The Demon's Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  Sebastian laughed. Sonya could always make that happen. Thankfully, Cale was wise enough to let Sonya do the talking. He would have just told him to stop being a pansy and get over it. They had more important things to deal with. Like finishing this damn mission, and getting the fuck off this ship for a couple of hours. He had long exhausted his supply of fresh females.

  * * *

  ——

  * * *

  Anya had been awake for a few minutes but only managed to crack her eyes open for a few brief seconds, scanning for Bastian. She took stock of her situation. Hurting. On a bed. Still alive. She'd caught a glimpse of Dr. Oshwald. She must be in sickbay. But where is Bastian?

  Careful to inhale slowly, her lungs burned with each breath. She tried to imagine what Bastian might be thinking. He knew what she was now, and he wasn't here with her. What if he found what she'd done repulsive? How could he not?

  With a brief, unusually painful energy scan, she determined enough to know that the ship was intact, for the most part. They must have been successful in their escape. That, at least, was good news. It was some comfort to know she'd helped. That everyone was safe…for the moment.

  Now she began to worry for herself. Would Bastian see her as a prize, an asset to keep and use as he pleased? A ship’s biggest expense was fuel. Would he think to use her as Darius had? A tool to be exploited?

  “Anya?” Doctor Oshwald's voice rang out in the quiet little room. “Are you awake, child?”

  Her eyelids fluttered in answer, but she couldn't keep them open.

  “You heal almost as quickly as they do. It's amazing. What are you?”

  “Who?” she managed. Her voice didn't sound like her own. It was too deep and scratchy. The use of her throat brought renewed pain. She wouldn't attempt to speak again, for a while at least.

  “The demons,” he replied. “They are one of the fastest healing races. They rarely need my services. Seems you are too, but you really did a number on yourself. Your insides were nearly mush. I've never seen anything like it.” She felt a cool hand on her forehead. The relief was exquisite. “Ah, you're healing very well indeed. I'm going to use my ability to help it along. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”

  A very welcome chill rolled over her, driving out the incessant heat. She hadn't realized how hot she'd been feeling. But too soon the doctor removed his hand and the heat returned.

  “That's all I can manage for now. You've taken most of my strength as it is.” She could tell he'd moved to his chair. “Rest now. I'll try again in a little while.”

  It didn't take long for exhaustion to claim her.

  Chapter 18

  “What do you mean she woke? And you didn't call me!” Sebastian was fuming.

  Dr. Oshwald was surprisingly calm in the face of an enraged demon. He sat at his desk, scribbling notes. He didn't even look up as Sebastian bellowed.

  Nonchalantly, Oshwald said, “It was only for a few minutes. She'll wake again. Soon, I expect.”

  Anya was lying motionless on the bed. Her color looked better, and she seemed to be breathing easier. She was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on. “You will call me when that happens.” It was an order not a request.

  The doctor nodded, but kept his attention on his paper.

  It had been more than twenty hours since she'd fallen unconscious. Sebastian hadn't slept a wink. He was too worried for his Anya. Admittedly, the lack of sleep might be making him more irritable than usual. Every minute, he was teetering on the Edge.

  The ship had warped for a mere twenty-three seconds, and Anya paid a hefty price for it. Something she will not be doing again.

  She'd succeeded in her goal, however. They were safely away from Extarga. After Aidan pinpointed their location, they found that they were only a few short days from their destination. What would have taken them more than four months had been reduced to seconds. The amount of power the ship must have consumed was incomprehensible.

  He placed a hand on her cheek, rubbing lightly with his thumb. Her blond hair curled around her face in disarray, with her wee pointed ears sticking out from the mess. He willed her to show him once more the vivid blue of her eyes. After a moment of watching her sleep, he got up to leave, giving the doctor a meaningful glare before he went.

  All over the ship, repairs were being made. The damage was surprisingly minimal. The shields held up well and were the first thing to be repaired. Just in case. Surprisingly, the wards had acted as a kind of second shield.

  The thrusters had taken some damage, but nothing that would cripple the ship. They were back on course, and traveling at adequate speed.

  As soon as Sebastian entered the control room, he was bombarded with questions about Anya's wellbeing. All the crew who were present and knew what had happened were grateful to her. Most had already visited her more than once.

  Sebastian had given a hush order—no one was to speak of the events that had transpired. The less who knew of Anya's power, the better. He knew now that anyone with a questionable character might view her with greedy eyes. Think to use her for their own gain. And he also understood why Darius wanted her so badly.

  Eager for news, Aidan asked, “Is she awake yet?”

  Solemnly, Sebastian shook his head. Aidan's shoulders slumped. “The doctor is confident it will be soon,” he encouraged. Changing the subject, he said, “Let's establish contact with Ethanule.” He figured they should be close enough now to communicate with the pirate.

  After a moment, Ethanule was on the screen. He smiled wide when he saw Sebastian. “Good Captain, how goes it?” He spoke like an aristocrat, not like the pirate he was known to be.

  Sebastian replied, “All is well. We are a few days out now.”

  “What quick service. I wasn't expecting you for months. You must have a very fast ship, indeed.”

