INK: Fine Lines (Book 1) (3 page)

“Take deep breaths. Don’t get too close,” Gabriel warns, as though he can see that I’m struggling with compulsion.

“I’m okay.” I’m whispering, not wanting to look on as the skilled butcher collects his prizes. The cutting and pulling noises from the carcass on the floor are worse in the darkness. It turns around to look behind it. I swear it’s looking at me. There’s a twisted smile on its face. It begins to walk towards me. I look to Gabriel. I’m frozen in place by fear. The Specter walks through me as though I’m not there, leaving an empty chill in the hollow of my bones. I breathe a sigh of relief. It stops in its tracks, pausing and cocking its head to the side. After a moment it continues and kneels down. I can’t see what it’s doing. I move towards it. Another body materializes, this one hanging from the rafters of the garage.

“Get out of there—you’re way too close, we have to go.” Gabriel’s voice is full of anxiety. He beckons me to him, but I can’t move. I’m paralyzed, sinking in a tar pit of fear.

The dark figure turns around, and as it sneers its face takes on a hazy focus. This is the first time I’m able to see the thing’s full face at all. I think it is getting stronger every time. The first time, there was barely a shadow; now it seems to have form. I realize that over the last year I’ve watched the evolution of the Specter’s strength.

It takes slow, fluid steps towards me. I look down and realize I’m standing in a pool of blood. I try to memorize the exact location of everything around me, for my work later.

Gabriel hisses, “Come on.”

I try to run, my legs unwilling. “I can’t move!”

A voice invades my mind. 
“I know you watch me, and I’ve been watching you, my love.”
 The now-opaque figure is close enough to reach for me and envelope me in its darkness. It floods my mind with horrific screams and images of dismembered bodies, including my own.

My screams join the others in my mind. “Gabriel! It knows I’m here, it’s in my head!”

Gabriel runs towards me, slipping in the blood. “Get out of here!”

The figure darkens once more and slashes at him with a blade, carving a deep slice in Gabriel’s forearm.

A crimson stain grows across his sleeve. Gabriel tries to grab the knife. “Run!”

My feet belong to me again and I can move. “I won’t leave you!”

The Specter spins on me, but Gabriel jumps between us, pushing me back. “Get out of here!” he says, wrestling with the darkness until he’s knocked across the room, landing hard on the lawn mower. Now sure that Gabriel’s body lies still, the Specter turns to me.

A hundred screams flood the room from deep within me. “Gabriel! No!”

The demonic laugh ringing in my mind drowns them out. 
“You, my love, are mine.”

I bolt out the door.

***

“Shay, wake up.” My shoulder is being rocked. “Shay?”

Still gripped with fear and disorientation, I realize I’m not alone. There’s someone in the bed with me. “Aiden?” I turn quickly to look at him, my tone a little disappointed.

“Are you okay? Were you having a nightmare?” Aiden pulls me in close.

“Yeah, nightmare,” I say dismissively, moving away from his warm body.

“You’re safe, I’m here.” He whispers, gently tightening his grip around me.

I settle into his bare chest, surrendering to his embrace. I know I’m safe; I just can’t shake what I saw in my dream. I’m horrified and ashamed that those thoughts live inside me.

Aiden takes a hesitant breath. “Who’s Gabriel?”

“What?” 
Did I actually say his name?

“Gabriel—you were screaming out ‘Gabriel,’” he says, awaiting an answer.

“Nobody.” I dismiss him, wanting to stop this conversation. I pull his arms tighter around me to quiet him.

Aiden sighs, too tired to press for more information. He quickly goes back to sleep. After ten minutes of Aiden snoring softly I know it’s safe to get up. I unfurl his arms from around me, sliding out of the bed.

At the door I slip on my combat boots and hoodie, then walk quickly to my studio. I don’t want to forget anything from the horrific scene. These nightmares have been terrible, but they are the root of my success, and I’m not letting them go.

