Beyond the Veil

Chapter 15

I surveyed the walls of the small shop with no little interest. When I learned that the address Cole had given us was for a store on the corner of Second and Majestic I had expected it to be a front for drugs or something.

I caressed a role of satin that lined the walls, enjoying the feel of the smooth fabric. Cole for some reason had never struck me as the owner to a fabric store.

“I believe you would look lovely in that.” I jumped, I hadn’t heard Cole leave the backroom, he was supposed to be talking with Al. He reached over my head and pulled the bolt of fabric down from the wall and held it up to my face, his face falling into a frown, “Maybe not, the red would be too much for your skin tone. Now this,” He replaced the red satin and pulled down a bolt of fabric that was a soft baby blue and transparent, “I believe this would be perfect. With a simple under gown of white or maybe ivory it would be stunning.”

“Yo, Romeo, I thought you had information for me?” Al crossed his arms over his chest, the masculine stance lost on someone the same towering height as him.

Cole smiled, “I have information for her,” He directed the smiled at me, making me blush.

“Then what was that you told me back there?” Al gestured towards the back room.

Cole fluttered his eyelashes, the picture of innocence, “About the shipments of drugs coming into the city? Rubbish, I had to tell you something you could scratch your chin about so I could slip out here.”

Al scowled, “And why would you want to come out here? You have no customers.” He waved his arm in a circular motion, indicating the barren shop.

“For Miss Lacy of course,” he snorted at Al, before turning to me, “my apologies for using your first name with so much familiarity, it seems as though I can’t stop myself.”

“It’s fine.”

“Ah, gracious, and beautiful, a nice mixture.” He lifted my hand and placed a kiss on the knuckle. He looked up at me through long lashes, eyes dancing wickedly, “Would you perhaps like to hear what I know?”

“Yes!” Cole ignored Al, waiting for my silent nod instead before launching into his report.

“I will be honest, when we first met, I didn’t have the slightest clue as to what was going on, I just told you I did so you would come to my shop. But I hated to stoop to such low and untruthful standards and did some checking. It turns out that some of the lower demons in The Court were in debt to a necromancer. In return for the money they owed him, he demanded bodies of their victims as payment. What the fools did not realize is the process the necromancer uses to bring back the dead does not mix well with the venom that coats demon fangs. So when the bodies are brought back to life, they appear human, but if another demon feeds from them or they die again, the necromancers magic kicks into overdrive and incinerates the soul in seconds.” He smiled again, this time sadly, “All that is left then is the hollow shell, controlled by the necromancer.”

“Necromancers are real?” Al and I looked at each other, we had asked at the same time.

After giving us an unreadable look Cole answered, “In this world there are several magic’s that have disappeared, Alchemy, Sorcery, and Necromancy being the three main. The other two are dead, but modern scientists have found a way to reciprocate necromancy and its powers through chemicals and other processes.”

I looked over at Al, he shrugged, he was as lost as I was, “So you’re saying that regular living humans can bring back the dead like that?”

Cole nodded, the first serious expression I had ever seen on his face stared back at me, “That is correct. And I will be honest The Demon Court is not happy with this.”

“Why? Aren’t demons supposed to be soulless killers?” Al asked sarcastically, making me wince, sometimes he had no sense of self preservation.

Cole whirled on him, and I had to give him credit, he kept his temper in check, “You are still alive aren’t you little human?” Al visibly tensed, Cole continued, “We as demons are charged with keeping the balance, just as angels are charged with the same duty. We keep the dark in check and the angels keep the light. These scientists threaten the balance of darkness.”

Al gave him a droll look, “So what do we have to do about it?”

Cole scowled, “You have nothing in this,” he turned to me, “You however are another story.”

“What?” My voice came out as a squeak.

“I am going to take a wild guess and say that while you were alive you were…somewhat irregular in your temperament and mindset.”

How does he know that? “You would be wildly guessing right.”

He nodded, “I thought so. Do you know why you can do these things?” I shook my head, “You are one of The Lost.”

Al beat me to the question, “What in the heck is The Lost?”

Cole gestured towards the backroom, “Come with me. It is getting late and I imagine Miss Lacy would like to sit.” He led us to the back room before I even had the chance to draw breath to answer.

I sat in one of the red plush chairs in front of the black wooden desk that took up the majority of the room; Al sat beside me while Cole took the seat behind the desk. “Now where were we? Oh yes The Lost. The Lost are a group of spirits that remain on this side of The Veil. There are two things that make them special,” He held up two slender digits, “One, they are far more powerful than you average spirit and posses the ability of all other types of spirits, Possession, Haunting, Scratching and all that  common nonsense. The other is they influence the world around them based on their moods.” He looked at me the candle he kept lit on his desk, it was the only light in the room, cast shadows throughout his face. “Have you ever made anything explode when you were angry or upset perhaps?”

A blush crept up the back of neck, “Maybe once or twice.”

He reached over the desk to clasp my hand and pat it reassuringly, “It’s alright, it’s amazing to see one of you here. Most of The Lost go and stay on the other side of the veil. You are now not only beautiful, witty, and gracious, but a rare gem.”

“And you’re a flirt.” I gasped and stared at Al, his tone hurt for some reason.

“Al, that’s not-“ Cole put his finger to my lips and shook his head. “I am afraid he is right, but I would have to be a blind fool to not flirt with such a woman as you.”

Al muttered under his breath, “Knock it off, she’s a ghost anyway, go flirt with a demon chick.”

Cole’s smooth brow furrowed, “Chick? Ah, you must mean woman.”

“Yes, I mean woman you pompous-“ Cole’s white cane appeared in his hand and he rapped Al over the head with it. I bit back a giggle as Al massaged the sore spot and Cole lectured him.

“What have I told you about your language? There is a lady present! As to your astute comment about her being a ghost? That has nothing to do with the situation,” He patted my hand, “As you can see I can touch her as easily as I touch a living being. The only limitation would be she could not begin a family with me.”

Al moved so quickly I couldn’t follow his movements. He seized the lapels of Cole’s jacket and shook him, “Listen here, you watch yourmouth.”

Cole wrapped his hands around Al’s wrists and squeezed. Al let go with a yelp when Cole tightened his grip.

“I will be perfectly clear with you human; don’t be so stupid as to think that you are stronger than I am. As to interest in Miss Lacy that is none of your business, unless you plan to court her.” Cole raised an eyebrow in question at the sputtering Al.

Finally he regained his composure, and straightened his coat, “I have no interest in Lacy, she is only a valuable acquaintance, nothing more nothing less. I wouldn’t think of courting a woman like her.”

“A woman like me?” I asked, not completely sure it was me who asked, the voice was distant, detached, and it sounded angry.