Cursed (35 page)

I tried to be realistic about the whole
situation, this was my first time being a soul-sucking demon, it
was my first kick at the can at feeding off of a person, I was
making rookie mistakes. I could do this better. I could find a
cancer ward or criminals and easily put those people out of misery.
I knew that if I’d been warned or trained by someone with
compassion and care this wouldn’t have happened. I looked into the
forest where I knew Dorian was and decided I would try my luck
alone for a while. I knew I couldn’t stay there as no doubt I would
be a danger to anyone I knew. I started to run along the beach and
dove into the water again. I knew Portland was my only hope. I shut
myself off, I shut off my feelings for Shane, my feelings for Blake
and my sister and my dad who I knew must be desperately sad without
me. I shut off my feelings for the girl on the ocean floor behind
me in her pajamas who didn’t deserve the death she received.

Chapter Seventeen - HOW
MUCH SIN CAN A SIN EATER EAT IN A CITY FULL OF SIN

My palms grew warm, itching like a burning I
could not soothe. I wiped them on my pants back and forth, dragging
them waiting for the release. It was the same every time. I still
had no patience like I’d had when I was alive, I had lost my
ability to sit still. My trigger finger itched so to speak only I
had no trigger that the human eye could see. I had been out for
coffee when I saw him the first time and I knew he would work to
fulfill my hunger as soon as I cleared it with the Roses. He was
raging as he stormed past the coffee shop window. I followed him
cautiously knowing one small move could send me into attack mode, I
was still coping with it.

I watched him from the building across the
street through the window hoping for a moment to see something
inside of him, something I could save. It was always the same
thing. I had to see there really was no other option. Secretly I
hated taking their lives even though I knew their families were
free of the monster they had unwittingly married or been born to.
That was the part I tried to remember as I saw their families
crying devastated by the death of a most beloved dad or mom.

I heard a shout from the apartment as he paced
in the window screaming at motionless beings that I could not see
within the tiny rectangle. I hated making this choice but there he
was at a cross road, about to commit a crime. I couldn’t risk it
and show mercy this time. I was getting too hungry and would attack
someone who didn’t deserve it like Peter. I thumbed the platinum
ring on my right hand mindlessly watching, always watching. The
Roses had saved me from myself in a moment of weakness and sorrow,
I wished I could save Peter but he had taken it too far, his kind
always did.

His hands flew back and forth showing his anger,
expressing his rage. He stopped, hovering a moment over something
or someone. No one moved beyond him and no words were spoken
besides his. I gasped hoping desperately that he had managed to
gain control of himself before he hurt anyone again. He was a
monster trying desperately to control what he had become. I
literally watched as his mind lost it, like a twig breaking from a
branch making a most pronounced snap as the control no longer
became his and the monster emerged.

He shouted and then his fists came down on the
couch. They came down hard making screams match the fury they hit
with. His arms waving like a mad man clawing and hitting.

I had given Peter a few seconds to stop and
leave the room so I could grab him before I was seen but he didn’t
seem to be leaving, he was going to shift in front of them. I knew
this was not his fault, he had been desperately trying to contain
the beast inside of himself for a long time but his history had
proven he could not. He had made the mistake of thinking he would
be able to have a normal life. I winked myself inside to see the
madness. The inhabitants of the room could not see me as they
covered themselves completely. I watched the horror show of Peter
raging at the couch and the people curling against each other as a
mom tried to protect her two small children.

Peter’s face grew distorted as his head shivered
and shook.

His rage was bringing out the beast literally he
would not be human within seconds.

I leapt forward not even worrying about whether
I was seen or not as I touched Peters quivering shoulder softly and
smiled momentarily down at the small child on the couch who peaked
up at me from under his moms bleeding arm. He smiled through the
tears when his eyes met mine and the little boy knew everything
would be okay again or for the first time in a long time. I watched
as lips formed the word, “Angel”.

I winked quickly removing Peter and myself from
the house before I was seen by anyone beyond the small child.
Outside in the alley Peter tried to fight me but once I let my
hands have what they wanted he was frozen. I sucked him dry in
seconds before anyone would see. I left his body on the ground
outside of the apartment.

Peter’s body would remain in human form long
enough for the medical examiner to rule it a heart attack. The
decay of a monster was really very different then a human though,
they literally decayed to ash. I wondered what I would decay into
if I were able to die. It was the one thing I envied in them, all
of them could be killed by me but what could ever take me from this
existence? I left my pain in the alley with his.

I was back on the street again in an instant as
I walked down the road feeling a slight bit of adrenaline. Monsters
gave me a better soul separation high than innocents, they were
just so hard to find. I looked down at my boots clicking on the
street wondering what it was about them that made my feel sexy. I
had contemplated this over and over many times in my life. Boots
made me feel sexy and it was a mystery beyond everything else in my
life as to why. There was strength in a pair of boots almost like a
super power. I had started wearing them when I first came to the
city. My sister had always worn them. I blocked that thought out of
my mind, I wasn’t that girl anymore. I didn’t have a sister
anymore.

I smiled to myself feeling good about my night,
knowing I had made a difference. I didn’t think about the soul I
had taken, the life that left the body. I didn’t think once the
choice was made. I had decided I was a warrior for the innocent and
that being a demon didn’t have to involve sucking good people dry.
I decided it was time someone defended the innocent from the evil
and it was better to be known for killing out of control monsters
than innocent people. Luckily it had turned out I wasn’t alone in
my pursuit and had actually found people I belonged with.

The subway ride was exactly the sort of mindless
activity I craved until the group of men a few seats away started
to harass the pretty waitress near me. I waited as always for them
to show a sign of goodness. I tried to not interfere in regular
human life but I wasn’t going sit by and let a waitress entertain a
group of men against her will in the subway tunnels either. Instead
of being good humans and letting the joke slide they decided to go
the other way. They went further and further with it until they had
worked each other up and there was no turning back.

