Martyr’s Vow Series, Book 2
Horror/Supernatural/Romance
Date Published: 12-15-2023
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
All Armand wants is to share his life with his girlfriend Vonnie. But money
is tight, their relationship is fizzling, and not even a monster-hunting
side gig is paying off.
When a mysterious drifter named Mr. Penny-Farthing blows into town on his
antique high-wheeler, Armand thinks his troubles are over. Penny-Farthing
offers Armand and Vonnie enough money to cover their expenses with one
condition: they must find and return the soul of a serial killer who escaped
Hell.
Completing Penny-Farthing’s contract won’t be easy when demons
appear all over the city and bodies start piling up. Overwhelmed and pushed
to the brink, Armand realizes his greatest fear isn’t demons or
shadowy murderers: it’s losing Vonnie forever. Can Armand stop a
killer and keep the woman he loves, or will Hell take everything from
him?
Nail-biting and visceral, Mr. Penny-Farthing is a high-octane horror story
about escaping your comfort zone while fighting for love.
EXCERPT
I reach into my bag slowly and pull out the Legion of the Lamb handbook, given to all card-carrying members of my monster-hunting biker club. The Legion bestows this handy manual to all initiates, like Vonnie and me. It’s a treasure trove of information about ghosts and spirits, creatures that go bump in the night, and (thankfully) there’s a little bit about demonic possessions. I flip the pages quickly, searching for what I need.
“What the hell are you doing?” Vonnie hisses as she walks back in.
“You always say I should read more.”
“Not what I meant, Tark!” Vonnie’s eyes are glued on the boy.
“Maybe there’s something in here that’ll help.”
Fortunately, the Legion of the Lamb is pretty straightforward in naming things, so Demonic Possession Categorization and Banishment Techniques (Exorcizing Entities from Human Hosts) is probably what I’m looking for.
Salt, some holy water, incantations—all pretty straightforward stuff. I need the demon’s name, though.
“I’ll ask again.” I lean closer to the boy. “To whom am I speaking?”
“I’ve seen that before,” Kevin grunts.
“What have you seen before?” I demand.
Kevin stops grinning and his head snaps back with an audible pop, like his bones crack. The boy floats above the bed, his tiny arms outstretched, his legs limp. Hovering in the air, Kevin makes a weird gurgling sound. His body lowers again until the tips of his toes are touching the bed. His eyes turn pitch black, like a shark about to eat—and he speaks again.
“I’ve seen that before.” Kevin’s body starts to spin like a human top. The thing inside the boy is making a high-pitched whining noise. The sound grows louder the faster the boy rotates.
“What is it?” Vonnie asks, wincing from the sound.
“Some evil entity has decided to set up shop inside this kid, but we’ll get it out,” I tell her.
“Why Kevin? He didn’t do anything wrong. He seems to be a good kid.”
“Book says that they don’t the resistances that adults have. A demon might see an opportunity and slip in to cause havoc.” I toss her the book so that she can read. I don’t want to take my eyes off Kevin if at all possible.
Vonnie opens her backpack and pulls out the necessary tools: crushed salt, a Mason jar of holy water from a local Catholic church, a golden crucifix that she tosses to me and that I slip into my pocket, a small bell, and a white candle.
Fortified with renewed resolve, we’re going to kick this demon’s ass.
“I’ve seen that before.” It would be far handier for the demon to say something useful.
“I’ll bet you have,” I say slowly. “You’ve seen a lot of things in the Pit, haven’t you? But now, let’s play a new game. It’s called ring the room with salt.”
I uncork the bottle and start pouring salt on the floor, the white crystals spreading across the hardwood in a neat trail. Kevin writhes and growls.
“Don’t like it? Well, that’s tough.” I continue pouring salt in a line around the room’s perimeter, gingerly stepping over Legos and action figures and doing my best to keep an eye on Kevin. Vonnie is doing the same. “Almost there and the fun can begin. How’s about telling me who you really are?”
“I’ve,” the thing snarls.
“Yeah?”
“Seen.”
“Okay.”
“That.”
“Go on.”
“Before!” Kevin’s arms fling outward and he flies across the room and collides with me with immense force. The momentum violently propels me against a wall and I collapse onto a small bookshelf that splinters under my weight. The wind is knocked out of me.
