Faithless

Faithless by Yolanda Sfetsos

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Faithless By Yolanda Sfetsos

ADVANCED READER COPY: DISCLAIMER This Advance Reader Copy is the property of Yolanda Sfetsos. The Advance Reader Copy may not be sold, rented, loaned, or copied.

This is an advanced edited copy and may differ slightly from the final published novel. This book will be available from Silk’s Vault Publishing on March 10th 2007. This work is copyrighted as of February 2007 by Yolanda Sfetsos.

Faithless by Yolanda Sfetsos

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Chapter 1

Alyce Kerr used to be a witch, until she bound her soul to a demonic entity in search of wealth, popularity and self-gratification. Now she possessed the pretentious and monetary side of her quest, but hated her existence. She was a Faith Healer—a celebrity who sold out wherever she went, no matter how big or small the venue. The power and success exploded overnight. Doors were opened as soon as she started knocking. But the real nightmare of the sacrifice now kept her trapped in a cloud of regret and misery. Alyce was never alone, never truly in control. He kept her working day-in, day-out, to satisfy his thirst. “She hasn’t been able to see for two years,” the short woman in front of her wept, pushing a little girl into view with shaky hands. A delicate child with white-blonde hair stepped forward. Her pale eyes were constantly focused on one spot, unseeing. “My daughter’s only a little girl, not even seven yet. Please help her, Ms. Kerr,” the mother continued with pleading eyes. Alyce recognized the look in the woman’s eyes—desperation. She’d seen that watery look a thousand times, in the mirror. She was a regular acquaintance of the feeling. Alyce now suffered a new misery. She knew she could heal the little girl and a thousand more...but the hollowness inside her soul was growing with every new healing. He could cure anything, without much strain to his almost-endless fountain of power. The creature stood behind her, crowding the area with his awkwardly-proportioned limbs, one set of hands resting on her shoulders. His heated breath swayed the loose curls of her hair, and Alyce shivered. “Do it,” he whispered near her left ear. Alyce closed her eyes to the command. The stage lights were too bright, stinging her corneas even through her closed eyelids. The crowd on the floor below held their collective breaths. The large spotlight was itching at her skin, but she fought the desire to scrape away the feeling with her nails. “Alyce, I said do it,” he repeated. She released a shallow breath and opened her eyes slowly. Trying to avoid everyone’s gaze, she lifted her right hand to the little girl’s forehead. The girl’s body jerked at the connection and

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hung limp, as if glued to the spot where they joined. Held up only by Alyce’s open palm, the girl’s head fell backward as the heat swelled beneath the faith healer’s hand. His claws penetrated the skin of her shoulders, then dug deeper. The violation made her insides cringe. He forced Alyce to wear sleeveless tops and dresses to every show to make it easier for him to slip his serrated claws into her flesh. The pain was almost unbearable, but she held it at bay by continuing shallow breaths. She kept her eyes focused on the girl’s weakness, now slipping from her body and into Alyce’s. The little girl’s blindness shut down Alyce’s vision for a few seconds, slipping into her system, infusing itself into her body so he could deal with it later. He passed the strength the little girl’s eyes needed to restore her sight. Alyce acted as a connection cord, a conduit to pass the healing forward, though she was the only one who knew he was there...always there. When he unhinged his claws, her skin sealed shut with an audible slurp. Alyce removed her palm from the little girl. The tiny blonde child collapsed to the floor and her mother fell to her knees beside her. The sobbing woman pulled the girl into her lap, caressing her cheek to rouse her awake. “Fiona, baby, open your eyes.” The girl’s eyes struggled for several seconds before widening. Fiona swiveled her neck, as if looking at the world for the first time. “Mummy, I can see!” Fiona called. “Oh my God, it’s a miracle!” her mother said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was hysterical, wrapping her arms tighter around her young daughter. “Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve just witnessed another miracle at the hands of Faith Healer, Alyce Kerr,” the deep male voice announced overhead. Claps and cheers erupted instantly. Some of the onlookers whistled at the magical accomplishment they’d witnessed. Others made the sign of the cross and moved their lips to silent prayers. Some even cried or held their hands up towards the Heavens, collapsing to their knees, hands clasped tight as they prayed to God and thanked him for the sheer miracle they’d all witnessed. Alyce’s heart fell. She knew God had nothing to do with what had just happened. Hell, these people should be pressing their foreheads to the ground below to thank the things that lived in the Netherworld. “That’s all we have time for tonight, ladies and gentleman. But don’t worry, the outstanding

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Alyce Kerr will be back for another show tomorrow,” the announcer continued, adding with a chuckle, “I hope you’ve all got your tickets, because it’s a sellout show!” The air-conditioning stirred goosebumps along Alyce’s bare arms and she shivered. She could feel familiar eyes on her, and it wasn’t the demonic entity that had helped her heal tonight. No, these eyes were human. He was somewhere in the crowd, but she refused to acknowledge him. Instead she turned her back, retreating towards the side as security staff stepped forward to help guide the crowd outside. One even helped Fiona and her mother step away from Alyce. As soon as she’d spent her two hours onstage tending to the dire situations, they stepped in to clear the audience, like cattle dogs to sheep. Alyce appreciated their attempts to get the people out in an orderly fashion. But she felt bad for the onlookers who’d missed out on her personal care because he hadn’t chosen them. Buer did the picking. It was always his decision. Sometimes he’d go against her choice, just to spite her and remind her who was really in control. She took a deep breath, almost choking on the sulfur that filled her lungs when she turned and came face-to-face with the creature. His large mouth was twisted into a macabre smile, his shiny yellow eyes focused and secretly laughing at her because he knew what was going to happen next. Alyce continued her small steps to the side, disappearing out the side door and into the room where she’d dumped her bag. The sound of his arms and legs swirling behind her, turning over and around like a wheel, made her stomach clench with disgust. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was gaunt and pasty. The dark circles under her blue eyes were deep, even though she’d dabbed on a good dose of concealer before stepping onstage. Her long blonde curls hung in a limp mass behind her shoulders. Alyce had lost more weight. She’d purchased this outfit only a month ago and it was already hanging off her bony shoulders. Buer was standing behind her. “C’mon Alyce dear, it’s time I take the burden from you,” he hissed. The burden was actually what fuelled his existence. Every time he helped suck the disease from someone, it would sit inside her system until he decided to take it. With each new dose, Buer took a little more essence from Alyce. Soon there’d be nothing left inside her but a hollow, soulless shell.

