“Damn you, Ox,” she cursed under her breath, moving to the sink and toggling the stainless steel lever to hot. He was right again, and she could visualize him and his smug face with that damn eyebrow lifted.
Chapter Five
The Devil’s Trap
Morning came early for Xlina Dar’Karrow as the first rays of sunlight came flooding in through the windows of her small studio apartment. Amber still lay prone on the couch, cradling a Tupperware bowl that Xlina had given her during the night. The vomiting had finally stopped sometime after midnight, but with Amber on her couch and the dangers of falling asleep and possibly revealing her nightmare abilities, Xlina had decided it was far too risky to sneak in a few quiet moments of slumber. Instead, she went on a cleaning rampage. After mopping up the puddles of vomit from Amber’s first torrent of the night, she continued scrubbing the floors, started her laundry, and even cleaned the bathroom. She looked around as the morning light flooded into her studio and decided it was probably the cleanest the apartment had been since the day she had moved in.
She cast a casual glance at the slumbering Amber, with her hair matted to her head in a greasy mess, still squeezed into the little black cocktail dress from her date the night before, with a run in her nylons and her heels kicked off into a pile on the floor beside the couch. Oxivius had laid her down on the pullout, not realizing that a bed was available if he had just given Xlina a moment to remove the cushions. It didn’t seem like Amber cared one way or another. She was a complete mess.
Xlina on the other hand had a day ahead of her. Her hoodie was ruined with the heart and ink sack still in the front pocket. She had placed the dripping garment in a bowl to prevent further leaking and tucked it into the fridge, hoping to preserve the freshness of the black market parts. She was still unsure of what to make of Oxivius and had spent the majority of her cleaning binge running her mind through the mental obstacle course he had put up, questioning her morality, her point of view, and everything she knew of witches and druids.
With so much in front of her, she started with the chore of breakfast, clanging pans loudly with a smile as she retrieved a frying pan and placed it on her stove. With a dash of olive oil from the glass bottle next to the stove and the burner flicked to medium, she spun over to the fridge and retrieved a carton of eggs. She hoped that her breakfast preparations would be loud enough to rouse the slumbering Amber so she could get on with her day.
“Owwwww,” she heard Amber moan from the couch. Mission accomplished.
“I don’t envy your head,” Xlina chuckled, cracking eggs and dumping them into the frying pan.
“Why am I on your couch?” Amber asked in a whine, her hands over her eyes to block out the morning sun.
“You had a rough night,” Xlina stated simply. “Two eggs?”
“Eggs?” Amber whined again. “I don’t think I can eat anything.”
“Okay,” Xlina nodded, listening to the sizzle as the meal fried in the pan. She didn’t know what to say to Amber. They were not exactly friends, and how could she explain last night?
“What happened to Scott?” Amber asked again, pulling the throw pillow from behind her head to cover her face.
“Is that his name?” Xlina asked with a grin, remembering his high-pitched squeal before dropping in the alley. “He was a dirtbag, Amber.”
“He’s a ballplayer, Xlina,” Amber clapped back. “He’s on the team for the university, first string defensive line man. He’s going to go pro.”
“He drugged you,” Xlina retorted flatly. Silence hung in the room, accented only with the sizzle of eggs in the pan. Xlina grabbed a spatula from a cup holding utensils and scooped the eggs onto an awaiting plate. Setting the plate on the counter next to the stove, she placed the pan and the spatula in her stainless steel sink, causing a flurry of sizzles as the hot pan touched the droplets of water collecting in the basin. Xlina turned the stove off, casually grabbing her plate and sitting at the table. The open concept layout of the studio made it so she sat facing Amber, who still lay sprawled out on the couch pillow hiding her face. Xlina didn’t need to see her face, however; she could feel the embarrassment seeping off the girl.
“I overheard him at the bar,” Xlina lied. How could she explain that she had been diagnosed by a cannibal who had licked her? “He didn’t have good intentions. Do you remember anything?”
“Nothing after him returning with that second appletini,” Amber signed from beneath the pillow. “I can’t believe it.”
“It’s not your fault, Amber,” Xlina said reassuringly. “The guy was a dick.”
