by Livvy Aarons
This was wrong. I didn’t take my eyes off the vampire when I spoke. “What the hell is this Tristan? Why is he not ash right now?”
“That’s because he’s not your household parasite. McKenna this is Ragner, he is an Alukan demon.” Tristan nudged my shoulder with his boot. “I don’t know whether to be insulted that you would think I would bring someone to harm you or impressed that you tried to save my life from a potential attacker.”
Swallowing thickly as I let go of the pencil, which was still lodged into Ragner’s chest and scooted back until my butt hit carpet. “Okay, he’s a demon. That solves that mystery but what about the why you’re here part?” Under normal circumstances, I knew better than to stare at others, yet here I was breaking a personal rule of mine. The eerie looking demon had long, pale blonde hair and even paler skin. His eyes were an unearthly shade of ice blue, which should have sent flares. Vampires or what I call a “pump and dump”, normally had blood red eyeballs and solid black irises. Those kind of vampires drank they victims dry, killing at random without any forethought. I encountered plenty of them in the back allies of Savannah. Luckily, they were not hard to kill, especially while feeding. Quick stake to the heart and they were ash. Beyond the eyes, Ragnar also had some pretty wicked teeth. Your standard vamp only had elongated canines; this guy had a mouth full of sharp and pointy teeth. His massive frame was bigger than a pump-and-dump as well. When Tristan didn’t answer, I glanced to where his was standing staring out the window.
“He is waiting for you outside.” His voice sounded miles away.
Ragner yanked the pencil out then threw it in the trash. “We need to be moving this along; they are not going to keep the portal closed forever.” With a frustrated sigh he turned towards me. “Go get your weapons and meet us at the training site. I need to have a word with our friend here.”
I wanted to stab him again. “You’re kidding right? It is almost midnight!” I shrieked.
Tristan whipped around then grabbed my shoulders, squeezing them hard. No doubt I would have bruises. “Unless you want to see your precious Aidan gutted from asshole to areola I suggest you do as you’re told!” His eyes were cold, orbs of darkness.
Once he released his grip, I backed towards the door silently. This was about Aidan…he needed me. I was in some serious shit.
* * * * *
There were two things I noticed when I neared the training site in the woods. One, a pack of Gwyallgi demons were following me and two, the copper smell of blood was thick in the air. At least it was a small pack and they did not seem hungry…yet. Gwyallgi demons are what most people think of as hellhounds. Kelilah had given me a guidebook that the Order gave to all their guardians and told me that it was crucial that I read it cover to cover. In fact, I am sure she said that I needed to memorize it. I am grateful that I actually read the first hundred pages and the Gwyallgies were included. I will get to the rest of it eventually. Gwyallgi demons are not hard to kill one on one, in a pack however; they are brutal, attacking in pairs. The guidebook stated that they are killed by piercing the heart, decapitation, ingestion of Myrrh and something called mertalia. I never got a chance to cross-reference what the hell that was but more than likely it was hard to come by.
