CHAPTER 8

Since waking up dead, Michael had spent most of his days alone. For that he’d been grateful: no distractions. Giving him plenty of time to do what he’d become very good at: seeking out and fighting evil supernatural beings in the hope that they’d be of use to him during his search for the truth. Not that he was ever into company all that much, even before his death. He’d had lots of friends and acquaintances due to the nature of his career and had been fortunate enough to enjoy many of life’s luxuries. But his success had attracted many people.
He’d had enough of all the fake friends who’d admired his status more than anything else.
There was none of that now Being who or what he was now, the only human interaction he’d had was when he’d needed something from them. He’d used people, taken advantage of kindness that was offered to him on many occasions, and tried his hardest to remain alone. He’d even dated the odd female to get information; of course, that never lead to anything more than a movie, dinner or a midnight stroll. There had never been so much as a kiss between him and the few females he’d interacted with. They, on the other hand, had been more than willing, but for him it was just business and nothing more. As soon as he was satisfied that they were of no more help to him, those people were quickly forgotten about, never seeing or hearing from him again.

Well, that is, except for one person: Evo. His go-to man whenever he needed a little back up. A human whom he now considered a friend and a person he could trust with his life, or. . . death. Whatever.

The last he’d seen of him was about three months ago when he’d been in Colorado on the hunt. He’d needed a little help with a Djin that had been sapping the life out of some of the clients of a small bar on the outskirts of the city. Michael had never encountered one before and hadn’t liked the look of it either. He’d needed as much information as possible about the son of a bitch before he’d dare attempt to take him on. His friend knew a lot about the supernatural world and the things that shared the earth with them now. Evo was a living, breathing, demon encyclopedia, but he hadn’t always been that way. His life had been on a downward spiral until one day, in Ohio nearly nine months ago, Michael saved his life.

His mind went back to that rainy night in January.

"Michael had only been in his new body for a little over a month and was still adjusting to it. It was a whole new experience for him after being ethereal for the first part of his new existence and he was still finding it hard to accept the way things were for him now. The why, however, was still yet to be discovered and Michael had made it his sole purpose to find out who, or what, had killed him.

He’d hunted high and low, crossed many states and cities, searched through the dregs of the underworld for the kind of creatures he was hoping to get information from but all he’d encountered were a handful of wraiths which were, quite frankly, useless at giving information. And then there were the endless lost spirits that wandered the streets and buildings trapped in a world that was neither life nor death; some for all eternity, others, until they found peace with whatever was keeping them there.

After a few days in Cleveland, Michael had become restless. He’d spent his days scouring the local papers and internet news sites for signs of unusual activity−all to no avail−until one night after he’d re-acquainted himself with Mr Daniels in a small, dingy bar on the corner of 9th Street and Sumner.

He’d propped up the bar feeling sorry for himself for the past hour, unsure what to do next, until his ears pricked at a conversation between two men who were sitting at the opposite side. A thin, red-haired man was talking about something that had gone down last night at one of the clubs downtown.

Michael wasn’t really paying much attention, but from what he gathered, it was your usual, city nightlife stuff: police cornering a man in an alleyway after some sort of altercation. The guy was found crouched over a stiff−nothing unusual about that.

As redhead went on, Michael ordered another JD without the coke this time.

One thing he’d discovered about his new self was that he could drink and drink and it hardly affected him, much to his annoyance. Well, he was determined to keep going tonight until it did.

The female behind the bar placed a napkin in front of him, followed by his order. As he looked up at her, she winked and a flirtatious smile graced her lips.

“There you go handsome.” Her hand lingered on his glass, then she stroked her finger up the side seductively. Michael just about managed to raise the side of his mouth, then went back to ignoring her, supping back the frosty contents in one.

“Apparently the guy was all kinds of crazy,” he heard redhead saying to his overweight buddy sat beside him. They reminded him of a couple of characters from Cheers.

“Yep. They usually are,” his buddy said.

“This guy more so. Jock was there when they hauled him off. He said the guy was protesting his innocence, and then he shouted something about a big guy with red eyes, dressed in black, who’d just disappeared in front of him.”

Michael looked over at the men.

Plump-guy laughed. “It takes all sorts.”

Well, now their conversation just got interesting.

“Hey!” Michael shouted over to Norm and Cliff over the bar. “Did they take him downtown?”

“What d‘ya say man?” redhead grunted, clearly wondering why their private conversation had just been interrupted.

“The crazy guy? Did they take him downtown?”

“Uh. Yeah,” he scoffed. His buddy looked equally annoyed.

Michael took no notice. He held up a twenty to Blondie behind the bar, slammed it down next to his empty glass and left without saying another word.
Standing in the doorway of an unused building,
Michael watched the doors to the precinct across the street through a thick blanket of rain. A few hours outside the police department and there was still no sign of the man he’d heard about at the bar, so he could only assume they were holding him overnight which would make things way more complicated.

Michael could hardly walk in and ask to have a private conversation with the guy. He was going to have to think about breaking him out of there.

Just as he was about to head over there, he hung back as a young male, around 6ft, with scruffy, brown hair came through the double doors and walked down the steps from the building. He hadn’t seen the guy enter the precinct and as he was dressed in a scruffy denim jacket with a hooded sweatshirt underneath and dark colored cargo pants, he assumed he wasn’t an employee.

He had to be the guy he’d been waiting for.

Michael pulled his hood over his head, crossed the heavy traffic, and followed him making sure he kept his distance. The man took a left at the end of the street. He was clearly on edge; jumping with every noise. His head darted around in all directions, no doubt making sure he wasn’t being followed.

Fortunately, he hadn’t spotted Michael. He turned right, heading down an alleyway up ahead between a couple of rundown apartment blocks. Michael picked up his pace a little so he didn’t lose him.

He followed the man into the alleyway still staying well back so as not to startle the guy. A foul smell of human garbage filled the air as Michael passed a row of dilapidated dumpsters on the left side. Just then, he felt a strange shiver run up his spine, which stopped him in his tracks. He watched as the man he’d been tailing also halted.

The man’s head crept around. Michael hurried to a dumpster and crouched down beside it, peering over the top where he could see the man scanning the darkness like he’d sensed that someone was watching him.

“Hello! Is someone there?” He heard the stranger say.

The sensation that Michael had felt just then began to get stronger, a coldness creeping up his spine and heightening his senses. It was familiar to him. He’d felt it before just before fighting one of the many creatures he’d battled over the last few months. But what was causing it this time?

CONTINUATION


Michael stayed in his position and continued to watch the man walk further down the alley, taking
tentative steps this time. Michael stayed back, sensing his trepidation.

There was something else in this alleyway with them and it wasn’t human, that, Michael was sure of.
Soft lights that hung over the two fire doors from the apartment block began to flicker, causing the man to stop walking again. He looked back, but didn’t notice Michael. “Who’s there?” His voice was broken. He was scared.

It took a moment for Michael to register what he saw next. A dark figure jumped down from a metal fire escape that clung to the side of a building up ahead, landing in front of the man who yelled out in shock and stumbled backwards. Gaining his footing, the man walked backwards as the dark figure walked towards him, eyes as red as crimson, closing the gap between them.

Demon. Michael was certain. He’d seen eyes like those before.

The young man spoke, “Who are you?” he asked. His voice trembled.

The demon lunged forward and gripped the frightened male by his throat, lifting him into the air like he was nothing. The man he’d followed was tall, but there was barely anything of him. He didn’t stand a chance

“Someone you shouldn’t have seen,” was the demons reply as it began to squeeze the poor guy’s throat, abruptly cutting off his cry for help.

Shit!

Michael stepped out from behind the dumpster. “Let him go,” he ordered as he walked towards them. He heard the strained chokes coming from the frightened man as he struggled to breathe under the demon’s grip. As Michael got closer to them, he noticed the demon’s eyes were more illuminated and the crimson glow was now fixed on him.

“Of course.” It mocked as he flung the man away like he was flicking a fly.

There was a thud as the man hit the wall on the other side of the alley. “But you’re just delaying his fate.”
The demon’s voice was deep and angry, with all its focus now only on Michael. A black buzz-cut revealed deep scars upon its head. Its all-black attire dishevelled, floor length leather jacket worn and faded and there were black binds wrapped around its wrists. Its skin was pale and its fingernails dark and jagged.

Shit! He was a mean looking SOB. It looked like it had used the body it was in for a long time. Some demons preferred to use only one vessel.

“Leave him alone. What could you possibly want with him?” Michael asked as they circled each other in the dimly lit space.

“He’s seen too much.” The demon snarled back at him.

“And who’s he going to tell? Besides, who would believe him?” Michael had positioned himself in front of the man who was now slumped against the wall and coughing in pain.

“I’m not about to take that risk. Why should it concern you? He’s human.

He’s nothing.” The demon knew Michael wasn’t human. He tried a different approach.

“Exactly, so why waste your strength on a weak human like him?”

“Enough of this!” The demon ordered as he made a charge for the man.

Michael jumped and grabbed hold of the demon’s neck, but his strength was no match for it and it threw him off with no effort at all. As Michael hit the floor the creature stuck a boot into Michael’s side, sending him skidding across the wet concrete. He quickly managed to get to his feet and before the demon got to deliver another kick, Michael swung a right hook into the side of its skull which momentarily knocked it off balance.

In the short time it took for the SOB to shake the hit off, Michael had managed to grab his blade from out of the strap inside his coat and slashed at the demon that laughed as it jumped back out of the way.

Michael knew from the demon’s strength that it was playing with him and that at any moment the bastard would strike to kill.

He felt a familiar feeling of rage building inside of him. It seemed to be happening more often lately when fighting and each time it got stronger. It was that rage that had helped him defeat the many demons and other creatures he had battled with in the few months he’d been a part of the underworld.

Just as the demon was gearing up for his next strike, Michael braced himself. Taking a deep breath, he crouched over ready to pounce. But the demon halted suddenly.

“Your eyes! It’s not possible.” Then the demon growled a word Michael didn’t recognize. “Gazriel!”
Michael had no clue what the demon was talking about, but remained still.

It whispered something in another language and then suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving Michael panting and looking at nothing but the depths of the alleyway in front of him and distant traffic speeding past at the end.

What the Bleep just happened?

A groan came from his left. The man had pulled himself up and was sitting against the wall in between two dumpsters. “What the hell was that?” he asked as he wiped his forehead and examined the blood that was now covering his hand from a small gash above his left eyebrow.

Michael went to his aid, holding his hand out to him. “You okay, buddy?”

He took Michael’s hand and pulled himself up to his feet. “Yeah man. You saved my life. I owe you one.”

He dusted down his trousers. “What was that thing?”

“I have no idea but−”

“And what the hell are you?” the man interrupted; his eyes wide as he looked at Michael waiting for an answer.

Michael was confused. “I. . . What do you mean?”
“I saw your eyes just now, when you were fighting that thing.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I think that bump on your head has affected you.” “There’s no human I know whose eyes glow white like that. What the hell are you man?” He wiped at his head again.
Ignoring his question, Michael gestured towards the guy’s forehead. “You need to get that gash checked out. You’re gonna need some stitches.”

The stranger looked frustrated. “Come on. Are you kiddin’ me man? A guy with bright red eyes just flew down from the sky and tried to kill me. I think we can safely assume that I’m all shocked out right now. You can tell me what the hell it is that you are ‘cause you’re certainly not normal.”

Michael shook his head. Granted, he was still discovering things about himself but. . . his eyes glowing white? “I didn’t know that happened.” He couldn’t understand it.

His confusion must have surprised the stranger as he was now looking at him with a bemused expression.

“Damn, I could use a drink!” Michael scoffed. “No doubt we both could.

Come on. I’m buying.”

From that day on, and after never seeing that demon again, Michael and Evo had been best friends.

It was good to hear his voice after so long. Evo was due to arrive in the next half hour or so and Michael had insisted that he stay with him on campus. He didn’t have much room in his apartment but he had a sofa which was quite comfortable and in truth, he would quite enjoy the company right now.

After work Michael had returned to his dorm. He’d powered up his laptop before heading out to meet Evo in front of the admin building and was just about to sit down with his freshly made mug of coffee when the phone rang. He walked to the counter top and grabbed the handset from its cradle. “Hello?”

A familiar British accent sounded on the other end of the line.

“Michael? Hi.

It’s Lacy. I’m calling from the hospital.”

michael my man,,bt dz konikoni suicide demon ee,,i no want dat babe to die oo

√Chapter 9

The constant, familiar beep of the EKG machine was enough to keep Lacy on edge as she sat in the bucket chair that she’d pulled over to Nina’s bedside. She looked at the many tubes and wires connected to Nina, whose gaunt face was hidden behind an oxygen mask that clouded over with each exhale that she made. The fact that she was breathing on her own was a small relief, but Lacy still felt a knot in the pit of her stomach as she sat and stroked Nina’s hand.

She’d only left her side once since she’d been brought into ICU a couple of hours ago, which had been to call Michael to inform him of Nina’s condition but there had been no answer on his cell.

A deep groan came from the pit of her stomach. The hunger was too intense to ignore now and she knew she’d have no choice but to eat something soon, if only to keep her own strength up.

The door swung open and a brown haired nurse came in giving Lacy a warm smile as she walked over to the bed. She picked up the clipboard from the end of the bed and walked over to the EKG machine, pressed a few buttons and wrote something down on the sheet of paper.

