Cindy finally spoke up.
"We told him how we felt, Leese. We told him we liked him, and he's great. But that he isn't good for you. And I don't mean just a 'oh, she's skipping work' thing. I mean a 'she's in danger' thing." She gestured to Alex. "He's had a guilty conscience ever since, like he broke you two up or something."
Leese felt like she'd be sick. She quietly crossed the room and sat on the chair across from Cindy. Alex remained still, standing next to the couch. Finally, things made a little more sense. Kevin was distant after she went home from the hospital. His lie was obvious, about not wanting to be with her anymore, that he had an old flame he wanted to pursue. Leese knew why he broke up, pulled away. She could see the guilt over her kidnapping in his eyes.
She didn't know his guilt had help.
"Wow," she said. "I guess you two are the only supernatural couple allowed?"
Alex rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Alicia. Don't get crazy. I should have told you about the fight, but it doesn't mean we're wrong. We're only trying to look after you."
Leese knew that was true. But that didn't help the hurt in her heart. She was happiest with Kevin, and Alex had done what he could to take that away.
She shook her head, not believing what she was hearing.
"We don't even know what the right word is for you, Alex. You can talk to ghosts. Control demons. They fucking call you Master." He winced at the word. "And you're worried about my safety with Kevin?"
"Seriously?" Alex said, his tone matching his sister's. "People don't chase me. I chase them. People don't go beating down my door, trying to kidnap my family."
She pointed at them.
"I've been around for every shitty person you both have dated. Every. Single. One. Not one time did I ever tell you 'you shouldn't be with them'. You know why? Because they were your choice. And here you are, trying to screw around with mine." She glared at Alex. "Remember Michelle? She dumped you right in the middle of that dance in ninth grade. I knew she was bad news. But I didn't go trying to get in the middle."
"You are one hundred percent right," he said. "But, you know what? If people were out to kill Michelle, I wouldn't have minded if you pulled me to the side for a little pep talk."
Leese wiped away a tear. She didn't even know it was there until it was halfway down her cheek.
"You guys can just explain away everything."
"Because we're right," Cindy said. "You know who else agreed with us? Kevin. Like I said, he's a good guy. He made the choice to leave you, to keep you safe."
"Well, it wasn't an informed choice. We didn't sit down and talk about it. I didn't know you two were guilting him."
"No one guilted anyone," Cindy said.
Leese stared at her family. She loved them, and knew they loved her.
But she was tired of the debate, of who was right and wrong. It didn't matter who was right and wrong.
"We're going to fix this," she said. "We're going to call Kevin. You'll apologize for butting into our love life. I'll apologize for letting him get away. After I smack the shit out of him for being stupid in the first place."
She expected resistance, anger, another repeat of their argued points. Alex looked at the carpet sadly.
"We've been trying," he said. "No one knows where he went. And we don't have his magic stones anymore."
"You've called Victoria? Zoey?"
"Yeah. He didn't tell them. He really didn't want anyone finding him."
"How about Jack?"
Alex shrugged sheepishly.
"Well, yeah, I called Jack."
"And?"
"I talked to four personal assistants. They bounced me back and forth for about forty-five minutes, kept putting me on hold. I finally got him, and asked if he's seen Kevin. He laughed, then hung up on me."
"That asshole."
"Yeah."
The clock on the end table next to Cindy caught her eye. She was already late for her meeting.
"I have to go." She rose to her feet. For a moment, she thought her knees would give out. She wasn't sure how she felt. "We'll talk about this later. When Victoria gets back, we'll borrow her stone."
She gathered her things and left the house. Focusing on her footsteps, she approached the car, almost mechanically. Her mind was swimming. She was upset and angry at everything and everyone. Alex, Cindy, Kevin, herself.
The tears flowed, and she didn't know why. Grabbing an old napkin from the glove compartment, she dried her eyes, not bothering to drive away. She sat behind the wheel, staring at the Honda parked behind her.
Leese's family had always been there for her, but she never felt more alone than that moment.
Five minutes passed before she realized she didn't check the back seat. She didn't verify the presence of her pepper-spray, nor give a suspicious glance to the man jogging across the street. A sarcastic laugh escaped. Was she getting better? Or just too distracted with other problems?
Someone knocked on the window. She jumped and let out a tiny yelp. So much for getting better. Cindy was at the car door, offering a sympathetic smile. Leese wiped away the remaining tears before rolling down the window.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Leese said, not sure if she was lying. "It's just…I really want to kick both of you in the face right now."
Cindy laughed and reached for her shoulder.
"I'm sorry that things happened the way they did. We just love you."
"I know. And I appreciate that. But…if Alex was in danger, would you leave him?"
She didn't hesitate with a smile.
"Not at all." Her smile faded as she took a more serious look. "But…is that how you feel about Kevin? Do you love him?"
"Oh hell, I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't even be together. I don't know anything. But things shouldn't have ended like they did."
Cindy nodded understanding.
"Are you sure you want to go out? I can meet the client, if you want."
