Kasadya Hellhound Twisted

by Swart, Karen

  “Gracias,” Amon replied and smiled at me. Yeah, we might be beneath their abilities, but we sure can pack a punch.

  “Would you be able to feed this Intel from here into Corra?” Chax asked Abby, who was looking like she was about to burst out of her skin.

  “Oh yes, this is perfect just what we needed. I can create a direct uplink with her and presto, we are in business,” she confirmed, looking around the room.

  Amon turned to me with a questionable look, but I just held up my hand and shook my head. Explaining to him that the young harpy was Exsilium’s Einstein was going to take too long. “Caim, get Astin and Don over here, they need to see this,” Chax said after a while of checking out the Intel room. Caim nodded and shifted out, and Chax turned his eyes back to me. “How many rooms do you have, Amon?” Chax asked, his eyes not moving from mine. I almost jumped out of my own skin; oh please say we are moving in! Amon looked at him for a while then asked one of the guys to fetch Melissa. Chax’s eyes didn’t move from mine, and I was starting to feel a bit out of place.

  His stare can have a really bad effect on someone, and in my case the worst. I dropped my eyes and started to play with a device lying on the table next to me. Oh that’s still so creepy. Melissa came strolling in a minute or two later and stopped dead in her tracks, seeing all the fallen in our Intel room. She looked at Amon, confused as to why everyone was there. “Melissa, honey. How many rooms do we still have open?” Amon asked, giving her a wink. Immediately Melissa’s smile was so big on her face, I was worried it would be going past her ears.

  “About twenty five I think,” she confirmed and gave me a wink, too. I was so excited I had a hard time containing myself.

  “Will it suffice, if we were to use this facility for a while? I believe Don and Astin would have a lot of work here,” Chax asked Amon. My heart dropped down to my stomach so fast I couldn’t take a breath. Oh come on! Amon looked at me, and then at Chax.

  “That would be fine, Chax. However we can assist in the cause against evil,” Amon replied and was, by the look of it, just as disappointed at Chax’s question. Why did I get stuck with Chax! Could I not have had a normal functioning Custos? Just then, Caim shifted in with Astin and Don next to him, jerking me back to my lunatic reality.

  “Chax, you called for us?” Don asked, looking around the room. Chax quickly explained the Intel room and what it had to offer. Within minutes more fallen shifted in and were getting training on how the setup worked. “I can’t believe we got duped out of our own compound,” I moaned when I went to stand next to Kali. She looked up and around the room.

  “We basically lost our own Intel room within minutes. I am not going to say it, Kas,” she said, looking down at the keyboard and ignoring me.

  “Hey, come on I was trying to help, not give our compound away,” I replied, giving her a pout of my own.

  “Kas, I said I won’t say it. Just … just keep in mind what just happened the next time you’re brain kicks in,” she finished and moved to Ryan’s station.

  I slumped down in the chair she had beem sitting in. She’s right again. I suck so bad with this whole save the world gig. I looked at the monitor and played with the mouse, the rest of the room buzzing with activity. “Kas, are you all right?” Max asked, coming to sit next to me.

  I looked up at him and smiled. “Yeah, just bummed out that we can’t move back,” I replied.

  Max gave me that sneaky smile of his. “It doesn’t matter whether we stay here or in Exsilium. What is important, Kas, is that you are helping not only the humans but the fallen as well. We are starting to combine our resources to fight back,” he said, moving to pick up my face by placing his hand under my chin.

  “Yeah, but is still sucks,” I complained again. He leaned forward and gave me a small kiss.

  “You did good, Kas, because of you tomorrow will be easier,” he finished with a smile. He got up and walked back to Ben and Leo, who were now grinning at me, throwing me a wink. I was left in denial and shock about his open kiss. Quickly looking around to see who else saw us, I only found Chax looking, but he turned around and continued on with his conversation, leaving me feeling like I had just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Nanini was running around the room, checking out this switch and asking about that button, and I could see the guys had a hard time keeping up with her questions.

  Lada came to sit next to me. “Well this is definitely going to be new. Fallen using human technology to gain Intel. You keep surprising me,” she said, smiling at me.

  “Yeah, too bad Kali doesn’t think so,” I said, nodding in Kali’s direction.

  Lada looked at her then back at me. “Don’t stress about it, I remember Kali to be very territorial. She will relax in a short while,” Lada replied. Yeah that must be it.

  “All right team, we are moving out and leaving this to Astin and Don,” Chax suddenly said and walked out of the doors. The whole gang was up and moving in super speed. I, of course, sighed got up and slumped after them. At the helicopter pad Chax and the rest were waiting just for me. “Can we get this over with tonight, Kasadya!” Chax yelled, having me picking up the pace and joining them.

  “Remember, we hit ground and start moving in unison, no Braveheart stuff. Got it, Kasadya?” Chax said, looking at me. I just nodded; I didn’t have the energy for a fight right now. Chax shifted us straight into a night club packed with demons. The moment the demons registered what just joined the party all hell broke loose. Chax moved in front, leading the pack. Moving in unison like he had emphasized, Ben and Nanini blasted the light bombs. Ryan, Lada, and Lotan were giving them hell on the west side. Max, Caim, and I were fighting at the east side of the pack. Finally Kali took up the rear, hacking away at the ones at the back.

