Fallen Gods II: Jaded Prey

by Lorie O'Clare

  “I’m just mumbling to myself,” she admitted, suddenly feeling he had been listening at the door. “Did Merco say when he would be back?”

  “It’s hard telling with that man.” He ran thick pudgy fingers through his close-shaven salt-and-pepper beard.

  The man reminded her of an old retired lumberjack. He was thick, not fat, but more than likely in his youth had been quite muscular. His wrists looked bigger than her forearms. There was a pleasant twinkle in his eye when he gave her a closed lip smile.

  Naomi stood, feeling a bit weird in the oversized shirt and long underwear Merco told her to put on while he was gone. They fit her perfectly, making her wonder where they’d come from.

  Had he conjured them up just for her? That thought was too much to fathom. But thinking that they’d been left here by some other woman didn’t sit well with her at all.

  “I don’t remember your name,” she said, leaving the large bedroom while the older man pushed the door open further, allowing her to pass.

  “Everyone calls me Birk,” he said from behind her, his footsteps heavy and solid as he followed her slowly down the stairs.

  Naomi walked into the living room, stopping in front of one of the large windows, an incredible view of a perfect yard laid out before her. Again she wondered where Merco had gone. He had been so vague, simply instructing that she stay here and he’d be back shortly.

  “You’ve got yourself into quite a situation, haven’t you?” he said, sounding concerned.

  Naomi turned around, giving him her complete attention. Her heart leapt at the realization that possibly she could gain some helpful information about Merco from this man.

  “You’ve known Merco a while?” she inquired, hoping she didn’t sound too anxious.

  “All his life.” He stroked his beard, staring at her through squinted eyes. He was relaxed, in control, and watchful. “And I’ve never known him to narrow in on one lady before. I’m not sure if that is lucky for you or not.”

  With that he smiled, but his expression remained serious. And his gaze remained attentive. Even now, with his round potbelly stretching against his flannel shirt, she imagined he was still in his prime. Something about him gained her respect. He was kind, yet alert to everything around him.

  Her tummy twisted in a mixture of excitement and fear. “He has told me some strange things.”

  Birk raised a bushy eyebrow, his pale blue eyes piercing through her. She felt her mouth go dry as if she’d just said the wrong thing.

  “Oh, really?” Again his stubby fingers stroked his beard while he took a step closer, walking around her as if appraising her. “And what are these strange things?”

  Naomi waved her hand in the air, dismissing the question. A wave of uneasiness rushed through her.

  “They don’t make sense to me. I’m sure it’s nothing.” She turned away from his scrutinizing gaze, her mouth suddenly dry.

  Maybe a glass of water would help.

  Birk followed her into the kitchen, stopping in the doorway while she helped herself to a glass out of the cabinet. There was very little food in the house, half of the cabinets empty as if they had never been used.

  As if he didn’t need to stock groceries but simply made food appear when he wanted it. She saw no signs of the leftover meat, cheese or bread he had fed her the day before. Her heart did a quick pitter-patter while her palm suddenly felt slick against the glass. Her nerves heightened while she fought a panic that surged through her.

  “I think it must be something or you wouldn’t have brought it up.” The older man made himself comfortable at the table, crossing one booted foot over the other.

  “Well, he just isn’t your average guy,” she began then took a quick gulp of her water. “He says he can do things.”

  She stopped, giving the older man the once-over. This was nuts. Purely insane. She didn’t know Birk at all. She’d been left alone in Merco’s house, and how well did she know him?

  Birk nodded, not saying anything and letting the silence linger between them. Something crawled through Naomi, an uneasiness followed by a nasty chill.

  The creature. The nasty demon was back.

  Her hands shook and she put the glass on the counter quickly, wrapping her arms around her waist while she turned her back to Birk.

