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

Demons Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I drove like a speed demon all the way back to Uncle Eldon’s abandoned house on the outskirts of town.  It was pure luck that I didn’t get stopped by a cop.  This of course would be the last thing I needed, considering I had a reanimated corpse buckled up in the backseat of my dad’s car.

As I parked at the house, my cellphone thumped from my pocket. I fished it out and answered.  “Hello.”

“Where the hell are you?”  It was my dad.  “You promised me you wouldn’t go off on your own.”

“I actually didn’t make that promise.”

“Caden, I thought we were past this.  This is why you’re in this shitstorm to begin with. Because you don’t ask for help.”

“I told you that I couldn’t tell you about this.  It’s not my secret to tell.  I made a promise to someone and I’m going to keep it.”

“Is it about Aspen?”

“Look, I’ll be back in about forty minutes.  You can give me all the shit you want when I get home.”

“Oh, there’s going to be shit, I promise you that.”

I opened the vehicle door and slid out.  “I’ve got to go.”

There was a long pause, then, “Don’t you dare be later than an hour.”

I flipped the phone shut and slid it back into my pocket.  I went to the back door, opened it and helped Trudy get out.  She looked up at the house, and then spoke for the first time.  “Where?”

“This is where you’re going to live from now on.”  I ushered her forward, trying to get her to move faster.

She shook her head; pieces of long black hair fell off and fluttered to the ground. “I don’t un…understand.”

“I know you don’t. And I’m sorry about that.  But I need you to just do what I tell you.”

I pulled her into the house, through the empty room and to the trap door leading to the cellar.  I opened it and told her to go down the ladder.  She had a difficult time, but eventually made it down. I followed her down.  Once there, I pulled her forward.  I could feel her hesitation and couldn’t even imagine what was going on in her reanimated brain.  She was probably scared, confused, and who knew what else.

But I couldn’t worry about that. I had to worry about finding Aspen.  That was my goal.  No matter what I had to do to achieve it.  Even if I felt slimy and disgusted with myself for doing those things.

Uncle Eldon was on his feet, waiting for us, and a glee-filled gleam in his dull opaque eyes.  When he saw Trudy, his grin nearly split his face.  Literally.

“Trudy.”  He held out his hand to her.

At first, she looked bewildered, and glanced around the room.  Then her gaze settled on Eldon and I saw something change in her face.  It was almost as if a light went on inside her brain.  “Eldon?”

He nodded.  “Yes, my darling.  I’m right here.”

Their fingers touched, and then he was pulling her to him, and wrapping his arms around her.  And I wanted to puke.  What could have been a tender movement was ruined by the fact that they were zombies and Uncle Eldon was a psychopathic serial killer.

“I did what you asked, now give me a location.”

With his arm still around Trudy, Eldon smiled at me.  “I didn’t think you had the balls, Caden Butcher, but I was wrong about you.”