***
“We need to sleep.” Sabian said as we pulled into the next town. The sun was still several hours away from blessing us with it’s presence. “Give us a few hours Rachael, and we can find this guy, make it a fresh start in the morning.”
“No – I want to get this over and done with.” She knocked him back. We shot each other an uneasy glance.
“How about this,” I braved. “We are covered in blood, and need to know who is possessed by this thing, so we can tell where and when.” Rachael took a long look at me, before looking back out at the road.
“I guess there will be other parties.” She conceded and pulled into a motel.
We charged three rooms to Sabian’s credit, and helped ourselves to each. Rachael took one next to me, Sabian the next one over, but I knew after a quick shower, none of us would be resting. I was right.
I showered, second guessed myself, tried to relax my shoulders. I even took one of the pills the doctor prescribed for me, just to get my heart rate back down. I had been running on adrenaline the last 24+ hours and didn’t want to mess things up so close to our goal. As soon as I walked out of the bedroom, I knew she was there, in the room with me.
I turned to face her, leaning against my room table with an innocent look on her face.
“Rachael.”
“Samuel.” She emphasised the ‘L’. She stood straight and walked over, dressed in clean clothes. She reached out as though to touch my face. I batted her hand away in an automatic response and put more distance between us, but all it seemed to do was irritate her. “You get me all worked up after bringing me here and then think you can just push me away.” Her eyes blackened and I shifted my feet to balance my weight. If she ran at me at least I might be able to stand my ground.
She snarled, then, looking me over before taking a step towards me. She ripped her shirt open and her corset bra shone in the lamplight. Stepping forward she gave me a menacing look.
“Believe me. You aren’t going to get away from me, you will want me and if I have to fight you – all the better Sam.” She grabbed my arm and I pushed her back forcefully. Stumbling backwards she knocked in to the desk which bumped into the wall. Taking a moment to regard me she smiled, and seemed to peer right through me with those black eyes.
“I like this new you.” She remarked, standing solidly on both feet and cocking her head to the side.
“There’s nothing new.” I tried to correct her, but I knew, she knew – I definitely wasn’t the same man I used to be before she sliced and diced me. I hoped she couldn’t sense fear in me.
“Oh but there is. You aren’t afraid like you used to be. The last thing I remembered about you was the stench of fear oozing from your wounds but look at you now, so tall, so strong, so…..powerful.” Part of me was relieved she didn’t suspect my apprehension, but not for long – she seemed bent on reconnecting our relationship and the more time I spent with her, the more exposed I felt. Not like I could call for help without the person or me ending up dead or bleeding. She walked towards me once more and I put my hand out.
“Back the fuck off.” I yelled at her, but she jumped forward and pushed me. I slammed into the side table causing everything to go flying. Trying to regain my stance she was already standing over me and lifted me by the collar. “Come on Sam. You think I came back just because I gave Sabian a token of my affection.” She tossed me over and I landed underneath the window. She stalked over to me again. “Don’t be jealous. I came back for you darling, and if you think you’re going to get out of calling me to you now…well…” She knelt next to me. “You are going to be begging me to prove you wrong….” She leaned forward and traced her tongue up my neck before leaning in to poise her teeth over my upper trapezius. I felt trapped beneath her and braced for more pain as she bit into me but she halted, momentarily distracted by something outside.
There was a sharp rap on the door. She looked at me delighted. “Don’t worry honey. We’re a head crushing away from being alone.”
As I picked myself off the ground as she darted to the door and opened it up, revealing a large biker looking guy standing with his arms crossed and an authoritative look about him. Giant that he looked, I feared for his safety. He raked an accusing look over me. “Everything alright in here?” He quizzed Rachael.
“Just a lover’s tiff.” She mocked me, peering back at me with an evil glint in her eye. “Nothing I can’t handle.” With that she turned back to the man with a sweet as pie expression and he cast me another look like I was garbage. I steeled my gaze back and he moved his arms to crack his knuckles.
“Any problems, I’m just next door.” He proclaimed as he moved away and back to his room. In his wake we saw an amused Sabian had come up to stand behind him. Sabian entered our room as the man closed the door to his room with a loud crash that made the windows waver.
“New friend?” Sabian asked lightly. Rachael smiled at him as though genuinely pleased to see him, and part of me sighed in relief that I wasn’t going to have to fend off her advances again, or at least alone. I wasn’t going to take that one for the team effort.
“You look like you found out something.” I prompted Sabian, infinitely glad of his timing.
“I found Patrick East. He’s only two blocks away.” Sabian enthused.
“Looks like sleep will have to wait then.” Rachael remarked.
When we arrived at the house, the lights were out, not surprising given it was only an hour or so off dawn. We had walked again, me avoiding Rachael, Sabian almost skipping ahead with excitement. Now we all stood staring up at this house expectantly. Rachael took a step forward and noticed we didn’t follow. Sabian and I hesitated and I had a million and one thoughts pouring through my mind. I had to remind myself, that above all, I trusted Sabian now that we had been through so much. He had said he would take it away, bury it in the foundation of some building one of his clients was constructing - and that would be the end of her. We just needed the next few minutes to work in our favour.