The Demon's Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  “How long have the two of you lived here?”

  The one with the pattern-etched skin spoke first. “I was born on this ship. My mother works in the plant nursery.”

  “Do you like it here?”

  “Yeah, it's okay.” She shrugged.

  The other girl was eager. “I wasn't born here, but I've been here for five years. My dad is one of the engineers,” she said proudly. “Have you seen the ship? There are lots of things to do here. Before me and my dad came here, we were on a ship that didn't have anything. It was so boring.”

  “Sebastian showed me around a little.”

  They both sniggered at that. “He's so cute,” blue hair said.

  “I like Calic better.” The other blushed slightly. “By the way, my name is Spectra.” She then pointed to the blue-haired girl. “And this is Edenya.”

  “I'm glad to meet you both. So, are you hungry or did you just come in to interrogate me?” After taking their orders, Analia walked back into the galley. A few plates of food had piled up, and she hurried them out to the tables.

  When she returned, Marik asked how she was handling everything.

  “I think I'm getting the hang of it.”

  “They seem to be coming in by the dozen,” he said. “This is an unusual crowd for this time of day. I think they're all here to see you, Anya.”

  She nodded in agreement. “I think so too.”

  “Are you feeling overwhelmed? You can call it a day if you want to go back to your room.”

  “Thanks, but I'll stay. It is overwhelming, but it's also a relief,” she said, while gathering more plates.

  If she worked really hard, maybe she could convince Sebastian to let her stay.

  Chapter 7

  Fuck.

  How could she have been a slave? It couldn't be possible. However, it did explain her appearance when he'd found her. And her timidness. The thought had briefly occurred to Sebastian then, but her beauty quickly scraped it away. He had instantly dismissed it as a possibility for such a stunning creature. The idea of her being a slave made his gut retch.

  His bad mood was obvious to everyone within close proximity. The halls parted as he passed and after he entered the control room, the silent tension grew as thick as a fog. For the crew, total avoidance was the game. Keeping out of thrashing distance and avoiding a demon's rage was key to survival.

  Usually Sebastian was slow to anger, but when it did happen, it was difficult to calm him. It was like a flood gate opened.

  Only Calic remained undaunted by his angry demeanor. In fact, he often enjoyed provoking Sebastian for his own sadistic amusement.

  Calic was watching him now. Smugness painted his features as he enjoyed Sebastian's loss of control. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Cale barked.

  Sebastian growled and fought the urge to introduce Cale's face to his fist. Cale noted the gleam in Sebastian's eye and it only drove him on. Some of the crew shook their heads at Cale in warning, who either didn't notice or chose to ignore them.

  “What?” Cale continued his baiting. “Looking to take it out on someone, yeah? I'm game, we can spar right here. I haven't had a good crack from you in years. Starting to think you're going soft big brother.”

  Quick as lightning, Sebastian whipped his arm out and snaked his hand around Cale's neck, squeezing tight to hold him in place. Cale just smiled and allowed the contact, though Sebastian knew he could easily squirm out of his hold.

  Hazily, Sebastian realized Cale was allowing him to take out his rage and wouldn't retaliate if Sebastian decided to beat the living shit out of him right now…well not at first anyway. Cale always loved a good fight.

  Sebastian softened his grip. And, after a moment of contemplation, he let go. Though he really would like to take out his rage on someone, he should be able to control his baser instincts.

  Cale gave his trademark arrogant laugh and muttered, “Soft,” under his breath, still posturing for a fight. “Better watch out, you were almost about to act like a demon.”

  Ignoring Cale, Sebastian returned to his brooding.

  Analia was an escaped slave who admittedly knew nothing of cooking, cleaning, or serving. Fists clenched, the dark recesses of his mind knew all too well what a slaver would want from her. His stomach retched as the thought pushed him closer to the Edge.

  Then his stomach tightened even more as the memory of last night crept its way into his mind. The way he'd behaved toward her, nearly attacking her. He'd almost taken her out of mindless lust. She had asked him to stop with such fear in her voice. He remembered her body shaking with it. No wonder she was so frightened of him. He'd acted, as many races expected of his kind, like a monster.

