The Artifact of Dissium (Demona Book 2) (14 page)

“No need to worry. Thanks to Darius’ mistrust for, well everyone, he has placed me under a manipulation charm. I have been ordered not to harm you or in any way endanger your mission.”

“Is that why your compulsion has not completely taken over my senses?” Demona asked.

“Yes. You may not know, but Gancanagh can control how much of an influence they have on women.”

In that moment Demona felt a surge of lust wash over her body and then it was gone. “I suppose the manipulation charm won’t work for me too? And that I can’t send you back to Darius?” Demona asked.

“Sorry, you are stuck with me.” Kearne grinned at Demona. “Besides, you are going to need me.”

Demona crossed her arms over her chest. “And why is that, exactly?”

“Queen Yuriko is looking for you.”

“Okay… Well, before we get into whoever Queen Yuriko is. You might as well help me, with my more immediate issue.”

“And that would be, oh Great
Mythos
?”

“I need blood.”

“Ah, the vampire needs her feeding. Well, there is only one solution. I must go and find you some,” Kearne said.

“And how are you going to do that?” Demona asked. She was skeptical of his willingness to help.

“No need to worry your beautiful self about that. Not when you have more important things to worry about. I will get you a decent supply and return. Don’t run, because I will find you. Remember Queen Yuriko is looking for you. It would be better that I find you first.”

Demona eyed him suspiciously. “I don’t know if I trust you.”

Kearne looked at her straight in the eyes. “You better start trusting me or you will never make it back alive.”

Demona swallowed hard. “Fine…Meet me on the other side of the lake and then you can tell me about this Queen. First, I want a promise from you. Promise that you will not harm anyone that I am travelling with.”

“I give you my fairy’s oath that none shall be harmed as long as they work towards completing the task at hand.” He turned and stepped back into the forest.

****

Demona rounded the last curve in the lake’s shore that would take her back to her companions. The sky was beginning to grow dimmer as dusk grew near, but she could still make out the figures of her friends up ahead. The crickets had begun chirping as the day began to turn into night. Soon, Demona caught site of a newly lit fire waiting for her.

“There she is,” Felix said. He embraced her and gave a sigh of relief.

Demona dropped her pack to her feet and sat to rest.

“Was anyone there? Did you find any rations?” Ileana asked. She awaited Demona’s summary of the trip.

“Yeah, someone was there alright. And no, I don’t have rations, yet.”

“Okay, now you have to spill all of the details,” Ileana said. “This sounds too interesting not to hear!”

Demona leaned back into as comfortable of a position as she could manage. “I ran into someone from my time as a field agent. Apparently, Darius has sent him to help us, or at least make sure we survive in order to help him with the demons.”

“Who is he?” Felix asked.

“His name is Kearne Scary,” Demona said.

Felix chuckled. “Scary—”

“Yes, I know the name is funny, but he’s not really someone to laugh at,” Demona said, “Kearne was my first capture. Darius had me bring him in, because of problems he was causing. He’s a Gancanagh fairy—”

“A toad,” Ileana said.

“Toad, what?” Felix replied.

“We call them toads, because they secrete poisons like some frogs and toads do,” Ileana replied.

Aero raised his lip exposing his teeth.
Gancanaghs are dangerous for women to be around. You should be careful dark one; even they pose a threat to you
.

“I’m well aware,” Demona said. “Apparently, he has been ordered not to harm me and wears a manipulation charm. I also had him swear to harm none of you.”

What is this he swore?
Aero asked.

“He said it was a fairy oath.”

This is good news. He cannot break the oath
, Aero replied.

“I still don’t trust him.” She looked into Felix’s eyes and sought comfort in them.

“I can’t say I blame you,” Ileana said.

Demona leaned forward suddenly. “I almost forgot. He said that a Queen Yuriko knows about me.”

Aero whinnied.
This is grave news. It is never good for the Dark Queen to know who you are. We must not stay here much longer or she may discover us.

“We have to wait. Kearne said he would get my rations.” Demona looked intently at Aero. “I need those rations.”

We will wait, until midnight. Then, we must go. With or without your rations
, Aero replied.

A silence grew over the camp and Demona stared into the fire. She wondered what Queen Yuriko wanted with her. Demona knew that her status as the
Mythos
may have a different meaning in Dissium. She found herself hoping that Kearne would return sooner rather than later.

Chapter 13:

A Restless Night

The fire had dwindled down to
just a pile of glowing embers. Demona fought the urge to place more kindling into the pit to feed the flames. Aero had insisted that they let the fire die down in case Queen Yuriko’s minions were on the prowl. The darkness was lit by the moon, but it did nothing to ease her fears.

