The Devil's Cowboy Read online

  Rafe disappeared down the hall. By the time he came back carrying a small overnight bag, Ellen was busy setting the table with baskets of cornbread, pitchers of milk and sweet tea, and deep earthenware bowls ready to fill with the spicy chili.

  She smiled at him. “Jeb’s been telling me about your program. I wouldn’t exactly call what you’re doing here ‘riding lessons.’”

  “We have different groups come in about four times a week. They’re great kids. They all have challenges in their lives—some of them are physically handicapped, some severely autistic. Others suffered abuse. After she was taken from the motel room they found her in, still guardin’ her mama who was lying there dead of an overdose, little Grace—the one we passed waiting her turn at the corral—never spoke a single word. Not till we put her on the back of Cherub for the first time. Now she whispers all her secrets into the ear of that mare. When she gets off, she’s got the biggest smile you ever saw on her face. She’s found a true friend.”

  “Jeb says many of the horses here, and the other animals as well, were in situations as bad as that of some of the children.”

  “I can’t bear to see a creature mistreated, whether human or animal,” Rafe replied. “On a ranch, we can always make room for one more around the table or around the trough.”

  Dinner was a raucous affair, with half a dozen excited kids all vying for Rafe’s attention as they told him about their afternoon ride. Several caregivers accompanied the kids, along with Steven and Sierra, the young couple who’d been leading the horses around the corral.

  “We live in a cabin here on the ranch and work for the nonprofit foundation Rafe set up,” explained Sierra when she sat down next to Ellen at dinner. “Kids come here, lost and alone, terrified of everything, especially creatures so massive, so powerful. They find out these huge animals are gentle and loving. And they just begin to open up, lose their fear and their anxieties as they bond with the animals. It’s great to see a child free to become a child again.”

  It was nearly dark by the time they headed back to Dallas. Ellen turned to Rafe.

  “You’re just full of surprises. A nonprofit foundation?”

  “I’ve had a few wealthy clients who wanted to do somethin’ in return for my help in ridding them of negative forces that invaded their lives or the lives of loved ones. Their generous gifts to the foundation help a lot of kids.”

  “What about Jeb? And Steven and Sierra? I have a feeling there’s a story behind each of them too.”

  “Their stories are theirs to share with you. I’m sure they will when they see fit. Like I said before, there’s plenty of room on a ranch and plenty of work for folks who are lookin’ to make a positive change in their lives, to make themselves useful.”

  He glanced over at her. “We’re headin’ into a tough situation, darlin’. You know that. You can feel it, just like I can. We need to be prepared for just about anything to happen tonight.”

  He went on. “You asked me a question back at Melanie’s house that I never answered.”

  Ellen nodded. She remembered struggling back from the terrifying possession of her mind, asking him then if the dark force they encountered in the house was the devil.

  “I was pretty upset, still not in my right mind, or I’d never have asked such a ridiculous question. I believe in goodness. I believe in angels. I’ve felt surrounded by them all my life. But despite what I felt when she took over, I can’t accept the idea of the existence of a supernatural force made up of pure evil.”

  Rafe glanced over at her. “I had a chat with the devil himself once,” he remarked casually. “He’d be inclined to disagree with you.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, right. And that’s story number two of how you got the name Devil’s Cowboy? Next you’ll tell me you two are BFFs.”

  “You know, for a person who lives with spirits, encountering the unseen world on a daily basis, you’re pretty narrow-minded, aren’t you?”

  Ellen bristled. “Narrow-minded? I don’t think so. I’m simply not as gullible as some of the people you’ve apparently run into while doing this work. I’m sure you spoke with some dark soul, one stuck here, filled with rage. I’ve run into two of them myself in the past. But when I brought in healing light, I felt the darkness dissipate. It was only negative energy, the residue of an unhappy life. Of course, it took a long time—one of the encounters took place over several sessions. The trapped soul had been immersed for so long in his pain and anger. He needed time to accept the idea that he could still choose to go into the light.”

