Demon Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  Someone was saying something about … wards?

  “Once the wards are in place, you may begin your long journey.” This came from a commanding voice, a female voice.

  “My men are gathering the supplies you promised.”The captain?“They should be back shortly.” He paused. “Is this it? Is this al we are to transport?”

  “That is al that was requested of us. It is enough,” The woman’s voice proclaimed. “The contents of this box are without price. Irreplaceable. This is a very important task you undertake. Ethanule’s reasoning for choosingyouabove al others is … beyond me. Know this … if this box does not reach its intended destination you wil face the wrath of my entire race as wel as Ethanule’s.”

  Analia’s curiosity was piqued.

  “I assure you, Lady Hieskita, we are excel ent at what we do. There is no doubt …”

  “You understand your journey wil take you through the warring territories. Have you no reservations about that?” The womaninterrupted.

  “There are ways around those zones. It would only make the trip a little longer to avoid them. And if we must, we have maneuvered those territories many times before.” The captain’s reply sounded as though he was smiling at the chal enge.

  “You ful y understand the wards then? What wil happen if they’re breached?”

  “Yes,” He tried to conceal the exasperation in his tone. “If anyone leaves or enters the ship before the package is delivered the contract is annul ed … and we are stil required to deliver the package,without pay,” he said robotical y, emphasizing the last words. “Or riskwar from both you and Ethanule.”

  Lady Hieskita humphed and said nothing more.

  Analia laid back, alarmed by their words.Wards? Long journey? No one on or off the ship!She had to make her move now. But how? Her mind felt dul but she could tel there were many people out there. Too many for a clean escape, especial y with her slow reflexes and weary body. More than that, she had no idea where they were. How far had they come? Realizing now that she had no experience with new places, new cultures. She’d have no idea how to act, who to trust, how not to get herself kil ed.

  Maybe she could wait it out. How long could this trip be?

  Over her long life—and thanks to Darius’s favorite punishment—she found herself able to go without food for longer and longer periods of time. But how much longer could she last? Furthermore how long had it already been? She had no idea how long she’d been asleep. She was losing track of time. By the ferocity of her hunger she didn’t think she could hold out much longer.

  By the sound of soft approaching voices, the decision to stay and wait-it-out was made for her. It seemed the crew had returned with the awaited supplies.

  The captain took one last moment to reassure the Lady Hieskita.

  “I pray for your safe journey,” She replied. Then the room went silent until she began chanting. Ancient sounding words that dripped with power and energy fil ed the empty space around her. Energy slithered and writhed around her, it clung to her—tiny tendrils clamoring, seeking a way inside. At first she resisted, using her own energy to push against it, but it pushed harder. The power didn’t feel malicious, just strong. Analia relaxed a little, al owing the strange energy to do as it wished. Flittering through her like a warm embrace before dissipating.

  When the woman’s chanting died out she said simply, “The wards are in place.”

  The captain said his goodbyes and thanked the woman. After a short while, a great sound rumbled the ship.

  The ship was on the move once again.

  Analia’s body felt colder and weaker than before. Her initial resistance to the odd energy had cost her. Breaths coming in short spurts, she curled into a bal in an attempt to warm her shuddering body. When that didn’t work she al owed the weariness to overcome and she welcomed the cradling arms of unconsciousness.

  Sebastian was damn curious about that box. Never had a job been racked with such complications. His crew was used to docking at a space city every-so-often for supplies, equipment, and entertainment.They’d never gone more than a few weeks without stopping for some reason or another.

  They were stocked to the brim for this trip, but it wil be a trial for the crew, being onboard the ship for so long. After receiving their intended destination from Lady Hieskita he figured the trip could take a little more than eight months, maybe ten. Once the job was completed he would make sure they al had some much-needed time away from theMarada. Maybe find a cozy planet, brimming with fresh women.

  The wards spooked him, knowing they were there yet unseen, like a parasite attached to his beloved ship. In the past he had refused many jobs, due to such restrictions in the contract. This one however, promised to pay the equivalent of more than ten commissions combined, nearly double what he’d first thought it would be. He couldn’t refuse.

  To his utter shock, Ethanule had personal y requested theMaradafor this mission.Why?

  Ethanule was the leader of a smal faction of pirates. They’d done one job for him in the past, a smal commission at that. There was nothing chal enging about it, nothing that would prove any real worth as a merchant or a cargo ship. And Sebastian hadn’t hid his distaste for pirates. His family openly disliked them, since their father had been brutal y murdered by pirates.

  But sometimes, a job is just a job.

  His thoughts drifted back to the parcel. What could be so important that came in such a smal package? That which could invoke the wrath of an entire race? This commission could either be a great achievement or his utter destruction.

  Calic eyed him warily, possibly thinking the same thing. “Our course has been downloaded into the ships navigation system, Captain.”

  “Good. Let’s getgoing then. Cale, take command.”

  Calic nodded and assumed control of the bridge.

  Sebastian left, taking the stairway just outside leading up to his quarters. His was the closest room to the control room, just above itin fact. If he were needed,he wanted to be able to take command as quickly as possible.