“No,” Amber said solemnly. “I can’t believe you had to bail me out. I can’t imagine what he is going to tell his teammates. It’s going to be awful.”
“Sorry,” Xlina said with a shrug, enjoying her breakfast while still feeling a swell of pity for Amber. Here the girl had narrowly avoided becoming a college rape statistic, and she was worried about the social fallout from the assclown who had drugged her. Maybe Oxivius had a point about the myth of humans’ moral righteousness. She couldn’t believe she had just thought that.
“It’s not your fault,” Amber sighed, tossing the pillow from her face to the foot of the couch and very timidly sitting up. The sudden change of position caused her to bring both hands to her forehead.
“You’re welcome to anything in my medicine cabinet,” Xlina nodded with a flick of her head to the bathroom door. “It probably feels like the band is still playing in there, huh?”
“Sure does,” Amber chuckled lightly. “And they still suck.”
Xlina smiled, noting that this may well be the nicest exchange she had ever had with Amber. She watched as Amber made her way to her feet, struggled for a moment to catch her balance, and then trod heavily into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She could hear the swing of the medicine cabinet door, the rattle of the pill bottle, and then the running of the faucet. Without her pretentious, manufactured demeanor and her false, smiling façade, Amber actually had some personality. It was nice to see after everything that she had some redeeming qualities worth saving.
“Did I vomit in my hair?” Xlina heard from behind the door and could only picture Amber’s face scrunched in disgust as she realized just how pitiful she appeared.
“Twice,” Xlina called back in affirmation.
“Lovely,” Amber responded as the bathroom door swung open. She seemed to at least have her bearings as she crossed back to the couch and collected her heels in her hand. “I need to go and shower.”
“Naturally,” Xlina replied warmly.
“Listen,” Amber said, stopping before her at the kitchen nook table and looking sheepishly at the eggs. “I know I’m... difficult sometimes with you, and we don’t travel in the same social circles. I mean... we are not friends, okay? I don’t want you hanging around me in class, alright?”
“Alright,” Xlina nodded, thinking that the improvement in Amber’s personality had been short lived.
“Thank you,” Amber blurted out, still sheepishly staring at Xlina’s plate and struggling not to make eye contact.
“You would have done the same for me,” Xlina replied with a shrug.
“No,” Amber said. “I wouldn’t... at least before. You’re a strange duck, Xlina, but I owe you for last night.”
“I’m glad I was there,” Xlina replied with a nod.
“We’re still not friends,” Amber said firmly, regaining her composure and swiping away errant strands of platinum-blonde hair from her face back over her ear.
“I can live with that,” Xlina agreed with a nod.
Amber smiled meekly before walking to the door and passing to the hallway. In a moment, it was over. Xlina’s front door closed softly, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She was beginning to question her judgement in character. First Oxivius, now Amber; she longed for friendship. Understanding and companionship were things she had avoided, not wanting to explain her dreams, not wanting to feed on the nightmares
of those around her. But damn it all if she wasn’t lonely. She finished her eggs and placed the plate in the sink. Exhausted and running on fumes, she wished she could just crawl into her bed and be off to sleep, but the thought of the heart dripping in her refrigerator motivated her to keep going, and she headed instead to the bathroom for a hot shower, eager to wash off the scent of vomit and cleaning supplies.
With a sigh, she stared at the open medicine cabinet instead of the mirror above her sink and shook her head, reaching to swing the door closed. She nearly jumped from her skin as the mirror came into view and she saw the image of Valeria leaning in the bathroom door. Startled, she spun around and raised her hands up into to a fighting position.
Valeria was faster. With her back-hand slap, Xlina felt a shock of pain explode on her cheek, followed quickly by the bathroom wall colliding with her opposite shoulder. Valeria stood in a fetching black pencil skirt with a red silk blouse that was buttoned only halfway up, revealing a black lacy corset below. Her jet black hair was up in a bun on the back of her head, held in place with a cross of red wooden dowels that looked like chopsticks. Instead of the plain makeup of a social worker, she wore heavy, deep red lipstick with a matching red eyeshadow. She reached into the bathroom, grabbing Xlina’s throat and lifting her from the floor effortlessly as if she were nothing more than a doll.
