Dealing with Demons

by Melissa Haag

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Finally, we piled into Aunt Grace’s car and made our way to the dance. Butterflies pirouetted in my stomach.

  I couldn’t believe we’d managed everything without an incident, so far. Where was Ahgred? Was he somewhere nearby, waiting? Had he heard our plans? Did he wait at the school?

  Morik reached over and twined his fingers through mine.

  “Tonight will be perfect,” he promised.

  We turned onto the school grounds where droves of attractively dressed girls promenaded from the parking lot to the main doors. Many sported long dresses like ours, but few compared to the elegance of the ones we wore. I nervously fingered the fabric of my dress as Morik guided the car into an open space.

  “We are going to own in these dresses,” Beatriz giggled in the backseat, easing some of my tension. “Oh, look, there’s Ted!”

  True to her word, she remained in the car and waited for Morik to come around and open the door for her. He helped me out last and wrapped my hand around his forearm. I needed the balance.

  “Do you have the tickets?” Beatriz asked. “And the note?”

  “Note?” Morik asked as we walked together toward the entrance.

  “You’re out of school and over eighteen. In order to bring you, I needed to ask permission from the school and bring a signed note from my mom on the day of the dance.”

  He nodded, but didn’t comment.

  Only a few lights illuminated the decorated hallway that led to the gym. Faculty stood outside the gym doors to collect our tickets. We waited while the woman read my note. Morik discreetly removed his hat after a look from the principal. I reached up to fix his hair, ensuring his horns and ears remained covered.

  Ted and Beatriz went in before us. A photographer for the school paper took their photo, and I rolled my eyes. Hadn’t we had enough of this?

  When Morik and I entered the gym, I stared at the decorations in appreciation. Someone had spent a lot of time and a chunk of money to turn it into a magical place. More than I thought a high school dance warranted.

  Long lines of silver cord dangled from the rafters. Clipped to their lengths, lights flickered softly. With the typical glare of the overhead lights off, the dim twinkling looked like a starry night. Floor lamps against the wall, lent a soft glow to the lower part of the room. Sheeted lengths of pastel-colored material discreetly hid the basketball hoops, scoreboard, and cushioned wall-mats and finished the transformation of the gym into something else entirely.

  “What do you think?” Morik asked, giving me a moment to look at everything.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  Off to the left, a table laden with elegant tiny sandwiches waited for the malnourished. A punch bowl stood beside it. My stomach growled at the sight of it all.

  Morik smiled and, taking pity on me, led me to the table. I gulped down a tiny sandwich and made room for a newly arrived flock of starved girls.

  Farther into the gym, a DJ sorted through CDs at a small table surrounded by speakers. With the touch of a button, the music went from background noise to a slow song.

  Morik turned to me, and wrapped his arms around me . We danced in the shadows near the back of the room. His fingers brushed the skin of my back.

  “I love this dress,” he said softly. “I’m glad I get to see you in it again.”

  I smiled at him and thought of the upcoming wedding. Hopefully, he would see me in it once more.

  “You look very fine, yourself,” I returned the compliment.

  We swayed to the music. Wrapped in his arms, I watched the light play on the liquid silver of his eyes and lost track of time.

  He remained equally focused on me. I wished we could spend all of our nights like this. Together and happy. Worry-free. I wanted to spend every moment with him. And not just because I felt our time ran short. No, I needed it. He made me feel alive and loved.

  The thought gave me pause, and my eyes widened in surprise. I looked at him with renewed intensity. How hadn’t I seen it before? His caring had begun the first moment he touched me with Mr. Jameson’s hand and had grown into something more each second we spent together.

  I’d wanted to know what I meant to him and what he wanted from me. But I already had the answer. My heart seized heavily for a beat then picked up a faster rhythm.

  He loved me.

  The mark ignited like flash powder and burned a new segment into my skin. I embraced the brief pain while I swam in an emotional storm.