  A large, domed window, covering half the room,ceiling to floor, revealed a vast spacescape. Unlike the one in the control room, this one did not double as an oversized communication screen, just provided a great view.

  TheMaradaitself was complete with luxuries, unusual y so for a typical merchant ship. The previous owner—an extravagant and apparently rich individual

  —had adorned the ship with every luxury one could think of. There was a spa room with an oversized pool, a built in pub separate from the gal ey and salon. There was even a large room dressed with soil, live plants and an artificial stream of recirculating water. The place reminded many onboard of their home planets.

  But what was most amazing was theMarada’s water recycling and regeneration system, unusual for such a large ship. Where many ships used the more economical powder enzyme shower systems,Maradaused real water. The system al owed for an abundant use of water—one of the scarcest commodities in deep space—over long periods of time. Water could be used and recycled many times over without contaminants entering the system.

  The only drawback was every few decades, fresh water needed to be added to the system, siphoned from a planet that was overflowing with it.

  Everything about the ship was made to provide a sense of comfort.

  Even though it was constructed like a cruise ship, great attention was paid to the internal workings of the ship as wel . It was state-of-the-art in defense and weaponry, as wel as navigation. The ship came complete with an extensive database of galaxies, solar systems, stars, planets, different races, andextremely detailed information about places, far out of reach.

  Yes,the day he, Cale, and their sister Sonya had stolen it they found that they had acquired a good ship indeed. It had beenfive hundred years ago,the day of the betrayal, and the beginning of the war that ultimately destroyed their home planet. It was a war between his people and the warmongers who cal ed themselves Kayadon.

  Th
e Kayadon had come in fast,without warning. Only a select few had known what was coming, and many of those who knew chose to betray their people and their planet, in favor of the infidels. People like their mother and Calic’s mate. He thought of them now with venom in his heart.Cowards.

  Shortly after the war had begun he and his brother had received word that the fighting was nearing their vil age. After a quick meeting among the elders, al able men were cal ed to arms. The brothers hadn’t hesitated to join the fray, to protect their homes and families.

  Sonya had spent hours begging to come along. She wanted to fight as badly as they had. Sebastian, being the eldest male in the family—seven hundred at the time—refused. Not that she couldn’t take care of herself. She had always been a strong fighter, trained by Sebastian himself. Her speed was incredible. She was faster than anyone in the vil age, including Cale. He wouldn’t let her fight because he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her in battle.

  He had always been fiercely protective of her. Both he and Calic stil were.

  Readying their battle gear, Cale and Sebastian were unaware of the danger in their own home. The two women had approached as if to kiss them goodbye, instead, injected them with a poison that wouldn’t kil them but would render them weak and therefore useless in a fight. The poison was nearly instantaneous. Both men—disoriented,muscles slack and weak—howled in rage at the women. Sonya too, screamed her horror.What have you done!He recal ed her saying over and over again.

  “The Kayadon have come to lead us,” their Mother had ranted in a radical tone he’d never before heard her use. For the first time he noticed the glossy glazed look in her eyes. Fanatical y she spouted her support for the Kayadon.

  The brothers, along with Sonya—seething with anger, and a newfound hatred—had left the two women behind as they made their escape. The fighting was close and they could not defend themselves. Survival instincts had taken over.

  They thought to hide out in a cave, or the woods til the poison passed through their systems, and they once again regained their strength.

  That’s when they came uponMarada, belonging to a solitary Kayadian nobleman waiting to stake a claim on their home planet. The interloper had landed his ship far enough away from the war zone to not get involved but close enough that he could join in the victory when it was over. The bastard never lived to see the end of the war.

  After Sonya slit the man’s throat Sebastian and Calic readied the ship for take-off. There was a short period of trial and error with the controls. Their kind had always been swift learners.

  The Kayadon had swiftly won the war. Their weapons had been far more advanced at the time, and they had the element of surprise. Soon after their victory,they had scorched the demon planet to the point of being uninhabitable. TheKayadonhad taken what they could and enslaved many of his people.

  Sebastian shook away the memories of that terrible day. He hated, that after twelve hundred years, it stil haunted him. Sebastian could see the anger festering within his brother too, and it had only grown over these long years. He feared that one day his brother could be lost to the rage forever.

  Sebastian showered quickly, and dressed before setting out for the pub.

  At present Sonya was in charge ofMarada’s pub. She seemed happy there. But, every once-in-awhile he would see in her eyes the same look that he sometimes caught in his own, or Cale’s. A deep mourning for the loss of the home they would never know again.

  Sebastian entered the pub—Sonya liked to cal itThe Demon’s Punchbowl—and took a seat. Sonya spotted him and waved while attending Bertok, a trusted crewmember who has been with them for years. Bertok shifted to nod a silent greeting at Sebastian, then turned back to his drink.

  “Hey!” Sonya smiled sashaying toward Sebastian. Her thin tail—a trait of female demons—swung side to side as she walked, making her look more seductive. Sebastiangroundhis teeth at that, he suspected she did that intentional y. Amazingly the men on the ship were smart enough to stay away from her. They understood that he or Cale would kil anyone who dare hurt her. He also knew that Sonya resented their over protectiveness. Sebastian smiled as she approached.

