A Demon Made Me Do It

Chapter 3. Liora


I keep my head low as I maneuver down the crowded hallway toward my locker. It’s a conscious decision, one designed to prevent me from rubbernecking like an idiot hoping to catch a glimpse of Kieron somewhere. But I realize it’s not the smartest idea as soon as I crash smack into the backside of Cade Johnston, one of the school’s Neanderthal football players.

“Sorry,” I mumble and scoot around him.

His friends snicker; one dramatically recoils in mock horror. I roll my eyes and ignore their immature antics, but hear one of them say, “Better burn that jacket, dude. It’s probably jinxed now.”

What-ev-er.

Corrine stands by my locker looking like she’s ready to burst from her skin. She and I’ve hung out for a few years. She doesn’t ask me too many personal questions and isn’t nosy about my private life. That’s why I like her—her preoccupation with her own drama prevents her from focusing too much on mine. Her father is currently serving a life sentence for killing a man during a drunken bar fight, so she lives with her mom. But her mom is no prize, either. Perpetually unemployed and permanently drunk, she barely manages to keep up the rent on the trailer they share on the outskirts of town, a place inhabited by the trashiest of the trash—poor even by Dove Creek standards. But she’s the closest thing I have to a friend here, and I’m grateful for her companionship.

“Lee-OR-aa!” she hisses, her eyes wide. “I can’t believe you totally missed it. Of all the days to get sent home from school you pick yesterday and miss the most amazing thing ever! Well not totally miss it, but oh my God, why don’t you ever answer your phone at night? I tried calling you like fifty times!” She stops to catch her breath, her chubby face flushing pink.

I furrow my brow. Corrine tends to be dramatic sometimes, but this is a bit over the top. “Slow down…I didn’t get sent home, I left. What happened? Is everything okay?”

She raises both her eyebrows and smiles wide, revealing two deep dimples and badly crooked teeth. I begin turning the combination to my lock but she places both hands on my shoulders and pivots my body around.

“That,” she whispers breathlessly. “Isn’t it just lovely? Ahhh…”

I look to where a gaggle of girls has clustered in the hallway. Correction, a gaggle of girls plus Kieron standing in the middle, clearly loving the attention being plied on him by half the cheerleading squad. Just as I expected.

I look back at Corrine and roll my eyes. “Really? That’s what’s got you so worked up…some guy?” I just hope my face isn’t as pink as hers. Just seeing Kieron again, in the flesh, affirming that he is real and not a figment of my overactive and unreliable imagination makes my blood pump furiously. I focus on lining up the numbers on my combination lock, which is exceedingly difficult with shaky hands.

She leans beside me and cranes her neck to watch him. “Seriously, Liora, are you blind? Have you not seen our selection of guys here, or should I say, lack of?”

“So he’s cute. Big whoop. For all you know he could be a world-class jerk.” I fumble through my locker and try to remember what books I’ll need for first period English. Although after what happened yesterday, I’m not sure it will even matter. Mr. Sodenberg will probably kick me out the second he sees me.

Despite my best efforts, I can’t help but peek in Kieron’s direction again. His dazzling smile lights up the hallway and two more girls have joined his swarm of admirers. “He seems like a total player,” I say and slam my locker shut.

Damn. I have to walk right past him. I move to Corrine’s other side so she can be a buffer as we head toward Kieron and his expanding harem.

“He’s the hottest thing that’s ever stepped foot in this town, if you ask me. And he’s not a jerk. He’s super polite…I accidentally bumped into him leaving chemistry yesterday, and he actually said ‘excuse me’ and asked if I was okay!” Corrine can barely contain her glee.

“Sounds like a real gentleman.” I glance over my shoulder and glower as a pretty blonde named Drusilla Van Vareen places her manicured hand on Kieron’s arm. He says something to her and she laughs as if it’s the funniest thing she’s ever heard. I try not to gag.

As we get closer Corrine suddenly stops walking. She looks at me, over to Kieron, then back to me. “Hmm,” she says with a small smile, “I hadn’t noticed how similar you two look. Like you could almost be related or something.”

I stare at her, dumfounded. Him: could be a male super model. Me: not so much. “Um, clearly you need your glasses checked.”

