Pure Hell (Seventh Level Book 1) (12 page)

Mark squeezed her shoulder. “I don’t think it would have made any difference. It didn’t help Kylie.” Mark looked across her head out at the dark parking lot. “Kylie must have done something to attract this demon’s attention but I have no idea how we go about figuring what it was.” He let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s not as if I can drag it down to headquarters for interrogation.”

A crazy thought hit Anne. “Maybe this is where Madame Curion fits into the story. Maybe when Kylie talked to her about her problem she sent her to someone who knew how to fix it. Just because we don’t know anything about demons doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there who does.”

“I don’t think we’re going to solve anything tonight,” Mark said as he pulled out his wallet. “We might as well head home.”

She nudged Mark. “Agreed. Now, let’s go to bed.”

This time it was his eyebrows shooting upward.

“You said alone, remember? Besides, I want to get some sleep and then I’m going to go find out everything this Madame Curion told Kylie. I bet anything she knows exactly who Kylie talked to and I’m willing to bet my last dollar whoever it is knows what happened to my sister and why.”

Chapter Five

It was wonderful what a couple of hours of sleep could do for a person. Mark was as good as his word in making certain nothing happened to her while she slept. He stayed by her side until she fell asleep and was there when she woke up. He waited outside the bathroom door while she showered. As soon as she was dressed, she wanted to rush over to meet the psychic, but he insisted on taking her out for a late breakfast. She had never had anyone in her life who had taken such an interest in her welfare. She found it sweet and comforting, but soon enough the strong odor of incense burning was stinging Anne’s nose. She’d never understood how anyone could stand the smell of it.

The inside of Madame Curion’s Fortunes was exactly as Anne pictured such a place to be. A flashing neon hand with an eye in the center of its palm hung in the window. Purple, sheer lace covered the lights casting an eerie glow throughout the room. Mark had fought her tooth and nail over her going in alone, but in the end Anne wore him down. If the psychic had lied, or at the very least omitted information the last time they spoke, Anne doubted Mark’s presence would help her get answers. In the end, he’d agreed to wait outside but he was not happy with her about it.

Anne pushed the worry aside. She was there for a reason. Concentrating on her surroundings, she took note of the only employee in sight. A young girl with unnaturally black hair, lips and fingernails sat perched on a stool behind the cash register looking bored. Her skin was a stark white in comparison to her dark clothing.

“Welcome to Madame Curion’s Fortunes. How can I help you?” This welcome speech was delivered with the lack of enthusiasm only a teenager could pull off.

“I’m hoping to speak to Madame Curion, if I can? My sister, Kylie, worked here before her death.”

“You’re related to Kylie?” the clerk asked dropping the monotone act. “I didn’t know she had any family. Wait right there and I’ll get Madame for you.” Springing from her chair, Anne watched as the light flickered off the silver skull buckles of the girl’s boots as she crossed the room. At a curtain-covered doorway, she poked her head in and whispered something Anne could not hear. The curtain ripped back revealing the woman standing behind it.

In sharp contrast to the gothic teenager, this woman was shiny. Anne couldn’t think of a better way to describe her. Her hair was platinum blonde and huge gold-hooped earrings dangled from her ears. Her eyes were bright blue and her flowing dress was a pink near to being considered neon. Anne almost felt the need to squint while looking directly at her as if staring into the sun.

The woman eyed her from head to toe. “Miss Trace,” she called in a dreamy voice.

Anne nodded and shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I was wondering if I could talk to you about my sister. Do you know if she had anything odd happening to her before she died? Did she act as if she was— I don’t know—haunted?” she finished lamely before she could change her mind.

The woman gasped. Spinning on heel, she rushed away returning a scant second later holding an amber colored vial.

“I see it all now,” the Madame explained as she popped the cork from the bottle and flicked the bitter smelling contents in Anne’s direction.

Anne watched in horrified fascination as the arch of liquid hung in the air before splashing to the floor at her feet. A few drops hit her leg before rolling down into her shoe.

“What the fuck?”

“Your family is cursed, Miss Trace. You’ve brought the devil to my door,” she said as she jerked the curtain closed once more. Anne stood blinking at the dark curtains, unable to form a single coherent thought.

