My phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I expected a message from Spencer or something from the Academy. The number however, was unfamiliar. I opened the message. Hey, babe. Long time no speak. X.
I didn’t need the message to be signed to know who sent it. Jason.
He found me.
Chapter Nine
“Listen up, I have an announcement,” Chelsea barked, the next morning at the Academy. Unfortunately, she was standing right next to me when she started yelling and the sound went right through me. Wincing, I took a couple of steps back, colliding with Spencer. He smiled as he prevented me from falling over.
“I just got word that the senior Watchers will be visiting us in a few days’ time. I want this place spotless, all paperwork must be up to date and you will all dress accordingly.” She shot Spencer a dark look. Today he wore a blue t-shirt over jeans, and Chucks. I liked his look, but he did stand out from the rest of us.
“Anyone who screws this up will be terminated,” Chelsea finished. A few of the younger Watchers exchanged nervous looks. Knowing Chelsea, she probably meant literally.
The senior Watchers did spot checks twice a year on the Academies. Considering they were usually surprise visits, Chelsea must have someone feeding her information higher up the chain. Interesting. I tried to remember if the name Dean ever came up in relation to the senior Watchers, but it didn’t ring a bell. She probably had spies everywhere. Sometimes it isn’t who you know, but what you know.
Regardless, meeting the senior Watchers was a big deal. Impressing them could lead to the pick of jobs in the future. Which meant that I really needed to fix whatever was wrong with me before they arrived.
When the crowd dispersed, Spencer pulled me aside. “Are we still on for tonight? Our date?”
I almost forgot about it. “Yeah, um, but listen, can we forget about what happened the other day? The whole kiss thing. I’m kinda embarrassed about it. I don’t know what possessed me to…” I trailed off. Wait, was that it? Was it possession?
“That’s fine, consider it forgotten,” Spencer replied. “Well, actually, it will be kind of hard to forget because…”
I needed to talk to Max. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I left him standing there and hurried to Max’s office. He looked less than thrilled to see me. “I’m sorry about upsetting you again, I really am, but I think I’ve figured it out. I think I’m possessed.”
Max heaved a sigh. He set his coffee mug down and asked, “Why?”
“It fits, doesn’t it?” Not much of a reason, but what else could it be?
“Possession is more than losing time. There would be a lot more symptoms. Physical symptoms that you would notice.”
“I know but it’s a possibility. Would you be able to tell if you had the orb? If something had been inside it?”
“Maybe, but I’ve searched the whole building, I can’t find it anywhere. I think we have to face the fact that it’s gone for good.”
I massaged my neck, feeling stressed out again. I noticed the stain on Max’s ceiling had grown.
Is that black mold?
“There are tests that can be done to prove possession, but I’ll need a few days to get the ingredients together,” Max said.
“The senior Watchers will be here soon, I don’t want to screw up with them around.” While Chelsea had the power to kick me out, they would probably lock me away, if they suspected possession. Followed by an exorcism and that did not sound pleasant.
“We’ll get it sorted before they arrive. Trust me,” Max said.
I didn’t have any other choice, did I? At least we were on speaking terms and he was willing to help me, although I probably didn’t deserve it. And the truth was, I did trust him. He had done a lot for me so far and he didn’t have to.
I left his office to find Chelsea and see what she wanted me to do today, but I really wanted to go home and sleep for a few hours. I barely slept at all last night. After I got the message from Jason, I immediately called James. He had a friend, probably one of his old army buddies, check in on Jason and according to him, he hadn’t left the state. He did, however, manage to get my phone number, something he has managed to do several times in the past. He must have some kind of contact or way of finding it out. He is smarter than he lets on, but he is no hacker. He doesn’t have much money either to bribe anyone with. He drifted between jobs, usually in auto shops. I always wondered if he wanted to date me originally because I came from money. I paid for most of our dates, although he acted like I wounded his pride when I did.
Babe, you have no idea how bad I feel letting you pay. I’m the man, I should be the one taking you out. I swear I’ll get the next one.
I knew his MO. He would message me a few times, try to get me to reply. When I didn’t, the messages would get nasty, then he would stop abruptly.
Back home, the next step would be stalking. I would see him every now and again. He would appear on the street or pass by in a car, perfectly innocent looking and all within the mandated fifty foot perimeter that he had to maintain at all times, thanks to the restraining order I had on him. James’ idea. After a while, he would get bored and disappear for a while. Sometimes for months at a time. It never got violent, just scary. I think he enjoyed making me afraid.
I’m sure James was the main deterrent that kept him at bay. He may be older now, but he could easily kick Jason’s ass. James did have a word with him one time, he wouldn’t tell me what he said, but Jason did back off for nearly eight months that time. If he found out that I came here, alone, would he follow me? What would he do now that James wasn’t around? I shuddered.
Right now, I couldn’t worry about him. I could be possessed, that had to be my main priority. James would contact me if Jason left town. For now, I was safe. Well, safe from a human stalker anyway.
