Hell's Belle

by Karen Greco

  Once inside, I filled a large bowl with water and put it on the floor in the kitchen. She lapped it up happily as I dug through the fridge looking for something to feed her, coming up empty.

  Dr. O warily knelt down to get a better look at Dog. "When did she show up?"

  Babe was hovering by the stove, grinning.

  "The other night," I said with a shrug.

  Dr. O smiled at Dog who gave him a little lick and pawed playfully at his hand. He nodded at Babe.

  She stepped toward Dog with her hand out. Dog gave it a sniff and then let Babe smooth the fur along her strong head. "You have a Hell Hound as your familiar."

  I burst out laughing as I looked into the expectant brown eyes gazing up at me. Hell Hound. Please.

  Dr. O sighed. "You didn't pay much attention in my mythology lectures, did you?"

  I cringed. Truthfully, I spent much of his mythology lectures plotting ways to kick Frankie's ass, who was my fight instructor at the time. I figured ass-kicking would be more useful in the field than mythology.

  "If you had been paying attention you would have known that this beautiful animal is indeed a Hell Hound, and that Hell Hounds are not necessarily evil." Dr. O crossed his arms.

  I hate it when I disappoint Dr. O, but I was still feeling a little rebellious. "I thought she was a Rottweiler. And what's all this crap about ‘a familiar?’"

  It was Babe's turn to sigh and look annoyed. "Apparently, you weren't paying much attention in your history of witchcraft courses either."

  "Well, actually," Dr. O said, looking positively chagrined. "I didn't push too much witchcraft on her."

  Babe's eyes were so wide I thought they were going to pop out of her head. "How could you?" she choked out. "You knew she could show witch tendencies."

  "There was such a slim chance..." Dr. O trailed off as I cleared my throat.

  "Yeah, you guys can argue about my education later." My patience was wearing thin. "What's ‘a familiar?’"

  "A familiar is an animal that is a witch’s closest companion. They are different things to different witches, and looking at the size of yours I’d say you have a protector.” Babe pointed at Dog, whose ears perked up at the attention.

  "Great," I replied. "What do I do with her?"

  Babe looked angrily at Dr. O.

  "I bet you taught her all about Druid history," she snapped before turning to me. "She's your ally. She will try to keep you safe, serve as an extra pair of eyes and ears. She will be the most trustworthy partner you could ever want."

  Dr. O nodded in agreement. "She is actually the best familiar you could ask for." He smoothed her fur and felt her muscular physique. "She is a Church Grim, a guardian spirit. This dog will fight for you to the death."

  Babe snorted. "Of course she is. Familiars are always well matched to their charges."

  "But Auntie, you don't have any pets," I blurted out.

  Babe's angry eyes softened. "What about Cookie Puss?"

  "The bar cat?"

  Cookie Puss was a tiny black and white cat that let out monster hisses if anyone who wasn't Babe tried to go near her. She was so feral every veterinarian in the state refused to see her.

  "She's more than a good mouser," Babe smiled.

  I looked at Dog, who by now was sick of all the talking. She made herself comfortable on the couch. And before I could boot her off the cushions, she stretched out and yawned. I flopped down next to her and she dropped her huge head in my lap.

  Absently scratching her ears, I thought about Casper. He claimed to be a witch. A witch's blade was found at his murder scene. And I, apparently, was a witch.

  "Babe," I began, closing my eyes in hopes that the exhaustion would pass. "Did these serial killings happen before I came into town?"

  Babe shrugged. "I don't know. You've been here what, four months?"

  "Since the start of fall semester, so yeah, about that."

  "I think they started about a month after you arrived. Yes, closer to Halloween," she said, growing more certain. "I remember thinking it was fittingly frightening for the civilians given the season."

  "I think someone is targeting witches," I said. I continued petting Dog absently.

  Dr. O steepled his fingers together and looked at me intently. "Why do you think that?"

  "Because a spirit of one of the victims is hanging around." I didn't want to say the next part out loud. "Talking to me."

  Babe laughed. "Nina, you know spirits can't talk."

  "They can communicate in your head if the ghost jumps in your body." I shuddered as I said it.

