The Devil Inside

by Lana Pecherczyk

“We aren’t discarding them. We borrow them. Any possession longer than a few weeks will harm the host so we have strict limits set in place.”

  “That’s exactly my point. I know you’re desperate to prove to the world you’re worth more than the old King, but it’s not worth it.”

  She pursed her lips. “And if that doesn’t work, then we’re working on a hybrid of us and them. We’re from the same D.N.A. stock, so the blend would be seamless. The darkness we’ve extracted will do nothing if returned to them but give them back their bad tendencies. It would have to be—” She paused, trying to think of the right word. “It would have to be converted beyond recognition and I’ve gone to great pains to ensure we have no alchemist on this planet. I’ve thought this all through. Why are you resisting?”

  “Because it’s my job as your military advisor to call you out.”

  “And what of your job as my consort?”

  My face heated, and I growled, reaching for her. “Do you really want a demonstration? Because I’d be happy to show you.”

  She swatted me playfully. “I’m serious.”

  “So am I. Don’t you see the potential for darkness in what you’re creating?”

  “Of course a soldier would believe that. You need to stop thinking in black and white and start in color. I didn’t get to be where I am today without taking risks. I can assure you, the darkness is not a problem.”

  “So you keep saying, but…” I turned from her. We had walked out of the village and into the surrounding garden. It was peaceful, ambient and, now and then, a villager wandered through collecting fruit or some other edible treat from the surrounding wildlife. It was too perfect; A reflection in the water waiting for a pebble to ripple its illusion. “There is something not right. I feel it in my bones.”

  She sighed. When she turned away, she took the light with her.

  My body turned cold in her shadow.

  “What does your son think?” I asked, hesitant.

  “Alkiemon believes—”

  “You said his true name,” I said through my teeth.

  “Rubbish. It matters not if he hears I am speaking about him. As to your question, my son believes there is worth in the darkness. I admit, he hasn’t been thinking straight since his father died. He will come around. That is why I’ve insisted he stay here to live among the gifted, to protect them and to learn from them. A peaceful respite with purpose will do him good.”

  “It’s not rubbish. He will know we are talking about him. He will know where we are.”

  She linked her arm with mine and guided me back to the village. “Let him come. He cannot change my mind. Besides, we will soon be busy. Egnatius will be here shortly and with him, the Urser emissary. Please endeavor to be civil, it is important we focus on the task at hand. I know how you two are with each other.”

  The Urser Constellation was the original home to the late King and they were still seething about his untimely death. I didn’t want to argue. I smiled briefly at her, letting her know I was joking. “And how’s that?”

  There was that laugh again, mirth infused with warmth, only for a brief moment. She patted my arm affectionately. The second her skin touched my own, fire ignited beneath the surface and blazed a trail of heat to my belly, making me hard with want. No, not want, I needed her. Now. It had been too long since I’d felt the sweet touch of her lips on mine, the softness of her body under mine. I knew I said I’d never show dissent in public, but I was ready to throw her on the ground and demonstrate how civil I could be. Quickly, I pulled her behind the shelter of a bushy plant and kissed her again—hard and passionately so she knew exactly what I thought. She melted into me and opened herself to deepen the kiss.

  When I pulled away, she exhaled. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of understanding in her eyes, then she straightened herself and clutched the book to her chest. Just a few more hours and we’d be back in our private quarters. I could last a few more hours.

  As we walked back within range of the village, the screaming started.

  My worst fear realized. Some humans had turned foul with a torrent of poisoned shadow rippling over their bodies. Innocents dropped like flies. They’d changed, darkened, rising from the grave, becoming beasts that devoured their own kind. Friends turning on friends, brothers against sisters, mother against child. No longer the precious gift of life she had envisioned, but somehow contaminated by the very thing removed to keep them safe. I was sure of it. The darkness oozed from their pores like overripe fruit turning sour.

  The rabid humans weren’t only attacking the innocent, they also pulled apart the primitive buildings, destroying everything in their paths. Destruction in its purest form. Chaos. Original sin incarnate.

  I remembered having a pistol in my hand and using my body to shield the Queen, but she had commanded me to investigate. She could take care of herself, she’d said. Reluctantly, I abided and called the Queen’s Guard to attend, but when I’d gotten close to the mess, I discovered a stench emanating off the creatures in waves, infecting the air with a sour miasma that wilted the leaves in the garden and staining the atmosphere in shades of gray. A heavy wall of smoke and haze settled over the village and the surrounding wildlife, and through it all, the carnage continued. How did this happen?

  As if in answer to my question, Alkiemon, the Prince of life as far as the eye could see, made himself known. The billowing smoke parted like a living entity, to make way for him as he casually walked through the chaos. His demonic half-smile stretched wide on his handsome face the instant he made eye contact. Holding my gaze, he raised his hands and clicked his fingers. The humanoid beasts stopped, blinked, and focused on him, their new master. Black rivulets ran down his wrists to drip off his elbows and onto the ground, leaving dark mucous-like puddles.

