s too much frantic energy in a confined space. But that’s not all that I saw.” She gulped down the rest of her drink in a vain attempt to settle her nerves.
“You can tell me, Raelyn,” he encouraged. “I already promised you, I won’t think any differently of you.”
“I saw what happened.” Her hands began to tremble. Losing the battle with his self-control, Julian moved to sit next to her. He captured her shaking hands in his own and rubbed small circles onto the palms.
The memory of what she had seen must be scaring her.
A protective instinct rose from deep within Julian. He wanted nothing more than to chase all of her fears away.
“Whatever you saw, I can promise you that it’s gone now.” He brought one of her petite hands up to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Nothing’s going to harm you while you’re here. You’re safe now.” He kissed her hand again, hoping the action would settle her nerves.
“It was a hand,” she whispered. “A bodiless hand. It tampered with the lights, and then,” she shuddered. “It just stopped moving. I think it knew I saw it. Which makes me sound completely crazy, but I swear,” her voice rose in pitch. “I swear, I looked at it and it stared right back at me.”
She paused, those beautiful eyes filled with tears.
Julian hated himself for pushing Raelyn in her already fragile state. But, she had also just given him a valuable clue into what kind of demon they were facing. If she had any additional information that they could use, he had to get it.
“And?” he prompted, pushing past his self-hate for upsetting her.
“It jumped, coming my way. But then you showed up and it disappeared.” Tears freely rolled down her flushed face.
Julian sucked in a deep breath, stunned by her revelation. Raelyn had seen the demon hand’s demonic energy? What exactly was going on here?
Raelyn sniffled, drawing Julian’s attention away from his thoughts and back to the beautifully gifted woman in front of him.
“You don’t think that I’m weird, do you?” she asked, anxiously. Raelyn rubbed her eyes, a failed attempt to stifle her tears. Black mascara ran down her blotchy skin and the tip of her nose was red.
She was an ugly crier, and he didn’t care.
“No,” he pulled her closer. “I don’t think that you’re weird.”
“Really?” she asked, hopeful.
“You’re not weird, you’re special.” He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him and see the compassion in his gaze. He wanted to take all of her pain away. He wrapped his arms around her in an embrace and her body melted into his. He moved to rest his chin on the top of her head. “You’re so very special,” he soothed, prepared to repeat himself as many times as it took until she believed him.
◆◆◆
Emotionally and physically drained from the evening, Raelyn had been easy to convince to stay the night. Julian stared down at the woman fast asleep in his bed, wishing that he could join her.
But first, he had questions that required answers.
Julian found the demon in the kitchen, kneading a ball of dough that would be used for cinnamon rolls for the next day’s breakfast. A glass of milk and honey sat on the bar-height counter, waiting for him.
“You’re going to get me
hooked on these things.” Julian frowned at the drink, before taking a seat on one of the stools.
“It’s good for relaxation,” Hineker repeated his earlier statement, a smug look on the demon’s face as he continued to work with the dough.
Julian rolled his eyes. He didn’t bother asking if Hineker had overheard his conversation with Raelyn. After all, the demon was naturally curious and had excellent hearing.
The demon master took a sip of the sweet drink, his mind spinning in circles. He’d gotten so much new information that he didn’t even know where to begin.
Hineker covered the bowl with plastic wrap and sat down next to his master. Sensing Julian’s confusion, the enforcer demon decided to take control of the conversation. Thanks to Raelyn’s description, Hineker now knew exactly what type of demon they were hunting.
“The prey is the Chiranthodendron Daemon,” Hineker informed his master, the words rolling off of his tongue. “A tree of hands. The main body will have rooted itself into the ground somewhere, most likely an area surrounded by trees, where it can blend in easily.” Hineker shifted on the stool, excited and restless. “It’s the creature’s hands that will bring enjoyment.”
Julian ran his fingers through his hair. Anytime Hineker thinks a hunt will be fun, it usually turned into a nightmare. He was already dreading this mission and he didn’t even have half of the information yet.
