Daemons Are Forever

by Suzy Shearer

  We finally made it to the checkout counter and I noticed a packet of mints.

  Mmm…two could play at his game, so I threw them into the trolley to use tonight.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  When we got home, Krisk greeted us at the car and helped Dorian carry in the shopping. The little demon seemed very taken with Dorian and shyly offered to show him his cats. Dorian rolled his eyes at me but he followed Krisk out to the garage.

  While they were missing, I put the groceries away, stashed the mints beside the bed, and decided it was time for another coffee. Dorian came back inside, shaking his head.

  “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it! There’s half a dozen demons out there and I have no idea how many cats and kittens. If you aren’t careful you will be overrun with them.”

  “Demons or cats?”

  “Both!”

  “I’ll have a talk to Krisk and see if he’ll agree to me finding homes for some of them. Looks like we’ve turned into a cat rescue refuge.”

  “I never thought I would be mixing with demons in my life. It feels weird and yet I can understand now why you stood up for Krisk,” Dorian confessed. “He’s a gentle soul.”

  “I know. He has been alive for almost a thousand years and has never hurt anyone in that time, except for the accident with me. I wonder how he managed to keep out of the eye of the other demons?”

  “Good question. Anyway, what are you going to do now?”

  “Have a coffee and then I have to do some work. I’d almost finished cutting out a quilt when all this happened. I have two to make before the end of the month and then get them over to Adrian.”

  I stopped suddenly.

  “What happened to Adrian? Is he…is he still alive?”

  “Yes Ellie, it wasn’t him, it was the demons who invaded his body. He has no memory of what happened.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Dorian wrapped his arms around me. “You tend to see only the good in people. You know he is in love with you.”

  “Oh well, he’ll have to get over it.” I snuggled in. “I have a Daemon to love.”

  I made us both a coffee and Dorian followed me into the workroom. He settled on the couch in there while I perched at the big work desk.

  There was an open book on the couch and Dorian idly picked it up and looked at the title. He roared with laughter.

  “When did you start reading this?”

  I was a bit embarrassed. “With all that was happening and thinking I would never see you again, I decided to brush up.”

  “The Myths of Greece and Rome,” Dorian read aloud, “H. A. Guerber. Ellie, this was written in 1907!”

  “I know, but it was all I had on the bookshelf about Greek Gods.”

  “Well, it is probably wrong. I’m here now so I can give you first-hand lessons.”

  I snickered. “Lessons in what?”

  “I seem to recall that we were going to discuss discipline for your misbehaviour and sarcasm.”

  “Bring it on, big guy.”

  He just laughed at me. The book was opened at the chapter about Zeus.

  “Well the big man would love this. Listen. ‘Zeus the All-Highest, Thunderer, king of the gods, supreme ruler of the universe, the special deity of mankind, the personification of the sky and all the phenomena of the air, and the guardian of political order and peace.’”

  “Yes, I read that. Thought it was kind of over the top.”

  “Ha, actually, that sums it up as far as he is concerned. He is the top notch.”

  “He seems to have a lot of children, too.”

  “Well, yes, I guess he does. Even we get confused with who is who. He has anything from fourteen to seventy.”

  “Don’t forget his wife Hera is also his sister! Your Gods are very free in their sexual favours.”

  “Ah, what can I say?”

  Dorian just grinned and blew me a kiss. He thumbed through the book, making rude noises every now and again until he finally threw it aside.

  “Next time Anteros drops in, we should get him to give you his insight.”

  That night, after we had eaten and gone to bed, Dorian and I started some heavy kissing. I loved the way he made love to me, I got so excited whenever he touched me.

  His hands were running up and down my body, fondling my breasts, squeezing my nipples. I was playing with his cock while he did it. He lowered his head to take one nipple into his mouth, his teeth nibbling on it. I arched my back into his face. I wanted more. He pulled and twisted the other one while he sucked. I was so wet, it was as if he had his head between my legs. I wanted to taste him again, I loved the feeling of his cock in my mouth.

