by Marks, Rena
“Do you hear me, Council? The prophecy is demon,” Enishka’s gleeful voice rang to the table in which the strangers were seated.
The swamp was still as everyone waited for a reaction of the strange newcomers.
The men and women dressed in white and gold appeared oddly out of place in the incongruous swamp. Their demeanor was completely opposite the chattering and giggling drama of the demons. They sat utterly calm, almost robotic in contrast.
The head of the table spoke, his hands clasped on the table before him. “Why has she been decreed demon?”
“She has stolen a soul.”
“Release her.”
The ropes that cut into her wrists were untied and Keara stood in her black wedding gown before the two dimensions. The swamp was still, save for the plop, plop of the blood that dripped from her sliced wrists.
Demon blood.
One lone man stood from the head of the golden table. “Is it true?”
She dropped her head. “Yes. I did.”
“No,” rang out Caleb’s voice as he dropkicked two demons. Somehow, the binding gag had fallen from his mouth during the previous struggle and he was no longer helpless. Six others moved in to take their place and the head of the council boomed, “Enough! Do not touch him. He’s one of ours.”
“Caleb Van Trump. Did she or did she not steal your soul?” continued the golden man.
Caleb was as calm and collected as the council members when he replied. “She is not able. I gave it to her freely.”
The demons in Luciefyiore looked at each other around the room, panic stricken.
“Enishka. Did you force the prophecy to marry you?”
The demon lord wanted to lie. Keara could see it in his face. “She is my wife,” he finally admitted. “But rightfully so. She is demon and therefore her powers belong to me.”
He never fully answered the question. It seemed the council didn’t really care, however.
“We will convene and discuss our decision. In the meantime, Keara and Caleb are confined here. They will not be touched or harmed and are free to go about as they wish.”
“This is my swamp,” Enishka reminded.
“And for the moment, she is queen of it, is she not?”
Keara ran to Caleb as the portal dimension wavered and disappeared.
Blood trickled from his split bottom lip. She wiped at it tenderly with her thumb, because there wasn’t enough fabric on her dress to sop it up. Black lace wasn’t known for its absorbent properties anyway.
Caleb reached for her hand and turned it over to examine the blood clotting on her inner wrist. “You’re hurt,” he muttered in spite of his lip.
“I barely feel it. You’re more hurt,” she smiled tenderly at him. “What were you thinking, taking on all those demons?”
“They looked a little puny compared to what I’m used to.”
Keara looked puzzled. “What are you used to, Caleb? My father didn’t surprise you and knowing that I used to reach for you mentally didn’t shock you either.”
“I think we need to talk, somewhere a little more quiet.”
“Can you get up?” she asked as she reached for him.
He accepted her help in rising. The swamp was hushed, but both seemed to know it was an illusion and there were demons everywhere listening in.
Keara pursed her lips in a semblance of silence and Caleb touched his to hers, wincing slightly.
“Let me show you where I grew up.” There was an angry hiss nearby and Keara smiled knowingly. “It’s sacred ground. Pure demons can no longer enter, preventing them from eavesdropping.”
“I thought you had been decreed demon? Losing your humanity?” he asked. “You can still enter?”
“Yes, I’m decreed. Not pure-born. Follow me.”
They walked in silence, ever aware of being spied on. Finally, Keara’s hand tensed in his, and he tightened his protectively.
They rounded the corner of an old, burned out school. The school in her dreams. He turned questioningly to her to find her staring straight ahead, as if locked in a trance.
“Luciekynokus. It was the most prestigious school here when I was growing up.”
“Ahh. I remember. This is where you were stuck back when you first contacted me.”
“Exactly.”
“Why is it sacred?” he asked as they stepped over the burnt threshold to get inside.
“It was rumored to have been ‘cleaned out’ back then. Blessed by the council, I later figured. No demon has ever been able to step foot on the grounds.”
“Back during the murders that had you banished to Earth?”
“Yes. The accidental fire.”
“Baby, that wasn’t blessed by the council. That’s your doing. You burned out the school.”
Keara was truly puzzled. “Yes, I admit I burned the school, though I don’t know how you knew. But I had nothing to do with cleansing it sacred.”
“But you did. Keara, don’t you realize yet? You are a powerful being. I’ve been protecting you for years.”
She gave a bitter “hmmph.” “Powerful? If I was, I wouldn’t have been decreed. And what do you mean, protecting me?”
“Keeping you from harm. Helping you keep your sanity so you didn’t unfairly turn demon with all the ploys being thrown at you.”