  Birk said something that she didn’t hear. She did her best to ignore the crawling terror that worked its way through her body. “You’re safe here,” he was saying. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded vigorously, closing her eye while she batted hair from her face. Sweat had broken out on her forehead. The creature’s hands were on her now. That clammy chill of his touch made her skin crawl. She wanted to run, to scream, to yell at it to stay away, leave her alone. Letting out a huge sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair.

  “Have you been enjoying being a god’s tramp?” The eerie whisper traveled through her like poison, making her gut clench, a knot lodge in her throat making it hard to breathe. “You are my slut, my payback. They will pay dearly and you are my means of revenge.”

  “What are you talking about?” she whispered. It took all of her energy to take a step forward, reach out and grip the counter.

  Again Birk said something behind her. But she couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t get her thoughts in order. If only Merco were here. He’d left her and the creature had reappeared. She needed Merco.

  “Are you okay?” Birk asked again. He reached for her, his touch scorching her skin after the cold sensations that had rippled through her from the nasty creature.

  She jumped. The creature laughed. It was a hideous hissing sound that crawled through her veins, making her blood curdle, her muscles clench in rebellion. She wanted him out of her. Gone. Now.

  “Maybe you should sit down for a minute.” Birk was guiding her backwards, easing her into the chair.

  Naomi fought to keep her thoughts straight. The creature, this terrible beast, had left her alone for the past day or so. When Merco was with her there had been no sign of him.

  Coward, she thought in her head. You’re scared of him. That must mean he is stronger than you, more powerful. There is no way you will conquer him.

  “Stupid bitch,” the demon screamed at her. “It is power that makes me stronger every day. Every time he touches you, I am growing stronger. And he will pass you around. All of his friends will fuck you, too. You know that, don’t you? They will lose their strength and I will be invincible. And all because you are a little slut.”

  His laughter pierced her ears, made her want to puke. She had no idea what he was talking about. His psychobabble made no sense. But something did catch her attention.

  Before he had wanted her home—alone. Now he wasn’t saying a thing about her leaving Merco’s house.

  Was this creature using her to get back at Merco?

  She needed to think. But there was no way she could figure any of this out because she didn’t have all of the answers. She didn’t know who Merco was, or what he was. He’d told her that he was immortal, a god, but that was nothing more than mythology. Or was it?

  Naomi shook her head, all of this seeming like a wild dream. She had sought out the unknown, grasped what many already viewed as ridiculous. Thena studied witchcraft, and knowledge like that excited Naomi. So what was wrong with going one step further, accepting the fact that powerful beings existed, that the world didn’t hover around simple humans such as herself?

  “Maybe something a little stronger than water,” Birk said, hovering over her. “Merco will be here soon.”

  Naomi nodded, not paying much attention to the man. Her thoughts spun, fighting to keep the creature at bay while desperately trying to see all of a picture that just wasn’t there. If she could just get her heart to quit pounding, her hands to quit shaking. Surely she could figure out the best way to attack this creature, get him out of her head.

  “I don’t think Merco should be here.” She didn’t know what this creature was about, but he was tel
ling her things he hadn’t mentioned before. And she didn’t want Merco hurt.

  “Oh, yes. Let Merco come.” The creature chuckled, a drawn-out wheezing sound. It vibrated through her, making her feel sick. “He will fuck you. Oh, yes. I will lay with you, feel his cock thrust in and out of your hot cunt. Your muscles will tighten around him, choke him. I will be with you when you ride him, you little slut. You will beg him to fuck you. Beg him to come inside you again. It will be a hot little ride. You know you can’t wait.”

  “You’re sick,” she told him, disgusted to the point that her tummy revolted, her throat burning with nausea.

  “I beg your pardon?” Birk said, turning around from his search of the kitchen cabinets.

  “I wasn’t talking to you,” she told him quickly. There was no way she could explain this to him.

  She jumped up, hurrying out of the kitchen, not wanting to make a fool out of herself in front of Merco’s friend. It was all she could do to climb the stairs. The nasty creature groped at her, fondling her, his long bony fingers sliding over her hips, squeezing her ass. His clammy touch made her skin crawl. The urge to puke overwhelmed her.

