13:17: PARANORMAL THRILLER (Time of Death)

by Candy Crum

  “I’m sorry for yelling at you,” I said. “I suppose I’m just overly sensitive about all this. It’s still so new and I’m still holding on to human values.”

  “Yes, you are. Once you learn to let those go, you’ll feel much better. Your father will help with that. Tristan. Tristan, your father. Your father, Tristan, will help you with that.”

  “You can say his name and relation to me a thousand times, but it’s not going to make it any less true,” I said.

  “I keep hoping that it’ll somehow make me accept it,” he said.

  “Be careful. He could be like Betelgeuse. Say his name three times and he’ll come popping out of nowhere.”

  His eyes widened. “I hope not.”

  Chapter Ten

  On my way home, I realized that Cass had been right. I really did feel like a new woman. I felt satisfied, like I could actually function in the real world. I didn’t feel angry or upset otherwise. I felt like me again. It was nice. Though I didn’t like the thought of having sex with multiple people just to survive, I did like the thought of being stronger. Suddenly the good doctor’s idea of being a superhero didn’t seem so silly. Maybe I could use my strength for good.

  I’d always loved the idea of going into the military or being a cop, but it seemed like doing something along those lines could be dangerous. If I “died” on the job, it would be kind of fishy for me to show up Monday morning. Perhaps that wouldn’t be a good idea after all, but I still wanted to explore possibilities.

  My phone dinged when I got out at the gas station. I went inside to get coffee and chocolate, opting to ignore the text entirely until I got back in the car. I didn’t like walking around texting like everyone else. When I unlocked the phone, I nearly dropped that boiling hot coffee right in my lap. It was a photo of Will and Officer Andrews sent from Will’s number. They were bound to chairs and gagged. They looked to be okay, but that could change at the drop of a hat.

  I called Will, hoping that someone would answer. My blood was on fire and someone was going to pay for what they’d done. The call was ignored. I wasn’t surprised at all. I’d only just hung up when the phone dinged again. It was another text from Will’s number, only this time it was an address. I started my car and took off faster than I should have. Let a cop try to pull me over. One of their own was caught up in the mess.

  Andrews was supposed to escort Will to a safe house. Somehow, that must have been interrupted, or the safe house location had been compromised. I wondered if someone was dirty, or if Jay was just that good. He was about to shit his pants when he saw me again.

  Or was he?

  Why would that photo have been sent to me? To my phone?

  “Shit,” I said out loud to myself.

  Jay knew that I was alive, but how? I haven’t seen him anywhere. I hadn’t been back in my house. Oh… but I did have my car back. Maybe he’d had someone watching the house when I came to get it? Jay was after me. He wanted me specifically and he was using Will and Andrews to lure me out.

  I used the voice command to search for the number to the gym. I called and Cass answered.

  “Thanks for calling…”

  “Shut up! There’s no time for that!” I shouted.

  “Well, that’s a bit rude don’t you think? And after all I’ve done for you?” he said.

  I rolled my eyes. He was a smartass.

  “This isn’t a pleasure call, thank you very much. I forgot to get your number in the aftermath of what happened in that shower and then you figuring out who my father was, so I had to call the gym,” I said. “Something’s happened and I need your help.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My friend, Will, and Devon Andrews have been taken. The only guy that I can think of that would do this is an assbag named Jay. I don’t know his last name. He’s the local big bad drug dealer. He knows about me. He has no idea what I am, but he’s killed me twice. He’s after me specifically, but he’s going to kill them both. I know it.”

  “Fuck. That’s not good. It appears you’ve been a bit messy,” he said.

  “Hey… It wasn’t my fault that I was a completely innocent and sweet human girl that got shot in the chest by a man when her best friend dragged her into fully armed drug den. And it also wasn’t my fault that I somehow survived only to be shot at point blank range in the head by the same douche when trying to save Will. This shit keeps happening. This guy has to die. He’s seen me somewhere. He knows I’m alive. The first shot I could have survived through surgery. I didn’t, but that’s the possibility that probably went through his mind. The second time, however, my skull and brains were splattered all over my bedroom floor. There was no coming back from that, yet here I am. He knows I’m not human and I have no idea what he’s about to do with that information. Please. Can you help me? I can’t let them die because of me. Andrews is your friend. Please help.”

  “No need to beg, beautiful. Just tell me where and I’ll be there,” he said.

  “I’ll forward you the text message with the address in it. It’s over by the lake. I’m a hell of a lot closer than you are, so you’ll have to hurry.”

  “I will. Please try to stay calm. Don’t burn off all the energy that you have with adrenaline now. Save that for when you are there. You are fueled and ready to go. Remember that. You are stronger than they are. You may not be as strong as a vampire, but you are way stronger than any human. You can drain the life out of them. You can bend them to your will. They are yours. Nothing can touch you. Will and Andrews will stay safe as long as you keep a level head. Understand?”

  Cass was a great pep talker. I liked it and I needed it, otherwise I would run in there and get my best friend and Andrews killed. I thanked Cass and we hung up. As promised, I sent him the address and sped up. It was going to take quite a while before Cass showed up, but I hoped that it would be soon enough that he could help me.

