by Davis, Jarod
As much as she didn’t want to, she said that she had to head back. At the same time, she noticed Seth drive a little slower than usual. He mentioned something about making sure he didn’t get a ticket. Kayla just smiled because that wouldn’t be a problem for someone with his talents. After a while, she hit the radio and listened as a love song came on.
Kayla ran through the lyrics she’d heard a hundred times before. This time she heard this woman sing about the man she loved and Kayla thought it was more personal, more important somehow. She was about to ask what he thought of it when she glanced up and saw the light was green, but they weren’t moving.
Ahead of them, someone stood in the intersection. It took her a second to squint through the dark and make out his features. That sharp nose, big eyes, straight stance, and signature black coat shouted who stopped them. It was a cruel thought, but Kayla almost wanted Seth to hit the gas and run him down. If that’s what it would take to protect him, she might have been okay with it. Then again, if their test proved she was a demon, he’d want to cut her throat too.
This could mean blood.
Kayla never hurt anyone, not really. Sasha was a monster. She took control of people and made them hurt each other. Vigo was different. He thought he was making the world a better place. She couldn’t say he was evil, not like her.
Vigo wasn’t alone. She saw figures emerge from the shadows. They had the same blades that Vigo wore at his side, each sharp and gently curved. To one side, Kayla spotted Sasha. The demon had a vicious leer that promised how much she’d enjoy this fight.
“Seth.”
“I see her,” he said, eyes straight. Vigo and Seth stared back at each other like predators. Whoever blinked first would be prey. Without taking his focus away from the Alliance leader, Seth reached for the door handle. He popped it open but didn’t step out.
When he looked at her again, Seth smiled, but it was sad. It was resigned, the kind of shadowed flicker of hope someone might give right when he knew he was going to die but that was somehow okay. Kayla looked for words, she shook her head like she already knew what he was going to do. She couldn’t name it, but she knew it was stupid.
She knew she had to stop him.
“Don’t,” he said. “Just let me talk for a second, okay?” Kayla didn’t like it. She knew that because Seth should’ve hit the gas. Vigo and his men would’ve gotten out of the way. They could have run. She would’ve gone with him. It’s not like she had anything left here.
“I love you, and I’m going to do this for you. I’m going to get out of this car, and I’m going to let them take me. When I’m alone with Sasha, I’ll finish this. You’ll be safe. But I have to get her alone. I can’t do that if she always gets to pick the battlefield.”
“No! No way. I’m not going to let you get yourself killed. You can’t do this. Don’t be stupid. We can get away. We don’t even have to fight.”
“They figured it out,” he said. “The Alliance won’t give up.”
“Why not?”
“Because they know me,” Seth said. But he didn’t stop there. He reached for her, had his hands around the base of her neck. She wanted to speak. She wanted to stop him, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t like she could hold him there. He was stronger, and he knew he’d do anything to protect her. He’d knock her out if that’s what it took.
All she could do was watch with helpless fury.
“You’ve made me a better person,” he said. “That’s all I could’ve ever asked for.” He leaned across the seat and pressed his lips into hers. In that second, she was lost in that kiss, their last kiss. Their last embrace, she scraped her fingers into his coat. She couldn’t let him go, but he pushed her away. “Keep safe. Okay?”
“Don’t do this,” she said, her eyes wet. She was crying, and she didn’t care.
“I knew it would come to this?”
“When?” She grasped at questions for seconds until she’d lose him.
“Since we saw Sasha. She’s one of them. She’s protected. I have to get past them if I want to get to her. But that won’t happen. I won’t let it. Just do me one more thing.”
“What?” it came out half-hiss. She wanted to slap him. She wanted to knock him out and hold him there, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t strong enough. He was always stronger. Now he was dumber. Even if he was right.
“Have a good life. Okay?” He smiled. “I’ll try to get back. But if I don’t see you tomorrow, I’ll be dead. So go have a good life. Be happy. Okay?”
