The Human Side (The Demon Side Series) (7 page)

“You cannot hide here, my sweet girl. It will be a matter of time before you succumb to me,” the whisper of a male voice said. A bolt of white struck the intruder, turning him into a blackened wisp. On impact, both the stranger and flash disappeared through the window, shaking it. I guessed John flashed straight into the mystery guest. I rushed to the window to check for any sign of him outside, when the overhead bedroom light startled me.

“Are you real, or am I trippin’?” Etta asked. At a loss for words, I slowly turned around.

“Answer me. Are you real?” She got out of her bed and walked toward me, stopping at arm’s length. I hadn’t a clue what to say. I’d play along and allow her to believe my being in her room was merely a dream or hallucination. Or make up some other reason for my presence. As I opened my mouth, unsure what would come out, Etta pinched my arm.

“Ouch! What the hell?”

“Ha. You’re real!”

“Yes, I’m real. Damn it. You didn’t have to pinch me to find out.”

“I did ask first, and I can never be too sure nowadays. What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk to you.”

“What would you need to talk to me about at five in the morning?”

“I don’t know. I figured we should finish the conversation we had on the river.”

“So you break into my dad’s house to talk to me about whores, root beer, and busted lips?”

“Yes. I mean no. I mean….”

“Relax, devil dawg. Don’t burn up what brain cells you have left trying to think of a good lie. I don’t care why you’re here.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t. It beats what I thought was in my room.”

“And what is that?”

“Nothing.”

“No, tell me, I want to know.”

Etta released a deep sigh as she settled on the edge of her bed. “Bet my dad didn’t tell you you’d be babysitting his psycho daughter at the mall, did he?”

“What do you mean?” I asked as I sat next to her. Of course I knew she had never been psychotic like she believed, but for the mission’s sake, I played along.

“I’m schizophrenic. I see and hear stuff that isn’t real.”

“Is that why your dad gave you those pills?”

“Yeppers. Just like the Matrix. Take the red pill, you’ll feel like you’re living inside of a computer with digital F.B.I. agents chasing after you. Take the blue pill and enjoy the ignorant bliss of numbness.”

“I don’t understand.”

“What? You’ve never seen the movie Matrix? Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne?”

“Nope. I don’t watch many movies.”

“Did you grow up in Amish country or something?”

“No. Why?”

“Why? Your name is Ramen, which I don’t believe for one second. You have no idea what the Matrix is, and sometimes you talk funny. Not to mention Benjamin’s lack of food knowledge and the way he looks at everything. It’s as if he’s never been to Earth before. So, why don’t you tell me who you really are?”

Etta’s incredible attention to details would get me in trouble. I had to divert her line of questioning without completely ignoring it. So I did the first thing any other man would do who wanted a woman to shut up. Planting my lips on hers, I kissed her.

The moan she released stirred up the passion deep within me. Cupping her face in my hands, I parted her lips and allowed my tongue access into her sweet mouth. As I reached a heightened state of euphoria, something pushed me from her, but struck me against the side of my face, knocking me to the floor.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Etta exclaimed as she stood in front of the window, fists raised and ready to send another crippling blow.

“I couldn’t help myself.”

“Well, you can help yourself to the door now.”

As I got to my feet, I noticed something in the distance traveling at a high rate of speed toward the window. John must have been flashing back to the house. Etta must have seen my reaction. As she turned to the window, I tackled her to the ground, just in time for the flash of white to pass through the window and vanish through the wall.

“You saw it!” Etta proclaimed excitedly.

“Saw what?”

“You saw the light, too.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I had screwed up by knocking Etta out of the way, but had John’s flash hit her, it would have killed her.

“Liar.”

“Call me what you will. Won’t change the fact I have no clue what you saw,” I said, as I rose to my feet. I had to get out of the house while keeping up the appearance that I had snuck in. Opening her window, I climbed out and dropped to the ground below, spraining my ankle, and took off limping down the street in the direction of the river.

Chapter Nine

Mesmerized by the rising sun over the tree tops, I tried blocking out all thoughts of the mess I had created. The golden yellow and crimson red glare of the sun’s rays shimmering on the water resembled the flames that once set my territory. At the rate I was going, Etta would never say the words I so desperately needed to hear, not only trapping me here again, but Gabriel as well. In frustration, I kicked the sand.

