Sailor Ray and the Beautiful Lie (The Pact Book 3)

by Alex Villavasso

  “An exorcism? Is it her?” I do a quick glance at Valerie and cycle my focus back onto the road.

  “No. Just do it, Blaze. I’ll explain later. I’m going to turn around when I get the chance and drive back towards Chicago… It’ll cut the distance. Hit the road as soon as you can…and step on it. Bye.”

  “An exorcism?” Valerie asks as soon as I hang up on Blaze. “Isn’t that when you—”

  “Yeah…but don’t worry. You’re fine,” I say solemnly. “It’s not what you think. It’s…a precaution. Just focus on your breathing and keep applying pressure on that wound. It’ll all make sense soon. I swear.”

  Chapter 11: My Choice

  Valerie didn’t say much after our brief exchange except for when she refused to stop at a random exit to check out her injury. She insisted that we get where we’re going first and that she’d be fine. We were only about thirty or so minutes away from Frank and Helen’s when I made the suggestion, but apparently, that wasn’t enough. I could have strong-armed the situation, but I decided to let it ride and intervene if things got worse. Thankfully, once we put some more distance between us and the house, her condition seemed to stabilize.

  Time seemed to be all we needed for the most part, well at least for her.

  “What is this place?” Valerie asks as I bring the car to a complete stop.

  “I’m not too sure… abandoned construction site, I guess.” I twist the key to the ignition and study the surrounding area before opening my door. “It’s like halfway to Hell. I’m assuming they gave up on remodeling or it’s one sig away from being leveled.”

  “And we’re just going to enter?” I walk around to the back of my car and dig out an olive colored duffel bag stashed away in my trunk.

  “Why not? It’s safer than you think.” I close the trunk and walk over to her side of the Mustang.

  “You sure?”

  “Positive, but stay close to me just in case. I told you everything would make sense, didn’t I? Well, once we’re set up I’ll tell you everything you need to know. I know you have questions, so come on.” I glance down at my phone and send my location to Blaze. Thankfully the GPS is on point out here. “We have some time before Blaze and his friend are here. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Valerie and I walk the property in relative silence. There’s no cameras or security of any kind. No sign of squatters either from what I can tell. The light from the moon bleeds in from the windowless squares throughout the building, but it’s still creepy. The only way this place would feel remotely hospitable would be if it were in the daytime. After our sweep, we go back to the entry point and settle in the lobby for whatever this place used to be. No one’s coming around here. “So what now?” Valerie asks. She’s guarded, but at least she’s not rigid with shock. She’s more confused than anything.

  “We need to get you patched up.” I pull away from her and grab a set of old, wooden chairs located in the far corner of the room. “Yeah, they definitely packed up in a hurry,” I mumble to myself as I drag them over towards her. “Sit.” I place a chair underneath her and set the other one up against a support beam to the infrastructure. “Okay,” I say turning back to face her. “Let’s have a look at what we’re dealing with.”

  Valerie slowly slips into her seat and groans as she lifts up her shirt just enough for me to see her wound. “Is it…bad?” I step in closer and examine her exposed skin.

  “It’s kinda deep, but you’ve been doing good. Just keep it up.” I squat and ruffle through my bag until I’m able to fish out some peroxide and bandages. I stand in a hurry and pour the peroxide over her skin. Val whimpers as the clear liquid runs down the side of her abdomen, changing as it crosses over her smeared blood. “Yeah, I know it sucks, but it has to be done. Arch your back a little, I’m going to wrap it.” Valerie nods her head and does what I ask. “How do you feel? Lightheaded?” I ignore the discomfort on her face and instead focus my attention on dressing her wound as quickly as I can.

  “A little bit, yeah…and scared out of my mind,” she says, wincing at the end of her sentence.

  “Don’t be. The worst part was over once we left that house. Those bastards got what they deserved.”

  “How could anyone do something like that? Kidnapping a child.”

  How could anyone kill a child?

  “I…don’t know. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and I still have no idea how people do half the stuff I see. I try not to think too much about it—the world’s a shitty place.”

