Guilty.
Her thoughts, along with her heart, raced as she drove to the pumpkin patch. If something happened to Sophie, she'd kill herself, but not before she took that motherfucker Volac out with her.
How was the question? She wasn't exactly armed for demonic destruction.
With a screeching halt, she pulled into the dirt driveway that led to the field of pumpkins, turning off the lights and the ignition.
Fear, rage and panic welled in her chest and her legs were like bricks, heavy with terror. The night was black, so black she could barely see two feet in front of her, but she stumbled over the lumpy patches, hoping against hope that she could re-locate the place where she'd found the pumpkin.
Wouldn't that be where the portal would open?
Jesus, it was cold. Her teeth chattered with a consistent clack and her hands were stiff.
"Auntie Addy?” a sweet, sing-song voice called to her.
Addison whipped around, her eyes trying to focus on the small figure that sat in the pumpkin patch to her left.
"Look what I have. Mommy said you wouldn't mind if I borrowed it.” Her voice wasn't at all afraid and as Addison's eyes adjusted, she noted there was no fear on Sophie's face. She held the talisman up. The moon shone on it, giving it a sinister gleam and leaving it looking not nearly as innocent and fun as it once had.
A flood of relief assaulted her and she fought to speak. “I don't mind at all, Sophie. Cuz it's reallllly cool, isn't it?” she said, struggling to keep her voice even and calm.
"Reallllly,” Sophie agreed with a semi-toothless grin. She was wearing her Princess Pink bathrobe and foofy slippers. Sophie called them foofy because they had tufts of marabou fur on the toes.
"But borrowing time is over, Soph. So give it to Auntie Addie now.” Addison moved closer, holding her hand out.
"Um, no."
Stubborn little nose picker. “Um, yes."
"No, no, no.” She stomped her little size threes for affect.
"Sophie? If you don't give that to Auntie Addy right this second, well, I'm going to have to tell Mommy.” Cheerist, she sounded like a two-year old preparing to tattle on her sibling.
"You're so meeeeean, Auntie Addy."
"Yeah, well, I only get meaner. And I've got a secret."
"What?"
"Barney says if you don't give me the statue he won't sing the ‘I love you, you love me’ song anymore.” There, take that for not listening to me. Addison went for the low blow because she had no clue what would really scare Sophie into giving her the talisman. It was a cheap shot for a six-year old, no doubt.
"Who's Barney?"
Okay, so not so cheap. Fuck. Wrong era. “Sorry, I meant ahhhh, Dora! Dora the Explorer."
"But she doesn't sing a song, Auntie Addie. Well, she sings, but mostly she teaches me Spanish. And she's got a monkey named Boots and her Back Pack."
Oh.
"Besides, I don't even like Dora. I like Blue."
"Blue?"
"Blue's Clues. You know, the dog,” she offered petulantly.
A dog. Of course. She'd forgotten Sophie's love affair with dogs. Blue, Dora, Boots, fucking purple dinosaurs. Addison made a promise to herself right then and there. From here on out she'd make a point of spending more time with the little heathens and less time at her job. Just in case a dire negotiation such as this occurred again. “Okay, so do you suppose this Blue wouldn't listen to his aunt?"
Sophie seemed to pause to think about that and then she said, “Blue is a dog, silly. He doesn't have an aunt he has to listen to,” she giggled.
Addison's patience was fraying. Her small scope of child psychology was waning. “Give me the statue, Sophie and do it now!"
She shook her chestnut curls. “Nuh-uh. I can't,” she said, with perfect calm. “That nice man said if I held it he'd give me candy for Halloween. The big candy bars too. The reallllly big ones that you don't like to give for trick or treat because mommy says you're too cheap."
For the love of Pete, this—cheap, mean old Auntie Addy never gets out—shit had to end. Tricia was brainwashing the kids. Seriously, this had to stop. Look where it had gotten them. In a pumpkin patch with a petulant kid who was willing to let the world end because she didn't have her “listening ears” on and candy was her first priority. Addy was growing more antsy with each passing moment. Wherever this demon was, he was bound to show up any second. “Sophie, Auntie Addy needs the nice statue and she needs it now."
