Demon Possession

by Kiersten Fay

  “There isn’t going to be a next time.”

  “There might be. And even if there isn’t,I stil feel like I should explore my gift, instead of burying it.”

  Bastian gave her a weary look but nodded, seeing that this was important to her. “I want you to be careful, go slow.”

  “I wil on one condition.” He raised an eyebrow. “You give up on Darius.”

  “No deal.”

  “Then I want to go with you.” Secretly she thought if she could evolve her gift,then she could help in taking Darius out. But she knew there was no way Sebastian would wil ingly let her anywhere near him again. In the back of her mind she knew she was grasping at straws, but what else could she do. She didn’t feel right about letting Sebastian risk his life—and Cale’s too—forherrevenge.

  “Again, no deal.”

  Anya’s shoulders slumped. “I’l be so worried if you go.”

  “I know, but he is a threat to you. It’s the only way I know to keep you safe. Tel you what, I’l let you choose the place where you, Marik, and Sonya wil stay until Cale and I get back.”

  Hmm … an opportunity?She could reject every place they show her. She would keep Bastian so busy looking for the perfect hideout he would never be able to go after Darius.

  “And no turning down every location just to keep me with you.” His lips twitched.

  Damn. She pursed her lips in displeasure.

  Bastian chuckled.

  “What do you mean you told her she could go!” Sebastian bel owed.Was everyone working against him?

  In the control room, Cale was seated at his station waiting for the ship to dock. Sonya had just entered—Anya trailing behind—to give him this nasty bit of news.

  Blithely Sonya replied, “It’s not a big deal.”

  “The hel it isn’t, these are pirates we’re talking about.”

  “You don’t seem to mind thatI’mgoing.” Sonya countered.

  “Sunny, you can take care of yourself, for the most part.”

  “What do you meanfor the most part?”

  Anya interjected. “Iwantto go. I’m getting al stark crazy.”

  “It’s stir crazy.” Sebastian grumbled.

  They were but minutes from reaching the coordinates Ethanule had given them. The expedition crew was to be himself, Cale, Sonya, Aidan, and a few other crew members. The party was big for a reason. Safety in numbers. He thought with three demons any problems would be quickly subdued, but that was before the addition of Anya.

  “I don’t feel right about this.” Sebastian’s instincts were screaming at him.Keep her safe!

  “Please, I real y do want to go. Besides, I’l have three surly demons to protect me.” She said, echoing his thoughts. “I promise to stay out of the way.” Her big blue eyes beseeched. As if he could say no, to something she desired.

  Grudgingly he said, “Fine, but stay near me at al times, and keep quiet.” Her smile was radiant, making him greedy for her. Once this was finished, he’d set to claiming his mate once and for al .

  Cale rol ed his eyes. “Ah, enough with the sweetness, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.” To Aidan he said, “Hey mate, where is this place. Thought we’d be there by now.”

  “I’ve checked the coordinates three times. We should be right on top of it. I’ve been scanning the area, there’s nothing here.”

  Col ectively the room went quiet.

  “Trap?” Cale suggested.

  Just then Aidan’s computer chirped, indicated an incoming transmission.

  Ethanule appeared on screen, seated in a chair that bordered on a throne. His dress was that of before, aristocratical y precise, with his deep-green petticoat and gold buckles that decorated each pocket.

  Sebastian noticed a tilt of Anya’s head as she appraised Ethanule.

  Gritting his teeth Sebastian said, “Is this some kind of trick? We’ve fol owed your directions. Why are you not here?”

  “Wel we’ve moved of course.”

  Sonya chimed in, “Obviously.”

  Ethanule’s gaze trailed down the length of Sonya’s body and slowly back up. Menacingly,Cale stoodto his ful height,and Sebastian moved to block his view of both Sonya and Anya.

  Anya merely peeked around his massive body, while Sonya pushed him aside, brazenly crossing her arms in chal enging gesture. Her tail flicked as a sign of her irritation.

  “Nice tail.” Ethanule said.