  “What have you done?” the Queen howled at her son as she joined me, unable to stay away any longer.

  His wretched laugh rose over the discord. “You wanted me to learn from them, mother, and learn I did. I’ve become very familiar with them, in fact.” He clicked his fingers again, and the beasts came tittering over, dragging and sliding as though being pulled on puppet strings. “For instance, did you know when the pure extracted darkness was combined with my blood and then returned to them, I gained control over their simple minds? Blood magic. You two should be familiar with that, right? Being soulmates and all that.”

  He flicked his wrists, and the beasts shuffled towards the Queen and I.

  “Did you know I can command their souls to leave their bodies? I can also force them to stay.”

  “NO!” she screamed. Her hands rose in a show of force, crackling, ready to send her power into her child. “I won’t let you do this. It’s not too late. Repent and let me fix them.”

  “It is too late, mother. It is already done. There’s no going back.”

  If there was any warmth left in the air, it fled in that moment. Too many things happened at once. The horde of beasts converged on us, I tried to protect her, but the Queen struggled. Her guards formed a shield in front of her but she tried to break through. She wanted to save her creations without harming her son. It made her weak. Tainted. Impaired. Egnatius appeared out of nowhere, and joined the fight, but it was futile. There were only a few of us against hundreds. Her son had turned her creations against her.

  I knew in my heart that this planet was a lost cause. Damage control was at the forefront of my mind. I had to take precautions immediately. There was nothing left to do but evacuate and quarantine.

  With only two people granted the power to activate the star-gate, if I removed myself, then the Queen was the only
key. Her son knew that. This was his big play.

  Well, fuck him. I knew exactly how to ruin his day.

  Remove myself. Remove the Queen. Remove their freedom.

  After sending her into Egnatius’s arms, I ordered him to return to the Empire so he could set up the quarantine. Unable to travel through time and space with them, I had to remain here.

  A rabid creature rushed up to the Queen, and she broke away from Egnatius to go to it. “Let me fix it,” she cried. I don’t know how she thought she would do that, but it went for her throat, ripping with its new claws. She screamed and stepped back, hands flying to her wound. I pulled my pistol from my holster and shot the creature between the eyes as it lunged for her again. It dropped at her feet, twitching.

  Then with horror finally dawning in her eyes, she mumbled to herself, “What have I done?”

  “It’s no use, they’re beyond hope,” I said, shooting another.

  She turned to me, all warmth fled from her face. “I should’ve listened to you. I’m so sorry, I should’ve listened. Unleash yourself. Wipe this place clean.”

  “You can’t be serious? I won’t do that.”

  “It’s an order. Wash the earth clean and then return home.”

  The last thing I remembered from my dream was a searing flame coming from my insides. It was the heat engulfing me in icy hot waves as I set my power free, and it was the fading sound of the Queen’s voice as she screamed, Kill them all, repeatedly as Egnatius took her away.

  And then, in a white rain of fire, I’d woken up.

  I could still smell the acrid scent in my nose. I scrubbed my face and tried to shake the memory, but the darkness in my office was the perfect cinematic background for the visions to replay.

  I walked over to the wall and flicked the light switch on. The room illuminated, casting an ambient glow that hit each object with a slight halo visible through my sleep deprived eyes. I groaned and lurched back to the couch where I fell with a heavy thud that echoed the dull ache in my head.

  Thank fuck I hadn’t been near Roo this time. That knife in my hand would have no doubt ended in her guts, slicing her through and through.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Marc

  SURPRISINGLY, WHEN I found myself in a ladies change room, I almost did a one-eighty and left, but the sight of a scantily clad Little Red bending over, convinced me otherwise. The vision of her taut rear covered in lacy purple knickers aimed precisely in the direction of my crotch almost entangled my atoms. Bugger me. I could reach out and touch her. But I didn’t.

  She picked up an item of discarded clothing, straightened and held it in front of herself, admiring her reflection.

  Just as I caught her gaze in the mirror, I said, “I’d say I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’m not really.”

  She squealed, turned around and shoved me into the wall with burning hot fingers. It tingled. The entire makeshift room swayed and steam heated the air.

  “You okay in there, miss?” A disembodied voice came from the other side.

  Roo’s eyes opened to big white ovals, and she shook her fists at me before covering herself with a jacket. “Yes, I’m fine, sorry I just slipped over.” Then she lowered her voice and gave me daggers. “Ever heard of knocking?”

  “Now, where’s the fun in that?”

  “I have rights, you know. It’s polite to knock.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I’m quite open to you seeing me naked. Evens the playing field if you know what I mean.”

  “What are you doing here, Marc?” she hissed. “Besides being a pervert.”

  “I’m offended. I was only having fun, you know I’d never really try anything. Sometimes I can’t help where I end up.”

  “Well, you should try to have some manners, or at least pretend to have a little humility.”

  “Maybe.” I shrugged and rubbed my tickling ribs—an after effect of her electrifying touch. I wondered how that sensation would feel elsewhere on my body. And then if she said my name.

