Demon Girl (Keeley Thomson Book One) (14 page)

   “People try to kill us when we're young, before we can really do a lot to protect ourselves. So baby demons get mentors now. It's not perfect, but it cuts the deaths by about half. It's a good time to be a new demon really. Most still die young, about nine in ten, but it's better than it used to be.”

   The spoon scraped the bottom of the paper container, the cream and sugar mixture slightly brown from the dense peanut butter, the scent still lingering. Keeley, without thinking took a snack cake herself. Normally she hated these things, but at the moment it tasted incredible. That was bizarre. Apparently turning back time to fix a floor really was a bigger deal than it seemed. She nearly snorted. Like that didn't seem like a huge thing?

   “OK, so those things last night? The fake monk and then the... I have no clue what to call those other things.”

   “The monk was just what it seemed, a ghost that couldn't adapt to being dead and not having their imaginary happy land pop into being. The others are more complicated. The shadow... Well, that's a djin. Yes, I get the absurdity of keeping him in a magic bottle, but it really is the best way of doing it. By the way, they don't give wishes. In general they just kill humans that mess with them, which is why I trapped that one. Back in the fifties, it killed two complete families in the area I lived in. I don't let anyone else hunt on my territory, just a rule I have. That includes you too by the way, unless I OK it, just for future reference, if it comes up at all. If you want to kill people either ask or take a road trip.”

   Taking a deep breath, she gave Keeley a sidelong look, using only her eyes, a strange thing, because it meant looking away first, the blue eyes fixing her in place the whole time above the white blouse she wore.

   “OK, the other thing is a lesser demon. No relation. They're energy beings, created from the thoughts of humans. They believed it into being. Of course, that means, given the whole Christian mythos, that it's about as dark and evil as you can get. Powerful enough though. As you saw.”

   Looking down she realized that the tiny cake in her hand was gone with the next bite and her hunger had finally started to subside. Thank goodness for that. Too much more food and she'd probably have popped. Or should have. She didn't really feel physically full yet at all.

   “Does that kind of stuff happen often? Ghosts and all that? I've never noticed anything like it before... No... lesser demons either.”

   “Yes. A few times a month things show up. Most people just move past them and go on without noticing anything strange, their minds, the human mind, won't let them remember it clearly. A few do, the insane, sometimes the genius. They normally learn not to talk about it though. “Hey I see ghosts and demons” doesn't play nearly as well as you might think. Might as well just sign up for the local UFO meeting or check yourself into a mental ward.”

   That... Keeley could see it, she certainly didn't talk about a lot of things she picked up, did she? The few times she'd started to, as a child, her parents had acted strangely. She'd learned to hide what she knew pretty fast and just pretend that when she got things, she was just being smart. Her parents kind of accepted that, since she was decently smart, getting decent grades and all.

   Most of the questions were answered pretty well she decided, with only a couple left. Darla sat, learning forward slightly in her chair, eyes suddenly riveted on hers.

   “Any... other questions?” She said, her voice sounding odd. Too smooth, like a car salesman from a television show.

   “Well... Um, why are you here? I mean, we all have to be somewhere, but if you can change shape and all that, why pretend to be a high school student, and why a cheerleader?”

   “Well, the cheer leading part is simple, popularity acts as an amazing shield against scrutiny and it's easier to manipulate others to your own ends when you look good. There are some simple tricks I can show you for that, looking good and manipulating others, before you go back to school Monday. If you want.

   “As for the rest, well, I'm here...” she drew the pause out long enough that it was clear she was being dramatic.

   “For you.”

   Tilting her head Keeley stared for a second, her face looking skeptical.

   “For me? Oh, well that makes sense... All the supernatural beings love to hang around with me... Oh..wait, no they don't! Gasp!” She raised an eyebrow delicately, or tried to. She chuckled a bit though, expecting Darla to join in, which she didn't, she did smile prettily though.

   “Excuse me? Keeley, look around, they obviously do... You're just now starting to notice them, that's all.”

   OK, it was a real point, Keeley had to concede after the last twenty-four hours.

   “But why? I mean, I get that I'm a little strange, but demons and ghosts and djins, oh my? It doesn't make a lot of logical sense, does it?”

   Darla nodded and looked down as if thinking about something, then, as if she'd come to a conclusion she looked dead into Keeley's eyes.

