“Dad,” I said. It looked exactly like him. But it couldn’t be. I didn’t know if it was really my dad but whatever it was used his likeness.
A smile played across his lips. It seemed utterly pleased I recognized it.
“McKayla,” the inimical voice said. It was in his eyes I saw what couldn’t be mistaken for anything less than evil.
The nostalgia wore off that moment. “Why are you doing this?” I said. It may not have been the best choice for a first question, but my brain really wasn’t working. Forgive me. I hadn’t heard anyone move in the house. Was everyone dead? Luke still hadn’t moved.
“Come with me and I’ll explain,” it said holding out a hand like a bad remake of an old vampire movie.
I uttered the line most victims did until they knew they were beat. “No, I won’t go with you,” I said stubbornly with my chin high in the air.
An orange orb vaguely familiar blazed in its hand. It barely turned but his movements were clear. “Then I will kill him,” it said, voice emotionless.
The sharp of pain of fear tore free from my soul. I wanted to yell No, to express my love for Luke, but I didn’t. I couldn’t let him know how much he meant to me in case that would save his life.
“Fine,” I said. Ok, I was tired of being the bad remake. I simply walked around the room and headed for the door not looking back at Luke. I was afraid if I did, I wouldn’t be able to leave. When I entered the foyer, the circular table that sat in the middle was crashed to bits. I hadn’t heard the noise. I looked to see my mom on the floor in its place. I rushed forward and now things began to move slower. I saw David pinned to the wall how I didn’t know. Flynn laid flat on the floor near his father’s feet.
Looking at the remnants of the room I tripped. Stumbling to the floor, I realized I fell over what turned out to be Paul. He looked motionless body and I was torn as to who I should check on first.
With my heart racing, the need for action took over. “No,” I heard a voice yell. It took me a moment to realize it was me.
I turned back towards the thing that looked like my father. I got to my feet and moved to attack. That was the last thing I remembered.
Waking was like a bad dream. It’s always strange to rouse in a strange place. This time was no different. Confused by my surroundings, I blinked my eyes a few times only to realize I was indeed in a moving vehicle. One thing was clear was that the sun was shining. Visibly, I was into the next day, but I wasn’t wearing a watch. I looked at the dash to see the time was 3:10pm. How long had we been driving?
“You’re awake,” it said.
As if a wave of revulsion crashed on me I nearly coughed, breathing for air. It hadn’t been a bad dream. It or he was real.
“Who are you?” I said. Weird how bad movie lines are so appropriate at certain moments. I’d already called him Dad but I had to be sure.
He stared at me longer than I thought he should seeing he was driving a moving vehicle. “Well, I am your dark invader to you, Princess,” he said. “And to quote a really great movie, I am your father,” he said in a really bad imitation to the original. This I know because I really love the Star Wars original trilogy. What’s even more alarming is that he apparently did too. Did that mean we had things in common? It was too scary of a thought to contemplate on. I bit at my nails instead, my tell. But he didn’t know that.
“But you’ve already guessed that,” he said. He turned back smoothly to drive. I didn’t notice if he rode over the middle yellow line because I was too busy watching him while he spoke.
I closed my eyes, stopped biting my nails and covered my face. “How can that be? You may look like him, but my father died before I was born?”
“Died I did,” he said indignantly.
“What kind of inimical being are you? If you’re dead how can you be here?” I asked.
“Being a half demon, you of all people should believe anything is possible.”
I wasn’t going to get into this conversation. What was more important was what happened at the house. “Where is my mother?” I asked.
I watched his profile while he drove. I should have been watching the road for clues to where I was but that didn’t really matter either if I had no one to go home to. Instead I started biting my nails again.
“They’re all breathing and it’s up to you to keep them that way,” he said. His voice was cold yet I was warm with relief if I could trust his word.
The next important question was next on my lips. “What do you want with me?” I asked.