“I think she’s a slut boys, I think she wants
something from us.” One gentlemanly man spoke above the noise of
the train as he groped his groin smiling at the helpless woman. He
stood up rubbing himself grotesquely on her shoulder as I sat
shaking keeping my head down, she had tried to pull away while the
filthy pervert held onto her tightly. He stood hovering over her
like she was his next meal.

“Oh she’s hot, you’re hot baby.” Another of the
superior males muttered as the girl tried to stand up he pushed her
back down into her seat. They hovered over her like vultures
awaiting the departure of the other animals before beginning their
feast. His actions caused my upper lip to lift on the right side
slightly. He wanted to do things I could never permit. I had
forbidden myself from hurting regular humans unless they were
putting another human in danger.

“L-l-leave me alone.” The pretty girl begged
looking around the train for aid from anyone. As per the usual the
fine patrons of the subway kept their eyes to their hands showing
no sign of interfering in the pain she would certainly become
victim to. I could feel their good intentions being stifled by the
fear they felt toward the group of men. I knew that they had made
up their minds that they would dial 911 for the girl as soon as the
men grabbed her and dragged her into the tunnels. That was what
good Samaritans did. Suddenly as if answering my prayer a huge man
dressed as a construction worker stood up, he was a beast. He stood
looking menacingly at the small group of men. “Leave her be.”

His voice was gruff, “Come with me.” He put a
hand out, shaking slightly as he reached for her.

The waitress-looking lady stood quickly running
away from the men who stood beside her, rushing to the arm of the
man her savior. She clutched her bag and refused to look behind her
at the pack of wolves. The big man pulled her along the train and
through the door to the next car. The men screamed obscenities and
challenges of brute strength to the happy couple that left the
train car. It was easy to be strong when you had several men
guarding your back.

I smiled knowing the waitress and the
construction worker would probably fall in love because of his
bravery. He had saved her and she would forever remember that
through thick and thin. I loved happy endings. I knew that they
could get off the subway and never speak to each other again but I
liked to imagine the best since my world was the worst.

I smiled seeing the fiends eyeball me now that
their prey had been taken so brutishly from them.

“How unfair boys, no one to play with now.” I
taunted wickedly.

Eyebrows raised, confidence such as this was
challenging to men who did their preying on women in packs. They
instantly smelled, no wreaked of insecurities. Suddenly not so
certain of this young pretty girl sitting all alone as I looked
them straight in the eyes asking for trouble. I smiled, “Well I
guess no one wants to play with me.” I stretched a long lean leg
out almost flaunting my F-me boots as I batted my eyelashes at the
more hideous looking one amongst them, the one who had enjoyed dry
humping the waitresses shoulder. He disgusted me. Generally I
didn’t judge humans but this one was extra special.

The ugly slightly brave or foolish man stood
challenging me back, “You stupid bitch. You looking for
trouble?”

His dirty demeanor made me smiled harder,
“Stupid am I well what say we step outside gentlemen when the train
stops. Then perhaps we shall see exactly who is stupid, your little
rabble of filth or me.” I stood long and lean in my super woman
boots feeling the world vibrating under my foot or perhaps it was
the train. I didn’t even flinch as my long blond hair flowed around
my back like a cape making me invincible; I stared down the pack of
dogs.

The ugly man waved his arms in the air
dismissively and nodded to his friends, “That’s a crazy bitch. We
don’t like crazy bitch’s.”

They smiled nervously nodding amongst their
small circle speaking in a low rumble. They continued their
name-calling but agreed amongst them that I wasn’t pretty enough
for their attentions. I walked over to the door and with my back to
them I watched in the window beside me. They conspired against me
weakly and I decided they were far to beneath my efforts. It dawned
on me that it was very possible they were the victims of compulsion
and that would never do for me to take them on if that were the
case. It would not be fair, to them and the Roses had rules against
that sort of thing.

I walked off the train noticing the cool breeze
in the air and the familiar smell of burned incense, a dark smell,
musty and old like the soul the smell belonged to. It was winter
and the smell of decay but in a romantic hue instead of the
decomposition it truly was. Looking around without seeing anything
or anyone I smiled feeling the true challenge of the night. I broke
into a run that made me laugh. I loved the click of my high-healed
boots on the concrete as I sprinted up the stairs past the old
courthouse. My lungs pushed for air as my leg muscles flexed
strenuously. My heartbeat was faster than I’d heard it be in months
and my bright blond hair flew behind me like a cape. I pumped my
arms harder pushing myself running, fleeing for the safety of my
home. The guards put there would stop them, the hounds of the
darkness.

I saw the street sign as I heard their feet
catching me and their breath nipping at my ears. I ran faster
pushing harder but they too were fast. They had been made strong
just as I had been. I felt the guards grab me in time, just as one
of the filthy dogs leapt at me. I burst in a coughing laugh
recovering from the excursion as I bent over feeling the muscles in
my legs contracting, “You filthy pups. You almost had me. Good job
lads, very excellent work. I won’t forget that foot race for
sometime. Trying to trick me into battle with the little boys on
the train must have actually required both of your brain cells.
Maybe next time I’ll wear bigger heels and give you a chance.” I
waved goodnight to the shadows pacing in the background behind the
wall of guards.

“Oh we’ll have you princess. We’ll taste your
dark blood soon.” A dark and frankly daunting voice rode the wind
above me. I pulled my sweater around myself as I curtsied, “The sun
always wins lads and the north wind always loses. Goodnight my fair
princes.” My heart seemed to be making a desperate attempt to slow
itself down as I waved once again to the figures mulling around the
road beyond me.