by J. C. Diem
Standing to its full height, the behemoth lifted its arms. Black, leathery wings that had been tucked out of sight behind him swept outwards, blocking out the dark sky. It uttered a command in a guttural voice. His terror increased when red eyes appeared all around him. The demon wasn’t alone. There were dozens of them and he sensed that they were very, very hungry.
Closing his eyes, he prayed as he waited for the monster to devour him, but nothing happened. The heat faded and he opened his eyes to find himself standing on the road again.
Turning in a dazed circle, there was no sign of the faery or of the fiery realm that she’d shown him. Whatever doubts he’d had about God’s existence had been wiped away forever. How could he not believe when he’d just seen what could only be Hell itself firsthand?
Thomas had written this account years after it had actually happened. He’d thought it was just a momentary hallucination brought on by exhaustion. After he’d been called on to exorcise a teenage girl who had been possessed by a demon, he’d recalled the encounter with the faery.
He’d written the details down in his journal, knowing that the faery had been real and that he’d been given a warning. Evil was real and he’d been tasked with fighting it. It was a burden that he’d willingly accepted and it was one that he’d never shirked.
₪₪₪
Chapter Nineteen
Each time I read one of the missions that Thomas had penned, my admiration for him grew. I could admit to myself that I had a crush on him. It had increased even more now that I’d learned he’d been as handsome as he’d been brave.
I flicked a guilty glance at Reece and was relieved to see that he’d fallen asleep while I’d been reading. I smiled a little, wondering if he would be jealous of a man who had died so long ago.
Reading through the file had helped to settle my mind, but I didn’t return to bed. Being as quiet as possible, I poured another cup of coffee and winced at the bitter taste. Switching off my laptop, I spent the next couple of hours reading one of the books on my ereader.
When the alarm finally went off, Reece sat up with a start. He saw me still sitting at the table and relaxed slightly. He shut the alarm off before it could wake the couple who were sleeping in the room next to ours.
“I have a confession,” I said when he stood and crossed to the coffee pot.
Fully dressed already, he just needed to don his hiking boots and he’d be ready to leave. His eyes were wary as he poured coffee into two cups. “Do I want to hear this?”
“Probably not,” I replied. “But I’m going to tell you anyway.”
Sensing I was being playful rather than serious, he took the seat beside me. “Out with it then.”
“I’m in love with Thomas.”
He blinked then frowned. “Who is Thomas?”
“The priest who founded the PIA,” I explained. “I kind of had the hots for him already, but I just read that he was gorgeous as well as brave and kind and smart.”
He held up a hand before I could extoll any more of the man’s virtues. “Let me get this straight. You’re in love with a dead man?”
I nodded and smiled cheekily.
“How am I supposed to compete with him?” he asked in exasperation. “The man was a saint. He was the first ever paranormal agent. No one could live up to his legend.”
“I know,” I said in commiseration. “I guess you’ll just have to be a poor second.”
His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward and grabbed me by my shirt. Pulling me in, he kissed me long enough for me to lose my breath. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint you.”
“That’s a good start,” I murmured.
“If we had time, I’d make you forget you ever heard about Thomas.” He glanced at his watch and shook his head ruefully. “We’d better leave or we’ll be late.”
Sharing his disappointment, I stood and waited for him to pull his boots on before I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. We didn’t want to give Mark any further reason to doubt that we were focused on the job.
We stayed close together when we left our room and headed to our car. I watched the shadows, alert for anyone following us. We made it to the SUV without encountering anyone.
Reece changed the tire and stashed the slashed one in the back of the SUV. We didn’t want to bring attention to ourselves. Leaving the mutilated tire behind would raise unwanted questions.
Dawn was just breaking when we reached the parking lot near the campsite. Mark, Kala and Flynn arrived a few minutes later. Zeus leaped out when Flynn opened the side door of the van. He almost knocked me to the ground with his enthusiastic greeting. If dogs could smile, then he was grinning from ear to ear.
