Demons of the Rich and Famous (Demon Whisperer book 1)

Demons Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I didn’t know what to do after I left the hospital.  I wandered the dark streets until my feet hurt and my stomach growled with hunger.  Everything was spinning out of control and I didn’t know how to handle it.  I was unequipped to deal with it.  It was too big.

Pulling my jacket tight to ward off the cooling breeze, I decided to head home and come clean.  I was going to tell my dad everything.  I’d been a fool to think I was preparedto do this by myself.  My ego had been too huge to see beyond it, to the real problem.  I needed his help.  I wanted it.

If it would mean saving Aspen and banishing Belial to the hellish underworld forever, I would do it.  I would confess all my sins.

I made it back to the apartment in an hour.  Before I could ascend the stairs, Dan appeared out of the shadows in the lobby smoking a cigarette as usual.

“I wouldn’t do it, buddy,” he said, as he dogged me up the stairs.

“Do what?”

“Tell anyone about me.”

I turned to him then.  “What?”

“It would be a bad idea to mention what I am.”

I took out my keys to the apartment. “Is that some kind of threat?”

“Not entirely.”

When we got to the top of the stairs I noticed I didn’t need my keys. The front door was wide open.

“Listen, I’ll try and keep you out of it,” I said as I approached the open door.  My heart had jumped into high gear.  I knew I closed and locked the door when I left.  And my dad was staying at Claudia’s.  Maybe he returned to get some stuff, but by the way my gut was churning I had my doubts.  I stopped in the threshold and peered into the place.

It had been torn apart.

The cushions on the sofa had been ripped to shreds, stuffing was everywhere on the floor.  The shelving on my wall unit had been torn down; all my CDs and DVDs lay scattered, some cases broken as if crunched underfoot.

Dan looked over my shoulder.  “Damn, dude.  You got jacked big time.”

I shook my head. “I have wards on the place.  This wasn’t done by some random burglar.”

I took a step into the apartment, crouching low, waiting for something, anything to jump out at me.  I didn’t feel any malevolence or warm spot, and there would be if a demon was still inside.  Well, a demon besides Dan.  He didn’t give off any of that stuff.

I sniffed the air searching for any telltale sign of brimstone or sulfur.  Demons gave off both.  Sniffing again as I stepped carefully over the debris and into the kitchen, I thought I smelled a few traces of it.

The kitchen was worse than the living room, but that was only because there had been more stuff in the kitchen to break.  It looked like every glass, bowl, and plate we had was smashed into thousands of pieces on the tiled floor and counters.  The fridge door hung open, the contents spilled out onto the ground.  Luckily we didn’t keep a stocked fridge.

“Man, they broke the Wii.”

I turned to see Dan holding up the destroyed Wii console by the electrical cord which was about the only thing still intact.  I wandered back into the living room, not even caring what I stepped on or knocked over.  It was all a big mess anyway.

“Do you think Belial did this?” I asked Dan.

He shrugged, then flopped onto the ruined sofa, shoving a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

The curtain behind him fluttered and in jumped Bali.  She balanced across the back of the sofa and sat down in front of me.

“It’s about time you got home.”

Stunned, I stared down at her.  “Did you just talk?”

She titled her little black head to the side, her green eyes narrowing to slits.  “Yes, I damn well did.”

Dan bolted up from the sofa.  “I know that voice.”

Bali turned her head slightly to glare at Dan.  “I can’t believe you just noticed, you idiot.”

I shook my head.  I’d seen a lot of things in my life, but a talking cat with a beautiful musical voice was high on my bat shit crazy list.  “And who are you exactly?”

She hissed, which I think meant that she smirked or something.  “I’m Jezebel, dummy.”

“You’ve possessed my cat?  For how long?”

“For the last six months.  I heard some things down under and thought I’d pop up and keep an eye on things.”

“I can’t believe you followed me here,” Dan said, shaking his head.

She hissed again, well, spat kind of.  “This isn’t about you, Mr. Ego Much. I came because I was worried about Caden.”

“You were worried about me? Why?”

“Because dummy, Belial’s not the only one looking for revenge.  You pissed off a lot of demons during your hiatus to the underbelly.”

I rubbed my face with my hand.  I was tired, cranky, and a headache was brewing just behind my eyeballs.  “Did Belial do this?”  I gestured to the living room.

“Yes.”

I cursed.  “Do you know what he was looking for?”

“Nothing, I suspect.  He just wanted to send you a message.  He’s already got what he’s been looking for.”

“And what’s that?”

“A way to make you suffer.”

“Aspen.”  I felt my stomach drop, then lurch up into my throat.  Scrambling in my pocket, I pulled out my cell phone.  I dialed Aspen’s number.  It immediately went to voice mail.

“Aspen, it’s Caden.  When you get this, call me immediately.”

I tried texting her as well, but had a feeling it went straight to her message inbox.

“Can you zap me to her house?” I asked Dan.

“No, brother. I can’t. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Well, how does it work, then?” I paced the room, stepping on pillow fluff and glass.  I dialed her number again.  Voicemail again.  I disconnected.  “I have to get over there and I know Dad took his car.”

“We can take a cab.  I can influence the traffic lights,” Dan said.

“Okay.”  I turned to head back out the door.  “Let’s rock.”

“I’m coming.”  Bali jumped down from the sofa and padded after me.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said.

“Yeah, stay here,” Dan added, not too kindly.

“I can help.  I have powers.  They’re limited in this body but still I can help.”

I sighed.  “Fine.”

She jumped up onto my chest, her claws digging into me.  I grabbed her and pulled her off so I could carry her.  “Feels weird carrying you, knowing there’s someone inside.”

“Deal with it,” she hissed.