Ghost of a Summoning

by J E McDonald

  Her rationalizations did little to relieve her concerns. And what about the prophecy he spoke of? Was her stranger of a brother really going to facilitate hell on Earth? It seemed too fantastical, too absurd, but Roman had repeated it like it was unquestionable. He took the words as fact. But that would mean his life was in more danger than usual.

  Huffing out a breath, she rolled to the edge of her bed and set her feet on the floor. Even though she’d told Roman she wanted to stay in bed all day, there was no point if he wasn’t there with her.

  A skittering noise coming from the living room made her reach for clean clothes in her dresser and shove them on with jerky hands. Roman had said he’d leave Moe with her, but she didn’t want the demon roaming her house unsupervised.

  When she stepped into the kitchen, she froze. Moe swung on the refrigerator door, one of the leftover takeout cartons in his hand.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked, stepping closer after getting over her initial surprise at the sight.

  “Yes. Moe is very hungry. Always hungry. Yes.”

  “You can eat that.” Before she finished the sentence, the demon had popped the whole thing into his mouth, then eyed the other carton on the shelf. “You can eat that, too.”

  Down it went, the demon licking his lips after it disappeared.

  “Is that enough, or do you need more?”

  “A good snack. Yes. A good snack before breakfast.” He jumped off the door, and it closed from the momentum.

  She raised her eyebrows. “Not enough, then. Got it. What sorts of things do you like to eat for breakfast?” She opened the freezer to see what she could thaw out.

  “Moe likes the breakfast meats. The bacons and the sausages. Yes.”

  Aubrey glanced over her shoulder and saw he’d jumped up on the corner of the kitchen table, his knees in his armpits. She pulled out a package. “Like this? It’s maple flavored so I’m not really—”

  The demon reached and snatched it. A second later, down his gullet it went.

  “A fan,” she finished, straightening to blink at him. “You didn’t even let me cook it.”

  The little demon made a face. “Moe does not like the cooked meat. No.”

  “Huh,” she said, turning away to put grounds in the coffee maker. “Well, that makes breakfast a little easier. You’re worse than a teenage boy with that appetite of yours, you know that?”

  “Moe is a growing demon, yes. That is what Ro always says.”

  “Moe and Ro. You’re quite a pair, aren’t you?”

  “A pair of socks. A pair of ants. A pair of locks. A pair of pants. Yes. A pair.”

  She pressed start on the coffee maker and leaned against the counter. “That’s in one of those story books of yours, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Many books needed to learn the reading. Yes.”

  Aubrey tried to picture it, Roman teaching the little demon to read. Did he lay down on the floor beside him? Did he sit in his lap? Her heart squeezed in affection at the thought.

  While the coffee maker bubbled and hissed, she regarded Moe as he investigated the different parts of the kitchen. He scoured under the kitchen table, then opened every lower cupboard door, taking out the tinfoil and parchment paper before putting them back. Then he took out the pots and pans one at time, banging them like he tested them for sound quality.

  Once he put all those back, he jumped on the counter beside her to investigate the top cupboards.

  “Do you usually go with Roman on his jobs?” she asked once he closed the cupboard full of larger bowls and measuring cups.

  “Yes. Yes. Moe is very helpful on the job.” He opened the next cupboard.

  She hesitated, then asked. “What is it like? What do you do?” She knew she might not want to hear the answer, but it didn’t stop her from probing.

  “Moe is good at the sneaky stuff. Yes. The perimeter.”

  The next question she wanted to ask made her whole body tense. “Do you…help with the other demons…getting rid of them?” Had Moe ever been in a position where he had to harm one of his own kind?

  He jumped down from the counter and sniffed at the recycling box in the corner. “Moe helps whenever Ro needs it. Yes.”

  She wasn’t sure if he understood her question. If Moe didn’t understand humor, then he probably didn’t understand subtlety. If she wanted to know if he’d ever had to kill another demon, then she needed to ask outright.

  And now the demon was here with her instead of helping Roman with his work. That had her worrying more, not less. She wished he’d taken Moe with him if it made Roman safer.

