Page 16 of Unbinding the Demon

Thick gray clouds tempestuously swirled across the sky, casting their shadows across the bike trail. The lack of sunshine did nothing to dull the bright, fiery colors of the mid-October foliage. I raced past a stunning collection of crimson, amber, and gold that danced like flames on the swaying branches above. The crisp breeze was refreshing as it blew against my sweaty body. I huffed and puffed along with my ponytail bobbing behind me.

I held a thick black leash that connected to Belzar, who ran beside me, exuding excitement. Ashton had insisted that I take him along on my jogs for protection, and I gladly obliged. Not only because I had grown to love the big fluffy puppy, but I doubted that any “sane” serial killer would approach me with a massive, vicious-looking dog by my side.

Detectives still hadn’t caught whoever the barbarous killer was, and the number of heartless victims was now at eight and continuing to rise. There was also a much higher number of missing persons cases that were quickly accumulating. As I bustled down the path, it was hard to ignore the endless posters for those missing people. Many were stapled to the rough trunks of trees, a grim reminder that a depraved villain plagued this seemingly peaceful valley. I tried to avert my gaze because they were sort of creeping me out, but one in particular caught my eye.

I stopped dead in my tracks, causing Belzar to skid to a halt, and stared at the picture. The name typed across the partly torn poster was James Lodviette. A somber stillness emanated from his portrait. Lifeless, ocean-blue eyes stared back at me, haunting me as if his soul were an eerie vessel crossing over the foreboding seas of his irises, reaching out and pleading for some sort of deliverance.

Memories of Ashton snapping his neck as if it were nothing more than a flimsy twig raced through my mind. The way he had grinned with such a malevolent look in his eyes as if he had relished the kill—I had to sit down. I wandered over to a mossy stone and flopped onto it like a limp noodle. A few red leaves fluttered to the ground in the woods behind me while a busy little squirrel rustled in the brush. I could still hear that awful cracking sound as if it had just happened. And to think that James’s family was searching for him, and I knew the horrible truth yet said nothing.

I buried my face in my hands as if I could hide from my thoughts. Belzar rested his head in my lap, almost as if he were trying to comfort me. I looked down at him and began gently stroking his soft fur with my now trembling hand. He gave my hand a gentle lick and looked up at me sweetly with his big, puppy-dog eyes.

I can’t believe I’m dating a psychotic murderer. What am I even doing?

I sat there alone with just my thoughts and Belzar, pondering whether I was completely bananas for developing a relationship with someone as maniacal as Ashton. No matter how much he would terrify me, I still really, really liked him, and that terrified me even more. He’d occupied most of my thoughts and time for the past month. I spent most of my nights at his place. And despite swearing off mixed nuts, I was constantly dreaming about being fucked into oblivion by a sexy demonic version of him. It felt like I was becoming possessed by the man, yet I couldn’t get enough.

He acted so lovingly toward me and was practically a sex god, but that still couldn’t erase the fact that he had killed someone in cold blood. Common sense told me, “Run, run for the hills and never return.” Yet my heart was saying, “Ha-ha, yeah right, bitch. You know his dick is the bee’s knees.” But regardless of my incongruous sentiments about him, seeing that poster brought back the weighted burden of our little secret in full force.

Belzar snapped his head up, and the look in his eyes went from sweet to venomous in an instant. A low, threatening growl poured from his snarling jaws, causing me to nearly jump right out of my skin. “Whoa there, I didn’t mean to startle you,” a male voice said. I looked over to find Father Adelstein raising his hands in defense while watching the hostile dog. Belzar positioned himself protectively in front of me, continuing his ferocious display.

Oh great, not this guy again...

“Hello, Father,” I greeted in a rather chirpy voice so that Belzar might relax a little. He didn’t.

“Good day, Ms. Gallagher.” He smiled warmly at me. “I couldn’t help but notice you look a bit troubled over here. Is everything all right?” He sounded concerned and sympathetic, but kept a wary eye on Belzar, not daring to get too close.

