Demons LLC (Damned and Cursed Book 7)

by Glenn Bullion

  CONTENTS

  Title

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Demons LLC

  About The Author

  Demons LLC

  By Glenn Bullion

  Copyright © 2015 by Glenn Bullion

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Glenn Bullion.

  For Katie and Reptaur

  Special Thanks:

  Dominque Nelson

  Kimberly Hennessy

  Darren Harman

  Matthew West

  Charles Friend

  Jonathan Rivers

  CHAPTER 1

  "Recalculating…in a quarter mile, turn right onto Desoto Road."

  Alex Teague liked to think he was a calm, laid back guy. He had experiences he was quite sure no one else in his age bracket could lay claim to. Even other citizens of the supernatural world looked at him with awe and wonder. He could see ghosts. He could walk through walls. Demons, while potentially life-threating to others, were a mere nuisance to him. A pair of wings shot out of his back whenever he wanted, and ruined many shirts. Those wings were strong enough to lift Alex's frame and take him through the sky.

  He'd fought vampires. Half-witches. Humans running around with crossbows, with good aim.

  Not only did he deal with the trials of the supernatural world, he liked to think he thrived. No challenge was too great for him. Anything that a human, ghost, or demon could throw at him, he could handle.

  But he couldn't handle the smartphone sitting on the passenger's seat in his truck.

  A demonic groan almost escaped from Alex's throat. Thirty minutes ago, he was content to merely curse to himself as the smartphone talked and talked. Now he was engaged in a heated argument.

  "I've just been past there. It's a Royal Farms. I don't think my destination is a damn Royal Farms—"

  "Your destination is on the left."

  "It is not! You just said turn right! You stupid son of a—"

  "Recalculating…."

  Alex gripped the steering wheel so tightly he thought he'd rip it from the column. It was a good thing his demonic powers didn't grant superhuman strength, or there was a chance he'd do just that.

  He turned into the parking lot of the Royal Farms, what the smartphone thought was his destination a moment prior. Leaving the engine running, he leaned back to collect himself. The smartphone stared at him from the passenger's seat. He could almost hear it mocking him.

  The wonderful piece of technology was his wife Cindy's idea. The way she presented it, everything made perfect sense. Cindy was tired of not being able to talk with him when she wanted to, even if it was a simple text message. He'd be able to search the Internet for information. The phone came with a pen, so he could take notes. It had a camera. It was an amazing gadget for the type of side business Alex engaged in.

  It was also possessed, if Alex guessed correctly.

  He grabbed the phone and turned it over in his hands, almost expecting it to yell at him. It took him several minutes to pop the cover off the back, remove the battery, reinsert it, and power on the phone. A beautiful animation danced on the screen. Harmonious music played. A home screen came into being, with icons and apps aplenty.

  The only question was if the phone would guide him. Did he exorcise the device?

  "Christ," he complained to himself. "I hate technology."

  Alex had a friend named Jack with an adopted daughter. A nine-year-old girl named Tiffany. That nine-year-old girl was capable of making a smartphone sing, if she wanted it to. She stored all her music, photos, everything in her short little life, in her phone. Alex couldn't even make his give him proper directions.

  Turning to his left, he spotted a woman watching him from several parking spaces away. Apparently she'd been watching him since he'd arrived. She was an attractive woman, leaning against her car with her arms crossed, a crooked smile on her face. Alex could only imagine how much of a fool he was making of himself for all to see.

  "Is everything okay?" she asked.

  "Uh, yeah." He smiled sheepishly as he held up the phone. "Just, uh…my phone sucks."

  The woman laughed. "It's funny, isn't it? I think my kid's smarter than me. I think she put a phone in her mouth before her thumb."

  Alex laughed politely. Another woman left the store and joined the stranger. They climbed in the car together. The stranger waved as they drove away, and he returned the gesture. Killing the engine, he decided a quick pit stop was exactly what he needed. He'd already been on the road ninety minutes, and he was already late. The sun had nearly set, and it wouldn't take long for afternoon to turn to dusk, and dusk to turn to evening. Still, the last thing he wanted was to show up to a side job thirsty, needing to use the bathroom, and irritated. A stop at the convenience store would solve at least two out of three.

  The store was nearly empty. Four employees in blue shirts were scattered about, trying to pass the time. A man waited for a sandwich, while another browsed through the ice cream. Alex drank in the normal scene. He'd come to terms with what he was, and the world he lived in. One of his best friends was a vampire. His sister Alicia was dating a witch. The world was full of the supernatural, and most humans weren't even aware.

  That's why Alex loved the normal. Sometimes the monotony of his day job drove him crazy, but driving a forklift, going to a movie, watching Cindy bend over as she attempted to bake something in the oven, these things were sheer bliss.

  Normal was good.

  Alex glanced around the convenience store as he stood at the bathroom door. He wanted to enjoy the moment. Sheer, unadulterated normal. Soon, that wouldn't be the case. He wasn't sure how the night would end. However, he did know when he arrived at his side job there was a good chance normal would suddenly be gone.

