Chapter Twenty-One
“Did you find anything?”
“No, kitten. Whatever it was, it’s gone, but I did notice the distinct odor of sulfur.”
“Demon?”
David stepped into the lounge room and locked the sliding door behind him. He pulled the drapes closed before informing her. “I think it was the hell-hound.”
“Oh, that makes me feel a lot better.” She groaned as she slumped onto the couch. “I’m sorry if I woke you. It sounded closer this time.”
“I was rising anyway,” he assured her. “And you were understandably upset. This is the third time this week isn’t it.”
“Fourth.” She said as she held up four fingers. “It feels like whoever is controlling the hell hound is getting anxious to finish—” she raised her arms in the air—“whatever he has planned.”
“He?”
“He, she, whatever.” She leaned forward in the seat and rested her forehead in her hands. “I don’t know any more David. I’m exhausted, I’m confused and to be totally honest … more than a little scared. I still have nightmares about that evening outside the station. If you hadn’t shown up—”
“But I did.”
“But if you hadn’t…”
“I will always be there for you, Meaghan. That’s a promise.” He sat down beside her and she curled up with her head in his lap. He stroked her hair. “It’s been a long week.”
“Aha.” She mumbled. “I can’t seem to adjust to sleeping through the day. My mind is on auto pilot and I can’t relax without you but lying next to you is torture. I just want to wake you and have my wicked way with you.”
“Do you hear me objecting?”
“No, but we still have a murderer on the loose and the case won’t be solved in your bedroom.”
“Have you heard from Palmer?”
“No.” Reluctantly, she lifted her head and forced herself to sit up. “He still isn’t returning my calls or answering my texts. I know I promised to give him space, but, I keep hoping that he’ll come around.”
“He will. I’m sure that he just has a lot on his mind.”
“I should be out there … helping him with the case.”
“He ordered you to stand down.”
“I’m not good at following orders.”
David laughed. “I noticed that.” She felt the buzzing in his jeans moments before his phone rang so she lifted her head off his lap. He reached into his pocket as the sound of a coffin opening startled her.
“Dracula? Really David?”
David shrugged. “It seemed funny when I downloaded it.” He pressed the answer icon. “Yes, Anna. What? Okay, what station?” He grabbed the remote and turned on the T.V.
The screen sprung to life with the scene of an angry riot before flashing back to the male newsreader who announced…
“Breaking news. What started as a peaceful protest rally has escalated to a riot outside the police station in the small town of Azure Waters. Protestors have clashed with police who tried to move them on. We will now cross live to our reporter Pamela Brookes. Pamela, what can you tell us?”
The scene changed back to the riot and a young woman who was standing beside the police station. Her eyes flittered nervously between the camera and the crowd. “Hello, Grant. Senior Detective Inspector Terry Palmer is about to hold a press conference…” She touched her hand to her earpiece. “Okay, let’s hear what he has to say.” She turned to face the group of officers standing meters away. The camera panned in on a familiar face and Meaghan gasped when she saw Terry appear on screen. He looked tired. Tired and anxious.
“Although we understand the concern of the students, we promise that we, the police, are doing all we can to guarantee their safety. We have a few suspects but until we find the perpetrator of these crimes, we urge everyone to stay in their homes after dark. If you must venture out for work, it is safer to travel in pairs. Until further notice, the campus will remain closed, including the library—”
“How are we supposed to study?” screamed a protestor from off screen.
“What don’t you do your fucking jobs and catch the fucking creep, you cu—” the last expletive was bleeped from the broadcast as Terry continued.
“The police are doing all we can to catch the killer or killers. Please, stay in your homes and let the police do their jobs. Thank you.”
He stepped away from the podium and the camera panned across the crowd where protestors were setting fire to garbage cans and hurling empty beer bottles at the riot police. Meaghan noticed that most of the crowd was wearing black clothing and the familiar piercings and tattoos of Lilith’s crew. As if on cue, she spotted Lilith in the crowd, screaming abuse and obviously enjoying the notoriety. When the camera panned back, Meaghan froze. Menacing eyes stared back at her from the screen. It was a though the woman was staring into her soul. “That’s her!” she told David. “That’s the woman from the cafeteria, the one who followed me to the carpark. Lilith’s friend.”
