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London rewound the DVR recording and then pressed play. How the hell had those guys pulled that one off? She paused the video and there, on the wall behind the host of the paranormal investigation show, was the shadow of a demon. Ram horns adorned his head and his legs tapered down to hoofed feet, the shadow went undetected by the film crew until they replayed their footage upon leaving the location, but it was pointed out for the viewers to notice on the show. London hit play again and watched in amusement as the shadow crept down the hall while the host shouted for the entities in the small local inn to "come at him."
The remainder of the episode contained the standard cheap thrills and weird Electronic Voice Phenomenon, EVPs, as they attempted to locate the source of the strange music guests often reported hearing at night, but the image of the demon shadow stayed with her.
Breaking out her laptop, London ran an Internet search for The Aegean Inn. She'd passed it once or twice while wasting time between classes and hadn't realized it. London had lived in Savannah all her life and actually had a small apartment close to the area since she was a student at SCAD—Savannah College of Art and Design. But she had been on just about every ghost tour in town, and The Aegean Inn wasn't featured on them, but after this television program that would change. How did something like that remain unnoticed for so long by locals?
The website was elegant, showcasing the historical setting of the establishment, but also said the owners had named the inn after the Aegean Sea as a tribute to where they grew up. Searching beyond the website, London then discovered the building was once used to treat yellow fever during the epidemic in 1820—a trait many of the haunted locations downtown shared—and was rumored to sit on top of one of the tunnels built under the city. Nowhere was there mention of ghosts or goblins.
Picking up her cell phone, she quickly dialed the number listed on the website. London didn't usually act so impulsively, but something about discovering a new haunted spot in town excited her. She loved scary stuff, and she had a free weekend with nothing to do. Maybe she'd even luck out and finally have a paranormal encounter. She'd always wanted some kind of verification of ghosts or anything fantastical, even though she had no idea how she'd react to such a thing.
After the fourth ring, a woman answered, "Hello, thank you for calling The Aegean Inn. How may I assist you today?"
"I would like to make a reservation."
"Did you have a date in mind for your visit, ma'am?" The lady on the phone had a pleasant voice. London thought she didn't sound at all like someone who willingly worked in a demonic hotspot.
"Tonight through Sunday."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but all the rooms are booked this weekend."
London figured that would be the case. "How unfortunate. I've only just discovered you guys were in town and really wanted to check it out."
"You might have better luck at one of the larger hotels. If you wanted a historical element, the Marshall House—"
London blurted, "Are you sure there are no cancellations or anything? Could you call me if someone doesn't check in? Please, I would be alone and have no preference on room size." London realized how rude she sounded, "Sorry for cutting you off."
The woman was silent for several seconds. She gave a sigh of impatience, and with a curt, "Please hold," the line clicked as the hold button was pressed.
London watched the clock tick, tick, tick away on her living room wall while she waited. The woman came back onto the line and asked, "What is your contact information should a room become available last minute?"
Oh my God, did that actually work? She listed off her info for the woman, grinning. It was a slim chance, but still a chance. For whatever the reason, she had a good feeling about it.
***
Jacen knocked on the office door and entered when Vander acknowledged him. Orestes and Calix were already seated inside. Nothing like spontaneous meetings in the middle of the day. Vander gestured for Jacen to take a seat, so he did. They had been cursed the night he, Orestes, and Calix had accompanied Prince Evander, to "observe" Dionysus and his followers on Kithairon. Evander, the prince of Dia, had eventually dropped the first letter in his name, and though he was no longer the prince of a Greek island, he became known to them as the Satyr Prince. Not that a title meant much anymore. However, the rest of them had once been Vander's royal guard, and having gone through the change together left them forever bonded.
"What's happened this time? Did Orestes get caught on film again?" Jacen asked, smirking when Orestes looked away and fidgeted. His shadow had been caught on video and broadcasted all over the world on a television show. The inn's reservation list had gone out of control since the episode aired.
"Don't even joke, Jacen. If we draw too much attention, we'll have to move on earlier than expected. We've been here eight years and remained under the radar until now." Vander rubbed the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. He'd recently cropped his hair to below his ears, and the reddish-brown strands looked as though he'd rolled out of bed before sitting at the desk.
"Have you been sleeping with the receptionist again?" Jacen accused.
Vander put his hand down. "That would be sexual harassment."
"Ha! Like all of us haven't hit that." Calix smirked. "Why else would we have 'willing' employees? It keeps us from molesting all the guests."
