“Mánagarmr Lupescu was once a man. He made a Faustian pact with a demon to make him a powerful mage. As you know, Demons are not the most honorable of supernatural beings and demanded more than the usual pound of flesh. It entered his body to impregnate Evangeline’s mother. Her human body was not strong enough to tolerate the demon’s blood and after the birth, she became ill.” He turned to Evangeline and thread his fingers through hers. “She lost her fight yesterday.”
“Oh, no.” Susie leapt from her husband’s lap and almost threw herself at her new friend. “I’m so sorry. If there’s ever anything I can do to help. A shoulder to cry on—”
Evangeline bristled. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” She looked down at her feet while Susie returned to her seat. Christoff continued his story.
“When Evangeline was approximately six years old, I was instructed to destroy Lupescu. The demon had almost completely taken over his body, so he was no longer considered to be human. We expected his followers to disband after the mage’s death, but we were wrong. Recent information has come to light.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a photograph and passed it around. When it reached Evangeline, he asked, “Is this what you saw on the locket?”
She nodded her head. “Is this a tattoo?”
He addressed his answer to the room. “This photograph was taken off a body in the morgue after the police shot him three months ago. He was killed while attempting to sacrifice a child.”
“A child?” Susie almost screeched.
“The child was unharmed. Unfortunately, the other cult members escaped.”
“I remember that case.” Terry scratched his head. “There was a medallion involved. We found it around the kid’s neck. I don’t know what happened to it.”
“I do.” Evangeline told him. “Some idiot opened it.”
“Who would do a dumb ass thing … oh.”
“Yep. That would be me.”
Christoff explained how Evangeline’s blood was the key to open the locket. He told them about the metal scroll. “Have you ever heard of a curse tablet?” He asked.
Susie raised her hand. “I have. I remember learning about it at college. If you wanted someone to pay for an injustice, you would scratch or engrave a curse onto a piece of lead and hide it under their house. Some curse tablets were found in cemeteries or wells.”
Evangeline shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t get it. How does that work?”
“The curse would be addressed to a demon who would punish the person named on the scroll.”
“Okay, I get the curse tablet and the blood thing.” Terry scratched his head as he furrowed his brows. “But what I don’t get is, who is the scroll cursing?”
“I believe that would be me.” It was only a matter of time before someone cursed him. His enemies numbered in the hundreds, maybe thousands. Sooner or later, his number would be up, but why now? Was fate really cruel enough to deny him one moment’s happiness?
All eyes turned to Christoff, but it was Evangeline who spoke first.
“You? Oh, shit. That’s why the charm was so important to you.” She leaned forward, supporting her forehead with her hands. “You’re right about me. I’m no good. If I wasn’t so selfish, you’d have the medallion and none of us would be in this mess.” She raised her head, tears in her eyes as she asked him, “I’ve as good as killed you, haven’t I?”
“I think that boat sailed a while back.” Terry interjected. He received an elbow to his mid-section from Susie for his insensitivity.
“What do you think they’re planning?” Susie asked Christoff. Her troubled expression warmed his cold heart. The little one was concerned for him.
“True death. Possibly after days of torture.”
Evangeline’s gasp synchronized with Susie’s. Only Terry seemed unfazed.
“Oh, come on. You couldn’t possibly believe that a bunch of hooded goths could take down big guy here? He’ll obliterate them.” He held his hand out to Christoff for a fist bump and received a frown for his troubles.
Evangeline’s spirits seemed to lift. She raised her head, her eyes twinkled with hope as she smiled at him. Christoff didn’t have the heart to explain his handicap, but Susie had no hesitation.
“He can’t hurt a human. If he harms or, heaven forbid, kills one. The vampire council will execute him.”
“Then … I’ll do it. I’ll kill them. It’s all my fault anyway.”
“I can’t let you do that, min dyrebare. For many reasons.”
Evangeline crossed her arms and shot him a scowl. “Name one.”