  “Yeah.” I apply the finishing touches to her bandages and run my hand gently over her side. She winces again.

  “Okay, it’s secure. You’ve lost a lot of blood, Val. But you’ll live. Just try to stay still now,” I say as I reach back into my bag. “This place is empty, and if somehow it isn’t, we’re armed. We just need to wait.” The flashlight I’m looking for bumps into my fingers. I pull it out, turn it on, and set it upright in the space between us.

  “…For Blaze?”

  “Yeah.” I walk towards the chair against the support beam and sit. “Him and his friend are our backup. A girl named Abby who’s super smart. Like, hack-into-government-satellites-smart. You’ll like her. It’s hard not to. She has a good heart.” I chuckle and let my hand fall over my wound. It’s a lot harder to tough out an injury with Vartal under wraps. Being near that altar helped, but it wasn’t worth it.

  “Aren’t you going to take care of that?”

  “I’m fine, Val. Trust me, I’ve been through way worse.”

  “…So how long have you been doing this”

  “Hunting? Longer than I like to admit. It was me and my dad at first, but then we got Blaze on board after he lost his family to vampires… My father started because my mom died due to unnatural causes. Demons and shady shits like the ones we just dealt with.”

  “Why did they go after your mom? Did they trick her or was it something else?”

  “Not really sure. I don’t think it was her fault at all, unless you consider her being with him in the first place a mistake. She was a good woman. My father wasn’t a saint, but he turned it around... He was into the occult and other things. We pretty much packed our bags and hauled ass after we found out. He started hunting in secret, but when he told me the truth, I started hunting with him. It was all so crazy, you know? A lot of hard nights and brutal mornings. It was worth it, though. We were hell-bent on getting the people responsible for killing her. Blaze came into the picture later.”

  “So, is your dad really—?”

  “Dead? Yeah. But not from what I told you. I watched him die. It was on a hunt. Some weird demon creature ripped him in half. It got me, too. Virtually killed me, in fact.”

  “But you’re still here.”

  “Yeah, I am, but it came at a price.”

  “What do you mean? I don’t get what you’re saying.”

  “Val.” I sigh. “There isn’t really a way to sugar coat it, so I’m just going to say it. The exorcism is for me.”

  “Wait, what? I don’t understand. You’re…you.”

  “The night my dad died he was trying to stop a ritual and chase down a lead to help us out with my mom. He didn’t want me to go. Blaze didn’t want me to go either, but I did. I was only a few minutes late, but the damage had already been done. There were bodies everywhere. I went inside the ritual site and eventually found my dad. The hunters my dad was with stopped the ritual, but the demons that were summoned were still bound to the area. We had to fight them. To make a long story short, we lost. All of the hunters died horribly, and I was on my way to the grave, too. I had been sliced open from my gut, and a voice asked me while I was bleeding out if I wanted to live. He told me all I had to do is share my body with him. It was one of the demons that failed to fully manifest itself from the ritual. He didn’t have a vessel either… He was weak. It wasn’t setup to be a traditional possession. He needed to regain his power, a soul to feed on.”

  “Yours.”


  “Mhmm.” I nod. “The deal was that he helps me get revenge for my mom and dad, and then he claims my soul, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. He’s gaining ground on me—messing with who I am. It’s subtle, but we both know he’s setting me up to be a prime vessel for when he fully takes over. I’m still me, but he’s in my head in more ways than one.”

  “So he’s hearing you now?”

  “No. I suppress him with injections of Holy Water. I take it every few hours…I have runes in my apartment that keep him tame, as well.”

  “How long have you been like this?”

  “Around six months give or take.”

  “And Blaz—?”