The rest of her group was sleeping soundly from the heat and long journey. Demona had no such luck. She had tossed and turned as her thoughts consumed her; then she finally gave up. She lay awake and stared up at the stars above. Many thoughts and feelings flowed through her mind, but she tried to push them out unsuccessfully. Demona finally decided that instead of fighting her thoughts she would meditate on them.

Thoughts of the horrifying act she had committed on the unsuspecting, innocent woman entered her mind. Demona was appalled at herself and her lack of self-control. The part that created the most guilt was the feeling of excitement. Feeding on a living, breathing person was more exhilarating than simply slurping rations from a bag.

She remembered the blood lust taking over and the trance like state, which she had entered into. She had completely given in to her primitive self, the vampire that lay within. Remembering the taste of the blood sent chills over her skin, both of excitement and of horror. Demona wondered if addicts felt that way, and she now understood why Kerrick had always warned her of the dangers of missing her rations.

Ileana made a chirping noise in between snores. Demona glanced at her and was envious of her peaceful slumber, despite all of the chaos that had accompanied them.

Her thoughts flowed from Kerrick to Darius and then to Kearne. Demona wondered what good would come of Kearne’s presence. She feared his power and what possible dangers he might pose for their mission. Demona had to admit to herself that if she had been in Darius’ shoes, she would have sent someone to make sure things ended up in her favor.
Kearne though, he couldn’t have sent someone else?

Demona contemplated who Queen Yuriko is and why she was looking for Demona. All she knew was that this Queen was a dark being and that it was not a good thing that she was searching for Demona. She hoped that maybe it was simply to meet the new dark being in Dissium, but somehow that thought did not settle well.
She wants to kill me
.

Demona’s thoughts turned to Father Jandro’s predictions. He had said that a person from Demona’s past would join them. Demona had secretly been hoping it would have been, by some miracle, one of her parents. She knew the thought was farfetched, but she longed for answers.

Demona had never once questioned Aero as their guide. She felt safe and comfortable being led by the mysterious unicorn. His mass of a form could be seen just faintly on the other side of their camp. His legs were folded under him, but his head rest flat against the ground. Demona could hear his long drawn out breaths. She watched as his chest expanded and shrank repeatedly as he inhaled and exhaled.

Demona heard Felix stir and turned to look at him. He was sleeping at such an angle that made it possible for her to make out the features of his face in the moonlight. His sleep was much more restless than the others.

Felix was an all together different kind of person. Demona had grown to know him more over the past few weeks. She saw that what had initially attracted her to him was still there. Despite his big mess up, Felix was beginning to grow on her more and more. She knew that those brief moments that passed between them, as silly and endearing as they had been, meant that something was beginning again. Demona also understood that right now, her priorities lay elsewhere.

They had spent nearly every moment in each other’s presence since leaving the northeast headquarters. Demona had been trying to avoid eye contact with Felix the whole journey, especially since the intense kiss they had shared on their first night in Gleannbroch. She refused to give in to his cheesy charm and gorgeous smile, but at times it was extremely difficult. Since she had seen Felix’s toned body without his shirt, images of him kept flashing through her mind.
I need to stay focused on the artifact
.

She gazed up at the wide open sky dotted with stars that seemed to wink at her. The moonlight grew dimmer and soon her vision was coated by darkness.

****

Demona sat at a large wooden table with her head slumped against the palm of her hand. She mindlessly picked at the chipped wax coating on the table’s surface. She stared at the stack of pancakes on a plate that sat in front of her. Her long, wavy hair was only inches from falling into her food.

“Demona!” a woman said.

Demona looked up in response to the voice, but she did nothing to acknowledge the woman that stood looking down on her from the other side of the table.

“Are you going to eat your breakfast?” the woman asked.

“No, thanks,” Demona replied.

The woman frowned at her. “You need to eat—” She turned to the teenage boy about to walk out of the room. “John don’t even think about sneaking out of this room. You need to put your dishes in the sink where they belong. Remember, we talked about this!”

He turned and walked back to the table. “Yes, Brenda. As you say, Brenda.” He took the plate, stuck it in the sink, and walked away.

Brenda watched him walk from the room. “John, don’t forget to take a nice set of clothing with you to school. We have that court appointment with your case worker and parents today.”

John rolled his eyes sarcastically. “How could I forget?”

Demona watched the exchange of the two people she shared the house with.

Brenda spun back to Demona. “You need to eat.”

“You’re not my mother!” She pushed the plate away and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I know I’m not your mother. Can you please just stop being so defiant, I’m only looking out for your best interests,” Brenda said.

Demona shrugged her shoulders.

The woman sat in the seat next to Demona and turned the chair in order to look at her. She placed her hand on the table top close to her. “You know, you can talk to me if you need to. Right?”

Demona shrugged again. “I know,” she said. Demona looked away from Brenda. “Things just don’t make sense…”

“Do you want to explain what that means?”