  “Hi Sunny,” he liked to cal her that because she hated it. To his amusement she scowled.

  “What can I do forBastard?”

  He smiled wider. “I’l take some of that new stuff you got in.”

  “Ah, the raging inferno, it’s pretty strong even for us demons.” Demons had a larger tolerance for alcohol than most others.

  “Good, the stronger the better.”

  Sonya poured him a generous glass and then poured a shot for herself. She lifted the tiny glass expectantly. It was a ritual that they’d brought with them from their home planet. Whenever an unfamiliar drink was imbibed, it was always done in the company of a friend or loved one. The practice arose fol owing a string of serial murders through the use of poison mixed with foreign alcohols. Turned out an insane member of the demon community was going around kil ing off his friends. Imported alcohols had been used because a demon could easily detect poison through taste, but with previously unconsumed substances that talent was nul ified. Now, the simple ritual was a sign of trust and friendship.

  Sebastian raised his glass.

  While Sebastian sipped his drink Sonya downed hers in one gulp, slamming her glass on the counter. “Good stuff,” she declared. Sebastian nodded his agreement. “So,” she continued. “We’re stuck on the ship for some time I hear.” Again Sebastian nodded. “Wel , it’l be good for business.” Perking up she poured herself another shot.

  Even though Sonya was much more lenient with her pricing than the larger pubs in the spacecities, whenever they docked she always lost her clientele to the more lavish entertainment the cities provided.

  Sonya had made a profitable business out of her pub, wisely saving for her own future, not that she was leaving her boys anytime soon. Rather than use the ships funds she used pub profits to purchase whatever supplies she required, leaving herself independent of her brothers. That seemed to be important to her.

  She also insisted on paying rent for her space. Sebastian had refused but Sonya was persistent, giving him ten percent of her earnings each month. He saved everything she gave him, planning to give it al back to her one day—which, if he knew Sonya, would surely piss her off. Sebastian chuckled out loud at that. When Sonya gave him a questioning look, he just shook his head and went back to his drink.

  “So what’s the load this time?” She asked.

  “Don’t know, something very smal . Too smal for the pay if you ask me. But the package is sealed and the contract is void if we take even a peek.”

  “Hey, sometimes the best things come in smal packages. Just look at me.” She did her best I’m-just-a-cute-little-demon impression, which always made him laugh. For a female demon Sonya was on the smal side, a meager five foot four. So was Sebastian for that matter though he towered over her with a height of six two.

  “You’re right,” he said, ruffling her long, black-as-pitch hair. She bel owed out a curse in demonish, their native language, while swatting his hand away.

  Vainly, she rushed to fix the disheveled mess. Her violet eyes blazed with irritation, and a little amusement.

  Sebastian continued to sip his drink reflectively, as Sonya went about her business, refil ing glasses and seeing to anyone who entered.

  He hoped the decision he had made to accept this commission was the right one. Sonya’s words repeated in his mind. Whether or not the package was large or smal it was significant to someone. Significant to a lot of someone’s, it seemed. He couldn’t help but wonder why they would trusthimwith it?

  Finishing the last of the raging inferno Sebastian waved his goodbye to Sonya. Calic would be in charge for the next few hours so he had some time to kil before he took command again. In the gym he worked out some of his pent up energy. A few hours later he took a dip in the pool, swimming laps for about an hour. Most days he hated his downtime, a
lways felt he should be doing something. After the pool he felt relaxed, and headed to his quarters for some rest before it came time to relieve Cale.

  Chapter 3

  Nearly a ful week had passed and al was calm.

  Sebastian had been working his crew hard. Round-the-clock detail. Each day brought them closer to their goal.

  No one had complained. Everyone seemed as eager as he to get this one over with. Maybe they sensed what he did. There was something different about this commission. It was taken more seriously by everyone. Even the most careless of the crew were noticeably working harder.

  Sebastian was at his command center, checking the status of their progress. For the last weekMarada’s engines had been churning at nearly constant ful speed. It wasn’t fast enough. He had hoped to be further along than this.

  Sighing out loud he settled into his chair, watching the vision of space at his front. It was stoic, calm, and never ending—deadly, if you weren’t careful.

  He imagined how different his life would be if he stil lived on his home planet. If the war hadn’t destroyed it, and if he’d never been betrayed by those closest to him. He would have found a woman, he supposed, made a family. He would have built them an adequate home on his ancestors land, and he would have strove every day to keep it up. Life would have been … boring.

  As it was he loved his adventurous existence, leading his crew, and meeting al the strange races of the universe. Learning and mastering al the different languages and cultures. It gave him a purpose.

  A faint groan jarred him from his thoughts, barely audible against the steady rumble of the ship, but distinct. Sebastian looked around. No one else seemed to have heard it.

  Another moan, this one even quieter … anguished. His brows drew together. He had definitely heard something. Sniffing, there was something different in the air. Had been for a while but Sebastian hadn’t thought much of it.