  “Blaze doesn’t know about any of this. In fact, he just found out that I was alive not even a month ago. After our deal, I killed the thing that nearly killed me. Then I went dark. And by thing, I mean Sweeper—it’s like a huge, demonized praying mantis/earthworm hybrid. Everyone that knew me assumed I was dead just like everyone else, so I took my leave. It was better that way, harboring a demon and all. I had a death wish and I didn’t want to bring anyone down with me. The only reason Blaze found out that I was alive was because I messed up and got captured. Before that, I was just chasing down leads. Still am…was. Things went south not too long ago. More so than usual. Changed my perspective on everything. I don’t know how to get rid of him, and having him around isn’t worth it. Like I said before, it’s not a traditional possession, we’re bound together.” I reveal my right forearm to her, putting the archaic that signifies our pact on display. “He branded me…it means our pact is still in effect.”

  “Can’t you just remove it?”

  “I’m sure I could, but he doesn’t live there. He’s inside of me. I think the seal is just his fucked up way of marking his territory. I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. I can’t find anything on him. He’s pretty much locked in.”

  “And you plan on getting rid of him?”

  “Yeah, one way or another…”

  “Sailor…”

  “It’s funny… I was actually thinking about killing myself. At least that way, I’d go out while I’m still me. I wanted to hunt—to get revenge for my parents—but I don’t think it’s worth it anymore, and honestly, I don’t think it ever was. Everywhere I go, bodies follow. Innocent ones. That funeral I went to before you came was one of them. I planned this trip to connect with you one last time…to let you know that everything was okay. I wanted the last time you saw me to be a good memory…”

  “Yeah,” she responds soberly.

  “I want to live, Valerie, but I know that realistically, dying is better than living as a slave in my own body. Life is worth living, but only on my own terms. You get that, right? I can’t let him win. I can’t let him use my body to do whatever he wants.”

  “Yeah, I do. I get it one hundred percent.”

  “He’s powerful, you know? More so than what he’s letting on. It scares me. I have these moments where I get a glimpse of it, but I know it’s just the tip of the iceberg…that’s why when Blaze and Abby get here, I’m going to have them do everything they can to get rid of him. If they can’t, I’m going to take him down with me. Heavy shit, I know.”

  “I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. You’ve been my friend for so long…I just want what’s best for you.”

  “Thanks. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed the trip, kidnapping aside. It was nice…connected the dots for me in a way. Where were we heading, by the way?”

  “Somewhere you would have liked.” Valerie laughs and clutches her side in pain.

  “Ha. Really, Val? We’ve both been through hell, and you still won’t spill the beans? A soldier till the end, eh?”

  “It’ll be something to look forward to once we get rid of that demon inside of you.”

  “Deal, but next time, we’re taking a plane.”

  Chapter 12: I Cry, You Cry

  “Sailor? Sailor!” A series of pattering feet echo throughout the building, stirring my senses.

  “I’m over here,” I say calmly. “The lobby.” I listen as their feet hone in on the location of my voice until ultimately, Blaze and Abby are in my field of view.

  “Is she—?” Blaze asks as he studies Valerie’s limp body.

  “Dead?” I cut of Blaze. “No,” I say with a grunt as I reposition myself. “Of course not. She’s resting. She lost a lot of blood, but her wound is pretty much sealed now… Got the stuff?” My eyes shift to Blaze, but his focus is elsewhere. Valerie. “Hey, I told you the demon isn’t in her.”

  “Yeah, it’s in Abby’s bag along with the medical supplies. Got extras in the car.”

  “Perfect. We might need them.” Blaze’s eyes cut into me and the one able hand that holds his gun quivers for a moment. I get it. He’s not at one hundred percent. His other arm is hoisted in a sling, and to him, a demon is on the prowl. “Don’t worry. We’re safe right now. I took care of Val, too.”

  “Blaze?” Valerie asks groggily as she awakens from her nap.

  “Yeah, it’s me, Val… How ya holding up?”

  “Better, but this still sucks.” While Blaze talks to Valerie, Abby gets on one knee and digs around in her bag. She takes a look at Valerie and then returns her sights to the contents of her bag.

  “Never thought I’d be seeing you so soon, Abs.”

  “Same.” She looks my way and says to me. “I was hoping that it’d be on better terms. Do you need me to take a look at that while we have some down time?” she asks, her eyes now fixated on my bloody hand pressed against my side.