  “What’s your game pirate?” Cale snapped.

  Phlegmatic he replied, “There’s no game. The move was unavoidable. You’l see when you get here. I’m sending you a secure signal. Trace it. I’l expect you soon.” The screen went black.

  Sonya humphed, “What a pompous ass!”

  “Wel that pompous ass is going to get us our pay and get these wards down so we can get the fuck off this ship already.” Cale snapped.

  Aidan cal ed from hisconsole, “Captain, I have a trace on the signal. I’d say we can be there in two hours.”

  “Good, let’s finish this. Approach cautiously. Keep your eyes open for anything.”

  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Anya mouth to Sonya, “He looked nice.”

  “Sweetie,” she replied. “Your record with men is one-in-zero, and your taste,”—glancing at Sebastian—“is questionable. Trust me, that pirate has one hel of an ego on him.”

  Sebastian made a gesture to Sonya that Anya had come to know as flipping-the-bird. Sonya returned the gesture with a playful grin.

  Cale added to Sonya, “His ego couldn’t possibly be bigger than yours.”

  “Bite me Cale,” Sonya replied.

  “Not if you were the last female left in the universe.”

  Anya could only smile at the way the siblings interacted. It was rough but at the same time cute, in a way. They obviously loved each other but ripped on each other relentlessly. She loved it.

  Ethanule, to say the least, was intriguing. She couldn’t get a read on him—since he wasn’t actual y in the room—but … there was something odd about him.

  In her ear Sebastian whispered. “Is it necessary that you go? We’l have plenty of time forsightseeinglater. I can show you worlds the likes of which you could not imagine. A pirate’s lair would be anything but interesting in comparison.”

  “How could you say what would be interesting to me and what wouldn’t? I think a pirate’slairshould be very interesting.” And, she added to herself, if Sebastian was going then so would she. Anya intended to prove that he didn’t need to leave her behind for any reason.

  The groupwatched through the large window as they came upon thick clusters of space debris, smal at first,but asMaradaprogressed the smal dust and debris grew into smal rocks, and then boulders, and larger stil . Aidan had to maneuver the ship around them.

  “I think we’re here.” Aidan final y said.

  Leaning forward al Anyacould see was a huge asteroid. And they were heading right for it.

  The ship began to slow, Sebastian and the others watched quietly. Then she noticed a notch in the rock that looked deliberate. The lines were too straight to be of natural formation.

  “His base is inside an asteroid?” Sonya said credulously.

  Aidan eased the ship into the docking station. As they crossed the threshold, Anya felt a powerful release of energy. Sebastian noticed her slight intake of breath and gave her a questioning look. “I think I just felt the wards dissipate.”

  Behind them a thick metal wal dropped down, closing with a heavy sound. Loud whooshing sounds indicated that the docking bay was being securely sealed and pressurized.

  “Al right,” Sebastian had transitioned into captain mode. “Let’s go. Anya stays behind me. The rest fol ow behind her.” Sonya exited the ship at Anya’s side. Aidan and Cale took up the rear. Cale carried the package they’d come al this way to deliver.

  Two strong looking males greeted them. Fairly handsome, they both had light colored hair and deeply tanned skin. Saying nothing,the guards bowed politely, turned,
and indicated that the group was to fol ow.

  At an unhurried pace they walked through bare hal s that were carved from the rock, dirt, and ice that made up the core of the asteroid. Lights were hung garishly along one side of the cave-like structures il uminating their way every few hundred feet or so. A fine dust and bits of rock covered the floor.

  And the smel was amazing. It was dirty and dingy and didn’t smel particularly great, but it was raw. Anya inhaled deeply, remembering the smel of dirt.

  The two silent men lead them through a maze of dark identical caves until they reached a brightly lit large open area,where the ceiling was carved twice as high and curved near the top.

  More men that resembled the two they’d been fol owing lined the outer edge of the room and Ethanule sat, kingly, against the far wal . Studiously he raked his gaze over the group, lingering briefly on Anya, then Sonya, then final y the package in Cale’s arms. His eyes twinkled.