My heart squeezed painfully when I saw what waited in the clearing. Aidan had been strung up between two trees, bleeding from the mouth and several gashes on his arms. Without a thought, I dropped the heavy bag of weapons and ran towards him. The alarm in his eyes was my only warning. I was almost to Aidan when I was thrown backwards from an unseen force. The impact was a hard one but I shook off the pain and quickly rushed to my bag of weapons. I wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline or what the Order referred to as “the instinct” that had blindly guided me to pick which weapons to use; either way I was operating on autopilot. Once I had the leather scabbard strapped to my back, I grabbed two knives and shove them into the side of my boots. The final weapons were a set of wakizashi swords that Tristan had special ordered from Japan. I closed my eyes for a moment to calm the jittery feeling of my stomach but the calmness faded the moment I heard Aidan roar in pain. The Gwyallgi demons had found their snack. I rushed into the gruesome scene, weapons draw and let all of the anger surface. The beasts were twice the size of a grizzly bear but cutting the head off was the quickest way to end them. I pounced on the closest one’s back, severing the head before the rest of the pack took notice. They did however notice when the head hit the ground with a thud. “That’s right poochies—you’re next.” Launching myself from the Gwyallgi’s back, I did a full twisting layout, landing perfectly on my feet; Kelilah would be proud. With a growl two Gwyallgies separated themselves from the pack and ran towards me. I went on the offensive attacking them both by kneeling just as they leaped at me, causing them to crash midair. As luck would have it, the impact caused them to stagger unsteadily, giving me ample opportunity to deliver the killing blow. One of the two must have been older therefore his neck was harder to completely sever. The second time I passed through his neck, a black tar like substance spurted from him, coating my shirt and arms with the nasty gunk. Before I could slough it off, another demon attacked from behind sinking his sharp teeth into my shoulder. I didn’t have time to dwell on the pain. Blindly I stabbed backwards with my good arm, hoping I hit something that would cause the beast to release me. The moment my blade hit, the gwyallgi yelped and I was able to get away. Immediately I picked up the wakizashi sword I dropped when I was bit then spun around to assess what I had hit. The demon was shaking his head violently due to my sword piercing his left eye. Dammit—decapitation would be impossible with the beast pawing at his head. I had already been bitten and I could feel the venom burning my skin; one scratch could poison me fatally. This meant I needed to pierce the heart.
When the demon crouched down, I surged my second sword into his chest but with all of the jerky movements, I missed the heart. I yanked the sword free then stabbed it’s chest again. This time I hit my mark and with a deafening bellow, the beast slumped over, landing on its uninjured side. I could not tell if it was dead or not but given how much of the black stuff was oozing out of it’s chest I didn’t think it would be getting up any time soon. Besides, I still had one more demon to kill and it was bigger than the rest. The last gwyallgi was licking the blood from Aidan’s chest and too far away from the boundary for me to attack. It made me wonder if whatever barrier was up when I ran to Aidan before was still working or not. I didn’t want to waste time by getting tossed around so I snatched a knife from my boot then hurled towards the demon’s back. The four-inch blade was not long enough to hit the heart but it did get the gwyallgi’s attention and it did tell me that the barrier was gone. I pulled the heavy sword of Michael free from the scabbard on my back just as the large demon tackled me to the ground. The hold I had on the sword was weak and combined with the wound the beast was now clawing at, the sword fell from my hands. I tried to reach the knife I had in my boot but the weight from the demon was too much. Frantically I kicked with all the strength I could muster and when I had began to see black spots from venom I silently prayed.
God—please give me the power to defeat this darkness. I can’t let them win. I can’t let the darkness take my heart.
My body became weaker, leaving my arms and legs heavy. The last bit of my reserves was almost to zero but hope sparked when I felt the hilt of my wakizashi sword. What the hell? How is this possible, they were imbedded in the last gwyallgi demon I had killed.
I pushed the questions from my mind and grabbed the sword. Using both hands I stabbed at the massive chest repeatedly until the beast backed off. The demon retreated further, slumping to the ground then sprawled flat on its back. When the beast had stopped twitching, I still did not stop stabbing it. My body was trembling, covered in the black blood of the demons and all I could feel is a burning rage to kill. A evil hunger stirred inside, begging me to spill more blood; giving in to the darkness.
The abrupt sound of heavy
clapping broke the red haze that had descended over me. Uneasy chills swept up my spine and I glanced towards the source of the interruption. My new threat was a humanoid, male demon but I couldn’t fathom what breed he was. “Good show little killer; I can see the Order choose well this time. I haven’t had the pleasure, my name is Olan.” The demon gave me a disturbing smile, “It will be an honor to slaughter someone, worth of the effort.”