  “So you think the evil forces we encounter from time to time are nothin’ more than folks who’ve had a tough life, hangin’ on to all their bad feelings after they’ve passed.”

  “Well, to put it simply, yes.”

  Rafe considered her reply, allowing the silence to build as they sped down the dark highway. “I wish it was that easy,” he said finally, shaking his head. “But I’m very much afraid you’re going to find out that pure evil exists—and you’re going to find it out tonight.”

  Chapter Six

  The miles sped by as Rafe explained the steps of the ritual he planned to carry out.

  “First, I set up a special area in the house as the center of operations, with tools and objects I’ve used many times before. I spend a little time there meditating about the intention of my work before I begin, kinda getting my head in the game.”

  “I do the same thing,” Ellen agreed. “Calling on my spirit guides for help, using old, familiar psychic tools to clear a place of negative energy. Do you sage?”

  “Sure do. I harvest my own, white sage wild-grown on the ranch, just like the Indians used. We’ll smudge the whole house before we do anything else.”

  He paused, as though weighing just how to say what was on his mind. “Ellen, I’ve got to tell you, I’m worried.”

  “So am I. I’ve never been in a situation with such strong dark energy.”

  “No, I mean I’m worried about you, how you’ll handle her presence this time.”

  “I admit she took me by surprise, Rafe. I’ve never encountered a spirit filled with so much anger and pain. I didn’t know an entity could project those feelings into me so intensely when I attempted to communicate with it. But I’m on guard now. I know what she’s capable of. She won’t take over my mind again.”

  “Just remember, darlin’, she can’t hurt you. No spirit of a person who has passed can. But the dark angel you saw—he’s different. It was him you felt right at the end. He’ll try to influence your mind again through her, since it worked before. He’ll fill it with darkness and despair, until you’re ready to act in ways you never dreamed you would. The devil feeds on human weaknesses. Fear, obscene lust, rage, and pain… they make him stronger. You need to remember who you are, who we are together and why we’re there. The only way I can protect you is if you stay open to me, trust in me, stay in the light.”

  “I told you, Rafe, I don’t believe in the devil. I felt the dark energy in Adam’s room yesterday when I was alone in the house and I’ve felt what that woman’s spirit is capable of. I’m sure I can handle it better this time. I’ll be fine.”

  * * *

  It was after ten by the time they set up back at Melanie’s house. Rafe unpacked candles and sage and incense, sea salt and crystals, from the bag he carried. He brought out a small, well-worn wooden figurine about a foot tall, setting it in the center of the dining room table and surrounding it with lit votives. Traces of faded paint decorated the object here and there. A pair of wings ready to unfurl still bore a tattered layer of gold leaf. The statue looked as though it could have come straight from the altar of a medieval cathedral. It radiated peace and comfort. Ellen could tell it was a treasured object, endowed over the years with the positive energy surrounding Rafe.

  “Is this your talisman?” Ellen asked.

  “My patron saint,” he replied. “I was named by my grandmother. She passed when I was a little boy, but we still communica
te from time to time. That’s Raphael. He’s an archangel, one of the seven. His job is to protect humankind from the spirit world. Granny said that was my job too, in this lifetime. She gave it to me years ago, said it’s been passed down in our family over the generations. I find it centers me, reminds me of why I’m doing this work.”

  He pulled out a crystal flask filled with clear liquid. The stopper was silver, a simple cross surrounded by tiny holes in the base.

  “Holy water?” Ellen was stunned.

  “After a fashion. It’s pure water from my underground spring, water I blessed myself, imbued with positive energy. We’re going to sage the house and bless it, then sprinkle this water around and see what pops out.”

  “See what pops out?” Her voice rose a notch. Ever since she’d walked back into the house, Ellen was becoming increasingly skeptical. Had this cowboy been stringing her along? Did he have any idea what he was doing? First his story of chatting with the devil himself, now this mystical water he was planning to sprinkle around like psychic flea powder.