“Good morning, Brother.”

I turned to find a cheerful Gabriel. “Morning. I take it you got out before she saw you?”

“She is showering, so John came up and got me. He asked that I find you and bring you back to the house under the pretense of us helping him with yard work. I brought you a change of clothes so we can keep up appearances.”

“I can’t go back.”

“And why not? Rene is making sausage gravy and biscuits, and it smells delicious.”

“Etta’s asking a lot of questions.”

“So, answer them.”

“And lie?”

“We are supposed to be living a sinful life, Rahovart. Lying is a part of that. If she truly loves you, she will understand your plight and forgive you. Now we must go. I don’t want to miss breakfast.” Gabriel tossed me a bundle of clothing.

After changing, we walked back to the Divad home. As we approached the front door, we heard a fight going on in the house. Gabriel and I exchanged a look before barging in. On the upper landing of the stairs stood an angry Etta, in nothing more than a towel, yelling at John, who yelled right back. By his side, Rene remained silent.

“I’m not taking them!”

“You are taking them, even I have to shove them down your throat myself!”

“I’m not twelve anymore. You can’t boss me around like one of your Marines, Dad.”

“I’m not playing games here with you, missy. Take them!”

“No!” Etta smacked John’s hand, hurling four pills on to the floor.

“Pick them up right now!”

“I don’t have to take them!”

John pulled a pill bottle from his pocket. As he opened it, Etta slapped his hand again, scattering the bottle’s contents. A small pink pellet came to a stop at the toe of my boot.

“I am not crazy! Ask him. He saw it, too! Ramen, tell him what we saw.”

I picked up the pill. “Huh?” I asked, trying to buy time to think. Getting caught between father and daughter is never a good way to start the day. Make that father a High Templar and that daughter the woman I want to spend all eternity with, it made it worse. John had good reasons for wanting to keep her on her pills. They numbed her to the world beyond the veil, blocking out the Demons that tormented her.

If I agreed with her, it would convince Etta she no longer needed her medication. Lie, and who knows what would happen. Etta might turn away from me permanently, leaving me no chance to gain her love and return home.

“Tell him, Ramen! Tell him what we saw.”

Gabriel leaned over and whispered, “Crush her and get the hard part over with

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, turning my gaze to Etta. The color drained from her skin, and if I didn’t know better, I’d swear I saw her soul shatter in her eyes as tears welled up inside. Unable to bear it, I shifted my gaze back to John and tried to leave.

“Why are you doing this? Tell him. Please. You have to tell him the truth. You saw it. I know you did.” Etta sobbed as she tugged at my arm. The scene seemed all too familiar. The memory of when I left her to save my position in Lucifer’s ranks played in mind. I hurt her then just as I was now. Maybe that would be the Demon I needed to be to keep my end of the deal with Father.

“Let go of me! I saw nothing. It’s all in your head, you psycho bitch!” I roared as I ripped my arm from her. Instead of turning into a ball of tears, Etta pulled back, delivering a right hook to my jaw hard enough to rattle my teeth. John came up behind her, putting her in a full nelson and dragged her kicking up the stairs.

“C’mon.” Gabriel slung his arm around me, leading me into the backyard. After what I had just said, I knew Etta would never love me. I had gone too far, just as I knew I would. By the time I reached the bottom step, my legs gave way. My chest tightened as I fought for a breath. Knots the size of softballs formed in my abdomen. Collapsing onto my hands and knees as streams of tears ran down my cheeks, I wanted nothing more than to not be me. With that thought, I sat on my heels and began hitting my head with the palm of my hands. Gabriel gripped my wrists, further angering me. Jerking my hands away, I shoved him back.

“Stay away from me,” I warned as I stumbled to my feet

“Rahovart, calm yourself, Brother. All will be well.”

“Calm myself? Calm myself? You saw her face. You cannot tell me all will be well. You know the deal—she must fall in love with a ‘Demon’ as she has before. You think she will after that? I failed! She’ll never speak to me again!” Releasing a scream as loud as my lungs would provide, I fell to my knees again.