"No, it's okay. This helps me get back at Alex. Him having to pay me. And I know you both are busy."
"Well, you call if you need us. Even if we need a kick in the face."
Leese laughed shortly. They shared an awkward hug through the open window. She waved as she drove away, both frustrated and relieved at leaving.
*****
Starbuck's parking lot was mostly empty. A few couples and one group of college kids sat outside, laughing and sipping drinks. Leese didn't leave the car right away. She needed a few minutes to compose herself, something she was very good at. There were days at work that were nothing but emotional roller-coasters. She'd have to help put a beloved pet down one moment, while playfully take the temperature of another the next. Hiding in the bathroom, shedding a few tears, then smiling at the next family that walked in, it was all old habit.
Grabbing her purse and phone, she crossed the lot. She remembered to turn the phone to silent, and prepare the recording app. The college group turned quiet as she passed. Leese traded a few smiles with them, realizing they were looking her over. Despite being the same age, it struck home how different she was from her peers. They were worried about grades, making it to class on time, the next party. Leese worried about ghosts, demons, and vampires.
She scanned the tables as she opened the doors. The client spotted her first. He waved at her from a booth near the back. Leese shifted her purse on her shoulder and walked through the maze of chairs, keeping an eye on him as she went.
The man wore a shirt and tie, with a jacket hung over the back of his chair. A briefcase sat at his feet, with a laptop open on the table. He ended a phone call as she approached and offered a smile. He was older, maybe close to fifty. A look of polish, sophistication. He didn't have the look of a man haunted by ghosts.
He rose to his feet as she drew near.
"Alicia?"
She nodded, trying to exude confidence. The man made her feel small.
"That's me."
"I'm
Michael Tavers." He extended his hand. "Thank you for meeting with me."
"Thank you." Michael checked his phone before sitting. She realized he was glancing at the time. "I'm sorry I'm late."
He wasn't concerned.
"It's nothing. I just have another meeting in a half hour, but this is important enough to run over, if we have to. Do you want anything to drink?"
"No, thank you. Do you mind if I record this? It's a lot easier than taking notes."
He smiled and turned his laptop toward her to show off recording software.
"I'm doing the same thing."
Leese laughed as she turned on the app. She was ready to lead the conversation. Talk about Demons LLC. Make Michael feel comfortable.
But he spoke first.
"I know this is probably weird, from how you usually do business," he said. "I've gone through your website up and down. I guess everyone wants to talk to Alex right away."
She thought a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, that's true. But usually someone on staff will meet with a client first."
"To weed out the bullshit artists?"
"That's definitely a big part of it," she said, laughing.
"Well, that's partly why I asked to meet with you, first. I spend a lot of time in meetings, dealing with other companies. I think that a business is only as good as the employees that do the work, not the bosses that give orders all day. So, I like to meet the parts that make up the company. I'll learn a lot about Alex just from talking to you."
"He's my brother. I guess I have to say he's a great boss and all that." She hid a smile. As mad as she was at Alex, she had to be professional, make her employer look good. "Alex is a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's very good at what he does."
Michael nodded and tapped away at his laptop. He turned the display toward her to reveal the Demons LLC website. A lump formed in her throat as she looked at the staff page. Kevin had designed the site, and she thought of him every time she glanced at it. He was even listed as staff at one time, as their webmaster. Now, it was only Alex, Cindy, and herself.
"And what does Alex do, really?" He skimmed the page. "It says he has extensive experience with ghosts. Is he psychic?"
Leese hesitated before answering. It was a fair question, without an easy answer.
"There's more to it than that, but let's just say yes."
He tapped the screen.
"And his work with demons? Does he have a religious background? He's worked with the church?"
She smiled, but said nothing. Questions were expected, but something just felt off.
"First, let me ask, Mr. Tavers—"
"Call me Michael."
"What can we do for you? The form you filled out on our site listed a problem at a property you own."
"I lied. I wanted to talk about this in person." He grabbed his briefcase and set it on the table. "I have some experience with the supernatural, myself. I'm a collector, you see. And I was hoping Alex could take a look at something for me."
He pulled out an old spiral notebook, the kind kids used in school. Carefully, he slid it across the table. It was an odd sight next to his modern laptop.
"This is old. Please, be gentle."
The first page was nothing but a child's scribble. A stick-figure dog and cat, with a house in the background. The next page was more of the same. A child playing alone, a few trees, another house. Leese couldn't help but feel sad while flipping to the third page. Yet one more house, although this one much larger. The child played alone under a tree, a frown where the mouth should be. The fourth page showed a couple driving away in a car, waving at what Leese assumed was the same child. There were exaggerated blue tears dripping from his face.
"I don't understand," she said, turning another page. "I don't see—"
Her hand stayed.
The lonely peek into the child's youth stopped. Instead, there were strange symbols that took up nearly the entire page. She recognized them immediately.
The witch's language.
The last symbol, or word, was only half drawn, as if the writer was interrupted. Some of the words were darker than others. Written by a shaking hand? Or simply the age of the notebook? She didn't know.
