by Lee Isserow
He took a deep breath, let it out with a yawn that he tried to dispel. It had been a long day of staking out the house, on top of a long week of tracking the box with his crude attempts at scrying and divination, from its last location all the way back home in Australia. He almost got caught at the scene of that one, amongst the blood-spattered walls, the grotesque mess of flayed flesh, and skulls that had been pounded into a pink and grey mush―ground to the point he couldn't tell bone from brain.
He had arrived too late that time, but he had also gone in with a cavalier attitude that was not conducive to getting the job done. This time, he would be smarter. He would not let the creature have its fill, not again. Its path of death and destruction would end there.
Assuming he was at the right “there”. . .
The warm embrace of slumber was a spectre on the periphery of his thoughts. Its siren song sounding so inviting. His eyelids growing heavy as he nuzzled into the seat of the car. He had never sat in a heated seat before, it was like a warm baseball glove holding his body. It wouldn't hurt to just knock the seat back a few turns, get more comfortable. After all, he reminded himself, comfort is an important part of stakeouts.
*
An ungodly scream woke him. It was dark, night had fallen whilst he had been asleep, and the agonising howl was most definitely coming from the house. He burst out of the car, peeling straight into a run across the road. Damn being seen―there wasn't time for subtlety. His fingers danced through the air just before his shoulder slammed straight into the door, blowing the latch apart into its individual components as it swung open, each of them clanging to floor as they bounced off into the darkness.
The wail ceased. Sickly slopping sounds, slapping and sloshing somewhere deeper in the house. His ears pricked up, all too aware that there was no logical explanation for why the screaming would stop on his entry. Not unless the creature had finished with its latest victim. Or, worse still, was lying in wait for a more substantial meal. . .
Cautiously, he stepped from the wooden floorboards on to a Persian-style runner carpet that went along the length of the hallway. It'd dampen his footsteps, and if he were lucky, the damn thing wouldn't hear him coming for it. Not that luck was often on his side.
Scanning the darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust, he caught sight of a postcard sitting on a sideboard, a generic 'we tried to deliver' slip, from an unfamiliar courier. He pocketed it, and continued onwards. There were no further sounds in the house, but there was a breeze coming from somewhere ahead. Turning left through the closest door, he found himself in the sitting room, to the left was one of the windows he had been monitoring for the best part of the day. And to the right was the old woman. Or at least, what was left of her.
Her body lay faced down, clothes torn open from the back, skin ripped apart, revealing her crooked spine and ravaged organs to the world. Lying in a pool of her own fluids that was spreading out, slowly seeping into the carpet around her.
He cursed himself for not acting sooner. The creature had been there, but whether it was still there was another matter entirely. Tentatively, he walked towards the body, stepping around it, out of the reach of the withered old hands. He had learned the hard way that the hands of corpses he encountered often had a habit of grabbing him at inopportune moments. The door to the back garden was open, sending a cool chill through the house. There was a sound at the door. Not at the back door, but the front, where he had entered. A light, hesitant knock, followed by a shrill voice shouting “Hello?”
He held his breath. Froze in place. Running into the house was an idiot move, and he knew it. Someone must have seen him. . .
“Mum? You left the door open again!”
A daughter. That's why she was cleaning the house. . . not some damn manifestation of the thing that crawled out of her. He grunted to himself softly, there was no time to check the rest of the house, he had to get out of there. Soft, plodding footsteps were already coming his way. He slipped through the back door and darted across the garden. He was too late again, and this one was on him. There was no sign of the creature, no sign of the damn box. Once again, it had slipped through his grasp.
- - - -
The Spirit Box is available now
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Other Books By The Author
The Circle chronology
(free) Murder at Raven's Lodge (free)
Rafe Clarke is a magical private investigator. He's by no means a great detective, but sometimes the last guy you're willing to call is exactly the guy you need. . .
The Spirit Box (Freelancers #1)
Ana's grandmother has died in a horrific fashion, and soon, she finds herself under assault by the same supernatural forces.
With nowhere to turn, Rafe, a low-level magical detective comes to her aid.
But all is not as it seems with the entity that's hunting Ana down.
Nor is all as it seems with Rafe, or Ana for that matter.
Everyone has secrets, and some secrets are powerful enough to kill.