“How are you holding up?” she asked Lacy over her small black rimmed glasses.

“Good. Thanks. How’s she doing?”

The nurse finished up with the clipboard placing it back on its hook and walked over to an IV drip that hung on a metal stand next to the bed. She reached up and turned the small clamp on the tubing “No change as of yet,” she replied, her voice soft. “With trauma like this I’m

afraid it’s a waiting game, but she’s comfortable. She’s being kept sedated so there is less stress on her brain.” The nurse put her hand on Lacy’s shoulder. “I know she’s been through a lot, but she’s in good hands here. Listen, you’ve been here for quite some time. Have you eaten?”

“Not since lunch. But I’m fine, really.”

“You need to eat something. It won’t help anyone if you neglect yourself.

Why don’t you pop to the canteen and get something? I’m sure Nina won’t mind.”

Lacy glanced over at the young girl who looked so peaceful in her induced slumber. The nurse was right; no sense in starving herself and her stomach had begun to shout for food a while ago. It would be good to stretch her legs, she supposed, and she could also try calling Michael again.

“Okay.” She got to herfeet and placed her jacket on the chair. “I won’t be too long.”

She swung her purse over her shoulder and gave the nurse a smile.

“I’m on duty all evening so take your time. I’ll keep checking in on her for you.” The nurse’s smile was kind and sympathetic, reassuring Lacy that it was fine to leave Nina which, for some reason, she found extremely hard to do. Still racked with guilt over her sister, she worried about something happening to Nina while she was alone. She couldn’t bear the thought After sitting in the canteen for half an hour, pushing some berries from a slice of cherry pie around her plate instead of eating them, Lacy had given up on food. She couldn’t conjure up any kind of appetite, which was no surprise. She knew when she’d ordered at the counter that she wouldn’t eat it, but had ordered anyway in the hope that she’d change her mind when it was in front of her. Not the case. All she’d managed was one measly fork full and a few sips of her coffee. Her stomach wasn’t cooperating and it was pointless trying to make it, so she decided to head downstairs.

She reached a bank of pay phones down at reception, put a few quarters in and dialled Michael’s number. At seven thirty p.m, he should be home from work by now. After a few rings, Lacy was relieved to hear his voice on the other end of the line.

“Hi. It’s Lacy. I’m calling from the hospital.”

“Hey. How’s she doing?”

She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s pretty bad.” She repeated what the surgeon had told her earlier about Nina’s condition as best she could; surprised she’d even remembered what he’d said. Even more surprising was how badly the whole thing was affecting her. She hardly knew Nina; had spoken to her, maybe once before, so why had it hit her so hard? Deep down, she knew the answer:

she’d replaced her sister with Nina thinking that if she looked after her, it would take away some of the guilt she felt over not looking after Beth. Her previously buried emotions about her sister’s death were now a high speed train she wasn’t ready to board yet. The guilt that had buried itself right down to her marrow was now raging like a hot furnace. She thought she’d dealt with it after all these years, that she’d finally put it to rest when really all she’d managed to do was push it further back, all the while fighting hard not to let it rise to the surface.

“Are you okay?” Michael’s voice snapped her away from her inner struggle and she inhaled so deeply her lungs burned. “Lacy?”

“Yes. Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little tired, that’s all.” It wasn’t a complete lie.

Somehow Michael’s voice soothed her. It was nice to speak to someone she classed as a friend even though they hadn’t known each other all that long.

“You don’t need to stay with her all the time,” he told her, his voice sympathetic. “I’m sure the hospital will let you know if there’s any change.

You’re going to wear yourself out.”

He was right, of course. There was nothing she could do for her right now so exhausting herself was just silly. Besides, she needed to stop by her office to get some of her things so she thought it best to leave now before it got any later.

“Okay. I’ll just pop back up to see her before I leave and make sure they have my number.”

“Then go home and get some rest. I’ll speak to you tomorrow okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

On her way back up to the room she stopped at the nurse’s station to leave her home and cell number then went back to Nina’s room. Still lost in her inner turmoil, it wasn’t until she was through the door that she saw a familiar figure at Nina’s bedside, leaning right over her. Lacy froze. Her breath caught and her eyes fixed on Jake’s as his head snapped towards her and he stood up straight.

What the hell was he doing leaning over her like that?

“How did you get in here?” she managed to ask him through her alarm.

“Visiting is over.”

He was silent for a moment and just when Lacy was about to repeat her question he spoke in a quiet mumble that she barely heard.

“I needed to see her,” he said. She felt annoyed at him for avoiding her question. She slowly walked towards him, keeping her eyes fixed on his. When she got closer to him she noticed how pale he was. His face was gaunt; his deep blue eyes weighed down with dark, heavy circles. She happened to glance down and saw that his hands were thick with dirt. As she stood near him, his empty stare seemed to burn through her like he wasn’t really seeing her even though he was looking straight at her. Lacy felt a chill creep down her spine, but shook it off. She had to find out what had happened between him and Nina.

“Do you know what happened to her?”

She watched his face intently for any kind of sign, but he looked away from her.

“No.”

“I saw you earlier today. You and Nina. . . You were arguing about something.”

He didn’t respond. Didn’t even move, just continued to stare at her; his eyes still devoid of any emotion. She backed away from him, walking around thefoot of the hospital bed to the other side. His gaze followed her. The chill came back, telling her she should get out of there, but she wouldn’t leave Nina, and she had to know if he was responsible for what had happened to her.

“What was it about, Jake?”

Finally, his eyes dropped to look at Nina, a wrinkle appearing between his brows.

“It was nothing.” He sounded strangely despondent.

“It didn’t look like nothing to me.” Her voice was stern as she stared at him over the bed, willing him to look at her so that she could gauge his expression.

She remembered his face, as he’d grabbed Nina back at the campus, and the way it had made her feel in that moment−the dread that had hit the bottom of her stomach as she looked on from across the car park−and now, deep down to her marrow, her instincts were telling her that this boy was dangerous. She felt certain that he was the reason Nina was lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life.

“What happened to her? What did you do?”

He took off towards the door without saying a word.

“Jake!” She was angry now. How dare he just ignore her?

“I will find out what happened,” she promised as he left the hospital room without as much as a backwards glance.

After her anger had begun to subside, Lacy sat watching Nina, contemplating staying with her. She was even more worried about leaving her on her own now. Seeing Jake standing at her bedside had freaked her out. What if he came back when she’d gone? Lacy didn’t trust him at all.

She tried fighting back a yawn, but it beat her. She had to get some rest, there was no doubt. She figured if she spoke to the nurse on duty and explained about Jake they’d keep an extra eye on Nina’s room. She’d stop by her office on the way home like she’d planned. Then when she got home, she’d have a quick shower then bed. She could call the hospital in the morning to see if everything was okay, then visit Nina tomorrow afternoon.

"It was a good plan. Little did she know that her plans were about to change".

Chapter 9 Continue
* * *

The drive to her office had been a quiet one. She was glad to be away from all the beeps and drones of the hospital machinery that was currently helping to keep Nina alive, even though she still felt uneasy about leaving her. She couldn’t help but think of what happened all those years ago when she’d left her sister. The fact that she hadn’t been with her sister when she’d taken her final breath still affected her greatly and she couldn’t bear the thought of poor Nina being alone if the time came. She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and parked the car as near as she could to the psychology department building.

The night had brought along a slight ground mist which had covered the whole campus. There was a cold bite in the air; a sign that fall was in full swing.

Lacy pulled her jacket tighter around her as she walked towards the brownstone building where her office was. It was always pretty quiet around this part of the campus at nine o’clock at night. Most of the students hung out around the bars and leisure areas when they weren’t in their dorms.

Most of the evening classes had finished by now so the hallways were empty as she walked towards her office. Far away footsteps echoed down the other end of the building as she unlocked the door. She paused, waiting to see who it was−maybe a colleague−but the footsteps stopped abruptly before they rounded the corner. She thought nothing of it and went inside her office, gathered up some files from her desk, turned out the lights and locked the door behind her.

As soon as Lacy was outside the building her skin prickled with a sense of foreboding. Something inside was telling her she was being watched. That something wasn’t wrong.

She looked around and saw the figure of a man, shadowed by the large tree he was leaning against. She could feel his eyes on her as she began to walk swiftly, but calmly, towards her car.

Just stay calm, she told herself even though her hands had already begun to tremble.

She walked a little faster, cutting across the grass as she reached into her coat pocket for her car keys. A quick glance behind her caused her to panic as she saw that the man was now following her. She walked as fast as she could without breaking into a run; her heart pounding as her car came into view. She pointed her keys at it, hand shaking, and unlocked the doors.

Quickly, she climbed inside and pulled the door shut. The man, who was still heading towards her, lifted his head and as he walked into the light of the nearby street lamp she gasped.

Jake! He must have waited at the hospital and followed her.

As she fumbled to put the key in the ignition, she dropped the whole bunch on the floor. “Shit!” She bent down to grab them and when she sat back up again, she screamed when she saw Jake right outside her window. Frozen for a moment by his vacant stare, Lacy fixed on Jake’s eerily dead expression which sent a feeling of dread to the pit of her stomach.

Jesus Christ! What’s wrong with this guy?

Desperately trying to calm herself enough to stop her hand from shaking, she attempted to put the key in the ignition again. She managed it this time, and inhaled a deep breath when she heard the roar of the engine. Jake reached out for the door handle, but she managed to slam the car into reverse and maneuver out of his reach and out of the parking lot. She didn’t dare look back as she sped towards the gates at the front of campus.

seriously? 4800 views and no comment? common guys you can do better than this......

Hnhmhmhm things are getting really scary buh interesting... Thumbs up bro.. More update?

Is Jake the demon? Or is he possessed?

Nice one keep up the good work.

√Chapter 10

A brisk wind blew through the campus as Michael walked out of the doorway of his apartment building. His black, wool trench coat was more for effect than actual need for warmth, and it also hid his weapons nicely.

Evo had called twenty minutes earlier to explain that there’d been a delay with his flight and he was now in a rental on his way from the airport. Michael had arranged to meet him by the main gates as the campus was fairly large, so it was easier than explaining where his apartment was.

No sooner had he arrived by the brass monument of Charles Benedict Calvert, the founder of SPU that stood proud on a grassy island just inside the gates, than a large black MERCEDES GLK350 SUV pulled into the grounds and Michael knew straight away who was driving it. A familiar face greeted him with a big smile from behind the wheel of the large 4x4 as it pulled up to the sidewalk. The passenger side window slid down automatically.

“Hey buddy!” his best friend said from the comfort of his plush leather seat.

Michael leaned in the passenger window and shook his head. “Flash enough for yer?” he laughed.

“Hey, you know I like to travel in style,” Evo answered, then he jumped out of the driver’s side door and headed around to greet Michael with a big hug.

“It’s good to see you man.”

“You too buddy.”

Evo hadn’t changed much since the last time Michael had seen him. Apart from the fact that he now looked about fifty pounds heavier, his hair was still the same short, brown, chopped style he always wore and he was simply clad in his choice uniform of black fatigues, tucked into a pair of combat military boots; a plain, deep gray T-shirt; and a black wool overcoat, collars turned up.

He looked like a mix between SWAT and someone from the front cover of GQ magazine.

“Jesus, Evo. You been juicin’ up since I last saw you?” Michael raised his eyebrows, looking his muscular frame up and down.

Evo laughed. “Nah. Wouldn’t put that shit in my veins. I spend most of my spare time training in the gym now. It keeps me stimulated.”

Since he was nearly killed in an alleyway last December, Evo had dedicated his life to finding and logging information on every supernatural being in existence. He was a hunter like Michael now, but much more ruthless. It was more like a sport to him and he enjoyed it way too much for Michael’s liking.

The guy couldn’t get enough of killing monsters. But his obsession had taken him to places even Michael knew nothing about. Realizing how good he was at hunting, Evo had also become a bounty hunter; his clients being mainly of the dead variety. He was lethal and had carved out quite a reputation for himself amongst the underworld.

Michael didn’t always approve of the clients he sometimes worked for−after all, who can trust a demon, right?−but it was Evo’s business. It certainly was a far cry from the dodgy dealings he used to do when he was a no-good conman who often ended up in all kinds of trouble.

Besides, his best friend working for the creatures of the underworld had its advantages: Evo had plenty of contacts; he was trusted. He’d tried to use those contacts to his advantage over the last few months to try and get information that could help Michael. But even though he’d come across a few names that he thought could have been leads, they’d led to nothing.

“Come on. My place is on the other side of the campus.” Michael said as he jumped in the passenger’s side of the SUV. When Evo had gotten back behind the wheel Michael paused. He might as well just come out with it.

“Hey, while you’re here. . . can you please try to remember that, right now, this is my place of work? If you could behave yourself. . . that would be great.”

He could see by Evo’s smug expression that he knew damn well what he was referring to. His friend’s sexual habits weren’t a problem usually−and Jesus, he made Michael envious sometimes. He was a good looking guy so why not?−but not here. Michael knew it wasn’t ideal having an experienced philanderer staying on a university campus that was full of the opposite sex, but he would just have to keep it in his pants for the duration of his stay which, hopefully, would only be for a couple of nights until they’d checked out the campus. After that, Michael would help him find a motel.

“Evo?” Michael pushed for an answer after his friend had remained silent for too long.

“Okay. Okay. I’ll be a good boy,” the smirk that followed made Michael raise an eyebrow to let Evo know he wasn’t satisfied with his response. “What?

