[Charlie Rhodes 06.0] The Incubus Impasse Read online

  I was taken aback. “How is that possible?”

  “I have no idea. It’s ... difficult to fathom.” She poked at the ghost, her fingers going through the entity’s transparent body. “From what I’ve been able to ascertain, only those who are magically strong can see them.”

  That didn’t surprise me. “Isn’t that how it normally is?”

  “Sometimes,” she hedged. “There are humans who live close enough to the line that they can see the dead. In fact, there are more of them than you might realize. You can see them because of your magic. It doesn’t matter how sensitive a ‘normal’ human is when it comes to these women, though, because they’re anchored here by a powerful totem.”

  “You mean that whatever creature did this managed to tie the fate of these women to a talisman of sorts,” I mused. “That’s actually good. If we manage to find the talisman we can destroy it and free them. The creature himself could be the talisman.”

  “In theory, that’s true. I’m not sure how true it is in practice. I’ve never seen anything like this. My brethren are the same. Everyone I talk to is stymied.”

  “Could it be an incubus?”

  She hesitated before answering. “Initially I thought you were looking in the wrong place. Now I have a different opinion. It’s important that you realize there are two types of incubi. The first fell from the heavens and became demons. They’re the most powerful. What we crossed paths with after were only half-blooded at best, monstrosities. They weren’t pure of blood, so they weren’t as powerful and were easily eradicated.”

  Slowly, what she was trying to say clicked into place. “You’re saying that only one of the original incubi would be powerful enough to trap the souls of these women into a totem and anchor them here.”

  She looked relieved that I understood and she didn’t have to delve deep into the mythology of a forgotten demon. “The creature doing this doesn’t have a soul. I don’t know if trapping these souls is an attempt to create one — it’s happened in the past — or if we’re simply dealing with a garden-variety sociopath who gets off on torturing them. If forced to choose, I would lean toward the latter.”

  “That makes sense.” I studied the ghost. “Why can’t she see us?”

  “That’s also part of the spell. She’s essentially been trapped in a dark box. If you wish to communicate with her, the box must be removed.”

  “Any suggestions on how to do that?”

  “I’m sorry, but ... no. That’s out of the realm of my expertise.”

  “Well, great.” I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead. “This is just ... not good.”

  “Not at all,” she agreed. “This isn’t the first time this individual has done something like this. He’s too powerful and his movements have been too deliberate. You might be able to track him down if you find previous incidents of mass death like this. He’s too prolific to be a newbie.”

  “He has to be killed once we find him, right? There’s nothing else that can be done.”

  “He definitely needs to be killed.” Harley was firm. “You still have the coin I gave you?”

  I nodded. “I carry it in my pocket.”

  “Good. If you find this creature, call me. I can have reinforcements to you in a matter of seconds. It’s going to take a concerted effort to take him down. You can’t do it yourself unless you pour absolutely everything you have into him. You need to know that’s not necessary.”

  “You don’t want me sacrificing myself for the greater good.”

  “I don’t want you sacrificing yourself at all. It’s a waste from where I stand because you have help. Think of that man back in your bed and how he’ll feel if you fall. Be smart about this.” She rapped my forehead, causing me to jerk back. “I like you. I think we’re going to be good friends. But you have to survive to see that day.”

  “I won’t do anything rash.”

  “That would be a nice change of pace.”

  I laughed, the sound low and ragged on the water. “You sound like Jack.”

  “There are worse people to emulate. Keep him close. He will try to sacrifice himself for you if he feels it becomes necessary. Call for help instead of taking it on yourself. You might seriously regret it otherwise.”

  Those were the last words she uttered. With a snap of her fingers, I was back in my bed, Jack snoring lightly beside me. The world was back as it should’ve been ... except for the tortured souls I saw glowing through the window. They were still out there and needed to be saved.

  Sixteen

  I slid into wakefulness in the morning. Jack was already up, his eyes on me, and he smiled when I managed to open my eyes.

  “Morning,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “How did you sleep?”

  It was a standard question and yet the answer was anything but obligatory. “I had a visitor.”

  “In sleep?” He stretched a moment and then smiled. “Wait ... are you saying I stopped by for a dirty visit after hours? Good on me.”

  The things I had to tell him were serious, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “It wasn’t that sort of dream. You were kind of there. At least at the beginning.”

  He listened with patience as I launched into the tale. When I finished, the smile flirting with the corners of his lips upon waking were completely eradicated. “Well, I don’t like that,” he grumbled, making a face. “Don’t you think it’s rude that she just took over your dream?”

  I wasn’t sure it was a dream. “She said I was one plane over. Maybe ... .” I couldn’t finish the sentence.

  His frown only grew more pronounced. “That’s worse,” he muttered, running his hand over the back of my hair as he pulled me close. “I don’t like that she can come in whenever she wants and take you from our bed.”

  Oh, well, that was a bit much. “I think that’s kind of an exaggeration,” I said. “She had something she needed to show me.”

  “The ghosts on the water.”

  “Yeah. They’re trapped, too.”