  Something in my eyes gave me away because he pulled me closer and tenderly kissed my forehead. The music changed abruptly from a steady ballad beat to a slow soft symphony.

  The heavenly aroma of food tickled my nose. After a rushed breakfast, skipped lunch, and skimpy snack, my stomach rumbled at the smell, but I ignored it and focused on Morik. He watched me closely as we continued to sway to the music.

  “Did we just ditch Beatriz?”

  “No. I spoke with Brad earlier today. He wanted to pick her up from the dance.”

  That meant Morik had planned to whisk me away all along. I rested my head on his chest and moved with him, grateful that he was a part of my life.

  “Thank you for tonight,” I whispered.

  His heart beat steadily under my ear, and he placed a kiss on the top of my head.

  Knowing that he loved me, and receiving the subsequent burn of my new mark, filled me with guilt. His love should have led to an epiphany of my own for him, but instead, I hesitated to delve too deeply into my feelings.

  I still wondered what loving him, truly committing myself to him, would mean. He'd said that as my companion, he would die once I died. But that was without the mark. The mark not only allowed him freedom to interact with humans; it also gave him a way to maintain his existence after his purpose was no longer necessary. Did that mean he wouldn't die when I died or that I would never die, too. The idea of watching my family die terrified me. Yet, as the last in our line, that would be my fate no matter what…if I managed to choose.

  Could I choose Morik, knowing I would eventually have to give up my family? I wanted to say yes. I wanted to be so selfless as to give them a chance for freedom through my choice, but something in me stuck on the fear of losing them, and I didn’t know how to get rid of that fear.

  Rather than focus on my shortcomings, I lifted my head and met his gaze. Brown threads swirled within the black void, proving his complete contentment.

  Cupping his face in my hands, I gave him what I could. “I’m so glad you found me. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. That was one of the best moments of my life. It always will be.”

  A pained noise escaped him a moment before he set his lips to mine. He kissed me tenderly, his lips soft and teasing. This time, I felt the love pouring from him, and my heart flipped over. His fingers skimmed my shoulders then trailed down my spine. My skin tingled, and my stomach twisted. Waves of heat alternated with chills that swept through me.

  My stomach growled again, but I willingly ignored it and threaded my arms around Morik’s neck. He, however, heard it and pulled away.

  When he stepped to the side, I saw a small table elegantly set for two in the dining area. I walked forward and studied the shallow bowl that rested in the center of the white tablecloth. Tiny flowers floated on the surface of the red water. Already, the flowers’ petals streaked with color from the dye. Changing. Like me.

  The soft glow of the candlelight from the windows caught my attention. Outside the window, I caught a flicker of green and knew Ahgred watched. I didn’t like that Ahgred watched us but hid my nervousness.

  “It’s very pretty,” I commented and turned back to Morik.

  “So is the new length of your mark.” The brown fought for dominance in his gaze and won.

  He led me to the table, helped me sit, then went to the oven. He reached in and pulled out two plates covered with old-time silver domed lids. Probably relics from his cave of wonders.

  He set bot
h plates on top of the charger plates already on the table and removed the domed lids with a flourish.

  “Careful,” he said, “the plate is hot.”

  A tiny little bird, with its crispy brown legs stuck straight in the air, did the dead man’s float in a shallow pool of white sauce dusted with green flakes. A fluffy hill of rice rescued the crossed spears of asparagus from drowning. Shreds of yellow sprinkled the rim of the plate. It looked artistic, delicious, and smelled divine.

  Morik set the domes on the kitchen island and joined me. I waited for him to sit before I dredged a forkful of rice through the sauce. It touched my tongue, and I groaned.

  “This is so good. When did you learn to make this?” I quickly took another bite.

  “I didn’t. Lurel prepared this.”

  That didn’t stop me from forking in another mouthful.

  “Please tell her this is heavenly.”

  I peeled tender juicy pieces of meat from the bird and savored each bite. The asparagus was cooked to perfection, and the flavor of the sauce complemented the whole dish.

  I caught him watching me as I worked my way through the rice.