  But she had to fight it. She had to keep her wits about her. There had to be a way to overcome this awful being who wouldn’t leave her alone.

  A thought occurred to her. Merco had told her that Bridget and Braze were like him. She had seen the two of them disappear into thin air.

  “Bridget,” she whispered, reaching the top of the stairs on her hands and knees.

  The carpet rubbed through the long underwear, burning her knees.

  “Bridget. Can you hear me?” she called out louder. “God. If you are what Merco says you are, I demand that you show up here. Come to me, right now.”

  She was nuts. Absolutely insane. Now she was trying to master telepathy when she had never even given it a thought as something that really existed.

  “What are you doing?” the creature hissed. “No one can save you. You are a foolish, stupid bitch.”

  “Bridget,” she screamed, burning her throat.

  Gentle hands, warm and smooth, brushed the hair away from her face. She looked up, standing and facing her friend.

  Bridget didn’t look happy at all.

  Naomi licked her lips. This was her friend. She had known Bridget for years. They had laughed together, cried together, gotten drunk together. There was nothing to fear with her friend. She swallowed, meeting her stare.

  “I need your help,” she whispered, wondering if she shouldn’t be panicking that she’d just managed to make her appear out of thin air.

  Bridget inhaled slowly, letting it out, while she assessed Naomi’s appearance.

  “What has he done to you?” she asked, taking her friend by the arm.

  Naomi didn’t realize how unsteady she was until Bridget steadied her.

  It dawned on her though that the creature was gone. Her thoughts were clear. She looked down at herself, mentally taking inventory. She didn’t feel him touching her. She didn’t sense him inside her.

  “He’s scared of you, too,” she mused, and caught Bridget cocking her head at her, staring at her intently. She attempted a weak smile. “Bridget. Merco told me some things. You are here. So I guess he must have been right.”

  “Who is scared of me?” her friend asked.

  Naomi realized everything Merco had said was true. Bridget didn’t react to her words that Merco had revealed they were different. Of course she wouldn’t. Bridget already knew that. But she did react to someone fearing her. Now to try and explain the impossible.

  “Naomi. Something is tormenting you. We sense that. You need to tell me who it is.” Bridget ran her hand up Naomi’s arm, a comforting gesture.

  Something sounded downstairs. Voices. Merco had returned. He exchanged a few words with Birk and then appeared at the bottom of the stairs. His friends were with him. Bridget’s grip tightened on her arm.

  “What’s going on here?” He took the steps two at a time until he was next to her, and then pulling her into his arms. “Bridget?”

  A silence fell around them. They were communicating. Naomi sensed it. She looked up at Merco and then into Bridget’s face. Bridget had a stern expression. Merco appeared relaxed, his warm body pressing protectively against hers.

  She glanced over at Morph and Ace as they climbed the stairs slowly, joining everyone on the landing. They had a mixture of curiosity and concern on their faces. None of them said a word. But for some reason she just knew all of them were having a heated conversation.

  There was one way to find out for sure. “Stop it!” she yelled in her thoughts.

  Every one of them looked at her, surprised.

  Naomi pushed her way out of Merco’s arms, brushing past Bridget toward Merco’s bedroom and then turned in the wide hallway that overlooked the stairs. She stared at all of them. Bridget looked concerned. Merco was hard to read, his expression blank but a small muscle twitched along his jawbone, her only clue that he suppressed whatever emotions he felt. Ace and Morph glanced at the others, and then back at her. Ace offered her a small reassuring smile.

  “All of you are telepathic.” Dear God. Of course they were. She just summoned Bridget. They had all heard her yell in her head. She knew they had because their body language changed, and they’d all given her their attention. She rubbed her hands over her face. “This is all too much to handle.”

  “I know it is,” Bridget said soothingly, coming to her with open arms. “Merco shouldn’t have done this to you. It won’t help what plagues you at all.”