  When I arrived at the address, I was not surprised to see that it was a warehouse. Bad guys loved their warehouses, especially when dealing with large quantities of drugs. I parked down the street and ran up. A little over halfway there, I realized that might have been a stupid idea. If I found a way to bust them out without anyone seeing us, then I’d have no getaway vehicle close. If someone was injured, I’d have to drag them all the way there and risk being caught.

  It was too late to turn back.

  I saw lights further into the building. My mind was swimming. Was it better to just knock on the door and walk in, or was it better to break in the dark half of the building, where I stood at that moment, and try to sneak up on them? It was an impossible situation for someone that had no idea what they were doing. I prayed that Cass would get there quickly.

  Breaking in seemed like the better option to me. It didn’t take much for me to break the lock on the door, given my increased strength, and I made my way in to the dark side of the building. It was so dark, but my eyes adjusted beautifully. It was amazing to me how great my night vision was.

  As I made my way through the building, moving through door after door, I began to hear loud voices. The rooms that I walked through were packed with various equipment that I imagined were used for making very illegal things. There were large crates all over, but I couldn’t tell what was in them. I didn’t care. I just focused on using my increased agility to move silently through the darkness.

  I wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed since I’d begun making my way through the building, but I’d assumed that it hadn’t been long. I’d been wrong.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Cass whispered from behind me.

  I jumped, but managed not to scream, thank God. I could have hit him.

  “I’m doing my best to stage a rescue mission. What are you doing?”

  “Making sure you don’t die, that’s what. I know you can’t see them from here, but I know you can smell and feel them,” he said.

  “Yes? So?”

  “Can’t you sense how many there are?” />
  I shook my head. “No. This is no time for a lesson. We need to get out there.”

  “I disagree. This is the best time for a lesson, or they will die and so will you. For real. He knows you’re not human. He’s going to kill you in some other way. A much more effective way, if you get my drift. There are some things you just can’t come back from, little girl.”

  “Mia will do just fine. It’s nice that you don’t know my name, by the way.”

  “You never gave it,” he said. “Now shut up and listen. I can hear… roughly twenty heartbeats in that room. I’m fast, but I’m not that fast. Someone would end up dying. A strong succubus would be able to bend every human in that room to her will. I can compel that many, but it would be one at a time. Your father would be strong enough to do something like that. I don’t know if that kind of power is born in your kind, or if it is something that grows over time, like it does in vampires. Hard to say. Regardless, you’re going to need to tap into your power and try to compel as many as you can.”

  “We’re all gonna die,” I said. “It’s always been triggered by fear.”

  “Your friend is out there and about to get his fucking head blown off because you don’t believe in yourself. Because you need justification, like fear, for using your powers. Is that real enough for you? Does that frighten you at all?”

  I wasn’t sure if he could see my furrowed brows, but I was annoyed at his new brand of pep talking. I liked the other kind.

  “Yes. It does.”

  “Good!” he said. “Now let’s get started. You’re going to go out there and announce yourself.”

  “Yeah. That sounds like a great plan,” I said.

  “I can’t go out there. My presence will cause panic. Will and Andrews could die. Your presence will stun them. Just do it. You’ll be surprised at what the adrenaline rush does for you and your abilities. A few rules. First, don’t let them grab you. If they do, they can kill you for real. Secondly, make it sound like you know exactly what you’re doing and who you are. Make them terrified to approach you. Walk out there like your Tyra fucking Banks hitting the runway. They are human. You’re a succubus. Your presence alone will be enough to catch them off guard. Your hair is wet and you look sexy as hell. Use it to your advantage.”

  “I can only do that when turned on. Cass, I’m afraid.”

  He stepped forward, sliding one of his hands between my legs as his mouth lowered to my throat. His fingers pressed against me as he placed an open-mouthed kiss on the very place that he’d bit me not long before. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I could feel it becoming more receptive to the energy around him. His mouth moved up to my ear then, his voice low as he spoke.

  “Just remember everything that I did to you in that shower while you walk in there. Your arousal is the link to your power. There are twenty men in that room that you can bend to your will. Each of them could be your slave. You could make each of them pay for their mistakes with only a single look from you. I can smell how turned on you are right now. Use it to your advantage. Take them. Take them all.”

  He pulled back and I found myself angry that he’d done so. I wanted more, so much more, but I remembered we were there for a reason. It was crazy to me how clouded my brain could be then.

  Cass turned me to face the door. He was right. Feeling the way that I was at that moment, I could stop all of them if I wanted to. I hoped that I could anyway. It would confuse them long enough for something to happen, at least.

  I made my way into the room, no longer caring how quiet my steps were. Looking to the left, I saw my reflection in a window as I passed. My eyes were glowing bright red. Good. I wanted them to know exactly what they were facing. I highly doubted that Jay told them much of anything about me. He had no idea what he was facing. Truth be told, neither did I minus a name. Succubus.