  “Appreciate it, but it’s fine. You know I’m low maintenance. All of this is just for show. A precaution. The bleeding stopped but ruined my clothes. A few bandages aren’t going to do anything for the pain. Besides, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

  “The demon…”

  “Yeah, the quicker we deal with it, the quicker we can move on with our lives.”

  “Fair enough. Where are we setting up? Are we going to hunt this thing, or are we going to set up a trap of some sort? I’ve got some of the basics but nothing too far out of the ordinary. You didn’t really give us much to go off. We’re flying blind.”

  “I’m sorry about that, but yeah, here. It’s going to be here. We’re going to draw it out.”

  “Here as in this building?”

  “This floor.”

  “…How?”

  “Hey Val, are you good to walk?” Blaze asks. “Let’s get you someplace safe. You don’t want to be in here when this goes down.”

  “I’m staying.”

  “Wait, what? Val, you don’t understand.” I cut my eyes towards Valerie and her gaze aligns with my own before returning to Blaze’s.

  “I do,” she responds. “And that’s why I’m not going anywhere. I want to be with her for this. It wouldn’t be right if I wasn’t.”

  “Thanks, Val. It…means a lot.” Blaze looks back at me, confused. Abby does the same, but her expression is different. Solemn.

  “What’s going on here, Sailor?”

  “It’s not going to be a problem to track down the demon because the demon…is in me.”

  “But you’re—”

  “Me? Yeah, I am. But not really, not all the time. It’s been like this for about half a year now...I made a pact with a demon the night my dad died. I was using him to my benefit. I was selfish. I was dying…we both were. He offered me a second chance if I let him inside of me. It wasn’t the brightest choice, but I wanted to live…I wanted revenge, and I needed him to get it. He couldn’t force himself inside of me. I had to let him in, and when I did, he left a mark on me, a seal on my right arm. One of a kind. I’ve been trying to find a way to get rid of him, but I haven’t been able to find anything. I can’t find anything on him at all… I tried to tough it out, suppressing him with Holy Water and whatnot, but it’s just prolonging his takeover…eventually, he’ll win. I realized that I can’t just ride this thing out. Things are getting worse.
I’m spiraling. I know I have a ton to explain…and I will. Let’s just work on getting this thing out of me. The questions can come later.” In the silence that follows, Blaze’s eyes start to become misty, but he refuses to let the welling tears fall from his eyes and forces them back.

  Ever since I’ve been back, I’ve done nothing but pull on his heartstrings. He doesn’t want to lose me, and I don’t want to lose myself.

  “What’s the demon’s name?” Abby asks, breaking the silence. “Maybe I’ve heard something on him.”

  “Vartal,” I respond soberly. “His name is Vartal.” A sinking feeling stirs in my gut, but I cast the sensation aside. “Here’s the seal. Maybe you’ve seen it somewhere.” I pivot my arm and reveal the archaic brand. She looks at it and shakes her head.

  “No…nowhere except on you,” Abby responds dishearteningly. “What about you, Blaze? Anything?” I watch him as his eyes hover over my forearm and scan the emblem.

  “No,” he answers softly. “I’ve got nothing.” Just from looking at him I can tell he’s still processing everything. A part of him looks like he’s ready to rip into me with a lecture while the other side just wants to make sure I’m okay. “So, how do we get rid of this thing?”

  “He’s bound to me…and he’s strong. The only way to get him out is to push him to his breaking point. An exorcism isn’t the technical term for what I have in mind. What I’m thinking about is more along the lines of chicken.”

  “Chicken?” Abby asks. “You never looked into the mirror and pointed a gun to your head.”

  “I considered it, yeah…but once I pull the trigger, it’s all over. I’d rather not unless I have to. It’s still on the table if this doesn’t work.”

  “Let’s hope it does, then,” Abby responds.

  “Yeah.” I nod. “So, for this to work, we have to make him leave by basically threatening his life through threatening mine.” I lower my gun and drop it beside me on the floor. “Tie me up, make sure I’m locked in tight, and torture the shit out of me…that’s the plan.”