Demonic Contract

by Catherine Banks

  “Maybe beating up a few of them would get them to stop,” I suggested.

  He smiled. “I think you just want to see me in a fight.”

  It was my turn to smile. “I would enjoy that, but that’s not why I’m suggesting it.”

  “Who would you like me to fight?” he asked and leaned forward conspiratorially. “Is there an ex-boyfriend you’d like me to rough up?”

  I fought not to cringe at the reminder of my ex, but he must have seen it. “No, but if I figure out someone I will let you know.”

  He squeezed my hand and asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No, not really.”

  “What’s your favorite weapon?” he asked me.

  “I don’t have a favorite,” I admitted. “I like swords, axes, and really every weapon equally. They all have their own uses.”

  “It seems to me that you prefer not even using a weapon.”

  “Why use a weapon when I’m already one?” I asked with as much innuendo as I could.

  His eyes flared with power, but he quickly tamped it down. “Tease.”

  “Promise.”

  Our pizza came and I found it easier to forget the stares and just talk with him. He was easy to be around and I felt incredibly comfortable with him even though I hadn’t known him long.

  After pizza, he walked me back to my dorm and then gave me one hell of a kiss bye. He promised to come back later, so I went to take a nap.

  * * *

  “You have a guest,” Emily called through my door.

  “Sleepy,” I mumbled without moving.

  My door opened a moment later and then someone sat on my bed.

  “Em, I’m tired,” I complained and pushed at her body, but the usually soft body of Emily was instead hard and muscular. “Who?” I asked but didn’t have the energy to sit up.

  “Tora,” Edan’s voice said. “You need to wake up.”

  “What time is it? Why are you here so early?” I complained.

  “This has happened several days now,” Emily said from somewhere in my room.

  “Did you scan her?” Edan asked Emily.

  “No, I thought she was just tired.”

  “This isn’t a normal tired. We weren’t out that late the night before and she’s had more than enough sleep.”

  “We need lots of sleep,” I complained.

  “We?” he asked.

  “She means her kind,” Emily answered, which I was grateful for because I almost gave it away.

  “This is too much for any race,” he argued. “Please, open your eyes.”

  I reluctantly obeyed and found him frowning down at me. “Serious face,” I mumbled.

  “How do you feel?” he asked and set his hand on my forehead.

  “Tired,” I answered and yawned. I slapped a hand over my mouth when I realized that I likely had bad breath and I had just breathed it on my new boyfriend. “I’m going to go to the restroom.”

  He let me stand up and began whispering with Emily. When I finished brushing my teeth and hair and freshening up, I came out to find her looking nervous as he scowled at her.

  “What’s going on?” I asked them.

  “Nothing,” Emily said and smiled at me. “Come here, let me have a look at you.”

  I waved her off. “I’m fine. I used some of my magic last night to fight some minotaurs, so it’s probably from that.”

  “It didn’t sound like you used much based on Edan’s retelling,” she countered.

  “No, I used very little, but…”

  She froze me in place and began using her magic to scan me.

  I growled at her and struggled against the freezing spell.

  “I didn’t know you could do that,” Edan whispered and walked around me.

  “Stop growling,” she ordered me. She finished her scan and looked at Edan. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

  “Why does he get to pick!” I yelled.

  “Good,” he replied.

  “She’s not dead.”

  “Obviously!” I screamed and threw my hands up into the air, glad she finally released me.

  “What’s the bad news?” he asked.

  I paced back and forth and grumbled. “I’m right here. I know they can see me. Rude.”

  “She’s dying.”

  I stopped and spun to face her. “Come again?”

  “It’s a slow acting spell that steals the being’s strength and power, funneling it into a container, until the being has no power left and withers away.”

  “Can you tell who cast it?” Edan asked.

  “No, but I know what race,” she said and then looked at me sadly.

  “No,” I whispered. “He wouldn’t.”

  “You know it’s almost impossible for people to break their contracts,” she whispered.

  “It’s broken.”

  “But if he is the only one who can save your life, what type of contract would you be willing to sign for that?” she asked.

  She had to be right. I didn’t doubt it for a moment.

  “A demon is doing this?” Edan asked angrily.

  “Yes,” Emily replied.

  “Will the spell’s process speed up if I go to the demon realm?” I asked even though I knew the answer.

  “Yes. You’ll be dead within minutes.”

  “You are not going to the demon realm,” Edan growled.

  “You could always ask him for help,” Emily suggested.

  “Are you crazy!” I yelled and began pacing. “Do you have any idea what I would have to do for him to help me? I wouldn’t be able to leave the demon realm for a hundred years. A contract with Beel would be a thousand times better than a contract with him.”

  “Beel, that’s who your contract was with?” Edan asked.

  Uh oh. “Edan, this is not your concern,” I said gently. “I will handle this.”

  “You promised,” he whispered.

  “That does not apply to the current situation. That was a promise that if a griffin started attacking us, I would let you handle it. Not that I would let you handle this!”

  “What are you planning to do?” he asked.