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He helped her turn to face him. His putrid breath played along her face and his lipless mouth moved forward until it was clamped over hers. She felt like she was suffocating, forever trapped in her own personal hell. As his eager mouth sucked the blindness and all the other diseases from inside her, Alyce felt tears rise to her eyes. If she hadn’t been a witch before all this, she would’ve been dead by now. His kiss made her weak and disoriented, but not enough to forget that at the beginning, he’d used the semi-man illusion of a centaur to soften the blow of this obscene reality. He hadn’t done that in a long time. The illusion didn’t matter to Buer anymore. The honeymoon was over. They’d been together for several years and he was comfortable being his horrid, ugly self. He unsealed his mouth from hers and Alyce was left gasping for breath. She doubled over, hands pressed against the dresser in front of her. This was the worst part, when he took the disease out of her. She’d cured five people this evening, but he always managed to take a little extra. “You did good out there, Alyce,” Buer said with a sneer. “Now, go to the hotel and get some rest.” She couldn’t answer him. Oxygen was hard enough to gulp down without wasting any valuable breath. Her face was red as she stared in the mirror, watching him turn foot over hand until he disappeared. Alyce didn’t know where he went after he sucked the diseases out of her— most of the time, she didn’t care. Alyce straightened slowly, a hand to her chest. The pain inside her heart was something no one would ever be able to heal. If she could use some of this power on her own body, Alyce would start with the hollow spaces Buer left inside her very soul…but she knew it was too late for that now. The reflection in the mirror confirmed how close she was to completely slipping away from herself. Alyce was a slave to Buer and couldn’t do anything to stop it. Her will to live another day diminished by the second. Nothing seemed to ignite her soul with passion or hope. Not even the satisfaction of helping the sick made her feel complete anymore. Alyce had nothing left to lose, and suddenly realized that self-destruction was her only path.

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Chapter 2

“Another one, please.” Alyce motioned her empty glass to the bartender. “Are you sure?” the bald guy asked. The vodka bottle was poised above her glass, ready to spill the mind-buzzing substance. “Positive, now fill it up,” Alyce slurred. “Okay, but this is going to be the last one, Miss.” The clear liquid tumbled into the short glass. When he made a move to stop, Alyce pressed her hand against his and forced him to fill it to the rim. “Oops,” she cried with a chuckle. The bartender didn’t say another word but simply plucked his hand out of her grasp and backed away. Away from the drunken woman who couldn’t get enough, she thought glumly. Life wasn’t always like this. She’d actually had a life once upon a time. It was hard to believe her quest to escape a mundane suburban existence had led to all this crap. Alone in a bar, drowning her sorrows like some kind of loser. No, she was worse than a loser. She was— “He’s got no sense of humor. I find most bartenders don’t,” a voice to her right said. “Well, except for in the movies or TV shows.” Alyce took a quick sip of the vodka, wincing as the heat burned her insides. She spared the stranger a sideways glance. Her heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t a stranger. The son of a bitch! “What the hell do you want?” She returned her attention to the glass. “I miss you too, Al,” he said with a laugh. “Can I buy you a drink? Oh, sorry, I forgot— you’re already intoxicated.” “Why don’t you piss off, huh Ross? I’m not in the mood for your shit tonight.” “There used to be a time when you’d be in the mood for me no matter what—“ “Yeah, well, that was a long time ago,” she mumbled, taking another sip. Could this night get any worse? She’d come here to get away from the reality of one bastard and was now facing the memory of another. Sometimes it just didn’t pay to get out of bed. Then a picture of the blonde little girl who’d gone home with the ability to see the world again after years of blindness flashed inside her mind. At least a few good things had happened tonight. “Oh, before the celebrity status—“

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“No, before you tried to kill me!” she snapped, turning an accusing glance his way. Her eyes crossed and the bar seemed to tilt. “Are you still mad about that?” “Ross, you tried to kill me!” she repeated. “I’ve tried to explain that night to you a thousand times, but you refuse to listen—“ “The restraining order hasn’t expired yet, by the way.” If only she could get some sort of preternatural restraining order against Buer, too. “See, there you go again, blocking off my explanation. I’ve been trying to talk to you since that night—“ “No,” she cut him off again. “You’ve been stalking me since the night you tried to stab me in the chest.” This game was growing old. Ross had been her fiancé, wonderful and supportive for five years. Until one night he decided to sneak up on her while she was in bed and tried to stab her in the chest. He might as well have cut her heart out—that’s how much the incident still hurt. The memory of that night was etched inside her brain, even through her alcohol-induced haze. The look in his dark eyes as he stared down at her after she’d moved aside, narrowly avoiding the blade. The knife was stuck to the mattress, but his eyes were focused on her. More hurt than frightened, Alyce had never felt more betrayed in her entire life. That was the night that had pushed her over the edge. She called the police, had them take Ross away and then completed her conjuring and binding with Buer. Ross had been the only reason she’d put off completing the task in the first place. She’d hated hiding her witch ancestry from him during their long relationship, but hadn’t wanted to freak him out. Then he’d been the one to fail her, just like everyone else did. Ever since that incident, as soon as Ross got out of jail, he’d started following her around. He stalked her in the shadows, knowing all too well that if she reported him, he’d be in violation of the restraining order. Yet, here he was, still attending every single show. Alyce could always feel his gaze on her. “I’ve done nothing but apologize about that—“ “I don’t wanna hear it.” She spat the words out, trying to force her face away from his, but her eyes refused to move. They were mesmerized by his longish dark hair and olive skin. The way the tiny wrinkles at the corner of his eyes became more defined with each word they exchanged. There were dark whiskers on his face and along the top of his neck, but she could

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still see the rigid jaw line. Damn, he still looked so good. “One of these days, I’m going to make you listen,” he said, searching her face. “What’s going on with you Al? You don’t look so good.” “Thanks a lot, Ross.” She stuck her tongue out at him, finally able to remove her eyes from his handsome features long enough to down the contents of the vodka. This time the sizzle continued all the way to her stomach. She held onto the bar for support. “Can I get another one?” She held the empty glass up toward the bartender. The bald guy lifted an eyebrow, shook his head and headed in her direction until he was standing in front of her, his arms outstretched on either side of the bar separating them. He lowered his voice before speaking, “Listen lady, I know you’re some hotshot celebrity psychic or something, but I ain’t gonna serve you anymore. You’re intoxicated, and there are laws against serving a drunk. So, if you’d like to leave peacefully, there’s a café still open a few blocks down. If you resist, I’ll have to call the cops. I don’t want any trouble.” His words hit her right between the eyes. Her tongue felt heavy inside her mouth but she wanted to give him an earful. A psychic...hadn’t this guy stepped outside the bar during the last few years? She wanted to tell him and made a move to stand up, but his face became three and her heel caught on the barstool. When the room shifted to the left, Alyce wasn’t sure if it was because of the alcohol or because she was tumbling. Either way, she heard a familiar voice call her name before everything turned to black and she had a chance to forget...about everything.