She tosses her head and lowers her voice. “It’s just a few things, like how you both have the same black hair and blue eyes. That’s an unusual combination. And you both have such distinguished features that are very symmetrical. Course he’s a lot tanner and taller than you, but other than that—”

“Casper the friendly ghost is tanner than me,” I mumble. It’s true I’d noticed that his rich, ebony hair was the same color as mine, but his eyes were definitely a few shades darker.

Corrine shrugs and resumes walking, her head close to mine. “Anyways, there’s all sorts of stories going around about him,” she continues, “Dawn Lewis told me she heard he was an actor from LA out here doing research for a movie role. Taylor McKenzie said he was here as part of the FBI witness relocation program because his parents are wealthy European royalty who are being blackmailed. And Carrie Stevens said…”

“Corinne, stop. His uncle works at the mines. He just came out here to live with him. Ya’ll are going bananas over nothing, and I’m sort of embarrassed to be your friend right now,” I say, only half-joking.

“Ugh, look at Druslutta acting like she already owns him. I mean, three nights ago she was making out with Cade Johnston at the Curley Q…wait, what? How do you know that? Are you holding out on me?” She grabs my arm.

“Ow, that’s attached, you know.”

I feel Kieron’s eyes on me as we pass by, but will myself not to look. The last thing I’m going to do is join his swarm of admirers like some pathetic groupie.

“...Oh, Manhattan is marvelous, all those museums and plays and fabulous restaurants,” Drusilla coos as we walk past. “I’d love for you to tell me all about your favorite places…”

Corinne snorts. “Oh, give me a break,” she grumbles bitterly. “She went to New York once when we were in eighth grade for an uncle’s funeral or something. Now suddenly she’s all big-citified and cultured?”

As I reach for the metal handle, Mr. Sodenberg meets my gaze through the window of the door. His eyes give a warning. Mine roll back in my head. He says nothing, so I can only assume what Lucky said to poor Mr. Winters yesterday somehow got relayed back to him. Corrine, with her poor eyesight, sits in the front. I take my usual seat in the back, plopping my bag on the empty chair beside me.


I silently recite my earlier vows to myself. I must forget about Kieron. Right now, my number one priority is getting through the day without Her showing up. That means absolutely no zoning out. I have to stay alert, focused. Tatiana had told me over breakfast that she’d spoken with Lucky, but I wasn’t satisfied that she wouldn’t just pop in again if it suited her purposes. So I’d taken the extra precaution of wearing a crucifix necklace; hopefully this will discourage her or ensure her quick departure if she does decide to make a cameo.

I open Inferno and practice translating the words into French, a language I’m teaching myself. It’s the only way it will hold my attention.

When a body brushes past me, I look up and am surprised to see Kieron smiling down at me. “Hi, again,” he says softly.

“Hi.” My heart pounds wildly, and I quickly return my gaze to Canto XXIV. But the words become a blur as Kieron continues to hover.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” he asks.

I shrug noncommittally, still staring at my book like it holds the answer to the meaning of life. “Suit yourself.”

He chuckles. “Is this your bag?”

“Right, sorry.” I lean over to snatch it up and place it on the other side of me. Kieron gracefully maneuvers into the seat and smiles.

“Doing better today?”

“Yes.” And I’m re-reading the same sentence for the fifth time. My gaze lifts slightly to see several students turned around in their seats, gawking at us.

“I’m happy to hear that. Sorry to interrupt you…is that a good book? I’ve never read it.”

“It’s fascinating,” I respond dryly.

“Maybe you wouldn’t mind filling me in, help me get up to speed—” The rest of his question is cut off as Mr. Sodenberg calls the class to order.

If someone had offered me ten million dollars to recall even one sentence Mr. Sodenberg uttered during his entire lecture, I couldn’t do it. Even though I’m trying with all my might to concentrate on what the teacher is saying, it’s impossible with Kieron sitting less than two feet away. Fifty minutes passes in a blur, and before I know it the bell is ringing.

“What’s your next class?” Kieron asks as we both stand up.

“History with Jackson.”

“What a happy coincidence. So’s mine. We can walk there together.” It’s more of a command than a request. He’s so close behind me I can smell the musky scent of his aftershave. We make our way to the door and I notice several girls, including Corrine, watching us like blood-thirsty hawks. I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile but I can tell she’s not buying it. Even though her next class is in the opposite direction, she falls into step beside Kieron.