  She stared at him as though seeing him for the first time, then gave a shiver. The cold seemed to be creeping back into the room. The thought popped into her head that her sudden feelings of distrust and skepticism about Rafe might be a sign that she was slipping under the influence of the madwoman’s spirit again, but she dismissed it. I can handle this, she told herself. I’m much stronger than she is.

  Rafe gave her a sharp look. “Are you feeling anything… odd?”

  “Not at all,” she replied tartly. Honestly, the man was infuriating sometimes. But then, all men were. They’re liars, all of them. Cruel and heartless. You can’t trust him—can’t trust any of them, whispered a voice in her head.

  She shook her head. No, that’s not right, she argued silently. That may be what you believe, but it’s not true.

  He lit a bundle of sage, dropping it into a pearly white abalone shell and waving an eagle feather over it to disperse wisps of smoke around the room, all the while murmuring some incantation in a language Ellen couldn’t understand. It sounded like Latin, but then there were words that reminded her of Indian chants she’d heard when she attended a ceremony back on the Cherokee reservation in the mountains. She glanced around and frowned. The room was getting hazy and the smoke seemed to be clouding her vision, making her head hurt. She moved away a few steps.

  “You’re right,” he said, as though hearing her thoughts again. “That last part was an old Indian blessing I learned from a Lakota medicine man I studied with a few years back. I’m not sure exactly how the dark force that’s here originated, so I’m calling on a variety of spirits to assist us.”

  He circled the room slowly and methodically, waving the eagle feather over the smoldering bundle as he walked, sending the smudge into every corner.

  Ellen stood alone, transfixed, as the smoke twisted and swirled. Shapes appeared and disappeared in the mist, becoming more distinct as she stared. She found herself caught up in the smoky haze, drifting outside her body above the room. She heard voices. Faint whispers carried on the smoke, promising savage pleasures to come that would fulfill all the wicked, secret desires she’d hidden deep inside for so long… if she would only let go and follow.

  She was still aware of Rafe circling the room below, but the ceiling disappeared and she floated higher into a cloud of smoky mist. Then in the distance, Ellen watched as another Rafe materialized out of the fog. His form became more substantial and he came close, pulling her into a passionate embrace. He devoured her with kisses, left her breathless.

  Ellen threw her arms around him eagerly, hungry for more. He backed away for a moment, his eyes smoldering with lust, then reached out and ripped off her shirt. She gasped as his hot mouth fastened on one nipple, sucking and licking, biting and teasing. The faint voices whispered in her ear, “This is how it can be when you let go and come to me. I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted, everything you hunger for when you’re all alone in your bed at night.”

  The hands of the smoke-built Rafe unfastened her pants, pushing them down along with her panties to leave her standing naked before him. Some part of her rational brain was still functioning and she suddenly became aware of the wetness building between her legs in her real body as his shadow self drew her down and spread her thighs wide apart. Ellen gave in to the ravenous desire building inside. She opened her ethereal self willingly to him, desperate for his stiff cock to ram itself inside her and fill this sudden, frantic need.

  Rafe smiled down at her lovingly… but then the smile turned hard and cruel and she felt an intense wave of cold flow through her. The earlier voice in her head whispered an urgent plea. “Liar. Cruel and heartless. Don’t believe him. This is how it really will be.”

  Suddenly she was pinned to the floor by unseen arms, unable to move. She watched in horror as the phantom Rafe waved his arm and conjured two faceless, naked hulks out of the mist. They flowed toward her, dark and forbidding. Each one had an impossibly huge penis, already throbbing with need. The creatures stroked themselves as they moved closer. She struggled, looking up at Rafe. His eyes glowed with lust as the two men came closer to her naked body. Now he was urging them to take her any way they chose while he held her down… and watched.

  Ellen let out a strangled cry, desperately trying to force the images out of her head. She reached out blindly for something, anything, to ground her.

  Rafe, the real Rafe, was by her side in an instant. He came closer, wafting the sage around her deliberately. He whispered under his breath, watching her closely.

  Ellen shuddered violently as the smoke built up around her again. “Stop it.”