“You forget the reason I found you in the first place. My task is to hunt evil doers and punish them.”
She rose to her feet and stared down at him. Her pained expression cut him to the quick. Once again, his honesty had hurt her. If only he could learn to lie like other men.
“I can’t believe you. You would kill me for protecting you?”
“It would pain me to do so, but yes.”
“Well, fuck you.” She stormed to the door. “Maybe I should just let them have you.”
In an instant, he blocked her path. “I can’t change who I am.”
She glared into his eyes. Her lips tantalizingly close, but he dared not kiss her. Even he knew it would be a bad idea.
“Neither can I.”
“Both of you. Sit down and let’s discuss this.” Susie called to them from her seat.
“There’s nothing to discuss.” Evangeline told her, without shifting her gaze from Christoff’s face. “The party’s over.”
“I disagree.” Susie rose from her chair with Terry’s aid. “Christoff. You can’t kill Evangeline. She’s human.”
There was truth in Susie’s statement, but she was only half right. Evangeline’s blood was tainted with demon venom. Herein lay the problem. Damned either way, he would be obliged to kill her, but in doing so, he would be signing his own death warrant. Oddly, he didn’t mind. True death would be a blessing. Living without her would be much worse. Considering her reaction to his last comment, he chose to keep this revelation to himself.
“Uhmm.” Terry ran a finger around the inside of his collar as he grimaced. “That poses another problem. As much as I applaud the way you took out that degenerate in the pub, the law tends to come down hard on killers. Even if you manage to annihilate those ghouls, you’ll be arrested and thrown into prison.”
The color drained from Evangeline’s face. Christoff guessed what she must be thinking. She’d lived alone for most of her life. A lone wolf. Free to roam whenever and wherever she wanted. Prison would kill not only her spirit, but her physical body. She’d not survive a month.
She grabbed his upper arms. Her fingernails dug into his skin as she leaned closer, tears brimming her lower lashes. “Promise me,” she whispered. “I’m begging you.” She closed her eyes. “If it comes to that, I want you to kill me. Don’t let them lock me away.”
****
Evangeline sat on the sand, her toes wiggling in the salt water as she tried to enjoy what she suspected would be her last day alive. The Corel family’s private beach offered privacy. An invitation too good to pass up. She stripped down to her underwear and lay back in the sand, her semi-naked skin soaking up the last rays of sunlight as her thoughts drifted up to the cottage and the vampire who slept inside.
He’d keep his promise, of that she was sure. Honest to the point of rudeness, he would not have given his word if he’d not meant it. Everything else about the man, remained a mystery. Despite their heated argument, he’d still reached for her during the night. His large hands had cupped her breasts and squeezed until she’d pushed him away. When he rolled over, turning his back to her, she felt every cell in her body scream out in protest. If only she’d been able to control her temper one last time. She’d go to her grave regretting the lost opportunity to feel the strength in those large arms as they wrapped around her. Even now, her body responded to the images of their lovemaking. Her right hand slipped down betwe
en her legs to stroke her swollen clit.
“Yes, yes. It pleases me to see you fondle yourself.”
She sat bolt upright. Her eyes hardly believing what she saw.
“Who the hell are you?” This can’t be happening. Please, please don’t be him. Not now. Crossing one arm over her chest, the other in front of her crotch, she tried to cover, not only the sheerness of her underwear, but also, her fear.
“Come, my daughter. Let me satisfy your carnal urges.” He motioned to the bulge in his tight leather trousers as he thrust his hips forward. “And you, my dear, can appease mine.”
The taste of bile soured her taste buds. An ugly, horned demon would have been easier to dismiss. Fear would have made her forget her embarrassment and revulsion. Unfortunately, this predator looked like he’d stepped from a fashion magazine. The color of his dark hair matched her own and his features and physique were aesthetically pleasing … for a fiend. Other than the unusual shade of purple in his irises, he could easily pass as human. She shook her head as she backed away to reach her discarded clothes. Another man who thought her body was his own private play toy.
