What You Can't See (4 page)

F
IVE YEARS AGO
, Anthony had explored the forest surrounding the Santa Louisa de Los Padres Mission and remembered an alternate way in. The unpaved road was overgrown, but it would lead to the back slope and, hopefully, allow Anthony access to search the mission without police interference. He couldn’t use the main entrance. During his earlier reconnaissance he learned Sheriff Skye McPherson had left a deputy to guard the place, either against the killers returning, or curious citizens.

He parked as far down the trail as possible, his headlights cutting harsh swaths of light against chaparral oaks and rocks. The eyes of an animal glowed against the black and gray, then disappeared with a blink. An easy wind tapped the car, the
swish-swish
of oak leaves brushing the roof.

Anthony pulled a windbreaker from the back of his rental and stuffed a small packet of tools into the pocket. He doubted the locks had been changed, but if they had he’d still be able to get in.

Rafe was no killer, and Anthony had to find proof to turn the course of the police investigation. While Sheriff Skye McPherson didn’t believe a demon was at work, she was searching for human killers. Someone had used the strength of demons to murder those priests, and Anthony had to work with the sheriff to find those people. Because there were two evils in Santa Louisa: the evil of Hell itself, and the evil human beings who had brought a piece of Hell to earth.

Demonolatry was alive and well in the world, a platform for Hell to prevail. Anthony was a soldier in the fight against evil. He couldn’t do it as a priest, and he couldn’t do it within the rigid structure of the church. There was a place for men like him, and that was fighting against the most insidious evil of all.

That which preyed on the innocent.

People would die if he did nothing. That was
his
fate, and a charge he did not take lightly.

With a deep breath, he stepped from the car and into the cold spring night, snapping on his flashlight. He walked parallel to the mountain, the slope treacherous and overgrown with saplings that slapped him in the face. He tasted blood on his lip. The moonless sky aided his disguise, but thwarted quick movement.

Help us.

The whispers of the dead told Anthony he was close. The path to the mission was steep, but his years of physical labor aided his journey up the mountainside. He spied the three-story bell tower under the dim light of an ancient lamp. Faint, subtle, like everything about the mission.

He paused at the tree line, trying to sense where the guard was while catching his breath. All he sensed was evil.

Help us help us help us

Rafe had been extremely worried these last few weeks, otherwise he would never have contacted Anthony in the first place. Anthony wished he’d asked more questions, pushed Rafe for answers. Now, he had to think like his friend. Had he kept a journal? Where would he have hidden it? Had the police found it? Would Skye tell him if they had? The police had no weapons to fight incorporeal beings, but if Rafe had left a clue, a message, anything, it might help Anthony in this battle.

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket shortly after he crossed the tree line and walked through open space. “Hello,” he said quietly, kneeling low to the ground to avoid being seen.

“Anthony, I found what you’re looking for.”

The voice of Father Philip gave Anthony the only sense of home and family he’d ever had. The image of the demon on the wall of the sacristy had haunted Anthony because it wasn’t a common demon, one he was familiar with. He’d spent most of the afternoon trying to figure it out, but he didn’t have access to his books and papers and so had called the one man who knew more about demons than he did, the one man who had never let him down, the one man who had saved him.

“Is it Aabassus?”

“No, but you are close. Ianax.”

Anthony’s heart turned cold. Ianax was an ancient demon rumored to be one of the most powerful under Satan until a falling out with the devil himself had sent Ianax farther into the pits of Hell.

“Are you certain?”

“I am. You were correct that three human souls are needed to summon him. The interior circle shows the powerful connection between the three, and how that connection creates a second sight. An energy, for lack of a better word. They can use that energy to control inanimate objects.”

“But only when they’re together, correct?”

“They are most powerful when all three are together and the demon is at their center. But I suspect they are long practitioners of demonolatry and black magic.”

Anthony feared the same. “Anything else?”

“Ianax can’t survive long without a body. Are you sure he hasn’t claimed Raphael? Perhaps the coma is his way of fighting the demon.”

“No,” Anthony insisted. “I was with Rafe this afternoon. I would have sensed the demon.”