  As they came at us we moved fast, Max grabbing the first one and slicing off his head. Ducking low, I swiped my left sword at the one coming from his back taking his head, my right hand taking the one coming from in front. The air changed again, and next Don and his team joined us. For once the demons weren’t shifting out, they stayed for the fight. With the more fallen to cover each others backs, we moved out of formation and got our game on.

  “Up!” Max yelled and I ran to step into his hand, jumping over the group of demons in front of Caim and Chax. I landed in the back starting to take them down from there; Max joined me by jumping over. We were having the time of our lives, and I was enjoying every moment of it. Using my wings, I flipped a few away from me and straight into the others swords watching as their heads got taken in the process. I jumped on one’s head, swinging over and bringing him to the ground. The moment I was off him, Max took his head. Oh this is the life! Light bombs were flying all over the place, followed by Don’s fire fae’s bombs. Demons caught fire and were running hopelessly right into the others’ swords.

  “Kasadya!” Chax yelled behind me and I turned just in time to step back from a bull demon. It turned and stormed again, its head held low for the punch. Two steps from me I moved and just as his head picked up I swiped under his chin taking his head, the storming rest of his body running smack into a wall. Admiring my work, my feet were swiped out from under me and I landed hard on the ground. The point of a snake-like tail moved quickly past my face. Moving fast, I crouched and looked around. Here snakey, snakey. It was moving between everyone’s feet, and was turning to come back to me. Its speed was very impressive, not even the fallen noticed that something was moving around them.

  I kept my eyes on it and just as it cleared Lada and Lotan it stormed for me. Waiting for the last second, I moved to the right bringing my swords down with power and cutting its ugly head off with one swipe. The rest of its body struggled and coiled around me, still trying to have the final fight, but it was too late. You need a brain to control your body, that’s why we take the heads. The snake body fell away from me, and I stood up flinging out my wings at some of the demons seeing me as easy pickings. I moved forward and took out a chicken demon thing moving to attac
k Chax from his back, and I just had to do it when I reached him. “Focus Chax,” I said, moving away from his frowning face. I reached Caim and smiled at him. “How you doing, old man?” I teased him.

  “Never been better!” he yelled back, taking two demons with his swords. “I feel like I am sixteen again.” We moved to stand back to back.

  “Oh hell no, that’s just creepy.” I laughed, taking two demon heads. We both laughed as we continued on.

  Soon the noise died down in the club and the last demon shifted to safety, leaving us breathing hard but satisfied. “Dude! That was freaking awesome!” Nanini yelled, high fiving Lotan who was smiling at her. Chax, Caim, and Don moved quickly to get rid of the remaining bodies, and the rest of us re-joined talking about our super moves and stuff. Max nodded his approval at me smiling. Oh yeah, this girl has some moves. Lada came to stand next to me.

  “When we get back remember to teach me that move you did with the snake. I was running towards, you completely shaken,” she said, smiling at me.

  “No special move, just wait your chance and take it. They are pretty stupid and can’t really think that far,” I replied and she burst out laughing.

  “That’s it for the night, let’s get back to Amon’s compound and report another club closed,” Chax pitched in after they were done. Shifting back to the compound we stormed in laughing, talking, and having the time of our lives. We turned the hall and everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Raphael and Michael were standing in the hall and to their left stood a demon. Not just any demon … Draco. Before I knew what had come over me I was storming them swords drawn and ready for the kill. I could see Raphael holding up his hands and saying something, but I didn’t care. This moment was mine.

  Just when I reached him, Michael grabbed me and shoved me out of the collision course. I turned around, pissed off beyond reasoning. My vision moved from clear to red, and I had a hard time focusing on anything around me. All I could see was Draco now cowering behind Raphael and Michael. “Move!” I yelled at them, but they just stood their ground.

  Chax came into my view and yelled at me, “I said back down, Kasadya!” His face moving from clear to red. And I could see the shock registering on his face, so it was a real freaking surprise when someone jumped me from the right and took me to the ground. I struggled and turned around, ready to bite the hands holding me, until I saw Max’s concerned face coming into view. “Kas, stop,” he pleaded. I knew what he was saying made sense, but my body’s mission was already on a move and not backing down.

  “Kas, we need you to calm down,” Michael said, his face now blocking my view of Draco. “We can explain this, just breathe.” Hell I tried, I really did but it was like a fire was ignited in me and needed to burn out. Amon came into view next and I could see his face wasn’t really happy; he placed his hand on my head and my red vision moved to complete darkness. Demon, was my last thought before I was lost in it completely.

  Chapter 9

  I woke up with a massive hangover, my head clouded and pounding like hell. Growling, I grabbed it and held on hoping the pain would subside. What the hell happened? Did someone hit me over the head or something? And then I remembered Amon’s hands on my head and the lights out afterwards. I flew up and looked around; I was in a compound room, not Exsilium. Sitting in the corner was Chax watching me. “Good morning,” he greeted, no smile on his face to make that greeting sound genuine.

