Chapter Four. #2
The minion moved away from her and began stalking towards us.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Callum,” Hugo said.
“Stay back, foul creature,” Callum bellowed, holding his bible up and a silver cross. The minion stopped and cocked its head before moving to the side. The Lavender Lady continued in the opposite direction, and we ended up back-to-back.
“Not quite what I had in mind,” Connor quipped as they circled us.
“What’s stopping them from attacking?” Phil asked.
“Way to go, dude. Let’s not put that idea in their head,” I retorted, and Phil winced.
“They’re not attacking because they’re afraid. They’re unsure how strong our faith is,” Callum said.
“So we’re at a standoff?” I demanded.
“Yup. Whatever you do, don’t break the circle,” Callum ordered.
“Got no intention of that,” Connor said.
The Lavender Lady approached. Up close, she was even more beautiful and no less deadly. There was an expression in her eyes, though, that made my skin crawl. She opened her mouth, and those sharp teeth glinted for a moment before a smile hid them.
“Come,” she intoned.
“Not fuckin’ likely,” I retorted.
Her eyes flashed, and she smiled again. “Walk with me.”
“What are you? A succubus? Cambion? What?” Callum demanded, keeping his cross and bible high.
“Female,” she teased, throwing her head back and laughing.
“You’re not human!” Callum retorted.
“Love me,” she whispered and circled us. I noted she left no footsteps and pointed down for Phil to film.
“Begone, evil spirit! Your wicked wiles will not work on these men!” Callum bellowed, and she dropped to a crouch and snarled.
“Incoming!” Harry announced over the radio.
“Where?” I demanded, swivelling my head.
“Hugo’s side,” Harry said.
I shuffled around, careful not to break the salt lines, and gaped. Walking in our direction was another ghost.
“We’re gonna need help,” I radioed Harry.
“Michelle won’t arrive for an hour and a half. Merrick and Ashford are getting ready,” Harry replied.
The newest spirit strode towards us. And I squinted. By her side walked a large dog, and she held its collar in one hand. The hound was so big that she didn’t have to bend to it. Ice-blue eyes stared as the dog focused on us and whined. That whine caused an immediate reaction.
The Lavender Lady shrieked angrily, and the creature backed away.
The Woman in Black wore a long black dress, easily from the eighteen hundreds, and a veil over her face. A shawl covered her shoulders, and her hair was tied back in a neat bun. I couldn’t make out her features, but I felt she was young.
She paused by a gravestone and regarded the scene calmly.
The dog remained placidly by her side, which was at odds with the Lavender Lady’s and creature’s reactions.
“Leave,” the voice floated through the air.
“Mine! Claimed!” the Lavender Lady almost screeched.
“Evil possesses no power here,” the Woman in Black responded. She released the dog’s collar, and it sprang forward.
Hugo and I both yelled and flinched, covering our faces.
It paid us no attention and pounced on the creature, which vanished in a puff of smoke.
The ghostly hound howled its displeasure and looked towards the Lavender Lady, who was now doing her best crab impression.
She scurried away on all fours and disappeared.
The Woman in Black also faded with the dog.
“Somebody want to explain that?” Hugo demanded.
“The Woman in Black wasn’t interested in us. She’s not with the Lavender Lady. I think she’s a guardian here,” Callum said.
“What’s the betting the Lavender Lady either claimed her life or the life of someone she loved?” I asked.
“She haunts here because of that tragic reason? And protects people against the Lavender lady and creature?” Connor surmised.
“Lavender, let’s drop ‘the lady’. She was trying to seduce us out of the circle. She made her voice alluring, tempting us. I think she’s the result of a human pairing with either an incubus or a succubus. Sex was certainly her strategy,” Callum said.
“Does this bring us any closer to a demon?” I asked.
“Yes, I believe so. The creature is Lavender’s minion, and Lavender utilises him to threaten and terrify people.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s killed. She uses him as a weapon.
But she’ll serve a higher demon as a master.
As a cambion, Lavender holds little status.
She’s working for either her sire or dam—or someone has enslaved her,” Callum continued.
“And the Woman in Black, whom reports were afraid of, she’s a protector?” Phil asked as he kept scanning for any sign of activity.
“Yes. Dogs are sensitive to spirits like cats, and it isn’t a surprise that this ghost is acting as a doggy guardian,” Hug added.
“You’re okay staying here while Michelle stays at the house?” I asked Callum.
“Yes. Michelle understands what’s happening there, and likewise, me here. No point starting over again. But I’d like to revisit the bridge. The apparition of the Headless Horseman is wrong. I think that’s the demon masquerading as him,” Callum said.
“Then we’ll go there now,” I replied.
Callum
Everything screamed demon, and I was trusting my gut.
A demon fed off terror and pain, and as the Headless Horseman, he’d certainly cause a lot of fear.
I was curious how long he’d been here, amassing power.
Quite likely for a while, because Lavender, while not commonly seen, had been observed for over a century.
Harry had unearthed a report today that mentioned a sighting of her one hundred and ten years ago.
Lavender had been building up her strength, creating her minion while the demon ruled her.
We climbed out of the SUV and stared at the bridge. Would he appear tonight? No doubt he would. He’d want a show of power.
A few moments later, we straightened as we heard hoofbeats. Towards us, like the other night, galloped the black stallion with steam snorting from his nostrils. Red orbs glared into the darkness as it approached the bridge, and reared up, its front hooves pawing the air.
It came down as the Hessian urged it towards the bridge. On the saddle, as expected, was the wrinkled head. It was too small to discern the features, but the eyes glowed. The horse thundered towards us and then vanished.
Silence fell around us.
“Demon,” I said. “Without a doubt.”