  “I’m going to summon him and find out if it is really him or not.” I had other enemies so it could be any number of people.

  “I’ll compromise with you,” he said softly, but with folded arms that made me think this wouldn’t be much of a compromise. “I’ll allow you to handle it, but I want to be here with you when you summon him.”

  That could go wrong in so many ways. “He’s not going to like you being with me,” I told him.

  “Are we together or not? If we’re together then you shouldn’t have a problem telling him,” Edan said.

  I looked at Emily for help. Once Beel found out that I was dating someone, he would get the information to my dad and I had no clue what he would do, if anything.

  “I agree with Edan,” she said.

  “Traitor,” I grumbled.

  “How long does she have if the spell continues to progress at the rate that it is?” Edan asked her.

  “Four weeks.”

  “Perfect,” I said, “I’ll summon him in three weeks.”

  “What?” Edan asked in shock.

  “Why do you want to wait that long?” Emily asked me.

  “Edan and I have an agreement that I’ll reveal my race and who my father is if we’re still together in three weeks and our relationship is serious,” I informed her.

  “If he speeds it up at all, you could be dead before then,” Emily said softly.

  “He won’t. If this really is him, then he’ll enjoy the game.”

  “What if it’s not him?” Edan asked.

  I looked at Emily and said, “Then I’ll call my father.”

  “I don’t like this plan,” Edan growled and paced back and forth in our tiny living room.

  “If you let me meet with Beel alone, I could do it today,” I said and shrugged. “Your call.”

 
“Why don’t you want me to be here?” he asked. “Are you afraid that I’ll see something between you two? Wait, is he your father?”

  I laughed and then shook my head. “Beel is not my father and I already told you that there is nothing between us. I don’t want you here because I’m likely going to need to use my full power to attack him.”

  “All the more reason for me to be here, as back up.”

  “She doesn’t want you to see her change,” Emily told him.

  “Emily!” I gasped.

  “Change? What do you mean?”

  “That’s not her true form.”

  “Emily, shut up. This is not your place.”

  She marched over to me and we stood with our faces inches apart while we yelled.

  “I refuse to let my friend die because she’s scared of getting dumped!” she snapped.

  “It’s not just that and you know it!” I yelled back at her.

  She waved her hand at Edan and said, “He’s not going to kill you!”

  “He might try!” I yelled.

  “He won’t!”

  “How do you know?” I asked.

  “Look at him,” she ordered me. I glanced over to see him watching us with concern. “Does he look like he’s going to kill you?”

  “He doesn’t know,” I whispered. “When he does, he could change.”

  “Why do you think he’ll change so drastically?” Emily asked. “What are you so afraid of?”

  “I don’t want to hurt him! I don’t want to kill another man that I love to protect myself!” I yelled at her.

  Her mouth opened in shock and Edan dropped his arms to his side in disbelief. I clamped a hand over my mouth and ran out of the dorm, down the hall, and out into the busy campus. I was in my pajamas, but I didn’t care. I needed to get away. I needed to find someplace abandoned. People stared at me with curiosity, but then they looked up into the sky. What were they looking at? I didn’t have time to look.

  I made it all the way to the park on the side of the school where students were lying in the grass, reading, or playing sports. My progress was halted by Edan dropping out of the sky in front of me, wings flared out on either side of him, he landed with one hand on the ground and looked up at me.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, “I can’t. I need…”

  I backed away from him, trying to escape, but people had formed a circle around us, drawn by his presence, especially with his wings out.

  “Stop running,” he ordered me and folded his wings in behind him.

  Lightning fizzled down my arms. I tucked my hands in my arm pits and backed up. “Stay back,” I ordered him weakly.

  “Tora,” he whispered softly. “Calm down.”

  Lightning crackled around me and people gasped in fear. They backed up, but were too curious to leave.

  “You should leave,” I told him. “I swear, I won’t hold it against you or…”

  He flew across the distance between us, faster than I thought he could move, grabbed me and flew us up into the sky. I latched onto his neck and calmed myself to prevent from hurting him with my lightning.

  “Will you tell me what happened?” he asked calmly as he flew us high into the sky above the school.

  “He found out and tried to kill me,” I whispered. “Not much else to tell.”

  “Do you truly believe that I would try to kill you?” he asked and nuzzled my neck with his nose.

  “Yes.”

  He jerked his head back and looked at my face a long moment. “You have much to learn about me.”

  “Ditto,” I whispered and then sniffed as I fought not to cry.

  “Do you have wings in your true form?” he asked.

  “Why?”

  “Because you aren’t afraid of flying and from what I’ve heard from other dragons, most are terrified of flying the first time.”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “Yes, you have wings?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Will you show me them sometime?” he asked.

  “In three weeks,” I offered.

  He sighed, but didn’t say more about the subject. He landed in front of a large castle and I recoiled. The Dragon castle. “Why are we here?”

  He gripped my shoulders and said, “I’m going to find someone to help you.”