  “You figured that out yesterday,” he noted. “You didn’t need her stealing into your head and taking you away when you were supposed to be resting.”

  His attitude was all kinds of surly. “Jack ... .” I squeezed his arm to offer reassurance. “I never left your side all night.”

  “Your head did.”

  “I guess it did in a way,” I admitted. “In general, I wouldn’t be okay with someone climbing into my brain and taking me for a ride. But in this case I think she was trying to do me a favor.”

  “What favor? If she knows what’s going on, why doesn’t she take this creature out?”

  At least we were getting somewhere. Until recently, Jack would’ve dug his heels in and declared there was a human to blame until the bitter end. He’d obviously gotten over that. “They don’t know what it is. They know certain things, but they don’t have all the answers.”

  “Then they should stay out of people’s heads.”

  He was adamant ... and kind of adorable. He had morning stubble and his hair was tousled in that fabulous way that men can carry off and women can’t. My hair looked like bees had built a nest in it when I woke in the morning. He looked as if someone had spent two hours “messing up” his hair just so he could walk down a runway. It was a bit annoying really.

  “I think she was trying to help,” I offered. The last thing I wanted was to get into an unnecessary argument. He had a right to his feelings, but in this case I happened to believe they were misplaced. “She made me think about something.”

  “The fact that you left me behind?”

  I ignored the dig. “Harley said that our killer was prolific and knew what he was doing. Every step this guy has taken has been a deliberate one.”

  “I would agree with that,” Jack concurred. “What does that matter?”

  “Because it seems to signify that we’re not dealing with a novice. This is someone who has done this over and over. He’s honed a system.”

&nb
sp; Jack stilled, understanding dawning on his handsome features. “Oh.”

  I grinned. “If you can find similar cases — and I’m assuming you can because you’re a security wizard who amazes me on a daily basis — then we might be able to track specific names from area to area.”

  “That was a bit much.” He tapped the end of my nose. “I only amaze you every other day. I need to rest occasionally. You’re the one who amazes me daily. I mean ... you make up lesson plans and everything.”

  I offered up an exaggerated face. “That wasn’t funny.”

  “It was a little funny.” He grinned as he leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. By the time he relaxed his head on the pillow he was lost in thought. “It’s a good idea. We need to put some parameters together for the search. I can start one before we head out for breakfast. I can also get the Legacy Foundation research team on it.”

  I balked. “Won’t we have to tell them why we’re looking if we do that?”

  “No.” He rubbed his thumb over the lines in my forehead, perhaps trying to smooth them. “We’ll just say I came up with the idea. As you rightfully pointed out a few minutes ago, I’m a genius and probably would’ve come up with this idea eventually.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” I pursed my lips as I considered the conundrum. “You’re probably right. I’m simply being nervous for no reason.”

  “You’ve got a right to be nervous. And just for the record, I think it’s always a good idea for you to err on the side of caution when it comes to this stuff. The fewer people who find out the better.”

  “You don’t think Chris would be excited to know?”

  “Chris would be so excited he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. He would want to parade you around like a science experiment on display. Chris is a great guy, but he doesn’t always understand real-world ramifications. This is your life. Once that genie is out of the bottle, there’s no putting it back in.”

  He had a point. “I don’t particularly want to tell anyone else. Millie found out by accident and has been a good sounding board. As for you ... .” I hesitated a moment before continuing. “Well, as for you, I felt I needed to tell you because of what was happening between us, but I was terrified. I thought you might try having me locked up.”

  His eyes were filled with patience when they locked with mine. “I get you being afraid. In your place, I’d feel the same way. There was no chance I would’ve disbelieved you, though. I think, inside, I knew there was something going on from the start.

  “Do you remember that night we camped together in Hemlock Cove?” he continued. “I thought there was something up with you then. I pushed it out of my mind. I told myself I was being ridiculous.”

  I chewed my bottom lip, unsure what I was supposed to say. Finally, I started. “Something did happen that night.”

  “I knew it!” He jabbed a finger in my direction. “Spill. Oh, and if you tell me you saw Bigfoot we’re going to have a big problem.”

  I chuckled and dragged a hand through my hair. “I didn’t see Bigfoot. At least ... I don’t think I did. There was a shadow in the campground that night. I was terrified when I saw it because of the size. It could’ve been something else, like the human murderer we were dealing with.

  “Anyway, I was so worked up by what I saw — you felt like you were a great distance away from me at that point and I was so afraid I couldn’t find my voice — I used my magic and dropped a huge tree branch on whatever it was,” I continued. “It took off into the woods.”

  “And then I woke up,” he mused, taking on a far-off expression. “I knew something had happened, but I couldn’t figure out what. You were flustered and didn’t want to sleep by yourself. We spent the rest of the night in the same tent.”

  “And almost ended up in the same sleeping bag,” I added.

  He snickered in delight. “I remember. I was so embarrassed when I woke up and realized I was holding you. Now, looking back on it, I think it was always meant to be.”

  “That’s sweet and a little weird to think about.”

