The Incubus
Chapter 4: Fresh Blood
When we got home Natalie was up, in the living room actually, watching television with Liz, eating a real weak looking turkey sandwich. Looked like a fistful of paste. There was a bit of color back in her cheeks, but still dark circles around her bloodshot eyes, low hanging shoulders and a well set frown. Liz saw us and indicated we should talk outside the room.
”How’s she doin’?” I asked, fingering the pieces of rosary in my pocket. Liz shook her head and rubbed her eyes in frustration.
”She hasn’t slept in two weeks,” she said. “The incubus comes while she’s sleeping, so she’s been doing EVERYTHING to stay awake, caffeine, cigarettes, speed, leaving the windows wide open, keeping the lights on…”
”How did he get to her then?” Abe asked, looking over Liz’s shoulder to the t.v. room.
”Her body took over,” I suggested. “Can’t stay awake for two weeks, it’s like hanging out with Abe. As soon as she closed her eyes he showed up. He didn’t get her though. She fought.” I took the broken beads from my pocket and put them in Liz’s cold hand. “She fought and she won. This time. I’m going to talk to her.”
”Hey, Natalie,” I said, finally cracking open that friggin’ beer. I was beginning to think the kitchen was a mirage. Abe ordered pizza, but it would be an hour before it was ready.
”Hi,” she said, turning off the t.v. "I forgot your name.”I belched and said, “Wolverine,” and she turned red. A good color in her cheeks, still pale compared to me. It was easy to imagine her laughing. In the light she looked young, couldn't barely be out of college. Everyone looks young to me, though. I'm an easy sell.
”I was on drugs,” she said with a weak smile. There was a bit of a shiver at the back of my neck, like when I catch Liz stretching out her neck. “I didn’t know what was going on. What’s your name for real?”
”Hellboy. You can call me HB if you want. We’ll be talking a lot while I try to catch this guy…thing,” I said, finishing the beer and fishing around for my cigar.
Her face went pale, the smile faded, and she looked back at the remote. “I should have just given in to what he wanted. It would have been over. I could sleep. I used to sleep like a baby. Weeks. It's been weeks.”
”What did he want?” I asked softly. “I mean, other than the obvious?”
She picked at her cuticles and said, “My virginity. Fresh blood, he said. He said without it, I was…” her lip trembled a little bit. The rims of her eyes were red, “I was worthless to him.”
I looked away. I didn’t want her to see my eyes glowing. I can feel them when they get brighter, hotter. Nothing pisses me off more than destruction of innocence. Unfortunately, I run into it daily.”You can sleep. You’re safe here. I’m watching you.”
She looked up then. “You are? You’ll stay right here? Promise you’ll stay right next to me” She put her hand on mine and her eyes were as wide as I’d ever seen them, a little wet with tears, but heavy with exhaustion. “Promise you won’t leave me?”
”I promise.”