"What is this?" she asked.
"I'm told this was written by a child possessed by a demon. I'd like to know what this says."
"You were told?" she asked. "Where did you get this?"
"Believe it or not, there are auctions you can go to get some…very strange things." He gestured to the book. "This cost me more than I'd like to admit."
"Why do you want to know?"
He hesitated a moment before smiling mysteriously.
"Curiosity."
The ambiance between the two shifted. Leese couldn't explain it. What was a business meeting suddenly didn't feel that way. Her guard went up, and she said nothing, wanting to choose her words very carefully.
Something wasn't right.
"You…want my brother to translate?"
"I've been to psychics, demonologists, historians. No one can tell me what that says. I'll pay your company good money if you think he has any answers."
Leese was very sure Alex wouldn't. He couldn't read a witch's written word.
Even if she were still with Kevin, she wouldn't have felt comfortable taking the job.
"I'll definitely ask him," she said. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about before I head out?"
"Did you at least want to show him?" he asked, gesturing to the book.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I don't want to take your book, until Alex asks. But can I take a photo of a few symbols?"
He leaned back.
"Of course."
Leese prepared her phone. She tried to keep her hands from shaking. Was it Michael that made her nervous? The book?
A few awkward smiles were exchanged before Michael stood and extended his hand.
"Thank you for coming," he said, all business. "I know this is unusual." He waved his hand to include Starbuck's. "Plus, I hate the coffee here."
"Believe me, unusual is okay with us. It was very nice meeting you."
One more smile before walking away. Leese kept her pace even and steady. It took all her self-control not to run away. Only when she stepped outside into the evening breeze did she begin to feel safe. That feeling of safety quickly slid away as she crossed the lot. There were so many cars, so many places to hide. That night rushed back to her once again. She felt for her pepper-spray.
Not sure of where she was going, she sped onto the street.
*****
Michael Tavers watched Alicia as she retreated. She was a lovely, intriguing young woman. Fiercely loyal, driven, energetic. She waded knee-deep into a world not many knew existed, and seemed to be comfortable there. Michael knew of others that simply caught a glimpse of a ghost. They'd lost their minds, had to be locked away for the rest of their lives.
He truly hoped she'd survive the chaos that was coming.
The book he'd brought caught his eye. His eyes stung a moment as he ran a finger along a yellow page. Alicia didn't bother flipping through the rest of the book, not after seeing the symbols. She didn't see the other drawings by the child long gone. Winged creatures in a red sky, dead bodies on a grassy field, a bubbling cauldron.
The demons surrounding a little boy.
"Don't worry," he whispered quietly. "Soon."
He flipped back to the page of symbols. Alicia's mood changed immediately when she saw them. He imagined she didn't talk about the witch much in public, despite her employment. People had an easier time believing in ghosts and demons than magic.
His phone rang, and he almost forgot about the entire reason he was there. That was Alicia's fault. As nice as her company was, she was only a small piece of the puzzle.
"Yes?"
"What the fuck is this?" The voice was curt, angry. Michael wasn't sure, in their brief interactions, that he'd ever heard another tone. "You never gave th
e signal."
"I changed my mind."
"You…what? You stupid son of a bitch. I hope you don't think you're getting a refund."
Michael leaned down and peeked out the window next to the booth. He wondered where the contract killer he'd hired was perched. There were so many rooftops, but he didn't know the trade. Maybe he was simply parked in a car along the curb.
"No, no. The money is yours. Nice doing business with you."
A sarcastic huff, and the line went dead.
He took a breath as he set his phone down and closed his laptop. It was an expensive test, but necessary.
The magic potion was still working. How long would it last? Maybe it would last forever.
He'd have to do more research, translate more language. But he could use this.
Thinking of magic steered his thoughts to his guest, locked away behind a bookcase. Guilt attacked him as he gathered his tech and coat. He took extra care with his book. He needed to get back to her, feed her.
They both had more work to do.
*****
Leese kept her eyes closed as she leaned back in her seat, letting the music wash over her. She wasn't exactly sure where she was, some alley not far from her apartment. Every few minutes, she'd glance at the picture of Michael's book, think of Kevin, then put her phone away. Even being removed from Michael and their meeting at Starbuck's, she couldn't place why she was so unnerved. Michael seemed harmless, was obviously wealthy and successful. He was polite and professional.
But she hoped to never see him again.
She made sure she was calm before calling Alex.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me. I'm done with that meeting."
"How did it go? Did you record everything?"
She sighed and retrieved her tablet from the passenger's seat. Whether they took the case or not, they still had to upload all information to their online database. That included notes, recordings, pictures taken. In a short time, Alex's work had amassed quite a sizable knowledge base. According to Cindy, some universities were even asking to use it.
It was another creation of Kevin's.
"I'm working on it right now. There's nothing really haunted going on. Just a rich guy that wants you to translate something that was written during a demon possession."
Damned and Cursed (Book 8): Witch Trial Page 20
