Paranormal After Dark: 20 Paranormal Tales of Demons, Shifters, Werewolves, Vampires, Fae, Witches, Magics, Ghosts and More

by Rebecca Hamilton

  “Okay?” Finn said.

  Cross blinked to get used to the shadows once more. Somehow they always seemed darker when he came back. “Yeah. Thanks.”

  “Wow, don’t hurt yourself on that gratitude,” Finn said.

  Cross didn’t want to, but he grinned a little and changed the subject. “How long have I been here?” He moved with a great deal more confidence toward the smell of food.

  “Couple hours. You were only supposed to out a few minutes. Guess they were a little generous with the sedative.”

  Cross found the kitchenette bar and pulled himself onto one of the stools. “They didn’t need to sedate me. I think Coben’s threat to hurt Kale would’ve sufficed.” He heard Finn move to the kitchen side of the bar.

  “They don’t trust you. Here” Finn placed a plastic bottle in Cross’s hand. “Water. Medical told me to give it to you as soon as woke up. Said you’d be thirsty.”

  Cross took the bottle and drank deeply as Finn put a plate of food in front of him. “Scrambled eggs at three o’clock, bacon at nine.”

  Cross ate without speaking until his plate was empty. He had seen the surveillance cameras through Finn’s eyes. Everything he said or did was being recorded so there was no point in a real conversation. He had nothing to say to Finn anyway.

  He pushed the plate away and considered Finn for a moment before speaking. “So now what? You’ve done your job and successfully placated me with food and water. If this plays out according to the department’s standard operating procedure, that would make you the good cop. That means the bad cops should be walking in any minute now.”

  “Jesus, Cross, why do you have to be so difficult? I don’t think you understand. This isn’t a game. Tanya is in charge now, not Coben. She’ll get what she wants out of you. Believe that. For God’s sake don’t put her to the test.” Finn almost sounded sincere. Almost like he truly gave a shit about what happened to Cross.

  Cross laughed. “Oh, I’m sorry. How truly inconsiderate of me to be difficult. What a bastard I am. I really should thank Coben. Oh and Gabriel, you know, the father who tried to blow my fucking head off when I was fourteen. The same guy who erased my entire life up to that point.

  “And let’s not forget you.” Cross paused for dramatic effect and to try to contain his emotions. “Thank you, Finn. My friend, my partner. Thank you for lying to me, thank you for betraying my confidences, my friendship.

  “Now tell me, who should I thank for locking me up, drugging me and monitoring me like a freaking test animal? Coben, Tanya? How about what they’ve done to my brother? You know, the brother everyone, including you, told me was dead. Who do I get to thank for that?”

  Cross slid off the stool. He wanted to hit something, anything, but settled on throwing the cane he still held, in Finn’s general direction. He didn’t think it hit him but something broke with a very loud and satisfying crash.

  “Trust me. I’m not playing any games. They took Niko. They took my entire life and then told me it was a lie. They took my brother. My brother, Finn. Now you tell me, what else could they possibly take from me?” His breath came in ragged gulps as futile anger surged through him.

  A soft click and the door locks disengaged. He sensed the changed in air pressure and the scent of fresh air as the outer door opened.

  “That’s enough.” Cross recognized Tanya’s voice. The door locks clicked back into place behind her. She wasn’t alone. The slide of a jacket being adjusted, more than one pair of feet moving. Subtle cologne mixing with her perfume. He wanted to send out psychic energy to see who he was dealing with but that took more focus than he was able to muster at the moment. Anger always impeded his abilities.

  “And you must be the bad cop,” Cross said. He was beyond caring what they did to him. If Tanya wanted a fight, he was more than willing to bring it. Let her try to lock him in a glass walled room. Let her fucking try.

  High heels clicked across the wooden floor to stop a few feet away from Cross. “Finn, you can leave. Your job here is done,” It was clear Tanya did not expect to be argued with. Finn did anyway. A small part of Cross respected him for that.

  “Wait a minute, what do you mean I’m done? Coben told me to stay here with him until further notice.”