“Kieron, have you met my friend Corrine Olsen?” I ask, hoping to diffuse any awkwardness. She stares at him in awe and I groan inwardly. I’m trying not to be embarrassed for her, but she’s just acting so swoony. I’ve never seen her like this before.

But if Kieron notices anything odd about her behavior, he makes no indication of it. “Yes, I believe we quite literally ran into each other the other day, but weren’t properly introduced. Hello, Corrine, my name is Kieron Ambrose. How do you do?”

“F-fine,” Corrine stutters. Her face is beet red. She gapes at both of us for a moment before abruptly turning and rushing in the other direction. Kieron smiles down at me.

“Friendly people here,” he says.

“Yeah, a little too friendly,” I mutter as Drusilla swoops in and touches his arm.

“Oh, Kieron, there y’ar,” she says, exaggerating her southern drawl. I’ve noticed she does this whenever she talks to cute guys. She must’ve heard somewhere they like it. Tramp. “I was hopin’ to have ya escort me to biology. Give us a chance to chat.” She pronounces it bah-awl-gy, bats her false eyelashes, and smiles coyly. Great. Now she’s morphed into Scarlett O’Hara.

“Can we do it later? I need to talk with Liora for a moment,” he says, matching her phony smile, eye-bat and all. Score one for Rhett Butler.

Drusilla is not used to boys saying no to her. Her face freezes and at first she’s confused. Then her gaze flickers over to me. For the first half-second, it seems like she’s never seen me before; for the second, like I’m a fly in her nonfat yogurt. But she quickly recovers. “Why, certainly, I understand,” she says as if she’s never heard of anything more ludicrous. “Find me at lunch. I’ll save us a seat by the fountains where we can have some privacy…and not be bothered.”

Kieron nods. “Sounds good,” he says. I want to punch him. And her. Drusilla spins on an inappropriately high heel and stalks away, but not before flashing me a death-ray glare.

Walking down a hallway with Kieron is an entirely new experience for me. Even when it’s filled with bustling bodies scurrying between classrooms and lockers, I’m usually given a pretty wide berth. But Kieron seems to have the exact opposite effect on people. They’re all moving closer, trying to be as near him as possible, hoping to meet his gaze, or, if really lucky, ‘accidentally’ touch him on their way past. It’s sort of like being with a celebrity. I’m thinking how the only thing missing is the flashing light bulbs of paparazzi when I catch Carrie Stevens snapping a picture of him with her cell phone. And now I’m embarrassed for my entire gender.

“So, I don’t want to impose myself on you, but I was serious when I asked if you wouldn’t mind helping me catch up to speed on the reading. Mr. Sodenberg excused me from the paper due next week, but I’m not a dumb guy, and I’d really like to pull my own weight. Get started off on the right foot, if you know what I mean.”

“If you want to get started off on the right foot I don’t really recommend hanging around me,” I say quietly. Right now the only thing outnumbering the desirous looks sent Kieron’s way are the hateful ones being sent toward me.

He stops and places his hand lightly on my arm. My stomach threatens to leap into my chest and I avert my eyes from his intense stare. “Why would you say that? I asked several people who the smartest person in our class was and they all said you.”

“I’m sure that’s not all they said,” I mumble, very aware of his hand still resting on my arm.

“That’s the only part I listened to,” he says with a small smile. Our eyes lock.

I take a deep breath. “Okay, if you’re really desperate, I guess I can help you out. But if you change your mind, I’ll understand.”

“I won’t,” he says, his eyes sparkling again. “When’s a good time for you? My afternoons and evenings are free for you—”

“Afternoons only,” I say hurriedly. “”Evenings are out. Totally.” He gives a quizzical glance but just nods.

“I understand. Hey, thanks a lot. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem…today’s no good, though,” I say as I remember a special errand I have to do later.

“Tomorrow, then?”

I nod.

The warning bell rings, and we enter class together. This time, I’m not surprised when he takes the empty seat beside me.

“So, we meet again,” he raises an eyebrow and winks.

For the first time in a long time, I laugh.

******





Tatiana is sitting in the lotus-position levitating dried rose petals when I get home. I know better than to bother her when she’s ‘feeling the flowers’—her version of reading tea leaves—so I retreat to my room to start my homework and do some laundry.


