by Norris, Kris
“It was a demon, darling, but you’re welcome.”
Her eyes narrowed for a moment, her gaze studying him as if she wasn’t sure what to believe. True, he’d done an interview a few months ago about the mythology of demons, and how untrained investigators often cried foul when, in truth, they just didn’t know the difference between a good and evil spirit, but it’d all been part of his ruse. If anyone had discovered the truth about the recent deaths in New Orleans, the entire area would have been roped off and every paranormal idiot known to man would have ventured down here to stake a claim in the investigation…his investigation.
He paused, rerunning the words in his head. Fuck, no wonder she considered him an arrogant ass. He was. At least, he’d tried to appear that way. He’d purposely been overly dramatic in order to keep the rising spiritual activity undercover. Not because he thought that much of himself, but because he knew a hoard of inexperienced investigators would only result in one thing—more bodies. But that wasn’t the worst of it. If this demon was after what he thought it was, the bodies would only be the beginning of something much more terrifying.
He sighed. Apparently, on top of stopping a demon, he also had a few personality traits to work on. Temperance cleared her throat, drawing his attention. He focused on her and smiled at how the glow from the streetlights reflected off the auburn strands in her hair.
She furrowed her brow. “Are you okay?”
He relaxed his features. “Fine.”
“Good, ‘cause maybe you can explain to me why just a couple of months ago, you stood up on national TV and promptly dismissed the notion of demons when you clearly believe they exist?”
“I may have…embellished the truth slightly in that instance.”
Anger flashed in her eyes as she crossed her arms on her chest. “Embellished? Damn it, Avery, that little stunt of yours cost some investigators their careers! Hell, several branches of the paranormal investigation society shut down over that.”
Avery tightened his lips, not wanting to give too much away too soon. “An unfortunate outcome.”
Temperance’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, he swore she was the one spitting fire. “And you wonder why I think you’re a bastard.”
She grabbed the handle and yanked open the door, jumping out as he cursed. She ignored his calls as she headed for the main door, her long hair playing along her shoulders as she marched across the pavement. Her boots tapped on the cement, and he had to run to catch up with her.
He snagged her arm, spinning her around to face him. “Would you just stop for a minute!”
She pulled against his hold, her face flushed a deep red.
He held firm, careful not to hurt her. “Please. Temperance. Just give me a minute to explain, then, if you still want to bugger off, I’ll drive you back to your car myself.”
She scowled, looking from his face down to his hand. He sighed and released her, half expecting her to storm off again. She glanced at the door, then cursed under her breath, crossing her arms on her chest as she stared at him. Avery tried not to notice how the innocent action pressed her breasts against her sweater, giving him a glimpse of taut buds beneath the fabric.
Her lips pulled tight as she huffed out a deep breath. “Fine. Five minutes, though I don’t know why.”
“I’ll chalk it up to professional courtesy.”
She motioned toward the hotel. “What about your pack of love-starved golden retrievers in there? If you’re hoping for privacy, we won’t get it inside, unless you really believe we’ll get more than five feet beyond that door before they surround us like a hoard of the undead?”
Avery glanced at the hotel. Though no one had ventured to the windows yet, he knew she was right. The rest of his ‘crew’ had a habit of lingering, even when he’d directed them elsewhere. “It’s not like I’ve asked them to follow me around.”
“Of course not. Must be that new cologne you’re wearing.”
He smirked at her. “You are truly a pleasure to be around.” He grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the rear of the house. “Perhaps I should have thought twice before saving your lovely ass.”
She stumbled behind him, apparently caught off balance by his sudden motion. “Ah, don’t worry, baby. I’m sure you’ll get another chance to prove to me you’re really an asshole. I just need to be patient.”
He chuckled in spite of himself, leading her along a moonlit walkway. In other circumstances, he would have found the atmosphere predictably romantic. But something in the way she seemed to appreciate her own words left him feeling strangely sad.