  Now more than ever he needed to stay away from her. Every time Analia came near him, he was compelled to touch her, to stay near her, to taste her. Even now, during one of his worst rages since the war, he felt the need to go to her for relief.

  As if she would accept him after the way he'd treated her. His demon instincts were compelling him to not only go to her, but to protect her. That was laughable. She would need protection from him.

  Keeping away from her was one way of protecting her, but what of the other males on the ship? The thought drove his fury.

  Right now, it was a very good thing she hadn't told him where she'd come from, because all he wanted to do was forget the contract with the Serakians, find the person who had hurt her, and rip him to bloody shreds. Screw the wards!

  If he didn't release this rage somehow, he knew he would do something he'd regret.

  “Cale!” Sebastian barked his name like an order.

  Calic recognized the tone in Sebastian's voice and smiled with malevolence. “Let's do this.”

  Sebastian was barely able to make it to the sparring room, without knocking Cale's head off. A number of practice weapons lined the walls, but for this, he wanted to use his body as the weapon.

  Cale positioned himself across from Sebastian in his natural fighting stance. It was a deceiving stance, making Cale look too relaxed and unprepared for a fight. But when an enemy would attack, thinking to catch him off guard, Cale would strike with almost invisible speed. Sebastian knew this well, had seen him in action, and wanted the full force of it.

  Without a sign that the battle had begun, Sebastian lunged. Calic was quick, but so was he. Sebastian caught him in the jaw. Without missing a beat, Cale lashed out with a kick to the gut and, in a twisting move, a hard elbow to the ear. Sebastian hardly felt it through the festering wrath inside him. His fangs descended as his mind ventured closer to the Edge. He countered with a bashing punch to Cale's abdomen. Cale stumbled back, but quickly regaining balance, he kicked wide, pounding Sebastian in the chest.

  Although Sebastian could have dodged the move, he didn't. It was as if he needed the pain to calm him in some way. He was closer to the Edge than he'd been in decades, and below the muddiness of his mind he knew his own crew was in danger from him if he couldn't regain control.

  Either fighting or sex helped to focus a demon until the madness eased. It was either fight Cale or go to Analia. His instincts said Anya. But he knew if he went to her now, he would hurt her. With Sebastian lost to rage and lust, she wouldn't survive it, even if she wanted him, which she didn't.

  Cale was the perfect opponent. He understood a demon's rage, having been to the Edge himself a number of times. Cale especially understood Sebastian. If the situation were reversed—as it had been in the past, many times over—Sebastian would be doing the same for him.

  Another hard hit to Sebastian's skull, followed by two swift punches to his gut, and a move from Cale that took his legs out from under him. His body slammed into the mat.

  The boy was fast. Sebastian felt a twinge of pride slice through his rage.

  Sebastian darted out of the way just before Cale's elbow landed on his windpipe. Both of them on the ground, Sebastian kicked out, booting Cale in the stomach, and then flipped to his feet.

  Cale
laughed, coming to his feet as well. “It's about time I got a good fight out of you!”

  With a smile on his face, Cale lunged again, faking a punch. Spinning his body, he maneuvered behind Sebastian, grabbing him in a chokehold, and landing a barrage of punches and kicks to his body.

  Sebastian rolled Cale over his back and flipped his own body so that he landed hard on top of Cale, his elbow connecting with Cale’s chest.

  Cale's breath rushed out of him, but he pushed away quickly. Staying low to the ground, he spun his leg out, landing another perfect kick to Sebastian's skull, whipping his head to the side as blood fanned out from a fresh cut.

  They went on like this until both were panting and exhausted, bodies pressed wearily to the mat. Sebastian's storm of fury had abated.

  After a long while of catching their breaths Calic was the first to speak. “What the fuck happened to you?”

  Sebastian swallowed hard and told him everything that had occurred between Analia and himself.

  Cale laughed without humor. “I have to meet the chit that's got you so worked up. You of all people!”