Chapter Ten

Resting my head in my hands, I caught a glimpse of John marching toward me seconds before he clocked me.

“You ever talk to my daughter like that again, and I will tear you limb from limb.”

“There is nothing you can do to me that would be worse than what I have done to myself.”

His threat meant nothing to me. I had destroyed the only person who cared enough and was strong enough to save me. Etta said she knew I’d come back for her. Little did she know, it would be to tear her soul to shreds. Who better for the job though? I seemed to have the knack for destroying the women who truly loved me despite the monster I’d become.

Maybe that had been the plan from the beginning. How stupid I was for believing a villain might have a happily ever after. Rolling onto my back, I laughed at myself for thinking I ever had a snowball’s chance in Hell for anything beyond what I deserved.

“I believe he’s snapped,” Gabriel said to John.

“You son of a…,” Lifting me by the collar of my shirt, John shoved me into the wooden fence.

“You want a piece of me? C’mon.” Tired of his attitude and needing to get some aggression out, I smacked him with my fist.

“Oh, you done messed up now, boy.” John tackled me. Unfortunately for him, I wouldn’t go down so easy. Much to my surprise, John didn’t seem as strong as I had been led to believe a High Knight should be. Matching blow for blow, we pummeled each other for a few minutes until Gabriel stood between us.

“Enough! You’re acting like children.”

“Don’t look at me. He started it,” I replied, even though I knew it further proved my brother’s point.

“I started it? You’re the one who won’t stay away from my daughter.”

“And what does that matter to you, John? Why does it bother you so much that I love her and want to be in her life?”

“Why? I’ll tell you why. You’re nothing but a whiny, sniveling spoiled Arch who feels he deserves my baby girl just because he fought in Hell for her and his own agenda. All it has proved is you’re easily impressionable. You flip like a switch. And if you fall again, where will that leave my baby? Huh? Are you going to do what’s best for her or drag her down like you did your first wife? Oh yeah, I know all about her.”

“Abihail was an accident. I never intended for her to go to Purgatory. I have been forgiven for that.”

“I don’t care what Father has forgiven you for. If it were my girl, do you think I would forgive you so easily?”

“I would never hurt Etta.”

“Damn right you won’t. I won’t give you that chance.”

“You can’t keep me from her.”

“You think so? Watch me. Have fun being human, boy.” John turned to walk toward the house. I understood his natural fear of my past. It scared me at times as well, but I would never do to Etta what I had done to Abihail.

“No, John. You don’t understand. You cannot keep her from me.” My pleas for Etta stopped John’s march inside. He stormed toward me, pointing his finger in my face.

“You made a bet with my daughter’s life as the prize! That’s all this is to you…a bet for you to win so you can have your shiny wings, your cushiony job, and a highly coveted woman again.” Having said his piece, John returned inside.

Dejected, I stormed off through the back gate and away from the Divad home. I stopped at the Amtrak train station that divided Quantico Marine Corps Base from Quantico Town. Sitting on a wooden bench, I tried to collect my thoughts. The more I thought about what John said to me, the harder it became not to go back and bash his face in.

As much pleasure as it would give me, I knew it would fix nothing. I needed to think. But my mind faded into an unwanted memory of a time Abihail needed me, and I turned my back on her. I found myself reliving the painful memory as if it were happening in real time.

Sitting in the war room, I listened as Abihail pleaded for Father to dismiss her from her duties as Lucifer’s assistant, claiming his tactics were deceitful, unethical, and malicious. After speaking with her brother, Father dismissed from her duties temporarily, stating she was tired and overworked.

At home she would beg me to speak with Father on her behalf. She would tell me stories of Lucifer’s dealings that took place behind closed doors and how he boasted about figuring out how to deceive Father. Trusting Father in his decisions, I shrugged off her claims as nothing more than the ramblings of an exhausted woman.

After returning from her mandatory vacation, she began accusing him of plotting and speaking against Father. Again, she had been dismissed from her duties, only this time, permanently. Once the news spread, Abihail found herself being ridiculed from all sides. Rumors ran full circle that she lost her mind, and it had been her plotting against Father. Tired of the stares and whispers, Abihail refused to leave the house.