Shadowmancer (The Circle #1)
Jules was born with a gift, but until now, he's only used it for small and selfish reasons.
That will all change as he's inducted into The Circle, a mystical espionage organisation that puts the gifted to work, saving an unknowing world from malevolence that hides in the shadows.
And Jules knows shadows all too well; he can command them to do his bidding...
(free) The Loiterers (free)
Rafe’s house has been under surveillance - and as soon as his back is turned to teach Ana magic, they take full advantage.
All of a sudden, Rafe and Ana find themselves chasing the thieves around the world - because if the loiterers escape, there’s no telling what damage might be done...
The Roving Death (Freelancers #2)
An unexpected dinner guest seems the most innocuous of occurrences – however this guest heralds something dark and deadly that is spreading across London.
But death is the only way to defeat death – and Ana never signed up for murder. She'll have to decide whether she truly wants to be a freelancer after all... But the clock is ticking, and the mundane world is unprepared for what has been unleashed upon it.
The Knowledge (The Circle #2)
The world is dreaming. Dreaming of things that would be impossible whilst they were awake. Until now.
Something is brewing in the minds of the mundane populous. Those that could not command magick are finding themselves able to do unimaginable things.
But even The Circle's combined might pales in comparison to the untold power of a creature that in no uncertain terms. . . is a god.
The Prince of Darkness (Freelancers #3)
A man who can control shadows is terrorising the magical community of London. Performing a grand ritual that could rip the very fabric of reality apart.
When Rafe and Ana discover their connection to the Prince of Darkness, they find themselves pulled in to his scheme whether they like it or not.
Because the Shadowmancer is not working alone. Someone is pulling the strings. And the only way they can find out who, is to bring the entire world to the brink of oblivion. . .
Red Rain (The Circle #3)
The disappearance of the most powerful magickian in all the lands has left a power vacuum.
In his absence, something beneath the ocean is preparing to take the world for its own
And as a portent washes upon the streets, making them slick with rain as red as blood , the operatives at The Circle must take it upon themselves to save the world. Because they are the last bastion, the thin line between survival of the human race. . . and the death of all things.
Spirited Words (Freelancers #4)
A plague is spreading. It writes on skin, bringing the innermost thoughts of its victim to the surface.
Until there is no more skin to write on. Then... it brings death.
Ana and Rafe are completely unaware of the plague, caught up in case after case - until someone they're close to is infected.
Soon, it's a race against the clock to save them - and there's only one way to stop the spread. To pass it on...
Snake's Kin (Freelancers #5)
Something has been biding its time, waiting for its inevitable release, and as Rafe and Ana's relationship progresses to the next level, it is set free, and will wreak vengeance. And if it rules against them, it's not only their love that will pay the price. . .
Ana's life will be forfeit.
*
In The Blood
A serialised novel in four parts
Ben Graham has always dreamed of monsters, ever since he witnessed his mother's murder as a child.
All too soon, Ben will become such a monster, as he plots to kill the man who took her life.
But soon, Ben will discover that not only are there real monsters out there, but that he is uniquely qualified to destroy them...
Because Ben's blood is not like everyone else's.
It's alive. And it has a ravenous hunger that can't be sated.
Part 1: The Blood Lives
Part 2: The Blood Lies
Part 3: The Blood Flows
Part 4: The Blood Bath
*
Touch Sensitive
John has a condition, a sensitivity. He absorbs the memories of whatever or whoever he touches.
The cops call him in to help on a gruesome murder that only someone with his gift can solve. The memories from the mutilated body are going to send John's life spiralling out of control, force him to cross every line, betray everyone who trusts him.
But he wants – he needs – to find the killer.
Because the one thing that's clear about the woman behind the crime, is that she's a sensitive too.
*FREE* Touch Sensitive spin-off: A Sensitive Time
She lies with him in bed, holding him close. The exhaustion from all the grief finally overtook him, and he had fallen into a restless sleep. But something is brewing inside her, a change in her chemistry, and as she listens to his breathing she'll find out more than she ever wanted to know about the man she loves.
*
Due Date
Returning home from work, Nina discovers her door ajar, signs of a struggle, and her pregnant wife, is missing.
The kidnappers call. Issue a ransom, and she gives in to their demands, follows their instructions to the letter. But it becomes increasingly clear that this kidnapping isn't about the money, isn't about her or her partner.
