Pure Hell (Seventh Level Book 1)

by Charity Parkerson

  “Oh wow! You really are a little bitch,” Kylie said feeling more hurt than she should. She knew Mrs. Turner was a mean old lady but she never suspected how evil she could be.

  Liam rocked back on his heels and his second eyebrow lifted to join the first. “Hmm,” he said sounding doubtful. “Mrs. Turner, from what I understand Kylie worked hard, was especially kind to an elderly bus driver and was an orphan. In other words, she didn’t mind doing her fair share. She had a good heart. Not to mention, she wouldn’t burden a spouse with in-laws. I have to wonder why you think no man would want her?”

  Kylie danced on her toes and shook her fist in the air. No one ever stood up for her. She could smell sweet victory until Sonya’s next words.

  “Because she was crazy,” Sonya said, crossing her arms while sniffing indignantly. Kylie’s shoulders fell. It was always the same. She was the crazy girl who talked to herself and saw things that weren’t there. Except they were there.

  The twisting of the knife in Kylie’s back only lasted long enough for Liam’s nostrils to flare.

  “Mrs. Turner, I’ve just discovered evidence which makes this apartment an official part of the crime scene and you’re standing in the center of it. I could arrest you right now for tampering with evidence.”

  “I would never.”

  “There is no telling how much evidence you’ve contaminated with your presence so unless you want the whole building speculating as to why you’re being led away from a murder victim’s apartment in handcuffs, then I suggest you return to your apartment and not come back.”

  Tears filled Kylie’s eyes. “You’re amazing.” She pushed the words past her rapidly swelling throat wishing he could hear them. The look on Mrs. Turner’s face as she scrambled to leave was enough to make her heart turn over in her chest. It gave her the same satisfaction as watching her schoolyard bully getting beat up on the playground. It was a guilty form of pettiness, but oh so satisfying. She couldn’t help but follow Sonya to the door. She gave it an extra push closed behind her.

  “Don’t let it hit you in the ass.”

  Smiling, she turned to find Liam was no longer where she’d left him. A short search found him standing at the edge of her bed and staring down at her journal, looking lost. “What happened to you Miss Trace?”

  She shook her head. “I wish I knew.”

  * * * * *

  The walls pulsed out a steady rhythm until Kylie half expected them to bleed. She made the happy discovery she could sleep after dozing off for ten minutes, but the room came alive disturbing her peace. At first, she’d tried sitting in a chair near Liam’s bed. Unfortunately, after twenty minutes of staring at the navy blue stripes of its upholstery, she could no longer ignore the constant pounding.

  “Kylie.” The raspy whisper taunted her. Her name reverberated from every corner a thousand times before being replaced with the sound of scratching. It was almost as if hundreds of tiny rats clawed at the wood. She scrambled from the chair and into Liam’s bed.

  “He can’t save you, Kylie.”

  Liam’s even breathing halted at the sound of the voice but after rolling onto his back, he fell asleep again. The closer she inched to his side, the quieter the house became. Taking a chance, she pressed her ear to his chest and tucked her body beneath his arm. The room fell silent. The solid thump of Liam’s heart gave her something new to focus on. He was so strong and steady. If only she could have met him sooner. She didn’t know how much time passed as she enjoyed the feel of his body pressing against her, but after a while, calm settled over her and the fact that she held a naked male in her arms sank into her brain.

  Kylie stared down the line of Liam’s sleeping form and a shot of excitement ran down her spine as she realized she could do anything she wanted. She could look until her heart was content. She could touch him. There was no one to tell her no. If only…she snagged the edge of the sheet and giggled in delight as it moved across his body sliding in her direction. The laughter died on her lips as his nude body was exposed. His cock was thick even at rest and the memory of his hand pulling at the skin had her reaching out to touch it before she could change her mind. She traced the line of the vein running its length with the tip of finger. The muscles in his chest twitched and his dick hardened before her eyes. Her gaze shifted to his face. She didn’t want him to wake up and ruin her fun. When he didn’t stir, she encircled his shaft with her fingers, enjoying the silkiness of skin over hardened steel. He was so large he would fill her completely and leave her sore in the morning. He moaned and his legs shifted restlessly against the sheets.