  I began to wriggle down the bed but I grabbed the mints as I did. He hadn’t noticed as I was teasing his cock all the while. Sneakily I put a few in my mouth and sucked on them then I lowered my head and slid his cock between my lips, my tongue diving into the little hole.

  I felt him tense then shout.

  “Fuck me! Oh god, oh god!”

  I moved up and down on his cock, the mints doing their job as he kept moaning and groaning.

  “God Ellie, I want to come, I can’t stop it!”

  Just what I was waiting for. I increased the way I was sucking and hummed a little. He grabbed my head and thrust, at the same time he spurted into my throat. I swallowed that tasty cum and licked his cock clean, then wandered back up to his head.

  He had his arm over his eyes and was still panting. Lowering it, he looked at me.

  “My god, Ellie! Do you know what that felt like? It was, it was amazing. It was hot, it was cold, it was…fuck it was wonderful! My god woman, the way you make me feel.”

  I just grinned at him and kissed him.

  “Where are they? What were they?”

  I handed over the tin of mints. He popped one into his mouth and sucked on it. A wicked gleam came to his eyes. He downed another couple then threw me onto my back and descended between my legs.

  It was my turn to scream. He sucked my clit into his mouth and those bloody mints were so cold, they were hot but cold. It was an amazing feeling!

  Dorian pushed a couple of fingers into my pussy and then began moving them in and out, all the while he was nibbling, sucking, and licking my clit with those mints.

  “Fuck! Shit, Dorian!” I screamed his name again.

  I felt my muscles grab his fingers. I tried to hold off, but it was no use, his mouth, the mints, his fingers all were doing their job and I could not resist.

  “Ah!” I shrilled, “Fuck!” as a wonderful orgasm swept across me.

  Dorian wasn’t satisfied and kept up his assault on my pussy and my clit. He even pushed a finger into my arse and that did it. Another climax surged over me, this one stronger than the last, I couldn’t even shout. I gasped and panted as it slowly subsided. Dorian kissed my pulsing pussy and moved back up to gather me in his arms.

  “Next time we try the strawberries and cream.”

  I could only nod in agreement, my breath still coming in pants. Wrapped together we fell asleep, my handsome Daemon was finally home.

  * * * *

  The next few weeks were spent with me working on the quilts while Dorian read from the Guerber book and then told me his version. Actually, it was really interesting learning about them all. Some days Maleos would add snippets, and once or twice, some of the other Gods or Daemons would drop in. They would have a coffee and relate incidents or give me their opinions on the book.

  Anteros was often there and gave lots of inside stories about his brothers Eros, Himeros and of course, Pothos. He also told us tales about his grandfather Zeus and his brother, Hades.

  I was starting to get used to it, but I have to admit I felt like my home was now a drop-in centre for any immortal.

  Pothos arrived one day with his brother Anteros. The two were very similar in looks, rather cute, but young-looking. Anyway, that was a lively time. Pothos insisted I needed to learn more curs
e words, but in other languages.

  So he had me saying things like Tabarnaque, calisse de marde, which was Quebecois French for “fuck, fucking shit” and the German for “cock sucker,” schwanzlutscher or one he particularly liked, Elif air ab tizak, which was Arabic for “a thousand dicks in your arse.”

  Dorian and Maleos thought it was a great joke. I tried to remain dignified, but it was rather hard with all the crude comments that were flying through the air. When Pothos left I got Dorian to teach me how to say “go fuck yourself” in Greek. Next time I saw him I would be ready.

  I took a break one afternoon. Dorian had set up a small block of stone in the backyard and led me outside to teach me a little about sculpting. I was really excited and Dorian laughed at me jumping up and down.

  We spent the afternoon having lots of fun. He taught me some of the basics, like how to hold a chisel and hit it without bashing your fingers. That took a while, and I have the Band-Aids on my fingers to prove it.

  Some of the demons came out to watch. They perched on the edge of the roof, above where we were working. It looked like I had a line of gargoyles on the roof. Although if I were being correct they were a line of grotesques - gargoyles are strictly speaking decorative waterspouts.