  It was Babe's turn to look alarmed. "You’ve been possessed?"

  "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds bad," I said, feeling indignant. "He's just trying to communicate."

  Dr. O looked more excited than concerned, so I focused on him. "Well, what did he say?"

  "That he was a curandero. And that everyone murdered were witches. And I think he knew I was a witch."

  Dr. O looked at Babe. "Did you know any of the victims?"

  Babe shook her head. "No. Al and I pretty much stick to ourselves. The covens popping up are usually just New Age wiccans, no one with true witch blood. But curandero? That is Mexican. And that means Catemaco."

  I nodded. “He said he was from Veracruz.”

  Babe sank down into the couch across from me. Catemaco was where my grandfather –- Babe’s and my mother’s father -- was from. It was the place she took me to briefly after my parents were killed.

  Babe suddenly looked very old and tired. "Any idea how old your ghost is, Nina?"

  "Young. Around 19, 20 maybe. I didn't see him alive, and it's kind of hard to judge when they are ghosts. Why?"

  "Because you are rather famous in Catemaco," Dr. O said. He settled in next to Babe and put his arm around her slumped shoulders.

  I stared at both of them. “Why am I famous in Catemaco?”

  Babe looked defeated. “You know I tried to take you there after your parents died.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “And you hated being back in Mexico and couldn’t take care of me on your own and my grandparents were too old to help.”

  “All lies,” Babe sighed. “Marcello followed us, followed you, to Catemaco, but I thought that on our ancestral lands, the power of my family could destroy him. But while we were able to protect you, he started killing other infants.”

  She choked back a sob, so Dr. O continued. “The Veracruz witches were frightened and angry. They knew you were born of a vampire. Their city was warded to keep vampires out, so they didn’t believe there could be a vampire in their city. So they thought you were sucking the blood from the other babies. They were going to kill you. Babe called me for help, and a Blood Ops team was able to extract you.”

  “If Veracruz was warded, how did he get in?” I asked.

  “That was the question, wasn’t it,” Dr. O gave a small humorless laugh. “He was aided by witches. He had to be. Just like now.”

  Dog sat up and growled, the hair on her back standing on end. The temperature dropped suddenly and I caught -- not sight exactly, more like a feeling -- of Casper.

  "Oh no you don't!" I stood up as pressure blasted at me. I tried to push him away, for all the good that did me. Dog continued to growl, by then snarling and showing off some pretty impressive fangs.

  I felt Casper’s ethereal body push directly into mine. A sudden explosion of pain ripped into my head as the usual ghost-induced migraine took hold.

  "Do you have to do this now?" I asked through gritted teeth.

  "Sorry." I felt him shrug. "Only way to communicate."

  I growled at him, just like Dog. "Then what do you want?"

  "Hotel." His urgency was quickening my pulse. "Problem."

  "What problem?" I was trying to breathe through the headache. It was very hard to focus.

  "Spirits angry. Talismans."

  Right, okay. They don't like the talismans. No surprise there.

  "Your friends. Are
. Trapped!" He began to push against me, forcing me to my feet. Between the momentum and my headache, I promptly fell to the floor.

  I needed more information. "Trapped where?" I asked.

  "Room."

  Trapped in a hotel room?

  "What will free them?" He better know, because I sure as hell didn't.

  "Chant," he said, pushing me to my feet. "I know it."

  Great. I guess he was coming with me.

  "Will you get out of my head at least so I can drive?"

  I felt a whoosh of relief as he pushed himself out of my body.

  I opened my eyes and blinked against the light. Dog was still growling but was much more low-key about it. Babe and Dr. O were just staring at me incredulously.

  Dr. O broke the uncomfortable silence. "Well, I haven't seen a possession quite like that in a long time. What did he want?"

  "It sounds like Frankie and Al ran into some problems at the Biltmore. The freaks don't like your Talismans."

  "Dammit!" Babe muttered. "Al forgot to cast a shielding spell on them before they walked in.”

  "We've got to get there and get them out." I walked to my armoire and yanked it opened. "We're running out of night, and Frankie has to get underground before he fries." Vampires and sunlight don’t mix.

