Demon Seer (Demon Demigods Book 1)

by Kurtis Eckstein

  Not waiting for a verbal response, being satisfied with his nod, Miriam continued. “Good.” A soft smile touched her lips as her voice became slightly more taunting. “Is that why you look like you haven’t slept?”

  Michael nodded a second time. “Yes…I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He felt extremely lame again, but it was the truth.

  “Aww, how sweet.” Her grin widened. “Maybe I’ll visit you tonight to help you sleep.”

  Michael wasn’t sure if that was a death threat or something else entirely. After all, death was often referred to as the eternal slumber. ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ suddenly had a more potent meaning for him now.

  Sighing, he replied honestly. “That would be very nice…” He then paused before continuing. “Umm, can I ask you for a small favor though?”

  “Yes?” She leaned towards him, surprisingly eager.

  “Will you promise not to hurt anyone I know?”

  Her expression abruptly returned to a neutral poker face. Her tone was flat. “And what if I already have?”

  Michael immediately thought of his dad, realizing that Miriam might be the reason why he hadn’t seen him this morning.

  Had she…killed him…shortly after he came home last night? Michael’s shoulders slumped at the thought, and he laid his forehead down on the desk feeling dizzy again.

  Miriam’s tone was still flat as she responded to his reaction. “Would you hate me if I told you I’ve already killed someone you love?”

  His eyes began to sting, tears developing at the corners, threatening to blur his vision. He felt horrible because he didn’t even have to think about his answer. Sighing heavily, he replied truthfully again. “No.”

  Her voice sounded annoyed again. “You really are stupid.”

  Michael took a deep breath, still trying not to allow himself to be consumed with emotion. Whispering, he agreed. “Yeah…”

  After a few seconds, he heard her scoff before speaking again. “Fine. I won’t hurt anyone you know. I didn’t plan on it anyway.”

  Surprised, he turned his head on the desk to look at her. “So…you haven’t killed anyone I know?”

  Her brow was still furrowed in annoyance. “No, I haven’t.” Relief swept over him instantly as she continued. “In fact, that woman was the only person last night. I had other things to take care of after we spoke.”

  His sudden curiosity made him less cautious, causing him to question her more casually. “Like what?”

  Her expression disappeared again behind her neutral mask, and she just stared at him without responding. He slowly sat back up as the silence grew uncomfortably longer. Did he say something wrong?

  “Err, sorry. Am I…” He wasn’t sure what the ‘rules’ were with her, so he decided to ask. “Am I not allowed to ask questions?”

  Her expression didn’t change as she considered his request. Finally, she chose her words carefully. “I suppose you can ask questions. I just may not answer them.”

  “Okay, umm, why do you look like a normal person right now?” He noticed that her ears were smaller too, and rounded like a normal human girl.

  Her face relaxed a little, but she didn’t answer. “Try another one.”

  “Have you always gone to school here?”

  That made her smile. The cheerfulness returned to her voice. “No, silly. I don’t go to school at all. I’m just granting your wish to see me.”

  Michael was shocked by her response, unable to wrap his mind around the idea that she might really be here just to spend time with him. He suddenly found himself staring at her, examining her breathtaking beauty. Even if he had been able to create the most attractive girl he could imagine in his mind, it wouldn’t have come close to this. Even photoshopped supermodels in magazines were lacking in comparison. He couldn’t believe that reality could actually be better than fantasy. Yet here she was, proof of that fact.

  Was she really here, sitting in his class, just for him? Just because he had wanted it? It seemed too good to be true.

  Rather than interrupt him, Miriam let him stare, watching him examine her face intently. He realized she was looking him over too, although much more composed than his gawking, as if she was memorizing every feature of his face. He found himself wishing he could see her red eyes again. Her face was perfect right now, beyond perfect, except for that minor detail. He never would have imagined that red eyes could be so devastatingly attractive.

  Michael looked towards the front of the room again, making sure he wasn’t hallucinating her.

  While most of the students had returned their attention to their peers, there were still a few occasional glances in their direction. He finally decided to respond to her comment. “If you don’t go to school here, then how are you able to attend class today?”

  She responded immediately without missing a beat, as if they hadn’t just spent a lengthy amount of time staring at each other. “I handed your teacher a fake note saying that it was my first day. I even stole one of the slips they use to have all the teachers sign. The security at this school is surprisingly horrible.”

  Michael couldn’t help but smile at her reply. “Well, I don’t think they often have to worry about kids trying to sneak into the school to attend class. You’re probably the first.”

  “I’m also not a human kid.”

  “R-Right.” Michael stuttered, trying to consider what question to ask next. However, he suddenly found himself mesmerized by her gaze again briefly. After a few minutes, she cleared her throat, causing him to focus. “Sorry. So, where are you from?”

  “Hmm…” She seemed to exaggerate thinking about how to answer. “Someplace very hot. You would probably die instantly if I brought you home.”

  He gulped at the idea of her bringing him home, although not because of what she said. For the first time, he felt stable enough to feel slightly aroused by her words, as if she were a normal girl considering the idea. He shook off the thought of being alone in a normal house with her and tried to clarify what she meant. “So…are you from hell?”