  “It totally is,” he agreed, leaning forward and giving me another kiss. “As for your visit from the friendly neighborhood crossroads demon, it’s a good tip. I’ll set up the search before we go to breakfast. If we’re lucky, we might end up getting results in a few hours.”

  “What are the odds we’ll get that lucky?”

  He shrugged, noncommittal. “Never say never. I feel as if I’ve been getting lucky since I met you.”

  I laughed at his unintended double entendre. “Nice.”

  “Yeah. I thought you would like that.”

  CHRIS WAS IN THE KITCHEN FUSSING WITH his coffee. His hair was wet from a shower and he seemed unusually bright and alert for this time of day.

  “You’re up early,” Jack noted as we moved toward the coffee machine. “Is there another body?”

  That possibility hadn’t even occurred to me and I found I was filled with dread at the prospect.

  “No. At least not that I’m aware of. If another body is discovered while we’re in town I’ve been promised a chance to be on the scene from the start. I haven’t gotten a call, so I’m assuming that hasn’t happened.”

  “Okay.” Jack prodded me around Chris so I could grab two mugs. We were the sort of people who needed caffeine nearly as much as oxygen. “Then what’s going on?”

  “My uncle called,” Chris replied, leaning his hip against the counter as he sipped from a generic plastic mug. “He’s okayed the addition of another team member.”

  I was taken aback. “That was fast. Laura just suggested it and it’s already been approved? That’s ... wow.”

  Chris’s smile was thin. “It’s not the first time she’s suggested it. She put in a formal request with Human Resources before we left town, even though she pretended otherwise. She’s had this on her mind for some time.”

  “How do you feel about that?” Jack asked as he poured coffee.

  “Listen, if you think I don’t realize there’s a problem with Laura, you’re wrong.” He lowered his voice. “She’s not an easy individual.”

  “That’s putting it mildly.” Jack shook his head. “She’s the most difficult person I’ve ever met ... and that’s saying something because I served overseas for years and met actual warlords.”

  I shot him a quelling look. His disdain for Laura was growing with each passing day. I understood why he hated her. She went out of her way to make things rough for us and even threatened the foundation of our relationship. If one of us were removed from the team because of her complaints, things would shift dramatically in our personal lives.

  The only one who wanted that was Laura.

  “I think she’s been having difficulty assimilating since I joined the team,” I countered, choosing my words carefully. “She seems to have a specific problem with me.”

  Chris’s expression was hard to read and then, out of nowhere, he started laughing. “Oh, that was a totally diplomatic statement. I see what you mean about her being unintentionally funny, Jack.”

  Jack arched an eyebrow when I pinned him with an accusatory look. “Right? She’s hilarious.” I tried to elbow him in the stomach but he was expecting it and easily sidestepped the attempt. “Calm down, Tiger. It’s too early in the morning for wrestling.”

  I did my best to focus on the important topic. “Are you going to say something to Laura about going over your head?”

  “I don’t know.” Chris looked troubled. For a guy who was always so happy and excited about the possibility of today being the day he proved the paranormal world existed, it was tough to see. “On one hand, I think that she should know I won’t tolerate another instance of that. On the other, she seems to get off on attention, even if it’s negative attention.”

  “I’ve noticed that, too.” Jack carried his coffee to the table and sat. “Why can’t we just fire her?”

  “You know why.” Chris’s gaze was pointed. “We’ve had this discussion at leas
t three times that I can recall. Human Resources is building a case, but doesn’t have everything they need quite yet. It’s important they be able to prove without a shadow of a doubt that Laura was in the wrong if the case ends up in court ... and with Laura at the center of things, it most certainly will end up in court.”

  I felt sorry for him. He looked momentarily lost as he considered the possibility. “This is my fault. If you hadn’t hired me ... .”

  I didn’t get a chance to finish because Chris was already shaking his head and Jack was making a strange noise that reminded me of a feral cat.

  “You’re not the problem, Charlie.” Chris was firm. “You’ve been a wonderful addition to this team ... and I’m not just saying that because you’ve managed to make Jack smile regularly. He was a real grump before you arrived and he often made life miserable for all of us, but you’ve offered much more than that to the team.”

  My cheeks colored with pleasure. “Oh, well, thank you.”

  Jack shook his head, amusement obvious as I tried to pull it together. “Do you know who we’re bringing in yet?”

  “Laura had someone in mind,” Chris replied. “She already messaged the name to the selection committee. I haven’t seen the specifics yet, but Uncle Myron says he doesn’t have a problem with the hire. I just need to sign off on it.”

  “Do you think you will?” Jack asked. “I only ask because it seems to me that bringing on someone Laura sees as an ally might not be a good idea.”

  “I considered that,” Chris admitted. “I’ve gone back and forth in my head. The thing I keep coming back to is that she might be easier to deal with if she doesn’t feel so isolated. Either way, we can pair her with the new guy and not have to deal with her. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.”

  “I guess not.” Jack didn’t look convinced. “Does it make me petty that I simply don’t want her to be happy?”