Dead Not Gone: An excerpt

The night after his remains had been laid to rest, his spirit appeared on the burnt remnants of his porch. His appearance had awakened her from a sound sleep and she watched him wander the neighborhood, search for a vulnerable home. She had quickly thrown up her shields to hide her home from his sight. His passed and found entrance on a ranch further down the street--the home of one of the children he had victimized in life. Moments later, a child's screams echoed. Lights appeared in the windows. An ambulance arrived soon after. The family never did return to the home. That had been three weeks before. Each night since it had been a different homes and different children screaming. Each time the attacks became more violent. The night before the child nearly died. Anna vowed it would never happen again.

From the porch, his spirit looked down. Most had lights shining behind curtained windows. Families were settling in for the night. Two blocks away, her home also had a light shining as a beacon for her; only it had so much more. Before she left, she set her shields and called her patron dragon to protect her fur-kids. She needed to know they would be protected; it wouldn't be safe for either if her attention were divided. Now she had to wait. While he was on his home turf, he was to powerful for her to face. He needed to choose his new victim and attack. It was only after he left his power source was he vulnerable. She had no choice but risk another child.

Brushing the leaves away from her face with one hand, she reached into her pocket for the blessed crystals with the other. Their energy pulsed in her palm. Thrice blessed by the Maiden, Mother, Crone, they were the only weapon she could find that would be strong enough to stop him. In the backpack, she had other more mundane forms of protection; most of which would only slow him down, but not stop him. She brought them just in case, but it was a just in case what she wasn't willing to think about. To think of what could happen would only weaken her resolve and her ability to do what she must be done.

Once he left his porch, Anna needed to run up the hill, complete the ritual in the center of his home and escape before he returned. If he came back before she completed the ritual and returned to the safety of the field, she would be completely vulnerable. The blessed water and herbal protection charms would only slow him down. Once she entered his territory, he would be able see her and attack. The ritual would fail and she would become his next victim, leaving none left to stop him. She had approached several religious members of the neighborhood and told them what she knew. But they didn't want to listen; it didn't fit in their reality. She had hoped that at least one of them would have the courage to see beyond their doctrine and watch her back. The leaves again tickled her cheek. What was he waiting for? Did he know? No, he couldn't. There would be no way he could. Her mind raced in circles, doubt forming, but dissipating just as quickly.

In her other pocket, she felt for the cheat-sheet and the mini flashlight. She had spent hours memorizing the ritual, but she didn't want to take the chance she would forget. It was too important and she wouldn't get another chance. If he caught me, would I have the courage to stand my ground and finish? She thought of her fur-kids. Who would care for them? She had many friends; the cat lovers among them already had a house full. The rest of them she wouldn't trust to care for them properly. Shane is so particular about who he allows to care for him; he is truly a momma's boy. Leeda is the leader of the pride; she isn't one to be told what to do. Baby, being the youngest, would fair better, but not much. Anna again looked up the hill. It was so far and steep. Am I strong enough? They aren't my children. If their parents couldn't protect them...the thought dissipated. The Goddesses wouldn't have shown her the evil or given her the ritual if she wasn't to get involved. She needed to trust in her self and them; she had to believe she was up to the task.

Her mind turned to alternative escape routes. She would be vulnerable as long as she was on his property, which was the house and the mowed lawn. Once she was off they were back on equal ground; she could cloak and return to the safety of her home defenses. On the backside of the house was another field of tall grass and trees. She could run there. But not if the ritual hadn't been completed. He would know her and turn his attention on her home and family. The dragon would protect them, but not if it sensed she was in trouble; he would leave her home and search her out. Her fur-kids would be exposed. Could I really put them at risk? Do I dare? She suddenly realized she had no fear for herself, but for those she loved.

She shook her head to dispel the negative thoughts and again focused on him. In life, his name had been Michael Davis. Anna knew little about him. He was married. Usually the family was quiet, however several months before that suddenly changed. Late night arguments brought the police. After several weeks, his wife took his children and left in the middle of the night. No one knew where they went or what happened to them. Davis started lurking around the neighborhoods; he watched the children. Several times parents caught him looking in the children's bedroom windows. Again, the police knocked on his door. All was quiet for days. Then the first child disappeared from her bed. Her body was found two days later in the woods behind the sub-division in a shallow grave. Shocked, parent became over protective. The police questioned everyone. A neighborhood watch patrolled night and day. Nothing for six weeks. Slowly, life returned to a more normal pitch. Yet, there was a growing underlying tension that would not go away. Last week, the Pattersons heard a noise outside their house; the Coyote Springs police were called. They found nothing but a few footprints by the road. The next night a neighbor saw a shadow; he followed it to the Patterson backyard and saw Michael Davis prying up the daughter's window. He screamed for help. Davis broke the window and attempted to grab the girl. She fought him off and he ran. The police cornered him in his home. He died that night, but it was only the beginning of the nightmare for the rest of them.

Suddenly Davis's attention focused toward the west. He slowly started marching down the hill.

At least he can't fly like the ones in the movies, Anna thought

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