Chapter 6 Demons
DEMONS
RAE
“You broke into my house to steal an old book?” I pushed off the fridge and turned away, hand on my forehead to gather myself. I couldn’t believe this was all because of a book. “Take it. Some woman gave it to me. I couldn’t understand anything in there except that silly game.”
Ash glanced at the book. “Game?”
“Spell. Ritual. Game. I don’t know what you want to call it. Hocus pocus occult crap. Nothing to worry about. If you want it, take it and go.”
They exchanged glances before the alternative guy stalked forward, stopping toe-to-toe with me. “Show me.”
My chest tightened, every instinct screaming to step back.
I looked up and swallowed as I peered into his cat-like eyes. His nostrils flared. He smelled of cedarwood and jasmine.
“Cyn,” Ash said, his tone a warning.
“Show me,” Cyn repeated, his voice low and strained. He lifted the book between us, and I took it with shaking fingers.
Finding the page where I’d seen the English words wasn’t easy when I couldn’t drag my eyes away from Cyn. My gut told me if I looked away, he’d do something bad.
“Cyn,” the guy sitting on the counter called. “Step back. She’s uncomfortable.”
“I don’t give a fuck if she’s uncomfortable, Zeke.”
“Come on,” he said, voice softening. “For me?”
Zeke grinned in triumph when Cyn sighed and stepped back, spreading his arms as if to ask if Zeke was satisfied.
I flipped to the middle pages, my mouth parting at the sight of nothing but blank paper. “It’s… gone,” I whispered.
“What?” Cyn snapped, stepping forward.
Ash pressed a hand to Cyn’s chest and took the book. “Are you sure this was the page?” He glanced at me.
“Yes, I’m sure. See that reddish-brown speckle?” I pointed to the center of the page.
“Yeah?”
“That’s my dried blood.”
Cyn jerked the book from Ash’s hands, startling us both.
“For fuck’s sake, Cyn. Control yourself. You’ve never been this bad.”
“Shove it, Ash.” He lowered his face to the page and inhaled, then shoved the book at Ash before stomping across the kitchen. He stepped between Zeke’s legs and buried his face against Zeke’s chest.
Zeke sat up, wrapping his arms around Cyn’s shoulders, concern etched across his face. “What’s going on? Why’s it so bad?”
“I don’t know,” Cyn said, his voice muffled. With a final shudder, he lifted his head and moved to Zeke’s side, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.
Ezra stepped closer. “Why did you put blood in this book?”
“There was this silly thing inside about my soul and heart and a lot of other mumbo-jumbo. But the game at the end said to gather candles, a knife, and an important trinket.” I shrugged.
“I put my blood and trinket on the symbol that used to be there and read something. That’s it.
It sounds sillier out loud, but I’ve had a shittastic day.
” I averted my eyes and mumbled, “…and maybe a few drinks.”
“What symbol?” Ash asked at the same time Ezra asked, “Read what?”
“The same triangle thingy on the front cover,” I said, then looked at Ezra. “I don’t remember the words.”
“She summoned us here,” Cyn said, shoving off the counter and striding forward. “Why would you do something so stupid?”
“Sweet little blackbird, what have you done?”
My gaze moved from one face to the next. They looked as confused as I felt—except Cyn. His natural scowl deepened into something furious.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I told Ash.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I didn’t invite or summon you into my home.
You can leave any time you want.” I inhaled, senses assaulted by a mix of tantalizing scents.
I mustered my courage and went against my gut for once.
“In fact, get out now or I’m calling the police.
” I pointed at the back door as lightning illuminated the window.
“You don’t get it,” Cyn snapped. “Whatever you did from that book brought us here. Send us back.”
I dropped my arm and glared at Cyn. “I’m trying to make you leave. I have no idea what you’re talking about but take the damn book. Jesus!” I raked both hands through my hair, squeezing at the roots as I turned away, counting backward from ten in my head while Ash spoke.
“Zeke, take Cyn and go sit in the other room. He’s making things worse.”
Boots thudded on the kitchen floor as Cyn left with Zeke trailing him until they were out of earshot.
“Listen, I know you don’t understand.” When I turned at his voice, Ash went on.
“You’re not supposed to know about any of this.
About us. This book. Any of it. But you need to know you performed a ritual.
It wasn’t a game. Whatever you said, whatever the page said, brought us here, probably using your blood as the conduit. ”
I shut my eyes, forcing three deep breaths to steady myself before I exploded. When I reopened them, Ash’s somber olive stare met mine. “So, for the sake of argument, if all this insanity is true… why can’t you just go back to wherever you came from? Where are you from?”
