Haunted By The Succubus

by Michelle Dorey

  “Jake, I’m fine. Adam and I walked to the lake. You heard about my kitchen fire, I’m sure.” She directs the last comment at Leah who follows close behind the cop.

  “Adam Marshall?” The cop jerks his chin up. “You go on ahead where I can keep an eye on you. I’m going to need to see some identification.”

  Leah’s eyes narrow, shooting me a snarky look as she steps closer to Margrit. The pure bitchiness in her face is the final straw.

  “Thanks for calling the cops, Leah. What’s the matter? Jealous that maybe I’m going to take your place with Margrit? The thing is though, I’m the real deal while you’re just a wannabe.”

  “At least I’m not caked with dirt. What happened? You fall in a mud puddle or something?”

  Ignoring her, I put some distance between me and the cop and then turn to him. “My name’s Adam Rafferty. I’ve got identification in my knapsack in the shed. I’ll go get it.” I start to sprint over but the cop’s voice stops me cold.

  “Hold on.” He hands the satchel to Leah and then his fingers rests on his holster as he strides over. “Keep your hands where I can see, ‘em, Adam. And bring the bag out slowly.”

  I lift my arms higher, turning slightly to face him. There’s no doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me if I make a wrong move. But he’s also a seasoned veteran from the calm confidence in his movements and voice.

  “Sure, Jake. Whatever, just don’t shoot me, k?”

  “That’s Deputy Whittaker to you, kid.” He steps closer but keeps an arm’s length distance between us.

  “Deputy Whittaker, I’m going in real slow, keepin’ my hands up. I’m not armed and I don’t have any weapons in my bag.” My words are calm and steady. This can go bad real fast and I’m the one who’ll die.

  Margrit rushes over, shaking her finger at him like he’s a little boy. “Jake Whittaker! Please. Adam’s not a criminal! Do you think I’d allow him on my property if he was dangerous? You understand that I’d know if he was!”

  Leah joins in the fray, tugging at the old lady’s arm. “Mrs. Kovacs! He didn’t lift a finger when your kitchen was on fire! He’s tricked you somehow!”

  Jake has had enough. He barks at the two women. “Enough! Everyone stand back and stay calm. Just get the bag, and we’ll get to the bottom of this, shortly.” His eyes never strayed from watching me.

  “Okay, Deputy.” I step into the shed, keeping my hands high where I know he can see them. He’s right behind me watching like a hawk.

  I lift the duffel bag and hold it out from my body, walking back out the opening. “Do you want me to get my wallet out, or would you rather do it? Any way is fine by me. I’m not hiding anything in there.”

  “Unzip it and then empty the contents onto the ground.”

  I do exactly as he asks and my clothes and wallet cascade from the canvas bag, When he sees that there’s no weapon, not even a pocketknife, he nods. “Hand me the wallet, Adam.”

  Tossing the duffel bag aside, I reach for my wallet and hand it to him. He rifles through the layers and pulls out my driver’s license and Social Security card. After eyeing me once again and then the picture on my driver’s license he’s satisfied.

  “Adam Rafferty, right?”

  When I nod, Leah blurts out “You said your last name is Marshall!”

  Jake waves at her to quiet down. “This your real name?” When I nod he continues, “Watertown, huh? What brings you to Saranac Lake?” He still keeps my wallet in his hand, but his other hand has moved away from the gun holster.

  I look at Margrit and she nods, encouraging me to be truthful. My gut tightens but I take a deep breath and blurt it out in a rush. “There was trouble in Watertown and I got scared. Even though I had nothing to do with any of it, I took the first bus out of there. I met Mrs. Kovacs and have been helping her around here in exchange for a place to stay and food.”

  “What kind of trouble, Adam?”

  Oh God. This is gonna sink any goodwill that Mrs. Kovacs’ vouching for me has induced in him. “Two women were murdered, and the guy I lived with, Doug, was also killed.” I’m about to explain but Leah jumps in.

  “Murders! Oh my God! Mrs. Kovacs! You let him stay here! Did you know this?” She’s staring openmouthed at the old lady.