  Ethanule's hair was straight, cut to his shoulders, and so blond it was almost white, three braids hung heavily decorated with gold and red beads. He seemed young, but that could be deceiving. Ethanule could be as old as Sebastian. From his infamous reputation, he probably was.

  His clothes looked expensive for a pirate, tailored even. He obviously took pride in his dress. A deep red coat adorned with gold trim and buttons accentuated the shape of his torso. The long sleeves and inner pockets most likely concealed more than one weapon. Under that was a black shirt. The fabric was surely top of the line. Gold rings decorated his fingers, two on one hand and one on the other. No doubt there was gold around his neck as well. Pirates adored gold in every form. Only his upper half was shown on the large screen, but Sebastian was sure his lower half was just as decorated.

  Though his outward appearance was that of a spoiled young man of wealth, he held himself like any pirate would. A strong jaw, back straight, cocky grin, deadly aura.

  “Marada holds up well under pressure.”

  “Is my parcel safe?” he said, getting right to the point.

  “As I said, all is well.”

  Ethanule narrowed his eyes. “There are rumors of an attack. Are you certain nothing of mine was damaged?”

  How could he know that?

  Ethanule answered the question not yet spoken. “My influence is extensive. I have spies everywhere.”

  “The damage was nothing. We escaped with only scratches.” He wished he could say the same for Anya.

  “What luck,” he drawled. “I'll have my men send you the exact coordinates. I look forward to concluding our business together.”

  Sebastian could not agree more. “As do I.”

  Ethanule's men were rumored to be of the Denaloid race. A race of beings made up entirely of males. No females were ever born. The men perform the roles of mother and father. Conception happened the same as any male female relationship, only it was between two males. Sebastian didn't even want to think about how that worked.

  Just then, his console beeped. It was a direct call from sickbay. With a push of a button, he answered it. “D
octor?”

  “She's awake.”

  The crew heard, and the room erupted in cheers. He let out a breath of relief. “I'll be right there.”

  * * *

  ——

  * * *

  Anya's heart pounded in her chest. When she’d woken this time, the doctor hadn't said a word. He only went to the intercom on his desk and said to someone on the other end, “She's awake.” She both hoped and dreaded that he'd called Sebastian.

  Soon enough, Sebastian’s massive body came strolling through the door. He'd changed clothes since she'd last seen him. How long had she been out? His familiar deep gold eyes swam with emotion, but she couldn't read him. She was too weak and…afraid to know the truth.

  He stared at her, motionless. And she stared back. When his jaw clenched tight, she knew he must no longer care for her. It reminded her of the first time they'd meet, with her, lying in this very spot, him, cold and distant. She turned away, shame consuming. She had been right. She was too abnormal—

  “You are never to put yourself through that again!” For the first time since she’d met him, his voice was unsteady, latent with emotion. It made her look at him again.

  She saw it now, the fear and concern in his eyes.

  “Do you really mean that?” Her throat was still sore and it hurt to speak, but she had to be sure.

  In two strides he was by her side, his hands caged around her face. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “This is not a request. It's an order. You are never to do anything like that again. Promise me.”

  Her face froze in shock. She couldn't believe what he was saying. He didn't want her to use her gift? How could he be so wonderful? Perhaps she was misunderstanding…or, more likely, dreaming. “You realize I supplied your ship with power?”

  He nodded.

  “And you don't want me to do it again?”

  “Are you kidding me? You nearly died. No, I don't want you to do it again. Ever!”

  Every muscle in her seemed to relax. Then she let out a small sound of amusement. Her amusement grew into a chuckle. Despite all the pain she was feeling at the moment, she couldn't keep herself from outright laughing. “Gods,” she said. “Who is this dream you've given me?”

  He kissed her again and this time she kissed him back. “No dream, love, flesh and bone, and all yours.” He took her wrist and placed a kiss where her already healed wound had been. “I've never been more afraid of anything in my life, than I was of losing you. Never again, okay?”

  Her smile faded slightly. Sighing, she replied, “Bastian, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that.” She shrugged sheepishly. “I feared your reaction would be different.” She gathered a breath. “But if placed in a similar situation, where the choice is death or save my fam…friends, I will always make the same choice.” When he opened his mouth to protest, she quickly repeated, “Always. I will never promise otherwise.”

  For a moment he said nothing. A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Then promise me this. You will not do it if there are any other options, or if I can think of any other options, or if anyone else can think of any other options, or if there is time to think of any other options…” He stopped to think. “And never to that extreme. Four, five seconds, max, never more than ten and you'll stop immediately if you start to feel pain…”

  “Enough.” She laughed. “You'll make it impossible to justify using my gift at all.” Which, honestly, didn't sound so bad to her.

  “That's the point.”

  She rested her head back against her pillow. She was losing strength again.

  Sebastian must have noticed. “Do you need to rest? I could—”

  “No, don't go,” she interrupted.

  “I won't. I will just sit here until you fall asleep.”

  “What I'd really like is a real bed. I'm strong enough now that I shouldn't need the doctor, plus I've exhausted him as it is.”