A wicked smile crossed her lips before transforming into a pouty expression. She flung her arm to the side, releasing Xlina and casting her headlong into the shower. Xlina crashed hard into the shower wall, sliding down unceremoniously in the tub. Her vision blurred from the impact as the familiar taste of blood came into the back of her mouth. Xlina wiped away the flow of blood streaming from her busted nose and struggled to get to her feet, half entangled in the shower curtain. Her attempts caused the curtain rod to come crashing down, and she fumbled awkwardly, pushing it aside.
Valeria just stood, arms crossed and wearing a mocking smile as she waited patiently for Xlina to extract herself from the mess. Xlina clenched her fists, unsure of what was happening; she drew on her nightmare energy, but her hands barely flickered. She was still exhausted from the night and without fresh nightmares to refill her reserves. Despite everything, she lunged forward with a jab at Valeria’s face. Valeria stepped back against the open door just out of the jab’s range. Her tongue licked her lips in anticipation as she lunged forward, scooping Xlina up by the tank top and tossing her like a child from the bathroom into the apartment.
Xlina landed with a hard thud on the linoleum floor. With her head still spinning and her powers depleted, she had no other options. Rolling to her feet, Xlina burst toward the door, seeking an escape from the suddenly and uncharacteristically violent Valeria. Grabbing the door, she yanked hard to open it, but the door held firm. She yanked again with all her force, but the door didn’t budge. Stepping back, Xlina’s eyes went wide as the door rimmed with a dull red light. Turning back, she saw Valeria’s hand outstretched, her eyes burning red with an unnatural magic energy. The smell of brimstone hung heavy in the air.
“Why?” Xlina pleaded.
“Do you know,” Valeria answered coolly, “how awful it is to be a nursemaid? To have to play these silly games for years, waiting for this very moment?”
“What do you mean?” Xlina asked, shaking her head and feeling the weight of her body under her.
“Waiting,” Valeria continued. “Patiently waiting for the opportunity to come. Helping you while moving you away from your family. Cutting your supports one after another. Keeping you alive.”
Her face twisted in rage, and Xlina could hardly believe it. Valeria had been her social worker. She knew she was something more than human, but she had always been kind and helpful. Before her now stood something more. She was primal and powerful.
“But now it’s your turn,” Valeria sneered, bursting forth again and grabbing Xlina by the top of the head, her fingers tangled in a clump of Xlina’s hair.
“Why?” Xlina pleaded, tears rimming her eyes as Valeria once more lifted her from the floor, hanging her by her brown locks.
“You broke your pact,” Valeria cooed maliciously. “Now I claim you as mine.”
“We didn’t have a pact,” Xlina protested, swatting at Valeria’s arm to no effect.
“Didn’t we?” Valeria smiled wickedly. “In exchange for Oxivius’ information, you agreed not to go back out after the cephalopod. ‘Yes, ma’am,’ you said. It’s a promise.”
“No,” Xlina said, shaking her head. Valeria couldn’t be some demon. It couldn’t have been that simple to trick her into a pact. “Why the setup? Why help me?”
“Because I was told to,” Valeria stated flatly. Reaching out with her free hand, she grabbed Xlina’s tank top and sports bra, making a tight fist and ripping them from her body in one fell motion. She pivoted, swinging Xlina down from hanging above the floor to a supine position on the floor. Valeria’s body weight came down heavy on Xlina’s hips as she straddled her on the floor. Valeria’s hands swung a sweeping motion, effortlessly batting Xlina’s protesting arms aside before grabbing her wrists firmly. She consolidated her hold so both wrists were in one hand and pinned Xlina’s arms over her head. She leaned down close to Xlina so she could feel her breath on her face.
“My contract will be fulfilled today, Xlina Dar’Karrow,” she hissed, her lips so very close to Xlina’s face that she could feel the words on her skin. Valeria’s free hand moved down her throat in a playful, light touch, dragging her polished red nail seductively from her jawline over her collar bone and tracing slightly before sharply heading down over her breast to land firmly on the ribs just below. Her hand lay flat, cupping the underside of her breast and upper ribs. Xlina grimaced as her hand grew warm, then hot. She smelled sulfur mixed with the pungent aroma of burning flesh. “I, Valeria Furtul DeSuflete, of the Eighth House of the Infernal Realm, declare your pact broken. Per the rules of the pact infernal, I claim you, Xlina Dar’Karrow, body and soul, until such a time as I see fit to release you from bondage.”
