Imps & Angels

by Indra Frost

  I was vulnerable, and it wasn't just them I had to contend with, but memories of being bound to a table and having pain forced upon me while I was unable to fight back.

  My chest was heaving, but I wasn’t able to draw in a breath. My vision started to darken as more weight was added to my arms and legs. Memory after memory played out before my eyes, and I almost forgot where I was.

  Footsteps came towards me, hardly audible over the sounds of my own rasping breaths. I wanted to scream, to cry out in terror, memories of helplessness overtaking my mind, and taking rational thought with it.

  Raum leaned over the heads of his men, giving me a sinister, sharp-toothed smile, and I had to bite back a scream. Screaming only made things worse. Memory fought with reality, and I was left panting for breath, not able to use any of the skills I had worked so hard to master.

  I was panicking, not caring about the consequences if I used my abilities. My breath was sawing in and out of my lungs, my vision going hazy until the only thing that was clear to me was the memory of a man’s cruel smile. I had to get out of here, had to get away. No matter what.

  I wasn’t thinking about Raum, or even Greg, I was only thinking about escaping. My magic stirred inside me, fire burning pleasantly through my limbs. I wasn't being logical; I was trying to survive. I was about to conjure my fire, about to burn everything to cinders, when darkness clouded the sky above me. A massive shadow fell over us, and brought me back to the present as everyone present looked up to the sky.

  A large shape cast its shadow and caused the breath to freeze in my lungs. Raum looked up and so did his men, his hostile confusion letting me know that this situation was about to get worse for all of us.

  I struggled harder, taking advantage of the men that had diverted their attention from holding me down. The ones holding me turned back, grinding my arms into the asphalt so hard it broke my flesh. The smell of my blood scented the air, and the fear I felt was so overwhelming that I had to dull what I was pulling from the men around me so I could work on tempering my own emotions.

  The shadow above us grew larger as whatever was coming started its descent.

  The men above me held their ground, but they didn't seem to know whether to stay, or run away from what they were seeing. A glare from Raum had them holding their ground, but I definitely wasn't the only one that was scared now.

  I was forced to watch the creature descend, but I felt Raum’s confidence turn to frustrated confusion. It gave me hope for all of two seconds before I realized that it wasn’t just him that would have to deal with the consequences of this new player. But, it was a relief to find that he wasn’t sure what was happening either. It meant that whatever threat was coming, it wasn’t on his side. I could try to turn this into an enemy of my enemy situation. Whatever was coming might be powerful enough to take him on, and I could use that to my advantage.

  A snarl released from my throat when the shifter stomped on my stomach as I tried once again to get away. But the other three men and Raum were turning toward the new threat.

  The creature landed quietly, yet the ground almost seemed to shake with the immensity of the new threat. Immediately two of Raum’s men ran off to fight, the fear they felt ratcheting up even as they went.

  The alley filled with the sounds of pained shouts echoing off the buildings around us as I craned my head and fought to escape, but I wasn’t able to see what was actually happening.

  My empathy was overwhelmed with the men’s fear as they faced off against this new threat, and I took the chance to pour on the strength and pull one of my arms free, not wanting to lose the opportunity that had presented itself. My arm ground painfully into the ground, taking a layer of my skin as I used my strength to drag it and bring it up.

  I punched the man holding my other hand and then went for the man at my feet.

  A giant hand came down on my shoulder, stopping me before I could even really start. Raum's fingers dug into my collar bone and had me biting back a wince, as I didn’t want to let him know that it hurt.

  “Where do you think you're going? Tell your friend to stop whatever he’s doing. Now.”

  I looked at Raum, his face angry as he towered over my head. But all I felt was confused frustration.

  What in the hell was he talking about?

  His stature was huge compared to my own and his harsh features were pronounced as he glared at whatever damage was being done to his people.

  I tried to look as well, turning my head, but I wasn’t able to see anything. The three men that were previously holding me stood guard in front of Raum, and me by default. I stood at his urging, though I was still too short to see what was happening. I thought I saw giant wings, but they were gone too fast for me to be sure.

  Raum squeezed harder and I hissed in pain, his claws digging furrows along my collar bone. Blood ran rivulets from where his fingers pressed, breaking the skin there. It was a sharp bite of pain and it helped me clear my head, the fear from before loosening its grip on me.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I grunted at him, trying to pull my shoulder away from his hand.

  My fear from before still wasn’t gone, but I was finally able to breathe again. He dug in harder, not letting me shift even an inch. I gritted my teeth but didn’t fight back. His claws were close enough that it would take no effort for him to slit my throat.

  “Well, if he didn’t come with you, then he came for you. I don’t have any dealings with creatures like him,” he spit the word like it was a curse, making me even more curious to see what was going on.

  I wasn’t sure what he saw, but it scared him. That was exactly what this reaction was: fear. This act he was putting on was all a front to hide how scared he was. He was terrified by whatever he was seeing, but he was also covetous, too.