  She grinned again, giggling quietly. Her laugh was enchanting. “Well, if you consider hell as someplace where humans can’t survive, then yes I’m from a hell.”

  “What would happen if I died in hell?”

  She looked at him confused. “Then…you’d be dead obviously.”

  Michael tried to clarify what he meant. “I mean, where would I go when I died?”

  She giggled again. It was quickly becoming his new favorite sound. “No idea, but certainly not where I live. It’s a physical place where living breathing demons exist. If dead humans go somewhere after they die, it certainly isn’t there.”

  “Oh…” Michael realized that his preconceptions about heaven and hell where causing him to misunderstand her. She was obviously alive, and she lived in a physical location. “Then, where exactly is hell? Is it in the center of the Earth or something?”

  “Nope…although you should try another question.”

  Michael considered what he wanted to ask next, realizing that he had a burning question deep inside him. He examined her perfect face for a few minutes while he considered how to ask. “Umm…well…I realize you probably just view me as food, but I was wondering…” He paused, hoping he wasn’t about to experience the rejection of her laughing at his silly idea. “Is it possible…for me to be with you, like…long-term?”

  Surprisingly she didn’t laugh. Instead her expression turned bitter briefly before she composed herself. “I think I’ll humor you for a little while, but no. It’s not possible.”

  “Oh…” His heart sunk, his shoulders along with it, but he was glad she at least hadn’t made fun of him. It wasn’t a complete rejection. “Well…I’m really grateful to you for even a little time. So…thanks.” He tried to smile but wasn’t sure if he succeeded in pulling it off.

  Miriam sighed heavily and propped her chin up with her hand – her elbow on the desk – looking towards the corner of the room w
hile she considered her own thoughts. She was quiet for a few minutes, allowing him to stare again – not that his eyes had left her face for longer than a second anyway. She then glanced in his direction, before looking away. “Hey…can I ask you a question?”

  “Oh, of course.” He was surprised she asked for permission first.

  “Why are you so obsessed with me? Sure, I’m good-looking, even if I am a monster, but that doesn’t explain why you’d deny your survival instinct so readily.” Her gaze returned to him then as she waited for an answer.

  He felt embarrassed that it was so obvious. He was obsessed, beyond obsessed. He would give up anything to be with her. He looked down briefly as he replied. “Honestly, I don’t know. I understand that my actions are stupid, but for some reason…when I saw you for the first time…I just decided.”

  She leaned towards him, curious. “Decided what?”

  “Well…” He honestly wasn’t sure how to explain it. “I just decided that I belonged to you now, and I would let you do whatever you wanted with me.”

  Unexpectedly, her face was bitter again before returning to her familiar poker face. She looked away and remained silent. Michael wasn’t sure if he should apologize for feeling that way, but he didn’t want to interrupt her train of thought so he waited patiently. After a few minutes, she nodded to herself and looked back at him. “Any other questions?”

  “Oh, umm…” He looked at the wall behind her, trying to think of what to ask her next. Suddenly, he noticed the time on the clock. Class was already almost over! How was that possible? Had they spent more time just looking at each other than he had realized? “Umm, when will I see you next?”

  She was quick with her answer. “Lunch. Sit in the courtyard.”

  Michael was thankful he would only have to wait a few hours, but the anxiety was already beginning to return knowing that she would be gone soon. Surely there must be a way for him to spend more time with her. “What if…” he asked tentatively. “What if we just leave school now? Can I spend all day with you?”

  Her taunting cheerfulness returned. “Aww, that’s cute. You want me that badly, huh?”

  “Well, it’s just, school seems kind of pointless right now. Especially if you’re only going to ‘humor’ me for a little while…like you said.” Based on what she’d told him thus far, he had no reason to believe she was planning on leaving him alive once she was done toying with him. He again felt stupid for playing with death so willingly, but changing his mind about her was a lost cause at this point.

  She smirked at him. “I suppose you aren’t wrong. But I want to meet your friends. It could be fun to play a little with them too.”

  “But you won’t hurt them, right?” He spoke more abruptly than he intended, almost cutting her off. He then quickly glanced around the room to make sure no one heard him. Everyone was gathering their things, ready for the bell to ring at any moment.

  Miriam paused, surprised by his sudden outburst. He knew there was nothing preventing her from doing what she wanted either way, but he still hoped she was sincere when she said she wouldn’t. After examining his expression carefully, she responded. “If you keep our little secret like I told you last night, then there’s no reason for me to harm them.”

  “R-Right. Of course. Thank you.” He sighed in relief, only to jump at the sound of the bell.

  Miriam seemed amused by how easily startled he was, delight filling her voice again. “You’re welcome, love. Now, off you go.”

  Confused, he gave her a questioning look. “You aren’t going to at least walk with me out of the room?”

  Her expression immediately turned serious, and she spoke cautiously. “I have to…be careful…walking around others, so I’ll just disappear in a moment when no one is looking, and the doorway is empty enough. Now go.”

  Michael wanted to obey, but he couldn’t help but hesitate, not wanting to leave her.

