Demon Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  “Hel no! My version is way better.”

  Marik slipped in behind Calic, slapping him on the back. “Don’t listen to him Anya. You did very wel for yourself. Even if you didn’t flip him over your back and roundhouse kick him to the floor, before smashing his brains in with your fist.”

  Anya laughed. In a teasing voice, “Oh, that does sound close to the actual events, although it was firebal s from my eyes that crushed his skul .”

  “No it was lasers.”

  “Ah, that’s right. I forgot.”

  Calic just shrugged. “Anyone who hears my version wil think twice before messing with you. Besides, my reputation as a master trainer is on the line.”

  “Hey boys” Sonya sauntered up to the group. “What can I get you?”

  “The usual.”

  Anya’s heart began to flutter when she spotted Bastian enter the pub. Sudden apprehension took over. He was devastatingly handsome with his spiky black hair standing in the doorway. He was covered in a long sleeve black shirtthatAnya wanted to run her fingers under it to feel his hard muscular chest hidden by al that cloth.

  His honey colored eyes locked with hers and she watched him, unable to look away, as al that masculine energy loomed toward her. Shivering, Anya’s body reacted instantly.

  Trying to keep herself in control she would have said,“Hi.” Or something equal y lame, but when Sebastian reached her he wrapped his arms around her, lifted her off the ground, and pressed his lips firmly to hers.

  Her mind went blank.

  His sensual lips sliding against hers was the only thing that mattered at that moment. Holding the kiss Sebastian al owed her body to slide down his until her feet reached the ground once more. She could feel every ridge of his muscular chest as she went.

  Dimly Anya noticed silence around her. Glancing up she was met with shocked faces and dropped jaws. Before she had time to react however, Sonya began jumping up and down with glee pul ing her into a tight breath squelching hug.

  Marik just slapped Sebastian on the back, while Cale made the comment, “Come on Anya, you can do so much better.”

  Anya let out a relieved breath as Sebastian reclaimed her from Sonya’s grip. She hadn’t realized until now that she’d been just as worried abouttheirreactions.

  For some reason Sonya kept steeling glances at her neck, looking confused at first, and then frowned. “You haven’t …”

  “No,” Sebastian quickly interrupted. “And it’s none of your business.”

  Anya noticed the others bristled slightly. “What isn’t their business?” she asked.

  “Anya,” Sonya replied. “Can you help me with the drinks? Boys, you take a seat right there.” She pointed to an empty table, eying Sebastian just as pointedly before stalking off to the storage area. Anya fol owed,and helped prepare theraging infernosthat the demons loved so much, tipping the bottle to ring every last drop that she could from it. They would have to drink something else after this.

  Sonya was obviously aggravated, forceful y reaching for and setting down bottles with loud clangs that surely must be heard throughout the pub, while muttering in demonish through clenched teeth.

  As soon as the drinks were mixed, Sonya was out the door leaving Anya pondering. At the table, the men ended what seemed like a heated conversation at her approach, she handed a drink to both Cale and Sebastian,while Sonya handed one to Marik, keeping one for herself. Not to be left out Anya had made one for herself with a little less alcohol than the rest.

  With an indignant look at Sebastian, Sonya raised her glass. “To courage of the heart.”

  “Sonya.” Sebastian grumbled.

  Sonya finished her drink quickly and set the empty glass in front of Sebastian before walking back to the bar without another word.Demons were strange with their drinking rituals, Anya thought.

  The others sipped their drinks knowing it was the last of their favorite brew. After a moment of awkward silence Cale offered a second toast, “We should toast to Anya’s first battle won.”

  With a snort she replied, “Cale, real y I didn’t do much.”

  Ignoring her Cale bel owed, “A strong, tough, and resilient chit, with laser eyes and al that shit, a right hook that wil put you to the floor and a knee that you real y should watch out for.”

  Anya giggled and buried her face into Sebastian’s shoulder.

  “Though she wails sometimes at a tiny blister, I’d be honored to one day cal her my sister.”

  At that Anya froze, unsure if he was serious or joking.