I promise.” Evo held his hands up in the air in mock surrender before turning the key in the ignition.

Shit! Remind me why I thought this was a good idea.

A car screeching around the corner made both men sit bolt upright. As it got closer Michael thought it looked familiar. Yes, he knew the car alright. “What’s she doing?” he whispered as Lacy’s Ford Focus sped right past them and out of the main gates.

“Who was that?” Evo asked.

“A colleague of mine.” Michael buckled his seat belt. “Something’s wrong.

Quick! Get after her.” No sooner had he said the words than Evo had spun the car around and was now heading out of the college gates after her.

After Lacy had somehow managed to get away from them, they pulled the SUV up to her home: a modest, single story house set back from the road. The suburban neighborhood was quiet, as it would be at that time of night, and the only thing that didn’t seem right was that Lacy’s place was in darkness, with the exception of a dim porch light over the front door. She had to be home as her car was now parked in the driveway.

Michael knocked on the door.

No answer.

He knocked again, harder this time. “Lacy. It’s Michael.”

They waited silently. He heard movement, then the sound of deadbolts opening. The door opened slowly and Lacy peered out from behind it. As soon as her eyes met his she visibly relaxed.

“Michael, thank God,” she exhaled. “What are you doing here?” She opened the door and gestured them inside.

“You practically wheel-spun past us back at the campus. I was meeting my friend at the front gates. What the hell’s going on? Are you okay? You look pretty shaken up.”

They both walked into the dark hallway and Lacy quickly shut the door after them.

She turned on the light. “I’m fine now. Can I get you both a drink?” They followed her to the kitchen.

“I’m good thanks.” Michael watched her fill up a large glass with white wine. Her hands were shaking.

“Got anything stronger?” Evo asked, looking at the bottle of wine with distaste.

Michael rolled his eyes. “Lacy, this is my good friend Evo.”

Evo gave her a wink. “Good to meet you, Miss.”

Lacy raised an eyebrow as she poured some wine. She looked unsure of him as she eyed his clothes. “You too. . . Evo? Unusual name?”

Michael smirked, keeping his gaze on his friend. “It’s short for Evan. . .

"Evan O’Reilly.”

Evo looked a little disgruntled as he dragged his eyes away from Michael’s and turned to Lacy. “But don’t ever let me hear them words leave those beautifully pink lips of yours.” He warned her playfully. “Evo’s just fine.”

Lacy gave him a half smile. “Whiskey?” she asked, pulling out a bottle of Jack Daniels from the cupboard.

Evo’s eyes lit up in an instant. “That’s more like it.” He rubbed his hands together and took the glass that she offered to him. He glanced at Michael.

“I like her already.”

Michael ignored him. “What’s going on Lacy?”

After she’d taken a large gulp of wine, she sat down at her small wooden table over by a set of French Doors. Michael followed. She inhaled a long breath. “After I called you earlier, I went back to Nina’s room and Jake was there−”

“Jake? Jesus Christ.” Michael snorted. “Jake is the guy I told you about on the phone,” he explained to Evo. Jake being at the hospital only meant one thing and it wasn’t that he was worried about Nina. That bastard demon had more than likely gone to finish her off. And what if he’d hurt Lacy? Michael felt his stomach clench. “Did you talk to him?”

“Yes, briefly. I told him that I saw the two of them arguing this afternoon and asked him if he knew what had happened. He didn’t want to answer me. So, I got angry with him and he left. He was acting pretty strange.”

“How so?” Evo asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

She finished the last of her wine. “When I first saw him in the room, he was bent right over her, like he was whispering something or. . . I don’t know.”

Michael hadn’t had a chance to explain everything to Evo yet, so Evo didn’t know that Jake wasn't actually Jake, and there was no way he could tell him in front of Lacy. He’d have to wait until they were back at his place before bringing him up to speed.

“But that’s not why you were driving off campus like Ayrton Senna, is it?”

Michael observed.

“No. It was what happened when I called in to my office on the way home that caused that.” She poured herself more wine as she went on to explain how Jake must have followed her from the hospital and how he’d come after her across the parking lot.

“Michael, his eyes. . . I could swear he wanted to kill me.”

And so could he. In fact, he was damn certain of it, which was a huge problem. Lacy was now a target which meant she would need protecting. There was no way he could leave her here in this house alone, but how the hell would he explain it to her? And he needed to tell Evo what was going on. He leaned on the table and rubbed his brow. Damn, this was a problem he didn’t need.

He shifted uncomfortably before he turned to Lacy. “I don’t think you should be left alone right now. Not until I deal with Jake.”

Lacy looked confused. “You deal with Jake? Shouldn’t we call the police?”

“Not yet. I’ll have a word with him first.” The cops were the last thing he needed. “But you can’t stay on your own.”

“I’m fine. Look, I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Michael stood up from the table. “Evo. Can I talk to you for a minute?” He caught Lacy’s frown out of the corner of his eye before Evo pushed himself from the counter and followed him out of the room.

“Sure.”

Outside on the porch, Michael explained to Evo what had happened with Nina and the strange looking demon that had left her body that was now possessing Jake. Evo nodded his head, understanding the predicament that Michael was now facing.


“I need you to go to my apartment. Use my laptop to find out anything you can about this thing, but be as quick as you can because I’m gonna need you to watch the hospital. If Jake’s been there once, it’s only a matter of time until he returns.”

Evo nodded. “What about you?”

“I’m going to stay here. She’s not safe right now.”

After Michael had given him directions, Evo started down the path towards his SUV. “I’ll call you as soon as I have any info,” he shouted over his shoulder.

No sooner had he gone than Lacy opened the front door. “Hey. What’s going on? Where’s your friend going?”

Michael checked the street, walked back into the house and shut the door.

Lacy watched as he clicked her dead bolts into place.

“Evo’s headed back to my place. He’ll be staying with me until he’s found somewhere more suitable. Listen, I think I should stay here tonight. I can crash on the sofa again, it’s no problem. You shouldn’t be alone, at least. . . not until we know what’s going on with that guy, Jake.”.......
**********

Nice work bro... Folowing word for word.. . Ride on.

* * *

She didn’t know what to say for a moment. She stood in her narrow hallway contemplating telling him to leave as politely as she could. Lacy hadn’t had a man in her house since Simon, who was the only man she’d allowed to stay over until last night, so it felt strange. She winced as she thought of that disaster of a relationship, if she could have called it that. Thankfully, she'd escaped that one unharmed. Well, except for her pride.

She hesitated; never one to need babysitting, especially from someone she hardly knew. But as she looked into his kind blue eyes she saw nothing but genuine concern and the truth was, she trusted him. Even though they’d only known each other a short time, she felt comfortable with him; a little too comfortable if she was honest. She thought about what he’d said. She was still shaken after what had happened, Jake had really scared her. Would it really be that bad having some company? “Okay,” she finally said, “but just for tonight.”

He nodded.

They ordered takeout: Italian. After the day Lacy’d had, she wasn’t in the mood to cook. She’d enjoyed her chicken Caesar salad, washed down with some leftover wine, while Michael had eaten his lobster linguine. Afterwards, he’d even helped clean up, then made coffee insisting that Lacy had a cup, but she’d refused in favor of another large glass of wine from an unopened bottle of Pinot she’d found in the fridge. She knew it was probably best to go for the coffee, but she’d had a crappy day and had convinced herself that she deserved a little drink.

After food, they’d sat in front of the TV and watched TERMINATOR 2, which she’d already seen but Michael had insisted. She’d nearly nodded off a few times only to remind herself that she wasn’t at home alone and wine induced slumber wasn’t at all pretty. She was glad she’d agreed for Michael to stay. He’d proven to be good company and just what she’d needed to take her mind of everything that’d happened.

After the movie had finished, they’d talked. Michael had cleverly avoided a lot of Lacy’s questions about family and where he’d lived before and she’d begun to wonder if maybe he was running from something. Either that or he was just very private. She didn’t feel it necessary to keep pressing him so again, the conversation had mostly been about her. It couldn’t have been interesting to him at all, especially as she’d left out a lot of the personal stuff about her mother and her sister so her life must have sounded really bland.

She managed to change the subject of how boring her life was by asking about Evo. It was interesting hearing Michael talk about his friend. He clearly had a lot of affection for the guy as it was the most she’d seen him smile all night. Michael had told her how they’d met: Evo had been attacked in an alley and Michael had been passing by when he’d heard the guy yelling. He told her how he’d managed to scare off the attacker and how it had sparked a real friendship between the two of them.

She watched him intently as he spoke, noticing things she hadn’t before like how straight his nose was, the little creases that appeared at the sides of his eyes when he smiled, and how his deep blond hair looked a little sun-kissed towards the front. She suddenly felt an urge to run her fingers along his strong jaw to see how soft his stubble was.

She inhaled deeply and mentally slapped herself for letting her mind wander like it had, thankful that he was completely unaware that she was totally checking him out while he spoke.

Michael continued to explain how Evo had become a hit with the ladies during their time together and there were numerous stories about when the two of them would go out for drinks to let off steam. Michael would end up leaving Evo at the club after the guy’s many trips to the private bathroom facilities−Jesus. What types of clubs were those−with a different woman on his arm every time, which, apparently, didn’t interest Michael. His friend sounded like a first class LovePeddler to her, but Michael seemed very fond of him and who was she to judge, just because she may as well have taken a vow of celibacy?

“And what about you? Hasn’t there been a special someone in your life?”

Lacy asked, wondering why she felt a little nervous about his answer. She saw that her question was unexpected. “No. No one special.” He answered quickly, but she wondered if that were completely true.
She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. “Oh, come on.

You’re a fairly handsome guy. You must have had women in your life.”

He smiled at that. “Only fairly?”

She laughed and suddenly felt a little shy. He was more than fairly, but she decided to keep that to herself right now.

“There was someone I was with a while back; a colleague at my previous job−Jessica, her name was. It was just casual, nothing serious, although, I think she wanted it to be. We dated for a short time, but I didn’t see it going anywhere. He shrugged. “That’s it really.”

Lacy could see he wasn’t comfortable talking about it and suspected there was more to it than what he’d told her, but she knew it was time to drop the subject.

She was yawning just about every two minutes now. She tried to focus on the clock on the mantle, only then realizing she’d overdone it with the wine, again. Shit! Surely she was on her way to convincing Michael she had a drink problem. She squinted and managed to make out the small black hands on the clock face. It looked like it was just after midnight.

“I think I’m going to go to bed.” Thank God she’d managed to speak. She swung her legs off the sofa and stood up all too quickly. After a little wobble she moved forward and went straight down to the floor after stepping on the wine bottle−which was now empty−and losing her balance, landing in a heap on the carpet. "Oh, God. Kill me now!"
“Whoa! Lacy, are you okay?” She felt Michael’s hand on her arm as she tried to right herself. Jeez, could her day get any worse? “Here, come on. Let me help you.” She could hear the amusement in his voice as he hooked his arms under her shoulders.

“I’m such a. . . I’m so sorry,” she said as Michael helped her to her feet. She knew when she’d opened the second bottle that she was making a mistake but couldn’t seem to stop; another sign that she was feeling way too comfortable in Michael’s company.

“Where’s your room?”

“It’s just down the end of the hall on the right.” She started to giggle and stumbled again but Michael held on to her. Her head was cloudy and as she walked towards her bedroom, she tried her best to walk straight but it was no use. She was well and truly drunk.

They got to her room and Michael was about to open the door when she stopped him. She wasn’t ready to let a man in there yet, even if he was just helping her stand up straight. “I’m fine now. Honestly, I can manage from here.”

Michael faced her. “Are you sure? ‘Cause you’re still wobbling all over the place you know.
” He was clearly amused by her poor effort to remain upright As she looked up at him, his face came into focus all of a sudden. His pale blue eyes were so clear to her that even through her drunken haze she felt drawn to them. Her eyes shifted to his full lips and she frowned as she was suddenly filled with an urge to have her own mouth on them.

What was she thinking?

Whether it was the wine or just the fact that she was feeling so emotional right now she wasn’t sure. But she knew that in the morning she was going to regret what she was about to do.

She placed her hand on the side of his face. “Has anyone ever told you how good looking you are?”

“Okaaay. I think we should get you to−”

She cut him off as she leaned up and quickly pressed her lips to his. She closed her eyes, feeling the softness of him, and then suddenly they were gone.

“Whoa!” Michael’s voice had her snapping her eyes back open as he held her away from him by her shoulders. He didn’t look angry, in fact, it was hard to tell what his expression was saying, but regret hit Lacy as quickly as the urge to kiss him had.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean. . . ” Oh, God. There it was: the sharp sting of humiliation. There was no going back now. She’d made a complete fool of herself and probably ruined any friendship she’d started to have with him. Her head began to pound and she reached up and placed her hand over her eyes with a groan. How could she ever look at him again? She felt his thumbs stroking her shoulders.

“Hey. It’s okay,” he said, and she thought she heard him sigh. She forced herself to look at him with an innocent forgive-me smile. He looked serious for a moment, but then he smiled back at her. “You need to sleep.”

She felt him place his hand on the small of her back then he guided her into her room. She didn’t stop him this time. If her room was untidy, then so what.

Nothing could make her feel more ashamed than what just happened. Yes, she was still wobbly, but she tried with great determination to get over to her bed without embarrassing herself any further.

