Demon Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  “Rise,” A voice commanded.

  She didn’t move, didn’t blink.

  Strong hands lifted her off the floor, forcing her to stand on her own two feet. Then he pushed her out into the hal way. Anya didn’t wonder at where they were headed. She didn’t care. There was nothing they could do to her that was worse than what she’d done to herself.Bring it on you bastards!

  As they walked, her mind drifted in and out. The man at her back steered her by moving her shoulders in whatever direction he wanted her to go. Turn, walk, turn, walk.

  They came to a door and the man lightly knocked. Darius’s voice bade them enter and Anya was shoved inside.

  “Leave us,” Darius said to the guard.

  The scene at her front had her swaying with nausea. She blinked rapidly to make it disappear but it wouldn’t. Darius was smiling at her! Actual y smiling as Ethanule, Cale, and Sebastian stood strapped against the wal . Blood tricked down their bodies. Her voice caught when she tried to scream.

  At the sight of her Sebastian wentwild, straining violently against his bindings.

  As her heart jumping into her throat she final y found her voice, “What did you do!” She tried to move toward them but Darius wrapped a thick arm around her waist and held her back. She was on the brink of hysteria unable to reach him. Pushing against Darius’s vice like grip.

  “Calm yourself my sweet.” He whispered in her ear. She jerked away and continued struggling. “I’m warning you!”

  That gave her pause. That tone was too familiar.

  He wants something from me. He wants something. What does he want?Her mind went into overdrive.How can I stop this? I need to stop this.

  As soon as shecalmed as best she could, Sebastianrelaxedslightly, though his eyes were wide and wild. In the back of her mind she knew he was on the Edge, probably has been for days. What had Darius put them through?

  When Darius felt she was under control he let her back away from him. “You said you would let them go.” She said through clenched teeth, while studying their injuries.

  Al of them were beaten and bloody. Scratches and cuts al over their exposed skin. Their hands were strapped at their sides. Thick metal around their necks held them firm against the wal .

  Ethanule had a thick gash down the left side of his face, the mark continued under the color of his sweat drenched shirt. She couldn’t see where it ended.

  He looked tired. They al looked tired.

  Cale’s face was mangled and swol en. One eye was swol en shut, the other was deep crimson. One of his horns had been sliced at the base,and hisblond hair was matted with dried blood.

  Eyes glowing red with anger Sebastian’s face was general y free of cuts or welts, but by the look on his face she feared the damage was lower. She looked at his feet and let out a helpless whimper. Blood was pooling there, a lot of it. There was a gash in his clothing near his stomach, the red stain stil growing. She spotted a blade dripping with blood on a shelf behind Darius.

  Darius’s eyes twinkled with amusement, “I never said I would let them go. I just said I needed them to believe you.”

  To Darius, this was a game. And he was winning.

  “You bastard!” She lunged. Forgetting her training,and mad with rage she went for his neck.

  Crack!

  Dazed she found herself on the floor, her cheek pounded from the hit. The inside of her mouth tasted metal ic. A defining roar echoed off the wal s.

  The guard, from before peeked his head in at the commotion and laughed when he saw Anya on the ground.

  Darius let out an annoyed sound, “I said leave us! Do not come back in!” the guard quickly obeyed.

  Anya picked herself off the floor, meeting Sebastian’s crazed eyes. Something flashed between them, love and sorrow,and a wish for something different.

  She mouthedI’m sorryand thenI love you.

  “No!”

  Crack!

  She was back on the floor.

  Darius screamed at her. “No! No! No!”

  Sebastian went bal istic, blood dripped down from the metal bar biting into his neck. He’d break his neck if he kept that up. The other two were screaming at Darius and struggling against their restraints.

  Anya pul ed herself off the ground once more, facing Darius with hate in her eyes. Lifting herself to her ful height she asked, “What do you want.” Her cheek was throbbing.

  With his eyes wide—giving her an idea whatpure insanitymight look like—Darius replied, “You.” When she didn’t respond he continued. “I want you to acknowledge me as your master. I want you to say that you are mine.” He growled the last word.