   “OK, normally I'd draw this out and take three to six months to get to the point, but you're strong enough already that things will probably start showing up to try and kill you before then and we can't waste a bunch of time getting you ready... so don't freak out. Remember, this isn't a big deal, alright?”

   “Um, sure?”

   The deep breath seemed a little forced, another thing meant to set the mood, Keeley realized. Just like the pause.

   “Right, just out with it, what are you trying to say. Stop with the phony acting and just tell me already.” It wasn't snappish, but it didn't sound polite either. A little gruff. Before she could apologize for her tone the other girl spoke.

   “You're a demon Keeley. That's why I'm here. That's why I've been watching you.”

Chapter seven

   Keeley looked around the dining room for the hidden cameras. She didn't notice anything, but that didn't mean they weren't there, did it? After a few seconds the hunger struck again and she found herself eating another of the now cloying chocolate treats. It disgusted her just a little that they actually tasted so good right at the moment. Here she'd imagined herself to have something approaching taste, if not style.

   Sighing she shook her head.

   “Nope, that pushes right past the bounds of even my credulity, and I can believe in a lot of strange things. I remember growing up and distinctly don't recall ever having been a demon while doing so. What's the set up here? Make me believe I'm a “demon” and then have me run all over town acting like a freak? Go have sex with twenty guys at once because there are no consequences to it for a demoness? If so, you picked the wrong girl, because I don't think I have enough money to buy that idea.”

   Darla, being more mature than she was, if the whole thing wasn't just a joke, smiled softly at her and finally, when Keeley didn't respond, stuck out her tongue.

   “I'm good, but do you think a regular high school girl is really going to be able to even fake a djin or lesser demon like that? You can't be hypnotized, so no fair trying to claim I “clouded your mind” either. You're just one of us and you need to get used to it. I'll give you a minute to come to grips.”

   The demon actually looked at the clock on the wall, as if to prompt her to get with the program in an actual minute. It really did feel like there was a deadline. Not a bad trick really, Keeley decided. State a time limit as a hypothetical and then look at a clock? It didn't work as well now though, because she'd caught on.

   The blond opened a box of very cheap prepackaged honey buns and started eating one without commenting further, but her eyes stayed glued to Keeley. It was a warm and friendly look, but started to feel strange after about thirty seconds. Like the other girl might just be coming across the table at her when her sweet roll was done. Instead of giving in, Keeley took one of those too, trying to cut the over chocolaty taste inside her mouth.

   Between swallows she spoke, not breaking eye contact with the other girl, no matter how uncomfortable it got.

   “So, am I supposed to be some, I don't know, dark ages demon that was cursed to forget or something? How is this supposed to work?”

   Rolling her eyes Darla held up her index finger.

   “Well, the daddy demon meets a human woman,” she made a circle with her other forefinger and thumb, “and they...” The fingers started to move closer together. “You know, I'm almost certain they teach this in school now...”

   “Very funny, so you're saying my dad's a demon?” That didn't seem likely. Her dad wasn't exactly father of the year, always a bit cold and distant, but Charles Thomson was simply not a demon. Not unless demons often went into accounting. She was about to mention this when Darla cut her off with a cute grin.

   “Obviously not the dad you know. Though really, he seems like an alright guy. I met him about a week ago, at Cortechs, when I was delivering some paperwork. I didn't change for it, because becoming my own grandmother takes a few hours. A bit stiff and a little too into high school cheerleaders, but other than that nice. Of course I was wearing my uniform, so it wasn't totally his fault.” She held out her hands defensively to forestall a beating.

   “No, seriously... your real father is a demon and of course, it's not the person you think of as being your dad. Only male demons can have children, you and I, being female, can't. On the good side, no biological clock or maternal instinct either. I've never felt the urge to have more than a puppy myself.”

   “Hmmph. OK, so I can go with you there, I've never wanted kids, or really thought about it much, but... How did my mom, I mean, some kind of spell or I don't know invitro-fertilization?”

   “Bar. In Cancun Mexico, if the story I heard is right. Not to be a pain Keels... but grow up. Half of all humans sleep around on the other half, that shouldn't be news to you. You collect data on everyone with a touch. We all do. Check the memories you got from your mom and...”