Page 91 of Coven of Corpses

“I was,” Cody said through gritted teeth, his eyes locked on the dark figure outside the glass. “He’s lying.”

Cody couldn’t think of what to do. He stood with hands at his sides, his entire body—Demmy’s body—thrumming with the need to be in action, to be moving, fighting, shutting that fucker’s face for good.

“I’m scared here,” Felicia’s voice continued. “I want to come back. Why can’t I come back?”

“This is awful,” Alice said, putting her hands over her ears. “I can’t listen to this.”

“You leave my mother out of this!” Greg shouted, taking a step toward the window. “You stay the fuck away from my family!”

“Dad, stay the hell back,” Cody said.

“Did you hear me?” Greg took another step toward the window. He pointed at the figure lurking just beyond the glass. “Stay the fuck away!”

An arm shot through the window, the hand tipped in long black claws, skin pale and hairless. It reached for him, the nails clicking as they came together an inch away from snagging the front of his jacket.

Cody and Demmy both grabbed an arm and yanked Greg back. As they watched, the arm twisted slightly, nails clacking and clicking together. The glass hadn’t broken; the witch had simply pushed his arm through the barrier.

“How?” Amelia said.

“He’s very powerful,” Tracey replied. “The wards are wearing thin. They won’t last much longer.”

Baron slowly drew his arm back. Once his hand slipped through the glass, the window was whole again.

“I can smell your fear,” Baron said, turning his head side to side. Light seemed unable to penetrate the space inside his hood, keeping his face draped in shadow. “I can taste it. Let me come inside. I can soothe that fear. Together we can stop this demon. Think of the power we’ll wield. A brand new coven, pulling energy from the crossroads. I can teach you how to wield the power of your ancestors, and together we’ll bring an age of magic to this town.”

“Swipe left,” Cody said. “But thanks.”

“Let me in!” The lights outside flickered as Baron slammed his palm against the door frame. The entire building shook from the impact, the glass vibrating. Cody wondered if the hex bags would be able to keep him out if the glass shattered.

Baron’s low chuckle scraped against Cody’s nerves. "The blood of the descendants runs strong in you. I don’t need much. Just a taste."

He took a step back and brought his hands together in front of him, palm to palm, one atop the other. Cody squinted and took a step back. Was he going to shatter the glass? Baron allowed some space between his palms and his fingers moved in sync, crooking and waving like a spider and its mirror image. The large window frosted over, ice crystallizing in unnatural patterns. As they watched, the frost formed symbols—unfamiliar sigils that made Cody’s eyes hurt.

"He's trying to work a breaking spell," Tracey said, her voice tight.

“Can he get inside?” Jugs asked.

“Maybe," Clarabell replied.

The frost symbols began to glow with a sickly purple light. The hex bag nearest the window burst into flames, causing everyone to cry out and step back.

Baron's voice rose in volume, no longer trying to sound human. “Open the door! Your flesh will feed my power!"

He threw back his head and extended his arms to either side. Levitating several inches off the sidewalk, he floated, suspended before the window. The symbols brightened, the purple light pulsing like a terrible heartbeat. With his head tipped back, the skin of his throat was visible in the light from the lamps. His skin had turned ashen and cracked like dried mud with veins of black running beneath. He raised his head and, within the shadows obscuring his face, his eyes glowed with the same purple light as the frost symbols.

“What the fuck?" Cody said.

“He’s giving himself over completely,” Tracey said. “I don’t know if he’s even human anymore.”

“What is he?” Alice asked.

“Evil,” Clarabell said.

Baron suddenly went still. His head snapped around like a predator sensing danger. He lowered to his feet and turned toward the parking lot. The symbols that had been forming on the glass melted away.

A low chuckle echoed from somewhere in the darkness—deep, resonant, and utterly inhuman.

They all watched as Baron turned his back on them and stepped into the parking lot. The gray skin of his hands appeared even more washed out in the glow of the lights. Then something moved in the shadows at the edge of the parking lot and a figure stepped into view.