“There, that’s better,” she said, and then called out. “Dati, there’s a guy out here asking for you.”
My hands were dripping over the sink as Jenae spoke out to me. For a second, I didn’t know what to do next—wipe the water on my sweats, grab the towel, or just run towards Jenae.
I didn’t have visitors.
Where had I heard that voice? It gnawed at me, and I felt this undeniable sense that something had gone horribly awry, like watching black clouds gather on the horizon—knowing a bad storm was coming.
Jenae came around the corner and met me halfway down the hallway.
“Who is it?” I asked with concern.
“I don’t know, just some guy asking for you,” she said in an irritated tone. “Like, do I have a list of your friends and know them by name? Geez, it’s just some guy!”
“I don’t have any friends,” I replied quickly.
“Yeah well, maybe if you did, then your mood would be a little less snarly and abrupt.”
As I stepped around the end of the couch where Hemming lay, the visitor standing in the front entrance of the apartment came into view.
It was Alyx, the most beautiful creature I’d seen in hundreds of years, and he stood on the threshold of my home.
How the Hell had he found me?
The silver demons squirmed to life. Sharp spines pushed on the underside of my skin.
My hand instinctively covered the spot where Master’s minions resided, as if that would stop them. I took a step back to put distance between myself and Alyx, but Jenae was directly behind me and my talon stepped right onto her bare foot.
“Jesus, Dati!” She pushed me forward to get me off of her foot.
Dread filled me as I stumbled forwards, the silver bugs twisting inside, pain flashed white hot through my chest as I held my hand out. “Alyx! You can’t be here, what the…how the Hell did you…”
Except Alyx didn’t know what was going on.
Alyx gleamed up at me, his bright aura suddenly danced to life, phosphorescent swirls illuminating his body.
With ferocious speed, pain seared through my midsection, the flesh shredded as a silver demon ripped itself out of my gut and flew through the air.
Alyx never even saw the oncoming danger. It hit him with a thud as he stepped back. The bug tore through his light-coloured fall jacket and his plaid shirt, then burrowed into Alyx’s abdomen as if it was all layers of tissue paper. Alyx pulled up his shirt to see the last of the minion as it wriggled and tunneled its way inside.
The contortions of pain began to show on Alyx’s face, and then all at once, his fantastical purple swirling aura retreated into itself and disappeared.
I couldn’t catch my breath. The shredded flesh burned. My hand became slick with blood, and I tried to catch the steady stream of liquid as it wept from my abdomen, soaking my clothes.
Summoning up as much determination as I could to overcome my own pain, angry that Master had put me in this very spot and distraught that I had shattered my own promise that Alyx would never be dragged into my world, I rushed over to him.
Those gathering dark clouds of doom I had felt just moments earlier were now a violent thunderstorm unleashing its fury within the confines of my house.
I caught him just as he started to list sideways. As he fell into my arms, he stared at me and smiled for only a moment before his happiness was replaced with a grimace. He writhed in pain in my arms.
“Alyx, listen to me. Alyx!” His eyes were glassy. “I’m so sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m so sorry. Don’t fight the pain. Just relax and let it happen. I’m so sorry.”
I had failed. I felt heavy inside, knowing my promise to myself and Marta had instantly been killed.
Alyx’s body went limp.
Jenae stood beside us with her mouth agape.
“Seven Hells! Don’t just stand there, help him!” I screamed at her.
“Like what?” she yelled back, her eyes as wide as I’d ever seen them.
I scooped him up off the floor and rushed him down the hall. He mouthed something, but no sound came out. I gently lay him on my bed and pushed the hair out of his eyes, something I had done so very long ago.
“Don’t worry, Alyx, I will look after you.” I removed his clothes and inspected the entry point. Thankfully the wound was a little more than a hole the size of a dime.
But the transmutation had already started. The silver minion had released my blood into Alyx’s body. The surrounding tissue had begun its transformation from human to demon.