  “What do you mean me of all people?”

  Cale rolled his eyes. “I've seen you with women. You don't give a fuck about their pasts or their futures, either before or after you've slept with them. You don't care about any woman.”

  “Neither do you.”

  Cale was silent for a moment. “No arguments there.”

  “I care about Sonya,” Sebastian retorted.

  “As do I, but she's different. She's family.”—pause—“The trustworthy kind. She doesn't count. What's more, you lose interest in any woman who has ever set foot on this ship, but this woman is under your skin in a bad way. Why?”

  Shaking his head. “I don't know.”

  “Well, I'm curious. I have to see this girl.” He gave Sebastian a mischievous smile. “Hungry?”

  “I've vowed to stay away from her, remember?”

  “Be realistic. No one can stay away from anyone on this ship. Let's go.”

  * * *

  Calic couldn't wait to see this. Sebastian was never affected by a woman. He'd taken the betrayal of their mother and Velicia almost worse than he did. As a result, Sebastian kept himself clear of women, only taking a woman to his bed when he absolutely needed to, and never on the ship.

  Luckily, Cale didn't have that problem. He enjoyed sex more than ever, of course, rarely with the same woman. He had sampled many on the ship without getting attached. Though none compared to his Velicia, his mate. The memory of her filled him with regret, but he quickly stamped it down.

  Cale was wary of the stowaway who had unwittingly driven Sebastian to the Edge. She was of questionable background, and her intentions unknown. Cale had to assess the situation firsthand, to figure out if he needed to protect Sebastian from her or the other way around. She could be nothing more than a spy, sent by one of their countless competitors. He would meet her and make his judgment before voicing his opinion to Sebastian, but it was a very likely scenario.

  They entered the salon and chose a table in the corner, overlooking most of the room.

  Sebastian's eyes went wild when he spotted her. She was conversing easily with a table of men. Some of them were known for their treatment of women, not so different from Sebastian and himself. A low growl reverberated from deep within Sebastian. He looked as though he was fighting the urge to get between them and make his claim on her known. It was how Cale would have acted, had acted, with his own mate before he had claimed her as his.

  It hurt now to remember the love he had for Velicia before she callously betrayed them to their enemy. Even with her betrayal, he missed her deeply: her touch, her taste, her hands on his body, and her soft cries in his ear as he drove into her. He had loved her completely, would have done anything for her. Pain spiked in him and he looked at Sebastian. Surely it wasn't as serious as that. Sebastian couldn't be so stupid as to want to claim the chit as his only mate.

  Cale studied her. Her movements screamed innocence. Sonya had obviously provided the wardrobe. The girl gave a nervous laugh, and the table of men joined in. As she strolled back into the galley, Cale noticed many eyes in the room lingered on her. He was surprised to find even he was getting the urge to protect her, if only for the sake of Sebastian's sanity.

  When she once again exited the galley, she spotted Sebastian. Her face lit up as she hurried over to take their order. Sebastian gripped the table.

  “Hi, Sebastian! I mean, Captain.” Her smile was radiant. Then she turned to Cale, obviously regarding his horns. A little smaller and lighter in color than Sebastian's, they almost blended in with Cale's blond spikes of hair. “Hi, I'm Analia.” She introduced herself and reached out her hand.

  “Calic.” He took her hand, admiring her bravery when she was obviously timid. There were not many who would reach out to willingly touch a demon. Perhaps she was truly as naive as Sebastian claimed. Either that, or she was a very good actress.

  “How do you like the job?” Sebastian asked.

  She nearly bounced with her words. “It's great. I must have met everyone on the ship by now. Marik says they're curious about me, though I don't know why they would be. There are so many different races here, I'm overwhelmed at learning them all. Many of them offered to show me more of the ship, but I told them I'd have to check with you first.”

  Cale waited for Sebastian's ire, but he kept himself in check.

  “You don't need to check with me. In fact, you won't be seeing much of me from now on. I have a lot of responsibilities to attend to. If you need anything, go to Marik or Sonya, or even Cale if they are not available.” Cale scoffed at that, and Sebastian shot him a warning look. “Cale will be more than happy to assist you.”