  “I will take you to your room then,” Sebastian offered.

  “Can I…I mean, would you mind if I slept in your bed?”

  “Not at all. It'll give me easier access.” Bastian lifted her in his arms. She could feel his muscles contracting. He held so gently, as though he was afraid he would break her.

  Soon she was under his covers, gazing out at the clear view of space. No ship in sight. Sebastian changed into a loose pair of pants and slipped in beside her. Warm in his protective arms she nuzzled his chest and inhaled his masculine scent.

  “Why didn't you tell me?” He squeezed her gently.

  “I was afraid you would look at me differently. Treat me different.”

  “You thought I'd want to use you?”

  She nodded.

  “I would never want to hurt you like that.”

  “What if it didn't hurt me? Would you…”

  “I would still want it to be your choice. But it does hurt you,” he grated. “What of before? With Darius? Did you nearly die each time he used you?”

  “I remember in the beginning it was…bad. I was only a child when he started the experiments.

  “Experiments?”

  “To see how much I could take.” Sebastian squeezed her again. “Eventually, I began to adapt. The pain lessened.” She turned her head to look up at Bastian. “I think that's why it was so bad this time. I'm unused to this ship. If I'd had more experience, started slower…”

  “Not going to happen.”

  “Just a theory. Anyway, I still couldn't be hooked up for more than a few seconds at a time, and Darius wanted more. So he built a contraption that siphoned out my energy slowly. It hurt less, but it lasted longer. A lot longer. Sometimes I would go unconscious. I never knew for how long.”

  “I'm going to kill him,” he rasped.

  “I can't talk you out of it. Can I?”

  “Nope.”

  “What about me? Where will I be while you're off searching for a way to get on his ship, past his sensors, and through his guards? He never leaves it, you know. Do you think he'll ever let you near him again?”

  Ignoring her rant, he said, “I plan to leave you hidden in a safe place. Sonya and Marik will stay with you. Calic has decided to join me.”

  “Oh, no, please. Not the both of you.”

  “Let's not talk of this now. You need to rest, and I don't want to upset you.”

  Nodding, she laid her head on the pillow, but this wasn't over. Not by a long shot. She would just have to convince him to go into hiding with her.

  Somehow.

  Chapter 19

  Anya sat in the Sanctuary, soaking up the quiet nature. An artificial cool breeze tickled her skin. She knew it wasn't the real thing, but after so long without it, it was a godsend.

  Being here made her feel normal again. The last few days had been…different. She was changing. Her gift was becoming clearer and more sensitive. She knew, one floor down, there were two maintenance workers making repairs. And not too far away, a couple was making love. Their energy was like a dance. She knew Bastian was in the hallway right now, just about to enter the Sanctuary.

  Two seconds later, he was loping toward her in all his sexy masculinity. His face lit up when he spotted her, the lips that played her body like a finely tuned instrument morphing into a lopsided grin. The intensity of his golden eyes always took her breath.

  His energy told her he was delighted to find her, and a little aroused at seeing her—which made her a little aroused—but he worried for her at the same time.

  “Here you are,” he said, sitting down beside her. “Why are you here alone?”

  “It's peaceful. Quiet.”

  “It's not peaceful in my room? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're feeling well enough to get back into your routine, but you cannot believe the disappointment I felt when I didn't find a beautiful half-naked woman in my bed.”

  Anya couldn't help her smile. “I wanted to do some training.” And get away from the energy-chaos of the control room just below. It had begun to overwhelm her. So, even
though she wasn't feeling one hundred percent, she decided it was as good a time as any to get out of there. She thought a little workout would make her feel better, but training with Cale today had been something new entirely.

  “I spoke with Cale.” Sebastian's voice hardened. “He's lucky I let him go without a serious limp after what he did.”

  “He was only trying to help,” she replied. It had been more of a reckless experiment.

  After finding Cale in the training room, his first comment had been, “About time.” Then they'd begun a new kind of training. Anya was hesitant at first, but Cale could talk a lead weight into flying.

  Grabbing a light bulb straight from a socket, Cale held it between two fingers in front of him and told her to turn it on. She'd snorted, but he only raised an eyebrow and waited. She assured him that she wouldn't be able to unless she was touching it, but he persisted. Placating him, Anya concentrated on the light bulb, feeling very silly in doing so.

  Cale was extraordinarily patient, standing motionless for an hour while nothing happened. Just before she was about to give up, she tried one last time and everything around her went quiet. There was a buzzing deep inside her. On instinct, she grasped hold of it, clasping it in her mind. Slowly, her body became electrified, her skin hummed with energy.

  Then she became acutely aware of her surroundings. Inside the walls, wires passed energy back and forth. She could feel the movement, like a controlled wind.

  The light bulb in Cale’s hand came into focus. It too began to hum. The gathering energy that bloomed inside her was like a tight ball of pulsing current. Instinctively she threw it at the bulb.

  It flickered.

  They both sucked in a breath.

  Then it began to glow, brighter and brighter, illuminating Cale's shocked features.

  Boom!

  It exploded like a tiny bomb. Cale dropped what was left of the casing and covered his face with his hand.