The Soul Healer

by B. Groves

  “Can we go around the house?” Kyle answered.

  “I think so, I don’t remember fencing,” Miguel answered.

  Kyle and Miguel stayed at the edge of the forest.

  “There’s the barn,” Miguel whispered.

  Kyle turned his head but kept an eye on the big two-story home making sure no one peered at them through the windows.

  The barn sat in the shadows of the forest. Kyle couldn’t see much except for a few pale yellow lights shining through some of the windows that looked too high to climb into to rescue Alison and Olivia.

  As they approached the barn, Simon growled and Kyle had to quiet him again. The dog tugged at the leash, making Kyle almost lose his balance.

  “Simon,” Kyle whispered. “Slow down.”

  “I thought you had him under control?” Miguel asked, eyeing Simon.

  “I’m trying” Kyle answered with annoyance. “Do you remember the door?”

  “I don’t.”

  “Let’s circle around,” Kyle suggested.

  The men and Simon moved through the clearing that led to the barn. Kyle kept turning around hoping that the other hunters were right behind him, but no one showed up to help them.

  He swallowed hard and tried to stifle a cough from a tickle in his throat. The only noises they heard were the cicadas and the occasional movement of leaves within the forest, which made them both jump a few times.

  A blanket of dread settled over Kyle as the approached the barn. The feeling was a thousand times more intense than the time they entered Emma’s barn.

  A core of pure evil lived inside the old and abandoned barn and it made Kyle even more determined to stop it before it spread its sickness over the rest of the town and beyond.

  Kyle’s heart pounded against his ribcage, but he tried to focus on Alison and prayed they hadn’t hurt her.

  Simon grew even more restless but didn’t bark or growl for which Kyle was grateful.

  They moved closer to the building, and sweat continued to pour down Kyle’s back.

  Miguel felt around the old wooden building and didn’t dare turn his light on.

  Both men held their breath as Miguel searched for a door.

  Miguel stopped and leaned in to listen while Kyle waited.

  Simon was practically bouncing around now, eager to attack the blackened souls.

  “I hear something,” Miguel whispered.

  Miguel stiffened from the noise inside.

  “Someone's crying,” he said. “It sounds like Olivia.

  Miguel reached for the door handle.

  “Miguel, no!”

  He turned around but Kyle couldn’t see his facial expression. “I’m sorry, Reverend, but my daughter needs me.”

  Miguel pushed the door open.

  At first, all went silent. Kyle held his breath while Miguel peered inside.

  A pale-yellow glow shone over Miguel and spilled onto the ground.

  That’s when Kyle heard the noise. The low growls, the shrieks, the evil laughter, and hisses.

  Those were the sounds that made Kyle’s skin crawl and his heart beat even faster inside his chest. His breath caught inside his throat when a shadow moved in front of Miguel and his eyes became wide with fear.

  Kyle jumped when he heard a scream from someone inside the mill.

  He didn’t realize he’d dropped Simon’s leash. The next thing he remembered was Miguel trying to fight off a dark figure and being pushed face first into the damp soil and leaves.

  Chapter 51

  Alison watched as Karen shoved Olivia into a small room and locked her inside. Olivia screamed and cried, begging them to let her go.

  Alison couldn’t help her now. In fact, Olivia was in the safest spot inside the barn.

  To Alison’s left was a fence and from behind the fence were figures of what were once human beings. Their skin oozed pus and blood from scratching at it violently. Their eyes were bloodshot and devoid of human life that once inhabited them.

  Alison wanted to cry for these poor souls. They might save some, but the rest would have to burn and she knew firsthand that was mercy more than murder.

  When they spotted Alison they hissed at her, laughed, and taunted her calling her a whore and a slut. They brought up Heather and how she was a coward for running away from hunting them.

  Alison turned away from the group behind the fence and standing near an empty chair were Emma and Samuel.

  “Welcome, Alison,” Samuel said as he gestured to the chair. “Are you ready for the show?”

  “They’ll know it’s a trap,” Alison answered.

  “We know but we’re ready,” Samuel answered with a wave of his hand.

  Justin pushed Alison into the chair and handcuffed her to the back while Emma stood off to the side and waited for them to finish.

  Once Justin finished locking her to the chair, Samuel walked off with the two other demons and spoke to them in hushed voices. The three of them walked through the door and into the night.

  Alison listened for Olivia, but the young girl had quieted behind the door.

  “Can you give her some water please?” Alison asked Emma.

  Emma pushed her fiery red hair behind her shoulder. “That’s a supply closet. There’s plenty for her to eat or drink if she figures out how to turn on the light.”

  Alison sat straight as Emma circled her.