Ezra turned and walked into the living room.
It seemed another one wasn’t happy with me. Join the club, pal. I wasn’t thrilled four grown—possibly insane—men lurked in my home like they couldn’t leave.
Ash closed the book and placed it on the counter. “We’re not like you, and we’re not from around here. We come from somewhere far away.”
“Well, I don’t have money to give you for a ticket home.
” I grabbed my phone and limped out of the kitchen, passing Ezra who leaned against the wall.
I ignored Cyn and Zeke on the sofa and stopped in front of the entertainment center, holding up my phone.
“If you’re not gone soon, the police will arrest you when they get here.
” I looked at Ash. “Since you were nice enough to help me with my foot, I’ll give you ten minutes before I call them. ”
Cyn jumped from the sofa, shaking off Zeke’s hands when he tried to stop him. “You don’t get it!” He charged at me, seizing my arms and yanking me to a stop. Again, the strange jolt I experienced with Ash earlier sizzled up my spine at his touch.
“We can’t leave,” he said, his voice dropping into a threat. “You summoned us here.”
“I didn’t—”
“You did. With blood magic.”
My brows slammed together. “W-what?” I laughed. “Are you shitting me right now? This isn’t funny. Magic isn’t real. What the hell are you talking about?” He sounded like Grandma when her mind slipped.
His hands slid up my arms to grasp the sides of my neck, his thumbs forcing my chin up, holding me in place when I tried to look away. Too close. “Hear me now. It’s real. None of this is funny. I am not the least bit amused.” His thumbs pressed into the hollow beneath my jaw. “We’re real, right?”
“Obviously.”
“We’re not human.”
I scoffed. “Okay, you’re real and insane.” I tensed, ready to pull away, but his fingers stiffened, warning me not to move.
Zeke snickered, and Cyn glared at him, making him fall silent.
“That book over there? It’s demonic.”
“Cyn!”
“Shut up, Ezra. This is the only way we’re going to get through her thick skull without cracking it open, and I think we need her alive to get home or I’d already have done it for what she’s done.”
My eyes widened, and I tried to pull away, but his fingers dug in, forcing a whimper from me. His eyes flashed with something that looked like desire, but he seemed to hate me, so it made no sense. I couldn’t read him.
Leaning in, Cyn’s breath fanned across my face, and I caught a brief glimpse of silver on his tongue. Did he have a piercing? “Listen to me. I’m a Shyrlivi.”
“Shyrlivi?”
“Yes,” he whispered, his fingers loosening a fraction. “Shyrlivi. We all are. Do you know what that means?”
I swallowed, and he grinned when my throat worked beneath his hands. “No,” I whispered.
“It means a type of infernal. We’re infernals. Not human. And your blood brought us here.” He leaned in, his mouth brushing my ear, his whisper only for me. “Do we need your blood to send us home? How much do you think it’d take? A few drops? Waterfalls from your unblemished neck?”
“Please don’t hurt me,” I breathed. My voice trembled, betraying me.
He lifted his head and stared down at me without a word. I couldn’t name the emotions flickering in his eyes, but something in his demeanor shifted, and he stepped back.
“Do you believe him?” Zeke asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs. “That we’re infernals?”
“I don’t even know what infernals are.”
“Demon, maybe?”
Ash leaned against the counter. “Consider it the scientific name for demons.”
Zeke nodded. “Yeah. We used ‘demon’ because you’re more familiar with it.” He paused, then asked again. “Knowing that, do you believe him?”
“I…” I frowned as images of the things I’d seen just that week alone played like a movie reel in my mind.
The twisted, melting face of the man near my home.
The things Grandma tried to tell me about demons.
Part of me wanted to believe them, to know I hadn’t been crazy after all, but I couldn’t. “I don’t know.”
“Show her,” Ezra said, voice low and cold.
“Close your eyes, Little Blackbird.”
My gaze snapped to Ash. “What?”
“You don’t want to see yet.”
“But—” I gasped as a warm hand slid over my eyes, fine hairs prickling at the contact.
Zeke’s soothing voice came from beside my ear. “Shhh. It’ll be okay.”
How had he moved without a sound? I hadn’t even heard him get on the counter with me earlier. After a minute or two, once my muscles relaxed, he slid his hand away.
Nothing prepared me for what I saw when I opened my eyes and dragged my gaze up Cyn’s body. He stood before me—but not as the man from earlier.
Darkness consumed his hands, creeping up his forearms, dissipating into smoke-like tendrils at his elbows. His once blunt nails were now sharp and lethal claws, extending a few inches from his slender black fingers.