“Yes, my son, yes, you would have.” Father Philip sighed. “The danger of these people is they believe they will grow stronger with the demon at their side. And for a time, that is true. Perhaps one of them offered their body to him.”

“Why? Why would they willingly give up their body?”

“It is said that those who willingly sacrifice their body to a servant of Satan will be given rewards in Hell. Some believe aiding the demon will give them the key to the fountain of youth. Immortality.”

Walk with the willing dead.
The phrase took on a dangerous new meaning.

“But it’s not a possession?”

“No. That’s what makes this demon more dangerous, and the human immortal. If someone willingly gives up their body, the demon is not waging an internal battle. All his strength can be used for evil. Be careful, Anthony. Now that Ianax is loose he is growing in power and seeking revenge. Soldiers like us have kept him trapped for centuries.”

“I’ll be careful.”

He hung up and considered how the presence of Ianax changed everything. During the battle between Satan and Saint Michael the Archangel, Ianax had been Satan’s strongest ally. He’d betrayed Saint Michael with lies and treachery, and had been sent with Satan into the pits of Hell for eternity. For his loyalty, Ianax wanted to rule half of Hell, but Satan’s ego would not have it. A smaller battle ensued and Ianax was sent to rule the lowest pit of all, the darkest corner. He fed on revenge, betrayal, and lies, and could only be summoned by a union of three dark souls chanting the proper ritual. A ritual Anthony thought the earth had long forgot.

But it wasn’t just a ritual he required. Ianax demanded human blood, and he’d be doubly pleased with the blood of God’s men. Was the death of those men a rite of passage for Ianax’s worshippers?

Had Rafe seen something that made him suspicious? Who were the three responsible for this evil act? Three couldn’t have killed twelve people, unless…

Unless the priests were incapacitated in some way. Had they not been able to fight back? Had they been led like lambs to the slaughter?

Anthony wanted the crime scene report, but after his disappointing meeting with Skye McPherson, he doubted she’d include him in this investigation. The head of the crime scene unit, Rod Fielding, was too loyal to go behind her back. Maybe the detective—he might agree to help. But at risk to his career? Anthony would have to tread carefully.

The sheriff didn’t know where to look. She was suspicious of Rafe, didn’t have any faith to accept—on Anthony’s word alone—that Rafe wasn’t involved. He’d have to prove it to her. Skye didn’t seem like the type of woman to rely on faith or trust for anything. He needed to learn more about her, find a way through her emotional shields. Earn her trust. Quickly.

The cold whipped Anthony as he hid downslope of the mission, a hundred yards away.

Help us help us help us.

The windlike chanting grew louder, the dark whispers taunting him, begging him with fearful urgency.

Moving low and fast, he ran toward the mission.

Skye relieved her deputy at eleven that night. She dismissed his inquisitive stare. She knew what he wanted to ask: why was the sheriff staking out a crime scene?

She didn’t answer the unspoken question. She wasn’t even sure herself why she was here. Except that she knew, as certain as the sun would rise in the morning, that Anthony Zaccardi would be here tonight.

The generator had been sabotaged, Rod had told her shortly after her meeting with the bishop. Rod had dusted the equipment, but it was devoid of any fingerprints. Wiped.

Rod fixed the generator so the crime scene techs could finish working once the sun went down. When they’d turned on the power, every wall sconce came on. Now, in the dark of night, each narrow window glowed yellow. Every window. What had those men feared that the dark terrified them?

She shivered in her Bronco. When was Anthony Zaccardi going to show?

After meeting with the bishop, she’d further researched Zaccardi—he was who he said he was. A historical architect hired by the Catholic Church to restore ancient buildings. He was a citizen of Italy, specifically Sicily, but he was born in a small town she’d never heard of. There were no other records for him until he’d used his passport for the first time at the age of ten, from Italy to France. She had no records of parents or guardians, which seemed odd, but she
was
dealing with foreign governments. Still, everyone she’d spoken with had been protective of Zaccardi. One high-ranking priest in the Vatican even threatened her.