I plop on my bed and set up my laptop. First up: A ten page paper on the causes and effects of the French Revolution. Thrill me now. I deliberate for about thirty seconds before my fingers fly across the keyboard, and less than twenty minutes later I’m done, footnotes and all. I spend five more minutes on Trig, an assignment that’ll take even the brightest of my classmates over an hour to complete.

Sigh. I can’t even count on schoolwork to distract me for very long. Again, my thoughts return to Kieron, not that they’re ever really far away from him. He’s always there…lurking in the back of my mind, patiently waiting for me to indulge in the fantasy. The one where I don’t turn into a monster at dusk. The one where someday I’ll be able to find happiness with him, or maybe even someone else. The one where I can fall in love and live happily ever after.

Yeah, that fantasy. The completely insane, ridiculous, and impossible one.

I decide to surf the web for a bit and click on the page for local news. When I see the headline I gasp…sickened:





LOCAL MURDERS HAVE CITIZENS ON EDGE

Beneath the headline are three pictures: an adorable little girl who looks to be around five or six, a teenage boy with pimples and a huge smile, and a middle-aged black man. All of them look so happy.

I scan the article. Few clues and no apparent connection between the victims. All were brutally murdered, either at home, or in the case of the little girl, right outside. It says she was killed playing on her front porch as her mom ran inside to answer the phone. She’d been gone less than three minutes and returned to find her daughter’s head twisted clean off.

“What kind of monsters could be capable of doing something so horrific?” the mother is quoted as saying. I close my computer and taste the bile in my throat.

I know exactly what kind of monsters are capable of such horrors.

I was twelve years old when my two best friends were viciously murdered right in front of me. The memory of watching them die is the last thing that Lucky and I experienced as a singular being. After that, she went her way and I went mine. It still makes me nauseous to think that technically I’m part of a breed of monsters that are capable of committing such atrocities.

Tatiana has told me I shouldn’t hate myself for the actions of a few “bad elements”. Humans kill one another quite regularly, and they don’t despise themselves for the crimes of others. That’s fine. She can say what she wants. She didn’t see what I saw. She doesn’t know what I know. It’s impossible to forget…or forgive…the hideous cruelty that I know flows through my veins.

Stop it, stop it, stop it! I have to force myself to push away the awful memory and to think of something else. Tall. Black hair. Electric blue eyes. Sexy smile…

Augh!!

I flip on the radio and start gathering up some clothes to run a wash. I accidentally pick up some slutty red leather ensemble that Lucky wore last night and angrily throw it back in the closet. Even if I wanted to do her laundry—which I most definitely do not—I wouldn’t even know how to wash something like that. I swear she shops at Strippers-R-Us.

The tantalizing aroma wafting in from the kitchen tells me Tatiana has begun making dinner. I throw the last of my clothes in the washer and join her.

“Mmm, fried chicken. My favorite,” I say, peeking over her shoulder. A leather satchel rests on the table, and I open it up; it’s filled with money and jewels. I pull out a diamond necklace and admire it. “Can I keep this?” It’s a ridiculous question. Tatiana would never allow it, and besides, when would I ever wear something like this?

She gives me a look as she sets a plate of fresh chicken beside me, and I reluctantly return the necklace to the bag. “Remove the jewels; I’ll put them in my safe. Lucky already has her instructions how to divide the cash.”

Even though it’s me who is going to the bank, I can’t do it all by myself. My job is to be there waiting so Lucky can take over and handle the tellers. Otherwise, they might grow suspicious of a teenage girl coming in with large sacks of cash requesting cashier’s checks for various charities. But under her hypnotizing gaze they do as they’re told, ask no questions, and soon forget they ever saw us. We have to time it perfectly because the bank usually closes right around the time it gets dark.

“Are you planning on walking or driving into town?” Tatiana asks.

“It looks like it might rain soon…?” I look at her for confirmation. She presses her lips together and nods.

“Just a light sprinkling, but not for several hours…you will miss it.”

Usually, I much prefer to walk. But it’s late afternoon already, and that would be cutting it too close. And I don’t want to put it off until tomorrow; I already have plans to see Kieron. The thought stirs up the butterflies in my stomach.

