The Soul Collector - By Tamela Quijas Page 0,67

of his lips return to her sweat-bathed skin. She inhaled lightly, attempting to gather her scattered and terrorized thoughts, nearly choking on another gag.

“I don't understand.” She stifled her sob and bit her lip, the taste of blood prevalent.

“Oh, darling,” he soothed, exhaling and flooding her lungs with his fetid breath. He kneaded her bosom with relentless fingers, the touch painful. He chuckled again, the sound deep and ominous. “You know what I want.”

“Please.” The word escaped in a short-winded plea. Eva swallowed, desperately longing for him to release her.

“Please?” The cruel action of his hand stilled. “Did you tell him, child? Did you tell him please when he had you, again and again?”

She whimpered, unable to do much else. His words echoed and flowed around her, hypnotically pulling her into a deep trance. “Tell me, my dear, how many times did he have you?”

….Evie! �

Eva felt the soft flutter and the pureness of chill air swirl through the building and up the staircase. She longed to shout for her brother and realized the action was futile, knowing there was nothing Reese could do to save her. He was a whisper of wind, and unable to protect her.

…Evie?

Her attacker's head rose from her neck. Eva was startled to realize her assailant had the ability to hear Reese's muted tones. He pressed a cheek to her face, his putrid breath washing over her again while he listened, silent and intent.

�…Evie, get out!

“Do you think we should we answer him, little girl?” �

…get out! �

She choked back a gasp but remained frozen. Her eyes were wide with fear as she attempted to focus into the inky darkness. A shimmering glow of light appeared as Reese faintly illuminated in the hall.

“Do you wish to tell him he’s late, child?” The figure rasped in a strangely familiar voice, the stench rising from his attire increasing. Eva's stricken eyes fastened to Reese and she shook her head, moments before being flung cruelly aside.

She fell to the floor, landing hard as her heels gave out beneath her. She winced as her hip struck the tile and her knee twisted with the impact, but she was free of the threat holding her prisoner. Her vision adjusted to the darkness and the soft glimmer of light rising from Reese's bright figure granted her with the opportunity to see her assailant.

The man, to her surprise, was elderly. Remaining in the open doorway of her apartment, a cynical smile brightened his scarred face. He smiled down at her, before executing a curtly bow. He rose with an elegant flair, before turning in Reese's direction. His arms spread wide, stretching the folds of his tattered coat aloft as he stepped toward the shimmering image of her brother. He executed a nearly childish hop and, as if he longed to break into a caricature of a dance, for her benefit alone.

�…run! �

“Who the hell are you?” Eva snarled and struggled to rise. .

Her question stopped him. The light from Reese threw his stooped body into sharp relief, illuminating the tattered remnants of a well-worn and stained coat. A low rumble filled the hall and she realized it as the growing sound of mad laughter.

“Hell?” He chortled, using the speedy movement of his hand to swipe the gray mat of hair from his face and leer at her. “Hell doesn't want me, little one.” �

A great roar filled her ears as she saw the sepia blur of Reese's partial outline zip toward her. Eva felt the cold fill the hall, sweeping away the invasive stench. The stranger remained where he stood, appearing oddly mocking, as the ghost shot through him.

Unmoved by the attack, a low chuckle seeped from him, and a chill of dread rippled through her. Reese shuddered before he shifted through the wall, disappearing.

The laughter increased, becoming more mocking by the moment. The sound caused the bulbs in the wall sconces to relight, flicker, and emit a weak glow. The stranger step forward, his aged features vividly apparent. She flinched, recognizing the shadowy image revealed.

“Julian,” the name slipped from her frozen lips.

He awarded her with a salute, bowing deep at the waist before he straightened. Eva swallowed, her throat constricting as her eyes scanned his face.

She gathered a semblance of a breath, her chest aching at the stench rising from Julian's ragged clothes. The smell of rotting flesh, alcohol, and stale smoke flowed about her while he shook his head, the long and yellowed strands weighing lank and heavy. Filthy, he