The Eater of Souls: Noah House, #1

By T.L. Cerepaka

My name is Noah House: magical detective, demon slayer, and former Chosen One.

After being exiled out of polite magical society for a terrible mistake I made, I'm forced to start my own magical detective business to make do. I take the cases no one else takes, solve the crimes that the Government won't, either because they are illegal or too dangerous or would ruin the risk of certain high profile individuals. It's tough work, but it pays rent, so I don't have anything to complain about.

That is, until I discover a plot to resurrect the most powerful demon lord ever, the very demon lord I saved the world from five years ago. It's a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels of magical society and will destroy everything I love if I don't stop it.

Stopping the conspiracy is easier said than done, however, when my family has disowned me, my friends have abandoned me, and my enemies are everywhere, including my own younger brother.

Things are about to get interesting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Annulus Publishing
• Release date: Sep 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386466314

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

It was the prettiest car crash I’d ever seen. I wouldn’t even call it a car crash, even though that was how the lady on the police radio described it.

The car itself—a sleek, red four-door sedan with a cool spoiler and tire covers so clean they practically sparkled under the glare of my flashlight—had apparently been heading down the highway at 60 miles an hour before suddenly pulling off the road and onto the grass on either side of the road. It had stopped in front of a fence which surrounded an abandoned church and graveyard. My gaze briefly paused on the church, which looked eerie in the darkness of the night, before my eyes turned back to the ‘crashed’ car.

The car’s condition was pretty good. It had scrapped against the fence when it went off the road, which was obvious when you noticed the scrapped off paint on the passenger’s side, but otherwise, it seemed to be in near perfect condition. I kept forgetting that amages—that is, people who lacked magic and were not part of the magical community, unlike me—were more easily panicked than us mages and seemed to treat every stressful situation as if it was the end of the world.

Then again, it was very dark and late at night. I was something of a night owl myself, so when the police radio in my office spoke of a car crash a few miles outside of town that needed an immediate response, I pulled on my jacket and headed out as fast as I could. But I could see how someone who was driving by might look at the skid marks on the road, see the still car with a smoking engine off the side of the road, and assume some kind of car crash had happened. Especially if they just kept driving, though most amages wouldn’t understand why they kept driving. I didn’t, either, but I had my theories and none of them involved anything as ordinary as drunk driving or a blown tire.

Speaking of the smoking engine, I walked up to the front of the car and popped the hood. Raising the hood, I aimed my flashlight down and saw that the engine was indeed damaged, but not irreparably so. It didn’t look like an ordinary engine failure. The holes from which the smoke issued looked like claw marks as if a lion had slashed through the engine.

But I knew that no lion could possibly have done this because Texas didn’t have any wild lions and I had not heard of any reports of lions escaping from any of the zoos. There was one kind of creature, however, which I knew could slash the engine of a moving car without being seen. The amage cops who should up to answer the emergency call wouldn’t be able to make sense of it, but I would, and I didn’t have much time to finish my investigation and confirm my theory before the police showed up.

Shutting the hood, I held up my flashlight and said, Simon, have you found the lady’s ghost yet?

There was a brief pause before something small, black, and furry darted out from underneath the car. It was a black and white cat, who jumped on top of the car’s hood and sat, looking up at me with his unnatural purple eyes. His tail swishing back and forth, Simon almost looked like an ordinary cat, though I knew Simon, as my familiar, was not an ordinary cat.

Nope, said Simon promptly. He licked his paw and began cleaning his face. I tried talking to her, but she wouldn’t answer. Rather rude, if you ask me.

There’s no way the driver could have been dead for more than five minutes, at most, I said, scratching my chin thoughtfully. Her spirit should still be lingering around here, even if only in a weak form. At the very least, you should be able to speak to it.

I don’t know, Noah, said Simon with a shrug. There aren’t any hard and fast rules about the spirits of the dead. Depends on how happy they were with their life. If they’re happy and have no regrets— Simon snorted when he said that, —then they usually just pass right on to the afterlife. If they’re depressed and have a lot of unfinished business on God’s green Earth, then their spirit can linger for years and become meaner and meaner as time goes. You remember the Porter mansion ghost, don’t you?

Don’t remind me, I said. But how could the driver have died so suddenly? Her car didn’t even actually crash.

Heart attack, maybe? said Simon. She’s an older lady, probably in her fifties or so. She’s also quite fat.

Possibly, but we need to exhaust all possibilities first before we jump to any conclusions, I said. Let me see her body.

I walked around the front of the car to the driver’s side. I waved a hand at the car door, casting a spell which unlocked it, and then pulled the door open and pointed my flashlight inside.

The woman who lay slumped against the wheel was indeed quite fat, as Simon so eloquently put it. She reminded me of my own mother somewhat, except my mom at least knew how to take care of her appearance and make her size work for her rather than against her. This woman wore too tight clothing and short shorts which would have looked better on a much younger and slimmer woman but which only served to emphasize her weight on her. The only part of her appearance which she seemed to care about was her hair, which was done in neat curls, but other than that, she looked like a slob to me.