It's about the impending due date.
What A Day To End The World
There are a billion realities out there, each protected by Jump Division, an interdimensional task force dedicated to preserving the stability of the grid.
However, not all agents are created equal. Some, are just arseholes.
Marcus Hayes is one such arsehole.
He's loud, brash, walks away from explosions in slow motion, and pretty much everyone hates him.
After yet another mission going awry due to him being a dick, he's stationed on a mundane world as punishment.
But as a threat to the world looms, it becomes apparent that this reality isn't even close to being as boring as it's supposed to be.
*FREE* WADTETW spin-off: Tangents
A quirky tale of accidental trans-dimensional wandering, told by a narrator who is anything but reliable…
*
The APEX Cycle
@
At 21, Cassie’s life sucks. So on a whim, she starts farming her decisions out to Twitter.
Before she knows it, the lives of her family and friends hang in the balance, and she’s racing against the clock to discover who’s pulling her strings.
NLI-10: The Human Trials
Ten years ago, the company killed her parents, now Sarah is going to take them down from the inside.
She joins one of their clinical trials, certain that it will lead to uncovering evidence.
But as the trial gets underway, she and the other subjects realise that it's changing them, programming them, installing false memories and taking away their emotions.
If they don't do something about it before their tenure ends, they might not be human much longer.
*FREE* NLI-10 prequel: The Whistle
Inspired by a series of whistle-blowers over the last few years, Scott and Jennifer decide the work they've been doing for their nefarious employers needs to be brought into the light.
But the company is far more prepared, and willing to go further than either of them could have ever expected, to make sure the whistle stays silent.
Footage
In a city of ten million, under glass eyes of six million cameras, Jared evades their networked stares,watching those who are watched.
But he’s starting to see more than others. He’s also hearing voices, thinks he’s being followed, surveilled, and has no idea how much – if any of it – is real.
All he knows is that to get to the truth, he has to keep watching
*FREE* Footage prequel: Testing Ground
Skelmersdale has always been a testing ground for pilot schemes.
Nathaniel Myra visits to investigate how the latest trial is going, but discovers that strange things are afoot in the quiet, dull town. The residents aren't adjusting at all well to this latest scheme. Not well at all...
Beyond Footage
Jared has acquired a unique gift for observation.
He sees what's there, and what's not.
He knows you. Your past. Your future.
He knows he's being hunted, by a man who's more than human.
He knows he needs to leave the country, and he knows the voices aren't real.
But what if they are?
NLI-10: Root Protocol
How can you trust your friends when you can't even trust yourself?
The network wants a revolution. Thanks to the company that experimented on them, they have the means.
But the company is prepared for the coming battle, and have an ace up their sleeve...
NLI-10: Re:volution Televised
On the run, hunted by AI and pursued by the law, there's nowhere they can hide.
But the network is no longer interested in hiding.
They're ready to take centre stage, and tell the world what was done to them.
*
Comedic novellas
Dead City
Jon Gilligan is the only living man in a city of the undead.
He narrates his daily routine in the style of a noir detective, casting himself as a hero to all those around him.
When he stumbles on to a conspiracy, it's time for him to be a hero for real, break out of the city and his noir fantasy to save London's Dead City from itself.
I Hate Time Travellers
Five years ago, everyone became a time traveller. Everyone but Luke, who now lives in a world where practical jokes are up 60,000%, his roommate insists on having 12-self orgies in front of him, and every potential girlfriend has dumped him for stuff he hasn't done yet.
Luke suddenly finds himself on the run from a government agency with the intention of slicing him up for experimentation.
No wonder he hates time travellers
...
Simon & Emily Are Going To Hell
Simon & Emily are in love. They’re also damned to hell.
It’s complicated, but trust me, I’ll walk you through the details.
Be warned: this is a story that requires lots of words to be told, lots of tangents, lots of sex, even more BDSM, and far too many expletives. Jane Austen, this is not.
In this tome you’ll find Faustian deals, sex, expletives, comedy, sex, angels and demons, tragedy, expletives, comedy, horror, comedy and expletives.
And it’s funny, did I mention it’s funny?
Also, the world ends and the heroes go to hell.*
*Spoiler alert
Murder By Natural Causes
George Walther Stott took his final breath,and died of natural causes with a smile on his face. For even though he was passing on, he would have the last laugh.