After a minute, she tugged against his hold. “Where the hell are we going?”
She gasped when he stopped suddenly and turned around, their bodies colliding in the middle of the path. Her arms flew to his shoulders as she attempted to anchor herself, her chest hitting his. The warm smell of woman and coconut shampoo filled his senses as her hair flipped across his face, the soft lengths caressing his skin.
He clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to gather the locks in his hands as he pulled her head back, claiming her lips with the same fire that burned through his veins. God help him, but he wanted her. Wanted to taste the scent lingering in the cool, southern air, feel her silky skin coast over his as she moved above him. Wanted to close his eyes as she kissed his mouth, sinking down on his shaft and taking him deep inside her.
The images had him pinning her to the wall before he’d even realized he’d moved. Her eyes widened, but there wasn’t any trace of fear in them as she studied him, her chest flattened against his, her nipples poking him from beneath her sweater. Her breath hitched ever so slightly as he leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers.
“Now, darling, it almost sounds as if you don’t trust me.” He made another pass, somehow managing to keep his tongue inside his mouth. “Afraid I might have…other plans?”
She flashed him the sweetest smile, batting her eyelids like a fabled, southern belle. “Trust is earned, and as for any other plans…” She raised her knee, gently putting pressure on his sac. “I’m fairly certain those need to be mutually agreed upon.”
He chuckled and pushed away, a sense of pride welling inside him. She was a feisty little vixen, he’d give her that much. “I’m all about mutual agreements. As for your question…” He pointed at a half-hidden door on an adjoining wall. “That’s what we’re looking for. The hotel has a more discrete entrance in the back garden area. There’s a small office just inside on the left. We should be able to talk without being…interrupted.”
Temperance moved forward, pressing her body against his for a moment before smiling and stepping past him toward the door. “Ah, shucks, Avery. If I’d known you wanted some special alone time with me, I would have worn my good jeans.”
He swept his gaze down her body, tilting his head as he looked at her ass. “Trust me, darling. Those are your good jeans.”
He gave her a wide grin as he grabbed her hand and started moving again, winding through the hanging vines as he approached the door. He glanced back at her when he released her hand and dug the key out of his pocket, slipping it in the lock. The bolt tumbled in the casing, the faint knocking sound carrying across the short space. Avery twisted the handle and swung the door open, taking a quick peek inside before nodding at her and ushering her in, shuffling her into the small office just inside the doorway.
Shadows covered the room, the angles highlighted by a stream of moonlight through a streaked window. Though he couldn’t see her features, he didn’t miss the way her shoulders bunched or how the line of her back stiffened. He laid a settling hand on one of her arms as he picked his way through the darkness to a small desk, switching on a dim lamp.
A scattering of furniture materialized out of the blackness, creating new pools of relief in the corners of the room. He turned and leaned his ass against the desk, watching her as she surveyed the space, her gaze seemingly assessing everything. There was something about the way her eyes darted bac
k and forth that made him appreciate her intelligence even more. She definitely wasn’t like other women he’d been interested in, but then if he was honest with himself, he’d never been looking for more than a hot night in bed before.
Temperance sighed and leaned back, copying his stance on the arm of a heavy chair. “Okay, Avery. I’m here. We’re alone…and I can see why the hotel doesn’t advertise this room, but…what’s so important you couldn’t tell me in front of the rest of your minions?”
Avery scoffed. She certainly didn’t make anything easy.
He crossed his arms on his chest. “Are you this charming to everyone you meet, or am I just special?”
“Oh, you’re something, all right. I just haven’t decided what yet.”
“How uncharacteristically human of you, Temperance.” He paused, frowning at her. “Do people really call you Temperance? I mean, don’t you have a nickname or something?”
Her brow furrowed as she stared at him. “What’s wrong with Temperance?”
“It’s just so…formal. And long.”
“And Avery is so much better?”