  “And if I do? What wil happen to them?”

  He waved his hand negligently, “They are nothing. What do I care if they go free?”

  “Fine then,” She opened her mouth to do as he asked but he stopped her.

  “Ah ah ah, there is more.”

  With a sickly feeling she waited for the rest.

  “I want you to be good to me.Very good.”

  She cringed. Knowing he didn’t want her to bake him cookies and do his laundry.

  “I want you to make me believe it.” His voice had gone hoarse. When she didn’t answer he moved to pick up a smal black remote. With the push of a button a volt of electricity ran over the wal . The captured men convulsed from the shock of it, their screams raked her hearing.

  “Stop it!” She yel ed.

  Releasing the button Darius turned to her.

  Never in a mil ion years could she do what he was asking, not withoutretchingal over him. But if it wil save her friends she had to at least agree, even if she couldn’t fol ow through.

  Ignoring Sebastian’s fevered protests she pushed the word out, “Fine.”

  Darius practical y twinkled with triumph. He moved to her and genuinely seemed shocked when she skirted away. Angry he lifted the remote once more.

  “Wait!”

  Pausing, hand inmidair,he cracked a sly smile.

  She wanted to rip that smile off his face. “I want them freed first.”

  “I want you now.”

  “No.”

  Clearly not taking no for an answer he moved toward her again, catching her around the waist. Her back met the ground with him on top of her,pawing at her body.

  The noises coming from Sebastian and the others were such as she’d never heard before, beastly sounds. It sounded as though Sebastian was ready to rip his own throat out to get to her.

  Her panic began to ebb, and a smal amount of clarity seeped in. With Darius in this position she recal ed her training. Mustering as much strength as she could,she stabbedthe butt of her palminto his nose. Head rocking back Darius grabbed at his gushing nose, shooting her a confounded expression.

  Cale too went into training mode. “Good hit! Get up and do it again! Keep him at your front!”

  Satisfaction surged through her as she scrambled away, lifting herself to her fighting stance.

  Once his shock faded Darius gave a little laugh. “Do you think you’re brave? A tough little girl?”

  They stood in piercing silence. Every now and again Darius would fake lunge at her, playing with her. She refused to flinch away from him. Darius was a good fighter, but an arrogant one. He would underestimate her,which was her greatest advantage at the moment.

  Just as sheexpected, Darius took hiseyes off her—to give the imprisoned males an expression that saidwhat is this, a joke?Her leg shot out, catching him low in the gut, her heel dug in hard. As he bent to clutch the wound her hand connected with his stil bleeding nose, knocking him to the ground. He let out an involuntary grunt. Lowering herself low to the ground Anya sliced her leg through the air connecting the hard part of her heel with the tender area at his throat. Wind gushed out of him and his eyes grew wide with pain.

  Oh how she wanted to continue hitting him, but she needed to free the boys. Darius had underestimated her before but he wouldn’tagain,and he would only be incapacitated for so long. She
searched him for the remote that he’d placed it in his front pocked.

  Got it!

  Damn, she only saw the button thattriggeredthe electricity? She turned it over in her hand looking for the way to release them, butDarius wasalreadyrising to his feet, coughing and spitting blood. She faced him again, scanning the room for something that she could use as a weapon.

  The knife!

  Anya lunged for it but Darius caught her wrist and twisted, bringing her to her knees. Crying out she felt her bones breaking under his grip. Darius looked down at her with evil intent, no longer playing. He wanted blood. With her free hand she grabbed his crotch, squeezing as hard as she could. He let out a high-pitched scream that would have been gratifying had he not whacked her once again across the face, sending her head first into the ground.

  He straddled her, thick fingers snaked around her neck cutting off her air. She grabbed his broken nose between two fingers applying pressure to the tender nerves. Darius growled out a curse, raising his fist in the air. He was going to bring it straight down on her. That kind of blow would render her unconscious. At the last minute she craned her head dodging it. She heard flesh slap hard against metal. Groaning Darius cradled hisfist.