She managed it, thank God. By which point her eyes felt heavy. She climbed on her bed, lay back on her pillows and closed her eyes. She felt her shoes being removed and realized through her foggy, drunken state that Michael was talking to her. “. . . bad head in the morning.”

“Hmm. . . ” was all she could manage while she snuggled into the comforter that had been placed over her. Then she remembered who was in the room with her. “Michael.”

There was nothing but silence. Was he still there? Her head was too heavy to look for him so she said it anyway just in case. “Thank you for staying with me.”

The bedroom door closing quietly was the last thing she remembered before passing out.

* * *

Lacy came awake to voices down the hall. . .

“. . . just wondering how your night went that’s all.” Evo. She recognized his deep voice straight away “Well, don’t bother. I slept on the sofa which, as you knew damn well, was always my intention. So you can get anything else out of your head. And keep it down. She’s still sleeping. . .

” Michael’s voice trailed off into the living room.

She groaned and turned onto her side, eyeing the digital alarm clock on the sideboard next to her bed that read 07:12. It wasn’t the time she wanted to be awake on a Saturday morning, especially after throwing back nearly two bottles of wine. She managed to sit up and she swung her legs off the side of the bed.

Whoa! Too fast. . .

An almighty pain shot through her left temple as she sat up. The effects of last night were definitely in full swing: Her mouth was bone dry, her teeth fuzzy and her limbs were refusing to cooperate. Groan! And then there was the realization of what had happened when Michael had helped her to her bedroom last night.

"Dear God, she’d actually kissed him."

“Shit!” she cursed out loud. How could she? The guy was clearly concerned for her safety, and kind enough to look out for her, and she goes and pulls something like that. Well, at least she’d probably solved the problem of him staying another night. She felt sure he wouldn’t offer again through fear of a repeat performance. The last thing he’d want is to be jumped on again by a sad, lonely woman with no self respect and, apparently, now a drink problem.

She heard the muted sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. The thought of facing Michael made her stomach lurch, or was it her monster hangover? Whatever, she wasn’t going anywhere until she’d gotten out of last night’s clothes and showered.

Dressed in a pair of navy sweat pants and a baggy, white Pearl Jam ‘98’ tour T-Shirt, Lacy towel dried her hair in front of the vanity mirror. At least she looked more alive now. She knew she couldn’t put off seeing Michael any longer. Hiding away, as much as that thought appealed to her, was not an option. She stepped into her slippers, heaved a sigh and forced herself to leave the safety of her bedroom.

Michael and Evo’s conversation cut off the moment she walked into the kitchen which didn’t make her feel awkward at all. She looked over at the dining table where Michael was looking straight at her. He smiled and she instantly felt the blood rush to her cheeks. She mentally cursed herself for being so pathetic. "Get a grip, woman". She berated herself as she smiled back at him acting like there was nothing wrong, even though she wanted to bolt straight back out of the door. What was making the situation worse was the fact that.while she’d showered, she’d surprised herself by thinking about their kiss last night and how much she’d enjoyed it, however brief. It wasn’t helping at all.

“How’re you feeling?” Michael asked, snapping her out of her inner turmoil. “You mean aside from the fact that I feel like I’ve slept with a sponge in my mouth? Pretty awful, if I’m honest.” She heard Evo snigger and threw him a look that told him it wasn’t appreciated.

Michael frowned at him too. “There’s fresh coffee in the pot, and I found some bacon in the fridge so there’s some left in the pan. Hope you don’t mind.”


“No. Of course not. Thanks.” She poured herself some coffee and passed on the bacon, not willing to risk eating anything just yet, then joined the men at the table and sat quietly.

She noticed that Evo was wearing the same clothes as he’d had on last night and wondered if perhaps he’d had one of his busy nights like the ones Michael had told her about. He’d obviously been out all night.

She hadn’t realized she’d been staring until he looked up at her and his mouth curled up on one side.

"Oh no. Had Michael told him about last night?"

Michael broke the awkward silence, thank God. “What are your plans for today Lacy?”

She thought for a moment. Usually, Saturdays were what she classed as lazy days. She normally had a pile of assignments to mark over the weekend, and this one was certainly no different, but she always left them till Sunday in favor of trash TV and PJs. Not today. Present company had put a stop to that

happening. She thought about the marking, but couldn’t face it.

“I’m not sure,” she said, at a loss. She hadn’t really thought about doing

anything except visiting Nina later on. She was glad, in a way, that she had

company as the thought of spending time alone with just her thoughts, the ones

that had been so unexpectedly dragged back to the surface again, made her palms sweaty. “How about you two?”

She watched Evo’s brow lift as he turned to look at his friend. Michael heaved a sigh. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone until we figure this thing out.”

“I’ll be fine,” she quickly protested. She wasn’t fully on board with the babysitting. “He was probably just high or something.”

“We can’t know for sure so whatever you decide to do today, you’ll have me and Evo for company.” His smile looked almost apologetic.

She was about to object when her phone rang. She shot up from the table, forgetting what happened when she’d done that earlier in the bedroom, and winced at the pain in her head as she grabbed the handset from its cradle.

“Hello.” she said, before a female voice spoke on the other end of the line.

“Hello. Miss Holloway?”

“Yes, speaking.” She opened a drawer in front of her and retrieved some Advil.

“Hi. My name is Claire Roper, I’m calling from Union Memorial Hospital about Nina Murphy.” In an instant, Lacy’s stomach sank. She’d asked for them to call her if there was any news, but at this very moment she didn’t know if she wanted to hear it. She braced herself for bad news.

“Hello. Are you still there?” the woman asked after Lacy had momentarily gone silent.

“Uh. . . Yes. I’m here.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“We thought you’d like to know that the doctors will be bringing Nina out of her coma this afternoon. She’s had a good night and the swelling has reduced significantly, although she’s still not out of the woods yet. We’ll have to monitor her closely and see how she responds. The next twenty four hours are going to be critical and we won’t know the full extent of the damage to her brain, if any, until she comes around from the sedation.”

Lacy’s vision went blurry as her eyes filled up with tears. She knew there was a long way to go and not to expect too much given the extent of Nina’s injuries but still. . . there was new hope.

“Would you like me to keep you informed of her progress? You seem to be the only person we can contact,” the kind female voice asked.

“Yes, please. Could I see her?”

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to visit until this evening. That’s if all goes well. We want to monitor her very closely this afternoon. Like I said I’ll keep you informed.”

“Thank you.” Lacy had planned on going to the hospital sooner, after what Michael had just said, this morning in fact. It would have been her excuse for avoiding being cooped up in her house with him and his slightly irritating friend, but, while that didn’t look like it would happen now, knowing they were bringing Nina around from the sedation today had lifted her mood.

After hanging up the phone, she saw that Michael and Evo were looking at her, eagerly awaiting the news. “Hospital? How is she?” Michael asked.

Lacy nodded. “They’re bringing her out of her coma today.” She turned the faucet on and filled a glass of water, then went on to explain what the nurse had told her before popping the pills in her mouth.

“That’s good news.” Evo said after taking a sip from his mug of coffee.

“They were just taking her down for assessment when I left earlier.”

Lacy looked up at him, confused. What did he mean? Maybe he’d popped into the hospital before he’d come here. Yeah, that must be it. Michael must have asked him to check on her because he didn’t want to leave Lacy on her own.

As if reading her mind, Michael explained. “I asked Evo to watch the hospital through the night. To make sure Jake didn’t show up again.”

Lacy felt a twinge of guilt over assuming Evo had been whoring himself all night. That’s why he was in the same clothes. He’d been making sure Nina was safe just like Michael had with her and yet she’d mentally scorned him. She looked at him with a grateful smile and a silent apology.

“Thank you.” He looked surprised for a second before his expression changed into a cocky smile and he winked at her. Jeez, he was annoying.

She saw him look at Michael and then his face went serious. His eyes darted back to Lacy and between them again before he let out a sigh and got up from the table.

“Damn, there’s too much tension in here right now. I’m popping out for a smoke,” he said as he strolled out of the kitchen door leaving it to slam shut behind him.

“You get used to him.” Michael said, as if sensing her annoyance.

She rinsed out her glass and placed it on the drainer.
“He’s okay, really. I’m just a little sensitive today.” She grabbed a small plate and contemplated eating some of the left over bacon, but still couldn’t, so she put the plate back.

“More coffee?” she asked as she topped up her own mug.

“Not for me. I’m good thanks.”

She felt him watching her as she stood at the sink staring through the small window that overlooked her back garden. The silence between them was uncomfortable and just as she spoke, so did Michael.

“About last−”

“I was−” They both paused.

“You go.” Michael smiled.

She took in a deep breath and tried to dampen down the glow she could feel creeping back into her cheeks.

“About last night. . . I wanted to apologize for what happened.”

Michael’s lips curled up. “You already did,” he said, reminding her of her slurred words after he’d pushed her off him.

“Yes, well, I wanted to repeat it now I’m sober. I’m just. . . it’s a bad time for me right now and I’m having trouble keeping my mind off something. I don’t normally behave like that. I was out of line. I’m sorry.
” She stared into her coffee; too much of a coward to look at him, then heard the shuffle of his chair and the sound of his heavy boots approaching her.

Michael placed his hands on her shoulders. “Hey.” He moved his head to her line of sight so she had no choice but to look at him. “It’s okay. We’re all entitled to get a little drunk once in a while.” His smile was genuine, and she liked the way it lit up his whole face.

She relaxed a little and smiled back at him, the feeling of comfort creeping back over her. It was nice, but at the same time strange, to feel so close to him.

It was like she’d known him a lot longer than she actually had.

He shook his head and laughed a little “What is it?” she asked, wondering what had tickled him.

“Nothing. . . it’s just, well, maybe next time we should ban the alcohol.”

“Oh. . . God,” she groaned. This was the second time she’d been alone with him and both times she’d drunk too much.

“You must think I’m a total wreck,”

she said covering her eyes with her hand and shaking her head in shame. She knew she had to get a grip on her emotions, but it was still hard for her at this time of year.

She opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated.

Michael’s brow furrowed. “What?”

“Next Tuesday will be the anniversary of my sister’s death,” she explained, surprised to find herself opening up to him so easily.

Michael inhaled deeply. “I’m so sorry. How long ago did it happen?” He led her back to the table and gestured for her to sit down and sat in the chair beside her. Just then Evo pushed the door open and she saw Michael glance up at him and give a subtle shake of his head. Then there was the sound of the door closing and a mumble as Evo walked away.

“It was a long time ago. Sixteen years. I still have a hard time with it.” She was surprised when Michael’s warm hand covered hers on the table. It felt nice, comforting.

“How old was she? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“No, not at all. She was nine, three years younger than me.” Lacy couldn’t believe how much was coming out of her mouth. She never really spoke about it to anyone−her friends from work, not even her Grandmother when she was alive−so why did she feel she could tell him? All of a sudden it was pouring out of her. Michael sat quietly as she explained what happened all those years ago, including the truth about her mother’s so called career choice and how they were often left on their own. Michael sat quietly, his impassive expression welcome. If he’d shown her any sign of pity she was pretty sure she’d lose it, but he just listened She hesitated as she got to the part of the accident. Michael must have sensed her anguish because he squeezed her hand gently, reassuring her that it was okay to go on. A tear broke free and rolled down her left cheek as she told him what had happened, reliving it all over again for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

Michael moved his chair closer until their knees touched. Then he reached up to wipe her cheek with his thumb. Quietly he said, “It wasn’t your fault.”

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her breath shook as she heard his words. She wished she could feel that way−that it was just an accident, but ever since that day her mother’s words, the first words that had come from her mouth when the doctors had told them that Beth had died, had played over and over inher mind: “It’s your fault she’s dead! You were supposed to look after her". How could you let this happen to my baby?” Then Sheila had broken down, sobbing into the strange man’s chest as he’d looked down at Lacy with what she knew now as contempt.

Michael’s brow lowered even further and his mouth tightened. “She had no right to say those words to you. You were a child left to fend for yourself and your sister. That should never have been your responsibility. It should have been her job. She’s the one responsible for what happened because she left two young children all on their own.”

Lacy was taken aback at the anger in Michael’s voice. He shook his head and then reached up placing both his hands on her face. “It was bad enough that you had to witness what happened to her, but all of these years you’ve carried that unnecessary guilt around with you when it should have been your mother’s burden.”Lacy could barely speak and she slowly moved his hands away from her face. It was hard for her to accept what he was saying. Nobody had said anything like that to her before. She had just always accepted that it was her fault that her sister had run down that alleyway straight into the busy morning traffic. But something about his words hit her hard.

“That should have been her job.” “It should have been your mother’s burden.”

He was right. She thought back to how she used to envy her friend’s parents.

The few times her mother had let her go to Sophie’s for dinner, she would sit at the dining room table and watch as her friend’s mother prepared dinner for them. It was much different to anything she’d seen at home and she used to imagine her and Beth sat at a table in their own house with their mother placing a plate full of home cooked food down in front of them both with a loving smile. Afterwards, Lacy’s mother would kiss their imaginary father on the cheek and join them at the table.That’s how it should have been.

She looked at Michael as a familiar feeling began to rise from the pit of her stomach. Oh No! Not again. This was something that hadn’t happened to her for a long time. Just breathe, she told herself as what little air she seemed to be taking in began to feel thick in her lungs.

Breathe, dammit!

