Demons LLC (Damned and Cursed Book 7)

by Glenn Bullion

  "Lisa, thanks for everything," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Thanks for the shirt, even if it's a little tight."

  She laughed. "Hey, take what you can get. That's actually one of my old ones."

  "Nice. I have to get running along."

  Setting her beer down, she stood up to see Alex off.

  "Okay. I have to say today was definitely a weird one. I've never flown over my town before."

  "What?" Nate said. "She knows? You flew—?"

  "Don't take this the wrong way," Lisa said. "But I hope we never meet again."

  Alex smiled and nodded. "I understand."

  Lisa walked Alex to the door, with Nate following closely behind. He left without another word. Walking down the flights of stairs, he only picked up speed as he neared the bottom. He shoved the door to the building open and stood in the middle of the sidewalk.

  "Okay, what now?" Nate asked. "Fly?"

  "No. I can't follow street signs from the sky." He glanced at the directions once again and smiled at Nate. "Try to keep up."

  "What—?"

  Alex shifted to the spirit realm and ran.

  *****

  The corner streetlights of Stewardtown lit up as Alex ran in the middle of the road. He didn't tire when he moved through the spirit realm, but he did have to slow occasionally to look at the directions. Nate ran beside him. They moved with purpose, taking shortcuts whenever they could. They ran through cars and the corners of buildings.

  "Hey, Alex," Nate asked. "I know it's been a while since you were fifteen. But do you think a high school senior would go for a sophomore?"

  Alex glanced at his friend. Perhaps it was the day he had, but he wasn't able to truly put his thoughts into Nate's question.

  "I don't know, Nate."

  "If you think about it, I'm actually older than Kylie. I've been dead longer. So, I'm more mature, right?"

  He laughed at the logic.

  "Hey, I guess you've got that going for you."

  "I know it's weird. I never, ever thought this would happen. But the more time I spend with her…it's just…." He had no words. "I wish we could have met when we were alive."

  "Better late than never."

  "She's so…quirky. And I'm the first one to say I never thought quirky was hot. Until I met her. It makes no sense."

  "It never does. Look, about Zoey…."

  "What about her? She's cute, don't get me wrong. But Kylie—"

  Alex fought frustration, but couldn't help but laugh.

  "Enough about Kylie. You watched Zoey all day. What did she do? Did she call anyone?"

  "That girl needs to eat a sandwich, for one thing. Maybe like two or three. She's in bad shape, man. Didn't leave the basement all day, didn't eat anything. She goofed off on the computer, listened to music, cried for a bit. It was rough watching her. It messed Kylie up a little. We actually got bored for a while. But then Zoey got up and actually took a shower. Now, do not freak about this. I didn't mean to see, but she just dropped her clothes right in her bedroom. Skin and bones, man. She looks really bad. We followed her to the club, and I came and got you."

  Alex nodded, taking in all the information. He wished he could have taken notes.

  "What are you thinking?" Nate asked.

  "I don't know. This could be a complete waste of time. I just wonder if we're getting the whole story."

  Alex and Nate rounded their last street corner, and saw the club ahead. It wasn't very hard to spot. The parking lot was full, and cars were lined up and down the street. Even on a weeknight, there was always an audience for dancing and drinking. Young men and women dressed inappropriately for the season made their way inside. The sight reminded him that it'd been a while since he spent the night with Cindy and their friends on the town.

  He was surprised to see Kylie standing in the middle of the road. Cars drove through her, but she didn't seem to notice. She stood motionless, staring at the club before her.

  "Kylie?" Nate said as they approached her. "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, I'm fine."

  "Is Zoey inside?" Alex asked. "How come you're not in there?"

  She held out her arms. "I can't go in there looking like this."

  He took a step back, taking her in. With the exception of the black shorts, she looked very similar to the night she died.

  "Uh, does it really matter?"

  "Of course it matters!"

  "I think you wore that shirt, didn't you?"

  "And we all see how that turned out!" She paced and adjusted her glasses. "I'm not going in there like this. No one ever noticed me. I tried to tell myself I didn't care, but it bothered me. Zoey is so beautiful. That night, everyone looked past me and only saw her. That's how it always was. I'm sick of it."