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Chapter 3

“Damn!” was the first word out of her mouth when Alyce opened her eyes. Her face was pressed up against a pillow, her right eye squashed shut while her other eye tried to block out the light flooding the room. “Someone turn out the light!” As if by way of magic, the sound of the curtains shifting filled her ears. She opened her eyes again and made a move to stand, but the throbbing inside her head held her back. All Alyce could manage was to turn over onto her side. The cream-colored pillow was covered in drool and her breath tasted like something had crawled inside her throat and died. If only her fans could see her now, the popular Faith Healer waking up to the world after blacking out in a bar...feeling like a semi-trailer was driving between her ears. That’s when her eyes focused on the face peering down at her. Brown hair, deep brown eyes, olive skin—damn, she knew who it was. What was he doing in her room? Alyce struggled to sit upright, pressing her back against the pillows as she yanked the sheet up to her chin. She kept her eyes pinned to his, trying to come across as threatening but failing miserably. “What’re you doing here?” she mumbled. Her voice sounded coarse, like she’d been smoking all night—or drinking. “Someone had to get you home safely—the bartender was ready to dump you in the gutter,” Ross replied. “This isn’t home.” “Well, it’s as close to home as I could get you,” he said with a small smile. “How did you know I was staying here anyway?” Alyce turned her face to the side. Each word that left her mouth echoed inside her head like a bad phone line connection, stirring her stomach and bringing the nausea up a notch. “Do you really need me to answer that?” Ross narrowed his dark eyes. He stood by the side of the bed in a relaxed stance while she struggled to understand what he was doing in her hotel room. Alyce felt her skin crawl. She pulled her legs out from under the covers and ran into the bathroom. She made it over the toilet just in time to empty the contents of her stomach into the

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bowl, what little there was. Her body shook. One hand clung to the side of the toilet, the other she used to hold her curly hair back. White dots danced in front of her eyes when she finally righted herself. Alyce made it to the sink, turned the cold water on and rinsed her mouth out under the running water. She spat a mouthful out but the awful taste in her mouth remained. She splashed her face and began the task of brushing her teeth. She couldn’t take the putrid taste. After rinsing with mouthwash and drying her face, she felt almost human again. Almost. She’d done too much to alter herself to feel human most of the time. “Are you feeling better?” Alyce looked into the mirror. Ross was standing behind her, arms folded and back pressed against the inside of the doorway. A chill ran down her spine; she hadn’t seen anyone but Buer behind her for so long. It felt strangely comforting to have Ross here with her now. But she’d never let him know she appreciated him getting her to the hotel room safely. She noticed the tank top and underwear she was wearing, only undergarments. Ross was staring at her. She feigned a cough. “Do you mind?” “What? I’ve seen you in less than that before,” he answered with a sound halfway between a laugh and a snort. “Ross, that was...different.” “Not for me it’s not.” He pushed his back off the doorway. His black shirt was opened halfway down his chest, still tucked into the black jeans that fit so nicely around his narrow hips. Alyce didn’t move, couldn’t move as she felt and watched him approach her in the mirror. All that black matched his olive complexion, though Ross hadn’t worn much black when they were together. She’d noticed him wearing it more and more from the shadows. Maybe he did it to blend into the dark, go unnoticed. Or maybe it was because he felt he’d lost someone and needed to mourn them. But it’d been over three years since their relationship ended. Why was he still around? Why did he act like a stalker one minute and then like he actually cared the next? He stopped a few centimeters behind her. She could feel his warm breath stir the curls of her blonde hair. One of his hands reached up and captured a strand, eyes pinned on hers. “You’ve still got such beautiful hair,” he whispered. Alyce closed her eyes to the touch, memories of him brushing it almost every night before

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going to bed stirred feelings she hadn’t connected with in a long time—thoughts she shouldn’t allow herself to focus on. She was still angry with Ross for what he’d done to her, but she’d never really feared him. Sure, she played the scared ex-fiancé in court to get the restraining order against him, but it had never been because Ross Garcia frightened her. No, it was because deep down inside, Alyce knew his attempt to stab her wasn’t a malicious act, but because he might have stumbled on her secret. Maybe he’d found out about her witchy side, or had just suffered from some mental delusional episode. Whatever the reason, he’d handled it the wrong way and Alyce needed him to keep his distance for her sake. The emotions she’d felt for him for so many years still lay dormant somewhere inside. “Ross...don’t...” “Am I making you nervous?” he asked, moving a little closer. Goosebumps traveled up her arms. She was suddenly afraid he’d touch her bare skin and realize how much he affected her. Alyce opened her eyes to find him still poised in the same position behind her. “Well?” “Well, what?” “Am I making you nervous, Al?” “Don’t call me that,” she said with a sigh. “Would you prefer baby or honey?” He raised a dark eyebrow in question. “No,” she answered. Those were the two pet names he used when they were together. Will you marry me, baby? he’d asked one night on bended knee. Stop it Alyce, she warned herself. Don’t get caught up in the moment. “You’ve got to stop this Al, it’s killing you.” Ross let the strand fall away from his grasp. “What’re you talking about?” she asked, confused. Was he talking about them? There hadn’t been a ‘them’ for too long to expect anything from her. “Can’t you see he’s killing you,” Ross continued. His fingers dug into the tops of her arms. He used his strength to turn her around slowly, until she was facing him. She tried to fight the urge to look up into his face. It would only require the slightest incline of her neck, but she didn’t want to. Her heart beat too fast this close to him. She was vulnerable, hung over and feeling like crap. Not to mention hollow on the inside from all the healing she’d