“I remember her from your art class. Strange young woman. While the other students were painting images of the model, she seemed more focused on your side of the room. Her canvas was completely blank and I assumed that she wasn’t sure how to start so, I offered my assistance.”
“What did she say?”
David cleared his throat. “I was raised never to use such vulgar language in the presence of a lady.”
Meaghan pointed to the screen. “Look, she’s following Terry to the carpark.”
“Perhaps she wants to share some information about the case?”
Meaghan narrowed her eyes.
“All right, I agree. It does look suspicious.”
She grabbed her bag from the hall table and headed towards the door.
“Where are you going young lady?”
“Terry may be in trouble.”
“You stay here. I’ll check it out.”
“I’m not afraid of her David. I’ll take my gun this time.” She grimaced when she remembered that her gun was still under the pillow.
He held her by the shoulders. “Are you afraid of the hell-hound? Don’t forget, it was less than an hour ago that you heard it outside your window.”
She thought for a minute. “Could I take your car? I promise to stick to the speed limit … unless of course that thing attacks again, then, all bets are off.”
“I’ll drive. If anything happens, I can—”
“Blow your cover by exposing yourself in public?”
“Exposing myself? What did you have in mind Officer Lamb?”
“You have a very naughty mind Mr. Corel. You know very well what I mean. If Terry or any of the students see you—”
“I know. The reports of my death would appear highly exaggerated but, I have a better idea. Try ringing him before you go charging off to save him. He is probably more than capable of looking after himself.”
She shrugged. “He hasn’t answered my call so far, but…” She flipped open her phone and pressed his number. “I guess it’s worth a try.” The phone rang three times before it was answered.
“Yes, Meaghan?”
“Terry. Thank goodness you answered. I wanted to—”
“Hold on a minute, Megs.”
She heard him move the phone away from his mouth. “Yes, can I help you?”
She held her breath as she listened to the sound of scuffling, the crack of something hitting the ground and then, a sharp intake of breath. She screamed his name into the phone and heard the faint reply. “Meaghan...”
The line went dead.
****
For the third time in half an hour, Meaghan checked the time on her wrist watch. David should have been there by now. I should have insisted that he take me along. Where the hell are they?
As if on cue, a voice in her head answered. “I’m here, kitten, but there’s no sign of Terry. Look, I don’t mean to worry you but, there is a fair quantity of blood beside his car. I’m about to do a sweep of the area. Stay there. Derrick and Anna are home and I have explained the situation to them. If you need any help, call them first.”
Meaghan felt the tears swell and burn behind her eyes. Despite the calm in his voice, she could tell that David suspected the worst. The prospect of finding Terry alive didn’t look good. Find him, David. Please find him and bring him back.
She felt him break the connection. It left her even more empty inside despite knowing that he did it for her protection. Thoughts of Terry flashed in her head and it broke her heart to think that their last moments together had ended with so much pain. She couldn’t imagine a life without him. He was her brother, her confident and her protector for more years than she cared to remember. Without him, she would not have survived the lonely years in the orphanage or the difficult transition into the real world. They had to find him alive.
Briiiiing. The landline’s ring shocked her out of her thoughts and it took a moment to realize where the noise was coming from. She lifted the receiver, wondering why David had chosen the outdated form of communication when it was easier to project his thoughts.
“David?”
“No, Meaghan … it’s Anna.”
“You sound flustered. Did David ask you to call me? Has he found Terry?”
“Sorry, Meaghan, but I haven’t heard a thing. I know we promised David that we would stay home and look after you, but, there’s been another attack. My friend Sofie was attacked in her store tonight and she’s in intensive care. I hate to leave you, but her daughter lives in another state and I didn’t want to leave Sofie alone in the hospital in case the attacker isn’t finished with her. Derrick is still at her store checking for clues and rounding up some of the coven members to help. You should be okay there. Just stay put. A couple of days ago, Sofie and I placed a protection spell around the cottage. Nothing supernatural, besides David of course, can get in.”
“Of course I’ll be fine. You stay with your friend. I hope that she’ll recover soon.”
“I can’t believe anyone would want to hurt her. She’s blind. What sort of animal would attack a blind woman? It looks like the doctor is coming back … I gotta go.”