  “I need you with me, Ellen. I need you to be fully present.” His voice rose, issuing a demand that echoed through the smoke-filled room. “I banish all spirits. Ellen alone dwells in this body. No creature of darkness, no other soul has dominion here.”

  She moved away from him, muttering incoherently.

  He put down the sage and grabbed the flask. “I command all other spirits to be gone.”

  Water sprinkled down over her head. Ellen screamed, backing away. “Stop it! What are you doing?”

  “Let this water protect and bless Ellen. Let her body and soul be here together, unmarked and unharmed by any dark entity.”

  The water splashed over her again, burning like acid. With a harsh cry, Ellen struck out, dashing the flask from his hand. It shattered on the wood floor.

  “You can’t trick me,” she snarled. “I know who you really are.”

  Rafe grabbed her, pulling her tight into his arms again as he had earlier in the day.

  “It’s okay, darlin’. It’s me. And you’re not her. I know they’re both strong, stronger than anything you’ve ever experienced. But you can do this. You can drive them out of your mind. I’m here to help.”

  “Help?” Her voice rose into a shriek. “Like you helped all the others? I know what you’ve done. I’ll see you in hell first. Let’s go there right now—together.”

  She caught him off guard, whirled in his arms. Grabbing a lit candle, she hurled it against the wall and narrowly missed setting the filmy white drapes on fire. Rafe let out a muffled curse, dragging her with him as he kicked the candle now lying on the floor and stepped on the wick to make sure it was out.

  Never letting her go, his boot snagged the leg of a dining room chair and he pulled it close. He sank down on it and for the second time that day, Ellen found herself upended over his lap, one strong arm pinning her in place like an iron bar.

  “I’ve had just about enough out of you, ma’am,” Rafe was saying. “Ellen, I’m sorry you had to get caught up in this, but both of you ladies need to know I’m not accepting any more bad behavior—from either of you. Ellen, if you don’t like what’s about to happen, I suggest you fight harder next time this ‘dark soul’ as you call it decides to pop in for a visit. Maybe by the time I’m through spanking you, you’ll believe that evil exists… and you’ll choo
se to send it packing right from the get-go instead of lettin’ it creep into your mind.”

  His hand descended on her upturned bottom. Ellen screeched. He ignored her outburst, raining down a volley of harsh smacks. She cursed and pounded on his thighs with her fists.

  “I’m guessin’ a real live butt-burnin’ spanking will bring your mind and body back together right quick,” he was saying. “It’s hard to keep your head in the spirit world when your ass is being walloped in this one.”

  She kicked and shrieked, struggling to get away. Rafe draped one leg over both of hers and grabbed a handful of pants and panties around her waist, yanking them both down at once with one swift tug. He stopped for a moment, as though taking in the sight of her quivering ass bared for him once again, then began spanking her in earnest.

  The obscene images disappeared instantly. All other sensations flew out of her head as well, leaving only the vicious sting of his palm cracking down on her already aching bottom. She wailed, she screamed, she pleaded and begged, not even knowing what she was saying. Still his hand whacked her over and over. Her entire world narrowed, focusing only on the agonizing fire he was igniting on her backside.

  Gradually, Ellen realized the frightening visions had vanished for good. The wild anger was gone and the bone-chilling cold that had invaded her body disappeared as well.

  “Rafe, you can stop now,” she managed to blurt out. His only response was to shift her slightly on his lap, giving him a better aim at her well-padded sit spot.

  “Rafe, stop! I’m back. It’s me, Ellen.”

  “Good. ‘Cause Ellen’s the one I’m meanin’ to spank right now.”

  “Rafe, don’t! Please don’t. You’re hurting me.”

  “I’ve told you before, darlin’, if it doesn’t hurt, I’m not doin’ it right.”

  Ellen realized no amount of begging or pleading would have any effect. She sagged against his hard thighs, defeated and defenseless, and gave way to the tears that she’d been holding back so fiercely. Once she started crying, Ellen let loose all the fear and frustration, the anger and pain that the horrible images implanted in her mind had conjured up. She sobbed as though her heart was broken.