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performed through Buer’s influence. With that thought she suddenly wondered why he wasn’t around. Most of the time he hovered around her non-stop during setup, during the duration of each show and then just long enough afterwards to suck her dry. But usually he made an appearance here and there during the day, too. So far—nothing. “What time is it?” she wondered. “Past noon.” Ross let his gaze meet her eyes. “Oh, I’ve got things I need to do. Got another show happening tonight...are you going to be there, in the audience?” Alyce knew he’d have tickets—he always did. It was getting harder and harder to pretend she hadn’t noticed he was out there. Mostly she turned a blind eye to his presence, for him. Ross continued to violate the restraining order and didn’t seem to care. The cops would care, though. “Maybe,” he said with a shrug. His fingers, still touching her skin, left a patch of heat that did nothing to help her hangover. “Why’d you strip me?” “I wanted you to be comfortable.” “Since when do you care?” “I’ve always cared about you, Al,” Ross said moving his face a little lower. She held her breath, releasing it when he paused only inches from her lips. Her body was suddenly feeling clammy all over; nausea was returning. He certainly wasn’t helping her cause. When Ross’ lips skimmed hers, Alyce felt the vomit rise up her throat. She swiveled out of his grasp and doubled over the toilet again. This time he was there to hold her hair away from her face. “I think you’d better get back to bed.” Ross patted her back softly. “No, I’ve got things to do—” “For him?” “I don’t know who you’re talking about,” she managed in a weak whisper. Her head was drumming with a brutal headache and the world spun again. “Going back to bed sounds good.” Ross nodded, helped her into the adjoining room and tucked her into the large and lonely bed. He pressed his palm to her forehead and even kissed it before turning to leave. When he was at the door she called out to him, “Thanks for your help.” He held the door handle with his left hand, stopped and looked over his shoulder. “We’ve

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gotta talk, Al. There’s still a lot more I can help you with.” She nodded seconds before the tendrils of sleep caressed her under and she dreamed about a happy existence with a man she’d loved more than anything in this world. Ross. He could still stir her emotions into a tight knot of need and she hated that. But while in dreamland, Alyce enjoyed the way they connected. **** The room was dark when she woke up again. Dreams about Ross still lingered inside her mind as she opened her eyes with a smile on her face for the first time in ages. She stretched her bare legs under the cool sheets and pressed her palms against the headboard. She hadn’t woken up feeling this good in years. “What’re you smiling about?” The voice cut off every happy thought and ease in her sleepgroggy mind. Alyce opened her eyes and focused on Buer. He stood by the side of the bed, not in his usual guise of a deformed creature with too many arms, but in that of a centaur. His face was far from beautiful, but held enough appeal to keep the disgust from rising inside her stomach. The manly chest was covered in dark hair, with faint traces of muscle beneath. She took a deep breath, rising slowly in the bed until she could be sure the world had stopped spinning. Everything was in the right place...well, everything except for her. Alyce suddenly wished she was wherever Ross was. The kindness and care he’d shown left butterflies still fluttering inside her stomach, making happiness an emotion she could actually reach for. A little hope ignited inside Alyce. Would Ross be the one thing that could help save her from the nightmare of her life? All the anger she harbored toward him was slowly fading. If Ross had stumbled on her secret back then, maybe the act of violence was the only way he knew how to respond. Secrets could do that to people, and she’d been too stubborn to listen to his reasons. Maybe it was time she accepted his offer and really listened to him. She’d avoided answers because she was scared of what Ross would say. “Are you happy to see me?” Buer asked, placing his hairy hands on the hips that ended in the front legs of a horse. Alyce nodded, cleared her throat and answered, “Of course, where have you been?” “Nowhere special...just waiting for you to open yourself up to me again,” he replied.

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“What’re you talking about?” She ran a nervous hand through her curls. When her fingers became embedded in the tangles, she withdrew them. “Nothing important,” Buer answered. But she didn’t miss the cloud that covered his yellow eyes, or the frown that knotted his eyebrows. There was something he wasn’t telling her. “I need to take a shower.” She jumped out of bed, one long leg after the other. Buer stepped in front of her and took a strand of her hair in his almost human hand. There was a small smile playing along his lips as he looked down at her with a seductive look he’d tried to use on her before. It would’ve been half-seductive if there wasn’t so much between them, and if she didn’t know what he really looked like. Buer was a hideous creature hiding behind an almost bearable disguise keen to seduce her, for some reason. Alyce suspected sexual energy flowing between them might provide even greater strength for him. Maybe it would do the job of totally ripping her soul out. “We’ve got almost two hours before the show, Alyce. Maybe we could—” “Buer, I’ve told you a thousand times before. What we have is purely business, I don’t want to complicate it with a personal entanglement.” She tried to keep her voice level, to hide the lie. This denial always came across better than if she shouted in his face: you disgust me, you putrid creature! The frown darkened anyway. “Are you sure it’s not—” “You and I are business partners.” Alyce stepped away from his grasp on her hair. Her scalp was starting to itch from the intimacy of their stance. Ross had done something similar earlier— she could see it in the hazy way snippets return after a big night out. “You’ve been blocking me out,” Buer called when she’d reached the bathroom door. Alyce stopped and shook her head. The accusation confused her. She’d conjured him into this realm and attached him to herself so she could become a Faith Healer and rejoice in the riches. How could she consciously block him out? “If I find out you’re ingesting something to keep me at bay, the price you’ll pay will be far worse than anything you’ve ever imagined,” he warned. Alyce didn’t reply but simply walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She switched the light on and stared at her reflection in the mirror across from the doorway. She was pressed against the back of the door, eyes wide with surprise and heart beating a thousand miles an hour. Could it be that easy? Could the reason she hadn’t seen Buer since his departure after the show

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have something to do with her intoxication? Was it possible alcohol kept him away? It took several minutes to calm her shaky limbs, but she managed to step into the shower. And as the warm water dampened her hair and body, Alyce decided this theory was worth testing.