As she hung up the phone, Meaghan tried to clear her mind. Think, Meaghan, what would be the point of these attacks? She searched through her bag for her notebook and found her previous notes on the killer’s modus operandi, preferring the written word to using technology. She read her list out loud.
· Killer has only attacked University students, as far as we know so far
· Victims strangled
· Killer has changed his MO. Now using a knife
· New suspect. David Corel. Artist/Model and billionaire playboy. Seems rather unlikely considering he is a chick magnet but Terry is convinced
· Covert operation. Lucky turn of events has put me in a position to watch Corel closely.
· Suspiciously, David has turned up at the murder sites before the police. Must work out how he does it.
· David Corel was shot dead tonight. Feeling numb. I don’t believe he was the killer but Terry believes that the case is now closed
· Witnessed a murder tonight. Poor young woman was sacrificed. Not sure if I believe my own eyes. Must find a way to convince Terry.
Terry. Please be alive. She shook her head. This won’t get you anywhere. Think Meaghan. What is the connection? She picked up her pen and added to the list.
· Attacked by hell-hound outside police station
· Stalked by Lilith and friends
· Terry suddenly disappears
· Blind witch attacked in her store
She tapped her pen against her bottom lip as she considered the clues. Why would the hell-hound be after me? Is it because the demon saw me at the ceremony? Why come after me at the police station, does the unsub know I’m a cop? Why the blind lady and Terry? Think, think, thi— Oh my gosh. I’m the connection. I was at the police station to see Terry and whoever has him must know that we are friends. No. That couldn’t be it. I don’t even know this, Sofie woman, she’s Anna’s friend … who is working with Anna to break whatever spell was cast to block the killer. They must be making progress or else why would she be attacked.
With notebook in hand, she rose from her seat and walked over to the large sliding door, carefully lifting the corner of the curtain to peer outside. The sky was cloudless and filled with stars. The moon hung low in the sky illuminating the huge estate. She could see all the way to the beach from her position but she knew that there were many dark corners that could conceal the hound or its master. The thought chilled her to the bone. She felt confident enough to take on a flesh and blood killer but she now knew that there were things that lived for the darkness, things that could rip you to sheds, and she had no intention of becoming the next victim. It pained her to allow fear to keep her sequestered in her home while her loved ones were in danger. If it wasn’t for her phobia, she could have helped David search for Terry. Her injured hand rendered her even more useless against an attacker.
“Some detective you are,” she said aloud as she threw her notebook across the kitchen counter. It knocked the phone off the hook before skidding off the bench and onto the floor. “You should be at the station looking for Terry.” If only she wasn’t so scared of the hell-hound. If she could only find a way of … idiot! She slapped the side of her head with her palm. Why didn’t I think of that before?
****
“Hello?”
“Hello, Evan. Listen, I’m sorry if I woke you up old man but I need your help.”
“Of course, Master David. I wasn’t asleep, just resting my eyes.”
David knew that Evan was fibbing. The call had almost gone to voicemail before it was picked up. Poor Evan. Eighty years old and still refusing to retire.
“What can I do for you, Sir?”
“I’ve been trying to contact Meaghan at the cottage but she isn’t answering her cell phone and the landline is busy. Could you do me a favor and check the surveillance camera from the study?”
“Certainly, Master David. Just give me a minute, if you will.”
David’s exceptional hearing picked up the sound of the contents of a bottle shaking and he heard water being poured from a jug. “Is everything all right, Evan? Are you ill?”
“No, sir. Just a slight headache. I’m just popping a paracetamol. Here I go … off to the study.”
Time dragged on as the old servant shuffled the length of the house to the study. David could hear the Evan’s wheezing breaths as he made his way along the long corridors. He cursed himself for not forcing Evan to take retirement and go on a long cruise.
“I’m here, Master David.” Evan gasped. “I can see Miss Lamb sitting in a chair with her back to the camera. I believe that she is asleep.”
“Thank you, Evan. Once again, I’m so sorry to have disturbed you. You sound tired old man. When I get home, we need to have a serious discussion about your retirement.”
“Master David?”
“Yes, Evan.”