“You can’t hold Anthony,” the man had said. “I demand you allow him to return to Italy.”

“He doesn’t seem to want to return right now,” she’d said and hung up. Interesting.

What was more interesting, however, was the light behind the mission. Anthony Zaccardi, right on time.

A
NTHONY PICKED THE POLICE LOCK
.

He didn’t need his flashlight; the lighting had been restored in the mission. He quickly walked through the kitchen and down the main hall.

The mission had been destroyed from within. He’d seen the destruction earlier when he’d broken in to save Rafe; now the sad reality sank in.

Beautiful artwork, hundreds of years old, had been defamed. Every statue in the alcoves had its head removed. Paintings slashed. This, Anthony thought, was the work of human hands. A demon would crush the statues; humans defaced.

Anthony found Rafe’s room, accurately guessing that it would be closest to the kitchen. There was one small window facing the rear of the mission. A small night-light in the corner illuminated the room with shadows.

Anthony closed the door, looked at the wood. It was splintered and cracked, as if someone had been scratching from the inside. He shined his light on the marks, saw the damaged wood stained with dark blood. Deep gouges, likely made with something metal or hard wood had been used to pry open the door. Now Anthony knew how Rafe’s fingers had been broken, his fingernails torn.

The police had obviously gone through the room. Rafe’s computer was gone, only wires remaining. His files had been rifled through and many had been removed. The drawers of his desk were open.

But the police didn’t know the secrets the mission held, nor the many hiding places.

Anthony traced the ridges of the stone wall. He’d been in many missions, in many ancient buildings. He could find any hiding place…there. Around the edge of one stone he found a small, ancient release. A façade for a stone safe.

Sure enough, Rafe had left something in the space. A leather-bound journal. Anthony removed it, put the stone back in place.

Anthony carefully opened the journal, hoping for a clue. Several sheets of paper fell out and he stooped to pick them up.

The door opened and the lights came on.

“I thought you were going to do something stupid.” Skye McPherson stood in the doorway, gun drawn. “You’re under arrest.”

“Don’t.”

“Hand me those papers.”

He did.

“And the book.”

Reluctantly, he handed it over.

“Are you armed?”

“I don’t carry a gun.”

“Turn around and put your hands on the desk.”

“I told you—”

“You expect me to believe you? You broke a police seal and entered this building in the middle of the night. You’re attempting to remove evidence. You’re in hot water, Mr. Zaccardi.”

Help us.

Skye frowned, glanced around the room.

“You heard,” he said, incredulous.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Hope claimed a corner of his heart. “You heard the voices.”

“I don’t hear any voices,” she snapped. “Turn around.”

He complied. Her hands moved around his waist, his thighs, his ankles. He wanted to think of her as a cop; he could only think of her as a woman. A woman who didn’t know what danger she was in, nor what power she had.

She removed his cross. “You’re clear, but I’ll keep this for the time being.”

He faced her. She was close, only inches from him as she holstered her weapon. He reached up to touch her face, and she flinched. He dropped his hand and said, “You can’t deny what you heard.”

She swallowed, took a step back. “What’s this?” She started flipping through the journal.

“I suspect it will speak of Rafe’s concerns. He would have hidden his notes if he thought something was going on here.”

She frowned, reading the journal.

“What?” he asked, inching closer. She smelled of pine and soap. All natural. All woman.

“It’s in Latin.”

Latin? Rafe hated Latin. Anthony could practically hear him groaning during class.

She tucked the journal under her arm and looked at the papers.

“What are those?” he asked.

“Copies.”

“Of?”

She didn’t say. He peered over her hands.
Santa Louisa Grocery.

“Why would he keep copies of the food deliveries?” Anthony asked.

When Skye didn’t say anything, he knew she had an answer. “We need to work together, Skye.”

Her head shot up. “You said you weren’t a cop. Has anything changed in the last”—she glanced at her watch—“fifteen hours?”

“You need me.”

“I don’t know you.”

“But you know I had nothing to do with what happened here.”