  Swallowing, she turned away from the little demon. “Do you like coffee?” she asked when the dark liquid filled most of the pot.

  “No. Coffee is bad for Moe’s digestion.” He patted his stomach.

  Boggled, she could only stare. “You have no issues eating plastic and mascara, but coffee gives you indigestion?”

  “Yes. Yes. Very acidic.”

  Shaking her head to clear it, she grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured herself a cup, adding cream and sugar in the right amounts. Loki chose that moment to step into the kitchen looking for breakfast. As soon as he saw Moe, his fur puffed out and his claws dug into the floor, a growling hiss emerging from his mouth.

  Moe plopped down on the floor to squat in front of him. She thought her cat would bolt, but Loki stood his ground, more growls erupting.

  “Please don’t eat my cat,” she murmured, her heart in her throat and her mug clutched so tight her fingers ached and burned against the ceramic.

  “No. Moe won’t, even though furry lollipops are very tasty. Ro said Aubrey O.K. would be sad, so Moe will make friends with the furry lollipop. Yes.”

  A little of the tension in her shoulders eased. “His name is Loki, and how do you propose to do that? He kind of hates you.”

  As she watched, Moe’s body began to vibrate. It made a low, humming noise that could barely be heard. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

  “What are you doing?” She’d never seen anything like it.

  “This is how Moe catches dinner in the woods. The furry lollipops like the sound and come closer. Lokipop will like it too. Yes.”

  Loki did seem to be lured by the demon now, slinking toward him. When Moe opened his mouth, her cat all but put himself inside his wide jaws.

  Aubrey’s heart stopped. “I thought you said you weren’t going to eat him,” she squeaked.

  The cat crawled out of his mouth, but kept rubbing himself along the demon’s jawline. Moe closed his mouth, only one cat ear left between his teeth. “Moe is having a little gnaw. Yes.” The words were muffled from the fur in his mouth.

  Aubrey winced at the sight, her heart galloping. “Don’t break his skin.”

  “Moe will be gentle with the tasty Lokipop. Yes. Ro taught Moe how to be gentle.” The cat didn’t seem to mind, his loud purr echoing around the kitchen. Loki circled the demon, rubbing up against him all the while.

  Behind her, her phone buzzed where she’d left it plugged in to charge the night before. Keeping her eyes on Moe and Loki, she picked it up. She’d hoped to see Roman’s name, telling her he was well and whole, but it was Stella.

  Are you going to the store today? I’d like to help.

  Aubrey glanced at the scene evolving on her kitchen floor, Moe with his mouth open again, Loki sliding in and out between his jaws. Getting the demon out of her house seemed like a good idea. She looked at the time on the microwave. Almost eight.

  Setting her mug on the counter, she texted back. Yes. I should be there by nine. Then she unplugged her phone and headed toward the bathroom. “Can I trust you with him, Moe?”

  “Yes,” he replied, the word muffled from fur. “Moe can be trusted.”

  “If you’re getting snacky, help yourself to the bacon in the freez—” She hadn’t even finished speaking when she heard the freezer door open. “And keep Loki out of your mouth!”

  Sighing, she wen
t into the bathroom for a shower, shutting the door behind her. She didn’t linger because she didn’t want to give Moe extra time to change his mind.

  When she entered the living room, she found both Loki and Moe sitting on the back of the couch. Loki looked none the worse for wear, his purr strong and his eyes at half-mast in contentment. Moe’s skin shimmered with the vibration he’d sent earlier, but this one less strong, the short hairs all over his body twitching in the same rhythm.

  “I’m going to go to the store,” she said, heading toward her messenger bag on the side table by the front door.

  Moe scooped up Loki and scurried after her. “Moe will come. This is what Ro would want. Yes.”

  Aubrey eyed the cat. “We can’t take him with us.” He wouldn’t enjoy the car ride for starters, and she didn’t have the store set up with a litter box or other cat amenities.

  “But Moe is Lokipop’s friend now. Yes.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you’re friends, but he needs to stay home.”