“In your world that would be what the million dollar question,” he said. He laughed to himself then as if he were involved in his own personal joke. I didn’t find anything funny. “Let me ask you a question, McKayla,” he said.
“Why are you calling me that?” I said, interjecting when I should have remained silent so I could gather the information I needed to figure out how much danger I was really in. I placed my hand in my lap trying not to bite off my finger nails.
“Ah, well the one thing your mother did half right. Your mother and I talked a lot about the future. We’d talked about children. And I told her that if ever I had a daughter, I would want to name her McKayla. And even after everything, she gave you that name. Her mistake was making it your middle name.”
I’d like the name much more than Mercy but suddenly, I wanted to detest it. If this man or monster disguising himself as my father liked the name, I should hate it. Shouldn’t I? I didn’t know much about him, but I saw the destruction he caused at my house. The sight of my family and friends strew about like pillow feathers had my stomach in knots. I hoped they were ok.
“I thought you loved my mother,” I said trying to change tactics. He spoke of her like he despised her. My instincts of survival woke up. I watched my surroundings. We were on a two lane road with large trees on either side. This was obviously not a major road. I’d didn’t see any street signs, not even a speed limit sign.
“Yeah, I thought I did,” he said, almost wistfully. “I was ready to change my whole life for her. She made me hope that I could be good. But it was nothing but the whore in her that bewitched me,” he spat the words out like bad coffee.
There was more to the story but I had to defend my mother. “She’s not a whore and she loved you. She hates herself for killing you,” I said with venomous anger. “She keeps pictures of you in a box that she shows me from time to time telling me about all the things you too did together.”
He paused and I thought maybe I got through. I almost believe he was really my father, but that thought soon passed. It didn’t stop me from talking to him like he really was. “I know you know how this succubus thing works. How you can see into the minds of your victims,” he said.
I was suddenly riveted. I know little about the demon that shared my existence. “She made a choice to end my life.” His voice was just a notch below a roar.
Enraged, I fumed at his words. My mother was a lot of things and most were good. My only problem with her was her secrets. But her motives were pure if I were honest about it. “She would never have done that,” I yelled back.
He turned to me then. His black orbs of soul absorbing onyx color eyes twinkled as a hint of a smile crossed his face. My father’s eyes had been hazel like mine. It couldn’t be my dad. “She did,” he said evenly.
His words had been to calm with a bit of a growl at the end. His hands gripped the steering wheel with a faint pop. He’d broken something. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the wheel, but I’d heard. So I kept my mouth shut. In went my poor nails. They’d grown out so nicely. But I needed to occupy my mouth before it put me in any more danger.
I only had ten fingers. Once I’d done permanent damage to what nails I had, I pushed forward with my questions. With hands clenched in fist at my lap I turned to him again. “Where’s Miss Gibson?” I asked. It or he, I couldn’t decide yet. But he was definitely the guy at school. Watching his profile I’d remembered.
“Ah, lovely Ann so pret
ty and sweet,” he said. “You haven’t answered my question as of yet.”
Feeling defiant when I should clam up, I said, “You never asked me a question.” I wasn’t sweet with my words. I didn’t try to butter him up. With the tenor of my voice, I let him know how much I detested him.
“Ah, I see a part of me stirs in you,” he said.
That clamped my mouth shut. I wasn’t sure exactly what he was. But it was evident that it was my anger that reminded me of him. One thing I was sure of was that he was bad news.
“Tell me McKayla,” he said. “Which of the four boys do you truly love? See I’ve watched you over the past several weeks and I’m not even sure myself.”
There was no way I was telling him anything about that. I wasn’t even sure which four boys he was referring too. “None,” I said trying to keep my voice cold.
He tapped his chin with his index finger. “That could be true. Your mother was a cold hearted bitch. Maybe you have more of her in you than I thought,” he said.
I wanted to yell out defending my mother again but thought better of it. “Let me give you my assessment. I’m leaving out Tony because he was never in contention. The future doctor, well he was too old for you. You were a bit naughty there,” he said. “I tried so hard for you to take that one.”
