Demon's Touch: A Supernatural Thriller (Touched by Afterlife Book 3)

  DEMON’S TOUCH

  TOUCHED BY AFTERLIFE

  BOOK 3

  LA DRAGONI

  Copyright © 2022 by LA Dragoni

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design: Get Covers

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  About the Author

  ONE

  The scent of warming air filled the living room, like when the heat of the rising sun hits the frosted ground. Tamara hunched next to Dex, too stunned to move. The internal battle of ghost versus the void left his brow dotted with perspiration and him struggling to catch his breath. Tamara couldn’t imagine what having a full-grown person ripped from inside of you felt like, but from his pallid complexion, she guessed not good.

  She rubbed her hand on his back. “You’re so cold. Are you okay?”

  He nodded, though his expression betrayed his misery. His voice was a forced croak. “I’ll survive.”

  Her own muscles shook from the effort of playing tug-of-war with the void. She’d worked so hard to help Bash stay in the portal so he didn’t get sucked away when he set the void free. But the result…the result was nothing she expected.

  She gaped at the newcomer, trying to process what she witnessed. Had he really tumbled out of…Dex?

  She absently rubbed Dex’s back, hoping the friction would help him warm up faster. Was that steam rising from the stranger? Was he as cold as Dex? Colder? She blinked and rubbed her eyes with her free hand expecting him to disappear when her vision cleared.

  The man was impossibly beautiful. She wanted to believe her eyes were tired, strained, and playing tricks on her before she believed his features were as sculpted as a marble statue. His golden hair glowed as if he were under a spotlight. Sky blue eyes sparkled. Not a single blemish flawed his creamy skin. He stood next to Cal, only a couple inches shorter, but with a lean, graceful frame, and aristocratic features that made Cal look bulky in comparison. The stranger brought to mind a prince from a distant time. The only things missing were a golden circlet crowning his head and a floor-length velvet cape to cover his seemingly simple pants and shirt. On closer inspection, there was nothing simple about them. His garments appeared to be made of the finest of fabrics. Finer than she’d ever seen before.

  He smiled knowingly at her inspection. The same half smile with the glint in his eye that she’d seen on Dex’s face just before he’d set the void loose. Even though the expression had been delivered with Dex’s features, they unmistakably belonged to this stranger.

  Tamara swallowed, hoping her voice would work. “Bash?” She didn’t understand how a complete man had come through to their world, but if it was Murray, or one of the other ghosts, they needed to know.

  “It’s Sebastian, actually.” He waved a hand as he gave her a half-hearted bow. A wide gold band wrapped around his finger with a large sigil and a couple of gleaming gems on the face, flashed in the light.

  Feeling Dex move, Tamara rose to her feet to help him stand. He struggled to unfold himself and his muscles quaked along his long body. She slid next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist to offer additional support. He wound his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. “Oh my God, you feel so good.”

  Tamara slid her other arm around him, so they hugged each other. He was right. Feeling his strong body against hers was Heaven on Earth. “How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been beaten up—on the inside though.”

  “I’m surprised you survived that, really,” Sebastian said.

  Dex stiffened. He and Tamara reluctantly broke apart to address the new situation. “Who are you, exactly?”

  Sebastian eyed Dex appreciatively, ignoring his question. “You are a fine specimen for a human. Funny how you don’t get the full aspect of a person from the inside.”

  Cal spoke, his voice ragged. “What are you?”

  Tamara’s eyes widened at the question. She hadn’t considered that Bash was anything but human. But if he’d been a ghost in the void, then how did he come through with his body intact? And how was it that even Cal’s glory looked diminished in this man’s presence?

  “You know very well what I am, cowboy.”

  Cal’s lip curled. “I don’t.”

  Cal cradled his hand gingerly and stood slightly slumped.

  “Oh, Cal, you’re hurt.” Tamara rushed to him and took his hand in hers. Then she gasped. Angry welts and blisters covered his right hand and wrist. Right where he and Sebastian had gripped each other. The palm and fingertips of his left hand were burned as well, but not as severely.

  “I’ll be fine,” Cal said.

  She couldn’t tell if his dismissal was due to embarrassment or if the wound truly didn’t bother him. Perhaps a bit of both. “Are you sure? I think I have some antibiotic cream we could put on the burns.”

  Sebastian’s smooth as suede voice murmured intimately in her ear, making her spine stiffen. When had he walked up behind her? “Let him alone, Tamara. He needs to wear his wounds like a hair shirt.”

  Anger flashed through Cal’s expression, confirming Sebastian’s assumption. Sebastian’s proximity raised the hairs on Tamara’s neck. She silently scolded herself for even turning her back on him before knowing who—or what—he was. Her mind still considered him the shy young man she’d come to know in the void. But his presence in her living room, even the confidence he exuded, defied that. She let go of Cal’s hand and returned to Dex’s side, glad when he immediately wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him.

