Page 10 of Deceiver

“I can begin if you’re ready. I’ve got some tools in my car.”

Normally, a target is more than ready to rid themselves of a Horror, but I can already tell from the expression on Keagan’s face that he isn’t.

“He’s not your dad anymore, Keagan. Not completely.”

“I get that.” He meets my gaze. “But I have to try. I went to a lot of trouble to contact him, and here he is. I have to try.”

“Try what?”

“Getting answers. I need to know. He won’t hurt me. If he wanted to, he could’ve done that days ago.”

“We don’t know that.”

His expression hardens. “I do. He came here because of me. I deserve to know the truth. Ineedto know.”

I want to argue with him, but I can already tell it’s a waste of my time. “Fine. I’ll leave you to it, but call me if things escalate.” I pull my card out of my coat pocket. “And they will escalate, Keagan.”

He nods, taking the card. “I understand.”

“How do you intend to communicate with it?”

“With a medium.”

Dammit. He’s a stubborn one. “I must caution you—what you’re intending to do is very dangerous.”

“I hear you, but this might be my only chance to find out the truth.”

I nod. “Very well. For the record, I very much wish you wouldn’t do this.”

“I got that part. I’ll call the medium after you leave. Hopefully, I can get this done quickly and then you can come back and do your thing.”

“One thing—hopefully your medium friend knows this, but under no circumstances should you accept any offer from the Horror.”

“Offer?”

“Possession is possible. Inadvertently trading your soul for theirs is also possible. Accept no offers and use spiritual protection to guard against possession.”

Keagan’s face goes pale, but he nods. “Okay.”

“I’ll go now, albeit reluctantly.”

“I’m sure you’ll hear from me soon.”

“Likely sooner than you think.”

I leave Keagan standing on his front porch watching me drive away. My long life doing this has taught me how to manage the targets well. Arguing with him would only hamper my efforts, but unfortunately, that leaves him vulnerable to the Horror. Hopefully, he’s right that what remains of his father has no ill intent towards him, but experience tells me that’s anything but true.

Chapter 4

Keagan

After Wilder leaves, I lean against my kitchen counter and collect my thoughts for a minute. I’m not scared of my dad, even though I barely knew the guy, but if he’s really here, this is my one and only opportunity to ask questions.

Decision made, I pull my phone from my back pocket and open my contacts, searching for the number of the medium I saw recently. When I spot it, I hit the button next to her name to call her.

“Hello?” she answers, her tone confident.

“Uh, hi, is this Talon?”