  He’d tormented her all day with his close proximity and seeing him touching the toys she kept in her bedside table had made her realize something important—she was still more than capable of feeling overwhelming desire. She’d watched silently as he’d stripped and climbed into bed for the night. It had been next to impossible to keep from biting him right on his tight ass, but she’d restrained herself to watching. She wanted this man. She wanted him to take her in every way possible.

  Fantasizing about his cock sliding in and out of her along with these stolen moments of touching him may be all she ever had but she would take them. Moisture pooled between her legs as a drop of semen seeped out of the slit at the tip of his dick. Before she could think better of it, she dipped her head. Flattening her tongue against it, Kylie absorbed the salty taste of him. Her eyes fell closed in pleasure and while she used one hand to hold him steady for her ministrations, she slid the other one down her body.

  Dipping inside her panties, she stroked her wet folds while sucking him between her lips. Her clit pulsed and cream covered her fingertips. Teasing herself, she circled her clit as his hips lifted and his cock probed the back of her throat. Giving him what he wanted, she swallowed him down, while slipping a finger inside her channel. Tightening her hold on his shaft, she set a pace she knew would bring him pleasure as she rocked against her palm. Her muscles seized as her pussy began to spasm.

  *

  He was having the best dream. Shell pink lips opened over his cock and a tiny tongue lapped over the tip. He wanted more. He wanted to feel her throat squeezing him tight while swallowing him whole. He wanted her to taste the salt of his orgasm while he gripped her hair then he wanted to start all over again by burying himself inside her pussy. Green eyes framed by dark hair met his and the shock of seeing the woman sucking him off caused him to jerk awake. The darkened room proved he was alone in his bed but his hard dick still stared up at him.

  “Stupid,” he said to his dumbass cock as he scrubbed his hands through his hair. His mind raced back to the dream. God damn he really wanted to fall right back into it. With a growl, he palmed himself stroking upward. His body didn’t care to wait. Kylie had been tasting him. He needed to come. Pushing aside any feelings of wrongness, he closed his eyes and pictured her tongue pulling at his skin. Her mouth was hot and she held nothing back. His balls drew up tight and he used his other hand to cup them as he increased the pull on his dick. The faster he pumped the more real Kylie became in his mind. He wanted her licking his shaft. He wanted her bent over his kitchen table as he pushed past the tight ring of muscles in her ass. He wanted the taste of her pussy filling his mouth at the moment of her orgasm. Kylie’s name fell from his lips. Hot semen hit his stomach and a gasp tore from his throat at the power of his pleasure.

  *

  The next day, Kylie wasn’t sure why she was feeling so uncomfortable in Liam’s company. No doubt, he thought he’d merely been dreaming, if he even remembered their encounter at all. It didn’t change the way Kylie felt in the bright light of the day. He’d said her name. It was the one thought she held onto as they rode the elevator up to Cindy’s apartment.

  The aged and cracked inspection paper taped to the wall above the emergency call box seemed to keep Liam enthralled. Occasionally, his brow would furrow and she wished she could read his thoughts.

  What if he hates himself? The question floated acro
ss her mind accompanied by a shot of pain in her gut.

  “Why did I have to die to meet you?”

  She couldn’t stop her hand from lifting to his chest. The hard pads didn’t budge beneath her fingertips. Most likely, the trip he’d taken to the gym that morning had been part of his routine for years. Not that she was complaining about the results.

  Exercise was one of those things that never held much appeal for her. Usually, once a year she’d accidentally trip over the bathroom scale and catch sight of her weight. On those days, she’d starve herself for a good three hours before resetting the calibration on the scales so she weighed five pounds less. Afterward, she would toast her genius with chocolate and forget all about the trauma. The elevator dinged signaling they’d arrived and Kylie sighed as she stepped away from Liam. She needed to focus on finding a way out of this mess and most of all she needed to stop touching him. It hurt but she needed to admit she could never have him. He didn’t know she was there for goodness sake.