“What the fuck?” she repeated.

“Agrimony oil,” the teenager explained. “It’s used to ward homes against evil spirits.”

“She flung shit at me,” Anne said half in shock and half with a new understanding of what Kylie must have endured on a daily basis.

“Are you really Kylie’s sister?” Goth girl asked, pulling Anne out of her haze. “She said she didn’t have a family.”

Anne felt a sad smile tug at the corners of her mouth. “I was a terrible sister,” she admitted. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes at the confession. “I thought she was crazy.”

Cocking her head, the girl eyed her closely. “And now?” she asked curiously.

“I think I might have been wrong.”

Glancing away, the girl stared at the closed curtain as if an internal argument raged inside her head. Finally, with a decisive nod, she moved back to the register and fished something out from beneath it. It was a solid black business card. Twirling it between her fingers once as if still unsure, she sighed and handed it over.

“Kylie was my friend and if you’re serious about finding out what really happened to her then this is your guy. Tell him Jade sent you.”

The card felt heavier than any she’d ever held before. It was almost as if it was made from a very thin layer of leather instead of paper. Running her fingers over the gold embossed letters, she read, “Kieran Desdemona, Collector of fine goods.” An address was printed on the back but there wasn’t a phone number.

“Should I make an appointment?”

Jade shook her head. “Just show up after dark and he’ll find you.” She eyed Anne’s blue jean cut off shorts and tank top. “You might want to find something sexy to wear or you’re going to get eaten alive.”

That didn’t sound good.

* * * * *

“What was Liam’s father like?”

A small smile touched Delphine’s lips and she stared off in the distance. Kylie knew without having to be told she was picturing him in her mind.

“He was arresting,” she said after a minute. “And I was powerless against him.” Kylie smiled at the description and the happiness in Delphine’s voice. Whatever had become of their relationship, it had been a love match.

“Liam reminds me a lot of him,” she added. “I see it every time I look at him. He has his father’s wicked intelligence. Don’t tell him I said that. He hates it when I compare him to his father.”

Kylie pretended to zip her lips. “I won’t say a word.” She couldn’t help herself. “You seem so young. I swear you don’t look a day older than Liam.”

Humor lit Delphine’s face. “That’s the problem with folks who can see everything. Eventually, they go blind.”

Kylie didn’t know what those words were supposed to mean but she let it go.

She wanted to ask what had happened to Liam’s father, but she’d already crossed the line with her mention of age. As one, they set the porch swing in motion and fell into a companionable silence. The sun gleamed off the bare expanse of Liam’s back as a thin layer of sweat covered his skin. His muscles rolled and flexed as he ripped a patch of stubborn weeds from their roots. Without warning, Kylie had to blink back tears. It was all so normal. This was the life she dreamed of having.

“Are you all right?” Delphine’s quiet question startled her out her thoughts. Kylie could see Delphine watching her out of the corner of her eye but couldn’t bring herself to look over at the woman.

Kylie swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I wanted this.” Her eyes fell closed at the admission and a tear slipped down her cheek. Reaching up, she swiped it away hoping Delphine hadn’t noticed. “I didn’t want fame or fortune.” Kylie swept her arm wide indicating her surroundings. “I wanted all of this. I thought life had been unusually cruel to me by forcing me to be completely alone. But, it seems death is a twisted bastard.”

Reaching over, Delphine took her hand. “Nobody really dies, Kylie. You simply step across a line most people can’t see. You didn’t become some ghoul. You changed addresses. Why are you convinced this isn’t real?” she asked nodding toward their joined hands.

Kylie chewed on her bottom lip. She wanted to say she didn’t know, but she did. She didn’t remember stepping across any line and the blank spot in her memory scared the hell out of her.

“Liam’s father was rich and powerful,” Delphine said, pulling Kylie from her doldrums. “I was this backwoods Cajun girl who should’ve never caught his eye.” Delphine appeared to turn inside herself as she spoke. “For too many reasons to count, he couldn’t offer me the normal respectable life most women crave, but I didn’t care. I just wanted as much of him as I could have.” She made a helpless gesture before her hand fell limply to her side. She stared at a spot on the horizon as if she was now the one who couldn’t look at Kylie as she made her confessions. “He ripped my heart out but I still loved him afterward. We don’t get to choose our fate, you know? Our path is set for us long before we’re born. Sometimes the choices you do have are no choice at all.” Delphine finally looked over at her. “So you choose the sin you can live with.”