  Calic downed his drink. Marik smiled, eyes were glittering with a knowing mischief as he swal owed his drink as wel . Sebastian waited for her gaze to move to him before he downed his as wel .

  Her mouth went dry.

  “You know Sebastian!” Sonya stomped toward them, angry and determined. “I never thought I’d see the day I’d lose al respect …”

  Marik cut her off. “Settle down lass. Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean itwon’t. It’s obvious they’re both lost, it’s only a matter of time.”

  Sonya bristled. “It had better, if you are coldhearted enough to just … I’l never speak to you again.”

  Sebastian chuckled. “I would think you would want to punish me, not reward me.”

  Sonya stomped to the bar, baring her teeth in a silent growl.

  Anya sat speechless, trying to decipher the strange conversation, stil dazed from Calic’s rhyme and the way Sebastian had looked at her. And what were Sebastian and Sonya arguing over?

  Before Anya could request clarification Sebastian stood, forcing his chair back with the back of his knees. When he reached out his hand, in a silent request for her to accept it, she wondered if it was some significant gesture. Then she noticed a group of people leaving for the pool. Anya’s mind instantly flashed to Sebastian’s wet, almost naked body, his arms wrapped around her as he held her securely above water’s surface. Her arms clinging to him, legs around him …

  “Are you ready to go?” Sebastian asked, breaking her mind away from the intimate image.

  Smiling she slipped her hand into his.

  At first Anya thought she had gotten herself turned around again, her sense of direction confused once more, but soon she realized Sebastian wasn’t taking her to the pool. With reserve and command he forged ahead, her hand stil within his. It was warm and cal us, and reminded her of the way it felt on her bare flesh. She shiveredat the thought.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No.” Now that he’d broken the strange silence that had fal en between them, she felt it was time to start bombarding him with the questions that have been raking her mind since they left the pub. “What were you and Sonya arguing about? What did Calic mean? For that matter what did Marik mean?

  Where are you taking me?”

  A robust chuckle rol ed out of him. Pul ing her to a stop she realized they were just a few feet from the control room. “We’re here.”

  “The control room?”

  Bastian gestured to a smal corridor to the side. Nestled a few feet in were a set of metal stairs spiraling up, curving around smooth cylinder wal s. She’d noticed this corridor before, but didn’t think much of it.

  Made of metal,every step was carved in an intricate pattern and looked to be handmade, a different pattern etched in each step. Why hadn’t she noticed these stairs before? Maybe because from the outside, this particular corridor, seemed to have been designed to look uninteresting, ordinary, and somewhat hidden. The stairs offered an intriguing promise that something magnificent lie at the crest, something that deserved an entrance of such dramatic elegance.

  Curious Anya gave Bastian a questioning look before beginning her accent. The stairs were solid, sturdy under her feet,and dul y clangedwith each stepas she climbed. Bastian fol owed behind.

  At the top was a door, same as any on the ship, but didn’t automatical y open as she approached. Bastian moved in beside her and pressed a few buttons on the key pad. The door swo
oshed open. Without hesitation Anya entered the room, eager to see what was inside.

  She was not disappointed.

  The room was a dome, almost entirely open to space. Nearly the entire ceiling-to-floor-curvewas a transparent wal , gifting her with a strikingly immense infinite starry backdrop. In the distance she could see multicolored space-dust fanning out from what she assumed was another mining zone. The brightness of it lit the room in a rainbow of colors but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the cosmic cocoon, eyes darting back and forth, trying to see it al at once.

  Bastian eased himself behind her, resting his hands on her hips. “Beautiful isn’t it.”

  “Mmmhmm. What is this place?”

  “The captain’s quarters.”

  His room?She looked around. Sure enough there was a bed—a large bed—covered in plush dark sheets and pil ows, positioned so that when laying on it you could stare out at the awe-inspiring view. There was what looked like a minibar and a seating area with matching plush chairs and a miss matched couch.A familiar looking couch.

  She gasped.

  It was the couch from her room. The one that Sebastian cal ously took away, and then sweetly replaced with a more comfortable one. He’d given heracouch from his room, switching it with hers.