Stepping into the garage that Aiden helped me convert into my art studio, I kick off my boots. The lights come up, revealing the storyboard layouts for volume one, issue six of 
Sanguine Specter
 lining my walls.

Issue one comes out this week, and issues two through five are in various stages of production. It’s always prudent to stay a few issues ahead of the game, since a series should be released monthly. The Specter has been very generous! I’m six months ahead of the game.

Walking around the room, I inspect my creations closely while running my pendant back and forth along its chain.

After regaining my bearings in the issue, I step over to my drawing table. I straighten my Bristol board, then draw ink into one of the antique art pens Aiden brought me as a peace offering from one of his many disappearing acts to the four corners of the world.

“So, Investigator Gabriel Stokes, where were we?” I say out loud, as if he can really hear me.

Maybe I am losing it. Seems as though the only quasi-normal relationship I’m having is with a fictional character I created. I tenderly draw his strikingly handsome features, working to bring the scene from my dream to life in black, white, and red ink.

Detective Glass

The early morning light is disrupted by the spinning lights of police cars. Both plainclothes and uniformed officers mill around in the driveway of Gary and Alice Messner. A man dressed in hip-waders leans over the bed of his pickup truck, holding his head in his hands. Walking up the driveway, I look for the first cop who will make eye contact. “What have we got?”

“Mr. Barnes over there had an early morning fishing trip with Mr. Messner, one of the victims. When he rang the bell and no one answered he walked around to the back of the house; that’s when he saw the bloody footprints.” He points to the footsteps leading down the driveway, which has already been taped off.

Damn rookie, I’m going to have to drag it out of him
. “And then?”

“Sorry sir.” He tries to shake off the horror. “He went into the garage and found them. That’s when he made the call to 9-1-1.” The officer leads me toward the garage. “I want to warn you, sir, I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s…”

Impatience is getting the better of me. It’s too early for this shit. “Thank you, Officer; I’ve got it from here. Hey, any word on CSU and the DA?”

“Yes sir, CSU is on the way and the DA’s office sent a police cruiser over to Walker’s house,” the officer answers.

Shit, they had to pick him up. He’s probably on another bender.
 I peer into the open side door to the garage. My eyes widen when I catch sight of the old woman dangling from her ankles. “Jesus Christ, what the hell is this?” You don’t expect this shit in a town that doesn’t even have a Wal-Mart.

The police car transporting ADA Walker pulls up at the curb. He quickly jumps out. “Glass!” He yells in a frenzy.

“Morning, Walker.” I’m perplexed by his panicked demeanor until he’s within a few feet of me. 
Yup, he’s been drinking.
 “Wow, they couldn’t find someone sober to come down here?” He’s an amazing ADA, really goes for the throat. But he isn’t any good to me unless he’s sober.

Walker pushes past me toward the garage. “I know these people.”

Stopping him before he goes in, I grab him by the elbow. “Eli, you can’t go in there.” This kid’s got some power to him; he’s tough to hold back. “We can’t go in until CSU gets here.” I check the name in my notebook. “You knew the Messners?”

“Yeah, I’ve had dinner with these people. My girl lives down the street.” Eli cranes his neck, attempting to see in the garage. “When I heard the location I was really afraid it was her.”

To comfort him I put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t think she’s in there; they’ve only found two bodies.” I’ve got to get him out of here, he’s going to contaminate the crime scene. “Hey, why don’t you sit this one out—we can get another DA out here.”

“No man, I’m all right. I’m going to call her real quick to be sure she’s okay.” Eli pulls his phone from his pocket and dials the number. “Shit, straight to voicemail.”

“Eli, go check on her, these two aren’t going anywhere.” I point to the garage. Dead people don’t exactly get up and walk away. I haven’t lost one yet.

“No, I can’t go over there right now.” Eli walks down the driveway. “Hey, Simmons, do me a favor.”

“What do you need, Mr. Walker?” the cop asks.