“I can’t. Not without you.” She wouldn’t lie. She wouldn’t hide her feelings no matter how stupid they sounded. Sure, they only knew each other for a week. Sure, they’d been on two dates. It didn’t matter. She loved him. Losing him would be like losing her heart, her soul, the most important part that made her life worth anything.
“I love you too,” he said and got out. He shut the door, and Kayla wanted to get out and scream at them. She wanted to declare war on all of them, but that would just get them both killed. That would break everything he wanted to do for her. Desperate for some other answer, she balled herself up and tried to think. Just a few feet away, Sasha grinned like she’d already won. That’d be a mistake, Kayla realized, and Seth knew it. He’d use that confidence to get her alone and kill her. For Kayla, to protect her.
Even if Kayla thought she could fight her way out of the car, there three more Alliance fighters stood right there. Two flanked Sasha, and Kayla knew they’d be under the demon’s control. If she acted, they’d have every reason to jump her. Seth wouldn’t get his element of surprise. She wanted to smash something, run, get away. Five minutes ago, everything was soft and easy. Happy. It couldn’t have fallen apart like that.
But he knew.
Seth knew it from the moment Sasha declared herself. He’d planned on this. It wasn’t an accident. Rage and gratitude beat through her. Sacrificing himself for her made him good. Sacrificing himself for her also him a jackass.
His door was still open when he raised his hands to the Alliance. “I’m not going to fight you,” he said.
“Sick of having blood on your hands?” Vigo wanted to know. It came out with the same bravado any soldier uses when confronted with his most dangerous enemy.
“I don’t want you to hurt her.”
“Don’t worry,” Vigo said. “We won’t. She’s not our enemy.”
“I know.”
Questions beat into Kayla. Did that mean they’d done their test? Maybe the test wasn’t accurate. Maybe Seth messed up the results somehow. He had that quarter grin that could’ve been from a trickster who enjoyed a fun game. Or he smiled because he knew this was the end and he was happy he got to give it up for someone else. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to slap him.
“Restrain him,” Vigo said with a nod to two of his soldiers. They pulled out cuffs and approached with caution. Scared of a seventeen year old, hey exuded fear with each step. It didn’t matter that he was smaller, less muscled, and had years less experience.
The soldiers passed Vigo, spun around together. It was too mechanical. They moved together, like they were muscles from the same mind. Kayla twisted back to see Sasha, and the demon’s eyes were outlined in gray. So were the soldiers who had Vigo.
Sasha must’ve realized what Seth planned. Rather than wait for him to strike, she made her opening move right there in front of Vigo and the rest of his soldiers. This was her ambush. And it worked as Vigo shouted at his men, demanding to know what they were doing. In a second, they had his hands locked together. He couldn’t draw his blade or pull again. He tried to yank his arms free, but the two soldiers were powerfully built and held him in place.
Seth ducked down and tried to run. Sasha ran around the car and swung at Seth. She caught him in the stomach. A painful woosh of air was knocked from his lungs. Stunned, Seth fell back, blinking to get his sight clear even as Sasha punched him twice. Two strikes, one to the face, another back to the stomach. Seth threw out his arms to
block. He avoided her third swing with a quick duck, but he didn’t expect her. Worse, she had all of her attention on him.
The rest of Vigo’s men swarmed at Seth’s back. They formed a semicircle around Seth to make sure he wouldn’t escape. Sasha gave a feral growl filled with eager anticipation. She’d wanted this for a long time.
In that melee, everyone forgot about Kayla. She pushed the door open. She didn’t go especially slow or fast. She didn’t want to grab anyone’s attention. She waited until she was out and clear. No one behind her, no one to jump her, Kayla focused her energies and slammed them into Sasha.
The demon got thrown back. She completely forgot about the girl with the power to move things with her mind. A thin cut appeared at the demon’s lip where Kayla struck. Seth tried to take advantage of that moment and lock his thoughts onto some of her followers.
Their eyes shimmered with the war of gray and blue as Seth pushed his thoughts into their minds. They stopped, frozen like computers with too many commands clicked way too fast. Sasha was older and probably stronger, but Seth was desperate. Pain strengthened his focus and heightened his will to fight.