  The men in the room rose from their seats, reaching for their weapons as they scrambled around. Will and Andrews were still bound and gagged in the center of the room. Cass had been right. There were roughly twenty men standing around awaiting orders, but I didn’t see Jay anywhere. I stopped my advance, watching as each of them slowed their movements. They weren’t sure what to do because, as Cass had suggested, they were enamored with me.

  Seeing the numbers before me, staring at me with wide eyes and open jaws, I was caught between the exhilaration of having them under my control and the fear of losing it. I had no control. I was running off the fumes of what Cass had given me moments before.

  “Drop the weapons,” I said, taking a few steps forward.

  They looked at one another, unsure of how to proceed. It was a small blow to my confidence which was not at all a good thing. I decided to try again. I did my best to feel for their energies. I could feel them in the room, but it was like they were just out of my reach. How the hell had I connected so easily with others that I’d compelled before?

  “I said… drop the weapons. Now!”

  A few of the men began setting their weapons down on the floor.

  “No!”

  My eyes darted to the left of the room. One of the men hadn’t been in my control at all. He was just confused as he watched everyone else doing what I’d asked them to do.

  “Jay said not to look at her! Don’t trust her!”

  In my panic, I began to lose control on some of the men in the room. A few of the men brought their weapons back up as some of the others reclaimed the ones they’d placed on the floor. A gust of wind blew past me as the few guns and rifles left on the floor began disappearing. There was a loud noise just behind me and I risked a glance to find Cass tossing them down.

  “You couldn’t have done that earlier?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Seemed like you were doing just fine. I didn’t want to risk damaging your control.

  “Valid point.”

  “What are you?” I turned and saw that the same man that had spoken before was speaking again. “Answer me bitch!”

  I didn’t like being called names. It made me angry. Very, very angry. I felt some of the will that I’d had before coming back, only from rage this time instead of arousal.

  “I’m not someone that you want to fuck with. I suggest that all of you lower your weapons and take several steps back,” I said.

  Some of them fought themselves. I had only enough control over them to make them doubt themselves, but not actually obey me.

  “Cass. Something needs to be done. Like, now,” I whispered to him.

  “I can kill them, but not fast enough for them not to make this rescue mission completely pointless.”

  He was right. It was dangerous for either of us to move, but it seemed like it didn’t matter anyway. The man that had defied me earlier took a step forward and lifted his gun, pointing it directly at the back of Andrews’ head from a few yards away.

  “Stop!” I called out.

  It did nothing.

  “Shit,” Cass said. “You’ve lost them. I’ll draw fire. You get the guys out of here.”

  The gun fired and my entire body locked up as I waited for Andrew’s brain to be splattered all over the place, but it didn’t come. Cass had made it in time, taking the bullet in the stomach for Andrews. At that moment, Cass was my hero.

  Cass began darting all over the room, drawing attention to himself by vanishing only to reappear somewhere else. The men were all focused on him then, guns raised and some firing. I ran to the center of the room and began loosening the bonds on Andrews’ hands.

  “I’m going to get you out of here,” I told them. “Where’s Jay?”

  “He’s not here,” Will said as I removed his gag. “He told them not to look at you or trust you. He also told them to take your head off. He wanted it brought to him so he can know that you’re dead for real.”

  Gunshots were firing from all over the room. I was terrified one of the guys would catch a wayward bullet, or that Cass would get shot too many times and slow down. I didn’t want to lose any of the three men there
with me.

  “Cass won’t be able to keep this up for long,” Andrews said. “They’ll give up on trying and go after you. They want you specifically.”

  “Shit. Despite Cass’ efforts, I’m still too new to control my abilities. This could get bad. Once I get you guys untied, get as low as possible and move to that room over there. I know the way out from there.”

  I’d just finished freeing Will’s feet when a shot was fired. Many shots had been fired, but this one echoed louder than the rest. Blood seemed to almost explode everywhere, covering the front of me. I licked my lips and recognized the taste. After wiping my eyes, they opened to see Will slumped forward. It had been his blood that soaked me. I was completely covered in it and it dripped from my face. He’d been shot in the head. Killed instantly.

  Everything seemed to move in ultra-slow motion. My adrenaline was in overdrive and the world around me seemed to move so slowly. Nothing made sense at that moment, and it only got worse. So, so much worse. Another shot was fired and I was sprayed with even more blood. I managed to peel my stunned eyes away from Will to see that Andrews had been shot in the throat. He was gasping for air, but was only managing strangled gurgling noises as the blood filled his lungs.

  Cass had the shooter in his arms, tearing his throat open with his teeth. I imagined that the shooter’s aim was foiled by Cass catching him just as he made the shot. I had no doubt the true aim was for Andrews’ head, just as it had been for Will’s. I was happy to see him getting what he deserved, but he hadn’t been the one to shoot Will. I turned my head forward again, everything still slowed way down as my shocked state worsened.

  The man that had shot Will had been the very one that had defied me earlier. The very one that had tried to shoot him before, but had been stopped by Cass. There he was… Standing right behind Will’s slumped over and very dead body, his gun still raised and pointing over Will’s back directly at my face. He had such a dark look on his face. One that told me he’d killed before and he would kill many, many times over in the future. He had no remorse for it. He was a murderer and he planned to take my life, too.