I had yet to move off the now decaying gwyallgi demon or even relax my grip on the short sword. My timing had to be perfect if I wanted to grab Michael’s sword, which was a good four feet from where I was. Counting silently I waited…1,2…3. As soon as I said the last digit mentally, I leapt off the demon carcass, tumbling into a double back flip then grabbed the long sword from the ground. It was thrilling to see that I had taken Olan by surprise and with confidence I didn’t know I could possess, I flung my wakizashi sword towards his chest. My satisfaction disappeared when the demon did and the blade hit the rocks behind where he had been.
“I will say that you have more life than the last human I filleted. It is hard to decide whether you are very brave or very stupid for taking such a risk with your boyfriend there.” Olan was now leaning against one of the trees Aidan was chained to.
This demon was downright pissing me off but I didn’t have much time to get Aidan to a hospital. He was still unconscious from what I could tell and that was never a good sign. “Are you done playing your games so can I take my boyfriend home?”
Olan sighed. “McKenna dear when will you learn that the games have only begun? You see, my employer paid me a rather large sum to kill this”—he waved a hand in Aidan’s direction—“whatever you would like to call him but you are not to be harmed. I found it surprising that my employer would care what happened to you, for you need to understand that he is not normally so compassionate. However, the longer my existence is the more I find things are not always what they seem. You would benefit from taking my advice and stopping wielding such a powerful talisman around your friend here.”
My mind was too cloudy to see reason in his words, I need answers or he would pay. “Who sent you and what do you want with Aidan?”
The demon narrowed his eyes, then stroked his pointed chin with a pale, claw tipped hand. He seemed to be contemplating his answer. “This is yet another surprise—your innocence; the fact that you are without knowledge of everything going on around you. My employer told me that you have gifts that other humans do not. Was this a lie?”
Licking my lips, I nervously tightened my grip on my long sword as I watched the demon walk next to Aidan. This was one subject I didn’t want to discuss. Yes, I had the ability to see past the human facade of the supernatural but I would never call it a gift. “No he did not lie, I can see past your disguise.”
“That wasn’t the one I was referring to little one. How about we finish this up and I show you which one I am curious about?” With a flick of his wrist he produced a wicked looking hunting knife and pressed it hard against Aidan’s neck.
Immediately I tensed, shifting into my fighting stance and held Michael’s sword poised to take a strike. “Get away from him demon scum!”
Olan grinned, “Do you think you have enough control to not hit your boyfriend or even enough time to stop me from slicing his throat from ear to ear?”
The blood in my veins was at a boiling point and without another blink I charged towards my target. Satisfaction sparked when I felt my sword pierced through the tuff skin of his chest. Olan gave a harsh grunt but instead of seeing pain mask his demonic face, I saw victory. Quickly I yanked out the heavy sword and the demon fell to the ground with a groan. “What no words of wisdom for me now demon?” Olan continued to grin, then weakly pointed in Aidan’s direction. It was however the last move he would make, the power of the sword had already began to cause his body to decay and in the next second his burnt looking flesh burst into ash. Obviously, he was a low level demon for his death not to require decapitation or heart removal. The triumph I was feeling left the moment I looked over at Aidan, my heart stalled and icy prick of dread roared through my stomach.
OH. MY. GOD! I have stabbed Aidan!
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
- Buddha
Chapter 16:
“What’s the point of this Chapter?”
This couldn’t be happening. I was a complete and utter failure.
Frantically I rechecked Aidan’s pulse but for the fifth time I didn’t get even a flutter. My heart started pounding and the air felt like acid frozen in my lungs. Sinking to the ground, the shit finally hit the fan. I have killed Aidan, the person who counted on me to help him save his soul.
A strangled sob ripped from my throat and soon the sobs turned into to wailing. I cried so hard that it hurt. My hands fisted the grass, needing something to hold. “WHY GOD? Why have you failed me once again? What do you want from me?” Shaking from head to toe, I waited for an answer I knew would never come.
My tear ducts regained momentum and the sobbing turned back violent.
