The Demon Inside (Hell's Creatures Book 1)

by Katerina Degratte

  A young man saved his brother from his sealed fate by piercing him in the exact spot, healing him from the darkness. Their happiness was short lived though, seeing as it was many centuries ago and they didn’t have the correct supplies to heal such a deep gash. From there on out the guy went into a rage and killed any person possessed by demons that he saw on the spot, showing no mercy. He eventually was said to have died due to his paranoia.

  “What are you going to do with that blade Aura?” Gabriel looks between me and the blade cautiously, his brain piecing together what was going to happen during today’s activities.

  I plunge the blade into his lower left side. His mouth gapes open, as betrayal is lit on his face.

  He hisses in pain as his face twists in agony. “You call this helping me?” he scoffs, causing himself even more pain. “Did I really piss you off that much?”

  Trial #1: Expel the demon with a special dagger.

  “I didn’t say it wouldn’t hurt.” I shrug, trying to seem indifferent while inwardly wincing as his knees fall to the ground in a yelp. I didn’t like to be the hand of pain. His hands are threaded painfully through his hair, while his eyes are glued shut.

  Did it work?

  He seems down for the count, as the sounds of agony have stopped now. My mind worries that I really hurt him, but I made sure not to pierce his heart. I wouldn’t try to actually kill him. Something seems off.

  I take cautious steps toward him. “Gabriel?” I call out, poking his arms to immediately jump back, feeling my fingers have been burned. Crashing waves of dark energy come pouring off of him. His inner demon was out to play. Lovely.

  He slowly removes his hands from his inky hair, revealing his razor-sharp claws. His face bears a sharp-toothed maniacal smile. Blood-red eyes glint dangerously as they lock on my figure.

  “So, I see that kitten finally wants to play.” He stands up, never breaking eye contact as he wipes his bloodied hands on his jeans.

  It didn’t work; I glanced at him, panicking at the revelation. I had to go against the actual demon. Gabriel was one thing, but this guy...

  He stalks toward me, a twisted smirk on his face. “Too bad you ruined my favorite shirt.” He pouts, looking at me with hooded eyes. “I really liked it.” He stops to lift the seams of the shirt up to show off where I struck. “Just collateral damage, I guess.” The area where he was pierced had now completely healed.

  How do you attack someone who immediately heals?

  He flashes over to me, deadly close as I stand there paralyzed. “You certainly are a beauty though, I’m sure we can work something out.” He wraps an arm around my waist, as he uses the other to run a finely sharp nail across my face leaving a small line of blood. “So fragile,” he whispers, sending shivers up my spine. “And you’re supposed to be the one who rids Gabriel of me?” he laughs, seeming to find humor in it all.

  I glare at him, feeling intense hatred toward this deadly vile creature. What game was he playing?

  “I can certainly see why Gabriel is so obsessed with you. So, inspired to save the world’s people along with your own. So inspiring,” he draws out the words with a look of disgust. “Sorry doll, but I can’t let a pretty face like yours destroy me, could you imagine the horror?” he scoffs feigning surprise. “I would be the laughingstock of the demon world.”

  I don’t respond and I suppose I can’t which seems to please him as he continues. What was it with bad guys, and their monologues? It gives the heroes more time to strike...not that I was either.

  “I mean seriously, with someone as powerful as me, the dagger would do nothing; didn’t you learn anything in school, kid?” He rolls his eyes. “I guess with all the skipping, drinking and overdoses, information slips.” He counts the reasons out on his fingers, laughing. He lifts up my chin forcing me to look directly into his eyes, “The overdoses being my favorite.”

  This guy was sick.

  “What am I to do with you?” He tilts his head to the side, examining me, causing the uneasy feeling in my stomach to grow. “Killing you would be too easy. Maybe I should make you evil, like me.” He thinks aloud, a wicked grin blooming across his face. “Imagine all the terror you would see by a simple reflection as you took and tormented innocent souls. That would be so lovely to watch, wouldn’t it?”