  With a frown, Moe set Loki on the back of the couch, gave his head two pats, then skittered his way to her.

  The drive across town ended up uneventful. Moe used his camouflage mode whenever she drove close to another car, and had his face pressed up against the window when no one could see him. She didn’t need to tell him to remain hidden when she parked in the back, he camouflaged instantly. They both hopped out.

  Relics felt empty now, like she was Old Mother Hubbard and her cupboards were bare. Should I stay closed today or open? The place was clean enough. She’d need to polish the floor again, but a quick vacuum would pick up anything missed for now. Even if her inventory had been cut by sixty percent, she still had bigger furniture items to sell and smaller things like jewelry that hadn’t broken.

  Still undecided, she moved to the front counter and turned on the computer. Moe was already swinging from the ceiling beams, and she didn’t pay much attention as she got everything up and running.

  As she stared at her computer, worry for Roman intruded. Finn too. Where were they now? Were they okay? Were they safe? Did Roman need to go far? Was he close? Maybe she should send him a quick text and see how he was doing.

  She dug her phone out of her messenger bag, then hesitated. He said he would text. She shouldn’t bother him while he worked. It could be distracting and dangerous. Swallowing, she shoved the phone back into her bag, ignoring the notification badge that told her she had Simmer matches to look at.

  She smiled. After last night, she would delete the whole app.

  With her computer warmed up, she checked her bank balance. Her stomach sank when she realized she couldn’t survive long without sales. Two months tops, due to her rent. Finn’s temper tantrum had done serious damage to her business.

  Where was her ghost? She hadn’t seen him since Celeste’s place and was starting to worry. Had he left her? After everything, had he moved on without saying goodbye?

  She couldn’t believe that but didn’t know what else to think.

  “Finn?” she asked quietly.

  Moe’s head jerked up. The demon must have excellent hearing.

  But a response to her question didn’t appear in the glass surface of the front counter.

  With a heavy heart, she went to her website, hoping for some online orders, but the sales page was empty.

  A skittering sound made her look up. Moe scrambled down the wall and jumped onto a wood office chair that spun. With one leg on the ground, he made the chair spin and spin.

  Aubrey brought out the insurance claim forms she’d started yesterday. She needed to add the pictures they’d taken of the damage and a copy of the police report. The sooner she submitted the forms, the better. Who knew how long it would take for the claim to be approved?

  Fisting her hands, Aubrey steeled her spine. She wouldn’t let those lawyers from long ago be right. Not now. Not ever.

  But she couldn’t sell stuff from an empty store. She opened up her contacts on the computer and found the list of collectors and pickers she’d frequented when she’d first opened up. Revisiting them would be the best way to replenish her inventory.

  A knock on the door made her lift her head. Stella raised the two coffees balanced on a box of donuts in greeting. A bit of the stress in her body eased at the sight of her friend. Her footsteps echoed as she crossed the mostly empty store. She turned the deadbolt, then left it unlocked once Stella came inside, since it was close to nine thirty.

  “Are you doing okay?” Stella asked, a frown on her face as she scanned Aubrey up and down.

  “Yeah, just had a bout of melancholy about all of this,” she said, jerking her chin at empty shelves, then took the offered coffee. “And I’m worried about Roman too. He’s off on a job.”

  “Yeah, I know. He texted early and said he didn’t want you to spend the day alone.”

  “He did?” Her chest warmed at his concern.

  Stella nodded, then raised her eyebrows at the soft plopping noise in front of them. Moe appeared a second later. “Hello, there,” she said. “I thought you might be here. Do you like donuts? I brought you a treat.” She held out the box.

  “Don’t—” Aubrey started to say, then stopped when Moe stuffed the whole thing into his unhinged jaw.

  “I didn’t mean the whole box,” Stella said, breathless. “You were supposed to share.”

  “I tried to warn you,” Aubrey muttered.

  His coloring shifted a shade darker. “Moe is sorry. Yes. Moe will fix it.” Then his body started to roll like he was a cat with a giant hairball.