  Sebastian tracked her progress, not missing Dex’s protective gesture. His eyes sparked with merriment as if accepting a challenge. “I’m sure it’s nice for you two to be able to touch again.”

  The way his gaze examined all the points of their body that touched made Tamara’s skin crawl. He seemed to take pleasure in seeing them unite. Her stomach turned as she wondered if it was because she and Bash had made love while Bash was in Dex’s body. Was he reminded of that just by seeing them together?

  “What are you?” Cal repeated.

  Sebastian slowly slid his gaze from Dex and Tamara to turn toward Cal. “Do you really not know? Don’t they cover these things in angel school?”

  Cal’s jaw muscles twitched as he spoke through clenched teeth. “Answer me.”

  “Why, I’m an angel just like you, cowboy.” That ever-present merriment glinted in his eyes as he admired the confused expression on Cal’s face. “A fallen one.”

  TWO

  Cal stared down at his hand as if the burns took on new meaning. “You’re a demon. You’re from Hell.”

  Sebastian sighed and strolled to the couch, perching on the arm. Every movement was executed with a preternatural grace. His black slacks and white collared shirt skimmed intimately over his lean muscles. “Demon is such a…human word. I’m proud of my heavenly heritage. I prefer fallen angel.”

  Dismay folded Cal’s features. “You’re one of the original fallen?”

  Sebastian puffed up like a bird in the sun. “I am.”

  Tamara hadn’t been to church since before her mom died. Even though they’d attended pretty regularly her whole life, she didn’t know too much about the bible. She would get distracted by the light streaming in through the pretty stained glass windows, or a boy, or the choir, and end up tuning the sermon out. Nevertheless, she knew enough to know that when the angel Lucifer was cast out of heaven, some of the angels chose to go with him. That was…forever ago. Like, literally. Her small human mind couldn’t even come up with a number of years or a timeline of any kind.

  If he was to be believed, this achingly beautiful man was as old as time itself.

  Dex’s hand gripped Tamara’s waist. It felt like he wanted to bolt from the room and carry her with him. “You’re a fallen angel?”

  Sebastian turned looking bored into performance art. “I’m pretty sure we’ve established that, big guy.”

  The term sounded intimate on Sebastian’s lips. Every muscle in Dex’s body tensed in response. Tamara eyed the demon suspiciously. What did he want?

  In stereo, Cal and Dex asked, “How were you in the void?”

  Sebastian took his time studying the two men before answering. “That’s a really good story, but it has been forever since I’ve eaten something and I’m hungry.” He stood and strolled to the kitchen. “You won’t min
d if I just duck out and grab a bite?”

  For some reason, Tamara had expected him to stop at the fridge, open it and stare at its contents like she did on a daily basis. She even opened her mouth to apologize for the lack of food within. But he walked right on past and strode out the door.

  The three of them moved at the same time.

  “Whoa!” Dex said.

  “Hey,” Tamara called.

  “Oh no you don’t,” Cal said.

  Cal pushed through the screen door first and jogged along the porch. He stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at the demon who had made it about halfway down the driveway.

  Tamara and Dex crowded in beside Cal.

  “What is it?” Tamara asked.

  The demon took a few more steps and stopped as if he’d been pulled to a halt. He struggled to continue forward and then growled in frustration.

  Ruff ran toward Sebastian, barking and snarling.

  “No, Ruff!” Tamara yelled.

  Sebastian spun in his direction and the dog yelped and cowered as if Sebastian had struck him.

  “Ruff, away,” Tamara called.

  The dog tucked his tail and retreated, looking cautiously over his shoulder as if to make sure the demon didn’t follow.

  “Dex,” Cal said, still studying Sebastian. “Back up.”

  “What?” Dex asked.

  “Back up. Like to the kitchen window.”

  Dex shrugged and walked backward. As he did, Sebastian stumbled and tripped backward himself.

  “Oh my God,” Tamara breathed. “They’re connected somehow.”

  Dex walked forward again to join them, but Sebastian stood his ground. “Are you fricking kidding me?” Dex snarled. “I’m tethered to that asshole?”

  Cal scraped a hand through his hair. “How can this be?”

  Sebastian backed up about ten feet and then ran forward, but jerked backward like a dog on a leash. He fell onto his butt and let out a frustrated roar, tossing a handful of gravel into the driveway ahead of him.

  Cal gestured toward him. “It seems as though they are limited to about 75 feet of distance between one another.”

  Dex looked like he wanted to rage or pass out. Tamara looked from him to Sebastian still throwing a fit halfway down the gravel drive and a pain clutched at her heart. Dex may have gotten rid of the void, but having a demon tethered to him might be worse.