Bruce Delgado arrived moments later. He slowed when he saw the black van parked next to our SUV and looked at Reece enquiringly through the windshield. Reece nodded that we were okay and the ranger parked his jeep.
He squeezed out of his vehicle and examined Mark, Flynn and Kala before frowning down at my furry companion. “I didn’t know werewolves kept pets.”
Zeus looked up at him and bared his teeth. Not because of the insult, but because he was a strange shifter. “Zeus isn’t my pet. He’s more like a guardian.”
Kala and Flynn eyed the werebear warily, but Mark showed no nerves at meeting the gigantic shifter. He strode forward and offered his hand. “I’m Mark. This is Kala and Flynn.”
Bruce shook his hand gently then examined him closely. “You’re clearly a fed of some kind,” he said as he took in Mark’s neat haircut and general demeanor. Instead of his usual dark suit, our boss wore casual clothing. It was weird to see him in cargo pants and a black t-shirt. We all wore hiking boots and backpacks loaded up with provisions. “I’m not going to ask who you work for,” the ranger added. “I’m just glad I don’t have to hunt this thing down alone.”
“We’ll be glad for your assistance,” Mark said and smoothly took charge of our operation. “I’m sure your knowledge of the area will be invaluable. We only have a few more days left before she’ll finish draining the camper. Once she does, she’ll leave her lair in search of more food. Succubae are intelligent and cunning. Once she knows we’re looking for her, she’ll begin to target us, so it would be safest if we pair up. She won’t be able to resist you five. You’ll be far more appealing to her than I will.”
“You humans are so weak and puny,” Kala said with a snigger. We’d only been away for a couple of days and I was surprised to realize how much I’d missed her wacky sense of humor.
“Ranger Delgado, I’d like you to pair up with Reece,” Mark said, ignoring Kala’s dig at him. Apart from frowning slightly, Reece didn’t show his disappointment that we’d be separated. We both knew the reason why. Mark didn’t trust us not to become distracted again.
“Kala and Flynn, you two will be the second team,” Mark continued. “Lexi and I will be the third. Stick to the sections that Ranger Delgado has marked for you and check in with me every fifteen minutes.”
“Roger that,” Kala said with a lazy salute. “Let’s go Flynn.” She broke into a run and he followed in her wake.
“Cougars,” Bruce said and shook his head. “I wish I had half her energy.”
“I’m surprised to see you out of your cave,” Reece joked as they took off at a fast jog down the path. “Winter isn’t far away now, shouldn’t you be hibernating?”
Bruce swiped a hand at him and he ducked away before it could connect. “Watch it, young pup. I might be old and slow, but I can still crush you like a bug.” He might be over forty, but he was far from old and he looked fit enough to me.
Shifting his backpack into a more comfortable position, Mark gestured for me to proceed down the path. “Ladies first.”
It didn’t take long for him to fall behind and for me to chafe at his slow pace. It would take us hours to reach the area I’d begun searching yesterday. Zeus was full of energy and he was willing to run all day if he had to.
Panting already, Mark’s
brows rose when he saw me waiting for him. “Are you taking a break already?” His question sounded far too hopeful.
“You’re fit, for a human, but you’re slowing me down,” I said as kindly as possible. “Give me your pack.” I held out my hand and he shrugged it off and handed it to me. He thought I was just going to carry his pack, but I was about to surprise him. “Brace yourself,” I warned him then bent and put my shoulder to his middle. Pulling him over my shoulder, I straightened up and took off at a run. I mentally instructed Zeus to follow at his own pace, knowing he’d be able to catch up when we reached our destination.
Mark gave a startled yell, but he didn’t order me to put him down. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t have tolerated being carried like a sack of potatoes by the others. They were his adopted children, but I was different. I might not have been able to enlist in the army, but I’d still been raised by a soldier and tended to think like one. We both knew it was sometimes necessary to do things that would make us uncomfortable.
