The Demon Realm

by Annette Morris

  I was unsure why Serentis hadn't lifted Diego to the bed before he'd left. But there was nothing else I could do now, anyway. I'd done all I could.

  I headed back to bed. After laying down, I closed my eyes, and tried to get back to sleep. It took a while, but I finally drifted off.

  Jeffe

  "Where the fuck are we?" I was standing, with my hands on my hips, while my eyes surveyed the area around me.

  "I have no idea, Sire. Is that a town up ahead?"

  "Where?" I looked out but couldn't see anything that would resemble a town.

  "There, Sire," Bridabur pointed to a small enclave, a little to the left, in the distance.

  "Um." We were too far away for me to be sure, but it might be a town. "You could be right, Bride."

  "Food, Sire," Bridabur was now standing beside me with his eyes focussed on the spot in the distance. "We need to get food."

  "And lodgings." Food and shelter was vital. We needed to regroup and work out what we were going to do for our future.

  "And hot showers."

  I looked over to see a grin spreading across Bride's face. I laughed at him. "Not used to walking like this, are you Bride?"

  "I have told you not to call me that, Sire. I hate it when you call me that."

  "Why do you think I do it?" Now we were free, everything felt lighter. My emotions were seesawing… one minute I felt on top of the world… the next I was back in the Demon Realm with all the men I'd left behind. But… with a town in walking distance, the day was looking up. It would be good to get food and wine, along with a bath and a comfortable bed. And I didn't want to neglect the chance of a warm, willing woman. Yes, it would be great if that was a town up ahead. Unfortunately, we weren't going to get there by simply standing and looking in that direction. We all trudged our feet forward, for the long march towards our destination.

  "Sire?" Bridabur looked over at me. "How are we going to pay for our food and lodging?"

  "Like we will have to for some time, I expect. We will have to steal to pay for what we need. That is until we can get organised with the gems we brought with us."

  "I wonder what this world is like? Do you think it differs from the demon realm?"

  I kept my eyes facing forward. The weight of responsibility was hanging heavily upon me as I was their leader. "I think it will be quite a bit different, Bride. But, as with everywhere, some things remain the same. People, whether demon, human, or anything else, need food and a warm place to lay their head. Give it time, Bride. Time will sort everything out, for us. Now we are here, we can take as much time as we need." As long as we played our cards right, no-one would come for us. We just had to blend in.

  All the stories I'd heard sent the same message. Once you leave the demon realm, unless you do something radical or stupid, they would leave you alone. Left alone to flourish or die according to nature and the attributes of this realm.

  That worked for me. I would make sure that myself and all the demons with me, would be survivors.

  Somehow, we had to flourish in this world and grow. Never again would we experience the pain of hunger, or the cold chill of winter.

  This I vowed.

  I adjusted the weight of the sack on my shoulder. At least I'd been able to grab some things, from the demon realm. I was sure we'd be able to use these items, in this world. They might in fact, be lucrative for our future. I made a pledge many centuries ago, that when I got out, I'd take enough gems to survive. I just hoped that I'd grabbed enough. How much currency would they exchange for them, in this world? Would it be enough? Who could answer these questions? Who would know what is ahead for us all?

  I could still see the agony and pain on the faces of those that attempted the escape, but didn't make it. I shook my head. It's too late for regrets now. I would not become maudlin. I needed to focus all of my attention on this world. On myself and those with me.

  Somehow we would prosper.

  Janey

  "Janey!"

  I could hear someone calling my name. My exhausted brain tried to work out who it could be. The voice seemed to be coming from a long distance away. My eyes opened, but it was difficult for them to focus. My mind was struggling to get everything into perspective.

  "Janey!"

  I squinted and focused my head more to filter through the fog.

  A cold hand touched me on the shoulder and the fog cleared. "Aargh!"

  "Janey? Are you okay? You were crying in your sleep."

  Remembrance flooded back of the traumatic night before, as I saw Diego alongside me. "Diego? You're okay?"

  He nodded. "Not back to full strength yet, but I'm getting there." He was lying on the bed, his head resting on the pillow.

  I sat up a little and studied him, but couldn't detect any signs of blood.

  "I had a shower."

  I looked back up at his face. "Are you sure you're okay?" I recalled the events of last night along with the amount of blood he'd lost.

  He nodded. "Yep, Serentis's blood helped. Thank you for calling him."

  "I had to use your phone, Diego. Mine is still out…" I stopped talking as more memories came cascading back. "That reminds me. Just what happened out there?" I pointed towards the door, but I was sure Diego knew I was referring to the events, that took place, beyond the doorway.

  He stretched his arms, above his head. "I heard people coming from the elevator. Somehow they broke the codes on my door. I will have to find out how. They got the smell of your blood. Instead of satisfying their lust elsewhere, they tracked you down."

  "You mean they wanted my blood?" Shivers ran up and down my spine.

  He nodded. "Yes, that was why I wanted you to stay with me. Just in case something like this happened. Once you were in my chambers, I never considered, for a second, you could be in danger. What happened was a worst-case scenario. I guess that just proves my theory."