  She felt fingers run through her hair and tried to pull away, but Emma persisted. Emma stood in front of Alison and grinned.

  Alison averted her eyes. She didn’t want to look at the woman who betrayed her species for moments of temporary satisfaction.

  Emma bent over and stared at Alison, a smile never leaving her face. She stood up and sat down on Alison’s lap.

  “What are you doing?”

  Emma’s piercing blue eyes met Alison’s. “You could have so much more than the horrible life you live. As a hunter, you could provide insight into your plans, your actions, and you’d have the world at your feet. Don’t you want to live an easier life? Have it all?”

  Alison cocked her head. “Have what? Will I get a front row seat while watching the world burn? Watch as billions of humans die and the living ones enslaved? No, thank you.”

  Emma laughed lightly. “It won’t go that way.”

  “It will. The more the veil thins out, the more they will escape the darkness and people will suffer for it.”

  “So pessimistic,” Emma said.

  She traced her finger down Alison’s arm. Her expression turned from amusement to seductive as she continued to trace her finger over Alison’s belly and around her breast.

  She leaned in closer and asked, “Have you ever been with a woman?”

  Alison’s anger turned to amusement. “Not my thing, but who am I to judge? Kyle was nice, though.”

  Emma’s eyes sparkled. “He wasn’t bad, but I like to have fun, too.”

  Emma leaned in and gently took Alison’s lips into hers. She kissed Alison and leaned into her while she gyrated on Alison’s legs.

  Alison didn’t respond at first, but Emma was persistent and forced her mouth open.

  Emma’s lips were soft and plump. She slipped her tongue into Alison’s mouth and Alison tasted a minty flavor.

  Alison responded by kissing her back, but Emma had full control.

  Alison waited for Emma to push her tongue between her lips.

  She opened her mouth wider and Emma took it as an invitation, kissing her harder and faster, her tongue deep inside Alison’s mouth.

  Alison opened her mouth wider and with all her strength, she clamped her teeth down on Emma’s tongue as hard as she could.

  Emma’s eyes flew open. Her shock turned to pain as Alison kept biting down on the muscle.

  Alison felt her teeth break flesh and Emma tried hitting her, but Alison would not let go as Emma cried out in pain.

  Alison coughed on the thick liquid that entered her mouth. She let go of Emma’s tongue. The woman jerked b
ack and then forward, her hand went to her mouth as she gagged on her blood.

  Alison grinned and head-butted Emma, who cried out and fell backward to the floor.

  She blinked several times from the pain that rushed through her head from the headbutt, but it was worth it as she watched Emma struggle to turn over on the dirty wooden floor.

  Alison grinned at the woman who writhed around the floor in pain. The demons behind the fence laughed and antagonized Emma as she struggled to sit up.

  When she came to a sitting position, her hair was in her face, streaks of blood ran down her mouth, and she held her forehead with her hand.

  Emma stood up trying to fix her dignity along with her clothing. She pushed her hair away and revealed a face red with rage and mixed with blood.

  “You fucking...” Emma stopped when the pain of trying to speak hit her. Her words turned lispy as she tried to talk.

  The demons laughed even louder as Emma turned away for a moment.

  “You bith!” Emma yelled as she spat blood.

  “What was that? Your voice changed for some reason,” Alison taunted.

  Hands wrapped around Alison’s neck. Emma squeezed hard enough for Alison to lose her breath.

  She struggled to breathe as Emma tightened her grip around her throat. Alison tried to release her grip. She struggled to stand up, but Emma didn’t let go. Alison’s vision blurred and dark spots formed around her eyes. If she didn’t do something soon, she’d be dead.

  She lifted her leg, trying to kick Emma, but Emma was too fast and kept her grip around Alison’s neck.

  “What’s going on here?”

  The grip loosened and fell away. Alison gasped for air and leaned forward to gag and cough as she breathed deeply into her lungs.

  As Alison regained her bearings and her vision cleared, she saw Samuel and Jason leaning over Emma. Samuel instructed Jason to retrieve a fresh towel and some water.

  “I told you not to go near her,” Samuel scolded as he sat Emma down in another chair. "She dangerous."

  “I tried to…”

  “You were supposed to keep your distance,” Samuel interrupted. He lifted Emma’s chin and told her to open her mouth. “That’s quite a bite.”

  Jason walked back into the barn with water, a towel, and ice.

  Emma took the towel and dipped it into the water. She placed the towel over her mouth and apologized for what she did.

  “You might have ruined our plans,” Samuel said. “Maybe you should let Jason drive you to the ER.”

  Emma shook her head. “I’m staying. I want that bith to suffer.”

  Samuel turned to Alison with a smile. “That was good.”

