by Megan Hepler
Kerrick walked to Demona, who was unconscious to what was taking place around her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, bringing her slightly back to reality.
Demona looked around. Hundreds of eyes stared at her from the bodies crouched on the floor or hidden under tables and chairs. Giant pieces of stalactites lay scattered about the chamber and a cloud of dust hovered in the air for several minutes before it slowly settled to the ground.
People began to stand once more, but none took their eyes away from Demona. The cavern was silent, even those who had been injured feared to make a noise. The demons had been dangerous, but Demona was something new and powerful.
Agrippa stopped chanting. Minutes later people began to look for and assist the injured. Most people were still staring at Demona. Nurse witches rushed into the cavern moments later.
Kerrick stood beside Demona. He had a firm grip on her, just in case she lost control again.
Soon, Darius moved near her. “I suppose we ought to tell everyone who you are now. After all, there is not much sense in trying to deny it any longer,” Darius said.
The cavern had been destroyed. Decorations littered the floor others had partially hung from the cavern walls. People were talking and searching for friends or family who had been lost among the chaos.
“Oi! May I have your attention?” Darius said, “I would like you all to meet the Mythos, Demona Brennan. And thank you so much, Demona, for driving those pesky demons away.”
The room went silent once more. A few whispered to one another. They understood now. Some seemed relieved to know what Demona was, while others seemed even more terrified than before.
“Kerrick, would you mind taking Demona home. I think that she has had enough for tonight,” Darius said.
Kerrick pulled her arm in the direction of the entrance. Demona walked in a daze, she was emotionally and physically exhausted. Her brain had been unable to function after her explosion. It took a little while for her to even realize that Kerrick was leading her towards the entrance of the chamber.
She looked around at the destruction she had caused. Guilt began to consume her. When they passed, some of the creatures around her stared with revulsion. Others knelt and bowed as she walked past. When they reached the exit the noise had resumed and people began to move around the chamber.
Demona looked back as Kerrick led her away. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Chapter 22
Change
Kerrick walked Demona through a portion of Terra Hollow that she had never been before. This section of the cavern was darker and quieter. It was a long tunnel with multiple intersecting tunnels branching off in different directions. The dim lights that hung from the cavern ceiling flickered slightly as they made their way. Now and then they passed a wooden door on the cave wall. Demona suspected that this might be the residential portion of Terra Hollow.
Demona was still in shock from what had happened and let Kerrick lead her blindly through the tunnel. The only thing she was aware of was that they had continuously walked down the same tunnel, which seemed to stretch onward forever. They came to a stop at a location with two large wooden doors. A lighted sign hung above the door reading, Chasm Resort. Kerrick opened the door and they walked inside.
Demona could hardly tell that they were below ground. The lobby of the resort was brightly lit, unlike other portions of Terra Hollow. It was pristine and beautifully decorated. Corinthian pillars held up the high ceilings that towered above. Demona could have sworn she stood in a luxury hotel in the human world, if it had not been for the supernatural creatures inside.
An imp sat on a high chair behind the check-in counter. She looked up as they approached. The imp was small and middle aged. Her gray hair was tied in a bun on top of her head. Her little hands grasped a pencil as she jotted down something in a book.
“Mr. Balen, your room is ready. Here is your key, your room is up the left staircase,” the imp said.
Kerrick took the skeleton key that she had handed him and directed Demona up the stairs. They made their way up a grand spiraling staircase with dark marble stairs. When they made it to the top they turned down a hallway lined with crystal globed lamps. Kerrick stopped at room number 423 and unlocked the door.
They stepped inside a room with a very large bed. It held all of the luxuries of a human hotel, down to the mini fridge. There were only a few slight differences, such as the shelves along the wall where a few unfilled vials were placed. The artwork was not your usual hotel paintings either. Instead of ships in water or scenery, the paintings showed ships being eaten by krakens or dragons flying over autumn colored forests.
Kerrick threw his mask and dinner jacket on the bed. Then, he loosened his bow tie. Demona stood there and watched him; she was unwilling to move now that they were very much alone.
“What?” Balen asked.
Demona did not respond. She continued to stare at him.
“What? I thought this would be romantic. The big fancy masquerade, us all dressed up, and the hotel to finish the night off. It’s about time we made it this far don’t you agree?” Kerrick asked. He lit a candle on the dresser.
Demona’s mind was beginning to catch up to what had happened at the masquerade. She found her voice again. “You have no right!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know…”
“Know what?”
Demona clenched her fists. “How dare you, try to get me to sleep with you. I can’t believe how naive I’ve been this whole time.”
“Now, hold on. What are you getting at?”
“This has all been one giant lie. You and Darius have played me. I know everything!”
Kerrick noticed the candle’s flame double in size, he sat on the bed. “Oh… How did you find out?” He sat down on the bed and waited for her response.
“The demon priest, he connected with me. He showed me a conversation between you and Darius. One you had in his office right before I became your partner. He asked you to play me. He told you he was my master,” Demona said. “It all makes sense now. How you were always so hot and cold with me. The distance and the lack of emotional attachment, I should have seen it all!”
“Yeah, you’re not really my type,” Kerrick said.