“I want you to take your partner, go up the street about a mile to the next house and check on the neighbor, make sure she’s okay.” Eli sounds desperate. His tone tells me he really wants to go himself, but he knows it’s best that he doesn’t.

“No problem.” He slides Eli a knowing smile. “What’s her name?”

“Shay,” Eli answers, walking back toward the detective.

“Shay Baynes?” Simmons asks.

“Yeah, you know her?” Eli stops mid-step.

“I’ve met her; she’s on-again, off-again with one of my buddies. I’ll check it out.” Simmons and his partner drive away.

Aiden

A loud banging startles me awake. I open my eyes to see the empty spot in the bed. 
She probably locked herself out again.
 I smile, heading for the door.

I’m surprised to find two uniformed police officers standing outside instead of Shay. I hold my hands up in mock surrender. “Mark, I swear it wasn’t me, I just got back.”

“Hey Aiden,” Mark smiles, leaning in to give me a one-armed man-hug. “I’m not looking for you. I’m here to check on Shay.”

“Did Eli send you?” That fucker probably sent him here to crash my party.

“Yeah,” Mark answers.

“He is such an asshole.” I shake my head in disbelief. He’s gotten craftier over the years. I’m going to have to remember that.

“No man, it’s not like that. We’re working a crime scene down the street. Walker asked me to come down and check on her.” Mark says, looking around the room past me. “Is she here?”

“Crime scene?” I’m more curious than concerned. “What happened?”

“It’s pretty heinous; an old couple was tortured and drained in their garage.” Mark visibly cringes as he motions towards Gary and Alice’s house.

“Gary and Alice? Jesus, sounds brutal.” I let them in and call for Shay with a hint of alarm in my voice. No answer. I go back to the bedroom and pull a shirt over my head and slip into my boots. I check the bathroom and the spare bedroom, calling for her.

“Where is she?” Simmons asks, following me around the house.

“She’s probably in her studio outside in the garage.” I brush by them on the way out the door.

Both cops look at each other with concern at the mention of the garage. They follow behind me.

Shay

Aiden bursts in the door, causing me to jump. A noticeable rush of relief washes over him when he sees me. He walks over and wraps his arms around me. “You’re okay.” He sighs heavily into my ear.

“Yeah, I’m fine. What’s up with the cops?” I wriggle out of his hold, concern in my voice. “Oh hey Mark, how’ve you been?” I speak directly to the cop I recognize as Aiden’s friend. We’ve met before, unfortunately.

They aren’t responding. They’re looking around the room, and then at each other, clearly unnerved. Most people are a little shocked when they first see this comic.

“I…I’m okay, thanks.” Mark is stunned. “We’ll be right back.” He exchanges a knowing look with the other cop. Mark backs out of my studio, still studying the panels.

“That was weird; what’s going on? Did you do something?” I eye Aiden suspiciously.

Aiden presses his lip into a thin line. “You are always assuming the worst about me –” He’s cut off by the other officer walking back into the studio.

“Hey, Officer Simmons wants to talk to you for minute.” He nods toward Aiden.

“Sure, no problem.” Aiden gives me a quizzical look.

I shrug. The other cop stays inside with me. He is notably uncomfortable. I fill the awkward silence. “Do you like comics?”

“Some. I like Superman, Spiderman, stuff like that.” He rocks back and forth on his heels and glances back at the door.

“So, what’s going on? Did Aiden do something?” I’ve always wondered if Aiden is running from the law, and that’s why he never sticks around for very long. They’ve finally caught up with him. Of course I know that can’t be what it is. Aiden knows everyone in this town and could never hide out anywhere.

I can hear Aiden and Mark’s voices start to elevate. I look toward the door. “I’m going to see what’s going on with them.”

“Ma’am, please just stay put.” He moves in front of the doorway. I don’t like that at all; a wave of claustrophobia washes over me.

“Seriously, what’s going on?” I demand.

“It’ll only be a moment. They’ll be right back and we can explain everything.” His tone is nervous but firm.