  “I didn’t eat much today,” I mumbled around my cloth napkin while checking my dress. The sauce didn’t like my fork, but thankfully, it had stayed away from my dress.

  His brows drew down. “I apologize for that.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said, eyeing the picked over carcass on my plate. It really was a tiny bird.

  “I let your grandmother know my plans for dinner. She promised she wouldn’t let you eat too much.”

  That explained the skimpy crackers. “It was worth it. This really was delicious and special. Thank you.”

  He stood and took both of our plates to the sink. “Do you have room for dessert?”

  “Always.”

  He laughed and carried over two smaller plates. Each held an individual pie. Thin slices of apples had been artfully arranged before baking to form a perfect blooming flower. Brushed with a glaze, the tart glistened. A dollop of whipped cream, topped with a sprig of green, waited on the plate beside the tart.

  “Lurel?” I asked.

  He nodded, and I picked up my fork.

  “Is she really your sister?” I asked before I took the first bite. The buttery, flaky crust melted in my mouth, and the tangy apples played with my taste buds.

  “No. She was the one created just before me.”

  Her reference to him as her brother made sense, then. I took another bite, and too soon, the tart disappeared. I sat back with a sigh.

  “Gran would love to take lessons from Lurel,” I said.

  “Lurel is too...captious.”

  Yeah, I could agree with that. “Too bad. Gran would have been impressed.” I inspected the dress again for any wayward buttery crumbs.

  “There is a bag for you on your bed if you’d like to change.”

  I looked up and caught his amused gaze. “That might be a good idea.”

  He stood when I stood, and I could feel his gaze on me as I walked away.

  In the bedroom, I discovered not clothes but pajamas. Hopes high, I quickly changed. I’d thought that after dinner he would return me home for a postponed chant. I detoured to the bathroom to wash the makeup from my back as best I could and to peek at the mark.

  The two lines spun together in an artful twist that ended just short of my neck. So close. I needed to ask Mona about her policy on body art. Soon, with any luck, it would show when I pulled my hair into the usual ponytail for work.

  The angry stub of red at the base of my spine pulled my attention, and I scowled at it for a moment before tugging my shirt down. I left the bathroom with renewed determination. Time was too precious to waste.

  Hearing sounds coming from the kitchen, I found Morik cleaning up the remains of our dinner. Seeing him barefoot and dressed in flannel sleep pants and a tee did funny things to my insides. I padded toward him, grabbed a towel, and began drying.

  Time flowed around us in quiet harmony. With the last dish dried and put away, he took my hand and, with a grin, led me to the game console. We competed against each other in a racing game until my jaw popped with a wide yawn. No wonder Gran hadn’t appreciated his driving the day he rushed to school for me.

  “Time for you to sleep,” he said softly, turning off the game.

  The clock flashed one in the morning. Six hours of sleep before work. I probably should have cringed at the thought, but instead, I focused on the fact that I would be sleeping next to Morik. Not the unnatural sleep I despised but the kind where I could snuggle against him throughout the night.

  I nodded and willingly took his hand.

  The touch of his fingers gently running through my hair woke me, and I yawned loudly. I didn’t feel like I’d slept at all, but the soft light that poured through the bedroom window told the truth.

  “What kind of price would there be to roll back time to give me two more hours of sleep?” I mumbled grumpily.

  He laughed softly, but answered seriously. “Time isn’t something we can change. Even chaos has its limits.”

  Sighing, I opened my eyes. “What time is it?”

  “After six-thirty,” he said.

  I flew out of bed, grabbed my bag, and raced to the bathroom. His laugh followed me. When I emerged five minutes later, the house was quiet.

  I left my bag in my room with the dress then went to the entry. As I grabbed my jacket from the closet, I heard the scrape of a booted foot outside. My heart did a flip at the thought of Morik waiting for me. Smiling, I opened the front door.

  Brian stood in the opening. His crazy hair and sallow complexion enhanced his surprised expression. His glassy eyes twitched and shifted. He didn’t look well.

