Rapture (18 page)

“Sam? Are you ok?” Hikari bent down to help him up but Sam shook off his hand angrily.

Somewhat jerkily, Sam got to his feet, then raced out of the cover of the stand and straight into Joshua. While Sam had been under the spell of the succubi, the game had finished. Led by Joshua, the players were walking through the tunnel and into the changing rooms.

Joshua. All Sam could think of was the way the other boy had looked at Aimi. Hatred filled him instantly. Without thinking, he grabbed the other boy by the throat and lifted him off his feet one-handed.

Behind him, all the other players stood in stunned silence, staring at Sam’s head, not reaching out to intervene.

“Sam,” Joshua gasped, terrified. “Your eyes, they’re … Let me go!”

Sam roared in fury, forcing the other players to take a step backwards. No-one wanted to interfere, and it took Sam another enraged, confused moment to work out why. The succubi had removed his hood and now his horns and his furious scarlet eyes - were on plain display.

“That’s enough, Sam,”shouted Hikari, emerging from the darkness under the stand. “Let him go.”

Sam looked around in confusion. The red glow in his eyes drained away. Suddenly, he became aware of what he was doing. He dropped Joshua, and the other boy collapsed onto the ground, gasping and holding his throat.

As the other boys in the team continued to stare mutely at Sam, unsure what to do, the silence was broken by the sound of running footsteps. Aimi pushed herself through the other players.

“Sam? Sam, are you okay?” she asked, her face creased with concern. Suddenly she noticed the other boy huddled at Sam’s feet. “Oh, Sam. What have you done?”

Crouching to help Joshua, she looked up at him, the accusation clear on her face. It was too much for Sam to take. He did what he always did when he didn’t know what to do.

He ran.

Much later, Aimi tracked him down, sitting in the darkness amongst the plants in their garden. He could feel how careful she was not to startle him as she slowly sat down beside him.

“How are you, Sunshine?” she asked gently.

Sam raised his head briefly from his knees to glare at her. “How do you think?”

“Judging from the fact that you’re out here by yourself, I’d say that you were probably embarrassed,” she replied, the tone in her voice light.

Sam buried his face back into his knees. “You could say that,” was his muffled response. “I’m a monster.”

Aimi shuffled closer to him and put one tiny arm around his shoulders. “You aren’t a monster, but I am curious as to what happened tonight.”

“Did Hikari not tell you?”

Aimi shook her head. “Tell me what?”

“About the succubi.”

Aimi looked horrified. Like Sam, Aimi knew most of the demon names by heart. “No! He said he saw some figures in the shadows but he couldn’t make out what they were.”

“They … they were trying to do things to me. I wanted to stop them, but I couldn’t.”

Aimi’s eyes slowly widened as realisation struck her. “They didn’t …?”

Sam shook his head. “No,” he said. “Thank God. Hikari coming along just as he did took them by surprise. If he hadn’t though …” He left the last bit unsaid.

“It’s not your fault.” Aimi hugged him closer. “They are she- demons from Hell, bred specifically to seduce men. What chance did you possibly have?”

“I should have resisted somehow. I should’ve done something, anything. Instead, I just stood there and let them … touch me.” Sam’s face crumpled with disgust at the thought.

“No man has the power to resist their charms. You did what any other man would have done.”

“But that’s just it, isn’t it?” He sat up angrily. “I’m not just any other man. In fact, I’m no man at all. I’m a demon.”

“You are a man, and a good one. Have you even considered that your demon blood would make you just as susceptible to their charms?”

Sam didn’t answer. He just sat there feeling miserable, as Aimi tried to comfort him. Perhaps she was right but it didn’t make him feel any better.

“Why do you think they were here?” she asked.

Sam shrugged. “They must know what’s coming and want me on their side. All I have to do is submit and I’ll be lost. They keep tempting me and this time, they almost succeeded.”

“But they didn’t, did they? They can keep trying as much as they like, but they won’t win. I know they won’t. I know what’s in your heart. You can’t affect something as true and good as that.”They sat in silence for a moment. “And what was that about with Joshua?” she asked.

Sam hung his head in shame. “I don’t know,” he confessed. “The succubi … strengthened my emotions somehow. I felt angrier than ever before. I … I saw the way he looked at you. I know it sounds irrational, but I couldn’t control myself.”

Aimi’s eyes widened in surprise. “The way he looked at me? Sam, you need to understand. Josh and I are friends. That’s it. He might have feelings for me – though I don’t think he does – but I do and always will, view him as a friend.” She put one small finger under his chin and lifted his face up to hers. “Besides, there’s room for only one man in my heart.”

“Oh? And who’s that then?”

Springing upwards, Aimi planted her hands on her hips. “You really are pretty stupid sometimes, you know that? I think you must be more man than demon.” With that, she stormed off.

Sam sat where he was, feeling bewildered. “Did I say something wrong?”

Sam woke within the pentacle and immediately knew something was wrong. He sat bolt upright, his head moving frantically from side to side to try and pinpoint the source of the unease. Judging from the light sliding in through the crack in the curtain, it was late afternoon, and he’d been asleep for no more than two or three hours.

He couldn’t see anything but he just knew that there was another presence in the room with him.The dim light left much of the room in shadow. Plenty of places for a demon to hide - and he was sure it was a demon.

Sam pushed experimentally at the invisible barrier. Unusually, there was no give in it. He called out. “Hikari? Aimi?” There was no answer, which again was very strange.