  The words set something off in my mind as a surge of angelic energy goes through me, and sends him flying across the room, bashing his head, and causing him to slam to the hard granite floor. “I would never be like you,” I hiss. So many things could happen throughout my existence, and I would never be evil like him.

  He gets up. “Shame, I think you broke my arm.” There is sickening sounds of bones being cracked as he straightens the arm out. “All fixed darling.” A smug grin is planted on his face.

  “I must warn you though that will be the last accurate hit you get in tonight kitten. I won’t stop you from at least attempting something though, give it your best shot.” He holds his arms out to his side, just beckoning me to do my worst like the arrogant asshole he is. “Ladies first.”

  Like an idiot I take the opening, enraged with fury, ready to send a shock wave through his body. It would need to strike his heart, or any other vital point to paralyze him. While that wouldn’t fix the problem, I could put him under until he returned to human Gabriel.

  I send out a harsh blast of energy that comes so close to hitting him as I growl with anticipation until he vanishes in thin air. What the hell? Looking around, I spot him leaning against the cage walls. “Too slow.” He smirks, teasing me. He is immensely enjoying the starting of our game of cat and mouse.

  I go to strike him again, to see him this time vanish into a foggy musk, as my eyes widen in bewilderment. This shouldn’t be possible. He passes right by me, sending coldness over my body, and reappears behind me. “Over here sweetheart,” he calls.

  I go to strike again and again, always ending with the same results of him vanishing into musk and moving. My body starts to feel weak from all the failed attempts. I rest my hands on my knees. I didn’t study this right. He can just vanish. There had to be something to halt his ability. Damn it, I knew this wouldn’t be easy, it just couldn’t be.

  “Done already darling?” he questions, walking over to me. “Such a shame because I was really enjoying our game, gets the energy pumping.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

  I pant, “Not yet.” I had to try just one more time to stop this psychopath. What would happen to me if he won? Would I even be able to try another time?

  He laughs manically. “A little fighter you are, you lost so much energy yet you’re willing to fight until you can’t stand. You would be such a great recruit.” He gives me a knowing look at the idea he keeps bringing up, just to get my blood boiling. “Come on, give it your best shot,” he repeats the words from earlier. “With all the energy I’m sucking from your blasts, one hit won’t paralyze me. It’ll only strengthen me.”

  With that, I give it one last energy bomb before falling over in a heap and it does hit him. Quickly my joy is filled with fear; the hit doesn’t seem to affect him; he just seems to suck it in.

  “Aura.” He walks over to me, kneeling down to my form, “I’ll let you in on a secret but shhh don’t tell a soul, not that you’ll be able to soon.” He grins, holding an icy finger to my lips, as my eyes widen. “Gabriel isn’t really human at all; he has two parts of him: the good and the bad. The bad from his father and the good from his mother. Right now, I’m taking over and I’m much stronger than the good part of him will ever be. Can’t let the sleeping angel inside kill me, can I? Then I would be gone,” he pouts, adding an over dramatic flair, mimicking an explosion with his clawed talons.

  I look up at him, as he removes his finger just waiting for a reaction. “Why are you telling me the very thing that would destroy you?” Curiosity is clear in my features. That made little sense.

  He scoffs. “One, because you couldn’t if you tried, I’m stronger. Two, you
won’t be around any longer to fail at saving Gabriel’s soul, because as you see I’m just getting started with my attack.” It’s like I’m staring death right in the eyes.

  Before I can say anything else though, he turns into his foggy form passing through my body. I scream in pain before everything goes black.

  Chapter 17

  * * *

  Luke

  My ears perk up seeing the cat attacking the door like it is its archenemy. Kitty in full on demon form. All eight legs out, razor-sharp teeth, three tales, four ears, eyes multiplied by ten...at least. Meowing all the while in a pitch that could shatter human eardrums. It felt like my head was going to pop like a fucking balloon.