  “Of course I knew! I also knew he didn’t have anything to do with it.” She shrugs away from Leah and walks over to Jake. “He’s innocent. But someone made it look like he did it. He was meant to come here and meet me, Jake. I need to help him.”

  Jake’s hand rises and he shakes his head, blinking hard. “Hold on!” He looks at me, and with a jerk of his head, he signals for me to go to his car. “I’m running your ID through the system. I read about the murders, of course. You should have stayed to talk to the police, kid. Running like you did doesn’t put you in the best possible light.”

  I walk toward the police car and when I’m about ten feet away, Jake orders me to stop. He walks to the car, watching me as he gets in. Margrit and Leah stand close to the house taking this in. There’s no doubt in my mind that Jake is going to arrest me.

  ‘You won’t be arrested. Don’t be so melodramatic. Seriously. This could all have been avoided if you’d just cooperated. It’s not like I’m asking you to do something you wouldn’t enjoy.’

  Shit! It’s back! As if things aren’t bad enough, this thing, this evil creature that’s put me in this predicament takes this opportunity to resurface. So much for the cleansing ritual! I grasp my head in my hands yelling, “Get out! Leave me alone for ‘Chrissake!”

  The deputy gets out of the car, and this time the gun is out of the holster. “What’d you say? You’re in no position to be giving orders, kid. Especially not to me! You’re wanted for questioning in Watertown. No warrant for your arrest, but the detectives handling the murders there want to talk to you. Is there anyone you want to call? Your parents? A lawyer?”

  Margrit walks over to me, a look of horror in her old eyes. “It’s back. I can see it all through you, Adam. It tricked us into thinking we had lessened its power.” Her fingers clutch the amulet stone tightly and she stays a few feet away from me.

  Jake and Leah watch the two of us like we’ve lost our minds, which in my case isn’t that far from the truth except it isn’t lost, it’s hijacked.

  “Mrs. Kovacs? What’s going on here?” Jake’s voice is soft, but he hasn’t stopped pointing the gun at me.

  She turns on him. “He’s possessed, you fool. What he was afraid to tell you is that this demon is the one responsible for the murders. I am trying to help him exorcise it. That’s why we were at the lake and he’s covered with mud. It was part of the ritual.”

  Leah steps forward, her eyes almost popping out onto her cheekbones gazing at me. “Holy cow! Is that true? A for-real demon like in the movies?”

  But Jake is anything but impressed by Margrit’s revelation. After a massive eye roll he shakes his head. “If this were anyone but you Mrs. Kovacs telling me this, I’d... I’d...”

  He grits his teeth so hard I can hear them grind. He whips his head from side to side. “Shit! Not again! Why does this stuff keep happening to me? First the ghost in Alex Bay, then here when these crazy kids used the Ouija board!”

  Margrit sidles closer to him, putting her hand on his arm. “You can’t arrest him, Jake. Deal with this after we get rid of this demon that’s attached itself to him. Just a few more days. You can’t bring those dead women and his roommate back to life, but you may be able to help this boy.”

  He shakes his head again and sighs. “I can’t do that, Margrit. Leah was right in calling me. If this demon killed those people, what’s to stop it from killing you?”

  I blurt out the answer. “It already tried. It set the kitchen on fire, entirely on its own. I was nowhere near any of those people when they were murdered. I have an alibi for where I was when the women were killed. But the demon shot that to hell when it killed my roommate. Don’t you see? If you take me into custody, Margrit will b
e no safer. This brute can act remotely. It’s been herding me here with the murders to get its heinous plan underway.”

  Jake sighs, and he looks like his brain is completely frazzled when he speaks, “Oh. And what is that plan?”

  Oh boy. This is gonna be more than a little awkward all things considered. I sneak a look at Leah who is staring with her mouth open wide enough to catch flies.

  “It wants me to mate with Leah.”

  TWENTY ONE

  “WHAT?” Leah stumbles back, completely astounded. My face is like a furnace. Hell, I don’t need a mirror to know that even my neck is flaming red with embarrassment.