Alyx arched his back. His fingers contracted as he clutched at the bedspread, his hands curling inwards like he was having a seizure. His mouth gaped open then closed, and his eyelids fluttered.
Tiny black crystals were growing in the skin around the wound. The human flesh was decaying as the demon fluids introduced itself into the body. The skin near the entry point reminded me of a scab. A shiny crystalized scab, which started to spread, creeping along the surface of his white skin. Alyx moved his hand to his stomach where his fumbling fingers tapped the growing coating and the hardening skin.
His eyes had rolled into the back of his head, and his mouth still opened and closed.
I grasped Alyx’s hand and squeezed it. “Remember, Alyx, I’m going to be right here.”
The blood from my wound still leaked out and dripped onto the bedroom floor. I ignored it, concentrating on Alyx. Watching him go through this was torture. The one human I didn’t want to have any part of this was now irrevocably immersed in this Hell, his life forever changed—there was no such thing as “un-transmorphing.”
And all at once, I felt far too human—this was all my fault.
I put my hand on Alyx’s chest, measuring his fast, shallow breathing and his arrhythmic heart rate. “It’s okay, Alyx. I won’t go anywhere, I’m right here.”
His heart calmed into a regular beat.
Crystalline spots now appeared on his sides and up on his chest. Like a cancerous tumor, it spread. A spot appeared on his shoulder and started growing up his neck, expanding rapidly, faster and faster.
Alyx stopped breathing. I held his hand and squeezed it tight.
Remembering the last pod I had witnessed in its formative beginnings, this next step was the hardest part. The growing corruption had taken over his lungs. Alyx’s body convulsed, the seizure taking a hold of his whole body.
Alyx’s lips curled back exposing his teeth and gums. I could see a black film inside his mouth.
Several minutes went by as he spasmed. Each muscle contraction sent pangs of guilt through me. As his body finally relaxed, he settled back onto the bed.
His human life was gone—forever.
The glassy rot crawled down his arms, encasing his limbs. Most of his face was covered. Smooth black gemstones sparkled as the whites of his eyes were replaced.
Within minutes, what once was Alyx was now a crusty, somewhat shiny, crystalline body lying on my bed. Any facial features that would have suggested Alyx was in there were gone. You could hear the crystals forming—tinkling—creating a death cocoon.
Everything in the last three days had gone horrifyingly wrong.
“Oh my god, is that what’s going to happen to all of them?” Jenae said from behind me. I hadn’t heard her come into the bedroom.
She pressed her hand to her belly, and if I wasn’t mistaken, she gagged a little as well. The sight disturbed me, but the smell of the transmutation process was even worse. This was the smell of the pit: decay and death. In time, that smell would change to the burnt plastic odour we all carried.
“I’ve never seen this here, ever. But yes, or at least something similar. Every species is slightly different, but the process is the same,” I said.
“What’s happening to him?”
“The demonic matter from me is taking over, changing him from human to demon. Everything will be affected. The only thing not saved is the human blood. It’s removed, and the new body creates
demonic blood as well as other… features,” I said, as I glanced over at my still bound and healing wing.
“Oh my god.” She was mesmerized at the growing cocoon. And it was getting quite large. Tendrils were building and attaching themselves to the headboard of the bed, the floor, and the ceiling. I wasn’t sure I’d have any room to even sleep on my own bed once it was done.
Jenae moved over towards it, her gaze still locked on the cocoon as it grew and changed. She reached out towards Alyx’s crystalline envelope and was about to touch it.
“No!” I yelled at her and grabbed her hand.
“What? I told you, don’t startle me like that. Geez, I’ll end up doing some creepy magic shit on you again.”
She had a good point, but I had pulled her hand back for her own safety.
“If the cocoon senses more human tissue, it will attempt to grow into it,” I said, “and as it already has Alyx’s body, you would disrupt the process. Don’t touch him.”
“But I’m not human. I’m a witch,” she said with impunity.
