The Devil's Touch (21 page)

He ran down the small alley and ducked into the rear of a house. He slipped onto the back porch and looked inside. A man and a woman were in the kitchen, having a snack of pie and coffee.

"Gimmie another piece of this pie, Ann," the man said. "Stuffs almost good as pussy."

Ann laughed, cut him another piece of pie, and left the kitchen.

Ann was on the pudgy side, but still attractive. The man was grossly overweight. Heart attack candidate, Max thought, then wondered why he would think that.

The man's back was to Max. Max looked around and spotted a small axe leaning against the wall. He picked it up. He slipped into the kitchen, raised the hatchet over his head, and sank the bit into the man's head. The man died without making a sound. His face dropped with a plop into his second helping of pie. Apple. His brains splattered all over the table. Max knelt down and lapped at the blood from the man's shattered head. He spit out a bit of pie—that was distasteful to him—and continued lapping at the flow of blood.

He heard the woman returning and stepped quickly behind a door. Ann stepped into the kitchen, viewed the scene before her, wet her pants, then fainted without making a sound.

When she came to her senses, having been out for no more than a couple of minutes, she was naked on the kitchen floor, Max hunching between her wide spread legs, thrusting himself into her. Her neck was sore, and she thought she must have hurt it when she fell. She tried to fight the man raping her, but found his strength too much. She tried to scratch him, and that got her a brutal fist to the jaw. She dropped into darkness, not understanding why the man was saying, "It will be all right in a few minutes. You'll see. Then you will understand."

She fell into unconsciousness at the sound of him sucking at her neck.

When she returned to consciousness, she was very weak, scarcely able to move. Her arms and legs were cold, as if they had been drained of blood. She looked at the half naked man standing over her. She tried to call to him, to ask him for help. But the words would not form on her tongue; her tongue felt swollen and thick.

Max laughed at her, a wild, insane light in his eyes. He picked up the small axe. She watched in horror as he laughed and brought the axe down on her chest. She could feel very little pain as he hacked at her. She closed her eyes.

Max hacked at the naked woman, chopping off one arm at the elbow and then whacking off one foot at the ankle. He mangled her chest and face. Max threw down the axe and pulled on his trousers. He found a pair of sunglasses and put them on. He felt much better as he left the house. He kept to the shadows, doing his best to stay out of direct sunlight.

After a few minutes, Ann stirred on the kitchen floor and crawled to her hands and knees. Two knees, one hand.

There was blood splattered all over the kitchen. But it was her husband's blood, not hers.

She pulled herself up and caught the edge of the stove for support and heaved herself up, holding onto the stove for balance. Half her face was missing, but most of her teeth were still in her face. Four of her teeth had changed in shape and size. She lurched around the kitchen, finding a hammer and some clothesline cord. She tied the hammer handle around her severed ankle. Ann lurched and banged and clumped about the house, knocking over tables and lamps. She thudded into a bedroom, found her housecoat, and covered her mangled nakedness. She looked out into the street and found the bright sunlight hurt her eyes.

She was weak and very thirsty, but decided she had best wait until night before leaving the house. She thudded and banged her way back to the kitchen and stood for a moment, looking at her dead husband. She felt no emotions. She craved blood. But she did not want to lap at his cold blood. She grinned hideously.

She wanted hot living blood.

Nydia looked at the exhausted sleeping boy sprawled naked on the bed. She silently slipped from his side. She dressed quietly and left the house. She knew she had done something very wrong, but despite the feeling, she could not completely shake off the lingering effects of the Dark One's grip.

Then she felt guilt wash over her in waves. She mentally fought the forces of evil, winning a small battle. Then the pleasures she had experienced with Jon overrode the small victory. She pulled away from the curb, aware of the many faces looking at her. A face seemed to fill each window of every house along the block. The eyes were of the darkest evil. Nydia shuddered as she felt the corruption touching her.

She won another battle as she fought off the staring eyes.

She wondered why she had come to Jon's house. It wasn't his skill as a lover. Other than a monster cock the boy knew nothing of lovemaking.