  Naomi accepted the hug, returning it and relaxing in the comfort of her friend’s arms. “It’s not Merco. He hasn’t done anything wrong. I saw you and Braze disappear the other day. He owed me an explanation.”

  Naomi pulled back, looking her friend in the face. “And I admit it freaked me out. But with everything going on right now, I think I can handle the knowledge.” She attempted a laugh, trying to feel strong, but she quivered, and pulled back again.

  “So what’s plaguing you has come back,” Merco said, taking a step forward.

  His earnest expression, the way he watched her, looking so full of concern, a desperate gaze that would do what it took to help her. She wanted to run to him, tell him everything the nasty creature had said. At the same time she was embarrassed, remembering what Bridget had said, knowing Merco had a reputation for being a bit adventurous sexually. She wished she knew what past encounters he’d experienced, but had a feeling the knowledge would make her jealous as hell.

  “Yes. I think he’s scared of you,” she said.

  “I’m sure he is.” Merco’s tone grew dark, sending chills through Naomi. He suddenly looked like a man to be scared of. “The bastard won’t show himself around me.”

  “Merco says you saw a figurine that resembled the creature in your head,” Bridget prodded.

  “Yes. It was him. It didn’t look like him. It was him.” Naomi wrapped her arms around her waist, suddenly cold.

  Bridget rubbed her chin, looking worried. “According to Merco the figurine was a replica of the demon leader, the ruler of all hells.”

  Naomi felt the blood drain from her face, fear gripping her, and she fought to steady her breathing. “The devil?” she whispered, unable to stop the terror that wrapped around her.

  She was being haunted by the devil?

  Bridget made a face. “That is a human word.”

  “I am human,” Naomi argued, needing to make sense out of all of this. Her head was spinning. “And I’m not crazy. That figurine was the creature in my head.”

  “That just doesn’t make sense.” Bridget appeared lost in thought, as if trying to remember something. “I told him to go away…”

  She suddenly snapped her fingers, her mouth opening as if suddenly she had figured something out. “Braze,” she yelled.

  Naomi sensed someone behind her. Braze’s soft aftershave scent greeted her before she turned around. She jumped, startled,
when Bridget’s boyfriend smiled at her and then looked over her shoulder at the others.

  “Holy shit,” she cried out, and then grabbed her heart, which had begun pounding a mile a minute. “I’m not sure I can get accustomed to this.”

  “You shouldn’t have done that to her,” Merco argued, pushing past Bridget to get to Naomi.

  “You’re the one who told her about us,” Braze pointed out.

  Once again Merco wrapped her into his arms. It felt damn good there.

  She leaned against him. “It’s okay. If this is who you are, I guess I better get accustomed to it.”

  Another silence fell around them and she watched Bridget move to Braze, while Merco’s friends crossed their arms as if listening intently.

  “Cut that out,” she said, looking up at Merco. “All of you are talking to each other. I know you are. It’s not fair to leave me out of the conversation.”

  “You’re right, and I think the mistake is mine,” Bridget said quietly. “There is something I am going to tell you. And I can only hope you won’t hate me once you know.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Naomi accepted the sweet iced tea that Birk offered her as she sat on the terrace. She’d gone outside for some fresh air with Bridget while Merco, Braze and the others had shut themselves in a room for a private argument. She ached to know what they were talking about.

  The faint sound of the doorbell ringing inside grabbed her attention, and she wondered who in the hell else could possibly be here.

  “Marlita.” Bridget stood from where she’d been lounging on the other side of the terrace. Her breath clouded in front of her in the brisk air when she spoke. “What are you doing here?”

  An older woman took a step or two outside and then zipped up her jacket. Naomi recognized her as the shopkeeper of the store where she’d seen the figurine of the creature who plagued her. A nasty chill rippled through her. Why would the woman be here?

  “The coven of Hedel has word that a human has learned of you,” she began, and then stopped when she noticed Naomi, who remained sitting, legs pulled up to her chest on the large white whicker chair.