  “Brian, are you all right?”

  He lifted his arm and pointed the black handgun he held at my chest. His hand shook violently.

  I scrambled backward from the door.

  “Where is he?” he demanded in a high-pitched, panicked voice.

  His finger twitched on the trigger, and time slowed. The gun jerked backward. A bang filled the air. Brian’s eyes rounded in horror, and I opened my mouth to scream.

  Morik abruptly appeared before me. He faced me, his expression sad and set. He jerked, and a fine mist showered me. My scream ripped free as Morik fell to his knees, a bloom of red spreading on his chest. I watched as he slowly collapsed to the floor.

  For a heartbeat, I didn’t move. I couldn’t quite register what had just happened. I glanced back at the door. It stood empty. I closed my mouth to stop the pained sounds escaping me; then, I bolted for the door. I slammed it shut. I needed to keep Morik safe from Brian while I called...Who? How could I save him?

  A sob escaped as I fumbled with the lock. My hands kept slipping. I wiped them on my pants, twice, and then successfully fastened the lock.

  I spun around and spared a glance at Morik, who’d rolled to his back. So much blood. I needed a towel to stop the bleeding.

  “Tessss,” Morik gasped my name.

  It jolted me into action. I dashed for the towels, grabbed several, and raced back to his side. I fell to my knees and pressed all of them to his chest. Another sob escaped.

  He raised a hand to touch my cheek. His fingers were cool. I knew that was wrong.

  “I love you,” he mouthed. Nothing but silver swirled in his eyes.

  I nodded and cried harder.

  The pool of blood under him continued to grow. Shit! His back.

  I blubbered that I needed more towels and dashed back into the kitchen. How could I compress both areas?

  Behind me, he let out an agonized breath. Slow and weak.

  I spun back toward the entry and blinked.

  The place where he’d fallen, marked by his pool of blood, now lay empty. I walked toward the living room. He wasn’t on the couch. Confused, I turned back to stare at the congealing blood pool on the floor. No tracks led away from his spot. The towels that I’d left on h
is chest lay in the blood.

  I’d heard him. He’d just breathed.

  I recalled the tortured sound, and my heart twisted painfully. Denial tore at me as I realized what I’d heard: his last breath. I fell to my knees and stared at the blood. It made sense that his body had vanished; he didn’t belong in my world.

  Now, everything was gone. Hope. Love. A chance.

  Inside, I broke further. I knew there was nothing here for me, that I needed to leave. But I couldn’t bring myself to move. I hurt too much. So, I stayed on my knees as the tears continued to fall. Eventually, my feet lost feeling.

  Then the numbness spread. Everywhere.

  I stood stiffly, walked to his phone, and dialed home. Aunt Grace picked up on the second ring.

  “I need a ride home.” My dull, dead voice echoed oddly over the line. I didn’t sound like myself.

  “Tessa, is that you?”

  “Yes. I need a ride home. Morik,” my voice hitched, “is gone.”

  I gave her the address, and she hung up immediately.

  I glanced at the door and noted a smear of pink marring its white surface far above the knob. About level with my head. I swiped at my face and looked at my hand. Gore coated it. Morik. My breath hitched then steadied again even though tears continued to gently stream down my cheeks.

  I shambled forward and unlocked the door to look outside for any trace of Brian. The idea of him out there when my ride arrived bothered me; for their safety, not my own. But he wasn’t there.

  He’d vanished. Like Morik.

  I gently closed the door and sat on the couch. The rhythmic tick of the clock mesmerized me. I stared at the tiny black hands.

  Time no longer had meaning; for me, time had just run out.

  My mind went blank.

  I breathed.

  I existed.

  Inside, I was nothing.

  Someone tapped my face roughly, and I tried to blink the clock hands back into focus. My mom’s face partially blocked the view, but I saw they’d moved several minutes.

  “Tessa. Are you hurt?” she asked. She tugged at my arms as she tried to determine for herself my state of well-being.