Hineker continued. “The hands are the creature’s eyes and ears. Upon the death of each new victim, a new branch is formed, along with a new hand at the tip. This increases not only the creature’s strength, but also its reach.”
A demonic tree with killer hands. Sounds delightful, Julian mused sarcastically to himself.
“The hands can roam freely?” he asked, recalling Raelyn’s earlier description of an animated, bodiless hand.
“Yes,” Hineker confirmed. “The position of the main body is fixed, but the hands can attack at any time, and from anywhere.”
The demon’s eyes shone with delight.
“Exciting, isn’t it?”
No.
Julian’s scowl deepened and he gulped down the rest of his drink. Hunting a demon was hard enough without adding another layer of complexity to it. How were they supposed to find a demon that targeted its victims randomly?
“She was an excellent choice, Master,” Hineker praised. “With the help of a hound, finding the prey will be quick and easy.”
“Hound?” Julian repeated, disturbed by the sudden change in topic. “Are you talking about Raelyn?”
At the demon’s nod, a dead weight settled in Julian’s stomach. He’d never heard Hineker call anyone, man or woman, a hound before.
It wasn’t a good sign.
“Raelyn’s gift is much stronger than seeing just human auras, she can also see demonic energy.” A look of admiration crossed the demon’s face. “Finding a hound is quite rare, Master Julian. It’s been a few centuries since I’ve worked with one.”
Every hair on the back of Julian’s neck stood on end. Hineker couldn’t possibly be suggesting that they use Raelyn’s gift to track the hidden demon.
The enforcer demon replied with a wicked grin.
Yes, he was.
Julian balked at the idea. It wasn’t her job to hunt demons, it was his. How could Hineker suggest that they involve an innocent person?
“No,” Julian protested. “We’re not using her to track down the demon.”
“She’s already involved.” Hineker’s eyes narrowed, annoyed. “I said that hounds are rare, but that doesn’t mean that they’re well liked. The creature has already seen her and already made her its next target.”
Julian frowned, unhappy with the news.
“She’s untrained and highly sensitive. She possesses a gift that few people in this world could understand.” Hineker glared at his master. “But you do.”
The enforcer demon had made a good point. Julian drummed his fingers on the granite countertop. He may not possess Raelyn’s gift, but he did know what it was like to be different.
“Tracking a demon is excellent practice for focusing one’s attention. Who else will help her, if you choose not to?” Hineker pressed. “Surely you don’t want to leave her alone, struggling to control her abilities.”
The demon master sighed deeply. The problem with having spent his whole life with Hineker was that the demon knew everything about Julian, and that included how to manipulate him into doing something he didn’t want to do. Raelyn already trusted Julian, she’d proven that when she’d confided in him. With Julian acting as her guide, Raelyn could learn to manage her abilities. Based on her reactions earlier that evening, it was something she clearly needed help with it.
In turn, she could help them find the demon, faster than if Julian and Hineker tried to do it on their own.
It was a fair trade. At least, that’s what Julian tried to tell himself.
Julian ran a hand through his hair, loathing his role as a demon master now more than ever. When did his life become about this? Involving someone else in his demon hunting? All he’d ever wanted was a peaceful, drama-free life, keeping humanity safe from demons until the time of his passing came and Hineker took his soul.
He never asked to involve someone else in any of this.
Normally, Julian took a woman out on a few dates, then sent them on their merry way. Doing so allowed him to keep from growing attached, starting a relationship. Yet, despite it being only a few days, he couldn’t deny that he liked Raelyn. She was a sweet, beautiful, and gifted woman.
Julian recalled her fear-filled eyes. Her body, as it trembled in his arms. Her hesitation to talk to him. Raelyn viewed her gift as a burden, not a blessing.
He could change that.
Besides, his time in Tennessee was limited. He wouldn’t be around her long enough to start anything serious.