  He washed his hands and looked himself over in the mirror. It was rare, but there were times Alex's temper got the better of him, especially when he was hanging out in the not-normal world. His facial features sometimes changed when this happened, and not for the better. This led to him not being the biggest fan of mirrors. He didn't like looking at his own reflection, as he was afraid he wouldn't see what he expected.

  The guy that looked back at him through the mirror was normal enough. He'd changed clothes before leaving the warehouse, prompting the guys to joke about how he was going on a secret date. Jeans replaced sweatpants, a collared shirt replaced an old, ratty tee shirt. He never thought he'd win a modeling contract, but somehow he'd convinced the most beautiful woman in the world to take her clothes off for him. She even let him slip a ring on her finger, so he couldn't be all bad. He was certainly presentable enough to knock on a stranger's door.

  After buying a water, he opened the tailgate on his truck and sat in the back. He watched the people come and go, giving him a look as they went. Alex must have had that out-of-town air about him. Or he simply looked as lost as he felt.

  He glanced at the phone once again as he climbed b
ehind the wheel. Perhaps the magical reboot of the phone fixed the GPS, and he'd be on his way once again. There was also the possibility he'd drive in circles all night.

  Sighing in defeat, he picked up the phone and dialed a number. At least that was one thing he knew how to do.

  Despite waking up next to her, despite being married, her sweet voice always brought on a smile, always made his heart beat just a little harder. Corny, sappy, he was aware. But it was the truth.

  "Hey, sexy," Cindy greeted.

  "What's up, baby-doll."

  He could almost see her cringing on the other end of the phone. She hated the nickname.

  "I see you only have the nuts to call me that when you're in another state."

  "I'm a smart guy. What are you up to?"

  "Just watching TV. Leese is over. She's actually making dinner tonight. You want us to save you something?"

  It was Alex's turn to cringe. Alicia, or Leese to everyone else, was known for many things. Very gorgeous, blond hair, tan skin, had that classic beach model look. She was also compassionate, kind, caring, loved to smile and laugh, adored animals. However, Alex grew up with her. Her skills in the kitchen were lacking.

  "No, I'll stop and get something on the way home. And tell Kevin he's not allowed in the kitchen anymore."

  They shared a laugh. The last time Kevin, Alicia's witch boyfriend, stepped foot into their kitchen he accidentally created a magical fog that spanned three houses. A simple home-cooked meal turned into a night out on the lawn.

  "Don't worry, he's not here," Cindy said. "It's just us girls. What's happening over there?"

  "Uh, I'm still on the road. Almost there now. Just wanted to stop for a drink before I got there."

  "You got lost, didn't you?"

  Alex didn't hesitate. There was no need to, not with Cindy.

  "Yup."

  She chuckled in his ear. He held the phone at a distance, to give his eardrums a break, as he shook his head. Cindy shared the information with Alicia, who in turned cackled just as loudly.

  It was one of the drawbacks of marrying someone he'd known since they was five. Cindy had only been his wife a short time, but that didn't matter. There were no secrets between them, even if they wanted there to be. There were no surprise parties, no unspoken feelings. Cindy knew what Alex was thinking from a simple look, mere body language. Alex could do the same with her, and she'd punch him in the shoulder whenever he correctly guessed she had a bad day at work.

  He rolled his eyes as they continued to laugh. There was no sense lying to her about being lost. She just knew him too well.

  "Ah, sorry," she said. "We were laughing at something on TV."

  "Oh, I'm sure you were."

  "Did you use the GPS?"

  "Yeah, I did. And it's trying to send me to China."

  "Did you reboot the phone?"

  "Yeah, before I stopped at the store. But now I'm afraid it's going to send me to Australia instead."

  "Hold on. Let me look it up here, and you can write it down."

  Alex waited patiently while he listened to Cindy moving about the house. She shouted at Alicia to get her feet off the sofa. Eventually, he could hear her fingers typing away in the home office.

  "Okay, write this down."

  "Hold on, let me get a pencil."

  "Write it down using the phone."

  A smile touched his lips. He wanted to play, just for a moment.

  "But I'm using the phone."

  "You can take notes on the phone and talk at the same time."

  "Won't that break it?"

  "Sweetie, if you make me drive out there—"

  "I'm kidding. Hold on. Do you feel the little stylus in my hand? I'm writing it down."

  He jotted the notes as neat as the smartphone would allow. This was what he needed. Simple directions. Left at this street. Right at that street. No recalculating or rerouting.

  "Okay, you good?" she asked.

  "Yeah. What would I do without you?"

  "You wouldn't have survived kindergarten. You think you'll be long?"

  "I shouldn't be. I'll drive back as fast as I can."

  "Just be safe. If you get here early enough, maybe there will be a surprise waiting."

  Alicia responded in the background with a single word.

  "Gross!"

  Alex smiled. Assuming the side job ended with little drama, there was no other way he'd rather end the night.