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Chapter 4

Luckily, the stage wasn’t set too high up or she would’ve tumbled over the side already. The heels of her black shoes had come pretty close to toeing the edge several times, but there’d always been someone eager to rise up from the wooden staircase on the side so she could help them. So far she’d cured a small brain tumor and two broken legs. The tumor took a lot out of her, but Alyce was more than happy with the choice. No one should suffer such a painful fate. But the broken legs, which belonged to a bulky man who looked like he worked for the mob and had them broken after a bad deal, really surprised her. Still, it was Buer’s choice, and if there was some sort of design to his choices, Alyce didn’t know. A young boy, no older than ten, now stood in front of her. His brown eyes were teary, his skin gaunt and white as if he hadn’t seen the sun in a while. His head was bald and shiny under the spotlights. Alyce could feel the sadness coil inside her. Her fingers were itching to touch the top of that shiny head so she could cure his cancer. Children didn’t deserve to get sick. If she could choose the candidates of her own accord, Alyce would invite every child who had been diagnosed with a disease—no matter how big or small. But it wasn’t her choice. Buer was breathing down her neck when the picture before her started to slant. She’d been sneaking small shots of vodka before the show and even during the short intermission halfway through. Alyce lost count of the tiny bottles she’d consumed. They were stashed in the small bathroom in the dressing room. So far the demon was still with her, but he’d faded in-and-out a few times. “Hurry up, everyone’s watching you,” he whispered behind her as his talons pierced into the skin on the back of her shoulders. She winced at the pain, though it felt a little more detached than usual. Alyce nodded, stuck her hands out and came in contact with the little waiting boy. His head jerked back instantly as the dirty, dark cancer was sucked out of him and into her system. Alyce took a pained breath. Her lungs were aching and she was finding it hard to breathe. She looked over one shoulder and noticed Buer wasn’t there. The little boy slipped from her grasp when the shock hit her between the eyes.

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Alyce collapsed in a blur of commotion. People gasped and others rushed along the stage, but all she could do was lie there like a piece of tattered cloth. The pain inside her body was immense, filling her with so much misery she felt the air being literally sucked from her lungs. She closed her eyes, or at least she tried to, but she could still see everything going on around her. Noise and visuals remained. It was just her body that was useless. The guards knelt beside her to check for a pulse. “She’s still alive,” one of them called. “Go call an ambulance,” another approaching her urged the first one. “Sure.” He nodded and rose to his feet within seconds of the command. “You’re going to be all right,” the new security guard said as he brushed her curls away from her face. “I’m going to take care of you and end this once and for all.” Alyce stared at him. For the first time she noticed the dark piercing eyes of Ross beneath the blue uniform cap. He looked over his shoulder, motioned to someone with a simple nod and had her over his shoulder before her limbs had a chance to register the movement. “Relax ladies and gentleman,” the announcer called overhead. “We’ve got everything under control...” The voice faded when Ross took her out the side exit, strode past her dressing room and continued out the door at the end of the hall. Alyce could only see the dirty ground beneath but knew they were in the alley at the back. She wanted to talk, to ask him where he was taking her and how he could even start to take care of whatever was wrong with her, but nothing formed inside her mouth. Her tongue felt slack, her vocal cords non-functioning. Ross lowered her into the backseat of a car, closed the door and disappeared. She felt movement as they surged forward. She drifted in and out. One second she was positive she was still conscious, the next there were white spots filling her vision with nothing but static. Was this what it felt like to die? To be totally trapped inside the cage of her own awareness without being able to do anything about it? Alyce felt so hopeless. She’d cured a multitude of people during her strange career, but now she couldn’t even lift a finger to help herself. **** “Al,” the familiar voice called, followed by a light touch to her cheek, “Don’t leave me, you

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hear me? Come on! Open your eyes! Alyce shook her head, unsure if she was even able to open them. She imagined the notion and looked up to find Ross sitting beside her. His face was dark with concern. They were under a ceiling she didn’t recognize. She’d somehow lost time between the car trip and this place...why hadn’t she noticed she’d passed out? “Where are we?” she asked, surprised when she was able to lift her own body with tired, yet functional arms. Ross gave her an awkward hug. He pressed his chest to hers before pulling back to stare into her eyes. “You’re somewhere safe—you don’t have to worry.” “What happened?” “I was hoping you could tell me that.” Ross let out a sigh and lifted the back of his left hand to touch her cheek again, his brown eyes filled with concern. “What did you do up there?” “I...I’ve been drinking to try and...” her voice trailed off as she looked to the side. What was she going to tell him? That she was trying to subdue a demonic entity attached to her very soul? She’d sound like some sort of mental patient. The room was painted in an earthy tone of brown. Though the walls felt a little too close on either side, there was something relaxing about this room. The bed was large and placed right in the middle with cream-colored sheets and a quilt that matched the walls. A single tall lamp stood in one of the corners near the top of the bed, providing just enough light for her to see the surroundings. A small desk sat in the remotest corner, pressed against the wall and littered with opened books and scraps of paper. There was a bundle of magazines and an unopened book dangerously close to the edge. “Why are you suddenly drinking?” he asked, turning her face to look at his. The fingers against the side of her jaw were delicate. His eyes demanded an answer, almost like he knew what was going on but wanted her to confide in him. But that wasn’t possible! “I just need to escape sometimes.” “You hardly drank a single drop of alcohol when we—“ “Ross, stop it, please!” Alyce said. She shook his fingers off her face and managed to jump off the other side of the bed. She stood beside the tall lamp, scared at the reaction that pierced her heart. She didn’t want to have this conversation with him right now.

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“I want to understand what’s going on with you, damn it!” He practically flew off the bed, moving across the opposite side. “You can’t understand! I’ve gotten myself into something no one can help me out of,” she whispered. Her feet were moving, bare and moving towards Ross though her mind was still trying to work out why. “Why don’t you try me?” he urged, meeting her eyes. Ross closed the distance between them until he was standing right in front of her. Alyce tilted her head, closing her eyes as she felt his lips cover hers. The motion set her heart on fire. Every emotion she’d ever felt for this man and tried so hard to bury was suddenly unearthed, rising to the surface to leave her raw and wanting every inch of him near her. This wasn’t just a physical want, though they’d always been more than fulfilling, but a pure soulful one. As she opened her mouth to him, offering free passage for his tongue, she kept hers at bay. Afraid of what would happen when they collided. And as the thought swept through her mind, Ross teased her tongue forward, sending chills along her skin. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” Alyce whispered against his mouth, his tongue still inside her mouth. “Why not, Al?” Ross wrapped one arm around her waist, pushing her close against him. With his erection pressed against her stomach and his mouth still devouring hers, she put a palm to his chest and pushed him back. “There’s a restraining order—“ “I don’t care about that, Al!” he responded, fire burning in his eyes. “I didn’t stay away from you when you put the stupid thing against me, and it’s not going to stop me now.” Surrender...her mind whispered over and over again. Let this happen, you know you want it as much as he does. And she did. Alyce hadn’t so much as stepped near another man from the day their relationship ended. She got sidetracked with the healing. Chose to ignore there was a heart inside her chest that needed someone. But she’d only ever craved one man. And he was here now. She ran her fingers through his longish hair. He closed his eyes in response. “There’s too much you don’t know about me now, Ross.” “I know more than you think and I’m going to help you, if it’s the last thing I do!” Ross said, with so much intensity Alyce jumped and nearly lost her balance. But his strong arms were