  I hid a shudder, not wanting to see something that could cause both fear and want in a crime lord like this troll. Territory leaders tended to covet those they saw as powerful, trying to get them to work for them by whatever means necessary. And by the look on his face, he wanted whatever he was seeing, even if he was terrified.

  Raum pushed me forward, and I tripped over my own feet, until he was the only thing holding me up. He didn’t stop, and instead just held me tighter as we continued, not allowing me to catch my balance. He all but dragged me in front of his men until we were standing feet away from the one he feared.

  My eyes widened at the sight before me. The three men were fighting a creature the likes of which I had never seen before. And it was both the most beautiful, and the most terrifying, beast that I had ever seen.

  Standing in front of us was a giant, winged panther. Its black fur shone under the sun, gold shimmering along its hide in patterns that looked like runes. It was the size of a bus, wings blocking the street behind him with their mass, though they still weren’t fully extended. The large, feathered limbs were so dark they reflected blues and purples in the light. His eyes were a large, glowing, golden color that matched the lines running through his fur. I couldn’t help the awe I felt at the glorious creature in front of me.

  I thought they were a myth. They were said to be beasts of the fae realm, and I thought they were no longer allowed to cross the barrier. Any that had been here already were supposedly hunted and killed into extinction. It was horrible, but from his size alone I could understand their terror.

  I didn’t feel an ounce of fear at seeing him, not like Raum did. I knew he could kill me with a swipe of his paw, but I was so enamored with him that I wouldn't have minded going out that way.

  Better him than whatever Raum had planned.

  The few Supes that were holding off the creature turned and saw Raum, then started to run toward us. The winged creature stopped attacking when he saw us, head tilting at an angle like he was curious about what he was seeing. After a moment he sat down, looking for all the world like a domesticated house cat that wanted attention and praise.

  He stared at us, his eyes caut
ious and curious, and I had to wonder if he was after anything at all. He could have been protecting his territory. Our fighting before wasn’t quiet; if this was his territory, someone should have known. Raum would have known, but he was as surprised as I was to see such a magnificent creature here. Though, I'm sure he would use a different word to describe the winged cat in front of us.

  Raum shoved me forward, not releasing his hold and the jaguar tensed. I pushed back against Raum’s hand, not wanting to aggravate the giant creature. Then I looked up into the bright, shining golden eyes of the winged beast.

  My breath caught in my throat at the intensity of his gaze as it rested on me, but something about it felt off. It wasn’t completely animalistic. The intelligence I felt was human in nature. I examined it closer, but it didn’t feel like a shifter either. There was none of the animal aggression I had learned to expect with a shifter.

  “This is what you came for, isn’t it?” Raum shook me as he spoke, the fear in his voice barely audible.

  The jaguar tucked his wings against his back as his eyes held me captive. He continued our stare down even as they narrowed at Raum’s words. I wasn’t sure what this large winged creature wanted from me, but I felt something like agreement register against my empathy. He was here for me.

  I felt the fear of an unknown threat, and frustration at the fact that I didn’t know what was happening. First, there was the angel and vampire in the gym, then, the wizard on the street that seemed to be connected to the two. This winged cat had come to find me right after I had escaped the wizard, one who had tried to place a tracker on me. It didn’t make sense, and it made me more nervous than before. Why were there suddenly so many people coming after me? What did they want?

  I didn’t know this creature, though, and I didn’t know what he was capable of. My guess is that if they wanted something from me, it couldn't be good. In fact, if they were willing to put this much effort into it, it probably meant bad things for me. Very bad.

  At least my death would come at the paws of this beautiful creature, and not at the hands of my demon master.

  Overwhelmed, and not entirely sure what to do, I used this pause to think of something that may help me. I hoped that, with everything that was happening here, maybe I could use their distraction to my advantage and escape. The longer I stood there though, the more apparent it became that I would need to act soon if I wanted to have a chance. Just as I was about to launch a full out assault, I felt something else come from the troll beside me. A hesitation so brief I almost missed it.

  Ignoring the pain of Raum grip, I made my move. I stomped on Raum’s foot and swung my elbow up and back, hitting his jaw and snapping his head to the side. I then ripped myself from his grip and ignored the growls that came from both him, and the creature that was now behind me. I couldn't waste time. There were too many moving parts, and the threat was still there.

  I didn’t waste time checking to see if Raum was down, and instead I pulled on my speed and booked it for the alley to the left. It brought me closer to the panther, but I had to take my chances if there was any hope of escape.

  Both Raum and the panther reacted too slowly. Raum wasn’t able to grab me again before I got out of his reach. The panther made like he was going to stop me, but I was using the speed my abilities afforded me, and very few creatures could keep up with me when I did.

  I ran through an alley, listening to the fading sounds of voices calling out in surprise. I took random twists and turns, not hearing anyone following me. Raum had more problems to deal with right now. I didn’t stop running, but I did allow some of my fear to drain away.

  I had managed to escape without giving too much of my abilities away, so that would have to be enough for now.