“I think I’ll pass. I’m not into incest.”
The trek up to the cottage involved climbing at least twenty stairs. She’d be forced to turn her back on him. If he grabbed her from behind, she’d be helpless.
“Incest?” His laugh sent a chill down her spine. “Despite what you think, I am not your father.”
“But… I thought –”
“The mystical arts are complicated, my dear.” He maneuvered himself between Evangeline and the stairs. “Let me think how I can explain this.” He scratched his chin and grinned. “My blood runs in your veins, but my sperm did not create you. I infected your DNA rather than contributed to it. It’s rather like your vampire. His demon lives in his blood, however, it lives apart from him. They are two separate entities.” He moved towards her. “So, shall we fornicate now?”
“Go fuck yourself.” Her quaking voice didn’t sound as forceful as she’d hoped. She couldn’t even convince her own legs that she was brave. They shook so violently, she could barely stand, let alone run.
His smile did little to bolster her confidence. “So, you want foreplay? I’m happy to oblige. It will make me even hornier. Go on, run. I’ll even give you a head’s start. I remember the children’s game of hide and seek. Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll count to fifty and—”
She took off running, bolting past him and up the stairs, two at a time. There was no way she’d reach the cottage in the time it took him to count to fifty, but at least she could put some distance between them. She had to. Somehow, despite her revulsion, she was inexplicably drawn to him. It was as if she had no choice but to submit to his advances. Her own demon blood responded to him. So far, his words had been crude suggestions, he hadn’t ordered her to obey him. Would she be able to fight his commandments?
Half way between the beach and the cottage, he caught her. She slammed into his body when he suddenly materialized in front of her. To her horror, her breasts felt the damp heat of his bare chest and she realised that he’d discarded his own clothes. His naked arousal pressed against her belly. His arms wrapped around her body. His lips claimed her, and his laughter reverberated into her mouth. “I think we have an audience.”
She broke contact with his lips, turning her head towards the cottage and the man who stood by the window. Although a distance away, she could see the look of betrayal etched on his face. The pain in Christoff’s eyes. As she struggled in the demon’s arms, he whispered into her ear.
“You and I are simpatico. I believe you understand that, should I command it, you will give yourself to me. Shall we, to use your vernacular, fuck here in front of your friend, or go somewhere more private?”
She closed her eyes, but the image of Christoff’s shattered expression remained permanently etched on her mind. I may be part demon, but I’m not a monster. I won’t force him to watch, even if it means I’m throwing away my only chance of escape. She took a deep breath, knowing that her world was about to change, and not for the better. “Take us somewhere private.”
****
Christoff drew the curtains and flopped down on the edge of the bed. He couldn’t watch any more. He’d given her every chance to prove herself to be a decent human being and this is how she’d repaid him? The musk of her arousal had reached his finely tuned senses. Driven him from his bed in the hopes that she’d forgiven him for his insensitive remarks and waited for him to come to her. What a fool he’d been. He balled his hands into fists and fumed. Whore. Worse than that. A prostitute would have met her John in a private place. A seedy motel room where they could fornicate without the rest of the world being privy to their escapades. This woman had the gall to parade almost naked, outside his bedroom with another man. Judging by their body language, they were about to do the deed then and there.
Not while there’s breath in my body.
He jumped to his feet and stormed out of the bedroom, through the living room and out the front door. Human or no, this man was going to die.
Outside the cottage, he stopped. Where were they? Surely, they hadn’t time to leave the estate? Being an ancient, the last rays of sunlight did little more than prickle his skin. Soon it would be dark and even the tingling would stop. He strode down towards the beach, his hands fisting and releasing as he made his way to the secluded alcove, expecting the worst, planning his revenge. Besides a small hermit crab that quickly darted out of his way, the beach was empty. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small heap of clothes. Evangeline’s clothes. Looking around, he failed to find any others. Had the male come to the beach naked? He raised his arm, planning to throw the clothes far out into the water. That would teach her for making a fool of him. Something made him pause. He sniffed the air. Rotten eggs? Although faint, the smell of sulfur hung in the breeze. Holding the clothes close to his face, he inhaled. Evangeline’s intoxicating scent clung to the fabric. He detected no trace of sulfur.