“Guess I’ll drive. I wish I could run like She can,” I mumble through a mouthful of food. “Course I guess it doesn’t really matter anyway, seeing as how I have to go through the middle of town and people would see.”

Tatiana makes a clucking noise and scoops up some mashed potatoes. “She has her talents and you have yours. So tell me, how was your day? Better than yesterday?” She has an odd smile on her face.

Sometimes I wonder just how much Tatiana knows that she doesn’t let on. I know she has the freaky ability to sense anything that moves, human or not, and can read the energies of clothes, even down to knowing what color and material they are. I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me if she knows I’m obsessing on something.

“Today was…okay,” I say. “No hostile takeovers.”

“How are classes going?”

“Fine. Same. Boring.” As much as I want to not think about the horrifying news article, I can’t shake it from my mind. Sighing, I put down my drumstick. “Tat, what do you know about the murders in Pine Canyon? I read about them online and it’s just awful. Is it anything… supernatural?”

She lets out a long breath and stands up. Walking over to the window she wrings her hands nervously. Now I wish I hadn’t asked.

“I, too, have seen the death. I wish I could say it was a random act of human on human violence, but I fear it’s not. There is a blackness surrounding the poor souls, and I am unable to decipher the meaning or motivations behind the actions. I do not know what caused it, nor why. I only see an impenetrable darkness.”

My heart starts racing. Tatiana usually tries to keep me in the dark about demonic activity, or at least use gentle euphemisms—like referring to Michael and Kayla’s murders as “the unfortunate incident”.

“Am I in danger?” I ask, not sure I want to hear her answer. But, really, when am I not in danger? Lucky risks our lives with alarming regularity.

“I do not see this as a threat to you at this time. Perhaps it will be an isolated unfortunate event. Of course, if anything changes you will be the first to know and I will implement safeguards.”

“Okay, sure, whatever you say.” I can’t eat anything more so I clear away the plates and give her a kiss on the cheek. “I better get going. See you tomorrow.” I grab the bag of money and the keys to my Mustang.

The afternoon sun is beginning its final descent on the horizon. I jump in my car, crank up the stereo, and speed off down the dirt road.

******





This main stretch winding through the heart of Dove Creek is the only source of commerce for miles. Besides the bank, there’s a movie rental place, a pizza parlor and ice cream shop, and a few novelty stores that specialize in hunting and fishing.


Several people are milling along the sidewalk, so I lean back in the driver’s seat and make myself comfortable. I still have a few more minutes, but I really hope the dinner crowd disperses before it’s time for me to change. I can’t do it in the car…She won’t bother to lock it up or leave the keys in a safe place. Usually I go to the alley behind the bank to transform, but right now there are too many people. Damn Pizza Pete’s and their Tuesday night special.

After a few minutes the crowd thins. My plan is to sit on the bench until I feel Her approach, then move into the alley way. No problem.

I lock the car and make my way across the street. Then, I spot Kieron walking down the sidewalk.

Oh, no. No no no!

He hasn’t seen me yet…at least I don’t think so. But I have to get away; I can’t let him see me this close to a transformation. Who knows what Lucky will say or do? Especially if Kieron tries to talk to her like she’s me. At best, she’ll laugh in his face. At worst…ugh, I don’t even want to imagine...

He stops and looks inside the window of The Stinky Fish Bait & Tackle. I dodge into the alleyway, press my back against the side wall and hold my breath. Then I start thinking—the bait shop is closed; he’s not going in there. So unless he turns to go into the bank, he’s most likely heading to either the movie rental or pizza place. That means he’ll have to walk right past me. Crap! All it will take is one little glance in this direction and he’ll see me cowering like a cornered rat…

I need to hide.

But there’s nowhere to go. The alley is a dead end. If I go back on the street he’ll surely see me. She’s only seconds away from coming, and so is he. And I will do anything in my power to prevent the two of them from meeting.

I have no choice.

Darting over to the enormous grey trash dumpster against the back wall, I struggle to lift its heavy lid. It falls on my fingers, and I have to bite my lip to keep from crying out. I have to get in.

Finally, I manage to open it wide enough to squeeze inside. “I’m so sorry, Lucky,” I whisper. I don’t even want to think about what I’m sitting on, much less what Lucky will do when she sees where I’ve left her. As the stench of rotting garbage fills my nostrils, I take a last quick breath of fresh air and close the lid.