by Shane Morgan
“Oh, but I am, darling.” She took my hand. “Don’t you feel our connection?”
I pulled away from her and backed up to the bed.
Disappointment crossed her beautiful face, but she quickly replaced it with a smirk. “The reason I still look young is that we don’t age once we’ve turned.”
A tear ran down my cheek as I studied her. My gosh. We really did have similar features.
“Are you truly…her?” My voice cracked, coming out childlike.
Zariah lifted her hand and wiped away my tears. “Yes, my darling.”
I swallowed the tightness in my throat. “Is my father alive, too? Bejo? Where is he?”
Her black eyes lowered, and so did her hand. “No. Your father was a fool, Calissa. He wanted to return to the gargoyles. To his oath. After I’d changed, he believed his elders could save my human soul and keep your blood pure. But it was already too late. And I didn’t want to go back to a pathetic human life.” She straightened confidently. “You see, darling, once you give in to the darkness, you’ll be rewarded with so much power. It is incredible, unlike anything you’ve ever felt before.”
“So, you killed him,” I deciphered. “After what he’d given up for you, you killed him!”
That wiped the grin off her face. “Bejo was going to bring you to the elders once you were born. Who knows what those monsters would have done? When the demon master told me how special you were, I had to make a decision.”
“So you killed my father and abandoned me,” I fumed. “You’re the monster.”
She cringed as if offended and turned her head slowly. “Ren ordered me to leave you. He said you needed to be in the human world. To think you were one of them. That enduring struggles would make you strong. And you’re so strong now, my daughter.”
I stared at her long and hard, trying to imagine that she was once a kind person. Human. Like Shari. That my father didn’t turn his back on his own people to be with a monster.
Zariah tsked. “You’re looking at me the same way he did. But soon, you’ll open your heart to me and understand that it had to be done for you to fulfill your destiny.”
“I make my own destiny,” I countered. “I’ll never do what you or the other demons want.”
She chuckled. “Oh, Calissa, you don’t have a choice.” Then she motioned to the window. “Come and see.”
Hesitantly, I walked with her to the balcony. We were up rather high on a hill. There were mountains in the distance and an immense, dry, open land with no grass whatsoever. A fire burned between the cracks in the ground.
My vision at the hospital.
Demons walked like robots with their heads down, uttering strange words toward the ground.
Every few seconds, life seeped from a body and soaked into the cracks, turning the demon to ash.
“Uh!” I yelped, alarmed. “They’re feeding the beast.”
Zariah smirked. “Indeed. By midnight, Tarekt will be unleashed, and he’ll reign over the human world and the Gargouille kingdom.”
Twisting to her, I spat, “I won’t help you! You’ll never free that monster!”
She spewed a short laugh. “The ritual will change your mind, Calissa. Your blood and your voice will free our ancient one, and you’ll forget all about the gargoyles you seem so fond of. I heard you decided to come home to keep them safe.” She grazed my cheek with her long, blackened nail. I hissed and shuffled back. “They will never accept you, my darling. But we do. Your home is with the dark ones and me.”
“My home is with Lars,” I snapped.
“Is that so?” She raised her thin brows and edged closer, sniffing my body. “Oh, I see now. I can smell him on you. Tell me, my daughter. How is it with a gargoyle? Intoxicating, isn’t it? Even more pleasurable than being with an ordinary man.”
“Ugh. You’re disgusting.”
She brushed aside my curls and ran her bony fingers along my neck. “Hmm. The ceremony takes place on New Year’s Eve, right? I wonder, how long will Lars last apart from you until then? Oh, poor thing. Should’ve kept his heart to his own kind.”
My eyes watered. The fact that my mother was so cruel infuriated me.
I clenched my fists, angry at myself. I definitely didn’t think things through. Perhaps if I tossed myself over the balcony, I could save Lars along with everyone else.
Zariah stroked my cheek. “Your father didn’t want to risk it, so he made sure we carried out the ceremony on our own. What a terrible mistake that was. It is so much better in the dark world, Calissa. No rules. No gargoyle laws. You could be free, my daughter.”
I scoffed at her. “You’re not free. My mother’s soul is in turmoil within this body. You’re a prisoner here like every other demon. You’re even worse off than the gargoyles.”
My words angered her.
Her features contorted into a monster. Eyes burned red. Her voice came out animal-like when she spoke again. “After tonight, your precious gargoyles will be no more.”
She marched off then, stomping across the room and out the door. I heard a lock turn after she closed it.
Hugging myself, I peered over the balcony again, trembling at the horrific sight below. I had to stop Tarekt from rising. But how?
Unable to stare any longer, I walked back into the room and paced around. There had to be a way to put an end to all this. Maybe I could communicate with Lars somehow.
“Ugh!” I plopped down on the side of the bed and shook out my curls, feeling defeated.
The elders’ words in the mountains ran through my head. Human. Demon. Gargoyle.
All three. But the demon blade had decided my fate.
“No.” I repeated my own words, “I make my own destiny.”
Massaging my temples, I inhaled deeply and tried to think. My intimate moments with Lars rushed through my mind. I remembered the intense energy that flowed into my body while we made love.
