Soon, he noticed the scent of cigar mingled with aroma of the cat’s hormones. He glanced up and scooted backward until he remained seated in the shadows. The glow of sunlight from the street made the approaching figure a dark silhouette. He focused on the person’s feet and recognized the tan moccasins.
The landlady carried a small, plastic bag over to the garbage can beside him. She lifted the lid, dumped the sack inside, and closed the can again. She looked at him and gave her cigar another toke then took it from her lips. “Rent due today, Detective Shine.” She planted the blunt in her mouth, turned, and left.
Chapter Eight
He came through the motel’s front door this time in his mutated form. The Korean landlady stood during his walk of shame to the counter, and opened a midsized swinging door for him to enter. He followed her to the rear, and behind the booth and counter was a small apartment.
She went over to a sink in the kitchenette and dampened a cloth, then turned and stared at his reddened eyes. “Clean your face,” she said and gave him the cloth. “Sit.”
He took a seat at the table and wiped his eyes, cheeks, and mouth. When his body jolted with tear-induced hiccups he thought, who knew a monster could have a good, hard cry?
“You have many questions and little answers.” She pulled out a chair and joined him.
“Do you know me?”
“I know you not the real Detective Shine,” she replied in broken English. “In fact, you not really alive.”
“Who are you?”
“You call me Mu-in. I’m from long line of Kangsin shaman in my village, on Jeju Island.” She saw him pose to speak and added, “I’ve seen your spirit, Benjamin Shine. You lost, caught between worlds.”
“Did Warner send you to help me?”
“Ah!” She stamped her cigar butt in a chunky, stone ashtray. “Vampire guardian of impasse for wandering souls.” She rose and walked over to the sink again, opened a cabinet drawer, then came back with a fat, hand-rolled cigarette. “I’ve seen him before several times.” She sat and struck a lighter a few times before she got a flame. “But no, he did not send me. I’ve always been here.”
He watched her light up what he thought was the biggest joint he’s ever seen anyone try to smoke. He waited as she took a few drags. “I’ve done everything he said. Now, he’s ignoring me.”
She chuckled, then choked a bit as smoke swirled from her mouth. “You call fucking whore doing what instructed? Making hooker a creature of darkness?”
He leaned inward as she shook her head and smoked. “You saw that?” She nodded slowly. “That was a mistake! Is that why Warner’s not answering? I’m sorry!” He then defended, “And she wasn’t a prostitute.”
“Don’t matter what she was.” She fired an accusatory finger at him. “What she is now your fault.” She craned forward and blew a then stream of smoke in his face. “You make many errors, Benjamin Shine. You do wrong while trying to do right.”
He fanned another puff away and snapped, “Will you stop?”
“Keep your mind on the task at hand.” She enveloped him in another cloud of smoke. “You have to take care of the monster you created. Now, sleep.”
“What?” He stood but felt his knees weakened. His legs buckled and he lowered to his seat. “What did you do to me?”
“You need to rest, because hooker will not be easy prey.” She propelled another current at him and said, “Herbal remedy, harmless, but you will sleep.”
His eyes closed though he fought to keep them open. Mu-in rose and helped him stand then escorted him to the bed in the corner. He collapsed flat on his back and she watched his facial features rescind gradually into human form. She waited until he was completely a man again, then crept toward the door, flipped the light switch off, and left.
By the time Shiny B woke up he was plagued in darkness. He patted his chest and thighs—he was dressed, having feared he was naked again in Purgatory—but his jacket and belongings were removed. His vision adjusted as he swung his feet onto the floor and rubbed the sides of his head. His hands and skin felt normal.
He stared at the door and saw a beam of orange light through the crack underneath, shadows flickering through. He got up and staggered toward it, the relentless grogginess making it difficult to walk straight. He grabbed the doorknob, turned, and pulled.
The scent of smoked flesh and burnt grass engulfed him when he stepped into the misty booth. He immediately saw the short, stout figure of the landlady dressed in a dark, hooded robe. She was stationary by the front door and faced the outside. More shadows loomed through the lobby without bodies to project them, casted by lit candles set throughout the area.
He moved toward her, looking around for others. “Mu-in?”
She turned and said, “Welcome, Benjamin Shine. Come and take your place beside me.”
“What’s happening,” he asked as he went to her. “What are you doing?”
“You will understand soon enough. Now be quiet.” She took his hand and raised her other, then chanted in a language unknown to him. She then said, “I call upon you, most benevolent spirit guides, aid this lost soul in quest.”