“I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you and Master Derrick for all that you’ve done for me. I may never have had children of my own, but you’ve been like sons to me. God bless you both.”
David felt uneasy. It was uncharacteristic of Evan to sound so maudlin.
“We could never manage without you, old man. You’ve been more of a father to us than our natural parent and that’s why I will be forcing you to have a holiday. I’m worried about you. Are you sure that you feel all right, Evan?”
“Never better. Goodnight, sir.”
“Good night, Evan.”
“Master David, wait!” The old butler sounded panicked.
“Yes, Evan. What’s the matter?”
“I can see someone entering Miss Lamb’s cottage. Two people, dressed in black and wearing masks. She doesn’t seem to notice them. Oh, no. They’ve picked her up. I must do something…”
“Don’t hang up, Evan. Stay on the phone.”
He could hear the old man shuffling along. The sound of a door opening. The squeal of tires on the asphalt driveway. Evan’s breathing became labored, thready.
“Evan! Are you all right? Are you still there, man?”
“They took her. Black panel van- sped- down- driveway. Couldn’t stop them.” He wheezed.
“Evan?”
“Master David. They to-ok her. They took Miss. La-amb.” A tremor shook his voice as his words faded away.
“Evan? Are you still there?”
“B-lack van. No pl-ates. Two of them- dre-ssed in black. Aargh—”
“Evan. Stay where you are. I’ll send an ambulance.”
“It’s … all right, Master David. It’s … my time.”
“No! Hold on. Please, Evan…” his voice broke as he felt his beloved friend slipping away. He could hear the erratic beating of Evan’s heart as it slowed. “Don’t leave us.”
“Never leave you- always in my heart. My sons.”
****
Despite being incorporeal, Meaghan could smell the blood even before she found Terry slumped against the alley wall. He wasn’t moving. She gasped and edged closer, fighting the urge to flee the scene. The area reeked of blood and Terry’s body sat in a puddle of the sticky mess. She swallowed down the bile and reached out to touch him. Her hand passed through him, barely causing a breeze to brush his skin. She tried again, concentrating her efforts as she touched his cheek with her fingers. Nothing. Aiming for his carotid artery, she reached out her hand but stopped when she saw the blood seeping from a wound to his stomach. Her incorporeal hand shook, almost fading into the ether. It took all her effort to hold herself together. If the blood is still seeping, his heart must still be pumping. She tried again. This time she could actually feel a pulse. His eyelids fluttered then slowly opened.
“Megs?” he moaned.
She nodded and smiled.
Terry’s fear filled eyes motioned for her to look behind her. She turned to find Lilith and her group standing meters away. The strange girl with menacing eyes addressed her as if they were friends.
“Hello, Meaghan. Long time no see.”
Meaghan tried to return to her body but something was wrong. She was stuck in the void. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her body but it was as if she never existed.
“Why are you doing this?” she directed her question to Lilith. “Terry and those other poor souls did nothing to you. Why did you target them?”
“Because we could,” squawked one of the group. Meaghan recognized him as the belligerent male from the canteen. The others were there too.
“Lilith. I don’t understand. Why are going along with this madness?”
“She promised me that I would get your talent.”
“Who promised you?”
“Nemesis.” She motioned to the ringleader who smiled menacingly but remained silent. “She’s a powerful black witch and we’ve—”
“Shut up!” Nemesis ordered with a back hand to Lilith’s cheek. “She’ll find out soon enough.” She motioned for the others to pick Terry up. They carried him to a black van that was parked in front of the alley. When she turned back to face Meaghan, she smiled and casually asked, “Are you coming?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Nemesis shook her head. “I suggest that you take a look inside the van and see the answer for yourself.”
Cautiously, Meaghan floated towards the back of the van where Terry had already been dumped onto an old, worn mattress. His blood soaked clothes beginning to soak through the fabric. Meaghan fought the urge the cover her mouth. She could see the two males sitting beside Terry and the three girls waiting outside the van, but someone else lay on the mattress behind Terry. She leaned closer for a better look and screamed. “No!”
****
“It doesn’t seem right,” Derrick told his brother as he accepted the glass of scotch. “We should call the funeral home and have him laid out properly.”
“If we call the funeral home, there will be papers to fill out and the police may need to be called. We don’t have time for this now, Derrick. We must find Meaghan.”