How was that possible? If a demon had seduced Evangeline, he would be able to detect at least a whiff of him on her belongings. Turning back to the stairs, Christoff noticed a beach towel draped over the rail. Had she come down to the beach for a dip and encountered the demon? Besides his own footprints, he noticed two other sets in the sand, plus, the larger imprint of a body. Drawing on his profiler techniques, he deduced two important things. Evangeline had been laying alone on the ground when the male approached wearing shoes. It was hardly likely that he wore shoes and nothing else, so, he must have been fully dressed when he advanced on her.
Beside the larger imprint, near where he found her clothes, the sand had been disturbed into a heap. A deep impression convinced him that she had dug her feet into the ground to push off running. He followed the stairs back up to the perfectly manicured lawn. Perfect, except for the divots where her feet had landed heavily. These were not produced by someone taking a leisurely stroll. She was running. Running for her life. He searched the area for more footprints and found none. Why would he? The demon would not bother to chase his prey when he could easily materialize whenever he wanted.
“How could I be so foolish?”
He’d let long forgotten human emotions control his judgement. Christoff’s heart slammed into his chest. What he’d witnessed wasn’t Evangeline seducing a man. She was being assaulted by a demon.
****
They materialized in a darkened room, surrounded by cloaked and hooded figures. The heady aroma of incense hung in the air. Dazed from the teleportation, it took Evangeline a few moments to comprehend her situation and attempt to cover her body with her hands.
“I thought you were taking us somewhere private?”
His laugh curdled the contents of her stomach. His words, more so.
“My minions will not disturb us, my dear.” He winked an eye before adding, “Until I give them the signal to participate.”
“You sick, twisted bastard
.”
She pushed away from his embrace and scanned the room until she saw what she needed. With a flick of her wrist, she used her powers to snatch a robe from its wall hook and send it sailing to her outstretched hand. Once covered in the newly acquired garment, she found the confidence to challenge her abductor even further.
“If you or any of your goons try to touch me, I’ll set fire to your gonads.”
“I’d like to see you try that.” He motioned to one of his followers. “Prepare her for the ritual.”
The male rose, bowed and came at her with a carnal look in his eye.
She extended her arm, palm out, and threw him against a wall. The sickening sound of cracking bone told her that she’d crossed the line long before he fell to the floor in a pool of blood. Before she had time to contemplate her actions, a wave of worshippers charged her. This time, flames shot from her hands, incinerating each in turn until only the demon remained.
The steady sound of his clapping chilled her to the bone. She doubted that Christoff and Terry would be as amused. She wondered which would be the least painful, lethal injection or fatal vampire bite?
“Impressive, I must say. I can only imagine how powerful you will be, once properly trained. Come, let us finish what we started at the beach.”
“Finish this.” Concentrating all her power into her palms, she sent a bolt of electricity through his body, lighting him up with blue sparks. His body convulsed, but remained upright as she continued to hit him with wave after wave of electrical energy. When his eyes rolled back into his head, she stopped, exhausted and confident she’d finished the job. She was wrong.
“Ah. I needed that.” He squared his shoulders and grinned. “Thank you for the little-pick- me up. You look surprised. Did you really think you could kill me?” With a chuckle and a wave of his hand, his clothes materialized. “You are only a halfling. Only a demon can kill another.” He glanced around the room at the piles of ash and broken bodies. “Such a mess. Fortunately, I have many other minions to take their place.”
Many? She’d already killed at least ten people. How many others would die at her hands? She slumped against the brick wall and fought to catch her breath. Monster. I’ve become my father.
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