  “You can’t be serious! Of all the ridiculous pickup lines, that one takes the cake!” Her nose wrinkles like I’m a bad smell.

  “It’s not my idea, Leah. You’re not exactly my type, you know.” Although she totally is, if not for the nasty attitude. Yeah, gorgeous eyes and slightly athletic, long legs which I love in a woman—but that bitchy mouth... not going to happen.

  Jake holds his arm higher, shutting off anymore jibes between us. “Mate with Leah? You mean have a baby? This demon thing wants to have a baby? But why Leah?”

  “Jake! Why wouldn’t it want me?” She throws her hand to her mouth and her eyes goggle. “I mean…” Dropping her hand she shakes her head and screams, “Shit! I’m totally losing it here. A demon has singled me out to be the mother of its offspring. Not a human child, mind you. Welcome to Rosemary’s Baby.”

  “What? Who’s Rosemary?”

  She glares at me. “It was a movie, idiot! I’ve seen every horror flick ever made! It was—”

  “Will you two stop? You’re giving me a headache with your catfights!” Margrit snarls at Leah and then scowls over at me.

  Jake snorts, his gaze flitting between Leah and me, “Maybe they should get together. They sound like an old married couple.”

  “Jake!”

  “You’re right, Margrit. I’m sorry. It’s just that this is all so crazy; it’s making me crazy too. Of course, if my boss knew I was having this conversation, even giving any credence to it, I’d be fired so fast, it’d make your head spin.” He bursts out laughing. “Just like Linda Blair in The Exorcist.”

  I’m living a nightmare, and all this guy can do is bray like a donkey? “Hey! How about you guys just forget you ever saw me and leave Margrit and I to deal with this?”

  Leah skewers me with a look. “And miss this demon thing?” She draws back and her palm rises. “Doesn’t mean I want anything to do with you, Adam; don’t get your hopes up. But I want to see this. Besides, I want to make sure Mrs. Kovacs is safe. I still don’t entirely trust you.”

  Jake leans against the car. “I’m with Leah on that one. There’s no arrest warrant on you. You’re a person of interest the detectives want to talk to, so technically I can’t arrest you. Doesn’t mean I trust you, though.”

  “What?”

  Jake does another eye roll. “I told you that earlier. They just want you for questioning.”

  Wow. I was so convinced he’d arrest me that his words haven’t even registered. I can’t believe my luck. There’s no warrant for my arrest! Maybe Mike had something to do with that.

  “You ain’t home free yet, kid. But if Margrit thinks she can help you, I’ll give her a couple days. But I’m going to be around to make sure nothing bad happens to her.”

  Margrit pats his arm and thanks him with a small smile. She then turns to Leah. “Jake is staying, but you aren’t. It isn’t safe for you here. Maybe now you’ll believe me.”

  Leah shakes her head. “No way. I’m staying if he’s gonna be here.”

  TWENTY TWO

  WHILE JAKE’S ON HIS CELL PHONE TALKING TO HIS OFFICE, Leah comes over closer to me staring at me like I’m some kind of fascinating freak. “So aside from killing innocent people and setting fires, what else does this demon do?”

  I tug my shirt higher to show her the scratches that still show on my stomach. “It marked me. It’s also made me kind of a chick magnet.”

  She can’t stop the guffaw that bursts forth, “Yeah, right! How come it isn’t working on me, then? Which brings me to—why me?”

  “There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.” It’s out before I can filter it.

  Margrit clucks her tongue at us. “This isn’t helping, you two sniping at each other. I would think it’s obvious why it chose you, Leah. The beast is trying to mock Christianity. The virgin birth and all that.”

  I can’t help but look at Leah a little more closely. She’s a virgin? She’s probably seventeen or eighteen and still a virgin. Huh. Not many girls her age can make that claim. Especially with her looks. But the personality. Yeah. It figures. I mentally slap myself in the head. I’m nineteen and I’m one too—who the hell am I to slag her for being one?

