out the house. Like so many of the properties along the riverfront, the house was built to face the river, which meant all we could see was the flat back of a large brick house. There was a sunroom that opened onto a large patio, but we hadn’t been able to get eyes on anyone. What we could see was a blue Chevy registered to Corey Ackerman in the driveway. Rand had pulled the house up on the internet and found a former sale listing. It had pictures of the riverside of the house, which was mostly windows overlooking the water.
“It should give us an easy way in and an easy way out,” I said as I turned into the marina Rand had found right up the road. “He won’t expect us to come in from the water, and hopefully coming in that way, we can get close enough to see what we’re dealing with.”
The four of us walked into the boat rental office. I didn’t see anyone there, so I called out, “Excuse me, we need to rent a boat.” I was trying to see if anyone was in the back when Rand cleared his throat. He was pointing at a little sign I’d missed that said If you need assistance come to dock 21.
Well, fuck that shit. I was in a hurry. “Hey, how much cash do you guys have on you?” I asked, pulling out my wallet and taking out the bills.
“I don’t have cash,” Rand said, looking back and forth between Ryan and Fredrick. “Who carries cash?”
Ryan rolled his eyes at Rand and handed me a hundred-dollar bill. Fredrick gave me three twenties. “Okay, with mine, that should cover it.” I slapped the bills down on the counter, put a large conch shell that was sitting by the register on top of them, and grabbed the keys from a boat listed as being in rental dock two. “Let’s get moving.”
Trey
“I didn’t hear you that night, Corey. I didn’t lead you to the club on purpose,” I said.
“All those men on the dance floor touching each other. It was like a pit full of sin.” I watched him as he talked, lost in the memory, he didn’t look like he found it to be all that disgusting to be honest, especially if the bulge that was forming in the front of his pants was any indication. “I knew then that you needed to be saved. I almost went to your father and told him. But then the dreams started. That was when I knew the truth.”
“The truth?”
“Yes, the truth. This isn’t as uncommon as you might think. There are many ancient stories about demons who molest humans. The historians didn’t get it all right, but mostly they did. It was the nuns and the monks, you know. The most pure and dedicated to God are the ones they attack. Like me. They appear to these holy men and women while they sleep and tempt them. Seduce them and try to get them to break their vows of chastity.
“That’s how I knew what you really were. A Succubus sent to cause me to stumble. Don’t you see? That was the only answer. Except instead of a beautiful woman, it was you. You in my dreams, trying to tempt me into a life of sexual depravity. I did a lot of research. The only way to save you, and thus save myself, is to purify you. Kill the demon and set you free.”
“Let me get this straight. You followed me to a gay club, watched a bunch of sexy men getting frisky with each other, then you went back to your room and had gay dreams, and that is somehow my fault?” I asked.
“Yes, Malcolm. It’s your fault. You let the demon in by acting on your sinful desires. But it’s okay. I am going to set you—”
“Free, yeah, you said that.” I started to let him know what I thought about him setting me free when I noticed a boat go by. I saw a flash of light, like the sun reflected off something glass. Binoculars, maybe? I thought I’d seen the same boat go by slowly just a few minutes before. It was almost like they were casing the place. Hope flared. I’d been watching the road for assistance, but I’d forgotten about the water.
It was Roman. I knew it. I just needed to keep Corey busy long enough for them to get to us. I was