A Torment of Savages (The Reanimation Files Book 4) by A. J. Locke Page B

cold though, so I stepped back inside the house. Kyo came as well, closing the door behind him. I followed him back to the living room where he started pacing.
    “Selene, there are entities that have been in the Afterlife for longer than you and I can fathom. They are the darkest dark. They are beyond ghosts who just suck up other ghosts for strength. I think these beings are where the human lore for demons comes from.”
    “Demons,” I repeated. “You’re trying to tell me demons are real?”
    “I’m trying to tell you that not everything on the other side fits neatly into the category of ‘ghost.’”
    “You mentioned something like this before,” I said. “Some kind of hierarchy of power that exists in the In Between.”
    “Yes,” Kyo said. “We referred to them as the Kage-Oni.”
    “ Kage-Oni?”
    “Shadow Demons,” he said. “Everyone in the In Between pretty much has their own name for them, although it’s more or less some variation of ‘Shadow Demon’ in different languages. Some of my Japanese warlock brethren came up with Kage-Oni.”
    “Understood. So the… Kage-Oni …”
    “Have been known throughout history to come over to this side and wreak havoc. Far more havoc than those crossover ghosts did. These beings aren’t driven by a thirst to complete their unfinished business or find other ghosts to eat. They are evolved far beyond that. All they care about is causing death and destruction.”
    “Well this sounds peachy.” I sighed.
    “I don’t know everything,” Kyo said. “But I do know that their calling card is blights such as the one in your backyard. And right after that comes death. For many. I don’t know which one of them is here, but none of them are good…”
    “I’m so confused,” I said, shaking my head. I was sitting on the couch, still holding Luna. “Some ancient, dark being has crossed over here to cause trouble? And caused a bunch of animals to drop dead in my yard? Why?”
    “I don’t know if you were targeted or if this was random,” Kyo said. “I am certain there will be more scenes like that popping up. It won’t only be here. Just know that this is not a good sign, Selene.”
    “Trust me; I didn’t take a yard full of dead animals to be a good sign.”
    “I’m serious. This is way beyond that.” He looked agitated.
    “I get it, it’s bad, it’s unexplainable. But what the hell am I supposed to do?”
    “Go about your day, go see Tielle. I’ll clean up the yard. Then I’ll go look around and see what else might be going on.”
    “I’m supposed to just get up and go about my day like you didn’t just tell me darkness and death has risen in my yard?”
    “It didn’t rise there,” Kyo said softly. “But it is here. And I have no idea how to stop it.”
     
    * * *
     
     
    My mood was bleak, as were my thoughts, as I walked into Tielle’s office. After Kyo had convinced me to leave, all I could think about on the drive here was what I had found in my backyard and the sinister, yet unclear information Kyo had given. As I drove, I half expected some dark wave to rise up out of nowhere and crash over my car, suffocating me then dragging my soul to hell. Well, back to hell.
    At my entrance, Tielle looked up from where she’d been bent over a tablet near the windows on the other side of the room. She’d been looking at it with Micah, who had been frowning but smiled when he saw me. Despite my bleak disposition, I couldn’t help but smile back. I was happy to see him. That feeling of wanting to be wrapped in his arms so I could forget all the bad shit going on stirred inside me. He came over and gave me a hug.
    “I heard about what went down with Leena,” he said. “I’m so sorry you had to find her like that.”
    “Part of the job I guess,” I said. “Sorry I didn’t call you last night. I was exhausted.” I glanced at Tielle. “Does that warrant me an office now, Tielle?”
    “No,” Tielle replied, coming over to us. I