  Slipping out from under him Anyashot to her feet, and put al her strength into a kick to his head. She made solid contact and he went limp to the floor.Scrambling past him Anyagrabbedthe hiltof the bloody daggerin her fist.When she turned back toDariushewas there, nostrils flaring.Moving too quick for her heripped the dagger from her grip. Hand once again around her neckDariuspushed her so hard into the wal that her head bounced off the hard metal.

  Then she felt a sharp pain in her side, her vision went white for a moment.Realizing something was wrong, her mind focused onthehideous facebefore her. He looked angry, sad, and infatuated al at the same time. Then he shoved the dagger into her a second time.

  She was surprised how silenteverythingbecame, past Darius the boys were stil flailing wildly, mouths moving with unheard words. Sebastian had a hopeless expression as more blood spil ed from his neck and wrists.

  A calmness came over her as Darius lifted the dagger once more. She should have realized from the start that the boys’restraints were mechanized. As the dagger entered her once more she could barely feel it, her body was a shel and shefelt herselfslipping away from it.

  Gathering the end of her strength Anya focused her powers, clarity made her acutely accurate.

  Sound came rushing back with a soft click.

  Unable to keep the smile off her face she took one last look at Darius,hewasdumfoundedat her expression. Then he seemed to notice, for the first time, the blood dripping from her and the dagger in his hand.

  With venom in her tone she spoke the last words he would ever hear. “This is better than you deserve.”

  Sebastian’s approaching growl was so menacing she felt it in her bones. Darius’sscream began even before he was snatched away. With his body no longer holding her up Anya slumped to the floor, heavy lids closed over unseeing eyes.

  Oh, but she could stil hear.

  Bones crushing, flesh tearing. Scream after harrowing scream. It went on forever it seemed. In the end Darius had begged for his life, blubbering like a baby.

  When the terrible screaming ended Anya could sense Sebastian close, barely able to smel his scent over the metal ic tinge of blood. She thoughther body might bein his arms, he was trying to wake her but she was already gone. Anya wished she could tel him one last time that she loved him, to tel him to be happy, but her mouth wouldn’t work, her airway had already clogged with blood.

  Covered in Darius’s blood, heaving, Sebastian tossed the remaining body parts away. If he’d had the time, the depraved bastard would have endured much worse. But as Anya’s body fel lifeless his visionwent red, and there was no moreEdge, just a massive bottomless chasm fil ed to the brim with his unstable rage. Darius hadn’t lasted long after that, his flesh was like butter against Sebastian’s claws.

  Now Sebastian was hunched over Anya’s body, blood seeped from the wounds at her stomach,whileher eyes flutteredas though shewerefighting to remain conscious.

  “Anya!” He cal ed, petting back her sweat drenched hair. She gurgled something. She was mouthingbe happy.

  Only if you live.

  “Please Anya, open your eyes! Someone get a doctor! A healer! Now!” Gods,he couldn’t lose her. “I wil fol ow you Damn it! You hear me? I wil fol ow!”

  “The guard is just outside. If we’re not careful we’l have every gunman on the ship here.” Cale reasoned.

  SebastianclutchedAnyaclose,feeling her grow colderby the second. Tears brimmed the corners of his eyes. Never in his life had he shed a tear. Not for his father. Not for his mother’s betrayal. Not during his torture. But now he openly wept as Anya’s heart began to slow its pace.

  “Anya don’t leave me!” He choked.

  Suddenly Ethanule was there, reaching for Anya.

  “Get away from her! Find a doctor!”

  Cale appeared behind Ethanule, pul ing him away from the enraged demon.

  “No!” Ethanule cried, fighting Cale’s grasp. “Give her to me!”

  “Do you want him to kil you pirate?”

  “I can help her,if it’s not too late already! Give me her body!”

  “How can you help her? Tel me!” Sebastian ordered.

  “My ability, the root of my power lies in healing.”

  “Then do it! Heal her, now!”

  “I have to touch her body, so don’t kil me. Okay?”

  With a clipped nod Sebastian relinquished Anya to Ethanule. Ethanule pressed one hand to her wound and the other to her heart. Nothing happened.