Kayla tried to help him with another swing. She swiped her fingers across the air. A whip of force beat into Sasha. She threw up her hands like she could see it too, and the blow caught her across the forearms. There was a growl of pain, but she lowered her hands, drew a curved knife, and strode for Kayla.
Sasha wanted her dead. In the next few seconds, she’d swing with the hopes of ending Kayla’s life. That was the first time she thought someone actually wanted her dead. It didn’t make sense. Kayla thought Sasha needed her body. Without time to think about it, Kayla doubled back. She wanted to get to Seth, and they’d run. That was as much plan as she could think of against the frenzied pounding of her heart, the breath caught in her chest.
One of Sasha’s soldiers lunged for her, his arms out and ready to net her in a bear hug. Kayla dodged to the side and hopped away. Sasha had her concentration split between too many people. She couldn’t control the Alliance soldiers, fight back Seth’s hold, try to grab her, and avoid another swing of Kayla’s power.
The second she was clear, Kayla twisted around. She let the world cystalize again the way Seth taught her. The air and forces through every molecule clarified into currents. She shoved them out. Another wave crashed into Sasha, but this time she didn’t block it. It slammed her back and knocked her down.
At first, Kayla hoped the demon was out. But Sasha recovered quickly. She shook her head once and kipped back to her feet in one motion. At the same time, she ran at Seth. He didn’t see her, his focus aimed at the soldiers he wanted to free or dominate.
Too fast, Sasha slammed her elbow into the back of Seth’s skull. He crumpled down. At the same moment, Vigo ripped himself free from his followers. Their eyes clouded gray again, but he head butted one and kicked out. His boots caught one fighter in the stomach. Free of their grasp, he pulled the unlocked cuff into his hand for an impromptu brass knuckle. One swing brought down another soldier. Cleared for the second, he ran.
Arms cutting the air, he jumped past the other fighters. He grabbed Kayla and pulled. She wanted to stay, wanted to fight, but they wouldn’t win. If she wanted to help Seth, she’d have to come back. That was rational and the best decision. She knew it, but it didn’t matter. Every step felt like it crushed into her chest.
She might not see him again. She might not save him.
“Kill them,” Sasha called to their backs. “We have what we want.”
And they ran fast. They ran hard. They ran until Kayla’s lungs burned and stretched for every droplet of air. They ran until her legs dragged at her. They ran until every muscle was pinched and burned. Past different houses, along different blocks, they ducked through yards and backyards, and all the while, Kayla hoped they’d get away, they’d get another chance.
Kayla didn’t know this neighborhood, and she would’ve gotten lost in seconds. It was hard to see through the dark. There were a few street lights, moonlight but not enough to grab any landmarks or remember street names. Everything was about getting away. Speed was the only goal, survival their only target.
Vigo knew what he was doing. Kayla hated using his help, but she didn’t see another option. He seemed to know when to stop, to hide behind cars or bushes, when the best moments were to move. It was like a vicious game of leap frog, but minute by minute, they got further and further from their pursuers.
Occasionally, lights would turn on as they tripped the sensors. Dogs barked or growled in their direction. Every house started to look the same. The lawns and cars and streets melted together in Kayla’s head until she didn’t know where they started or where they’d go.
Every time she spotted one of the Alliance fighters, their eyes still clouded gray, she felt something twist in her stomach. They wanted to kill her. Meat puppets at their mistress’s command, they’d do anything she wanted. They’d cut her apart without any thought or regret. Cold terror launched through her body each time, yet each time they managed to sneak away. If Vigo felt any of that same fear, he hid it well. If anything, he had the same look of concentration that Everett got when he had to sneak his characters through whichever video game he was playing at the time.
With a quick jerk of his fingers, Vigo motioned for her to follow him. They crept past a house with blackened windows toward the garage in the back. Vigo rammed his shoulder into the door and broke whatever two dollar lock had been keeping the neighbors’ kids out.