“Oh, I-I’m fine. Just resting for a moment.” I forced a laugh, attempting to appear fine. However, I worried my stutter might have given me away.

“My child, I am a priest, you know. You can trust me with anything. Would you like to come down to the church and speak with me in the confession booth? Your aunt was so dear to me; I’m sure she wouldn’t have wanted you to be alone with your troubles.” Every word he spoke carried both compassion and charisma.

Fuck, that stutter definitely gave me away.

“Oh, um, no thank you, Father. I don’t really do confession. I’m not religious,” I confessed while tucking an unruly strand of hair behind my ear. Although the mention of my aunt tugged at my heartstrings, and I couldn’t deny that temptation pulled at me.

“It’s not about religion, my dear. It is merely a way of seeking the counsel of unbiased ears. Besides, I could tell you a few good stories about Elowynn.” A kind smile stretched across his long, slightly irregular face.

My heart felt like it was both breaking and swelling with joy at the promise of hearing stories about my aunt. Five years had passed, and it seemed as if people didn’t want to talk about her any longer. It was like they wanted to forget about her and pretend it had never happened. No one ever bothered to ask me if I was all right anymore because they assumed I had already gotten over it. But my grief had never faded. It only became more manageable with time.

I was also relieved that I might get the burden of James’s murder off my chest. There had been no one I could talk to about that night, and the guilt was eating me alive. I would not give out any incriminating details or tell him that Ashton did it. But it might be nice to talk about it, even if I didn’t tell him what had really happened. Besides, maybe he could help? Priests were always good guys, after all, right?

“Okay, I guess I’ll come.” I agreed with a slight smile, then realized that a few teardrops had snuck down my cheeks. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry,” I apologized with another awkward laugh while wiping away the unexpected tears.

Am I really so much of a stressed-out emotional mess right now?

“There is no need to apologize for one’s tears, my child. I understand that you and Elowynn were very close. She always spoke so highly of you.” He smiled while taking a step towards me. Belzar let out a terrifying snarl, causing him to freeze once more.

“Sorry, he’s super protective.” I shrugged with an apologetic expression while maintaining a firm grip on the leash. “But thank you. Her death was hard on me. I haven’t been able to get over it yet, and I don’t really have anyone to talk to about it either.” I stood up and wiped another tear away.

“And you never will while on this earthly plane. Losing a loved one stays with us until our own departure. Just know that it’s okay to grieve, and you may talk about her with me whenever you need to. I miss her dearly, too.” He held out his hand. “Now, please follow me.”

I had told Ashton that I would stay away from Father Adelstein. However, it didn’t seem like a big deal. He was just some kind-hearted guy. So I followed him, anyway. Belzar tried to pull me back and put up one hell of a struggle, tugging on the leash while snarling like a rabid animal.

“Shh, don’t worry, Belzar. It’s okay,” I whispered to him. He put his ears back with a pained whine. “Don’t give me that attitude; now come on. It won’t take long.” He glanced up at me with wary eyes but reluctantly took a few steps forward, his big black paws crunching on the leaves.

As we walked down the winding dirt path leading to the church, Belzar’s stubbornness would not relent. He stopped every few minutes and refused to be anywhere except between Father Adelstein and me, making sure that we were at a suitable distance apart. He growled and whined the whole way. I didn’t understand why he was so upset, and I was growing nervous that if he attacked Father Adelstein, I wouldn’t be able to stop him.

“You weren’t joking when you said he was protective,” Father Adelstein stated, his voice steady as he cast a nervous glance in his direction. “How long have you had him?”

“Yeah, he’s a bit over the top. And he actually belongs to my boyfriend,” I replied while pulling the leash taut with all my strength.

“Ah, I see,” he said with a chuckle. “And who is your boyfriend?”

“Oh, his name’s Ashton Meyers. Do you know him?”

