“Yes, I’m sure.” Raelyn walked towards the kitchen, continuing her recap of her run in with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Auraless. “It’s like he was a blank slate. He had all of the physical signs of someone in mourning, red, watery eyes, a runny nose, except no aura.”
Trinity shrugged, uncertain of what to say in this situation.
Neither of them really understood Raelyn’s abilities. Both of them were baffled by this unexpected development.
“Tonight was the viewing, right?” the ghost asked. “That means tomorrow morning he’ll be back for the final rites before the body leaves for the cemetery.”
Raelyn gave her friend a wary look, the assessing tone putting her on edge.
“I’m not going to like where you’re going with this, am I?”
“You’re going to have to check him out tomorrow,” Trinity decided. “See if he’s still auraless.”
Raelyn’s face heated up at the thought of seeing the handsome stranger again.
“Wait a minute.” Trinity observed her blushing friend. Screw the aura issue, this was more important. “You think he’s hot!”
“What? No.” Raelyn weakly protested. “Not really.”
Her ghostly friend glared, unconvinced, and Raelyn’s resolve quickly crumbled.
“Ok, maybe he was a little cute.”
Trinity crossed her arms, never breaking eye contact with her stubborn friend.
“Alright, he was gorgeous,” Raelyn confessed. “The hot man of any woman’s fantasies. Are you happy now?”
A victorious smirk settled on the ghost’s face.
Raelyn rolled her eyes. Trinity was the most loyal person she’d ever met, an ideal trait in a best friend. Unfortunately, she was also persistent, and took it upon herself to have a vested interest in the state of Raelyn’s love life.
Of course, her last relationship might also have something to do with it. After Brady broke up with her for being too weird, Raelyn spent the next three weeks locked in her apartment wearing ice cream-stained yoga pants and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt. Her mother and her best friend tried to convince her that her life was not really over.
That time was not one of her prouder moments.
Raelyn was still repaying her fellow embalmer and good friend at the nearby funeral home, Shane Murphy, for keeping her fully stocked in double-chocolate fudge ice cream, while covering her workload during her depression.
Tonight’s run-in with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Auraless was the first time Raelyn had shown an interest in anyone of the opposite sex in months. There was no way that Trinity was going to pass up this opportunity.
However, this was a delicate situation requiring just the right amount of pressure. Too little or too much would elicit the same reaction, Raelyn would balk and refuse to come out of her shell.
Trinity shifted gears.
“Ok, forget about his good looks for a moment. Let’s focus on something else. Is this man really auraless?”
The ghost floated higher, issuing her orders.
“Tomorrow you’ll set your alarm to wake up early so that you can catch him when he arrives.”
Raelyn pouted as she pulled out her turkey meatloaf leftovers to heat up for dinner.
“You know if you don’t do this it’ll just keep bothering you. An auraless man? You’ve said so yourself, that’s impossible.” Trinity pressed onward, adding a little spice into the mix. “Think of his missing aura like a mystery that must be solved.”
Raelyn grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator. Her silence paved the way for Trinity to close the deal.
“This is your opportunity to eliminate the impossible and discover the truth. Just like Sherlock Holmes.”
Raelyn sat down and glanced over at her latest book, a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Sometimes it really sucked having a friend who knew her so well.
Trinity was right, Raelyn had a weakness for unsolved mysteries. Everything always has an explanation, it’s just that sometimes one has to work a little bit harder to figure it out. Even if that meant she’d have to get up a little bit earlier for a change.
Raelyn sighed.
“Alright, I’ll wake up early and check him out tomorrow morning.”
Delighted, a pocket of cold air caressed Raelyn’s skin as the ghost began her victory dance.
◆◆◆
After her shower, Raelyn began her nighttime routine. She swapped her top and jeans for an oversized sweatshirt and pants, and added her favorite pair of fuzzy slippers. Moving into the bathroom she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and added a nighttime cream that claimed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles for younger-looking skin every morning.
Raelyn studied her face in the mirror. She’d used this cream for three months and had not yet noticed a difference in her thirty-five-year-old skin.
She frowned at her reflection. At five foot three, with China blue eyes, dark blonde hair, and a petite build, she’d never been embarrassed by her looks before, but now that she was getting older she’d begun to notice the first signs of aging. She fingered a gray hair, debating whether or not to pull it out.
But what was the point?
She may not like that she was getting older, but it wasn’t like there was a whole lot she could do about it. She was halfway through fixing her braid when her smartphone buzzed and landed screen down on the floor.
Cursing, Raelyn rescued the phone. Thankfully the screen hadn’t cracked, and she put the call on speaker so she could finish her hair.
“Hi Mom.”
Raelyn sat on her bed as her hands deftly maneuvered dark blonde locks into a tight braid.
“Hi honey, I hope I didn’t wake you,” Colleen asked.
“No, I’m still up.”
“Good listen, Nancy’s going to be out for the rest of the week with the flu. Tomorrow morning I have the funerals for the Mercurio and Stubbs families. Can you cover the phones while I’m out?” In preparation of her daughter trying to avoid interacting with the public, Colleen sweetened the deal. “JavaBean’s got their fall drinks out, I’ll bring you a large pumpkin spice latte.”