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there to sweep around her frail body. She didn’t know what else to say, there was nothing left to say. There was only something left to do...and that was to enjoy this encounter. Even if she’d have to sneak out afterwards while he slept, Alyce deserved a little happiness. “Help me forget for a while,” she whispered when Ross’ mouth moved along her neck, leaving a cold trail of saliva as he taunted her skin. “I’ll make you forget forever.” Ross kissed her one last time before he lowered his body downward, until he was on his knees. “Take it off,” he called meeting her eyes. She didn’t resist or deny. They’d done this before. The very thought of what was coming made her throbbing center cry out for her to hurry. But she was still a little clumsy and was grateful the dress smoothly raced up her body until she pulled it over her head and threw it to the side. “You’re not done yet,” he whispered. His breath warm against her thighs, fingers teasing the back of her knees. Alyce pulled off the bra in one fast swoop. A shiver raced down her spine. She suddenly felt like she was being watched but didn’t get a chance to dwell on it because she was lifting one foot and then the other as Ross slipped off her underwear. She looked down the length of her naked body and held his dark gaze as Ross tilted his neck to look up at her. The desire on his face was so rich—Alyce took a deep shaky breath. Ross caressed his fingers up the backs of her thighs before wrapping both arms around her hips. Both hands held firm to her buttocks when he moved his face forward, mouth pressed into the space between her legs. Her back arched instantly and a cry ignited low in her throat when his tongue delved inside, connecting with her clitoris. A rush of excitement flowed through her body, shivers coursing beneath her skin as the man she still loved pressed his mouth against her groin. His tongue was still as skilled as she remembered, twirling around her delicate button. Ross licked at the folds on either side, digging deeper before returning to the magic button. She licked her lips, her hands massaging the top of his head, the control slowly slipping from her limbs. The waves of passion, desire and want stirred so hard the orgasm took her by surprise. Her eyes snapped open, and she was face-to-face with Buer. His demented eyes drilled into hers, his anger so evident she tried to squirm out of the hold Ross had on her but couldn’t.

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The orgasm was too strong, his arms firm, holding her up and pinning her to the spot at the end of the bed. As the waves swept from her center and into every part of her body, Buer disappeared. But not before slashing at the skin above her left breast. Alyce gasped as the warmth of the orgasm spread across her skin. The sting from the slash edged the feeling with a little pain. Ross rose up to meet her, his eyes narrowing as they focused on the new wound on her body. “Was he here?” “Who?” she whispered. The throbbing was still vibrant between her legs. “The abomination—“ “Shut up! We’re not finished yet,” Alyce said pressing her mouth to his. He tasted of her but she didn’t care, was only eager to work the buttons of his shirt so she could run her hands over the curves of his muscled chest. The dark hair coiled around her fingers as she made her way to the jeans and had them off within seconds. “Lie down,” he said. “No, you lie—” The room swiveled to the side. “Okay, I’ll lie down.” The smile on her lips felt foreign. She hadn’t had reason to smile for a long time, especially not while naked and watching Ross pull off his briefs. Alyce lay back on the bed, the crisp sheets beneath her bare back sending a multitude of tingly feelings along her skin. Ross climbed onto the bed and crawled over the sheets until he was poised above her. He kneeled back, displaying the full effect of his arousal. She sat up, taking his length into her palm to stroke it several times. When she concentrated on the tip with fluttering fingers, Ross closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He put his hand over hers and shook his head. Alyce only smiled, lying back again as he kissed her some more. Ross moved lower to clamp his mouth over one nipple and then the other. He teased and taunted, eyes wandering to the glistening blood from Buer’s wound every now and then, but mostly Ross concentrated on devouring her small breasts with his mouth. She felt so close to coming again that she rubbed the tip of his erection between her legs. And as Ross allowed her the motion, and nibbled on her hardened nipples, she came a second time. Alyce screamed with the satisfaction swelling up inside her. Ross flashed a wicked smile before he repositioned himself. He lifted both her legs up into

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the air, pressing her feet against his shoulders as the tip of his erection pushed inside her tightened skin. A moan escaped between his lips at the same time as hers. He pulled back, sticking a little more inside the second time. Pulled out once more and stuck the entire length of his erection inside her with a fast thrust. Alyce closed her eyes to the sensation of him filling her up. She opened them again to find him looking down at her with the eyes of a man in love. Clearly, this wasn’t just some reminiscing romp for him—it was a step in the direction of what they used to have. And as Ross thrust in and out of her in a steady, rapid movement that made her breasts jiggle, she wondered if that’s what she wanted, too. No one had ever made her feel the way he did. The way he was, even now. The pounding of flesh consumed every other noise, even that of their rapid breathing. As she felt the spike of another orgasm tear her body into a puddle of mush, Ross shut his eyes and thrust inside her one last time. The throbbing of his penis still lodged inside her filled Alyce to the rim, and she welcomed the release. She hadn’t felt anything alive inside her for a long time. There’d only been misery and disease in her body for too long. And this, the act of making love was the most alive she’d ever felt. Ross was still inside her when he leaned over, pressing the contours of his hard chest against hers. He kissed her, a soft kiss with nothing but lips coming into contact. “It’s exactly like it used to be, isn’t it Al?” She nodded yes as tears stung her eyes. If only they could do this forever. But they couldn’t. Alyce was glad she’d allowed him to show her happiness one last time, because after this incident, she’d have to walk away from him forever. There was only one way to finish this and that was to leave him. Ross deserved the chance to move on with his life. He pulled out of her, sighing in relief before he turned her over so the front of his body was pressed up against her back. And with Ross spooning against her and the tears flowing freely down her cheeks, Alyce felt him go slack behind her as he fell asleep.