  Alex and Nate watched as Kylie suffered a mini-meltdown. She walked up to three young women making their way into the club. She stared at the one in the middle, wearing a short skirt and revealing tube-top. Kylie held her hands up as she copied the woman's clothes, with the exception of her sandals.

  "There. How's that? Do I look sexy?"

  Alex said nothing. He glanced at Nate, who had his own look of concern. Meltdown or not, Alex was impressed at her growing abilities.

  "The glasses probably aren't helping," Kylie said. "Well, I'm dead, so I shouldn't need them."

  She ripped them from her face and tossed them. They disappeared in mid-flight. Kylie blinked twice and smiled, but the glasses reappeared on her face. Scowling, she tossed them again, with the same result. The eye-ware was a part of her identity, whether she realized it or not.

  Kylie dropped to her knees and cried. Alex's heart hurt as he watched her sob. Every ghost had issues they went through after death. Reflecting on a life cut short brought about regrets the ghost didn't even know they had.

  Nate knelt in front of her.

  "Kylie, you don't have to be like Zoey or anyone else."

  She laughed sarcastically. "Yeah. This is coming from the guy who camps out in girls' locker rooms."

  He looked up at Alex. "There really is no way for her to see? No demon mirror or something she can use?"

  Alex shook his head. "No. Maybe I can get Kevin to magic something up. But the way light and mirrors work in the spirit realm, I'm sorry. No reflections."

  "She just doesn't see how gorgeous she is."

  Kylie held up her palm. "Nate, just stop."

  "I'm serious. Well, I'm not sure about the tube-top. Although it does show off…certain things. Anyway, yes, you're gorgeous, hot, beautiful, whatever word you want to use. You look good in jeans, shorts, glasses, anything. I know this might be bad timing, since…you know, you just died and everything. But after all this is over, I was going to ask you on a date."

  She laughed as she climbed to her feet.

  "Yeah, right."

  "I'm serious. Alex, help me out here."

  He nodded. "I believe it. He wouldn't stop talking about you on the way over here."

  Kylie wrinkled her nose.

  "How would that work?"

  "I'm still working on that part," Nate said, looking down and shrugging. "I've never been on a date before. But I have some ideas."

  She reached for Nate's hand. "Thank you for trying to make me feel better."

  "Well, you're welcome. But I wasn't just saying it. We should go out. We'd have fun."

  The transformation was amazing. Suddenly Nate was nervous and flustered, while Kylie was smiling and full of confidence. She squeezed his hand.

  "You think of something cool, and we'll do it," Kylie said.

  The look in her eye told Alex no matter what Nate picked, Kylie was all in. They were a cute couple. She took a step back, and her clothes changed once again. The skirt and tube-top vanished, with her familiar cat shirt and black shorts taking their place.

  "Oh, thank God," Nate said. "The legs are distracting enough."

  "Okay, guys, I'm going to head inside," Alex said, nodding at Kylie. He put a hand on
her shoulder. "I know this is hard, but it might really help if you come with me. Closure, healing, maybe a loose memory or two."

  She stared at the club and took a deep breath. Adjusting her glasses, she scooted closer to Nate.

  "Are you going in?"

  He laughed. "You two wouldn't know what to do without me."

  "Alright. Let's hurry before I lose my nerve."

  *****

  Alex remembered why he wasn't fond of the club scene the moment he stepped inside. The loud music assaulted his ears. People were moving and gyrating shoulder to shoulder. In what he imagined was all carefully engineered to bring about a sense of intimacy and fun, for him only brought claustrophobia. Plus there was the simple fact that he didn't drink. The only reasons he enjoyed being at a club was spending time with his friends, and watching Cindy dance.

  He paid to get inside, a mistake he wished he could take back. At least he could claim it as an expense for Demons LLC. There were two levels to the club. Even the steps leading to the second floor were lined with people. Finding an empty section of wall near the pool table, he leaned back to collect himself.