  “Thank you,” He started. “Your services are much appreciated. You have no idea how important these are to me.”

  Anya figured thethesehe’d referred to was whatever was in the box and dismissed his phrasing. She was more interested in the odd energy she was reading from him.

  Sebastian replied. “You’re welcome of course. I trust the wards were taken care of when we entered?”

  “Of course, of course, there is nothing to worry about.”

  With a tilt to his lips, Ethanule focused on her again. Anya couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something strange in his essence.

  Bastian took a step closer, “I assume that our pay is ready as wel ?”

  Ethanule smiled.

  Until nowAnya had been ignoring the energy imprints of the guards because they’d been nothing but benign, but the shift crashed into her. “Bastian the guards!” It was too late, when she turned to him a dart had already penetrated his neck. Bel owing he crumbled to her feet. The others were taken down just as quickly.

  She felt a prick in her arm. Looking down, a dart was there. She had time to pul it out before everything went black.

  Chapter 20

  A steady cloud of haze blanketed Anya’s mind. Her body was heavy, and sluggish to respond. Clumsily she pushed a lock of hair out of her face and rubbed her tired eyes.

  Cool air swept over her face but the rest of her body was quite warm.

  Recal ing the point of a dart sticking out of her flesh, she squinted, slowly opening her eyes. Dark red-brown blocks of a wal faced her. Rising up on her elbows she surveyed the rest of her surroundings.

  She was in a smal cel , alone.

  Where were Sebastian and the others?

  The same dark blocks that made up the wal s also lined the floor. She could tel they were thick, maybe by a foot. The only way out, a single heavy door with a smal barred window placed just high enough that she would need to jump to see out of it.

  Compared with the overal look of the cel , the accommodations were surprising. Instead of waking up shivering on a cold floor she was on a soft mattress and pil ow, a plush blanket wrapped around her. There was a tray of food sitting just beside the door. On closer inspection she expected it to be old or spoiled but it wasn’t. It looked … fresh.

  Odd.

  Not knowing what else to do Anya pushed the blanket off her and moved to the door. To her great disappointment the lock was the kind that required a metal key. She pushed on the door—knowing it wouldn’t budge—but stil she had to try.

  Sensing Sebastian was near she whispered, “Sebastian?”

  “Anya!” His voice rang out fol owed by a loud clang as if he’d slammed into a cel door of his own. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Where is everyone?”

  Sonya answered. “We’re al here.” The sound of their voices was close.

  “You’re al where?”

  “We’re al together in this cel , sounds like we’re just next to you.”

  “Why am I not with you?”

  “We don’t know.”

  Sebastian snarled, “Have they hurt you? Why have you not made yourself known until now?”

  “I just woke up. When did you wake up?”

  “A couple of days ago,” He sounded exhausted.

  “Days? Have I been sleeping that long?”

  Sonya’s voice again, “Aidan only woke up a few hours ago. Some of the others are stil out. Sebastian, Cale, and I were the first to wake. Let me tel you what a blast that has been,” she added sarcastical y. “Whatever they shot us with was potent enough to take down a demon so it’s having a stronger effect on everyone else.”

  “What about theMarada? What of the people on board?”

  “We don’t know.”

  Three loud bangs echoed outside her door, fol owed by a snarling Sebastian.

  “What was that?” Anya asked.

  Blasé Sonya replied, “Sebastian and Cale have been taking turns getting intimately acquainted with a five inch thick metal door.”

  She heard Cale say, “Anya, can you … you know … with your lock?”

  Sebastian interrupted, “No, we’l find another way.”

  Confused Anya replied, “What do you mean? The locks need a key” Her statement was fol owed by a brief silence.

  “Your lock isn’t electronic?”

  “No.”

  “Fuck.” Cale said bleakly.

  “What’s the matter?” She asked.

  “Ours is.”

  Anya digested this information. The cel with al the demons and crew members was secured by an electronic lock, and hers was not. Could the pirates know of her ability? Had they taken this precaution because they knew she could breach a mechanized lock?