  There were nine levels of hell, each one ruled by a demon lord. Nine Princes of Hell as they liked to call themselves, and they all fell under the rule of the King. The levels in hell weren’t separated by race or type of demon, but by power. To rule a ring of Hell was to be the strongest demon of that level.

  Most of the currently ruling demon lords were higher level demons than those like Greg. They found it easier to take over a lower level than to always fight for the top spot. When looking at the levels, the higher the number, the more powerful the demon. The ruler of the ninth level was second in power only to the King of Hell himself.

  Higher demons kept to their own world, though it wasn't for a lack of trying to come earth-side. More power meant it was harder for them to get through. There weren't many magic users who were willing to summon something more powerful than them. Not when they couldn't control it. That meant the demons who were often summoned were between levels one and three. There were a few like Greg that would take advantage of the human underworld once they were here. But unless you could cover your tracks and back up your claims, getting noticed meant getting yourself killed, or sent back to Hell.

  Without seeing them every day, people had started to forget there were more powerful demons out there. Hearing about the hell gates being shut gave them a false sense of security. It was a security that I didn't have. I knew the truth.

  I knew that the higher demons could still access this world. I was forced to remember every time I used my own abilities. Higher level demons were out there, and if I wasn’t a half-breed, I would have been one of them.

  I escaped, running all the way back to the warehouse. I took a random route so that no one could follow me, but my head was pounding, making it hard to concentrate. I couldn’t be sure that I wasn’t tailed, but I was too tired to make sure that I hadn’t been.

  I made my way slowly up the stairs, the hard concrete sending painful shockwaves up my legs to my sore back. The sound of my steps seemed to echo in the air as it bounced back at me. When I reached the top floor, the place where I kept my things, I stopped.

  I didn’t dare move into the room.

  Something was wrong.

  Cautious and on guard, I crept forward a few steps as the same odd feeling from before swept over me. My eyes swept around the room, taking everything in. I was in the room now, but I didn’t want to go any further until I checked out every corner of the large room.

  My blankets were still there, and my small piles of belongings and the other random dust and debris appeared the way I had left it this morning. Nothing looked out of place, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed, that something was wrong.

  Was it only this morning that Lucy and I had left? It felt like it was days ago.

  I swept the room with my senses as I walked, trying to look for any magical booby traps. The feeling faded the longer I looked, and I decided it was only the residual adrenaline from being attacked earlier as I trudged to my collection of blankets. I had been followed, not once, but twice, and attacked by Raum and his crew as well.

  Laying down, I stared up at the ceiling, the cold bite of the floor seeping through the few thin blankets I was on top of. I could feel my body healing, the concussion from earlier the only thing that hadn't stopped hurting. I felt my shirt, fingers picking out the little holes in the fabric. Another shirt ruined. I pulled my shirt away from the small crescent scars now decorating my shoulder. The scars would fade over the next couple of hours, along with any remaining injuries.

  I ran my finger over the raised shapes, angry and upset that someone else had left reminders I didn’t want on my body. Would I ever be free and in control of myself? Would someone always have power over me? Raum may not have held my contract, but for the brief moment that he was holding my shoulder, he’d had all the control.

  Memories ran through my head. The lack of control is what upset me the most. It wasn’t the pain or the torture; it was knowing that whatever was coming, whatever was about to happen, I couldn’t stop it. And I desperately wanted to.

  I worked to clear the memories and emotions from my mind and my eyes started to drift shut, unable to keep them open any longer. The adventures of the day had mixed with my lack of slee
p the night before and it was catching up to me.

  Sighing, I turned onto my side, the cold cement digging in and making the little aches and pains flare up. The pain was almost a comfort at this point. It meant I was still alive to feel its bite, even if I was a prisoner to a contract I had no choice in.

  I would have to start on the job search again tomorrow. Once I found one, I would be able to start saving and buy some clothes that weren’t looted from others. I wanted to be able to get a job and save to find a crap apartment. I wanted a car, and all the other things that people complained about. I wanted to have a normal life. I didn’t want to be tied to a demon, forced to do things I didn’t want to against my will.

  But the contract was holding me back, so I needed to find a way to break it. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, though. Six years of trying hadn’t gotten me anywhere, and I had searched for any loophole I could find.

  I had searched all the books I could get my hands on, and even spoken to a couple of shady people in the hopes I would be able to find something. There wasn’t a way that I was able to find, not that wouldn’t put me in a worse situation than I was in now.

  Every time I tried to find a new way out, the contract would extract its punishment from me in the form of pain. It was supposed to stop me from trying, but every time it tried to burn me alive from the inside out, I just grew more determined to find a way to break its hold.

  If it came down to it, I would do something drastic. If I couldn't get out of this and still keep my life, then I would do something that may get me killed. I didn't want to do that, but it may be the only thing that was left to try.

  Tossing and turning, I gave up on getting comfortable, something I had never really been able to do on the cement anyways. My thoughts finally slowed enough for exhaustion to take over. The feelings of doom pushed back, for now.