He smiled. “Tempie? Or Temp? Maybe T?”
She huffed and pushed to her feet, ambling over to the grimy window. “While I’m sure it won’t come as a shock to you, I don’t have a lot of friends. But those I do have call me Temperance, despite the apparent energy it seems to take to pronounce all those syllables.”
His smile widened. Damn, she was cute when she got angry. “Hey, I was just asking. I didn’t want to shorten it then have you bust my balls over it.”
She turned, her gaze dropping to his groin. “I’m sure I could find something else to bust your balls over.” She looked him in the eyes. “Like why we’re standing here discussing my name. Surely that isn’t what you needed privacy for.”
“No. Hell, girl, don’t you ever relax?” He shook his head, uncrossing his arms as he palmed his hands on either side of his hips. “I brought you here to discuss what happened back at the cemetery—explain why I’m not quite the asshole you think I am.”
Her lips quirked ever so slightly, one side of her face glowing in the moonlight. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Avery took a deep breath, his focus falling to the scar on her left wrist. Even in the dim light he could see the dark outline, the tips of the star hued a deep red. Damn, another few minutes and he wouldn’t have been able to pull her away.
The thought sobered him and he dragged his gaze back to her face. “What I’m about to tell you may seem a bit…unbelievable.”
“We’re ghost hunters. I’m pretty sure that means I’m open-minded.”
“Still. Even people directly involved in the paranormal have lines they won’t cross.”
“My lines are very vague. So stop stalling and tell me what the hell that was back there and why I shouldn’t report everything I just experienced to your ever-faithful followers upstairs.”
“I suppose you could do that. But if you decide to take that route, you’d best be prepared for the inevitable outcome.”
“Which is?”
“Five more dead bodies.”
Temperance’s expression changed as her smile faded into a tight line across her face. She glanced down at her wrist, slowly tracing the outline with her thumb before meeting his gaze again. “You have my attention.” She waved at him. “Please. Continue.”
Avery nodded, resting more of his weight against the edge of the desk. “It started about nine months ago. I came down here to investigate some unusual disturbances at the local cemeteries, when I met up with a couple of fellow hunters. They’d been attracted by the same stories and had decided to do a number of sessions in the surrounding tombs. They asked if I wanted to join them in one of the mausoleums in Metairie Cemetery the following night. I agreed, figuring it’d be a good way to get a read on their abilities and see if they had any real leads I should be concerned about.”
Temperance chuckled, shaking her head at him. “In other words, you wanted to measure up your competition and see if there was a way you could discredit their findings while you furthered yours.”
He huffed. “Damn it, Temperance, must you make me out to be the bastard in every scenario?”
“So you weren’t looking to discredit them?”
“Not in the sense you’re thinking.” He sighed at her smug smile. “Look. We’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes.”
Her shoulders lowered a bit as she relaxed against the wall. “You’re right. I’m sorry. So what happened next?”
“I showed up but there was only one of them in the parking lot. I found him rocking on the pavement beside his car mumbling something about him being next. When I pressed him for answers, he screamed and ran off. I had no idea what the hell was going on until I ventured into the crypt. That’s where I found the other investigator.” He pushed off the desk and walked over to her, gently taking her left hand in his. “Her body was like a shriveled up husk, with the only discernible feature being a collection of these.” He caressed the scar, ignoring the way the feel of the raised skin sent shivers down his spine. “As you can imagine, discovering what caused these bloody things became my top priority.”
Temperance shifted her focus from his face to his hand, a soft rasp drifting along the air when he started drawing small circles on her skin. Her breath hitched and held, leaving an eerie quiet in the room.
Avery stepped closer, his chest brushing against hers. “I spent months searching through old texts, talking to people with less than admirable qualities, only to come up with a few sketchy theories. Then, four months ago, tourists started disappearing, only to be discovered in the same state. Police figure it’s some kind of demented serial killer who’s stalking the cemeteries, though they can’t quite determine cause of death. From what I’ve heard, it’s as if every ounce of energy has been sucked out of the victims, aging them to nothing more than withered skin and hollow bones.”