I wish I could have taken back the last year of my life, hell I wish I could go back to the day my mom died. I would have tried to stop her, begged her not to leave me…maybe she would have listened. I doubt it. It was my naïve way of hoping for the future but deep down I understood why she gave up. She was tired of the pain, tired of the life that came with the curse of knowing that the fears people had were real. The boogeyman doesn’t hide under your bed, he stares at you in the mirror, he hides behind the reflection we see as ourselves. I am my greatest fear. I am the destructor of my soul.
Curling in a ball, I descended into darkness and let the cold, numbing pain take over. I was done with this world. I was done with this life.
Chapter 17:
“Mentally mental without a mentality”
I was enjoying my blacked unconsciousness when they came and judged the scene at hand. No one questioned why I killed Aidan or even why I was unconscious. The cops took one look at the dead body and the blood was literally on my hands. I knew just how screwed I truly was when I woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed with an armed police officer at the door. I tugged at the restraints, desperately needing to run. That is what I should have done when I saw Aidan chained to that tree, ran like hell. Of course, I didn’t listen to my instincts, I ignored them so now I am handcuffed to a bed and I am more than likely going to face jail time for murder. With my past charges of involuntary manslaughter, it will be for a very long time.
Within minutes of calling for a nurse, a short round black woman in scrubs entered the room followed by a tall blonde wearing a suit. “Nice to see you return from coma land.” Smiling the woman in scrubs fiddled with my IV machine. “My name is Tasha, I am your nurse.”
I eyed the blonde, “Who is she?” The words came out harsh, my throat burned like fire.
“My name is Reagan, I am your attorney. We have a lot to discuss.” Reagan didn’t have much of an expressive face. In fact she looked like a smile would have caused her head to shatter.
Tasha finished her duties and left without another word. The click of the door was loud in the silent room.
“So…” I started but Reagan didn’t waste any time.
“They have already pieced together that you stabbed and killed Aidan. However, they have not been able to figure out certain pieces of puzzle pertaining to the events that led up to his murder. My advice to you is to not say a word to anyone, not even to me. The truth is that I have worked with many of Tristan’s friends so I have learned not to ask any questions. You will be pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. The nature of the crime and your previous mental records will cushion this defense. Once the doctor signs your hospital release you will be going straight to court; the DA wants your head on a spike. I am confident that I can get you sent to a private mental facility and you behave like a good girl, you should
be out in few years.”
I blinked at the information she just gave me. “That’s it? I plead that I’m crazy as a loon and I go to mental hospital.”
Reagan’s lips flattened. “Ms. Cole I do not think you quite grasp how much trouble you are in. The police found you covered in blood, an arsenal of weapons in your possession and a body butchered, left hanging from a tree. It was my understanding that the police where highly disturbed by the contents of your room; including your journal. Trust me Ms. Cole when I tell you that you don’t want to take this to trial. I am very good at what I do but even I know that you would lose and probably never breathe fresh air again.”
Staring at her stony expression all I could do was nod in agreement. The bitch was ice cold I would give her that.
“Very well, I have brought you a change of clothing. Would you like the nurse to come back in and assist you?”
Swinging my legs from the bed, my vision blurred ever so slightly. “Yes please.” I gripped the sheets to keep from falling and squeezed my eyes shut. The clicking of her heels echoed in the room, out into the hall, the clicking never stopping until I could barely hear a faint sound. I continued taking deep breathes, wishing my head would stop pounding.
A light knock on the door announced that my nurse had arrived. Peeling my eyes open, the light from the room burned them. “Well honey I can’t say why the doctor thinks you are well enough to be released but he has the fancy MD behind his name.” Tasha helped me undress, using gentle hands; I couldn’t help noticing how bruised I was. My body was mostly purple from what I could see and I was ashamed for Tasha having to witness my ugliness. She gave me a tight smile when she finished buttoning my shirt. “My daughter is about your age, she goes to college in New York. Crazy child wants to be on Broadway one day. She has talent beyond her years but no drive. I keep telling her that she will only see her dreams come true if she puts her whole heart into it. That’s what most people lack in this world—heart.” Tasha tipped my head up and looked deep into my eyes. “Are you ready for this McKenna?”