by J E McDonald
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. I was just wondering is all. It’s no big deal.”
He tucked his phone back in his pocket. “As long as you’re certain.”
“Yep,” she said with a nod. “I’m certain.” Then she did her best to ignore Stella’s compassionate eyes from across the room.
After a moment, Zack walked farther into the store, like he was trying to shop in a place with empty shelves. “Was there something you needed?” she asked when he didn’t say anything else.
“Only wanted to see if you needed any more help.”
Her posture softened at the words. Zack barely knew her, and he was willing to give up his day to help. “That’s sweet of you, but all the cleanup is basically done. I just need to find more inventory.” And she didn’t want the guy hanging around long enough to clue in on Moe’s presence.
When he didn’t respond and kept scanning the empty shelves, her eyes narrowed. “Did Roman tell you to come here and watch me?”
Zack straightened at her words. “Yeah,” he said running his hand through his hair.
Who else had Roman called? “It’s nice of you to check on me, but as you can see, there’s nothing going on here.” Plus, the chandelier behind him had started swinging again.
He walked toward her. “Are you sure? That thing about your brother is alarming. I don’t want you to feel unsafe.”
She smiled at his concern. “It’s fine. I have Stella and—” She stopped, about to say Moe. “I have Stella here with me. I’m not alone. And you shouldn’t waste your day here.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, looking unconvinced.
“Positive. There’s nothing to do here right now, so you’d be standing around doing…nothing.” She kept her eyes on him instead of the chandelier swinging behind his head.
With a frown, he finally nodded. “I’ll come back in the afternoon to see how you’re doing.”
“If you need to.”
“Yeah, I need to.” With a nod, he left.
The second the door closed behind him, a plop sounded on the floor beside her. Moe materialized a moment later.
“You probably shouldn’t be swinging like that when there’s someone in the store,” she said, frowning at him.
“But the man in black stayed so long,” the little demon moaned. “And Moe was getting hungry. Yes.”
“I never really thought of Zack looking like Johnny Cash,” Stella said with a smirk as she jumped out of the display window. “And how can you be hungry already? You ate a whole box of donuts including the box.”
“And leftover takeout and a frozen package of bacon and sausage before that,” Aubrey muttered. Then a little louder, “Your maple bacon became a casualty this morning. I’ll need to buy you some more.”
“Seriously?”
“Sorry.”
The phone in Stella’s purse rang a jaunty tune. Moving around the counter, she grabbed it before it could ring a third time. She frowned at the number before she answered. “Hello?”
She listened for a minute, the expression on her face becoming filled with worry. “No. Don’t do that. I’ll be right there.” Then she hung up.
“Is it Nana again?”
Stella nodded, grimacing. “She’s been having these episodes again, kind of like the ones when my dad tried to, you know, do what he did.”
“Oh no,” Aubrey said softly, her eyes widening.
“Yeah. I need to go get her calm.” She tucked her phone back into her purse. “But I also don’t want to leave you alone.”
“Nana is more important than me.”
“She is not. Don’t say that.” Stella stepped in close to give her a hug. “You’re both the lights of my life.”
“What about Lucas?” she asked when Stella stepped away.
“He’s a light too.” She let out a breath. “I’ll try to be as fast as I can, then I’ll bring back some lunch. Okay?”
Moe perked up at the word “lunch.”
“Sounds good,” Aubrey said, watching her friend head out the door. “Looks like it’s just you and me,” she said to the demon eying up the plant holders in the window. She wasn’t sure they’d hold his weight if he thought to swing on them.
He must have come to the same conclusion because he turned away. “Yes,” he said nodding at her. “Moe and Aubrey O.K. Quite a pair. Yes.”
She snorted, then turned her attention to her emails. Optimism filled her when saw responses from a couple she’d sent earlier. Both people had the items she’d asked about. Maybe this day would turn out okay after all.
She glanced at her phone again. Still no word from Roman.
While distracted with website searches, an unknown number appeared on her call display. She pressed the green icon. “Hello?”
“Hi, Aubrey. This is Jude Folkes.”
“Oh, hi,” she said, wondering how he got her number. Had Roman given it to him?
“I’ve been trying to get ahold of Roman, but he’s not answering his phone. Do you know where he is?”
She hesitated, wondering how much Jude knew about Roman’s work. From their conversation yesterday, it seemed like he knew a lot, so she said, “He’s on a job right now. What did you need?”
“Oh, damn. I was hoping to talk to him. I’ve found something amazing about the vessel. I’d love for you two to come take a look.”
“What is it?” she asked, her heart picking up tempo in anticipation.
“You have to come to the church to understand properly, but I think I’ve figured out the way to open it. I thought you might want to be here when I did it.”
“Open it?” Her heart rate sped up even more. “Yeah, I’d really like that. But Roman won’t be back until later.”
“That’s too bad. I really wanted to open it with both of you since you brought it in.” There was silence on the other end, then a light laugh. “I’m impatient about these sorts of discoveries. Did you want to come down here on your own? We could do it together.”
“Um,” she hesitated. “Couldn’t you wait a bit?” She suddenly felt as impatient as he sounded, but what difference would a few hours make?