  “What are you doing kitty?” I should have installed a cat door. I really fucking should have. It would have been easier than replacing the door. Such a pain. Why is she freaking out? She didn’t really give a fuck about anyone other than...It couldn’t be? Aura? By the time I turn back around there’s a demon cat shaped gaping hole in the door, and in the one downstairs I see when I reach the bottom of the stairs. Damn demon cat.

  She’s waiting by the basement door in a hissing frenzy, not able to tear metal off its hinges thankfully. She hisses at me to hurry. Ripping open the door I see Aura’s body laying in a heap on the ground. Gabriel cowers in a corner crying.

  “What the fuck did you do?” The words slip through my lips before I can stop them, terror fraying on the edges of my mind.

  He only manages a trembling whisper. “Him.” If not for my super sensitive vampire hearing the words would have escaped my ears.

  I bite my tongue, wanting to lash out at him more. That wouldn’t solve anything though, and he was already a mess. “I’ll call Minx. See if she can help fix things.”

  She naturally answers on the first ring. “Luke, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Her voice is snarky, not having forgotten our past encounters. The girl really knows how to hold a grudge.

  “I need a favor, Minx.” Her voice is silent on her end of the line.

  “And why should I help you?” Her words burn like acid.

  “Please Minx,” I plead, desperate. “You’re the only witch that I know that could have any possibility of saving her. Saving Aura.”

  “I’ll be right over.” She immediately hangs up the phone. The snarkiness from her voice vanished. Hopefully, she wasn’t lying when it came to my request, and that it was soon. Who knew how long we had if it wasn’t already too late?

  xxXxx

  Aura

  My lungs feel heavy, weighed on as I awaken sprawled out on the cold tile in the darkened room.

  So nice of you to join me, Aura.” I hear his voice but can’t see him because of my dulled senses. I attempt to move my mouth to say something back, but every bone in my body is paralyzed. “Now, now don’t bother wasting your energy. You’ll need it.” Twisted fuck.

  “Did you seriously think you could defeat me of all demons? I’ve been around for a millennium.” His voice is bragging, conceded. Well earned. “A weak angel like you, hurt by a cruel human past.” I try to say something, anything, but it’s like my lips are smelted shut. The floor beneath me starts to feel wet. Water slowly rises around me.

  “It was decent until she died, then your father followed shortly after.” He grins. “He couldn’t deal with the pain of her being gone from his life, so he left you and you’re sister alone.” I feel water start to sprout at my eyes, my past pain being triggered. The urge for past pain relievers begging. “So, you had to provide for the both of you. But it was hard, daddy was behind on debts.” He runs a finger over my left cheek. “You had to do unsavory things to provide.”

  The movement of the water rising, speeds up just a tad bit. “You couldn’t save your own sister when push came to shove. Maybe you were relieved to finally be able to be on your own. No responsibility or having to take care of someone else. You could be your own person at last!” That wasn’t true. It devastated me! The waves speed up to a dangerous amount. Soon I would drown in it. The fire that killed her flashes in my mind. “You should have never trusted that witch with her.” I should be dead with her.

  I hear a faint meow from a distance. It repeats, signaling the feline is closer.

  “Stupid demon cat! Stay the fuck away from me.” A hiss. Maori. The thought brings some comfort to the waves coming down the way they came up. The bones in my body start to creak, the painful searing of feeling in my joints coming back. I can finally blink my eyes and see the dark area surrounding me.

  “You win this round. This isn’t the last time we’ll be talking, Aura. It’s been a pleasure.” His body disappears into the void.

  “Until we meet again.” Next time I would be more prepared.

  * * *

  Chapter 18

  Gabriel

  I look around anxiously, waiting for Aura to just wake up.. What was taking so long? I was sitting here for hours waiting, focusing on my guilt and self-loathing. I’ve been an ass to her a majority of the time and now she was in this state because of me. I did this. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m a monster.

  Don’t you mean what’s right with you? My inner demon taunts me. She just is in the way of our plans of destruction. Her being gone would be the best thing that ever happened to you.