  I pulled my gear out of the armoire and stripped off Babe's yoga pants and flannel.

  I threw on a chain mail shirt, which made knifing me or, even more important, staking me difficult. Layered on top of the chain mail was a fitted leather vest that had tons compartments to hold paraphernalia -- a bottle of Holy Water, blessed wooden stakes, and a container of salt. I slipped my sterling silver cross over my head, wincing at the sting on my chest when it hit my skin. I could wear the cross but my vampire genetics made it burn a bit going on.

  Next were wrist sheaths Frankie made for me when I graduated from training. Adjusting the well-worn leather cuffs onto my arms always made me smile. The narrow, sterling silver blades snugged into them were soaked in Holy Water and blessed by a priest. But Frankie was the consummate tinkerer so the blades were spring loaded. They tucked up into the sheaths and with the press of a button they shot out over my hands, keeping the blades secure (and my hands free to grab) as I used them. They were my favorite weapons.

  I pulled on black cargo pants and loaded the pockets with more stakes, extra bullets, and a few shuriken, or Japanese throwing stars, also made from sterling silver and doused in Holy Water.

  I loaded a new clip into my 44 Magnum -- four sterling silver rounds rotated with four hollow point wood bullets that were filled with Holy Water. I shoved this into the vest's built-in holster nestled into the small of my back. I didn't sense any were-animals in town, but I didn't want to take any chances. Frankly, I didn't know what to expect anymore. Once I was suited up, I put on a cargo jacket to hide it all. My ass-kicking, steel-toe black boots completed the look.

  "We should take the dog," Babe said. She nodded at my beast, who was still alert, eyes following something we couldn't see. I was pretty sure she had her sights on my Casper.

  "We?" I asked her.

  "You aren't going in alone," Dr. O said firmly. "We don't know enough about this ghost to trust it. We'll take the Mini."

  Great. Dog and I could cuddle up in the back.

  CHAPTER 20

  Once again, I found myself in that damn parking garage attached to the Biltmore, staring at the back entrance and dreading walking through. Dog sat at my right. Her low, throaty growl told me she was as on edge as me. I could hear Babe and Dr. O coming up behind us, and before I could turn to look at them, goddamned Casper just dropped straight into my body without any warning. I staggered backwards and landed flat on my ass.

  "Goddamn it!" I groaned, stifling an angry shout. Pain began to flood my head again, and I closed my eyes against the fluorescent glare of the parking garage lighting.

  "You need me to help you fight the ghosts," Casper reinforced his reason for the body jump.

  Babe and Dr. O were beside me, reaching for my arms. I took a breath and drew myself up on all fours. How was I going to accomplish anything with Casper in my body giving me such a migraine?

  Babe and Dr. O each gripped one of my arms and hoisted me to a standing position. I opened my eyes just enough to squint. It was like being in a fun house. Since there was an extra person in my body, my vision was completely distorted. Sort of double vision with a case of really bad seasickness. I willed myself not to hurl.

  With Babe and Dr. O holding me sort of steady, we made our way into the haunted hotel, Dog stalking along at my side. The back hallway into the Biltmore was deserted, but sounds of clinking glass and slurred voices echoed towards us. The bars outside had closed two hours prior, but the Biltmore patrons had no use for the Blue Laws. The seedy watering hole pretty much never closed.

  With Casper guiding me, we made our way as quickly as we could to a back elevator. I wasn't sure how the ghosts missed our presence, until I noticed that Babe was clutching a rosary and muttering to herself. This must have been the shielding spell Alfonso forgot to cast. Without it, the super freaks knew that he had protection talismans for Max’s room, which probably precipitated their attack. Of course Babe wouldn't make the same mistake.

  When the doors opened, we rushed into the elevator, and at the ghost's instruction, I pushed 14 to get to Max's floor.

  "They are in the room, right?" I asked my Casper.

  Babe and Dr. O looked at me oddly, and I pointed to my head. This was taking some serious getting used to.

  Casper must have nodded, since my head bowed in response, kicking off a throbbing sensation.

  "It's a yes," I groaned at them. Dog licked my hand in solidarity.