Following the same trail that I’d used yesterday, I caught the faded scent of the shifter who’d broken into our room and had assaulted me. It was chilling to realize he’d been stalking me. I was glad I’d been paired up with Mark. His senses were far too dull to pick up the scent. While I hadn’t seen the shifter’s face, I’d recognize his scent if he appeared again. I wouldn’t hesitate to use my sniper rifle if I caught him in my sights a second time.
When we reached our designated area, I set Mark back on his feet. His face was red from being carried upside down as well as from embarrassment. Straightening his clothes, he took his pack when I offered it to him. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention that to the others,” he said with quiet dignity.
“I’ll take it with me to the grave,” I promised him. The experience hadn’t been very pleasant for me either.
I felt Zeus approaching long before he reached us. Mark took a plastic bowl out of his pack when he appeared and I took it gratefully. While I was the Rottweiler’s owner, my boss was better prepared to look after him than I was. I poured water into the bowl and Zeus lapped it up gratefully.
I didn’t need to rest, but I gave Zeus a few minutes to catch his breath before pushing on. I kept my pace slow enough for Mark to keep up with me as I searched for Reggie’s scent. The succubus wouldn’t leave enough of a trail for me to follow. I had to rely on the brief smell of Reggie that I’d picked up near the campsite. Even if the rain hadn’t washed the scent away, it would have faded in a few days anyway. He was rapidly running out of time.
Mark broke the silence after we’d been searching for a few minutes. “Tell me about the attack that happened last night.”
In as few words as possible, I explained what had happened. I hadn’t been able to describe it to Reece. He’d have gone into a full blown rampage if he knew how close I’d come to being violated.
“Did he hurt you?” Mark asked carefully. He wasn’t convinced that I’d been able to stop my attacker from finishing the assault.
“Apart from a few bruises that faded straight away, I’m fine.” His expression told me he didn’t believe me. The bruises and my split lip had healed, leaving no trace of the attack. “He didn’t have time to finish what he’d started. Reece came when I called for him and the shifter jumped out the window.”
“Why didn’t you know that it wasn’t Reece immediately?”
I’d been asking myself that same question ever since I’d woken up and had realized that something was wrong. “He was the same size as Reece,” I said with a shrug. “He also smelled a bit like him. My body knew it was a stranger before my head did.”
“What do you mean?” I expected him to reach for his tablet that he’d stashed in his backpack so he could take notes, but he didn’t.
“I was nauseous and it just felt wrong to have his hands on me.” I knew the real reason why I’d known that something was wrong. I’d vowed to only let Reece touch me and my body had rebelled at the touch of another man’s hands.
“Did he seem familiar?”
He asked the question casually, but I had the feeling Mark knew more than he was letting on. “Yeah. It was the same shifter who left the body in the woods near Bradbury.”
He was silent for a while then spoke almost too quietly for me to hear him. “I was afraid of this.”
“He wasn’t working alone,” I told him. “He had a female with him. She called Reece’s name and lured him outside.”
“Did she call him by his first name?” he asked too casually again.
“No, which was pretty weird.” Saying nothing, he avoided my gaze. “You know something that you aren’t telling us,” I accused. “How are we supposed to do our jobs if you don’t tell us everything?”
His gray eyes were piercing rather than mild when he looked at me. “I’ve told you everything you need to know, Agent Levine. I don’t have to tell you every little detail for you to be able to perform your mission.”
Zeus whined at his tone, sensing that I’d been rebuked. I might be a budding alpha, but Mark was my boss and I had to bow to his authority. It stung to be reprimanded, but it was his right to do so when I stepped above myself. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “I’m just a little shaken by all this.”
Moving to my side, he pulled me in for a brief hug. “You’re a brave young woman, Lexi and you’ve been through a lot. I wish I could tell you everything, but I’m afraid at this point it would just confuse the issue.”
“Okay,” I said and bit back the urge to cry. It always got to me when he took on the role that my father had so recently vacated. I had a void in my life now and he was willing to fill it.