Chelsea put me on dusting duties, I had to make sure the stacks were spotless for the visit. Honestly, I was glad to be out of the way. It gave me time to think.
I tried to focus on my date with Spencer later. Something good to look forward to.
As long as I don’t black out again and do something embarrassing.
Oh God, what if I did? Maybe I should cancel the date, it would be safer.
Except, I haven’t been on a date in a while. There was a time I didn’t think I would be interested again. Not after everything with Jason.
Nope.
I shook it off. The past was just that. So what if Jason had my number, he had no idea how to find me and James would never tell him. Let him play his little games. I refuse to get sucked back in.
Probably got bored or broke up with some girl and thought he would hit me up.
It still made me cringe, how he sucked me in. I’m not a stupid person and I like to think I’m a good judge of character, but I fell for everything. Every lie, every excuse. Never again.
I remembered the first time I laid eyes on him. Jason was handsome, funny and he knew all the right things to say.
I took my car to the body shop in town, after a little fender bender. I backed into a wall at the house. Dumb, I know.
At nineteen, I just started college and Grandpa finally let me have a bit more independence. Telling him I wrecked the car would not make him happy.
As I entered the body shop, Jason rolled out from under a car. “Can I help you?” he asked.
I found myself stuttering over my words as I stared into his cornflower blue eyes. “Uh, I need to uh, get my car fixed.”
His mouth spread into a grin. “Let’s take a look, shall we?”
I spent an hour there, talking to him, laughing. By the end of it, he had me ask him out. He had a whole sob story ready for me. His last girlfriend broke his heart and he didn’t know if he wanted to date someone new but couldn’t resist little old me.
Manipulative jerk. It seemed obvious now, looking back, but I was young, well younger, and naïve and I really liked him.
Enough already! He doesn’t dictat
e my life.
I started swishing the duster angrily, throwing up a cloud of dust. I coughed violently. When did someone last dust up here?
My guess was the last time the senior Watchers visited. God, I hoped I didn’t blow it with them.
I knew of at least one Watcher who climbed the ranks very quickly after impressing a senior Watcher. Pick of assignments by thirty-five.
The way I’m going, I’ll be eighty-five by the time that happens for me.
Chelsea came up to inspect my work at the end of the day, clipboard in hand. She ran her finger across one of the shelves. It looked clean to me, but she didn’t look impressed.
“Go over it all again, just to be sure.”
“But…”
“Do you have somewhere else to be?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Well, I planned on meeting a friend at eight.” I didn’t tell her who, that probably wouldn’t go over well.
“Then you better be quick if you’re going to make it in time.”
God, I hate her.
Grabbing the duster, I started again, moving as fast as I could along the stacks. I could just tell her that I did it, but if I missed something, I’d never hear the end of it.
It took longer than I thought it would and I finished just before eight. I wouldn’t have time to go home and change now and my clothes were covered in dust. I tried to wipe it off, but only succeeded in creating gray smudges on my clothes.
Damn it, I’m a mess.
I hoped the bar would be dark and Spencer didn’t look too closely at my clothes. I ditched the duster and retrieved my bag.
As I rushed out of the building. I started jogging across the quad, glad I ditched the heels.
Stopping after a few seconds, I bent over trying to catch my breath.
What the heck? When did I get so out of shape?
Standing up, I looked around. Where was I? I couldn’t have run more than fifty feet, but I was clear across campus.
“This can’t be right.”
I realized I was holding something. Raising it to the light I found a knife in my hand and it was covered in what looked like blood.
“Fudge me.”
Chapter Ten
“What have I done?” I whispered; my hands were trembling, heart thumping wildly in my chest. I just left the Academy, this couldn’t be right.
I blacked out again.
Campus was deserted, how long had passed this time? I fished my phone from my pocket to check, smearing the screen with sticky blood. It was midnight! Over four hours gone.
Knowing the blood could only mean one thing, I searched the ground around me for any sign of a body. The streetlights lit up most of the ground, but there were places where they didn’t reach. Dark spaces big enough for a body. I switched the flashlight app on my phone and used it to see more. There was no sign of anyone anywhere. No screams, no sirens either.
They’re probably lying in a pool of their own blood somewhere.
Oh God, what if it was Spencer? The thought made me go cold. I could have gone to the bar, then lured him somewhere and attacked him. I took a step forward, then stopped. Where do I go? If I was running in the direction of the dorms, then I had to have come from somewhere else. Not the bar, it lay in the opposite direction. I needed to retrace my steps and find whoever had been stabbed.
They might still be alive.
I slipped the knife up my sleeve to hide it from view. I couldn’t leave it lying around, it was evidence now and if anyone saw me with it, they would call the cops.
Making my way back across the quad, I checked the ground as I walked, listening for anyone calling for help.
Please don’t be dead. I chanted the words in my head as I went. I needed to call the police, but I had to know what happened first.
I’m going to end up like that kid my grandfather investigated. Sent to jail for a crime I have no memory of committing.
I sucked in a deep breath, fighting to stay in control. I couldn’t lose it now, not when someone could be dying out here. I needed to keep moving.