Kylie didn’t know what to say. She had the strangest urge to ask if Delphine had buried the man in her back yard but she managed to hold her tongue. When Kylie didn’t respond, Delphine sighed heavily. “What I’m trying to say is—this is it for you, Kylie. This is your world now. There are no other options open to you. All you can do now is figure out what you need in order to live with what you’ve got.”

“I need to know how I died,” Kylie said before she could change her mind. A bright smile lit Delphine’s face. “That, I can do for you. I don’t know if Liam told you or not, but I have a special talent for preforming certain spells. It’s one of the many reasons folks stay away from this part of the swamp.”

To Kylie’s mind, Delphine’s practice of witchcraft explained a great deal. “He did not say as much, but I’m not surprised.” Realizing how her words sounded, Kylie added, “The spells part not the people staying away part. That’s just ridiculous because you’re a beautiful person.”

Delphine’s eyes danced with laughter. “Not really, but I appreciate the compliment. We’ll do the spell tonight,” she added with a firm nod. “It will have been exactly fourteen days since the last full moon. It’s the perfect dark moon for exploring the deepest recesses of your mind.”

“What are the two greatest loves of my life chatting about over here?” Liam asked, dropping down between the two of them. He draped his arm over Kylie’s shoulders. Delphine explained her plan to bring back Kylie’s memory while Kylie turned Liam’s words over in her mind. She didn’t want to read too much into them but she wanted to be the greatest love of his life. She wanted it with something so powerful it didn’t have a name. In that moment, she completely understood Delphine. She couldn’t think of single sin she couldn’t live with to be with him.

* * * * *

Anne glanced at the card and back at the steel-framed windowless door. Judging by the expensive card, she’d been expecting something much different. She wasn’t sure what exactly. Perhaps an office building or a cute antique shop, but a gothic nightclub hadn’t even made the top five. Yet, here she was. She’d tried to convince Mark to allow her to come alone on this one, but he’d taken one look at her slinky black spaghetti strap dress and staunchly refused. Hanging back, she watched as a few people showed an invitation to the man working the door before they were allowed admittance. She pulled Kieran’s card out her bra.

“Here goes nothing,” she said flashing Mark a quick smile. He didn’t return it. Instead, he eyed the darkened alley and eerie club with suspicion. While she had taken Jade’s advice and worn something sexy, Mark’s only concession had been to wear a jacket with his jeans. It would have to do.

Pasting on her best vixen smile, she made eye contact with the gigantic muscle blocking the club’s entryway. His gaze dropped to her six-inch “fuck me” heels before slowly lifting back to her face and his lips twisted with appreciation. The guy’s build reminded her of a bull. His shoulders spread the entire width of the door. He also didn’t have a neck. She imagined he threw a slow punch but it probably landed as hard as a hammer. He wasn’t her type but she could appreciate a well-kept machine. Mark grumbled something indiscernible under his breath and although she was unable to make out the words, she could read the body language. He was two minutes away from beating his chest. The pissing contest had begun. She held out Kieran’s card and the guard brushed his fingers along hers as he took it from her. He didn’t look at it.

“The cop stays outside.” His voice had a smooth Cajun tint taking her by surprise. She’d been expecting a deep rumble.

“No way in hell,” Mark said without missing a beat.

“I’m Justice,” the guard said, completely ignoring Mark’s presence. “Mr. Desdemona is expecting you.” His lack of concern over Mark’s ire could not have been more obvious. Mark had been dismissed. Anne read his intentions loud and clear. Mark wasn’t going in.

“He’s not coming in with me,” she reassured Justice.

“Oh, yes I am.”

“He’s not,” she repeated firmly making sure both men knew she was serious. As much as she appreciated everything Mark had done for her up until this point, she couldn’t allow his protective nature to keep her from finding the answers she needed.

The bouncer stepped aside and Anne managed to take one step before Mark snagged her arm. “I can’t let you do this.”