Demona looked down at her arms that remained crossed over her chest. “I don’t know. I just feel like nothing makes sense. I think I know one thing and then I get these memories that don’t fit into what I know.”

“I know that the doctors diagnosed you with Dissociative Disorder. Do you think that you are experiencing new symptoms? Are you having more memory lapses? It could be something to talk to your doctor about at your appointment tomorrow,” Brenda said.

“It doesn’t feel like that. These memories feel real. Like my last name, it doesn’t feel right on my tongue. Bower, it sounds wrong somehow.” Demona looked into Brenda’s face. She did not like what she saw. She saw sympathy and worry reflected in her foster mother’s eyes and she hated it. “I just want to feel normal!”

“None of us are normal. Everyone has their own trials. You are one of the strongest sixteen year olds I know and you are turning into a beautiful young woman. Things will be okay. Just remember that I am here if you want to talk.”

“I know…Thanks.” Demona rose from her seat and took her still untouched food to the kitchen counter and placed her plate beside the sink. Then, she left Brenda sitting alone at the table.

****

Demona returned to the present, confused from the flashback. The pieces that she received made no sense. She had thought that Darius had wiped her memory during her transformation, but the information she thought she knew suggested that he had done this long before she became a vampire. The thought only made her more frustrated.

Demona heard footsteps. She slowly sat upright and made sure not to make a sound, but the noise stopped. She leaned over and poked Felix. Then, she held a finger to her lips before he could talk and he looked at her in curiosity. Demona pointed to her ears and jabbed her finger out into the darkness that surrounded them.

Aero must have sensed their caution even in his sleep. Before long, he was also moving as quietly as his large body would allow. The whole party was awake within minutes. Each of them listened intently for noises in the darkness. The footsteps began again.

“Ah, there is my lovely, Demona,” Kearne said. His black shape seemed to grow from out of the darkness. “And your friends…how wonderful!”

Ileana hopped to her feet and seemed to perch on the ground ready to take her phoenix form. Aero was also standing on all fours with his horn tilted in Kearne’s direction. Felix stood and placed himself in front of Demona as Kearne approached.

“What a defensive bunch. Well, I suppose you will be wanting this?” Kearne tossed something in Demona’s direction.

Felix caught it and looked it over. “It’s a flask.”

“Not any flask. That flask has the sustenance required for our dear beauty’s survival.” Kearne gestured towards Demona. “Don’t worry fireball. I will not harm you.”

“You disgusting toad! Don’t ever call me fireball again!” Ileana yelled.

“You will be careful as to who you call toad. I may not be allowed to harm you, but I can still affect your emotions,” Kearne said.

Ileana suddenly let out a moan of longing.

“As you have just now experienced.”

“Stop!” Felix said. “You won’t mess with anyone in this group.” He stepped towards Kearne.

Kearne matched his step. The two stood face to face only inches apart. Their bodies were tense and ready for a fight. They glared into each other’s eyes waiting for whoever would throw the first punch.

“Enough you two!” Demona yelled.

Aero nickered.
Quiet, we are at a vulnerable location, too many things roam nearby.

Demona felt Ileana’s hand grip her own. “Are you okay?” Demona asked.

“Fine, as long as the toad stays away from me,” Ileana whispered in her ear.

“
Aero is correct. Let us keep our voices calm. Demona drink up, there is plenty more where that came from.” Kearne handed Demona a bag full of flasks.

“Wait, you two know each other? Where and how did you get so many rations?” Demona asked.

“Everyone knows Aero. He is the last of his kind.” Kearne said, “Don’t worry yourself about your supply. Let us just say that a few people from my past owed me favors.”

Demona looked at the bag of flasks. It was hard to be certain of the amount in the darkness, but she had counted at least ten. Ten flasks of rations meant ten days of not feeding on people, she hoped. She was relieved to have so much available, but knew she needed to divide it up carefully. There was no telling how long the journey would take.

“You’ll be pleased to know that there is a bottle of wine at the bottom,” Kearne said.

Demona nodded. “Good, that should help thin out the supply as it runs lower.”

Demona took a few swigs out of the flask that Felix had handed her. It tasted different than her normal supply. Demona wondered if the blood had come from something other than human, possibly a neutral being. Then, she decided that she did not want to know, it did not matter as long as she was satisfied. She put the stopper back in the opening and placed it into the bag. Those few sips would help hold her off for several hours.

Do we know why the Queen seeks the dark one?
Aero asked.

“I cannot be certain. All of Dissium is aware of the presence of new beings. After I entered Dissium I paid my respects to Queen Yuriko. She was displeased that a dark being had entered Dissium without paying homage to her,” Kearne replied. “I was only acting as Darius had instructed, but I am glad that I had done so. I was able to quell her anger after delivering his message.