“Ok,” he agreed. “I’ll help her. But, Raelyn’s involvement in this hunt is to be minimal. She helps us find this one demon and then that’s it, we go back to New Jersey.” Julian rose from his chair, his words serving as a reminder to himself not to become too attached to Raelyn.
When someone is a master to an enforcer demon, falling in love is a selfish act. The volatile nature of the job left behind broken hearts and destroyed families. Julian had witnessed that first hand with his own parents.
He would not make the same mistake.
Chapter 16 - Raelyn
Raelyn opened her eyes to find herself alone in a large bed. She flipped a light switch on the nearby table and warm light filled the space. She sat up slowly, studying the unfamiliar room.
This bedroom was larger than her entire apartment! The walls and floor were dark brown, the lamps and surrounding furniture various shades of light brown and gold. Ivory flowers in dark green vases were strategically placed around the room. Against a far wall sat a fireplace with candles of various heights on the mantle. Velvet chairs in shades of dark red and burgundy clustered together for the seating area. A chaise lounge in tufted velvet was pushed up near a window covered in floor to ceiling drapes.
Raelyn got out of bed and walked over to the small side table next to the chaise lounge. On the table sat a silver tray with a cup and saucer, coffee carafe, cinnamon bun that smelled simply divine, and a handwritten note.
Good Morning Country Girl,
I hope that you slept well. Feel free to use the bathroom to take a shower. Come downstairs when you’re ready.
Julian
Warmth flooded her cheeks at the term of endearment. She poured a cup of coffee, bit into the cinnamon bun, and groaned out loud.
The cinnamon bun was simply amazing!
She wolfed down the rest of the sweet treat and quickly drained her cup of coffee. Thanks to the jump start of sugar and caffeine, her brain started working again. The memories of last night came rushing back, bringing along with them a wave of cold, dark panic. The chaos and destruction the bodiless hand caused at the bar. Arriving at the hotel a
nd talking to Julian about her abilities. A feeling of dread crashed down onto Raelyn like a tidal wave. She sat on the chaise lounge hard, and covered her mouth with a shaky hand. She’d told him everything!
“Wow, this is a nice room,” Trinity said, her head floating up through the floor. Even when she’d been alive, Trinity always had a knack for finding her friend. The ghost glided across the room, admiring the posh space. “You never came back to your apartment, it must’ve been a good night.”
At her friend’s silence, the ghost moved closer.
“Rae, what’s wrong?”
“I told him.” Raelyn looked up at her hovering friend, horrified. “Last night when we came back to the hotel. I told him about the bodiless hand, and seeing people’s auras. He must think I’m the strangest person he’s ever met.” Embarrassed, Raelyn jumped up from the chair and rushed across the room. If she hurried, maybe she could leave before Julian or Hineker came to get her. She grabbed her purse from the nightstand and reached for her cowgirl boots. Before she could slip them on, ice cold air passed over her hands.
“Rae, stop. Calm down,” Trinity barked out, trying to get her friend’s attention. “You’re not making any sense.”
The sudden cold snapped Raelyn out of her own head. She sat down on the bed.
“What did you tell him?”
“Everything,” Raelyn whispered. She put her head in her hands. “I told him everything.”
Raelyn recounted her evening while Trinity listened. The ghost gasped when she mentioned the chaotic crowd and the bodiless hand.
“What do you think it was?” Trinity asked.
“I have no idea.” Raelyn stared at her friend, an otherworldly spirit. “I was sort of hoping that maybe you could tell me. Have you ever seen or heard of anything like this?”
“No, I haven’t.” Trinity shook her head. “What else happened?”
“Julian brought me back here and I told him what I saw at the bar. I also told him about seeing you, and human auras. I told him everything. Then I started to cry like a baby. He pulled me into his arms and told me that I wasn’t weird, I was special. That’s the last thing I remember. I must’ve fallen asleep after that.”
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