Zeus licked my hand and I patted his head in gratitude for his support. Back on track again, we continued our search.
₪₪₪
Chapter Twenty
By late afternoon, I was filthy, thirsty, starving and frustrated. The sun would set in an hour or so and we’d ranged far from the campsite. Mark checked his watch and motioned me to a halt. The other two teams had checked in every fifteen minutes, as ordered. No one had found anything so far.
Finishing off his third bottle of water, Mark reached for his cell phone. We were lucky to have reception this far out in the woods. He put us on conference call so we could all listen in. “Let’s call it a day,” he said when the others answered. “Head back to the campsite.”
Hanging up after receiving acknowledgements from the other two teams, he resigned himself to being carried again. “Just make sure you put me down before the others see us,” he warned me.
“I’m just as embarrassed about this as you are,” I reassured him. I doubted that was really the case, but it seemed to cheer him up slightly.
Slinging him over my shoulder again, I sped back towards the campsite. I should have been exhausted from having so little sleep and searching the woods all day. Instead, I felt invigorated. Maybe being out in the forest was fulfilling a need I hadn’t even been aware of.
Sensing the others ahead, I deposited Mark on the ground while we were still well out of sight. He was puffing by the time we jogged into view, but he was in far better shape than he should have been.
Kala took in his condition and became suspicious. “Did you let Lexi carry you?” she demanded.
Heaving a sigh at being caught out, Mark didn’t bother to lie. “She can move a lot faster than I can,” he explained unnecessarily.
Instead of bursting into laughter as he clearly expected her to, she merely nodded. “That makes sense. The next time we’re on a mission and you’re trying to keep up with us, just let one of us carry you,” she told him. Flynn and Reece nodded and I had the feeling they’d wanted to suggest this for years.
“Point taken,” Mark said wryly. “I’ll try not to slow you down in future.”
Kala smirked then linked her arm through his. “I’ve been dying to do this for ages.” That was all the warning he had before she slung him over her back and streaked off down the path. Flynn laughed so
hard that Bruce had to steady him with a hand on his elbow. Reece took my hand, smiling widely as Mark’s startled shout trailed off into the distance. Zeus trotted over to join us, panting from his long run. We moved at a slow jog so he could keep up with us.
Kala looked suitably chastened by the time we reached the parking lot. Mark’s expression was forbidding. Flynn looked down at the ground so he wouldn’t burst into laughter again.
“No one say a word,” Mark warned us. Kala opened her mouth, possibly to apologize again. She clamped her lips shut when he lifted a finger. “Not one word!”
Bruce was grinning widely despite our lack of success. “I’ll see you all here at dawn,” he said and forced his bulk into his jeep.
“Give me the keys to the SUV,” Mark ordered Reece. He handed them over without protest and Mark tossed him the keys to the van in return.
We waited for him to climb inside and drive away before we all broke down laughing. “You should have seen his face,” Kala gasped when she managed to get her breath back. “I thought he was going to pass out in fear.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “He was pretty surprised when I grabbed him and ran off.”
She doubled over, lost her balance and crashed to the ground. Lying in the dirt, she laughed until tears spurted from her eyes. Puzzled by her behavior, Zeus nudged her leg with his nose, prompting her to laugh even harder. He looked at me, mentally questioning her mental status. Apparently, dogs could go insane and he feared that this had happened to her.
Reece was far more contained than us and managed to retain control of himself. He scooped Kala up and carried her over to the van. Flynn opened the door and she was tossed inside.
I took the front passenger seat before Flynn could beat me to it. Resigned to riding in the back with a still giggling cougar and a huge dog, he let Zeus in then climbed inside and shut the door.
Kala’s giggles finally petered out by the time we reached our hotel. Dogs weren’t allowed, so again Zeus would have to stay out of sight. I fed him half a can of dog food that Mark had brought along then scratched his ears and asked him to keep watch. He’d picked up the scent of the rogue shifter and I was confident he’d warn me if the werewolf came sniffing around again.