"Now why would she want to give it back? That would be silly in light of the fact that it can be very useful to someone like her. Someone so young and malleable. A virgin even,” a thick, harsh voice retorted.
Volac.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Four
Addison gulped hard, turning to face the root of this problem. His sudden appearance was eerily without announcement.
Well, he definitely didn't look like a demon, even if he did have that aura thing surrounding him, like a bunch of lights in a myriad of colors outlining his body. He also had yellow eyes. Yellow and glowing. If she couldn't see in the dark before, she could now.
Freaky deaky double Dutch.
He sure wasn't what she'd had in mind since Caleb had come to her with this crazy mess. He was actually pretty easy on the eye. Though not really her type per se. He was too pretty for her. His suit was too perfect. Not a wrinkle. Didn't skipping dimensions wreak havoc on a linen suit? It had to be worse than a trans-Atlantic flight.
What kind of demon wore Calvin Klein anyway? Everything about him was too—too—just—too. His hair was too perfect too, and his skin was without a single blemish. She'd love to know what kind of moisturizer he used...
For shit's sake, she was behaving as if she was on the dating game. Okay, what to do, what to do?
Make nice.
How often was it that a demon had someone inquire as to their well-being? Probably never. They were too busy freaking people out, but Caleb had knocked some of the freak right outta her.
So she was ready.
Besides, he didn't look that scary.
Without preamble, Addison stuck her trembling hand out. Cuz really, what did one do when they came face-to-face with a demon? “You must be this Volac I've heard so much about. Good to meet ya. I'm Addison Ross. If you'll just give me Sophie we'll let you do your thang. You know, take over the world and all that jazz.” Her words rang false. They were nervous and high-pitched and rife with her panic. Where the hell was Caleb?
Volac threw his midnight black head back, gleaming and slick, and laughed, ignoring the hand she offered. It echoed, hollow and maniacal.
Hookay, now that was definitely a demon-like laugh. “Wow, that was impressive. Under normal circumstances, I'd applaud you cuz that was downright blood curdling. But we have to go. Sophie needs to get some sleep.” She scooted past the very scary Volac and went to Sophie's side, grabbing her by the arm. “C'mon, honey. Time to go with Auntie Addy.” But Sophie didn't budge. Clearly the big candy was a strong motivator.
"Sophie can't go with you now, Auntie Addy,” he mocked her name with a derisive snort. “She has work to do. Volac work,” he informed her with ominous malice coating each word.
Hoo boy. This was going to be bad. “Look, how about we swing a deal? You let Sophie go and take me. I'll do your work.” If she could just get the talisman from Sophie and find this friggin’ portal, all would be well. And again, where the fuck was Caleb?
The crunch of hard dirt beneath Volac's feet brought him to stand next to Sophie. “Come, child,” he whispered on the cool night air, wiggling his forefinger. Sophie rose stiff and mechanical to stand beside him, her eyes looking straight through Addison and directly at Volac's hand.
A hand that held a reallllly big candy bar.
Ohhhh, he'd brought out the Snickers.
No fair.
Shit. Sophie's total fav.
This meant war.
"I don't think so, Addison,” he
said smoothly. “However, your gesture is duly noted. I'll let them know in hell that you're a real team player. It just doesn't work for me now that I've found the little one. You, ahem, if you'll pardon my blunt assessment, are tainted.” He wrinkled his perfect nose in distaste. “Sophie is pure, unfettered by cynicism. So scurry off now, and Sophie and I will be on our way."
Unfettered? Who used words like unfettered? Pretentious son of a bitch. And how the fuck did he know if she was tainted? Taint this. Addison narrowed her eyes at him. “Give me Sophie,” she demanded, tugging on Sophie's hand.
"Or you'll what, Addison? Cry? Stomp your feet? Pitch a hissy? Go all girly on me?"
Maybe ... And really, what defense did she have against a demon? He was a demon.
D.E.M.O.N.
That beat stockbroker pretty much always.
"You don't seriously think you can pose a threat to me, do you?"
He was taunting her.
It was working.