  Still, I enjoyed it immensely. Dorian was a great teacher, very patient, and the odd kiss or three he would give me helped. By the end of the few hours, I had managed to turn my single block of stone into a few hundred tiny pieces of rock, but I was happy.

  Two days later the quilts were finally finished and I told Dorian I was taking them to the factory. Of course, he insisted he was coming, too. I will admit I was grateful, I had not been looking forward to going there again, even though I knew it was not really Adrian who had attacked me.

  Dorian had been teaching me the disappearing trick and I was getting pretty good at it. He suggested we “pop” over to the factory. He would carry the quilts, as I had not gotten use to carrying things at the same time.

  I shut up the studio and followed Dorian into the family room. Krisk and Maleos were there drinking coffee and eating M&Ms—Krisk had gotten Maleos hooked on them as well. Dorian told them where we were off to but before we got a chance to leave, Theos appeared in front of us, a machete in hand, and in the blink of an eye, he swung at Dorian’s head. Lightning fast, Dorian jerked backward, but he was not quite quick enough. Theos stabbed Dorian in the stomach and dragged the machete upward.

  I let out a loud scream as Dorian fell to the floor, clutching his stomach. Theos raised his machete again to cut Dorian’s head off and as it began its downward swing, I threw myself over Dorian, shrieking, “No!”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Everything happened at once.

  The house reverberated with “pops,” Krisk and Maleos raced toward me, their arms raised, stopping time as the machete got close to me. Krisk actually threw himself between the blade and me.

  The loud “pops” had been Pothos, Anteros, Eleos, and two Gods who I didn’t know but judging by the deferential way the others looked at them, and their similar build, I guessed they were Zeus and his brother Hades.

  They were both tall and very regal-looking. Both had beards and both had an aura of such power about them. Yes, I was sure these were two you didn’t cross.

  They looked furious.

  Actually, that was wrong.

  If someone could kill with their looks, it would be these two. I was lying across Dorian, with Krisk on top of me, protecting me from the machete. I could feel Dorian trying to push me off.

  Krisk clambered off me and got to his feet, and I sat back on my heels to look at Dorian. He was still holding his stomach, his clothing soaked in golden syrupy stuff. He went to sit up and I tried to stop him, but Maleos pulled me back.

  Zeus took the machete out of Theos’s hand and gestured for me to move. I stood and stepped back. I was stunned when Dorian stood. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Krisk had scrambled behind me.

  “How?” I whispered. He tore open his shirt and I could see the wound was closed and was healing as I watched.

  Zeus tapped Theos on the forehead and time began for him again. His arm continued its downward swing until he realised his hand was empty.

  He swore, then looked around, quailing when he saw Zeus and Hades.

  “Why?”

  That one powerful word from Zeus echoed through my family room and kitchen. Theos paled, then straightened up.

  “It should have been me,” he grumbled. “I should have been given the wish, not Dorian.”

  He pointed at me. “She should have been mine.”

  I rocked back, and if Krisk and Dorian had not been there I think I would have fallen.

  “Now they both deserve to die. She refused my apology. I will…”

  Zeus interjected, “Be silent!”

  He looked over at Dorian and me. “You have taken no permanent injury?”

  “No, my Lord.” Dorian gave a bow as he answered.

  “Nemesis!” Zeus boomed.

  There was the usual “pop” and a rather beautiful but austere woman appeared.

  “Missing someone?” Zeus asked sarcastically.

  She looked around at the assemblage and saw Theos.

  “He was supposed to be counting grains of sand in my hourglass.”

  “Well, he wasn’t. Take him and destroy him.”

  “No!” I shouted, stepping toward Zeus, “No. You can’t kill someone when they aren’t mentally sound. It is obvious he needs treatment.”

  Dorian tried to pull me back but I shook his arm off. Zeus looked at me and sighed.

  “Still defending those who can’t or don’t defend themselves I see, Eliza.”

  “I’m sorry sir, Lord. But down here we don’t kill people who are mentally unhinged, we help them.”