Whenever they hired human staff, they knew what their employers were. It was always a risk. Vander would use the magic Pan had given them to ensure the mortals believed their encounters with satyrs were merely dreams when it was time for a staff change. The downside? All their employees were women, and once they'd gotten a taste of satyr... Jacen worried they left the job ruined for human men whether they remembered what happened or not. Perhaps it was an arrogant assumption, but mortal men needed to rest at some point. Satyrs could keep it up all night without taking questionable medication. They were the perfect lovers, and that alone kept the human employees from outing them. That and they paid very well.
"Look," Vander protested, "I went downstairs to get away from the office a bit when Beatrice ambushed me." They had their own rooms in the bottom floor of the building, located below the entry level. Only staff was allowed there, and Jacen kept trying to tell Vander if these women had access into their bedrooms whenever they wanted, they would end up busted for sleeping with the staff. They usually only had one human employee working at a time, which left the ground floor unsupervised, and someone would get nosy someday. Not to mention, technology in the modern age was terrifying. Orestes had sneaked upstairs to spy on the ghost hunting people and his shadow was captured on infrared camera. How long before Beatrice, or one of the others, planted a hidden camera in their room? They were currently considering their options of how to proceed.
"Uh huh," Jacen replied. "I bet you fought back really hard."
"So much for having my three loyal guardsmen around to save me from a brutal attack."
Calix snorted. "Puh-lease. You plowed her like she's never been plowed before. I saw her ten minutes ago in the kitchen. She can't even walk in a straight line."
"I didn't bring you in here to discuss Beatrice when I know for a fact all three of you have been with her earlier in the week. At the same time."
"She told you?" Orestes actually looked shocked. Jacen and Calix shared a look.
"Oh, yes. She told me." Vander smirked when he'd regained the higher ground. "When she asked if she could have all four of us at once." He studied his nails as he added, "After I finished with her today she said I, alone, was much better than the three of you combined."
"Such a lie!" Calix crossed his arms, actually looking put out. "Obviously, she didn't want to make you cry by telling the truth."
"So," Jacen attempted to return to the original subject. "Why are we here?"
"Yes, of course. About two hours ago, Beatrice told me she took information down for a possible replacement reservation."
"Unattached female?" Orestes asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.
Vander nodded. "I might have rescheduled a family and told them there was a plumbing issue in order to get the woman here tonight. You're welcome."
Jacen glanced at the others. The majority of the guests they received were couples. They'd have the occasional group of friends, but the elusive single female did not reserve a room as often as they would like. The Aegean Inn was so obscure that not many locals knew it was there. And a single woman on her own was easier to seduce than one surrounded by friends. They long ago ceased feeling guilty for sleeping with paying guests. Whatever it took to keep their curse at bay.
"Whose turn is it?" Orestes scratched his chin. His short dark hair and coloring was a stark contrast to Calix's long fair hair and lighter skin beside him.
"It's Jacen's turn this time," Calix replied sourly.
"Don't pout, Callie. It's unbecoming," Jacen said.
"Fuck off."
The four of them took turns playing the roles of concierge in case female guests turned out to be nymphs. Since nymphs had either totally died out or were still hiding themselves from the Satyroi, there was no way of finding the keys to breaking the curse—except waiting for one to reveal herself. Granted there were flaws to their system: a nymph had to reveal herself to them or she remained invisible to their perception. If they could see her before she sought them out and approached them, then she was not a nymph. If someone magically appeared who wasn't there before, then she most likely was.
So far, they have not encountered a single nymph since the night they were cursed.
Savannah wasn't the first place Jacen and the others had tried the hotel business before. They'd begun running a bed and breakfast type of establishment because, after night fell, the glamour which gave the satyrs human form would falter. They couldn't go out and meet lovers as normal men could, and satyrs needed sex regularly. Vander hated preying on hotel guests, and Jacen shared the feeling. But they did what they had to in order to survive. To keep the public safe from them should they avoid dealing with their needs too long and become mindless with lust.
Which is how they decided when single, unattached female guests arrived at The Aegean Inn, the four of them would take turns being the one to greet them and decide if they wanted to seduce them. That way there wouldn't be a fight over a nymph if one did wander into the inn. They all were given a fair chance.
"When does she arrive?" Jacen asked Vander.
"She checks in at five."
He checked his watch; it was a quarter after four in the afternoon already. "Well then, I guess I better go look like I work here."