Chapter Six
Melissa might avoid speculating, yet, deep down, she knew that her friends would not do so as well. Kate and Julia would start guessing, as soon as she told them how her date went. Monica would be subtler, but her attitude would be overshadowed by squeaky remarks or ironic comments. Melissa needed some understanding. She could do without the teasing, and the – more than certain – argument that her friends’ behavior would lead to. A return to her cabin did not feel at all like a wise choice. On the other hand, some solitude was guaranteed to benefit her. Surrounded by the elements, Melissa would be able to gather her thoughts, and attempt to find some peace of mind, without having to worry about Kate or Julia’s reactions to her date.
Acheron River lay closer to her, miles away from Paxton, and any prying eyes, alike. The taste of Joe’s kiss was still in her mouth as she closed the driver’s door behind her. Once again, Melissa looked up, as she paced along the shore. Thick clouds were beginning to veil the hundreds of stars that graced the night sky. The pale moon had not been covered just yet, casting its ample light down on the river and the trees. Almost immediately, her gaze landed on the spot where she had found Joe earlier that day. However, Melissa decided to push the memory of that encounter out of her mind, recalling it was a negative thought, precisely like her date with him. It was a thing of the past, one that she had to let go, if she had any hope of finding the man of her dreams. Staring down at the sparkling water, she watched it go over bigger and smaller rocks, as it flowed down the stream. Within seconds, a pair of red eyes reflected on the surface. She was not alone. The identity of her company was well-known to her.
“Roman’s grandchildren keep on failing me.” Helena said, a hint of sadness in her tone, as she pulled her hood back from her head. “You are all quite careless, with the exception of Ray. I still haven’t caught him off his guard.”
“Hey, Helena,” Melissa spoke, tossing a swift glance down at her. “How have you been? It’s been a while.”
“I have been rather preoccupied lately,” Helena declared, moving her gaze up to meet Melissa’s, as she wrapped her fingers around her staff. “Kate has allowed me to play with her mother’s book. I’m not going to ask what you’ve been doing. I can see it in your eyes. You are troubled.” A silver glow sprang from the top of the stick, and shot all the way down, as she tapped it on the ground. Before Melissa knew it, the witch was standing right beside her. “The man you met with tonight cannot give you what you seek. You are better off without him.”
“How would you know about that?” Confusion and curiosity tightened Melissa’s mouth, as she narrowed her eyes to slits. “Have you been stalking me or something?”
“Not you. Him,” Helena replied in an emphatic tone, her face stiff, as a shadow of fear crept into her eyes. “Joe Stanton brings great evil with him, my young one. You may see him as a young, attractive man, but all I see is the blackness that dwells within him.”
“Blackness?” Melissa gave a derisive snort, as she raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same man?”
“I’m absolutely positive,” Helena stated, a touch of discomfort in her voice. “Like I said, I have been studying Marianne McIntyre’s book for a while now. It contains plenty of spells, and techniques to detect bearers of dark energy. Every now and then, I use them to find out if anything out of the ordinary has crossed the borders of our town or Shandaken. Last night, I was stunned to discover that one of those…” she paused; “despicable creatures lives amongst us. My agents notified me of your meeting. I was very relieved to find out that it ended rather quickly.”
“Ok, stop calling him names,” Melissa urged, raising both hands up to her chest. “As far as I can tell, Joe is just a widower, who can’t get over the loss of his wife. What’s with all this ‘blackness’ nonsense? The guy seems to be very sensitive. That’s what attracted me to him in the first place.”
“I’m not talking about his heart. I’m talking about his soul,” Helena explained, her voice deepening, as she leaned over her. “If uncompromised, people’s souls glow white. His is pitch-black.”
“Go on,” Melissa encouraged with a nod, as the skin on her face tingled with fear.
“My God…” Helena heaved a long, heavy sigh, squeezing her eyes shut, as she lifted her hand to rub her cheek. “I don’t know where to start. I did some research on him. Before Joe’s wife died in that accident, he was just a lawyer; an average nobody, struggling to make a living. His clientele was comprised of elderly people, and fired individuals, trying to get their jobs back. No surprises there. Lawyers don’t have it easy. Even in my time, few of them managed to reach prominence. Three weeks after her death, he was hired by ‘Cross and Associates’, a prestigious law firm in New York, which is very odd, to say the least. The man had no connections whatsoever. What could convince an accomplished lawyer like David Cross to employ Joe Stanton? Men like him do not like to take risks when it comes to their job. Tell me, what’s Joe’s current status?”
“He’s very successful,” Melissa replied, her voice shaking, as her fear sent her heart into a flurry of wild beats.
“Mediocre lawyers do not magically transform into excellent counselors, my dear Melissa.” Helena stated, as a stream of lightning flashed, lighting up the world around them. “Not unless they had some severe outside help. Joe must have been quite desperate. After his wife’s passing, his job was all he had left. There is one category of creatures that preys on human despair. It feeds off of it: Demons,” she added, as a deafening crack of lightning tore through the night, causing the ground to vibrate beneath their feet. “My guess is that Joe sold his soul to a demon, in exchange for professional success.”
“No…” a whisper of disbelief escaped Melissa, her eyes black with shock, as she shook her head sideways. “It can’t be.”
“It gets worse,” Helena continued in the same, firm tone, as the first, thick raindrops fell on her hair. “Demons do not wait for the human to die of natural causes, before they can harvest their soul. Most likely, this one has given Joe a few years to enjoy his success: ten, maybe fifteen at best.”
“Oh, my God…” Melissa whispered once again, feeling her heart ready to burst out of her chest, as she put her hands to her temples.
“Now you can understand why I was so relieved that your date with him was a disaster,” Helena stated in a much sweeter voice, as she reached her left hand up to Melissa’s cheek. “You don’t need a man like him in your life, my young one. Stay away from him.”
“I kissed him tonight,” Melissa’s voice picked up volume, as the scene of their kiss replayed in her mind. “I noticed something strange. Every human has a distinctive scent. I couldn’t smell his, until…”
“He kissed you,” Helena finished her sentence, running her hand through her hair. “That’s because he let himself loose for those few moments. He decided to live, just for a few seconds. You must understand that the demon has a firm grip on his soul. That’s why it is black, and that’s why he cannot give himself to anybody. An enslaved soul must first break free of its shackles, before it can be given.”
Helena’s conclusion shattered every last shred of hope Melissa had of having a relationship with him. She was confident that she could help him forget his wife. But, there was nothing she could do about the insanity that he had brought into his life by making a deal with a demon. Melissa desired a relationship, someone to rely on, not a man with an expiration date. Joe Stanton was not just unavailable. He was a victim of circumstances; even though she could feel for him, she could not take any chances with him.