Demon's Dream (9 page)

“Oh great! Just fucking great! The Whippers must have managed a shot while we jumped through the gates. Fuck! This day is just not getting any better.”

Clarissa slipped out of her assigned quarters and headed down the hall towards the receiving area. If Mel was going to meet her anywhere that would be the location. It seemed as if it were his favorite room. When she entered the chamber, she heard Mel’s exclamation and virtually ran towards the couch where he laid. She knelt beside him and worriedly looked him over.

The blood seeped through his shirt and dripped a bit on the floor. He frowned when he saw her look so concerned. He’d never had anyone so interested over his wellbeing and he still wasn't sure how to deal with such emotions from another, especially from her. He tried to make light of the situation. He didn’t want her to worry about him. He would heal. The demon inside would make sure he would recover in a day or two but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell in the meantime.

“It’s just a flesh wound.”

Clarissa snorted. “And just where is the killer bunny in this scenario? Let me see it and I’ll determine how much of a flesh wound you’re sporting,” she commanded as she moved his hand away from his now red soaked shirt. Tearing the cloth, she saw the gaping hole of a blast that tore his into his flesh. Ripping the shirt off him entirely, she used it to sop up some of the blood so she could be sure of what she was looking at.

It was far from a minor injury and she grew even more concerned. Without waiting or asking, she laid her hand over his infliction and let a soft blue healing light emit from her hands. As she maintained her palm over his gaping hole, she watched as the blood was staunched then it slowly closed up. In moments, one couldn’t tell he was ever wounded. She sat back and looked up at him.

Without realizing what she was doing, she lifted her hand and brushed back the hair from his forehead. It was a soft tender touch and it shocked him. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.

Gods, how he was so enamored by her. Someone who actually cared about him- loved him. Yet his duty and her own responsibilities forced their way back into his soul as a searing reminder he couldn’t have her. Growling, he released her hand as if it burned him and pushed her away as he stood.

“Don’t,” he snarled.

He regretted his action almost as soon as he did it for the look on her face was heartbreaking. Mel wanted to pull her back in his arms, kiss her senseless and tell her he didn’t give a fuck what the council of Gods decreed, he wasn’t going to let her go. He turned away from her to try and regain his composure. He knew he couldn’t give in to her. He knew what it would mean if he did and he wasn’t going to be selfish after an eternity of protecting the innocent, protecting creatures like her.

Why did she have such a good heart? She was so kind and gentle once you got past the gruff exterior which he realized was her way of protecting herself against a world which had already torn her to shreds. For one so young, it still amazed him. Everything she went through and she still held her head up with pride and endurance. Was he ever that strong? He knew after he was beaten up by the cosmos, endured betrayal and pain- he secluded himself, cut himself off from ever being hurt again. However, she continued to seek out others.

He heard her soft gasp as she ran from the room and knowing she was no longer there he hung his head and allowed himself to remember why he distrusted others.

He had just turned sixteen. Although his brother was older by two years, Mel was the more responsible, better liked sibling. Which in and of itself was amazing considering who their parents were- the God of the dead, Chipiapoos and the Goddess of evil, Beloitah.

With parents like those, they weren’t the most favored of kids or usually given the benefit of the doubt. They still needed to be trained in their given tasks for adulthood in preparation for the duties they would assume, the place they would take within the cosmos. The choice would be up to Chipiapoos’ brother, Nanaboojoo, God of protecting humanity. He would be able to look into their souls and determine their place in the realm of the Gods. This was usually done on their eighteenth birthday and Mel’s brother, Jes’Sakkid, was to undergo the ritual in a couple of days.

Mel knew he had two years to go before it would be his turn and he planned on making the most of his free time with Nokomis. A beautiful maiden with long black hair. She always wore it braided down to her hips with flowers strewn about her head. She had large doe-like eyes and skin as smooth and tan as the softest of calf skins. She was perfection to him.

Azamel had planned a quiet picnic along a babbling brook to spend some private time with her. He had the blanket spread on the green field by the water under a shade tree. A rabbit was being roasted on an open fire spit as he waited for her to arrive. He leaned leisurely against the tree when he heard a sound in the brush. Quickly, he stood and held out a bouquet of wildflowers he had picked for her.

However who came through the brush wasn’t Nokomis but his parents, Nanaboojoo, Jes and several other Gods and Goddess. Mel dropped the flowers on the ground and wondered what was going on, totally surprised by this turn of events.

Nanaboojoo led the tribe, Mel’s parents and his brother behind him. The rest of the crowd was even further back. Mel moved to meet Nanaboojoo, standing strong and firm despite his youthfulness and uncertainty.

“Azamel, you have been accused of desecrating the sacred lands of your forefathers. What say you?”

Mel remembered how astonished he must of looked as he heard the accusation. It was absurd. “I say you’re not correct. I have broken no laws, least of all being disrespectful to our ancestors.”

Mel looked back at his parents, his brother. Surely they believed him? Only accusing eyes from his own family greeted him in return and he felt worried for the first time in his life. He turned back to Nana, just as the elder materialized five dead deer, slaughtered and gutted. Nana then opened a satchel and unveiled a decorative ceremonial blade that Mel recognized immediately as belonging to him and given to him by his father on his tenth birthday. The metal was covered with dried blood. Deer’s blood. Mel felt his stomach sink as he realized what the implications were.

“I didn’t do this. I swear I didn’t.”