Inside, Kayla could smell the dust. Each step kicked up little clouds that caught the fragments of light through the broken windows. This definitely wasn’t the best part of the neighborhood, but it was the closest thing they had to safety.
Vigo leaned against the wall and slid down. One hand pressed against his side, he went silent as he looked at the shimmered wet spot. Blood, Kayla realized, something else sick in her stomach. Before he said anything, Vigo pulled off his coat and started to rip into strips.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m fine,” he growled. Each second must’ve hurt, but Kayla was sure he wouldn’t tell her. “I definitely don’t need your help.” He muttered something else, the kinds of profanity Kayla never heard anywhere except in any chat rooms.
“Look, we have to work together if we want to survive this. I’m sure they’re not going to just give up. Sasha is determined to come after us.”
That snapped his attention back to Kayla. “Sasha?” he said name like another curse. “How do you know that name?” His eyes tightened from pain or suspicion, “Are you going to tell me you work with her too?”
Sasha took one of his soldiers. That woman out there, Kayla realized, her body’s original name wasn’t Sasha. The demon took it. She could be honest with Kayla and Seth. It wasn’t like anyone would have believed them. “Your friend, she was taken over.”
Vigo opened his mouth, and Kayla could tell that he wanted to argue with her, but he couldn’t find the words. It was too obvious. Sure, he might’ve thought that maybe Seth took his soldier’s mind, but there wasn’t any reason. It was an ambush, and Seth was pummeled in that fight. His thoughts covered all of the variables and calculations, and he closed his mouth, because he knew she was right.
“How long?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “She came to me a few days ago.”
“I didn’t see it. I was so focused.”
“On hunting Seth?” Kayla made that question into an insult.
“Absolutely. Your friend’s a demon. He’s killed. He’ll kill you too if you spend enough time with him.”
“You’re wrong.” Kayla kept her voice low. She didn’t want a shouting match to attract Sasha or her followers, but she wouldn’t let Vigo attack the boy who just sacrificed himself to save both of their lives. “He’s good. He was going to give himself up so you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Hurt you?” he laughed, “Right. You’re no demon.”
&nb
sp; “Seth,” Kayla said, “It was always Seth then.”
“Sasha needs a demon’s body if she wants to survive for more than a couple months. She knew I’d follow him, so she took one of my fighters. Damn her. Damn that little conniving demon bitch.” He could’ve done better, Kayla guessed, but the fatigue and pain kept him from shouting his worst swears.
When the demon slayer finished with his bandages, Kayla could still see the shine of blood leak down this side. His ripped coat couldn’t stop the jagged wound from bleeding. She wanted to help him, but she didn’t know how. It wasn’t like she could just call an ambulance.
Besides, Vigo had his own plans. He pulled out a pistol, cocked it, and asked, “Are you willing to kill tonight?”
“I’ll fight to save him.”
This time he looked surprised and curious in the same glance. “Why would you want to save one of those things? They’re twisted. It’s what they are, and he’s one of them. Seth and Sasha? There’s no difference between them.”
“I don’t know what he’s done or what you think happened, but Seth is a good person. If you try to kill him, I will stop you.” She heard him click his gun into place, a bullet ready to rend flesh and end a life. “He’s helped me. He saved me.”
“That woman out there, she saved my life two days ago when we were after a different target. That doesn’t change the fact that she’ll kill us and she’ll use whoever she wants to get her way.” He stood up and stretched his hands out like he wanted to understand which movements would trigger which pains. “She can look good and moral. I’m sure your boy did the same thing. At least when he wasn’t playing with your head.”
Kayla stood against him. Maybe he hated Seth. Maybe he wanted a fight, but Vigo wouldn’t fire on his only ally when there were possessed fighters combing the neighborhood for him. “He wouldn’t do that even if he could.”
“Right.”
Kayla wanted to slap him, but that wouldn’t work. He was bigger than her, and she didn’t know if she could win a fight with him. Besides, she didn’t have to remind herself that he was still her best chance to get out of there, find Seth, and maybe survive that night.