“I’d rather not. But that’s okay. I’ll open it on my own and we can connect later.”
“No, wait.” She couldn’t really explain it, but she needed to be there when it opened. “I want to be there.” She looked up at Moe, who skittered across the ceiling sideways. “I can be at the church in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?”
“Perfect. See you then.”
Aubrey hung up and watched as Moe swung on the chandelier, then plopped on the front counter. At least she could tell Roman where she was going. She dialed his number, but the phone gave a heavy tone, then a computerized voice spoke. “This customer is out of the service area.”
Jude hadn’t been wrong about that. With a frown, she sent Stella a text. Going to Our Lady of Sacrifice for a bit. Will prob be back in an hour.
Giving Moe a smile, she tucked her phone into her messenger bag. “We’re going for a car ride.”
The demon looked skeptical for a moment but didn’t say anything when she locked the front door, and he followed her silently out the back.
In the alley, Moe wore his camouflage, the passenger door opening and closing on its own. Since Our Lady of Sacrifice was just on the other side of the river, it didn’t take long for her to drive to the church. She parked in the visitors’ parking lot in the same spot she had before. There weren’t many cars in the lot, only a couple vans and one motorcycle.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come inside,” she said, turning off the car and staring up at the towering spires.
“Ro said to stay with Aubrey O.K. Moe will listen. Yes.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think he’d want you in the church. You stayed in the car last time.”
A worried frown puckered the demon’s forehead. “But Ro said to stay with Aubrey O.K.” His tone turned peevish, his skin darkenin
g a shade.
“I’ll be safe inside with Jude. You can do your perimeter checks, like you do with Roman, right? The sneaky stuff.”
The demon still didn’t look convinced. “Moe likes the sneaky stuff. Yes.”
“I won’t be long, I promise. Okay?”
Moe frowned fiercely at her, the expression a little intimidating, before he nodded.
“Thanks, Moe.” They both hopped out, and Aubrey shoved her keys in her pocket before walking around the side of the church to the front.
The heavy oak door was unlocked, and she opened it wide enough to slip through. It closed behind her with a resounding bang, shutting the sunlight out. Darkness and silence enclosed her.
She waited for her eyes to adjust, then stepped toward the staircase leading to the catacombs. A shadow crossed her path. Expecting it to be Jude, she smiled.
In the next instant, her smile fell. It wasn’t Jude. She gasped when she recognized the man from the estate sale, the person who was supposed to be her brother.
“Aubrey,” he said with a grin. “So good to see you again, sister.” He hissed the last word, a snarl transforming his face.
36
The noonday sun beat straight down on the hood of his truck. Roman parked at the top of the lane of the address he’d been given. The whole way there, he’d driven faster than the speed limit, needing to get back to Aubrey as soon as possible.
The house was as far away from civilization as one could get. He’d taken several back roads, all of them more dirt than gravel. His GPS app had crapped out on him a few miles back, making him rely on the rural route signs to get there.
Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he texted Aubrey that he was okay, then noted how the little dots kept going around and around without sending the message. Out of cell service. Perfect. He’d need to wait until he headed back. All the more reason to finish the job quickly. Throwing his phone on the passenger seat, he hopped out of the truck and took off his jacket.
Time to get this over with.
It felt odd not having Moe by his side. He’d gotten used to the little demon helping him on his jobs. Moe might be small, but he packed a good punch in a fight. His agility rivaled any of the other demons he’d ever come into contact with, plus his camouflage gave him an advantage over them. But it was better for Moe to stay with Aubrey and keep her safe.
With his knives accessible, he headed down the lane toward the house. He kept his senses alert, listening for clues as to what he’d find ahead. He kept sniffing the air, expecting the scent of death or demon, but nothing assaulted his nostrils. The scar on his arm also remained quiet. Even as he climbed the worn steps to the front stoop, nothing indicated demons—or anyone, for that matter—were on the property.
The house looked vacant but not derelict. He knocked. Only the echo of the sound came back to him. He tried the door. Locked. He peeked through the window, seeing faded carpet and empty rooms on the other side. If there were demons here, they hadn’t been here long because the windows weren’t blacked out.
But his scar wasn’t burning.
This was wasting time. Backing up a step, he put his weight behind one kick, breaking the bolt with enough force for the door to bounce on the wall and come slamming back toward him.
Despite his loud entrance, the house remained quiet. There weren’t any demon noises, no sulfur smell. Quickly he searched each room. All of them were empty, not a dresser or bed in any them. No food in the cupboards, and the fridge was unplugged. He jogged down into the basement and found nothing but cobwebs and a dead furnace.
Why would the Church send him here? They sometimes got tips from places where a demon hunter wasn’t needed, but those cases still involved people. This house had been empty for some time.
He’d driven hours for nothing.
Uneasy, Roman took the steps two at a time, then dashed out the front door. He jogged his way to his truck when another pickup pulled up behind him.
“Hey,” the old man yelled from the open window. “What are you doing on the Johnson property?”