The amber glow of his eyes made her stomach turn and her legs were racked with tremors.
"Ahh, Addison, I can smell your fear. It's deliciously divine. Human fear is especially savory."
With those words, her heart thrashed against her ribs. Clearly he was enjoying intimidating her and that tweaked the bejesus out of her. Yeah, he definitely had the one up on her and hell, yeah, he and his potential for havoc was caaa-razy scary, but she couldn't let that stop her. Obviously Caleb had skipped off to somewhere other than here.
It was time to make a move.
Realizing she was anything but imposing didn't stop her. She gave it the most threatening shot she had anyway. She meant every word she was about to speak, she just didn't know if she could follow through. “I'll see you dead before I'll let you have her, Volac!” Addison sneered, her voice rising along with her panic, sweat trickling between her breasts, clammy and cold from the autumn air.
His uber handsome face wrinkled into a frown. “Don't make me go all demon on you, Addison,” he warned, amusement tainting his words. “It's preeeetty frightening from what I've been told. And believe you me when I tell you, I've run into some screaming humans who can verify just how freaky I can be. Now go home and sleep well on the thought that by this time tomorrow, your world will be a very different place.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and began to usher Sophie away. The odd glow surrounding him lit a path to yet another eerie light.
The portal.
The portal the talisman must end up in—in order to keep humans from turning into demons. She needed to take care of that, to keep Caleb from possibly dying trying to do it and Sophie from taking shit from strangers she had no business taking.
Lawd, the pressure.
The presence of the portal, nothing more than a black hole with a small, almost white light deep in its core, made their situation very real.
And if that no good werelockwarwolf didn't make an appearance soon, her choices were going to be few.
Addison didn't know what provoked her to do something as impulsive as tackle him. Truly, it was sublime given the fact that she was a mere mortal and he was a bad ass demon with powers she felt certain surpassed even Superman's. But she was incensed, irate, and deathly afraid he'd hurt Sophie. So when she found herself on his back, tearing at his hair with nails that sank into his scalp, her surprise probably mirrored his.
However, the growl that came after his surprise was ferocious—completely the opposite of her timid squeak when he hurled her off him and threw her to the hard ground.
The impact pounded the breath out of her. A sharp, snapping crack made her reach for her ribs with a yelp of agony. She struggled to rise despite the searing pain as she watched him take an apparently willing Sophie with him. Her mind raced, but she rose on unsteady feet and stalked behind him, taking wheezing breaths as she went.
She had to get the talisman.
"Volac!"
The roar of his name had both Addison and Volac turning in surprise.
Caleb.
Thank fricken’ God.
"Give me the child,” Caleb said, moving toward them, taking slow, measured steps. He was larger than the demon by a head and just as imposing with the anger his face displayed. His jaw was knotted, his teeth firmly clenched. Addison couldn't imagine what his next move might be, but it warmed the cockles of her every fiber to have him here.
Volac rocked back on his heels and chuckled that maniacal laugh he had the market so cornered on. “Yeah, riiiight, novice. So you know how long I've waited for this? You aren't equipped to wage a war with me, werelock!"
Again, Caleb's response was steady, but harsh and filled with contained rage. “Give me the child, Volac or I'll make you pay in ways that even hell can't."
"And if I don't you'll do what?” he taunted with a snarl, his gleaming yellow eyes flashing brighter, drawing Sophie away from the portal and closer to his side.
Volac's reference to the fact that Caleb hadn't ever had to defend the talisman made her cringe. Christ, what would he do? Volac was easily better equipped at this evil crap than Caleb was.
No sooner did Addison think the unthinkable than she heard a low, feral growl.
A growl that wasn't at all human.
The blurry arc of fur and teeth made for an impressive sight as it appeared out of thin air, leaping high into the dark night and landing directly in front of Sophie and Volac. Caleb had shifted into his were form, fierce and powerful. He growled again, barring his teeth, pushing back on his muscled haunches. His silky, midnight black fur stood on end, displaying his anger.
And then a thought occurred to her. Crystal clear. Like manna from Heaven. She only hoped Caleb would follow her lead. “Sophie! Look, sweetness, a doooooog. Isn't he pretty?” she cooed, fighting the sharp stabs of pain in her ribs.