  “Consider this further notice,” Tanya said. “You’re being reassigned. Coben will let you know what your next assignment will be. Until then I am putting you on two weeks paid leave.”

  “No fucking way. Six years and all of a sudden I’m reassigned?” Finn’s voice rose with every word.

  “Sucks, right?” Cross said.

  Finn ignored the comment. “You can’t do this, Coben told me-“

  “Coben may be in charge of the department, but I’m in charge of containment. Which means, that I am in charge of Cross. I have no further need of a babysitter so if I say you’re reassigned then you are reassigned. Leave on your own, Finn or Robert will escort you out of the building.” One of the presences Cross had sensed with Tanya shifted, Robert he presumed. Tanya never went anywhere without her security.

  Finn let out a growl. “This is fucked.” He walked toward the door. The locks disengaged but before he left Finn paused. “I’m sorry, Cross. For whatever that’s worth. I’m sorry.” He walked out, the door closed and the locks clicked back into place.

  “Are we done with all the drama?” Tanya said.

  “I want to see Kale,” Cross said.

  “First rule. You don’t get to demand things. You don’t get to ask questions. You get a free ride one time because I understand this is difficult. But the sooner you accept your place, the better it will be for you.”

  That was almost amusing. “Accept my place? As what? A specimen?”

  Tanya sighed. It had a sad sound to it. As if she had expected more from him. “Ten years ago, you tried to walk out of this department. In the process you killed a dozen men and woman under my command. Do you remember that?”

  “No, I know that’s what everyone tells me I did, but no, I don’t remember. Maybe the bullet Gabriel put in my brain has something to do with that.”

  “That’s all right because I remember it well enough for the both of us. You want to know what you did? I wish to hell you could see so I could show you the pictures but the description will have to do. As you tried to walk out of the only home you ever knew, you surrounded both you and Kale with a shield of pure energy.

  “My agents weren’t trying to hurt you. They were only trying to stop you. They were armed with Tasers and Co2 guns- tranquilizers. Non-lethal force.

  “I don’t know how you did it, but from what we could gather at the time, you boiled them alive inside their skin. Almost as if you trapped their own body heat inside them and then looped it back until they cooked. These were the same people who guarded you every day. Brought you food, kept you safe.

  “We were your family Cross and you turned on us. Twelve men and women. Twelve funerals, twelve families I had to explain to as to why their loved ones weren’t coming home. So you’ll forgive me if I am less than sympathetic to Gabriel’s treatment of you ten years ago. As far as I’m concerned losing your sight was a small price to pay for what you did.”

  The things she described, the things she said he did, they didn’t reconcile with who Cross always thought he was. “I don’t remember,” he said more to himself than to her. He tried to remember something, a feeling, anything. All he got were the images of the dead bodies surrounding him.

  He didn’t think he was the one responsible for their deaths. He couldn’t be. “I don’t believe you,” he said finally. He couldn’t have done the things she said. He was sure of it. If he killed those people the way she described, then maybe he did deserve to be locked up.

  “I don’t care what you believe. I know the truth, I was there. Even as a child, you always thought you were better than everyone else. You could have helped this department achieve great things, if only you weren’t so arrogant. You never cared about anyone except yours
elf and I can see that time has not improved that particular character flaw.”

  “You used us. You bred my mother just to satisfy your curiosity for God’s sake, and you call me arrogant. I might not have all my memories but I think I do recall that about you, Tanya.”

  Cross heard Tanya’s security move quickly. He put up a hand to ward off the expected assault. His arm was gripped hard.

  “No, let him talk, Robert. I want to know what he does remember.”