  He and his brother looked at each other, Hades shrugged.

  “Take him away, Nemesis.” Sarcastically, he continued, “We will see what can be done later.” He nodded to me. “Just keep him under lock and key.”

  She stepped forward and place her hand on Theos’s arm. They both vanished.

  “Eliza, you seem to enjoy meddling in the affairs of the Gods.”

  “I’m sorry, sir…um…Mr. Zeus, Lord.” I hung my head.

  “Krisk.”

  Poor Krisk sidled out from behind Dorian where he had taken refuge.

  “You have again shown remarkable spirit and bravery. I think we should remove the penalty imposed on you.”

  “No!” Krisk and I both shouted at the same time.

  Oh fuck! Why can’t I keep my bloody mouth shut?

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Zeus Lord, but I think he should keep the penalty.”

  I tried to look innocent.

  “Hades, what say you?”

  I glanced over and caught a wink between the brothers. Dammit! They knew what my trick with the penalty had been and now they were making me squirm.

  Hades looked at Krisk and then at his brother, who stroked his beard before replying, “Perhaps Eliza is correct. I am sure we can think of another reward.”

  “Mmm. What say we allow him to take mortal form on those occasions when he needs food for his cats or to give some away? I believe this place is slowly being overrun with them.”

  “Splendid!”

  I breathed a sigh of relief and risked a glance at Krisk. He was trying to bow and kneel at the same time.

  “Eliza, do you think you could manage not to upset my Gods anymore? I prefer a nice quiet life.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m so sorry, sir.” I gave a little curtsey.

  With a loud “pop” the two brothers left and I sank to my knees in relief. Dorian and Maleos were laughing at me as Dorian helped me to my feet. Anteros and Pothos still remained and they were laughing at me too. Eleos had left as soon as Zeus did.

  “Well there is certainly never a dull moment in your house, Ellie.” Anteros chuckled.

  “I is really being like a mortal? I can be going shoppi
ng for M&Ms and cat food?”

  Pothos smiled at him, “That’s what the man said. Try it.”

  Krisk scrunched up his face and suddenly there was a little old man in front of us. He swaggered up and down, looking very proud until Dorian pointed.

  “Er…Krisk. You need a little more practise, mortals don’t have tails.”

  Krisk blushed, then laughed. The rest of us joined in as he turned back into his usual demon self.

  “You can open a refuge here for your cats, Krisk, and give them away to people who will look after them.”

  “I be having Krisk’s Kats.” He giggled, then said soberly, “I only be giving them to peoples who be taking good care, Ellie.”

  “Of course, Krisk.” I looked over at Dorian. “How did you do that? I saw that big knife cut into you.”

  “I told you we can heal ourselves, as long as we don’t get our heads cut off, we can heal pretty quick.”

  He put his arms around me and kissed me. “Thank you for saving my life.”

  “I don’t think I did.”

  “If he had cut off my head I would have died, baby.”

  I clung to him and started to shake. Everything that had happened finally sank in.

  “It’s okay, baby. We are all okay.”

  Dorian led me to a chair and we all sat down. Anteros and Maleos made coffees all round. Gradually I felt my shivering stop, I could hold my coffee without it spilling, and I felt much better. We all relaxed and just chatted about Krisk and his new cat refuge.

  “Still want to deliver those quilts or do you want to go another day?”

  “No, I’m okay now. Let’s do it before anything else happens.”

  Dorian changed his shirt for a clean T-shirt, and then he and I stood and said good-bye to the others. Dorian picked up the parcel with the quilts in it and took my hand. Pothos made some crude comment so I turned back to him and smiled sweetly.

  “Ánte gamisou, Pothos!”

  We disappeared, with Pothos’s roaring laughter echoing in our ears.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Dorian and I reappeared just at the edge of the carpark at the factory. With Dorian guiding me, I changed my appearance to the older me, then we walked into the showroom. Dorian stood admiring the wall hanging I had made, while I spoke with Tammy on the front desk.