She began to tremble as the panic attack began to rise from her feet all the way up her legs, reaching her stomach and rising up further until it hit her chest, washing over her as quickly as it used to. She tried to breathe slowly in an attempt to get it under control, trying desperately to remember the exercises her therapist had taught her years ago to calm herself down. But her mind refused to work; she couldn’t remember what to do.

She spoke to Michael, hardly noticing him now as she stood up from the table. “I. . . I have to get some air.” She croaked as she reached for the lock on the French doors that led to her back garden. Her hands were shaking too much to turn the key.Michael shot up from his chair and rushed to help her. “Jesus! Lacy. You’re trembling. Are you okay?” He unlocked the door and opened it wide.

“Can’t. . . breathe!” she struggled to say as she placed her hand over her throat. Her breaths were getting shorter and shorter now and her vision began to swim. She felt Michael’s arm around her waist as he helped guide her out into the frosty morning sunshine.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” Michael said, his voice was gentle, soothing, and as she bent forward and leant her hands on her knees, she felt him gently stroking her back. “Just try to relax. Deep, slow breaths.” She copied his rhythm as he continued to breathe with her.

The feeling of dread that consumed her whole body from head to toe began to slowly subside, washing away from her like a retreating tide. Her heart rate was returning to normal and the dizziness was fading. Breathing in through hernose and out through her mouth slowly, she began to feel herself again. She continued the pattern for a minute longer as the trembling subsided.

“Better now?” Michael asked while he continued to stroke her back.

She managed to nod her head. She felt relieved, ashamed, and scared that it might not be just a one off−that the panic attacks she’d spent years getting under control had just returned in an instant.

“I’m sorry,” she managed to say before she walked back inside the house.

Michael followed her. “You don’t have to be.” He closed the doors. “Here, sit down and relax, okay?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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ah don land... Hope its never too late to join a broda in the ministry? Make ah read first...oya...wey my reading senses?

TheBlessedMAN:
ah don land... Hope its never too late to join a broda in the ministry? Make ah read first...oya...wey my reading senses?

Welcome oooo

Hope say u bring bread and tea for two :

TheBlessedMAN:
ah don land... Hope its never too late to join a broda in the ministry? Make ah read first...oya...wey my reading senses?

welcome bro!!!!!

Interesting story Enjoy other interesting stories on Tushstories via

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#Read!

* * *

Lacy was still clearly shaken from what Michael assumed was some sort of anxiety attack. Talking about her past was understandably difficult and to think that she’d suffered all of this time. . . It must have weighed her down. He didn’t know why he should feel so angry towards her mother but he did. He wanted to somehow take Lacy’s anguish away, to talk to her, tell her everything was going to be okay. It worried him that the thought of someone hurting her plagued him so deeply. But for whatever reason, it did.

“I’m feeling better now. Thanks,” she said to him as he sat down across the table from her, allowing her some space to pull herself together.

“Does that happen often?”

“It used to, at least once a day until I finally got a grip on it. Well, I thought I had until now. I haven’t had one for nearly three years. My therapist taught me to control my breathing and not let them consume me and it was hard at first, but I persevered and finally learned to control them. Eventually they went away completely. I don’t know what happened.”“Well, you’ve had a lot to deal with over the past few days. It’s probably all just become too much for you.” He noticed her hands were still a little shaky.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, honestly. I’m fine. This thing with Nina, It’s just brought some bad memories to the surface.”

The kitchen door opened and Evo strolled in looking pretty grim. “No.

Before you say it, I’m not going back outside. I’ve gone through nearly half a pack of smokes since I’ve been out there leaving you two to talk. I don’t think you’re very good for my health.” He joined them at the table. “Now, who the hell do I have to screw to get a cup of coffee in here?”

Michael rolled his eyes. Leave it to Evo and his inappropriate behavior to kick a fragile moment right in the ass. As Evo sat down next to Lacy, Michael was pleased to see her mouth quirk at the corner as she looked back at him. Evo gave him a friendly wink while she wasn’t looking.

"Smart bastard."

“Hey, I’m going to make some more breakfast.” Evo was on fire with his manners this morning, jumping up and going straight to the refrigerator and grabbing some eggs, more bacon and what looked like cheese in a can.

“God help us.” Michael said.

“Not much he could do to stop me filling my stomach right now.” Evo threw some bacon in the pan, then cracked two eggs in there as well and began to fry it all up together.

“I’m sure he could teach you some manners, though.”

Michael looked at Lacy and mouthed, “Sorry.” She gave him a half smile but looked like her mind was somewhere else. “Penny for them. . . ” he said, using the phrase she’d used on him the other day.

“I wish he was real. . . then maybe he could help her,” she said as she stared down at the table, ignoring all the clatter coming from Evo.

“You don’t believe in God, Lacy?” Michael hadn’t been that convinced himself at one point, but given his current situation, and what he’d seen over the short time he’d been dead, he couldn’t be more convinced about God’s existence. It was hard to ignore when you’d been plunged into a world where fighting demons and vengeful spirits had become a regular part of your day to day routine. He had to be real. Although, where he was and why he’d let this happen to him he had no idea.

“How could I? After what happened to my sister? My mother never really spoke about God, so what little I knew of him I’d learned in school. It was enough to make me believe he was real. But after”−she hesitated− “the accident all my beliefs were gone.”

Michael noticed Evo had gone quiet and looked up to find him watching them from across the room. Evo raised an eyebrow at him, he too had seen the things that Michael had; fought with them in the same way, but right now he looked to have the same understanding as Michael did for Lacy feeling the way that she did.

“I don’t know why these things happen. I can’t give you the answer to that.

But I know God exists even though I can’t explain to you how. Not right now
anyway−”

“It wouldn’t matter what you said,” Lacy interrupted, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to believe that.”

Michael inhaled a deep breath. He truly understood her reasons, but he tried a different approach anyway.

“Have you never had anything happen to you, I mean, any time in your life which has made you think that, just maybe, someone was looking out for you?

Could’ve been something as simple as seeing something that’s made you cross the street right before that cab drove straight through a puddle that would have drenched you otherwise?

“Or, for example, I remember an employee of mine many years ago−Joseph I think his name was−had left his house one morning to come to work as he always did, and had headed to the subway station to get the seven forty-five train into the city, the same one he always travelled on. This particular day, he was late getting in the office, when I asked why, he explained to me that he’d left an important file at home and had to go back to get it. He missed his train and had to get another one which took him on a different route. Later that morning, reports came in that a train heading from Granville into the city had de-railed, causing the front carriage to burst into flames.”

Lacy sat upright, “I remember that. It was all over the news. Forty-eight people died and a load more badly injured. It was tragic.”

“Yeah. Didn’t they put a memorial plaque outside the station to remember the dead?” Evo mumbled; mouth half full.

“Yes, that’s right.” Lacy replied.

Michael just nodded. “It was the train Joseph would have been on had he not left his file at home.”

Lacy gasped and held her hand to her mouth.

“Someone was looking out for him. Call it fate, divine intervention. . .

whatever. But he wasn’t meant to die that day. Needless to say, after the news, I gave him the rest of the day off.”

Lacy looked stunned for a moment and sat quietly as if she didn’t know what to say.

“I’ll make some fresh coffee.” Michael said as he picked up her used mug from the table in front of her.

“Okay,” she whispered.

He walked over to the kitchen and gave Evo a look of disbelief as he watched him place his dishes in the sink and begin to wash them. “You feeling okay, buddy?” Michael asked, placing his hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t every day he got to witness his friend being all domesticated.
Evo shrugged. “Just doing my bit.”

“Hey. Actually, there may be something.” Lacy said, swinging herself around on her chair to face them as Michael filled the coffee machine with fresh ground beans from the jar on the counter.

“Go on,” he urged.

“There was this group of girls who I’d had a bit of trouble with in high school, you know the type: perfect hair, designer clothes. The popular girls who treated everyone else like crap? Anyway, it was mostly jarring words and occasionally one of them would shoulder bump me as they walked passed me in the hall, making sure I dropped my books. Anyway, I remember this one time they followed me home taunting me. When they caught up with me down a small alleyway that I always had to walk through to get to my street, one of them dragged me back by my arm.”

Michael listened as he shoved Evo so he could get to the sink to rinse their cups. “Only cowards behave that way.” he told her.

Evo shoved him back. “I would have punched the bitch.”

“Well, it was because I tried to do that very thing—and missed—that I ended up on the floor with two of them kicking hell out of me.”

“Damn.” Evo said.

“Yeah. I was lucky when a boy from school, a senior, came down the alley and thankfully intervened. He managed to stop them and threatened to call the police. Needless to say, the girls said some choice words, but then left pretty quickly. It was something that the boy said to me that I’ve just remembered. He said that the only reason he was passing that way was because he’d left a term paper in class, and going back to get it had made him late for work so he’d taken a shortcut.”

Michael stopped pouring the coffee for a minute, struck by a familiar memory. It can’t be. . . No. No, there’s no way. He shrugged the strange feeling away and filled up the two other mugs as Lacy went on.

“If it hadn’t been for him, who knows how badly I could have been hurt. My only regret was that one of the girl’s older brothers beat him up after school one night. I felt terrible because I knew it was because of what he’d done for me.”

“Shit. Remind me never to get involved in a bitch fight,” Evo said as he dried his hands on a towel hanging from the cupboard door.

Michael continued to ignore the tight feeling that had now grown more intense in the pit of his stomach as he sugared the coffees.

“The worst part about it was that the boy ended up in hospital, all because he stopped me from ending up there, or worse. I wish I could remember his name?”

Michael placed both his hands on the counter and tried to clear his head for a second. She couldn’t have been talking about the same day. It had to be a coincidence, a very large coincidence. He picked up two of the mugs to take over to the table and as he walked away from the kitchen counter, the next words that Lacy spoke almost floored him.

“Jack! That was his name. Jack Pearson”
The coffee mugs that hit the floor smashed into pieces

Feeling tha good work.. Hoping for more. God bless yo blooda..

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Shit, my man. Watch what you’re doing next time.”

Evo began to wipe spilled coffee from the bottom of his trousers with the dish towel.

Michael bent down to pick up the broken pieces. “Sorry, buddy.” He was still feeling a bit numb after hearing Lacy say his name−his real name−from when he was still human. The name he hadn’t heard for over a year since he’d died. Or, whatever the hell he was. Fucking hell! He couldn’t believe that she was the girl he’d been beaten up over in his last year of high school.

“What high school did you say you went to?” He sounded apathetic even though he was barely able to speak as he tried to comprehend what he’d just heard.

“Clearview High. Lawrence Co. Do you want some help with that?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve got it. You never mentioned you lived in Ohio.”

“Well, I was only there for a few years and then I got accepted into UMD so I came to Maryland to study.” Lacy began to squeeze her hands together on her lap looking quite sullen all of a sudden. “I desperately wanted to say sorry to him, but when I went to visit him his parents were there and wouldn’t let me see him. They told me it was my fault and to never try and contact him again. I never saw him after that. I wonder what happened to him.”

Michael placed the broken pieces of coffee cup in the bin. She’d come to the hospital? “I never knew,” he whispered.

“Sorry. What was that?” Lacy asked as Michael realized he’d said that out loud.

“Uh. . . They”−he cleared his throat−“never knew. His parents I mean. If they’d known what had happened, they probably wouldn’t have blamed you.”

Though, he wasn’t entirely sure about that.

“Maybe,” she replied. “It upset me for a long time not being able to see him; even if it was just to say how sorry I was.”

Michael finished dusting up the last of the mess he’d made on the kitchen floor and swept it into the bin. “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have expected an apology from you.” That was the truth. He never did blame her for what happened.

Soon after, Michael’s parents had moved them out of the area; said they didn’t want him getting into any more trouble, as if what had happened was his entire fault or something. After the Johnson’s fostered him from the Heritage Boarding Academy when he was seven years old, they were never really very fond of him. He knew from an early age that they’d never liked him, but he’d accepted it, staying out of their way as much as he could by working as soon as he was old enough to. That way, he would get home from school just in time to change for work, eat, and then he’d go straight back out again until late. It was what it was. And it beat living at the children’s home that he’d spent most of his miserable childhood in.

It never stopped him though. If anything, his relationship with The Johnsons had made him more determined to achieve something much higher than their expectations of him. He saved what money he earned, put himself through college, graduated and got himself a good job as soon as he’d left, working as a programmer for a software development company. After working as part of a development team for nearly a year, Michael himself went on to develop a web portal designed for investment companies to access global market data, and went on to have huge global success with many large corporations buying his software. After which he built up his own software development company and was a multi-millionaire by the time he was twenty-six.

It was a very different life from the one he’d led for the past ten months.
He’d had no shortage of friends, colleagues who admired him and a busy social life. Being CEO of a large company was a big deal. He was very well respected, rich, he could have anything he wanted, any woman he wanted−and he did−but the money, the status, it never changed him. He made sure he gave back too. He cared about people, was always passionate about helping as many as he could, a

“true philanthropist” they’d called him.

Why he was now dead, he had no idea.

“Michael?” Lacy’s voice hauled him away from his memories, pulling him back to the present, back to the kitchen with her and Evo, and he noticed they were both looking at him. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m going for a walk.”

* * *
The SUV pulled into the hospital parking lot.

It’d been a long day of waiting around and Michael had hardly seen Lacy after what had happened this morning. He’d avoided her as best he could. Not knowing how to handle the fact that she wasn’t a complete stranger to him anymore.