“Considering buying it.” Roman gave him a salute, then hopped inside and slammed the door. With the old man’s eyes on him, he did a three-point turn and drove away from the vacant house.
While his mind raced, he edged over the speed limit toward the main highway. Why would the Church send him to such an unlikely possession site? On paper, it looked like a credible location, but without people, the demons would never bother with it. They needed people.
Wanting to hear Aubrey’s voice, he searched for his phone under his jacket. When he found it, he pressed her number. The call didn’t connect because he was still out of the service area. Swearing, he tossed the phone to the side and kept his foot on the accelerator.
It took too long for him to reach the main highway, but when he did, he grabbed his phone again and pressed the green icon to redial. This time the call rang through, but Aubrey didn’t pick up.
She could have opened her store and was busy with a customer. Nothing to be worried about.
His front window fogged up, a word forming in front of him. Faster.
Roman looked behind him, but there was no one following. Not like last time. “What do you mean?” he asked, but pressed heavier on the accelerator anyway.
Another word formed. Aubrey.
“What about her?” His heart leaped into his throat at the question.
Trouble.
“What trouble?” he asked, dreading the answer.
Church.
Roman straightened. “What the hell?”
Shawn. This word came out lighter than the rest, like the ghost was getting too weak to communicate anymore.
“Oh shit, no.” Roman pressed the accelerator as far as it would go, passing cars left and right. “You take a rest, then you’re going to tell me more, understand?”
A light check mark appeared in front of him.
Roman picked up his phone and called Aubrey’s number again. No answer.
He ended the call and found Martinez’s number. The agent answered on the second ring. “Martinez.”
“Please tell me you have eyes on Aubrey.”
“Sort of. She went into the church about an hour ago. Hasn’t come out yet.”
“Fuck.” Jude. Had he sent him on a wild goose chase to get Aubrey alone? He would have had access to the church’s office. It was plausible. But how was Jude involved with Shawn?
The truth had a rock the size of a meteor settling in his stomach. He’d seen Aym’s symbol yesterday, knew he was in the area. He knew there was a target on Roman’s back, and he had less than a week before his reckoning. Had Jude been summoning Aym all these years?
“You need to go in there and get her,” he said to Martinez. “No, wait,” he added, not wanting to send the guy to his death. “Have you ever fought a demon before?”
“Uh.” A silence rang on the other end of the line. “Not literally, no.”
“You need to get your whole team there. There might be a powerful demon on the property.”
“The one you told me about yesterday?”
“Yeah, that one. I’m coming as fast as I can, but I’m still a couple hours away.” Fucking Jude, sending him on this wild goose chase. When he saw him, he was going to smash those glasses right up his sinuses.
“What the…?” Martinez’s voice cut through Roman’s rage-filled haze.
“What is it?”
“Stella. She pulled up beside Aubrey’s car.”
“Get her out of there.”
“Oh, shit.” Muffled movements echoed over the line.
“What? What’s happening?”
“She’s in pain. She collapsed.” More muffled movement sounded, then a car door opened and closed.
“Martinez!” he shouted. No response came. The fucker had left his phone in the car.
Roman put the phone on speaker and left it laying in the seat in case Martinez came back.
This was his fault. H
e should have told Aubrey about Jude’s past. He should have warned her away from him. Instead, she thought she’d be safe with him.
If she got hurt because of him, he’d never forgive himself.
37
The walls were moving.
Aubrey took deep gulping breaths, trying to calm the racing of her heart. She’d become so lightheaded from lack of oxygen she didn’t remember how she’d gotten into the catacombs. She lay curled in a corner, the cold of the stone floor pressed into her hip, shoulder, and face. Her feet were wedged against the old stained glass windows that leaned against the wall.
Hushed voices made her lift her head. A pair of legs at the main table in Jude’s workroom drew her eye. One light glowed in the center of the table, the rest of the room dark.
“For the love of God, keep them leashed,” came Jude’s voice, harsh with anger.
Another man laughed. Her brother, Shawn.
He’d murdered a woman.
He’d used the lady’s house to live in, surrounded by pictures of her family.
He’d desecrated the shack with evil symbols.
Aubrey’s stomach rolled, her chest tightened. Why was Shawn here at the church? Why was Jude leaving her on the floor like this? She thought he was Roman’s friend.
When she heard a skittering noise, she searched for Moe. But the sound came from all around her. Shadows moved along the walls, undulating. One of the shadows moved closer to the light, and she realized it wasn’t a shadow at all, but a demon. Its body was different from Moe, this one’s skin red and cracked. Her heart beat hard and fast at the sight.
“I said, keep them leashed,” Jude bit out, shooing the thing back to the darkness.
Aubrey swallowed. If that one shadow was a demon, then…
She looked up the wall behind her. Several pairs of beady eyes stared back at her. She screamed, scrambling away. Her spine hit the table leg in the center of the room. Her chest squeezed so hard, pain shot down to her stomach.
“I guess she’s awake,” Shawn said, his voice droll.
Aubrey shrank under the table, trying to become invisible. Hands shot out, grabbing her biceps tight to drag her out. She yelped, her arm stinging from the vise-like grip as Shawn hauled her to her feet.