  I arched my eyebrows. “Is it now? The last I remembered my team took me down to protect a demon. There can be no good in that,” I replied, moving my legs over and placing them on the floor. My head was pounding so hard it felt like a vein was about to pop, but I didn’t give that away.

  “If you had stopped and listened to Michael and Raphael, you would have known the reason for the demon’s presence. But you didn’t,” he replied, giving me the “I told you before look”. I didn’t reply to his comment and just looked at him. So even Archangels can be turned bad, what’s the world coming to? “Did he feed off you?” Chax asked out of the blue catching me by surprise, and confused at who the he was. I looked at him, and then it clicked in.

  “Yes, the demon attacked me the first night in Hell. His bite was paralyzing, but something went wrong and he was left in pain,” I explained. What the hell has this got to do with anything. I watched as Chax closed his eyes and bit down on his jaws. His eyes flew open and he was on me before I even knew he was up.

  “Did he do anything else?” he growled, looking at me.

  “You have to be more specific, he did a lot of things,” I threw back and tried to push him off.

  He slammed back, pushing me into the wall. “Did he make you drink any blood or something?” Chax asked again, and I looked at him with my, oh freaking gross face.

  “No freaking way, that’s just gross,” I replied, trying to push him back. He kept me in place with those damned eyes of his on me.

  “Will you let me read your mind?” he asked, holding me in place.

  For a moment or two I was lost to the question. Read my mind? What the hell does he mean by that, and then I remembered what Kali said when I caught them in the lobby back then. Should I? What if he sees more than what he is apparently looking for? What if he sees me, the real me, the one I keep hidden away for no one to see? “Wh-what do you w-want to s-see?” I asked, stammering a little. My heartbeat was going insane and slamming into my rib cage. His eyes travelled over my face, searching for something, and I slammed whatever barrier I could on my brain. Not without my permission!

  “I want to see what transpired between you and the demon. He claims that his curse was done by you. I also need to know what he did with you while you were under his control,” Chax replied when I started to struggle in his grip. I stopped and looked at him again.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, confused and admittedly very freaking scared. His hold on me relaxed and he stepped back a little, still not releasing me but it was a start. My breathing had become so hard that I was thinking in the line of hyperventilation. Oh crap, what did that freaking demon do!

  “Kasadya, I need you to calm down and let me in. I will not harm you. I know you do not trust me, and with given reason, but you need to trust me now,” he finally said when he saw that my breathing wasn’t calming down. I looked at him and tried my best, but the entire adventure down in Hell was running over in my mind. Did Draco do something to me? Did I give him the opportunity? No, not that I know of. I nodded, unable to answer him with a yes, and kept my eyes on his. He looked into my eyes and placed his hands on my head. In a split second, I was back in the lobby trying to talk to Kali. All the events leading up to now were running through my head like a movie, all the time Chax’s eyes and frown were all I could see beyond it.

  The images stopped and Chax let go of me, stepping back. I almost landed on the floor but luckily I grabbed the nearest thing and held on. That was so not cool. I looked at Chax, trying to find the answer I had been dreading for a few minutes. He turned around and paced the room, his index finger on his chin. On and on he went without answering me, and he was freaking driving me insane. “Oh just give it to me, it’s not like my life was going to end in a freaking happy ever after anyway!” I yelled at him when I couldn’t take it any longer.

  He stopped at that and looked at me. “The demon had no effect on you, but I believe in drinking your blood you have started the process of turning him into a human,” Chax replied.

  Finally I let go of the thing holding me up and placed my butt on the ground, after all the bad news I had gotten since my first day in Exsilium, I was dreading what Chax would answer. He walked over to me and crouched before me. “Kasadya, you’re still not breathing. I need you to breathe,” he soothed, his hand moving over my hair.

  “Can you blame me? You have a really bad way of telling someone something, Chax, and you totally freaked me out,” I answered in return and looked at him.

  He smiled at me. “That was not my intention; I was worried that s
omething might have happened to you that would be beyond healing. I am sorry,” Chax replied, his smile still visible. Now the mention of a demon doing something was kind of a shock, but Chax crouched in front of me, smiling at me and saying sorry. Oh my freaking soul, I must be dead! That can be the only explanation for this, Chax doesn’t smile. Yeah, that’s it. I am stuck in some sort of limbo realm and I am having a vision of a Chax that could acutely freaking smile.

  I groaned and laid my head on my knees. “I’m dead aren’t I, and you’re a vision?” I remarked, hoping that I would find this funny in a few minutes.

  “Unfortunately you’re very much alive, and this is no vision. You need to relax, Kasadya, that is your greatest weakness. If you can only learn to control that, you will become a very strong warrior.” When he finished, he got up and walked out of the room, leaving me gaping after him. And what the hell do I call that? My world is so not returning to normal, I can just give up now.

  I sat there for a while thinking over this whole business with Draco, my apparent weakness, and the whole caboodle. Max came walking into my room and sat down next to me against the wall. “That demon is pretty pissed at you, he said you cursed him,” Max said, so I looked at him.