  Sebastian was about to push Ethanule out of the way and order,once again,to find a doctor,when a strangeness fel over the room. The air began to chil .

  Sebastian blew out a condensing breath.The cold air became light, difficult to capture in his lungs. Smal objects began to rise al around them. There were strips of clothing and drops of blood hovering in the air from the mass of power. An abnormal light, dim at first, grew around Anya. It grew so bright that Sebastian had to shield his eyes to look at her, bringing with it a sound that cannot be described by any known language.

  Haunting. Beautiful. Frightening. Wondrous. None of these words accurately describedwhat Sebastian was witnessing.

  “Ethanule reached out toward Sebastian. “Give me your hand!”

  Sebastian did as asked. Ethanule placed Sebastian’s hand over Anya’s heart and held it there.

  “Cal her back!” Ethanule commanded.” When Sebastian gaped at him blankly Ethanule continued. “If you are truly hers, then your souls are linked. She wil hear your cal .”

  Sebastian noticed that her wounds were already healed, body revived. But were they too late? Had her soul already abandoned her body? “What do I do?”

  “Just keep your hand here, and imagine her with you. The connection wil help my magic.”

  Doing as instructed, Sebastian watched Anya’s face. In place of her usual y luminescent skin was a dul ness that shot fear into him. His chest clenched at the thought of losing her. With one hand over her heart he took her other hand in his, squeezing gently. “Don’t go.” He whispered into her ear. “Come back to me.” He pressed his forehead to hers, his warmth against her shocking cold. Sebastian’s salty tears dripped down her smooth cheekbones.

  Just slightly, almost unnoticeable she inhaled a faint breath. Then she inhaled again, stronger this time. Her skin began to grow warmer, gainingitscolorback.

  With obvious effort, Ethanule sat back drawing in a deep breath. A light sheen of sweat covered him. Cale slapped him hard on the back with a hearty laugh. Ethanule grunted at the force of it, but smiled anyway. Then he grew serious once more. “It’s not over yet. She’s healed. Her soul is in place … for now.”

  “What do you mean for now?”

  “Her soul had left her body, her vessel. Her body was in great shock. Her soul is once
again connected to this body, but … that doesn’t mean she’l wake up.”

  Sebastian gazed down at Anya who looked as though she were only in a sound sleep. “She’l wake up.” He said it like an order. As if commanding it would make itso. “Let’s get back to theMarada. Don’t suppose you have enough juice left to heal us too?”

  “Sorry man,I’m tapped out.”

  Cale threw his shoulders back, “I’m fineanyway.In fact, I’m ready to do some damage.”

  “Good,” Sebastian replied. “You take the front, Ethanule take the back.” He scooped up Anya’s limp body, reveling in the feel of her strong heartbeat.

  Cale threw the door open. His exit was fol owed by a gurgled, nearly silent cry from the guard outside.

  Peeking his head back into the room Cale tossed a stolen gun to Ethanule. “Here, you’l need this pirate.” Ethanule caught it and Cale winked,disappearing once more through the door, eager for blood and action.

  Cale and Ethanulemadeasurprisingly great team—Cale in front, swiping clear a path with only his claws, Ethanule taking out distant threats with the pilfered weapon.The pirate was a spot on shot, and soon enough they’d made it to the shuttle.

  Quickly they piled into the tiny ship, dislodging and jettisoning away from theExtargaas quickly as the shuttle’s engines would carry them. Immediately Cale sent out an encrypted signal for theMaradato pick up their location. If Aidan was on duty he would see them.

  Sebastian cradled Anya against him brushing back her thick curls and rubbing his thumb across her soft newly healed cheek. He wil ed her to open her eyes, to look up at him with that familiar sex-kitten smile he’d grown to love.

  She didn’t.

  Chapter 27

  “I’m leaving.” Cale said from the doorway of Sebastian’s room.

  It had taken hours but eventual yMaradahad come for them. Just in time too, the shuttles fuel tank was al but empty.

  Stil Anya slept.