“But, after all he’s done for us over the years—”
“I know,” he rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder and squeezed, “and we will give him a fitting and proper send-off … later. He would understand.”
Derrick nodded and sipped his drink. “Anna is devastated but can’t leave Sofie. Not until we know she’s safe. Have you been able to contact Meaghan telepathically?”
“No. I’ve been trying ever since I got the call from…” He swallowed the painful memory of Evan’s last moments. “No, Derrick. Not yet.”
“Well the surveillance tape wasn’t a lot of help and Evan’s description a little vague. Do you think that they somehow drugged her?”
“I don’t see how. He said that she seemed to be asleep before they arrived. What I can’t understand is … why didn’t she wake up?” He took a few steps before slapping his forehead with his palm. “Of course. She didn’t wake up because she wasn’t in her body.”
“She was astral travelling?”
“That little minx. I made her promise not to leave the house so she figured out another way.”
“Where would she have gone?”
“My guess is she would look for Palmer.”
“You were in the underground carpark. Didn’t you see her?”
“No, but I saw a lot of blood. If Palmer is alive … he’s in a bad way.” He leaned against the kitchen counter, running his hands through his hair. “Whoever they are, they’re not our kind. A vampire would never waste so much blood.”
He turned to his brother. “Meaghan recognized a girl in the riot as being part of that cult who followed her on campus. She was worried that they were after Palmer … that’s why she sent me to find him. If they are the people who took him, I suspect that they also took Meaghan.”
“Dark clothes, dark van.” Derrick agreed. “What do you think they want with them?”
David’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared. “Every other victim was sacrificed.”
Derrick rose from his seat and grabbed his brother by his upper arms. “Take it easy, David. You won’t be able to help her if you lose control.”
“I can’t sense her, Derrick. She may already be dead.” He threw his empty glass across the room, shattering it. “I’ve tried to contact her in my mind but I can’t reach her.”
“What if we try together?” David looked puzzled. Derrick offered an explanation.
“I will reach out to you and we will try to reach her as one.”
David nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. He could feel the second Derrick made the psychic connection and together they reached out for Meaghan. For a moment, he connected with her, sensed her distress but, no sooner had he bonded, he lost contact.
“Someone is blocking us,” he told his brother.
“But she’s alive, David. We could both feel her.”
“Yes, but she’s afraid. Afraid and in shock.” He fisted his hair, squeezed his eyes tight shut as he told his brother, “I haven’t had a chance to tell you but, Meaghan is deathly afraid of blood. The sight and smell repels her. It comes from a childhood experience and is a real phobia.”
“That could be problematic.”
“Not only that. Judging by the emotions I’m sensing … wherever she is … she is surrounded by blood.”
****
“Where are you taking us?” Meaghan asked the unholy alliance as she hovered over her body.
“To the cemetery,” Lilith answered with a smug expression that was soon disappeared when Nemesis glared at her.
“What? I don’t see how telling her makes any difference now. It’s not as if she can do anything about it. She can’t even get back in her body.”
“Yeah. How cool is that?” the other girl added in between puffs of the joint that she passed on. “You really did a number on her, Nemesis. I can’t wait until the master gives me some of those powers.”
“You’d better hope he isn’t disappointed this time,” Nemesis warned the girl before directing her gaze to Lilith. “If you lied—”
“No. No, Nemmy. I’m sure it’ll work this time.”
“I’ve told you a million times you stupid bitch, don’t call me Nemmy!”
“Okay. Don’t have a cow.” She snatched the joint from the other Goth and blew the smoke in Terry’s face. He coughed and then groaned from the pain that obviously resulted from the sudden movement.
“Won’t be long now pig.” She turned to Meaghan’s incorporeal form and smiled. “Who’d ’ave thought you’re virginitis would be so profitable for me.” She giggled and took another drag. “The master will be very pleased this time.”
“You’d better hope that you haven’t stuffed up again, Lilith.” One of the others warned her. “I thought he’d skin us alive when he realized that the last one wasn’t pure.”
“She was a Sunday school teacher. You’d think that she’d have been as pure as driven snow.”