She also looked unconscious, rather than dead, but Simon had already figured out that she had died when the car came to a stop on the side of the road. That was another reason I doubted this was a car crash. If she had died while driving, the car would have run off the road and crashed into, rather than against, the fence. Maybe she pulled her car over onto the side of the road and then died, but that didn’t seem likely to me, either.

I reached over and poked her shoulder. No movement, though her skin was unnaturally cold, which didn’t make sense, given how she couldn’t have died more than a few minutes ago at best. Bodies didn’t cool that fast.

But what I found most odd about her body was the lack of visible wounds. From what I could see, her body was completely unharmed. No cuts or scratches or open wounds or anything like that. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like she had just died while driving. That didn’t make sense, because while she wasn’t a spring chicken, she also didn’t seem old enough to die of natural causes. Nor did she seem to have any medical problems, aside from her weight, but I’d never heard of even an obese person just suddenly dying without warning like that.

I stood up and considered the evidence. Unnaturally cold skin, no visible wounds or injuries, leaning against the wheel like she had fallen asleep while driving, her spirit not lingering ... and then there was the slashed car engine in the front. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to go together in my mind, but the conclusion they suggested was one I didn’t want to consider, yet it was also the only one that made sense.

There was only one way to find out.

I leaned forward and, aiming the flashlight at her face, forced open her left eye.

It was completely white.

Simon, I said, standing upright and weaving my flashlight back and forth, I know what killed the woman now.

You do? said Simon, who was sitting on the top of the car, his black tail swishing back and forth. Was it obesity? Obesity can cause heart problems, which is the number one killer of American women, and she’s quite big, so—

No, it wasn’t obesity, you dumb cat, I snapped. It was a—

Out of the corner of my eye, something shot out of the shadows toward me. I raised my hand and cast a shield spell, instantly conjuring a thin but impenetrable energy barrier in front of me. The thing which had shot out of the shadows slammed into the barrier and went stumbling backward, grunting in surprise.

I dismissed the barrier and aimed my flashlight at the dazed creature which lay on the ground before me.

The creature looked almost like a teenage human, with unnaturally pale skin and coal black hair that seemed to fade into the shadows. Yet his messy hair could not hide the tiny horns poking out from his crown or the barbed tail poked out between his legs. He was a skinny creature, almost skeletal, and he reeked of death, but I knew from experience not to judge these monsters based solely on their physical appearances.

Holy crap, said Simon, staring at the fallen creature, which was still dazed from running head first into my barrier. That’s not what I think it is, is it?

It is, I said. A demon. And not just any demon, either, but the murderer of this woman.

Murderer? said Simon, looking at me all of a sudden. But I don’t see any claw marks on her.

It ate her soul, I said, throwing an annoyed look at Simon. That’s why you can’t talk to her soul and why she died all of a sudden because there is no soul to talk to.

Ah, said Simon, nodding. Makes sense. Are you gonna kill it?

I turned away from Simon to focus on the demon and raised a hand. Blue fire crackled in my free hand as I said, I have no choice. The Ancient Laws state that all demons are to be killed on sight. I may not be a demon slayer anymore, but I still have to follow the Laws like anyone else.

I threw a blue fireball at the demon, but the demon rolled to the side and avoided the fireball, which struck the ground where he had been lying and set it on fire. The demon lunged toward me, claws outstretched, but I summoned a blade of blue light in my hands and slashed at the demon as it drew closer toward me.

The demon cried out in pain as my sword cut open its chest. It dropped to the ground, but before it could react, I kicked it in the chin, sending the demon staggering backward. Moving in closer, I slashed at the demon, but it dropped into the darkness underneath it and my sword missed it entirely.

Where did it go? said Simon in surprise, his head whipping back and forth urgently.

No idea, but don’t let your guard down, I said, looking this way and that as I searched for the demon, this demon clearly isn’t a higher class one, but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous, especially toward familiars.

Stop speaking about me like I’m some kind of wild animal, said a voice behind me, it’s rather offensive.

I whirled around to see the demon standing in front of the car, a wicked grin on his face. His chest wound must have healed quickly because when I pointed my flashlight at him, the wound was missing.

You demons aren’t any better than beasts, I said. Forgive me if I’m not as polite to soul eaters like you as I should be. My parents always taught me you had to earn respect before you could ask for it.

The demon chuckled. Indeed, your parents taught you many things, didn’t they, Noah House?

I stiffened. How do you know my name? I’ve never even met you.

The demon chuckled again. Every demon knows the name of the great Noah House, the Chosen One who slew the Demon Lord Raith five years ago. Yet here you are now, reduced to investigating the murders of insignificant amage women like some commoner. Your fall from grace must have been spectacular.