“You’re a human witch, girl. You are different. I don’t know much more than that, and I tend to stay away from your kind. You’re all unpredictable and dangerous.” And as I said the words, she seemed hurt that she wasn’t demonic like me.
“So, what happens now? Does he hatch?” she asked quietly, rubbing her hand.
“That’s the basic idea.”
“How long does that last?” She pointed to the black shiny pod.
“About a week, maybe less, maybe more if he fights it, but if he fights it too much, then the whole thing fails.” I said the last part quietly. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I didn’t want Alyx to go through this and so a failed transmorphing would be his freedom.
“And if it fails?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“He dies.”
We stood there in silence for a minute, watching the cocoon grow, but it was slowing. The tendrils that were stabilizing the cocoon’s position were the last bits of movement.
It was exceptionally quiet in the room, and the only noise was the soft clinking of building minerals.
“Maybe we should look at that.” She pointed to my T-shirt, which was torn in the middle and soaked with blood.
“Yeah, maybe.” I had blocked it from my mind, focusing everything on what I had done to Alyx. Somehow, I would make this up to him. Somehow, I would make good of this.
Jenae grabbed my hand. She was cool to my hot skin, and it was almost soothing.
Blood
JENAE
I couldn’t stand to stay in Dati’s apartment. I had to get out, for a bit anyways. Besides it’s not like he would miss me. He was so attached to that gross cocoon. All he’d done for the last two days was sit in his room and gawk at it. It hadn’t moved. It didn’t do anything. What was he staring at anyways?
On the other hand, the Shishi were totally adorable. They followed me around everywhere and waited desperately for me to sit on the couch so they could plop themselves beside me and nuzzle my hand, begging for attention. They were just so cute. What a fuss the two of them had made when I started to leave the apartment. I tried to leave quietly. They wanted to come, but I couldn’t take them with me. Someone probably would have made a stink about dogs being on the bus. I had convinced them to stay at Dati’s instead.
“If you two settle down and stay here, I’ll give you a treat when I get back. Please?”
They both sat instantly, obeying my wish, side by side. Slowly their marbled furry coats changed back into stone, resuming their guard positions.
This whole witch-thing was cool, and I totally loved the rush when casting a spell. The energy that shivered through my body made me feel all tingly inside, and for hours afterwards, I’d just float. Sometimes lights glittered all around me as if a disco ball spun above my head. Once fog and mist appeared, swirling around my feet, but during the last spell, I had made the whole apartment go dark with shadows. That had been the coolest thing yet.
But the magic was a little scary too. I couldn’t remember everything. About halfway through a spell, the whole world would turn black—kind of like I had passed out. But then, I think I’d rather not remember having some creepy shadow babies trying to rip me open and gnaw on me like some kind of chew toy.
As I walked down the street, making my way towards Mirabelle’s house, an orange tom cat came out from the trimmed hedges that lined the property. The tabby wound its way in between my legs with its tail straight up in the air, rubbing his chin against me.
“Oh my god, you’re so cute!” I bent down and picked up the friendly little beast with rings around its tail. “But you’re orange. Who makes a cat orange? You would look so much better if you were jet black.”
I petted the furry critter. It stretched out in my arms and began to purr. It obviously loved the attention, just like the Shishi. As I stroked the animal, its fur changed from orange to black. Wherever my hand brushed, the creamsicle colour disappeared under inky black. I dropped the kitty in surprise. He landed softly and sat in the middle of the sidewalk, blinking at me as if disappointed the affection was over.
I had sort of lied to Dati. Well, not really lied, just maybe not told the whole truth. I’d said that I’d only done a couple of spells, but in reality, I’ve done lots. But nothing big, just stupid little stuff. And it usually just sort of happened.
Like the cat.
All this magic was a little freaky. Not to mention Master’s summons and the pain that asshole had put me through. Thankfully I’d passed out. At least Dati had helped me. That’s the only time that anyone has ever bothered to help me.