Then it hit me.
Lars said he’d tied himself to me. Did that mean we could find each other no matter where we were?
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to focus.
The room was dead silent with only the sounds of demon chants outside. I found it challenging to block them out at first, but at last, my mind calmed, and I could feel something rise within. My body felt light, in a trance of some sort.
Seconds later, I heard his voice. “Calissa?”
My eyes opened in surprise.
“Shit! Lars,” I whispered and spun around to look at the door. “I can hear you inside my head.”
“Yes. Are you all right?” His voice came out hurried, peppered with worry. “Do you know where they’ve taken you?”
I turned my head. “I have no idea, but Lars, we have to stop them. They’ve started this weird process. At midnight, they’re going to wake up Tarekt with my blood.”
He cursed.
Guilt fell over me. “I’m so sorry. I just wanted to keep you and everyone else safe.”
“Never mind. Right now, I need you to help me find you.”
“But I don’t know how. I don’t even know how I’m doing this.” I stood from the bed and peered around the room.
“Are you able to look outside?”
“Yes. I’m in this bedroom.” A thought occurred. “Is there a way to show you what I’m seeing?”
He huffed. “It depends on how strong this is. Concentrate. Whatever you tapped into to reach me, allow it to give me sight.”
I pressed my eyes shut again and thought back to the first night we made love under the stars. My head and heart pounded. Then I felt something powerful flow outside of my body.
“Calissa,” Lars whispered, no longer from inside my head.
When I opened my eyes, I jumped at his human apparition standing before me. My hand passed through him like a mist when I tried to touch his worried face.
Lars smiled longingly at me before glancing about the room. I pointed to the balcony, and he walked with me outside.
“Oh, n
o,” he murmured. “I know this place. This is a cursed land. It is a dark place within your world, but no human eye can see.”
“Like the Gargouille kingdom,” I said, understanding.
“We must hurry. That chant is powerful. Once the feeding stops, they’ll need your blood.”
I squeezed the iron railing and spoke in a hushed tone. “Lars, if it comes down to it, I’ll do something before they manage to take my blood.”
He crumpled his features. “No, Calissa. I will save you.”
“But if you can’t…”
The door opened suddenly. His apparition dissolved, and I dry-heaved as the energy flowed back into me.
“What was that?” Kyle sputtered, running out to the balcony to look around. His eyes inspected me carefully.
I scoffed at him.
“If you care about the guardians, especially the one called Lars, you better hope they don’t come here.”
Kyle reached for my elbow. I yanked it back. “I told you, don’t touch me.”
“So fierce. You and I will have lots of fun.” His sneaky expression and the way he licked his lip made my skin crawl.
“You wish.”
He huffed a short laugh. “Calissa, you’ll be mine once this is over.”
“I rather gouge my eyes out.”
“Hm.” He smirked at my defiance, then slanted and gestured for me to move.
My stomach sank when he said, “It’s time to meet the master.”
God. I never thought it was possible to be even more afraid than I already was.
24
The idea to attempt an escape ran through my head as Kyle and a beefy demon guard led me down a long, shadowy, and spooky passage.
I could hear screams of agony in the distance. Perhaps humans being tortured. As Obel said, demons liked to collect pets.
When we neared the end of the passage, I decided the time was now.
“Ow!” I stopped and buckled over, hugging my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Kyle asked, touching my back.
I whimpered, “It hurts. Help me.”
When he lowered to my level, I sprang up fast and knocked his chin with my head.
Kyle shuffled back from the blow.
I quickly kicked him in the stomach. He crumpled to the ground in pain.
Interesting how you could still harm their human shell.
The beefy demon grabbed me from behind, locking his arms around me. My training snapped in like a sixth sense. I scuffled backward with him until hitting the concrete wall.
“Oomph.” He groaned.
I pried my hands free and elbowed his chest hard. A rib cracked from the impact; blood sputtered from his mouth.
Not wasting a second, I bolted down the passage and turned at the corner. There were doors on either side. No windows or light coming in from anywhere.
Where the hell should I go?
“Damn it!” I started checking the doors. They were all locked. Then I tried the last one at another corner. It was open.
Running inside, I peered around for an exit of some sort. I stilled in surprise. It looked familiar. Then I heard demon chants coming in from the balcony.
“No…” My stomach sank. It was the same blasted room.
Handclaps erupted behind me. I swiveled in fear.
A handsome man stood in the doorway with a broad grin on his ivory-white face.
Rahel was in the passage, along with Kyle, rubbing his chin and stomach. He glared at me.
The man stopped clapping and entered the room. I took in his features; impeccably flawless skin, glistening azure eyes, long, silky-looking black hair, thin pink lips, high cheekbones, and a towering frame. But no matter his attractiveness, there was something very menacing about his presence.
“Hmm. Well done, Calissa.” His deep voice commanded attention and evoked fear.
Unbuttoning his jacket, he backed out of it smoothly. Rahel placed it over her arm and held it to her stomach.
“It seems the gargoyles have been training you. I’m impressed.”
Another well-dressed demon entered the room with a wine bottle and two glasses, setting them on the table by the door.