  The grip on his arm tightened for a moment before releasing him. Cross resisted the urge to rub the spot. “You want to know what I remember?” Cross thought it was ludicrous. “Sure, I’ll tell you what I remember. Up until about two days ago I worked for this department. I remember thinking I was protecting people from some pretty unstable forces out there. I remember thinking my brother was dead. That I grew up with foster parents because my own were killed in a car crash before I could even commit their faces to memory. I remember being shot in the head by the same bullet that killed my brother. Only now I understand that none of that actually happened. I don’t remember killing those people like you said, but I do remember the anger. Most of it directed toward you.” Cross gulped air as that anger flared to life inside of him. “Maybe you should remember exactly what made you so afraid of a fourteen-year-old boy that you had to brainwash him to make him safe.” From somewhere deep inside of him Cross listened to that anger. He raised his hands and scooped raw energy out of the air. He felt it seething as he held it between his palms.

  “I’m giving you one chance to stop this now, Cross.”

  “Why? So you can put me in a cage like you did with Kale?” Kale, God he needed Kale now. Kale could tell him what happened that day. He was the only one who could. He would believe Kale. “I want to talk to my brother.”

  Cross never heard Robert move this time, but in the next moment his entire body seized up with pain. He dropped to the ground, unable to breathe, unable to move. The energy he had collected dissipated. His entire world was pain. When he could, he sucked in air and rolled into a ball grunting out small noises he never heard himself make before.

  “That’s what’s called an attitude adjustment. Robert just discharged a Taser into you. That was the lowest setting. Do you understand?”

  “Fuck,” Cross choked out the word. He had never felt anything like that before in his life. At least not that he could remember. He was pretty sure he never wanted to feel it again.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Stand up.”

  Cross did his best to comply, but his body still wasn’t taking orders from his brain. A rough hand pulled him to his feet and shoved him into a chair. All Cross could do was breath. “I’ve been more than patient with you,” Tanya said. “That little demonstration you just provided is more than justification for what I am doing. You see, Cross, whether you remember it or not, you are one of the dangerous people you used to protect us from. You might not remember what you are capable of, but I sure as hell will never forget.”

  “What the fuck do you want from me?” Cross yelled when he finally caught his breath.

  Instead of an answer the Taser was shoved into his side once more.

  Cross sucked in air and tried to back away, but he had nowhere to go. Once more raw pain coursed through him as he fell to the floor again. It was worse this time. He was sure the Taser wasn’t on the lowest setting anymore.

  Again rough hands grabbed him and threw him back in the chair. His body still seized from the jolt it had taken.

  “You don’t ask the questions.” Tanya reminded him. “As far as Kale goes, let me make this perfectly clear. You’ve been told your brother is alive. That’s as much of a concession as you get. That’s more than I wanted to give. You will not talk about Kale. You will not even mention his name again. And you most certainly will not see him, let alone speak to him. Ever. If you break any of those rules or dare to threaten me again there will be no more warnings. I will do nothing to you. I will punish Kale. Do you understand?”

  Cross’s body still shook with remembered pain. He might not believe the things Tanya said he did, but he sure as hell believed she would do exactly what she said she would to Kale. He swallowed and lifted a shaking hand to wipe at his face.

  For the first time since he woke up in medical, Cross was afraid. He hated that. He hated that Tanya made him feel that way.

  Holy fucking fuck!

  “Do you understand?” Tanya asked again. He felt the Taser pushed against his side and jumped at the contact.

  “Yes. Yes, I understand.” He held his hands out in submission, hoping the answer would satisfy her. He froze until he felt the Taser prongs removed. He let out a pent up breath, then slid off the chair and collapsed to his knees.

  “That’s better,” Tanya said. “Now we can begin.”

  Something cold started deep inside of Cross.

  Begin what?

  Chapter 8

  CROSS COULDN’T REMEMBER what she wanted from him. Whatever it was, it was clear he was not satisfying her demands.

  Tanya would ask him a question. He would answer. Robert would hit him, or if he was feeling particularly creative, he would use the Taser.

  At first she wanted him to show her what he was capable of doing. She wanted him to try and call up the energy as he had when he threatened her.

  He couldn’t. He didn’t know how.

  He tried to tell her that, but she wasn’t interested in excuses. Tanya wanted results and Cross failed her at every turn. Eventually he lay in a heap on the floor, crying like a child, begging her to stop, promising her things he couldn’t possibly give her, if only she would stop. He didn’t remember being taken to the bedroom, he didn’t remember much of anything except Robert and the Taser.