  “Oh no! Don’t do that!” she shouted, but it was too late. The whole demon-saliva-covered box plopped out onto the floor.

  “Ew,” Aubrey said, taking a step back at the same time as Stella. “I’m pretty sure we’re good, Moe. You can have the whole thing.”

  With a squeak, Moe lapped up the box with his tongue, swallowing it in one go once more.

  As he went back to crawling on the ceiling, she and Stella stared, waiting. When he seemed content to swing on the broken chandelier, Stella turned to Aubrey. “How was your night?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee. Her eyes glinted playfully over the rim.

  Aubrey knew exactly what she was after and wasn’t going to cave. But the question made her body heat and her face flame. She couldn’t not think about their night together.

  “That good, huh?”

  “I never kiss and tell.”

  “Liar.”

  “Okay, I just don’t want to kiss and tell right now.”

  The sound of Stella sipping her coffee and the chandelier jiggling lightly were the only sounds in the store as her friend stared at her with a discerning glance. But Aubrey wouldn’t give in. She wouldn’t speak lightly of what had happened between her and Roman like it had been a meaningless night. It had been special. And she didn’t want to tarnish the memory.

  After a minute, Stella’s inquisitive expression changed. The look of good-natured curiosity was replaced by an understanding that made Aubrey shift uncomfortably.

  “So, what do you want me to do?” Stella asked, breaking their gazes and hiding her purse under the counter beside Aubrey’s messenger bag.

  “How about you get out the vacuum and make sure we got all the glass? I’m going to send some emails and see if I can find replacements for the broken stuff.” Another wave of sadness hit her, and she took an extra moment to breathe out slowly.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Stella said, touching her arm.

  Steely determination made Aubrey nod in agreement. “I know it is.” She wouldn’t fail. She’d turn this moment into one of those she’d look back on and say she’d overcome the odds.

  Setting her coffee cup on the counter, Stella strode to the supply closet while Aubrey searched through the contact list. “Where is Finn anyway?” Stella asked, grabbing the vacuum and glancing around.

  “I’m not sure.” Aubrey frowned. “I’m kind of nervous he hasn’t been
here the past few days, but I also think it might be reasonable he’s staying away because he knows I’m upset. But also, after everything Celeste told us, I just want to talk to him, you know?”

  “Yeah, I get it. You probably have a lot more questions for him.” Without waiting for a response, Stella started the vacuum, impeding any more conversation. The noise startled Moe enough to jump down from the chandelier. After following Stella around for a while, he decided to jump on the vacuum itself, his knees up to his ears as he hung on for the ride. It only fazed Stella for a few seconds before she laughed and kept vacuuming with her peculiar passenger hanging tight.

  Aubrey shook her head at them, then focused on reaching out to past suppliers, trying not to check for Roman’s text every five minutes.

  Around ten o’clock, Zack Liller walked into the store. Aubrey glanced up, but Moe had already vanished, the slight swaying of the chandelier the only evidence he hid there.

  “Hi there,” she said as he walked inside.

  “Hey.” He nodded to Stella, who was in the front display window tending to the plants as she vacuumed around them. He refocused on Aubrey. “How are you doing?”

  “Better,” she replied. “I appreciate you taking me to see your mom more than I can ever express.” He gave her a sympathetic nod in acknowledgment, and she had to swallow around the lump in her throat to speak again. “How did your artist friend like the stuff?”

  “Like Christmas morning,” he replied with a small smile. “Thanks for donating it.”

  “At least it went to a better place and not the dumpster.” When he walked farther into the store, she asked in a rush, “Have you talked to your mother recently?”

  He paused. “Yesterday.”

  “Oh, okay. I was wondering if Finn was still hanging out there.” She looked away, embarrassed she was so attached to a ghost that a couple days without him put her out of sorts.

  “She said he’d stayed for most of the day we were there, but that’s it. I’m not sure if he returned since then or not. Did you want me to call her and ask?” He pulled out his phone.

  “No, no,” Aubrey rushed to say. “That’s not necessary. He’ll return when he wants to.” She hoped.