  “Dammit,” Sebastian bit out. “Anya, I’l get you out of there.”

  “Actual y,” a new voice corrected. “I’l get her out of there.” It was Ethanule.

  A string of curses flew fromal threedemons lips.

  “Energetic bunch you al are.” Ethanule said, ignoring their graphic threats.

  Anya backed away from the door when she heard the sound of a key being inserted.

  Click.

  Ethanule was tal er than she thought he would be, as tal as Sebastian and his frame just as big. He wore a long dark coat over a deep-red sweater, black pants and thick black boots. The only trinkets he wore were the thick gold bands on his fingers.

  Ethanule smiled at her appraisal of him and bowed. “You like?”

  With disdain she replied, “Why have you locked us up?”

  Tilting his head in confusion he said, “To keep you from leaving of course.”

  Obviously. “Why would you want to do that?”

  He shrugged, “To answer that I’l need you to come with me.”

  Sebastian howled, “Let me out of here, you traitorous vermin. I wil rip your head from your body.”

  To Anya Ethanule said, “Wel , now I wil definitely not be letting him out.” Abruptly he turned. “Fol ow me. My chambers wil provide some much-needed privacy.”

  Anya took a step out of her cel . Two guards lined the wal facing the cel doors. Ethanule kept walking as if he expectedherto just fol ow.

  She did.

  “If you harm a hair on her head you wil regret it!” Sebastian grated.

  From behind her she heard Cale add, “That’s not a threat mate, that’s a fact.”

  When they reached one of the dim hal ways Ethanule commented to himself, “Fascinating. Loyalty in demons is hard to come by.” He gave her an admiring glance and walked on. “I apologize about the tranquilizer dart. I hadn’t wanted you to sleep quite so long and that particular dart was not meant for you, but … no harm done.”

  “Thank you for your concern,” Anya said, mimicking Sonya’s sarcastic tone. “Why don’t you get to the point?”

  “Just as impatient as your demons, aren’t you?” Ethanule stopped and opened a large door, gesturing for her to enter. When she didn’t he said, “Come on, I wil not harm you.”

  “You’l
understand if I don’t believe you.”

  “Pirates honor.”

  Anya entered the room, not because she trusted him, but because she knew he wasn’t real y giving her a choice. Two of his guards had fol owed close behind them.

  The room was magnificent in its splendor. Red, orange, and green linen draped the entire room, floor to ceiling. The floor was not dirt and dust but a spread of lush burgundy carpet. Lanterns lined the wal s and hung from the ceiling, giving off a warm glow throughout the room.

  There were three large chairs arranged around a smal table. One large desk sat against the wal opposite the door, a large heavy looking book lay atop it, the cover and spine shimmered with gold.

  Next to the desk, now open and empty, was the package Cale had been carrying—the package that Sebastian was supposed to have been paid for.

  Her rage flared.

  She heard a soft click and turned to see that Ethanule had closed the door behind him, watching her intently. No guards had fol owed. Anya took an involuntary step back into her fighting stance. He only smiled, enraging her further.

  “Brave little one.” He stepped forward and she lunged. She realized her mistake immediately but it was too late. He grabbed her wrist and twisted her around so that he was at her back and had managed to lock both her hands in place behind her. Cale had demonstrated a similar move many times, and she chastised herself for not seeing it coming.

  Hadn’t even got in a hit.

  Securing both her hands in one of his Ethanule raised a hand to her face. She flinched expecting him to strike her, but he only moved her hair aside, revealing one pointed ear. Her heart began to thunder.

  “What?” she feigned nonchalance as she struggled against his hold. “Never seen pointed ears before?”

  “I’ve seen ears like yours more often than you might think.”

  Ceasing her struggles, “You have?” Interest rapidly replaced fear.Could he know of my people?

  “Yes. I’l tel you about it if you like, though I much prefer conversations face to face. If I let you go wil you promise not to attack me again?”

  She nodded, not sure if she real y meant it.