I scowled. How I got here is none of your business. And it won’t stop me from killing you like the animal you are.

The demon leaned forward, rubbing his claws together eagerly. "Oh, how you got here is my business, Noah House. Or, as you are better known to your fellow mages, the Butcher of Souls."

CHAPTER TWO

My breath caught in my lungs when the demon said that. My palms became sweaty and I started to shake slightly. My mouth became dry, but I managed to say, What did you call me?

The Butcher of Souls, the demon repeated, his grin never leaving his ugly lips. That’s what you are known for nowadays, isn’t it? Not for killing Lord Raith and saving the world. No, you are remembered for your crimes against your own people. Ironic, isn’t it?

I licked my lips. I hadn’t heard that nickname in a while, which was why it took me by surprise. The Feast of Souls is in the past. I’ve made my peace with what I did.

Is that why your hands are shaking? said the demon, tilting his head to the side. I’m no expert on human body language, but that’s usually not a good sign.

I looked at my hands. They were indeed shaking, despite my best efforts to control them. I looked up at the demon again. I’m only shaking because I’m eager to cut that ugly grin off your ugly face.

Reduced to mocking my appearance as a way to hide your own insecurities, the demon observed. You may be a mage, but you are still a human and suffer from all of the same weaknesses that all humans suffer from. You can never escape your ancestry or your nature.

I’m not trying to escape anything, I said. My words trembled slightly when I spoke. You’re the one trying to escape from me.

I’m not running now, am I? said the demon, spreading his arms. No, I’m right here, still savoring the taste of that woman’s soul. Granted, it wasn’t the most delicious soul I’ve ever had, but it was sufficient to satisfy my hunger. Yet I still desire more, and what could taste better than the soul of the Butcher himself?

The demon launched himself at me. Still distracted by his calling me the Butcher of Souls, I was unable to move out of the way or even attack. I just watched as the demon drew closer and closer to me, like watching a movie in slow motion.

Then I heard a loud growl and Simon landed on my shoulder and snapped in my ear, Snap out of it, Noah! Don’t let him get to you like that.

Simon’s harsh voice snapped me out of my inaction just as the demon got within claw’s reach of me. I raised my blue sword and held it out before me. The demon’s eyes widened in surprise, but he was unable to stop himself from impaling himself on the length of my blade. Green blood burst out of his back and stomach when he crashed into my sword, but I held my ground and didn’t move.

What ... the demon’s breathing came heavy and ragged. His eyes were on the blade protruding from his stomach. No way ...

Dropping my flashlight, I grabbed the demon’s head and forced him to look up at me. I met the demon’s terrified eyes and said, in a harsh whisper, You’re about to find out exactly why a lower class demon like yourself shouldn’t mess with the mage who killed Raith.

I began to channel burning Mana through my right hand, but before I could blow up his head, I heard police sirens somewhere behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the flashing red and blue lights of a police car as they made their way down the road to the car crash where I stood.

Uh oh, said Simon, who was also looking at the oncoming cars. Amage cops. Think we should make a run for it?

Yes, I said, but after I kill this—

Suddenly, demonic claws slashed at my chest. They cut through my leather jacket and tore through the flesh underneath, making me cry out in surprise. My concentration shattered, my blue Mana sword vanished and the demon staggered away from me. He clutched his bleeding stomach wound but was smiling like a madman.

Clearly, the Butcher of Souls still knows how to kill, said the demon, his voice much weaker than before, but even the Butcher of Souls won’t be able to stop the return of Lord Raith. Your days are numbered, Butcher. Start counting them now.

Before my startled eyes, the demon vanished into the darkness, leaving me standing there with my hand outstretched, Simon sitting on my shoulder and the two of us staring at where the demon had been standing mere moments before.

-

I didn’t stick around the car crash long after that. The Law of Secrecy meant that I wasn’t allowed to interact with amages, even amage police officers, because that risked revealing the magical community to the amage world. Even if the Law of Secrecy didn’t exist, I probably wouldn’t have stuck around. I’d learned everything I needed to know, and besides, I didn’t care for the police in general, whether mage or amage.

So, with help from Simon, I teleported us back to my office in Accords, Texas, which was my hometown and the main location of my private investigation business, House Investigations. As soon as I appeared back in my office, however, I staggered over to the sofa in the corner of the room and collapsed on it. My chest wound still burned from where the demon had slashed me and, while it was not debilitating, it still hurt like hell and would need medical attention soon.

Simon, who had hopped off my shoulder when we appeared in my office, jumped up onto the arm of my sofa and looked down at me with concern in his eyes. How do you feel? His claws didn’t have poison or anything on them, did they?

No, I don’t think so, I said through gritted teeth. I touched the wound and winced. Just ridiculously sharp claws, though they didn’t get my heart.

Simon sighed. "Whew.