Coyote moved up to stand next to Jes and with him. He had Nokomis by her hand. That alone tore Mel’s heart to shreds. He looked into her beautiful brown eyes and saw only hatred. He didn’t understand it. Why? What had he done to be accused thusly and not have anyone believe him?

“Is this not your dagger?” Nana asked him quietly.

“Yes. I did not kill those deer though. I have not used the dagger for anything in the past week or so.”

“Yet, it is covered in the blood of the sacred animals that roamed the holy lands. How do you explain this?”

Mel again looked around at the others. He searched for just one who would stand by him.

“When were they killed? Surely, the time line will be my alibi.”

Nana looked down at the carcasses and studied them for a moment silently before he raised his head to face Mel. “Twelve hours ago. Can you account for your whereabouts then?”

Mel almost breathed a sigh of relief. “I was with Nokomis then. We had spent the evening watching the stars on a blanket and discussing our future.”

Mel was sure she would step forward now. He glanced over at her and bestowed a soft smile as he saw her move up to Nana. She would tell them the truth. She would vouch that he did not do this dastardly deed. She leaned over and whispered into Nana’s ear before she turned back to Mel and gave him a look of pure disgust before turning her back on him. His heart broke into a million pieces. She betrayed him? Did she not tell them he was with her?

Anger infused him that she would be so cold. He loved her, did that not matter? He was innocent. Why did she lie? Why did she go off with Coyote? He was so astounded by the turn of events, he barely noticed Nana talking again as he watched Nokomis’ retreating back.

‘Wait! What?’
His attention snapped back to Nana who was sentencing him. He was to carry a demon within. It would either consume him or Mel would find enough power to control it most times. For the times he lost the eternal battle with the demon, the beast would tear him to shreds over and over again causing the most excruciating pain possible.

The others, his parents and brother included, circled around him and began chanting. A black mist from the earth swirled in answer to the call of the Gods. It’s wispy tentacles floated about, spinning as it rose up on Mel’s body.
              “No. I’m innocent. No.
NO! NO!
NO!”
Mel screamed as the creature invaded his body, tearing and clawing its way into the sinews of muscles, down his spine and into Mel’s very soul. The pain tore through him as he felt every shred of decency, love, peace and good be torn into such small pieces it was beyond recognition.

A part of him still remembered Coyote pulling Nokomis away and she willingly let him. How could she betray him like that? After everything they had shared, he thought she would stand by him, clear his name. What had she told Nana that sealed his fate for something he was innocent of? He died that day- at least whatever humanity or soul he had perished.

Azamel lifted his head and looked towards the door where Clarissa had run. He had betrayed her and if he were honest with himself, he mourned her loss. It was for her own good. She had a responsibility, a duty to protect the Gem of Avarice and neither her nor the stone she guarded could be in a hell realm with him. She was young and beautiful. She survived the slaughter of her family and accepted an obligation she was unprepared for with willingness and fortitude. Above all else, she appeared to care for him or at least after him.

How could he trust her? Hadn’t he seen enough betrayal from others: his family, his friends, his girl as well as watching humanity throughout the centuries killing, lying, stealing,
betraying
each other and the ones they claimed mattered most?

Mel ran a hand through his hair and growled in exasperation. He wanted Clarissa even more than he ever thought he wanted Nokomis. The time in that strange hell realm only made him desire the young wolf more. She was a fierce warrior. Even when she was beaten by the Whippers before he found her, she fought to survive. When she had the chance to kill the king whipper, she chose to spare his life and only knocked him unconscious. She had morals, values and determination. She was willing to stand up for them, regardless the possible costs.

‘
Fuck, could she be more perfect?’

How he wanted to go to her, find any excuse to be in her presence even for just a few moments. Then something dawned on him.
Why
was she in that realm?
How
did she manifest someplace that was foreign to her very soul? She had no idea where she was and even admitted she didn’t know how she arrived to be in such a strange place. So how
did
she get there, wherever
there
was? Mel’s eyes narrowed as he thought.

She remembered going to bed and fell asleep before she awoke to being whipped with the spiked leather straps. A spirit demon could take her soul and leave her physical form behind. Kill her soul and no matter where the actual body was, she would die.

However, spirit demons rarely did anything unless there was something in it for them. Something was going on and he didn’t like the vibes he was getting. He needed to do some investigation. He called Shara, gave her explicit instructions and sent her on her way. Then he grabbed a stiff drink while he continued to mentally review everything.

Chapter Nine

Coyote paced in front of his desk as he waited for things to play out correctly. His long laid plans were finally coming into fruition even if it was taking longer than he had originally anticipated. For centuries he had planned, manipulated and wormed his way to get into the position he strove for. He wanted power; after all, what else was there worth having?

He still couldn’t believe his luck that day a few years ago, when he decided to go to a little bar in a remote village for a couple of drinks and ended up sitting next to one of Clarissa’s brothers, Sebastian, who was already four sheets to the wind. An inner sense told Coyote to ply the male wolf with more alcohol and chat with Sebastian. Coyote couldn’t have been happier that he trusted his instincts. As he discussed the wolf’s problems, he learned that Sebastian was upset as a result of the family safekeeping of an ancient and powerful artifact.

Sebastian hated the fact that the women of the family were the ones who were chosen to be the Guardians of such a mystical piece. Sebastian detested that the women of the maternal line were in charge of guarding such importance while the males of the line were only to protect them. Why did there have to be a middle man? Why couldn’t the men just be the ones to keep the relic safe?