by Mary Abshire
Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2016 Mary Abshire
ISBN: 978-1-77233-746-4
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Brieanna Robertson
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
CATCHING AN EVIL TAIL
Soul Catcher, 2
Mary Abshire
Copyright © 2016
Chapter One
The rusted hinges on the barn doors squealed loud enough to wake the dead two counties away. I cringed and squeezed the bottle of water in my hand. Lester and Kyle tugged on the heavy wooden doors, creating the shrill noise that sounded worse than nails scratching down a chalkboard.
"Are you sure the owner is okay with us wandering around in here?" I asked my roommate, Dani, while I held my hand above my eyes, shielding them from the afternoon sun beating down on us.
Dani stood next to me holding the video camera at her side. Dressed in jeans shorts and a soft pink shirt that matched her finger and toenails, she looked calm, cool, and collected, as always. "Yeah, I spoke with him yesterday to confirm we were coming. He said any time before dark was fine with him. Oh, and he doesn't want us to disturb anything."
My ears stung when another whine screamed from the doors. "Does this count as a disturbance, because I think the dead might hear us?"
"He said anything, not anyone." She smiled as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. "Come on, guys, hurry up." She stepped closer to Kyle and Lester.
"If I get cut from this rotted wood, I'm sending my doctor bill to you," Lester half- complained and half-joked as he pulled the faded gray door over the uncut grass. A glare from the sun reflected off his glasses when he turned and shot a blinding beam of light straight at me.
"Send me a bill, and I'll shove it up your ass. Be a man and deal with it." Dani hovered closer to the opening between the doors.
I lowered my head to hide my grin. Lester consistently teased Dani, and as usual, her smart responses shut him up. Still, their song and dance routine brought a smile to my face.
The sun shined bright, and the humidity made the air feel as hot as August instead of late June. I rubbed a hand across my forehead, clearing the sweat. Though I pinned my long hair back in a ponytail, it helped little to keep me cool. The dark color of my hair soaked up the sun's rays like a sponge. Wearing shorts with a camisole didn't help cool me down much either. My body maintained a one-hundred-degree temperature, thanks to my demon blood. I was doomed once I stepped foot outside our air-conditioned car. Summer months sucked.
"I think we can squeeze through now," I said while approaching the four-foot opening. If I had to wait any longer under the hot sun and listen to another squeal, I was going to scream bloody murder.
"Yeah, that's good," Dani said in agreement, and the two men stopped pulling on the doors. As leader of our paranormal investigation team, Dani always gave the final word.
Kyle scrubbed his tattooed arm above his eyes. The blond highlights in his otherwise sandy brown hair shined under the bright rays of the sun. The two silver loop rings through his bottom lip barely moved when he smiled. He had a rough and tough image on the outside, but a loving heart inside.
"Hot?" I asked him, gazing into his green eyes. I offered him my bottle of water.
"Thanks, Jessie." He took the bottle from my hand.
I watched as he gulped down the cool liquid. The little lump in his neck bobbled. Kyle was a great friend and all-around great guy. He had a sympathetic ear too. The last few months had been emotionally rough for me, yet he kept me upbeat. I was lucky to have him in my life.
Dani strode into the barn with Lester tagging along behind her. I followed them with Kyle tagging along next to me.
As I gazed about the crumbling structure, I wondered how safe we were. Half the roof was missing from the large barn, and pieces of wood stood piled in stacks along the barely-there walls. Dust particles floated in the air, illuminated by the rays of light shining into the barn. With each step, dried hay crunched under my feet while the stench of rot and feces grew stronger.
"It fucking stinks in here," Lester said. I couldn't have agreed more.
Spider webs occupied every nook and cranny. Although I didn't see any eight-legged creatures lurking around, tension claimed hold of my body. I'd rather suck down an evil soul any day of the week than have to deal with a spider, bug, or any kind of rodent.
"Why are we here?" I asked as I looked at the intricate webs above us.
"Oh, shit!" Dani stopped a few feet ahead of me. Lester stood beside her. "Don't move! Don't anyone move," she said in an urgent tone.
Kyle and I froze side by side. He clutched the bottle of water in his hand. My heart was thumping fast as I wondered what she had found. I peered into the darkness past her and Lester and finally spotted the problem. A group of raccoons sat together near the wall.
Little squeals and hisses erupted from the critters. The furry beasts looked just as startled as us. A big one stood up on its two feet and hissed. Momma or Pappa raccoon, I presumed. Another large one scurried to a gap in the wall. Others followed it, but the big one kept facing us with its teeth showing and claws ready to strike.
"Why isn't it leaving, too?" Dani asked in a soft voice.
"Maybe it likes you," Lester said, teasing her.
"If it attacks me, Lester, I'm going to beat the shit out of you." Anger and fright were clear in her voice.
"Don't move and it will go away," Kyle said calmly.
The four of us remained still and waited. All but the feral rodent disappeared past the opening in the wall. When the critter realized the others had gone, it shrank to normal cat size then hurried out of the barn. A wave of relief passed through me once the fur ball was out of sight.