  With a clenched jaw and fists, Dex took a deep breath. “Well, looks like we have a new roommate, Tam. Guess we should feed the jerk.” He spun on his heel and strode across the porch to the house. Sebastian let out a cry of surprise as he stumbled to his feet and jogged along after. “How does pizza sound?” Dex pulled his phone from his pocket as he swung the screen door open and disappeared inside the house.

  Cal and Tamara shared a concerned look as Sebastian tripped up the stairs between them. He staggered to a halt and growled in frustration. “This is not what I had planned.”

  Cal raised his eyebrows. “This was planned?”

  The demon brushed dust from his pants and pieced his dignity back together. When he straightened, he again appeared in control of the situation even though Tamara knew he wasn’t. Yet, oddly, she wanted to believe he was. Even against her own will, she found she wanted to believe Sebastian. A cold finger of fear ran up her spine. Did he hold some strange power over them? She eyed Cal, who still looked at the demon with disdain. Was it just her that Sebastian held sway over? She’d have to be extra vigilant to avoid his persuasion.

  “Well, not this in particular,” Sebastian answered Cal. His gaze took in the covered porch with fresh, healthy hops vines weaving through last year’s dead vines that still clung to the outside. He scanned the expanse of lawn, the pole barn, Ruff, hunkered at the far end of the porch, teeth bared. “I’d hoped to end up in a big city actually. Somewhere exotic, like Bangladesh or Singapore.”

  “With that tether of yours,” Cal said, “it doesn’t look like you’ll be going anywhere exotic anytime soon.” He gestured for Sebastian to lead the way back into the house.

  With only the slightest hint of a lip curl, Sebastian strode to the door, Cal followed, and Tamara brought up the rear.

  “It’s okay, boy,” she said to Ruff before she went inside. Though it was anything but okay.

  THREE

  Cal didn’t press for an explanation until after the pizza arrived. The four of them sat around the dining room table and dished up their own slices. Sebastian eyed his dubiously, watching them for clues on how to eat it. He frowned as he watched Dex take a big bite.

  Tamara chuckled. “I’m happy to get utensils for you if you’d rather eat with a fork and knife.”

  “No, no,” Sebastian said, watching Cal take a bite. “I’m fine.”

  He finally buried his teeth into his piece, and she shook her head at how he made even that look elegant. “Hmmm.” Sebastian nodded enthusiastically. “This is quite good.”

  “Okay,” Cal said, after swallowing his food. “The void. Explain how you were in there.”

  Sebastian took his time chewing before answering. “I created it.”

  He took another bite.

  Cal’s eyebrows lifted. “You created the void? How?”

  “With an imp.”

  Dex squinted but shoved more pizza in his mouth. Cal’s slow blink betrayed his declining patience. He repeated. “How?”

  “I imprisoned her. Well, I guess she is technically an “it.” But she’s so impossible to be around she reminds me of a “her.” Such a spirited little thing, if not too bright.”

  “I don’t understand how that created the void.”

  “Well, I created the void. Or rather discovered the void is more like it.” Sebastian took another bite of pizza and chewed thoughtfully. “Maybe I defined the void.”

  He shook his head and grabbed another piece of pizza. “This is really very good.”

  “So glad it’s to your liking,” Dex said, his mouth full.

  “I sense your sarcasm,” Sebastian said. “You try not eating for more than one hundred years. You’d be rather euphoric over this…what did you call it?”

  “Pizza,” Tamara supplied.

  “This pizza, too,” Sebastian finished.

  “Back to the void,” Cal said. “Why did you make it in the first place?”

  “Oh, yes. I suppose that would be of curiosity to one who spent so long in there.” Sebastian smiled amiably at Cal. “Remember when you first got there? Back when there were only a few hundred souls traveling with us.”

  Cal shook his head. “I don’t remember, actually. Not really. I barely remember making the decision to join.”

  “Ah, yes. I never did figure out why joining the void shrouded one’s memories like that.” Sebastian looked across the room, but Tamara could tell he was seeing his memories of the void. “Though it could be more related to being a ghost than it was to your decision to leave your haunt.”

  “You controlled it the whole time?” she asked, hoping to help Cal keep Bash on topic.

  “Yes. I wanted a way out of Hell. Occasionally, in Hell, we received souls that had spent time after their demise haunting either their loved ones or their place of death before they’d cross to their ultimate resting place. It struck me one day that they haunted on Earth, a place I desperately wanted to be.”

  “Oh,” Dex said, his mouth full again. “You were literally in Hell. We tend to say that when we’re in a tough situation, but you actually lived in Hell.”

  “I did. Since the fall. Horrible place.”

  Cal picked up his beer and leaned back in his chair. “Why did you want to be on Earth?”

  Sebastian studied his pizza before setting it down to take a swig of his beer. He wrinkled his brow.

  “It’s an acquired taste,” Tamara said.