Sophie's attention was immediately diverted, her face soft with child-like joy. “He's a big puppy, Auntie Addy!” she squealed.
Aha! Apparently, dog beat candy bar every time. Neener, neener, neener.
"You know, I bet if you run he'll try to catch you."
"Like tag you're it?” she asked with such sweet innocence Addison thought her heart might crash through her splintered ribs.
"Yeah, Soph. Just like that,” she encouraged with a wince. Every breath she took was an effort now and the tight band around her middle was growing tighter.
"So let's play a game with him, Soph. What should we do? Oh, I know! Let's play fetch! The kind of catch where you run and he tries to catch you, then you throw something. Do you see the big, black hole over there?” She panted, fighting a wave of nausea.
"Uh-huh,” Sophie nodded, the sparkle of excitement visible in her eyes.
"Good! Then run toward it, sweetie! Hurry, Sophie! Run and keep running, cuz I bet he can't catch you!"
Thank the Nickelodeon Gods for smart kids programming because Sophie didn't even question what she should throw when Caleb began to run alongside her, veering her skillfully toward the portal. He barked, playfully nipping at her heels while a stunned Volac howled his outrage.
"You fucking bitch!” he screamed at Addison as his image rippled, changing with his fury. He was no longer the cool, Calvin Klein wearing work of perfection he'd been, but an enormous skeleton, looming over her. The sockets of his eyes were black and hollow. The smooth, creamy skin he'd once had was now cancelled out by the gray cast of his bony, fleshless form. The light that had once been an almost ethereal glow was now a crimson red with slashes of deep black. He wore a hooded, long cape that whipped around in a bone-chilling wind that sprang up from nowhere.
Volac moved toward the portal with the speed of a possessed running back, making a beeline for Sophie.
However, Caleb was the cleverer linebacker, zigzagging a different route until he had Sophie at the mouth of the portal.
"Throw the statue, Sophie! Throw it hard into the big hole,” Addison croaked, hobbling along behind the group, shards of pain stabbing her ribs.
And she did.
Throw it hard. For all she was worth. It soared into the portal with such skill, Magic Johnson himself would have wept.
In the instant Sophie hurled the talisman, a sharp, deafening crack, followed by a crisp bolt of light, sliced through the midnight sky. It reached down and cradled Volac, cupping him in its grip before evaporating.
And it was over nearly as fast as it had begun.
Volac was nothing more than a memory in a puddle of designer suit.
Sophie, on the other hand, was feeling very pleased with herself. “I did it!"
Addison forced herself to stay upright, gathering Sophie against her hip. Sophie buried her face against her aunt, who gave her a tight squeeze. “Ya done good, kid."
"Very good, I'd say,” Caleb praised.
He'd returned to his human state and he wasn't at all geriatric. What did this mean? Addison wanted to touch him, afraid he'd crumble much like Volac had, right before her very eyes. “Are you all right?” Addison held a hand out to him, wobbling with the weight of Sophie at her side.
"Question is, are you? You're hurt, Addy.” His hand reached out to lightly graze her side. “But that was some stellar thinking under pressure."
Addison managed a grin. “I'm a stockbroker. We do that. And I'm okay. It only hurts to breathe,” she joked. “Now ... what about,” she lowered her voice, leaning into him, “the little ‘I like the big candy bars, Auntie Addie’ beast? She'll be terrified. Have bad dreams forever. Traumatized. She's going to have a tale to tell, and I'm in deep kimchee with her mother for hiding what's been going on."
His big shoulders rose and fell. “Nah, I'll make it all just fine. Let go of her for a minute and she'll be back in her bed like this never happened."
Addison extracted herself from a sleepy Sophie and Caleb knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her forehead. “Nice goin', Sophie,” he praised again and Sophie graced him with her angelic smile. “The next time we meet, you won't remember me, but I'll sure remember you."
"Will you remember Auntie Addie?"
Caleb grinned. “Yeah, I think I got that covered."
"Oh, that's good! Then could you remind her I like the reallllly big candy bars?"
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