  "I like the sound of that. Let me get going, so I can get home, and get going again."

  "Oooh. I like how you think. I'll see you soon, sexy."

  They said their goodbyes. Alex followed Cindy's notes, and low and behold, turned down the street he was looking for within ten minutes.

  It was nearly a two-hour drive just to get across the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania, and arrive at his destination. A seemingly normal, everyday street in a small Pennsylvania suburb. First Avenue. Alex smiled to himself as he slowly drove, glancing at the houses and looking for numbers above the doors. How many tales of the supernatural started on First Avenue?

  He had to circle the block once, as parking was a challenge all by itself. Luck was on his side. A group of teenagers ran from a house, laughing and shouting at each other. They piled into a Honda Civic and drove off, in a mad rush to get somewhere. Alex slipped into their spot. He was directly across the street from the location of his latest side job. 714 First Avenue.

  "You've now arrived at your destination," Alex said, mimicking his best smartphone accent.

  He didn't get out of the truck right away. Taking deep breaths, he wanted to inhale the scent of normal just a little longer. His nerves were starting to dance, even though he could honestly say he had some experience now.

  The hairs standing on the back of his neck weren't helping matters.

  It wasn't only the supernatural details that were making his stomach bubble, but the human side as well. There was a family inside 714 First Avenue. A husband, wife, and a son and daughter, if Alex remembered the voicemail correctly. Beside that family was something they couldn't deal with on a normal level. Normal was beyond them now. Alex would go in, solve the problem, and then he'd leave, collecting a check on the way out. That was also an issue he wasn't completely comfortable with yet. He wanted to help any family he could, but it was a job. He needed money.

  Alex studied the neighborhood. He was stalling for time; he was aware of this. But he did marvel at the scenery. Halloween was only a few days away, and the front yards reflected that. Pumpkins, leaves, scary decorations, all littered the houses. People drove past, parking in their driveways, getting the mail, waving at neighbors. A young boy, probably fifteen or so, sat on the street corner by himself. He made eye contact with Alex once, who simply smiled in return.

  He laughed to himself. It was never like in the movies. The most haunted places weren't huge, deteriorating mansions, cut off from the rest of the world. They weren't surrounded by large, iron gates that creaked eerily when they opened. Sometimes, the scariest places were in the middle of the block, and had a driveway. Even after a simple stroll through the living room, the average person wouldn't think anything was wrong.

  Luckily, Alex was far from average.

  Sighing aloud, he grabbed his smartphone and looked for the recording app. The phone chimed in response as it loaded. He searched the neighborhood to make sure no one watched him. It was Cindy's idea for him to document any job he went on. It was a good idea, as were all of Cindy's ideas, but he didn't feel comfortable recording his voice. The only person watching him was the boy on the corner, who was suddenly standing up and looking in his direction.

  "Okay, it's five minutes past six o'clock at night. I've just arrived at 714 First Avenue." He paused to study the house. "The place looks normal enough. Looks like they don't celebrate Halloween, but I guess if they're having supernatural issues, I can't blame them. I don't see anything obviously weird going on. But…I do sense something." Alex noticed the boy app
roaching on the sidewalk. He didn't think anything of it. "What it is, and whether it's in the house or not, I don't know yet."

  He stopped the recording as the boy drew closer. His life was odd enough without a passerby listening to the unusual things he told his phone.

  The boy continued to stare as he walked, making Alex uncomfortable. He gave a half-smile and a polite nod, hoping the acknowledgment would make the boy look away.

  Alex was taken aback when the boy stopped next to the truck, right next to the passenger's window. Looking behind him, he looked to see if there was a naked woman or monster he was unaware of. Seeing neither, Alex turned back.

  Now that he stood closer, Alex could see more detail about the boy. His guess of fifteen was probably very close. Tall, light brown hair, dull green eyes. A pair of jeans and a long-sleeved gray shirt with a picture of an alien's head on it. He seemed a little frail; his clothes hung loosely. If he ran the down the sidewalk there was a good chance his jeans would slide off.

  He stared at Alex through the glass, an intense look of curiosity on his face.

  "Yeah?" Alex called. The boy jumped back as Alex rolled down the window. "Do you need something? Is everything okay?"

  The boy literally jumped a step back. His jaw hung low as his lips moved up and down. Almost ten seconds passed before he was able to speak.

  "You…you can see me?"

  Alex finally understood. He could sense the presence of ghosts and demons easily. It was a part of who he was. But knowing who those ghosts were out in the world was a different story. To him, they looked like everyone else. Only the obvious ones stood out, like a man or woman wearing sixteenth century clothing.

  He nodded. "Yeah, I can see you."

  The boy was still hesitant. "Not like a busted TV or something, all blurry, but actually see me?"

  Alex moved his hands up and down, gesturing to the boy's feet and head. He wasn't sure how else to make his point.

  "Yes. I can actually see you."

  The boy couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Holy shit! This is unreal! Wait…you are alive, right?"