The doorbell rang, startling her and bringing her back to the present. She walked over to look through the peephole, half expecting to find the Other standing there. Thank God. It was Frank, a friend from the Bureau from when she did some work for them. She felt a little better as she let him come in. Not much, but definitely better than before he got there.
Frank strode in with the measured gait of a person who spent many years in law enforcement. And many years in the military prior to that. “Sorry I’m late. I came as soon as I could.” he said. He could tell something was wrong with her as she showed him in, then locked the door. It was in her eyes. They were looking everywhere except straight at him. Eyes often spoke volumes about a person. At the moment her eyes reminded him of some of his prior cases when he had to coax details of a mugging or rape from the distraught victim. “What’s wrong?” he asked after giving her a friendly hug.
She led him in without saying anything. He decided not to press her with questions. Let her take control. Follow her lead. That should give her the confidence to tell him the full story. She offered him a chair at the dining table and sat down in the chair opposite. Folded her hands and looked at them. Finally she sighed and said, “I met an Other today Frank.”
He looked at her sharply. “Where?”
“One of the rail cars. He came in while I was having a talk with my seat mate. He asked what I was doing there. Acted like he knew me.”
His left eyebrow raised. “Now that’s weird. Did he tell you his name?”
“No. Although he called me Ra-chel-ley. Said I was a Succubus. Can you believe that?” Frank shook his head no, exhaled slowly, his eyes on her. “What else did he say?”
Rachel recounted her story. How the Other said he didn’t care for her kind or for her opposites for that matter. Angels and their followers. And how he told her that he was giving her twenty four hours to get out of Hawaii or else she would cease to exist. “Frank, I don’t think I’ve ever been threatened by an Other before. I mean, I get the heebie-jeebies from them, who doesn’t but still. And calling me a succubus. Of all the weird ass things I get accused of being.” She trailed off after seeing the look in Frank’s face. He was hiding something and she let him know it.
He managed to look startled at her accusation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied.
“Oh come off it Frank. I can tell you’re hiding something. I didn’t even have to use my power to figure that out.”
Frank briefly considered making up some lie about having to leave. Then thought better of it. It was probably time she found out. “Well,” he started, “you’re not a Succubus.”
She snapped, “I know that!” Her impatience and nervousness got the better of her. She took a deep breath and tried again. “Look, my mental abilities let me get people’s attention and make them more receptive towards me but that’s hardly”
“You’re a half succubus.”