“You haven’t tasted the yellow snow,” the argumentative male informed her and the others joined him as he laughed. “She must’ve tasted like piss too cause the master spat her out.”
“You’re all scum. Do‘you know that?” Meaghan cursed. “Whatever it is that you think he’ll give you. He’s lying.” She tried again to return to her body but it was as though a barrier was around it. She couldn’t break through.
“You can try all you like but you won’t get back in.” Nemesis informed her with a chuckle. “You say he’s lying to us? Well, how do you think I was able to block you out of your body? He gave me the power. We’ve had a partnership, him and I, for years now. He even gave me a little pet … I think you’ve met Fido.” She smirked as she looked from Meaghan to Terry then back. “By the way, if I’d wanted Fido to kill you, you’d be dead. We were playing a little game of cat and mouse with you, keeping you up at night, weakening you.”
“He was trying to do more than weaken me when he attacked me outside of the police station.”
“You know how wild things can be … a little uncontrollable sometimes. He would have been severely punished if he had killed you. That pleasure is to be mine.”
“Why? I’ve never done anything to you. We’ve barely spoken. Why would you want to torment and kill me?”
“You still don’t know who I am, do you?” she mumbled to herself as though she was arguing with internal voices. “I can’t believe that I’ve spent most of my adult life hating you and you don’t even remember me. You lousy bitch!” She flicked the lit joint at Meaghan’s body. It left a small burn mark on her bare arm but she felt nothing. “All I ever wanted was to be part of a family but you couldn’t bear for me to find happiness, could you? You had to show up and ruin everything.”
Meaghan gasped as Nemesis smiled. “Oh, so you do remember? Which part stands out for you the most, Meaghan? The part where you flew in through my bedroom window and convinced me that you were a ghost or the part where you found me half-dead on the bathroom floor?”
When Meaghan grimaced she laughed.
“Ah, the bathroom floor. I thought that might jog your memory.” She unfastened the leather bracelets from her wrists and held out her hands, palms up to show the thin pale scars. “At the time, I didn’t realize that it would have been more effective to slice down the vein instead of across. So much blood wasn’t there, but not enough to kill me.”
“I never meant to hurt you Clarissa, I—”
“Clarissa is gone. I killed her off along with those do-gooders who couldn’t wait to get rid of me. They thought I was crazy. Even called me that to my face … until they saw the knife in my hand. You see, they wanted a perfect little girl. A clever, talented girl. If they’d seen you first, they’d have chosen you but we all make mistakes…” She glared at Lilith, “And we learn from them. It took me a while to track you both down. She flicked her head in Terry’s direction. “But I was pleasantly surprised to find that you’re still friends. It worked well with my plans. Two for the price of one.”
“Leave Terry out of this. He never did anything to you.”
“That’s right. He never did anything. He never paid any attention to me because he was so in love with you. You had each other … I was alone.”
Terry groaned and turned to Nemesis. “We tried to be friends with you, Clarissa—”
“Nemesis!”
He coughed and a trickle of blood ran down his chin. “Sorry. Nemesis. You shut us out. We would have—”
“No. When she was around you didn’t see anyone else but I bet you see me now. And when the master devours her, you can have a front row seat. You see, it’s a win/win situation for me. I tracked down this group of idiots when I heard about the first murder.” She scoffed as she looked her group over. “Amateurs. They were trying to conjure a demon by strangling their victims. Even when I explained how the process works, they still managed to stuff up. I admit I needed their help to find sacrifices for my master.” She shook her head. “You’d think that virgins would be easier to find but, I guess not. When I saw you at one of the murder scenes, I upped the ante, hoping that I could trap you outside of your body. The master promised that if your incorporeal self was in the area when I summoned him, he could kill your corporeal body and trap you in the ether forever. Unfortunately, these fuckers stuffed so he refused to pay up. Who’d have thought that the very person I planned on killing would turn out to be the sacrifice? What a joke.”