Raelyn’s mouth watered at the temptation of her favorite drink. But she wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to appease her sweet tooth.
“Add in a pumpkin pecan crunch muffin and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
“You’ve got it honey. I’ll see you in the morning. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
Raelyn climbed under the covers, her concerns about growing older now forgotten. She was excited for the first time ever to cover the front office. Not only would she get her favorite fall treats for free, but now she also had the perfect excuse for hanging around on the first floor. It would give her an opportunity to conduct her investigation into the mystery that was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Auraless.
The fact that she’d also get to see him again had absolutely nothing to do with her excitement. Nothing at all. She settled back into the pillow as she imagined what his body looked like underneath that custom-made suit.
A man dressed in a suit. It was like unwrapping a Christmas present. She pictured him looking at her with his lust-filled gray eyes, letting her set the pace. She’d reach up and slide off his jacket, then untuck his shirt, before undoing each of the buttons and letting the shirt fall to the floor. His chest would be toned and firm, and his muscles would tighten under her fingers as she slid her hand along his smooth, sculpted torso, down to his waist.
Raelyn exhaled. What was she doing? Mr. Tall, Dark, and Auraless was a mystery to be solved, not a man to fantasize about. Clearly she’d gone without sex for far too long if the mere sight of one hot man in a suit could excite her like this.
She turned off the light, rolled over, and prayed for sleep to overtake her before her imagination got away from her again.
Chapter 4 - Julian
Julian rubbed his irritated eyes as he read the report from the local news station website for the deceased man at the funeral home.
Mark Stubbs, a thirty-six-year-old electrician was killed when his car went off the road and collided into a telephone pole. The Raspville Sheriff’s Office reports that the unseasonably cold evenings led to icy road conditions that appear to be a factor in the fatal crash. Mark Stubbs was pronounced dead at the scene and there were no passengers in the car. State Police have issued an alert for drivers in Raspville to use extreme caution on roadways and they remind drivers to drive at slower speeds and remain alert for icy road conditions. This is the third fatality on Route thirty-five in the past two weeks.
“Master, your dinner is ready.”
Julian pushed his laptop aside as a silver tray was placed in front of him. Removing the cover, the smell of roast chicken and vegetables wafted up from the tray.
“Thank you, Hineker.”
The demon glanced at the news report as he moved beside his master.
“His soul was devoured by a demon,” Julian said. “The third fatality on the same road in the past two weeks.”
Julian clicked on additional tabs, summarizing the news reports and obituaries, looking for clues.
“The first victim was Travis Robinson, a fifty-four-year-old bus driver who left behind a wife and twelve-year-old son. The second victim was Jonathan Hall. He was a divorced forty-five- year-old who worked in pharmaceutical sales. He left behind twin daughters, eight years old. And now we have our third victim, Mark Stubbs, who is being buried tomorrow.”
“Are either of the first two victims still at the funeral home?” Hineker asked.
“No,” Julian shook his head. “They weren’t all at the same funeral home either. Only Jonathan Hall and Mark Stubbs were at Bakowski Funeral Home. Travis Robinson was at the other funeral home in the area, Bond-Latimer.”
The bad news continued.
“Neither of the first two victims was buried either. The second victim, Jonathan Hall, was cremated earlier this week. Travis Robinson’s service was late last week.” Julian scanned the page. “Robinson was Thursday last week,” he confirmed.
This was unfortunate news, for if the prior victims’ bodies had still been available, it would have been easy for Julian to confirm if their souls had also been devoured by a demon. Now they were stuck playing a guessing game.
The sooner they could find and kill the demon, the better.
“We should check the area tonight,” Julian said.
“Of course, Master Julian.” Hineker replied, delighted at the prospect of exercising his duties as an enforcer demon.
◆◆◆
It was after midnight when the Range Rover made a U-turn in the middle of the road and continued back down the way it had come on Route thirty-five. The road was dark, quiet, and empty, providing a false sense of security. If it hadn’t been for the news reports and police blockade, one would have never thought that anything had ever happened.
“This isn’t working,” Julian observed. “We’ve been up and down this section of road six times already, and there hasn’t been a single spark of demonic energy.”
The demon master ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated by their lack of progress. He’d just spent the past twenty-four hours traveling from New Jersey to Tennessee, attending the viewing of his late aunt, and now driving around in the dark on a deserted road searching for a demon.
“It’s been a long day Master Julian, perhaps it would be best if you retired for the evening.”
“You’re right,” Julian agreed. “We’ll have to try again tomorrow.”
◆◆◆
After tossing and turning for over an hour, Julian finally gave up on trying to fall asleep. He stepped out onto the balcony, enjoying the private view. Despite the late hour, the downtown area of Nashville was busy as people moved to and fro, enjoying the local nightlife. Julian envied the people below, people who lived their lives oblivious to the creatures among them.
Humans believe that they are the most evolved beings in the universe. But they’re wrong. The living realm is filled with many other creatures, and some are stronger, faster, more intelligent, and more powerful than humans.