“How? Maybe you were working with your friend Rafe. Maybe you’re supposed to steal artifacts while I’m trying to solve a mass murder. Maybe—”

“You don’t believe that.”

“I don’t know
what
to believe.”

“Ianax.”

“What?”

“That’s the name of the demon in the sacristy. Human blood was used, wasn’t it?”

“I can’t discuss the investigation with you.”

She had a great poker face, but her eyes exposed her soul, which told him he was right. He also had thousands of years of history to draw upon.

“Ianax was a triple agent, so to speak. He was a spirit on Satan’s side, but attempted to convince Saint Michael the Archangel that he was gathering evidence against Satan, all in an attempt to find out how many were staying on the Lord’s side and who were going with Satan. He gave information to both sides.”

She stared at him blankly. “You’re a lunatic.”

He hardened. He was used to people not believing him, but he desperately wanted Skye to trust him. The dead depended on it.

“Ianax was banished to the deepest pits of Hell by Satan when he attempted to overtake Hades. He’s an ancient demon, feeding on hate and revenge. It takes three dark souls and human sacrifice to draw him out.”

“I’ve read thousands of crime reports. There’s no proven case of human sacrifice by Satanists in America.”

Anthony continued. “Your people don’t know everything, and human sacrifice is rarely what you envision. He’s here. You sense it. You heard the voices of those trapped between Heaven and Hell. But you won’t open your heart.”

“You can’t tell me that a spirit killed those men.”

“Not alone, but Ianax was part of the massacre and if we can’t send it back to Hell more people will die.”

“Bullshit. More will die if we don’t capture the people who killed those priests.”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“I don’t know what planet you live on, Mr. Zaccardi, but where I come from you put people in prison and they stop killing innocent old men.”

He’d said the wrong thing, but he persisted. “I agree, we need to find the three involved in order to send Ianax back. If we don’t, he
will
grow more powerful.”

“Why are you so certain there are three people involved?”

“The seal. In the sacristy.” How could he convince this woman of what had taken him a lifetime to learn?

“You look so normal,” she muttered.

A rare anger grew in Anthony’s chest, the rage he fought to keep firmly at bay.

He grabbed Skye by the arms and pulled her close. “If you think this is a game, more innocent people will suffer. I am deadly serious, Sheriff McPherson.”

Her lush mouth opened, closed, opened again. “Let. Me. Go.”

Anthony dropped his hands, the anger washing away in embarrassment. He didn’t manhandle women. It was Skye’s total disdain of him and what he said…

He should be used to it by now. Few people truly believed that evil existed. They talked about it, gave it lip service, but didn’t
believe
in evil spirits, that they could be summoned and used, that they grew more powerful with every moment they spent outside of Hell, feeding on the cruelty and rage and hatred of human beings.

“Trust me,” he said simply, imploring her with his eyes. He saw a hint of doubt in her face, the desire to believe him. Then it vanished.

But hope was all he needed. He’d worked with far less.

“I’ll translate Rafe’s journal for you,” he offered.

Skye wanted to say no. She didn’t want to trust this man who talked about demons and demonolatry and evil spirits. Those were the fantasies of religious nutcases like her mother and the man who sold her a bill of goods under the guise of being a man of God.

But she’d walked into the crime scene today and felt odd. She could dismiss the idea that someone was watching her in the daylight, but when she’d been sitting in her car in the courtyard tonight her skin prickled and every nerve seemed to stand at attention. She wasn’t a flighty female. She wasn’t scared of the woods or of being alone—she’d hiked and camped for weeks with her dad or by herself. But here—this was different.

A crash echoed through the mission. Skye’s gun was out as she walked through the door.

“It came from the chapel,” Anthony said.

“Stay,” she commanded him.

“No.”

She didn’t have time to argue. Cautious but quick, she darted down the hall, Anthony right on her heels.

The closer they came to the chapel, the hotter the air.

“Stop,” Anthony commanded.

She didn’t take orders from civilians. Someone was in there. The killer? Murderers often revisited the crime scene.