  Dropping her chin in defeat, she followed on his heels to Cindy’s door. Lost in her own depressing thoughts, she ignored the peeling brown walls and lingering old people smell of the hallway. She didn’t lift her head again until Cindy answered Liam’s knock. He flashed his badge.

  “Mrs. Carson, I am Detective Stone. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about Kylie Trace?”

  Even with her eyes swollen and red from crying, Cindy looked beautiful. Her auburn hair fell in perfect ringlets down her back and her green eyes sparkled bright. She was so tiny Kylie had always felt as if she should be feeding her. Men flocked to Cindy because she was so full of life. Kylie had loved being near her because she was uncomplicated.

  Taking a step back, Cindy invited Liam in. “Of course. I want to help find out what happened to Kylie.” Her voice shook as she said her name making Kylie want to comfort her. However, when Kylie reached out to touch her, nothing happened. Her hand passed right through her. Shock froze her feet to the floor. She stood staring at her hand for a full minute after Liam and Cindy sat down. Even though she hadn’t thought Cindy would be able to feel her, she hadn’t expected that to happen either. She’d touched Liam several times and she’d always been able to feel him.

  She heard Cindy offer and Liam decline refreshments. Shaking herself, Kylie paced the room while Liam peppered Cindy with questions. He asked a few boring things about how they met and Kylie blocked out the sound of their voices. A shelf filled with DVDs called to Kylie and she turned her back to the room to stare at them. Several of them belonged to her and Cindy hadn’t bothered to return them. Such a thing shouldn’t perturb her now, but it did.

  Kylie felt twitchy and angry for no discernible reason. She closed her mind against it. Cindy had been her friend for a long time. Sort of. Growling she turned back to the room and made a valiant attempt to pay attention to their conversation. The awful flowery pattern of Cindy’s sofa and her bright pink room-sized throw rug made it hard but she tried.

  “Have you ever met any of Kylie’s family?”

  Cindy seemed almost shocked by the question. “As far as I am aware, Kylie didn’t have any family.”

  Liam nodded as if she confirmed what he already knew to be fact, but he still asked, “Are you sure?”

  “Oh yes, she was my best friend. She told me everything.”

  Kylie snorted then smacked her hand over her mouth and nose.

  “As a matter of fact, besides me, Kylie didn’t spend time with much of anyone. She was a bit of a loner. She didn’t date or go clubbing. She worked and went home. That’s about it.”

  “Thanks for making me sound so cool,” Kylie grumbled as she started pacing around the room again, touching books and knickknacks in an attempt to stay grounded with reality. She’d been in this apartment a thousand times. It felt real to her.

  “Do you know what Kylie did for a living?”

  Since Kylie knew Liam was fully aware of where she worked, she couldn’t understand his line of questioning unless he was testing Cindy’s knowledge of her life. If that was the case, then he was doomed to disappointment because she’d worked hard to ensure no one really knew her. She paused with her hand half-raised to a porcelain carousel horse. Was that why she felt so angry now? Cindy had been her friend for years. Why hadn’t she fought harder to know the real Kylie?

  “Sure,” Cindy answered. “She worked for the phone company as a CRT.”

  “A CRT?” he asked sounding curious.

  “She processed payments,” Cindy explained. “She used this hand-held thing to scan the bar codes on the payment stubs and then entered the amount paid. She had to meet a quota daily and could barely leave her seat. I always thought it sounded rather tedious.”

  Kylie let out an irritated huff as she grumbled, “It paid the damn bills and bought you dinner at least once a week.”

  “I see,” Liam said slowly as if he didn’t see at all. Instead of getting pissed, Kylie concentrated on the way his white dress shirt looked too tight across his chest and she imagined untying his tie. She could do so many things with his tie. The name of the piece of clothing said everything. The line of thought effectively distracted her and her mood lightened.

  Liam’s gaze dropped to his notebook and he scribbled something inside before meeting Cindy’s eyes once more. “Can you think of any reason why someone would want to hurt her?”

  A loud giggle escaped Cindy’s lips and Kylie rolled her eyes. Cindy always laughed too loud when she was nervous.