Something important was taking place in Logandale; something important was happening. But she couldn't recall what it was. She had to struggle to remember it was Sunday. And where was Little Sam. She couldn't remember. Oh, yes—at Janet's. She would go there and get him.

She shook her head. What was the matter with her?

Sam gently slipped from the bed. Desiree lay sprawled in sexually induced sleep.

Sam wanted to say something to her but didn't know what to say. What could he say? Thanks for a fantastic fuck?

A virgin. Desiree had been a virgin. Now that passion was sated that fact could astonish him. She had been a virgin.

He stood over her, looking at her nakedness. A beautiful woman. No doubt about that. And her resemblance to Xaviere was uncanny. Sam shook his head and dressed. He pulled a sheet over the sleeping woman and left the room, quietly closing the door. He felt a bit uneasy about leaving her alone in the great house … but something nagged at him; told him to get away. He had something to do. But what? He couldn't remember. He slipped quietly down the curving stairway, out the front door, and into the sunlight.

There, guilt and shame struck his conscience with a hammer-blow.

Twice I have been unfaithful to my wife. I made love to another woman and this time I did so willingly.

"But your wife was enjoying the fruits of the young man, Jon Le Moyne," the dark whisper came to him. "She took him in her mouth and loved him in that manner."

Resolve filled Sam. He banged his fist on the fender of his truck. Full realization came to him, filling him with anger. He whirled around. "I don't care!" he shouted. "Damn you! Now I know what's been happening to me. Now I know what Dad was trying to tell me. How tricky you can be. How you can cloud minds and make wrong seem right. But it won't happen again, you scummy bastard. Now I can fight you. Now I know how. It
won't happen again!
Do you hear me, bastard?"

Something struck Sam in the chest, knocking him backward. He slammed against the concrete drive, the wind knocked from him. He struggled to his feet. He was slapped back to the driveway. He could hear laughter but could see no one.

"You tricked me," Sam pushed the words from his mouth. "Desiree is one of yours."

"You are
all
mine!" the hot wind sighed. "Mine to do with as I see fit. To play with. I am going to enjoy this, young man. Fight me if you wish. But soon you will lose. I will see you nailed to a cross; hear you screaming for mercy. I will see your wife used; every orifice filled. And I will make you watch it all."

"You mother-fucker!" Sam yelled at the voice.

The laughter once more reached him. "There will be no interference this time, Balon. None. You few are on your own."

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Sam shouted. He got to his hands and knees and felt something like a giant foot kick him in the seat of his jeans, sending him sprawling.

The hot wind laughed in Sam's face, the foulness of the wind sickening. "Puny Christian. How dare you curse
me!"
The wind laughed arrogantly. "My people will use you as they see fit, Balon. Then they will destroy you—after you have begged my mercy and renounced your God. Let's make this a game, Balon. 1 will return your wits; to all of you. All participants. You are free to fight me. So fight me, pukey Christian."

Sam found he could not move. He was pinned in a helpless squat on the concrete. Hot stinking rain began to fall on him, the liquid foul-smelling. Sam squatted in helpless rage.

He was being pissed on.

Nydia's senses returned to her in a hot rush of clarity. She pulled off the road and parked on the curb. Tears ran from her eyes, the silver streams rolling down her cheeks. Now she knew what had happened: She had been tricked. Her encounter with Jon Le Moyne had been arranged by the Dark One. She had been set up and had fallen into the trap like a child reaching for candy.

And it became clear to her now that Sam's behavior had been influenced by the dark forces in Logandale. And with that knowledge came the realization that Desiree Lemieux was not a child of the Dark One. The young woman had been duped along with the rest of them. But, like Sam, Nydia knew Sam's demon child was near. But who was it?

"Oh, what a sight you made today," the dark evil whisper reached Nydia. A hot wind sighed around the car. "Squatting naked on the floor and orally loving my young convert." The wind laughed obscenely. "So now you see how easy it is, my turncoat half-daughter. You see how weak and silly your faith is? Of course, you do. You see how simple it is for me? Bah! It is no contest this way. I release you to fight me in any manner you find acceptable. You may now go join your silly friends. But you will remember your time spent with young Le Moyne. You will remember the sensation of him plunging into your depths. You will remember all the emotions he invoked within you, and who knows, they may pull you back to him—very unexpectedly." The wind laughed hotly and smugly as it faded.