Xlina screamed in agony as her side lit in flames. Small tendrils of smoke filled the air, and Valeria stared at her in grim satisfaction as she struggled to find an escape. The burning subsided, and Valeria slowly removed her hand from under Xlina’s right breast to reveal a glowing red sigil. It ached terribly, feeling like it burned straight down to her lungs. Valeria leaned in against Xlina, pressing her lips against Xlina’s despite her protests. The hand that had left the brand shot up, grabbing Xlina’s jaw painfully in a squeeze and forcing her mouth to open to accept the demon’s tongue. It was repulsive, twice as long as that of a human. Valeria’s tongue coiled in her mouth before wrapping around Xlina’s tongue and squeezing firmly like a boa constrictor. The tip of the demon’s tongue slid on, wrapping and pulsing like a snake and finding its way down the back of Xlina’s throat. There was a pinch, and then as suddenly as she had begun, Valeria pulled back, withdrawing her long demonic tongue, sitting back, and releasing Xlina’s arms.
Xlina felt violated in deep, dark ways; it was worse than anything she could have imagined. It was as if the demon had violated her very soul with her infernal taint. She clenched her fist and lashed out at Valeria, but she was forced to pull up short as the brand on her side flared to life, filling her lungs with a burning sensation and a pain so deep in her core that tears streamed freely from her eyes.
Valeria just leaned back, admiring Xlina’s naked torso and the pale brand glowing hot in her side. Her tongue still flopped outside of her mouth, hanging nearly down to her breast and ending in a serpent-like fork. She inhaled slowly, sucking the tongue into her parted lips and smiling again as it returned to human proportions.
“Now that wasn’t so awful,” Valeria cooed softly, lightly caressing Xlina’s naked breast. The softness of the woman Xlina had known before was returning. “It was almost worth the wait.”
“What did you do to me?” Xlina spat, her mouth heavy with the taste of brimstone.
“I marked you,” Valeria explained with a shrug of the shoulder, sending her hand to gently caress the demon mark. Her body quivered on top of Xlina as her fingertips pressed over the mark, as if it gave her pleasure. “You violated our pact, and per the rules infernal, you will now serve me, little Baku.”
“You tricked me,” Xlina protested, shifting away from the demon’s touch as best she could with the weight of the woman still pressing on her hips.
“I did no such thing,” Valeria responded casually. “This pact was fair and square from the outset.”
“You lied to me,” Xlina spat back, wriggling to escape.
“You lied to yourself, sweetie,” the demon purred. “You were so eager to get out of that ward in Boston, to get away from your family. You never once questioned what I was. I offered myself as your court appointed social worker, and you accepted, agreeing to move to Portland and attend school. It was our first pact.”
Valeria shifted slightly, settling firmly on Xlina’s abdomen and relieving the pressure on her hips. Her legs were tucked snugly to Xlina’s sides, held firm by the constraints of the pencil skirt, which had split up halfway up the side in the ruckus. Her body was heavy, and Xlina could feel her pressing against her bare flesh.
“I warned you to stop your foolish escapades,” she continued, her hands coming to rest softly on Xlina’s shoulders. “We had countless arguments. You refused. Finally, the moment came, just like that, the moment I had been waiting for, just last night. For permission to complete my contract. It was so hard...”
Xlina’s stomach turned in disgust. Valeria seemed to alternate between trying to seduce her and smother her. Valeria’s body trembled once more as her hands worked their way down Xlina’s naked torso to caress the demon mark once more. The demon quivered in ecstasy as she passed her hands delicately over the brand. Her breath quickened, and she looked Xlina in the eyes with a carnal hunger. Xlina wanted to struggle against the demon, but something inside was compelling her to remain still. Her body remained motionless as her mind cried to punch, kick, bite, and scream. All the while, Valeria gyrated her hips, rubbing against Xlina’s torso as she caressed the demon mark. That’s when Xlina felt it: a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was like her strength was being sucked out through the mark. She felt herself growing tired and weak as the demon moaned in a perverse pleasure.
The Infernal Games Page 8
