Hell Town

Chapter Five

Lani and Rick both screamed.

"Drive," Rick cried.

Lani swung the car around her and stepped on the gas. She was starting to hyperventilate, weaving wildly across the road. Halfway down the road, she braked hard.

"I'm going to be sick," she said. She opened the car door and hung out to vomit.

"That was Catherine," she said, her stomach heaving.

"I know."

"She's dead."

"I know!" Rick cried.

"We need to warn everyone and get help from somewhere."

She drove back to the diner. Audrey was inside along with her second in command, Ray, and a handful of customers.

Rick still needed support but seemed to be regaining his strength.

"Lani? What the hell is going on?" Audrey said, when they staggered in.

She helped Rick onto a stool, "We were out looking for the Sheriff and we found his car in a tree. And then we saw Catherine McGinley."

Audrey looked worried, "Did she hit her head?" she asked Rick.

"No, we really did see her out by the farm."

Audrey looked back and forth at both of them trying to decide whether this was a prank or not. Lani sighed, she knew Audrey wouldn't believe her.

"Lani," she said gently, "Catherine is dead."

Before she could reply, someone caught her eye in the back booth.

"You!" Lani yelled, marching towards her. It was the bitch from earlier.

"What did you do to Rick?" Lani demanded.

The woman smiled wickedly, "Rocked his world."

Lani lunged at her. Ray grabbed her arms to hold her back. He was in his sixties and had worked in the diner for years.

"Easy," he said.

"I see he pulled through. He's lucky. A few more seconds and I would have sucked the life out of him," the bitch said.

"You're disgusting," Lani spat.

"I've been called worse. I mean literally, its what I do." Her eyes glowed white, then returned to normal.

"What are you?" Lani gasped.

"A succubus," she said, throwing a wink to Ray. He shoved Lani aside but the woman gave him a disdainful look, "I like men with a bit more life in them."

Rick was making his way toward her, practically drooling.

"Rick!" Lani exclaimed, punching him in the arm. He snapped out of it, looking embarrassed. She could control men. That's what a succubus was, right? Some kind of sex demon? Oh, God, a demon? Her head was spinning, but she needed to keep it together.

Lani planted herself between them, "Get out of here."

"I plan to. Although I'll be sorry to miss the fireworks once he rises."

"What are you talking about?"

"Honey, this town is sitting on a precipice over hell and right now every nasty thing you can think of is clawing its way out, each more horrible than the last."

"Really? And how do you know that?"

"Because I was one of the first ones up."

"Get out, you crazy bitch," Audrey snapped.