  Suddenly, in response to his delay, Miriam’s human appearance vanished right before his eyes. Her black horns were abruptly back on her head like they had always been there, and her clothes disappeared as if they had never existed. Michael saw for the first time that her chest was covered by a pair of black rocky hands connected to thin arms originating from her back, just below her wings. Each hand cupped a breast like a stone bra. Her rocky tail was wrapped between her legs and around her waist, keeping her from being exposed. It was like she was wearing a stone bikini made of onyx.

  However, the most surprising revelation was her black wings. The bony fingers were stretched out around him, hovering in the air like a giant pair of hand possessively shielding her prey. Michael uncontrollably gulped, although not from fear.

  With bright red eyes glaring at him intensely, she repeated her demand in a low voice. “Go.”

  Immediately, the long bony fingers folded behind her back, and the façade reappeared.

  Now looking at a brown-eyed Miriam again with round ears, he carefully rose from his seat and began hurrying down the aisle between desks. Mr. Crawford was already standing in the hall, as most of the teachers did in between periods, and the last few students who were leaving seemed unaware of the demon who had just appeared in the room.

  Michael glanced over his shoulder for one last look, but she was already gone. He felt a slight breeze just as he turned his head and wondered if it was her passing by faster than he could see.

  Sighing yet again, he headed to his locker to grab his books for the next two classes.

  Lunch couldn’t come soon enough.

  Chapter 3: Conflict

  Struggling to make it through his second class of the day was more difficult than Michael had anticipated. Not only did he have to at least appear like he was paying attention, but he also felt extremely alone again.

  Being by himself had never bothered him before, but it was clear that being around one of his close friends helped keep his anxiety under control when Miriam wasn’t there. He was thankful Grayson was in his next class, so he didn’t have to suffer this much until lunch.

  As he sat down in his third period math class, Grayson leaned forward in his seat to talk. Their teacher had allowed everyone to pick whatever seat they wanted on the first day of class, so naturally they sat together in the same row. “Hey, how are you holding up? Feeling any better?”

  Michael was already sitting sideways in his chair to talk before the bell rang. The sudden decrease in his level of anxiety caused by his best friend’s presence was comforting. “I’m alright,” he lied.

  “Were you able to get another nap? You still look pretty exhausted.”

  Michael had already forgotten that he had initially planned to sleep during his first class. “Err…no, it was too loud to sleep.”

  “Too busy socializing with the new girl, huh?”

  Shocked, Michael fully turned to look at him. “How…?”

  “James told me last class. He said some hot supermodel showed up for her first day and that you two seemed…well, in his own words, he said it looked like you knew her really well.”

  “If you knew, then why did you ask if I had slept?”

  Grayson grinned at him. “I just wanted to see if you’d tell me. Afraid I’ll tell Riley about her?”

  “Why would I want to keep it from Riley?” Michael wondered. But the moment the words left his mouth he knew why. Grayson was implying that Riley did want to be more than friends.

  As Grayson began to respond, disbelief on his face, Michael cut him off. “Never mind. She…” Abruptly the bell interrupted him, so he whispered in a rush as the teacher began speaking. “I’ll tell you later.” He turned around in his seat, but he could tell that Grayson wasn’t satisfied with ‘later.’

  Grayson whispered behind him. “How serious are you with the new girl? At least tell me that. James said you were practically having sex with your eyes.”

  Michael felt his face turn bright red and he didn’t answer, pretending he hadn’t heard. Honestly, he didn’t know how to an
swer that question anyway. How serious was he with her? He belonged to her now, which was about as serious as he imagined possible.

  However, their relationship was nothing like what his friend probably imagined. It certainly wasn’t a healthy relationship by any standard. He had become more like her temporary pet rather than a significant other – a pet she might dispose of once she was done toying with it.

  He wondered if that’s how it really looked on the outside, regarding the comment James had apparently made. He knew that he was at least looking at her intensely, but did it really look like it was that intimate? He hadn’t thought her expression was very revealing, but then again maybe he was just afraid of admitting how she looked at him – afraid it might be a lie. Another façade to toy with him.

  He tried to focus on the teacher’s words, but all he had been able to think about for the last two classes was all the questions he had regarding Miriam. How had she transformed so suddenly? Had he been the only one to see it? Did she have some ability to create clothes out of thin air?

  She had said that she had to be careful around others. But why?

  The class dragged on slowly, and Michael was again thankful for Grayson when his friend saved him after the teacher called on him to answer a question. Raising his hand, Grayson spoke instead. “Mrs. Hayes, Michael’s only here with us physically today. His allergies flared up this morning, and the allergy medicine he took turned him into a zombie.”

  Michael was surprised by his friend’s creativity, but even more surprised that Mrs. Hayes accepted the excuse. “Oh alright, I’ll give him a pass just for today. How about you answer the question then?”

  His friend provided an answer that sounded more like a question, provoking Mrs. Hayes to elaborate on her explanation and proceed with the class.

  When the bell rang, Michael gathered his books and slowly rose from his seat in order to drop them off at his locker and head to lunch. Grayson was quickly at his side.

  “Alright, we have only a few minutes before we see Riley, so now’s your chance to spill your guts.”