  "What theory?" That when I was here I would be in mortal danger?

  "I wasn't sure how a human would go down here with vampires. Now, I know. I think we will get you some bodyguards for the time you're here."

  "I suppose you might have to, after what happened last night. But, what about the bodyguards? Won't they be vampires too? Won't the same thing happen with them?"

  "No!" Diego rose and leaned on his elbow. He was looking at me. "I will pick them myself. And, they will already have consumed sufficient blood. Their sole focus will be to protect you. You won't have any problems with them. I give you my word."

  I nodded. For some reason, beyond my understanding, I trusted this vampire. I was not sure if it was because I felt attracted to him, or if he came across as worthy and trustful. Whatever the reason, I trusted him. For his peace of mind, and my protection, I would take the bodyguards, he offered, while I was here. I didn't want to see a repeat of last night.

  "Okay." Diego was getting out of bed. "Hungry?"

  I nodded. "Yeah, now you mention it, I am."

  "Okay, do you want a shower?"

  "Yeah, that would be good."

  "Okay, you shower. I need to make some calls. Then we can go upstairs, grab some food and get started for the day. Sound okay to you?"

  I nodded as I got myself out of bed. I was eager to get back to work. There was a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in.

  --------------

  Janey

  Hours later, I was deep into the history of magic.

  I was researching the books that Diego had mentioned, from their library. They were in-depth books, but I flicked between different ones, trying to understand a point, or get a broader perspective on something. It would be so much easier if this information was consolidated into one volume.

  "How's it going?" Diego said as he stepped up to the chair I was sitting on.

  "Um..." My mind was still focused on what I'd been reading, regarding the witch trials. The priests had been asked to heal people and animals. But they'd also asked the priests to protect the people from any future pro
blems. Was that classed as magic? I mean, the priests weren't medical people They had no knowledge of medicine. Their role was more spiritual. So then how could they heal and protect people from any future problems without magic?

  Then there was the case of Peeter Gijsbrechts. This man became known as a supernatural specialist. One of his ways of helping people was, as he told a woman who had lost some of her children to a disease, that the next morning, she would discover the witch culprit as being the first person she saw on leaving her house. I shook my head at some ludicrous things I read. And people believed this!

  Another involved the infamous North Berwick Witch trials in 1590. These trials carried out horrendous torture of women. King James himself, had one woman, Agnes Sampson tortured at his palace. They fastened her to the wall of her cell by a witch's bridle. They made the bridle of iron and had four sharp prongs. They forced two of those prongs against her tongue while they forced the other two against her cheeks. She could not sleep. She confessed to the crimes against her and was strangled, then burned as a witch. Someone estimated that they'd killed up to 4,000 witches from…

  "Janey?"

  I looked up and shook my head. "What?"

  "You okay?"

  I looked back down at the book I was reading. I gulped as I considered the horror I read. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just researching."

  "Janey?" Diego's voice was sterner, this time.

  I glanced up. "Yes."

  "I think you need a break." He was standing, frowning at me.

  I nodded. "Yeah, a break would be good." I put the book I was reading onto the table and stood up, then pushed my chair back, as if I could push away the knowledge I had just gained.

  "Come on," Diego clasped my arm and tugged me from the table. "I have no idea what you were reading, but I can tell you it happened a long time ago. There is not a lot you can do about it now."

  "I know. But…"

  "No," Diego stopped and looked at me. "The people who caused all of that are long dead."

  "Yeah, you're probably right." Then a thought hit me. "What if they're not?"

  He frowned. "What?"

  "Well, what I mean to say is vampires live a long time, don't they? What if the people who caused all of that are still alive and they are vampires or something else with a long life span?"

  He nodded. "Yes, I suppose that is possible. But think about this Janey. It was another time back then. Superstition was rampant. Everyone saw shadows. So… would you condemn a man today, for the things he'd done many centuries ago?"

  My first thought was to say yes I would. But then I considered the question more carefully. What if that person had remorse? What if, since then, he'd achieved some measure of helping society? What if killing him, for what happened long ago, changed the future? A better future he might have been responsible for? "I can see your point. There's more to consider than just the past."

  Diego nodded. "There are always two sides to every story."

  "Where are we going?" I blurted out as I realised Diego was leading me somewhere.

  "You need nourishment. But more than that, you need to have a break."

  I had to agree with him on that one. I felt exhausted. And all I'd been doing was reading.

  He pulled me along, towards the food area.

  While we walked, my mind thought back to some of the things I'd read about. It would be difficult to forget all the horrors of the past. But, I needed to be more objective. This was data gathering, nothing more. I was looking at the past to gain information. Information that would make a better future.

  I couldn't change the past.

  There was nothing I could do about the past, but learn and remember it. I needed to do everything in my power to ensure it never happened again. To make sure people don't allow superstition to run roughshod again. I could use the past to create a better future.

  Janey

  "Janey."

  I looked up at Diego. We'd enjoyed a pleasant lunch and were now sitting, basking in the quiet sounds of the outdoors. It was a lovely day today. "Yep."

  "These are your bodyguards," he pointed to four men, no they were vampires, walking in a direct line towards me.