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Chapter 5

Her intention had been to sneak out of this room before Ross had a chance to wake up. As she opened her eyes and looked up at the dark ceiling and walls, Alyce cursed herself for falling asleep. She made an attempt to sit up but couldn’t move her arms, or legs. “What the hell?” Alyce blinked several times trying to take in her circumstances. Her wrists were bound at each side by a thin chain. Her legs were bound around her ankles. She focused on the desk against the corner of the room and found Ross sitting there. His broad back was facing her. He seemed to be engrossed in one of the open books. “Don’t struggle against the chains, Al. That way you won’t hurt yourself,” he said, still in his rigid position. “What’re you doing, Ross? Untie me, now!” Alyce yanked on the chain around her wrists and the metal scraped against her skin. “I can’t untie you until this is over.” “Until what is over? Oh, are you going to finish what you started that night?” The question filled her with rage. If memory served correctly, they’d made love the night he tried to stab her, too. “Why didn’t you just finish the job while I was sleeping?” Ross pushed the chair back, making it screech against the tiles. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair, avoiding her eyes. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this, but I’m not trying to kill you!” he said through gritted teeth. The anger rolled off him, making his body look stiff as he sidestepped along the narrow piece of floor between desk and bed. “I’m trying to get my hands on him!” “On him? Who’s this guy you keep talking about? I haven’t been with a man since you...” Ross closed the distance between them and stood by the side of the bed, his dark eyes finally meeting hers. “Jesus Al, why can’t you put all this together?” “I put it together a while ago. I just wish I hadn’t been stupid enough to let you take advantage of me—” “Look at your chest, at the wound he inflicted,” Ross suggested pointing a hand forward. “He did that while we were sharing intimacy!”

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Alyce looked down at her body. She was wearing her matching underwear and bra. At least he’d taken the time to put something over her nakedness. There was a small square bandage over the claw marks. “Why would you bother with a bandage if you’re only going to kill me anyway?” she whispered. “I’ve never wanted to kill you,” Ross answered. His jaw was set, his fists at his sides. “Don’t you get it? I’m a demon hunter, Al. I was assigned to you almost a decade ago. ‘She’s a dangerous witch toying with demonic magic,’ they told me. They claimed you were blinded by ambition, that a simple existence wasn’t enough for a witch like you.” Alyce swallowed the lump in her throat. The saliva dried up inside her mouth. He’d always known she was a witch? Even before they’d met and fallen in love? Even before that crazy night? This wasn’t happening. “A demon hunter, what the hell are you talking about?” His eyes were so dark they seemed like black dots inside the wideness of the white. Ross kept his distance from her when he finally answered after several minutes of silence, “They knew you’d eventually be tempted but I didn’t believe them. I was prepared to do whatever it took to stop you from reaching that fate. I just hadn’t counted on falling in love with you.” “I can’t believe this, why wouldn’t you tell me—?” “Why didn’t you ever tell me you were a witch? You kept that side of you a secret.” He paused to release a breath. “We were going to get married and you still didn’t trust me enough to confide—“ “It wasn’t about trust, though it looks like you were keeping your own bizarre secrets.” Was this really happening or was she having some sort of delusional episode? “I couldn’t tell you...it’s not the kind of thing I could spill at the dinner table. Besides, I didn’t see any strange behavior from you. I guess I was foolish enough to think that after you met me, there was no way you’d sway towards anything like that. A bit of arrogance, I guess,” he said with a snort. She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation, but decided to come clean. Ross obviously was. “I didn’t do anything witchy because of you, so it wasn’t arrogance—“ “But I saw the pentagram in the garage, and found the book. You were planning to conjure up a demon, I just didn’t know which,” he confessed.

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“Do you know now?” He nodded. “So did you try to kill me, so I wouldn’t get a chance to go through with the conjuring?” she asked in a tiny voice. Alyce swept her eyes away from his and focused on the desk full of what she now guessed were occult-related books. She had a stash of her own back home. Ross shrugged. “I only intended to injure you, stall the procedure, but it worked against me. I was going to come clean afterwards. I don’t even remember my hand moving forward to stab you. I’m so sorry.” “Can you untie me?” He shook his head and the pain in his eyes flashed bright. “You’ve got Buer attached to you. As soon as I saw the Faith Healing, I knew who it was. I’ve caught glimpses of him behind you on stage...it breaks my heart every time.” His voice broke. She turned her eyes back to his. “And what are you going to do now, wait for him to show?” Ross nodded. “I know you’ve been drinking to escape his clutches but that’s only a temporary fix, unless you’re prepared to enter into the world of alcoholism. He’s close, I can feel him.” “If he shows up, what happens to me?” She was afraid to hear the answer. “You die with me!” Alyce’s eyes were pinned to Buer’s as soon as the voice swept over her. The disgusting fivearmed version of him was mere inches away from her face. Before she could do anything but feel her nerves clench up inside, Buer’s lips clamped over hers and he began to suck out the diseases from the dormant area inside her body. She struggled to break free but the chains held her in place. “He’ll suck your soul out!” Suddenly Ross stood behind the beast with a short blade in his right hand. He held it up and Alyce saw the glint of emerald embedded in the fancy hilt. Even from such a distance, the blade glowed with a soft green aura. Her eyes widened in horror. Was he going to stab the demon? What would that mean for her? The emerald-tinted blade raced through the air, hilt held tight in Ross’ palm as it plunged into the middle of Buer’s spine. The demon broke the connection between their mouths, arching backwards, trying to grab the knife, but it was too late. Ross had already pulled it out and held it

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in front of him. When Buer swiveled on his multi-placed arms and legs, Ross stabbed the bloody knife into his chest. Buer bellowed out in pain, limbs convulsing and shimmering. Alyce felt the tug of darkness pull her under, trying to cover her mind and spirit with a thick blanket of blackness. She hardened her focus, unwilling to allow Buer’s injury to affect her. Heal yourself, damn it! she screamed inside her head. But that wasn’t something she could do. Healing others was her job, and only because the demon suffering above her had allowed the power to slip into her. Without Buer, she wasn’t anything special. Alyce was sure she’d find out exactly what she’d become soon enough. The demon shimmered, his arms and legs spinning to the left, until he spiraled himself off the bed. He looked like an organic wheel trying to escape, but there was nowhere to go. “What’s happening to him?” she whispered. Ross met her eyes for a second and answered, “It’s the poison of banishment. But it should’ve worked by now.” The look on his face was stern, but puzzled. Buer continued to move from left to right, losing total control until he smacked against the wall. His image flickered, like a TV about to die out forever. “I’ll be back for you, Alyce,” Buer yelled seconds before he vanished. Alyce’s head collapsed to the pillow below. There was a sudden throbbing inside her mind that made her eyes cross. The pain was unbearable, like something was trying to smash its way out of her skull. “Al, are you all right?” It was Ross, the concern so raw she felt the tears well inside her eyes. She tried to nod and the movement hurt like crazy. What was going on now? “Is he gone?” The splitting headache still raged inside her head. “I’m so sorry, Al,” Ross said. The weight of the mattress beneath her shifted. His warm body pressed up against her side and the denim scraped at her sensitive skin. Everything about her was suddenly sensitive—her senses, skin, insides. “He had a stronger hold on you than I suspected. He’s gone for now, but hasn’t been completely banished back to hell.” Alyce opened her eyes. She winced at the sheer pain it took just to keep them open. Ross’ face was concentrating on hers, one hand over her forehead as he felt her clammy skin. “Maybe he didn’t retrieve all of the sickness. What were the ailments of the people you