“Then you failed miserably.”
“You’re not full demon, no matter what that fool decreed.”
“Caleb,” she whispered. “Do you know what I did that allowed him to decree me? I did something very wrong and lost my humanity on my own. I forced you to fall in love with me. What you’re feeling isn’t real.”
“No offense, sweetie. But you didn’t.”
She looked blankly at him. “I didn’t cause you to fall in love with me?”
“No.”
“Caleb, my father is a Horntreau Demon. The last of the breed. He has the ability to cause humans to fall in love with him. I have that same ability, only stronger for some reason. Don’t you see? You only love me because I made you.” Her voice fell to a soft whisper with her guilt.
The silly human man had the audacity to laugh at her confession. “You can’t make me fall in love with you, sweet stuff.”
“Yes, I can. I did.”
“Keara, I love you of my own free will.”
“No, Caleb. You don’t understand. I inherited my father’s ability. I caused you to fall in love with me. What you feel is not real.”
“What’d you do? Purposely exert your power?”
Her voice was a whisper as she admitted the horrible truth. “Yes.”
Still he laughed. “Sweetheart, you can’t make me.”
“I can and I did.”
“I’m not human.”
“What?”
“No, baby. You can’t. I love you, just like I told you. But I’m not fully human. Your power is to make humans fall in love. “
“You already knew about my power?”
“I told you. My job was to protect you from the demons.”
“You’re not pure human? I’m not able to… Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know how guilty I was?”
“Yes. I felt guilt myself. I knew I was supposed to save you,” he whispered. “You just had to let me. I’m a demi-god, remember?”
How could she forget that little fact? He was right! She couldn’t exert the power on anyone but humans, although it was possible the original power through her father was strong enough. For a moment, happiness as bright as sunshine pierced her dark desire. Until the thought of the power inherited through her parent reminded her of another issue.
“Caleb, I’m still half demon. An evil, ugly creature.”
“You could never be ugly.”
“Not my outside package. Inside. Inside I’m tainted. Rotten and foul like the rest of them. I can’t help it, I was born that way.”
Caleb’s eyes had softened.
She didn’t need his pity, never
that. “Dammit, don’t you dare look at me like that.”
“Keara, is your own father a horrible creature?”
She paused in her reply, torn between love and loyalty and the truth she’d always believed. When she finally answered, it was carefully worded. “My father doesn’t mean to be. He’s as good as he can be. But there are some things internally we can’t control.”
“Like?”
“He forced my mother’s love. While he’s always treated her wonderfully, the crux of the matter is, he manipulated her life for his own benefit.”
“Isn’t she happy?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
“She doesn’t get a true choice.”
“Then am I evil also?” The voice that echoed throughout the hollowed room sounded remarkably similar to Caleb’s but didn’t come from his mouth. A look of peace came over Caleb’s face before the other materialized.
Keara recognized the figure. Eros. God of love. Also known as Cupid, the offspring of Aphrodite. Caleb’s ancestor. And one of the High Council. He reached for Caleb and hugged him as if the two were long lost twins separated at birth.
He turned to Keara. “I repeat, child, am I evil as well?”
“Of course not,” Keara protested.
“But your father simply did what I do, did he not?” The voice was gentle.
“That is your gift,” she found herself saying.
“It is also your father’s or he would not be able to.”
“You don’t do it for yourself. He did.”
“Well, little one, then I have a confession. I caused the love between your parents.”
“Excuse me?”
“It was my arrow. I pierced your parents.”
“You did it? My father didn’t?”
“No. It was me.”
“My father thinks he forced my mother’s love.”
“He didn’t. I knew she was a good soul and had to get away from Enishka. I knew your father would be wonderful for her.”
Keara was flabbergasted. She stared at Eros.
“Are you saying—”
“Your father isn’t an evil creature because he forced love upon someone. For how can true love be evil, child? True love is a magical gift. One which certain people have the honor of bestowing upon others. Because your father deserved it, I bestowed it upon him to love your mother forever. She loves him completely and honestly, which is his gift to her.”
“But I’m half demon,” she said as she glanced quickly at Caleb and then looked away.
“I see the problem,” Eros said slowly. “There’s a story you need to hear. For years an ancient prophecy was foretold to each generation. The origin—a half-breed child born of a pure human soul will grow into the most powerful being, in time inheriting all the powers of the dying demon breed of her father. In hearing of this prophecy, Enishka went searching for this pure soul to mate with. He found your mother. Now keep in mind we had no idea whether or not your mother was the one. But I was sent to ensure that the mating didn’t occur, for if you had been born of Enishka’s seed all hell would break loose. The balance between good and evil would have been unfairly tipped. He would have raised you as evil instead of allowing you to find your own choice. Purely for his own benefit, of course.”
