Page 7 of Twisted Solstice

Chapter Three

Not. Creepy. At. All.

“Knock it off, Gaspar. You’ve gotten your thrill for the night.” Kael placed a protective arm around my middle.

"If you're worried they can see this," Gaspar said, "they can't. To them, we're having a joyous conversation filled with the laughter of long-lost friends. They have no idea who I really am or what I am doing here."

I guess I should be happy about that. “So, tonight is it then. I’m going to die?” I couldn’t quite meet his gaze. A deathly chill settled into my bones, turning my stomach into a solid block of ice.

Gaspar laughed again. “You’re not going to die. Is that what you believe?” The oppressive atmosphere around us lightened and I could finally breathe without feeling as though I sucked air through a plugged straw. "I want your soul, but I won't forcibly remove it."

Couldn’t prove it by me. “Sure.”

“Your soul knows its master and is drawn to me.” He pressed his chilled finger under my chin, tilting my head up, so I was forced to look at him. The horrors I saw there early were masked, clouded almost, so all I saw were his mismatched eyes. “I’d never take yours without permission.”

I blinked. What was I supposed to say? Thank you? “Uh...”

He smirked again. “It’s time to begin.”

“Huh?”

“Darkness is upon us and we have visitors to greet.” Gaspar leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. Nothing about it had been intimate or salacious. Chaste, more like it. “The kiss of death. A protection I offer freely.” His breath brushed across my cheek. “Now you can say thank you.”

“T-thank you.”

“You’re such a dick,” Kael said smacking Gaspar on the shoulder.

He shrugged.

“Are we ready?” Paul joined us.

“Y-yeah, sure. Let’s grab the gear.” I untangled myself from Gaspar’s embrace and headed for my vehicle. “We should start at the supposed property of Anton LaVey. Then work up to where Lucia was murdered.”

“It’s pretty daunting.” Paul grabbed one of the black cases out of the rear of my Jeep. “All these areas.”

“We’ll get what we can. I didn’t expect us to get it all in one shot. If we have to, we’ll come back.” I shrugged. “Besides, we also need interviews.”

“Shit,” Felix grumbled. “You’re making this an expedition.”

“Well, if we want to do it right, we’re going to have to examine everything—including the stuff that can be explained.” I grabbed my backpack and headed for the pool. “Starting here.” I placed one of our small infrared cameras on the lip of the pool facing the depiction of the goat-man.

On the way back to the group, I put the lid on the barbeque to not only keep it from starting a fire but to knock the area into complete darkness. Not that there wouldn’t be challenges. Traffic through the canyon couldn’t be stopped. Loud music either. We’d have to block it out and hope we’d get good evidence.

“Got everything?” Kael came up beside me as I started for the road.

“Yep. I’m ready,” I said. “I know I don’t have to say this, but I’m going to anyway. Stay on the sidewalks. Don’t become a statistic. Also, there was recently an accident on this road. Keep your eyes open for pieces from the car that rolled over. Don’t need anyone going to the hospital tonight.”

Gaspar, Ember, and Kael joined me while Felix and Paul walked behind us. I clicked on my flashlight and started up the incline. The area had so many stories to tell. It felt a little disingenuous not telling them all. Unfortunately, telling all of it would jumble up my project. My message would be lost, and I’d sound more like a lunatic than a psychology student. I couldn’t ruin this opportunity.

As we came to the curve in the road, a car passed us. The headlights blinded me momentarily and I stopped. I swore, even though I couldn't see much, I saw a group of shadows ahead of us up on a ledge of the cliff. They were grouped together. Some stood, some crouched down. When the vehicle passed us, they were gone.

Kael dipped his head. “They’re watching you.”

I shivered. “Why?”

"Because you're one of the first people who has ever seen them."

Oh, perfect. Yay, me. I continued up the hill until we came to the driveway of the property supposedly belonging to Anton LaVey. I narrowed my eyes. Like the first-hand accounts and reports stated, all of the cameras were gone. The fence had been broken, tattered and torn from the ground in some places. The last time I saw it, there were security cameras surrounding the whole place. With it being opened, the dog had to have been taken away too which had been stated too. An uneasiness took root in my stomach. I glanced at Kael who shrugged.