I began to grind my teeth. Had he been following me all this time? His voice was similar. Was he the one in my mind trying to control me?
“Where to begin? I guess the pitiful human boy Paul is a good place to start. He wants to be your night in shiny amour. I would have thought he’d be pure of heart, but he’s not. He’s waiting for you to change your mind. In the meantime, he’s using that poor girl. He’s of no use to me.” He laughed a great deal to himself then. I turned to him, then turned back trying to neutralize my face. I didn’t want him to see any emotions. So maybe Paul was safe, then again maybe not.
“Your resident bad boy, I kind of like him. He sees himself with you if not for his best friend. But he thinks in the end you’ll choose him as you are two of a kind. He too is of no real use for me.”
I twitched but I remained passive. How could I believe this thing that sat next to me? He couldn’t read minds otherwise he wouldn’t have asked the question.
“Then there is Angel boy,” he said. He had to be talking about Luke. His face was a bit angelic but Luke was no angel. His mind and hands at times were none that belonged to an angel, I thought to myself. “He gave you that pretty heart you’re wearing. He could have given you a cross for all he saved you, not that it would have helped.”
My hands betrayed me by coming to my throat. I touched the small puffy heart. It was solid and had a bit of weight to it. It anchored my task. “He may be of use. Only time will tell,” he said more to himself. I wasn’t sure what he meant but I was beginning to believe Luke wasn’t as human as I thought. This body snatching demon posing as my dead father had carelessly dismissed Paul as human, yet he claimed Luke is even more valuable than Flynn. I could ask him, but would that diminish my value if I was ignorant. I kept silent for now. He may reveal it own his own.
“You certainly have him fooled. That one loves you even though being with you could damn his soul,” he said gripping the steering wheel hard.
And there is was. The knowledge lay before me, yet I didn’t know what it all meant. How could I damn Luke’s soul? I knew kissing him could kill him, but damn him I didn’t know I had that ability.
“The one I seek wasn’t there tonight huh, Kayla,” he said dragging the name out in a bad imitation of Sebastian.
What did he need with him? What could a demon offer him? I was hoping I’d find out without speaking.
“Who would have thought you could tame a demon no less. He’s not half demon. He is the real deal. He has no ties to humanity and until you has shown no signs of mercy.” He looked at me then chuckled. “Sorry for the pun on your name. But you have to admit that works in this context. You make them all beg don’t you.”
I could feel his stare and refused to answer it keeping my attention to the road. My hands however betrayed me. I twisted them in and out of fist not knowing what to do.
“He had a task and he failed by his own choice no less. Could it be the mark on you that tamed the beast? Maybe the hero will come and save you yet. I hope he does.”
I wanted to yell What mark and why do you want Sebastian but something in me said he may not know as much as he admits. He could be baiting me to see what I knew. But then again, he had power. He’d pushed Luke into a wall restraining him. I didn’t know what he was but I kept quiet.
“Do you have his true name?” he asked all of a sudden.
“You should know his name if you know all the rest of it,” I said back.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “McKayla, Sebastian or Rat, whatever he is calling himself these days is not his true name. No he probably wasn’t stupid enough to give you his true name,” it said.
Needing answers, I said, “What does that matter?”
“With his name you can summon him and bind him to do your bidding,” he said.
I did remember Sebastian telling me that he knew when I was in trouble. Did I know his true name? I was sure I didn’t.
There had been no signs on the road we’d been traveling the last couple of miles. I had no idea where we were. There were nothing but trees and mountains. I couldn’t be sure we were still in Maryland. When he turned off on a gravel road, I cringed knowing we were soon to reach his destination. I couldn’t imagine this road would go on for miles. No one would travel on such a bumpy road for miles to come.