But I didn’t get that either. He was supposed to be some kind of demon, with wings no less, who like—what? Harvested children? I would have thought he would be totally bad-ass, but instead he had been kind to me, given me a place to stay, and fed me.
He had also helped me understand a little bit more of what the Hell was going on.
Then there was that cocoon. Fuck, that was gross, and the smell of it had made me gag.
But then I felt so bad for Dati. He was really upset when it happened.
I checked to see if the cat was still there. But I couldn’t see because they were in the way. I rolled my eyes at them.
Sis, Mom, and the woman from down Dati’s hall stood in the middle of the sidewalk. They were always around and trying to talk to me. But only trying, they never actually said anything out loud, and most of the time when their mouths opened, the only thing that came out was goo. They were awful, covered in blood, with their chests split open, Mom and Sis with their eyes sewn shut with long straight pins. But the other woman’s eyes were wide open, and they were milky white.
Ugh.
I picked up a pebble on the sidewalk and threw it at them. The tiny stone sailed through each one, making a little puff of white smoke as it passed through.
None of them were really there. I’d put my hands through them many times.
I shivered. Yuck.
Clearly no one else could see them. They had been sitting on the couch with me at Dati’s before Alyx had shown up, before Hemming spilled his guts everywhere. The three bitches sat on the end of the couch and gaped blankly at Dati and me.
Dati never said a thing about them, so obviously he didn’t see them.
There was a small part of me that thought I should feel bad—they were a constant reminder that I had killed each of them and absorbed their soul for my own use. See, this magic thing was totally gross.
But it felt so good when casting spells. So deliciously good, and all I wanted was to feel those tingly sensations, sensing the power as it moved through me just before the darkness made me black out. Plus, they disappeared when the spells started.
I turned around towards Mira’s house, but Sis had moved and stood right in front of me. Her head was cocked to one side. I could feel her staring at me even though her eyes were shut tight. I didn’t care. I kept walking. As I moved t
hrough her, she vanished in another bigger puff, only to reform again beside me.
I pulled a scarf out of the backpack Dati had given to me. I was currently decked out in a pair of sweats, an old T-shirt, and a hoody of Dati’s, which were way too big.
I looked so unfashionable.
I felt worse.
It was late September. The leaves had already changed and were falling, and the breeze was cold. I had stopped in the coffee shop and grabbed a caramel macchiato with money that Dati had given me for food and things. The scarf I found had been draped over the back of a chair. The little brunette who had put it there never noticed it was gone, and besides, it was all the wrong colour for her.
The wrap was thin, but it provided a little bit of protection from the wind. I was still cold. Slinging the backpack over one arm, I hugged myself as I walked on to Mirabelle’s place. Mira, actually—the old woman had said to just call her Mira.
So after everything that Dati had done for me, I figured I should try and help. Dati wouldn’t cut out the bugs that were in my stomach, and there was no way in Hell I would let one of those things bust out of me. Fuck that. So, in order to pay back Dati for his kindness and to see if there was any way I could find something to get rid of these things, I had snuck out of Dati’s place and gone to Mira’s.
There had to be something at Mira’s that would help heal Dati and Hemming, or maybe get the bugs out.
They needed to be gone.
I wondered if this was what it was like if you knew you had cancer. Knowing that something was inside, hurting you, and all you wanted was to have someone cut it out.
I dug the spare key out from the flowerpot and let myself into Mira’s house. The three dead bitches trailed behind me, never far.
Maybe I could find something that would get rid of them too.
The smell inside the house was putrid, and black mold grew everywhere. The whole house was decaying.
Mirabelle hadn’t been the best housekeeper. There was stuff everywhere. Jars of slime, dried herbs hanging from the window, books opened to various pages, and pots with stirring spoons sat abandoned on the stove. It was a gloomy day outside, so the inside of the house was cast in grey as well. I searched for a light switch and flicked it on. Nothing happened.
Daimonion (The Apocalypse Book 1) Page 10