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

Demons Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“I want a companion.”

“You have your worm.”  I gestured to the wriggling thing in his hand.

“I don’t want a pet.  I want someone to keep me company. Someone to talk to.”

I shook my head.  “Absolutely not.  I’m not going to kidnap someone and bring them here to you.”

He sighed and shook his head.  “How do you even get dressed in the morning?  You have got to be the stupidest person I have ever met.”

I glared at him.  “You’re really not helping by insulting me, you know.”

“Listen, boy.  I have the information you need, remember.  I will tell you this. I do know where Belial took Aspen and the others.  So you better listen to me and listen well if you ever want a chance to save the girl you love.”

“I’m listening.”

“I want a companion, like me.  Someone to spend eternity with.  Understand?”

“You want me to raise someone from a grave and make her your girlfriend?”

Eldon nodded.  “Yup, that sounds just about right.  Except I don’t want it to be just anyone.”

“If you say Aspen’s aunt, I will burn this place down without a second thought.”

He smirked.  “Don’t be ridiculous. Clearly, that woman drove me nuts, or I would’ve never killed her. No, I have another woman in mind.  And I know exactly where she’s buried.”

“Did you kill this one too?”

“No, as a matter of fact, I didn’t.  I actually liked this one.”

I shook my head in disbelief. Not at what he was telling me but that I was actually contemplating doing this.  “You promise me you’ll give me the truth?  You’ll tell me exactly where Aspen is right now?”

“Yes, yes.”  He waved his hand at me. “Once I give my word I have to obey it.  It’s a compulsion thing.  It’s part of the spell that resurrected me.”

“I don’t know how to raise the dead.  I’m not a necromancer.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.  Maybe you could ask dear old Dina.  I’m sure she’d love to help you.”

I glared at him.  He knew full well how much Dina disliked me.  Plus she didn’t know Uncle Eldon existed. She’d wonder where I’d gotten the information.  But she did give me a few texts.  I had power inside me or I would’ve never been able to do exorcisms.  I was sure I could figure something out.

“Give me your word then.”

He met my gaze and despite the sagging flaky skin around his eye sockets, it was a fierce stare.  “I give you my word, Caden Butcher, that I will tell you where Aspen Spencer is located if you fulfill your end of the bargain and bring me a resurrected bride to spend the rest of eternity with.”

He stuck out his hand to me.  I took a step forward and grasped his in mine, sealing the bargain.  “Agreed.”

Grinning, he said, “Oh, this should be interesting.”

When I jumped back into the car, my dad was just finishing his smoke and he tossed the butt out the crack in the window.  “So, did you find out anything?”

“Yes, and no.”

He looked at me sideways waiting for an elaboration.

“I’ll get the info but not until tonight.”

He sighed and rubbed his gnarled hand over his haggard face.  “Caden—,”

“I know I don’t deserve it after all of this, but I’m asking you to trust me right now.”

“This isn’t about you anymore, son.  People, people we know and care about are going to die if we don’t act.  Your girl, my…” he paused, “our friends.”

“I know.” I looked out the window at the approaching dawn in the sky.  Unfortunately I couldn’t go do what I needed to in broad daylight.  Digging up a body was going to hard enough without having to worry about a crowd and the police.  But I couldn’t tell my dad that.  He wouldn’t understand what I needed to do.  He would say there had to be another way, but I knew deep down in the pit of my stomach that there wasn’t another way. This was it.  This was all I had.

I started the car.  “Are you and Claudia?”  I left the question open.

He shook his head.  “It’s complicated.”

“I’d understand, you know.  Mom’s been gone a long time.”

“Yeah,” he murmured.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

He sighed.  “Look, it’s not important right now. What’s important is getting this information we need.  Why do we have to wait until tonight?”

“It’s complicated.”

His eyes narrowed.  “Don’t give me that bullshit.”

“I can’t explain it to you, Dad.  It’s not my secret to tell.”

“Well whatever it is, you’re taking me with you tonight.”

I shook my head.  “I can’t.”

“You will.  And that’s the end of that.”

I didn’t argue with him.  It was impossible to change his mind anyway.  I’d just have to find a way to ditch him.  I was good at that.

“Let’s go home.  I made a couple of calls while you were inside.  Maybe we’ll get lucky and find something else to use.”

I nodded then put the car in gear and pulled away from the old house.  I didn’t have the heart to tell him that our luck had run out.