Blood Cartel by Nicholas Woode-Smith

Author:Nicholas Woode-Smith [Woode-Smith, Nicholas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Warpmancer Press
Published: 2019-11-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13. The Spectral Horseman

It became dark earlier this time of year, with the reddened sky turning to an earnest darkness around 6pm. It was winter after all. I hoped that the season wouldn’t stop the ghost from falling for the trap. It shouldn’t be a problem. Ghosts were simple creatures, if you looked past their typically difficult to set up exorcisms. They didn’t have a concept of time. If they did, they wouldn’t be haunting a place long past their death. It was their inability to let go of a certain event, at a certain time and place, that kept them on Earth and disturbing the living.

Well, that’s what my research told me. I had come a long way from my hasty study of disturbances and spirits when I somehow exorcised the terror months before. Had read a lot of books since then. Even Treth took an interest. I think even he was tired of hunting walking corpses. Spirits were a good change of pace. Sure, they didn’t fit into my usual M-O, but they were interesting. Required some creativity. It was nice to put my swords away once in a while. Metaphorically, of course. I still brought my swords. In a duffel bag, of course. I didn’t need them for this hunt. Instead, I kept my holy salts, notes and purification apparatus in a small handbag (a loan from Trudie. She insisted that a backpack clashed with the dress).

Before leaving for the party, Trudie phoned to invite me to the Eternity Lounge. My date with Andy was the perfect excuse to get out of the simultaneously nerve-wracking and boring experience of clubbing. Trudie was so ecstatic that she even hung up without chewing my ear off for whatever reason. Practically screeched in excitement. Unfortunately for Pranish, he had no such excuse, and was being dragged along to the detestable club.

I arrived at the party by taxi soon after. Andy was to meet me there. Had business to attend to in Simon’s Town, so was coming from completely the other direction. He lamented that he couldn’t pick me up. But, it was fine. Really.

Tokai manor’s lawn was lit up with fairy lights as cars parked around the circular road leading up to the house. The building itself was also lit up. It looked alive. Not that creepy, possessed house type of alive, but energetic. It was very different from my usual fare. I liked it.

I exited the taxi and waved him off. Was one of the regular drivers. Never caught his name. I was never typically in the mood to talk when in a taxi. I was normally sharpening my swords or covered in blood. This driver never questioned it. He was my favourite driver.

“Kat?”

I turned to see Andy, wearing a white dress shirt and black tie, approaching me and wearing a wide grin.

“Andy? You’re here early.”

He went in for a hug and I accepted it with some trepidation and genuine delight.

“You look good, Kat.”

I hoped he couldn’t see my blush in the light.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.