The sound of drunken singing reached me and I quickly ducked behind a hedge. Peeking out, I saw a couple of guys stagger by.
Why am I hiding? I’m the dangerous one.
One of them belched loudly, then laughed. “We should go get more beer,” he said to his friend.
“The bar’s closed, idiot. But my roommate has some tequila.”
They continued their song, the sound growing fainter as they moved away.
I stayed put until they were out of sight. Perhaps I was the dangerous one, but I really didn’t need anyone stopping me right now or calling the cops before I determined what happened.
My search led me back to the Academy building, the most logical place. There were a few drops of blood on the step outside. Someone must be inside, but who? I was the last one out earlier. At least I thought so.
It looked more likely that the victim was Spencer. Maybe I convinced him to come back here with me and…what?
Time to find out.
With a trembling hand, I removed my key card from my pocket and swiped it on the reader. The light turned green and I entered the building, moving slowly down the hall.
I found the odd spot of blood on the floor, but that must have come from the knife, dripping off as I walked. A thought crossed my mind. I could wipe the knife off, dump it and run. No one would know that I’d been here.
Where did that come from? I would never do that. Whatever happened, I planned on turning myself in. I wasn’t above the law and I wouldn’t risk hurting anyone else. It’s just my survival instincts kicking in.
I entered the main hall. Silence. No sign of a body. A fire still roared in the fireplace, lighting the room, along with a couple of lamps, but most of it lay in shadow.
This place is creepy at night.
“Hello?” I called softly, before realizing how dumb that was. If someone was dead, they weren’t going to answer me and if they were injured, they definitely weren’t going to answer the person who stabbed them.
I looked up at the stacks but couldn’t see much from down here. Stepping around the table, my foot caught on something and I twisted and fell. I threw my hands out to save myself, my face stopping a couple of inches short of Antoine. His lifeless eyes stared back at me and I knew in an instant that he was dead.
I screamed, pushing away, still clutching the knife. I scrambled backwards, breathing hard.
Blood covered Antoine’s shirt, it looked like he had been stabbed multiple times and given the fact that I had the knife, it seemed the most likely option.
A door opened somewhere in the back and feet pounded down the hall.
Max skidded to a halt. “What’s…oh my God. Is that Antoine?” His face paled as he took a careful step toward the body, trying to avoid the blood.
He turned to me. “What happened?”
“I just found him,” I stammered.
“Why the hell did you pick up the knife?” he cried.
I glanced at it, still clutched in my hand. I let it drop to the floor. “I don’t…”
“That’s evidence, your fingerprints are going to be all over it. Don’t touch anything else. Chelsea will already be on her way,” Max said.
“What? How?” Is she psychic now too? Or does she have a special radar for when I screw up?
“If anyone accesses the building after hours, she gets an alert,” Max said, leaning in for a closer look at the body. He seemed completely calm, unlike me. I’m sure he’s dealt with bodies before, but what if it was more than that?
I got to my feet slowly. “What are you doing here?”
He glanced up at me. “I have a room in the back.”
He lives here?
“And you didn’t hear anything?” I didn’t mean for it to sound like an accusation, but that’s how it came out.
Max glared at me. “Sure, I just ignored a man being murdered. My room is sound proofed. I was coming to collect a book
from the office when I heard you scream.”
So he said, but what if I had this all wrong? What if I didn’t stab Antoine, what if I just picked up the knife after stumbling across the body? Which meant Max could be the killer.
I didn’t want to believe it, but I didn’t know Max or what he was capable of. A Goddess hijacked his mind, what if it changed him, made him a killer?
God, that’s a terrible thing to think. He is the only one willing to help me.
Chelsea came running into the room, which made me wonder how close to the Academy she lived. She wore her clothes from earlier too. Surely, she would have been asleep, but it didn’t look like it. I never considered her having a life outside of here. Heck, maybe she slept in her clothes so she was always ready for action.
“What’s going on? Why are you here?” she demanded.
I didn’t answer, just pointed at the body.
Chelsea stepped forward. She stared at Antoine’s body for a few seconds before looking at me. “You better start talking.”
Chapter Eleven
I sat in the corner of the room, watching the others work, trying my best not to look at the body. I’m not squeamish, I’ve even viewed an autopsy before, but it is different when you know the person.
Chelsea called in a whole team to deal with this. We couldn’t call the police and have them searching the Academy, not with all the artefacts in here, but there were experts who could investigate. They were trained forensic analysts who worked for the League. It wouldn’t take them long to figure this out. They had the murder weapon, thanks to me. It would be covered with my prints, hopefully not the only prints on it, but they were there. My prints were on file at the Academy already, so I didn’t need to give them again.
Max thought I picked it up when I found the body, for now I wasn’t going to correct him.
Chelsea marched around, barking orders to whoever would listen. She didn’t seem too cut up over Antoine, just pissed at having to deal with this situation. What if she killed him? I wasn’t going to lie, I’d much rather it was someone else, but I couldn’t rule myself out. Not yet.
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