She drew a shaky breath, finally looking up at him again. “So why hasn’t any of this been plastered across the news?”
Avery laughed, waving one hand at the window. “It’s Mardi Gras, darling. Nothing stands in the way of this celebration. And I’m sure you can imagine how spooked the population would have become if this had come to light before the party started, thus…”
“They covered it up so tourists would still flock here.”
Avery shrugged, easing back.
Temperance huffed, pouting her lips. “So this demon…what does it do? Steal the life force out of people who get too close? And how does it move from one cemetery to the next—”
Avery held up his hand, stopping her barrage of questions. “While I wish I could tell you I have all the answers, I’m pretty much as in the dark as you are. As for how it chooses its victims, it makes sense that it’d prey on tourists or paranormal investigators. I mean, who else would be foolish enough to hang out in a cemetery at night, especially in New Orleans, where muggings happen all the time and you have to bribe security guards and workers just to gain access after sunset. But whatever the method, it seems viable that once it picks someone, it performs a very short, very intense form of possession to drain their energy, which, when it’s gained enough, I propose it’ll use it to become corporeal again.”
“Corporeal?” Temperance snorted, pulling her hand free as she stomped across the room, shaking her head. “Jesus, Avery, do you know what you sound like?”
“Someone who’s lost their mind?”
“Irrational, for sure.” She sighed, taking his spot at the desk as she leaned her hip against the edge. “Okay, let’s say you’re right. Why didn’t the entity attack you?”
He lifted a brow. “Once a demon chooses a body to possess, it can’t change course until it either releases that person or the host dies?”
“But it never touched me.”
He pointed at her wrist. “Didn’t it?”
She glared
at him, rubbing the area with her thumb. “I’m not convinced that…thing…did this.”
“Of course not. Spontaneous tattoos are common here in the south. Or maybe you just stayed out in the sun too long.”
“Don’t patronize me. This all just a bit…unusual.” She exhaled a slow breath. “So how did you know where to find me anyway?”
He raised his lips into a wicked smile. “I have my ways.”
“Let me guess. You used your ‘psychic abilities’ to probe my location in the universe.”
Avery ran a hand through his hair. God help him, but Temperance Dunnigan was surely going to be the death of him. That, or she’d drive him mad. Either seemed viable as she stood there, shaking her head as she stared him down.
He cursed and stuffed one hand in his pocket. “Actually, Darrin interrupted the meeting to inform me you’d taken my slot at the cemetery. He was ever so concerned about you going there alone.” He winked at her. “I dare say that boy has a crush on you. Anyway, I suppose you’re just lucky I decided it was a nice night for a drive.”
“He’s only a few years younger than you, and I believe I already thanked you for saving my life.”
“And I believe I asked you for the benefit of the doubt for just a few moments.”
She sighed, looking slightly sheepish. “You’re right, it’s just. Damn, are you really psychic?”
“I sense certain things…” He paused, doing his best not to read her thoughts, though she was making the feat next to impossible. Still, he stood there, shielding himself, wondering if she was aware of her own latent abilities. “But then I’m not the only one who can do that.”
Temperance scoffed, looking at him as if he’d truly lost his mind. “Oh no. Don’t even suggest that I’m in any way…gifted. Trust me—I’m the only normal one here.”
He flashed her a smile, not missing the way her pulse fluttered slightly faster at the base of her neck. Despite her obvious reservations, she was attracted to him.
He moved over to her, trapping her against the desk as he palmed the surface on either side of her hips, his legs cradled between her thighs. “You’re a lot of things, darling, but normal isn’t one of them. And just because you aren’t aware of it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I think that’s why you have such a knack for unearthing paranormal hotspots. Subconsciously, you sense the energy.”