"Maybe one of you guys should check out the rest of the barn for any other rodents." I really didn't want to run into any more creatures with claws, fangs, or rabies.
"Good idea," Dani said.
"I'll do it." Kyle handed the water bottle back to me before he headed for the far end of the barn.
"Thanks, Kyle. You're a real man," Dani said when he passed her.
Lester made a spitting noise. "Whatever."
Kyle led the way while the rest of us ambled cautiously in the spacious barn, staying away from the walls. The thick layer of hay covering the ground swished and crunched under our feet. I was glad I'd worn my tennis shoes instead of sandals. The hay would've irritated my skin.
We approached the far end of the barn and heard a soft whine under my feet. Alerted, I stopped.
"Why are we here again?" I repeated my earlier question.
Dani spun around and faced me. She stood in one of the sun's rays spilling inside the barn from an opening in the roof. Dust particles swarmed around her. "During the late sixties, Mr. Garner kidnapped people and hacked them into pieces in this barn. According to the clippings I read, he stored the body parts in here for food. When I spoke to the current property owner, he said he and his wife had seen Mr. Garner's ghost around here at night. He also said they sometimes hear noises coming from here. That's why they won't allow anyone to come around after dark."
Hacked people for food? My stomach churned. What kind of person ate people?
I placed one foot behind me and heard a
soft creak. "Do you know where he stored the bodies?" I asked while shifting my weight between my feet. The squeak sounded each time I added pressure on my back foot.
"Uh, don't know," Dani said. "The articles didn't say, and the owner said the barn was cleaned out before he bought the property."
Kyle faced me with a questioning gaze. "Find something?"
"Listen." I applied pressure to my foot. Another squeak came to life.
Lester and Dani came toward me with excitement in their eyes. Each time I moved my feet, the distinct sound of wood creaking was heard. They stood next to me and listened.
Dani looked at the ground. "Maybe there's something underneath us." She kicked the thick layer of hay away from my foot and exposed a piece of wood. "Look!"
Kyle and Lester joined in and brushed away the hay with their feet. I stepped aside as the three uncovered a rectangular section on the ground composed of wood planks. When they finished, we each stood on a side.
The hairs on the back of my neck sprung to life as I stared at the wooden flooring. At that moment, I knew an evil soul was near. If it were Mr. Garner's soul, I'd bet my next paycheck he was hiding beyond that secret door.
Kyle knelt, then ran his hands along the edges. "There has to be a way to open this."
He wedged his fingers into a spot between the wood and the dirt ground. Lester lowered to his knees and began to search with him.
"Got it." Kyle grunted as he jerked the wood up.
Together, Lester and Kyle lifted the makeshift door. Dani and I came to their aid and helped push it off to the side. A rectangular opening in the ground revealed nothing but darkness and a horrible rotting stench. A cold chill ran down my spine. Yeah, Mr. Garner was likely down there. Damn.
Lester shoved his legs back until he was flat on his stomach with his head over the dark opening. "What is this—Raiders of the Lost Ark?"
I chuckled at his reference and hoped he was wrong. I really didn't want to deal with snakes.
"I don't see any stairs," Dani said as we all peered into the opening.
"There aren't any," Lester said.
Crap. How was I going to get Mr. Garner's soul without any stairs?
"How far down is it?" I asked. "Can you see anything?"
Lester swiveled his head. "Not far. It looks empty, but it reeks as if something died down there."
I tapped my foot while I considered my options. If I jumped down, I could break an ankle or a leg—not a big deal since my demon anatomy allowed me to heal right away. The others wouldn't be able to follow. After I made it down, I could find the evil soul and claim it without the three of them seeing me. My secret would remain safe. The only problem would be getting back up. My other option was to walk away and leave the evil soul to wander about. It took only a few seconds to decide Hell was the best place for an evil soul. I couldn't simply walk away.
I glanced around at the light filtering through the gaps of the barn. Sunset was hours away, which gave me plenty of time to find Mr. Garner.
Before I realized it, I'd gripped the bottle in my hand. The plastic crunched and captured Dani's attention.
"Do we still have flashlights in the car?" I asked.
"Yeah." She scrunched her brows. "Why?"
Without answering, I stepped into the unknown.
"Jessie!" They shouted in unison as I fell into darkness.
I hit the floor with a solid thud, bent my knees, then rolled sideways onto my back. The water bottle rolled from my hand. Air expelled from me when I'd hit the ground and I now hurried to fill my lungs again. The foul odor made me want to vomit. Sharp pain shot up from my ankles and I focused on the pain to stop from puking. Nothing burned, which was a good indication I hadn't broken any bones.
"Jessie, don't move!" Kyle yelled.
I looked up and saw three faces staring at me. "I'm okay. Nothing's broken." Slowly, I sat up. "Can one of you get me a light?"
"I'll get it," Lester said before he disappeared.
The horrid stench of aged decomposition forced me to calm my breathing. I covered my nose and mouth, but it didn't help. I was going to spew if I stayed too long.