She’d certainly surprised the shit out of him when she’d said his real name and he didn’t know how to handle it. It wasn’t as if he could tell her. To take his mind off things he’d headed over to the college in the hope that, if he’d foundthe demon that was possessing Jake, he could have taken some of his frustration out on its ass. No such luck. Jake had disappeared since going after Lacy.

Michael had left Evo alone with her for half the day. She hadn’t been happy about it, but in fairness−in between catching some sleep on the sofa−his friend had behaved, keeping his eye on her for the right reasons and even making sure she’d eaten. Michael hadn’t mentioned the panic attack to him, but he’d made sure Evo understood that she was still shaken from what had happened with Jake and had told him to go easy on her. His egotistical buddy may be a shit sometimes, but he knew when things were serious.

They pulled into a free space by the main entrance of the building. Michael was sitting up front with Evo, with Lacy in the back. She hadn’t said a word the whole time, which was fine. Michael wasn’t in the mood for talking either.

“You go ahead, I’ll hang here.” Evo said as he killed the engine. “No point in us all going in.”

Michael flicked his seat belt. “Thanks, man.”

He saw Lacy hesitate. “Actually, Michael, I was wondering if I could go in alone for a while. Just until I know how she is.” He understood. And as much as he didn’t want her to be on her own at all, he had to give her this.

He glanced at Evo who shrugged his shoulder like he could care less.

“Fine, but if you see Jake, you get straight out of there, okay?” Lacy nodded to him. “Just take as long as you need. We’ll be right here.”

“Thanks,” she said as she left the vehicle.

Michael watched quietly as she walked away towards the slow rotating doors at the hospital’s main entrance. He knew she was in serious danger and it was unsettling him. It wasn’t fair to her that she knew nothing of the danger she was in, and not being able to tell her was eating at him in a big way. So much so, that it surprised him how much he did care. Deep down, he knew he was getting too emotionally involved in this particular case and it wasn’t because of Nina, the girl lying in the hospital bed.

To his chagrin, Lacy had been on his mind all day. It wasn’t so much about how amusing he found her when she was drunk, or that he’d enjoyed spending time in her company−again−but about how he’d felt when she’d kissed him.

damn! He couldn’t believe he’d actually contemplated kissing her back. Of course, not only would it have been a selfish thing to do on his part given the state she’d been in, but it would have also seriously complicated things. The last thing he needed was to get involved with someone while in his current. . . state.

He’d forced himself to push her away last night, but for some reason, he was having real trouble pushing her from his mind.

"This is a big problem."

“So, what’s the deal with the chick?” Evo asked, his eagle-eyed friend never one to miss a trick.

Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, I’ve seen the way you look at her. You’re into her aren’t you?

Don’t blame you though; she’s a nice piece of ass.” It was all Michael could do to stop himself wiping the smirk of Evo’s face. He sooo wasn’t in the mood for his buddy’s clever quips right now.

Forget it Evo, we’re not going there, okay? She’s a work colleague who’s, regrettably, already too deep into this shit that’s going on.” He tried to sound convincing but knew his friend wasn’t stupid. Thankfully, and to Michael’s surprise, Evo didn’t press. Good, they had more important things to deal with at this present moment in time. Like what the hell had decided to use Jake as a suit and why?

“I think there needs to be someone watching the hospital at all times. Jake’s bound to show up again at some point. That demon’s gonna try and finish the job and I want to make sure one of us is here when he does.”

Evo nodded his head. “Agreed. I rang the college earlier and managed to speak to Jake’s roommate. He hadn’t seen him since early last night. I’m not surprised he’s gone AWOL though. It’s a little hard to act like a model student when you’re full of demon.” He exhaled.

“I know. I went over there this afternoon. No sign of the son of a bitch. It’s like he’s just vanished. So what do we do now?”

Evo picked up his Lucky strike cigarettes from the dash, shook one out and stuck it between his lips before lighting it. He inhaled deeply, then blew the smoke towards his open window. “We wait. Sooner or later the bastards going to show and we’ll be here when he does.”

Michael felt anxious as he thought about how Lacy could have ended up like Nina, wired up to machines in a hospital room, or even worse. That bastard could’ve killed her. How he felt when he thought about someone hurting her bothered him. It felt foreign to him. Those kinds of feelings hadn’t existed in him before, even when he’d still been alive, and it was seriously unsettling. And now, whether he liked it or not, she was his responsibility.

Sure, they’d spent a little time together over the short time they’d known each other, but how had she gotten so under his skin? It made no sense. He’d had plenty of opportunities to be with women since he’d been in his new body. He knew that some of the women he’d helped had been attracted to him but he hadn’t been interested. Not even in anything casual, with any of them. So what was so special about Lacy?

After an hour or so Michael couldn’t stand sitting in the SUV any longer.
His anxiety had only gotten worse, so he needed to get out.

“I’m going to check out the grounds. I need some fresh air,” he said to Evo who was sitting as still as a statue looking straight ahead out of the windscreen.

With Evo’s work, this whole stakeout thing would be something he was well used to but Michael couldn’t stand it. Not tonight anyway. Sitting around doing nothing was driving him insane.

“Okay, man, no worries.”

“Call me if anything changes.” He got out of the SUV and inhaled the crisp fall air deep into his lungs as though he’d been trapped in a confined space for a decade and had just managed to break free.

He walked through the parking lot, straight past the main entrance of the hospital, through a small crowd of smokers and towards the edge of the building. Eyes scanned the area while one hand was in his woolen trench wrapped around the Glock that was strapped to his chest. Still no sign of Jake.

He walked past the old, original brownstone building that was hidden away behind the new modern build which now took pride of place at the front of the grounds. He continued on past the ambulance service yard, which was situated at the back of the building, and carried on walking until he’d come full circle, ending up right in front of the revolving doors which led to the main reception entrance.

Unsurprisingly, he found the urge to go inside and check on Lacy too strong to fight. Before he knew it, he was in the elevator travelling up to the third floor where ICU was. The walk down the corridor was a long one. The trauma ward was alive with the many nurses and doctoring staff that were on duty, rushing in and out of rooms that spread all the way down to a set of double doors at the end of the cream hallway. Some were open and as Michael walked past, he glanced in and saw families sitting by their loved ones’ beds. Some were laughing and joking; some sat quietly, their anguish clear on their faces. A female voice came over the Tannoy system requesting the presence of a Doctor Henley to treatment room 4.10.

Visiting was until nine p.m, and would soon be over. With no sign of Jake yet, hopefully Michael could get Lacy home quickly and safely while Evo watched over the hospital for the second night running.

He pushed through the double doors and into a smaller corridor which was much quieter. The decor looked the same, but the strip lights overhead seemed a little dimmer. The information sign on the wall in front of him had an arrow pointing left for the nurses’ station. He headed straight there where a nurse with brown, shoulder length hair was just coming out of a small room behind the desk with a file in her hand. She was laughing and spoke to someone over her
shoulder before smiling at him. “How can I help?” she asked in a soft voice.

“I’m looking for my colleague. She’s visiting a patient here.”

“What’s the patient’s name?” She sat down on a chair and placed the file on the desk in front of her.

“Nina. Nina Murphy.” He fastened a couple of the buttons on his trench just to make sure his weapon was hidden.

“Ah yes, you’re with Miss Holloway?”

“Yes. She asked me to pick her up.”

“No problem. She’s in room 3.08 just down the hall on the left.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, and headed in that direction.

When he approached Nina’s room, he stopped at the large window, looking through to the cream room with its navy blue linoleum floor. The lighting was dim and the bed was in the middle of the room with a boom arm−which was attached to the ceiling−that housed the EKG machine which was monitoring the student’s vitals. Lacy had fallen asleep in the chair next to Nina’s bed, her hand resting on Nina’s arm.

Michael couldn’t help but watch as Lacy slept. Some of her blond hair had fallen loosely over part of her face and she looked so peaceful. He couldn’t understand why she’d become so emotionally attached to Nina. She’d never met her, never even knew who she was until he’d pointed her out in the dining room a few days before, but she was acting like a family member would. Maybe it was just her nature. He hadn’t known Lacy long, but he knew her enough to know she had a kind heart. She was there for Nina purely out of kindness when the girl had no one else. That knowledge, and the way she looked as she slept in that chair, was what made Michael realize how much she’d captivated him. He suddenly realized how beautiful she was and not just on the outside.

He frowned as his conscience spoke up and told him to get a grip. This wasn’t going to happen. He couldn’t let it.

*****

He noticed a hot drinks machine down the far end of the hall so he left Lacy to sleep for a little longer while he went to get them both a coffee. He felt around in his jeans pocket for change and managed to scrape together the three dollars fifty he needed for two cups. The swishing noise from the machine was a stark contrast to the quiet of the ward so it was good that it was right out of the way of the bedrooms. All that was by it was a linen cupboard and the family waiting room−to which the door was open. He heard sniffling coming from inside, but ignored it as he sugared the coffees and stirred them with a lollipop stirrer. Useless things.

He was heading back to Nina’s room when he glanced into the waiting room and saw who the sniffling was coming from. A woman sat by herself with her head in her hands. He walked inside, approaching her slowly so he wouldn’t startle her. “Are you okay?” He kept his voice low.

The woman looked up at him and began to wipe her face with a tissue.

“Uh. . . Yes.” As she looked up and her eyes met his, her brow furrowed. At first she seemed weary of him, but then she looked surprised by something. A strange calm then settled over her face and she sat unmoving, staring at him from the small gray sofa across the room. Her tears had stopped falling and her hiccuping breath calmed. Her mouth curled up slowly into an unsure smile and she spoke in almost a whisper, “Are you here for him?” She looked down at her fidgeting hands then back to him. “My son. . . Are you here to take him?” Her hand snapped to her mouth as she choked back a sob.

Clearly she was going through some kind of emotional breakdown resulting from somebody close to her being on the ward. He approached her, slowly, placing the two coffee cups on a sideboard as he passed. “Would you like me to get a nurse?”

The woman, who looked to be in her sixties, brushed her shoulder length gray hair from her face, stood up from the sofa and began to walk towards him, reaching out for him and stopping him in his tracks. She didn’t seem to register that he’d spoken as she repeated her question with a calmness that seemed out of place given the way she’d been when he’d entered the room. Her vacant stare set him on edge−like she was looking right into him, not the body he inhabited,but to him inside of it. For the first time since being dead, Michael felt cold. The skin he was in prickled all over with goose flesh, feeling like thousands of ants were crawling all over him and he found that he couldn’t speak.

The lady placed both her hands on his arms and smiled up at him with such poignancy. Her deep blue eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke, “Please, take good care of him. Look after him until I get there.”

Michael swallowed hard. What the hell was she talking about?

Then she kissed her own hand, reached up and placed it on his left cheek and nodded her head to him before walking out of the room.

After pausing for a moment, feeling quite bewildered, he followed her into the corridor and watched her walk into one of the hospital rooms. He walked over to the window and watched as the woman sat down on the chair next to a young dark-haired male lying unconscious on the bed. Her son, he assumed.

That’s why she’d been so upset. From the weak signals on the EKG machine just above his bed, and the respiratory machine that was breathing for him, he looked like he was barely hanging on. The woman placed her hand on his on top of the bed covers and leaned in close to his ear to speak to him. Just as Michael was about to walk away, the woman looked at him through the window and smiled. Then she went back to watching over her son.

The whole interaction had left Michael feeling confused and a little uneasy.

Before he returned to Lacy, he went over to the nurses’ station and spoke to the same nurse who’d been there when he’d first arrived. “The man in room 3.10? What happened to him?”

At first it looked like she wasn’t willing to discuss it with him and Michael prepared himself for the usual you’re-not-a-relative speech, but after a sigh she explained. “He was hit by a car, a hit-and-run; doesn’t look like he’s going to make it. They’re turning his life support off later.” Her face was sympathetic.

Even though she was probably well used to that kind of thing happening, the look on her face said that it was still hard to deal with.

“Is that his mother in with him now?” he asked.

“Yes. She’s hardly left his side, the poor lady.”

“She was pretty upset just now. You might want to send someone to look in on her.”

She looked up at him, her smile grateful. “Of course. Thanks for letting me know.”

He decided it was probably the woman’s emotional state that had made her act that way and shrugged it off. He had too much on his plate right now to concern himself with other people’s anguish.

He got back to Nina’s room and as he clicked the door shut Lacy stirred. He walked over to her slowly, realizing he’d left the coffees in the waiting room.

He figured they’d be cold by now anyway.

“Michael?” Lacy blinked quickly, placing her hand on her neck and stretching her head back. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I fell asleep.” Her voice was huskier than usual. He liked it. She shifted in her seat and put her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn.

“You look exhausted.” He went to the opposite side of Nina’s bed, checked out the reading on the EKG machine−which was a lot more steady than the poor guy’s down the hall−then looked down at the young woman’s face. She was pale, with no help from makeup, and even though she was unconscious and fighting for her life Michael noticed that she looked much better without it.

“How’s she doing?” he asked.

“No change. She’s out of it on pain meds at the moment.” Lacy laughed a little and shook her head.

“What is it?”

She looked down at her hands as she twisted her fingers together in her lap.

“I’ve prayed for her you know. Sat here and actually prayed.”

“It’s understandable.”