Face down and muscles burning, I blink the world into focus. Blood drips down my face and I spit out what might be drywall. I manage to get to my knees and Vonnie helps me the rest of the way to my feet.
“You okay, baby?” Vonnie touches my cheeks.
“Me? Just peachy,” I say, wiping blood from my lips. I quickly check my teeth with my tongue to make sure they’re all still there. “This demon though, he’s in a world of pain. He really doesn’t like the salt.”
“Remember, Tark, he’s just a kid,” Vonnie reminds me.
“I know. Let’s extract that hellspawn from Kevin,” I say. “Get my knife.”
“Knife? Why would you need a knife?” Vonnie frowns watching Kevin float above his bed.
“I’m going to kill me a demon,” I tell her.
Infernal creatures use cunning and manipulation after they’ve embedded themselves in a host. At least that’s what the book said. After all, if somebody told you to vacate your new home, would you leave or resist?
Vonnie runs out of the house and grabs my hunting knife from Velma’s saddlebags. The gleaming polished silver catches light and shines with an almost otherworldly effect. When she hands it to me, the arcane symbols engraved in the blade shine in the darkened room. I grip the carved hilt and advance towards Kevin. My head still throbs from my tumble, but I shake it off and focus.
Kevin drops down to the bed, panting like a thirsty dog. His head lolls to one side and drool gathers on his bottom lip.
“Let’s try this again,” I say to the demon. “Whatever foul creature is squatting in this boy’s brain, you’re getting evicted.”
Kevin stops panting. An oily black tongue rolls out of Kevin’s mouth like a wriggling tentacle.
“I am Aguzath, Remover of All Locks and Barriers. This vessel is mine,” it says in a deep, inhuman voice.
“Aguzath. You’re out of your league, son.” I brandish the knife and the blade catches the light. “I’ll draw you out and bind you.”
The thing heaves foreword. Kevin’s mouth curves downwards, with elongated jowls that a small boy could never have.
With the demon focused on my knife, I start reciting the incantations from the Legion of the Lamb book. Vonnie pulls out the Mason jar filled with holy water and douses Kevin’s face. The kid howls, shaking the house.
“I exorcise you away from this child and bind you under my power!” I shout.
Kevin claws at his face.
“I’ve seen that before,” Kevin wheezes.
His jaw unhinges and stretches like it’s elastic. A terrible creature slides out of Kevin’s mouth, its shape amorphous for a moment before it takes on a humanoid form, pushing the boy off the bed. The thing’s skin is flayed and red. Kevin collapses on the floor, his arms and legs limp. I can’t tell if he’s still alive.
The demon pulls itself up to its full height. The two massive curved horns atop its head nearly graze the ceiling. The demon’s arms hang down, almost to the floor, and end in sharp talons. Its face looks like a crimson human skull covered by emaciated and taught flesh. Its fang-lined mouth opens and the long tentacle-like tongue flops out. Its black eyes stare at me.
It stinks. A foul, nauseous stench, like decaying, sour meat.
I charge forward and slash the sanctified knife downward. The sharp blade penetrates the demon’s leathery hide, splitting a huge gash in its chest. Thick ochre oozes from the fresh wound.
Aguzath bellows in agony and swipes at me. Its claws graze my shoulder and send me tumbling to the floor. I get up quickly and drive the blade towards the demon again, slipping the blade between the demon’s ribs. I try withdrawing the knife, but the blade won’t budge.
The demon opens its mouth and hits me with an acrid stench I’ll probably smell in my nightmares. Overpowered, I try to roll away but its infernal talons latch onto my torso. I desperately try breaking free, but Aguzath has me.
About the Author
Eric Avedissian is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. His
work includes the novels Accursed Son, Midnight at Bat Hollow, and the
role-playing game Ravaged Earth. His short stories appear in various
anthologies, including Across the Universe, Great Wars, and Three Time
Travelers Walk Into…. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and a
ridiculous number of books. When not chained to his writing desk, he hikes
the Pinelands and wastes too much time on social media. Visit him online at
www.ericavedissian.com.
Contact Links
Twitter @angryreporter
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