Nydia felt unclean as she pulled out into the road. She longed for a hot bath. Anything to help alleviate this feeling of filth covering her mind and body.

She drove to Janet's and parked on the street, by the curb. Again, she was conscious of evil eyes watching her. Nydia walked slowly up the walkway. Janet met her on the porch. Something had changed in the girl's eyes. But what was it? Nydia was too tired and emotionally drained to understand. But full comprehension was only seconds away. She held out her arms and Little Sam came to her.

Janet said, "Tell me, Nydia: Did you have a nice drive around town?"

Nydia looked into young/old eyes. Eyes of evil. Hooded as a cobra. The evil mocked the woman. Full understanding came to Nydia. The young girl had deceived them all; all this time. Beginning back at Falcon House. Three years ago.

Janet was one of them.

Nydia stood firm as new faith filled her. "Yes, Janet. I would be lying if I said that for a time I didn't enjoy this afternoon."

"I'm certain it was very—ah—fulfilling," the teenager said with a smirk.

Nydia wanted to reach up and slap the girl. She controlled that urge and said calmly, "I don't believe we'll be needing your services any longer, Janet."

"Oh, my!" the teenager feigned great disappointment and alarm. "I must have done something to displease you, Miss Nydia."

Within the house, Janet's parents began laughing, the laughter ugly.

Deep color touched Nydia's face. She lost her temper. "You lying, deceitful, goddamned sorry little bitch!" she hissed at the girl.

Janet's eyes grew dark with uncontrolled evil. The wickedness lanced out at Nydia, touching her. The woman wanted to run but found strength within her to face the depravity leaping at her.

Janet licked her lips, running her tongue over her teeth. "This is not the end, Nydia. This is but the beginning. We will have other encounters, you and I. Some will be pleasant, others not so pleasant. I do not question my Master's actions. What is done is done. My Master and your Master have been playing this game for longer than time itself. I will admit that I do not know all the rules. But this time my Master feels the victory will be ours. Else he would not have changed the game plan. Personally, I would have kept you and Sam under our control, stumbling about in confusion, making fools of yourselves, and providing us some amusement. But I am not as smart as the Master. I do not know all or see all. So I do not know why my Master returned your clarity." She shrugged. "I am sure my Master's way is the best way. Goodbye, Nydia. Take your—child home and care for him." She laughed. "And be prepared for many surprises." She turned and walked back into the house.

Nydia stood for a moment, looking at the closed door. She could feel the evil emanating from the house, along with the odor of unwashed bodies. She walked slowly back to her car. She and Sam had a lot of talking to do; a lot of understanding to reach. A lot of planning ahead of them.

She hoped they would be strong enough to face what lay before them. She thought they would. She felt their love for each other would help greatly.

Sam was waiting on the porch of their house. She got out of the car and stood for a moment with Little Sam in her arms. She stood silently looking at the tall, muscular young man on the porch, returning the silent look. She initiated the first move toward understanding.

She walked toward him.

"We were tricked," Sam said. "Satan had both of us in his grasp. It isn't any excuse for what we did; we should have called on our faith to sustain us. But," he said with a shrug, "we can't undo what was done. We can put it behind us and look ahead."

"You know about Janet?"

"Yes. I just put it all together. It came in such a rush it was staggering."

"For me, too. Sam, I don't believe Desiree Lemieux is one of them."

"I think that way, too. But the child of the Dark One—my child, is near. I can sense the presence."

"But who could it be?"

"I don't know. It may be another of Satan's tricks. But I don't think so."

"No. I don't either." She smiled. "Sam, I hate to tell you this. But you stink."

"Tell me. The devil pissed on me. I'll tell you all about it later."

"Gross!"

"Piss and gross," Little Sam said.

The young couple began laughing. Nydia climbed the steps to the porch and kissed her husband.

"We're going to make it, Sam. I—won't say it's going to be easy. 1 think we are both going to be tempted over and over again. Probably rougher than we've experienced so far. But I know I love you and you love me, and we both love God. If we can keep that in our minds and hearts at all times, we can make it through this."