“He wants all the powers of the dying breed.”
“Exactly. If he had been your father he would have had access to manipulating his child’s gifts. And if you had been forced to marry a demon, your power would have reverted to your husband. He saw the opportunity to hook his claws into the greatest source in the world—the power to turn love evil.”
“How do we know I’m the prophecy?” Keara murmured.
“Was it coincidence that you were named Jenesi? A derivative of Genesee? I think not. No, my dear, we’ve been looking for you for quite a while. But back to your father. He fell in love with your mother because I pierced his thick demon hide with an arrow,” Eros smiled as though Demitris were a close friend, “and you father sacrificed his entire way of life for your mother. That’s not evil, little one. She was willing to follow through on the marriage with Enishka because she was sold to him by her own parents as an infant. The only way she would renege on the promise was for true love. So your father gave her true love even though it banished him forever from the demon dimension and forced him to learn to live as a human for the rest of his life. A huge adjustment, since he was revered as second in command in the demon world.”
She looked over at Caleb who pulled her toward him. The warmth of his arms enclosed her and she sank her head into his shoulder. Keara was still stunned by the wealth of information she’d obtained from Eros. It explained so much that her emotions were overwhelmed.
“Are you okay, love?”
She nodded and kissed his collarbone that lay so temptingly against her lips. “I’m sorry I lied and pretended I didn’t love you, Caleb. I didn’t want you hurt.”
“I know.”
“I can see I don’t need any of my arrows with you two,” Eros said, laughter tingeing his voice.
Keara’s head shot up. “Did you… Had you…”
“No,” Caleb growled. “I’d be immune. I love you on my own.”
“Never. And furthermore,” Eros spoke gently now. “Because you had so much of a struggle through your childhood in being raised on Luciefyiore, the grand council has decided that you and your family, your mother and father included, can live wherever you desire, without banishments, for the rest of your time. You’ve surpassed your demonhood, surpassed your humanity and in time will prove to be as pure as your mother. Now, let’s get back to the swamp so the council can convene, shall we?”
Chapter Thirteen
The Conclusion
A buzz of excitement covered the foggy swamp. The only creatures that were silent were the twelve in the council who sat round the stone table. Each member looked stoically ahead, as if frozen statues in stasis. One by one, they began to come alive although they still did not speak.
Keara stood on a round, raised stage still dressed in her wedding finery. The finery fit for a queen. Whether she stayed the demon queen was to be determined by the council.
A few feet from her, Enishka stood on his own platform, his bottom half the form of the legs of an upright alligator.
She could hear the steady beat of tapping. Her eyes sought out the source of the annoying clicking to see the end of the demon lord’s alligator tail, rattling against the ground like an overgrown serpent. Impatiently beating out a rhythm.
“So?” Enishka snapped. “Is she my queen or isn’t she?”
“The council has ruled…”
Enishka’s tail stopped beating as he leaned in for the result.
“To allow the marriage to stand instead of annulling it. She is your wife. She willingly gave her vows. Although we all know it was to save Caleb’s life.”
Pleasure stole across the face of the demon lord. Turning to face her, he blew a kiss at her, causing her stomach to lurch.
“But…” the man at the head of the table continued, “on the flip, she is proven human instead of demon as you had decreed.”
“What? My decree cannot be overthrown. I am in charge, it is my duty. My right to pick. And she owes me a new breed of children.”
“The council certainly can overthrow your decision based on our own duty to protect the innocent. In this case, Keara. In fact, the Protection Fairies have notified that you’ve already earned punishment for her harm.”
“Lies! How can that be? Favoritism!” The demon screamed. “Innocence! Bahh. You know she’s been sucking power from corrupt human souls such as that cop and divorce attorney.”
“Yes, but in only sucking the evil spots from them, she saved the humans from their own hellish fate. She taught them love, that it starts with each other. Soon enough, it will spread.”
“And you will ignore that she stole a human soul? Like the demon that I decreed? T
hat she is on her way to becoming a Rot Demon?” He waved his arm toward the demon who always waited hand and foot on him, who stood slimily dripping.
“She stole Caleb’s soul to save it from your order of harm. You, on the other hand, have intentionally threatened a human who happens to be a descendant of the council. For that reason alone, you are sentenced to a permanent banishment following your previous twenty-five year commitment.”