Free Devlin's Curse by Lady Brenda

she had been violated by the Devil.
    Eventually five sturdy men carried her bound and gagged to Esmeralda.  She lay now with her feet and wrists tied to the four-poster bed. Esmeralda bathed her in salt water then took up a cross, made from two pieces of rowan wood, bound together with red thread.  She held it above the girl’s head as she spoke words of magic over her
    “ By the goddess, Diana and this holy cross of Rowan, by fire and water, I purify thee. I, Esmeralda, caste out and forbid all hostile forces and entities that may enter the corporal body of this girl. I forbid you her flesh and blood, her body and soul, I forbid and deny your entrance to her mind, fears and strengths, I caste out all demons and entities in the name of the God and Goddess. That she shall be free and whole, cleansed form all negativity. And shall refrain from all Evil and dark thoughts and actions .”
    While she spoke, a young Chinese man and Esmeralda’s assistant, Kuong Woo placed acupuncture needles in strategic areas. The acrid scent of burning herbs filled the air. Kate writhed and thrashed. Her eyes rolled up in her head. She placed the rowan cross around Kate’s neck.
    “What do you see, Kate?” Esmeralda asked.
    Kate’s eyes focused suddenly. “Them eyes, burning like coals, they are. I kin feel em burnin’ me. The Devil he’s got inside me.” She began to retch violently.
    Esmeralda motioned for a washbasin and it arrived just in time for Kate to vomit a large blood red mass of writhing worms. After a while Kate became still, Her body clothes and sheet sodden with sweat. “Is that it? Is the Devil outta her?” Came a question by one of the women that had accompanied Kate.
    Esmeralda nodded. “She needs sleep. She can stay here overnight and I will send word to you tomorrow morning.”
    After the women left Esmeralda washed and changed. It was not the first time she had heard about the burning devil’s eyes. She had seen them in her dreams lately. They floated in the darkness, watching, just beyond the realm of her consciousness. For that reason she was careful to cleanse herself after each session. She did not wish to bring any of the negative energy into her salon or onto her person. She had studied demonic possessions and observed that the possessed were often weakened in some way, physically, spiritually or emotionally in order for the demonic energy to enter the body. After Red Bluff, and what had transpired there, she never wanted to find herself in the position of being vulnerable again.
     
    Laredo swaggered into the Bucket of Blood. He sat down at the table where Miguel and Leonard were playing a game of cards.
    “Hey Amigo what has you all swollen up like a rooster? Miguel commented.
    “You two can kiss my arse, that hunner’t dollar reward is in my pocket.”
    Leonard narrowed his eyes. Miguel rocked back in his chair.
    “You took care of him, Amigo?”
    Laredo grinned. “Him an’ that Injun is now buried under a mountain of dirt where they belong.”
    “Don’t be so sure, men have survived cave-ins. I won’t believe it until I see his body.” Leonard said. 
    Laredo laughed. “Yer just sour bout it cause he run roughshod over you with that red haired sportin’ gal.”
    Leonard flushed. “Shut the hell up, Laredo!”
    Miguel shrugged. “If they cannot dig him out we may never know and El Diablo may just go back to his Lair.”
    “The amount of dynamite I put in that charge? Ain’t nothing gonna survive that lest they are El Diablo, an he’s just some friggin’ cardsharp what’s good with a gun.”
    Miguel laughed. “Drinks are on you Amigo!”
     
    “Cave in! Cave in at the Gilded Bird!”
    The cry started on the boardwalk, eventually moved up to B Street and was finally shouted through the doors of the Emerald Salon. Patrons milled around the tables and the bar. They talked and traded stories and speculations regarding mining accidents while drinking fine spirits and puffing on