The dark, airy figures quickly swarmed Shiny B and covered him. He panicked, swatting at them like pests and fidgeted away from Mu-in. “Get them off!”
“Be still!” She yanked him closer to her. “Give him power to overcome evil in his midst.”
An invisible force shoved him to the floor. He struggled to stand but could only make it onto his knees, and a gushing sound like wind flooded his ears.
Mu-in then raised both hands. “Grant him victory over his enemy!”
The howling grew stronger. Shiny B covered his ears and yelled in pain as his nails dug into his face. Mu-in turned and stared into his large, ebony eyes. He roared and bore his fangs.
“Beast...” She stepped over to the front door and opened it wide. “Go, and find your redemption.”
He crept toward her, snarling, his chest and shoulders heaving. He stood over her and growled, ready to bite into her.
She remained strong without a flinch and looked up at him. “Go.”
He stomped outside, dragging the shadows married to him like a wedding dress train. The moon shone brightly and streetlights flickered on. Young and old lingered on the corners, and others moved slowly through the avenue. None noticed him.
Shiny B sniffed the air and all he smelled was death. These were not living humans in his vicinity. It all made sense to him at that moment—thugs dealing dope, liquor stores barred up like fortresses, fucked-up housing, and streets the only recreation for the kids. This was not life. Never was! He saw more people but, when he passed, they seemed like zombies. They were oblivious to the creature amongst them. This neighborhood was like a dream world.
At an intersection, he went in the same direction Wilma had gone, then got halfway the block when he caught a familiar scent. He picked up speed and followed Wilma’s trail of pheromones to an apartment building. Inside, he could’ve taken the elevator, but the urge to run drove him up the stairwell to the second floor.
He spotted an apartment at the end of the hall. The door was ajar and nothing but darkness was waiting. He was in the right place. He pushed it completely open, and the light from the corridor cascaded across two figures on the couch. There were grunts, sounds of sloppy chomping, and moans.
Wilma was naked on top of a guy, and her ribs poked her skin like a starved calf. Her claws dripped blood. She flashed her eyes at Shiny B and snarled, then rocked her hips back and forth. He watched her reverse-cowboy her victim, even as he lay with his throat torn and eyelids twitching. The poor bastard was still alive!
“Wilma, you don’t have to do this!”
She shrieked and slashed the air with her arms flailing. Shiny B’s nose flared and he bore his fangs instinctively. Then he glimpsed the last ounce of life leak from her prey. It strangely calmed him as he admitted to himself this wasn’t supposed to happen. He had to gain control
.
He took a step closer. “I know someone who can help you now!”
She shrugged and her voice came with a gruff tone, “Why would I trust you again?”
His humanity peaked with the pull at his heart. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t mean to—”
“But you did anyway!” She rose off the dead man and waltzed toward Shiny B. “You knew what you were. Now, I know what I am.” She grinned and raised her hand slowly to touch his face, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Her mouth stretched into a gruesome smile. “Thank you.”
She reached up and clenched his collar, then wrapped her legs around his waist and hoisted herself up. In a split-second, she wiggled onto his back and he swirled to catch her. They spun, knocking over a table, and crashed into a cabinet. Glass shattered and sprayed the area.
“Bitch, get off me!”
He wanted to yank her off but couldn’t get a firm grasp on her. She wiggled around and stabbed him with her claws repeatedly. She laughed wildly, then bent forward and sank her fangs into his neck. He belted an agonizing scream as their jarring movements made her ripped into him.
She moaned with satisfaction as she drank, and he felt essence of power drain from him. “Stop, you’re killing me,” he pleaded while staggering toward the couch.
He figured he could fall on top of the corpse and jam Wilma in between them. When he collapsed backward, she leaped off before he went down then stood and chuckled.
She switched her narrow hips as she waltzed around the room and picked up her clothes. Afterward she faced him with her dress and panties in hand, and soaked in the view of him worn out, panting, disoriented.
“Thanks for one hell of a fuck, cop.” She slipped the tight, black dress on and then tossed her underwear at him. “Consider the favor returned in kind.” She sauntered toward the door, stopped and turned. “Now, you’re fucked.” She left into the hall and closed the door behind her.
Shiny B lifted his arm, but it plummeted back to his side. The weight of his drained limbs was heavy. He slid from the sofa and remained seated on the floor, desperately trying to focus on anything in the darkened room.
He listened to his breath wheeze soft and slow, his vision failing. He reclined his head against the cushion, and the dead guy pressed against his neck was already stiff.
Shiny B simply closed his eyes and let go.
* * *
Blue Door (The Colored Doors Series) Page 6