She looked up at him, her expression somber. “But it’s not easy when you don’t believe in God. I haven’t believed since I was a child. Religion, ghosts, life after death, all of it seems so story-book to me. I’ve never even been to church. What I was taught about God, I was too young to really understand. I think I remember my mother talking about God once, but she never cared about religion so I don’t know why she even bothered. I think she thought it was just something she should do.”

Ironic, he thought, considering she was standing talking to a dead guy.

“But I’ve prayed for Nina and I don’t know why. I suppose it had something to do with what you said this morning.”

He walked over to the window, looking out into the bland hallway of the quiet hospital wing. “It’s just circumstance that’s all. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said with his back to her. He’d never really had an opinion on God either until now. But there had been times in his life when he’d prayed and hadn’t really known why. Sometimes, even if you weren’t totally on board with the whole religion thing, just believing in the idea of it was a kind of comfort.

Now, however, he had a whole other opinion about it.

“But it didn’t work last time.” Lacy said, followed by a sniffling noise which made him turn around to see her wiping away a tear that had just rolled down her cheek. He frowned, not really knowing what to say. He knew it had to be hard for her seeing Nina lying in a critical condition in the bed in front of her.

At least he understood now.
“The first, and only other, time I’ve ever prayed was for Beth; it didn’t work. She died anyway.”

He couldn’t imagine how hard it was for her, being alone and having to deal with something horribly traumatic from her past. He wanted to reach out to her, but thought better of it. In the window’s reflection, he saw Lacy get up from the chair and he turned to face her as she walked over to him.

“I don’t feel right talking like this in front of her,” she said quietly, looking back over her shoulder. She lowered her voice to almost a whisper. “All those years ago, I pleaded with a god that I hardly knew anything about to help my little sister live and yet she didn’t. So why am I putting faith in that same god for Nina?”

Oh to hell with it. Pun intended. He reached down and took hold of her hand and placed it between both of his. He looked into her pale green eyes, which were now a little red. “Because you care, and deep inside you want to believe he exists just like the rest of us. You’re a good person, Lacy. And the way you’ve cared for her”−he nodded towards the bed−“is proof of that.”

They both stood and looked at each other for what could have been anything from five seconds to five hours, he wasn’t sure. But he knew one thing: he was filled with a sudden urge to reciprocate what she’d done to him last night, but kissing her was really going to complicate things. He studied her face, noticing for the first time the faint freckles that dusted over her nose. Her long eyelashes curled up at each outside corner, reaching almost halfway to her neatly plucked eyebrows. His attention was drawn to a small, faded scar just above the left brow. He’d tried to ignore what he’d begun to feel for her. He couldn’t possibly get involved with someone given his circumstances and the timing wasn’t at all right. But right now−in this moment−she was drawing him in and he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

Still holding her warm hand in his, he felt her edge closer. He didn’t pull back, ignoring the shouting and screaming of his subconscious, which was now practically doing back flips trying to get his attention. He knew she was going to kiss him and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. “Lacy. . . I. . . ”

He was about to put his will power to the test and say something to stop her when she paused, breaking her gaze away from his to look over his shoulder. It was then that her whole body stiffened and her eyes widened as she inhaled a sudden gasp. “Jake,” she whispered.

Michael spun around to see Jake moving away from the window quickly. He turned back to Lacy grabbing her by her arms. “Stay here for five minutes. Then I want you to go downstairs, jump in a cab and go straight home, okay?”

She nodded.

He was out of the door and running down the corridor after the SOB without even thinking about it. He reached into his inside pocket for his cell, flipped it open and dialled his buddy. “Evo! We have a visitor.” Michael pushed through the door that Jake had just run through that led to a stairwell at the other end of the hospital wing. “We’re on the far left side of the main building. He’s no doubt heading for the fire escape at the bottom of the stairs.”

“On my way.” Evo replied, hanging up straight away.

On his descent, Michael leaned over the rail and saw that Jake had nearly reached the bottom of the stairwell and was headed for the door. Meanwhile,

Michael was only halfway down, still having two more floors to go. Screw this.

He placed both hands on the rail and leapt over the thing. He had no idea why, but he held his breath while he dropped down through the middle of the stairwell, seeing the tiled floor approach pretty quickly. He landed without even so much as a wobble, just in time to grip Jake around his neck before he left through the now open door.

“Where d’ya think you’re going?” Michael growled as he tightened his grip on Jake’s throat. The son of a bitch was trying his damnedest to wriggle free; nearly succeeding at one point until, from nowhere, a large fist came flying through the air. Before Michael could blink Jake flopped unconsciously onto the tiles.

“Huh! I expected more resistance,” the large guy said as he squeezed his own fist with a look of pure satisfaction.

“Jesus! Evo. I had it under control”

“Even more so now.” His face was smug.

“You ruthless bastard.” Michael shook his head in amusement. Evo was right though, this guy was possessed so there’s no way he should’ve gone down from just a punch to the face.

Evo crouched on one knee and rolled Jake’s sleeve up.

“You need to be quick with this.” Michael said as he watched Evo pull a small knife from a strap on his ankle. His buddy drew the blade over the palm of his own hand and, using the forefinger of his other hand, he traced along the wound. Next he reached over Jake and drew a symbol on his forehead in blood: a circle within a circle, then he finished in the middle with a hexagram. Michael had seen, and drawn, that very same symbol on more occasions than he dared to remember. It worked every time, though, trapping the demon or spirit inside its human host.

“Done!” Evo said as he placed his blade back under his trouser leg. Then he grabbed hold of Jake and threw him over his shoulder like he was nothing but a sack of laundry. “Let’s get him in the car quickly.”

Kudos bro.. More ink.

It's getting more interesting with every update

While reading, I was hearing my heartbeat

I must confess. This story is one of a kind.

Kudos #Preciousbouy

CHAPTER TWELVE

As she paced back and forth in her living room−squeezing her fingers together like she was kneading Play-Doh−Lacy waited for word that Michael and Evo were okay, and that they’d managed to catch Jake. She was worried sick, almost to the point of actually throwing up. She took a few deep breaths and decided that if she was going to wear a hole in her blue area rug, she might as well do it with a mug of hot coffee in her hand.

In the kitchen, she placed the contents in her mug and opened the fridge door only to see she was out of milk. Dammit! Never one to drink her coffee black, and not wanting to nip out to the store just in case Michael called, she thought about pouring a glass of wine instead, cringed for a second, then thought better of it. New rule: she was no longer allowed to consume alcohol when under any kind of stress.

Mr Hinckley. Her sweet neighbor, and the only person in the street that she’d ever interacted with, would perhaps give her a drop of milk, though she didn’tfeel comfortable calling on him at this late hour. He was a nice old man. Lonely now after his wife had died four years ago. He’d popped by a few times with some fresh vegetables that he’d grown in his back yard.

Lacy grabbed her coat from the hook in the hallway and headed next door. A biting wind made her shiver as she walked down her path towards the street so she tucked her coat in tight to her chest to keep out any draughts. Although it would be early, it wouldn’t surprise her if they had some snowfall before the night was through.

She reached Mr Hinckley’s front gate, but before she opened it, she paused, feeling a familiar sense of unease like the other night when she was being watched. She looked down the street one way, then the other. No one there. Her neighborhood was always quiet at this time and tonight was no exception. There were lights on in most of the houses that she could see, their occupants savoring the warmth inside. She checked around again but there wasn’t another soul in sight. Putting it down to still being a little spooked after the incident with Jake, she ignored it.

She knocked on the old man’s door, noticing a small, hand carved, wooden angel that was severely weather beaten hanging next to the door. Just the kind of symbolism she needed to see right now. She heard the click of a bolt and the slide of a chain before the door opened and out popped Mr Hinckley’s head from behind the door.

“Who is it?” he said, squinting as he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “Oh. Lacy. Hello.”
“Hi Mr Hinckley, sorry to bother you this late, but you couldn’t spare a drop of milk could you? I can drop some in for you in the morning after I’ve been to the store.” She blew on her hands and rubbed them together for warmth.

The old man had the kind of smile that made his eyes disappear. His thin gray hair was always combed neatly to one side with a little wave in the front.

“Of course, would you like to come in for a minute? You look frozen stiff my dear.” He opened his door wider and Lacy felt the warm air from inside hit her in the face. His house must have been stifling though the old man was wearing a thick, woolen pullover. Wine colored, to match his tie.

“No, that’s okay. I don’t want to keep you. Besides, I’m waiting for a phone call from someone so I can’t stop.”

“That’s fine. Just give me a minute then, dear,” he said, shutting his door to keep the heat in. After a minute or two, he returned with a carton that was a third full. “Is this much okay? I have another carton so you can take that with you.”

“Oh, that’s great. Are you sure you don’t mind, Mr Hinckley?” She tried, but failed, to hold back a shiver.

He belted out a wheezy cough, his face turning plumb purple, and then finished off by patting his chest. She’d noticed his health had deteriorated over the last couple of months. “Don’t be silly child. Now, is that all you need?”

She smiled. “Yes. Thanks. I just needed a coffee fix that’s all. Busy day, you know. . . ”

After saying good night, and after Mr Hinckley waited for her to get back to the house before going back inside, Lacy heard the muted sound of her phone ringing inside as she approached her front door. She cursed, grabbed her front door key from her coat pocket, nearly dropped it in a panic, and hurried to unlock the door. As soon as she stepped inside, the ringing stopped.

“Shit!”

She rushed into the living room and saw that the red light on her answering machine was flashing. She pressed play and was relieved to hear Michael’s voice coming through the loud-speaker.
“Lacy it’s Michael. We got Jake. Figured the cops needed to speak to him, so we’re gonna escort him to the station to let them know what happened. Just wanted to tell you everything’s okay. Oh, and I’m gonna pop to my place before I head back to yours. Uh. . . Yeah, that’s it. Bye.”

Lacy sighed with relief, the tension draining right out of her shoulders.

Thank God everything was okay. Mind you, she should never have doubted that it would be. She had a feeling both Evo and Michael were very capable of handling themselves physically, especially Evo who was the size of a WWE wrestler. There was no way Jake would have gotten away, not with how angry Michael had looked before he’d run after him.

And had they really nearly kissed? Just thinking about the way he’d looked at her back at the hospital filled her stomach with butterflies. Yep, she was definitely attracted to him. And going by what had almost happened, Michael must like her too. She couldn’t help the smile that stretched across her face.

She realized that the cops were also going to want to speak to her about what had happened. If she left now she could meet them both over there. She grabbed her scarf, her car keys from the little wooden bowl on the sofa table in the hallway, and headed out.

It only took her ten minutes to drive to the County Sheriff’s office in the middle of town. She came to a stop right outside the gray, unadorned, concrete building, but there was no sign of Evo’s SUV anywhere. Perhaps he’d parked around the back. Inside the station, Deputy Teresa James, who Lacy had known since moving here, was sifting through files in one of the cabinets behind the front desk. She looked up and greeted Lacy with a smile. “Hey Lacy. . . Strange seeing you in here.”

“Hi. How’s things? It’s been a while huh?”

“Yes, it has. I’m good. And you seem to lose more of that cute British accent every time I see you. You’ll be one of us soon.”


Lacy laughed and rested her arms on top of the counter. It was nice to see her friend after so long. It must have been over a year since they’d talked last−apart from the odd hi or hello in passing−just after Teresa had started work as a full time deputy after completing all of her training. She looked different now: older, without the makeup she used to always wear, and her deep brown hair tied back off her face in a tight bun. But she still had that same way of making Lacy feel welcome.

“Anyway, I’m guessing you haven’t just popped in for coffee, as this stuff tastes like piss.” She mumbled that last part so no one else could hear. “What can I do for you?”

“I’ve come to give a statement about what happened last night at work.” “Something happened at the college?” Teresa asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

She didn’t know? Strange. “Yeah. Two friends of mine just brought a guy in that tried to attack me after I’d left my office last night,” she explained, wondering why Teresa didn’t already know. “He tried to get into my car before I drove off. We think he might know something about what happened to Nina Murphy.”

Teresa still looked confused. “The girl who tried to commit suicide?”

Lacy nodded. She began to worry. It had to have been at least thirty minutes since Michael had called.

“Hold on. My shift only started fifteen minutes ago. I’ll go through and speak to Don; he’s probably got them in the back there in one of the interview rooms.”

That’ll be why. Lacy let out a relieved sigh. The sooner she got the statement over with, the sooner she could get home and flop into bed. What a rough night.

She took a seat in the waiting area and began to pick the chipped polish from her thumbnail. She jumped as the front door flew open and two officers hauled a man who was in cuffs inside. He was protesting loudly and two more officers appeared behind the desk. As the scruffy man with the dishevelled black hair got dragged passed her, he noticed Lacy sitting there and his leering smile made her physically sick.

“That’s enough Milton.” One of the officers ordered as they pushed him to the front desk.

Lacy wondered how Teresa could stand having to deal with this kind of thing every day. She’d only been sat waiting for five minutes and she wanted to bolt out the door and forget giving the statement altogether. But she knew she had no choice and managed to stay in her seat for another five minutes until Teresa finally returned. Avoiding the commotion at the desk, she sat next to her.

“Lacy, when did you say your friends brought him in?” Teresa asked with the same puzzled look that she’d had a moment ago.


“Would have been a little over thirty minutes ago. I guess.”

“Don said no one’s reported anything like that tonight, and your friends haven’t been here.”

What? Where the hell were they?