  Three women and a man were playing pool, each taking turns. One of the women smiled at Alex and pointed to the selection of warped pool cues behind him.

  "You want to join us?" she asked.

  He politely shook his head. "Uh, no thanks. I'm just trying to get some air."

  "You might be in the wrong place for that." She laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

  Kylie, who was only a few steps behind Alex the entire time, leaned in close. She said something, but he only picked up scattered words.

  "What?"

  "I said," Kylie raised her voice. "I think she's giving you the eye."

  He glanced at the woman and caught her glancing at him in return. She smiled once again before lining up suggestively across the pool table to line up a shot. Alex looked at his finger to make sure his wedding ring was still there, which it was. Some people simply didn't care.

  Nate stood not far from Kylie. He surveyed the floor, searching all around him for Zoey. Kylie stayed near Alex, her eyes wide.

  "Are you holding up okay?" Alex asked.

  She took a deep breath. "Yeah, I think so. Sorry for going nuts outside."

  "Do you remember anything?"

  "Not much." She let out a small laugh and pointed to the bar. "I remember that bartender over there. He had a thing for Zoey. Was trying to sneak her a drink or two."

  He shook his head. "Serving alcohol to a minor. Probably not the smartest thing for his career."

  They shared a laugh before Kylie leaned in close again to whisper.

  "Can ghosts change their hair color?"

  "I'm not sure. That's…never really come up before."

  "I know Nate likes redheads. And I've always kind of wanted to dye my hair anyway."

  Smiling, he nudged her shoulder, drawing a look from the women nearby as he conversed with someone they couldn't see.

  "I don't think Nate would change anything about you."

  She adjusted her glasses and watched Nate, affection in her eyes. Alex had seen stranger things. Two ghosts finding each other and possibly starting something. Why not?

  Nate joined them while keeping his eyes moving across the dance floor.

  "You know, this place reminds me of a crazy fight that broke out at a party I was at in Colorado. You should have seen it. This dude—"

  "Later, Nate. Have you seen Zoey?"

  "Not yet. The best way we'll probably find her is to actually be out on the dance floor." He grabbed Kylie's hand. "Let's go."

  "Whoa, wait. You mean…dancing?"

  "No, of course not. We'll be looking for Zoey. And if it just happens you want to dance—"

  "I don't dance, Nate. I've told you this before. On Halloween, that wasn't dancing. That was you pestering me for ten minutes until I let you put your hands on my hips. Which doesn't make any sense. It's not like we can feel—"

  Nate shook his head and dragged her away.

  "Man," he said. "And people tell me I talk too much."

  Alex laughed and turned his attention to the young crowd around him. Spotting Zoey would be difficult with the sea of bodies swaying back and forth. The second level was open in the middle, giving an overhead view of the first floor. He'd have a better vantage point from above.

  He pushed his way through the crowd, keeping an eye out for Zoey. He thought about slipping into the spirit realm. Walk through torsos and heads. But he wanted to be seen. He wanted to give Zoey a chance to see him first.

  It took almost two minutes and several nearly-spilled drinks to make it to the stairs. He worked his way to the railing next to a group of men ogling women from above. He didn't see Zoey, but did spot Kylie and Nate dancing together. Kylie wasn't terrible, but Nate needed a lot of practice. They made no effort to look for Zoey. Alex was angry, but only for a moment, when he noticed how happy Kylie was. She leaned her head back and laughed at Nate's terrible moves, and reached forward to hug him. They dipped in and out of the bodies around them. She wasn't thinking about how her life ended, or obsessing over catching her killer. She was just having fun with a new friend.

  As much as Alex liked tallying up the dollars, watching Kylie slowly heal was worth more.

  On the other side of the dance floor, Alex finally spotted Zoey.

  She was dancing with a guy not much older than her, maybe two years at the most. Her clothes were meant to impress, although she had trouble filling them out. Her black leggings were loose on her thighs, her blouse not quite fitting right. The dancing was suggestive, with her partner grinding up against her from behind. The stranger had his arms around her waist, with Zoey leaning her head back onto his shoulder and grabbing the back of his hair. He wondered if it was the person in Zoey's story, the one Kylie didn't approve of.