  Analia's face fell. “Okay,” she muttered.

  Uh oh.

  Could she be as affected by Sebastian as he was by her? By the way Sebastian had spoken, one would think she should be happy not to see him again. When Sebastian got up to leave, her breath caught.

  “Are you not staying to eat?”

  “No, I'll eat later.”

  “But there's rake stew. Marik says it will be gone by today. He made me try it, it's very good. Almost one of the best things I've tasted so far.”

  Sebastian laughed at that and reluctantly settled back in his chair. “Sure, I can't pass up rake stew.”

  She smiled again. “You too, Calic?”

  “Sure, why not.”

  Analia rushed back to the galley and returned with two piping hot bowls. By the rich aroma, Cale could tell Marik had used a good stock of meat this time. He dug in immediately. Sebastian thanked Analia and watched her as she attended the other tables. In turn she would periodically glance his way, turning away quickly if she caught his gaze.

  “I'm going to need to get a mop for all the drool in here.” Cale got Sebastian's attention with that. He tried, and failed, to hide a guilty smirk. “I see why you would want to stay away. A beautiful woman who wants to be near you? Bleck.”

  “She doesn't want…”

  “Yes, she does,” Cale interrupted. “I've seen that look in a woman's eyes before…many in fact. She wants you too.”

  “I don't want…”

  “Yes. You do.”

  Sebastian shook his head, but didn't try to deny it again.

  “I think you should just take her.”

  He looked at Cale with a warning in his eyes. “No.”

  “Get her out of your system,” he drawled. “Once you've had her, you'll be over her. Problem solved.”

  Sebastian glanced toward Analia and his posture became rigid, horns darkening with malice. Cale looked and saw a male fingering the material of her skirt. Analia politely dodged out of reach.

  He focused back on Sebastian and snapped his fingers to gain his attention. “Then there would be no more of that.” He raised an eyebrow at Sebastian's show of fangs.

  Sebastian visibly struggled to regain his calm. “I co
uldn't. She's probably been treated badly her whole life. I wouldn't feel right about using her like that.”

  Cale looked at him like he was crazy. “Do you…you don't care for her? Do you?” He noted the revulsion in his own voice.

  “Of course not!”

  “Good, because you don't even know this girl. She could be a spy.”

  Analia, carrying a load of dishes, teetered off balance and nearly dropped the pile. She gathered her balance before disappearing into the galley.

  “A very convincing spy.”

  “You're right, all the more reason to stay away from her. I'm out of here. If she comes to you, I'd appreciate it if you tried to help her, and be nice. And Cale…I don't have to tell you not to touch her.”

  “Are you kidding? I wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole.” Lie. If she wasn't making Sebastian crazed, she was just the kind of girl he would attempt, but he scoffed at the idea of getting attached as clearly as Sebastian was.

  Sebastian left the room without a backward glance.

  The disappointment on Analia's face, when she saw that Sebastian had gone, seemed to flood the room with its energy, almost pulling sympathy from Cale. He didn't like that. As Cale left the salon, he caught Marik's eye and they shared a look.

  So, Marik was aware of the situation as well.

  * * *

  Finishing out the day, Analia helped Marik clean up the galley and salon. Cleaning turned out to be as simple as washing the dishes or waiting the tables, though not as fun.

  As she wiped the counters, she allowed her mind to drift through her day. A single day had been filled with more amusement than the whole of her entire life. Understanding flooded her at how much she'd been missing, solidifying her determination to keep her freedom. She vowed to work harder to prove her worth so she could petition to stay aboard the ship and become part of the crew.

  When Sebastian had appeared in the salon, she used it as her chance to show how competent she was with her new position and how quickly she performed her tasks. She made sure to keep as busy as possible, hoping he was watching. Then she had noticed he was watching, intensely so. Flushing, she had become distracted by him. She’d struggled not to notice his eyes on her. It had made her self-conscious about her every move.