  “She did talk an awful lot,” Cindy answered, a teasing note entering her voice.

  Although Kylie knew Cindy was joking— another of her nervous habits—a spike of hurt still shot through Kylie’s chest. Cindy had never once indicated she was annoyed by their chats.

  Liam didn’t respond right away and Cindy fidgeted in the silence following her answer. When his notebook snapped closed, Kylie tore her gaze away from her friend and focused on Liam. His face had gone hard and his eyes shone with anger as if he was barely keeping his temper in check.

  “What’s wrong?” Kylie asked automatically at his cold look, forgetting for a moment no one could hear her and to her surprise, he answered.

  “According to your own words Mrs. Carson, you believed Kylie worked a ‘tedious’ job and didn’t have a social life. Therefore I have to wonder, did you ever stop to consider perhaps she talked so much when you were together because she didn’t have anyone else? I find myself rather happy to have few friends myself, if you’re the standard which they are measured by.”

  “Of course, I only—”

  “Thank you for your time,” he said cutting off her words before she could defend herself. Kylie froze in her tracks and stared hard at the lines of his face. This man who had never met her understood her better than even her best friend.

  “I would have thrown my heart at your feet,” Kylie told him feeling her throat tighten around the words. He had a way of doing that to her.

  Cindy’s eyes filled with tears and she blinked rapidly against them. “Kylie was my friend and I loved her,” she said, showing him the backbone in which Kylie envied so much and reminding her of why they had been friends.

  Liam’s mouth turned up at one corner in a sardonic smile. “Just not enough to know she moonlighted as a medium for Madame Curion’s Fortunes, she has a sister in Nashville, or before her death she’d been having coffee with an unidentified man?”

  Cindy’s mouth fell open but no words escaped. Kylie could almost feel Liam’s anger simmering just beneath the surface and his satisfaction over having shocked Cindy speechless. Before Kylie could stop herself, she moved to his side and placed her hand on his arm. It was an unconscious gesture, one meant to calm his growing temper, but as soon as her fingers touched his skin, his eyes flickered in her direction before moving away again.

  Jumping to his feet, Liam headed toward the door while offering Cindy his goodbyes and instructing her he would be in touch. In truth, Kylie didn’t absorb a word
of it. Her attention remained completely focused on Liam. She stepped into his path and his steps faltered.

  “Can you see me?”

  As if her question gave him the incentive he needed to keep moving, he stepped through her as if she wasn’t there. She sucked in a breath she didn’t need at the sensation of Liam passing through her body. His masculine scent filled her nostrils and every nerve in her body stood at attention. Warmth filled her numb limbs and for a moment, she felt alive again.

  *

  As soon as the elevator door closed, Liam fell back against the wall. The cold metal bled through his shirt cooling his overheated skin. He scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d almost given himself away. All these years of fitting in and blocking out the voices filling his head at all hours of the day dropped away at the realization of how close he had come to blowing it. He needed to pull his shit together.

  It was the look of hurt crossing over Kylie’s features at her “so-called” friend’s words. That was what had done him in. He’d been incapable of holding his tongue. When she’d touched him as if she should be the one comforting him, he’d almost snapped. Spinning on heel, he slammed his fist into the wall taking the edge off. Why hadn’t she had better friends while she’d been alive? He hated knowing she’d been forced to hide exactly the way he did. The memory of the first time encountering a dead spirit flooded his mind.

  The chatter of teeth filled the otherwise silent room. It wasn’t the cold causing him to shake uncontrollably, but the man in the middle of the room. His eyes were dead and locked onto five-year-old Liam in such a way as he feared to breathe. His mom, Delphine, skipped into the room spinning a frying pan between her hands while smiling brightly.

  “There’s my sweet huckabuck. What do you want me to fix you for breakfast?”

  Liam tore his eyes away from the corpse and tears filled his eyes at the relief of having her there.

  “Oh baby,” she cried cheerfully, while swinging the pan wide and cold cocking the dude in the face. “I’ll fix you anything. There’s no need to cry.”