  At first glance, Zoey simply seemed to be cutting loose. She hadn't been taking care of herself, nor letting anyone else take care of her. She'd spent weeks in her basement, had mourned Kylie's death, and was finally ready to live life once again.

  Alex couldn't help but feel there was more to it than that.

  "Kylie!" he shouted.

  They didn't hear him at first, and Alex had to shout several times. Finally, the pair looked up at him and waved. Their faces turned serious when they saw him pointing.

  His curiosity piqued when Zoey and her companion stopped dancing. She whispered something in his ear. Her words brought a large smile to his face. She grabbed his hand and led him through the crowd, toward a door near the back.

  Alex vanished, drawing a startled gasp from the man next to him. He walked through the railing and fell to the first floor. His form merged with a group of women dancing. He could feel their skin, tissue, blood, organs. It wasn't a pleasant sensation.

  "Alex?" Nate called, pulling Kylie with him. "What's going on?"

  "It looks like Zoey is leaving. Let's go."

  The trio had no trouble moving through the living. They caught up to Zoey as she left the club through the back door with her friend. She was laughing and walking close to the man, their arms around each other. The door led outside, and Alex was relieved when they left the music behind.

  They were in an alley. The lighting was very poor, with trash and litter spread about. The back of a strip mall was on one side, a large fence on the other. Zoey and her friend walked slowly, without a care in the world. He tried to let his hand drift below her back, only to have it smacked away.

  "No, no," she said. "Save something for later."

  Alex followed closely behind with Kylie and Nate.

  "Jesus," Nate said. "This isn't exactly romantic, is it?"

  "Do you know him?" Alex asked. "Ever seen him before?"

  "I don't think so."

  Alex and Nate walked ten more steps before realizing Kylie had stopped. She glanced at her surroundings. The brick wall to her right, several trash cans to her left. There was a light p
ole with a burnt out bulb. A shattered window leading into the back of an abandoned laundromat was just over her head. A look of fear crossed her face.

  "I've…been here before."

  "You're remembering something?"

  Her pain and frustration were obvious. The shadows of a memory death had stolen from her, so close to the front of her mind.

  "No. God, this pisses me off."

  Alex turned to see Zoey continuing down the alley. They were holding hands now, and the man was singing. Badly. The alcohol was taking its toll. Kylie jogged to catch up.

  "You know, I just thought of something," the stranger said. "I don't even know your name."

  "Don't worry. You don't need my name for what I have in mind."

  Kylie frowned and wrinkled her nose.

  "That ain't Zoey."

  Nate stared. "Uh, it looks like it to me."

  "No," Kylie said strongly. "I've known her since middle school. That's not her. She wouldn't act like such…."

  "A whore?" Nate finished.

  She eyed him dangerously, but relented. "Yeah," she said, adjusting her glasses. "The alley's going to hit a wall up ahead, and turn right." She gripped the sides of her head. "Owww…."

  Nate reached for her. "Kylie? Are you okay?"

  "My head hurts."

  She was right. They made a right, and spent several more minutes walking the alleys of Stewardtown. It was almost like a maze. Alex kept a close eye on Kylie. She kept up, but he could see her in distress.

  "My feet are starting to hurt," the man complained. "Where the hell are we going? You said you wanted to party. Well, this don't look like no playground to me."

  Zoey suddenly kicked a trashcan out of the way and pushed him up against the wall.

  "We can have our party right here," Zoey said.

  The air rushed out of the stranger's lungs, but he smiled. He adjusted his shirt as she invaded his personal space.

  "It's a little dirty back here, isn't it?"

  She wasn't deterred.

  "You don't want to get a little dirty?"

  Kylie fell to one knee, and Nate rushed to her side. Alex wasn't sure where to look first. Zoey made out with the stranger enthusiastically. He tried to lift her shirt, but she resisted. Kylie's leg gave out from under her, sending her to the ground on her side. Nate paid no attention to the romantic show before them. His focus was entirely on Kylie.