“Samantha Poe. She’s a witch. Or was a witch. Same difference, I guess.”
“How do you know that?” I ask him.
“I know a witch when I see one,” he says simply. “I’m sure if you investigated things a little further, you’d figure out more.”
“That Edgar Allan Fuck is a literal son of a witch,” Dex says, shaking his head. “I knew he was hiding something.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know,” I point out.
“Oh, he knows.”
Meanwhile, Maximus is staring at us in confusion. “Edgar Allan Fuck?”
“Atlas Poe,” I tell him. “Samantha’s son.”
“Ah yes, the son. I’ve seen him around in here. Talking to her.”
“Hold on, before things get weirder, you said that we didn’t see it with the witch. What is it?” I ask.
“The demon,” he says. “At least I think it’s a demon. I’m not about to tussle with it to find out. As long as I’m in this place, any demon can bring me back, I reckon.”
“Would this demon, uh, happen to walk on all fours and crawl on the ceiling, have black, dense fur with white eyes, and a long leathery tail?”
I can feel Dex frowning at me and I know I’m close to admitting the truth. I just hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass later. I’m so afraid that every time I mention something scary that happened to me, Dex is going to change his mind about the baby.
And at that thought, Max catches my eye. A hint of recognition flashes over his, and I wonder if he happened to hear me. I hope not. I don’t want to go down that long road with him right now.
He raises his chin and then nods. “Yes. That’s what the demon, or whatever it is, looks like. You’ve seen it then?”
“We saw it in a haunted school on the Oregon Coast,” Dex says. “Scariest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”
“But you’ve seen it lately,” Max says to me knowingly.
I glance quickly at Dex. “Yes. In the parking garage.”
“You said that could have been a raccoon!” he cries out.
“You said raccoon!” I tell him once again. “And anyway, that’s what it was. I, uh, I’ve seen it somewhere else too.”
“Where?” Dex asks.
“In a restaurant.”
“A restaurant?” he and Maximus repeat together.
“Shucks,” Maximus adds. “That’d be one hell of a Yelp review.”
Dex reaches out and grabs my arm, eyes frantic. “Why didn’t you tell me this? What restaurant? When?”
“When Rebecca and I went out for lunch with Lucinda,” I say guiltily. “I saw the same woman we saw in the bathtub. I couldn’t see her face, but I just know it was her. She had this thing on a leash—it was under the table. I couldn’t see it properly, but I saw the tail. I knew. And Lucinda called it a monster.”
“Lucinda saw it?” Dex cries out incredulously. “Did Rebecca?”
I shake my head. “No. And it quickly disappeared.” I know Dex is seething, I can feel the anger rolling off of him. I keep going. “And then I saw her in the ocean, at Cannon Beach. I remember now. It was her. I was, like, compelled or something. It was Samantha.”
“Fuck,” Dex swears, throwing the camera down on the leather couch, his hands going into his hair as he turns around and walks away from me. “All this fucking time and you didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t want you to worry,” I plead.
“I am your husband!” he roars, whipping around and storming back over to me, finger in my face. “It’s my job to worry about you! It’s what I do!”
“Now I don’t want to get in the middle of a marital spat here,” Max says softly. “But the more of this energy you bring into this place, the more this place will feed off of it.”
Dex closes his eyes, breathing hard. Then he turns and plops down on the couch next to the camera, trying to work through what I did.
Max gives me a sympathetic look. “I’m glad you told us. From what it sounds like, she hasn’t hurt you out there.” He gestures to the windows. “I think this house works the same way on her. Being a witch, she can probably project or manifest herself better than I can. But her real power lies in the house. You’re seeing her because she wants you here, wants to talk to you. Wants something from you, anyway.”
“Always Miss Popular,” I mutter.
“Or maybe she’s just fucking with you,” he adds. “I don’t know. I think you should keep future visits brief.”
“We have to come back for you,” I tell him. “Just tell us what we need to do to get you out.”
He exhales and runs his hand through his hair, pressing his lips together for a moment. “I thought, with the two of you, perhaps that would do it. But I don’t think so, and I don’t feel like trying tonight. Maybe come back again, when you’re both calmer. We need that calm energy. Forget about the witch for now. Just come back, and come straight here. You’ll be safe.”
“And if that doesn’t work?”
“I have another person up my sleeve,” he says, looking forlorn. “Though I’m not sure where she is, or how she’s doing, or if she’d even want to come up here to see me.”
“Rose,” I whisper.
Maximus’s ex-girlfriend who seemed to be turning back into a girlfriend right around the time he died. I’d been in contact with Rose after his funeral in New York, but she didn’t want anything to do with either Dex or me. She was so distraught, and she blamed us for his death. Which was more or less true.
Max nods. “If you could reach out…”
That wasn’t going to be easy, but I’d be willing to give it a shot.
“Of course,” I tell him.
Max gets to his feet. “Now, I hate to kick out my houseguests, but I really think you both oughta leave now while you have a chance.”
“While we have a chance?” Dex repeats, his voice low, his face sullen, doing all he can to avoid looking at me.
“Follow me. I’ll be your escort,” Max says, heading for the door.
“Dex,” I whisper, coming over to him, putting my hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t.” He whips his arm away, his eyes a raging storm, angry and hurt. “I’m fucking mad at you.”
“Easy now,” Max reminds us, just as he opens the door. “Stay calm.”
Shit. I knew keeping things from Dex was going to hurt me, I just didn’t think he’d take it this bad. I’ve always kind of been like this, but then again, everyone has their breaking point. Perhaps tonight is ours.
I follow Maximus and Dex out of the room and up the stairs, my heart feeling heavier by the minute.
We make it to the front door without any incidents, and leave Maximus inside, giving us a quick wave goodbye before the door closes.
Dex and I walk in silence through the drizzle back to the Highlander.
It’s a painfully awkward car ride home.
Thirteen
Dex is still mad at me.