  Behind her, Bastian expertly rubbed his hands along her hips and sides, al owing her to take everything in. Unconsciously she was leaning her weight against him. The man was obviously an expert at seduction, playing into her every desire. Her every dream,manifested in the male standing at her back,who was now moving his hands across her stomach. A strong confident yet,tender male. A male who would protect. A male who would never hurt her, or al ow any other to do her harm. A male who could show her things she’d never seen before, unleash her desire and match it with his own.

  Swal owing hard,Anyawas fal ing head over heels for Sebastian.

  As if he felt the change in her he turned her to him and berated her with his lips, taking her mouththe way she loved, as if they were his to do with as he pleased. She eagerly opened for him, knowing she should retain some measure of control, but her mind was no longer working correctly. Her body screamed for more of him. To give him anything he wanted. To give him al of her.

  “Anya.” Her name on his tongue was thick with lust, almost sounding painful. Grabbing her backside he ground his hardness into her, making her wildly in need for him to plunge that hardness into her. “I want you Anya, so bad. I want you to be mine forever.”

  Warning bel s went off in her head and she remembered something Darius would say to her.

  You are mine Analia. You belong to me.

  Darius’s voice in the back of her mind sobered her, kil ing her desire instantly.She backed away from Sebastian. With his strong arms around her she wouldn’t have been ablepul awayif he hadn’t al owed it.

  No longer in his embrace, the air chil ed her,and her body nearly wept from the loss of Sebastian, but she forced herself to continue her retreat. His hardened gaze fol owed her every move, as if any moment he would lunge for her. Her heart was racing and she was finding it difficult to swal ow past the lump in her throat. “What do you mean?”

  For a long while he just held her in a predatory gaze.

  With surprising fortitude she demanded, “Tel me!”

  With a withered look he began, “My kind believes that for every one person there is another, a predestined,fated mate. I believe you are mine.”

  “Yours?” She said in a flat disbelieving tone.

  “Yes.” Sebastian continued. “When I claim you, you wil me mine. For the rest of our lives there wil be no other for you but me, and no other for me but you.” He watched the emotions play across her face. Fear. Apprehension. Watched as she distanced herself further, shaking her head.

  Hating the space between them Sebastian struggled not to take a step toward her. He needed to tread careful y here, afraid he was doing a poor job at it.

  “Claim me?” She was growing more frightened by the minute.

  “It won’t hurt. It’s supposed to bring the female pleasure.” He paused, wondering how best to phrase it. Silently she urged him on. “While we are in the midst of making love I would bite you, take your blood into me, marking you, thereby claiming you as mine.”

  Her jaw dropped in horror. “You can’t mean that I would belong to you.”

  “You want me, just as I want you. I can protect you.Wecan protect you.” She was going to reject him. He should want her to,does want her to. He never wanted a mate. But he could not imagine living the rest of his life without her. He needed her.

  “I do want you,” she said with a sigh. “But I wil not consent to being owned by you. And no, youcannotprotect me.Whetheryou like it or not, I am in danger.

  So are al of you. I’ve put you al at risk! He wil kil you if he finds me here. Nothing of this ship wil be spared.” Anya sank into a chair cupping her face with her hands. “I must leave as soon as the delivery is made. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe.”

  “No!” Sebastian roared. “I wil not let you leave.” The look she speared him with had him regretting his outburst, but her talk of leaving cut him to the core.

  Never mind she’d thought to protect him and his crew, he couldn’t imagine leaving her, how could she possibly imagine leaving him.

  “You would keep me against my wil ?”

  “For your own protection? Yes.”

  A quivering lip betrayed her feelings before she hardened her features. Lifting herself from the couchAnya gavehim an indignant glare,burning with disappointment,as sheglided passed him. He heard the door open and close. When he turned to look she was gone.

  He had imagined this night going so differently.