  “Edan, I…”

  “Ho, there!” a male yelled as he jogged down the stairs towards us. He was short and stocky and had a smile that was infectious.

  “Isaac,” Edan greeted.

  “I saw you flying in so I thought I’d come meet you.” He stopped when he reached the last few steps and noticed me. “Oh, hello.”

  “Isaac, this is my girlfriend, Tora.”

  “Girlfriend!” he yelled.

  Edan slipped his arm around my waist and I noticed that his wings were gone now. I also noticed that his hold was a bit tighter than normal. He was probably worried that I might run off again.

  “Sorry, I lost my manners for a moment.” He bowed and said, “Nice to meet you, Tora. I am Isaac, Prince Edan’s assistant.”

  “Assistant?” I asked Edan.

  “Like a valet. He helps me with my schedule and other things.”

  “Your mother has requested that you see her immediately,” Isaac informed him.

  Edan started to move forward, but I pulled back, towards the gates. “Tora,” he chastised.

  “Too soon,” I whispered around the lump in my throat. I continued backing up, but Edan kept his hand on my waist and walked back with me.

  “She’s going to love you. Come on. You don’t need to be frightened.”

  “I can’t…what happens when they find out?” I asked him.

  “What’s up?” Isaac asked.

  “A moment please,” Edan requested. Isaac walked up the stairs some ways away from us. “I know you have darkness in you, Tora. I can sense it and could from the moment I met you. I don’t care. I don’t care what you are or who you are related to. I care that you make me happy. I care that you don’t see me for my title or money. I care that you see me. You are the first girl to see me, ever. I can deal with your baggage and I swear to never harm you.”

  “If she attacks me…”

  “If she attacks you, I will defend you,” he swore.

  “It’s too soon,” I whispered.

  “You said it,” he whispered back.

  I had hoped he hadn’t heard that.

  “You told me that you loved me.”

  “I meant…”

  “You’re mine now. I won’t give you up and I don’t care what you say about your past or race. Do you understand?”

  “I’m yours?” I asked.

  He nodded and touched his fingertip to the spot on my neck he had bit last night. “You’re marked.”

  “What!” I yelled. “You didn’t tell me.”

  “That’s what I had planned to do today when I came over.”

  “It’s not right,” I whispered. “These feelings shouldn’t be happening so soon.”

  “But they are for us both,” he whispered.

  “Wait.” I looked up at him. “Both?”

  He kissed me and then rested his forehead against mine. “You and I are going to go somewhere far away and have a very long discussion after we see my parents. Okay?”

  That sounded wonderful. “Okay.”

  We walked up to Isaac who was waiting patiently and he smiled at me. “Ready?”

  “No,” I grumbled, but Edan simply laughed at me.

  He linked our hands together and we walked up the giant staircase carved from some type of gorgeous rock, and into a giant castle made from the same white stone.

  Servants bustled about, but everyone stopped to stare when they saw us.

  “Why are they staring?” I asked.

  “They’ve never seen Prince Edan with a lady before. Many presumed he would never marry,” Isaac explained.

  “He’s not very old,” I commented. “Why would they think that?”
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  “Dragons typically find their mates by their twentieth birthday,” Isaac said.

  “Wait, I’m not a dragon,” I said and looked at Edan.

  He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. If I become King, I won’t need you to be a dragon, just strong enough to fight beside me as a Queen.”

  King? Queen? Oh boy.

  Isaac opened the doors to a large, empty room save for some pillows along the base of the walls where a few women were lounging. They looked up at our entry and stood.

  “Prince Edan,” they all said at the same time in greeting.

  Creepy.

  “Son? Is that you?” a woman called from outside the double doors at the end of the room, which led to a balcony. She walked into the room and I stared in disbelief. She was tall, muscular for a woman, and yet drop dead gorgeous. She also radiated power like Edan did.

  She looked at me and our joined hands and her eyes narrowed. “What is this?”

  “Mother, this is Tora, my girlfriend.”

  “Girlfriend? You’ve never brought her to us before,” she said and walked towards me.

  “I didn’t see a need to,” he said nonchalantly.

  “Where did you meet?”

  “School.”

  “Tora, that means thunder, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied awkwardly.

  “Come, let me see you,” she ordered.

  Edan nudged me forward and I strode towards her confidently despite my worry.

  “Hm, I can see why he likes you. Are you a fighter, dear?”

  “Yes.”

  Without warning she threw a dagger at my face. I caught it between my pointer and middle fingers and she clapped. “Marvelous!”

  “Mother!” Edan growled.

  “She caught it, don’t get so mad,” she told him.

  “Where’s Ingrid?” Edan asked.

  “In the healer’s quarters. Why?” she asked suspiciously. She looked over at me and asked, “Are you pregnant?”

  “No!” I yelled. “We haven’t mated.” What kind of girl did she think I was!

  She smiled and then I felt her magic probing at mine. I stepped back from her, dropping the dagger as I moved towards Edan. “Stop,” I begged.

  “Lift your shields,” she ordered and slammed her magic into my shield.