Meaghan tried again to enter her body to no avail. She tried to leave the van and will herself to wherever David was but that didn’t work either. She was trapped outside her body, waiting to watch herself die, knowing that her soul would be doomed to float around in the ether. Her thoughts turned to David. Would he still be able to see her? How awful, if they could see each other but never touch, never make love. She suppressed a sob, not wanting Nemesis to see how much pain she caused. She didn’t want her to have the satisfaction of knowing that she’d won. She bit her bottom lip, hard. A droplet of blood reached her tongue and she pushed down the wave of nausea as she remembered her last encounter with blood. She and David had mind bonded. An idea popped into her head offering a flicker of hope. If she couldn’t go to him, maybe she could call him to her?
****
When Anna entered the lounge room, both brothers rushed to her.
“What’s going on? Why did you call me back from the hospital?”
“Someone stole Meaghan’s body from the cottage while she was astral travelling and we can’t communicate with her. Someone or something is blocking us. We almost got through but it failed. Derrick thought that we should all try together. Maybe your power will be the key.”
“Do you think that it was the same group who attacked Sofie?”
“I’d bet my life on that.” He grimaced. “Well, you know what I mean.”
“It makes sense. The only way that they could have entered the cottage was if the protection spell was broken. Sofie and I cast that spell together. They must have gone after her first.”
Derrick grabbed his wife by the shoulders. “That means they’ll be coming for you next.” He turned to David. “We need to finish this … now!”
“How do you propose we do this, Anna?”
Anna thought for a moment. “Come with me.”
She led them to the dining room table and motioned for them to sit. “I think that we should hold hands, like a séance, only, instead of me, David will lead us.”
“I don’t know how to run a séance.”
“Just think of Meaghan. We’ll concentrate our energy on you while you try to communicate with her. Both of you, close your eyes and focus on Meaghan.”
David closed his eyes and tried to connect. Something fluttered in his mind, he heard the tinkling sound of glass shattering and then he heard her.
“David, is that you?”
“Meaghan! Oh, kitten, it’s so good to hear your voice. How—”
“I don’t have much time. I’m trapped outside my body. Terry and I are in a van travelling, I think, to the cemetery. They plan to sacrifice us to the demon I saw but it won’t work. The believe me to be a virgin so when the demon discovers their mistake, all hell will break loose. Terry is in a really bad way; I don’t think he’ll make it. David, if I don’t survive this—”
“Don’t talk like that. We’ll get to you in time, I promise.”
“The killer calls herself Nemesis but her real name is Clarissa. She’s the girl from the orphanage. The one who tried to kill herself. She blames me for her problems but I don’t believe that she will stop killing after I’m dead.”
“If she does anything to hurt you, I will end her and all her friends.”
“Just promise me that you’ll stop them. And, David?”
“Yes, kitten.”
“Whatever happens tonight, I need you to know—”
“You can tell me in person my love.”
“David, we seem to be stopping. I can’t…”
“Meagan? Meaghan!”
“We’ve lost communication, David.” Anna informed him. “They must be moving her.”
David sprung to his feet and slammed his fist onto the glass table. His chair clattered to the floor as he turned to his brother. “I’m going to the cemetery, are you coming?”
“Wait!” Anna grabbed her husband by his shirt sleeve. “You’re not prepared to face a demon. You must have a plan.”
“I plan to kill the bastard.”
“David, think for a minute. Do you even know how to kill a demon?”
“I think ripping its head off will be a good start. What do you think Derrick?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“And how do you plan on doing that? Until it’s made corporeal, there is nothing to kill.”
“She’s right, David. It would be akin to fighting a cloud.”
“They’re going to kill her if we don’t do something. We must act now!”
“What do you suggest?” Derrick asked his wife who was chewing on her fingernails.
She looked up from her hands and her eyes widened. “The girl that Meaghan mentioned. This … Nemesis. She’s the key. She controls the hell-hound and she is the one who summons the demon. If you destroy her, the demon will never return.”
“What about the hell-hound?”
“Have you seen it?”
“Meaghan and I were chased by it and it howled outside her window but, we never actually saw it. Why?”
David turned to his wife. “Yes, what difference would that make?”
Anna sighed. “Thank goodness. From what I’ve read, the hell-hound drags a soul to hell after it has shown itself to that person three times. I don’t think it can hurt you … yet.”
“That’s a useful piece of information and I thank you but we’re wasting time. How do we save Meagan and Palmer?”
Anna’s shoulders slumped but her facial expression hardened as she told him, “You have to kill Nemesis.”