  He didn’t want to move, for fear they were waiting for him to wake up to start all over again, but stiff muscles begged for release. He turned to his back and an involuntary groan escaped his lips. He desperately needed to talk to Kale. If he ever needed his brother to show up in his head, it was now. But maybe Cross could show up in Kale’s head. Cross had told Finn the truth about them communicating that way when they were younger. But that had been before a bullet and little brainwashing had messed with his abilities. He didn’t know if he could contact Kale that way anymore. Until recently he had no reason to try. He’d thought Kale was dead. As much as Tanya wanted to know what Cross could do, he wanted it more. He simply couldn’t remember how.

  Kale. It all came down to Kale. If only Cross could talk to him, he could figure everything else out on his own. Tanya might be waiting for exactly this. Maybe that was the purpose behind the endless questions and beatings.

  Cross didn’t care. Kale. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his brother and nothing else. Just Kale. It wasn’t easy. He hurt everywhere and he had no idea if what he was doing was even feasible. The only image he could grab onto was that of his fourteen-year-old brother. Cocky grin, messy hair and attitude.

  I need you, man.

  His brother had told him he was the only one Cross could trust. Kale had been the one to warn him, the only one who had watched out for him even when he wasn’t aware of his presence.

  But what if Kale was just another lie.

  Cross couldn’t write him off that easily. He’d done that once already when he believed Kale to be dead. The bond they had ran far too deep. If Kale was alive, he deserved more than becoming only a ghost of a memory.

  You there, man?

  Cross was too desperate to feel stupid, so he tried again. Hell, maybe he was going crazy, at this point he didn’t care. A quick slide into insanity might be preferable to this reality.

  Come on Kale, if you are alive, I need you now.

  “Hey man.”

  Cross opened his eyes. Kale was sitting next to him on the bed “Hey.” He didn’t question why he could see Kale. He assumed it worked much the same way as when he saw through Finn’s eyes. He didn’t wonder why after days of silence his br
other had finally appeared to him. As relief surged through him, all Cross could feel was gratitude.

  “Told you they were fucking with you,” Kale said.

  Cross grunted out a laugh. “Can’t argue with the truth.” He turned his head to get a better look at his brother. He looked like he always looked, forever fourteen.

  “Are you a ghost, Kale? Or am I crazy?”

  “Are they still going with the whole, Kale’s dead, thing?”

  “They told me a lot of things, not the least of which is that I’m a sociopath with homicidal tendencies.” Cross motioned to his eyes. “They also told me you saved my life.”

  “Fuck that. Fuck them. No way. This is not what was supposed to happen. You were supposed to stay safe. Listen to me. I don’t have a lot of time, but you need to know, no matter what they tell you, no matter how they mess with your head, this- you and me? That’s real. You trust this and nothing else. Do you understand?”

  “And how do I know you’re just not something else they’re messing my head up with? They told me you were dead, then they told me you were alive. I don’t know what to think.”

  “Point taken. Okay, here,” Kale pulled up the sleeve on his right arm and turned it over. From wrist to elbow there ran an old faded scar. “Do you remember this?”

  “I don’t know what I remember anymore,” Cross said.

  “Just look.” Kale took hold of Cross’s left arm. He rested it on his knee and pushed the sleeve up revealing an identical scar.

  “Let me help you remember.” Kale held out his hand.

  Cross took it, he had never touched Kale before when his brother appeared to him. The hand he grasped was solid, and cold like marble. A slight static shock flowed through him at the contact. Then suddenly a flood of images filled his mind. Kale was helping him to remember. He was seeing Kale’s memories.

  A tree house built under a sky light in the enclosed garden. It was small and they were always guarded when they used it but it was the best place a ten-year-old boy could ever ask for. For Cross and Kale it had been a refuge. The ritual had been Kale’s idea, of course, but Cross had no problem with it. He wasn’t scared. He remembered thinking–this is cool.