She opened the doors of the chapel and smelled smoke over the stench of dried blood. She blinked and saw the carnage of that morning, in full sunlight. Every body, every dismembered limb, lying there. All eyes looking at her.

Help us!

She stifled a scream. She wasn’t seeing this. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she saw a flame in the sacristy, where the drawing had been left. The bodies were gone. That had been her imagination, after all the nonsense Anthony spouted.

Someone—someone
human
—was destroying evidence. Her crime scene was on fire.

She whirled around to face Anthony. “You! You distracted me so your partner could destroy the evidence.”

“You know that’s not true,” he said, but he was looking over her shoulder.

She followed his gaze but saw nothing. “I need to put this fire out before it takes the whole chapel!”

Skye ran down the hall to the kitchen where earlier she’d seen two extinguishers on the wall. She started back down the hall toward the chapel, but Anthony blocked her path. “Don’t go back there. You’ll be trapped. We have to get out of here. Now!”

She ignored him, but instead of going through the interior entrance, she flung open the side door, pushed a tank at him, and exited the building, running around to the main courtyard entrance.

The iron gates that had been locked and sealed were wide open, proof that the fire had been set by humans, not demons. The fact that she was beginning to believe Anthony, that she
wanted
to believe him, was a testament to her poor judgment when it came to good-looking men. He was sexy and handsome and
sounded
normal. She’d overlooked the fact that he was a lunatic to insist that something supernatural was at work.

She’d fucked up the crime scene because of him. She should have stayed at her post. She may have been able to not only stop the fire, but arrest the killer.

She saw the flames in the narrow arched windows, bright against the moonless night. Running to the chapel doors, she touched them; warm not hot. She readied the canister and kicked open the doors.

A loud roar emanated from the building on a wave of flames and laughter.

She was thrown to the ground and only after her back hit the cold, hard dirt did she realize Anthony had pushed her down. He’d saved her life.

He was still standing, facing the flames. He had his hands up as he walked toward the fire, chanting something foreign and ancient. She couldn’t make out the words, just an urgent, fierce rhythm. The fire whirled around him, and she could no longer make out his frame.

Anthony was being burned alive.

Skye tried to jump up to rescue him, but an unseen weight pushed her back down. Her heart leapt in her throat as she watched the fire turn bright red, twirl, and like a reverse tornado, rise into the sky with a sickly, deafening scream.

Anthony’s body lay faceup on the stone path. She crawled over to him, her limbs like lead.

He was staring at the sky, his dark eyes searching. His clothing was scorched and reeked of smoke, but his hands, his face, his limbs had no burn marks. How could that be? How could he have survived the fire unscathed?

“Watch out!” He rolled and flung his body on top of hers. From the corner of her eye, she watched the fireball come back down from the dark sky, heading straight toward them. She tried to crawl away, but Anthony pinned her down, his entire body covering hers in a protective shield.

The flames hit the roof of the chapel like a comet. Glass exploded from every window. An unreal screech surrounded them as the fire spread into every nook, every room, every corner of the building.

Except the courtyard where they lay.

Hot air filled her lungs and all she wanted was to escape, but Anthony held her still.

“Don’t move.” His lips were on her ear, but she could barely hear him over the roar of the flames.

What was happening? He grabbed her wrists when she struggled to escape, held them tight against his chest. His heart pounded against her hands. Power and fear radiated from his body. He completely covered her, shielding her, her face buried in his neck. He murmured something that might have been a prayer or a plea.

In the middle of destruction, she’d never felt so completely safe.

A cry surrounded them, and suddenly all the air in the courtyard disappeared with a violent
whoosh!

She gasped, straining to breathe against Anthony’s chest. He still held her, but now she fought for air.
Air…

He covered her mouth with his and pushed air into her lungs.

Suddenly she was off her feet and being carried through the courtyard. She clung to Anthony’s neck until he eased her into the passenger seat of her Bronco.

She looked over his shoulder at what had been the mission. Smoke rolled from the windows, out the chapel door, rose from where the roof had once been, filtering into the dark sky. Not a flame could be seen, just smoldering ruins. Yet less than ten minutes had passed since she first saw the flames.