The demons are one of these creatures. Prevalent in literature, occultism, spirituality, and folklore, it’s ironic that these supernatural and often malevolent beings portrayed as fanciful imaginings of writers actually do exist, possessing abilities that a human would describe as magic.
Hineker, Julian’s personal assistant, was a Daemon Tamen Coercitor, or enforcer demon, one of the seven elite warriors of Tenebris. Strong, intelligent, and powerful, enforcer demons were a key player in the demon games. The demon games was a competition to see how long a summoned demon can stay in the living realm before they are found and killed by an enforcer demon. Summoned demons that are not found continue to serve their master’s wishes for as long as the human shall live. Upon the human’s death, the summoned demon is rewarded the soul of their demon master before returning to the underworld to play again.
Julian gripped the railing as he peered down at the city below. The same alternating colors continued to flash in the distance. Red and blue, red and blue. He was too far away to see clearly, but the stationary, alternating colors suggested a police cruiser had stopped in the vicinity.
Julian felt a camaraderie with the unknown officer down below, for in some respects, their roles and responsibilities were quite similar. Protect the public, maintain order, and prevent chaos—for each of these areas the demon master and the police officer sought to do the same thing.
However, there was one area in which the officer down below and the demon master on the balcony above were very different. A person decided to join a police force, typically after completion of some type of formal education.
Julian didn’t choose to become a demon master, he was born into it and his life was ruled by it. He had his great-great-grandfather to thank for his current predicament. Due to the nature of the contract Theodore Rickelson initiated with Hineker over a hundred years ago, the enforcer demon was bound to the men of the Rickelson family for as long as there was a living heir. As the sole survivor, upon Julian’s death Hineker would devour his soul and finally be returned to the underworld.
Julian shivered. It was a fate he tried not to think about. Instead he focused on the piece of his life that he could control, helping Hineker with his duties. He might not be able to stop his own soul from being devoured upon his death, but at least he could help the enforcer demon prevent other innocent souls from meeting the same fate.
◆◆◆
The chilly night air sent Julian back inside the penthouse suite. Crossing the living area, he stopped in front of the wet bar, debating whether or not to make himself something to drink.
“Would you like a nightcap, Master?” Hineker asked.
Having spent years with Hineker at his side, Julian had long grown used to his silent approach. The demon master turned around, assessing the cream-colored drink in the demon’s hand. The glass was garnished with cinnamon sticks and an orange slice.
“What is it?”
“Milk and honey.”
A look of uncertainty crossed Julian’s face as he accepted the glass. Taking a sip, he discovered that the drink was sweet, with a mixture of holiday spices, stone fruits, herbal nuances, and the bite of a liqueur.
Despite the simple name, there was clearly more than mere milk and honey in the glass.
“It tastes like brandy mixed with gin, sweetened with honey and milk.”
“The spice and sweetness is from the Bénédictine,” Hineker said. “I remember when it was first produced in France during the nineteenth century.” The demon nodded approvingly as he accepted the empty glass. “Those monks really knew their liqueurs. Bénédictine contains twenty-seven plants and spices. It’s still one of my favorites.”
The demon master’s shoulders slumped forward, his muscles relaxing as the alcohol took effect.
“I suggest you get some rest, Master.”
Julian nodded and took th
e stairs up to the second floor. He shuffled towards one of the bedrooms. In the hallway he passed a floor vase holding a large display of flowers. He stopped and fingered one of the buds, the color seemed familiar. It was China blue. The same color as the eyes of the woman he’d accidentally run into at the funeral home. He smiled, remembering the look of surprise on her pretty face. Her stunning blue eyes were one of many things that had immediately captured his attention. Her skin had looked smooth and fine, and he’d wanted to touch it just to see if it felt as soft as it looked. Her dark blonde hair had been pulled back into a braid and he’d wondered how long her hair was when it was left wild and undone. He remembered the feel of her petite body pressed up against his own and his cock stirred with interest. His schedule lately with Hineker had been both busy and intense, leaving him no time to do anything else.
Julian rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension in the muscles from stress and lack of rest. It’d been a while since he’d spent a night with a woman.
Maybe too long.
Julian continued onward to the bedrooms. He was bound to be in town for at least a week to investigate the demon killings, perhaps even two. Maybe a night with a pretty southern girl would help him to relax and unwind before he had to return to New Jersey.
◆◆◆
Hineker remained still, listening as his master settled into bed. Within minutes the demon master’s breathing slowed into the pattern of sleep.
Satisfied that Julian was resting, Hineker began inspecting their new living space, assessing what his master would need for an extended stay. The five thousand square foot, two-level suite boasted three bedrooms, a spiral staircase, and a number of guest amenities including a full kitchen, living areas, writing room, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush furnishings, and a large floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace.
Food and extra clothes went on the demon’s shopping list. Recalling the dark bags under Julian’s eyes he added another bottle of Bénédictine too. He’d once read that humans typically needed seven to nine hours of rest to function properly, and that quality sleep was just as important as quantity.
Demon Aura Page 3