“Oh. . . Um, perhaps they’ve been delayed for some reason.” Lacy said as she stood up from her seat, her mind began to think all sorts of things: What if Jake had gotten violent and hurt them? What if they’d been involved in an accident? She couldn’t understand why Michael would lie about bringing Jake in. She had to call him.

“Are you okay? Would you like to make the report yourself? What happened at the college?”

She hadn’t even realized Teresa was talking until she felt her place a hand on her arm. “Lacy?”

“I. . . I need to go home actually. I’m not feeling too good. Can I call in sometime tomorrow?”

“Sure. Or I can call round after my shift’s finished in the morning.”

She heard her friend’s rushed reply fading away behind her as she hastily walked out of the station.

Lacy raced back to her house and immediately checked her answering machine. No new messages. She knew if Michael had turned up at the sheriff’s office after she’d left, Teresa would have called her straight away. Not knowing what to do, the pacing started up again, but this time she was right by the phone, waiting for the damn thing to ring again.

Hmmm. Lacy is getting things complicated... I'm sure Evo's gonna be sooo mad..

Hmmm. Lacy is getting things complicated... I'm sure Evo's gonna be sooo mad.. Thanks for tha update though.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

At a motel just off I.52, Michael stood by the window of Evo’s room watching his buddy, who was currently taking out his mood from lack of sleep on their captive’s ass. Jake was all skin-stealing demon strapped in that chair, no question about it. It was staying silent, though. No matter how much Evo pressed, the bastard wasn’t talking.

Evo turned away−his frustration clear by the way his lips were tightly pressed together−as he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a different knife than the one he’d used in the hospital stairwell. This one was much bigger, like a Bowie Knife on steroids. It had an unusual gold colored blade protruding from a black, leather bound handle. “Looks like I’m going to have to try another way to get this asshole to talk.” His mouth curled up at the sides as he winked at Michael.

“What’s that going to do?” was the first thing to come from the demon’s mouth since they’d captured it. Michael sensed its enjoyment.

Evo smirked. “Well, lucky for you, you’re just about to find out.” He pulled the guy’s sleeve up, placed the blade down on his forearm and cut a small slit down to his wrist. At first the demon looked totally unimpressed with what Evo had done. His eyes looked down at the sliced flesh, which Jake’s blood was now trickling from, as though he’d just drawn a line down it with nothing but a sharpie.

"Jake smiled."

Evo stood perfectly still, watching the demon like he was waiting for some kind of reaction.

After a couple more seconds, and just after Jake had started to grin up at Evo, the cocky expression changed dramatically. He looked down at his arm as if the thing had sprouted legs and was about to run away from him.

His eyes widened, his mouth opened and his breath caught. Evo continued to watch with both arms folded over his chest without saying a word.

Michael wondered what the hell was happening and left his position by the window and approached slowly. As he looked down at the guy’s arm it began to twitch uncontrollably. His skin looked like it was moving, then he noticed creeping black veins growing out from the fresh cut, spreading outward in all directions. He watched as the demon began to pant frantically, struggling against the tight restraints on his wrists and ankles. Jakes eyes widened with fear as they locked onto the arm that was now almost black all over. . . then came the hellish scream.

“What the..?” Michael had no idea what was happening. He’d never seen anything like it before and he’d dealt with many demons in the past. He looked at Evo waiting for some sort of explanation, but the guy just continued to watch with an eerily satisfied grin on his face. As the demon continued to react to whatever the hell it was that was happening, Evo began to repeat the line of questioning that he’d gotten no response to before.

All he got was a, “Bleep you!” then an “Arghhhhh. . . ” before Jake’s head flipped back with the pain that was now obviously shooting up his arm.

“Burns doesn’t it?” Evo sneered. “I can make it stop, as soon as you cooperate.” It was said with complete military composure−one of the things. Michael admired most about his friend: his ability to interrogate his subjects with such prowess, whether human or not, was impressive. He had to hand it tothe guy, he was no longer the nervous, scruffy, male that he’d met in that alley all those months ago. Now he was a warrior, a beefed up assassin that could hold his own with anyone or anything.

Yes. . . he was actually jealous of the guy

But all that tough-ass came with a price. Evo was well known in the underworld and when you’d managed to carve out a reputation as lethal as he had in such a short time it got you noticed, and often by the wrong people, or. . . things.

“Arghh. . . ” The demon possessing the man in front of them was having a hard time in there. Whatever it was that Evo had done to the SOB, it was having a profound effect. His face had begun to distort in such a way that his features were no longer Jake’s own, and the screeching that was now leaving his mouth and filling the room could only be likened to that of a tortured animal.

His eyes flicked up to Evo as he continued to pant and growl like a rabid dog. “What have you done to me?”

“I’d be more worried about what will happen next.” Evo smirked. “Start talkin’ or things are gonna get much worse for you. You feel me?”

A deep rumble came from Jake’s throat, which then erupted into a sinister laugh. The demon glared at him through evil eyes that had now turned crimson.

He’d stopped panting by now and was looking Evo straight in the eyes. “You’re playing with fire, boy.” His voice had become deeper, and it sounded like two people talking, a mix between poor possessed Jake and the evil itself. Still, Evo wasn’t fazed. “You have no idea who you’re messing with. Your actions will lead to your deaths I assure you−you and your friend. . . ”−he turned his head away from Evo and straight towards Michael−“Michael? Isn’t it?”

Michael was momentarily aghast and noticed Evo glancing up at him with an equally shocked expression. “How the Bleep. . . ?”

“How do you know who I am?” Michael asked through gritted teeth as he took a couple of steps towards the demon.

“Oh. . . we all know.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” The demon just smiled at him in a way which almost made Michael’s borrowed skin crawl. “Tell me you son of a bitch!”

“You’ll know soon enough. He’s coming for you; sooner rather than later when I tell him where you are. And what a good demon I’ll be, delivering that good news to him myself.”

Michael’s voice grew louder. “Who? What the hell are you talking about?”

The demon said nothing. Only the sound of deep breathing was coming from the man whose eyes were still burning Michael.

“Enough of this. This bastard’s full of shit.” Evo said as he waved his knife right by Jake’s face. “Are you going to tell us why you’ve been offing those students?”

Silence.

Before Michael could blink Evo had stabbed his knife through Jake’s leg so hard, he heard the blade hit the wood from the chair below it.

The demon let out a vicious roar and black smoke began to rise up from where the knife had penetrated the poor, innocent young man’s skin right up to the hilt. Michael knew Jake had no chance of living through this. They rarely survived possession anyway. If the demon had its way, it would make sure of it.

Michael knew that from experience. Those wounds were sure to kill the guy.

Besides, the first slice that Evo had given him had bled out all over the floor. He had no chance.

"Poor guy"
“Talk!” Evo shouted over the deathly scream that was filling the motel room. He clamped his hand over Jake’s mouth, halting the demon who was now scowling at him from under heavy eyelids. There was a long pause and then Evo pulled his hand away. He bent down so that his mouth was by Jake’s ear “I said, talk!” Just as Evo looked set to pull the knife back out−no doubt ready to drive it into the other leg−the demon’s face changed. He knew he was defeated.

Damn his buddy was good.

“I have a debt to pay.” The demon growled the words with fierce intensity and howled with pain again. “Remove it and I will tell you what you want to know.”

Evo reached down and yanked the knife out, satisfaction evident as he looked briefly towards Michael for approval. All Michael did was roll his eyes.

Smug son of a bitch.

“Continue. . . or this goes straight back in there.” Evo ordered, assessing the guys weeping thigh.

“I am bound to Varesh. Indebted to him for a crime I committed more than a century ago. He feeds off human souls, they empower him, make him stronger.

But the only way he can get those souls is if a human ends their own life: suicide, I think you call it. The Creator doesn’t accept those who take their own life, so there’s no going through the pearly gates for them. Instead, they go down, where Varesh intercepts them and can claim them for his own. And where better to find those souls than a place where there are lots of vulnerable humans. There are plenty of parasites in a college campus−depressed little whiners, hormonal, with nothing better to do than feel sorry for themselves.

Places like that are full of them. I just gave them a bit of guidance, a push in the right direction.”

His words enraged Michael. “You’re not exactly giving them guidance by taking over their bodies and doing it for them.” he bit out at the demon that had now calmed. “They are not choosing to end their own lives, you are!”

“But it’s inevitable. I see what’s in their minds, the way they imagine doing it. So I help them. It just saves time. The more souls I collect for my master, the easier my existence becomes. You see, I’ve always believed in self preservation.”

It took all of Michael’s strength not to knock the guy’s haughty expression right off his face, but what would be the point of striking him? He’d only further injure the innocent male who was being possessed, and besides, he knew it would take a lot more than that to affect the evil bastard. Why waste the energy.

“I’ve given you what you asked for?”

Evo stepped up in the guy's face. “Oh no. . . We’ve not finished yet.” He flipped the knife in his hand and smiled at the demon as he held it over Jake’s other leg. “What do you know of my buddy here?”

Michael had seen many demons before this one−had fought against them numerous times, knew their ways, their weaknesses−but there was something very different about this one. This one was a whole other level of evil; he could see it in those crimson eyes.

“I know this. . .” he warned, looking only at Michael. “Varesh has been looking for you for a very long time, but for some reason, you weren’t to be found−hidden somehow. Then all of a sudden there were whispers amongst my kind that you’d been seen. We found out you were hunting us. My master has had his ear to the ground, so to speak. So after all of this time trying to find you, imagine my joy when you came wandering right into my hands.”

Evo laughed. “You have a strange way of looking at things. From where I’m standing, you seem to be in our hands.”
*******

The demon smirked at Michael, ignoring Evo’s words. “This news will be received along with great repute. Varesh will be most pleased when I tell him you are this close and when he finds you−”

“Who is this Varesh and what does he want with me?” Michael was done with the pleasantries.

A subtle laugh came from the demon and Michael thought he looked surprised for a moment.

“You really don’t know do you? I must say. . . Great look you’ve got going on there; although I did prefer you as a brunette,” the demon mocked.

Michael walked around the guy that was tightly bound to the chair. He had no doubt that this demon knew exactly who he was. This was the first lead he’d come across. The demon might actually have relevant information which could help him find out the truth.

“Dammit! Just give me a straight fucking answer,” he demanded. If he could just get him to say something, anything. . .

Evo snarled and began to lift the knife again but before he had a chance to do anything with it, the demon began to shake violently before snapping at

Michael. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Evo gave Michael a look that indicated he had nothing to do with what was happening. Both men slowly backed away as the shaking began to get more violent. Jake’s skin began to glow from within as if someone had just hit a switch on his internal organs, lighting him up like a goddamn neon sign.

“Shit!”

Both Evo and Michael stood watching as the glow underneath the guy’s skin grew brighter, his veins and arteries becoming visible under the surface. The demon continued to writhe, an evil laugh rising from deep inside his gut as an eerie chill filled the dark, damp motel room.

“You won’t stop him!” the demon growled. “No one can. He knows who you are and he doesn’t fear you.”

What the hell was he talking about?

Michael threw a bemused glance at Evo, who now looked about ready to pounce on the guy. He wasn’t sure if he should stop him, but soon had the decision taken out of his hands as the glow coming from the captive’s body grew so bright that they both had to look away. Then, just like that, it was gone.

And so was the demon.

Jake’s body was slumped forward. He wasn’t breathing. Michael walked towards him, carefully assessing him before placing his hand on his shoulder and pushing him back. “Jesus,” he said. Jake’s face was contorted, eyes wide with no trace of color in them as they stared, lifelessly.

Evo let out a sigh as his fingers pressed against Jake’s neck confirming that he was dead. “Poor bastard.”

“Have you ever seen anything like that before, Evo?” Michael asked, knowing how much he knew about this stuff. Hell, Michael had sent enough of them back down where they belonged, but nothing like that had ever happened.

“Shit! No.” he replied, brushing his hand over his short hair, looking as perplexed as Michael felt. “I have no idea what just happened.” He wiped the blade of his knife on Jake’s trousers before bending down to slide it back in its holster around his ankle.

“What is that thing anyway?” Michael asked as Evo pulled his trouser leg down over his boot concealing the knife once again.

“That’s my fail-safe against those bastards. Or at least it was until tonight.”

Evo’s eyebrows drew together as he looked over at Michael. “‘He knows who you are.’ What the Bleep does that mean?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to do everything I can to find out.” Michael drew out a long breath as he sat down on the bed, raising an eyebrow at Evo as he felt around the lumpy slab of concrete that was posing as a mattress underneath him.

“Seriously? This is the best you could do?” His eyes roamed around the room, taking in the dingy, old fashioned decor. The place looked like it hadn’t been touched since the seventies: Leafy patterned wallpaper hung off the walls at regular intervals and the once red carpet was threadbare with dark, patchy stains.

“Well, I spent enough on the ride out there. Anyway, it has a bed and hot running water what more do I need?” he shrugged.

“A sense of smell.” Michael scoffed as he sniffed the air. “It’s like someone died in here way before we got here, for Christ’s sake.”

Evo’s nose twitched. “That’s actually quite possible judging by those stains.”

“Probable, more like. C’mon! Grab your things. After we dump this poor guy, you’re coming back to stay with me.”

@faboosuarez it ain't late to come and read this....

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Happy birthday to you peeps....... wullnp.......
actually, brought you peeps here to read some good story.... hope you enjoy it......

You just got yourselve a new fan. Keep it up bro.