  For a moment she looks rattled, turning to Margrit. “But it can’t actually do that, can it? Make me pregnant like Mary in the Bible?”

  I answer before Margrit has a chance. “No. Why do you think it needs me, Leah? It’s been leading me here to meet you. But unless this thing totally takes control of me, you don’t have anything to worry about.” But even as I say these words, a flash of her naked appears in my mind and I have to turn away. Is that the demon putting that there? Shit. I know it is.

  Margrit must have sensed the change in me as well because she pulls Leah in next to her. “I’m not asking you to leave, Leah. I’m ordering you.”

  Leah pulls away and then marches over to where I am, “So, your abilities... are they as strong as Margrit’s? Is that why this demon chose you?” She shifts her weight and her arms cross her chest.

  “Yes. Margrit’s power is more refined, much purer than mine. I usually have to touch things to be able to see them. She doesn’t have to.” Part of me wants to shut her down so she’ll get the hell away from me but another darker part sees her vulnerability. She’s obsessed with anything paranormal. She could be used so easily.

  “So, what did you sense about me when you touched me earlier?”

  There’s no hostility from her, yet this is a test nonetheless. I take a breath, purposely avoiding looking at her, “I know your Mom hates the fact you spend so much time out here. She thinks that Margrit practices dark magic like some kind of witch. Your father just tries to stay under the radar when your mom is on the warpath. You have a brother, Preston. He’s actually a good kid.”

  I can’t help myself from sneaking a glance. Yeah, her eyes are open wider staring at me. She’s convinced now and suitably impressed.

  “What else?” She moves closer, and I can smell her perfume, a clean floral scent.

  “Nothing. And don’t try to touch me to keep playing this game. Because it’s not a game, Leah.” I move farther away from her.

  But she follows like a lost puppy. “Were you always like this? Or did you suddenly find that you could sense things?”

  This is more about her than me. She wants to know if she can acquire my abilities. “I was born like this. I got the gift from my grandmother. That’s how it works—it’s inherited. That’s why this bastard chose me. It wants my power in its offspring.”

  “So have you ever used this power for good? Maybe finding lost children or helping police solve crimes? That could be cool.” Her eyes sparkle and she brushes her fingers through her hair.

  Oh God. She’s probably not even aware that she’s flirting with me. I take a good look at her. Is she becoming like the women in the bar, feeling a weird attraction to me? I don’t see anything dark in her aura besides the warm earthy tone that usually emanates from her.

  “You shouldn’t hang around me, you know. You were asked to leave.” I step away from her and look over at Margrit, but surprisingly it’s Jake who backs me up.

  “Leah. Go home. I’ve got this covered. There’s no place for you here. Call me tomorrow, and I’ll let you know how things are going.”

  Leah turns on Margrit. “Fine! I’m leaving! This is the thanks I get for
saving you, Mrs. Kovacs? You’re trying to help a guy who almost has you killed?” She’s ready to explode storming down the driveway to her truck. She opens the door and gives us an angry look.

  I glance over to Margrit. The look on her face shows me that she also sees the hurt of being kicked out emanating from Leah. The girl is well and truly pissed off, but her anger is coming from being hurt more than anything else.

  Even so, Leah fires up her truck; gravel and pieces of earth fly in the air from her spinning tires as she roars down the driveway to the road.

  I breathe a long sigh watching her disappear around the bend. Now that she’s gone, Margrit and I need to get back to exorcising this thing. Whatever she did before didn’t work, but there must be other ways.

  ‘You’re pathetic, Adam. Leah was perfect and you pushed her away. Small wonder you’re still a virgin.’

  It’s the final straw for me! But I manage to keep my voice inside my head: “The only one who’s pathetic is you! You kill innocent people and you don’t even care! I was supposed to just go along with your twisted plan like some mindless drone, but you made a serious mistake choosing me.”

  I turn away from Margrit and Jake when its hissed whisper invades my head again, ‘Your parents were right about you, Adam. You’re a loser. You could have been part of something great and you are too stupid to realize that.’