Soon after, we pulled up to a house. It was in walking distance to the bottom of a mountain. Turning back, I saw the trees hid this place good and proper from the road. The view was picturesque. The two story blue frame house with white shutters. All it needed was the white picket fence and it would be a watercolor picture come to life. It did have a faded wooded fence surrounding much of the property. If felt like a ranch, but I saw no livestock.
He parked and got out. He didn’t wait for me to come he just headed to the door. That nonchalant attitude of his scared me more. He was certain I had nowhere to go because he didn’t bother to wait for me. I trusted he was right and didn’t waste energy on running nor rain on his sense of superiority over me. It may come in handy later.
Chapter Thirty Eight
abjure (v.)to reject, renounce
He held open the battered white door as I walked inside. The place wasn’t the size of Flynn or Luke’s house but it was bigger than the home my mom and I had shared up until a few weeks ago. There wasn’t a fancy grand entranceway. We simply stood inside the modest living room. I could even see the kitchen peeking from the back of the short hallway. The furnishings were sparse and modest. The sagging beige sofa looked like it had been made when the house was.
Standing a few feet in the doorway, I held my hands folded. I wanted answers, I just wasn’t sure how to get them. With no super powers, I stood before the man thing that did have them. I was so going to take self defensive classes if I made it out of this alive. “What are we doing here?” I said with my immovable posture.
He looked at me and leaned back against the closed door. “Waiting for one of your suitors to come for you,” he said.
“And if they don’t,” I said defiantly. I hoped Luke wouldn’t come. The thing that called himself my father had already bested him. I didn’t want him hurt over me.
“My bets on Sebastian,” he said. “Luke just doesn’t have it in him. But maybe if he got his father involved,” he said voice trailing off. “But the old man doesn’t like you at all does he?”
The last wasn’t really a question. But I wasn’t going to answer anyway. It did make me think. I remember the snub Luke’s father had given me along with his disapproving gaze. How much did this thing know about me?
“The biggest question is who Sebastian will be coming for,” he said, chuckling to himself.<
br />
I didn’t’ understand his meaning. Was Sebastian in cahoots with him? He stood straight and walked over to me. I stiffened when he extended a hand to my hair. Either he didn’t notice or care because he caressed my face.
“You look a lot like my mother?” he said. He voice was soft and dream like. But quick and scary like, he seemed to snap out of it. He pulled his hand back. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill you for it, yet.” He’d paused before saying the last word and a chill ran through me. He had mommy issues. But so did I, lately at least. I didn’t want to think this way. We had nothing in common I tried to tell myself.
I took a long look at him. I had nothing to say and it was the first time I could really take in the view. He wore a devil worshiping band tee shirt revealed only because the black leather jacket he wore was open. I doubt the band itself was more than the hype they created. But the thing in the shirt could be the devil himself for all I knew. I hoped he wasn’t the real thing. The black tee with black jeans and boots had to be just to add to the scare guy persona he was putting up. But I’d seen him in action and I have to say I was truly scared. I fought not to show it.
“You ruined my birthday,” I said defiantly.
He laughed. “After seventeen years, I can’t spend one birthday with my daughter,” he said, with his arms folded mirroring my stance.
“My father’s dead,” I said stoically. I wouldn’t believe he was my father.
He didn’t look angry. The facial expression he gave me though almost made him look human. “I wouldn’t believe me either,” he said. “You and I are a lot alike.”
Back pedaling, I could feel my heart thud at the thought. “I am nothing like you,” I said, abjuring his evil nature. This time I had a finger pointed at him. He looked at me when I realized my fingers aimed and pointed at him like a gun. I dropped my arm.
“You don’t know me to say that,” he said. “It matters not McKayla. You will help me.”
I turned my head. His words had been matter of fact. He knew I would help him. Would he hurt my mom? He almost hinted that earlier. I bit back the tears that came with the thought of my mother being harmed. Once I had control I return my steel gaze back to his. “What do you want from me?”
Beg for Mercy - kindle edition v3 Page 35