  SHUT UP! I yell at him through my mind. He wasn’t right, I wasn’t going to be the guy he and my father expected. If you want to talk, tell me what you did to her! How to fix her!

  Usually, I would just block him out with sex, drugs, and drinking, which I so desperately wanted to do now. Seeing her lying there in her bed, so helpless and fragile reminds me I can’t though. I promised I wouldn’t leave, and I had to be strong for her. I need to be there when she wakes up because she couldn’t be gone forever.

  You don’t know that. Maybe what I did will cause her to never wake up. She may be another lost soul for you to erase.

  I wouldn’t do that. You didn’t kill her! I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or me at this point.

  Someone has feelings for the enemy, he seethes. You already know how sickening and useless emotions are, just let her go! Or smother her with a pillow and finish her off. You’re weak, he hisses in disapproval.

  Sure, I may like her a bit, but that didn’t mean anything would happen. She wouldn’t ever want me.

  Finish her off...he wasn’t able to. Or something, someone interrupted it. No wonder he’s so snarky. I attempt to hide those thoughts from him, so he can’t exploit them.

  “She’s not the enemy you are.” My father made sure I knew how painful emotions can be when I was at a young age. To shape me to his design, or at least attempt to.

  Somebody’s too influenced by the angel. She’s too good for you, anyway. Why would she want you? He scoffs, repeating the words I’ve told myself, that I’ve heard from everyone. Anytime Aura mentions me to someone she’s no doubt warded away. Or every time I mention her helping me there’s that look, even Luke’s given me it. The look that says I don’t deserve her kindness. The warning to not destroy her kindness.

  I’m too broken for someone as kind as her to accept. Even with all her kindness, she did have a certain fire, a spark about her. Being around her is intoxicating, which is why I left the first time. Partially why? I didn’t know how I would control myself, sticking around.

  Don’t control it, leave, embrace the darkness, his voice urges. Fill yourself with it. Destroy! Destroy! Destroy! Like a cat with yarn.

  As I’m about to respond to his nudges I’m interrupted; Luke and some women walk through the door. That must be the help. She’s tall and lanky with pale skin, and cascades of velvety black hair that flow down to her waist. With the way her gray eyes are glaring at me; she already hates me. By far, not a first.

  “Why did you have to drag the trash in Luke? Hasn’t he already done enough damage?” She glares at him, obviously not pleased, giving me the stink eye.

  She can suck it, I’m not leaving. I give her a bri
ef wave, grinning, only preceding to piss off Miss Queen Bee more. “And who might you be?” I cross my arms over the back of my chair, waiting for her to explain herself.

  “Someone who is way out of your league, demon spawn,” she answers haughtily. Vain, like I’d want that tightly wound cunt.

  Well, excuse me for trying to be polite. I hated that people either automatically hated and or respected me just because of my family tree. Sure, I don’t make the best decisions, but I’m a young adult male—that’s practically written in some handbook of what we do.

  Before I can give her a snarky response Luke interrupts, being the noble guy, he is, while idiotically stepping into the crossfire. “This is Minx, she’s an old friend,” he gives extra emphasis on the last two words. So, he’s fucked her.

  “An old friend who you toyed with, made me fall in love with you, then crushed my young-heart.” Her anger is now directed toward him. I feel awkward hearing about their past. It was more of the type of conversation for the two of them to have behind closed doors away from me.

  I wonder how Luke could have even dealt with her pain in the ass self. Sure, she was pretty, but she was far too high class, conceited. She expected to be handed the golden platter, so to say.

  “That was a long time ago, and I was going through a rough patch,” Luke feebly explains scratching the back of his head, avoiding her burning gaze.

  “Not long enough.” She sneers. “After the multiple times you put me through that, making me trust your arrogant ass.” Because she loved him...

  “Actually, I’ve been told multiple times I have a nice ass.” He smirks, being arrogant, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time... and just gross.

  “Fuck you! I should have just let you die!” She screams, snapping. Aura forgotten amid their lovers’ argument. If you could call it that.