Kim's.
Alex tugged one last time, and fell backwards onto the floor. The demon landed on top of him. It was one of the more tamer demons he'd seen. Mostly humanoid. Two arms, two legs. Razor-sharp teeth. Pure black eyes. It had two horns that curled upward, one longer than the other.
"Master," the demon whispered.
Peering around the demon, Alex saw Kim on the sheet, resting on her hands and knees. She vomited over and over into the trashcan. Donna stayed at her side, gently rubbing her neck, while Jason held the can for her.
Alex quickly put his hand on the demon's forehead. He wanted to send it back as fast as he could. The Felder family wasn't paying attention, except for Keith. There was no need to add to their list of horrible for the evening.
"Back you go," Alex said.
The demon cringed at his touch. It opened its mouth in an attempt to scream, but no sound came out.
It was gone, taking the chill in the house along with it.
The only sounds Alex heard were of pure emotion. Donna and Jason cried openly as Kim vomited once more. Kim had enough time to moan in pain and discomfort before vomiting again. Her body had rejected the demon, with his help. He had the feeling it wasn't just human bodily fluids running out of her mouth and nose. Not a pleasant thought.
Kim was finally done, and collapsed in her mother's lap, sprawling out like she'd been shot. Tears ran down Jason's face, but he looked at Alex and smiled. Kim took a few deep breaths before breaking down completely. She cried so hard that she gasped for breath. Her parents joined her, with Jason lifting her up and taking her in his arms. The Felder family embraced and cried together.
"Uhh," Keith said, still leaning on the back of the couch with Alex's phone. "Am I done?"
"Yeah, you are," Alex said. "Go hug your sister."
Keith didn't need to be told twice. He dropped the phone on the couch and ran across the room. With a hard tackle, he almost knocked his family over. Kim, despite being unable to stop crying, reached out for her brother. It was a touching scene.
Alex continued to watch while lying on his side, resting on his elbow. He was tired himself, and in no hurry to stand up. The Felders would never be the same again. They knew now that there was something beyond the darkness. Those noises at night, they weren't always just a loose critter running around, or a squeaky floorboard.
But it could have been much worse. Kim would probably need some therapy, but she was herself again.
It was a struggle to pull himself to his feet. He brushed his hands and jeans off as he surveyed the living room. Kim was standing as well, with help from her family. She pulled away and took three wobbly steps, nearly falling in the process. She stumbled into Alex's arms, and he caught her, holding her up.
"Thank you," Kim said, sniffling. "Thank you so much."
She pressed her face into his shirt and squeezed. Alex tried to set aside the fact that Kim's mouth was still covered in blood, vomit, and who-knew-what-else. He relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the moment.
Making money was a good thing. But helping a family in need was even better.
"You're very welcome," Alex said, returning the squeeze. He looked over Kim's head at Jason and Donna. They were smiling and crying at the same time, with Keith standing close. "I'd still get a house blessing. There's nothing wrong with spreading a little love and light in here. But, I think I'm done here. Case…."
He didn't finish what was becoming a favorite catch-phrase of his. He let it drift as thoughts circled and fought in his head.
"Okay," he said, trying to add a tone of finality to his voice. "I think we can talk about the rest of my fee now."
CHAPTER 3
Alex woke with a start behind the wheel of his truck. He wasn't completely asleep, just drifting lightly in and out
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