“I don’t believe that. I know you felt something at some point. You did give in to your feelings a time or two.” Demona clenched her fists. “It also explains why you and Darius have been having arguments. I assume it has something to do with me, but I don’t know about what.”
“Darius was angry, he knew that Felix was back and that I was losing you to him,” Kerrick said.
“How can you be so cold? I am so done with you, with all of this!” Demona said. “I’m leaving.”
“Alright, but remember we go back to being strictly partners. That was the agreement.”
“No, I said I was done with all of this. I’m leaving TGHC for good!” Demona said. “I never belonged here anyway.”
“You cannot just leave. Darius will never allow it.” Kerrick stood and pointed his finger at her as if to lecture her on her decision.
Demona shook. “If Darius had ever cared he would have been there for me from the beginning. He is my master and he neglected me!”
“You can’t turn your back on him!”
“You make me sick!” Demona faced the door and gripped the door knob.
“Wait! We still need GLC to deal with the demon priest. You saw what happened tonight,” Kerrick said.
“You’re on your own!”
Demona opened the door. “Right now I don’t want to even think about TGHC, or you. One day Kerrick, one day I will have questions for you and I expect answers.” Demona left the room.
****
Demona made it out of the long residential tunnel, to her car, and back to her apartment building. She drug herself up the stairs and down the hallway to her apartment. She stuck her key in the door knob and then her hands began to shake. She began to sob, s
oftly at first. Tears blurred her vision as she fumbled to open the door. Demona’s legs gave in and she collapsed onto the floor.
A roaring wind swept past her and down the hallway. Her hair flew in all directions. Demona knew she should control herself, but in that moment she did not care.
Hannah must have heard her crying, or maybe it was the wind. When Hannah’s apartment door opened she saw Demona curled on the floor. She ran to comfort Demona. Hannah helped Demona up, walked her into her apartment, and she assisted Demona to her sofa.
Demona fell to the sofa unable to stand because she was completely consumed with grief and exhaustion. She and Hannah sat there for hours. Demona buried her face in Hannah’s shoulder as she let the pain fall away.
Hannah was there for her and she asked no questions. Hannah was the friend Demona always thought she would be.
Demona’s sobs racked her body and they soon turned to hyperventilation. Hannah held her tight, while rubbing her back.
“It’s okay. It will be alright,” Hannah said.
Eventually, Demona had cried all of the tears that her body would allow. Her sobs began to soften and exhaustion settled in. Her mind was numb from the events that had unfolded since the masquerade. She was not able to function.
Hannah got up from the sofa where Demona sat and stared into nothingness. She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it tightly around Demona. She grabbed a pillow and assisted Demona in lying down. Hannah sat on the floor beside the sofa gently stroking Demona’s back. The sobs dissipated and eventually Demona drifted off to sleep.
Demona woke the next morning to find Kaleb, Felix, and Hannah seated at the kitchen island. Before she stirred she listened to their conversation.
“She’s a what?” Felix said.
“They call her the Mythos. They have a prophecy that the Mythos will come and will destroy either the light or dark beings. It’s Demona, she’s the Mythos,” Kaleb said. “GLC has a similar prophecy.”
“Hey, you’re awake!” Hannah said.
“Yeah,” Demona replied. She stretched and got to her feet. Then she wrapped the blanket around her. She groggily made her way to the island and sat on the empty stool.
Kaleb, Felix, and Hannah all looked at her. The world seemed as if it had stopped after the events of the night before.
Demona kept reliving the memory of Darius and Kerrick over and over. “So, you know what I am?”
They nodded.
“GLC never truly understood the prophecy, but they have a similar one,” Kaleb said.
“I’m still trying to figure it all out. I only have pieces of the puzzle,” Demona said. “Darius was keeping me in the dark, about a lot of things.”
“Maybe we can work it out together,” Felix said.
“What happened last night?” Hannah asked.
Demona felt their eyes glued to her. “I discovered a secret about Darius and Kerrick… I left TGHC, and I will never go back.”
“What are you going to do now?” Kaleb asked.
“The prophecy says I will choose a side. It’s time that I got to know GLC.” Demona said. “I choose light.”
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
This book could not have been completed without the continuous support from my husband, Josh Hepler. Thank you for the inspiration and constructive criticism. Thank you for putting up with my obsession over Demona and the story plot. Thank you for proofreading and for your patience throughout the process.
Thank you to Joey Krick, for giving me an insight into how military personnel refer to one another. Thank you to my family and friends for always supporting me in my crazy ideas. Thank you to Amy Hosterman and Jeff McElhare for providing me with information on the self-publishing process. Thank you, Mary Clayton for proofreading and editing the manuscript. Thank you to my beta readers: Tricia VanVorce, Laura Jones, Amy Hosterman, Eli Frey, Sue Delp, Stefani Wilmoth, and Lichelle Moyer.
I want to thank the American Public University System and my professors for helping me to expand my mind and give me inspiration. Thank you to Cam Rea and Ben Sorensen, fellow members of the Saber & Scroll History Club, for providing me with the word kataphraktos.
I must also thank my blog readers and social media friends/fans for showing your support. Thank you to all of my readers for taking the time to read my first novel. Thank you to all other friends and family for your continuous support and encouragement through this process. I could not have done this without you all.