Focusing on my task, I stood up and brushed the dirt off my arms and legs. The ache in my legs turned into a light tingle. As I glanced around the dark and empty room, I wondered where Mr. Garner was hiding. I crept forward, staying in the path of the light above me. After my fifth step, another cold chill ran down my spine. Damn it, I needed a flashlight.
"What do you see?" Dani asked. "Want the video camera?"
"No. As far as I can tell, there isn't anything here." Except Mr. Garner lurking around somewhere.
"Here's the flashlight," Lester said.
I returned under the square and glanced up. He let go of the flashlight. I caught it with both hands. With one click, a beam of light appeared and I swept it around. The dark room extended beyond the reach of my light. I couldn't even see the walls. After a quick three-sixty and no sign of a spook, I proceeded with caution.
"Jessie, where are you going?" Kyle asked in a worried tone.
"I want to take a quick look around." I pointed the light in front of me and baby-stepped forward. Several feet from the opening, a blast of cold air hit me and I shivered. Where the hell was Mr. Garner?
Holding my breath, I continued onward with an eerie feeling growing within me. After several more steps, a strong force hit my back. I shot forward, stumbling, and smacked into the wall. My left hand and right arm took the brunt of the blow. I bounced from the wall, fell back, then landed on my ass. The sudden push by the spook was nothing new to me since I'd dealt with plenty of evil spirits in my life. Most ghosts were calm, but others were hostile. The aggressive treatment didn’t surprise me or slow me down. Gripping the light, I quickly rose and flashed it in front of me.
"Jessie, are you all right?" Dani asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine." My heartbeat raced, fueled with anger and determination. In front of me, I saw nothing but dust floating in the beam of my light.
From the side, something cold slapped my arm. The flashlight fell from my grasp and crashed on the ground. I reached for it, but a foot appeared and kicked the flashlight. It shot across the floor.
"Motherfucker," I said as I scrambled to reach the flashlight before Mr. Garner.
"Jessie," three voices called at once.
"I'm okay. I just dropped the light and accidentally kicked it."
I claimed the flashlight, then a cold hand gripped my arm and squeezed. The beam of light was pointing down, preventing me from getting a good visual of the ghost, but the shape of his hand and his build clearly indicated I was dealing with a male spirit.
"Let go," I said behind clenched teeth. I jerked my arm, but he didn't let go.
My irritation grew quickly as the spirit continued to fight me. Fortunately, he didn't know that my physical strength outmatched his ghostly muscle any day of the week. His efforts to stop me from doing my job were in vain. And it was time to prove it to him.
I gripped his arm and pulled him closer. Ready to send him where he belonged, I opened my mouth and inhaled.
"No," he said, surprise evident in his voice.
His soul drifted into my wide-open mouth. The taste of raw meat and coppery blood grazed over my tongue. The urge to gag weighed heavy on my mind and stomach. I breathed in again, hoping for a quick end for this evil spirit whom I presumed was Mr. Garner. Nausea grew, but I resisted the desire to puke. I didn't want this bastard to get free. Although I couldn't see his soul in the darkness, I felt his energy flow inside me. It fueled and warmed me. A flame in my stomach intensified as if it were a gas burner cranked up on high. Hell was welcoming him.
I lessened my grip as he slowly dissolved. He nudged my insides, proof he was resisting his destination. My stomach twitched from his pokes. When the last of his disgusting flavor passed over my tongue, I closed my mouth and swallowed.
"Jessie? Where are you? Are you all right?" Kyle asked, voice panicky.
>
I took a breath, and not even two seconds later, my stomach retched. The stench plus the foul taste wasn't settling well. I plugged my nose and covered my mouth quickly.
"I'm fine." The words came out mumbled behind my hand. To stop myself from barfing, I held my breath. If I spewed, his soul would be set free. I certainly didn't want that to happen. Mr. Garner belonged in Hell.
"Jessie, what's wrong?" Dani's voice echoed.
I whirled around and found the heads of my three friends from the rectangular opening above me. Pointing the light in front of my feet, I headed for them.
"I need to get out of here. I feel sick." It wasn't a lie. If I didn't get out fast, I was going to throw up more than Mr. Garner's evil soul.
Three worried faces stared at me as I stood below them. I unplugged my nose. "I'm tossing up the light."
Kyle looked at Dani. "Get back."
Dani and Lester disappeared from sight.
"Ready?" I asked.
Kyle nodded, then I tossed the flashlight up. He caught it. As I stared up, I wondered how they planned to get me out. "Guys, any idea—"
A strand of clothes dropped down and hung about a foot above me. The makeshift rope would have to work. God, I hoped it would hold me. Now, I just had to reach it.
"Grab hold and we'll pull you up," Kyle instructed.
I took a few steps back, then leaped. I grabbed hold of what looked like Kyle's shirt. My feet dangled beneath me as I was being hauled up. I tried not to move. The process was slow, but I wasn't complaining. When my head breached the surface of the opening, I saw Lester and Kyle tugging on the stretched line of shirts.
The two men pulled me up until my breasts got in the way of progress. With a little wiggling on my part, my chest made it over the edge. I turned my head and found Dani pointing the video camera at me. The red light shined near her hand.
Lester reached and gripped my arm. "Hold on."
