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“We’re going to think of each space we enter like a pie and we’re going to hide behind walls and doors until we know we have control of every angle.”
Nelson’s calm and expertise were reassuring. Nox couldn’t wait for Felton and the rest of the FBI to eat their words, he was so confident that Nelson was right and Julian was behind the abductions.
They climbed the back steps and Nox looked around to make sure they weren’t being watched as Nelson used a credit card to unlock the door. Nox hunted between the headstones on the other side of the picket fence and the trees in the forest, listening and feeling but all was still around them.
He touched the wall next to the door, frowning at the muffled vibration. Usually, a home was warm and Nox would pick up a soft buzz or hum from the living things inside. Instead, Nox felt something gross as Nelson used his shoulder to ease the door open and quickly traded the card for his pistol.
Nox caught a whiff of musk and a hint of something rotting and grabbed the back of Nelson’s coat. “Wait!” He sniffed, leaning around Nelson and pushing the door open just a touch more so he could peek. Nox picked up more of the scent as he searched the scrap of kitchen visible through the cracked door. “Snake,” he whispered, then winced hard at Nelson. “Snakes,” he corrected. A snake or two in well-maintained enclosures wouldn’t be noticeable, but Nox could smell them.
“Snakes?” Nelson croaked, his gun lowering as he drew back.
“It’s okay,” Nox said, gripping Nelson’s shoulder and giving it a knead. “We’ve got this. I am totally cool with snakes.”
“Okay.” Nelson’s cheeks puffed as he stretched his neck. “Stay behind me.” He raised the gun, keeping it trained ahead of him as he eased the door open wider with his shoulder. The pistol and Nelson’s gaze swept from left to right slowly before he took a few strides into the kitchen.
Nox was right behind him and grabbed Nelson again when he spotted a dark, shining oblong pile on the linoleum in front of the stove. He made a low, soothing shushing sound, hoping it would help. “See that thing that looks like a log over there?”
Nelson’s eyes slid to the pile. “What is that?” He demanded.
“Droppings.”
“From what?” Nelson’s head swung from left to right, his eyes darting around the counters and dark corners.
“A really large snake,” Nox guessed, his lips pulling into a tight line. “I think I know why Elsa wasn’t into Julian.”
With the exception of the steaming snake droppings on the floor and the stench of what was probably several more serpents, the kitchen was otherwise tidy and relatively normal if not a touch outdated. If you could overlook the tank of rats by the sink and the antlers hanging from the ceiling. Nox knew why the house felt muffled as he read the sigils burned into the wallpaper. Salt and ash lined the windows and the door and Nox could also smell nettle and holy basil.
“Julian is definitely hiding something,” Nox whispered, fear pluming within him as they drifted across the kitchen and along a wall. “Oh, dear…” He gulped loudly when he saw the Key of Solomon on the living room floor. “Maleficium,” he murmured and clicked his teeth.
“What?”
Nox stopped Nelson before he walked through the outer edge of the ring. “Graveyard dirt,” he said, pointing at it. The design had been carved into the floorboards and the various rings had been lined with dirt from graves. “This is dark magick. He’s tried to use necromancy to summon a demon or communicate with the dead.”
A massive set of stag’s antlers and a skull were mounted over the fireplace and a triskelion was painted above it. Nox was sick as he followed Nelson around the room, offended by the crude mishmash of practice and intent. Julian had dabbled with good and evil out of malice and greed and Nox was repulsed by what he saw as he read the runes and sigils along the walls.
The smell of rot and snake musk grew more intense as they made their way into the hall. Nox covered his nose and looked up the stairs, then jumped and turned when he heard something slide across the floor behind them.
“Breathe, Nelson!” Nox said as Nelson slowly turned to see a massive reticulated python curl around the banister’s post. Its shiny brown and gold scales glinted in the low light, momentarily mesmerizing Nelson as it climbed the banister.
They heard the floorboards creak behind them and swung around. Nox screamed when he saw a large, faceless figure with wide antlers aiming a shotgun at them. He had only a moment to note its thick, meaty arms and wide, hairy chest before he heard hard cracks of thunder and saw bursts of light and smoke from the end of Nelson’s gun as he unloaded his magazine. There was an explosion as the monster flew back and the shotgun went off.
“Nelson!” Nox shouted as he was thrown against the wall and Nelson’s body covered his.
“Are you alright?” Nelson asked, his frame trembling as he released the magazine from his pistol, letting it fall to the floor as he swiftly reloaded.
“I’m fine. You?” Nox kept his eyes shut tight and reached around Nelson, patting his chest.
“Fine.”
Nox opened one eye and looked around Nelson. A crater had been blown into the wallpaper under the stairs and the body at the end of the hall remained crumpled and still. They skirted along the other wall, Nelson with his gun pointed up the stairs as they drew closer to the body. A burlap hood with eye holes obscured the naked giant’s face and the heavy antler crown had caused his head to twist and tip awkwardly. Nelson gave one of the monster’s hips a hard nudge with his foot before lowering to check a wrist for a pulse.
“He’s dead. Stay here and call 911 while I clear the rest of the house.”
“Are you sure?” Nox asked anxiously, earning a tight nod from Nelson as he looked upstairs.
“That looks like a basement door,” Nelson said, pointing at the heavy, barred door under the stairs. They had found their way around to the kitchen again. “I think he was guarding it. Wait here and let dispatch know that there was a shooting involving an FBI agent and that there may be victims in need of medical attention. I think we’re alone now and I can clear the rooms upstairs faster on my own.”
“Will you be okay?” Nox asked and Nelson nodded.