  I looked in their direction. My eyes widened as I took in the huge size of these vampires Their muscles were bulging. Besides that though, they were all armed to the teeth. Knives were in holsters at their waist, and in their boots. Some even had knives strapped to their upper arms and the tops of their legs. Each wore a huge sword fastened on their back. They were all dressed the same, in black jeans and a black t-shirt. "All of them?" I looked back over towards Diego. How was I supposed to get any work done with four hulking guys following me everywhere?

  "No, not all at once. Two on, two off." Diego was looking at me again. "I wanted you to meet them all before they started."

  I nodded and waited as my bodyguards stepped up to the table.

  Diego got to his feet and shook hands with the vampire at the front. Then turned. "Janey, this is Brian."

  I nodded and smiled. "Hi."

  Brian nodded back, but no smile. No emotion at all. I would hate to meet this guy in a dark alley, or anywhere else, whether it be light or dark, if he was intending to attack me.

  "Brian is the guy you go to if you need anything. He will help you."

  I nodded again and gulped. "Okay." Let's hope I didn't need to go to him for anything.

  The other guys all stood back a little. They were all like statues. Their stance remained the same and their faces were expressionless.

  Diego took them a little distance away from the table and had a quiet conversation. I ignored them as best as I could and finished my drink. After a few minutes, Diego returned, followed by two of the guards. Brian was not one.

  "Brian will be on at night. That's the more dangerous time," Diego stretched out his hand. "So, you ready to go back?"

  I nodded and rose to my feet. I had a sudden thought as we walked through the doorway; I turned to Diego. "Can you afford to keep me company, all the time? I mean… don't you have other work to do?"

  He smiled back at me and nodded. "Yes, I do. But, I have farmed most of it out to others. This course has to be the number one priority for the moment. We have to get it up and running. And your safety is worth more than anything."

  I spent the rest of the afternoon researching books on witches. I wanted to create one book that could be used as a reference book for the course. It needed to contain only the barest of facts about witches, but it needed enough to garnish the student's interest. They could use other books for more intensive research. But it was tough going. There was so much information to wade through. Some of it sounded like sheer nonsense, like the witch's mark, and yet at other times, the information was relevant. Like the picture of the Crucifixion. It was assumed to have been created by Lucifer himself. This picture had later been taken to the Holy Office. I was amazed at the information I'd found. But there was still so much to go through.

  So much to do and so little time to do it in. I pushed myself harder.

  --------------

  Janey

  My head hitting the top of the table worked better than an alarm clock.

  I woke up with a start, cringing from the pain, as I rubbed my temple. I sat back in my seat and looked around. There was no-one else here. Diego was nowhere in sight. My two bodyguards would probably be outside the door. Damn, why did I fall asleep? I glanced down at my notes, trying to get some semblance of what I was up to.

  But my mind refused to focus.

  It must be time to call it for the day. To understand all of this, I needed a much clearer head. Getting to my feet, I grabbed my bag, and then walked towards the door. Tonight, I needed to get home. I needed sleep. I certainly didn't want a repeat of last night. That was for certain.

  Waiting for me outside was Brian and the other night bodyguard. I glanced down at my watch. I had to peer at the screen. Adjusting it a little to get a better light, I found it was just on midnight
.

  I started towards the door. My guards stepped into line behind me. They didn't stop me. That was a good sign. They could follow me to my car and then I'd be okay. All I wanted to do was get home and get some sleep.

  I maneuvered my way through corridors and doorways until I reached the exit door. I opened it and stepped outside. It was full on dark. I took a deep breath and started towards my car.

  "Janey! Wait!"

  Diego was calling me, but I ignored him. I kept walking.

  "Wait, Janey. Where are you going?"

  Forcing my legs to stop, I turned my head back. "I'm going home, Diego. I'm tired, and I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Janey, it's dangerous out there. You need to stay within the safety of…"

  I spun around at those words, eyes blazing. I could feel my anger rising. "Safety! You're saying safety, after last night? No way." I shook my head. "I'm going home. I'm tired, and I want to sleep in my bed," I could hear myself yelling at the end. Not a good thing to do with a vampire. I took in some deep breaths, to calm myself down. "Look, Diego. I'm tired. I want to go home."

  He stared at me. The only emotion was coming from his eyes. They showed anger in contrast to his emotionless facial expression. "Okay, I'll allow you to go home, if you agree to take your bodyguards with you."

  What? The hide? I spun around properly and stepped closer to him. "You'll allow me! How dare you? What do you mean you'll allow me? You are not my keeper! You don't own me. I go where I want, when I want!"

  He stepped closer. "You belong with me," he leaned his head even closer. "I know it. You know it. That's the way it is. You belong with me."

  I leaned back and gaped at him. I took a full step back and studied his face. His chin was ground tight. His eyes were flashing from red, to blue. He was on the verge of going vamp. I remembered what happened with Serentis. I could sense the same thing here.

  That, more than anything else, forced me to calm down. "I'm going home to sleep. In my bed. The bodyguards can come if they want to. But I'm going home."