  Anya ran down the hal s of the ship, sucking back her devastation. He’d displayed no hesitation when he told her he would keep her against her wil , he hadn’t even offered an apologetic tone. She’d seen it in his eyes, felt it to her bones that he was tel ing the truth. He would lock her up if he had to. Keep her in a room, alone. Maybe he would visit every day, maybe not. Tel her he was sorry but it had to be this way. She would fight him of course, wouldn’t al ow herself to once again be locked away without a fight. Escape would be her only goal. Knowing freedom now,she could never go back to how things were. Not without losing her wil to survive.

  How long would it take before she grew to hate him for it?

  Winded she slowed her pace. If he was coming after her he would have caught her by now, no doubt his powerful long legs could triple her puny strides. It was wise of him to let her go considering how angry she was at the moment. She’d had a strong urge to kick him in the shin just before she’d left.

  How could he think to threaten her freedom? Did he expect her to thank him for it? Arrogantdemon! He even seemed shocked by her refusal to accept him as her new owner. How could that have possibly surprised him?

  Absently she wondered the hal s, not real y seeing where she was going, growing weary with her anger seething in the pit of her stomach. Making her way through the ship,she headed toward the one place that had given her the greatest sense of freedom.

  The sanctuary.

  As she entered,the essence of life flooded through her, dancing its way up her spine. Breathing in the air she felt refreshed, slightly calmer. Moving further into the room she avoided the corner where Sebastian had kissed her for the first time—she would not even think of it—and continued to a patch of grass, plopping herself down.

  Blocking out her sorrow and focusing only on her surroundings, she stayed there until everything became muted. Until her strained emotions subsided.

  Until her eyes grew heavy.

  Sebastian buried his head in his hands. It had come out al wrong. He’d meant to tel her how he felt about her, that he couldn’t live without her. He’d meant to tel her that, with him, she would want for nothing. Would always have anything she desired. How he would cherish her, spoil her … love her.

  He’d meant to tel
her he loved her.

  Instead, he’d told her he would lock her away if she ever tried to leave him.

  Idiot.

  His heart had been hammering with fear that she would refuse him, stumbled on his words because of it. His calm cool demeanor that he hid behind so often was now a hindrance, keeping him from blurting out his feelings for her like some lovesick pup.

  “Dammit!” His voice echoed through the empty room. He had wanted to chase after her and beg for her to let him start over again, to let him explain. But he senses if he tried to force her back she would break. Her final look at him had torn at him from the inside, as if he were some evil she needed to get away from.

  He would let her cool down a little and talk to her tomorrow. Try to explain things better.

  Anya woke surprised to find she’d fal en asleep in the sanctuary. Waking to the beautiful sounds of running water and the sweet smel s of blooming flowers was wonderful. Stretching her stiff limbs she basked in it.

  Slowly her drowsy mind came into focus. With a scowl she recal ed the conversation from last night, and was seething anew. The bastard had threatened to cage her. If he approached her today, she was going to give him piece of her mind. Maybe this time shewouldkick him, and not just in the shin.

  Ready for a fight she stalked toward the training room.

  If she was seething when she left the sanctuary, she was downright maddened with rage when she entered the training room,picked up her sword,and swung it at Calic without warning.

  “Whoa, someone woke up grumpy.” He said dodging her swing.

  “Ha! If this is me grumpy, then I’d love to see myself enraged.” She replied swinging again. Calic had already grabbed for his sword and blocked her attack.

  “I take it last night didn’t go so wel .”

  “You think? It’s shocking that a woman doesn’t throw herself at every male who threatened to rob her of her freedom. What is it with you demons anyway?”

  “Take away your freedom?”

  “Yeah, your arrogant brother told me he wanted to claim me so I’d belong to him,and told me if I left the ship, as original y planned I might add, he would lock me up. Is that a normal demon mating ritual? Build a girl up and then rip her apart from the inside out. Lock her up until her wil is gone and she gives in? Is that how you took your …” Anya clamped her mouth shut. Cale’s features turned dark. As soon as she’d said the words she wished she could take them back. But it was too late, her anger had overridden her brain. “I’m sorry.” She said lowering her sword. “Cale I’m sorry.”