Page 6 of In My Closet

"What do you mean other issues?" My mate questioned with narrowed eyes, not sounding too happy with Kastoron.

"Dimensional gateways are usually set up in that they draw in lost spirits and entities. Also, entities are drawn to it because it means they can pull shit from the other side over to this side. So, you're gonna start to have unsavory visitors of the ghostly and demonic kind sooner rather than later." Kastoron paused briefly to study the area around the closet with a furrowed face. "Though… Something about this gate… It should be a hotbed of paranormal activity, yet I don't sense anything besides whatever is in the closet for miles."

Yeah, because I'm here, you horn head!

Another angry pound against the barrier caused Kastoron to flinch slightly. "I don't know if it has to do something with the gate itself because I can't see it or if it has to do with whatever is stuck on the other side." A heavy axe of tension hung in the air, ready to descend with the next words. "Which makes me wonder what is on the other side and why it's trapped."

After a long sigh, Gracie took tentative steps toward the closet, stopping inches before it and looking at it with downturned eyes. "So, what now? Besides move, because I ain't doing that." She didn't sound too happy with that idea either.

Obviously, I wasn't because that meant losing my mate. I didn't want that. I'd surely go mad without her presence to keep me anchored. It already killed me to be unable to touch her. The ghosting whispers from my tendrils only soothed the need to an extent, and ghosting her body when she entered the closet served more like torture. The fact she was there and I could somewhat touch her but not fully, nor could I show myself to her, was just cruel.

"I'll contact Aesophedus and Levianth and see what they can do," Kastoron said with a defeated sigh and shrug of his shoulders. "In the meanwhile, just stay safe and try not to piss off whatever is in there, I guess." Scratching his horn, he twisted his face in thought for a second, "And I guess if things start to show up, then you can stay at our place until you figure out your next course of action."

"Fucking hell, how does this shit happen to me?" Gracie groaned into her hands with a frustrated cry. "I just wanted freedom, and when I get it, I get a haunted closet, great." Her voice was saturated with sarcasm at the last bit.

"Hey, could have ended up with a Kastoron, so it's not that bad." Her friend tried to cheer her up with an awkward laugh.

"Yeah! My doll has a point. You could have a demon chucking shit at you and scaring you around every corner." And now I wanted to throttle the idiot out the window. I would wonder if he was serious or not, but knowing him… Yeah… I pity the poor human girl who put up with his shit.

"Do you want us to spend the night just in case?" Her friend offered with a concerned frown.

Sheepishly, my mate nodded her head. "Please? It'd make me feel safer."

Well, I didn't like that. I mean, did she not trust me? Did she really think I'd harm her?

Okay, that might have been a little irrational of me because she couldn't have known any of that. Still, it pissed me off.

I would never harm my little blessing.

Chapter 5

Gracie

Well, when my door rang, the last person I expected to open it to was an even shorter girl than me.

"Hi there, I'm Emma." She introduced herself with a smile that put the sun to shame as she waved at me.

"Umm hi? I'm sorry for seeming rude, but… Uhh, are you here because of Kastoron? Or are you one of my neighbors, who I'm unaware of, coming by to say hi?" She could very well be one of my neighbors.

I wasn't the most social person around, so I definitely didn't go around introducing myself to everyone after I finished moving, nor did I want to. Yeah, call me a little loner hermit, but that's how I preferred things. It was also because I didn't know how to talk to people properly in person. Online? No problem, mainly because I had a screen to hide behind.

"Well, yes, and no? I'm a detective for the Portland Police, but I'm also a paranormal detective. I don't personally know Kastoron, but my husband does, and that's who Kastoron reached out to." Emma's response somewhat confused me, but I forced myself to swallow the information either way as I stepped aside to let her in.

"And your husband is?" I prodded for an answer as I gestured her over to the couches.

Now, like any normal person, I was expecting an answer and maybe some pictures. Ya know, normal shit.

Not her shadow coming to life!

Yeah, I probably should be somewhat used to seeing shadows have a mind of their own with Kastoron, but I had the foreknowledge of him being around. This literally happened out of nowhere!

Emma's shadow literally popped up off the ground and solidified into a demon with huge bat-like wings, horns on his head, and clawed hands. And here I thought Kastoron looked a little terrifying.

"That would be me." The demon spoke as his figure became more physical. "Levianth, the guardian and hunter, a pleasure to meet you." And his voice was deeper and raspier than Kastoron's, too. "Kastoron told me that you had a gateway to be debugged?"

Okay, this just got a little awkward. "Uhh yeah… It's upstairs in my room. Kastoron's up there with Stella right now."

Great. Not only did I have to put up with one demon, but now I have a second one to put in the mix. Great, just fucking great. What did I do to deserve this!? I've been a good person! I only told white lies when needed and never cheated, stole, or, God forbid, killed. I mean, maybe a fly or spider here and there, but that was the extent of murder by my hands, I swear!

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