  The ding of the elevator opening its doors did not make my head feel much better. With their grip back on each arm, Babe and Dr. O guided me out of the elevator and we stumbled down the hall. Casper stopped me in front of Max's room.

  Dr. O gripped the doorknob. "Ready?"

  I nodded, breathing in sharply from the pain.

  Dr. O turned the knob and pushed the door open. A shock of bright light exploded from the room, and I shielded my eyes, cursing that I didn't have my sunglasses. I walked boldly in, blinded by the light. Just past the threshold, Casper put on the breaks. My vision adjusted and I shrank back in horror. The room was filled with snakes.

  I leaped onto the bed and started screaming like a little girl.

  Okay, wait. I need to point out, it wasn't me screaming. That's what Casper forced me to do. This tough-assed, tatted-up Mexican witch was afraid of snakes.

  I would have loved to enjoy a laugh at his expense, but I was a little freaked-out myself. The snakes were everywhere. On the floor, on the bed, slithering all over Alfonso, who was knocked out on the floor. Curiously, they were not bothering Max, who was lying face up on the bed, snoring.

  "Nina!" Babe had jumped onto the bed too, and she slapped my face, hard, pulling me (well, Casper) out of hysterics. She pointed at the source of the blinding light, and my heart stopped.

  Frankie lay in the center of two bright tanning lamps. His beautiful face was blistered, and his arms were dark, blackened by the UV light. Dr. O struggled to reach him, kicking snakes all over the room. But it was futile. The lamps wouldn't shut off. The switches didn't work, and they weren't plugged into any outlets, so cutting the electricity wasn't an option. The poltergeists didn’t want to kill Frankie and Al, or else they’d be dead. But they were feeding off the pain and misery, making the spirits stronger.

  I leapt off the bed and popped my blades out of my wrist sheaths. Dog joined me. She forced the snakes between me and Frankie to retreat, while I swiped the blades through them as they moved to the side. I could hear a hiss each time a head came off, and judging from Casper's little party going on in my head, I was killing the spirits along with the reptile bodies they were inhabiting. Score one for me!

  When I reached Frankie, I re-sheathed the knives and tried to yank hi
m out of the lights. But his skin was so fragile from the burns that it slid right off his bones. Moving him was impossible. This was not good, and I was close to panicking. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked at me.

  "Bloody hell, Nina. Why were you screaming like a little girl?" He croaked.

  The light from the lamps was strong, and my skin turned lobster red. Great, now I was going to get a sunburn, or worse if I didn't hurry up -- part vampire, and all that.

  I squinted at the two sunlamps, which really looked like four in my double vision. I couldn't pinpoint exactly where they were. I drew up my leg and connected with the lamps with a long, smooth roundhouse kick. They collapsed to the ground and the bulbs busted and glass shattered everywhere.

  Frankie let out a groan. "Took you long enough."

  He tried sitting up without his charred skin oozing off. He looked like barbecue.

  "Now. Time." Casper was urging me. I pulled out the Holy Water as more snakes slithered over Alfonso and towards me. Dog successfully pushed some away from me, but we were outnumbered. The snakes latched onto my ankles and began to twist around me, trying to pull me down. I took a swig and felt the water burn my mouth like scalding-hot coffee before I sprayed it out and over the snakes. They scattered when it hit them.

  "Exunt corpus, licentia corpus, dimitto corpus," my voice repeated the words, each invocation becoming louder and more forceful as the snakes began to.... Well, burn up is probably the best way to describe it.

  With a satisfying popping noise, the snakes disappeared from the room in flashes of flame. Babe rushed to Alfonso, placed the rosary on his forehead and murmured “espíritu de salida.” He opened his eyes, sat straight up and shrieked, before dropping back to the floor. She gave his body a nudge with her foot. "Zote," she huffed at Al, calling him an idiot.

  Casper laughed, causing my head to vibrate.

  Dr. O went over and helped Alfonso stand up. Something knocked him out, but luckily he hadn't been possessed.

  "Isn't it time you left?" I muttered to the ghost inside my head.

  "I need your body to get out of here," he sounded surprisingly stronger. Good for him. But I felt like shit.