“Hmm, I don’t believe I do.” He tilted his head as if trying to recall anyone with that name.

We walked out from the wooded path and through a small, neglected graveyard behind the old white church. Many of the headstones were cracked and dilapidated, the engraved names nearly unreadable as if erased by time itself. The bell tower reached up to the gray skies, giving a glimpse of a dull golden bell that seemed to wallow in its lofty prison. When we got around to the front doors, I tied Belzar’s leash to a decorative Japanese maple tree.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Just wait here for a minute,” I said softly and kissed the top of his furry head.

His big yellow eyes met mine, and he gave me the most intelligent look I’d ever seen from an animal. It was as if he was trying to tell me telepathically not to go inside. It was so hypnotic that I almost listened too. But then Father Adelstein cleared his throat, breaking me out of the spell-like moment.

“Right this way, Ms. Gallagher.” He gestured toward the big wooden double doors.

“Coming.”

I got up and walked into the church. The aged building consisted almost entirely of dark wood, large cathedral ceilings, and stained-glass windows. The air smelled strongly of dust mixed with a faint almost rotten scent. A dingy red carpet stretched between the many rows of beautifully carved wooden pews. In the front of the room was the classic depiction of Christ’s bloody body hanging from a cross. An altar of unlit white candles and other religious trinkets surrounded it.

The whole thing was rather creepy and made me shiver a little on the inside. Adelstein’s creaky footsteps broke the eerie silence that lingered in the air as he led me to the side of the room and over to the confession booth. He opened the Renaissance-style door with courtesy and gestured for me to go inside.

“Thank you,” I said in a low voice as I stepped in and sat down on the hard wooden seat. It was rather uncomfortable.

“You’re most welcome,” he responded; then he entered the other side and opened the little window between us. “Now, what is troubling you today, my child?” His voice was compassionate, reminding me of a loving father.

I reached down to twiddle with the hem of my dress, my hands trembling, but I realized I was still wearing spandex capris from my jog. So, I twiddled my thumbs instead. I thought I heard shuffling coming from the floorboards below. It just sounded like someone was moving around downstairs, though.

“Well, um... It’s kind of complicated. You see—”

With a loud click and a swoosh that had the little loose strands of my hair blowing in the breeze, the door to the booth was ripped open. I jumped and gasped, horrified at the sight before me. Ashton was standing in the doorway, and he looked super fucking pissed . His golden eyes burned with smoldering rage, making him appear as if he were a malicious devil who had come to drag my soul down to the fiery pits of Hell.

What the fuck!? How did he know I was here? Where did he even come from?

“What the? Ashton?” Confusion and slight fear filled me.

“We need to go right now!” he stated through gritted teeth while grabbing my arm and yanking me out of the booth.

“What’s going on here!?” Adelstein demanded while bursting out of the booth.

He looked like he was about to go off on Ashton, but then he froze with a fear-stricken expression. His face grew pale, and his eyes widened as if there were an unholy specter standing before him. However, his look of apprehension only lasted a second, and he quickly regained his composure. Ashton spared him a brief derogatory glance, then turned his attention back to me.

“Come on. I’m taking you home,” he stated with zero room for argument.

“Excuse me, but Ms. Gallagher is free to choose where she spends her time.” Father Adelstein stepped in with a scowl, his frustration evident that Ashton was trying to swoop me away. “You cannot force her to leave.”

Ashton pulled me closer to him and squared his shoulders, looking like a gorilla ready to square off with a shrimp. Before he could respond, I cut him off. “It’s okay, Father, I don’t mind. We had plans this afternoon that I had forgotten about.” I forced a laugh, attempting to ease the tension in the room.

My attempt was in vain. Suffocating tension held the atmosphere in a chokehold, threatening to shatter into oblivion with one wrong word spoken. Adelstein was staring intently at Ashton as though he had seen him before, but couldn’t quite place him. His eyes teemed with suspicion as they lingered on the veiny tattoo peeking out from beneath the sleeve of Ashton’s black T-shirt.