“Don’t bother,” said a smooth male voice. “They can’t hear you.”

As a figure materialized out of the shadows Sam flinched. The shadows seemed to cling to the man as if reluctant to let go, flickering around his edges. He was impeccably well dressed, with a suit that looked like it had been fashioned by the best tailor in the world. Judging from the slicks of grey in his neat hair, he was in his forties, with an extremely handsome face that Sam found oddly familiar.

He smiled, and the expression made Sam shiver.

“Good to see you, Samael. How are you?”

“What have you done with my family?” Sam croaked.

The man flicked his fingers and a chair appeared before him, just outside Sam’s pentacle. He spun it around and sat down, nodding amiably at Sam.

“Don’t worry yourself on that account, my boy. They’re fine. Just having a little late afternoon nap.” His face suddenly twisted in distaste. “That damnable bitch, Gabriel, wouldn’t let me touch them. Against the rules, you see.” He winked at Sam.

“Who are you?” Sam managed to stammer.

The man held up one finger and waggled it at him. “Can’t tell you that. Rules again. I’m sure you understand. I will inform you one day, but not today.”

Without appearing too obvious, Sam pressed up against the barrier. He may as well have been pushing against a solid rock wall. He thought furiously. Even if he got out, he was unarmed. His swords were in his room upstairs and he doubted that this figure would give him an opportunity to get them.

“I wouldn’t bother doing that either, young Prince. I’ve strengthened the barrier. Even you, with your extraordinary talents, would struggle to get out.”

Young Prince? What had this demon meant by that? He put aside the question for later. “Why are you here?” he demanded.

The demon shrugged easily. “To see you, of course. In person, so to speak. I’ve watched you for a long time and thought it was time to meet face-to-face. I’ve been very impressed by what I’ve seen so far; your training’s coming along famously. Your Sensei …” and he said this last word with a sneer, “has been doing a surprisingly good job. Probably better than I could really. I must thank him some day.” With that last quip, the demon laughed. The sound made Sam’s skin crawl.

“So you’re the demon that’s been watching me all this time?”

The demon nodded. “Have to keep an eye on my ‘investments’, don’t I? It’s not always me though. Sometimes I send a stand-in. I’m a busy man, don’t you know.”

“You’re not a man at all. You’re a demon,” spat Sam.

The man’s face suddenly lost its good humour. “Be careful what you say, boy. You’ve got the same blood running through your veins.”

”And I suppose you’re responsible for all my nightmares?”

His charming facade once more on display, the demon bowed slightly from the waist. “Guilty as charged. Have to say though, I was pretty impressed with your improvised protection here. I didn’t see that coming, and normally I see … everything.”

Sam stared at him, wishing there was something he could do. What had happened to Aimi and Hikari? It didn’t bear thinking about. “What do you want from me?” he snarled.

The demon spread his hand wide. “What does anyone really want? Love? I can see you want it from that little unconscious minx next door. Power? Already got it. Money? Don’t need it. World domination? Now that’s something worth fighting for.”

“What’s world domination got to do with me?”

The demon shook his head sadly. “I really thought you were smarter than that.You do know what’s coming, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

“These humans really are quite stupid. There have been signs for years. Plagues, famines, wars, natural disasters. They’ve been on the increase and no-one seems to have asked the proper question. Why? It’s because He,” he said as he jerked his face upwards with evident distaste, “has been trying to tell them something. Did they listen? Of course they didn’t. Now the end game is upon them, it’s too late. And you, boy, have a part to play in this. Soon, you must decide which side you’re on.”

“I know what side I’m on.” Sam smiled grimly. “I’ve known all my life.”

The demon smirked. “Do you really? Tell me, Samael-how does it feel when you lose your temper? How did it feel when those succubi put their hands all over you? This is your demon side. Let it loose. Enjoy it. Bask in it. It’s part of who you are.”

Sam tried to ignore the emotions rushing through him. The demon was right. He did enjoy those sensations. But that was the path to damnation, and he was not about to give in to it. - for the sake of Hikari and Aimi.

“You’re wrong,” he said. “I’m part human. The goodness in me will always triumph.”

The demon roared with laughter. He laughed for some time, shaking with mirth. Eventually, wiping his eyes, he regained his composure. “You really are naïve, aren’t you?” He shrugged. “I’ll suppose we’ll find out in due course. Even I can’t see what’s going to happen. It’s all very exciting.”

“You demons think this is just a game, don’t you?” Sam asked, suddenly feeling angry. “You’re playing with countless lives here, and you think it’s just a big joke.”

“It’s the only game in town. The one with the biggest stakes. I’ve been playing it for some time now, and I’m very good at it. I don’t lose.”The demon grinned.

“Well, you’re going to this time,” shouted Sam. “I won’t let you win.”

“No, Samael. Here’s what will happen. Your precious Hikari and Aimi are going to be taken and you’ll be left behind. Doesn’t that make you angry? You’re going to be left here to suffer with the rest of the godless and be expected to fight for them. Possibly die for them - these humans who hate you. Despise you! Come on, you’re smarter than that, surely? Join me and I’ll give you everything you ever wanted – including that little half-caste you seem so keen on.”

Sam’s anger was building to a point where he knew he wouldn’t be able to control himself. Hostility for this man, this thing, was burning through him. “I will never join you,” he roared. “Never. I will hunt you all down and kill you for what you did to my mother.”