The phone jolted me awake from a pleasant dream. My favorite anime song shattered the silence of our penthouse.  I'd gone to bed only hours before, seeking respite after another monotonous day at the office.

I forced my eyes open to adjust to the lack of light. 

We slept with tight closed windows because of my partner´s preference. In time I got used to the pitch black of our bedroom. I moved my body sitting in the bed. On top of the bedside table, the display flickered an intermittent  5:03 AM, Unknown Number in rhythm with the ringtone.

Still half-asleep, I fumbled for the device and caught a glimpse of her in the air, again. Inches above the mattress on  the other side, her side,  my partner, Voluptia, floated undisturbed, as if dead.

I smiled a bit envious of her ability to sleep so peacefully. Being a mere human, I'm easily disturbed. I stifled a yawn. The dim light revealed her delicate figure, forms barely covered by her pink lingerie. I looked away. Staring too long at a succubus even her, carried consequences. 

My heart ached, but I couldn't dare to tempt fate, not again.

 We live in our luxurious penthouse, located in the heart of São Paulo, one of the biggest cities in the world. But things weren't as easy as they seemed. And I'm not talking about work. Living together with Vol carried a high price. Instinctively I reached Lilith´s amulet, the coldness of the binding gem pressed against my chest was a sad reminder of this price.

Shame crept through me when I remembered my earlier envy.

The ringtone insisted on calling me back to reality.

 I grabbed the phone and silenced it. I could've ignored an unknown caller at this hour. Most people would. But my line of work demanded I answer every call, no matter when. or who.  Those late night calls weren't at all unexpected, since I've become quite famous in high society for being, as far as I know, the only one they can rely on when dreadful things come into play. Things that bump in the night.

For normal people, late-night calls means bad news—or at best, wrong numbers. 

It wasn´t a wrong number situation.

The voice spoke first,   In my introspection I forgot to answer right away:

a young woman's soft voice yet there was a sense of urgency and despair hidden in the courtesy:

"Hello, Good Night, sorry to bother so late at night, but it is a matter of great urgency. Is this the “We Bump back” detective firm? I need to speak to Mr. Roger Soares" 

Despite my grumpy mood. The way those words came out caught me off guard.

"Hello, Good night this is Detective Roger Soares speaking. Yes, you got the right number. Since this is my private number, I presume you came recommended by one of my clients.. How can I be of service?"

"Oh," she sounded shy at first but quickly composed herself. 

"Hello again, Mr. Roger. This is Sister Paula speaking. I'm sorry to call so late. Our Mother Superior, Mother Ana, who you might remember well, ordered me to call your firm. She needs to speak with you in person."

"Mother Ana..."   I was unprepared for the identity of the caller. Hearing the name of someone that was a big part of my past, and, on top of it, in  need of my services, made me worry sick. It was no ordinary case, but a call from my past. In an instant the daring detective of the supernatural faded to give place to the skinny kid at the orphanage again.

 Why would an elderly nun, like Mother, now in her seventies, want to speak to me? An ex-foster kid, almost a decade after our last encounter? And why was it so urgent and late at night? Worse, why my firm? I don´t deal with ordinary cases.

"Mother Ana? Do you mean Sister Ana from the “Saint George, Home for foster kids”?"

"Yes, that's how she said you would recognize her. Well, Mr. Roger, Sister Ana is our Mother Superior, and she urgently wishes to speak with you," the woman explained.

Fearing for the worse I asked:

"Sister Paula, how is she?"

“She is well, I know what you might be thinking, it is not about her health, but we need your services as a detective, Mr Soares”

“Please, call me Roger. Of course if mom is in need of my help I'll be on my way”

"I can't reveal much over the phone…Roger” she hesitated as if not used to first names. “To be honest, we don't know much. What I can say is this. We're facing a delicate situation. All I can say for now is that something terrible has happened at our school, and we couldn't deal with it or wait until morning to call for help. Our  chief of medical staff, Dr. Rochard, a respected senior you previously assisted, gave us your number.He was adamant that if you couldn't help, no one else could."

“The Baital case”, I thought, from two years before, Dr Rochard barely survived the vampire creature murder´s spree. Though others didn't. Not an easy case, I remembered.

“Depending on what we are facing, he is right, so where do I meet them, so late at night?” my voice was firm but inside I feared for my the one that treated me like a son in the orphanage. She kept contact with me for a while after my adoption, but we lost touch as time passed.

The woman on the phone continued, interrupting my thoughts about the past:

"We're in a hurry and terrified. Mother Superior is desperate to talk to you. She'll explain everything when you arrive. But, Mr. Roger, this is a grave and sensitive situation. We need your utmost discretion about everything you see and hear here. We haven't informed the clergy or the police yet; we intend to do that tomorrow, but she wanted you here first before the details of this horror leak."

“Sister Paula, rest assured that I will do my best to investigate whatever is happening. And I will make anything that threatens my mother regret it”

“That is good to hear, I'm sending the tickets of the plane via this number, we expect you as fast as you can, and apologize for such a haste. I'm afraid the Devil is working here and I fear for the kids”

Devil at work, definitely my call. My fists clenched, my mind raced on all the horrible possibilities. If any of those vile creatures threaten to hurt someone so important to me like Sister Ana I would not respond for my actions. 

The stir inside my mind woke Voluptia from her subconscious state through our mental link. I informed her about the new case and the urgency of the situation.

"Honey, I'm glad you are awake. “We bump back” has a fresh case, and I have a feeling this won't be an easy one..."

She looked at me in her pink negligeé with her purple eyes flashing with curiosity:

“Cupcake, what is happening? I've never seen you so nervous before.”

“How do you think Grotheske will behave in a Catholic institution? I asked.