“Let’s go,” Ashton said to me without taking his eyes off the priest. It was as though they were mortal enemies frothing at the mouth to sink their teeth into one another.

“Perhaps another time, Ms. Gallagher?” Father Adelstein’s gaze flickered back down to Ashton’s tattoo. “That’s quite a unique tattoo you have there. What did you say your name was again?”

“Ashton,” he replied in a sharp tone. “And we won’t be back.”

He pulled me by my hand to drag me out of there like a brute, slamming the double doors open as we burst back outside. He untied Belzar, and then we entered the car in silence. Ashton glanced back at Father Adelstein, who was staring at us like a seething creep from the church doorway. Then he took off like a madman. The tires spun rapidly, kicking up gravel with a loud screech.

Trying to remain inconspicuous, I shifted my eyes over to peek at him. With his hand firmly gripping the steering wheel, he clenched his jaw. The colorful autumn whizzed by outside the window behind him. He sat there with a detached expression, keeping his focus on the road as he drove. The silence had my anxiety building by the second, and I was thinking that there was something else going on here.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from that priest?” he finally asked in a flat and bitter tone.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted someone to talk to, that’s all. It’s really not a big deal.” I was shaken up by both what had just occurred and how menacing he sounded.

“What could you possibly have to talk to him about!?” he spat, his eyes blazing with fury.

“I don’t know.” I was reluctant to be honest with him considering how mad he was. My body slunk down further into the seat, wanting to disappear from this confrontation.

“I want you to promise me right now that you will never, ever go near him or enter that disgusting church again!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was such a big deal! He’s just a priest, a man of god, for crying out loud!” I argued in frustration. The little sting of tears threatened to well up in my eyes. I had never seen him so angry before, and it was really painful and terrifying that he aimed it at me.

“A man of god,” he sneered as if the words were vile in his mouth. “Yes, surely you’re safe with a Machiavellian man who worships a tyrannical, supercilious being who has caused more blood sacrifice and genocide than any other deity.” His voice was filled with sarcasm.

“So what? He seems like a really nice guy.” I shook my head in sorrow and wiped away a stray tear that had slipped out.

“He is not a nice guy!” he growled. “I’m telling you right now, Adelstein’s true nature aligns with that of his sick and odious god! Now, promise me you’ll stay away from him!” He was extremely harsh, and I thought his reaction was excessive, but I didn’t want to fight anymore.

“Okay, I promise I’ll stay away from him from now on,” I replied softly while gazing out the window in defeat.

“Thank you.” He looked over and noticed how upset I was, which seemed to cool him off a bit. “Do you have any idea how precious you are to me? I don’t know how I could live on if something were to happen to you. Now again, what were you going to talk to him about?” His voice remained firm, but genuine concern was evident in his expression.

“I-I don’t know,” I lied, my voice trembling with uncertainty.

A quiet moment passed by. He kept glancing through the rearview mirror at Belzar, who I could have sworn was glaring at him. It left me alone to wonder where he had gotten the stupid idea that something bad could happen to me while I was with that priest. I supposed it had something to do with being a criminal, but I honestly didn’t know. His warm hand squeezed mine, pulling me away from my thoughts.

“Remember when I told you that you could trust me?” he asked softly.

“Yes.”

He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “So then trust me. I want to be here for you.” His tone was pleading for my honesty. “We’re partners in crime, after all.”

I remained silent and stared out the window, watching the autumn trees and open fields speed past. I didn’t want to tell him why I’d gone to the church. I was afraid of what his reaction would be if he found out that it was because I felt guilty about the man he’d killed. It was also embarrassing that I had wanted to hear stories and talk about my dead aunt. I didn’t want to seem like some sorry sap who was still stuck in my ever-festering grief.

And so,he interlaced our fingers and continued to drive in silence.