With a wave of the hand, everyone walked away, leaving me alone with the man who clearly was their master.
He rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt and turned to the table, pouring wine into the glasses.
“Don’t look so disappointed,” he said, coming up to me. “Here. Drink with me.”
I peered down at the wine and screwed up my face. “No, thanks.”
He smiled. “Oh, Calissa. Don’t make me ask twice.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” I gritted out and backed away.
“But you are. I can sense it.” He focused his darkened gaze on me, and I gasped as my body moved toward him against my will. He reached the glass to me again.
That time, I accepted.
The demon master sat in a chair and motioned to the one across from him. “I’ve waited so long, watching as you grew into the perfection you are now.”
I sat in the chair and gripped the glass with both hands.
He drank, eyeing me over the rim as he did. “It offends me that you’ve allowed that gargoyle to touch you. But nevertheless, you’ll make it up with your great offering.”
“Are you the devil?” I blurted, shivering from feeling cold all of a sudden.
He burst out laughing. “Oh, no. I am simply the master of this realm.” He waved about. “You can call me Ren.”
I flinched as a blanket fell over my shoulders.
“You look cold. It’s started, hasn’t it?” He finished his wine.
“What’s started?” I asked, pulling off the blanket.
Ren let out a low, annoyed growl. He held up a hand, and my chair moved closer to him. My breathing increased as he leaned forward and fixed the blanket back around my shoulders. “Such a stubborn girl.”
He grazed my cheek with his warm hand and moved in to kiss me there. I yelped and eased back.
That amused him. He trailed his fingers down my bare arm. “You are part of me. You could say, I am your father.”
Repulsed, I tossed my wine into his face. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dried himself, still chuckling.
“You turned my mother into a demon and made her kill my father. You killed my best friend and a woman who had been so kind to me. Believe me when I say that I’m going to destroy you for ruining my life.” Pain turned to anger in my veins.
Ren laughed. “Oh, I have no doubt about it. You are one powerful being, Calissa, and I’m eager to have you at my side. You can make anyone fall to their knees before you. The thing is, you cannot accomplish that without succumbing to the darkness.”
He stood from the chair. “Speaking of your best friend, would you like to see her?”
My heart raced. I straightened on my feet. “Shari…where is she?”
He opened the door with a wave of his hand.
Tears broke free when I saw my best friend enter. Her eyes were no longer red. There wasn’t a sinister expression on her face. She simply looked like the girl who would laugh at my corny jokes and comforted me when every potential lead on my birth parents turned out to be false.
“Shari?” I sobbed. She didn’t speak, only stared at me.
Ren draped his arm around her and moved her forward. “You can have your best friend again, Calissa. Even your mother is here. What more proof do you need that this is where you belong? You will be happy. Happier than you could ever be in the Gargouille kingdom with Lars.”
I narrowed my gaze on him. “No. This isn’t Shari. She’s gone. This isn’t my best friend.”
“But it is me, Calissa,” she said, stepping closer to touch my hand. I thought I’d never hear that voice again.
Tears flowed even more. I dropped my eyes to the carpet and turned my head slowly. “It’s not you. You’re a demon inside her body.”
Shari lifted my chin with her thu
mb to look at her again.
She wrapped her arms around me, and I couldn’t help hugging her back. It felt like her. I cried on her shoulder.
“Shh,” she hushed me, then in a whisper, she begged at my ear, “Kill me. Please.” Easing back, she forced a smile and spoke aloud. “Don’t cry, love. All you have to do is give in, and you’ll never feel pain again.”
Oh, God. Shari was still in there. Suffering. She needed my help.
Lars’s voice rushed through my head.
Your friend is gone.
Her soul is in torment. You must free her.
I tightened my grip on the wineglass. It shattered in my hand, cutting me.
Touching her cheek, I reveled in the presence of my friend one last time, then swallowed the pain as I brought the broken glass across her throat. It killed me to do that, but it had to be done. I had to free her soul and let her go.
“Thank you…Cal…” she choked out, tears pooling down her face.
Flames ignited in the open wound at her throat, and I trembled in agony as her body went ablaze and burned to ash.
“Wow.” Ren chortled under his breath. He placed his hands at his sides. “That was so dark of you and so easy to do.”
“What?” I grated through my sobs. “No, it wasn’t. I…”
I followed his gaze as he lowered it to my shaking hand, still holding the shard glass.
He chuckled. “You’re thinking, maybe you could do the same to me,” he said teasingly. “Do you know how many have tried to kill me, Calissa? Countless. I’ve been alive for centuries. What makes you think you can succeed with a broken piece of wineglass?”
Ignoring this, I tried to lift my hand, but it quivered against a strong force until the glass fell from my weakened grip. I looked at my palm. It had healed.
A smile curled his lips. “Excellent.” He nodded toward the balcony. “It’s only a matter of time now. Best get you ready.”
I peered in that direction. The sky had darkened with red and black clouds.
“No…”
“Come now, my dear.” Ren gripped my arm.
“Let go of me!” I squirmed and tried to fight him off.
He waved his fingers before my eyes, and they instantly felt heavy. My body calmed. The room began to spin. I swayed from side to side until finally blacking out.