  Emma scowled as Jason helped her apply ice to her mouth.

  Samuel checked his watch. “Any minute now.”

  “Any minute now? What do you mean?” Alison asked.

  Samuel’s smile turned bigger.

  Alison turned her head when she heard a popping noise from outside the barn.

  Her smug satisfaction turned to fear from hearing the sounds.

  “No…” she muttered.

  Alison lowered her head. Tears burned her eyes as the shots continued to fire in the distance.

  She hoped they had prepared better this time, and not like the last time in New Mexico where the demons ambushed them and not all hunters made it out alive.

  Alison struggled against the handcuffs to where her wrists were screaming in pain. She tried to stand, but Jason was right there in front of her to push her back down. He held her shoulder until she stopped struggling. She almost vomited from the odor coming from his body as the demon swirled around his chest.

  Alison bowed her head as the gunshots trickled down to nothing. She tried to ignore the feral demons behind the fence trying to convince Samuel to take one last shot at Alison.

  “We want the hunter,” they hissed.

  Samuel grinned and walked over to the fence. “Soon, my children. Soon, you’ll forget about this hunter and this town will be at our mercy.”

  Alison glanced over at the cheering demons. Some begged Samuel to let them take care of Alison first, others licked their lips anticipating the carnage they’d bestow upon the town once he released them.

  Samuel turned away from the demons behind the cage and smiled at Alison.

  “I was hoping for a bigger army, but it’ll do,” Samuel commented. “Reverend Ellis was quite the thorn in my side. The man doesn’t scare easily.”

  Alison smirked. “Yes, he is. He won’t give up until you fall.”

  Samuel nodded. “No. That’s why I made Miranda tell him and the girl’s father where we were.”

  Alison turned back to Samuel sharply as he grinned again. She realized what was happening as Jason let go of her shoulder and walked down a dark hallway.

  Alison struggled against the handcuffs, but she couldn’t escape them.

  Emma moved away from the side entrance to the barn, still nursing her tongue. She walked over and stood by Alison.

  “This will be quite a show,” she remarked.

  Alison’s eyes widened, and her heart pounded against her chest. Sweat broke out on her brow in fear for her friends.

  She closed her eyes, trying to shake away the dizziness when the door opened and the light spilled onto Miguel, who stood there staring at Alison in shock.

  Someone made a grunting noise and thought she caught Simon run past Miguel, but it was hard to tell with the lights in her eyes.

  “No, Miguel!” Alison screamed.

  Someone pushed Miguel inside the doorway. He opened his mouth, but the words froze on his lips when he turned to his left.

  The chains holding the demons fell to the floor and the scrape of metal against wood made Alison nauseous.

  Alison strained her neck, trying to find Kyle but didn’t see him or Jason.

  Miguel backed up in terror as the demons filed out of their cage. Some stepped through, others, tried to climb the walls to the ceiling. Others crawled across the floor in unnatural positions that would break the bones of any normal human.

  Miguel’s terror-filled eyes darted back to Alison. “Alison…”

  “Run!” She screamed, but Miguel never moved.

  Emma stepped behind Alison and laughed as the demons moved ever closer to her and Miguel.

  Alison tried one last time to free herself from the handcuffs, but they were secured around her wrists.

  She felt the power within her build from her belly to the top of her head. But what good would her power do for her now? She couldn’t move. Where was Kyle?

  Samuel shook his head in amusement and his eyes turned black. “That power is useless when your hands are tied.”

  Miguel screamed when a demon jumped on him. He struggled against the powerful being, but it knocked him to the ground, trying to bite at his exposed skin.

  Alison tried to move away from the demons coming for her, but Jason stood in her way. One jumped near her from the ceiling.

  Alison grunted as a hard body knocked her on her side and she fell from the chair, but still attached to it by the handcuffs.

  Alison gained her bearings and tried to scoot away. Her powers came through her hands, and without her hands, she would be at the mercy of the demon.

  A body pressed down on her. Hot, wet breath that smelled of rot brushed over her face. Alison tried to turn away, but she gazed into the face of a man whose eyes were black as a moonless night, his face gray with rotting flesh and red streaks where he clawed at his face when the demon entered him. His teeth had turned brown with some missing in the front.

  “Hunter,” he hissed as hot saliva dripped from his mouth and onto Alison’s cheek.

  A figure kneeled to Alison’s left.

  “He’s been salivating over you since we brought you in,” Samuel said.

  Samuel turned to the demon and said, “Keep her alive for a little while. Let her feel the pain we feel when she and her kind exorcise us.”

  The demo
n moved excitedly on Alison when Samuel gave his order. The demon kept repeating hunter while more saliva dripped on her face.