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healed today?” She was having a hard time trying to focus, but suddenly realized her legs felt oddly disconnected. “Two broken legs.” Ross was on his feet. He grabbed a keychain off the desk and used a small key to unclamp the hold on her ankles. Alyce screamed when his hands touched her calves. “Oh my God,” he gasped moving his hands back. “What about the others?” “A brain tumor...” she whispered, feeling the unbearable pain swell up inside her head. “I think I’ve got the tumor.” “No, that can’t be possible. I gave him enough time to suck everything out of you. What went wrong?” “At least he took the child’s cancer with him,” she said with a sigh. Alyce somehow knew he’d at least taken that. Probably the most powerful disease she’d collected during the last show. “And he’s gone.” “I need to get him back—I refuse to have you suffer like this—” “No, I don’t want Buer back! If I have to die, so be it. I pretty much got myself into this mess anyway.” Alyce dropped her voice to a whisper. Would he ever see the sense in this insane situation? Ross raced over to her side, unclamped the wrist restraints and threw his arms around her weakened body. He lifted her torso off the mattress and held on as tight as he could. “All I ever wanted was to be with you, Al. I love you, honey—I refuse to let you go this time!” “I didn’t give you much of a chance—” “Shh.” He kissed her lips, a tender touch that made her smile. “Ross.” “Yeah...?” “I love you too,” she whispered into his ear. He pressed her limp body tighter. “I’m not giving up on you, you hear me? Whatever I have to do, whoever I need to contact, I’m going to make you all better. I promise.” “Sure.” The weight of her eyelids pressed her eyes shut. Alyce forced them open so she could see his face one last time, that gorgeous olive complexion she loved so much. “Just don’t involve any demons, huh?” Her eyelids clamped shut, and everything went black. This time, she welcomed the

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nothingness. **** There’d been three ‘specialists’ who’d already come to see her and the diagnosis was the same—tumor, two broken legs and a gaping hole inside her soul. The healer, who harkened back to the days of the cunning folk, was able to repair the tumor. However, he believed a spark would remain there as long as the essence of the demon was still connected to her. Both legs were in a cast; this part had been done by a real doctor, an old friend of Ross’ she remembered meeting on several occasions. At least she’d been permitted to leave the house for that traditional visit to the hospital. Other than that, she’d hardly left the room. The same room where Ross had arranged to deliver all her belongings. She’d been living here for several weeks now, with Ross taking care of her every whim—in and out of bed. She couldn’t complain. Even though she was immobile, Alyce was the happiest she’d ever been. The final specialist had been a young witch. She’d tried to fix the gaping hole in her soul but hadn’t succeeded. She suggested they consult a priest or a demonologist. Apparently Alyce needed to be exorcised, not a full blown exorcism, but enough to sever the tie Buer kept attached to her. “Are you okay?” Ross asked sitting on the bed beside her. This room was part of a small house sandwiched between two much bigger and more impressive homes. It looked like a tiny cottage tucked away in suburbia. It was cozy, and Alyce found herself surprisingly content to have a fixed address, even if for a little while. She nodded. Ross leaned over to brush his lips against hers. “What’s on your mind?” “Nothing. To be honest with you, I’m thinking about nothing and it’s the best feeling in the world,” she answered with a half-truth. There were a million jumbled thoughts running around inside her head, but he had so many of his own. It wouldn’t be fair to dump any more on him. “Your manager called again. You’re going to have to speak to her sooner or later,” Ross said with a squeeze of her hand. “I know, I’m just going to take the later for now.” Alyce couldn’t deal with the business side of things at the moment. She’d emailed a statement to her manager via her laptop and seen a small article in Yahoo! news.

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That was enough for now. Besides, she’d have to work out a way to explain to the public how she’d mysteriously lost her Faith Healing powers after the collapse. Maybe she could write a book about it, like everyone else did. “Whatever you want, Al,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I’m just glad we were able to remove the tumor. I’m not ready to lose you yet, honey. I wasn’t ready three years ago and I’m sure as hell not ready now!” “Any luck with a willing priest?” He shook his head. “To be honest with you, I’d rather not sway that way. Catholic priests tend to avoid the issue of demon influence on this world. The last thing we need is for them to name you a Heretic.” “This isn’t the time of the Inquisition—” His eyes were shiny with knowledge. “You really are naïve in this world of the paranormal, aren’t you? I don’t understand why you ignored your witch-given right and took the easy way out.” “It was far from easy,” she said with a sigh, leaning back against the stack of pillows behind her. “I know it wasn’t...but you know what? I was just checking out the internet and managed to find a demonologist in the Blue Mountains. Some sort of recluse who is apparently an expert in this field. If anyone can totally break that binding with Buer, it’ll be him...or her, I’m not sure. I’m still waiting on an email,” he said with a happy smile. “Ross, if we can’t find someone to remove the connection...Buer can come back, can’t he?” “It won’t get to that—” “But that’s what will happen, right?” He released a breath, still holding her hand in his. Ross finally nodded. “Yes, the dagger was supposed to banish him into Hell. Buer would then lose passage into this world until the next person conjured him...but at the moment, because he joined with you and drank a bit of your soul every time he sucked the diseases out, he’s sort of hanging in limbo. Not quite here, not quite there, but still with enough power to get back to you eventually.” “I guess I should enjoy every second like it’s my last, then.” She gave him a lopsided smile. “I promised you I’d fix this and I will. You didn’t get yourself into this mess on your own. I

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helped you get here and I’m going to help you get out. But for the moment,” he paused to look her up and down before returning to her eyes. “All I can do is keep you entertained.” “I like the sounds of that,” she said sighing. “And offer you as much pleasure as I can. We need to make up for lost time.” Ross sealed the comment with a breathless kiss that curled her toes. Alyce surrendered to the soothing kiss as her mind drifted. Yes, she thought dreamily, let’s make the most of the time we have. The barely whispered response inside her head was chilling, and it wasn’t from Ross: Yessss, you haven’t got much time left, Alyce.

...to be continued