  No. Naughty Marc. Don’t think of her like that. She’s off limits.

  I did feel bad for making her feel bad.

  “I apologize, love. I really do. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. But, you see, I’m in a bit of a pickle. Thought I might cash in on that favor you owe me.”

  “What, now?”

  “I’m happy to wait. Take as long as you need.” I perched myself on the change room bench. “I love a good show just as much as the next guy, and I always have time for one. What have you got there, a new dress?” I picked up a dark green slinky item. “Ooh, I like this one. Bit of a school-girl-gone-sexy-secretary vibe. But with your red hair, you might look like a Christmas tree. And this one, this is—”

  Roo snatched the items from my hands. “It’s none of your business, that’s what it is. Oh, for the love of—” She turned her back on me, mumbled obscenities and redressed into her jeans and black boring shirt. The jeans had small holes in the hips and I couldn’t help poking my finger through as she took a seat next to me. She swatted me and gave me the teacher look. “Marc. I think we’ve had this talk already. When I said I owed you a favor for rescuing me from that pit of hell last week, I didn’t mean a favor of the explicit nature.”

  I lifted my hands in mock surrender. “Oh, I’m here on business, I swear!”

  She gave me a sideways glare then hastily dumped a pile of clothing in my lap. “You know I find your nudity uncomfortable. Especially when it’s like”—she waved at my crotch—“you know.”

  I wiggled my eyebrows. “Well endowed, you mean? Virile, perhaps?”

  “Yes, Marc. Yes. That’s exactly what I meant.” Sarcasm dripped from her tongue.

  “For the last time, love, I can’t help it. You’re extremely beautiful and invigorating, as to the rest, it’s a side effect—no inorganic matter through the dimensions, yeah?”

  She laughed through her nose. “Yeah-yeah. What can I help you with?”

  I shuffled a smidgen toward her. I couldn’t vocalize why, but I wanted—needed—to be closer to her. Like a magnet. She smelled amazing. Fruity and wild. Like a balmy summer night. One of those tropical gardens came to mind. Her aura electrified me and I wanted to run my hands all over her body, followed in short succession with my lips. Mmm. Balmy hot, summer nights. Cocktails.

  “Marc.” She snapped her fingers.

  “Right.” I blinked. I could’ve sworn I heard coconuts and steel drums playing. “I’ve been needing to talk to someone about some issues I’ve been having. So of course, immediately I thought, ooh, I know someone who’s got the perfect skills to evaluate and study my thought process. Someone to council me on a beneficial outcome.”

  She frowned. “You went to speak to a therapist?”

  “Don’t be daft. You’re a bartender. You’re perfect.”

  “Oh.”

  “But we can’t talk like this. Come with me.”

  I enveloped her in my embrace and stepped through the in-between. When we landed at our destination, she punched me in the gut. Hard.

  That really hurt this time. I coughed.

  “What was that for?” I moaned, still clutching my midsection, frowning.

  “You bastard.”

  She dashed behind the bar of the shady, empty nightclub so fast that all I managed to see was a flash of pink naked skin. Pity.

  “You can’t just kidnap me.” Her voice traveled over th
e bar and echoed loudly in the vast room.

  “Of course I can. I just did.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Well, love, you see it’s like this.” I made sure somber tones played across my face. “You’re the only one I can do this with.”

  “Kidnap through the dimensions?”

  “No. Well yes, but we’ve discussed that. I meant, have a heart-to-heart with.”

  Roo was silent for a while, then she said, “Oh.”

  “You can see my aura, you can tell what I feel is true. And I can see yours. We can’t lie to each other.”

  “Oh,” she said with more gumption this time.

  A few more seconds went by and then she lifted her head over the horizon of the bar. “I’m naked.”

  “And? I’m naked too. Nothing to be ashamed of. We’re both specimens of perfection.” I snorted and checked myself in the mirror on the wall behind the bar. Yes. Perfect. Absolutely and without a doubt. I had a few different forms I could arrange my atoms into, but this older suave version was the best. What wasn’t to like? I smoothed my blonde hair to the side. “No need to be a prude.”

  She sighed heavily. “I’m not a prude. It’s just that Cash doesn’t like you running about naked when I’m around. I doubt it he’ll want me running around you naked.”

  “Ri-ight. Got it. We don’t want to piss off the hunter now do we?” My eyes surveyed the empty nightclub briefly then caught on something. I waltzed over and retrieved the apron then threw it over the bar. “Not to worry. There you go, love. Your dignity remains intact.”

  Roo slipped the apron over her head so it sat around her neck and then stood as she tied the strings around her waist. The hem came to just above her knees.

  “Now, someday, when we have time, I must find out how it is you can join me on my travels. It is rather odd and I do love a good mystery.” My thoughts traveled back to when Jacine had urged me to bump the nasties so we could have a baby, and a shiver ran through me. If she found out about Little Red, there’s no telling what lengths she’ll go to capture her. Roo could be in danger.